Newcastle City Hall | |
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![]() Newcastle City Hall in 2020. | |
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Alternative names | Newcastle Town Hall |
General information | |
Type | City hall |
Architectural style | Inter-War Academic Classical |
Location | 289 King Street, Newcastle, New South Wales |
Country | Australia |
Coordinates | 32°55′40″S 151°46′20″E / 32.927788°S 151.772158°E |
Groundbreaking | 20 April 1928(foundation stone) |
Opened | 14 December 1929 |
Owner | City of Newcastle |
Technical details | |
Material | Steel, concrete, Sydney sandstone |
Floor count | Three |
Design and construction | |
Architect(s) | Henry Eli White |
Developer | Charles Davis and Son |
Other designers | J V Rowe (interior) |
Awards and prizes | Australian Institute of Architects (1981: Best example of building recycling in NSW) |
Official name | Newcastle City Hall |
Designated | 27 September 2012 |
Reference no. | 01883 |
References | |
[1] |
The Newcastle City Hall is a heritage-listed building located in the regional New South Wales city of Newcastle in the Hunter region in Australia.[2] The building served as the city hall for the Council of the City of Newcastle between 1929 and 1977.
The building, located at 289 King Street, was designed by noted theatre architect Henry Eli White and the foundation stone was laid by the Governor of New South Wales, Sir Dudley de Chair, on 20 April 1928.[2] The three-storey building structure is based on a steel frame that supports concrete floors and stone cladding. Local material were used as much as possible, including steel provided at a discount by local steel-maker, BHP.[2] Architectural features include a clock tower, porte cochere, balustrades and stairs, all built with Sydney sandstone. The clock tower is an imposing landmark and distinctive feature of the city sky line, indicating the Civic Centre of Newcastle. The tower is a reinforced concrete and steel framed structure clad in Sydney yellowblock sandstone ashlar with rusticated quoins.[2][3] Interior spaces include a ballroom, concert hall and additional function rooms.[2][4]
The administrative offices of the city hall were relocated to the new Civic Administration Centre in 1977, though the council chambers remain.[2] The clock tower suffered some damage as a result of the 1989 Newcastle earthquake, however this was subsequently repaired.[2]
Together with the Newcastle Civic Theatre, each site is, individually, of state heritage significance, and they are listed jointly on the New South Wales State Heritage Register as the Newcastle City Hall and Civic Theatre Precinct.[5]