Tarago resident criticises Transport proposal to bulldoze station master's cottage

Judy Alcock says she'll be asking questions at a public meeting hosted by Transport for NSW (TfNSW) at the Tarago town hall on Wednesday, September 20 at 6pm.

"I'm so disappointed that's their preferred option. That building could be used for the community," she said.

"It is part of Tarago's history, built the same year as the railway station...Many families have lived there for generations and no one got sick until TfNSW dug up the rail siding. Why should we lose this building because of their mistake?"

READ MORE:

Consultation opens on future of former railway house at Tarago

Tarago residents campaign to keep cottage after lead contamination

Ms Alcock has suggested the cottage be used for offices for drop-in professionals or not-for-profit organisations, health providers, financial counsellors, a museum or other community group.

The 1884 building has not been remediated since elevated lead levels were discovered there in 2019. A family was relocated to Goulburn as a result. Authorities said a child was found to have lead levels 10 to 15 times the safe exposure standard.

Ms Alcock said the discovery occurred after TfNSW disturbed the rail corridor for a siding, designed as a staging area for Veolia's waste trains, bound for Crisps Creek intermodal. However the authority has not accepted this as the singular cause.

ALSO READ: 'Don't take our park': Residents speak up against social housing plan

TfNSW undertook community consultation on the cottage and Woodlawn siding's future use earlier this year.

"Transport has considered community feedback that has been received about the cottage, has consulted with Goulburn Mulwaree Council, and has spent many months assessing the options for future land use of the building," a spokesperson said in a statement.

"Transport has informed community members that in order to progress remediation of the site as efficiently and cost effectively as possible, our preferred option is to demolish the cottage and resume the land into the rail corridor."

The spokesperson said the main objective was to "expedite remediation of the site and protect community health and safety." The authority has also completed a remediation options assessment for the Tarago Woodlawn siding.

ALSO READ: Five year plan complete: Strong second half showing catapults girls to grand final win

Options for the cottage and siding will be presented to Thursday's meeting.

A report stated that remediating the cottage for commercial or industrial use would require rezoning and additional fees and reports, estimated to cost $130,000.

This could add "18 months to approvals" before remediation started and carry special conditions restricting use.

But demolishing the structure would enable TfNSW to progress remediation "as efficiently and cost effectively as possible" and resume the land into the rail corridor, the report stated. Remediation would then occur at the same time as the rail siding.

The community will have an opportunity to ask questions on Wednesday.

ALSO READ: Crookwell's Caroline Morris the NSW Apprentice of the Year

Ms Alcock questions the $130,000 cost, the 18-month remediation timeframe and the need to rezone. She said the RU5 Village zoning permitted community facilities, dwelling houses, light industries and neighbourhood shops, among other uses.

"The layout is absolutely perfect for something like Workspace 2580 in Goulburn," she said.

"There are a lot of people in Tarago that would use it."

Ms Alcock said that despite the rail siding's construction to avoid a "traffic jam" of Veolia's waste trains and the consequent discovery of lead contamination, the company was not using the siding. Instead, trains were waiting near Covan Creek Road before they progressed to Crisps Creek.

Meantime, Wednesday's session from 6pm to 7pm will also include information on ways the community can provide feedback on the remediation options assessment report and a panel session with "subject matter experts."

Community members should register at http://bit.ly/45NvU8s

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content: