art deco bulidings in moree

Introduction

Moree – Rural Art DecoThe rural NSW town of Moree contains a unique collection of Art Deco buildings and architecture known as the style of the 20th century. The buildings define the character of Moree, making it one of the most distinctive and beautiful rural towns in Australia. Visitors are encouraged to take self-guided walks to view the variety of heritage buildings and experience the striking architecture.

What is Art Deco?The period termed “art deco” manifested itself roughly between the two world wars, or 1920 to 1939. Many actually stretch this period back to 1900 and even as far as the late 1950’s, but work of this time is generally considered to be more of an influence to the Art Deco style, or having been influenced by the style.

Art Deco is widely used in many areas as a decoration style, detailing architecture, interiors, furnishing, fine arts, handmade crafts, posters and industrial design.

Art Deco was influenced by the modern art movements of Cubism, Futurism, and Constructivism; however, it also took some ideas from the ancient geometrical design styles found in Egypt, Assyria and Persia. Modern elements included echoing machine and automobile patterns and shapes such as stylized gears and wheels, or natural elements such as sunbursts and flowers.

How to Use this Guide

Each page of this brochure features a unique Art Deco building, describing its history and indicating a location number and address to be found on the map of Moree provided beside.

Photo courtesy of Moree Historical Society

Mansour’s Buildings1


171-173 Balo Street

This building was built in 1929 and was initially an extension to the original 1923 Mansour’s Building on the corner of Albert Street. Its simplified symmetry is offset by the glazed blue ceramic tiles within outlined rhythmic squares. They are designed to appear as highlight windows. The date and commercial name dominate the building pediment.

Salina Court2

161 Balo Street

An Inter-War period facade with much original decoration of interest. Salina Court was a cinema facility from 1929 until 1974. It closed when the drive-in cinema on Bingara Road opened. Salina Court is a two-storey building with a highly detailed rendered facade. The building features detailed decorative elements and combines neo-classical motifs, such as Tuscan column pilasters, with revival elements, such as medallions and garlands, all of which are highlighted by the colour scheme. The original suspended awning features pressed metal fascia and soffit.

Photo courtesy of Rex Bileiter

‘The building was formerly known as the Lyceum Theatre. A courtesy bus used to collect people from Gravesend and Pallamallawaa and take them to the cinema (Gravesend is approx. 50kms from Moree and Pallamallawa 30kms). Eric Watts used to drive a bus to pick up people from the various aboriginal missions around town. The theatre regularly drew over 1000 people on weekends. People would come into town to have dinner at a restaurant or pub and then go to the movies.’ Information from Rex Bileiter

Assef’s3

An extravagant Art Deco building with symmetrical design. The primary feature of this building is the projecting semi-circular balcony with paired steel posts. The colour scheme adds to a nautical feel and allusion to a ship’s bow. This style of Art Deco arises from the romance of international travel and the giant luxury ships that travelled between Europe and the Americas, the most famous of which were the P & O Liners. The sleek curves, the funnels and streamline bows were emulated in architecture and designed to stand out and appeal to dynamic commercial organisations.

143 Balo Street

Joblink Plus4

Excellent example of Art Deco style facade with distinctive surface articulation. The facade has a high parapet and recessed planes with curved profile which is intended to echo sea waves and rays of sunlight. In keeping with the era, there was freedom to experiment with many of the variants of the ‘moderne’ style. The building demonstrates both P & O Liner (as seen on the Assef’s building) and Functionalist influences with an emphasis on clean geometric horizontal lines.

133 Balo Street

‘While this building is of Art Deco design, it predates the 1928 fires. The fires could not penetrate the building as it is made of bricks.’ Information from Moree Historical Society

Credit Union5

74 Balo Street

A good example of Art Deco-style building with quality original render detail. Ornamental motifs define the parapet with influences of 1920’s Ancient Egypt tomb discoveries. Symmetry is reinforced vertically by aligning windows and within the slight recesses. The ‘Wheat Sheaf’ motif demonstrates how important rural produce was to banking in the 1920’s (the building was occupied by the Commonwealth Bank for most of the 20th century). The Credit Union building is an important part of the mid-block streetscape.

