Public to have say on the heritage status of Marine Rescue base amid calls for preservation

The public will have its say on the heritage status of the Port Hedland Volunteer Marine Rescue base as calls to preserve the old building come to the fore. The PHVMR will now face the next hurdle to replace its dilapidated headquarters as their request for the building’s heritage status to be downgraded has gone out for public consultation. The volunteer service provider operates out of the former Port Hedland State School on Mckay Street and for six years has been pleading for funding to replace the building. In 2020 a certified engineer inspection found the building to be “uninhabitable” and the North West Telegraph recently reported the PHVMR had received $1.8 million in funding to build a new facility. The PHVMR requested the Town change the heritage status of the building from category B to category C which would allow the new facility to be built. On Wednesday, the Town of Port Hedland council unanimously agreed for the proposed change to go out for public consultation. Marine Rescue commander Zac Slaughter said the organisation welcomed input from the Town on the potential change. “Currently it’s going to go into a public consultation round and feedback,” he said. “Marine Rescue Port Hedland looks forward to seeing the feedback from the community so we can pursue a new fit-for-purpose emergency service facility in Hedland.” The category B heritage-listed building housed the first education facility in Port Hedland between 1906 to 1942 and 1953 to 1961. During World War II the building was used as a mess hall by community organisations. Community pushback on the proposal has already begun with former councillor and Visitor Centre manager Julie Arif calling for the building’s preservation in a letter to the council. “We have very few heritage buildings in Port Hedland,” she said. Ms Arif said the building was in good condition when the tenancy started 20 years ago but has since been allowed to fall into disrepair and that “someone must be held responsible for this as a category B listing”. She said the building should be raised to a category A heritage building rather than downgraded to a category C and that it would be better for a new facility to be built closer to the ocean. Ms Arif wanted to see a conservation and maintenance order placed on the building as she said it was an important piece of local history. Mr Slaughter previously told the North West Telegraph that it was pivotal the building’s heritage status was downgraded for the new facility to be built. “The 117-year-old building is actually heritage-listed by the Town of Port Hedland, so there will be a number of hoops we need to jump through to get the project going,” he said. Marine Rescue Port Hedland often undertakes dangerous rescue operations in the world’s biggest bulk export port and it also helps with natural disaster preparedness among other marine duties. The group has received several awards in the past decade including wins in the WA Fire and Emergency Services awards.