Stonnington City Centre

Malvern Town Hall is the former town hall of the municipality of Malvern in the state of Victoria, Australia. It is the seat of the local government area of the City of Stonnington.

The Second Empire and Italianate style Victorian era building is located on the northeast corner of Glenferrie Road and High Street, in Malvern.

Planning for a Shire Hall in the Gardiner Road District commenced as early as 1867. In 1878 land at the corner of High Street and Glenferrie Road was reserved for a Shire Hall, Court House and Library. Two years later, the estimated cost of erecting a building comprising a Shire Hall, Municipal, Post and Telegraph Offices, Library and Reading Room was £4,000. The Council considered the Shire could not afford to pay such a sum, and the members were against borrowing the money. In August, 1884, the proposal was again considered, and in November, the Council decided to float a loan of £5,000 for the purpose of building a Shire Hall.

A Shire Hall Committee was formed and submitted a proposal to Council which included a hall capable of holding 400 people, Court House, rooms for a Magistrate, Clerk of Petty Sessions, Shire Secretary, a Public Reading Room and Library. Plans drawn up by Architects Wilson and Beswicke were accepted by Council and the total cost of the new building was £8,651.

The foundation stone of the Malvern Shire Hall was laid by the Hon. Alfred Deakin, the Minister of Public Works, on 22 September 1885. The Councillors and a representative gathering of residents watched the ceremony. A casket, containing copies of Melbourne newspapers of the day was deposited in a cavity beneath the foundation stone. Shire President, Councillor Robert G Benson invited all those present to a luncheon in a marquee on the adjacent Malvern Cricket Ground.

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