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The public right of access on the Queen’s Domain has always been vigorously defended.
The majority of people wished to retain the open space. So a proposal in the 1890s to
build a large exhibition hall on this site was not universally popular. The aim was to
showcase Tasmanian products and encourage investment in the island at a time when the
colony was suffering a major economic depression partly as a result of the collapse of the
Van Diemens Land Bank in 1891.
Many objections were raised but in the end the Government was convinced the proposal
had merit. A similar successful event had been held in Launceston in 1891 and it was
hoped this success would be repeated. Permission was granted to hold the Tasmanian
International Exhibition in Hobart, with a three year lease granted on the land. These
pictures show an imposing building, but the structure was flimsy and only ever designed
to be temporary.
The layout plan shows the vast area the provided for the exhibits.
The next picture gives some idea of the extent of the building on the site, providing two
thirds of a mile of exhibition space.
The Cascade Brewery display was typical of the many local industries on show
Another important stand was that of Peacock the jam maker which collected a gold medal
for the firm’s efforts. Many works of art that were brought to Tasmania for the Exhibition
have remained in the State and are now integrated into the Museum’s Art collection.
Music was to be a special feature of the Exhibition. There was a large concert hall in the heart
of the building that could seat 3000 people, said to have great acoustics. There was also
a café that could seat 300 people.
This picture shows the choir standing in front of the large pipe organ at one of the many
concerts. The choir of about 270 and a full orchestra of 42 players were formed specifically
for the Exhibition. The first full symphony played by a full orchestra on 27 December
1894 was seen as an ‘epoch making’ event in Hobart’s musical history.
The organ which was destined for St Mary’s Cathedral, was erected in the hall for the
duration of the event.
The exhibition was opened on 15 November 1894 with a grand affair as can be seen here. It
closed its doors again on 15 May 1895, just six months later.
Some days there were crowds of up to 5,000 people with special excursion trains laid
on from the north of the State, but the exhibition was not a financial success even though nearly
300,000 people attended. This view was taken from the top of the Exhibition building itself
The building of this vast temporary structure did help provide employment for many workers
at a time of economic depression and there were some moves to allow the concert hall
to remain, but in the end the whole thing was demolished. By 1896 the site had be restored
to near original condition.