Hydro Hotel

Item details


Name of item:	Hydro Hotel
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Commercial
Category:	Hotel
Location:	Lat: -34.5507807483 Long: 146.4075976290
Primary address:	Chelmsford Place, Leeton, NSW 2705
Parish:	Willimbong
County:	Cooper
Local govt. area:	Leeton
Local Aboriginal Land Council:	Leeton And District

Property description

Lot/Volume Code	Lot/Volume Number	Section Number	Plan/Folio Code	Plan/Folio Number
LOT	1		DP	257538

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
Chelmsford Place	Leeton	Leeton	Willimbong	Cooper	Primary Address
Wade Avenue	Leeton	Leeton	Willimbong	Cooper	Alternate Address

Owner/s

Organisation Name	Owner Category	Date Ownership Updated
	General

Description


Construction years:	1917-1927
Physical description:	The Hydro Hotel is situated opposite the Leeton Department of Lands and Water Conservation (aka 'Lands') District Office on the high ground of Leeton city. The area was alcohol prohibited until 1924 (which is why Henry Lawson was moved to Leeton) when the coffee palace and land for the tavern was sold by the Commission to Tooths, who developed the Tavern and built the 1925-7 bar in the Hydro Hotel (LEP, 2014). Hotel (1925-1927) Colonnade, 1917-1919 1924 a new bar cnr of Grevillea Street - a two storey brick and stucco, tile roofed building (red marseilles tiles) gable roofed entry to covered reception porte-choche on gravel driveway colonnade to lower floor of brick and stucco with double timber post system to upper balcony. timber rear verandah (ibid, 2014).


Current use:	Hotel
Former use:	Aboriginal land, grazing run

History

Historical notes:

Leeton and the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area:
The Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area (MIA) was the dream of Sir Samuel McCaughey, owner of North Yanco Station and other pastoral leases in this area. Sir Samuel convinced the NSW government to acquire the land and develop the infrastructure for irrigation. In 1912 the water was turned on in the Yanco No.1 area including Leeton (Stoneman).

The NSW Government's plans for the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area (MIA) Scheme, commenced with the Barren Jack Dam and Murrumbidgee Canals Construction Act 1906. Construction of the dam commenced in March 1907 with the construction of initial site facilities. Much of the work was to be undertaken by the Public Works Department, which included the construction of canals, weirs, channels and bridges. With this irrigation system in operation, the Government hoped to attract hundreds of new immigrants to a new farming region. The building of a narrow gauge railway to provide access to the site was also commenced in 1907 (McKillop, 2008).

The Murrumbidgee Irrigation Act 1910 established the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Trust. Minister for Public Works, Arthur Hill Griffith, was appointed as first chairman of the Trust in 1911. It was soon obvious that the grand scheme was beyond the competency of the Trust, and so the Irrigation Act 1912 saw the Trust superseded by a Commissioner for Water Conservation and Irrigation (the WC&IC). The first Commissioner, Leslie Wade, was appointed from 1 January 1913 (McKillop, 2008).

Wade's vision for the MIA was "looking to new railways to service the area, new business enterprises to handle and market the produce, processing facilities, power generation, and domestic water supplies and commercial service centres to support the expected population...Two urban designs were required. The town of Leeton, named after the prominent MIA supporter Charles Lee and (the town of) Griffith after Sir Arthur Griffith." (McKillop, 2008).

In 1912 the town of Leeton was a tent town with a basic street layout; most of the population was male, with few families or women. The area was dry, not from drought but due to prohibition and suitable accommodation for officers, visitors and settlers was very difficult to find (Stoneman).

Wade saw an opportunity for his vision in 1913 when Walter Burley Griffin came to Australia after winning the international competition for the design of the new National Capital in Canberra. "For Leeton, Griffin proposed a new town centre around a prominent hill. Two water reservoir towers on top of the hill were to provide the main entrance to the town. A grand central plaza would lead from the towers, complete with ornamental pools and a fountain. The drawings depict large buildings with typical Griffin geometric forms similar to those that grace the Griffin drawings for the national capital" (McKillop, 2008).

"During 1914 Griffin was sending blueprints of the Griffith railway line and was also undertaking the urban design for Griffith, including the terminus for the Barellan to Griffith railway then under construction." Leslie Wade suddenly died on 12 January 1915. With the project's key promoter gone and Australia's involvement in a world war imminent, enthusiasm for the grand project waned (McKillop, 2008).

