Wynnum Fire Station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wynnum Fire Station |
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Former Wynnum Fire Station, 2014
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| Location | 39 Mountjoy Terrace, Wynnum, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1919 - 1930s (interwar period) |
| Built | 1922 - 1938 |
| Architect | Atkinson & Conrad |
| Official name: Wynnum Fire Station (former), Wynnum Fire Station | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 28 May 1999 |
| Reference no. | 602143 |
| Significant period | 1938 (fabric) 1938-c. 2003 (historical) |
| Significant components | watch room, engine room / appliance bay (fire station), dormitory, residential accommodation - superintendent's house/quarters, driveway |
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The Wynnum Fire Station is an old building in Wynnum, Queensland, Australia. It used to be a busy fire station, helping to keep the community safe. This building was designed by a company called Atkinson & Conrad. It was built between 1922 and 1938. Today, it is recognized as a special historical place on the Queensland Heritage Register.
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History of the Wynnum Fire Station
This old fire station is a simple but important building. It stands out on Mountjoy Terrace in Wynnum. It shows how fire services grew in Queensland over time.
Early Fire Services in Brisbane
For many years, it was hard to create a good fire service in Brisbane. Between 1860 and 1868, people tried five times to start a fire brigade. These early groups struggled because they didn't have enough money or good equipment. They also had trouble finding enough water to fight fires.
Things started to get better in 1868 with a new group called the City Volunteer Fire Brigade. They had better rules for managing money. In 1881, a law called the Fire Brigades Act helped even more. This law said that the fire brigade would get money from the Queensland State Government, the Brisbane Municipal Council, and insurance companies.
By 1889, Brisbane had its first full-time firefighters. A new main fire station was built in 1890. It was designed by Henry Wallace Atkinson, whose company later designed the Wynnum Fire Station.
Fire Services Come to Wynnum
Wynnum is a town located near Moreton Bay in south-east Brisbane. In 1888, a railway line connected Wynnum to Cleveland. This helped Wynnum grow quickly as more people moved there. By 1913, Wynnum became its own town council.
Wynnum became a popular place for holidays and day trips because of its beaches and sea breezes. People thought it was a "healthy" place to live. As more people moved to Wynnum, the area needed more services, including a fire brigade.
The first fire brigade in Wynnum started in 1921. They bought land on Mountjoy Terrace and put up a temporary building. This building served as both the fire station and a home for the firefighters.
In 1928, the Wynnum area joined the Metropolitan Fire Brigade Board. This board decided to build a new, modern fire station in Wynnum. The Queensland Government helped pay for this upgrade.
The new Wynnum Fire Station opened on May 25, 1938. It was a special event, opened by a politician named Edward Hanlon. The new building had the fire station on the ground floor. Upstairs, there was a home for the fire superintendent. This design, with a station and a home in one building, was common for fire stations in Brisbane at that time.
The 1938 building was used as a fire station until 2004. Then, a new fire station was built somewhere else. The old Wynnum Fire Station was sold and became a private home.
What the Wynnum Fire Station Looks Like
The former Wynnum Fire Station is a two-story building. It is made of timber and has a symmetrical design, meaning both sides look the same. The top floor is covered with a material called fibrous cement sheeting. The bottom floor has timber weatherboards. The roof is a hip roof, covered with corrugated sheets.
On the first floor, there is an open balcony that sticks out over the main entrance. The words "Wynnum Fire Station" are painted in red on the front of this balcony.
Inside the Station
The ground floor of the building was where the fire trucks were kept. This area is called the engine room. There was also a watch office, where firefighters kept an eye on things. Other rooms included a locker room, bathrooms, a dormitory (where firefighters slept), a kitchen, and a laundry. There was also a bedroom for the duty officer.
There used to be a special pole that connected the superintendent's home upstairs to the engine room downstairs. Firefighters would slide down this pole to get to the trucks quickly. This pole has now been removed.
The locker room still has the original lockers where firefighters kept their uniforms. The floor in the engine room still has red marks from the fire truck wheels. The inside walls are made of timber boards.
The Superintendent's Home
A set of timber stairs at the back of the building leads up to the home on the first floor. This home had a kitchen, living room, dining room, and three bedrooms. It also had its own open balcony.
Many original features are still there, like kitchen cupboards and a linen cupboard. The bathroom still has its original floor and wall coverings. A special carved timber archway separates the dining room from the bathroom and bedroom area.
Outside the Building
In the back corner of the property, there is a timber shed with a gable roof. It is divided into two spaces inside.
The grounds around the station are well kept. There is a concrete driveway along the side of the building. This driveway leads to an area where fire hoses were dried. There are also some newly planted palm trees in front of the station.
Why Wynnum Fire Station is Special
The former Wynnum Fire Station was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on May 28, 1999. This means it is an important historical place. Here's why:
- It shows how Queensland's history changed: This fire station is a great example of how fire services were improved in Brisbane during the 1930s. It also shows how much Wynnum grew in the early 1900s.
- It's a rare and special building: This fire station is a rare and well-preserved example of how suburban fire stations were built in Brisbane in the 1930s. It's one of the few from that time that still looks mostly the same inside and out.
- It shows what fire stations were like: The building clearly shows the main features of fire stations from the 1930s. Both the working areas and the living areas are still largely original.
- It looks good: The Wynnum Fire Station has a simple but strong design. It's a noticeable and important building on Mountjoy Terrace in Wynnum.
- It's connected to important people: This building is important because of its connection to the architectural firm Atkinson and Conrad. This company designed many fire stations in Brisbane, starting in 1890.
