THE Shepparton Heritage Centre is implementing plans to rebuild a recreation of the 1882 Shepparton Post Office building.
The new two-floor building and large basement, alongside the Foresters’ Hall and the four large galleries of the Shepparton Heritage Centre Museum, will replace the small cottage built in 1995.
The outside of the new ‘old’ post office will be fashioned to resemble the 1882 Post Office building that was torn down in 1973 by the PMG (the Post Master General Department).
Despite opposition from Shepparton residents and the council, the original structure was replaced with the rectangular building that now stands Wyndham Street alongside the Telecom tower.
Central to the new build will be the rebuilt post office clock tower with the original clock which has been kept in The Shepparton Heritage Centre’s archives.
The Shepparton Heritage Centre Commitee are working from the original plans for the Post Office plans to recreate as faithful a homage to the old building as possible.
Inside will be new facilities to house the Lost Shepparton Shop, the Shepparton Family History Group and exciting new spaces for a spacious museum with designated areas for postal, court, immigration and local family history in addition to a lecture room for school groups and other visitors to find out about Goulburn Valley history.
The project will provide space for volunteers to work and conserve thousands of historic photographic images.
The Shepparton Heritage Centre aims to become a hub for local historical organisations and collections, providing a resource to facilitate joint projects.
“We want our building to be emblematic of Shepparton’s history, this is why we are embarking on this exciting journey,” Lost Shepparton’s Geoff Allemand said.
“We are beginning the process of looking for fundraising and grant opportunities for this unique project, no-one has attempted this type of project in Australia before. We would love the support of local businesses and corporations.”