"Leeton got its circular street pattern and water towers, the first of which was completed in 1915, with their classic Griffin features. For years they were framed by the typical 'outback architecture' of the School of Arts building erected by the WC&IC in 1913. A railway connection was made with Narrandera in 1922 and the infrastructure of a typical Australian rural town emerged over the years" (McKillop, 2008).

Leeton became a settlement for Post World War I migrants and soldiers who came to settle in the MIA. The Yanco to Griffith line opened from Narrandera to Griffith on 6 March 1922 and was used to freight vegetable and horticultural produce from the MIA to Sydney markets and ports (McKillop, 2009).

In June 1921 a goods shed was transferred from Bangaroo to Leeton for use by the Construction Branch. Leeton station opened on 6 March 1922 (ORH, 2009).

The Hydro Hotel:
By 1914, a year before the Griffins' developed their plan... the small community was requesting the Commissioner for Water to provide better accommodation for visitors and new settlers. In the terms of the day the community committee said in their petition that existing accommodation was poor, over crowded, expensive and not suitable for ladies. The Minister for Agriculture agreed to the provision of a state hotel, however WW I intervened and no action was taken (Stoneman).

In 1917 the action was revived and Mr. G McRae and Mr. GM Blair designed the State Hotel for Leeton. Mr McRae was responsible for the building of the Queen Victoria Building in Sydney. Andrew Eaton was the builder and work started in 1917 but was not completed until 1919 again due to the war. While the building was being constructed debate raged in Leeton whether the building should be a hotel or Coffee Palace. The battle was fought out via letters to the editor of the Murrumbidgee Irrigator, with "Anxious Mother" wanting the demon drink prohibited from the town and the Farmers Association lamenting the sly grog shops and the loss of business to Whitton and Narrandera due to the liquor prohibition. The result: a coffee palace. The design of the Hydro specifically took into consideration the nature of the hot dry climate, hence the high ceilings, deep verandas and thick walls... Even the original furniture, of Canadian Oak was chosen with the climate in mind (Stoneman).

By 1919 the Griffin town plan was in place and the Hydro Hotel commanded a prominate position in the government spine of the plan. Located as it is on the main, some would say only hill in the town, the Edwardian architecture, a precursor to the Spanish Mission style, dominates the streetscape. The Hydro was built and maintained to provide the equillant of 5 star accommodations for visitors, Government senior staff and tourists to the area. In 1938 the Hydro was ranked in the top 4 hotels in Australia including hotels in Sydney and Melbourne (Stoneman).

As a comparison, in 1920, the officer accommodation at Avoncourt cost 35/- a week while the Hydro cost 65/- per week per person. Towns' people could come and dine in either the first class or second class dining rooms and there was even a servant's hall provided...In 1924 the state government sold the Hydro and the new owner Mr McLeish built the south wing and added the bar. The Hydro Tavern was built on the lower part of the site when the prohibition was lifted. In 1926 the whole site was sold to Tooth's and Company who then ran both businesses. The Hydro was the place to stay, Charles Kingsford Smith, a Governor-General and many politicians have stayed here. Princess Alexandra "rested" here during her visit to the MIA in 1959. It was the place to be seen at Balls and dinners and provided the upmarket venue for town and districts events (Stoneman).

By 1973 the accommodation area of the Hydro had fallen into disrepair and was no longer used, however the bar continued to operate. In 1973 a group called the Daughters of the Pioneers formed with the expressed intention of saving the building from demolition. They lobbied the council which agreed to hold a public meeting to discuss the future of the Hydro which was still owned by Tooth's & Co. The decision of the meeting was to save the building, but Council baulked at the $300,000 price tag to restore the building in addition to the purchase cost. Between 1975 and 1978 several approaches were made to the owners to acquire the property, including one that proposed demolition ...and replacement with a modern office building. This approach was unsuccessful and 30 years latter we are very gratefully as the modern office block was built on another site and the Hydro was retained. Eventually Kevin and Jan Webb purchased the top section of the site and Tooth's retained the Hydro Tavern (bottom Hydro)(Stoneman).

With substantial assistance from the NSW Heritage Office the Webb's began the restoration and adaptive reuse of the building. In 1982 a Permanent Conservation Order was placed on the building more to protect the government's investment than to save the building. Since then restoration has continued, while the ownership has changed and with a new liquor licence the bar has been re-established (Stoneman).

