Main Beach Pavilion and Southport Surf Lifesaving Club facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Main Beach Pavilion and Southport Surf Lifesaving Club |
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Main Beach Pavilion, 2023
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| Location | off Macarthur Parade, Main Beach, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1919–1930s (interwar period) |
| Built | 1934, 1936 |
| Built for | Southport Town Council, Southport Surf Lifesaving Club |
| Architect | Hall and Phillips |
| Official name: Main Beach Pavilion and Southport Surf Lifesaving Club | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 1 March 1995 |
| Reference no. | 601265 |
| Significant period | 1934, 1936, 1958, 1978 (fabric) 1934–ongoing (social) |
| Significant components | clubroom/s / clubhouse, changing rooms/dressing shed |
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The Main Beach Pavilion and Southport Surf Lifesaving Club are two important buildings on Main Beach in Southport, Australia. They are listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because of their historical value.
The Main Beach Pavilion was built in 1934. It was designed by the architects Hall and Phillips for the Southport Town Council. This building offered public changing rooms and showers for beachgoers.
Right next to it, the Southport Surf Lifesaving Club building was constructed in 1936. It was also designed by Hall and Phillips. This building provided a place for surf lifesavers to store equipment and relax.
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History of Main Beach Buildings
The Main Beach Pavilion and Southport Surf Lifesaving Club were built in the mid-1930s. This was a time when going to the beach became very popular. More people had paid holidays, so they had time for trips.
Coastal towns like Southport wanted to attract these holiday visitors. They started making their beaches nicer and building public facilities. Hall and Phillips, the architects, designed many buildings in Southport during this period.
Southport as a Holiday Spot
People in South East Queensland have enjoyed going to the beach for a long time. Southport became a popular holiday spot in the 1880s. Important families from Brisbane liked to visit.
The town grew with new schools, banks, and hotels. A railway line to Southport opened in 1889. This made it much easier for people to travel from Brisbane.
As beaches became more popular, rules for swimming were needed. By 1906, local councils could control bathing. This included rules for swimsuits and where people could swim.
Main Beach Pavilion's Purpose
In the early 1900s, people often used private sheds to change at the beach. But by the 1920s, public bathing became more common. Councils saw that holidaymakers could bring money to their towns. So, they built public changing sheds and later, bathing pavilions.
The Southport Town Council had a plan to improve the foreshore in the mid-1920s. Building bathing pavilions was part of this plan.
The Main Beach Pavilion was built in 1934. It was a brick and concrete building with changing rooms, showers, and toilets. It had separate areas for men and women. There was also a first aid room and a hall for dancing.
The pavilion opened on December 22, 1934. It was described as having a "Spanish design." A married couple managed the pavilion. They kept it clean and charged a small fee for entry.
Over the years, parts of the building were leased out. A kiosk was added in the mid-1960s. In the late 1970s, some internal walls were changed to make the kiosk bigger. In the early 1990s, a mural was painted on a curved wall outside the pavilion.
The Southport Surf Lifesaving Club's Story
As more people swam, there were more drownings. The Southport Chamber of Commerce worried about this. They hired beach inspectors, but these inspectors often lacked experience and equipment.
The Southport Surf Lifesaving Club started in 1912. It was one of the first clubs in Australia. The club stopped for a while but reformed in 1919. It was then called the Cable Surf Lifesaving Club. This name came from a large underwater cable nearby. The club later reformed again under its original name.
The club built its first permanent home in 1927. It was a small timber building. This building was destroyed by strong winds in 1936.
The club needed a better clubhouse. In 1936, the Queensland Government helped the Southport Town Council fund a new building. The new surf club was built next to the Main Beach Pavilion.
The new clubhouse was a single-story building. It had a large main room and two smaller side sections. It was described as a "very fine structure" with modern features. It included ping-pong and billiard tables, showers, and a boat house.
The club has grown over time. In 1958, a two-story extension was added. This provided more storage and dormitories. Another large extension was built in 1978. This added a restaurant and bar to help the club earn money. It also included a gym and a function room.
In 1993, a TV show called "Paradise Beach" used both buildings for outdoor scenes. This led to the outside of the buildings being painted.
What the Buildings Look Like
The Southport Surf Lifesaving Club and the Main Beach Pavilion are easy to see on Main Beach. They are known for their "Spanish Mission" style of architecture. This style includes decorative gables, strong pillars, and stucco walls. The roofs are made of corrugated fibrous cement, which looks like old Spanish tiles.
Main Beach Pavilion Details
The Main Beach Pavilion is a single-story building. It is still used for public toilets, showers, and changing rooms. It also has a kiosk and storage areas. It is made of brick and concrete.
The building has a rectangular shape. It has decorative gables on the front and back. These gables hide the sloped roofs behind them. The sides of the building have hipped roofs.
The front of the building, facing Macarthur Parade, has a decorative gable. This gable has patterns, a special design with the year "1934," and curved supports. It also has an octagonal window and the words "MAIN BEACH PAVILION."
There are several doors on the front, but only one is now used. The back of the building looks similar. It has an awning supported by strong pillars. Inside, some areas have been changed with new walls. But you can still see the original timber roof supports. Some old wooden benches and towel rails from the 1930s are still in the changing rooms.
The Southport Surf Lifesaving Club Details
The Southport Surf Lifesaving Club is a two-story building. It is made of brick, concrete, and cement blocks. It is used by the surf lifesaving club for dormitories, storage, and recreation. It also has toilets, showers, and a restaurant.
The club building includes the original 1936 section, which is now two stories tall. There are two major additions on the south side. The first addition looks similar to the original building. The second addition is a large, flat-roofed structure.
The front of the 1936 section has a central decorative gable. It has two strong pillars with urns on top. The gable has the words "SOUTHPORT S.L.S.C." and the year "1936." The roof of the 1936 building is sloped and covered with corrugated fibrous cement. The upper floor is supported by steel columns.
Why They Are Heritage Listed
The Main Beach Pavilion and Southport Surf Lifesaving Club were added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 1995. They are important for several reasons:
- Showing History: They help us understand how the Gold Coast became a popular holiday spot. They also show how sea bathing changed from a health activity to a fun recreation.
- Rare Examples: These buildings are rare examples of the 1930s style on the south coast.
- Architectural Style: They are good examples of the Spanish Mission style of architecture. They also show the public work of the famous architectural firm, Hall and Phillips.
- Community Connection: The buildings have a strong link to the Surf Lifesaving Association of Queensland, especially the Southport Branch.
See also
- Surf lifesaving
- Surf Life Saving Australia
- List of Australian surf lifesaving clubs
