Maryborough Base Hospital facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Maryborough Base Hospital
"A" block seen from Walker Street, 1997
Location	Walker Street, Maryborough, Fraser Coast Region, Queensland, Australia
Design period	1870s–1890s (late 19th century)
Built	1887–1950
Architect	John James Clark
Queensland Heritage Register
Official name: Maryborough Base Hospital, Maryborough General Hospital
Type	state heritage (built)
Designated	2 February 1998
Reference no.	601907
Significant period	1887–1950 (fabric) 1887–ongoing (historical, social)
Significant components	gate – entrance, office/administration building, kitchen/kitchen house, residential accommodation – nurses' quarters, bus shelter, morgue, ward – block, trees/plantings, store/s / storeroom / storehouse, residential accommodation – superintendent's house/quarters, theatre – operating, boiler room/boiler house, garden – bed/s, dining room, driveway, ambulance/first aid centre, residential accommodation – doctor's house/quarters
Builders	Robert Taylor
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The Maryborough Base Hospital is a very old hospital in Maryborough, Queensland, Australia. It's so important that it's listed on the Queensland Heritage Register! This means it's a special place with a lot of history. The hospital was designed by a famous architect named John James Clark and started being built in 1887. It was also known as the Maryborough General Hospital.

A Look Back at Maryborough Hospital's History

The Maryborough Hospital you see today is actually the fourth hospital site in the town. It was built in 1887 with several brick buildings. These were designed by John James Clark, who was the Queensland Colonial Architect at the time.

Over the years, the hospital has grown a lot. Big changes happened in the late 1920s, late 1930s, and again in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Many of the buildings, both old and new, are important parts of Queensland's history.

The very first Maryborough settlement was not where the town is now. It was on the north side of the Mary River. This was because wharves were built there in 1847-48. These wharves helped transport wool from sheep farms. In 1850, a surveyor named Hugh Roland Labatt arrived. He was told to find the best place to build the town. He also had to pick spots for public buildings and parks.

In 1854, a hospital was set up in Fort Street, Maryborough. Before this, sick people were treated at home by local doctors. By 1859, a new hospital was built near the town centre. It was at the corner of Ferry and Albert Streets. In 1863, it moved again to Lennox and Walker Streets. The first building made just for the hospital was built in Lennox Street in 1864. It was a large two-storey brick building. More parts were added in 1865 and 1876.

By the mid-1880s, the Lennox Street hospital was too small. So, a new, larger piece of land was chosen. This land was on high ground in Walker Street, on the edge of town. It was officially set aside for the hospital in 1888.

How Hospitals Were Designed in the Past

Maryborough Base Hospital, circa 1910

The first buildings on the new hospital site were three brick buildings. There was a main office building in the middle. On each side were separate ward buildings for patients. There was also a house for the medical superintendent. These were designed by JJ Clark. They followed a popular hospital design idea called the "pavilion plan."

For about 80 years, starting in the 1860s, most hospital wards in Queensland used this plan. The pavilion plan was created in Europe in the 1850s. It helped solve problems with fresh air and cleanliness. People used to believe that bad air spread diseases. This was called the miasma theory. The first pavilion hospital was the Lariboisière Hospital in Paris. It had separate buildings. More fresh air in these buildings was thought to help patients get better. This was a big step in hospital design. It showed that the building itself could help people heal. By the 1870s and 1880s, many hospitals in Queensland used this design.

Two of the old buildings at Maryborough Hospital are still there. These are C-Block and Centre Block. They are examples of the pavilion plan. The original 1887 hospital had three buildings. The Centre Block was for offices. The other two were two-storey ward buildings. One was for women, and one was for men. Only parts of the Centre Block and the men's wards (C Block) remain today. The Centre Block had offices on the ground floor. The first floor had living areas.

Old photos show these three buildings clearly. They were separate buildings with verandahs all around. This showed the idea of the pavilion plan. Out of about 80 pavilion wards built in Queensland in the 1800s, only six are left. Three are at the Royal Brisbane Hospital. One is in Isisford, and one is in Ipswich.

