12 September 2024
The Temperance Hall, Napier Street, South Melbourne is still a hall; I remember it when it was Anthill Theatre on the late 80s. The grand front was built in 1888 in front of the hall which was built way back in 1861. It was built by the Emerald Hill Total Abstinence Society, no doubt used for their meetings, but also events such as alcohol-free concerts, dances and performances. Other organisations also rented it such as the YMCA, the South Melbourne Harmonic Society, the Emerald Hill branch of the Labor Party, and the Independent Order of Oddfellows. The South Melbourne Football Club (now the Sydney Swans) is said to have formed at a meeting held in the hall in 1874. Then from 81 to 92 it was Anthill, but there’s a sign for Napier Theatre, don’t know if that’s before or after. The State Government body
Working Heritage began managing it in 2012 and from 2016 BalletLab was the lead tenant, but they lost funding in 2023, shutting down in Jan this year, so now anyone can rent the hall or the upstairs front room. I can’t find the name of the original architects anywhere. Interiors from websites.
Storey of Melbourne 