‘A hall for all … forging real bonds between town and gown, between the University and the community it serves.’ Former UQ Vice-Chancellor Sir Fred Schonell, 1960
The University of Queensland’s Mayne Hall served as a much-loved centre for performances, graduations, community and university life for decades until the early 2000s. In this lively and timely history of an iconic building, Peter Roennfeldt captures the story of Mayne Hall from its genesis as a ‘great hall’ through to its roles as a major performance auditorium for all of Brisbane, and occasionally as a forum for debate and protest.
Mayne Hall’s award-winning modernist design by the celebrated architect Robin Gibson made a statement from its opening in 1973. Over the following decades, it had many roles, from a ceremonial hall for the University to a concert venue that hosted everything from international celebrities to local school music concerts. This striking building provided a hub for community and created lasting memories for the tens of thousands of people who passed through its doors and enjoyed its offerings.
Illustrated throughout with many previously unpublished images and featuring a selection of first-hand interviews, A Hall for All celebrates a building that remains an important piece of Queensland’s cultural heritage and a landmark for The University of Queensland in its current life as a vibrant art museum.
