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Hamer Hall
Interior from back of the stage
Former names	Melbourne Concert Hall
General information
Type	Concert hall
Location	Southbank, Victoria, Australia
Coordinates	37°49′13″S 144°58′6″E / 37.82028°S 144.96833°E / -37.82028; 144.96833
Construction started	1973; 51 years ago (1973)
Completed	1982; 42 years ago (1982)
Owner	Victorian Arts Centre Trust
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Roy Grounds and Company
Other designers	John Truscott
Main contractor	Baulderstone
Other information
Seating capacity	2,466
Website
Arts Centre Melbourne

Hamer Hall, formerly the Melbourne Concert Hall, is an Australian concert hall. The 2,466-seat hall, the largest indoor venue at the Arts Centre Melbourne, is mostly used for orchestral and contemporary music performances. It was designed by Roy Grounds as part of the cultural centre which comprised the National Gallery of Victoria and the Arts Centre Melbourne. It was opened as the Melbourne Concert Hall in 1982 (the theatres building opened in 1984) and was renamed Hamer Hall in honour of Sir Rupert Hamer (the 39th Premier of Victoria) shortly after his death in 2004.

2010 redevelopment

Construction on the A$136 million inside–out redevelopment of Hamer Hall was due to begin in 2010. The venue's redevelopment was the first stage of the Southbank Cultural Precinct Redevelopment and was delivered through an alliance between Arts Victoria, Major Projects Victoria, the Arts Centre, Ashton Raggatt McDougall and Baulderstone. The redevelopment included a new outlook to the city and new connections to central Melbourne, St Kilda Road and the Yarra River, new and expanded foyer spaces, improved amenities, new stairs, improved disability access, escalators and lifts as well as improved acoustics, new auditorium seating and staging systems.

The hall was reopened on 26 July 2012 with a Hamer Hall Opening Concert featuring Caroline O'Connor, k.d. lang, Eddie Perfect and Lior with a live orchestra. The project later won the AIA Melbourne Prize for the architects Ashton Raggatt McDougall for its overall contribution to the civic life of Melbourne.

Awards and nominations

Music Victoria Awards

The Music Victoria Awards are an annual awards night celebrating Victorian music. They commenced in 2006. The award for Best Venue was introduced in 2016.

See also

• Donald Laycock, Australian artist who painted the interior of Hamer Hall
• Melbourne Prize

References

1. "Our history | Arts Centre Melbourne". www.artscentremelbourne.com.au. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
2. Staff writer (17 November 2021). "From the Archives, 1963: A Concert Hall for Melbourne's Arts Centre". The Age. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
3. Gill, Raymond (13 July 2012). "It's showtime at Hamer Hall". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
4. "New Meyer Sound CAL Anchors Voice Announcement System at Melbourne's Hamer Hall". Meyer Sound. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
5. Arts Centre Melbourne website.
6. James, Erin. (5 June, 2012). 'Caroline O’Connor and k.d. lang among stars to sing at Hamer Hall re-opening'. aussietheatre.com.au website.
7. O'Connor, Caroline. (26 July 2012). How Lucky Can You Get?. Hamer Hall, Melbourne. YouTube.
8. "Previous Nominess". Music Victoria. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
9. "Previous Winners". Music Victoria. Archived from the original on 31 July 2019. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
10. "Music Victoria Awards Reveals Line-up And Nominees for 2021". Noise11. 11 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
11. "Music Victoria Awards 2021 Winners". scenestr.com.au. 9 December 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2021.

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• Music venues in Melbourne
• Concert halls in Australia
• Music venues completed in 1982
• 1982 establishments in Australia
• Landmarks in Melbourne
• Buildings and structures in the City of Melbourne (LGA)
• Southbank, Victoria
• Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
• Victoria (state) building and structure stubs