There are mixed feelings in the community about Council’s announcement about the demolition of the former St John’s Orphanage at 52 Mundy Street over the next few months.
Goulburn Mulwaree Council has issued a demolition order for all buildings on site. Three smaller outbuildings onsite are required to be demolished within 90 days. For public safety reasons the Council has also required the main largest building to be demolished.
Mayor Bob Kirk explained the decision, saying, “Unfortunately after successive fires over a number of years we have no option but to require the demolition of these buildings as a matter of public safety. They are past the point of being salvaged as usable buildings however Council will impose a number of conditions with regards to heritage conservation.
“We know that this site and the buildings hold an important place in Goulburn’s history, acknowledging there are many former residents with good and bad feelings about the St John’s Orphanage site.
“Council will require significant features such as the crucifix, specific stone elements and the foundation plaque to be salvaged for future interpretation or relocation. We have also required that the mason boundary wall, driveway, forecourt area and remnant trees and shrubs be retained and restored.”
The St John’s Orphanage site is of local heritage significance and is listed as item 262 in the Heritage Schedule of the Goulburn Mulwaree LEP 2009. The site is also located within the Goulburn City Heritage Conservation Area.
Three hundred and sixty-three people expressed views about the demolition on Facebook over two days (22nd-24th July 2021). The most popular comments concerned sadness that there was no one with the resources to preserve historical buildings such as the Orphanage. Yet others expressed the view that the building must have seen a lot of painful circumstances on behalf of the children who ended up there, and it was time to take it down given its condition.
