Warringah Shire Hall

Last updated

Warringah Shire Hall
Warringah Shire Council 'Sanivans' outside the Shire Hall, 1954.jpg
Warringah Shire Council 'Sanivans' outside the Shire Hall, 1954. Note the Mackellar County Council offices to the left.
General information
TypeGovernment town hall
Architectural style Inter-war Stripped Classical
Address734 Pittwater Road
Town or city Brookvale, New South Wales
CountryAustralia
Completed1923
ClientWarringah Shire Council
Design and construction
Architect(s)Frederick Trenchard Smith
Samuel Maisey
Architecture firmTrenchard Smith & Maisey (1923–1928)
Main contractorH. E. Jackson (1923)

The Warringah Shire Hall was an Australian municipal town hall located on Pittwater Road opposite Robert Street in Brookvale, a suburb of the Northern Beaches of Sydney, New South Wales. Initially built in 1910 as a Federation bungalow, the complex was expanded with the addition of "Shire Hall" in 1912, the final form was completed in 1923 with the addition of a second floor to a design by Trenchard Smith and Maisey. The Shire Hall was the seat of Warringah Council from 1910 to 1973, when the council moved to a new purpose-built Civic Centre on further down Pittwater Road in Dee Why. The Shire Hall survived amid uncertainty over its future but was eventually sold and demolished in 1978.

Contents

History

The original council chambers and Shire Clerk's residence on Pittwater Rd, c. 1911 Warringah Shire Council Chambers, Brookvale, 1911.jpg
The original council chambers and Shire Clerk's residence on Pittwater Rd, c. 1911

Council Chambers, 1910–1923

When Warringah Shire Council was formed in 1906, the Council first met in the Narrabeen Progress Hall on 14 June 1906, before moving to Brookvale. [1] From March 1907 the Council leased "Smith's Hall" (later to be known as "Empire Hall") in West Street, Brookvale from Mr W. Smith to act as their council chambers. [2] On 26 February 1910, a more permanent chambers was built on Pittwater Road, facing the land that would soon become Brookvale Oval. The opening was conducted by Shire President Alexander Ralston and was attended by Dr. Richard Arthur, Member for Middle Harbour. [3] This first Council Chambers was a small Federation Bungalow style building which served both as council offices and the Shire Clerk's residence.[ citation needed ]

First Shire Hall, 1912–1923

The second Shire Hall on its completion, c. 1912. Second Warringah Shire Hall on Pittwater Rd, Brookvale c.1912.jpg
The second Shire Hall on its completion, c. 1912.
People welcoming Soldiers home from the First World War outside the second Shire Hall, 1918 Warringah Shire Council Hall, Brookvale, 1918.jpg
People welcoming Soldiers home from the First World War outside the second Shire Hall, 1918

In July 1912 the council commissioned architect James Campbell to design and build a larger Shire Hall, also in the Federation style, next to the council chambers building for the sum of £945. [4] On 16 November 1912 the Shire Hall was officially opened by Shire President William Hews, with speeches on the occasion from Sir Granville Ryrie (Federal Member for Warringah), Dr. Richard Arthur MLA and Alderman Ellison Quirk. [5]

Second Shire Hall, 1923–1978

In 1923, the council commissioned the construction of a new Shire Hall to remodel the previous hall in a more modern style. The new Shire Hall was designed by Manly architects Frederick Trenchard Smith and Samuel Maisey (of the firm Trenchard Smith & Maisey) in an Inter-war Stripped Classical style with a much more imposing two-storey facade along Pittwater Road. Local builder H. E. Jackson was contracted for the construction of the new Shire Hall. [6] One notable feature of the new Shire Hall facade was the inclusion of two concrete Doric-style fluted columns. The alterations, which were completed in 1926, were also notable in that it was one of the last construction projects in the greater Sydney area to use shell lime mortar. [7]

The revival design was very similar to Trenchard Smith & Maisey's later work in designing the new Manly Town Hall (1937). In 1928 Trenchard Smith & Maisey were again contracted to design and build various extensions and additions to the existing Shire Hall, including the council public office next door. [8] [9] On 1 September 1951, the Mackellar County Council was established, consisting of three representatives from Warringah Shire and three from Manly Municipality, and its technical offices were located in this new extension on Pittwater road. [10]