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Gardens-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Other open space-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Changing the environment-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Introduce cultural planting-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Commerce-Activities relating to buying, selling and exchanging goods and services	Developing discrete retail and commercial areas-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Commerce-Activities relating to buying, selling and exchanging goods and services	Innkeeping-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Environment - cultural landscape-Activities associated with the interactions between humans, human societies and the shaping of their physical surroundings	Developing local, regional and national economies-National Theme 3
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Environment - cultural landscape-Activities associated with the interactions between humans, human societies and the shaping of their physical surroundings	Landscapes of urban amenity-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Environment - cultural landscape-Activities associated with the interactions between humans, human societies and the shaping of their physical surroundings	Landscapes of institutions - productive and ornamental-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Environment - cultural landscape-Activities associated with the interactions between humans, human societies and the shaping of their physical surroundings	Landscapes and parklands of distinctive styles-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Events-Activities and processes that mark the consequences of natural and cultural occurences	Developing local landmarks-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Pastoralism-Activities associated with the breeding, raising, processing and distribution of livestock for human use	Working for pastoralists-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Pastoralism-Activities associated with the breeding, raising, processing and distribution of livestock for human use	Agisting and fattening stock for slaughter-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	Building settlements, towns and cities-National Theme 4
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	Adapted heritage building or structure-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	Accommodating workers in hostels-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	Accommodating travellers and tourists-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Land tenure-Activities and processes for identifying forms of ownership and occupancy of land and water, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal	Administering and alienating Crown lands-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Land tenure-Activities and processes for identifying forms of ownership and occupancy of land and water, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal	Changing land uses - from rural to suburban-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Land tenure-Activities and processes for identifying forms of ownership and occupancy of land and water, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal	Early farming (sheep grazing)-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Land tenure-Activities and processes for identifying forms of ownership and occupancy of land and water, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal	Townships-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Land tenure-Activities and processes for identifying forms of ownership and occupancy of land and water, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal	Suburban Centres-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Land tenure-Activities and processes for identifying forms of ownership and occupancy of land and water, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal	Early farming (Cattle grazing)-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Towns, suburbs and villages-Activities associated with creating, planning and managing urban functions, landscapes and lifestyles in towns, suburbs and villages	20th century Suburban Developments-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Towns, suburbs and villages-Activities associated with creating, planning and managing urban functions, landscapes and lifestyles in towns, suburbs and villages	Subdivision of rural estates-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Towns, suburbs and villages-Activities associated with creating, planning and managing urban functions, landscapes and lifestyles in towns, suburbs and villages	20th Century infrastructure-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Towns, suburbs and villages-Activities associated with creating, planning and managing urban functions, landscapes and lifestyles in towns, suburbs and villages	(none)-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Towns, suburbs and villages-Activities associated with creating, planning and managing urban functions, landscapes and lifestyles in towns, suburbs and villages	Beautifying towns and villages-

Recommended management:

Recommendations

Management Category	Description	Date Updated
Recommended Management	Produce a Conservation Management Plan (CMP)
Recommended Management	Prepare a maintenance schedule or guidelines
Recommended Management	Carry out interpretation, promotion and/or education

Procedures /Exemptions

Section of act	Description	Title	Comments	Action date
57(2)	Exemption to allow work	Standard Exemptions	ORDER UNDER SECTION 57(2) OF THE HERITAGE ACT 1977 Standard exemptions for engaging in or carrying out activities / works otherwise prohibited by section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977. I, the Hon James Griffin MP, Minister for Environment and Heritage, pursuant to subsection 57(2) of the Heritage Act 1977, on the recommendation of the Heritage Council of New South Wales do by this Order, effective at the time of publication in the New South Wales Government Gazette: 1. revoke the order made on 9 November 2020 and published in the Government Gazette Number 318 of 13 November 2020; and 2. grant the exemptions from subsection 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977 that are described in the attached Schedule. The Hon James Griffin MP Minister for Environment and Heritage Signed this 2nd day of June 2022. To view the standard exemptions for engaging in or carrying out activities / works otherwise prohibited by section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977 click on the link below.	Jun 17 2022

Standard exemptions for engaging in or carrying out activities / works otherwise prohibited by section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Heritage Act - State Heritage Register		00247	02 Apr 99	27	1546
Heritage Act - Permanent Conservation Order - former		00247	13 May 83	71	2125
Local Environmental Plan	Hydro Hotel	I84	10 Jun 14

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title	Internet Links
Tourism	Attraction Homepage	2007	Hydro Hotel	View detail
Tourism	Hydro Motor Inn	2007	Historic Hydro Motor Inn	View detail

Note: internet links may be to web pages, documents or images.

(Click on thumbnail for full size image and image details)

Data source


The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	Heritage NSW
Database number:	5045393
File number:	S90/02956 & HC 32597

Every effort has been made to ensure that information contained in the State Heritage Inventory is correct. If you find any errors or omissions please send your comments to the Database Manager.

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