Murgon Civic Centre facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Murgon Civic Centre
Murgon Civic Centre, 2008
Location	62-70 Lamb Street, Murgon, South Burnett Region, Queensland, Australia
Design period	1919 - 1930s (interwar period)
Built	1938
Architect	Clifford Ernest Plant
Architectural style(s)	Art Deco
Queensland Heritage Register
Official name: Murgon Civic Centre, Murgon Public Hall
Type	state heritage (built)
Designated	9 November 2012
Reference no.	602812
Significant period	1938-
Builders	HG Neilsen
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The Murgon Civic Centre is a special building in Murgon, Queensland, Australia. It's like a big community hub and town hall. You can find it at 62-70 Lamb Street. People also know it as the Murgon Public Hall. A famous architect named Clifford Ernest Plant designed it, and HG Neilsen built it in 1938. This important building was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 9 November 2012.

History of the Murgon Civic Centre

The Murgon Civic Centre stands proudly on the main corner of Lamb and Gore Streets in Murgon. It was built in 1938. This was a time when many towns in Queensland were building grand town halls. These buildings showed how proud people were of their towns. The Murgon Civic Centre was designed by Brisbane architect Clifford Ernest Plant. A builder from Maryborough, HG Neilsen, constructed it. This building has a hall, a former library, four shops, and a cool clock tower. Its Art Deco style makes it a major landmark in Murgon.

How Murgon Town Grew

The town of Murgon started because of a railway line. The railway opened in 1903. It helped many new settlers move to the area. These settlers bought land from a large property called Barambah Station. The railway made it easy for farmers to send their crops and animals to markets. They grew things like corn and pumpkins, and raised pigs and dairy cows.

In its first ten years, Murgon quickly grew. Two hotels opened, along with many stores. There was a newsagent, a tobacco shop, and a barber. A Methodist Church was built. Murphy's Hall hosted meetings for groups like the Salvation Army. In 1913, Murgon even got its own butter factory.

Murgon Becomes a Shire Centre

Murgon grew even more when the Shire of Murgon was created in 1914. This meant Murgon became the main administrative centre for the area. The Shire Council Offices were located in Macalister Street by 1919. Two more railway lines were built from Murgon in the 1920s. This made Murgon an important railway hub.

By the mid-1930s, Murgon was booming. It was a key service centre for the farms around it. The Shire of Murgon covered a large area with about 4,000 people. Between 1928 and 1938, a lot of money was spent on improving the town. Dairy farming was very big in the Burnett district. By 1941, Murgon was the second largest town in the South Burnett area.

Building the New Town Hall

By 1938, plans were made to build the Murgon Civic Centre. It was going to cost a lot of money. Architect CE Plant asked for building bids in late 1937. HG Neilsen's bid was chosen. The building was finished in 1938. The Murgon Town Hall officially opened on 16 December 1938. The Minister for Agriculture, Frank Bulcock, opened it. The town celebrated with a big party and dance.

The new building had a main hall, a library, a reading room, and a room for the Returned Soldiers' League. It also had a clock tower on the corner and five shops facing Lamb Street. The new town hall took over many jobs from the old School of Arts building.

Why Town Halls Were Important in the 1930s

Town halls across Australia are important landmarks. They have always been places for community events and local government. Architecturally, they are often very memorable.

Many town halls were built in the late 1930s. This was after the Great Depression, when the economy started to get better. Building these halls showed how proud towns were and how hopeful they were for the future. In Queensland, many towns built or updated their civic buildings. The Queensland Government even helped councils by giving them money.

The Murgon Civic Centre is a great example of the Art Deco and Moderne styles. These styles were popular between the two World Wars. They showed confidence in a bright, modern future. Art Deco features include geometric shapes, vertical lines, and a smooth, streamlined look. You can see these features in many civic buildings across Queensland.

Changes Over Time

The outside of the Murgon Civic Centre is still very much like it was when built. However, some changes have been made, and it has been repainted.

The Library building has been used for different things since 1938. It held high school classes before the Murgon State High School was built. It also served as temporary council offices for a while. Today, the former library is used as office space. Its roof was replaced after 1995.

The main hall is still used for its original purpose. Some changes were made inside the hall in 1972. Air conditioning, soundproofing, and new electrical systems were added. New changing rooms and a loading dock were built at one end. The kitchen has also been updated.

Of the five shops, only two have changed a lot inside. The shops' original flat awning has been replaced with a curved metal one.

What the Murgon Civic Centre Looks Like

The Murgon Civic Centre is on the main corner of Murgon. It includes a public hall, the former library (now offices), and four shops. A tall clock tower makes the building stand out. It acts as a central point, with shops along Lamb Street and the hall and library along Gore Street. The Murgon Civic Centre is a grand building that adds a lot to Murgon's look. It's part of the main shopping area. Behind it are the railway lines.

The Civic Centre has Art Deco design features. These include a smooth look, horizontal and vertical lines, simple geometric decorations, and strong shapes. These features highlight important parts like the entrances. The parts of the building facing the street have stepped tops. They are covered in a rough cement finish. Decorative parts are highlighted with different paint colours.

