School of Arts

This classically inspired two-storey 1888 School of Arts building has a commanding street presence on Kent Street. A design competition was held for the new building, and Melbourne and Adelaide- based architect John Grainger submitted the successful design. The building was constructed by local builders Jacob and John Rooney at a cost of 3500 pounds. In 1890, the Rooneys built a timber extension to the rear to accommodate the Maryborough Technical College. A veranda and ground floor loggia were added to the eastern side in 1896 and a lecture hall built in 1904. A balustrade mezzanine gallery was designed and built in 1907 to allow for the enlargement of the library’s book storage. The technical college relocated in 1910 and the rooms were subsequently used by community groups including the Queensland Country Women’s Association. During WWII, the building housed the Australian Comforts Fund and a RAAF servicemen’s club. After the war, the Post Master General’s Department relocated to the first floor and ABC Radio established a broadcast studio here. From 1958, the building housed the first Ringrose Library in Queensland, which initiated the state-wide circulation of library books. The building now houses the Maryborough Wide Bay Historical Society.