City Hall has backed away from selling historic Geelong Post Office, with a councillor now describing it as “an incredible asset”.
Councillors this week agreed to instead consider a “range of options” for the post office’s future.
Their backflip followed public feedback on the proposed sell-off, including a submission from the local branch of the National Trust of Australia.
The submissions led council developing a plan protecting the building’s heritage values.
This week’s council vote left a sell-off on the table but included consideration of alternatives including a public-private partnership, “opportunities for fundraising”, or a call for ideas on “sustainable solutions”.
City Hall staff moved out of the post office last year ahead of a consolidation of council buildings in a proposed $100 million headquarters on Mercer St. The post office became fully vacant after job-placement agency Matchworks moved out following council’s departure.
In May council called for feedback on the sell-off plan, attributing it to the consolidation project and the estimated $3.7 million cost of refurbishing the post office.
The subsequent conservation management plan had since put in place the heritage protections, City Hall said.
The building functioned at a post office from 1891 to 1994, when council bought it from State Government with an interest-free loan of $670,000.
Council heritage portfolio-holder Jim Mason led the shelving of the sale-only plan this week, convincing his colleagues to explore the additional options.
“The former Geelong Post Office is an incredible asset,” he said.
“We owe it to the people of Greater Geelong to study (the) comprehensive conservation management plan in detail and look at all the options in front of us, not just the sale of the building.
“I’m looking forward to the CEO taking this document on board, to report back to council in three months’ time. Thanks to the development of this comprehensive plan, the community can be assured the former post office will be protected into the future, regardless of the owner.”
