The original School of Arts Hall was dedicated as a Mechanics Institute and a Certificate of Title issued in favour of five local Trustees on 20 March 1912.

 

The first trustees and those who followed were all deceased in 2005 and the hall in a very rundown state. It was at this time that members of the Perthville Community came together and formed the Perthville Development Group Inc (PDGI) with the intention of determining the course of action in appointing new trustees and the future use and management of the hall.

 

After numerous meetings, the PDGI recommended Bathurst Regional Council be appointed as Trustee of the Hall. Council accepted the role of Trustee and were elected into the position at a community meeting held on Tuesday 18th October, 2005.

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This meant that Council assumed liability for the property and would support the group with grant applications for a rebuild and assist in making the property safe. The PDGI were responsible for management of the property.

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The committee later changed the name of the Group to Perthville Neighbourhood Group as the group sounded like a land developer rather than a community organisation however the Group is known as The Perthville Development Group for legal purposes due to the costs involved in changing it officially.