Monier Ventilation Shaft 2 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Monier Ventilation Shaft 2
Monier Ventilation Shaft 2, 1998
Location	134 St Paul's Terrace, Spring Hill, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Design period	1900 - 1914 (early 20th century)
Built	c. 1904
Architect	Joseph Monier
Queensland Heritage Register
Official name: Monier Ventilation Shaft 2 (Spring Hill)
Type	state heritage (built)
Designated	4 August 1998
Reference no.	602067
Significant period	c. 1904 (fabric) 1890s-1900s (historical)
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The Monier Ventilation Shaft 2 is a special historical structure in Spring Hill, Brisbane, Australia. It's a tall, concrete shaft built around 1904. This shaft was designed by Joseph Monier, who invented a new way to use concrete. It's part of an old system that helped keep Brisbane's streets clean and healthy. Today, it's protected as a heritage site because it shows us how people dealt with public health issues a long time ago.

A Look Back: History of the Shafts

The Monier Ventilation Shafts were built around 1904. They were part of a bigger system of shafts, some concrete and some metal. These shafts were placed along Brisbane's main stormwater drains. These drains carried rainwater and other dirty water away from the city.

There were at least five of these shafts built, but only three concrete ones are still standing. These concrete shafts might be the very first buildings in Queensland made with a special type of concrete called 'pre-cast reinforced concrete'. This means they were made in pieces somewhere else and then put together.

One of these shafts is on Wickham Terrace, near Albert Park. Another is the Monier Ventilation Shaft 2, located on St Paul's Terrace. Both of these were connected to the first stormwater drainage system in Spring Hill, built in the 1880s. A third, slightly smaller shaft is in Florence Street, Teneriffe.

Drains and Health in Early Brisbane

In the 1800s, people didn't really separate drains (for rainwater) from sewers (for waste water). Drains often carried a mix of dirty water from homes, roofs, and streets. This water then flowed into the closest river or creek. People hoped that rainwater would wash it all away.

When Brisbane became a city in 1859, there was no proper system for drains or sewers. Most people just dumped their rubbish and waste into creeks. But by the late 1860s, the city council decided to have a system where rainwater went to the river, and human waste was collected separately.

The Brisbane Drainage Act of 1875 helped start the building of Brisbane's first main stormwater drains. These systems were designed by government engineers. Once built, the city council took over their care.

By 1878, central Brisbane had three main drainage systems. Then, between 1879 and 1886, the council built more drains for busy areas like Spring Hill and Fortitude Valley. Many of these were open drains at first, but they were covered up later. By 1890, Brisbane had a full drainage system for its city center.

The Problem of Smells and Disease

Even with drains, people still put household waste into the stormwater system. This made local creeks very dirty and caused bad smells from the drains. Back then, many people believed that bad smells, called 'miasma', caused diseases.

The situation became more serious in 1900 when bubonic plague arrived in Australia. This disease was carried by rats on ships. When the plague reached Brisbane in April 1900, it made the government act quickly. They wanted better public health and sanitation.

In the early 1900s, the Commissioner of Public Health made the Brisbane City Council put up ventilators in city streets. These were meant to remove the foul and unhealthy smells from the drainage systems. In 1900, the council asked for bids to build a ventilating shaft at Kangaroo Point. This shaft was designed using the Monier system, just like the ones still standing today.

The Monier System: A Concrete Breakthrough

The Monier system of reinforced concrete was invented by a Frenchman named Joseph Monier in 1867. It was brought to Australia in the early 1890s. Monier's method was the first true reinforced concrete. It used steel bars inside the concrete to make it much stronger.

This new concrete technology was used for many important structures. The first Monier structure in Australia was a small arch for a stormwater drain in New South Wales in 1894. Later, a sewer bridge was built in Sydney using this system. In Victoria, the Anderson Street Bridge over the Yarra River was built with Monier concrete in 1897.

Companies in Sydney and Melbourne started making Monier pipes and other concrete parts. Around 1903-1904, the Brisbane City Council decided to spend money on building drain ventilating shafts where they were most needed. It's believed that the concrete shafts we see today, like Monier Ventilation Shaft 2, were built around this time.

What the Shafts Look Like

The three concrete ventilation shafts that are still standing are in Spring Hill and Teneriffe. Two are in Spring Hill: one on Wickham Terrace and the other, Monier Ventilation Shaft 2, on St Paul's Terrace. The third is in Florence Street, Teneriffe. All of them help to ventilate stormwater drains, not sewers.

The shafts in Spring Hill are on higher ground, while the Teneriffe shaft is closer to the Brisbane River. We don't know exactly why they chose these specific spots.

These ventilators are made of reinforced concrete and have a six-sided (hexagonal) shape. They have simple decorations halfway up and at the very top. The Spring Hill ventilators, including Shaft 2, are about 30 feet (9 meters) tall. They are 21 inches (53 cm) wide at the bottom. The walls are 4.5 inches (11.4 cm) thick at the base, getting thinner to 3 inches (7.6 cm) at the top. The Teneriffe shaft is a bit smaller.

All three shafts were likely made using the special Monier system. They were probably pre-cast, meaning they were made in a mold somewhere else and then brought to the site to be put together.

Why Monier Ventilation Shaft 2 is Important

Monier Ventilation Shaft 2 was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 4 August 1998. This means it's recognized as an important historical site.

A Glimpse into the Past

These shafts, built around 1904, show us how people thought about public health and cleanliness in the late 1800s and early 1900s. They are visible proof of Brisbane's early and large stormwater drainage system. The three surviving concrete shafts are thought to be the first 'pre-cast reinforced concrete' structures in Queensland. They are also early examples of how the Monier system of concrete was used in Queensland.

Rare and Special

These shafts are rare examples of how true reinforced concrete was used early on. They also show how advanced Brisbane's city engineering and construction were at the start of the 20th century.

Learning from History

These shafts can help us learn more about:

• How people felt about public health in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
• Brisbane's early stormwater drainage system.
• The early technology of pre-cast reinforced concrete in Queensland.

Great Design and Skill

The shafts are still in very good condition. They show great engineering skill. They are also good examples of structures that are both useful and nice to look at.

Creative and Technical Achievement

The shafts are rare examples of early reinforced concrete use. They show the high level of technical skill in Brisbane's construction and engineering at the turn of the 20th century.