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Lilydale Tasmania

Gateway to Northeast Tasmania

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Memorial Hall

For 70 years, the Lilydale Memorial Hall has part life in the Lilydale community. Built to honour fallen soldiers, the hall was a true community effort, constructed largely through volunteer labour and local fundraising.

Organise an event

The Lilydale Memorial Hall, officially opened in 1955, stands as a tribute to community effort .

Discussions, planning and fundraising (1920-1953)

As early as 1920, discussions were underway about building a local war memorial to honour fallen soldiers.

  • In October 1946, the Lilydale Memorial Committee was formed, chaired by L.A. Procter (MLC), with members including L.A. Atkinson (Secretary), L. Hodgetts (Assistant Secretary), and R.L. Bardenhagen (Treasurer).
  • The committee organised fundraising efforts, including a “Back to Lilydale” carnival, to raise money for the hall.
The 1947 ‘Back to Lilydale’ fundraiser helped launch the community’s efforts to build the hall.

  • The “Back to Lilydale” carnival was the first major fundraiser for the hall. It was held on March 8, 1947 and featured sports, races, and local business sponsors.
  • The CWA organised a garden party at Mrs. W. Wilson’s home.
  • The Queen Carnival fundraiser featured Miss Eunice Cameron as Queen of Progress, with attendants Mary Walsh, Dinah Chick, Dorothy Whiting, and Valerie Gerzalia.
  • Additional fundraisers included auctions, sports days, community dances, and crop donations from local farmers.
  • A grant of £1,075 was provided by the State Government, with an additional £500 from the Education Department, provided the hall could serve as an assembly hall for the local school.
The Queen Carnival of 1947, a key fundraising event for the hall’s construction.

Construction and volunteer labor (1953-1955)

By 1953, construction of the hall was underway.

  • Local sawmills donated timber, and residents volunteered to help with construction.
  • Saturdays became community workdays, with volunteers carting gravel, pouring concrete, and assembling the building under the guidance of builder Harold Lawes.
Edgar Dolbey and Roy Bardenhagen, two of many local volunteers who helped construct the hall.
The old Police Station (left) before it was moved to make way for the Memorial Hall.

The Lilydale Memorial Hall was officially opened on December 9, 1955, at a total cost of £15,000.

A hub for community events

Since its opening, the hall has been used for a wide range of community activities, including:

  • Sports and school assemblies
  • Concerts and plays
  • Balls and dances
  • Movie screenings (there is a projector room on the mezzanine)
  • Fundraising fairs and markets
  • Private parties and functions
One of the many honour boards inside the Lilydale Memorial Hall, commemorating local servicemen.
L-R: Mr W. Wilson, Mrs R. Bardenhagen, Mrs V. Arnold, Mrs H. Brooks, and Mr V. Arnold

Ongoing preservation and repairs

Until its management was taken over by the City of Launceston, volunteers continued to maintain the hall, ensuring it remained a functional and historical part of Lilydale.

  • In recent years, the City of Launceston has undertaken some restoration of the supper room floor and repairing infrastructure.
  • A grant from Veterans Affairs to the Lilydale Branch of the RSL paid for the installation of a commercial kitchen.
  • Heritage Lilydale continues to research and document the hall’s history.
  • The Lilydale District Progress Association has applied to the City of Launceston to once again return management of the hall to the local community.
In 2023 the hall underwent renovations to address dampness issues.

Explore more of Lilydale’s history

Learn more

For further reading and historical insights, visit:
Heritage Lilydale Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/467853263384639
Email: heritagelilydale@gmail.com
Mail: PO Box 199, Lilydale, TAS, 7268

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