The roof of the 100+-year-old building after the renovations. Photos: Supplied
The owners of Juela, a quaint little jewellery studio located in the heart of picturesque Mogo just 10 minutes south of Batemans Bay, were keen to retain the rustic charm of their showroom and workshop but recognised the roof of their building desperately needed fixing.
Deb Gough and Bloss Theodore knew replacing the roof of their historic 100+-year-old building was an intimidating task but with the help of the Eurobodalla Council, the task was made a lot easier.
Their studio was built in the 1800’s as a small settler’s cottage and Ms Gough said it was important for her business to keep that seller’s cottage look despite the renovations.
Ms Gough said the process to apply for the Council’s Local Heritage Places Grant was uncomplicated and saved them a lot of money.
“Bloss and I did our research and then we spoke to somebody at the council who sent someone out to us and they evaluated what needed to be prioritised,” she said.
“They walked around the building with us and pointed out was the easiest and most important thing to be fixed. Boss and I both knew the roof needed fixing because we had some leaking on the inside and he agreed with us.”
The roof of Juela before the renovations.
After receiving quotes from a few builders, the duo submitted their paperwork to Council which was “quite easy to put together” and the application was approved. After a couple months of work, their roof is looking as good as new.
Eurobodalla Council is once again offering heritage grants to help owners of heritage properties restore their historical homes and bespoke buildings, with grants up to $5,000 available.
The grants are offered every year to help local property owners preserve the region’s rich, remarkable heritage and promote the appreciation of Eurobodalla’s history.
Ms Gough said the business was considering lodging a second application so they could continue restoration work around the building and encouraged others to apply for the grants.
“People should definitely apply for a grant because they will match you dollar for dollar up to a certain capped amount,” she said. “It saved us a couple of thousand dollars and it’s only a few hours of your time to get that help.”
Successful applicants will need to contribute one dollar for every dollar provided by the grant, and the restoration work must be completed before May 2019.
To find out more about the Local Places Heritage Grants guidelines and to apply, visit the Council’s website or phone Council’s Strategy and Heritage Planner on 02 4474 1324.
Applications close on 3 August 2018.
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