Historic Warkworth Town Hall reopens to the public

A new page was turned in the 105-year-old history of the Warkworth Town Hall last month, when the newly refurbished ‘grand old dame’ reopened to the public on 25th February.

Architect Antony Matthews, who oversaw the two-and-a-half year upgrade, explains “maintaining the sense of architectural and social history of the hall was paramount to the success of this restoration.”

Having stood at the heart of the community since it opened on 4th October 1911, the building is classified Historic Category One building by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga.

Countless couples have met on the dancefloor with some later marrying there. In wartime, it was the venue for farewells, fundraising efforts and homecomings.

Auckland’s Mayor Phil Goff commented “it’s great to see the completion of the restoration of Warkworth’s town hall.

“It means that the building will continue to serve the needs of the local community as it has for more than a century. Most importantly, it keeps alive a critical part of Warkworth’s history and reminds us of the way we were.”

The Warkworth Town Hall’s significance goes beyond the centre’s history. It’s the only civic building in New Zealand and one of only a handful in Australasia constructed from hollow glazed blocks.

The materials were devised and patented by Tom Clark Snr, who built the hall in 1911. The handmade blocks add to the unique character and were a precursor to the concrete blocks used today.

Rodney Local Board member Brenda Steele added “many people have worked tirelessly over several years to restore the old town hall, and all their hard work and fundraising efforts have certainly paid off. Warkworth has a beautiful, historic and functional town hall that future generations will enjoy using.”

The $5.6 million cost of the restoration project was covered by the Rodney Local Board, Warkworth Town Hall Restoration Trust (WTHRT), the WTHRT fundraising committee, Auckland Council, a Lotteries Commission grant and Watercare. 

Click here for more information on the project.

Images: Exterior and interior profile of the Warkworth Town Hall.

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