Roma Government Complex facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Roma Government Complex |
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Roma Government Complex, 2010
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| Location | 42 Bungil Street, Roma, Maranoa Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1919–1930s (interwar period) |
| Built | 1937 |
| Architect | Department of Public Works (Queensland) |
| Architectural style(s) | Classicism |
| Official name: Roma Government Complex, Roma State School | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 4 September 1998 |
| Reference no. | 601536 |
| Significant period | 1930s (historical) 1930s (fabric) 1937–1986 (social) |
| Significant components | school/school room |
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The Roma Government Complex is a special building in Roma, Australia. It used to be the Roma State School, where many children learned for almost 50 years. Today, it serves as offices for different government departments. This building was designed by the Department of Public Works (Queensland) and finished in 1937. It is now listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because of its important history and unique design.
Contents
A Look Back: History of the Building
The Roma Government Complex is a three-story brick building that faces Bungil Street. It was built in 1937 and was the main building for Roma State School. This school taught primary students from Roma and the surrounding areas.
How Roma Started
Roma became the main town in the Mount Abundance area. This region was first explored in 1846 by Thomas Mitchell, a surveyor. People started settling here, mostly raising sheep. The town of Roma was officially created in September 1862. This was the first town formed in Queensland after it became a separate state from New South Wales in 1859. Roma was named after Lady Diamantina Bowen, whose husband, Sir George Ferguson Bowen, was Queensland's first Governor.
Roma grew quickly when the Western railway line arrived in the 1880s. This made it easy to transport farm animals and products to the coast. Also, in the late 1880s, people found water deep underground in the Great Artesian Basin. This gave a new water supply for cattle and sheep.
The First School Days
In 1870, the first Roma State School opened. It had a simple timber school building and a house for teachers. There were 133 students when it first opened. The land for the school, a two-acre site, was set aside in 1871.
A second school building was built in 1899, facing Wyndham Street. This allowed boys and girls to be taught separately. Later, this building was made bigger with extra rooms and enclosed verandahs. In 1912, a verandah was enclosed to create space for a high school. A separate high school opened on August 2, 1920. The very first school building was sold in 1939 and moved to Queen Street.
Building a New School
By 1934, people felt that the old school buildings were not good enough. The Health Inspector, Chas Clark, said the buildings were causing problems for the children's learning and health. The Roma School Committee pushed for a new building. They pointed out that the government was using a special program to build schools and create jobs during a tough economic time.
Plans for the new school were drawn up in January 1935 by Maurice Guthrie. He worked for the Department of Public Works. It took the School Committee two more years to get the government to agree to build the new school. Bricks were used because they were strong and cost-effective. Also, using bricks provided more jobs for builders and other workers during the difficult economic period.
School Life in the New Building
The new building was ready in July 1938 and officially opened on February 25, 1939. It could hold 432 children. It had eleven classrooms, rooms for the head teacher and other teachers, cloakrooms, and play areas downstairs. The building had covered verandahs on the ground and first floors. Ten of the classrooms could be connected by sliding walls, making them flexible. One classroom on the ground floor had a raised area, like a stage. This meant the space could be used for different activities. The design of this school was similar to other brick schools built during this time.
Changes Over Time
Over the years, the school site became too small for all the students. Also, teaching methods changed to more open-plan styles. In 1972, a new library was added behind the main building. This stopped the idea of moving the school completely.
However, in 1974, the school was split. Roma Infants School (for years 1-3) moved to a different site. Roma Junior School (for years 4-7) stayed at the Bungil Street site. Then, in 1986, the Education Department tried a new type of school called Roma Middle School. This school included grades 4-10 on a larger site.
In 1987, the Bungil Street school buildings were changed to become the Roma Government Complex. They now house regional offices for different government departments, like Education, Water Resources, Boating and Fishing, and Forestry. In 1997, the land around the building was divided. The back part of the land was sold to the Bungil Shire Council and the Uniting Church.
Exploring the Building's Design
The Roma Government Complex is a large brick building with a special finish called stucco. Its design is influenced by a style popular between the two World Wars, called Interwar Mediterranean style. It faces north towards Bungil Street.
Outside the Complex
The building has three stories. The main entrance is in the middle and sticks out a little. The main door is set back into a rounded opening. This opening has a decorative arch and a special stone at the top, called a keystone. Two decorative lanterns hang on either side of the door. The basement level has a different color, which makes the windows and entrance stand out. The stairs leading to the main entrance have simple metal railings. Below the main entrance, there's a large square opening that leads to the basement. It also has decorative arches like the main entrance.
All three floors have simple openings along the verandahs facing the street. The ground floor has rounded arches, while the basement and first floor have square openings. Stairwells at each end of the building make the front look grand. On the basement level, there are two symmetrical doorways with plain shields above them. These lead to the stairwells.
The roof is sloped and has a hip shape. The middle part of the roof ends in a triangular shape called a gable or pediment. The front gable has "ROMA STATE SCHOOL" written on it. The back gable shows the year it was built, 1937.
Inside the Complex
The building has simple decorative features and window patterns. The main entrance is surrounded by two groups of windows that open outwards, called casement windows. They have rounded windows above them, called fanlights. The light-colored walls contrast with the dark wooden windows. At the back of the building, there are eleven groups of four casement windows with fanlights on the ground and first floors. Similar groups of windows are on the east and west sides of the building.
The verandahs have polished concrete floors. Double-hung sash windows line these spaces. Each floor has three doors leading to the office areas. The offices are open plan, meaning they are large, open spaces. They have fluorescent lights and air conditioning. At the western end of the ground floor office area, two offices are on a raised platform, separate from the main area.
Special Features
Along the footpaths of Bungil and Wyndham Streets, you can see bottle trees with small stone markers and plaques. These are part of the Roma Avenue of Heroes. In front of the building, there are six tall palm trees. These trees fit well with the building's architectural style.
Why is this Building Special?
The Roma Government Complex is important for several reasons, which is why it's listed on the Queensland Heritage Register.
- Shows Queensland's History: This large brick building shows how important Roma was as a town that supported farming and grazing in the region. Its impressive size shows that Roma was a significant town compared to others in south-western Queensland.
- A Great Example of School Design: The Roma Government Complex is a wonderful example of a school building from the late 1930s. It was built as part of a government plan to create jobs during a tough economic time. It also shows the typical design style used by the Queensland Public Works department for schools back then.
- Beautiful Design: The building's Interwar Mediterranean style and its details make it a beautiful and important landmark in Roma.
- Important to the Community: As the former Roma State School, this building has a strong connection to the Roma community. It was where children received their primary education for nearly 50 years, starting in 1937.
