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Historic Mitiamo hall receives grant for urgent repairs

By Daniel Harvey

Jun 28, 2026

The historic Mitiamo Hall, built in 1885. Photo by Supplied

The historic Mitiamo public hall, which is now a museum, has finally received grant money from the Tiny Towns Fund for $26,022 to fix its leaking roof.

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East Loddon Historical Society treasurer Mary Davidson said the hall was believed to be the oldest town hall in the region still standing on its original site.

“It was built in 1885 and has never been replaced,” she said.

The hall was handed over to the historical society in around 2009, as it was no longer being regularly used by the community.

Since then, the society has served as the committee of management, taking responsibility not only for preserving the history housed within the building but also for maintaining the structure itself.

The need for restoration became particularly apparent during heavy rainfall across the region in October 2022.

“We had water running down the inside of the wall,” Ms Davidson said.

“We knew that the gutters were in need of replacement, and that's what has triggered the whole project to get done.”

Part of the museum-style displays set up in the hall have been moved to protect the historical items from the leaking water.

The funding will allow the society to replace the gutters, eaves and fascia on the historic building, helping prevent further water damage and extending its life.

“It’s taken four years to get to this stage, after a few unsuccessful grant applications,” Ms Davidson said.

A carpenter and plumber will travel to the town to start the repairs in the coming weeks.

While the current funding will address immediate concerns, Ms Davidson said further restoration would be needed in the future.

“In time the roof will need replacing, but at the moment we’re just trying to stop water getting inside the building,” she said.

“We are in need of funding to make her exterior walls and roof shine again.”

For the historical society, the project is about more than maintenance. It is about ensuring an important piece of local history remains part of the community for generations to come.

“We just want to keep it being the place of pride for the town,” Ms Davidson said.

“Somewhere for tourists and travellers and the locals to take pride in.”

The roof restoration marks the first step in a broader effort to refurbish the historic hall and bring it up to modern requirements while preserving its heritage character.