Local Government
Meekatharra
Region
Midwest
80 Darlot St Meekatharra
Cnr Darlot & Savage St
RAOB Hall
Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes Lodge
Meekatharra
Midwest
Constructed from 1915
Type | Status | Date | Documents |
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State Register | Registered | 25 Aug 2009 | HCWebsite.Listing+ListingDocument, HCWebsite.Listing+ListingDocument |
Type | Status | Date | Documents |
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(no listings) |
Type | Status | Date | Grading/Management | |
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Category | ||||
Municipal Inventory | Adopted | 21 Sep 2013 | Category A |
Masonic Lodge (fmr) makes a significant contribution to the historic Goldfields townscape of Meekatharra through the scale and proportion of the simple intact vernacular building. It is associated with the history of Freemasonry in Western Australia, especially in remote areas of the State.
The single-storey timber framed building is clad with horizontal sheets of painted corrugated iron. The hipped roof clad with corrugated iron, features a vented gablet at the ridge. The front wall features a cornice line moulding and a roughcast pressed metal patterned sheeting above, with a group of four windows central above the cornice line, associated with the feature gablet.
A building was relocated from Nannine and altered for use as the North Murchison Freemasons Lodge. The Lodge opened on 20 January 1916. The Lodge was well patronised with events drawing visitors from far and wide. 86 Brethren gathered for the installation of Worshipful Brother Harry Patterson Bennett to Grand Lodge rank in 1936 and 'the largest gathering of Freemasons ever assembled on the Murchison' attended the installation of Bro. Richard Caddy, the ceremony being carried out by his father, the Very Worshipful Bro. John Caddy. In 1947, the Most Worshipful Grand Master Dr J. S. Battye, travelled to Meekatharra to attend an installation. The social life of the lodge involved family members in Ladies nights, picnics, concert evenings, etc, and Freemasonry also involved charity, with donations to disaster funds, hospitals and community care organisations, medical research, care for the young and aged, and support for fellow members and their families. With falling membership, the Lodge held its last meeting on 15 October 1994. The Reserve was vested in the Shire of Meekatharra and the building used by the Guides, Brownies and Scouts Association for a year or so. In 2002, the Meekatharra Lodge of the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes - Sir John Charles Head Orient 31 - occupied the place and undertook some maintenance and renovation work.
INTEGRITY High degree AUTHENTICITY High degree
Fair
Ref Number | Description |
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17 | Municipal Inventory |
Individual Building or Group
Epoch | General | Specific |
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Present Use | SOCIAL\RECREATIONAL | Masonic Hall |
Original Use | SOCIAL\RECREATIONAL | Masonic Hall |
Style |
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Vernacular |
Type | General | Specific |
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Wall | TIMBER | Other Timber |
Wall | METAL | Other Metal |
General | Specific |
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SOCIAL & CIVIC ACTIVITIES | Institutions |
SOCIAL & CIVIC ACTIVITIES | Cultural activities |
SOCIAL & CIVIC ACTIVITIES | Community services & utilities |
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.