Draft Conservation Management Plan Prepared for Scott Still MALACHI GILMORE HALL OBERON STREET, OBERON By Isobel Hoegh-Guldberg 55 Whiteley Road, Oberon 2787 September 2009 1 Preface My late wife Isobel worked, during a decade of effort, to promote the case for reinstating the Malachi Gilmore Hall as a public multi-purpose venue. In 2003, she succeeded in having the building heritage-listed by the NSW Government. Heritage adviser to Oberon Council, Bathurst architect Christo Aitken, suggested that despite the success with the listing, it might be appropriate to write a formal Conservation Management Plan as background for further communications. Isobel went through several drafts, of which her final seventh was dated September 2009. This is essentially the version presented here, with some minor amendments. Christo Aitken was helpful and constructive in his comments throughout the process, which is greatly appreciated. He did have further comments so the current edition remains essentially a draft. Since the heritage listing, the main function of this conservation management plan is as stated above: to present background information for further action. Isobel anticipated in the manuscript that the illustrations specified at the end of each chapter would be added in a final version. Some of these illustrations are available, others may be harder to procure. For the time being the presentation is made without adding them. The same goes for Appendix 2 and 3, which she planned to contain lists of films and advertisements shown at the Malachi. I actually located them as Excel files after finishing the work on the CMP, and will make them available as separate documents. Isobel also planned to write an executive summary. It can be added if required. There are a few loose ends in the story, indicated by question marks, but the narrative is not significantly disturbed. Most question marks are in Isobel’s script, a few added by me. Hans Hoegh-Guldberg 1 April 2014 2 Table of Contents 1 Background ................................................................................................................................. 5 1.1 Aims and Objectives ........................................................................................................... 6 1.1.1 Authorship ................................................................................................................... 6 1.1.2 Limitations .................................................................................................................. 6 1.1.3 Terminology ................................................................................................................ 6 1.1.4 Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................... 6 2 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 7 2.1 The Original Inhabitants ..................................................................................................... 7 2.2 Explorers ............................................................................................................................. 8 2.3 Early settlement ................................................................................................................. 10 2.4 Oberon in the Twentieth Century ...................................................................................... 12 3 Catholic Church in Australia ..................................................................................................... 13 3.1 Bathurst Diocese ............................................................................................................... 16 3.2 Catholic Church in Oberon ............................................................................................... 18 4 The Malachi Gilmore Hall ........................................................................................................ 21 4.1 1865 – 1936 – Gilmore Family ......................................................................................... 21 4.2 1936 – 1965 – Catholic Church ........................................................................................ 21 4.3 1965 – 1986 –Herb David ................................................................................................. 23 4.4 1987 – 1998 – Betta Wools ............................................................................................... 23 4.5 1998 – present – Scott Still ............................................................................................... 23 5 History of the Use of the Hall ................................................................................................... 24 5.1 1936 – 1965 - Catholic Church ......................................................................................... 24 5.2 Malachi Gilmore Hall – Overview of Events .................................................................... 27 6 Development of Cinemas .......................................................................................................... 29 6.1 American Cinema Influence ............................................................................................. 29 6.2 Cinema Design in Australia .............................................................................................. 30 6.3 Regional Cinema ............................................................................................................... 31 6.4 Art Deco Cinemas in NSW ............................................................................................... 33 6.5 Other regional cinemas ..................................................................................................... 34 6.5.1 Bingara ...................................................................................................................... 34 6.5.2 Goondiwindi .............................................................................................................. 36 6.5.3 Bowraville ................................................................................................................. 36 6.5.4 The Crystal Theatre, Portland, NSW. ....................................................................... 37 7 Oberon Timeline – Alan Brown ................................................................................................ 39 8 Bibliography .............................................................................................................................. 42 9 Acknowledgments ..................................................................................................................... 44 3 10 Some Personal Comments about Dad, by Robyn David ....................................................... 45 11 Physical Evidence – Site Description.................................................................................... 49 12 Statement of Significance ..................................................................................................... 52 4 1 Background The Malachi Gilmore Hall is located in Oberon Street, the main street in the town of Oberon, in Central West NSW, first settled in 1823 and proclaimed a village in 1863. It was designed as a dance hall and cinema by the Catholic Church in Oberon for the whole community. Its intended location was the corner of Elizabeth Street and Fleming Street but it was relocated, through an exchange of lots, to its present site in the main street where it has been the major landmark in the town’s centre for over 70 years. The hall is at present in private ownership and has only sustained minor temporary alterations for use as a wool store with the foyer area housing a craft shop. The Malachi Gilmore Hall is listed on the State Heritage Register (SHR 01680) as of 5 December 2003. There is considerable support for the return of this building to public use and access on account of its landmark position and its important social heritage being the venue for all formal and private occasions of note (1937 – 1977) in Oberon. The land for the building of the hall was donated by the Gilmore family who were typical of the early settlers of Oberon and the lifestyle of the period. Malachi Gilmore was not a resident of Oberon but a family member who lived in Redfern and was a frequent visitor to the area.1 It is important in the history of the Catholic Church in NSW rural areas and in particular the Bathurst diocese. Dr Gummer who proposed building the Malachi Gilmore Hall was born in Perthville and educated by the Sisters of St Joseph at the Perthville convent, then known as Charlotte Vale. Bishop Quinn, first bishop of Bathurst, asked Fr Julian Tennyson Woods and Mary Mackillop to establish an institute for the education of children in his diocese. Mary Mackillop was the founder of the Sisters of St Joseph and is Australia’s first candidate for sainthood.2 The Malachi Gilmore Hall is typical of a stage in the development of regional cinema in NSW and Australia. It is closely associated with Herb David of the era of the travelling ‘picture show man’, independent and inventive. The cinema, originally known as ‘The Magna’, represents a rare example of Art Deco cinema architecture in Australia. It is one of Australia’s few remaining miniature ‘picture palaces’ though not used in 25 years. It adds great character to the main street of Oberon. The Malachi Gilmore Hall’s social significance as a community venue and cinema