The St George’s Convent School, today the Coromandel Citizen’s Hall, was built in 1897 at the request and with the support and funding of the Catholic Community of Coromandel and the parish priest Father Egan. The school officially opened at the beginning of 1898. It is one of the oldest, original buildings in the township and the only surviving Catholic school structure in the area.

 

The RSA / Coromandel Citizen’s hall is a modest building. It is similar to other schools of its period. In its original form, the building was a simple hall space with entrances on the North, East and West sides. It served the community of Coromandel township and the nearby district. The original hall space has remained reasonably intact. The building has never been shifted or moved. It has been altered and added to and the original gabled entryways have been removed. Lean-to additions have been made to the hall to 7 create the toilet and kitchen facility at the back and later, RSA clubrooms with a lounge, kitchen and toilet facilities on the Eastern side. The building is in regular use and for its 107 year history of use, wear and tear, is still in remarkably good form.

 

The St George’s Convent School embodied the practice and philosophy of the Catholic system of education. It was the focus for the children of the Catholic community of Coromandel township and the surrounding area for over forty years. Most older members of the Catholic community in Coromandel today were taught in the St George’s school. The school passed into private ownership in the early 1940’s and was sold to the Coromandel branch of the RSA in 1951. The RSA negotiated an arrangement with the then Coromandel District Council for public use of the hall. In 1965 the RSA gave the building to the Coromandel District Council. From 1951 to the present day the building has housed the meeting rooms of the Coromandel Branch of the RSA, The RSA have a right to use the kitchen and the hall and continue to do so on regular occasions.