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Located in the inner-city Fitzroy district on Brunswick Street, nearby to Victoria Parade. The building was originally a shoe & boot factory, built in 1873 for the Exhibition Boot Company.

It was remodeled to the plans of architectural firm Reed, Tappin & Smart in 1903, and was given a dignified Classic style facade. The hall was decorated with elaborate plasterwork in a German Renaissance style. Opening on April 10, 1904 as the Cathedral Hall it could accommodate 1,100 in orchestra and balcony levels.

The hall was used for social events, dances and boxing matches for several decades. By 1968 it had been taken over by the Cosmopolitan Motion Pictures chain and was screening Greek films. It is not known when it closed on films, but operated as the Central Hall in the 1970’s.

In recent years is has reverted back to the Cathedral Hall name and has been taken over by the Australian Catholic University(ACU) and is used as the Mary Glowrey Museum and for many ACU theatrical events.

It underwent a restoration in the early-2000’s and was added to the Victorian Heritage Register in 2003.

Contributed by Greg Lynch -