A historic war memorial museum in the Southern Tablelands city of Goulburn will soon have a new-look extension, after its design by Crone Architects secured development approval.
The new wing of the Rocky Hill Memorial Museum will be covered in native grasses and framed by textured concrete and giant mirrors.
It will sit below the memorial itself – a “rough and rugged” tower rising twenty metres above the peak of Rocky Hill – and expand on the existing museum, a former caretaker’s cottage.
Crone Architects’ senior associate Ashley Dennis said the new building will complement the existing memorial tower and respond to the rugged terrain.
“We have incorporated mirrored cladding elements to reflect the surrounding landscape whilst signifying the precinct as a place of reflection, while the textured concrete structure is a contemporary interpretation of the memorial tower,” he said.
The Rocky Hill Memorial was erected in 1925 as a tribute to the men and women of Goulburn who died during World War I. On its official opening the Goulburn Evening Penny Post reported that it was generally determined as the “finest memorial in Australia.”
“The architect, Mr E. C. Manfred, had designed a tower which, rough and rugged in its beauty, conformed to the surrounding hill whereon it stood and which reminded them of the sturdy bravery of our illustrious soldiers,” the paper reported.
The expansion project received a $1.25 million grant from the federal government’s Building Better Regions fund in 2017, which will be matched by the Goulburn Mulwaree Council. It will provide 230 square metres of flexible and adaptable space to exhibit permanent and travelling collections of war memorabilia and hold educational programs.
Goulburn Mulwaree mayor Bob Kirk said the project would be a boon for the local economy.
“The concept plans do a fantastic job in fitting in with the unique landscape of Rocky Hill, whilst also blending in modern elements and finishes,” he said. “Around 25,000 people visit our Rocky Hill War Memorial Museum each year and the concept for expansion would allow us to accommodate further touring groups, as well as attract touring exhibitions – in turn further lifting visitation numbers and the economic benefits for the region.”
Construction of the extension will begin this year.
