Stawell Town Hall, 63-65 Main Street, STAWELL
63-65 Main Street STAWELL, NORTHERN GRAMPIANS SHIRE
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Statement of Significance
The Stawell Town Hall, 63-65 Main Street, Stawell, makes a significant architectural, visual and cultural contribution to the Stawell township. The main (front section) of the building was designed by the Stawell Shire Engineer, John D'Alton, in 1872, with the hall opening in 1873. The rear hall was opened in 1924, while a balcony was opened in 1927 and the landmark clock tower constructed in 1939. Although the building has experienced changes and alterations over the year, with the rendering and overpainting of part of the wall construction most noticeable, the exterior of the building is largely intact.
The Stawell Town Hall, Main Street, Stawell, is architecturally significant at a LOCAL level. It demonstrates original design qualities of an eclectic Victorian Classical and interwar Art Deco style. These qualities include the five bayed composition of the main (front) section, with its central bay forming an arcuated portico, bank of round arched tripartite windows and projecting window balustrade and small circular balcony above, and rendered urns and the landmark Art Deco clock tower. Other intact qualities include the tower detailing (large incised rectangular panels with triple arched corbelling, Ionic aedicule, cast miners figures, round clock faces, octagonal capping and flagpole), side wings flanking the central bay with open circular and solid parapets, incised parapet panels and cornices, arched timber framed double hung windows, flat headed windows, rectangular stylised pilasters, arched door openings, projecting title panels above the side doors, side elevations of similar Classical composition and detailing as the main facade, brick wall construction (but not overpainting), Grampians Freestone dressings and the rear hall with its red brick construction.
The Stawell Town Hall is historically significant at a LOCAL level. It is associated with the Borough of Stawell which was created in 1869. It is also associated with the designer, John D'Alton, Shire Engineer for the initial design, architect James Irwin for the hall addition in 1924 and architect H.L. Coburn for the 1939 addition of the clock tower.
The Stawell Town Hall is socially significant at a LOCAL level. It is recognised and valued by the Stawell community as the location of local government, the setting for many community celebrations and for the landmark clock tower and musical mechanised figures.
Overall, the Stawell Town Hall is of LOCAL significance.
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Stawell Town Hall, 63-65 Main Street, STAWELL - Physical Description 1
The Stawell Town Hall, 63-65 Main Street, Stawell, makes an important architectural, visual and civic contribution to the Stawell township. The building forms a dominant landmark on its site and is neighboured by an open asphalt carpark at the side.
The two storey, eclectic Victorian Classical and interwar Art Deco styled building is composed of five bays on the main facade. The projecting central bay forms an arcuated portico with a bank of round arched tripartite windows and projecting window balustrade and small circular balcony above. Surmounting the first floor is a solid parapet crowned by rendered urns and the landmark Art Deco clock tower. This tower has large incised rectangular panels with triple arched corbelling about the upper reaches and an Ionic aedicule at its base. In front of the aedicule on a projecting parapet are cast figures representing two miners working at the top of a mine shaft. The miner of the left rocks the cradle used for washing ore on the hour, every hour. At this time, the figure on the right lifts a spade to fill the cradle. A tune accompanies the hourly movement of the figures. Crowning the tower is a round clock face surmounted by an octagonal capping and flagpole.
The side wings flanking the central bay comprise the remaining four bays and are Classically composed. The inner bays have decorative, open parapets in a circular pattern, while the outer parapets are solid with incised panels and projecting cornices. The first floor of the inner bays are adorned with arched timber framed double hung windows arranged in pairs. Similar flat headed windows form the ground floor. The outer bays are flanked by rectangular, stylised pilasters with arched windows and door on the first and ground floor respectively. Above the side doors are projecting title panels.
The side elevations of the front section of the Town Hall are similarly composed, with similar parapets, window arrangements and detailing as the main facade.
The front section of the Town Hall building is constructed in brick (with introduced render and paintwork), having Grampians Freestone dressings and a granite plinth. The steps at the front of the building are constructed of concrete.
At the rear of the main building is the hall section of red brick construction. The rear section of the hall has been upgraded in the late twentieth century with the addition of a light red brick fly tower and dressing room additions.
Heritage Study and Grading
Northern Grampians - Shire of Northern Grampians - Stage 2 Heritage Study
Author: Wendy Jacobs, Vicki Johnson, David Rowe, Phil Taylor
Year: 2004
Grading: Local
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HILL PIPE ORGAN - ST PETER'S LUTHERAN CHURCHVictorian Heritage Register H2177
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CENTRAL PARKVictorian Heritage Register H2284
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COMMONWEALTH MEMORIALVictorian Heritage Register H1943
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