Sugar Research Institute facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sugar Research Institute |
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Sugar Research Institute, 2007
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| Location | 239 Nebo Road, West Mackay, Mackay, Mackay Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1940s–1960s (post-World War II) |
| Built | 1953, 1966 & 1973 |
| Architect | Karl Langer, Harold Vivian Marsh Brown |
| Architectural style(s) | Modernism |
| Official name: Sugar Research Institute & Residence | |
| Type | state heritage (built, archaeological) |
| Designated | 14 March 2008 |
| Reference no. | 602642 |
| Significant period | 1953–2005 |
| Builders | Don Johnstone |
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The Sugar Research Institute was once a special place in West Mackay, Mackay, Queensland, Australia. It was a research station where scientists worked to make sugar production better.
The main building was designed by a famous architect named Karl Langer. It was built in 1953. Later, in 1966, another part was added, designed by Harold Vivian Marsh Brown. This important site was added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 2008.
Contents
A Sweet History: Sugar Research in Mackay
The Sugar Research Institute in Mackay was built in 1953. Don Johnstone was the builder. The first part built was the eastern wing. The second part, the western wing, opened in 1966. Harold Brown created the plans for this second stage in 1963, following Karl Langer's first ideas.
Why Sugar Research Started
In the 1860s, people found that the land around Mackay was perfect for growing sugar cane. By 1870, sugar was the main industry in the area. A State Nursery opened in 1889 to help with farming. This place, called "Lagoons," became a center for studying different types of sugar cane and better ways to grow it. It later moved to Te Kowai in 1935.
A group called the Bureau of Sugar Experiment Stations started in 1900. It was part of the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Stock. This group did research in Mackay, Cairns, and Bundaberg. They compared cane types, tested soils, and helped farmers with irrigation.
Sugar mill owners felt they didn't have enough say in the Bureau's work. So, in 1929, the Queensland Society of Sugar Cane Technologists was formed. This group brought together people from sugar mills and engineering companies. They wanted to work together to improve the sugar industry, especially when prices were low.
After World War II, the sugar industry needed to grow and improve. Many skilled people had left the Bureau for better-paying jobs. The government didn't want to change how the Bureau worked. So, sugar producers decided to create their own research institute. This new institute would be funded and controlled by the sugar industry itself.
Planning the Institute
Sugar Research Limited was officially started on February 22, 1949. Many sugar companies joined to support it. Their first big jobs were to find a director and choose a place for the research center.
Dr. Henry William (Bill) Kerr became the first director of the Sugar Research Institute (1949–1961). He had worked for the Bureau of Sugar Experiment Stations before. Dr. Kerr was very important in setting up the institute. He helped develop ways to test soil and introduced new methods for experiments.
The board decided to build the main laboratories in Mackay. This was because Mackay was the biggest sugar-growing area and the center of Australia's sugar industry at the time. They invited architect Dr. Karl Langer to discuss the building plans.
Who Was Karl Langer?
Karl Langer was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1903. He moved to Australia in 1939. He studied architecture in Vienna and earned a special degree in 1933 for his work on concrete buildings.
After moving to Australia, Langer started his own architecture business in 1946. He worked on many projects across Australia. He helped design important places like the site for the Sydney Opera House. He also designed buildings in Queensland, such as the Main Roads Building in Spring Hill and the St Peters Chapel in Indooroopilly.
Langer was known for his modern building designs in Queensland. He had worked in Mackay before, helping the Mackay City Council with their town plan.
Langer's Building Design
Langer was asked to design the Sugar Research Institute building. It would have offices, a meeting room, a drawing office, a library, and a lecture room on the ground floor. The first floor would have research laboratories. He also planned a separate building for workshops and storage. The design allowed for a second wing to be added later as the institute grew.
A house for the director was also planned next to the laboratories. Dr. Kerr's wife, Betty Kerr, even talked with Langer about changes to the house design. For example, she wanted to block the view from the front door into the kitchen.
Langer also planned the landscaping for the site. This included planting trees and gardens. He also designed a small house for a caretaker. The caretaker's cottage looks like it was built in the mid-to-late 1930s.
Langer's design for the main building was very smart for Queensland's climate. He used simple, clean lines and made sure the building faced north. This helped keep the building cool in summer and bright in winter. The laboratories on the south side got even light.
Building costs went up after the war because materials and skilled workers were hard to find. The director's house needed to be big enough for his family of five children and a maid, and also suitable for entertaining important guests. Because of the high costs, the institute building was built in stages.
The Institute in Action
The Sugar Research Institute opened on August 22, 1953. The Australian Treasurer, Sir Arthur Fadden, officially opened it. He said that the sugar industry was very well organized and important.
The building allowed chemists and engineers to study how sugar mills worked. The institute focused on solving problems for the sugar industry. It was unusual because it was a private research institute, funded by the industry, not the government.