The foundation stone for the new Maryborough Hospital was laid on April 15, 1885. This was done by the Queensland Premier, Sir Samuel Griffith. By then, much of the land was cleared, and trees were planted. Gates and fences were ordered from a local company, Walkers Ltd. The architect, John James Clark, was the Colonial Architect from 1883 to 1885. He designed many important buildings in Queensland. These include the Treasury Building in Brisbane and courthouses in Mackay, Rockhampton, Warwick, and Charters Towers. He also designed the Yungaba Immigration Depot. Clark designed many health buildings too. These included hospitals in Charleville and Innisfail. He also designed additions to Townsville Hospital and the Lady Norman Wing at the Brisbane Children's Hospital.

The Maryborough Hospital buildings opened on May 20, 1887. The total cost was about £16,000. Local people gave a lot of money. The rest came from the government. Robert Taylor was the builder. In the late 1880s, a separate ward for Pacific Islanders was built at the hospital.

Changes to Hospital Care in Queensland

The Hospitals Act of 1923 brought many changes to healthcare in Queensland. The state government started giving more money to hospitals. This led to our current system where healthcare is a state responsibility. The Act created hospital districts. Each district had a hospital board. These boards were in charge of fundraising and managing the hospital. The state and local governments covered any money shortages.

After 1923, the idea of the "modern hospital" began. This was different from the pavilion plan. Modern hospitals focused on cleanliness and efficiency. This was because of the new "germ theory" of disease. These new ideas led to new building designs. Hospitals became multi-level buildings. They used new building and health technology.

The 1923 Act was changed in 1944. One big change was the idea of "base hospitals." In each region, a base hospital was set up. These hospitals offered more special services than other hospitals. This is how Maryborough Hospital became the Maryborough Base Hospital. In the 1930s, the Hospital Board hired a local architect, POE Hawkes. He designed many buildings for the hospital's redevelopment in 1938. EH Boden supervised much of Hawkes' work.

Lady Musgrave Maternity Hospital

Architectural Plan of the Maryborough Base Hospital, 1888

The Lady Musgrave Maternity Hospital was built in 1928. It was named after an earlier maternity hospital in the town centre. Before the Maternity Act of 1922, maternity hospitals were run by charities or religious groups. They helped women who couldn't pay for private care. These hospitals were often named after the governor's wife.

The 1922 Act changed maternity care in Queensland. It made maternity hospitals and baby clinics free across the state. This was to help increase the population, especially in country areas. About 94 maternity hospitals or wards were built before 1930.

As part of this plan, the Lady Musgrave block was built at Maryborough Hospital. This new building replaced an older maternity hospital from 1888. That earlier hospital was at John and North Streets. It was funded by local fundraising. It opened on November 8, 1888.

The 1928 maternity ward was a reinforced concrete building. It was designed by the local architect POE Hawkes. Many state maternity wards followed a standard plan. They had verandahs and beds near open windows. A separate "septic ward" (for infectious cases) was connected by a walkway. The Maryborough maternity ward was longer than the standard plan. It had 25 beds, nine private rooms, and rooms for staff. It also had two labour wards and a sterilising room. It included features common in 1920s maternity hospitals. The Lady Musgrave Maternity Ward opened on November 24, 1928. This was at the same time as new nurses' quarters.

On July 31, 1965, a new Lady Musgrave Maternity Ward opened. It was built on land north of North Street. North Street was closed through the hospital grounds. This meant the 1928 maternity hospital no longer faced a street. It was kept to be used as a ward for children with disabilities. Mr Douglas Tooth, the Minister for Health, opened the new building. It cost £250,000 and was designed by the Public Works Department.

Nurses' Homes

Two large two-storey buildings were built at Maryborough Hospital for nurses to live in. The first one, facing Walker Street, was built in 1928. But after only ten years, it was changed into private patient wards. Another nurses' home was then built facing Yaralla Street.

In 1921, the Hospital Nurses Award was introduced. This set basic pay rates and working hours for nurses. It also said that all nurses should get free room and board. They should have their own rooms if possible. This led to better living spaces for nurses. It also meant more nurses were hired at each hospital. Between 1924 and 1930, 26 new nurses' homes were built across Queensland.

The first nurses' home at Maryborough Hospital was a two-storey concrete building. It could house 78 nurses and other staff. It opened on November 24, 1928, along with the Lady Musgrave Maternity Hospital. Both were designed by POE Hawkes. This building was only a nurses' home for ten years. Then, a new one was built, and this building became private wards.

When it opened as private wards, it was called the Demaine Block. It was named after Mr William H Demaine, who was the Mayor and hospital board chairman. This change created 35 private wards. An operating theatre and a doctor's house were also built. The total cost, including the new nurses' block, was £33,000. Constructions Pty Ltd of Brisbane did the building work.

