Cr Carol Taylor says its time to discuss the future of Harlaxton House and how to preserve it
This heritage-listed home’s glory days are long behind it. But one of Toowoomba Regional Council’s councillors believes it doesn’t need to be that way.
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Councillor Carol Taylor says there needs to be a “very serious conversation” around the future of Harlaxton House.
The heritage-listed villa was built between 1869-70, with extensions added up to 1910, and it was even leased as a summer residence by the eighth Governor of Queensland, Lord Lamington, between 1896 and 1901.
But its glory days are long behind it, and it stands alone and empty on a bare block in Munro St, overlooking the Harlaxton Quarry and the Toowoomba escarpment.
The property was bought by Sanbeg Pty Ltd in 1995, which lists Quarry Products’ Tony and Malcolm Frost among its directors.
Cr Taylor said it was time to talk about Harlaxton House’s future before it became too difficult to restore.
She said she was cognisant restoring the historic building would cost money and said one suggestion would be to form a trust and get philanthropists involved.
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