Kalgoorlie Miner Building to have interim heritage listing

9/7/97

The home of Kalgoorlie journalism for nearly a century is to be placed on the interim register of heritage places, Heritage Minister Graham Kierath said.

Mr Kierath said the impressive turn-of-the-century Kalgoorlie Miner Building in Hannan Street would be placed on the Heritage Council of Western Australia's register.

"The building has a long association with Goldfield newspapers and its construction is also closely linked to the rapid population growth of the eastern Goldfields following the gold boom of the 1890s," he said.

"Its style is a demonstration of the increasing prosperity and sophistication of Kalgoorlie, and WA, at the time."

The building was constructed in 1900 to provide more office and production space for the expanding Kalgoorlie Miner newspaper.

Its founder, Sidney Hocking, had a long association with newspapers. Born in Adelaide, he arrived in Coolgardie in 1893 and sent articles to the Adelaide Advertiser and Register and the Melbourne Age and Argus.

With partner James MacCallum Smith, he floated a company to publish the weekly Goldfields Courier and the daily Golden Age.

With the growing importance of Kalgoorlie as a gold mining centre, Hocking sold the Coolgardie company in 1895 and bought the Kalgoorlie Western Argus. Later that year the first issue of the Kalgoorlie Miner was published as a daily, four-page paper at a cost of tuppence.

Hocking was a promine nt Kalgoorlie citizen, serving on the Kalgoorlie Municipal Council and becoming mayor in 1909. For many years he was the chairman of the Kalgoorlie Racing Club and president of the Kalgoorlie Chamber of Commerce.

Mr Kierath said the company quickly outgrew its original premises and plans were drawn for the new building by architect Harvey Draper.

The Kalgoorlie Miner Building was completed in 1900 and by March the next year newspapers were being produced from the new premises on new printing equipment.

The Minister said the Federation Free Classical style of the building was common throughout WA during the gold boom.

The building was prominent along Hannan Street, with a facade treatment of painted and cement relief work. It contributed to the visual character of the street with its verandah over the pavement and parapet.

After the death of Mr Hocking in 1935, the Kalgoorlie Miner was run by his four sons, Sidney, Ernest, Percy and Joe.

In April 1970, ownership passed to West Australian Newspapers Ltd.

The rotary press and some of the linotypes remained in use till 1976 when the paper was printed in Perth.

Mr Kierath said the building was in good condition and was still used as the headquarters for the only daily Goldfields paper.

"The Miner Building has been a longstanding landmark in Hannan Street and a symbol of Kalgoorlie's importance and development and as such, deserves protection under the State's heritage laws," he said.

Media contact: Steve Manchee (08) 9481 2133