Avonleigh, Rockhampton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Avonleigh, Rockhampton |
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Avonleigh, 1997
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| Location | 248 Quay Street, Rockhampton, Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1870s - 1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | 1885 |
| Official name: Avonleigh | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600813 |
| Significant period | 1880s, 1900s early (fabric) 1880s-1930s (historical, social) |
| Significant components | carving, residential accommodation - main house, theatre - operating |
| Builders | Robert Cousins & Walter Lawson |
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Avonleigh is a historic house located at 248 Quay Street in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia. It was built in 1885 by Robert Cousins and Walter Lawson. This beautiful building is an important part of Rockhampton's history. It has been listed on the Queensland Heritage Register since 1992.
Contents
A Home Built from Gold
Avonleigh was built in late 1885 for Frederick Augustus Morgan. He was one of the brothers who started gold mining at Mount Morgan in 1882. The house was built by Robert Cousins and Walter Lawson.
Quay Street in Rockhampton was mostly filled with large business buildings from the 1800s. Avonleigh was one of the few grand homes built there. Its construction showed the great wealth that the Mount Morgan Gold rush brought to Rockhampton.
Before Avonleigh, an old hotel called the Clarence & Eagle Hotel stood on this spot. It was built in 1861. The hotel closed down in the 1870s.
Fred Morgan bought the land in 1883. He had moved to Rockhampton in 1879 to manage another hotel. His brothers joined him, and they began mining for gold at Mount Morgan.
By 1884, Fred Morgan had sold all his shares in the gold mine. The building of Avonleigh happened around the same time he sold his shares. Even after leaving the gold mine, Fred Morgan remained an important person in Rockhampton. He was even the Mayor of Rockhampton from 1891 to 1893. He passed away at Avonleigh in November 1894.
The house originally had four rooms, two upstairs and two downstairs. It had a wide verandah all around it and a central hall with a cedar staircase. The outside walls were made of red brick with special stone details. It cost a lot of money to build, showing how grand it was.
After Fred Morgan's death, his wife Mary owned the property. Later, it was passed to their son, Frederick George Morgan. By 1904, the house was owned by John Henry O'Brien. At one point before 1906, it was even used as a boarding house.
From Home to Hospital
In April 1906, Dr. Daniel Patrick O'Brien bought Avonleigh to turn it into a private hospital. Dr. O'Brien was a well-known doctor in Rockhampton. He was the Government Medical Officer and president of the local Medical Association.
Around 1906, additions were made to the building. After these changes, the hospital had eight bedrooms and an operating room upstairs. Downstairs, there were waiting rooms, consulting rooms, and rooms for nurses. Dr. O'Brien lived in apartments next to the hospital section. The inside walls were smooth and shiny, and the ceilings had special "artistic plaster" that helped keep the heat out. Some of these ceilings still have decorative cherubs (small angels) on them.
By 1930, Dr. O'Brien opened another hospital, but he continued to live and work at Avonleigh until 1938. Then, he leased the building to another doctor, Dr. VTJ Lynch, who used it as a surgery and home. After Dr. O'Brien passed away in 1941, his wife Elizabeth became the owner.
In 1947, William James Hinton, who ran a transport business, bought Avonleigh. He used part of the ground floor as a warehouse. It was likely during this time that the original cedar stairs inside were removed. New stairs were put outside, and some structures at the back were taken down.
In 1962, a company called John Headrick & Co bought Avonleigh. They wanted to use the empty land at the back for parking. The City Council asked them to build two sets of stairs at the back of the building. This was so each upstairs apartment would have a fire escape.
From 1969, part of the first floor was used as an art gallery called "Gallery Up Top." The main entrance door for the gallery was changed to make it stand out more.
In 1978, the current owners bought Avonleigh. Since then, the ground floor has been used for doctor's surgeries and other business offices. The first floor has two residential apartments.
What Avonleigh Looks Like
Avonleigh is a two-story building with a curved, corrugated iron roof. It faces Quay Street and looks out over the Fitzroy River. You can also access the back of the building from Quay Lane. The building is made of brick with special sandstone details, all painted.
The building has a two-story verandah (a covered porch) facing Quay Street. This verandah wraps around the side of the building. It has decorative cast iron columns, brackets, and railings. The ground floor has a stone base supporting the columns and railing. There are two main openings on the ground floor verandah. One leads to the original main entrance, and the other to a newer part of the building.
A timber staircase has been added in the middle of the verandah. The original main entrance has a timber door with an arched glass window above it and glass panels on the sides. Above the door, there's a carved stone showing a lion's head. Next to this entrance are French doors with arched windows and timber shutters. The northern end of the building has another entrance door and French doors, both with arched windows. Above these, there's a carved stone showing an arm holding a sword.
The first floor verandah has been partly enclosed with glass windows and timber screens. French doors open onto this verandah.
At the back of the building, there are two brick chimneys. The rear of the building also has an enclosed verandah on the first floor. Two timber stairs lead up to the first-floor apartments from the back. The ground floor has a small addition at the northern end, used as a kitchenette.
Inside, the building has smooth walls and beautiful cedar wood details around doors and windows. The northern office on the ground floor has decorative plaster ceilings with cherubs in the main rooms. The northern entrance leads to a reception area. Another large room next to the reception has French doors with colorful glass.
The southern office on the ground floor has two large rooms on either side of a wide entrance area. This area originally had a cedar staircase. One room has a fireplace with a painted timber frame, and the other has a fireplace with a marble frame.
The first-floor northern apartment also has decorative plaster ceilings with cherubs. The back verandah has been enclosed to create kitchen and bathroom areas. The southern apartment has two large rooms with timber ceilings. One room has a painted timber fireplace, and the other has a marble fireplace. The back verandah here is also enclosed for a kitchen and bathroom.
At the very back of the property, there is a car parking area that can be reached from Quay Lane.
Why Avonleigh is Important
Avonleigh was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register in 1992 because it meets several important criteria:
- It shows how Queensland's history developed.
Avonleigh is part of the historic Quay Street area, known for its grand 19th-century buildings. Built in 1885, it was one of the few homes in a street mostly filled with businesses. It shows the wealth that came to Rockhampton during the Mount Morgan gold rush, which started in 1882.
- It is beautiful and well-designed.
Avonleigh's design, size, and materials make it a strong and beautiful part of Quay Street and Rockhampton's overall look. Its decorative cast iron verandahs highlight the 1800s style of the street. The building also has lovely interior materials and finishes, showing excellent craftsmanship.
- It has a special connection to the community.
Avonleigh is important to the people of Rockhampton because it's part of the historic Quay Street. This street is closely linked to the city's image. When Avonleigh became one of Rockhampton's first private hospitals in 1906, and later a medical surgery, it gained a special connection with the local community as a long-standing medical center.
- It is linked to important people in Queensland's history.
Avonleigh has a special connection to Frederick Morgan. He and his brothers started gold mining at Mount Morgan in 1882. Avonleigh was built as his home in 1885 after he sold his shares in the mine. So, the house shows the early success of the Mount Morgan Mines.
Images for kids
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Avonleigh, 1997
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