A BALLARAT man was devastated to learn the heritage-listed railway shed he had called on the city to protect had been destroyed at the weekend.
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Gerald Jenzen said he was saddened to hear the historic Ballarat Railway Station weighbridge had been gutted by fire on Saturday afternoon.
The tragedy comes less than a month after Mr Jenzen voiced his concerns about the exclusion of the historic structure in the proposed Ballarat Railway Precinct Masterplan.
Last week Labor proposed a $25 million revamp of the precinct if it won November's state election.
The Coalition had previously promised $5.3 million to redevelop the same area over an unspecified amount of time.
Mr Jenzen said now the shed had been destroyed, it allowed either side of politics to remove the remainder of the historic structure the weighbridge mechanism.
"It just makes it easier to get rid of the whole structure," Mr Jenzen said.
"There is only part of it left now."
The weighbridge was believed to have been used to weigh train carriages carrying wheat.
Mr Jenzen said he did not know why anyone would deliberately set fire to the shed.
"It is highly unlikely a squatter could have caused the fire," he said.
"I suggest it is suspicious, but I have no idea why someone would do that."
Mr Jenzen said he supported the railway precinct development, but only if it preserved historic on-site structures.
City of Ballarat heritage advisory committee chairwoman Samantha McIntosh was disappointed to hear the news of the weighbridge fire.
"Given the growing pattern of demolition by neglect, and the lack of appropriate consequences to those responsible, I believe the heritage advisory committee and the City of Ballarat have a responsibility to ensure the protection of our city's history," Cr McIntosh said.
"I believe it is important we ensure appropriate legislation is in place to protect our internationally recognised heritage."
Cr McIntosh said the railway precinct weighbridge was a VicTrack asset. She said the council was willing to work with VicTrack and owners of other historic Ballarat assets and buildings to ensure they were protected and preserved for future generations. Ballarat Police Criminal Investigation Unit Detective Senior Constable Lee Tabbitt said nobody had been arrested in relation to the incident.
"At this stage it is suspicious, but the cause is not determined," Detective Senior Constable Tabbitt said.
Fire crews were called to the Nolan Street railway yards at 2.14pm on Saturday to find the structure burning to the ground.
kara.irving@fairfaxmedia.com.au
