Malachi Gilmore Memorial Hall

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Malachi Gilmore Memorial Hall is a heritage-listed former cinema and dance hall in Oberon, New South Wales, now a multi-use arts space. It sits at 124 Oberon Street and was built between 1936 and 1937 for the local Catholic Church on land donated by the Gilmore family.

Designed by Bolton Millane or Virgil Cizzio of Agabiti & Millane and built by H. A. Taylor, the hall opened on 22 February 1937 with a capacity of about 500 people. In the 1950s it was also known as the Magna Theatre. For decades it was a center of film, dances, balls, civic events and amateur theatre, playing a key social role in Oberon.

The hall changed hands several times. In 1964 the Catholic Church offered it to the council, which declined. Long-time lessee Herb David later bought the hall and renamed it Magna Theatre. In 1985 Betta Wool purchased the building and used the front part as an arts shop while using the rest for wool storage. The façade was restored in 1987, earning a heritage award.

In 2017–19 the building underwent a major restoration, funded by the New South Wales Government, and reopened in 2019 as a multi-use arts space. The hall remains a prominent landmark in Oberon’s main street.

Architecture-wise, Malachi Gilmore Memorial Hall is a notable example of Inter-war Art Deco in regional New South Wales. Its striking curved façade, glass bricks and stepped skyline create a strong streetscape, while the interior features plasterwork and a large, plain main hall behind the decorative front. Although some internal changes were made in the 1980s, the exterior and much of its historical character have been preserved.

Heritage significance has been recognized through listing on the NSW State Heritage Register on 5 December 2003, as well as recognition by local and national heritage authorities for its architectural design and its important social history in Oberon from 1937 to 1977.