January 23, 2024
South Burnett Regional Council will take over trusteeship of the decrepit Goodger School so that local residents who want to save the building can find the funds to restore it to a useable state.
At December’s monthly meeting, Councillors were told Goodger School originally opened in 1917; the current structure was built in 1920.
It operated as a school until 1962, after which a local committee persuaded the Education Department to allow the building to remain on the property to serve as a School Of Arts.
In 1971, the land and building were dedicated as a Public Hall Reserve and local trustees were appointed in 1979, 1985 and 1992.
But in 2014, the Department Of Resources advised South Burnett Regional Council that all the trustees had died and asked if Council would be interested in becoming the new trustee of the land and buildings.
Council declined the offer at that time but continued to maintain the grounds.
The building was left untouched until last year when a local committee approached Council and asked them to take over the trusteeship so they could form an incorporated association and lease the site for music festivals and other community events.
Late last year, the Council commissioned a Dilapidation Inspection Report to assess the hall’s condition.
The report found the building had a number of major defects.
These included internal and external termite damage, shattered windows, deteriorated decking boards, and a lack of disability access.
The report also found that two rainwater tanks and their stands on the site needed replacing and there was significant rust in the roof and gutters.
The stumps may also need to be replaced.
Council was told the repairs would likely cost a six-figure sum but it was possible this could be sourced from grants.
Councillors then voted unanimously to take up the trusteeship and help the Goodger community form an incorporated association which can take up the hall’s lease.
The association could then begin to look for grant funding.
