Poowong Public Hall

The Poowong Hall, the third for the town, was built on this site in 1937. The previous two Halls were located at the Western end of the Main Street.

The room on the right housed the Town Library from 1937 to 1981.

As the hub of the town, the hall has relied on a very active committee of management.

In 1978 the foyer was renovated to include toilet facilities. Potatoes were grown and harvested for raising funds by the committee until 1987 when they donated the equipment to the Poowong Football Club.

Debutante Balls were regularly held with the last Debutante Ball organised by the committee held in 1987 and in October of that year a ball was held and a booklet documenting the hall’s history was launched to mark the 50th anniversary of its opening.

Other improvements made to the hall include ducted heating in 1989 , new kitchen facilities in 1991 ,an honour board dedicated to those who served in Vietnam was unveiled in 1996 and a verandah for the front of the building in 2000.

In February, 1977, a public meeting was held to decide whether to sell or display a Buckmaster painting donated by him to the people of Poowong in 1959. Titled “Goulburn River, Thornton”, it was decided to display the painting in the foyer of the hall from where it was stolen in December, 1994. Although valued at around $12,000 it was uninsurable due to its location.

A diamond jubilee 60th anniversary ball was held in October, 1997 and another event in 2022 for the 75th Anniversary.

Although the call for dances is dwindling, the hall still provides a venue for many functions and events. One of the more notable events was the annual “Mad Hatter’s Ball” organised by the “South Gippsland Canoe Club”. These nights really put Poowong on the map and, for over 10 years since 1981, hundreds of patrons from as far away as Melbourne and Yarram would converge to watch a variety of well-known bands and partake of “refreshments”. Hordes of interested spectators would gather outside and many of the patrons and visitors would camp out overnight anywhere they could.