The 1938 nurses' home, facing Yaralla Street, looked similar to the 1928 building. It was also designed by POE Hawkes. EH Boden supervised the work and may have helped with the final design. It had 100 bedrooms. The inside layout was similar to the earlier building. It had central hallways and verandahs at the front and back.

Homes for Doctors and Staff

There are several 20th-century homes on the Maryborough Hospital site. These include a two-storey building on Walker Street, a brick duplex on Yaralla Street, and a concrete building at the corner of Walker and Yaralla Streets. Having medical staff live on site became popular between the two World Wars.

During the 1928 building phase, a doctor's house was built at the corner of Walker and Yaralla Streets. Designed by POE Hawkes, this concrete building had wide verandahs. It was meant to replace an older 19th-century house. That old house was partly taken down when the first nurses' quarters were built nearby. The new house cost less than £2000. Its design was carefully planned to keep it cool.

Ten years later, in 1938, another doctor's house was built on Walker Street. This was also designed by POE Hawkes. It was a concrete building meant to look grand. It had a Mediterranean style, with three arched openings at the front. The living areas were on the ground floor, and bedrooms were upstairs. A newspaper said its outside walls would look like "travertine stone."

In 1950, another home was built, facing Yaralla Street. It was designed by architects Prangley and Tesch. This one-storey duplex was for medical staff.

Other Important Buildings

During the first big redevelopment in 1928, other new buildings were added. These included a mortuary, also designed by POE Hawkes. It is still used today. It's a small concrete building with a rough stucco finish. At that time, the Gardens curator, Mr Fred Lawrence, helped design the hospital grounds.

The next big changes happened in 1938. A special operating theatre was built. Before this, operations were done in different buildings. The operating theatre was designed by POE Hawkes. It was influenced by Spanish Mission architecture, a popular style then. It was built next to the Demaine Block. A local newspaper called it "the most up to date in Australia." It was said to be inspired by a "famous hospital in Berlin." The report described its modern features. The operating theatre was made bigger in the 1950s and 1970s. It later became a storage area when new main hospital blocks were built.

In 1950, a dining room was built. It was designed by Brisbane architects Donoghue, Cusick and Edwards. It was a single-storey timber building on stumps. This building is now used as a School of Nursing. At the same time, the same architects designed a brick kitchen. This was built by the Queensland Building and Engineering Company. In 1997, these buildings were still mostly original.

In 1951, an ambulance station was built at the hospital. It faced Neptune Street and cost £7500. It had four bays for ambulances and other rooms. It is now used as an engineers' workshop.

In 1953, the first part of what is now the largest building on the site was constructed. This was the ground floor of what is now B block. It's at the corner of Walker and Neptune Streets. It was always planned to be extended. The Minister for Health, Mr WM Moore, officially opened it on November 14, 1953. It was meant to be the hospital's outpatient and administration wing. The building was extended in 1977 and again in 1987.

What the Hospital Looks Like Today

The Maryborough Hospital is west of the town centre. It's a large area bordered by Walker, Neptune, and Yaralla Streets, and Winston Noble Drive. North Street used to cut through the site, but it was closed in the 1960s.

The site has many buildings from different times. There isn't one big plan for the whole site. But each building has its own landscaped area. There are many important trees, circular driveways, and garden beds. A small timber bus shelter with a hipped roof is on the Walker Street side. It's next to the original entrance gates.

Old Buildings from 1887

Two of the three 19th-century buildings, C Block and Centre Block, are now mostly hidden by newer additions. But many of these additions could be removed to show the original buildings. These buildings were two-storey brick structures with open verandahs. They are now connected by a covered walkway.

C Block, an original ward building, doesn't look like a 19th-century building at first. Its two-storey verandahs were filled in with brick in the 1960s. But the complex hipped roof of the original building can still be seen. It has its old corrugated iron roof.

Inside, the building has been updated. But it still has interesting features. These include an old stair hall and an open ward on the first floor. This ward has plaster walls and a sloped timber ceiling. It's an example of 19th-century pavilion planning.

Centre Block, like C Block, is a two-storey brick building. Most of its verandahs are now filled in. The original pyramidal roof and verandah awnings are still visible. Inside, the ground floor layout is mostly original. Several rooms have 19th-century timber work, fireplaces, and openings. The old entrance has a large double timber and glass door. It has a round arched fanlight above it. This doorway is still mostly original.

