Southern River Progress Association Hall - site

Statement of Significance

The site of the Southern River Hall has social value for the many events on the site since 1955 and it contributes to the Southern River sense of place for generations of residents.

The replica of the Southern River Hall has social value as an interpretation of the previous hall and for its continuation of the former use.

Physical Description

The Southern River Progress Hall is a replica of the original hall and was built c.2004.

The replica hall is of timber framed construction with weatherboards to the lower walls and fibre cement sheeting to the upper walls and green Colorbond roofing, guttering and downpipes. The hall is rectangular in plan form with a pavilion roof that breaks pitch over the side wings of the hall. Windows are aluminium framed sliding openings.

The building is very simple in its expression, with a small covered entrance in the corner of the façade with plain timber double doors; two small aluminium windows and only the wording ‘Southern River Community Hall’ forming any decoration to the building.

History

Opened in May 1955, the Southern River Hall was built by the Southern River Progress Association, formed in 1937 by Bernard Gay and six other Southern River residents, including Messrs Bellingham, Chapple and Lane. The Association worked towards getting roads made and telephone and electricity services in the district, on the south side of the Southern River. After World War Two the Association turned its attention to providing social amenities.

After much fundraising, the first Southern River Hall was built on land donated by Bernard Gay. Permission to acquire the building materials had to be obtained from the State Housing Commission as they were in short supply and under tight government control following the War. Members of the Association provided the labour for the construction. The building was clad with vertical corrugated iron above a weatherboard dado.

The hall was a major social centre for the district and was occupied by the Association continuously. In recent years, dance evenings were held every second Saturday, the Physio Rhythm exercise class utilised the hall twice weekly, and the place was hired out for private functions such as birthday parties, band practice, and meetings on a casual basis. The hall was upgraded with internal ablutions with the assistance of the Gosnells Council. On 11 August 2002, the hall was destroyed by fire set by vandals. It was rebuilt on the existing site c2004 by the City of Gosnells. The reconstruction of the hall in the form of the original is an interpretation of the earlier structure.

Condition

Good

Uses

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.