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BUNINYONG TOWN HALL AND COURT HOUSE
313 LEARMONTH STREET BUNINYONG, BALLARAT CITY

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Victorian Heritage Register
BUNINYONG TOWN HALL SOHE 2008
BUNINYONG TOWN HALL SOHE 2008
BUNINYONG TOWN HALL SOHE 2008
BUNINYONG TOWN HALL SOHE 2008
1 buninyong town hall front elevation dec1987
buninyong town hall street frontage dec1987
buninyong town hall rear view
PLAN 601248M.JPG
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Statement of Significance

The Buninyong Town Hall was designed to fill the dual role of town hall and courthouse. Buninyong municipality was formed in 1863. In 1869 tenders were called for the erection of a hall and offices for the council by Ballarat architect JA Doane. This building was constructed on a site at Mt Clear.

The foundation stone for a combined town hall and court house was laid on 30 August 1886. The new structure was erected by a local builder, Richard Rennie, to the winning design of Melbourne architects Tappin, Gilbert and Dennehy. The building was designed in the Italianate style and features arch-headed windows, projecting cornices, balustrading, pediments and parapet urns. The central slate roofed tower with dormer ventilators and ridge cresting is a significant feature.

The town hall building is constructed to a rectangular plan with a central hall flanked by the courthouse, magistrates room and clerk of petty sessions offices to the east, and to the west by the town clerk's office, council chambers, mayor's office and retiring room. The town hall building remains substantially intact, both internally and externally. A skillion roofed concrete addition was constructed to the west facade c 1913 and a rear skillion roof incorporating toilets in 1970. The original proscenium has been altered and the timber vestibule has been removed from the hall.

The Buninyong town hall is of architectural and historical importance for the following reasons:

- as a notable town hall and courthouse in provincial Victoria.

- as a fine example of a public hall constructed in the Italianate style.

- as a notable work of the architects Tappin, Gilbert and Dennehy.

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    • Plaque Citation

      BUNINYONG TOWN HALL AND COURT HOUSE - Plaque Citation

      Buninyong Town Hall is registered by Heritage Council Victoria

      Built 1886, this provincial Classical-style structure served Buninyong municipality as both a town hall and courthouse. Designed by Tappin, Gilbert and Dennehy, it's imposing scale reflects bold visions despite the dwindling goldmining industry.

      Permit Exemptions

      BUNINYONG TOWN HALL AND COURT HOUSE - Permit Exemptions

      General Exemptions:

      General exemptions apply to all places and objects included in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR). General exemptions have been designed to allow everyday activities, maintenance and changes to your property, which don’t harm its cultural heritage significance, to proceed without the need to obtain approvals under the Heritage Act 2017.

      Places of worship: In some circumstances, you can alter a place of worship to accommodate religious practices without a permit, but you must notify the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria before you start the works or activities at least 20 business days before the works or activities are to commence.

      Subdivision/consolidation: Permit exemptions exist for some subdivisions and consolidations. If the subdivision or consolidation is in accordance with a planning permit granted under Part 4 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the application for the planning permit was referred to the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria as a determining referral authority, a permit is not required.

      Specific exemptions may also apply to your registered place or object. If applicable, these are listed below. Specific exemptions are tailored to the conservation and management needs of an individual registered place or object and set out works and activities that are exempt from the requirements of a permit. Specific exemptions prevail if they conflict with general exemptions.

      Find out more about heritage permit exemptions here.

Public contributions

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