The century-old St Columba's hall has all but gone now because no one took the time or made the effort to ensure its preservation.

And while it is true that some buildings aren't worth preserving, plenty of others are.

It is difficult when a building is in private ownership to enforce preservation. Demolition by neglect is not an unknown concept in Ballarat.

Public buildings, on the other hand, are a different matter. It is expected that buildings owned by the Crown (and therefore by the community) will be looked after for posterity.

Sadly, we know this is not always the case.

Creswick Railway Station is a case in point. This once solid building, built more than a century ago, is now crumbling slowly to ruins.

Half the station is to be revamped to accommodate the return of passenger trains next year.

As we reported yesterday, though, the other half has been deemed unfit for public use and too expensive to be made useable.

Less than a decade ago, some money was invested by the State Government, through Heritage Victoria, to protect the building from vandals and other damage.

That investment appears to have had little or no effect.

Hepburn Shire has suggested the building could be restored if the community desired it.

That will take significant investment on the community's part and not something that is likely to happen without State Government support.

It is commendable that the government is returning train services to Creswick.

It is a pity, though, that as as a state we didn't have the foresight to look after these buildings when a new use was found (or even a return to an old use).

Let us hope it is not too late for Creswick Railway Station.