An historic Spotswood railway workshop and surrounding land, which the community had hoped to use, has been put up for sale by VicTrack.
The Way & Works Workshop, sitting on 4.7 hectares at 561-569 Melbourne Road, is being sold by registration of interest closing November 2.
Listing agent Knight Frank describes the corner landholding as providing “the potential for an iconic development”.
The workshop is the last building of the former Spotswood Railway Workshops complex and is listed in the 2006 Hobsons Bay heritage study as having local historic, social and aesthetic significance.
Resident Michelle Fisher said the community had hoped to transform the disused site into a community space and garden similar to CERES environmental park in East Brunswick.
“We were actually looking at getting temporary access to the land for three months to run some workshops and garden stuff,” she said.
“They [VicTrack] said we could do that if
we met certain conditions which would effectively cost the community $100,000 just to get onto the land, so that didn’t really work out.”
Ms Fisher said she hoped the state government would help the community gain access to part of the land to do a “CERES of the west 2.0”, which would include urban agriculture and art and performance.
“Our hopes are to be able to access that iconic heritage building on the corner and the immediate surrounding land … for community events and some small gardening and other activities,” she said.
Williamstown MP Wade Noonan said the government wanted developers to pitch their ideas, and community engagement would be an essential part of the selection process.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to unlock a gateway site in Hobsons Bay,” he said.
“I’m confident the development of this old railway land will continue Spotswood’s urban renewal.”
A preferred buyer will be selected early next year.
