Sir Henry Parkes Memorial School of Arts

New South Wales


This beautifully restored hall, built for the Tenterfield School of Arts in 1876, now houses an interesting museum to Sir Henry Parkes, Australia's 'Father of Federation'. Decked out with colonial-era flags and gleaming wood, it's notable as the place where Parkes delivered the 1889 Tenterfield Oration, proposing the federation of the six separate British colonies in Australia. Aside from 50-odd artefacts relating to Parkes, there's a library, cinema and courtyard cafe (mains $15).


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