Broken Hill's Old Town Hall (L) & Post Office (R) (Far West New South Wales, Outback Australia)
The Old Town Hall:
Broken Hill was declared a municipality in September 1888 and the first council meeting was held in a wooden building on the current town hall site in December 1888. The iconic town hall was designed by Adelaide architects Whitall and Wells in the South Australian Italianate style using stone from the Block 14 Mine. The foundation stone was laid by Sir Henry Parkes in April 1890. The large hall at the rear was demolished in 1974 following the erection of a new civic centre, and the facade was restored in 1976.
The Broken Hill Post Office:
In September 1883, Charles Rasp, a boundary rider on the Mount Gipps sheep station, pegged out a mineral lease on the property, in the belief that a rock outcrop within the lease area bore tin oxide. Rasp was joined by two other property workers, who in turn advised the manager of Mount Gipps, George McCulloch. McCulloch suggested a 'syndicate of seven' investors to pay for the development of the lease. Early samples proved to have a low bearing of tin and the main settlement was at Silverton to the north.
It was not until January 1885, when silver ore was discovered in the tailings of the Rasp shaft that people began to take an interest in the Broken Hill area. In June, the 'syndicate' decided to register itself as the Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited, to mine the ore load. With the establishment of the mine, the town began to grow rapidly with a Broken Hill Progress Committee being established in November to encourage the town's development. The first storekeeper, Walter Sully, operated a postal service pending the construction of a post office.
In January 1886 the first post office was opened in Broken Hill following pressure from the Progress Committee on the postmaster at Silverton, the nearest post office. The Broken Hill office was run by Mrs Marie Wilson from a small building attached to Walter Sully's general store in Argent Street. Mrs Wilson was the first Government Official appointed in Broken Hill.
In August 1886 a telegraph station was established in Broken Hill, also operating out of the post office building, with Mr William Newtown appointed as Post and Telegraph Master. By the end of 1886, Broken Hill's population had risen to 3000, and the post office building was deemed no longer adequate for the bustling mining town. From October 1886, the Progress Committee began to make official requests to the Post Master General's (PMG) Department for the erection of an official post office. Initially, the PMG Department was reluctant to approve the erection of a large office due to the uncertainty of Broken Hill settlement being permanent. Many other frontier mining towns had disappeared when the ore had dried up. However, by October 1888, the Department had accepted Broken Hill's permanency and plans had been drawn up by the Colonial Architects Office under James Barnet, for a large office, with a residence attached. These were rejected on the grounds of being too small and it was not until the 11th of November 1889 that the final plans were accepted.
The tender for the construction was awarded to Mr John Dobbie of Balmain for £6475 on the condition that the new office be erected in twelve months.
The new office was finished in 1892, opening for business on the 9th of May. The most striking feature of the new office was the tower, standing 86 feet high. A balcony adorned the tower and second storey of the office, with a verandah encircling the ground level. The internal fittings, including entrance door in Argent Street, mail counters, and stairways were made out of cedar. The postmaster was accommodated within the building, with a residence for a postal assistant also provided.
In 1973 the rear section of the Post Office was removed to make way for the building of a new telephone exchange. The postmaster's residence was also removed at this stage. Between August and November 1979 a major refurbishment and renovation program was undertaken in the post office, during which time the service operated out of temporary accommodation.
Source: City Of Broken Hill & New South Wales Heritage Register.
Broken Hill's Old Town Hall (L) & Post Office (R) (Far West New South Wales, Outback Australia)
The Old Town Hall:
Broken Hill was declared a municipality in September 1888 and the first council meeting was held in a wooden building on the current town hall site in December 1888. The iconic town hall was designed by Adelaide architects Whitall and Wells in the South Australian Italianate style using stone from the Block 14 Mine. The foundation stone was laid by Sir Henry Parkes in April 1890. The large hall at the rear was demolished in 1974 following the erection of a new civic centre, and the facade was restored in 1976.
The Broken Hill Post Office:
In September 1883, Charles Rasp, a boundary rider on the Mount Gipps sheep station, pegged out a mineral lease on the property, in the belief that a rock outcrop within the lease area bore tin oxide. Rasp was joined by two other property workers, who in turn advised the manager of Mount Gipps, George McCulloch. McCulloch suggested a 'syndicate of seven' investors to pay for the development of the lease. Early samples proved to have a low bearing of tin and the main settlement was at Silverton to the north.
It was not until January 1885, when silver ore was discovered in the tailings of the Rasp shaft that people began to take an interest in the Broken Hill area. In June, the 'syndicate' decided to register itself as the Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited, to mine the ore load. With the establishment of the mine, the town began to grow rapidly with a Broken Hill Progress Committee being established in November to encourage the town's development. The first storekeeper, Walter Sully, operated a postal service pending the construction of a post office.
In January 1886 the first post office was opened in Broken Hill following pressure from the Progress Committee on the postmaster at Silverton, the nearest post office. The Broken Hill office was run by Mrs Marie Wilson from a small building attached to Walter Sully's general store in Argent Street. Mrs Wilson was the first Government Official appointed in Broken Hill.
In August 1886 a telegraph station was established in Broken Hill, also operating out of the post office building, with Mr William Newtown appointed as Post and Telegraph Master. By the end of 1886, Broken Hill's population had risen to 3000, and the post office building was deemed no longer adequate for the bustling mining town. From October 1886, the Progress Committee began to make official requests to the Post Master General's (PMG) Department for the erection of an official post office. Initially, the PMG Department was reluctant to approve the erection of a large office due to the uncertainty of Broken Hill settlement being permanent. Many other frontier mining towns had disappeared when the ore had dried up. However, by October 1888, the Department had accepted Broken Hill's permanency and plans had been drawn up by the Colonial Architects Office under James Barnet, for a large office, with a residence attached. These were rejected on the grounds of being too small and it was not until the 11th of November 1889 that the final plans were accepted.
The tender for the construction was awarded to Mr John Dobbie of Balmain for £6475 on the condition that the new office be erected in twelve months.
The new office was finished in 1892, opening for business on the 9th of May. The most striking feature of the new office was the tower, standing 86 feet high. A balcony adorned the tower and second storey of the office, with a verandah encircling the ground level. The internal fittings, including entrance door in Argent Street, mail counters, and stairways were made out of cedar. The postmaster was accommodated within the building, with a residence for a postal assistant also provided.
In 1973 the rear section of the Post Office was removed to make way for the building of a new telephone exchange. The postmaster's residence was also removed at this stage. Between August and November 1979 a major refurbishment and renovation program was undertaken in the post office, during which time the service operated out of temporary accommodation.
Source: City Of Broken Hill & New South Wales Heritage Register.