Officers from Heritage Victoria, including the Acting Executive Director visited Warrnambool and the FJ site in in 2013 after a fair bit of pestering from the Warrnambool Planning & Heritage Group and Execuitve Officer Tim Smith visited again in 2014. By then a very positive working relationship had been established between the Save the Silver Ball and Fletcher's Gardens group and Heritage Victoria.
"Among those Tim Smith met was a founding member of the Save the Silver Ball and Fletcher’s Gardens group, Julie Eagles who said there were strong community links with the site.
The group has about 550 members and a recent radio station poll triggered more than 650 responses calling for the silver ball to be retained.
“The Silver Ball and the gardens are the main aspects that people connect with,” she said.
“If there is a development proposal in the future we need to determine what should be saved and what the maintenance needs are. We don’t want key aspects to be lost in the slow demolition by neglect process that seems to be happening.
“Tim certainly recognises the importance of the site and the Fletcher Jones story at a state and even national level.”
Mr Smith said it was clear the site had landmark character, community value and opportunities.
“We want it to be used, but would make sure key significant elements were retained and the stories told,” he said.
“I think everyone understands its heritage value, now we need to make sure of its maintenance while bigger plans for future re-use is discussed."