1887 Doctor's House (Now IT Building)

When the first nurses' quarters were built in 1928, the original doctor's house was partly taken down. But what's left of this single-storey brick building still shows it's from the 19th century. The building is raised on concrete stumps. Its eastern end has a timber verandah that follows the curved shape of that part of the building. The complex hipped roof is covered with corrugated iron. The building has its original windows and timber work.

1887 Main Gates

In the middle of the Walker Street boundary are four large stone gate posts. They have cast iron gates. The two central gate posts are larger than the side ones. All have steeply sloped, double-gabled tops. The central posts have special curved designs. This design is repeated on the smaller posts with round shapes. The corners of the posts are angled. The posts have wider bases.

1928 Nurses' Quarters (Now Demaine Block)

The Demaine Block is very noticeable, facing Walker Street. In front of it is a large circular driveway around a small garden with a poinciana tree. This large, two-storey concrete building is symmetrical. It has a long central part parallel to Walker Street. On each end are parts that stick out. Two-storey timber verandahs line the front and back. The verandahs are under the building's hipped roof. They have vertical timber balustrades. A simple concrete stair in the middle leads to the ground floor. Other newer stairs have been added. But a straight timber stair is still on the back. The entrance stair is in a part that sticks out from the front. This is matched by a large gabled part of the roof. Some original windows are still there, but many have been filled in or replaced. The inside has been updated, but parts of the original floorplan remain.

1928 Lady Musgrave Maternity Ward

This building is now in the middle of the hospital site. It used to face North Street, which was closed in the 1960s. The original maternity ward is a long, one-storey concrete building. It has a timber verandah that has been filled in. The hipped roof, covered with corrugated iron, extends over the old verandahs. Three small parts stick out from the back. These were individual rooms. A small, separate building is next to it at the western end. The other end of the old maternity ward is linked by a short walkway to another building. This small concrete building was always part of the maternity complex. It also has filled-in verandahs. The inside is mostly original, with old walls, windows, and ceilings.

1928 Morgue

This small, one-storey concrete building is still used as the hospital morgue. It has two connected parts, forming a T-shape. It has a hipped roof with a central ventilator. The building is covered with rough stucco. It used to be on the North Street boundary. It is now east of the maternity wing. The building has a viewing room, mortuary, post-mortem room, and a small waiting room.

1928 Medical Superintendent's Residence

This one-storey concrete building has timber verandahs and some timber cladding on the outside. The house is angled to face the corner of Walker and Yaralla Streets. Its hipped roof is covered with corrugated iron. When it was finished, it had three bedrooms, a living room, dining room, study, kitchen, laundry, and a maid's room. It is still mostly original.

1938 Nurses' Quarters

1938 Nurses quarters, seen from Yaralla Street, 2009

This building faces Yaralla Street. It is similar to the first nurses' quarters (now Demaine Block). It is a two-storey concrete building. Like the Demaine Block, it has a large circular driveway in front. The building has a long central part parallel to Yaralla Street. On each end are parts that stick out to the front and back. This makes it an H-shape. It has a hipped roof that covers the two-storey verandahs on the front and back. The timber verandahs have similar details to those on the Demaine Block. A central part sticks out for the entrance. This is matched by a large gabled part of the roof. The ground floor of this part has heavy stone-like walls. These have now been filled with glass louvres. The building is mostly original, with old windows, timber work, and entrances.

At the back of the building is a structure with an iron frame and corrugated iron roof. It has timber window openings. This building is thought to have been built for military use during World War Two.

1938 Former Residence (Now Staff Quarters)

This residence is a grand, two-storey brick building facing Walker Street. It is covered with rough stucco. The building has a rectangular shape and a hipped roof. A one-storey arched entrance sticks out from the front. It has three arched openings. On either side are two square windows. A two-storey verandah at the back has been enclosed with sheeting and glass. The building is mostly original, with few changes inside.

1938 Former Operating Theatre (Now CSSD)

This is a one-storey brick building covered with rough stucco. It is in the middle of the site, next to the Demaine Block and behind A Block. It has a hipped roof with a central gable that sticks out. This gable has a decorative Spanish Mission style. The building has large steel-framed windows. These have hinged glass panels that can open.

1950 Former Dining Room (Now School of Nursing)

This is a simple, rectangular timber building. It has a hipped corrugated iron roof. The building is slightly raised off the ground on timber stumps. It has timber-framed hinged windows on all sides. Shorter parts with hipped roofs are attached to the two shorter ends. The building is mostly original.

