General News
22 June, 2026
Fresh look coming for historic institute
A COUNTRY hall built in just six weeks in the final decade of the 19th century will be given new life as a community hub.
A COUNTRY hall built in just six weeks in the final decade of the 19th century will be given new life as a community hub.
Laanecoorie Mechanics’ Institute Hall is structurally sound, said committee secretary Leonie Baker.
“We have had the hall inspected by builders who say eveything is sound, it just needs external restoration.”
The committee has been given $42,187 under the State Government’s Tiny Towns program.
“The hall has been a hub of the community since it was built in 1890,” said Geoff Curnow.
“Soldiers were farewelled from here and welcomed home after two world wars.”
The hall once used for meetings of the Country Women’s Association, as a temporary church and for badminton continues to host regular meetings of the Woodstock West Fire Brigade.
“As we don’t have a church, the hall is often where funerals and wakes are held afterwards,” said Brian Baker.
“A few years ago, I organised a school class reunion and we ended up with 100 people in the hall.”
The historic hall is now the mecca for chrysanthemum growers, hosting the region’s biggest annual show.
Leonie said: “The show brings a lot of people to the hall and they often spend a few hours also travelling out to the nearby weir at Laanecoorie Reservoir”.
She said renovations would see rotting external weatherboards replaced “and the hall given a fresh coat of paint”.
Leonie said the grant would allow the hall committee to complete temporary external repairs made in recent years.
The committee is preparing a works schedule to start as soon as possible.
But not before a community pie night in August.
“This will be a chance for the community to come together for a good night and also learn about what is happening to renovate the hall,” said Loddon Shire’s Tarnagulla Ward councillor and Laanecoorie resident Nick Angelo.
“The hall has so much history - outside and inside where famous football team photos and more are displayed, telling the story of our town.”
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ANOTHER four Loddon Shire projects have been confirmed for Tidy Towns project funding.
Details of the projects were released after last Wednesday morning’s official announcement in Newbridge of round three funding.
Regional Development Minister Mikaela Settle and Ripon MP Martha Haylett focused on projects in the marginal electorate at the event.
Other Loddon Shire projects to be funded are:
$42,578 - The Hill Connection Masterplan: Pyramid Hill Progress Association;
$50,000 - Serpentine Hall Entrance and Nature Play Space Upgrade: Serpentine and District Community Planning Group;
$26,022 - Mitiamo Public Hall Roof Restoration: Preserving our History: East Loddon Historical Society; and
$27,840 - Dingee Recreation Reserve Masterplan & Land Surveying: Dingee Progress Association.
Dingee Progress Association’s Will Pattison said the grant was welcome news for his community and members were looking forward to advancing the project.
The Loddon Shire is split across four state electorates - Ripon, Murray Plains that includes Pyramid Hill, Bendigo East including Serpentine and Dingee and Bendigo West.
Half of the Ripon projects funded in round three are in the Loddon Shire.
Read More: Laanecoorie