Later history

By the late 1960s, council had recognised the inefficiencies of the Shire Hall and that it was far too small for the needs of the growing council and debate continued on the initiation of a new civic centre for the council. In December 1968, the Shire President Colin Huntingdon noted that "A new Shire Hall is so overdue it isn't funny. The staff are working in rabbit warrens which doesn't help efficiency." [11]

Brookvale remained the administrative centre for Warringah until 1971 when the council resolved to commence the construction of a new Civic Centre in Dee Why. When the council eventually moved to the Civic Centre in 1973, the Shire Hall in Brookvale was threatened with demolition in the mid-1970s. Despite some calls for the historic hall to be saved and be used as a community centre, their efforts were to no avail and the hall was demolished in late 1978. [12] [13]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Beaches</span> Region in New South Wales, Australia

The Northern Beaches is a region within Northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, near the Pacific coast. This area extends south to the entrance of Port Jackson, west to Middle Harbour and north to the entrance of Broken Bay. The area was formerly inhabited by the Garigal or Caregal people in a region known as Guringai country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pittwater Council</span> Former local government area in New South Wales, Australia

Pittwater Council was a local government area on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It covered a region adjacent to the Tasman Sea about 30 kilometres (19 mi) north of the Sydney central business district. The area is named after Pittwater, the body of water adjacent to much of the area governed. First proclaimed in 1906 as the A Riding of Warringah Shire, the area was proclaimed as the Municipality of Pittwater on 1 May 1992. On 12 May 2016, the Minister for Local Government announced that Pittwater Council would be subsumed into the newly formed Northern Beaches Council. The last mayor of Pittwater Council was Councillor Jacqui Townsend, an independent politician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warringah Council</span> Former local government area in New South Wales, Australia

Warringah Council was a local government area in the northern beaches region of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It was proclaimed on 7 March 1906 as the Warringah Shire Council, and became "Warringah Council" in 1993. In 1992, Pittwater Council was formed when the former A Riding of Warringah Shire voted to secede. From this point on until amalgamation, Warringah Council administered 152 square kilometres (59 sq mi) of land, including nine beaches and 14 kilometres (9 mi) of coastline. Prior to its abolition it contained 6,000 hectares of natural bushland and open space, with Narrabeen Lagoon marking Warringah's northern boundary and Manly Lagoon marking the southern boundary.

Dobroyd Head is a point or headland in the Northern Beaches local government area, in the suburb of Balgowlah Heights, New South Wales, Australia. It is part of the Sydney Harbour National Park, which contains examples of ecosystems at risk such as coastal heath. Tania Park is located to the immediate north-east, and contains the 2MWM 90.3 transmitter. There is a lookout sited on the headland named after Arabanoo, the first Aboriginal man to live among European settlers who was captured in Manly Cove in 1788.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dee Why</span> Suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Dee Why is a coastal suburb of northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, 18 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district. It is the administrative centre of the local government area of Northern Beaches Council and, along with Brookvale, is considered to be the main centre of the Northern Beaches region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manly Council</span> Former local government area in New South Wales, Australia

Manly Council was a local government area on the northern beaches region of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, first incorporated in 1877. On 12 May 2016, the Minister for Local Government announced that Manly Council would be subsumed into the newly formed Northern Beaches Council. The last mayor of Manly Council was Cr. Jean Hay, a member of the Liberal Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brookvale Oval</span> Sports venue in Brookvale, New South Wales, Australia

Brookvale Oval, known commercially as 4 Pines Park, is a sporting ground located within Brookvale Park at Brookvale, New South Wales, Australia. The ground is owned by Northern Beaches Council and is primarily used by the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles rugby league team. Brookvale Oval has an approximate capacity of 20,000 people. By the end of the 2023 season, Brookvale had played host to 720 first grade premiership games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brookvale, New South Wales</span> Suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Brookvale is a suburb of northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Brookvale is 16 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Northern Beaches Council. It is part of the Northern Beaches region.

Alexander John McTaggart is an Australian politician who was an independent member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Pittwater between 2005 and 2007. At the time of his election, McTaggart was also the Mayor of Pittwater Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oxford Falls Peace Park</span>

Oxford Falls Peace Park is a park in Oxford Falls, New South Wales, Australia, a suburb of Sydney.

