THE RURAL CITY OF WANGARATTA
HERITAGE TRAIL
A walking tour past some of the more significant buildings and historic sites of Wangaratta.
| 1 EXHIBITIONS GALLERY
Originally, the gallery was the Presbyterian church built in 1899, the second church of that denomination in Wangaratta. When the Methodist and Presbyterian Churches amalgamated to become the Uniting Church, the building was no longer required as a place of worship. It was purchased by the city council in the mid 1980's and has been converted into a gallery where exhibitions are conducted continuously. The facade, a splendid example of Neo-Romanesque architecture has been preserved, as has most of the original building. |
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| 2 AVERLEIGH Averleigh was built in 1887 for Mr Pinkerton who was a business person and Mayor of the Borough of Wangaratta. From the early 1920's until 1995 it was owned by the Callander Family, of Callenders & Forers Big Store, at one time, one of the largest employers of the town. |
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| 3 MEMORIAL GARDENS There are two war memorials in the gardens that form an attractive walk through to Holy Trinity Cathedral. The basalt memorial commemorates both the four local soldiers who were killed in the Boer War and declaration of peace at Pretoria. It was unveiled in 1903 by Colonel Hoad. (Later Sir John Hoad, a former Wangaratta resident who became chief of the Australian General Staff) Close by is a granite memorial bearing the names of Borough and Wangaratta shire residents who were killed in the two World and the Vietnam Wars. It was unveiled in 1923 by Colonel Scott, a former borough engineer. An annual ANZAC service is held in the gardens that were laid out by Mr Arthur Rundle and Mr James McLeod. |
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4 HOLY TRINITY CATHEDRAL The most imposing building in Wangaratta. The Cathedral was built in stages, with most of the granite coming from the nearby Warby Ranges In 1855 Wangaratta Anglicans met at the Court House to discuss building a church on the hill, the present site of Holy Trinity Cathedral. In 1908 the foundation stone of the Cathedral was laid by the Right Reverend AV Green, Bishop of Ballarat, and the Cathedral was dedicated on August 24th 1909. Very early services had been conducted in aslab building on the corner of Baker and Templeton Streets, built by John Foord. |
| 5 SPANISH MISSION STYLE
HOUSE This is the second house to occupy the site. The first was built in approximately 1856 and would have heen one of the first houses built in Docker Street.In the front garden a later owner, Mr Pusterla opened the borough's first open air picture theatre in 1917. Syd Edsell, a well-known boot maker, was the next owner. He demolished the original building and built the Spanish Mission house that was later bought by local bus proprietor Eric Hoy. |
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6 WANGARATTA
INSTITUTE OF TAFE Impressive verandah columns adorn the entrance to the administration centre of the institute of TAFE, originally the Wangaratta Technical School. Opened in 1928 to satisfy the increasing demand for technical education, there was an initial enrolment of 64 day and 205 evening students. So great was the growth of technical education that in 1956 the junior school was transferred to Greta Road. |
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7 WATER TOWER This is the second tower built on the site. The first had a short existance. Erected in 1924, the concete tower crashed to the ground a year later, destroying electric and telegraph wires and the verandah of a nearby house. The second structure, opened in 1929, stood the test of time and for years it was the main storage tank. It is no longer used as a water tower, but provides a venue for abseilers. |
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8 BIRTHPLACE OF SIR WEARY DUNLOP The corner of Mackay and Cusack Streets was once the site of Lister Hospital, birthplace of Sir Edward Weary Dunlop.
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| 9 BISHOP'S LODGE Bishop's Lodge, originally known as Bishop's Palace, was erected in 1904. Surrounded by a large garden, the lodge, which is of Federation Queen Anne architecture with a cast iron lace balcony, is a 2 storey red brick building consisting of 6 bedrooms and 7 main rooms. A weatherboard chapel was added in 1964 and in 1986 it was clad in brick to match the existing building.
