Victorian Heritage Database place details - 30/9/2021 COUNCIL CHAMBERS Location: 233-247 LITTLE COLLINS STREET MELBOURNE, MELBOURNE CITY Heritage Inventory (HI) Number: H7822-1753 Listing Authority: HI Heritage Inventory Citation STATEMENT OF CULTURAL HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE: The Melbourne Town Hall was constructed between 1867 and 1872 on the site of the earlier Town Hall which had been designed by James Blackburn and completed in 1853. A competition was held for the new building between 1864 and 1866 and was won by Joseph Reed. The building included a public hall, administrative offices, Lord Mayor's rooms and Council Chamber. The portico was added in 1887-8 and was designed by Joseph Reed's firm at the time, Reed Henderson and Smart. The Administration Building was constructed in 1908-10 to accommodate the Council's growing administrative needs, and was the result of another competition. Grainger, Kennedy and Little won the competition and designed the interior, with the second prize won by JJ and EJ Clark who designed the The Melbourne Town Hall is of historic and social significance as the civic centre of Melbourne since 1867. It represents in its physical form the changing needs and aspirations of the citizens of Melbourne. Externally the building is of architectural importance as an early application of the French Second Empire style in Victoria as designed by prominent architect Joseph Reed. Internally, the hall and Collins Street entry foyer are of significance as an intact example of a major public space of the 1920s which retain original fittings and decoration. The Napier Waller murals in the hall are The organ is of technical or scientific significance as an intact and scarce example of 1920s British organ-building craftsmanship. It is the only known Hill, Norman and Beard organ of a comparable type and size intact from this period. Few organs of this size are intact from this period, even fewer of a comparable secular/concert hall design. The organ is historically significant as part of the 1920s rebuild of the Melbourne Town Hall and its case, grilles, pipework, and console are integral to the main hall. The present organ is significant as a reminder of the nineteenth century tradition which saw Municipal Councils install large pipe organs in their town halls as part of a visible commitment to the musical an cultural life of their cities. The organ also has a strong association with the second of Melbourne's three City Organists, Dr W G Price, who held the position for almost twenty five years and was as a result, an extremely well-known and popular figure in musical circles in Melbourne. The administration building is of architectural significance for its functional and stylistic relationship to Melbourne Town hall. Externally it is an intact major addition to the Town Hall successfully designed with the purpose of creating and aesthetically coherent civic centre. Internally, theCouncil Chamber has been the meeting place of the City Council since 1910, and its design displays a post federation pride in Australian materials and skills. The offices and committee rooms of the second floor provide an intact and complementary suite of rooms around the Council Chamber, and emulate the detailing of the Town Hall building. The four Edwardian bathrooms within the building are of significance for their fine and substantially intact detailing. Statement of Significance: 1 This place is included on the Victorian Heritage Inventory, for its potential to contain historical archaeological remains associated with the settlement and growth of early Melbourne. Under the terms of the Heritage Act 2017 there is protection for all historical archaeology sites and objects in the state. Please visit the Heritage Victoria website to find out more about the Heritage Inventory. Heritage Study Year Construction Started Architect / Designer Architectural Style Heritage Act Categories Municipality ["MELBOURNE CITY"] Other names History 2.