Upgrade of the Point Lowly Cottages is now complete
The long-awaited upgrade of the Point Lowly Cottages is complete, and the facility now open to the public, with the upgrades set to be a clear drawcard for locals and tourists.
Mayor Phill Stone expressed his excitement about the completion of the project, now ready for the public to enjoy.
"These cottages are a beloved part of Whyalla, with families sharing fond memories at the cottages. It is great to see them refurbished and open for bookings,’’ Mayor Stone said.
“This heritage-listed facility is such an important part of our Northern Coastline and the history of our city, so it was important to consider this during the renovation process. I extend my gratitude to McMahons for their outstanding work."
The project has been made possible thanks to the Government of South Australia’s Local Government Infrastructure Partnership Program, as part of council’s Northern Coastline Masterplan, with over $900,000 of the funding used to refurbish the cottages.
Member for Giles Eddie Hughes said the State Government was proud to have assisted in bringing the project to life.
“These facilities are part of our community’s DNA, having been enjoyed by locals for many generations,” Mr Hughes said.
“They were beginning to show their age, so it’s fantastic to see them not only restored, but significantly upgraded. I’m sure they’ll be extremely popular among locals and tourists, particularly with the cuttlefish season about to start.
“This is part of the government’s commitment to support councils to accelerate spending on community infrastructure projects that contribute to the future economic growth of the region and improve local infrastructure facilities.”
Works began in early 2021, with council working with SA Heritage and Plan SA to ensure that the renovation works stayed true to the property plans and meet the heritage requirements. The upgrades included:
- Removal of all later-addition timber lean-to structures (due to termite damage)
- Removal of bathrooms contained within later-addition timber lean-to structures
- Removal of existing kitchens
- Returning seaward-facing porches to original verandah configuration
- Addition/extension of kitchen, dining and living areas landward
- Addition of bathrooms, including one DDA bathroom within one cottage
- Restoration of existing timber, including fireplaces (chimneys to be sealed), skirting and architraves
- Restoration of existing timber flooring
The facility will be operated by Kata and Belle, which was announced as the successful tenderer in September last year and aims to cater for a wide variety of customers – including families, tour groups, events and weddings – further enhancing Whyalla’s offering as a tourist destination while continuing to cater for the community.
The cottages will be available for booking through the Kata & Belle website here.
The Cottages, the oldest buildings in the Whyalla area, were originally built in 1883. They were manned by two lighthouse keepers and their families. This continued for 90 years until 1973.
Council also continues to receive queries in relation to timeframes for work on the Point Lowly Lighthouse, which is a separate asset to the Point Lowly Cottages.
Minor maintenance carried out on the lighthouse to-date has revealed significant deterioration, changing the extent of anticipated work and the level of approvals required. The level of deterioration prompted further ongoing investigations of the facility, which have identified deterioration across several other areas on the top section, further complicating and delaying the process and likely making it significantly more expensive than initially expected.
In order for council to assess the level of funding required and consider it against the current budget, an engineering study will be required to inform and develop the scope of work and methodology and the possibility of grant funding to assist with the repairs.
Council understands the community’s frustrations with the delays. However, it’s important to understand that this facility is over 100 years old, heritage listed and located adjacent the ocean, so repairs are inevitable and unfortunately costly and time-consuming due to the heritage aspect.
Like the community, council is keen to see this iconic landmark restored to its former glory and the fencing removed from around the lighthouse which is critical to protect the public.
Council will continue to provide regular updates to keep the community informed.