The Public Hall

The public hall is a tall, rectangular space. It has an auditorium, a mezzanine (a half-floor), and a supper room. The main front of the hall is balanced on both sides. It connects to the former library with a low wall. It is made of masonry and has a rough cement finish. A stepped wall with geometric patterns partly hides the gabled roof. This roof covers the auditorium and is made of painted metal.

Each end of the main front has a projecting tower. The tower on the north side has the auditorium entrance. This entrance has double doors under a strong, decorative awning. You reach the entrance porch by walking up a few steps. These steps are framed by wide columns with decorative horizontal lines. Plaques celebrating the building's opening are on the columns. Above the awning, vertical lines rise to spell out "PUBLIC HALL." The other tower looks like an entrance but has a large window instead. Its top is decorated with curved lines.

Tall masonry supports, which are part of the building's concrete frame, separate the towers. They frame tall metal-framed windows with angled tops. Horizontal lines divide each window section. Two smaller entrances are covered by smaller awnings. The hall sits on a solid base. A low garden bed separates it from the footpath.

A supper room is at the back of the building. It's a long, lean-to structure attached to the auditorium. It has a metal roof and is covered with timber boards. It has simple timber-framed windows. Recent additions like changing rooms, a loading dock, and a small kitchen are not considered part of the original heritage.

Inside, the building has a foyer (entrance area). Above it is a mezzanine level that can seat 100 people. The auditorium can seat 300 people. The stage is at the library end. The auditorium is wide and has a flat, new ceiling with special acoustic panels and lights. The walls are smooth plaster. Windows face the street. On the opposite wall, openings with timber screens create a chevron pattern. The stage is simple and made of fibrous cement. The mezzanine is reached by simple timber stairs. It has old fixed seating. The foyer is simple with a flat ceiling. It has a small box office and double doors leading to the auditorium.

The supper room is a high space with exposed timber roof supports. The walls and angled ceilings are covered with fibrous cement sheets. The floors throughout the public hall are made of polished timber boards.

The Former Library

The former Library building is smaller and looks more like a house. It has a stepped masonry front wall. It's low to the ground with a hipped roof made of painted metal. The roof is partly hidden by the front wall, which has a rough cement finish. The wall is simply decorated with horizontal lines. A curved awning over the street covers a central entrance door. Timber-framed windows are on either side. A curved garden bed separates the building from the footpath. The other walls are plain.

Inside, the building has several office spaces. Walls and ceilings are covered with fibrous cement sheets. The floors are carpeted. The internal doors are timber. The decorative moldings and picture rails are simple timber designs.

The Shops

Four shops line Lamb Street. The clock tower is above the corner shop. The shops have timber frames with masonry outer walls. A new curved awning with steel posts has been added. The roof slopes away from the street and is made of metal sheeting. The clock tower looks similar to the public hall entrances. It has vertical lines leading up to the clock face. The clock face is square and flat with the wall.

The two middle shops still have some of their original glass shopfronts. They have central, recessed timber doors with many small glass panes. These are framed by large glass shop windows with horizontal glass panes above. Inside, the ceilings and walls are mostly unchanged. The floors are covered with vinyl.

The corner shop is covered with advertising or filled in. You enter it through a metal roller-door. Glass remains on either side of the entrance. The fourth shop has changed a lot to fit a modern bank. An ATM has been put into the front wall.

On Gore Street, a large tree shields the building. A low concrete garden bed with flowering shrubs separates the public hall and library from the footpath. A loading dock and paved service road lead to a paved carpark behind the supper hall.

The building looks out over the Royal Hotel and the Murgon War Memorial.

Why the Murgon Civic Centre is Important

The Murgon Civic Centre was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 9 November 2012. It met several important criteria.

Showing Queensland's History

The Murgon Civic Centre (built in 1938) shows how Murgon grew into a major service town. This happened between World War I and World War II. It helps us understand how farming communities developed in Queensland. The government helped this growth by building railway lines to open up more land.

The Murgon Civic Centre also shows how towns in Queensland expressed their pride in the 1930s by building grand council chambers and town halls. Some were built to help people find jobs during the Great Depression. Others, like Murgon Civic Centre, were built later when the economy was better. This showed hope for a good future.

Key Features of Civic Buildings

The Murgon Civic Centre is a great example of an Art Deco and Moderne style civic centre. It's well-preserved and represents many fine town halls built in Queensland in the 1930s.

This building shows the main features of these civic centres. It combines a public hall, a library (now offices), shops, and a clock tower. Like other town hall complexes, it is a central meeting place for the community. It's located right in the middle of Murgon, on the main street corner.

Its Beautiful Design

The Murgon Civic Centre is important because it makes the town of Murgon look special. It's on the main intersection, and its clock tower is designed to stand out. The Art Deco influences make the building very appealing. These include its straight lines, stepped rooflines, chevron patterns, and decorative horizontal bands.