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| 10 DELANEY CHAPEL In 1929 the beautiful convent chapel in Ryley Street was erected at a cost of £4,000. While the marble altar, statues, pedestals, organ and stations of the cross, all donated are impressive features, the stained glass windows are the most notable. |
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| 11 MERRIWA PARK & GARDENS In 1904 Merriwa Park became a bathing reserve. 1908 was a big year, with the construction of the Swing Bridge, the Carriage Way, Band Rotunda, Boat Shed and the Tea House. Sports carnivals, including swim carnivals were held to raise money. A Womens Swimming pool was constructed, with excavations taking place in 1914. In the 1920's the Tennis Club was formed, mixed bathing came in, and the park became a sports complex and not a garden. The swimming pool was no longer needed when the Olympic Pool was constructed in Swan Street. In the I 950's more Tennis Courts were built, the Band Rotunda removed, the water piped under, the bridges removed, and the Kindergarten was built. A bygone era, when the band playing in the rotunda would pause, across the evening air there would come a perfect reproduction, - the echo of Merriwa Gardens. |
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12 THE WANGARATTA BREWERY At one time Wangaratta had 4 breweries and more than 30 hotels. This one, all that remains of the Wangaratta Brewery and Malting Company, is the only surviving brewery building, although it is no longer used as such. This brewery was also referred to as King Brewery. Designed by an architect, it had a very high chimney and was built in 1868/69. Most of the original building was destroyed by fire in 1908. |
| 13 THE CENTRE Established in 1909 as an Agricultural High School, and became the Wangaratta High School in the 1920's. The Agricultural High School was one of the oldest secondary schools in the state. The Agricultural section of the school was in the borough park (HP Barr Reserve) and consisted af 28 acres. In 1961 the school was vacated when all classes moved to the new high school in Edwards Street. In 1962 the building became known as The Centre for Continuing Education, the first of its type in the state. Today the Centre provides a variety of courses in many disciplines. The original facade has been preserved. |
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| 14 STATE SCHOOL 643 In 1876 the old national school that had occupied this site since 1850 was demolished and the present building, remodelled in 1914, erected. Until the 1950's it was the only state school in Wangaratta. |
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| 15 PINSENT HOTEL The Pinsent Hotel began life as a private hospital. In the 1850 land sales Dr Gemmell bought the allotment and erected the first hospital in the district. It was one of the first brick buildings in the township and probably the second two storeyed. In 1851 it was acquired by John Crisp who converted it to a hotel, named The Royal. Miss Annie Edith Pinsent ran the hotel from 1917 unul 1934 It was during this time that the hotel became known as the Pinsent. All of the two storey exterior is the original building. The inside has been remodelled over the years.
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| 16 SOLICITOR'S OFFICEOriginally this building was part of the Commercial Hotel premises. The landmark hotel on the Murphy / Reid Streets corner was built in 1855 and demolished 114 years later. The owner Mrs Bridget Murdoch, extended the hotel in both streets and in approximately 1908 this section was converted into a legal practice for her son Harry. | |
| 17 ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH Proir to the construction of the imposing church in Ford Street the Catholic congregation had worshipped in a school chapel where the present St Patrick's Hall is today Appointed parish priest in 1862; Father George Galen began building the present church in 1865. The foundation stone was blessed in 1866 by the Roman Catholic Bishop. The church was designed by William Wardell, the architect for St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne and St Mary's Basilica, Sydney. The original material used was a white Beechworth granite to which was later added the brown Glenrowan stone. Most of the nave, the sanctuary, the sacristies and the eastern aisle had been completed at a cost of 6000 pounds when Father Galen died in 1869. The church was enlarged in 1962. |
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18 WANGARATTA HISTORICAL
SOCIETY MUSEUM
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ST CATHERINE'S HOSTEL Originally two private houses occupied this site. In the 1960's the Catholic Church purchased both properties, demolished them and in 1968 St Catherine's home for the Aged was opened. It has been extended over the years and now there are approximately 75 residents. It was originally established as a Catholic home, but it is now ecumenically oriented. The name was changed from Home to Hostel late in 1995. |
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| 20 MEMORIAL TOWN
HALL Built on the site of the original Municipal Offices (1868) the hall, which can seat 642 people, was erected as a memorial to those men and women who served their country in two world wars.In addition to the main hall there is a smaller hall, the Playhouse Theatre, which seats 195. The Memorial Town Hall was opened by the Governor of Victoria, Sir Rohan Delacombe in July 1963, the day the city celebrated 100 years of local government. Housed in the hall is a Steinway Grand Piano, regarded as one of the finest in the world. |
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