Cooktown Powder Magazine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cooktown Powder Magazine |
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Cooktown Powder Magazine, 2010
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| Location | Webber Esplanade, Cooktown, Shire of Cook, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1870s - 1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | 1875 - 1876 |
| Architect | Francis Drummond Greville Stanley |
| Official name: Cooktown Powder Magazine | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600425 |
| Significant period | 1875-1876 (fabric) 1876-1976 (historical) |
| Builders | Henry J Meldrum |
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The Cooktown Powder Magazine is a special old building in Cooktown, Australia. It was built a long time ago, between 1875 and 1876. This building was used to store gunpowder and other explosives safely. A famous architect named Francis Drummond Greville Stanley designed it. Today, it is a protected heritage site, meaning it's an important part of history.
Contents
A Place for Explosives
The Cooktown Powder Magazine was built from 1875 to 1876. It was made for the Queensland government department that looked after ports and harbours. A builder from Cooktown, Henry J Meldrum, constructed it. The plans came from the office of the main government architect, FDG Stanley. This magazine is one of the oldest surviving buildings of its kind in Queensland.
Storing Explosives Safely
For over 100 years, from 1860 to 1963, different government departments managed all explosives. This included gunpowder brought into Queensland. A law called The Navigation Act of 1876 made sure ships had to put gunpowder in a government storage building. This was to keep everyone safe. The Ports & Harbours Department was in charge of building these magazines. They also made sure explosives were stored safely at all Queensland ports.
From the late 1860s, government magazines were built in major ports and goldfields. These buildings were made from stone, brick, wood, iron, or concrete. The materials used often depended on what was available nearby. By 1900, many towns had these magazines, including Brisbane, Maryborough, Bundaberg, Gladstone, Rockhampton, Bowen, Townsville, Cairns, Cooktown, and Normanton.
Cooktown's Gold Rush Days
The Cooktown Powder Magazine was built because of the gold rush. In 1873-74, many people rushed to the Palmer River area to find gold. Cooktown was started in October 1873 as the main port for the Palmer goldfields. The town grew very quickly.
Within six months, Cooktown had many shops and businesses. There were restaurants, stores, butchers, bakers, and more. Over 65 licenses were given for pubs in the Cooktown-Palmer River area. Thousands of people were in the town or on their way to the goldfields. By 1875, Cooktown had a school, a customs house, and a court house. It became an official town in April 1876. By then, over 9,200 people were on the Palmer River goldfields. Cooktown itself had almost 2,200 people.
Building the Magazine
By 1875, a lot of explosives were being used at the Palmer goldfields. Storing these explosives in regular warehouses in Cooktown was dangerous. So, the government decided to build a special powder magazine. They asked companies to bid on the building project in July 1875.
Henry J Meldrum won the contract in September 1875. The plan was for a brick building, about 8 by 4.5 meters (26 by 15 feet). It would have a galvanised iron roof. A wooden fence, 2.1 meters (7 feet) high, would surround the building about 7.6 meters (25 feet) away. For safety, the magazine was built far from other buildings. It was located by the sea at the northern edge of Grassy Hill. The local Harbour Master was in charge of running the magazine.
The building was finished by January 1876. It was made of bricks brought from other places. The windows had stone frames and copper-covered shutters. The large wooden door was also covered in copper on the outside. The roof hung over the building by about 1.2 meters (4 feet) on all sides. It also had lightning rods connected to the ground. Inside, there was a wooden floor with stands. The powder was stored on these stands, about 30 centimeters (a foot) above the floor. No nails were used in the building; all the wood was held together with wooden pegs. Any metal parts were made of copper.
Originally, an 2.4-meter (8-foot) high fence surrounded the building. White ants damaged this fence after a few years. In 1883, it was replaced with a galvanised iron fence.
Changes Over Time
When it was finished in 1876, you could only reach the Cooktown magazine by boat. People in Cooktown wanted a road, so Webber Esplanade was extended in the mid-1880s. By the late 1880s, some houses were built near the magazine. The local defense force also put a gun nearby.
In 1889, someone suggested moving the magazine further away. Money was even set aside in 1890 to move it. However, Queensland faced a tough economic time, and the money was no longer available.
By the mid-1880s, less gold was found at the Palmer River. Not much money was spent on keeping the magazine in good shape. In 1907, some repairs were done to the roof and fence. By May 1941, most of the iron fence had fallen down. Much of the roof sheeting was also gone.
In 1976, the building and its land were given to the National Trust of Queensland. They would look after it as a historical museum. In 1992, the National Trust, with help from the local community, removed the old, unsafe roof. A new roof was put on in 1996. Work also began to fix the brickwork.
In 2006, the land near the building started to wear away. The building was close to falling into the sea. The Queensland Government approved building a rock wall to stop more erosion.
What It Looks Like
The magazine is located above the high water mark, away from the center of Cooktown. It sits at the northern edge of Grassy Hill, near the mouth of the Endeavour River. Its lonely spot by the water makes it easy to see, especially from the river.
The building has one story and is shaped like a rectangle. It has one room with a door facing west. There are narrow slit windows on the south, east, and west sides. Larger openings have been made roughly in the north and south walls. However, you can still see where the original narrow openings were. It has a new roof, built in 1996, which looks like the original. It is made of timber and corrugated iron.
The magazine is built of brick on a stone base called a plinth. Inside, it has a damaged wooden floor. The walls used to be painted white, both inside and out. The original wooden window and door frames are missing. There are no clear signs above ground of the old fence, paths, or landing.
Why It's Important
The Cooktown Powder Magazine was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. This means it is a very important historical site.
Queensland's History
The Cooktown Powder Magazine shows how Queensland's history developed. It is linked to the exciting gold rush days of the Palmer River in the mid-1870s. It also reminds us how Cooktown became a major center and port for the goldfields during that time.
Rare and Special
This building is rare because it's one of the few government buildings left from Cooktown's early days. It is also one of the oldest government powder magazines still standing in Queensland.
Learning from the Past
As a brick powder magazine from the 1870s, it is a good example of its type. It can help us learn more about how powder magazines were built and used in Queensland's history.
Building Design
The magazine shows how buildings were constructed in the 1870s for this special purpose. You can see features like the pegged wooden floors, strong wooden frames, and small windows. These details are important for understanding how such buildings were designed for safety.
Beautiful Landmark
The building is a landmark in Cooktown. It stands alone by the water at the northern edge of Grassy Hill. It looks especially striking when you approach the town from the river.
Valued by the Community
Local people value this place because it connects them to Cooktown's past. It is also a popular spot for tourists. The National Trust of Queensland, which owns it, values it for its rarity, history, and unique design.
