The Municipal Buildings

The Municipal Buildings, located on Earle Street, were constructed between 1902 and 1905 by H T Hare in the English Baroque style. This building serves as council offices and is made of yellow sandstone ashlar with a stone slate gable roof. It stands 2½ storeys tall with a basement and features five bays. The three central bays are recessed for two storeys and are flanked by giant unfluted Ionic columns. The ground floor windows in the outer bays have small Tuscan column mullions.

A deeply recessed semi-circular headed entrance is adorned with wrought iron gates and an oak screen with double doors. This entrance is flanked by timber mullion windows with centre-arched transoms, all featuring matching archivolts and cartouche keystones. Above the three central openings, there are pairs of large reclining figures carved in relief by F.E.E. Schenck. The first floor showcases cross windows with stone eared architraves and segmental bracketed balconies in the outer bays. The eaves cornice is both dentilled and bracketed, and dormer windows on the second floor centre bays have small pediments above and are fronted by a balustraded parapet. The end bay windows are bullseyes with egg and dart and festoon detailing. The building is topped with copings on the gables, stone chimneys, and a cupola with a vane and locomotive finial.

Inside, the entrance hall features Tuscan columns, while a geometrical staircase made of York stone leads to the upper levels. The Council Chamber contains marble Ionic columns and a window in Venetian style. The interior also includes hardwood doors in elaborate frames and plasterwork based on festoons and egg and dart moulds.