Facelift for heritage building in Coogee

The Coogee Hotel and Post Office was built at the entrance of Coogee Beach in 1898.

In its heyday the hotel was popular among visitors to the holiday precinct, which also included a railway station and two racecourses.

Over time the building went on to serve as a children’s holiday camp, a permanent children’s home and headquarters for the Coogee Beach Progress Association.

The property has been empty since its last tenants vacated in October.

State Heritage Office executive director Graeme Gammie said repairs to the building, which was added to the State Register of Heritage Places in 2001, would safeguard its future before it was sold by Main Roads.

“The conservation works will comprise the repair of external and internal walls, doors and windows, ceilings, verandah structures, a new timber floor to the post office, and repair and stabilisation of unsound brick chimneys,” he said.

“The work also includes the removal of intrusive structures, including the northern extension on the hotel dating from the 1990s.”

Coogee Beach Progress Association president Geoff Sach said he was pleased to see the building receive some TLC.

“For the people of the area, especially the long term residents, it’s a historically important building,” he said.

He said it would be great to see the hotel used as a tavern and the post office brought back to life as an art studio.

“Something along those lines would be good. We’d like to see it restored and put to use,” he said.

Works are expected to be finished in the first quarter of 2016.