General News
11 February, 2025
Beulah petition sways V/Line plan
The Beulah community has won its fight against V/Line to prevent the destruction of its historic railway veranda.
It was a win for the little people against the authority of the government, Beulah Progress Association chair Alan Lehmann said.
V/Line last year applied to Yarriambiack Shire Council to remove the structure due to concerns around safety.
The facility is still used by community groups and trains also still travel through.
A petition objecting to the removal of the veranda was signed by 45 people and submitted to council.
A council representative said after submissions closed a list of objections was forwarded for consideration to V/Line.
"In early December they requested the application be placed on hold while they considered their options," the representative said.
"In early January they advised they had revisited the project and determined there were some remediation works they could undertake so that the verandah could stay.
"Based on this advice, the application has been amended to reflect the new works and the application has been readvertised for public comment."
Mr Lehmann said he was delighted by the backflip on demolishing the structure.
"To take away the veranda would have absolutely decimated the building, given it faces the prevailing winds and sun," Mr Lehmann said.
"All the work that has been done would have been in vain."
Mr Lehmann said for the community, being up against the "might" of a government department, it was a good result.
"Apathy is one of the biggest enemies of small communities and towns," Mr Lehmann said.
"When people don't engage or involve themselves with what is attempting to be achieved, nothing happens.
"And a year later, they are up in arms and it's too late.
"For us to be on the ball, be proactive, especially driven by three or four people who have got this all together, this result is a really good thing for us."
The amended application includes the following proposed works to preserve and make safe the veranda:
- remove damaged anchor points and jack back the canopy trusses to original fastening location
- install additional posts as per existing specifications
- concrete bases at cantilevers to be re-grouted, epoxied and painted
- redo the fastening anchor points – anchor will be fully embedded in the wall and grouted all around, less load will be transferred to the anchors as the structure is now simply supported, being no longer fully cantilevered as original construction
- grind back brickwork to enable mating the anchor points as required
- repoint brickwork and grout (using Westox Heritage grout) around the failed anchor point (as required)
- replace any damaged timber member with like for like
- clean and paint localised corrosion where required at points of works only
- paint steel columns Deep Indian Red, touch up paint and any damage undertaken by the works
- correct dilapidation and undertake remediation of platform due to any damages caused.