Council Club Hotel - Site of

Statement of Significance

Former Council Club Hotel has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:

• The site has historical significance for its association with the rapid development of Midland in the early
20th century.
• The site is representative of the early historical commercial centre of Midland Junction.
• The site has social significance providing local community needs as a hotel from 1901-1990.

Physical Description

The site of the former Council Club Hotel is located on the corner of Helena Street and Old Great Northern Highway. The original Council Club Hotel was a masonry building with a corrugated steel hipped roof displaying characteristics of the Federation Free Classical style of architecture. The place burned down in 1990 and was demolished in 1994.
The current building was built in 1997. It is a single storey masonry building with a parapet roof, corner pediment and return bullnose verandah. The corner pediment features the works “COUNCIL CLUB HOTEL EST 1901” in bas relief. The place displays characteristics that mimic the Federation period of architecture.

History

The Council Club Hotel was located on the corner of Newcastle Road (Great Northern Highway) and Helena Street in Midland.
The land on which the hotel was constructed on was purchased by Charles Hunt on 8 February 1893 from William Byers Wood and by 18 July 1898, Michael Matthew and Rose Magdaline Ann White were the owners.
Michael and Rose White constructed the two storey hotel while Rose White and Thomas Wheatley, the first hotel keeper took out the first mortgage for the property in 1901.
Alfred Gee become the first lease holder of the hotel on 4 February 1902. He was able to raise a mortgage with
the Swan Brewery for 600 pounds to cover the cost of the lease.
The White’s then sold the hotel to Robert Patterson on 30 May 1903. Throughout the years, the hotel had a number of owners and licensees including Janet Beard (1904-1905), William Neil (1906-1908), A B Thompson (1909), W G Greenwell (1910-1913), L C Baillie (1914), James Tully (1914-1917), Robert J Smith (1918-1920), Ellen Shehan (1921-1923), B G Jack (1924-1928), Jack Jacoby (1928-1938), B & A Bevan/J Fitzgerald (1938- 1964), Jack Turkich (1965-1967), George Caldwell (1968-1978), John Chennell (1979-1980) and Bill Walker
(1980-1990).
The hotel was always very popular and well patronised. It become a renowned meeting place for members of the Croatian community from the Midland and Swan Valley area.
During the early 1980’s, renovations were undertaken of the lounge, bar and kitchen areas of the hotel.
The hotel was destroyed by suspicious fire in August 1990 with its burnt out shell remaining until 1994 when
it was demolished. Ownership of the property was transferred to a local consortium who constructed a new

single storey hotel and restaurant on the site which opened on 30 October 1997. The hotel was renamed 7th Avenue Bar and Restaurant is now leased to operators.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity - Low: The original hotel has been demolished.
Authenticity - Low: The original hotel was demolished and a new building constructed in its place that also functions as a hotel.

Condition

N/A: The original hotel has been demolished.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.