The virus may have put paid to public visits at Castlemaine’s historic Buda for now – but there’s a silver lining.
The COVID-19 lockdown has meant critical restoration works to repair and maintain the iconic local visitor attraction have been progressing far more quickly than would otherwise be possible.
“We estimate we’re now about two months ahead of schedule,” says a delighted Lauretta Zilles, Buda Historic House curator
“It’s been a silver lining. The tradies have been excellent to work with and it’s really been just one or two tradies here at a time so everyone’s been really good about observing the social distancing restrictions.”
The works being funded with a $120,000 state Living Heritage grant include significant render repairs on the south-facing exterior, foundation stabilisation, original brick repairs and repointing, interior plaster restoration and painting, and soon-to-start exterior painting of the house’s north facing visitor entrance.
Lauretta says the works are all being carefully carried out to faithfully reproduce the way the gracious old home would have appeared around 1910 – “the heyday of the Leviny daughters,” she says.
“It’s going to look terrific.” See more in today’s Castlemaine Mail. Friday, May 08, 2020.