Mount Alexander Shire Council has begun work to repair and restore the former Wesleyan Church in Chewton.
The building located at 205 Main Road, was built in the 1850s but has sat vacant since 2010, and is in a poor state of repair.
In 2017 the council resolved to sell the building, however, following advocacy efforts by community members, a new set of councillors determined in 2021 to undertake works to restore the former church.
The long-term project to repair the building will be undertaken in stages and restoration work will be dependent on future funding.
The first stage will address underlying water issues which have impacted the building structure.
The council’s 2022/2023 budget has allocated $279,000 towards restoration of the historic building, and works will first focus on rising damp, roof plumbing and drainage improvements.
The council will be advocating for further investment into the building to enable community use in the future.
More information about the planned improvements for the former Wesleyan Church is available on the council’s online Shape Mount Alexander engagement platform.
