A Lake Wendouree boatshed to be demolished and rebuilt

Boatshed No.21 was purchased recently after having been an object of desire for the new owner (who asked to remain unidentified) for some years.

"Look, it was the right time," the owner told The Courier.

"It had come up for sale, and after some years I was in the place to buy it."

However an engineering inspection discovered the floor level of the shed was now being affected by the lake's water level, which had in turn damaged the walls and interior of the shed to such an extent it was not able to saved.

"A significant issue with the building is the fact that the subfloor is immersed," the engineering report noted.

"The floor level is too low and as such the wall framing is constantly wetting and drying which has resulted in failure of the connection to the subfloor. The Eastern wall is physically loose and disconnected in part from the subfloor. Ongoing decay and loss of connection could result in the collapse of the wall and the building as a whole.

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"The cement sheet lining to the building is providing structural support to the frame but is showing stress, evidenced by bulging of the sheeting and disconnection from the wall framing. There is no simple solution to rectifying the current failures of the wall framing and subfloor members. The building needs rebuilding from ground up. Even the access bridge to the building is in need of rebuilding and is currently unsafe."

While there is no historical record of the shed's construction date, the owner says it is a case of the building being a kind of 'grandfather's axe', with aspects of the construction being altered over the years until there was nothing of the original building left.

He says he's looking to rebuild the shed in the style of other heritage buildings on the Lake, but focussed on use for kayaks and paddleboards, which are his interest.

He hopes to get the planning changes through over Christmas and complete the job as soon as possible.

"I think I'll have a whole bunch of new friends looking to visit it soon," he says.

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