Bendigo council approves plans to turn historic East Bendigo Observatory and La Rocca into Kennington childcare centre
The historic East Bendigo Observatory is getting a $2m facelift, transforming into a childcare centre while preserving its century-old history.
Bendigo
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A $2m project is set to transform several historic Bendigo buildings into a state-of-the-art childcare centre in a move to preserve history while meeting modern needs.
Councillors voted unanimously on Monday night to approve the redevelopment of the long-neglected ‘La Rocca’ and the East Bendigo Observatory, which will be integrated into a contemporary complex boasting seven childcare rooms for 144 children.
The Kennington site on Condon St will be staffed by 21 employees and operate from 6.30am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday, with 32 carparking spaces accessed by Condon St.
The childcare centre will be in proximity to the commercial development at Strath Village and the CBD and will service many young families.
The heritage home La Rocca is set to become a training and meeting centre, requiring extensive rebuilding after years of neglect and damage from a fallen tree.
The circa 1900 East Bendigo Observatory will be restored to its original condition “as much as practicable” and will remain independent of the childcare centre.
Cr David Fagg said the redevelopment was a “success story” that “struck the right balance” in redeveloping Bendigo’s Federation era buildings for modern uses.
However, the development was met with five objections from the community over the number of trees that would be cut down on the site to facilitate the build.
Cr Jennifer Alden said it was a shame the developer would cut down 56 of the 76 trees on the site that are predominantly Victorian Ironbarks and habitat for the critically endangered regent honeyeater.
Despite the reservations about the tree clearing the development was unanimously approved.
The East Bendigo Observatory and La Rocca was designed by architect John Beebe and constructed in 1900.
The council voted to give the observatory a Hertiage Overlay in 2021 in recognition of the site being one of the first astronomical buildings in Victoria.
A heritage assessment found the observatory to be “a rare and relatively intact early twentieth century example of a small, privately built and owned observatory”.
“Built to house a 4.5-inch refracting telescope, is of technical significance as it reflects advances in Australian science and astronomy,” heritage expert Anita Brady states.
“The observatory is historically important for its role in recording official meteorological readings for Bendigo from 1908 until 1914.”
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