Mulgrave Shire Council Chambers reborn as thriving art gallery
AHS worked on the former Mulgrave Shire Council Chambers (MSCC) restoration project, which involved the restoration and adaptive re-use of the State heritage listed building that forms part of the Cairns Gallery Precinct.
The renovation of the MSCC forms part of a wider $24.3 million project that aims to transform and connect three State heritage listed buildings comprising Cairns Art Gallery, Court House Gallery and the former Mulgrave Shire Council Chambers (Mulgrave Gallery) in the Cairns city centre.
Why, you might be asking? To create a dynamic and world-class Gallery Precinct that will put Cairns on the map as the arts and cultural capital of northern Australia.
The Gallery Precinct was identified as a ‘project opportunity’ within the Cairns City Centre Masterplan community and stakeholder engagement consultation process in 2019 and is also part of the exciting Cairns 2050 Shared Vision.
Cairns Regional Council (CRC) and AHS have a long working relationship with a range of heritage reports and specialist work completed across the years for the Cairns Gallery Precinct.
Mulgrave Shire Council Chambers
The former MSCC building was the most recent heritage building to be restored and adaptively re-used as part of the broader Gallery Precinct. AHS’s involvement in this project came under the commissioning of TPG Architects who undertook the restoration and adaptive works, transforming the space into a contemporary gallery.
From initial concept design through to construction phase and completion of the building works, AHS developed numerous reports and assessments including a Conservation Management Plan (CMP), Heritage Impact Statement (HIS), Historic Paint Analysis (HPA), Archival Recording, and ongoing advice and supervision during construction phase activities.
The Cairns Shire Council Offices, c.1912 (Cairns Historical Society 2021)
History
The former Council Chambers were constructed in 1912 for the Cairns Shire Council and then in 1940 the Mulgrave Shire Council was established. The building was used by the Mulgrave Shire Council until c.1995 and then Cairns City Council until 1998. Over the course of its history, the Chambers has seen various changes.
Design of the original building was undertaken by prominent North Queensland architects Charles Lynch and Walter Hunt, with the original T-shaped building remaining intact until an extension was undertaken in 1951.
The building is the earliest surviving shire council building in Cairns and captures the city’s emergence as an important regional centre, which is why AHS is thrilled to have played a part in its restoration and adaptive re-use.
The south-eastern extension and enclosed verandah (AHS 2021)
Preserved in time
The MSCC represents the classical styling typical of early civic construction in Cairns, with detailing that aimed to affirm the authority and presence of the State Government and build community confidence.
Many of the building’s original details were deemed to be of high significance, including ceilings and cornices, windows and architraves, timber and French doors, and storage vaults. The masonry facade, gabled portico, front entranced stairs and verandahs, and front fence are also significant elements of the building.
We discovered in our analysis that the 1951 extension sought to preserve much of the original building’s detail, with various fascia and soft fit details mimicking the original design. The roof, however, appears to have been replaced during the alterations.
Our Historic Paint Analysis also sought to restore the building to an earlier scheme(s), utilising colours that had been present across the building historically. The pastel green soffits were an exciting surprise and are now a great feature on the restored building.
The MSCC survives as an important illustration of the growth of Cairns and the former Cairns Shire in the years preceding the First World War.
Into the future
The restoration of the MSCC represents an exciting chapter of the broader Cairns Art Gallery Precinct project, and we were thrilled to assist as the building was transformed into a thriving art gallery.
We were also lucky enough to attend the opening of the gallery recently, which features more than 255 square metres of exhibition space made up of one large display area, two smaller rooms, and two original vault rooms being used as mini galleries.
AHS are leaders when it comes to heritage management measures and overall guidance for heritage sites like this one, having completed a significant array of work Australia-wide.
Contact us
To discover how we may be able to assist on your next project, contact us today here or phone (07) 3221 0000. You can also connect with us on LinkedIn.
Original verandah facing north (AHS 2021
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The Challenge
The former MSCC building was the most recent heritage building to be restored and adaptively re-used as part of the broader Gallery Precinct. AHS’s involvement in this project came under the commissioning of TPG Architects who undertook the restoration and adaptive works, transforming the space into a contemporary gallery.
From initial concept design through to construction phase and completion of the building works, AHS developed numerous reports and assessments including a Conservation Management Plan (CMP), Heritage Impact Statement (HIS), Historic Paint Analysis (HPA), Archival Recording, and ongoing advice and supervision during construction phase activities.
How we helped
The former Council Chambers were constructed in 1912 for the Cairns Shire Council and then in 1940 the Mulgrave Shire Council was established. The building was used by the Mulgrave Shire Council until c.1995 and then Cairns City Council until 1998. Over the course of its history, the Chambers has seen various changes.
Design of the original building was undertaken by prominent North Queensland architects Charles Lynch and Walter Hunt, with the original T-shaped building remaining intact until an extension was undertaken in 1951.
The building is the earliest surviving shire council building in Cairns and captures the city’s emergence as an important regional centre, which is why AHS is thrilled to have played a part in its restoration and adaptive re-use.
Results
The MSCC represents the classical styling typical of early civic construction in Cairns, with detailing that aimed to affirm the authority and presence of the State Government and build community confidence.
Many of the building’s original details were deemed to be of high significance, including ceilings and cornices, windows and architraves, timber and French doors, and storage vaults. The masonry facade, gabled portico, front entranced stairs and verandahs, and front fence are also significant elements of the building.
We discovered in our analysis that the 1951 extension sought to preserve much of the original building’s detail, with various fascia and soft fit details mimicking the original design. The roof, however, appears to have been replaced during the alterations.
Our Historic Paint Analysis also sought to restore the building to an earlier scheme(s), utilising colours that had been present across the building historically. The pastel green soffits were an exciting surprise and are now a great feature on the restored building.
The MSCC survives as an important illustration of the growth of Cairns and the former Cairns Shire in the years preceding the First World War.
Into the future
The restoration of the MSCC represents an exciting chapter of the broader Cairns Art Gallery Precinct project, and we were thrilled to assist as the building was transformed into a thriving art gallery.
We were also lucky enough to attend the opening of the gallery recently, which features more than 255 square metres of exhibition space made up of one large display area, two smaller rooms, and two original vault rooms being used as mini galleries.
AHS are leaders when it comes to heritage management measures and overall guidance for heritage sites like this one, having completed a significant array of work Australia-wide.
Contact us
To discover how we may be able to assist on your next project, contact us today here or phone (07) 3221 0000. You can also connect with us on LinkedIn.
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