Melbourne Polytechnic will open selected external areas of the Aradale precinct in Ararat for guided tours following the issuing of new licences to tour operators.
Public access to affected areas of the precinct was restricted in August following a safety inspection that
identified a number of buildings as unsafe for public access.
Since then, Melbourne Polytechnic has worked directly with local tour operators to identify potential
external tour routes through the historic precinct and determine how public access can be provided safely
without entering buildings.
The new arrangements will allow guided tours to access designated external areas of Aradale. No
buildings will be open to the public as part of this initial arrangement.
Building assessments and future access
Assessment of Aradale’s buildings will be undertaken through a separate specialist building survey
process. The assessments will determine the condition and safety of individual buildings and establish
what is required before public access can be provided.
Some buildings may be identified as suitable for public access without further works, or with safety
controls in place. Where this occurs, Melbourne Polytechnic will work with site users to enable access as
soon as it is safe and practicable to do so.
Other buildings are expected to require repairs, remediation or more substantial works before they can
be safely accessed. The nature and extent of any such works can only be determined once the specialist
assessments have been completed.
At this stage Melbourne Polytechnic has not committed to any building remediation, scope of works or
reopening timetable. Any proposals or estimates about works required for individual buildings should
therefore not be regarded as confirmed until the assessment process is complete.
Safety arrangements
Visitors taking part in guided tours must:
Access will be limited to areas designated for external tours. Routes may be altered or access temporarily
suspended if site conditions change or a safety issue is identified.
Melbourne Polytechnic Chief Executive, Frances Coppolillo, said opening selected external areas was an
important step for the Ararat community and local tourism operators.
“We know how important access to Aradale is for community groups, tourism operators and local
businesses, and we recognise the impact the restrictions have had.
“Since access was restricted, we have been working at pace to determine how safe access can be
restored. By working directly with tour operators, we have now identified a pathway for guided tours to
access designated external areas of the precinct.”
Media contact
media@melbournepolytechnic.edu.au