Architecture at Dawn

25/12/2014

Bramall Hall is a Tudor Manor House dating back to Anglo Saxon times. It was first described in the Domesday Book in 1086 when it was held by the Massey family. From the 14th century it was held by the Davenport family who built the present house. They remained the Lords of the Manor for over 500 years until the 2000 acre property was sold for residential redevelopment in 1877.
The house remains on 27 acres of parkland which is open to the public as a nature reserve, and the house houses a museum. The house is currently closed for a restoration process which is expected to last for over 12 months.

19/12/2014

The Albert Hall is a public Hall in Canberra, Australia.Located on Commonwealth Avenue, it is between Commonwealth Bridge and the Hyatt Hotel Canberra in the suburb of Yarralumla.
Constructed in the Federal Classic architectural style, the building was officially opened on the 10th March 1928, by the then Prime Minister, Stanley Bruce.
Until the construction of the Canberra Theatre in 1965, the Albert Hall was the only place in the National Capital that could accommodate audiences of 700 people ( other than cinemas )
The hall was not heated until after World War 11, with singers performing in fur coats to stay warm. The patrons would regularly bring rugs, thick coats and water bottles to battle the cold Canberra winters.

15/12/2014

15/12/2014

30/11/2014

This two-storey Victorian Classic Revival rendered brick building first opened as the Kiama branch of the "City Bank" in 1884, and re-opend in 1887 as "The City Bank of Sydney" . After several mergers, the bank is now operated as the Kiama branch of the Westpac Bank. The unusual figurehead on the front portico is said to be of George Thornton, the original chairman of the bank. The rear and upper floor of the building was the Manager's residence, and includes a very impressive side portico and entrance to the residence.

30/11/2014

The foundation stone for the former Council Chambers Building was laid in 1900, however it must have been a very slow building process, as the building was not officially opened until1915. The former School of Arts Building was adjacent to the Council Chambers Building, and was later to be used by the Council Engineering Department before it was demolished to make way for the new Administration Building which was built in the early 1980's. The building is still in use for community and civic purposes.

22/11/2014

The first recorded cedar cutting in Gerringong was in 1812, with various land grants occurring in the early 1820's. The town was officially laid out in 1854, with several churches, shops, and schools being constructed in the following years. It was not until 1882 that the Catholic Church, known as St Mary Star of the Sea was constructed on the hill overlooking the coastline. Over the years, the church has been greatly increased in size, but the original character of the building has been maintained.

14/11/2014

The Old Worrigee Cemetery sits on land donated by Prosper De Mestre and is on the grounds of the original St Johns Anglican Church. It is situated on Greenwell Point Road at Worrigee, just past Milbank Road.

14/11/2014

The Old Numbaa Cemetery was developed in association with the private township of Numbaa on Alexander Berry's Coolangatta Estate. Burials began pre 1856 when the civil register of Births, Deaths and Marriages was established. Located on the levee bank on the south side of the Shoalhaven River, the cemetery survived the disastrous floods of 1862 and 1870 which demolished much of Terara.

12/11/2014

PILOT'S COTTAGE - Kiama Harbour.
The duties of the Harbour Pilot was to supervise and maintain orderly movement of shipping in Kiama's small harbour. He also had to maintain and repair the wharves and other features of the harbour including navigation lighting. He was also required to carry out the duties of the light house keeper.
The cottage is constructed from basalt rubble, quarried on the site, and finished internally with Australian Red Cedar and local hardwoods. Construction on the cottage was commenced in 1880.
The last Harbour Pilot finished his duties in 1978 and the building was vacant for several years until it was restored in 1984-85 and now houses a museum featuring much of Kiama's history.

12/11/2014

These buildings were originally constructed as workers cottages and date as far back as 1886. They were constructed to house the quarry workers and their families. The need for blue metal for roads, saw a rapid increase in the number of men working in the Kiama quarries. By the 1960's the buildings were in such a bad state of repair, they faced demolition, however, these that remain today were spared that fate , are now Heritage Listed and have been preserved and transformed from modest workers cottages into quirky shops and cafes. In recent years, additional shops have been constructed to the rear of the original cottages, being constructed in a heritage architectural style that is complimentary to the old workers cottages.