About Castlemaine Fitness
Centre
We aim to achieve recognition as a quality Castlemaine health and fitness provider, ensuring everybody has the opportunity to be healthy. We want to encourage Castlemaine Fitness members to live well and achieve their fitness goals by supplying quality service and facilities to the Castlemaine community.
History
The Castlemaine Orderly Room was constructed in Lyttleton Street in 1888-9 after a decision was made to demolish the existing orderly room. In 1863 a site within the Public Purposes Reserve was gazetted for the use of the Castlemaine Rifle Corps, and in 1872 a brick orderly room was built. There was much opposition sixteen years later when it was decided to replace this substantial building with a larger, timber orderly hall, designed by the Public Works Department architect, S. Bindley, the architect in charge of the north-western district.
The Castlemaine Orderly Room contained a large drill hall with auxiliary offices, storerooms, and library along the east side. These functions are expressed externally in the massing of the building, with a large, double height section and an adjoining single storey section, and the use of corresponding large and small gables. The resulting character is picturesque and has been described as Elizabethan Domestic in style. Overhanging gable ends, containing collar ties and finials, are supported on timber brackets. The large gable ends of the main hall section contain timber infill panels with cut out lancet-shaped forms between timber posts, producing a half-timbered effect. Those of the smaller gables contain scroll-like carved panels. Pedimented window surrounds are notched at the sides, and sills are supported on brackets. Internally, the main hall contains exposed timber trusses and the floor was originally asphalted.
The orderly room was used by the army until 1969 when defence functions were transferred to Bendigo. The City of Castlemaine leased the building from this date and it was used by a number of organisations until its conversion to a swimming pool in 1990.
We thank and remember Antonio Lizzul (1931-2021) for his vision