Balmoral Fire Station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Balmoral Fire Station |
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Residence in 2015
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| Location | 105 Pashen Street, Morningside, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1919–1930s (interwar period) |
| Built | c. 1926 – 1929 |
| Architect | Atkinson and Conrad |
| Official name: Balmoral Fire Station | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 26 November 1999 |
| Reference no. | 601530 |
| Significant period | 1926-1927, 1929, c. 1942 (fabric) |
| Significant components | watch room, recreation area/room/building/hall/centre, driveway, tennis court, shed/s, engine room / appliance bay (fire station), air raid shelter, dormitory |
| Builders | C. King |
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The Balmoral Fire Station is a special historic building located at 105 Pashen Street in Morningside, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by famous architects Atkinson and Conrad. The building was constructed between about 1926 and 1929 by C. King. Today, it is recognized as an important part of Queensland's history and is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register.
Contents
History of the Balmoral Fire Station
The Balmoral Fire Station, a unique timber building, officially opened its doors on March 15, 1927. It was designed by the architectural firm Atkinson and Conrad.
Early Fire Services in Brisbane
For many years, it was hard to create a good fire fighting service in Brisbane. Between 1860 and 1868, there were five attempts to start a fire brigade. These early groups struggled because they didn't have enough money or good equipment. They also had trouble finding a reliable water supply.
Things started to improve in 1868. A group called the City Volunteer Fire Brigade was formed. They had better rules for managing money and operations. The Fire Brigades Act of 1881 made these arrangements even stronger. This law said that the fire brigade would get money from the Queensland State Government, the Brisbane Municipal Council, insurance companies, and public donations.
In 1889, the first full-time firefighters were hired, and a permanent fire brigade was finally established. A new main fire station was built in 1890. This building was designed by H.W. Atkinson, who later became part of Atkinson and Conrad. This marked the beginning of a long connection between the fire brigade and Atkinson's architectural firms.
Growth and Centralization
As Brisbane grew, so did the need for more fire services. After a new law in 1902, many local areas started their own volunteer fire brigades. Only the superintendent and their main helpers received a salary.
In 1920, another important law was passed. This law brought all the fire brigades in Brisbane and its suburbs under one main control. This new group was called the Metropolitan Fire Brigades Board, and it started in 1921.
Building the Balmoral Fire Station
People in Balmoral first thought about building a fire station in the early 1920s. A group of local residents asked the Chief Officer of the Fire Brigade, Mr. Hinton, about the costs. At first, the idea was too expensive. However, as the suburb continued to grow, a fire station became a real necessity.
A piece of land was bought for the fire station. It stretched from Pashen Street to Stephens Street. From June 30, 1925, an existing house and other small buildings on the land were used as a temporary fire station. This continued until the new, specially built station opened in March 1927.
Architects Atkinson and Conrad finished the plans for the new timber fire station on November 12, 1926. Companies were invited to bid on the construction. W.B. Linsay's bid of 850 Australian pounds was accepted.
The design of the new building included a central engine room. This room had a deep pit and a ramp leading to it from the street for the fire trucks. The station also had a watch room, a dormitory (where firefighters slept), a workshop, a kitchen, a recreation room, and a bathroom. The building had strong concrete foundations. The outside walls were made of hardwood weatherboards, and the roof was made of galvanized iron. A small timber toilet building was also built at the back.
The Balmoral Fire Station officially opened on March 15, 1927. Albert Wright, a local politician and member of the Fire Brigade Board, led the opening ceremony. Many local residents and firefighters attended. The building was described as "neat, built of wood with a concrete base, 42 feet long and 37 feet wide." The final cost was 900 Australian pounds. Two permanent firefighters and four part-time auxiliary staff worked at the station.
More additions were made to the fire station in 1929. These were designed by architect S.W. Prior, and C. King was the builder.
