Narrogin’s oldest building undergoes conservation work to address dampness caused by drainage system

Conservation work has begun at the Old Courthouse Museum to address dampness issues caused by the ground level drainage system at Narrogin’s oldest standing building. The Shire of Narrogin has allocated $60,000 to redirect stormwater runoff and incorporate a waterproof membrane to stop water penetrating the walls of the State heritage-listed building. Local structural engineer Dan Turner is working alongside other contractors to carry out the upgrades outlined in a 2017 conservation management plan. “The works undertaken at the museum are to address the ground level drainage, which is resulting in rising damp issues impacting on the stone fabric and the interior walls of the building,” shire chief executive Dale Stewart said. The Old Courthouse Museum was built in 1894 as the first government school in Narrogin, according to the shire. A decade later, student enrolment had grown from 25 to 106 and the school moved to a bigger site, with the old building becoming the Narrogin Courthouse in 1905. The building then housed a bank and became the local courthouse again until ownership was transferred to the Narrogin Town Council to develop a community museum managed by the historical society. The Old Courthouse Museum was officially opened by Sir Thomas Wardle in 1976. The museum now houses a craft shop run by Narrogin Arts Group alongside historical artefacts and displays. A fence has been erected around the Old Courthouse Museum but the building remains open to the public. The work is expected to be completed next month.