‘This building was formerly the Commonwealth Bank and originally had the bank chambers downstairs and manager’s residence upstairs.’ Information from Moree Historical Society

Wilson House6


127-131 Balo Street

An outstanding example of Inter-War period Spanish Mission style building which makes a significant contribution to the streetscape. This building is estimated to have been built in 1925 and is the northernmost building on the block which survived the 1928 fires. The central portion of the building is balanced by the symmetry of the rectangular casement, windows and window hoods. The clock and building name bring focus to the overall decorative stepped parapet.

‘The largest retail building in the CBD, Wilson House originally had a large billiard saloon upstairs. Residences have been located at both ends of the building since it was constructed (one of these is the Café 2400 building).’ Information from Moree Historical Society

Cafe 24007

123 Balo Street

This building is part of the Wilson House complex and was constructed around 1925. It features triple round-headed arches supported on scroll capital headed columns, with an outward-curved wrought iron balustrade painted black. Above is a medallion with the shaped gable, while the colour scheme echoes the mud adobe of Spanish California.

Photo courtesy of ‘Shot by Jake’ photography.

Max Centre8


30-42 Heber Street

This building replaced the earlier Central Hotel which burnt down in 1928. Herbert McDonald built the new hotel at a cost of 52,000 pounds in 1930. It was named after him (ie. “Mac’s Hotel”). It was very sumptuous for its day and was described as “the focal point of the business and social life of not only the immediate Moree district but of a considerable part of the north-west.” After World War II the hotel declined and in 1964 Mr HJ Frizzell (owner since 1960) envisaged a scheme which would revitalise it. The size of the licensed premises was reduced and an arcade of 22 shops was added – Moree’s first arcade. The building is significant because of its past prominence in the life of Moree and district, its variety of architectural features, its dominant impact on the streetscape at a major intersection, and its architectural character which is rare for a country town.


Watson Chambers9


57 Heber Street

This Inter-War Chicago style building was built in 1929. Each of the metal-framed windows contains multiple glazing panels while the small stepped parapet and window sills portray a dental motif. Chicago influences prevailed most strongly from World War 1 to the Depression, and appear in buildings of widely differing status such as warehouses, office blocks, apartment blocks and department stores. Numerous examples of this style can be seen in George Street and Pitt Street in Sydney. The common factor is the horizontal emphasis on window openings and steel frame.

‘The building was constructed in 1929 by JH Watson. Watson was a dentist and had a surgery on the first floor of the building. The Paragon Café occupied one of the ground level shops for many years. ’ Information from Moree Historical Society

61 Heber Street

Roslyn House10


Roslyn House is a rare example of Hollywood Spanish Mission style architecture. Half-round, multi coloured tiles prominently adorn the buildings parapets and chimneys while the under-awning shopfronts feature black vitreous glass, metal frames and pattern leaded glass. Hollywood Spanish Mission is inspired by the romance of the movies and the early settler architecture of the Spanish colony. Its informality and the use of the arcade and porch are well suited to Moree’s climate.

‘For many years a very classy ‘frock shop’ occupied one of the ground level shops.’ Information from Moree Historical Society

71 Heber Street

Morgan’s Building11

The Morgan’s Building is an Inter-War period, Free Classical style building which is in good condition. It is a large single-storey corner building with corrugated iron gable roof and sidelights. There is a hip-roof ventilator which is necessary to light the commercial space below. Much of the original detail remains including the leadlight windows, suspended awning, pressed metal soffit, and slim-line metal shopfront.

Vision Cafe12

63 Balo Street

Vision Café is prominently located on a corner in the northern part of Moree’s CBD. It features stylised ‘sun burst’ motifs which rise up indicative of progressing towards a new dawn. This is classic Art Deco, with a cement splash wall finish and low-relief horizontal lines.

