Quorn Town Hall facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Quorn Town Hall
The Town Hall in 2017
Location	20 Railway Terrace Quorn SA 5433
Built	1891
Architect	F. W. Dancker
Governing body	Flinders Ranges Council
South Australian Heritage Register
Type	State Heritage Place
Designated	12 January 1984
Reference no.	16348

The Quorn Town Hall is a special old building in Quorn, South Australia. It used to be the main meeting place for the town. This building is considered very important because of its history.

It is listed on the South Australian Heritage Register. This means it's protected because it's a significant part of the state's past. It was added to this list on January 12, 1984.

What is a Town Hall?

A town hall is a building where local government leaders, like a mayor and councillors, meet. It's also often a place for community events. Think of it as the heart of a town's public life.

Building the Town Hall

The Quorn Town Hall was built a long time ago, in 1891. The local government at the time, called the Corporate Town of Quorn, decided to build it. An architect from Adelaide named F. W. Dancker designed the building.

The construction work was done by Moran Bros, who were contractors from Port Augusta. The building was quite large for its time. It was about 20.7 meters long, 12.2 meters wide, and 6.1 meters high.

Laying the Foundation Stone

A special ceremony took place on February 7, 1891. The mayor's wife, Mrs. Richard Foster, laid the first stone. This is called the "foundation stone." It's a tradition to mark the start of a new building.

At that time, the building had cost about £854. The total cost was expected to be around £1,000 for the building itself. Another £350 was needed to add furniture and other items inside.

Early Features

In 1904, a new lighting system was installed. It used "acetylene gas," which was a modern way to light buildings back then. The building had several important rooms.

There was a main hall for big events. It also had an office that was shared by two local councils. These were the Quorn council and the District Council of Kanyaka. There was also a public reading room and a library.

Growing Pains of the Hall

By 1910, people started to notice a problem. The town was growing, but the hall wasn't big enough anymore. Many events were held there, but the space felt too small.

One of the councillors, Mr. Hudson, even joked about it. He said the "lodge room was not large enough to swing a cat in." This meant it was very tiny! He also mentioned that the stage and main hall were too small. The lack of dressing rooms made Quorn seem old-fashioned compared to other towns.

The council knew they needed to make the hall bigger. However, they found it hard to find enough money for the changes. Before World War II, the hall was even used as a cinema.

Changes Over Time

By the 1950s, the two councils moved out of the building. The Quorn council built a new office in 1953. This new building is now where the Flinders Ranges Council meets. The Kanyaka council also moved to a different office.

Even though the councils left, the Quorn Town Hall was still used by the community. It continued to be a place for events and gatherings. Over the years, some parts of the building were added or changed.

In 1978, the hall was updated. The stage was removed to make the main hall even bigger. This gave more space for community activities.

Quorn Town Hall Today

Today, the Quorn Town Hall is still an important community building. It continues to be used as a hall for various events. It also has a bar in what used to be the ladies' rest room.

The old library reading room now holds council archives. These are important historical documents. The former council offices are now a supper room. This is a place where people can eat and socialize during events.