Shire view that National Trust has ruled out Beechworth railway shed for horse carriages collection rejected

In this week's council meeting agenda, community and economic development director Mark Florence replies to a petition urging the shire to support moving the vehicles to the shed.

"As part of the development of its staged plan, the National Trust has considered the goods shed as a location, and has ruled it out as an appropriate venue," Mr Florence states.

The Beechworth Heritage Society's president Elizabeth Mason said that contradicts what the trust's chief executive Simon Ambrose told her.

"The National Trust has not ruled it out," she said.

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Mr Ambrose told The Border Mail the goods shed could be part of future carriage plans, but he noted it was "not ideal for conservation" given its open surrounds.

He said the trust wanted a "win-win situation for all stakeholders" and the goods shed might or might not be part of that "and we haven't got to that point yet".

Mr Florence states in the agenda: "Relocating the carriage collection to the goods shed would remove the opportunities for retail or hospitality business activation at the precinct, and inhibit the capacity of council to source and significant funding for the continued upgrading of the goods shed."

Mrs Mason replied: "I consider that to be absurd because that shed is completely unsuitable.

"It's a building of heritage status that cannot be lined with utilities, the access is unsuitable and there's no toilets there.

"That's just a pipedream."

Mrs Mason said there were "more than enough cafes" in central Beechworth.

The carriages are housed in a dilapidated shed at Billson's Brewery and that company wants them shifted to allow for storage.

The heritage society and Old Cranks Motor Club combined to collect signatories for the petition which will be debated at Tuesday night's council meeting.

More than 400 names were on it, but only 156 were deemed valid after it was decided six pages did not meet the council's petition rules requiring the request to be atop each page submitted.

It is recommended council acknowledge that a notice of motion at last month's meeting supersedes the petition and endorse continued work between the shire and trust to rehome the carriages.

The motion backed a memorandum of understanding of the council and trust, to find a new home for the carriages.

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