Ayer House renovation, History Trust relocation blows out to $7.56m

Relocating History Trust SA into a renovated Ayers House will cost nearly $1m, or “$63,000 per person”, taking the total upgrade bill to $7.56m.

Relocating the History Trust to a renovated Ayers House will cost taxpayers nearly $1m, taking the total budget of upgrading the state heritage-listed building to $7.56m.

State parliament’s public works committee has this month approved the contentious refurbishment of one of Adelaide’s grandest mansions, which has resulted in the ousting of long-term caretaker and not-for-profit organisation the National Trust.

All public access to the North Tce property has been suspended until the state government undertakes a major overhaul including an expanded event space, upgraded kitchen, a new lift for disability access, asbestos removal and a fit-out for the History Trust.

The building work is budgeted to cost $6.57m plus another $998,000 to move the History Trust from the Torrens Parade Ground.

That includes $777,000 to fit out the offices and $221,000 for office furniture.

All work is expected to be completed by October 2022.

National Trust costume curators Sandy Whitelaw, Kelly Pope and Kathryn Taylor at Ayers House earlier this year. Picture: Matt Turner

Warren Jones, from the Protect Our Heritage Alliance, which has protested against the termination of the National Trust’s lease, said the History Trust’s relocation equated to $63,000 per employee.

“This proposal aims to take substantial sums of public money to remove a public asset from public use, in order to create new government offices and to promote private and commercial functions at Ayers House,” he said.

“The community will effectively be funding a loss of public benefit, and the creation of offices and government amenities in a heritage building.”

But History Trust SA chief executive Greg Mackie said Mr Jones’ figures were incorrect.

The committee report says the “reactivation” of Ayers House will deliver “numerous benefits” for the community.

National Trust SA CEO Dr Darren Peacock inside Ayers House. Picture Matt Turner.

“Improvements to allow History Trust SA to establish an office tenancy at the site, and increase the capacity to host significant and iconic events, will increase opportunities to generate rental revenue from the property,” the report says.

“Although commercial in-confidence negotiations will determine the final revenue amount, it is anticipated to grow following the upgrades.

“This revenue helps to offset ongoing maintenance and preservation costs, with the potential growth in revenue helping to ensure the financial sustainability of the property and its long-term preservation”.

The National Trust launched court action in an attempt to block its “eviction” after the state government in June announced it was terminating the lease with a month’s notice, stunning the organisation, which had occupied the property for nearly 50 years.

The September closure of The Ayers House museum coincided with the end of the trust’s lease.

The trust and Environment Department have been locked in court negotiations over the transfer of some 30,000 items from the building, much donated by members of the public.

Ayers House was the family home of notable SA colonist and seven-times SA premier Sir Henry Ayers.