1950 Kitchen

This is a single-storey brick building with iron-framed windows. It has a rectangular shape and a gabled roof. Various brick additions have been made. The main food preparation area is at the western end. A staff dining room is at the eastern end. This building has a large open space divided by a concrete wall. It is still mostly original.

1950 Residence

This duplex (two homes in one building) faces Yaralla Street. It is built from bricks of different colours. The building is symmetrical. It has a hipped roof covered with ceramic tiles. The side facing Yaralla Street has a central part that sticks out. It has a hipped roof and a line of six windows. These are timber-framed hopper windows. Below them are six large ventilation openings at ground level. On either side of the windows are two iron-grilled openings.

1951 Former Ambulance Station (Now Engineers' Workshop)

This is an interesting one-storey brick building facing Neptune Street. Part of it is covered with stucco. Its skillion roof is hidden by a parapet. At the northern corner of the Neptune Street side is a large square brick tower. It has vertical brick fins and a parapet. A narrow awning sticks out around the building. Four large, full-length openings were originally used for ambulance vehicles. They give access to the building from Neptune Street.

Other Buildings on the Site

A and B Blocks are large brick buildings with three or four storeys. They are along the Walker Street boundary and are very noticeable. These buildings have parts added at different times. They have flat brick walls with horizontal strip windows. Narrow vertical and horizontal fins are used for sun shading.

The 1965 maternity block is at the northern, back end of the site. This one-storey brick building is angled. It has an L-shape. The longer part of the L has wards. These wards have access to concrete verandahs at the front and back. The building has several concrete-framed windows and a fairly flat skillion roof.

The pathology lab is a one-storey, L-shaped brick building. It is in the middle of the site, near the 1950 timber kitchen. A large two-storey brick boiler house is on the Neptune Street side. It has a dramatic, steeply sloped skillion roof. It also has horizontal strip windows and external concrete framing.

Why Maryborough Hospital is a Heritage Site

The Maryborough Base Hospital is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because it meets several important criteria.

It shows how Queensland's history has changed. The hospital site shows how Maryborough grew from a small settlement to a large town in the late 1800s and through the 1900s.

It shows rare or uncommon parts of Queensland's history. Maryborough Hospital is special because it shows how hospital sites developed in Queensland from the 1800s to the 1900s. The site still has buildings from all these different times. Many of these buildings are still mostly original. The Centre Block, C Block, and the 1887 medical superintendent's house are rare hospital buildings from the 1800s that are still standing. C Block is a rare example of a "pavilion planned" ward in Queensland. Many such wards were built, but few have survived changes in the 1900s.

It can help us learn more about Queensland's history. The site is important because it can teach us more about how hospitals were planned and built in the 1800s.

It shows the main features of a certain type of historical place. Maryborough Hospital shows the main features of a Queensland hospital. It's on a large site, on high ground, away from the town centre. Individual buildings also show features of hospital buildings. These include 19th-century pavilion wards, nurses' quarters from the late 1920s and 1930s, a maternity ward from 1928, and several homes for hospital staff. It also has an ambulance station and a morgue.

It has aesthetic significance (it's beautiful or well-designed). The site is important because it's a well-known landmark in Maryborough. Many individual buildings are well-designed and look good from the street. These include the old 19th-century buildings, the two nurses' quarters, the ambulance station, the former 1929 maternity hospital, and the homes on Walker and Yaralla Streets. Other parts of the site also add to its beauty and history. These include the morgue, the duplex on Yaralla Street, the dining room, the old trees, and the bus shelter.

It is important to the community. The site is very important to the Maryborough community. It has been their main public healthcare site for about 110 years.

It is linked to important people or groups in Queensland's history. The site is connected to many important early Maryborough citizens. They helped set up the hospital. It is also linked to architects John James Clark and POE Hawkes, who designed many of the buildings.

Notable People

• Ellen Barron: She was the head nurse at the General Hospital from 1902 to 1904. She was also the matron (head nurse) at the Lady Musgrave Hospital from 1906 to 1908.

Images for kids

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  "A" block seen from Walker Street, 1997

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  Maryborough Base Hospital, circa 1910

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  Architectural Plan of the Maryborough Base Hospital, 1888

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  1938 Nurses quarters, seen from Yaralla Street, 2009