Gladstone Regional Art Gallery and Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gladstone Regional Art Gallery and Museum |
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Gladstone Regional Art Gallery and Museum, 2014
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| Location | 144 Goondoon Street, Gladstone, Gladstone Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1919–1930s (interwar period) |
| Built | 1933–1934 |
| Architect | Roy Chipps |
| Architectural style(s) | Classicism |
| Website | http://gallerymuseum.gladstonerc.qld.gov.au |
| Official name: Gladstone Regional Art Gallery and Museum, Gladstone Town Hall and Council Chambers | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 7 July 1998 |
| Reference no. | 601333 |
| Significant period | 1930s (historical) 1930s (fabric) 1933–ongoing (social) |
| Significant components | tower – fly, memorial – honour board/ roll of honour, council chamber/meeting room, views to, hall, strong room |
| Builders | Relief workers |
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The Gladstone Regional Art Gallery and Museum is a special building in Gladstone, Australia. It used to be the town's main meeting place, called the Town Hall. Today, it's a vibrant art gallery and museum where you can explore art and learn about the area's history. It was designed by architect Roy Chipps and built a long time ago, between 1933 and 1934. The building is also known as the Gladstone Town Hall and Council Chambers. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 7 July 1998 because of its important history.
History of the Gladstone Town Hall
The Gladstone Regional Art Gallery and Museum was built between 1933 and 1934. It was originally known as the Gladstone Town Hall and Municipal Chambers. It was designed by Rockhampton architect Roy Chipps. For about 33 years, it served as the town hall. Later, it became a place for entertainment until 1980. In 1985, it was changed into the art gallery and museum we see today.
Gladstone itself was started in 1853–54 by the New South Wales government. This was before Queensland became a separate state. The town became an official municipality (meaning it had its own local government) in 1863. The very first town hall was built in 1868 on Goondoon Street.
Building During Tough Times
Gladstone faced some tough times in the late 1800s and early 1900s. But by the 1920s and 1930s, the town started to grow again. Building the new town hall in 1933–34 was a big project that had been needed for a long time. It was made possible because the Queensland Government offered special low-interest loans. They also provided money to pay workers during the Great Depression. This was a time when many people didn't have jobs.
Other buildings in Gladstone were also built during this period to help people find work. These included the Commonwealth Bank Building (1929), the Post Office (1932), and the Court House (1940–42).
Design and Construction
In late 1932, the Gladstone Town Council asked for designs for a new town hall. Roy Chipps, an architect from Rockhampton, won the competition. The Queensland Department of Labour gave the council nearly £5,000 to hire workers. These workers were people who were unemployed and receiving government support. They were given work for 13 weeks at a time.
Work on the building started around September 1933. The bricks used for the building came from Rockhampton. The first plan was only for the Council Chambers. But during construction, the newly elected Town Council decided to make the building bigger. They wanted to add a public hall and a stage. The council chambers were almost finished, so Chipps had to change the main room into a hall. He added a stage and a fly tower (a tall space above the stage for scenery). This extra work was paid for with another loan from the government.
Opening and Early Use
The new Gladstone Town Hall and Municipal Chambers officially opened on Saturday, 15 September 1934. The front of the building was decorated with 40 International Signal Flags for the event. People thought the building was a beautiful addition to the town.
The council offices and meeting room were at the western end of the building, facing Goondoon Street. The town's First World War Honour Board, which lists local people who served in the war, was moved here. Behind the offices was the public hall, which was about 21 metres (70 feet) long and 11.7 metres (38.5 feet) wide. It had entrances from Goondoon Street and Bramston Street. A staircase led to a supper room in the basement.
The Gladstone Town Council held its first meeting in the new building on 8 October 1934. The old council chambers were then rented out. The new Town Hall quickly became a busy place for the community. It hosted a weekly baby clinic, showed movies three times a week, and held dances, stage shows, and meetings for various groups. In the 1950s, a children's library and a small adult library opened in the basement.
