Cairns Control Room facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cairns Control Room |
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Cairns Control Room with Scout's Hat
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| Location | Grafton Street, Cairns, Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1939 - 1945 (World War II) |
| Built | 1942 |
| Official name: World War II Volunteer Defence Corps, Cairns Scout Hut, Cairns Scout Shop | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 16 April 2010 |
| Reference no. | 602744 |
| Significant period | 1942- |
| Builders | Queensland Department of Public Works |
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The Cairns Control Room is a special building in Cairns, Queensland, Australia. It was built in 1942 during World War II by the Queensland Department of Public Works. This building is also known as the World War II Volunteer Defence Corps Control Room, the Cairns Scout Hut, and the Cairns Scout Shop. It is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because of its important history.
Contents
What is the Cairns Control Room?
This building was originally a control centre for civil defence during World War II. It helped manage emergency services if there were air raids. After the war, it became the local headquarters for the Scouting Association of Queensland.
Why Was the Control Room Built?
During World War II, Australia faced a threat from Japan. After Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in December 1941 and quickly advanced through Asia, there were fears of an invasion of Australia. Japanese air raids on Darwin and Broome in early 1942 showed how real this danger was.
To protect people, the Australian and Queensland governments set up civil defence plans. The Queensland government was in charge of keeping communities safe and running during emergencies. Air Raid Protection (ARP) Committees were formed along the Queensland coast.
In Cairns, the local Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC) needed a strong building to coordinate emergency services. The VDC was a group of volunteers, often older men, who helped defend the country by guarding important places and assisting civilians. In February 1942, it was decided to build a reinforced concrete control room in Norman Park (now Munro Martin Park). This building would be used by the VDC, police, and ambulance services.
How Was the Control Room Designed?
Construction of the control room started in March 1942. It was designed to be very strong and safe.
- It was built from thick, reinforced concrete.
- The building has an octagonal (eight-sided) shape.
- It had two entrances, each protected by internal concrete blast walls.
- Importantly, it had no windows to keep those inside safe from explosions.
Once finished, the building was equipped with telephones to help coordinate air raid wardens across Cairns.
Norman Park's Role in World War II
Norman Park, now called Munro Martin Park, was Cairns' first public park, created in 1882. Over the years, it was used for sports and community events.
During World War II, Norman Park became a busy military area. Many military units used the park, and over fifty buildings were put up there. The VDC was one of the groups based there. Another volunteer group was the Women's Emergency Corps (WEC), which helped with transport, first aid, and other tasks.
The Control Room After the War
After World War II, many wartime buildings were torn down. However, the Cairns Control Room survived. In the mid-1950s, it was given to the Scouting Association of Queensland.
The Scouts first used the building as their main office for the Cairns district, which included scout troops from the Atherton Tableland and Mossman. Later, it became a regional headquarters for scouts from Cardwell northward.
Changes to the Building Over Time
When the Scouts took over, they made some changes to the building:
- An internal blast wall near the front entrance was removed.
- Windows were cut into five of the eight walls, and steel louvers and security grills were added.
- Two other walls had window openings started but never finished.
In 1980, the Scouting Association began a big renovation. They tiled the floor, added a ceiling, and repainted the outside. Scout badges were painted on the exterior walls.
A very unique change happened in 1982. A giant fibreglass scout hat was built and placed on top of the building's roof. This hat makes the building very easy to spot and gives it a special look. The building then became the Scouting Association's Area Headquarters and Scout Shop.
What Does the Control Room Look Like Today?
The former World War II control room is located at the corner of Florence and Grafton Streets, in Munro Martin Park. The park itself is a large, rectangular green space.
The building is octagonal and painted in the scout colours of green and yellow. It has eight scout badges painted on its outside walls, representing different scouting levels. The fibreglass scout hat on the roof is brown and has a wide "brim" that hangs over the building.
The walls are about 300 millimetres (12 in) thick concrete. The front entrance faces Florence Street. Five of the walls now have window openings with steel louvers and strong steel grills. There are also small air vents on six of the walls.
Inside, the building has one main room and two smaller rooms at the back. The main room has painted walls and a tiled floor. There's a concrete post inside, and you can still see where a wall was removed. The back section of the interior still shows the original unpainted concrete.
Why is it Heritage Listed?
The Cairns Control Room was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 16 April 2010 because it is very important to Queensland's history.
- It shows how Queensland prepared for war: The Control Room shows the urgent steps taken to protect people from air raids during World War II. It reminds us how close the war came to Queensland, especially the northern parts.
- It highlights the role of volunteers: The building is important because it shows the big part volunteers, especially the Volunteer Defence Corps, played in defending Queensland during WWII.
- It has a unique design: This control room has an unusual design for a civil defence building. It was built specifically to protect air raid wardens and was even planned to have a band rotunda on top later.
- It shows key features of wartime buildings: The building demonstrates the main features of a World War II civil defence control room, like its thick reinforced concrete walls and roof, and internal concrete blast walls for protection.
