The Old Windmill, Brisbane facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Old Windmill |
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The Old Windmill, Observatory Park
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| Origin | |
| Mill name | The Old Windmill |
| Mill location | Spring Hill, Queensland |
| Coordinates | 27°27′55″S 153°01′22″E / 27.465256°S 153.022867°E |
| Year built | 1828 |
| Information | |
| Purpose | Corn mill |
| Type | Tower mill |
| Storeys | Four storey tower |
| No. of sails | Four sails |
| Auxiliary power | Treadwheel |
| No. of pairs of millstones | Two pairs |
| The Old Windmill, Brisbane | |
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| Location | 226 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1824 - 1841 (convict settlement) |
| Built | 1820s |
| Official name: Windmill Tower, Brisbane Observatory, Old Windmill | |
| Type | state heritage (archaeological, built) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600173 |
| Significant period | 1820s, 1860s, 1894 (fabric) c. 1828–1842, 1861–1890s, 1922–1926, 1930s, 1940s (historical) |
| Significant components | amphitheatre, time ball |
| Builders | Convict labour |
The Old Windmill is a very old tower in Observatory Park, Spring Hill, Brisbane, Australia. It was built in the 1820s by convicts. This makes it the oldest building still standing in Queensland! It's also known as Brisbane Observatory or Windmill Tower. Today, it's a special part of Observatory Park.
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History of the Old Windmill
This windmill tower is the oldest building built by convicts in Queensland. It has been used for many different things over the years.
Grinding Grain
The windmill was built in 1828 to grind wheat and corn for the Moreton Bay penal settlement. It also had a treadmill attached. This treadmill was used when there was no wind. It was also a way to punish convicts.
The mill stopped grinding grain in 1845. The treadmill was removed a few years later. The windmill tower in Brisbane is the oldest of its kind still standing in Australia. It's special because convicts built it.
A Landmark and Survey Point
Because of its high spot, the tower was used in 1839 to help map the Moreton Bay area. This was done before the area was opened for free settlers. The tower was the main starting point for these maps.
After it stopped grinding grain, people wanted to save the windmill. They thought it was an important landmark. It was also the best fixed point for measuring land in the area. So, it was saved from being pulled down.
Signal Station and Observatory
By 1855, Brisbane was a busy port. The windmill tower became a signal station. It helped communicate shipping news from the Brisbane River to the town. Flags were used to send messages from a mast on top of the tower.
In 1861, the tower was updated. Its windmill arms were removed. New floors, doors, and windows were added. A winding staircase was put in. It also became a public observatory.
Keeping Time
A "time ball" was added to the tower in 1861. This ball would drop at 1 PM each day. It helped people set their clocks and watches correctly. Later, a "time gun" replaced the time ball in 1866. This gun would fire to signal the time.
In 1894, a new electric time ball was installed. This helped set the time for the whole colony. The time ball was used until 1930.
Early Radio and TV Research
From the 1920s, the tower was used for new research. The Queensland Institute of Radio Engineers used it for wireless radio and telephone experiments. In 1926, equipment for a wireless radio station was installed.
From 1924, Thomas Elliott used the tower for television research. In 1934, he and Allen Campbell gave Queensland's first TV broadcast from the tower. They continued experimental broadcasts until about 1944.
A Tourist Attraction
After 1945, the Brisbane City Council worked to keep the tower safe. It had become a popular place for visitors. Restoration work was done in 1950. More work was done in the 1980s and 2009.
Today, the council wants to make the tower open to the public. This way, visitors can enjoy the view from its observation platform.
What the Old Windmill Looks Like
The windmill tower is round and made of stone and brick. It gets narrower towards the top. At the top, there's an observation platform with an iron fence. There's also a small wooden cabin and a time ball on a mast.
The tower is about 8.4 meters wide at the bottom. It narrows to about 4.5 meters at the top. It stands about 16 meters tall. It sits on Wickham Terrace, looking over Brisbane's city center.
The outside of the tower is covered in a special plaster. This plaster makes it look like it's made of large stone blocks. This was done to protect the brick and stone from rain.
Inside, each floor is one open space. A winding staircase connects the ground floor to the observation cabin. The stairs are made of wood.
The observation cabin is a small, six-sided room at the top. It has windows and a door leading to a round balcony. The time ball sits on top of this cabin.
The area around the tower is grassy. It might still hold clues underground about its long history.
Why the Old Windmill is Special
The Windmill Tower is very important to Queensland's history for many reasons:
- It shows how Queensland grew: It's proof of the first European settlement in Moreton Bay. It shows how the area changed from a convict settlement to a free colony. It's the oldest convict-built building in Queensland. It's also the oldest windmill tower still standing in Australia.
- It's a rare building: It's one of only two buildings left from the Moreton Bay penal settlement. It's the only surviving windmill tower in Australia built by convicts.
- It can teach us more: There might be hidden things underground. These could tell us more about the convict period. They could also show how the treadmill was designed.
- It's a great example: As the oldest windmill tower in Australia, it's a perfect example of this type of building. Its height and location also show what an early signal station and lookout were like. It was also a site for early radio and TV research.
- It looks amazing: The Windmill Tower is a landmark. It sits on a high hill overlooking Brisbane. Its unique shape makes it stand out. It reminds people of Queensland's convict past.
- It shows clever ideas: It was used as a signal station in 1855. This showed new ways to communicate shipping news. It also helped manage timekeeping with time balls and a time gun. Early radio, telephone, and television research happened here too.
- It's important to the community: The Windmill Tower is a special landmark for Brisbane and Queensland. It reminds people of the state's European settlement. People have always cared about it, wanting to protect and restore it.
In Popular Culture
In 2015, an artist named Alinta Krauth created an artwork about the windmill's history. It was projected onto the windmill during the Urbne Festival in Brisbane.
