Dubbo War Memorial Civic Hall

The Dubbo War Memorial Civic Hall (also known as the Civic Centre) was designed as a memorial to the men and women who laid down their lives in the Second World War. The site for the centre was selected in Darling Street, opposite Victoria Park. A delegation visited established various civic centres around the state including at Bankstown, Fairfield, Lane Cove and Hurstville as well as a regional location in Bathurst to view a variety of different designs. Applications were invited from architects to submit a design for the new facility. More than 30 architects from all over New South Wales applied. The successful applicant was Messrs Kevin J Curtain and Partners, who had previously designed the Bankstown Civic Centre. After calling for tenders, the council accepted the tender of Walmac Constructions Pty Ltd, a local firm and work on foundations commenced early in February 1967. On 28 April 1967, the Premier of New South Wales, the Hon R W Askin, MLA officially laid the foundation stone. He would return to open the hall almost a year later on 22 March 1968.

The Dubbo War Memorial Civic Hall was a magnificent edifice for its time. Consisting of a main hall referred to as the Macquarie Auditorium (named after Governor Lachlan Macquarie), a smaller function room known as the Oxley Room (named after the Surveyor General Lieutenant John Oxley) and a bar and commercial kitchen. The Dubbo War Memorial Civic Hall now forms part of the Dubbo Regional Theatre and Convention Centre. The Reception Room (known as the White Room after Town Surveyor G Boyle White), the booking office and the cloak room became obsolete following the construction of the 500 seat theatre in 2010.

Information provided by Anne Barwick, Macquarie Regional Library and Simone Taylor, Local Studies Officer, Western Plains Cultural Centre.