The Former Colac Shire Hall - Murray Street, Colac

            The first Colac Shire Hall was built in 1865, but was replaced because of concerns of its structural safety, by the more substantial and imposing structure that stands on Colac's main street, Murray Street, in 1892. 

The new Colac Shire Hall was built as a testament to Colac's increasing prosperity in the late Nineteenth Century as its wealth and development was generated by the booming grazing industries of the large estates of the Western District.  

The former Colac Shire Hall, built next to the post office at 6 Murray Street, has been built in Victorian Italianate style.  The Shire Hall is a smart and well proportioned, two storey, rendered building.  It is symmetrical with a central projecting entrance portico.  There is a fine palisade fence at the front of the former Colac Shire Hall, curving into either side of the main entrance. The ground floor windows are arched with decorative mouldings and firmly detailed architraves and echo those of the adjacent former post office.  Pilasters may be found across the facade of the former Shire Hall on both the ground and first floors. Above each of the rectangular windows on the upper floor are triangular pediments. 

Although Colac is still the central base for the municipal offices of the Otway Shire Council, the Murray Street premises have been outgrown by the council and today it is occupied by Colac Adult Education and Aged Care Services.  At the time of photographing, several professional suites in the building were available to be let to suitable tenants.

Located approximately 150 kilometres to the south-west of Melbourne, past Geelong is the small Western District city of Colac.  The area was originally settled by Europeans in 1837 by pastoralist Hugh Murray.  A small community sprung up on the southern shore of a large lake amid the volcanic plains.  The community was proclaimed a town, Lake Colac, in 1848, named after the lake upon which it perches.  The post office opened in 1848 as Lake Colac and was renamed Colac in 1854 when the city changed its name.  The township grew over the years, its wealth generated by the booming grazing industries of the large estates of the Western District and the dairy industry that accompanied it.  Colac has a long high street shopping precinct, several churches, botanic gardens, a Masonic hall and a smattering of large properties within its boundaries, showing the conspicuous wealth of the city.  Today Colac is still a commercial centre for the agricultural district that surrounds it with a population of around 10,000 people.  Although not strictly a tourist town, Colac has many beautiful surviving historical buildings or interest, tree lined streets.  Colac is known as “the Gateway to the Otways” (a reference to the Otway Ranges and surrounding forest area that is located just to the south of the town).

Taken in: Australia / Victoria / Colac (show map)

Taken on: April 22, 2014

Tags:

Colac Shire Hall

former Colac Shire Hall

Colac Town Hall

Town Hall

former Colac Town Hall

hall

municipal offices

council offices

town council

Colac

Victoria

Australia

country Victoria

provincial Victoria

city

Western District

1892

1890s

Murray Street

Murray St

Victorian Italianate

Victorian Italianate building

Victorian Italianate architecture

Victorian Itanianate style

Italianate

Italianate building

Italianate architecture

Italianate style

Nineteenth Century

19th Century

civic building

landmark

building

architecture

architecturally designed

Department of Works

architect unknown

window

windows

facade

arched window

pilasters

portico

entrance

door

vestibule

balustrate

column

pillar

quoining

stucco

stuccoed brick

render

rendered brick

aedicule

hipped roof

pediment

grey

painted

roof

moulding

arch

chimney

National Trust

heritage listed

historical

fence

iron

palisade fence

cast iron fence

cast iron

balcony

balconette « less

Sets appears in: • Victoriana • Colac the Gateway to the Otways more » • The Former Colac Shire Hall « less

Groups appears in: • Architecture • Buildings/Architecture more » • Melbourne and Beyond • The Public Institution • Historical places • Architecture and Buildings • Historic Australia 1788-1901 • architectural photography • Architecture and Forms • Australian Flickr {5 pictures a day} • Trove: Australia in Pictures • History is All Around Us • Traveller's World • Victoria, Australia • Australian Town Halls • Old Buildings & More..... • victoria australia • Buildings and Sculptures • IMAGE`S OF BUILDINGS - OLD AND NEW • Historical buildings • Historical Buildings and Landmarks (No Limits) • Architecture of Days Gone By • My Australia • Architecture Directory • Old Buildings and Structures • "History & Antiquities (Post 5 - Award 3)" • The Best of Australia and New Zealand • Australian Architecture • 100 Year-Old Buildings • "Double Dragon Awards" Post 1 Comment 3 SWEEPER!! • They Dont Make Them Like They Used To • Australian Post Offices, Town Halls & Community Halls • Architectural Beauty ! • Buildings & Architecture • It's the Composition, Flickr • **Heart Awards** (P.1 Award 5) Open - Sweeper present • Old & attractive • Buildings - Around the World • ₪ HISTORY & MYSTERY Society ₪ Add 1 | Award 3 • Buildings and Architecture International • World Architecture • School of Digital Photography • The Victorian Age. • Artistic Perspectives • Public Buildings architecture • The Victorian World • Australia's Heritage Buildings • Architect Unknown • ANCIENT RELICS • Magic of Photography • A FEAST FOR MY EYES (Public Group) • Beautiful Buildings and Bridges ( POST 1 AWARD 1 ) « less

Camera: Canon DIGITAL IXUS 80 IS, f/2.8, 1/400 sec, 6.2mm, ISO 80 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon DIGITAL IXUS 80 IS
Aperture:	f/2.8
Exposure Time:	0.003 sec (1/400)
Focal Length:	6.2mm
ISO:	80
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Auto, Did not fire
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Show full info

Stats: 2,475 views / 12 comments

go back

Link to this photo view:
Link to this photo large view: