Former station master’s home in Mid West town to be demolished after Seroja damage

A heritage-listed home damaged beyond repair by cyclone Seroja is destined for the wrecking ball, with the City of Greater Geraldton signing off on its destruction this week.

Located immediately south of Eradu North Road, the former station master’s house was built in 1894 after the railway line between Geraldton and Mullewa was built.

The house was taken over by the Cream family during the 1930s, with the property home to several generations of Creams over the decades.

Susan Cream asked the council this month for permission to demolish the building, saying it would cost “hundreds of thousands of dollars” to repair cyclone damage to the structure.

In her submission to council, Mrs Cream said the building had “no value as a residential property” due to its proximity to the train line.

“No one would want to live there with trains going past all day and during the night, also with trucks going past the corner during harvest, with dust from the gravel blowing into the house,” she said.

Deputy mayor Jerry Clune said it was “with a little bit of sadness” that he supported the move to bulldoze the site, which he told the council had been home to many “fond memories” over the years.

“There have been substantial additions to the house and there are perfectly good reasons for that, because in the previous generation there were nine children raised in that house. So it needed expanding to fit everyone in there,” he said.

Cr Clune said the Cream residence was the next best thing to a hospital back in the day, with one local mother delivering her baby in the lounge room of the house.

He said it would be “sad to see it go” but assured the council the property’s demolition would improve the safety and aesthetics of the area.

It is not known what the owners plan to do with the land once the building is demolished.