Mitchell Shire Council is partnering with the Victorian Government to restore one of Kilmore's oldest structures, with work beginning on Whitburgh Cottage.
A $200,000 Living Heritage Grant and $410,000 of Council funds will be used to restore the historically and architecturally significant cottage.
Whitburgh Cottage was erected between 1853-57 for William Smeaton, a local coachbuilder and blacksmith.
The house remained in Smeaton family ownership for 113 years. The site is one of the oldest buildings in Kilmore and is Kilmore's oldest surviving bluestone house.
It epitomises early cottage design with a simple double fronted composition, hipped roof and constructed of local materials, in thick case bluestone.
The tender for the project has been awarded to Reliance Constructions, with a major focus of the repairs to be a bulge in the western wall that will need to be reinforced.
Other works include repairing the slate roof, replacing floorboards, skirting boards and architraves, electrical works, fixing water damage and repainting.
The restoration works are anticipated to be completed mid-2022.
