CWA Hall sold

Templeton Street's 70-year-old CWA Hall has been sold to commercial investors - but the Wangaratta Country Women's Association Branch will continue to operate in the rural city. Wangaratta CWA president Heather Betts said the decision to sell the building was not taken lightly by the group's 15 members. "It's such an iconic building to the town, and to the CWA across the region," she said. "It was a considered, but difficult, decision to make. "We looked at all the pros and cons, and whether we would continue on as we were; perhaps try to form a partnership with a group that aligned with the CWA; or whether we should sell the hall." Heather said it was decided the only viable option was to sell. "I've been a member for about 10 years, and in that time - while we have also done many things in the community - the bulk of our fundraising has gone towards upgrading the hall," she said. "An upgrade in 2018 to the front corner, including the ladies' toilet, cost $45,000, and during those works it was found that the wiring was in disrepair, which cost a further $10,000 to address. "Since then, we've painted the hall, replaced the air-conditioning and heating and done the floors, but the roof and the kitchen still both need work. "With 15 members, we can't fundraise to cover that work and to maintain the hall to a reasonable level; it's just not sustainable. "It also takes away from what else we could be doing in the community." Heather said the branch's hall coordinator role had grown to an almost full-time job, with the venue having been used regularly by local groups for activities such as dancing, exercise, Kangatraining, multi-cultural gatherings and International Women's Day events. Retaining the hall would have required raising more money for maintenance and, as part of that, encouraging more hire of the venue, which in turn would have increased the work involved for members. The Wangaratta branch liaised with CWA Victoria regarding the sale, and the hall was sold through Garry Nash & Co Real Estate to the commercial investors. While the investors wish to remain anonymous for now, they say they are passionate about Wangaratta, and that their future plans and capital investment will not only benefit the rural city but ensure that the hall building stands for decades to come. Heather said it was a bittersweet feeling for the Wangaratta branch, knowing that the hall would remain in place, but would not be operated by the CWA. "I'm confident the new owners will honour the history of the building and the fact that it has been a community space," she said. "Wangaratta has been served by the CWA since 1929, and we have no intention of going anywhere. "The hall may have been sold, but the CWA is looking forward to how we can reinvent ourselves in 2026 and beyond, in ways that are relevant to women and families. "As much as we love the building, our focus can now be much more concentrated on that than on maintaining the hall, and we are also looking forward to increasing membership. "In about six months' time, we are hoping to be settled and attracting new members and creating partnerships in the local community. "I'm very excited about what our future could be, and what we could do in the community in line with the CWA ethos." A farewell to and celebration of the building will be held in March, but in the meantime, members are busy packing up the hall in readiness for its next chapter. "We'll take our time to find a new home; we have a few different options, but we want to look at it carefully before we make a decision - we're not in a hurry to lock ourselves in," Heather said. The Wangaratta CWA branch was formed in 1929, with initial membership starting at 90 and soon rising to about 130. While it offered women opportunities to enjoy friendship, learn about national and global issues and use their skills to fundraise for charitable causes, a key aim was to establish a rest-room in Wangaratta where meetings could be held and which women could use while visiting Wangaratta. A building fund for its construction was established in 1947, and funds were raised from catering for balls, weddings, street stalls and other community events. Community donations to the building fund came from Bruck Mills, the Co-Store, Boorhaman Gun Club, and the Chiltern and Whitfield CWA branches. The Templeton Street site was purchased in December, 1953, with the Wangaratta Borough Council giving permission to erect the rest room. The hall was officially opened on September 26, 1955 by Lady Violet Brooks, wife of Governor of Victoria Sir Dallas Brooks. An extension was added later (circa 1970s). Since then, the CWA has continued to move with societal changes; in 2008, the Wangaratta and South Wangaratta branches each disbanded, and combined to become the Wangaratta and district branch, to ensure the continuation of the CWA in the rural city. In 2014 a new evening branch formed, and during the COVID pandemic, the city's day branch amalgamated with the evening branch.

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