Mount Morgan School of Arts facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mount Morgan School of Arts |
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Mount Morgan School of Arts Hall & Library, 2001
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| Location | 31 Morgan Street, Mount Morgan, Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1870s–1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | 1924 |
| Official name: School of Arts Hall & Library | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600749 |
| Significant period | 1920s (fabric) 1920s–1940s (historical) 1920s–1940s (social) |
| Significant components | library – building, school of arts |
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The Mount Morgan School of Arts is a special old building in Mount Morgan, Queensland, Australia. It's like a community center and library that has been around for a long time. Built in 1924, it's considered a heritage-listed site, which means it's important to Queensland's history and is protected. It was officially added to the Queensland Heritage Register on October 21, 1992.
Contents
A Look Back in Time
The School of Arts in Mount Morgan officially opened in April 1924. This was actually the third building used as a School of Arts in the town. The previous two buildings were sadly destroyed by fire.
How Mount Morgan Grew
The town of Mount Morgan grew very quickly because of a rich gold mine. This mine became one of the wealthiest gold mines in the world! Before 1882, some small mining claims existed. But in 1882, the three Morgan Brothers claimed most of the mountain top.
In July 1882, they teamed up with three businessmen from Rockhampton. Later, in 1886, they sold their shares to these businessmen. That's when the Mount Morgan Gold Mining Company Limited was formed. As the town grew, it quickly built important things like roads and buildings for its increasing population. The mining company kept working until 1929. A new company then took over and continued to mine gold and copper until 1990.
The First Schools of Arts
The first School of Arts building in Mount Morgan was built in 1889. It opened its doors on September 11, 1891. Unfortunately, this building was later destroyed by fire.
A special area for the School of Arts was set aside in 1895. A new building was then constructed there. But this second building also burned down on April 25, 1923.
Rebuilding After the Fire
Right after the second fire, on April 26, 1923, the School of Arts Committee met. They gathered at the Commonwealth Bank to talk about building another new place. The library books were temporarily moved to St Mary's Institute. The School of Arts Committee rented this space. New books were even brought in from London by Adam Alexander Boyd, who was the manager of the Mount Morgan Mine.
The committee asked Mr. Boyd for help with rebuilding. He agreed that his company would provide the plans for the new building. They asked for bids from builders, but both bids were too expensive. So, they decided to build it using day labour, which means hiring workers directly. This way, they could save money. W. Butcher and R.A Ames built the new School of Arts. Most of the cost was covered by a loan of £3000 from the Queensland Government.
Opening the New Building
The library and reading room were finished first. They opened to the public on April 24, 1924. The main hall itself opened with a big dance, called a Grand Ball, on August 20, 1924.
The hall has been used for many different things over the years. People have watched films there, attended dances, seen plays, and held many other large community events. During World War II, American soldiers who were stationed in Rockhampton even used the building for sleeping and relaxing.
In 2011, the Rockhampton Regional Council did a lot of work to fix up the building. The Council now manages the School of Arts.
What the Building Looks Like
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The Mount Morgan School of Arts has two main timber buildings. Both have gabled roofs and stand on stumps. There is a very large hall and a smaller library building next to it. They are parallel to each other and connected by a wooden walkway. Gates are at each end of the walkway. The buildings are across the road from the old Queensland National Hotel. They are also separated by an empty block from the Grand Hotel.
The Hall's Features
The roof of the hall has two parts. The stage end of the building is taller than the rest of the roof. This extra height is needed for a fly tower, which helps raise and lower scenery for performances.
There is a roof-like structure called an awning over the street entrance. It is held up by timber posts with fancy wooden decorations. Above the awning, you can see large round and triangle-shaped openings. These have fixed wooden slats. There are also two round-arched windows. The main entrance door is set back, with two smaller entrances on either side. On the side of the hall away from the library, a small verandah runs along the building. A modern toilet block, made of concrete blocks, is attached to the building. The area under the stage at the back is now used as a child care center.
Inside the Hall
The inside of the hall is a very large rectangular space. You can see the wooden beams, and it has a timber floor. Light comes in through windows with wooden slats on the side walls. There are also four sets of "crash doors" for quick exits.
At one end is a stage. It has space for scenery and a small area for an orchestra. The arch around the stage opening is covered with decorative pressed metal. On either side of the front entrance doors, there are internal stairs. These stairs lead up to a large upper seating area called a dress circle. This area has a sloped floor and seats that fold up. There's also an empty projection box there. Underneath the staircases, you'll find two small ticket booths. To the right of the main entrance, there is a large curved snack bar counter. It has a plastic top and a small refrigerated display case. The walls below the upper seating area are covered with horizontal wooden boards. The walls in the main part of the hall are covered with flat fiber cement sheets.
The Library Building
The School of Arts Library is a simple rectangular building. Its outside walls are covered with weatherboard. At the front, the roof is hidden by a stepped wall called a parapet. The main entrance from the street has a pair of sash windows on either side. The back and sides of the building have smaller windows, like those you'd see in a house. These windows have small roofs over them to provide shade. This building is currently used as the town's library and a tourist information center.
Why This Place is Important
The Mount Morgan School of Arts was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on October 21, 1992. It met several important requirements to be listed.
Showing Queensland's History
The School of Arts hall and library are important because they show how Queensland's history developed. Schools of Arts were very common in towns across Queensland in the 1800s and early 1900s. They were community centers that helped people learn and socialize. They shared information and provided places for talks, meetings, games, and community events like dances, plays, and concerts.
A Great Example of Its Kind
These buildings are good examples of what School of Arts buildings were like. They include both a hall and a library. They were designed to offer many different cultural activities for the community. The large size of the hall also shows how big and important Mount Morgan was in the 1920s.
Beautiful and Important to the Town
The buildings are a significant part of Mount Morgan's look and feel. Their size and location near the town center make them stand out.
Special to the Community
The School of Arts is very important because of its strong connection to the Mount Morgan community. It has always been a key part of the town's social and community life.
Images for kids
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Mount Morgan School of Arts Hall & Library, 2001
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The first Mount Morgan School of Arts, around 1890
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The second School of Arts building, around 1910
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Mount Morgan School of Arts Hall & Library, 2002
