No heritage protection by council for The Castle movie home

Council has voted against pursuing permanent heritage protection for the Strathmore house famous for its role in the movie The Castle.

Four Moonee Valley councillors last tonight supported the heritage protection bid but five, including mayor Amanda Surace, rejected it.

But the weatherboard house at 3 Dagonet St might still be saved from the wreckers’ ball as the owner is hoping to sell it to a buyer who can remove it from her block of land before she builds two townhouses.

“I don’t want to knock it down,” Vicky Cosentino said. “But I’m over the moon (with the decision). I didn’t sleep last night,” the Herald Sun reported.

The vote followed a report — commissioned by the council in August and compiled by external heritage consultants Context — which deemed the house worth protecting for its “local social and state historical significance” as “place where popular culture … was created and is celebrated”.