A new development slated for the farming hamlet of Walla Walla has some community members worried an important part of the town’s heritage will be lost. Mark Kirk, Karen Wenke, Graeme Wenke and Trish Fulford are hoping the bakery’s 114-year history can be preserved. Photo: Vanessa Hayden.
Members of Walla Walla’s historical society are fearful that an iconic part of the town’s heritage is about to be lost forever when the 114-year-old Schirmer’s Bakery building is demolished to make way for a new service station, ancillary convenience store and cafe development on the main street.
A group of community members has been battling the proposed development since it was first mooted by Greater Hume Shire in 2023, saying the bakery building has historical significance and should never have been given the approval to be reduced to rubble.
Greater Hume Shire Council maintains it has done due process in investigating if there were any known items of environmental heritage significance at the development site. At its May 2023 meeting it was outlined that whilst council recognised the existing building had some ‘heritage value’ there were no other restrictions within the Greater Hume Local Environment Plan 2012 against the developer bulldozing the site.
Historical Society president Graeme Wenke disagrees and said while many in the community weren’t against progress there was hope at least part of the building can be preserved.
In a last-ditch effort to save a slice of history they met with Justin Clancy MP (Member for Albury) on 21 January.
“We do feel as though there has been a lack of transparency from the shire and the developers. Walla is not against development, but we would like to know what the current plan entails,” said Graeme.
“We don’t think a service station here is right, given there is already fuel available 100 metres down the road. It will detract from the area and should be at the edge of town.”
He conceded that the group did not have the power to stop the development but would like to have a go at saving a portion of the building.
“It is actually one of the oldest buildings on the street, older than the Zion Church and Mackie’s Store and it contains one of the last examples in Australia of an F. Metters and Co. oven.
“There are also historic stables at the rear of the property and we have tried to make headway in getting permission to remove these and rebuild them somewhere else but that has fallen on deaf ears.”
Property developer and builder of the Walla project, Will Barker, from Albury’s Barker Group, has said the building cannot be saved, but they have every intention of preserving the F. Metters & Co. oven.
“We are going to put the oven on display in the new cafe; that’s our plan; it’s the only thing in that building of any real significance that can be saved.
“The building is in a state of disrepair. If you were to step out there and walk through the building, you would know straight away that it can’t be saved; it’s wrecked. You’d never be able to turn it into a development that is worthy of the town.
“As for the oven, it’s in good condition other than the brickwork, and we are going to retain it; we want to retain the heritage, we want to put it in the new building on display, it’s locked up, and people can’t even look at it.
“We believe the development is going to be a benefit for the town and that the positives far outweigh the negatives.
“The historical people may see us as developers coming to town and knocking down history and all that sort of stuff but it’s really not the case. We are trying to benefit the town and we are trying to integrate the heritage into the new building.”
Trish Fulford lives directly opposite the new development in another historical building that was renovated. She fears the new development will detract from the local area and hopes the old bakery building can be saved. Photo: Vanessa Hayden.
Some nearby residents are both upset and worried about the new development, which will operate seven days a week between 7:30 am and 7 pm, and will detract from the local area.
“It will be sad to see the streetscape change,” said resident Trish Fulford who lives directly opposite the site.
“We are in a heritage conservation area and replacement buildings or developments need to fit into the streetscape of a historical area, just like the new childcare and WAW buildings did.
“There has been no recent communication to what we expect to see with this new development in the centre of town.
“Having plans on display for the whole community to view would make the development more transparent. The whole town would then know what is happening on that land and with the historic oven and stables.”
A petition of more than 900 signatures in favour of preserving the building was presented to council along with nine objections from nearby residents.
Council has reaffirmed that the concerns raised by submission makers have been addressed and that the scale, proportion and form of all the proposed structures are proportionate to the existing streetscape and meet the objectives of the area, which is zoned at RU5 Village.
“It is noted the proposed single storey commercial building is to be located approximately 44 metres front setback from its eastern boundary being Commercial Street,” said the report presented to council.
“It is also noted that the building is to be located behind the proposed car parking spaces. As a result it is considered that the building is generally unable to be seen clearly from Commercial Street.”
The proposed development is estimated to be around the $3.6 million mark and hopes to generate employment for around 20 people.
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