A large theatre in a (now) small mining town. Built 1898. A small historical display within the building provides the following information:
Edward Mulchay M.H.A built a timber hotel called the Royal Exchange on the site of an abandoned silver/lead mine in 1882. It was totally destroyed by fire two years later but within five years he had assembled his own and other capital to enter into a new enterprise, the Gaiety Theatre and Grand hotel. The destruction of the Royal Exchange and his personal loss of 5,000 pounds were strong in his mind so the new building was to be built of bricks, the first of which were being made at that time in Zeehan by John Connor.
Numbers indicate (approximately) the view of the corresponding photo.
Also part of the display is a copy of the original floor plan. The ground floor one was used as a basis for the location map above. This is the first floor:
A story in the Hobart Mercury after the first performance in October 1898 gives a detailed description of the theatre. A sample...
Two artificial lights are used— electric light and acetylene gas. The generating plant of the former isthat once used in Parliament House, Hobart. It has been installed in the theatre by Mr Russell Allport of Hobart. The whole of the stage is illuminated by electricity, while from the centres of the ornamental castings in the ceiling panels electric lights hang solitary or in clusters. Around the walls of the hall are gas jets with a couple of handsome standards in front of the balcony.