Hobart City Hall

Hobart City Hall is a public auditorium and concert venue in Hobart, Tasmania, which together with the Derwent Entertainment Centre forms one of the two major public venues in the city. It is also a commonly used emergency center during disasters such as the 2013 Tasmanian bushfires.[1] Despite its name it is not the City of Hobart's seat of government, which is Hobart Town Hall – historically a matter of confusion.[2]

Not to be confused with Hobart Town Hall.

Hobart City Hall
Hobart City Hall
General information
LocationHobart, Tasmania, Australia
Coordinates42.88070°S 147.33182°E / -42.88070; 147.33182
Inaugurated1915
OwnerHobart City Council

History

Prior to the erection of the hall, the area where it stands was reserved for city markets. The building was designed by Raymond ("Rusty") N Butler in association with Flack Ricards and Frank Heyward and the building cost £27,000.[3] The City Hall was completed in 1915, with a formal opening in July. It was reported as being capable of seating 5,000 people when it opened.[4][5] In 1940, there were attempts to convert the hall to an indoor ice rink, however it was delayed indefinitely after the City Hall was commandeered by the army in 1940 for six months to use for storage.[6] In 1952 it held what was at the time the largest sports carnival ever held in Tasmania, as part of an appeal by the Olympic Council to raise funds for sending Australian athletes to Helsinki Olympics.[7]

Usage

The City Hall has served as a venue for many diverse events, including boxing matches,[8] the 1949 Australian Basketball Championships,[9] silent movie screenings,[2][10] a ball for the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh,[11] speeches from the Duke of Gloucester,[12] and Miss Tasmania and Miss Australia Grand Finals.[13][14] Today it also forms part of the network of locations for the Festival of Voices.[15]

References
  1. "Tas fires far from over as community offers help". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 6 January 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  2. "Hobart City Hall as Theatre". The Argus. 31 January 1938. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  3. "THE NEW CITY HALL". The Mercury. Hobart, Tas. 17 June 1914. p. 7. Retrieved 9 January 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. "Hobart City Hall's Formal Opening". Adelaide Daily Herald. 3 July 1915. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  5. "Hobart's New City Hall". Prahran Chronicle. 12 February 1915. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  6. "Hobart City Hall use by Military". The Mercury. 4 December 1940. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  7. "Indoor Sports At Hobart City Hall". The Examiner. 11 March 1952. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  8. "VICTORIANS IN LEADING BOUTS TONIGHT". The Mercury. 27 July 1950. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  9. "Preparing For championships". The Mercury. 27 July 1949. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  10. "Hobart City Hall". Huon Times. 29 June 1933. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  11. "MAGNIFICENT FAREWELL BY GREAT CROWD". The Mercury. 23 February 1954. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  12. "DUKE'S FAREWELL VISIT". the Advocate. 13 December 1946. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  13. "Miss WA is new Miss Australia". The Canberra Times. 7 November 1970. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  14. "State Contest Finale". The Mercury. 22 November 1945. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  15. "New York accent to Voicebox cabaret club for Festival of Voices". The Mercury. 28 April 2014. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
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