Great Northern Hotel, Townsville facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Great Northern Hotel |
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Great Northern Hotel in Townsville, 2005
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| Location | 500 Flinders Street, Townsville CBD, City of Townsville, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1900 - 1914 (early 20th century) |
| Built | 1900 - 1901 |
| Built for | Wilson Hart & Company |
| Architect | Tunbridge & Tunbridge |
| Official name: Great Northern Hotel | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600908 |
| Significant period | 1900s (fabric) 1901-ongoing (historical use, social) |
| Significant components | lead light/s, furniture/fittings |
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The Great Northern Hotel is a historic building in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. It is located at 500 Flinders Street in the city centre. This hotel was designed by a well-known architect firm called Tunbridge & Tunbridge. It was built between 1900 and 1901. The hotel is so important that it was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. This means it is protected because of its special history and design.
Contents
A Look Back: Hotel History
Building the Great Northern
The Great Northern Hotel is a large, two-storey building made of brick and timber. It was built for a Townsville timber company called Wilson Hart & Company. The famous architects Tunbridge & Tunbridge designed it. They were known for designing many buildings in North Queensland.
The idea for the hotel came about because the Queensland Government planned a new railway station in Townsville. This new station would be very close to where the hotel stands today. People wanted a fancy new hotel near the station. So, in 1900, plans were made to build two new hotels. Only the Great Northern Hotel was actually built.
Opening and Popularity
When the Great Northern Hotel opened in early 1901, it was advertised as the closest hotel to the new railway station. This is how it got its name, linking it to the Great Northern Railway.
The architects, Walter Howard and Oliver Allan Tunbridge, had started their business in Townsville in 1887. They designed many hotels in the area. The Great Northern Hotel was planned to have 36 bedrooms and be a top-class place.
Even though the new railway station was delayed until 1914, the Great Northern Hotel quickly became popular. It was known for its great service, good food, and comfortable rooms. It also became a very important place for social events in Townsville. For almost a century, it has been a popular spot for people to meet and enjoy themselves. It is a well-known part of the city's look.
A Recent Event
In 2015, a fire caused some damage inside the hotel on the ground floor. The hotel is still an important part of Townsville's history.
What the Hotel Looks Like
The Great Northern Hotel is on a busy corner where Flinders and Blackwood Streets meet. It is near the old Townsville railway station and the 1932 Newmarket Hotel. You can also see Castle Hill from here.
Outside the Building
The hotel is a big, L-shaped brick building with sides facing both Flinders and Blackwood Streets. It has a roof made of corrugated iron, which is hidden behind a decorative wall called a parapet. This wall has classic designs on it.
Wide verandahs (porches) wrap around both sides of the building that face the street. These verandahs have curved roofs, fancy cast-iron railings, and decorative panels. The wooden posts on the ground floor verandah are decorated with carved lines, like small columns. The windows on the street level have beautiful coloured glass, known as leadlight glass.
Inside the Building
Most of the inside of the hotel is still in its original condition. The public bars on the ground floor have been updated a bit. Some parts of the ground floor have been changed into shops.
The main entrance to the hotel is on Blackwood Street, closest to the railway station. This entrance leads to the reception, dining, and room areas. It still has its original wooden door frames and side windows. When you step inside, you enter a foyer with original wooden panels on the lower part of the walls. The old office is to the left. The former dining room is now a reception room. A new dining room is located through the leadlight doors at the back of the foyer.
The main staircase starts from the Blackwood Street foyer. It has beautifully carved wooden balusters (spindles). Above the landing of the stairs, there is a special window with old leadlight glass in the middle.
Upstairs, very little has changed. The ceilings and most of the walls between bedrooms are made of original wooden boards that fit together tightly. Many of the original decorative wooden panels above the doors are still there. Other panels have been replaced with glass or wood. The upstairs rooms are connected by a T-shaped hallway with decorative brick arches. Each bedroom has French doors that open onto the verandahs at the front or back of the hotel.
Why the Hotel is Special
The Great Northern Hotel was added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 1992 for several reasons:
- It shows how Queensland's history has changed. The hotel was built because of the new railway station. This shows how important transport was for developing towns in Queensland.
- It helps us learn about history. The hotel is very well-preserved. It can teach us a lot about how hotels were designed in Queensland a long time ago.
- It is a great example of its type. This hotel is a perfect example of a two-storey brick hotel with verandahs. It has detailed cast-iron decorations, which were common in tropical Australia. It shows the elegant lifestyle of people in the early 1900s. It is one of the best examples of this style in Townsville.
- It is beautiful to look at. The outside of the hotel is very pleasing to the eye and is still mostly original. Its detailed decorations, large size, and corner location make it stand out on Flinders Street and in Townsville.
- It is important to the community. The hotel has been a social hub for the Townsville community for almost 100 years. It has a strong connection to the social history of the people living there. It is seen as a symbol of tropical Townsville by both locals and visitors.
