Spring Hill Baths facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Spring Hill Baths |
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Spring Hill Baths, 2004
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| Location | 14 Torrington Street, Spring Hill, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1870s–1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | 1886–1913 |
| Built for | Brisbane Town Council |
| Architect | Thomas Kirk |
| Owner | Brisbane City Council |
| Official name: Spring Hill Baths, City Baths, Arthur Street, Municipal Baths, Spring Hill | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600313 |
| Significant period | 1886, 1902, 1913 (fabric) 1886–ongoing (social) |
| Significant components | swimming pool, changing rooms/dressing shed, residential accommodation – staff quarters |
| Builders | William M Park |
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The Spring Hill Baths is a really old and special swimming pool in Spring Hill, Brisbane, Australia. It's a heritage-listed building, which means it's important to history. A man named Thomas Kirk designed it. It was built between 1886 and 1913 by William M Park. People also called it the Arthur Street City Baths or Municipal Baths. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on October 21, 1992.
Contents
A Dip into History
Building Brisbane's First Public Pool
The Spring Hill Baths were built for the city of Brisbane in 1886. They cost about £2,526, which was a lot of money back then! These baths were Brisbane's very first public swimming pool built into the ground. Before this, people mostly swam in floating baths in the Brisbane River.
The baths were also important for keeping people clean. They were built during a time when Brisbane was growing fast. Many new city projects were happening, like building more water reservoirs and better drainage systems.
A Grand Opening Splash!
A builder named William McCallum Park finished the baths in August 1886. The city engineer, Thomas Kirk, created the design. On December 9, 1886, the baths had a big opening ceremony. The Mayor of Brisbane, James Hipwood, took the very first plunge!
Newspapers reported that the Mayor wore a special bathing suit. He was cheered loudly as he dove into the pool. Other important people and swimmers joined him. They all swam with lots of energy, surprising the crowd!
How the Water Worked
The baths were built above a drain called the Spring Hollow drain. This was a clever idea! The used water from the baths helped to clean the drain every day. River water was pumped from Petrie Bight to a small reservoir. Then, it flowed down Spring Hill to holding tanks at the baths.
Every evening, the pool was emptied. Each morning, it was refilled with fresh water. This process took several hours. This system of flushing the drain worked for about 75 years! In 1914, the city council added a saltwater supply. Later, as the river got dirtier, chemicals were used. Finally, a water filtration system was installed in 1961.
Changes Over Time
In 1902, a viewing gallery and a diving platform were added. Some changing rooms had to be moved for this. These rooms were put back in 1913 when the gallery was made even bigger. It then went around three sides of the pool. Also in 1913, a roof was built over the front entrance. A club room was added later on.
In 1962, a men's toilet block was built. The caretaker's home, where someone lived to look after the baths, was also made larger.
For many years, the Spring Hill Baths were the main place for swimming competitions in Queensland. This included school and amateur events. In 1927, it became one of the first pools in Australia to allow boys and girls to swim together. It is still one of the oldest pools in use today! The club room has even been used as an art gallery. The pool itself has hosted community theatre shows.
What Does it Look Like Today?
The Spring Hill Baths building has two floors. It is made of brick with a special smooth finish. The roof is made of corrugated galvanised iron and has a pointed shape. The front of the building faces the street. Inside, there's a huge swimming hall. It has a concrete pool that is about 23.5 meters long and 9.1 meters wide.
Inside the Swimming Hall
Around the pool, there's a wooden gallery with 57 changing rooms. Strong steel beams hold up the roof over the swimming hall. While the original roof covered the whole area, a large part of it is now open to the sky. The steel beams look like they are the original ones.
Wooden posts support the wooden railing and tiered seating of the gallery. This creates a covered walkway around the pool. You can still see old signs on the wood, like "Ladies Only This Side" and "Gents Only This Side." There's also a special stone with information about the building in the concrete at one corner of the pool.
The Front of the Building
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The front of the building looks very grand on the street. It has a balanced design with arched windows and doorways. There's a simple wall at the top with a decorative triangle shape. On this triangle, you can see the date "1886" and the words "Municipal Public Baths" and "James Hipwood Mayor." The facade is decorated with stone urns and plaster flowers. A corrugated iron roof on a wooden frame covers the street entrance.
Even with a new water filter and toilets, the baths still look very much like they did when they were first built. The main shape, structure, and inside details are still original.
Why is it Special?
The Spring Hill Baths were added to the Queensland Heritage Register on October 21, 1992. This is because they are important for several reasons:
- It shows how Queensland's history changed. The baths were new and helped improve public health in Brisbane. They even helped clean the Spring Hollow drainage system.
- It's a rare and special part of Queensland's history. It was Brisbane's first public pool built into the ground. It's still mostly the same as it was in the late 1800s, even with its old changing rooms.
- It shows what public baths were like in the late 1800s. The baths are a great example of how these types of places were designed and used back then.
- It looks beautiful. The Spring Hill Baths add a lot to the look of Torrington Street and the Spring Hill area. People in the community really value its appearance.
- It has a strong connection to the community. Since the 1880s, the Spring Hill Baths have been a very important place for Brisbane's competitive swimming, swimming lessons, and local fun.
