The building does not have a set name and is colloquially referred to as the stone hut, the meeting room, or the community hall.

But it has been at the centre of a protracted tussle between locals in the small community of Donovans on the South Australian side of the border with Victoria and a Victorian boat club. 

Now, after years of negotiations, contracted lawyers and deputations to council, the Donovans Recreational Advisory Committee has decided to withdraw its bid for the lease of the tiny town's riverside hut.

The residents of Donovans had contracted lawyers last year to increase their access to the site.

The group wanted to review the District Council of Grant's decision to renew the lease with Victorian-based Glenelg River Classic Boat Club, which has held the lease for the past 18 years.

The negotiations and final decision were left with council, but this week, the Committee and the Boat Club met.

Committee president Steve Gillett said it was about time the issue was resolved.

"We had to sit down and come up with some solution.

"So it was probably best that we sat down with the Boat Club and had a mediator and just tried to thrash it out – without council involvement – and that's what we did."

Mr Gillett said he was happy with the plan going forward.

"They'll retain the lease on the stone hut for the next five years."

"We'd get the use of it, more or less when we want to use it, so long as it doesn't affect the Boat Club.

"Give them a couple of days' notice and they'll give us a key, so we don't have to get a key off them," he said.

A 'pointless' fight

Mr Gillett said part of the reason for withdrawing the bid for the lease was because the committee had received $100,000 from the council last year to build a new community hall in town.

"Once they decided to build us a hall, and we got the funding, it was pointless to have two places to try look after anyway.

"It was pointless just to keep fighting for the stone hut when we've got a new hall starting to be built here in the centre of town in a few weeks."

Mr Gillett said it was positive that both groups would be able to move on.

"It's been a long process," he said.

"We're working with the Boat Club and hopefully we can all get on with it."

District Council of Grant CEO Darryl Whicker said it was about proposing "a solution that ensures all parties are able to use that facility".

"There are still some final discussions underway, but both parties have been a pleasure to deal with and have been considerate of each other's point of view and perspectives," he said.

"It's a matter of getting a lease arrangement that everybody's happy with, and hopefully moving that through [council]."

The Glenelg River Classic Boat Club declined to comment.