Potential uses for the restored Millers Flat Bakehouse are being explored, as the project nears completion.
The main restoration of the historic building had been completed and now only ''finishing touches'' were needed, bakehouse trust chairwoman Betty Adams said.
The 1907 building had been operated by several owners and leaseholders until 1944, but fell into disrepair after that.
A group of Millers Flat residents suggested the restoration of the building more than 25 years ago, but securing the building and land around it and gaining money for the $235,000 restoration had been slow, Mrs Adams said.
Now that the building had been restored, trustees were deciding what the best use for it would be, she said.
It could either be run by volunteers through a Friends of the Bakehouse group; run as a co-operative, having people sell various goods in the building; or leased to a commercial artisan baker.
A Millers Flat Bakehouse trustee, Dennis Kirkpatrick, who is a baker and owns Jimmy's Pies, said it would be possible to make bread dough in a commercial kitchen and then cook it in the restored oven in the bakehouse.
The bakehouse building is divided into two parts - the kitchen and the front area, which used to operate as tearooms and from which bread and other baked goods were sold.
It was planned to operate the restored bakehouse in a similar way, and also have a small information area in the tearooms, Mrs Adams said.
It was hoped the bakehouse would be formally opened in October, and the building had already been booked for a private function in November, she said.
In the meantime, the bakehouse trust was encouraging anyone who was willing to help volunteer in the bakehouse, or had memorabilia from the historic building, to come forward.
Contact Betty Adams on (03) 446-6742 or 027 493-8590.
