Warroo Shire Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Warroo Shire Hall |
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Warroo Shire Hall, 2008
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| Location | cnr Cordelia & William Streets, Surat, Maranoa Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Architect | Harry Marks |
| Official name: Warroo Shire Hall | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 8 May 2007 |
| Reference no. | 602612 |
| Significant period | 1929- |
| Builders | K O'Brien and C Turnbull |
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The Warroo Shire Hall is a special old building in Surat, Queensland, Australia. It's located at the corner of Cordelia and William Streets. This building was designed by a famous architect named Harry Marks. It was built in 1929 by K O'Brien and C Turnbull. The hall is so important that it's listed on the Queensland Heritage Register, which protects special places.
Contents
A Look Back in Time
The Warroo Shire Hall was built in 1929. It was made to be a central place for local government and community events in Surat. Surat is a town on the Balonne River, about 80 kilometres (50 miles) south of Roma. It was the main town for the Warroo Shire until 2008. After 2008, the shire became part of the larger Maranoa Region.
Surat's Early Days
In 1846, a surveyor named Thomas Mitchell mapped this area. The Maranoa District was officially created in 1848. In 1849, surveyor James Burrowes chose the spot for a new town on the Balonne River. He named it Surat, after his old home in Madras, India.
Surat quickly grew. A police building was put up in 1850. Soon, there were also Lands and Post Offices. By 1859, a hotel was built. Even though another town, St George, became the main administrative centre in 1865, Surat kept serving the local area. This area later became the Warroo Shire. Surat got a school in 1874 and its first church in the late 1870s.
In 1879, the famous Cobb and Co coach service started running through Surat. They built a stop and a store there. This coach service was the last one to run in Australia, finally stopping in 1924.
Building the Hall
The land for the shire hall was bought in 1882 by the Warroo Divisional Board. They built a simple building, which was made bigger over the years. In 1903, the Divisional Board became the Warroo Shire Council. In 1920, a second small building was added for council offices, but it was later moved.
The hall you see today was built in 1929. It was designed by Harry Marks. His company, Harry J Marks & Son, was based in Toowoomba. Harry Marks was known for his clever and unique designs. He often invented special features for his buildings. For example, the windows in the Warroo Hall are very distinctive. They were designed to pivot, which helped with air flow. This was something Marks was very interested in.
The new hall was officially opened on March 7, 1930. It was paid for with a loan of £4,000 from the Queensland Government. This was the first time the shire had ever borrowed money.
Special Features and Use
The new building had offices and a meeting room for the Shire Council. It also had a large open hall for public and private events. This hall included a stage and a projection booth for showing films.
In 1952, Surat got a water system, and electricity was added in 1953. The three clock faces in the tower are a memorial to Alex J Simpson. He was the Chairman of Warroo Shire from 1925 to 1946. He sadly died in a car accident in 1947. Instead of numbers, the clock faces have the letters of his name. The clock was officially shown to the public on April 3, 1954. In 1961, they decided to light up the clocks at night.
The original hall building was kept and used as a supper room. It was first next to the new hall, then behind it. Sadly, a storm destroyed it in 1962. A new civic centre was built in 1963. The Shire Council now uses this new centre for its meetings and offices. However, the Warroo Shire Hall is still used by the community today. It has a new supper room, built in 1961, on its south side. The hall looks very much like it did when it was first built.
What the Hall Looks Like
The Warroo Shire Hall is easy to spot in Surat. It's a rectangular timber building. It has a gabled roof made of corrugated iron with vents along the top. There's an awning at the front, supported by timber posts. There are also verandas along both sides.
The Clock Tower
The front of the building has a square clock tower in the middle. There are clock faces on the north, south, and east sides. Instead of numbers, these clocks spell out "Alex J Simpson." Below the clock, there's a square window and a small balcony that sticks out over the street awning.
Unique Windows
The windows are a very special part of the building's design. They are square, circular, or arched. They have unusual patterns and decorative bars. An old photo from 1930 shows that the square windows could open by pivoting in the middle. While the office windows no longer open, the hall windows still do. The windows at the front also have individual sun hoods.
Inside the Hall
The main entrance leads into a short hallway. This hallway is between two large square rooms. Above the hall is a projection room, reached by a staircase inside the hall. The big hall itself has walls covered with fibrous cement sheeting. Triangular brackets between high windows support the roof. These windows have round arched tops and open on central pivots. The floor is made of timber. At the back of the hall, there's a stage with dressing rooms on either side.
The separate supper room is a simple rectangular timber building. It has a gabled roof made of corrugated iron. It runs next to the hall and is connected by a covered walkway and a courtyard. Inside, it has a dining area, a small kitchen, and a bar. There's also a block of masonry toilets behind the hall. A tall metal fence surrounds the property.
Why This Hall is Special
The Warroo Shire Hall is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because it meets several important rules.
A Piece of History
This hall shows how many towns in western Queensland grew. These small towns provided important goods, services, and government facilities. They also helped people in the area feel like a community. The Warroo Hall was a meeting place for the Shire Council. It was also a place for many different social events. It still serves the community today.
Rare and Unique
The Warroo Shire Hall is a rare and well-preserved timber shire hall. Many timber halls were built, but only a few like this one still exist.
A Great Example
The Warroo Shire Hall is a great example of a timber shire hall from its time. It was designed to handle both government work and social events. It has rooms for offices, a large hall, a stage, a projection booth, and a small kitchen. Its toilets and separate supper room are now more modern.
Beautiful to See
The Warroo Shire Hall is an important public building. It stands out in Surat and adds a lot to the town's look. Its central clock tower makes it a special landmark that people can easily recognize.
Important to the Community
The Warroo Shire Hall has a long and strong connection with the people of Surat and the surrounding area. It has been a central place for many important community services and social events. These events have included everything from wedding parties to concerts by visiting performers.
Designed by a Master
The Warroo Shire Hall was designed by H J (Harry) Marks. It is linked to his life and work. He was part of a very important architectural company in Toowoomba. This company included three generations of the Marks family.
