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Tarwin Lower Memorial Hall
River Drive TARWIN LOWER, South Gippsland Shire

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Vic. War Heritage Inventory
Tarwin Lower Memorial Hall
Tarwin Lower Memorial Hall
Tarwin Lower Memorial Hall
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Statement of Significance

What is Significant?
The Tarwin Lower Memorial Hall, constructed in 1890 and extended between 1926-33, at River Drive, Tarwin Lower.

Why is it Significant?
The Tarwin Lower Memorial Hall is of local historic, social and aesthetic significance to South Gippsland Shire.

Historically, it is oldest extant Mechanics Institute Hall in the Shire and is important for its ability to illustrate the early development of the Tarwin Lower district. It is also significant as a memorial to residents of the local area who served in World War 1. (AHC criteria - A.4 and D.2) Socially, the Hall has played an important part in the development of the Tarwin Lower community and is an integral part of the identity of the local area. (AHC criterion - G.1) Aesthetically, it is significant for the unique treatment of the front elevation of the 1926 addition, which combines the unusual division of windows with heavy geometric frames and sashes and the notable entry with its projecting pediment above the roof plane. It is the most architecturally notable of all of the small halls of the Shire, particularly those where additions were made to the original small rectangular plan. (AHC criterion - E.1)

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    • Physical Description 1

      Tarwin Lower Memorial Hall - Physical Description 1

      The Tarwin Lower Memorial Hall was constructed in two stages. The first stage, constructed in 1890, comprises the original Mechanics Institute, which is an early simple weatherboard hall with a gable iron roof. The second stage, added between 1926 and 1933, comprises the formal entrance and anterooms contained under the slightly lower transverse gable added across the front of the original hall in the same materials. Skillion elements have been added later behind the cross gable.

      The most notable element of the building is the symmetrical arrangement of the facade about a recessed entry, which is surmounted by a free standing pediment supported on posts carried through the roof from the wall construction. This pediment is elevated above the roof and has a bracketed timber gable end with a simple cross frame above a signboard as its architrave. The recessed entry is flanked by framed timber portals flush with the wall and bearing circular fretted labels with the dates of the Great War, 1914 and 1918.

      The windows are in pairs of horizontal proportion symmetrically in each side of the facade. They have a narrow projecting hood board and are divided with heavy frames into small panels, which contain a geometric combination of divided fixed sashes and small hoppers.

      There is one concrete block chimney and the ridge ends have sheet metal scroll finials, suggesting the previous existence of ridge cresting.

      Physical Description 2

      Tarwin Lower Memorial Hall - Physical Description 2

      Style

      Victorian and Interwar Public Hall

      Historical Australian Themes

      Tarwin Lower Memorial Hall - Historical Australian Themes

      Thematic Context

      Government and Community Institution

      Sub-Themes

      Schools, Churches, Public Halls, Cemeteries & Hospitals

      Veterans Description for Public

      Tarwin Lower Memorial Hall - Veterans Description for Public

      The Tarwin Lower Memorial Hall, River Drive was constructed in two stages. The first stage, constructed in 1890, comprises the original Mechanics Institute, which is an early simple weatherboard hall with a gable iron roof. The second stage, added between 1926 and 1933, was built with financial assistance from George Black and other public donations, when it was officially renamed as the Tarwin Lower Memorial Hall in memory of local people who served in the First World War. The August 11th,1933 edition of the "Great Southern Star" reported that the official opening of the additions to the Tarwin Lower Hall took place on 1st September 1933.

      The most notable element of the building is the symmetrical arrangement of the facade about a recessed entry, which is surmounted by a free standing pediment supported on posts carried through the roof from the wall construction. This pediment is elevated above the roof and has a bracketed timber gable end with a simple cross frame above a signboard as its architrave. The recessed entry is flanked by framed timber portals flush with the wall and bearing circular fretted labels with the dates of the First World War 1914- 1918.

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Heritage Study and Grading

      South Gippsland - South Gippsland Heritage Study

      Author: David Helms with Trevor Westmore
      Year: 2004
      Grading:

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