Collingwood Town Hall

Last updated

Collingwood Town Hall Collingwood Town Hall.jpg
Collingwood Town Hall
Collingwood Town Hall on Hoddle Street Hoddle Street, Collingwood, Victoria, Australia.jpg
Collingwood Town Hall on Hoddle Street

Collingwood Town Hall is a civic building located on Hoddle Street in Abbotsford, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia.

The hall was built between 1885 and 1887 to the competition-winning [1] design of local architect George R. Johnson in the Second Empire style, rich in detail with domed mansard roofs and a soaring clock tower. It is widely considered one of the finest town halls in Australia, and, along with the Sydney Town Hall and South Melbourne Town Hall, one of the best example of the Second Empire style in Australia.

The Collingwood Town Hall building incorporated many functions in the one project, with a grand hall, a supper room, municipal offices and council chamber, post office, police station and court house, and a mechanics' institute (comprising separate ladies' and gentlemen's library rooms). The opening was held on the 29 March 1887. [1] The clocks in the tower were installed later and were the subject of some debate in September 1887. [2] They are reputed to have been the clocks once at the Melbourne General Post Office which was extended in 1888, but they were in fact ordered from Gaunt & Co, clockmakers, and were to be similar to the clocks at the GPO. Finally ordered in April 1888, [3] and reportedly was on display at the 1888 Melbourne Centennial Exhibition, [4] and the clock bell was cast by Mears and Stainbank at the Whitechapel Foundry, London, in 1890. [5]

It is considered an important example of the work of George R Johnson, possibly the most prolific designer of town halls in late 19th century Victoria (he designed or redesigned at least 6), as well as numerous theatres in Melbourne and other Australian cities.

In 1938 the lobby and hall was significantly remodelled at the time in an Art Deco style, designed by AC Leith & Associates. [5]

The library space, upstairs on the north side, that was to be a mechanic's institute, became by the 1890s the Collingwood Municipal Library, open to the public until 10pm. In 1950 it moved downstairs to the former supper room, and then in 1978 into a former church across Stanton Street on the south side of the Town Hall. All the former rooms became office space. [6]

After the amalgamation of the City of Collingwood with the Cities of Fitzroy and Richmond in 1994 to form the City of Yarra, the Town Hall now functions as secondary offices and service centre for the Collingwood area for the City of Yarra. The Collingwood Police Station still operates from the rear on Eddy Court. The hall itself is used for special functions and as an exhibition space.

In 2014 the hall was extensively renovated, and brought up to modern standards. [7]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City of Yarra</span> Local government area in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

The City of Yarra is a local government area (LGA) in Victoria, Australia in the inner eastern and northern suburbs of Melbourne. It is the second smallest LGA in the state with an area of 19.5 square kilometres (7.5 sq mi), and in June 2021 it had a population of 91,543, making it the second most densely populated LGA, with around 4,695 people per square kilometre. The City of Yarra was formed in 1994 as a result of the amalgamation of the former Cities of Richmond, Collingwood, Fitzroy, and parts of Carlton North and parts of Alphington and Fairfield.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City of Banyule</span> Local government area in Victoria, Australia

The City of Banyule is a local government area in Victoria, Australia in the north-eastern suburbs of Melbourne. It was created under the Local Government Act 1989 and established in 1994 as an amalgamation of former councils. It has an area of 63 square kilometres (24.3 sq mi) and lies between 7 and 21 km from central Melbourne. In 1994 it had a population of 116,000. In June 2018 Banyule had a population of 130,237. The Yarra River runs along the City's southern border while its western border is defined by Darebin Creek.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hawthorn, Victoria</span> Suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Hawthorn is an inner suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) east of Melbourne's central business district, located within the City of Boroondara local government area. Hawthorn recorded a population of 22,322 at the 2021 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abbotsford, Victoria</span> Suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Abbotsford is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km (1.2 mi) north-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Yarra local government area. Abbotsford recorded a population of 9,088 at the 2021 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Collingwood, Victoria</span> Suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Collingwood is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3km north-east of the Melbourne central business district, located within the City of Yarra local government area. Collingwood recorded a population of 9,179 at the 2021 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Capital City Trail</span>

The Capital City Trail is a shared use path in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, which circles the city centre and some inner eastern and northern suburbs. It is 29km in length, and mostly consists of sections of other trails, such as the Merri Creek Trail, Main Yarra Trail, Moonee Ponds Creek Trail and Inner Circle Rail Trail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victoria Street, Melbourne</span> Road in Melbourne, Victoria

