Coolgardie Bowling Pavilion

Statement of Significance

Coolgardie Bowling Club has cultural significance for the following reasons:
The place is a fine example of a small scale timber structure in the Federation Filigree style. The structure has a simple form with strong charm and as a result achieved a high level of aesthetic value.
The place is associated with the WA Mining and Industrial Exhibition held in Coolgardie from 21 March 1899 to 1 July 1899 and is the only intact structure to still exist from the Exhibition.
The place is associated with the establishment of the Coolgardie Bowling Clun in 1907. From 1907 up to the mid to late 1970’s, the Coolgardie Bowling Pavilion served as the clubrooms for this sporting organisation and still remains on the bowling club site in 2001.
AESTHETIC Y ALUE
Coolgardie Bowling Pavilion is a fine example of a small scale timber structure in the Federation Filigree style. The
structure has a simple form with strong charm and as a result achieved a high level of aesthetic value. (Criterion 1 .1)

The small scale and hipped concave roof of Coolgardie Bowling Pavilion are two characteristics contributing to it picturesque quality which adds to the townscape value of the historic town , which is one of eight historic towns designated by the National Trust of WA. (Criteria I.I & 1.4)
HISTORIC VALUE

The place is associated with the discovery of gold near Coolgardie by Bayley and Ford in 1892, the declaration of the field in 1892, and the subsequent mass migration to this area by people eager to strike a claim of their own. The discovery of gold and the burgeoning_town at Coolgardie signalled the further exploration and .settlement of the remainder of what became kown as the Eastern Goldfields area. (Criteria 2.1 & 2.2)

The place is associated with the WA Mining and Industrial Exhibit ion held in Coolgardie from 21 March 1899 to I July 1899; the primary purpose of which was firstly to promote interest in the mining industry of the Eastern Goldfields and secondly, Western Australian industry as a whole. Local history has it that the Coolgardie Bowling Pavilion was part of an exh ibit that originated from Europe. (Criterion 2.2)

The place is associated with Coolgardie's development as the mining, business and administrative centre of the Eastern Goldfields and is representative of the growth of social and recreational activities and facilities. ln particular, the place is associated with the establishment of the Coolgardie Bowling Club in 1907. From 1907 up to the mid to late 1970s, the Coolgardie Bowling Pavilion served as the clubrooms for this sporting organisation. (Criterion 2.2)
The place has associations with the Coolgardie Bowling Club which was established in 1907 and continues to operate in 200 I. (Criterion 2.3)
SOCIAL VALUE

The place has social significance to the Coolgardie community and contributes to this communities ' sense of place, due to its associations with the WA Mining and Industrial Exhibition in 1899 and its long association with the Coolgardie Bowling Club dating from 1907. (Criteria 4.1 & 4.2)

The listing by The National Trust of Australia (WA) and the inclusion of the p lace in the Shire of Coolgardie's Municipal Inventory are also a measure of social significance. Coolgardie is one of eight historic towns designated by the National Trust in Western Australia . (Criterion 4.2)

RARlTY

Coolgardie B owling Pavilion has rarity value as the only intact structure from the 1899 Western Australian Mining and
Industrial Exhibition. (Criterion 5.1)

Coolgardie Bowling Pavilion has rarity as one of a small number of small kiosk structures in Western Austra lia. (Criterion 5.2)

REPRESENT ATIVENESS

Coolgardie Bowling Pavilion is a rare example of a small timber kiosk purpose built for an exhibition in the late 1880s.
(Criterion 6. 1)

The ornate, rather than utilitarian, design of the kiosk is representative of the opulent nature and architecture of the Coolgardie gold boom. (Criterion 6.1)

COND ITION

The place is in poor condition, primarily due to its lack of substructure and support, including Jack of wind bracing, a
lack of consistent maintenance, and poor repairs. INTEGRITY
The place has a moderate degree of integrity. AUTHENTIC ITY
The authenticity of the pavilion is moderate to high.

Physical Description

The Coolgardie Bowling Pavilion is a small timber framed rectagular structure located within the Coolgardie Bowling Club site and positioned on a narrow gr ass strip to the west side of the bowling green. The Bowling Club is situated on the comer of Sylvester and Lefroy Streets with Coolgardie Park bordering the west boundary.

The Coolgardie Bowling Pavilion , a small scale example of a timber structure in the Federation Filigree style of
architecture, has a simple form and strong charm.

The walls are constructed of exposed timber frame, with ripple iron and plain galvanised iron panels fixed with galvanised flat head nails. The sheets are further secured with timber beading (quads) around each panel. Original studs and frame members are western red cedar. Many of the original western red cedar studs have been replaced with sawn jarrah studs and most of th e beads are also replacement. The original timber skirting consists of a chamfered plate and this is extant on the north , south and west elevations. The entire exterior has been painted .

