Old Roads Board Office

Statement of Significance

161 Throssell Street, Collie, a brick and tile building constructed in the Interwar Free Classical style has cultural heritage significance for its aesthetic contribution to the Collie streetscape and historic association with municipal and local government management.

Physical Description

The Old Roads Board Office at 161 Throssell Street, Collie, is a brick and tile building in the Inter War Free Classical style of architecture. It has a symmetrical façade, with a stucco curved header and arched pediment over the entrance. Walls are face brick and painted rendered bands at window sill and header height emphasise the horizontal lines of the pediment. It has two levels of multi paned windows either side of the double entry door, an a multipaned window as top light to the doorway.

History

HW Williams, in his One Day in Collie writes that the Coalfields area was initially included under the auspices of the Dardanup and Brunswick Roads Boards. The Coalfield Progress Committee had also been established in 1898 with a committee of twelve. The Government Gazette of 26 January 1900 designated and defined the Collie Roads Board District as: Bounded by the lines starting from a point situate about two miles South from the Eastern end of the Southernmost boundary of Wellington Location 56, and extending North about five and a-half miles to an angle in the Eastern boundary of said Location 56; thence East two miles to another angle in the said boundary; thence North about four and a-half miles, passing through the North-Eastern corner of said Location 56; thence East above five and a-half miles to the Collie River at its junction with the Harris River, and along the right bank of the said Collie River downwards to a point due West of Survey Station T28; thence East about 12 miles; thence South about 11 ¾ miles, passing through Survey Station T52; thence West about 14 ¼ miles; thence North about five miles; thence West about seven miles to the starting point. Mr F Salmon was appointed Returning Officer and the first election of members took place on 12 April 1900 ‘and was made an occasion for the display of considerable enthusiam’ (Bunbury Herald 19 April 1900, p3). John Ewing, WD Bedlington, DW Jones, JC Coombes, HE Wells, JH Paul, and FC Deakin were elected with Mr J Partridge elected as auditor. The Bunbury Herald noted that given the establishment of the Roads Board, the existing progress committee would be disbanded as soon as its current works were completed. At the first meeting of the Board, Mr Ewing was elected Chairman, Mr Coombes, Treasurer and Mr Salmon, Secretary. On 17 May 1901, the Government Gazette announced the proclamation of the Municipality of Collie under the Municipal Institutions Act 1800. This had required the signing of a petition by not fewer than 50 of the residents of the town. The first meeting of the Municipal Council was held on 29 July 1901 with the Mayor, Mr JC Coombes and Crs Christie, Wells, Hayden, Evans, Leeson, Jones, Johns and Armstrong present. Cr Bedlington was absent due to ill health. In May 1905 the Board agreed to accept Mr Bedlington’s offer of a 5 acre portion of his mineral lease No 105 for the purpose of erecting a building for the Roads Board (Southern Times 6 May 1905). In August 1906, the Board held its meeting in the new offices (Southern Times 11 August 1906, p5). In March 1930, a tender was advertised for ‘the erection and completion of brick office etc, at Collie, for the Collie Roads Board’ (The West Australian 3 March 1930, p8). Later that month it was reported that Mr J Doyle’s tender for the construction of a new Roads Board building in Collie had been accepted (The West Australian 24 March 1930, p11). The new offices were opened by the Minister for Lands, Mr CG Latham on 27 September 1930. The building had been constructed at a cost of £705 with an additional £838 for furniture and fittings (The West Australian 30 September 1930, p8). The new Collie Roads Board office was opened in early October 1930 by the Minister for Lands Mr CG Latham. It was reported that ‘the new roads board office is a most creditable structure. Mr Harry Doyle was the contractor and he appears to have done his job most faithfully. There is ample accommodation for the secretarial department and the board room is of goodly and pleasing proportions. A long table made of Western Australian timber runs down the centre of the room and the chairs are both comfortable and serviceable. Summed up, the Collie Road Board now has an office that will do the board credit on all occasions and one that will last for many years to come’. The new building was constructed closer to Throssell Street with the earlier building behind being used for storage. In 1935 the Western Mail stated that ‘two local governing bodies share the administration of the district. A municipal council is in charge of 2,000 acres comprising the town proper and the residential areas immediately surrounding the business centre. The Collie Road Board is in charge of the larger district that completely encircles the municipality…The road board district is a year older than the municipality, having been formed in 1900 since when its boundaries have been altered on numerous occasions. To the west of the municipality the boundary of the road board extends about six miles; to the north and south its boundaries are nine miles from the town; and the most distant point is 12 miles to the eat. Four timber mills and six coalmines are within its confines. These mines and mills contribute more than half of the board’s revenue’. On 2 March 1951, the Collie Road Board and the Collie Municipal District amalgamated to become the Collie Coalfields Road Board. Ten years later, on 19 May 1961 the Board’s name was changed to Collie Road Board and then to Collie Shire on 1 July 1961. All local municipalities became Shires at this time. It is not clear when the Collie Shire discontinued the use of the building as an office. The current Shire of Collie Office on the corner of Throssell and Steere Streets was opened in 1977.

Integrity/Authenticity

Moderate/ High

Condition

Fair- Poor

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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