Organ Closure for Renovations
The Barossa Regional Council recently announced exciting new building upgrade works for the Barossa Regional Gallery in Tanunda. These works will include the precinct around the Hall where the 1877 Hill and Son Grand Organ is located
This project will create a $13m+ cultural hub and creative industry precinct, in which the Organ will be an integral part. The goal is to make it a cultural beacon that showcases the heritage, culture and creative industries of the Barossa community on regional, national and international levels.
While this project is an exciting one for the Gallery and for the Barossa, it will unfortunately mean that the Hill & Son will be closed to the public for the duration of the works, which may commence as early as September 2024. We will provide more information as it comes to hand, but in the meantime, please click below to read more about the Cultural Hub project and how it aims to make the gallery a space for all (opens in a new site).
About us
From an idea to a reality.
The Hill & Son Grand Organ was built by the distinguished firm of Hill & Son, London, for the Adelaide Town Hall where it was opened to the public in 1877. This firm also exported organs for the town halls in Melbourne (1872) and Sydney (1890). The Adelaide organ was enlarged in 1885 and much was rebuilt and altered in 1970. Replaced with a new organ in 1989, it was removed from the Adelaide Town Hall and placed in storage, its fate uncertain.
The Organ Historical Trust of Australia (OHTA) expressed interest in the organ and was given possession by the Adelaide City Council on the condition that it be restored and located in South Australia. A home for the organ was negotiated with the then Tanunda Council, later to become the Barossa Council, in the Tanunda Soldiers Memorial Hall.
From the outset, lifelong professional master organ builder George Stephens was involved with the project. The very extensive restoration work took more than 15 years to complete, which included the reconstruction of the entire mechanical key and stop actions, the wind system, console and restoration of the wind chests, pipework and redecoration of the casework and pipes. Assistance was gained from numerous other professionals with much help also provided by volunteers.
This project represented the most extensive and accurate restoration of a late 19th century English concert organ yet attempted. The project has been assisted by many generous donations from charitable trusts, business organisations and individuals, as well as much valuable expertise and contributions in kind.
Join us on Wednesdays between 11:30am and 12pm for our ‘Tour, Talk and Taste’ presentation, where you can see, hear, and experience the Grand Organ for yourself! For more details, see the Events page.
For more information about the Hill & Son Grand Organ restoration and the Organ Historical Trust of Australia (OHTA), please visit the OHTA website at www.ohta.org.au.
Hill & Son Grand Organ Stops
GREAT 58 notes
1. Double Open Diapason 16 ft
2. Open Diapason 8 ft
3. Open Diapason no 2 8 ft
4. Stopped Diapason 8 ft
5. Principal 4 ft
6. Harmonic Flute 4 ft
7. Twelfth 3 ft
8. Fifteenth 2 ft
9. Full Mixture 3 ranks
10. Sharp Mixture 2 ranks
11. Posaune 8 ft
12. Clarion 4 ft
(i) Swell to Great Sub Octave
(ii) Swell to Great
(iii) Swell to Great Octave
CHOIR 58 notes
13. Cone Gamba 8 ft
14. Lieblich Gedact 8 ft
15. Dulciana 8 ft
16. Voix Celeste 8 ft
17. Gemshorn 4 ft
18. Lieblich Flute 4 ft
19. Flageolet 2 ft
20. Clarionet 8 ft
(iv) Swell to Choir
SWELL (enclosed) 58 notes
21. Lieblich Bourdon 16 ft
22. Open Diapason 8 ft
23. Hohl Flute 8 ft
24. Pierced Gamba 8 ft
25. Principal 4 ft
26. Rohr Flute 4 ft
27. Fifteenth 2 ft
28. Mixture 3 ranks
29. Double Trumpet 16 ft
30. Cornopean 8 ft
31. Oboe 8 ft
32. Clarion 4 ft
PEDAL 30 notes
33. Double Open Diapason 32 ft
34. Open Diapason 16 ft
35. Bourdon 16 ft
36. Violoncello 8 ft
37. Trombone 16 ft
(v) Great to Pedal
(vi) Swell to Pedal
(vii) Choir to Pedal
Image Gallery
Gallery Photographs by Kat Cameron.