Dawn Chambers, once an administrator for a radio carbon laboratory, now expert amateur historian, gave a fascinating history of the Mabey Road Hall. Section 55 of the Hutt Valley was bought by a John Standcliffe from the New Zealand Company in1840. It would have been covered in bush like the present day Barton's Bush at Trentham.
The land there was better. John's spinster daughter inherited the section and it remained in the family for generations. As early as 1854 a lodge was discussed but nothing eventuated. Much later a road linking to High Street was built and in 1914 a store and small public hall followed. In 1922 a public meeting was held by the local families to discuss the building of a public hall, a committee was formed, plans were drawn up and funds were raised.
A quarter acre section was purchased from the Mabey family for 50 pounds, and 515 pounds raised. A hall, THE hall, was built for 700 pounds and officially opened on 14 December 1922, run by a group of trustees. The first hirer was the Wellington Caledonian Society and the hall became the social centre used for weddings, clubs and dances until 1942 when the Reserve Bank leased it as a safe store for its records. It reopened as Avalon Community Hall in 1945 and the lease had produced enough money to pay off the mortgage and restore the hall for its original purpose. It is still run by a group of Trustees and is still maintained by the trustees and hired out to community groups.