From the ashes: Rebuild begins on village hall in Wandella

It was over three years ago when the treasured building was destroyed in the Black Summer bushfires, and after tireless work from the hall committee, community and council, construction has begun with the aim to return the site to its former glory.

Soil turning ceremonies were held this week at both Wandella and Kiah Hall sites, with both rebuild projects made possible from bush fire relief funding announced in November 2020.

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After the announcement of funding, a two-and-a-half year design and input period involving close consultation with community followed, before tenders for both halls were awarded late last year to Edwards Building Construction.

Originally the 'Wandellow' hall, it was the only remaining public building and the last vestige of the historical Parish of Wandellow prior to the 2019 New Year's Eve bushfire.

The community have always fought for their hall, ever since it began trading in 1909.

Following the declaration of 'Reserve No. 42349 at Wandellow for Mechanics Institute' in 1908, the very next year a community trust was formed, and the hall traded until 1980, when the Cobargo constable deemed the hall unfit to operate.

In 1984 the trust raised funds, and got the hall operating again.

In 1993, council took over the hall's administration, appointing local committee members to run the hall under its oversight.

The hall celebrated 100 years in 2009, attended by the then member for Bega Andrew Constance as well as former mayor Tony Allen.

On Monday, Mr Constance returned to the site of the hall, along with current mayor and Liberal candidate Russell Fitzpatrick and Member for Bega Michael Holland to share in the momentous day.

Hall committee secretary Grant Robertson looked back fondly on his first memories of the hall, taking his first-born daughter there over 30 years ago on evening drives when she struggled to sleep.

Soon after the fires Mr Robertson joined the design process as an interested person, before officially joining the committee last year, assisting in communications between council, architects and the community.

Overjoyed when he was told the construction would begin so soon after the tender had been awarded, Mr Robertson looked to organising the ground-breaking ceremony to lift the spirits of committee members and locals still doing it tough.

"Four people on the committee lost everything, some still in the midst of rebuilds, but they're still willing to give their time and help the community regain their hall.

"That's the level of community commitment people have to have it happen," he said.

At the ceremony, committee president June Tarlinton spoke on the significance of the hall.

"The hall had character and history and I'm sure our new hall will vibrate with the dancing of feet and many great events will be held here and in due course it also will house much history.

"It will be a glorious day when the key is turned in the lock for the first time when the hall has been completed.

"Today is the first day in the history of the new hall," Ms Tarlinton said.

Mr Robertson said a crucial aspect wasn't just completing the rebuild, but importantly, making sure it would be built to last for years to come.

"It's a new hall, designed with new materials.

"Hopefully it shouldn't burn down in the next disaster and it's being designed with a little bit of resilience so that in the event of power failures and things like that it has solar generated power.

"We're looking at satellite communications so that people can come here to facilitate communications and have basic facilities like water and toilets, so they can then make contact and be guided by local emergency services to bushfire relief centres."

With construction now underway, Mr Robertson had been working to make sure committee members were up to speed and ready to go when doors open.

"We're looking at online bookings and just bringing everything up to a modern standard.

"As we develop the systems, committee members are learning as we go and we should be up and running to start leasing the hall once it's completed.

Mr Robertson said the building was scheduled for completion in the spring of 2023.

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