Demolition makes way for the new $20M Korumburra supermarket

THE OLD Korumburra library building is being stripped and demolished to make way for a new, larger IGA in the town.

The trees have been bulldozed and the inside of the building cleared out with the developers hoping to have the site completely cleared by Christmas, according to IGA General Manager Dom D’Agostino.

In June this year South Gippsland Shire Council officially handed over the site to IGA and in mid-November plans and design documents for the new supermarket were fully endorsed by council.

The building was originally the Korumburra Shire Council Chambers with Richard Scott, a councillor for more than 50 years, placing the foundation stone in 1955, with the library housed on the lower lever. 

With the amalgamation of six local shires in the eighties to become the South Gippsland Shire Council and operating from Leongatha, the library moved to the top level and the Korumburra Historical

Society moved from the Mechanics Institute to the lower level, where both remained until recently.

President of the Korumburra Historical Society Bob Newton has been engaging with Dom to preserve some items of history from the site.

Two of the wrought iron seats from the entrance of the old library have been placed at Carinya Lodge for residents to use, the iconic statue of The Miner has gone to Coal Creek and a garden will be planted around it and the painted mural on the library wall will be digitally recreated to adorn the front facade of IGA. 

Bob claims to be the most passionate historian around and he is pleased to be able to retain some of the history of the building and Dom is happy to accommodate these requests. 

According to Dom, a builder has been appointed for the new site and tenders are being sought from suitable subcontractors. 

IGA first began acquiring land in 2017 for the site which covers 13 titles in all, and while Dom said it had been a long process, they are happy with current progress and anticipate an opening date of early to mid-2025. 

Excavation and construction works are anticipated to start in February next year. 

At about 3200m2 in size, the new Michael’s Supa IGA supermarket will be twice the size of the present store in Korumburra and slightly bigger than Leongatha’s 2800m2. It will represent a $20 million investment in the town.

All staff will go across to the new site and additional jobs will also be available.