South Brisbane Town Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids South Brisbane Town Hall |
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| Alternative names | South Brisbane Municipal Chambers, Town Hall |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Italianate Classic Revival |
| Address | Vulture Street, South Brisbane, Queensland |
| Town or city | Brisbane |
| Country | Australia |
| Coordinates | 27°29′00″S 153°01′31″E / 27.4833°S 153.0254°E |
| Construction started | January 1891 |
| Opened | 1 July 1892 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 4 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | John Smith Murdoch |
| Architecture firm | John Hall And Son |
| Main contractor | Abraham James |
The Old South Brisbane Town Hall is a special old building in South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It used to be the main office for the local government of South Brisbane. This building is now listed as a heritage site, meaning it's important to protect its history. You can find it at 263 Vulture Street.
Contents
A Look Back: History of the Town Hall
How South Brisbane Got Its Own Council
In 1888, the area of South Brisbane became its own separate town. It was called the Borough of South Brisbane. This meant it had its own local government, separate from the main Brisbane city council.
Building the New Offices
Work on the new town hall started in 1891. It officially opened its doors on 1 July 1892. Even though everyone called it the "Town Hall," its official name was the South Brisbane Municipal Chambers. This was because it was mainly built for offices, not a big public hall.
Newspapers at the time said it was "one of the most ornate and elegant buildings in the city." It cost about £11,000 to build. It was placed in a very noticeable spot with a tall clock tower, just like a typical town hall.
Changes Over the Years
The building was used by the South Brisbane council from 1892 until 1925. In 1925, South Brisbane joined with Greater Brisbane. After that, the building became a Council Works Depot, used for storing equipment.
During World War II, American soldiers used the old Town Hall. They also used the building next door, called Cumbooquepa. The soldiers built a ramp between the two buildings. They even removed a special stained-glass window from the Town Hall to make way for the ramp. Sadly, this window was never found again after the war.
After the war, the Town Hall was turned into apartments. Families of council engineers from England lived there.
New Uses for the Old Building
In 1957, the building got a big makeover. It became the Queensland Conservatorium of Music. This is a place where people learn about music.
Later, in 1977, more restoration work was done. In 1979, the building became part of the South Brisbane College of Technical and Further Education (TAFE). It was used for evening classes, like photography and belly-dancing.
In 1984, a new stained-glass window was made. It looked just like the one that was lost during World War II.
Recognizing Its Importance
The building's historical value was officially recognized in 1984. It was listed by the National Trust of Australia. Then, in 1989, it was listed by the Australian Heritage Commission.
On 15 June 1999, a nearby school called Somerville House bought the building. The main council room, called the Chamber Room, is now used for school events. The office areas are used for things like student enrolments and accounts. In 2011, the school decided to call the building "The Chambers" to remember its original purpose.
Building Design: Architecture of the Town Hall
Designing the Municipal Chambers
In early 1890, a competition was held to design the new council offices. The building had to cost less than £5,000. Twenty different designs were sent in. The winning design came from architects John Hall And Son. The design is credited to John Smith Murdoch. He later became a very important architect for the Australian government.
Starting Construction
By the end of 1890, the land for the building was bought for £2,600. The hilly land was flattened to create a building site. It was about 12 feet (3.7 meters) above the street. A builder named Abraham James was hired. The cost went up to £6,999 because they decided to add a basement and use stone instead of cheaper concrete for the outside.
Building started in January 1891. After six months, the builder had money problems. The council took over the construction for three months. They hoped the builder could finish the job. But he couldn't, so new builders were hired for different parts of the work.
Materials and Style
The building was mostly made from red bricks from Coorparoo and Waterstown. Brown and white sandstone was used for the entrance and outer walls. This stone came from Pearson's Quarry at Helidon. The outside decorations used natural-colored terracotta panels. The roof was made of ribbed galvanized iron.
The building's main style is called Italianate Classic Revival. This style uses elements from old Roman and Italian buildings. The Town Hall has two main floors, an entrance from the road, a basement, an attic, and a clock tower.
Inside the Building
Because the building is 12 feet (3.7 meters) above Vulture Street, you enter through an arched brick and stone gate. Then, concrete steps lead up to the main entrance. The entrance has an open porch, called a portico. A special stone tablet there shows the opening date and the names of the council members.
On the ground floor, you enter a vestibule through wrought iron gates. This area led to the public office and the accountant's office. The public office had special cast iron columns and high stained-glass windows. Another area on the ground floor had a wide hallway. This hallway led to offices for the town clerk, the mayor, and the engineer. The hallway had a patterned tiled floor.
The upper floor has the main council chamber. This room is 46 by 29 feet (14 by 8.8 meters). It has fancy plasterwork and half-columns called pilasters. It was lit by windows above the doors and gas lighting. For council meetings, a brass rail divided the room into areas for council members and the public.
A beautiful staircase connects the ground and upper floors. It has white marble steps and cedar wood handrails. A large window on the staircase showed the seal of the Corporation of South Brisbane.
The roof has an attic, which was used for storing important papers.
The Clock Tower
The building has a tall clock tower. It could be seen from far away and offered great views of the area. You can reach the clock by climbing wooden ladders. The clock in the tower was special. It was the first electrically-powered clock in Australia. It was put in place in 1904.
The Basement
The basement had an entrance from Graham Street. It was used by workers to store tools and materials. The office where workers got paid was also in the basement.
Heritage Listing
The Old South Brisbane Town Hall was officially added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. This means it is a protected historical site in Queensland.
Images for kids
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View of South Brisbane from the town hall around 1895.
