Newcastle City Hall (Australia) Centre in 1977, though the council chambers remain. The clock tower suffered some damage as a result of the 1989 Newcastle earthquake, however this was subsequently repaired. Together with the Newcastle Civic Theatre, each site is, individually, of state heritage significance, and they are listed jointly on the New South Wales State Heritage Register as the Newcastle City Hall and Civic Theatre Precinct. Local Government began in Newcastle in 1843 with the Newcastle District Council. This body, however, was not embraced by locals and Councillors were often appointed by the Government as no nominations had been received. When the Municipalities
Newcastle City Hall (Australia) were used in one area at the base of the tower. Existing overhead high tension mains in the vicinity of the site were put underground to allow an unimpeded view of the Town Hall, and a substation constructed to the west of the building. The foundation stone was laid on April 20, 1928 by the Governor Sir Dudley de Chair, who travelled by train to Newcastle. He described the people of Newcastle as industrious and enterprising and declared the Town Hall "one of the noblest structures of the kind which has been erected in the State". He then laid the