Description
One acre of land was granted by the Department of Public Lands for the purpose of the building of a School of Arts on 8 August 1909. A School of Arts Committee was formed in June 1909, to raise funds for the hall and the building was opened on Friday, 14 July 1911. The building comprised a reading room, a library room and a hall. The hall measured 50 feet by 28 feet with a small stage on which stood a new piano, supplied by Mr Sedgeman of Gympie. Mr J Donnelly was the contractor for the buildings, plumbing was undertaken by Mr C Duffy of Pomona and the timber for the building was supplied by Mr J Hetherington of Kin Kin Sawmills.
Mr H.F. Walker M.L.A. opened the building with a crowd of 200 people in attendance and it was noted as the first School of Arts of its kind in what was ‘the scrubs’ of the North Coast Line. Mr Charles Vines, Honorary Secretary, told those present that the building cost about £217 and the piano £79. The committee raised £80, the government subsidy was £40 and another £20 was to come in. A bank loan of £150 had been obtained, with the committee as bondsmen, and those present were asked to be subscribers to pay off the loan and raise money for improvements.
Committee members were Chairman, M. McWilliams; Honorary Secretary, C. Vines; Honorary Treasurer, F. Bowman; and Committee member J. J. Simpson, G. Westbrook, W. Rohan, E. Palmer, W. Kelly and C. Gallan. The present building is the culmination of several extensions. By the 1920’s a gabled wing had been added along the western side of the original hall, which had also been extended to the rear. Another small gabled extension over the verandah provided a projection box for showing films.Address 50 , Main Street, Kin Kin
