Cardiff Public Hall

Statement of Significance

Cardiff Hall, Shannon Street, Cardiff, a weatherboard, brick and iron hall constructed in 1915, has cultural heritage significance for its social value as a community gathering place for the people of Cardiff since its construction which was funded in part by community fundraising.

Physical Description

Cardiff Hall is a weatherboard, brick and iron hall with a separate verandah awning to the front. The roof is hipped and gabled, and clad in iron, with additions at varying pitches. The walls to the main hall are weathboard. There is a red face brick addition to the rear (toilet block) and a timber and Colorbond clad addition to the side. The main entrance has timber double doors, and there are multipaned windows either side. The large gable has a louvred section to the apex.

History

Mining leases were being taken up in the Collie Cardiff area from January 1900.

In October 1900, The Inquirer and Commercial News described Collie Cardiff as having an area of 6,000 acres and that ‘over 1,000 ft of boring has been done upon it and some good seams of coal have been struck, but it has not yet reached the producing stage”.

The need for a townsite was clear by 1902 and a town named Collieburn (sometimes Collie-Burn), mid way between the Collie Burn and Collie Cardiff coal mines was gazetted in 1907. By 1915, the need for land was closer to Collie Cardiff and the Cardiff Progress Association sought to change the name to Cardiff which was approved only for the southern portion of the town which became Collie-Cardiff. The northern portion continued to be known as Collie-Burn. In 1944 the names were changed to Collie Cardiff and Collie Burn.

In June 1914, the Collie Mail reported that “for many years the residents of Cardiff have suffered immeasurable inconvenience through having no public hall in the locality. The children have had to travel into the Collie State School daily to receive their education, no regular public worship could be held, and above all there was no place in which public entertainments could take place”. The people of Cardiff banded together to raise the required funds at a Bazaar held on 4 June, attended by an “immense crowd” .

The Cardiff Hall was opened on 5 November 1915 by Mr AA Wilson MLA. In reporting the opening, the Collie Mail noted that the community had raised £156 to construct the hall, which was matched on a pound for pound basis by the Government. A further £100 was required to clear the debt owing on the construction of the hall. The hall was described as “fifty feet in length by forty in breath…with a height of fourteen feet from floor to ceiling. The building was of jarrah and possessed good acoustic properties. There was a good platform erected, and two ante-rooms were connected with the hall fitted with fire places, water etc.”

Integrity/Authenticity

High/ Medium

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

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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.