Alocal consortium has recently purchased the former Millicent Italian Social Club building, nearby one-time soccer playing fields and almost 10 acres of cleared land.
The vendor is the State Government and it engaged South East Property Sales and Management to sell the property a year ago.
Marketed as a development opportunity, expressions of interest were invited and there was no advertised price.
A contract was written for an out-of-town investor but the sale did not proceed.
The consortium comprises three local families with trade skills covering the realms of plumbing carpentry and electrical services.
It is understood a residential sub-division will be created and perhaps similar to the nearby High School subdivision from the 1960s.
This area was one of the projects of the former Millicent Development Limited and its directors were Tony Buffon along with Ralph DeGaris, Gordon Hutchesson, Bob Chewings, Glen Wason and Ralph Zanello (all deceased).
More than two years ago a Wattle Range Council monthly meeting accepted a staff recommendation without comment to remove the community land classification over the two areas.
Council then made a formal application to the Minister for Environment and Water Dr Susan Close to request the land be transferred back to the care and control of her department.
It determined the land was surplus to government requirements and could be sold.
Falling membership numbers and rising maintenance bills at the Short Street facility prompted the Millicent Italian Social Club to approach the council in 2015 to take ownership of the building.
At that time, the estimated maintenance bill was $20,000.
Built in the post-war years, the land was leased to the Italian Club on a 100-year lease by the then Millicent District Council.
The building includes a stage, commercial kitchen, multi-use parquetry floored auditorium and rear room that can be opened or closed off from the main facility.
The Millicent United Soccer Club vacated the area in the late 1980s and moved to a purpose-built pitch and clubrooms at McLaughlin Park.
The land bordering Academy Drive and the so-called rail lands has been vacant ever since.
Most of the fittings and contents of the Italian Club building were sold by the council at a clearing sale in 2023.
In its hey-day, the club was a popular venue for cabarets and wedding receptions.
It hosted the Mount Gambier Choral and Vocal Eisteddfod in 2003 after the Millicent War Memorial Civic and Arts Centre was declared to be structurally unsound and had to be re-built.
