Walter Hunt (architect) explained

Walter Hunt (1870 – 3 May 1940) was an architect in Australia. A number of his works are now heritage-listed.

Early life

Walter Hunt was born in Kiama, New South Wales in 1870, the youngest son of George Hunt. He trained as an architect in New South Wales.^[1]

In 1896 and 1897, he was an alderman in the Kiama Municipal Council and was involved in establishing the town's water supply.

Architectural career

From 1902 he was a Fellow of the Institute of Architects New South Wales and from 1912 a Fellow of the Queensland Institute of Architects. He practised as an architect in Charters Towers from 1899-1910.^{[2] [3]}

In 1911 Hunt formed a partnership with Charles Dalton Lynch called CD Lynch and Walter Hunt, Architects, Northern Queensland, located in Townsville. During that partnership the firm undertook diverse projects.^{[4] [5] [6] [7]} Hunt practised as an architect and surveyor in Townsville from 1921 to 1931 and from 1923 taught architecture at Townsville Technical College. With his son, Maurice, Hunt operated Maurice and Walter Hunt, Architects, Townville from 1931.

Later life

Hunt retired to Sydney in 1932.^[8] He died on 3 May 1940 in Sydney.

Works

Buildings designed by Walter Hunt included:

• Grand Hotel, Kiama
• Ambulance Building, Charters Towers
• Charters Towers Swimming Baths (1900)
• Commonwealth Fountain in Lissner Park, Charters Towers (1900)
• the 1901 extension to the ED Miles Mining Exchange, Charters Towers ^[9]

Buildings designed by C D Lynch and Walter Hunt, Architects, Northern Queensland included:

• the Bank of New South Wales, Hughenden
• a school at Cloncurry for the Father Murtagh
• the North Queensland Newspaper Co. office, Flinders Street, Townsville (1912)
• Paramount Picture Theatre, Townsville (1917)
• Waterside Workers Hall, South Townsville
• St Joseph's Church, North Ward, Townsville, (1921)^[10]
• the residence "Sellhurst", Cleveland Terrace, Townsville (1919)^[11]
• Dalgety & Co, Sturt Street, Townsville (1924–25)^[12]
• St Alban's Rectory, Innisfail.

Notes and References

1. News: Obituary.. 22 May 1940. The Kiama Reporter And Illawarra Journal. 23 December 2017. New South Wales, Australia. 4. National Library of Australia.
2. Northern Miner, 28 September 1901, p.2 cited by QHR602801 ED Miles Mining Exchange (former), Charters Towers
3. Michael Brumby, "Finding Walter Hunt", National Trust of Queensland Bulletin, February 1999, p. 5.
4. "Notes and News Architects Amalgamate", Cairns Post, 4 July 1910, p. 4
5. "Tenders" The Northern Miner, 2 September 1911, p. 1; "Tenders", Cairns Post, 19 December 1911, p. 4
6. "Tenders", Townsville Daily Bulletin, 7 January 1914, p.1
7. Brumby, "A History of the Former Ambulance Building, Charters Towers", pp. 30-31.
8. Donald Watson and Judith McKay, A Directory of Queensland Architects to 1940, Fryer Memorial Library Occasional Publication No. 5, University of Queensland Library, St Lucia, 1984, p. 111.
9. 1 August 2014.
10. 1 August 2014.
11. 1 August 2014.
12. 1 August 2014.