The Kooweerup RSL’s long-running push to secure land for a Soldiers Memorial Museum has taken a step forward but questions remain over when, where, and how support will be delivered.
At its 21 July meeting, Cardinia Shire Council voted unanimously to accept a petition from the RSL, which is seeking a permanent site after being told it must vacate its current premises by December 2025.
The building, located on Station Street, has served as the RSL’s base and museum space since 2014. However, it was recently sold to developers, leaving the group without a future home for its wartime artefacts and veteran services.
The petition, led by Rodney Edwards, follows more than 15 years of lobbying to secure land for the project. The group’s preferred location is Cochrane Park, near the town’s cenotaph, Avenue of Honour, and war memorials.
Cr Trudi Paton, who spoke in support of accepting the petition, acknowledged the urgency of the situation but said the matter was complex.
“Earlier this year the RSL received advice that their building in Station Street Kooi Rup had been sold for development and that they would be required to vacate by December,” Cr Paton said.
“This is a complex issue due to the many considerations required of this council to balance when assessing requests of this nature.
“Council officers, the Mayor and myself have met on several occasions with the Kooweerup RSL members and a significant amount of work has already been done to assess a range of options beyond just finding them land and this work will continue.”
Mayor Jack Kowarzik also warned that the council must weigh the broader implications of its decision.
“If the council buys land for Kooweerup RSL and builds a $5 million facility, it would be reasonable for every other RSL to say we want the same service,” Cr Kowarzik said.
“So, as part of this report, Peter Harris and the governance team are going to have a look at what support we can provide, what support we already provide to other RSLs (if any) and make sure that we can move forward in a positive direction. But in an equitable and fair direction because that’s very important to this council.”
The report due in August, is expected to present potential options for supporting the Kooweerup RSL while ensuring consistency across the shire.
The Kooweerup RSL hopes the report will finally deliver progress after more than 15 years of campaigning.
