General News
31 July, 2023
Ladies' Rest Room heritage recognised
Warracknabeal’s Ladies Restrooms Committee is celebrating the announcement that the history of their endeavour will shortly see them included on the Victorian Heritage Register. In October last year, the committee was visited by senior heritage...
Warracknabeal’s Ladies Restrooms Committee is celebrating the announcement that the history of their endeavour will shortly see them included on the Victorian Heritage Register.
In October last year, the committee was visited by senior heritage officer, Assessments Heritage Victoria, Dr Marina Larsson, who discussed the possibility that the restrooms could be nominated for inclusion in the Register.
“She explained to us that in the 1920's, due to new understandings of public health, women’s health and changing attitudes to decency, people were exploring the possibility of restrooms for baby health centre work,” said committee president Eileen Sholl.
“Women’s restrooms were seen as progressive because they gave women appropriate conveniences that safeguarded their decency.
“They were also places that provided clean nappy-changing facilities, and somewhere rural women could find friendship to break the isolation of life in remote communities.”
Ms Sholl said as the use of cars increased, the restrooms became an even more necessary facility for travellers, but that the mid-20th century saw councils build public toilet blocks and that, along with societal changes, saw a decline in restroom memberships.
“The Warracknabeal Restroom has defied the trend,” Ms Sholl said.
“In 2023, these rooms remain open; they are owned and operated by an active local committee, and are well patronised.
“We are perhaps the only Women’s Restroom from the 1920’s which is still operational, and we are certainly the best conserved.”
Last month, the committee heard from Ms Larsson, who said she was drafting the nomination for the Warracknabeal Restrooms to be included in the Victorian Heritage Register
The nomination notice was placed in the July 21 edition of The Age, with the official report stating that “the maintenance of the Warracknabeal Ladies Rest Rooms ‘by women for women’ from the 1920’s to today by generations of women is historically significant and rare in the State of Victoria.
“It has few comparators in a class that once numbered over an estimated 200.”
Ms Sholl said the restrooms would be celebrating 95 years of continuous operation in August of this year.
“We are the first restroom to be included in the Register, and we have a number of items which are culturally meaningful,” said Ms Sholl.
“The Heritage Listing will ensure these items will be protected in future.
“We are proud of our restrooms and indebted to the ladies who have preserved the cultural importance of the building and its contents.”