By Jessica Micallef
A group of residents is rallying to save an abandoned house in Macedon.
Known as the Macedon and Mount Macedon Community House Group, members have created on online crowdfunding campaign to renovate the building at 47 Victoria Street, Macedon.
The weatherboard house was constructed in the 1940s, and was used as a maternal and child health facility from the 1960s to 2016.
It has been vacant since 2016.
A community campaign last year by the Victoria Street Neighbourhood Working Group successfully stopped an impending sale of the house.
Macedon Ranges council voted to return the building to the community to be transformed into a hub for residents.
Now, the Macedon and Mount Macedon Community House group is trying to raise $43,000 to renovate the building.
Committee of management president Samara Hodson said the council would contribute $143,000 to the project.
“We’re just hoping that with a show of support from the community, it will show the council that this is something we want and that we want to reopen the house for community use,” she said.
Ms Hodson said the group had surveyed residents, asking for suggestions on how to use the house. She said there were no plans to turn the building into another maternal and child health facility.
“Some of the ideas have been for playgroups and community gardens, as well as co-working space, classes, art classes, literacy training [and] homework clubs,” she said.
“We’ve been working closely with the council. We are discussing plans with the council officers. It’s been a really great process.”
Ms Hodson said the money raised, together with the council’s contribution, would make the building “fit for purpose”.
“There has to be disabled toilet access and the house needs to be re-stumped. It needs to be accessible for all.
“Then stage two will be expanding the kitchen and other things that aren’t budgeted for.
“This is a house for the Macedon and Mount Macedon communities. It’s one community, but two towns.”
To donate: bit.ly/3b1DKif
