North Melbourne Town Hall
Encyclopedia
States and territories of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a union of six states and various territories. The Australian mainland is made up of five states and three territories, with the sixth state of Tasmania being made up of islands. In addition there are six island territories, known as external territories, and a...
of Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
. It is listed in the register of the National Trust (file no. B2388)
"The building is of noble proportions, exquisite in design, tastefully ornamented, and reflects the greatest credit on the architect, Mr J.R. (sic) Johnson." North Melbourne Advertiser 23 June 1876.
It has been under the jurisdiction of the City of Melbourne
City of Melbourne
The City of Melbourne is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia, located in the central city area of Melbourne. The city has an area of 36 square kilometres and has an estimated population of 93,105 people. The city's motto is "Vires acquirit eundo" which means "She gathers strength as she...
since 1905 and is currently used as an "Arts House".
It is located on the corner of Errol and Queensberry Streets, in North Melbourne
North Melbourne, Victoria
North Melbourne is a large inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km north-west from Melbourne's central business district. It is bounded by the CityLink freeway to the west, Victoria Street to the south, O'Connell and Peel Streets to the east and Flemington Road to the north. Its...
.
Design
The Town Hall, built in 1876, was designed by Architect George Raymond JohnsonGeorge Raymond Johnson
George Raymond Johnson was an English architect who produced several notable buildings in the Australian colonies...
, in the Second Empire style of Victorian architecture
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
. He also designed the Collingwood
Collingwood Town Hall
Collingwood Town Hall is a civic building located on Hoddle Street in Abbotsford, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia.The hall was built between 1885 and 1890 to the design of local architects George R. Johnson in the Second Empire style, rich in detail and prominent mansard roofs and pyramid domes...
, Daylesford, Fitzroy
Fitzroy Town Hall
Fitzroy Town Hall is a civic building located in Napier Street in Fitzroy, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia.It was constructed in two separate stages. The first consisted of a hall and tower which was designed by William J. Ellis and built in 1863...
, Kilmore, Maryborough and Northcote Town Halls.
A cast-iron drinking fountain on the footpath nearby the hall features an ornamental kangaroo
Kangaroo
A kangaroo is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae . In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, especially those of the genus Macropus, Red Kangaroo, Antilopine Kangaroo, Eastern Grey Kangaroo and Western Grey Kangaroo. Kangaroos are endemic to the country...
and is registered by the National Trust of Victoria.