By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
AN UPDATED Victorian Heritage Register listing for Moolap’s former Cheetham salt works is another barrier to redeveloping the site, according to its owner.
Ridley Land Corporation chairman John Murray said the heritage issue further complicated the company’s plans residential development plans.
“The heritage issue is something that needs to be dealt with, whatever we do,” Mr Murray said.
“We have a myriad of different jurisdictions to deal with in regard to Moolap. There’s not much progress but we’re working closely with government and council to work out the best way forward.
“These things tend have rather long gestation periods.”
The Independent’s revealed last year Ridley’s plans to two of the Moolap salt pans after declaring them surplus to requirements.
The plans are also subject to an environmental effects statement.
A Heritage Victoria spokesperson said the salt pans were already a registered site, so any works would require a heritage permit.
The proposed amended heritage registration said the saltworks was of historical, archaeological and scientific significance.
The area had associations with the early and highly important salt industry in Victoria as the first successful solar saltworks, the registration said.
“Cheetham Salts continued as an important and prominent Victorian industry throughout the 20th Century and remains a pre-eminent producer of salt products.
The (site) has the potential to contain historical archaeological deposits, features and/or objects associated with its previous use and to reveal further information about the operation of salt production in Victoria.
“The site is an important remnant of the salt industry as it clearly demonstrates the important processes of salt production in its extensive network of salt pans.
“The founder of the Cheetham Saltworks, Richard Cheetham, was a pioneer in the Victorian salt industry, a prominent Geelong industrialist and resident, and the original owner of a business which became the pre-eminent producer of salt products in Victoria.”
Environmental groups wants to retain the salt pans as wetlands and a migratory bird sanctuary.
Geelong Environment Council’s Joan Lindros said the site was now an important link in a chain of wetlands under an international Ramsar agreement.
“The Ridley proposal would totally destroy what’s there, so it’s pleasing the heritage register has been upgraded,” she said.
