Photo by Pam Baragwanath (copyright).

Name: Acheron Mechanics’ Institute and Free Library     

Address: Maroondah Highway, Acheron.

Institute established:1890

Date of Present Building:1890 

Building Succession Number: 1.

Current use: Community

Social History: In the early days, the Acheron Hall was the only public hall within a 30 km radius, it had a corrugated iron roof and was built of weatherboards donated by a local miller. The hall was situated off the roadway to provide sufficient space for horse drawn vehicles and proved popular for meetings, concerts, dances and picture shows. It was used as a polling booth and for Church services, but was also a haven for wildlife! Possums and blackbirds nested in the ceiling, wombats burrowed under the floorboards, snakes were always a possibility, Huntsman spiders caught flies in the unlined niches of the walls and one night, Barney, the milkman’s horse sought refuge there out of the cold, causing strange noises to which the constabulary was called. But it was on the occasion of the switching-on ceremony in 1955 which caused most embarrassment. The whole community had turned out for the special event and the hall was painted and decorated with large local plants in tubs. The Shire President began his speech, only to be drowned out by a cicada hidden in the plants, the loud chirping voice magnified by the electric public address system! Each time the speech halted, the cicada stopped only to begin the loud chirping again as soon as the Shire President’s speech resumed. Order was eventually restored and the Grand Ball was able to continue.

Pam Baragwanath

References:

Thomas, Ann. (1989). Wildlife at our Public Hall.

Note: for further information see:

Mechanics' Institutes Resource Centre (MIRC)  List of holdings 

and  Prahran Mechanics' Institute Library catalogue www.pmi.net.au