Road Board & Entertainment Precinct

The original Road Board office (on site) was built by volunteers using local stone in 1904. It served in this role until 1935 when new offices were added to the front of the Agricultural hall situated on its north side. This iconic original Road Board building has since been used by a variety of organisations including the school, museum, and Expo. The current Shire Offices have evolved through extensive additions in 1935 and then in 1983 the Shire voted to retain and modify this Agricultural hall, in favour of totally rebuilding.
Since 1905 ‘Halls’ have played a significant role in many activities in the town. Voluntary labour built both the 1st Agricultural Hall, which was destroyed by fire, and the 2nd Agricultural Hall built in 1917. The latter was used extensively until 1959 when the Mingenew Town Hall was completed .These venues catered for social gatherings, entertainment and indoor sports including weddings, balls, cabarets, dinners, reunions, quiz nights, film nights, Repertory Club presentations, school concerts, art shows, badminton and gymnastics. Sixty two years on the Town Hall urgently needs renovations so it can once again fulfil these functions.
The final entertainment venue was the outdoor pictures area set alongside the hall. Pre television days public picture shows were immensely popular. As early as “1920 Mr Walter Taylor screened silent films while Mrs Walter Taylor played an accompaniment on the hall piano in the dark.” In 1935 West Talkies showed pictures in the Hall. By 1948 improved projection and sound equipment allowed pictures to be screened outdoors in summer. Deck chairs set the tone for a relaxing evening and refreshments were sold during the interval.