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Council reviews use of old jail

Posted on October 16, 2009, 8:08am and updated on October 16, 2009 at 11:43 am

Mount Gambier City Council has flagged it will not renew the lease of the old jail site to the current operator and will canvass how the historic precinct could be used in the future.

The old gaol site, which is heritage listed and built in 1866, is used as a budget backpacker accommodation and leased by Mount Gambier businessman Gary Adam.

The lease on the unique building is due to expire on September 30, 2010.

The facility, which housed prisoners until 1995, is considered to be one of the most quirky backpacker accommodation facilities in Australia.

While a major council committee has foreshadowed the move, council has yet to make a formal decision.

At council’s corporate and community services committee meeting this week, chief executive Greg Muller said council should explore commercial and community opportunities for the site.

He said the accommodation facilities were attracting itinerant workers, not just backpackers.

“That part of the market (backpackers) has not been maximised to the full extent as it should have been,” Mr Muller told the committee meeting.

Speaking to The Border Watch, Mr Muller said council purchased the building and the surrounding land from the government 12 years ago.

He said the building was run down and council poured more than $300,000 into maintenance and minor repairs.

“At that time we thought it could cater for backpackers and we called for expressions of interest,” Mr Muller said.

While that intention had been fulfilled, he said demand for that type of accommodation had proved to be seasonal.

“We want to look at the building in a new light,” Mr Muller said.

While the conceding the site was heritage protected, he said this did not necessary stop further development at the site.

But he said council might not rule out continuing backpacker accommodation in some sections of the site, but wanted to explore other options.

“This is a major vital community asset that is certainly unique,” Mr Muller said.

He said the surrounding parcels of land were valuable and critical to the future sport and recreational precinct proposed by council in that area.

But Cr Daniel McDonough raised concerns at the meeting about whether the move would leave the city without backpacker accommodation.

However, he said that was not council’s core business and backpackers could stay at the city’s caravan parks.

Meanwhile, Mr Adam said he would now begin exploring his options after running the Old Jail for the past 12 years.

Council is expected to make a formal decision on the matter on Tuesday night.

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Comments

4 Responses to “Council reviews use of old jail”

  1. Maybe on October 16th, 2009 6:45 am 1

    Oh no.

    The ONE venue in Mount Gambier that gives young bands a place to run shows and it’s being taken away from them??

    TYPICAL!!

  2. Katz on October 16th, 2009 8:44 am 2

    Unfortunately there has been a lot of housing of people through what I think is the mental health department or some such. People that really need help to overcome problems and they are being put into this accommodation because it’s cheap. Crime has been a major problem there for quite a long time and it would be good to see the place turned around and something wonderful created there again

  3. Jason on October 16th, 2009 1:39 pm 3

    What about bands?… i agree with the above, typical.. this is why mount gambier keeps loosing its young people.

  4. the diplomat on October 16th, 2009 7:34 pm 4

    Would be good if an NGO could get a grant to purchase it and use it as a place of refuge for our homeless or high risk people. There is enough room for some infra structure and service provision of some sort. And yes a lot of agencies would often dump these high risk people out there so why not do it officialy and utilize it as a site specific for this cause.

    However it is open to a myriad of ideas. Pending building approval some nicer serviced accommodation can be built on site and the cells become budget accommodation.

    What about mini studios for our regions artists to display their works? mini offices for students who need a quiet place to study that can be hired out on hourly rate?

    Maybe the council should research decomissioned prisons around the world to see what else is being done with them otherwise they can add this block of land to the eyesore of the old hospital and railway corridor. If nothing is done with it then it will get trashed. What will be sad is if some greedy capitlalist property developer gets the land, levels it and build town houses.

    It would be cool if someone somehow incorprated it into an family attraction/theme park type of thing. It is central, plenty of land and ideal for nice open park with BBQ, play equipment, small rides, maze etc.

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