Organisers of an annual community Christmas event in Waikerie have been forced to downsize because of a termite infestation in the host building.

Key points:

  • A termite infestation at the historic building forces changes to an annual Christmas event
  • Santa’s Cave is still going ahead, with unsafe areas of the building cordoned off
  • The infestation highlights broader issues with the building and a community effort to keep it alive

The Santa’s Cave event at the Waikerie Institute has been running for more than 25 years and organisers say at this stage it is still going ahead pending further checks.

The institute was opened in 1919 as a memorial to World War I soldiers, but its northern end has now been deemed unsafe.

Loxton-Waikerie District Council (LWDC) is conducting regular inspections of the main hall area to guarantee its safety.

The termite infestation has brought the state of the building into focus, with a community committee of council now exploring a long-term project to guarantee the building can be used into the future.

The issues include a termite nest (left) and damaged floorboards (right).(Supplied: LWDC)

Santa’s slightly smaller cave

Volunteers beginning the set-up process for this year’s Santa’s Cave were the first to alert council to the termites after seeing damage in the supper room, which is usually used as Santa’s Gift Shop.

Inspections were carried out by the LWDC, pest inspectors and builders, who found the infestation in the supper and northern storage rooms, as well as the presence of asbestos.

Multiple inspections have shown the main hall is safe, and the unsafe areas have been restricted, so the event organisers have decided to go ahead and will move the gift shop into the main hall with the rest of the display.

The annual display attracts families from far and wide every November and December.(ABC News: Stephanie Nitschke)

“As a result, there’s a couple of less displays for children and adults to actually see,” Waikerie Santa’s Cave president Lizzie Platten said.

“Also, there’s not as much space for our Christmas shop, so some of our consignment items haven’t been able to be used.

The LWDC has undertaken continual assessments of the building since the termites were discovered and has thermal-imaging technology set up to monitor for incursions into the main hall.

Organisers are hopeful the display can continue as normal.(ABC News: Stephanie Nitschke)

Commercial and Community Services director Andrew Waters said council believed it was on top of the infestation at this stage, with the help of concrete in the building separating the termites from the main hall.

“There is still a potential risk that the termites have spread,” Mr Waters said.

The future of the institute

At a council meeting this week, councillors voiced concerned the institute was unable to hold weddings and other events because of the damage to the kitchen.

Termites have damaged the room that stores the Santa’s Cave exhibits.(Supplied: LWDC)

Waikerie Delivers, a committee made up of the community and council, passed a motion to “investigate the current usage profile of the Waikerie Institute and identify future opportunities for the building”.

Chairperson Henry Crawford said the building had deteriorated significantly and there had been issues with the structure, access to toilets and the kitchen.

“It’s there for anyone to hire and use, but its use has become less and less, in part because the facilities are just not up to scratch, so people who may have a use for it just don’t want to and look elsewhere,” he said.

Mr Crawford said the institute was at a crossroads, and the community needed to decide how much time and money to put into the building to keep it from falling into disrepair, and how it could be best used in future.

“Council’s had some preliminary work done, and any sort of work done and any sort of work on it could run into the millions.