Langer's design also included planting royal palms (Roystonea regia) along the road. These palms were planted in 1954. There were 58 of them, one for each sugar mill that was a member of the institute. The second half of the main building, which looked like the first, was finished and opened in August 1966.
Twenty-five years after it started, the institute's research had helped triple sugar production. By 1972, they had improved how sugar cane was transported and how mills extracted sugar. They also worked on sugar quality, waste treatment, and reducing air pollution.
The institute held yearly meetings and conferences. These events allowed mill workers to discuss problems and share ideas. These meetings happened in the library/lecture hall until the Charles Young Conference Hall opened. Eddie Pearce, who helped start the institute, had the library named after him.
On August 31, 1973, the Charles Young Conference Hall and new laboratories opened. This building was named after Charles Young, who was the first chairman of the institute. It is connected to the main building by a covered walkway.
In the 1990s, the sugar industry faced tough economic times. The institute continued its research, even with fewer staff. They developed more efficient condensers for sugar mills, which helped save energy. For example, they created new designs that reduced the amount of cooling water needed by up to 12%.
Individual researchers from the institute also received awards. Dr. Peter Wright received the prestigious Sugar Industry Technologists Crystal Award in 2003. This award is given to people who have greatly helped improve sugar refining technology. Dr. Wright was the first person from Queensland to receive it.
New Chapters: Closure and Redevelopment
On July 1, 2005, the Sugar Research Institute joined with Queensland University of Technology. By June 2006, the property was sold, and the research work moved to Brisbane. The building was then rented out.
It was later updated and used as the Parklands Mackay Business Hub, offering serviced offices.
In 2021, the institute began a new life. It started being redeveloped into a Catholic secondary school called Catherine McAuley College Mackay. The school opened on February 22, 2022. As of 2024, the school has added four new buildings. Two more buildings and a full group of students are expected by 2027.
What the Sugar Research Institute Looks Like
The Sugar Research Institute complex is located on Nebo Road, a main highway in Mackay.
The complex includes the Main Building, attached Garages, the Director's Residence, and a Workshop. A covered walkway connects the Main Building to a Conference Hall and another office/laboratory building. There's also a separate laboratory/office building behind these. A metal shed/garage is at the back of the site. A small caretaker's cottage is in the southwest corner.
The Main Building, garages, Director's Residence, and Workshop were built in 1953. The west wing was added in 1966. From the outside, it's hard to tell the difference because the new part matched the original design. Inside, you can see some differences in the finishes.
Outdoor Features
A striking feature is the double row of royal palms along the road. A low brick fence with pillars marks the entrances. A circular driveway leads to the front of the main building.
There are large, old trees near the Director's Residence. Garden beds are in front of the main building and inside the circular driveway. The house has a fenced-off garden in the back.
A back entrance on the west side has a driveway connecting the buildings. The rest of the site is a fenced-off field to the south.
The Main Institute Building
Outside Look
The main institute building is a two-story brick building with a basement. It has a "stripped classical" style, meaning it looks grand and balanced, like old Greek or Roman buildings, but with simpler details. The entrance has white marble steps, walls, columns, and ceiling. Two pedestals were meant to hold sculptures, adding to the classical feel.
The entrance has double glass doors with bronze frames. Above the door is a marble panel.
The windows on the east and west sides of the front are tall, painted timber windows. They are set between painted columns. Concrete canopies stick out over the windows on each floor, providing shade.
The east side of the building is plastered and painted. It has three timber-framed windows for the Director's Office.
The back of the building shows where the 1953 and 1966 parts join. You can see a slight difference in the brick color. The back has two long rows of windows, similar to the front. A ramp leads down to the basement at the western end.
The west side of the building has a doorway that connects to the covered walkway to the Conference Hall. The words "Sugar Research Institute" are on the wall.
The roof of the Main Building is low and hidden behind a tall wall on all sides. It's covered with corrugated asbestos cement sheets. Four metal drainpipes are on the brick walls.
Inside the Basement
The basement is a practical space under the west wing. You can get to it from a staircase inside or a vehicle ramp at the back. It also has an open area that connects to the ground and first floors. A hoist is used to move goods between floors.
The walls and ceiling are unfinished concrete, and the floor is smooth cement. This area holds equipment for air conditioning and electricity, as well as things for the laboratories upstairs.
Ground Floor
The ground floor has offices, lecture rooms, and other administrative areas. They all open off a central hallway.
The entrance hall is impressive with a high ceiling. The marble from the outside continues inside on the stairs and walls. The floor has a glass mosaic pattern. The walls are rough plaster and painted. The ceiling has sound-absorbing panels.
An opening from the entrance hall leads to an office that was used as an inquiry counter. This office also has a strong room with a special safe door.
Glass double doors from the entrance hall open into the library/lecture hall, named the ETS Pearce Library. The glass panels have etched designs, including a stylized sugar crystal.
Offices along the corridor have adjustable glass louvers above the doors. These allow air to flow through and let natural light into the hallway.