Victoria Street is one of the major thoroughfares of inner Melbourne, running east–west for over six kilometres between Munster Terrace in North Melbourne and the Yarra River. The road is known as Victoria Parade for over one-and-a-half kilometres of its length, distinguishable with a wide reservation and tramway down the middle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coffee palace</span> Type of residential hotel

A coffee palace was an often large and elaborate residential hotel that did not serve alcohol, most of which were built in Australia in the late 19th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Melbourne Town Hall</span> Listed building in Victoria, Australia

North Melbourne Town Hall is the former town hall of the Town of North Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. It was listed on the former Register of the National Estate on 21 March 1978 and on the Victorian Heritage Register on 11 March 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northcote Town Hall</span> Community center in Melbourne, Australia

Northcote Town Hall Arts Centre is an arts and community centre located in High Street in Northcote, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fitzroy Town Hall</span> Civic building in Fitzroy, Melbourne, Australia

Fitzroy Town Hall is a civic building located in Napier Street in Fitzroy, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prahran Town Hall</span> Civic building in Melbourne, Australia

Prahran Town Hall is a civic building located on the corner of Chapel Street and Greville Street in Prahran, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Kilda Town Hall</span> Town hall in Victoria, Australia

St Kilda Town Hall is a grand, classically styled city hall, located on the corner of Brighton Road and Carlisle Street in St Kilda, Victoria, Australia. The first stage, never completed, was built as the municipal offices and public hall for the former City of St Kilda in 1890. Many additions, internal alterations, and changes in appearance were made in the early and mid 20th century, while serving as the municipal and social heart of St Kilda. A devastating fire in 1991 seriously affected the art collection and burnt out the hall itself, and was followed by a prize winning refurbishment and further extension. After Council amalgamations in 1994, it became the base for the larger City of Port Phillip, and further extensions and renovations have occurred. The hall within remains popular for numerous social events, meetings and performances, a role it has served for over 120 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richmond Town Hall, Melbourne</span> Civic building in Melbourne, Australia

Richmond Town Hall is a civic building located on Bridge Road in Richmond, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ivanhoe, Victoria</span> Suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Ivanhoe is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) north-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Banyule local government area. Ivanhoe recorded a population of 13,374 at the 2021 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City of Fitzroy</span> Local government area in Victoria, Australia

The City of Fitzroy was a local government area about 2 kilometres (1 mi) northeast of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The city covered an area of 3.73 square kilometres (1.44 sq mi), making it the smallest municipality by land area in Victoria, and existed from 1858, until 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City of Collingwood</span> Local government area in Victoria, Australia

The City of Collingwood was a local government area about 3 kilometres (2 mi) east-northeast of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The city covered an area of 4.48 square kilometres (1.73 sq mi), and existed from 1855 until 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City of Richmond</span> Local government area in Victoria, Australia

The City of Richmond was a local government area about 2 kilometres (1 mi) east of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The city covered an area of 6.12 square kilometres (2.36 sq mi), and existed from 1855 until 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abbotsford Convent</span>

The Abbotsford Convent is located in Abbotsford, Victoria, an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Australia. The Convent is in a bend of the Yarra River west of Yarra Bend Park, with the Collingwood Children's Farm to its north and east, the river and parklands to its south and housing to its west.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cremorne Railway Bridge</span> Bridge in Melbourne, Australia

The Cremorne Railway Bridge crosses the Yarra River three kilometres south-east of Melbourne connecting Richmond and South Yarra stations on the Frankston, Pakenham, Cranbourne, and Sandringham railway lines.

References

  1. 1 2 "THE COLLINGWOOD TOWN-HALL". Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957). 29 March 1887. p. 10. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  2. "COLLINGWOOD". Mercury and Weekly Courier (Vic. : 1878 - 1903). 9 September 1887. p. 2. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  3. "COLLINGWOOD". Mercury and Weekly Courier (Vic. : 1878 - 1903). 6 April 1888. p. 2. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  4. "COLLINGWOOD TOWN HALL CLOCK". Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954). 4 April 1916. p. 9. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  5. 1 2 "Collingwood Town Hall". Victorian Heritage Database. Archived from the original on 2 April 2016.
  6. "Collingwood-Town-Hall-Tour" (PDF). Collingwood Historical Society. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  7. "Collingwood Town Hall | Yarra City Council". www.yarracity.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 5 December 2019.

37°48′14″S144°59′33″E / 37.803939°S 144.992484°E / -37.803939; 144.992484