![]() ![]() When ‘Montana’ was sold in 2001, the trustees of the O C Hearne Estate were prevailed upon by 'Alan' Glover (1923-2017), son-in-law of the late O C Hearne, to offer the organ as a gift to the Geelong College. It was the first private residence organ in Australia to be broadcast, in 1930 over Victorian ABC radio station 3LO.ĭuring the Second World War, concerts to raise funds for Red Cross and other causes were held at the house, the organ being the focal point as both solo instrument and accompaniment. All who played and heard it remarked on its tonal beauty. Wurlitzer Organ, 2011.The organ gave pleasure to the many who played it at ‘Montana’, including distinguished organists such as Dr A E Floyd and William (later Sir William) McKie, who went on to become the organist at Westminster Abbey. At the time, the Geelong Advertiser claimed that the organ was the first to be erected in a private house in Australia' An electro-pneumatic Wurltizer pipe organ was purchased from William Crowle, Elizabeth Bay, Sydney, Wurlitzer's Australian agent. In 1928, he engaged the Geelong architect, Fred Purnell, to design the organ loft on the south side. The Victorian Heritage Database described the acquisition 'An organist, Oswald Hearne's dream was to own a home with an organ chamber. ![]() This particular organ served its demonstration purpose in Sydney until 1928 when it was purchased by manufacturing pharmacist, Oswald C Hearne (1880-1950), a well-known Geelong citizen, for installation in his home ‘Montana’, The Esplanade Geelong, where it remained for the next fifty-three years. They were more expensive than others of comparable size because of their very high level of construction (for example all contacts were in sterling silver) and finish. Eventually they were sent to every English-speaking country as well as the Continent and one to Japan. It was the first Wurlitzer to be exported anywhere overseas and remains one of the two or three oldest existing organs made by this company which produced over 2,000 pipe organs. Installed in the 'George Logie Smith Auditorium' of the Keith Humble Centre for Music and the Performing Arts, this pipe organ is a unique musical instrument, classified by the National Trust (Victoria) in 1992.īuilt in 1917 by the Rudolph Wurlitzer Company of America, it came to Australia in 1921 as their demonstration organ for this country. ![]() Listen to The Wurlitzer Theatre Organ played by Tony Fenelon See Also the Chapel Organ in the Geelong College Chapel. ![]()
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