The Narrandera Showground Industrial Hall is of state heritage significance as a rare example of a distinctive design of showground building.
It is the only surviving building of its design and type known to exist on a showground in New South Wales.
The Narrandera Showground Industrial Hall's distinctive and imposing character derives from its over-sized scale created by an octagonal form with a bell-shaped, domed roof and large, high set windows.
Internally, this building form (with its exposed ceiling structure) has created a remarkable, spacious and well-lit interior that served its exhibition function with excellence.
A surviving 1956 painted timber and glass display cabinet remains fitted to the eastern wall of the building.

The building design is representative of the Federation Free Classical style of architecture that was characterised by formal classicism with a playful quality and exemplified the stability and prosperity of its occupants.
A style that was mainly confined to large urban properties, its use in a small, timber rural structure is uncommon.

The Narrandera Showground Industrial Hall is of state heritage significance as surviving evidence of the resilience and capacity of a rural and regional community during a period of prolonged adversity.
Constructed in 1902, the hall was built during the worst year of the Federation Drought (1895-1903), the most protracted and severe drought to affect the eastern region of Australia since European settlement.
At a time when Australia's rural prospects were spiralling into a deep slump and rural communities were financially and emotionally devastated, the residents of Narrandera sought to celebrate their district, its people and the future prosperity of the region through the construction of the Narrandera Showground Industrial Hall.

Narrandera Showground Industrial Hall was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 10 August 2015 having satisfied the following criteria.

The place is important in demonstrating the course, or pattern, of cultural or natural history in New South Wales.

The Narrandera Showground Industrial Hall is of state heritage significance as surviving evidence of the resilience and capacity of a rural and regional community during a period of prolonged adversity.
Constructed in 1902, the hall was built during the worst year of the Federation Drought (1895-1903), the most protracted and severe drought to affect the eastern region of Australia since European settlement.
An economic and social catastrophe for Australia, the Federation Drought resulted in the decimation of rural communities, crops, livestock and the wider environment and landscape across the country.

At a time when Australia's rural prospects were spiralling into a deep slump, many farmers and rural communities simply walked away from their debts and the devastation of their drought-caused losses.
The people of Narrandera, however, sought to celebrate their district, its people and the anticipated future prosperity of the region through the construction of the Narrandera Showground Industrial Hall.
Constructed during the worst year of the drought and at a time when rural communities were financially and emotionally devastated, the unique and ambitious structure served to demonstrate the town's prosperity and aspirations and the community's positive outlook in the face of protracted drought.

The place has a strong or special association with a person, or group of persons, of importance of cultural or natural history of New South Wales's history.

The Narrandera Showground Industrial Hall has associations with founding members of the local community, in particular the Narrandera Pastoral and Agricultural Association.

The building also has local significance for its association with the regional architect Ernest Rees Laver.
Its design has been attributed to Laver who was a member of the Royal Victorian Institute of Architects and who worked for the Victorian Public Works Department in the 1880s before settling in Narrandera in 1893.

Laver was also responsible for the show
The Narrandera Showground Industrial Hall is of state heritage significance as a rare example of a distinctive design of showground building. It is the only surviving building of its design and type known to exist on a showground in New South Wales. The Narrandera Showground Industrial Hall's distinctive and imposing character derives from its over-sized scale created by an octagonal form with a bell-shaped, domed roof and large, high set windows. Internally, this building form (with its exposed ceiling structure) has created a remarkable, spacious and well-lit interior that served its exhibition function with excellence. A surviving 1956 painted timber and glass display cabinet remains fitted to the eastern wall of the building.
The building design is representative of the Federation Free Classical style of architecture that was characterised by formal classicism with a playful quality and exemplified the stability and prosperity of its occupants. A style that was mainly confined to large urban properties, its use in a small, timber rural structure is uncommon.
The Narrandera Showground Industrial Hall is of state heritage significance as surviving evidence of the resilience and capacity of a rural and regional community during a period of prolonged adversity. Constructed in 1902, the hall was built during the worst year of the Federation Drought (1895-1903), the most protracted and severe drought to affect the eastern region of Australia since European settlement. At a time when Australia's rural prospects were spiralling into a deep slump and rural communities were financially and emotionally devastated, the residents of Narrandera sought to celebrate their district, its people and the future prosperity of the region through the construction of the Narrandera Showground Industrial Hall.
Narrandera Showground Industrial Hall was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 10 August 2015 having satisfied the following criteria.
The place is important in demonstrating the course, or pattern, of cultural or natural history in New South Wales.
The Narrandera Showground Industrial Hall is of state heritage significance as surviving evidence of the resilience and capacity of a rural and regional community during a period of prolonged adversity. Constructed in 1902, the hall was built during the worst year of the Federation Drought (1895-1903), the most protracted and severe drought to affect the eastern region of Australia since European settlement. An economic and social catastrophe for Australia, the Federation Drought resulted in the decimation of rural communities, crops, livestock and the wider environment and landscape across the country.
At a time when Australia's rural prospects were spiralling into a deep slump, many farmers and rural communities simply walked away from their debts and the devastation of their drought-caused losses. The people of Narrandera, however, sought to celebrate their district, its people and the anticipated future prosperity of the region through the construction of the Narrandera Showground Industrial Hall. Constructed during the worst year of the drought and at a time when rural communities were financially and emotionally devastated, the unique and ambitious structure served to demonstrate the town's prosperity and aspirations and the community's positive outlook in the face of protracted drought.
The place has a strong or special association with a person, or group of persons, of importance of cultural or natural history of New South Wales's history.
The Narrandera Showground Industrial Hall has associations with founding members of the local community, in particular the Narrandera Pastoral and Agricultural Association.
The building also has local significance for its association with the regional architect Ernest Rees Laver. Its design has been attributed to Laver who was a member of the Royal Victorian Institute of Architects and who worked for the Victorian Public Works Department in the 1880s before settling in Narrandera in 1893.
Laver was also responsible for the show
Narrandera Showground Industrial Hall