Built in 1926, the hall quickly became the epicentre of Kotta.
Though simply constructed, with no ceiling lining, timber boards extending four feet up the walls and kerosene lanterns as lighting, it grew with the community, including a 12-foot extension in 1965 to accommodate a booming local badminton scene.
And despite this low-budget beginning, the hall has survived changes in farming, transport, floods and the relentless passage of time.
In its early decades, dances were held every fortnight, and through the years, the hall has hosted town meetings, markets, children’s lessons, milestone birthdays, weddings and the annual community Christmas tree tradition which continues to this day.
Beyond the timber and tin, the decades of repairs and renovations, it is the connection to community which gives the hall its heart.
“When we were kids, the memories you get from having a hall like this at Christmas tree events and functions that stay with you,” Kotta Hall Committee member Mandy Hardess said.
“You really appreciate a place like this where your families can gather and create memories to have for a lifetime,” she said.
The centenary weekend celebrations kick off on Friday, October 9 at 6.30pm with a barbecue and bush dance, featuring live music from the Billabong Bushies Band.
Saturday, October 10 marks the main celebration day, where the hall will open from 11.30am for people to explore historical displays and photographs, followed by lunch at 12.30pm, with official formalities and a cake cutting beginning at 1.30pm.
