The gatehouse is currently located in the north-west corner of the University of Adelaide's Waite Campus, a precinct bequeathed to the university by pastoralist and businessman Peter Waite nearly 100 years ago.
Transport Department Minister Corey Wingard said the government originally decided to demolish the building because early inquiries into whether it could be "lifted in one piece and moved to a different location" found it would cost too much. An electronic petition against the demolition amassed 18,000 signatures and a paper one 9,000 signatures.Save Our Heritage Alliance convenor Warren Jones has been active in campaigning against the building's demolition, including helping to organise an electronic petition that amassed 18,000 signatures and a paper one with 9,000 signatures.
He said heritage purists would consider a brick-by-brick reconstruction "not really in accord with strict heritage requirements" and the preferred methodology was to pick up the building and "relocate it in toto".
Don't move this important historical monument