The east elevation faces the bowling green and provides access to the interior. The elevation has been modified to include large ripple iron and timber braced double swing doors, which are not centred and are poorly constructed. (This is the most significant alteration to the original structure.) The door on the north elevation has been covered over with ripple iron and is no longer in use. This elevation now has the same appearance as the south elevation. The west elevation contains two ripple iron and timber braced hatches , which are no longer in use.

The timber framed roof is hipped with a concave profile and is clad in ripple iron with a plain galvanised iron rolled ridge. The roof has been painted in candy stripes. The soffit lining consists of 6" tongue and groove Oregon boards and the roof overhang is supported by moulded timber brackets, fixed to the exposed wall studs and corner posts. The pavilion retains sections of original fascia panel, which is moulded with a scalloped motif, as well as section s of original cast iron gutter.

The interior consists of one single space. The floor is constructed of 6" x 1" Oregon floorboards, with a 4" reed moulded skirting. The wall and ceiling lining consists of vertical 4" and horizontal 6" (respectively) western red cedar v-jointed tongue and groove boards. (Some of the lining on the west and east walls is either damaged or missing.) The ceiling is hipped at thirty degrees and there is one timber boss extant (one is missing), which would have been a continuation of the cast iron finial panel (now removed).

There are iron coat hooks fixed to a horizontal timber rail that runs above the height of the hatches on the north, south and west walls. There is also a timber ladder on the south wall of the interior, which was custom made for the pavilion and used for the storage of bowling equipment.

The pavilion is in poor condition due to the removal of its substructure and lack of wind bracing. The timber bearers of the pavilion do not appear to be original and lay only on the ground. Its lack of substructure and wind bracing, together with the introduction of the double doors on the east elevation, has contributed to the racking of the pavilion towards the south and west ends.

Although the Coolgardie Bowling Pavilion is in poor condition and several original elements have either been replaced
or altered , the structure 's form is little changed from its original construction.

History

Assessment 2001\Construction 1899
Alterations/additions: 1901; 1907; mid to late 1970's
The idea for a mining exhibition was first raised by the Coolgardie Mine Managers' Institute in the mid 1 890s, primarily to show the technologies that had developed in response to the mining of lowgrade ores in Western Australia. Due to widespread approval and interest in the project, it was eventually decided that the exhibition should not only be concerned with mining but also take into account the State's primary industries as a whole. It subsequently became known as the Western Australian Mining and Industrial Exhibition. The Western Australian Mining and Industrial Exhibition was officially opened on 21 March 1899 by His Excellency Governor Sir Gerald Smith.

Local history has it that the kiosk (Coolgardie Bowling Pavilion) was part of an exhibition originating from Europe. A photograph of the Exhibition in 1899 shows the kiosk (Coolgardie Bowling Pavilion). (The Western Australian Mining and Industrial Exhibition was officially closed on 1July 1899 having attracted approximately 61,158 people through its doors and to the Eastern Goldfields.) A plan of the West Australian Exhibition at Coolgardie dated I 900- I 902 shows the buildings on site including the kiosk (Coolgardie Bowling Pavilion) located in the north-we stern corner of the quadrangle. The purpose of this plan was to show the building s, structures and materials that were to be removed from the site, prior to its conversion as a school of mines and, on 12 January 1900, a contract was offered for the purchase and removal of certain structures at the exhibition buildings at Coolgardie. Nothing happened at this time and tenders were again offered for this contract on 24 May 1901. The
contract was eventually awarded to J. Crothers on 8 July 190I for his cost of £650/-. · - --=-- -

With the continued consolidation of the Coolgardie townsite in the late 1890s and 1900s came the establishment of
social and recreational activities and organisations. From 1904 to 1905, steps were taken by the Coolgardie
Council towards the making of a bowling green in Coolgardie. The development of the Coolgardie bowling green
had reached the stage that on 12 January 1907 the 'recently formed' Coolgardie Bowling Club was able to have its first practice session proper on 9 February 1907, Mayor of Coolgardie Mr A. Mercer officially opened the Coolgardie bowling green.

Photographs of the opening day show that the pavilion was at the green at this time. Research by H. Ware reportedly found that former Coolgardie Mayor W. Strother had purchased the structure and it was he who later installed it at the Coolgardie Bowling Club. From 1907 to the mid to late 1970s, the Coolgardie Bowling Pavilion
(former kiosk) served as the official bowling clubhouse. It was used for club meetings and activities, and also housed the club's equipment. Special ladders were constructed and placed inside the pavilion to store the bowls. One of these ladders is still extant-

In the mid to late 1970s, the Coolgardie Bowling Pavilion was relocated to its current position at the western side of the green. This was done as a result of the erection of a new headquarters for the bowling club as well as the extension of the bowling green. Since this time (an up to 2001), the Coolgardie Bowling Pavilion has been used for storage purposes.

Uses

Creation Date

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This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.