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Similar Sir Henry Parkes Memorial, Bald Rock National Park, Tenterfield Saddler, Boonoo Boonoo National, Tenterfield railway station | ||
The Tenterfield School of Arts is a hall in the town of Tenterfield in New South Wales, Australia. It is notable as the place where Sir Henry Parkes delivered the Tenterfield Oration, a speech proposing that the six separate British colonies in Australia should unite into a single federation.
Map of Tenterfield School of Arts, 203 Rouse St, Tenterfield NSW 2372, Australia
The building was threatened with demolition in the 1950s, but was saved after an extended community campaign, which saw the formation of the National Trust of Australia. It was acquired by the Trust in 1957 and restored over the next few years. After being renamed the Sir Henry Parkes School of Arts, the building became the first museum operated by the Trust in Australia, containing a range of memorabilia related to the history of Federation and the local area. It is open to the public seven days a week.
A library, function centre, cinema and theatre are housed in the School of Arts building.
Sports organised by local school teacher Mr David Alexander Pike were held at the showground in September 1901 in aid of the fund to erect a memorial to the local bushmen lost in South Africa for the School of Arts . About 400 persons attended. The fund amounted to about 46 pounds.