Bisinella Developments - The key to your community

Museum Estate, Lara

Museum Estate

museum estate

Lara’s boutique eight-lot heritage-style subdivision, Museum Estate, sits adjacent to the Lara Museum and Historical Centre.

Completed in 2014, the Museum Estate is at the corner of Forest Road South and Canterbury Road West, near the southern entrance to the township of Lara.

The history of the Museum Estate is closely linked to the Lara Museum and Historical Centre which was opened in 2013, in the former Lake Bank Hotel.

One of Lara’s oldest buildings and the town’s only surviving 19th century hotel, the Lake Bank Hotel dates back to 1860.

Located on the corner of Forest Road and Canterbury Road West it was built for Scottish immigrant James Henderson and operated as a licensed hotel until 1908. The distinctive limestone buildings were home to five generations of Mr Henderson’s family.

In 2011, the historic hotel buildings  were bought by Bisinella Developments’ Managing Director Lino Bisinella who restored and refurbished them at a cost of nearly half a million dollars. The buildings were then leased for a peppercorn rent to the community group formed to establish and operate the museum, Lara Heritage and Historical Inc.

The Lara Museum and Historical Centre, is now a magnificent showplace for Lara’s heritage. Since it opened, memorabilia and items of historic interest have continued to be loaned or donated to the museum, bringing local history to life in the ideal setting of the old limestone buildings.

Mr Bisinella renovated the historic building and developed the remaining land into eight lots around a quiet court, Museum Place.

Homes in the Museum Estate were designed in a heritage style, following guidelines to ensure they paid tribute to the historic museum buildings of the Lara Museum and Heritage Centre. 

The distinctive limestone wall along Forest Road – a feature of the entrance to Lara for more than 150 years – was preserved for its heritage significance and provides a unique backdrop to four of the lots in the Museum Estate.


News

updates

Preserving Lara's past: The community museum that brings history to life

Published: 28/04/2023

The opening of the Lara Museum and Historical Centre is an achievement that highlights the community spirit of the area. 

The Lara Museum and Historical Centre was established as a community hub for visitors to learn about the rich cultural heritage of the area and appreciate the contributions of past residents,

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Save our Decorative Streetlights!

Published: 16/07/2021

Bisinella works closely with the City of Greater Geelong on all aspects of planning and construction. The company was pleased to recently provide feedback on Council’s Public

Street Lighting Policy, which is currently being reviewed.

Street lighting is a shared responsibility between Council and Powercor. Developers such as Bisinella currently pay a

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Lara Cricket Club’s 2020/2021 season begins

Published: 04/11/2020

Lara Cricket Club’s 2020/2021 season commenced on the weekend with more than 200 players participating in games around the region.

The cricket season was due to start on 3 October but was delayed by four weeks due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Four of Lara’s senior men's teams went down to Newtown & Chilwell

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2020 Lara Food and Wine Festival cancelled

Published: 13/03/2020

The 2020 Lara Food & Wine Festival has been cancelled as a precautionary measure amid growing concerns about the coronavirus (COVID-19).

 The Lara Food & Wine Festival was due to be held at Bisinella Developments’ Pirra Homestead on Sunday 22 March.

 The event’s organising committee made the announcement yesterday evening based on

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