You can see the different building times in the east and west wings. The older east wing uses more timber, like Queensland Silky Oak and Queensland maple, for wall panels and trim. The west wing has been changed more over time.
The original toilets in the east wing are still mostly there. They have glass mosaic floors and tiled walls. The cubicle doors have a unique scalloped shape.
Many offices have carpet over old vinyl floor tiles. The ceilings are usually plaster panels with small holes for sound. Air conditioning has been added over time without much damage to the building.
First Floor
The first floor has laboratories and related spaces. A central corridor leads to large laboratory areas at the end of each wing.
The upper part of the entrance hall is like a balcony looking down. The words "ER Behne Laboratory" are on the wall. This laboratory is named after Edmund Rowlands Behne, who was a director and chairman of the institute.
The floor here has the same colors as the mosaic floor below, but without the pattern. Toilets are on the east side of this area.
Like the ground floor, the east wing has more original details and furniture. The laboratory fittings are similar in both wings, but the east wing's fittings are stronger and more detailed. Many laboratories have been changed to add new equipment like fume cupboards.
The laboratory at the eastern end has a tiled floor, which might have been added later. Other floors are vinyl tiles. Air conditioning has also been added to the first floor.
Garage Building
Three garages are connected to the east wing of the Main building by a short passage. The front wall is plastered and painted with "Sugar Research Institute" on it. The other walls are brick. The roof is low and hidden by walls, covered with corrugated asbestos cement tiles.
The garage doors are roller shutters now, but they used to be double timber doors.
Director's Residence
The Director's house is attached to the garage. It has a hipped roof covered with asbestos cement tiles. The walls are brick, and the doors and windows are white timber.
Brick stairs lead to the entrance. The lawn slopes up to the living room's bi-fold doors. At the back, a covered patio opens to a garden.
Inside, the house has large living and dining areas. The bedrooms are on the west side, opening off a long hallway. The kitchen and bathrooms are on the south side. There's a serving area between the kitchen and dining room.
The living and dining areas have built-in shelves and cupboards. Each bedroom has a whole wall of cupboards and drawers. The kitchen also has lots of storage. The timber work is very good quality.
The floors are timber, and some bedrooms are carpeted. The kitchen and bathrooms have newer vinyl floors. Walls are plastered and painted. The ceilings in the bedrooms look original, while the living area has a newer ceiling. The hallway ceiling was lowered to hide air conditioning ducts.
Workshop
The workshop building is connected to the back of the Main building by a short covered link. It was part of the original construction. Later, other structures were built around it, creating covered parking and workshop extensions. The workshop still has its original hipped roof and brick walls, though some doors and windows have been changed.
Inside, the workshop has several rooms with workbenches and sinks. One room was set up as a darkroom.
Charles Young Conference Hall
The Charles Young Conference Hall and laboratories is a single-story brick building west of the main building. It's connected by a covered walkway. This walkway is a strong feature, forming a veranda and entrance. It has a heavy concrete canopy and beams supported by concrete columns.
The conference hall has a large roof covered with metal sheets. It rises above low walls.
The building is a simple rectangle with the covered walkway on the east side. The walls are brick panels with narrow, tall slot windows. These windows have decorative metal screens for sun protection. Areas opening onto the veranda have tall glass doors and windows.
A wing of offices and laboratories extends east from the hall, behind the Main building. This wing has a low-pitched roof and brick walls. Windows and doors are metal-framed.
Inside, the conference hall is a large open space with vinyl floor tiles, brick walls, and large ceiling panels. It has good facilities for conferences.
The office/laboratory area has vinyl tile floors. The outer walls are plastered and painted. Inside, the spaces are divided by light metal frames with timber panels and glass above the doors. The fittings are generally made of Formica panels on steel frames.
Why This Place Is Important
The Sugar Research Institute & Residence was added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 2008 because it is very important to Queensland's history and architecture.
It shows how Queensland's history developed. The sugar industry has played a huge role in Queensland. The Sugar Research Institute shows how the industry worked to improve itself. It was a research center funded and controlled by the sugar industry, which was unusual. The construction of the main building in 1953 and 1966, and the Charles Young Conference Hall in 1973, shows the industry's dedication to research. It also highlights Mackay's importance as a center for sugar research and production.
It shows the main features of its type of place. The Mackay Sugar Research Institute, especially the Main Building, parts of the workshops, the Director's Residence, and the circular driveway, is a great example of architect Karl Langer's work. He found clever ways to design buildings in Queensland after World War II, when materials were scarce. The main building shows Langer's smart use of climate-friendly design. Its simple, clean look and northern direction helped with shading in summer and light in winter.
It has great aesthetic beauty. The Mackay Sugar Research Institute is a landmark because of its look. The royal palms along the road and the landscape design of the Nebo Road frontage, including the lawns and low brick fence, are very appealing. The palms were planted in 1954, representing the institute's member mills. The building's simple design and balanced look make it visually attractive. Even though the area around it has grown, the Sugar Research Institute still stands out with its unique look and setting along Nebo Road.