‘Built by brothers Jon and Sep Watt, the building traded as a corner store until well into the 1970’s. It was eventually converted into a café and is now a well known local Moree landmark.’ Information from Moree Historical Society

36 Balo Street

Memorial Hall13


The original town hall and attached School of Arts were destroyed by fire in 1917. The foundation stone for the new hall was laid in 1921 and the building was opened in 1923. A library was constructed in addition to the hall. Sympathetic additions were made on either side of the building comprising the Council Chambers and Banquet Hall in 1938-39.The original building is Greek in appearance and has an entrance porch supported by four columns with open circles at either end. The later additions are sympathetic to the original building but are not considered to be themselves significant. The building is a good example of 1920’s classical revival civic architecture.

TAFE Building14

38 Frome Street

The arches of this building underlie 19th century construction while the stepped silhouette skyline and tower hark back to machine age Art Deco precision which is designed to attract attention. This building was originally the first Moree Council Chambers. The foundation stone was laid by the mayor, S.L. Cohen, in 1900. In 1938 the council moved to Balo Street. The building was then used as a library before being purchased by the RSL. It was altered to its present appearance in the 1950’s including the addition of the streamlined corner clock tower. In 1969 the building was sold to TAFE NSW who still own the building.


Westpac15

29 Frome Street

Built by the Bank of NSW in the 1930’s, this Stripped Classical building is a two-storey brick and rendered brick building in Art Deco style with polished red marble dado and parapeted walls. The present building is the third Bank of NSW building erected on the site, and is very similar to bank buildings in suburban Sydney, demonstrating the importance of Moree as a regional node within the banking system during this era. Stripped Classical buildings sought to convey a message of progressiveness yet with conservation, of strength and reliability, yet up-to-date with international standards. The Stripped Classical style became the corporate image of the banks and is well recognised as the hallmark for certain financial corporations across Australia.


Houlahan & Young16


37 Frome Street

The Houlahan & Young building is a Federation period shop with an outstanding parapet of unusual design. It was built in 1934 and has a highly intact façade both above and below the awning. High quality materials and skilled trades are evident in the decorative face brick work. The rhythmic spacing of the pilasters continues below the suspended awning with display windows one side and double-hung office windows on the other.

‘Built by JT Crane in 1934 after his previous office on the site of SMK was burnt down. JT Crane was Shire Clerk of the Boolooroo and Boomi districts and a leading citizen. The building is virtually unaltered since its construction and features distinctive lead-light windows.’ Information from Moree Historical Society

SMK Consultants17

39 Frome Street

This former shire chambers is an attractive Inter-War period brick building. It was built in 1938 and is in good condition. It features symmetrical design, a terracotta tile hip roof with boxed eaves, a projecting double-storey gabled parapeted porch with balcony at first-floor level, and projecting bands of brickwork below the first-floor window sills.


For further information about Moree, please contact:

Moree Plains Shire Council21 Auburn Street, Moree NSW 2400Telephone: (02) 6757 3222Facsimile: (02) 6752 3934Email: [email protected]: www.mpsc.nsw.gov.au

Tourism MoreeMoree Visitors Information Centre Cnr Gwydir St & Newell Highway, PO Box 1219, Moree NSW 2400Telephone: (02) 6757 3350Facsimile: (02) 6757 3355Email: [email protected]

Prepared By

Lawrence ConsultingPO Box 2567 Toowoomba QLD 4350Tel / Fax: (+61) 7 4613 0206Mob: 0437 180 566

All photos by ‘Shot by Jake Photography’ apart from those otherwise stated.

Disclaimer

Whilst every reasonable care has been taken in the preparation of this publication, this information is provided on the understanding that no responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions or any actions taken based on the information provided in this document.

This publication was printed in 2007 and is subject to copyright. No part may be reproduced without the written permission of Moree Plains Shire Council.

art deco bulidings in moree

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