Changes Over Time
By the late 1940s, people were already talking about building a larger Civic Centre. These plans were delayed many times. When the new Civic Centre was finally built in 1958-59, it didn't have a council chamber or offices for staff. In 1966, work began on the upper floor of the Civic Centre. The Gladstone Town Council started meeting there in December 1967. After this, the old Town Hall was mainly used for entertainment and meetings. The library in the basement also moved to the Civic Centre.
In the late 1970s, the first Gladstone City Council made plans for a new library and art gallery. They also planned a new City Theatre. These new facilities meant the 1934 Town Hall was no longer needed for its original purposes. In 1980, the new City Theatre opened. Then, in 1984–85, the Gladstone City Council turned the old Town Hall into an art gallery and museum. This gave the people of Gladstone a place to see art and learn about their local history. The Gladstone Regional Art Gallery and Museum officially opened on 3 April 1985.
What the Building Looks Like
The Gladstone Regional Art Gallery and Museum is located on the corner of Bramston Street and Goondoon Street. Goondoon Street is the main street in Gladstone. The building is made of masonry (like brick or stone) and has one main floor with a basement. It is designed in a style that looks like classical architecture.
Exterior Features
The main entrance faces Goondoon Street. It has a special porch-like structure called a portico with Doric columns. Above the columns, you can see "TOWN HALL" written in raised letters. The doorway itself is arched and has beautiful double doors with a fanlight (a window shaped like a fan). On either side of the entrance, there are arched windows and flat columns called pilasters. The top of this side of the building has a decorative wall called a parapet and a flagpole. The roof is sloped and covered with corrugated iron. The building's outside is covered in a smooth finish, and its details are made from molded plaster.
The sides of the building have sash windows and decorative fanlights. These fanlights have a pattern of lines that spread out like rays, which is a design used throughout the building. The side facing Bramston Street has another entrance. Steps with wrought iron lamp stands lead to an arched doorway. At the eastern end of the building, you can see a concrete-framed fly tower. This tower is a tall section above what used to be the stage.
Inside the Building
Inside, the building has a central hallway with rooms on either side. This hallway opens into the large space that was once the main hall. The entrance area has beautiful silky oak wood panels up to the height of the door frames. The silky oak doors and fanlights also have the radiating line pattern.
To the north of the hallway is the room that used to be the Council Chamber. This room holds a very special timber First World War honour board. This board lists the names of local people who served in the war. The former Council Chamber and the hallway are connected by a small opening with a writing surface. On the south side of the hallway, there are two more rooms and a strong room (a very secure room).
The large room that was once the public hall has been updated to become an art gallery. The windows in this room are now covered. The proscenium arch (the arch over the stage) has been removed, and a wall now separates the former stage area from the hall. The room has air conditioning ducts and a special lighting system for the art. The ceiling is curved and has exposed timber trusses (support beams). The fly tower is now used as a storage room, with a mezzanine (a partial floor) above the stage area. The basement area, which can be entered from Bramston Street, is also used for storage.
Why It's a Heritage Site
The Gladstone Regional Art Gallery and Museum was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 7 July 1998. This means it's considered a very important historical place.
Showing Queensland's History
This building helps us understand how Gladstone grew as an important regional town. It was built during the Great Depression. At that time, the government created projects like this to give people jobs. The former town hall, along with other public buildings from that period, helped shape Gladstone's look in the 20th century. It remains one of the town's most impressive buildings.
A Great Example of Its Kind
Even though it's now an art gallery and museum, the building still shows what a regional town hall from the 1930s looked like. It was designed in a classical style. It's also a great example of the public work done by architect Roy Chipps.
Beautiful and Important to the Town
The building is on a corner block on Gladstone's main street. Its design makes it stand out and adds to the beauty of the town.
Special to the Community
The Gladstone Regional Art Gallery and Museum is very important to the local community. It has a strong connection to the town's local government and community events since the 1930s. Today, it's the main place where Gladstone's history is kept and shared. People also value it for its beautiful design.
