Repairs underway to mend water damage at historic Bendigo Town Hall

Sections of elaborate paintwork inside the hall, a symbol of Bendigo’s wealth at the time its construction, are currently covered in poulticing – a white, render-like paste.  

City of Greater Bendigo property services manager Andy Walker said leaking downpipes responsible for damage to the Gold Rush-era building were first found two years ago.

“The downpipes on this side of the building are embedded deep in the wall and must have been leaking for some time before the leaking became apparent,” Mr Walker said.  

While pipes were made watertight in November, 2015, the extent of the damage to the interior is only now visible.  

Salt dissolved in the leaked rainwater formed crystals on the walls’ surfaces and must be extracted to limit further damage, Mr Walker explained.   

“This means some more paint will need to be taken off to allow the salts to escape,” he said. 

Poulticing applied to the walls will draw salt out of the brickwork before being peeled off.  

Vacuuming and “low-pressure captive head washing” – a process like steam cleaning carpet – will also be used to mend the damage. 

“Once we are sure that the salts have been removed, and the walls have adequately dried out, the painted surface can be restored to its former glory,” Mr Walker said. 

He said the repairs would cost the city $10,000. 

The building is unlikely to look like its former self until May next year, with works only possible when the hall is free from bookings. 

The Bendigo town hall will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2019, although the original paintwork is not quite so old; those touches were not complete until 1902. 

The building narrowly avoided demolition in the early 1970s and, in 2001, underwent a major restoration, which included damp-proofing works.