World War II and Beyond
During World War II, a brick air raid shelter was built behind the fire station. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Australians worried about air raids and invasion. Instructions were given to build shelters everywhere. The shelter at Balmoral Fire Station was a "pill box" type, built by the government for the firefighters. It could protect about six adults.
A tennis court was also built on the property. It was used for activities by the local Fireman's Recreation Club.
In 2002, it was decided that the Balmoral Fire Station was too old for modern fire service needs. A new location was found for a more up-to-date station. The old fire station was then sold and turned into a private home. It was sold again in April 2014 for $615,000. The historic air raid shelter is still part of the property today.
What the Balmoral Fire Station Looks Like
The Balmoral Fire Station is located on Pashen Street in Balmoral. The property includes the main fire station building, a grassy area for drying hoses, an old air raid shelter, and a clay tennis court.
The Main Building
The station building is a single-story timber structure, about 12 meters long and 11 meters wide. It stands on concrete foundations and brick supports. From the street, it looks balanced and has a simple gable roof that runs along the length of the building. The outside walls are covered with timber weatherboards, and the roof is made of galvanized iron. Some western windows now have modern aluminum louvre shades.
Inside, the building is designed around a central engine room. This large space is the main part of the building and has direct access to Pashen Street through a big automated door. On either side of the engine room are smaller rooms. These include a watch room, a dormitory, an officer's room (which used to be a workshop), a kitchen, a recreation room, and bathrooms. These smaller rooms have walls and floors made of tongue and groove pine boards. The central engine room floor is a bit lower than the side rooms. Small concrete steps lead into these side areas. There are also drainage pipes in the steps to keep the central area dry. A small locker room is built at the back of the engine room.
Outside Areas
The area between the station and the front street is fully concreted. This hard surface is used as a driveway for fire trucks and also for parking cars. Concrete paths and drains run around the outside of the station.
To the west of the station building is a grassy area. This space was used for drying fire hoses. It has a simple concrete and steel fence along the Pashen Street boundary.
At the back of the station, on the eastern side, is the brick-walled and concrete-roofed air raid shelter. This is a "pill box" type shelter. Except for a new window that was cut into one wall, the shelter is very much like it was originally. It is now used for storage.
Also at the back of the property, on a higher level than the station building, is a clay tennis court. The original walls around the court have been replaced with interlocking landscape blocks, which are planted with strawberry creepers. The court is surrounded by a mix of chain wire fencing and timber battens. On the eastern side of the tennis court, there is a small timber shed. Overall, the grounds are very well kept.
Why Balmoral Fire Station is Important
The Balmoral Fire Station was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on November 26, 1999. This means it's recognized as a very important historical site for several reasons.
Showing Queensland's History
The Balmoral Fire Station helps us understand how the Balmoral area grew and developed in the 1920s. The air raid shelter at the back of the station is also very important. It shows Australia's involvement in World War II. It reminds us of the fear of attack and invasion that people felt after the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941.
A Rare Part of Our Heritage
The Balmoral Fire Station is special because it's one of the few fire stations from the 1920s in Brisbane that is still mostly original. Both the outside and inside of the building are very well preserved.
The air raid shelter is also rare. It's one of the few structures built in Brisbane during the war specifically for wartime use that still exists today. While many war memorials were built after the war, air raid shelters are unique because they were built during the war. This particular shelter is also a rare example of a shelter built by the Queensland Government.
A Typical Fire Station Design
The Balmoral Fire Station shows us what a suburban fire station from the early 20th century typically looked like. It has all the main features you would expect from that time.
Beautiful and Functional Design
The Balmoral Fire Station has aesthetic (beauty) and architectural significance. It's a modest, practical public building that fits in well with the homes around it.
Connected to Important People
The Balmoral Fire Station is important because of its connection to the architectural firm Atkinson and Conrad. H.W. Atkinson, through his different firms, had a long history of designing buildings for the Fire Services in Brisbane. This started in 1890 with his design for the main Brisbane Fire Brigade headquarters. His architectural practices were responsible for many fire stations across Brisbane.