Julie Sutton is an Australian former politician, teacher and Marriage Celebrant, elected as a Councillor of Warringah Council and was previously Mayor of Warringah from 1995 to 1996 and 2002 to 2003.

Ellison Wentworth Quirk was an Australian politician. He was an Alderman and member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, representing the electorate of Warringah from 1901 to 1904.

Paul Couvret was a Dutch–Australian military veteran, New South Wales schoolteacher and local Councillor. He was a Councillor on Warringah Council from 1973 to 1995 and was Shire President from 1979 to 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manly Town Hall</span> Government town hall in New South Wales, Australia

The Manly Town Hall is a landmark civic building in Manly, a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The building is located at the junction of The Corso, Gilbert Street and Belgrave Street, opposite Manly ferry wharf. Designed in the Inter-war Stripped Classical style with Egyptian Revival style columns by Samuel Reginald Maisey, it replaced the previous town hall on the site, a Victorian Mansion built in 1879. The Town Hall was the seat of Manly Council from 1937 to 2016, when it became the site of the first meeting of the new Northern Beaches Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warringah Civic Centre</span> Government town hall in New South Wales, Australia

The Warringah Civic Centre is a landmark civic building in Dee Why, a suburb of Sydney. It stands in the centre of Dee Why, along Pittwater Road. Designed in the Brutalist style by Christopher Kringas and Colin Madigan, it replaced the Warringah Shire Hall, a 1923 building also on Pittwater Road but in Brookvale opposite Brookvale Oval. The Civic Centre was the seat of Warringah Council from its opening on 1 September 1973 to 12 May 2016, when it became a seat of the new Northern Beaches Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mackellar County Council</span>

The Mackellar County Council (MCC) was a state–owned enterprise of the Government of New South Wales, Australia. Established in 1951, it was an electricity and gas supplier and retailer which primarily supplied the Northern Beaches area of Sydney, New South Wales, being jointly managed and operated by Manly Municipal Council and Warringah Shire Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">B-Line (Sydney)</span> Rapid bus service in the Northern Beaches in New South Wales

The B-Line is a high-frequency bus route operated by Keolis Downer Northern Beaches between Wynyard Station in Sydney's central business district and the Northern Beaches region. It is a part of the Sydney suburban bus network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Beaches Council</span> Local government area in New South Wales, Australia

The Northern Beaches Council is a local government area located in the Northern Beaches region of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The council was formed on 12 May 2016 after the amalgamation of Manly, Pittwater, and Warringah councils.

Jean Frances Hay is an Australian local government politician. She served as the Mayor of Manly Council from 1999 to 2004 and was the last mayor of Manly from 8 September 2008 to 12 May 2016, following Manly's amalgamation into the new Northern Beaches Council.

References

  1. ↑ "Council History". warringah.nsw.gov.au. Warringah Council. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  2. ↑ Weicks, Maree (2008). "Brookvale". Dictionary of Sydney.org. Dictionary of Sydney. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  3. ↑ "Opening of Warringah Shire Hall". The Evening News . 28 February 1910. p. 8. Retrieved 1 April 2015– via Trove.
  4. ↑ "Shire councils". The Sydney Morning Herald . 18 July 1912. p. 12. Retrieved 1 April 2015– via trove.
  5. ↑ "Warringah Council Chambers". The Evening News . 18 November 1912. p. 4. Retrieved 1 April 2015– via Trove.
  6. ↑ "General notes". The Sydney Morning Herald . 28 November 1923. p. 12. Retrieved 1 April 2015– via Trove.
  7. ↑ Morcombe, John (11 March 2016). "Could 110 be Warringah Council's last birthday?". The Manly Daily. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  8. ↑ "Notes". The Sydney Morning Herald . 24 October 1928. p. 11. Retrieved 1 April 2015– via Trove.
  9. ↑ Warringah Shire Council Minutes, 25 June 1928, p. 10.
  10. ↑ "Warringah Shire". State Records NSW. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  11. ↑ Carpenter, Paul (22 December 1968). "'Hot seat man' ready for action". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
  12. ↑ Morcombe, John (15 October 2015). "Councils continuously purge urge to merge but government may force the issue". The Manly Daily. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  13. ↑ Morcombe, John (9 June 2016). "Warringah Shire Hall was once a Brookvale landmark". The Manly Daily. Retrieved 7 September 2018.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.