Consultation opens on future of former railway house at Tarago

The future of a lead-contaminated former station master's cottage at Tarago will be discussed at a meeting hosted by Transport for NSW (TfNSW) on Monday afternoon.

However the 1884 structure has not been remediated, more than three years since elevated lead levels were discovered in the house. A family was relocated from the home to Goulburn in early 2020 after a child was found to have 10 to 15 times safe exposure levels.

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The discovery coincided with public revelations about lead contamination in the near rail corridor. However no conclusions were made about the contamination source in the cottage.

TfNSW has not yet responded to questions on why the house's remediation has not started.

On Monday, representatives will host a community drop-in session to gauge sentiment on the cottage's future use.

"Our first step in the remediation of the station master's cottage is to determine a final land use," a spokeswoman said.

It is also seeking feedback from the council and Tarago and District Progress Association Inc (TADPAI).

"Transport will build the feedback into our planning process for the cottage and keep the community informed as our work progresses."

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The department had been working with the EPA and environmental consultants on how to best manage the site.

Ms Alcock, a local real estate agent and former TADPAI member, said the four-bedroom cottage loaned itself to multiple uses of benefit to the area.

"As a community member I believe it's really important to hang on the cottage at all costs," she said.

"The last I heard six months ago was that TfNSW was still assessing whether it could be remediated and if so, what the timeframe would be."

She wrote to the department stressing that the structure was a significant part of the town's history and that if it couldn't be retained as a residence, a museum or other use could be appropriate. It could be 'given back' to the town or leased, she suggested.

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Ms Alcock suggested government agencies or not-for-profit groups, aged care and health providers, financial counsellors or the like could occupy the space at peppercorn rent.

She was not surprised that remediation hadn't started by now, saying "that's bureaucracy."

Goulburn Mulwaree mayor Peter Walker said if the community wanted the council to advocate for a use, it would examine options to see what was viable.

"We are aware of the lead issues and would have expected them to be addressed at a quick pace," he said.

"If that hasn't been done, I'd think the community would be asking questions on Monday."

He will attend the meeting.

Community members can ask questions of the project team at the session which will be held from 3.30pm to 5.30pm at 1-3 Braidwood Road (near the corner of Lumley Road) on Monday, February 13. People can register by emailing landassessment@transport.nsw.gov.au

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Meantime, a spokeswoman said TfNSW had completed all directions set out in a prevention notice issued to it by the EPA last September.

The EPA found that a cell containing contaminated lead near the rail corridor had not been managed correctly and handed down a host of remedial actions to be completed by set dates.

"Transport has provided a report to NSW EPA on the actions taken to address all the directions," the spokeswoman said.

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