Jimna Fire Tower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jimna Fire Tower |
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Jimna Fire Tower, 2013
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| Location | Jimna State Forest, Murgon-Kilcoy Road, Jimna, Somerset Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Built | c. 1975 - 1977 |
| Architect | Arthur Leis |
| Official name: Jimna Fire Tower, SEQ-4C 8 | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 23 July 1999 |
| Reference no. | 601814 |
| Significant period | 1970s (fabric) |
| Builders | Arthur Leis |
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The Jimna Fire Tower is a very tall tower in the Jimna State Forest in Queensland, Australia. It was built to help spot bushfires. This amazing tower was designed and built by a man named Arthur Leis between 1975 and 1977. It is now a special heritage-listed site, which means it's an important part of Queensland's history and is protected.
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History of the Jimna Fire Tower
The Jimna Fire Tower was finished in 1977. It stands tall on the Jimna Range, about one kilometre west of the small town of Jimna. This tower is the tallest fire tower in Queensland. It stands about 47 metres (154 feet) high. Its unique design uses three strong ironbark poles as its main supports.
The town of Jimna started in 1922. A sawmill moved there, bringing houses, shops, and a school with it. Later, in 1938, people started planting special hoop pine trees in large forests nearby.
Why Fire Towers Are Important
Forests need protection from fires. Even as early as 1911, people were talking about how to stop fires in forests. Fire towers became a key part of this plan in Queensland starting in the mid-1930s. These towers helped spot fires quickly.
As more and more pine trees were planted in the 1960s and 1970s, even more fire towers were needed. Many of these new towers were over 30 metres (98 feet) tall. This was because the trees themselves were growing very tall! Fire towers also worked together. People in different towers could look for fires and then use special tools to figure out exactly where a fire was by taking "crossbearings."
The Man Who Built the Towers
Arthur Leis was a very important person in building fire towers in Queensland. He started working for the Department of Forestry in 1957. Before he retired in 1991, he built more than 20 fire towers!
Arthur Leis designed the towers himself. He would even cut all the timber right there on the building site. He usually built each tower with just one helper and some simple tools. At first, his towers had four wooden legs. But in 1967, he came up with a new, clever design: a three-legged timber tower. This new design was stronger and cheaper to build.
Building the Jimna Tower
In 1975, work began on the new Jimna Fire Tower. It was planned to be the tallest one yet, about 50 metres (164 feet) high. Arthur Leis built this tower with his son. To make the three main poles, they joined two long ironbark logs together for each leg.
Building such a tall tower was a big job. They used a winch to lift the first leg into place. Then, they pulled the other two legs upright. After that, they added the braces and stairs. Finally, they built the small cabin at the very top. This new tower was meant to work with other towers nearby. Its goal was to help find wildfires that could harm the large hoop pine forests in the area.
The Jimna Fire Tower officially opened in October 1977. A picnic area was also made around the bottom of the tower for visitors.
A Popular Spot (and its challenges)
The Jimna Fire Tower became very popular with tourists. Some reports say up to 30,000 people visited it each year! They loved the amazing views from the top.
However, over time, the tower started to get old and worn out. Because it was no longer safe for people to climb, it was closed to tourists in 2006. Even though money was spent to fix it, in 2014, it was still not safe for public access. But it is still listed as a special heritage site today.
What Does the Tower Look Like?
The Jimna Fire Tower is about 47 metres (154 feet) tall. It is made of three strong ironbark poles. These poles form a triangle shape and get narrower as they go up. Each pole is actually made of two logs joined together about halfway up. They are set into concrete at the bottom to make them very stable.
A wooden staircase wraps around the outside of the tower. This staircase has small platforms along the way. At the very top, there is a six-sided cabin where the fire spotters used to work.
Around the base of the tower, there is a picnic area and a car park. The old public toilets there are no longer in use. The closest public toilets are now near the Jimna Hall in town.
Why is the Tower Special?
The Jimna Fire Tower was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 23 July 1999. This means it is recognized as an important historical place.
Here are some reasons why it's special:
- It's a great example of a fire tower: As the tallest tower in Queensland, and with its unique three-pole design, it shows how these important structures were built.
- It's important to the community: People in the community value the Jimna Fire Tower. They love that it's the tallest fire tower in Queensland. They also appreciate the amazing views it offered and the fact that it was built by a father and son team.
- It's linked to an important person: The tower is important because of its connection to Arthur Leis. He was a very influential person who designed and built many fire towers in Queensland for over 30 years.
