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4 AUGUST, 2026
Heritage ‘trashed’ By Laura Michell “Our history, our heritage is being trashed.” That’s how Elaine Brogan feels about the recent vandalism of a historic Greenvale house owned by the family of her late husband, John. Ms Brogan was recently made aware of damage to the historical Prospect Cottage on Providence Road. Pickets were ripped from the property’s front fence and used to smash the original windows. The cottage, a rare nineteenth-century mud-brick dwelling, was built in the early 1860s and is a place of regional heritage significance. The cottage has a strong association with pioneering local farmer Henry Papworth and his family and serves as an important reminder of Greenvale’s agricultural history.
Acts of vandalism against heritage places are not victimless crimes - Broadmeadows Historical Society It is also one of the few surviving nineteenth-century mud-brick residences known to remain in Victoria and one of the last surviving examples of a small collection of mud-brick cottages once common in the Greenvale–Oaklands district, according to the Broadmeadows Historical Society. Ms Brogan, who in 2015 received a Medal of the Order of Australia for her service to historical preservation organisations, said she was devastated by the vandalism. “It is our Australian heritage and we haven’t got much of it left in Hume,” she said. “It is vandalism.” The Broadmeadows Historical Society said it was “deeply disappointed” by the vandalism and has called for stronger protections for the preservation, protection and recognition of Hume’s “rich” built heritage. It has also urged agencies to continue maintenance of heritage registers. “Historic buildings provide a tangible connection to our shared past. They tell the stories of the people, families
Elaine Brogan and Meryl Thomas in front of the vandalised Prospect Cottage. (Damjan Janevski) 568034_03
and communities who helped shape the district and contribute significantly to the identity and character of Hume. The protection of these places ensures that future generations can understand and appreciate the region’s cultural and historical development,” the society said. “Acts of vandalism against heritage places are not victimless crimes. They damage irreplaceable cultural assets, diminish community heritage values and threaten the survival of important historic fabric that cannot be recreated once lost. “Buildings such as Prospect Cottage are fi nite and irreplaceable resources. Once damaged beyond repair, an important part of Hume’s history is lost forever. “The significance of the cottage has long been recognised through heritage assessments which identified it as an important and rare link with the district’s nineteenth-century small-farming history and recommended its protection through
heritage controls.” Prospect Cottage owner Sel Uzunbay was notified of the damage while overseas and was hoping to visit the site at the weekend to assess the damage. He expressed concern about vandalism in the neighbourhood. The society said it was also concerned about the long-term protection, maintenance and recognition of other heritage buildings in Hume, including Old Shire Hall and Will Will Rook Cemetery. It said both buildings warrant ongoing attention to ensure their heritage values are preserved for future generations. “The Broadmeadows Historical Society calls upon all relevant authorities, property owners, heritage agencies and the wider community to work collaboratively to ensure that Prospect Cottage and other significant heritage places receive the protection, maintenance and conservation they deserve,” the society said.
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“Th is includes the proper enforcement of existing heritage controls, proactive measures to prevent further vandalism and ongoing support for heritage conservation programs. “The society further encourages continued heritage studies throughout the municipality and supports the identification and inclusion of additional significant places on local heritage overlays and, where their significance warrants it, nomination to the Victorian Heritage Register.” Hume planning, places and delivery director Rachel Dapiran said council believes in and supports the protection of heritage sites. “In 2024, Hume completed a planning scheme amendment to update our heritage controls. All of the sites mentioned are covered by a heritage overlay. None of the sites are owned or managed by council,” she said.
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