Seppelts Warehouse facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Seppelts Warehouse
Location	160 Crystal Street, Broken Hill, City of Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia
Owner	Broken Hill City Council
New South Wales Heritage Register
Official name: Seppelts Warehouse; Bond and Free Store
Type	state heritage (built)
Designated	2 April 1999
Reference no.	82
Type	Warehouse/storage area
Category	Commercial
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Seppelts Warehouse is a historic building in Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia. It used to be a warehouse, which is a big building for storing things. It was also known as the Bond and Free Store. Today, it is home to the Albert Kersten Mining and Minerals Museum. The Broken Hill City Council owns this important building. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999, which means it is protected because of its history.

The Story of the Warehouse

This warehouse was built in 1893 for the South Australian Brewing Company. It was likely used to store tools, goods, and drinks like ale for miners and other businesses in Broken Hill.

The Seppelt Family Takes Over

In 1923, a company called Seppelts & Son bought the building. The Seppelt family had a long history. Joseph Ernest Seppelt, his family, and many workers moved to South Australia in 1850 from a place called Wustewaltersdorf in Silesia. They left because times were tough in Europe, and Joseph's business was struggling.

Joseph Seppelt first tried growing tobacco. Then he planted corn and a small vineyard. He built a cellar to store wine. His company grew, and by the 1960s, the Seppelt Company owned a lot of land across Australia. In 1924, they bought this warehouse in Broken Hill from the South Australian Brewery Company. They used it for making, storing, and bottling wine vinegar.

Saving the Old Warehouse

The Seppelts sold the warehouse in 1979. Around that time, people worried the building might be knocked down. The Broken Hill Historical Society asked for it to be protected.

In 1979, a special order was put on the building to protect it temporarily. In 1981, the Broken Hill Council also became concerned because the building was not being looked after. They asked for it to be permanently protected.

After some discussions and a special meeting, a permanent protection order was placed on the building on 30 July 1982. This meant it was officially recognized as a heritage site.

In 1984, the Broken Hill Council bought the warehouse. They received money to help fix it up. This included making the roof safe, cleaning the walls, fixing windows, and making the wooden floor safer.

On 2 April 1999, the warehouse was officially moved to the State Heritage Register, making its protection even stronger. Since 2018, it has been home to the Albert Kersten Mining and Minerals Museum.

What the Warehouse Looks Like

A side view of the old warehouse.

Seppelts Warehouse is a tall building with one main floor and a basement underneath. Its walls are made of brick and rough stone. The roof is made of corrugated iron, which is a wavy metal material. The ground floor is made of timber, and the basement floor is just earth.

The brick walls, especially the decorative tops of the walls (called parapets) and the triangular parts of the roof (called gables), show excellent brickwork from the time it was built.

It seems the bricks were made right there in Broken Hill. The stone, which is a type of rock called gneiss, was also found nearby.

Why This Building is Special

The official heritage boundaries of the warehouse.

Broken Hill started in 1883, and this warehouse was one of the first big storage buildings built in the area. It is a great example of the skilled brickwork done by builders back then. Many warehouses were built across Australia, but this one is thought to be the only original, unchanged warehouse left in Broken Hill today.

The building's industrial look, its windows, and how it was built all show what life was like and what people needed in the Broken Hill mining community when the town was first growing.

Seppelts Warehouse was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999 because it met several important requirements.

A Piece of History

This building is important because it shows how Broken Hill developed. It was one of the first warehouses built when the town was just starting in 1883.

Beautiful Brickwork

The warehouse is a great example of the detailed and beautiful brickwork that skilled builders created for warehouses and work stores across Australia during that time.

Important to the Community

The building's industrial style and how it fits into the street show the needs and feelings of the Broken Hill mining community during its early years. This makes it culturally important.

One of a Kind

It is believed that this warehouse is the only original, unchanged warehouse still standing in Broken Hill today. This makes it very rare and special.