General News
21 August, 2023
Stick Shed saviour moving on
Murtoa's The Stick Shed committee has shown its appreciation to Leigh Hammerton for his efforts to help save the once-derelict building from demolition. Mr Hammerton and wife Anne, a music teacher in Murtoa and Horsham, have left the Wimmera to...
Murtoa's The Stick Shed committee has shown its appreciation to Leigh Hammerton for his efforts to help save the once-derelict building from demolition.
Mr Hammerton and wife Anne, a music teacher in Murtoa and Horsham, have left the Wimmera to setttle in Ocean Grove.
Mr Hammerton, who ran an antiques and secondhand business, wrote Shedding Light, The Murtoa Stick Shed Saga, chronicling the struggle to save the "Cathedral of the Wimmera".
In 1999, soon after moving to Murtoa, Mr Hammerton joined the battle to save The Stick Shed and continued on its management committee until recently. He was also on Murtoa Progress Association committee.
People wanting to save the structure encountered many difficulties while rescuing the now significant tourist destination.
Their initial battles were with the Grain Elevators Board which owned the land, then VicGrain. Finally GrainCorp transferred The Stick Shed land as well as a small area nearby.
They also faced opposition from the public who failed to see the benefit of retaining the structure.
The Stick Shed committee secretary-treasurer David Grigg presented Mr Hammerton with a certificate of appreciation and a momento – a pen – made from natural recycled Stick Shed wood.
Mr Hammerton said his family had enjoyed their time in the Wimmera and other people had worked with him to save the large building, built as a temporary grain storage shed during the Second World War.
“It hasn’t just been me," he said.
"Heritage Victoria played an extremely important part in the outcome.
"I think the building will improve with age.”
In 2013 Mr Hammerton received a Heritage Volunteer Award from the Heritage Council of Victoria and the following year the building gained National Heritage classification, making it finally safe from demolition.
Mr Grigg said last year 23,000 people visited the building, which is open daily from 10am to 3pm.
Built with 560 mountain-ash poles up to 19 metres high, the shed proved a magnificent venue for an episode in the latest series of MasterChef Australia.