Its transfer to the National Trust or Historic Houses Trust is another option under consideration.

Some 60 people crowded into the Council Chambers on Thursday night to hear discussions on the Sloane St museum and archives’ future.

The workshop brought together councillors and Goulburn and District Historical Society representatives Garry White and Roger Bayley.

At the end, Mayor Geoff Kettle gave a commitment that the 1840s villa would be retained as a museum and archives. The only question was how and where the money would come from.

“I think the meeting went well,” he said after the workshop.

“The community can see that we want to work together.”

Cr Kettle said he’d be happy to “throw $100,000” at the restoration work annually from the special projects reserve.

This money could leverage other grants. However this would be a whole council decision.

The forum followed Council’s decision to restrict access to the Sloane St building last month. It came on the back of a building condition report, insurance assessment, fire safety audit and termite inspection. The building was deemed unsafe for public access. Now, Historical Society members can only access archives accompanied by council staff and by appointment.

Tensions have been running high over the closure but on Thursday talks were far more consultative.

Mr Bayley reiterated St Clair’s heritage importance and the fact that GDHS had saved it from demolition in 1969.

“We enlisted community support and just about every business in Auburn St contributed,” he said.

“There wasn’t quite enough so Goulburn City Council sought a grant from the Premiers Department for $10,000. That was successful and it came with the proviso that it was for the purchase of a historical and folk museum.

“So I think we should bear that in mind. The funding was given as a matter of trust.”

Mr Bayley said as arguably Goulburn’s most significant building, there was considerable community interest in retaining the structure and the Sinclair collection.

Cr Kettle told the meeting that Council believed St Clair should be retained but funding solutions were needed.

“I can’t justify spending $1.5 million (the estimated cost of repairs) but I am open to some Council funding going into it,” he said.

The mayor has also held talks with NSW National Trust CEO Brian Scarsbrick and the Historic Houses Trust about the possibility of transferring St Clair to one of those bodies on the proviso it remained as a museum and archive open to the public. Any transfer would involve a ‘financial endowment’ for ongoing conservation.

Mr Scarsbrick will attend a second workshop about St Clair. The mayor also hopes to invite a Historic Houses representative.

Other options include: * Council retaining ownership and committing resources.

However Council says it is only currently has enough for maintenance.

* Council applying for a special rate variation to the Department of Local Government. A $70 annual levy would raise $1m. The application must have “widespread community support.”

* Sell or lease the property to allow private investment, also on condition it be retained as a museum and archive. It would also carry a heritage conservation agreement.

After the meeting, Mr White said the Society preferred Council to retain ownership and do the work but it would listen to all suggestions.

The Council will apply for heritage grants when many of them open later this year.

Later, members of the gallery suggested a major and ongoing community fundraiser. Another said that online ‘crowd funding’ whereby people from all over the world ‘bought a brick’ had managed to conserve many heritage items.

Whatever the future holds, the Historical Society is open to the work’s staging over several years.

“We’ll do anything to stay there, even if it’s a 10-year plan to fix it up,” Mr Bayley said.

“It’s not perfect but we can live with it.”

The council is awaiting a final insurance assessment report and a second termite inspection.

A second workshop will be convened to discuss these and the way forward.

Mr Bayley described the meeting as meaningful.

“It’s the first really positive step we’ve had in consultation with Council over the past few months and I think we can see our way forward to a partnership of some sort,” he said.

“Things were getting a bit nasty there for a while but this has been much more consultative.”