Restoration and reconstruction of the 1850s Keilor Police Hut has been completed, with the hut now standing proudly along with interpretive signage on the Harricks Cottage site at 152 Harricks Road, Keilor Park.
The restoration was funded with the help of a $200,000 Living Heritage grant from the State Government. Brimbank Council also contributed $200,000 to the project.
The restored Keilor Police Hut will be officially opened at the annual Harricks Precinct Open Day on 27 November 2021.
The Keilor Police Hut is an important part of Brimbank's local history and is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.
It's one of the very few surviving examples of a 1850s pre-fabricated building. The Hut was imported during the Gold Rush - most likely shipped from England, to form part of the Keilor Plains Police Station.
Community and heritage enthusiasts can now visit the restored Hut to learn about construction techniques of the 1850s and how the police force lived in times gone by.
Prior to its restoration, the historic Keilor Police Hut had been dismantled and stored at Harricks Cottage in Keilor Park since 2015 in order to protect the structure from further deterioration or vandalism.
Council and the Keilor Historical Society had been collaborating to get this important heritage building restored for several years.
Now that the Hut is restored and re-erected, the Keilor Historical Society will manage the Hut and make it available for the community to learn about its heritage through regular open days, tours of the building and more.
Quotes to be attributed to Brimbank Mayor Cr Jasmine Nguyen:
"I'm extremely pleased that the historic Police Hut is fully restored and re-assembled for everyone to see and enjoy.
"On behalf of Council, I thank the State Government for the $200,000 Living Heritage Grant that has helped towards the restoration, along with the $200,000 contributed by Council.
"I'd also like express Council's thanks to the Keilor Historical Society, for its ongoing work in pursuing the restoration of the Keilor Police Hut.
"Conserving and protecting Brimbank's rich cultural and built heritage is important because it's an important way for our community to learn about the history of our place."
