Yongala Lodge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yongala Lodge, North Ward |
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Yongala Lodge, 1993
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| Location | 11 Fryer Street, North Ward, City of Townsville, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1870s - 1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | c. 1883 - 1930s |
| Architect | Rooney Brothers |
| Official name: Yongala Lodge, Lister Private Hospital, Matthew Rooney's Residence, Nestle Private Hospital | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 21 August 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600878 |
| Significant period | 1880s-1930s (fabric) 1880s-1920s (historical) 1910s-1920s (social) |
| Significant components | service wing, residential accommodation - main house |
| Builders | Rooney Brothers |
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Yongala Lodge is a very old and important house located at 11 Fryer Street in North Ward, Townsville, Queensland, Australia. It was designed and built by the Rooney Brothers starting around 1883.
This building has been known by a few names over the years. These include Lister Private Hospital, Matthew Rooney's Residence, and Nestle Private Hospital. It was officially added to the Queensland Heritage Register on August 21, 1992. This means it's a special place protected for its history.
The Story of Yongala Lodge
How Yongala Lodge Began
The first part of Yongala Lodge was built between 1883 and 1887. The land was bought by John and Matthew Rooney in 1883. They were famous builders and timber merchants in Townsville.
The Rooney Brothers' Business
John and Jacob Rooney, who came from Ireland, started a building and timber business in Maryborough in the late 1860s. Their brother Matthew later joined them. In the late 1870s, John and Matthew opened a branch of their building company in Townsville. Townsville was growing fast because it was a port for the goldfields nearby.
By 1882, John and Matthew started their own companies in Townsville. They had Rooney Bros, which did architecture, building, and contracting. They also had Rooney & Co., a timber-milling business with James Harvey. They even had their own ships to bring timber from other Queensland ports to their mill.
The Rooney brothers were very good at what they did. They controlled every step of building, from cutting timber to designing and building houses. They used machines to work quickly and built many homes. This made them leaders in the building industry in North Queensland until the early 1900s.
Matthew Rooney's Home
Matthew Rooney's house on Fryer Street shows off the Rooney brothers' building style. It has special cast-iron railings and wooden decorations. It was one of the few two-storey timber houses built in Townsville before 1900.
The house was made entirely of a strong wood called Oregon pine. It first had two rooms on each floor and a small kitchen house at the back. It also had verandahs (porches) at the front and back. By 1900, the kitchen house was replaced with a two-storey extension. More verandahs were added, and part of one was even closed in.
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Matthew Rooney and his family moved into the house in the early 1890s. Matthew was an important person in Townsville. He was the first chairman of the Townsville Harbour Board. He also strongly supported the Catholic Church.
Sadly, on March 23, 1911, Matthew, his wife, and his youngest daughter died. They were on the ship SS Yongala when it sank south of Townsville. After Matthew's death, the Rooney companies became less successful. His family changed the business to Rooneys Limited, focusing on making furniture. They closed the company in 1946.
Changes Over Time
In 1916, the house was rented out to a nurse named Katherine Terry. She turned it into a hospital called Nestle Private Hospital. By 1919, it was renamed Lister Private Hospital.
In 1926, Rooneys Ltd sold the property. Around this time, it became Lister Flats, which were apartments. Between 1925 and 1933, a two-storey enclosed verandah was added. A single-storey extension was also added at the back in the mid to late 1930s. In the early 1980s, the building was renovated and became part of the Yongala Lodge motel.
What Yongala Lodge Looks Like
Yongala Lodge is a two-storey timber building shaped like an "L". Today, it is used as a restaurant and a home for the managers. It is located at the bottom of Melton Hill and faces Fryer Street.
The building has a roof made of corrugated iron. It has verandahs (porches) on two levels all around it. The side facing southeast is now closed in. The oldest part of the building has pretty cast-iron railings. The newer verandahs have timber railings and brackets.
Most of the northeast wall is now covered with wooden boards. A structure called a pergola has been added to the front. There's also a decorative timber porch at the front entrance with a curved iron roof. The back of the building is covered with vinyl siding.
The main entrance has a wooden door with patterned glass above and on the sides. These are surrounded by decorative wooden columns that support a large cornice (a decorative molding). French doors with glass above them open onto the verandahs on both floors.
Inside, the building has a main hallway. This hallway leads to dining rooms, a bar, and a kitchen. The dining area has decorative wooden arches. A central staircase with turned wooden railings leads to the first floor. Another steel staircase was recently added for safety reasons.
A two-storey brick motel wing is attached to the back of the main building. There's also a taller, two-storey brick motel block built on the rocky slope behind the site. A concrete swimming pool is located to the south of the building. It is surrounded by a bitumen driveway and car parking. The southern part of the property is a steep, rocky slope at the base of Melton Hill.
Why Yongala Lodge is Important
Yongala Lodge was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because it meets several important criteria.
A Glimpse into Queensland's Past
The manager's residence and restaurant at Yongala Lodge are strongly connected to Matthew Rooney. He was an important builder and businessman in early Townsville. Through his family's companies, Rooney Bros and Rooney & Co., he helped build a lot of North Queensland in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Matthew Rooney built this house for himself in the mid-1880s. It shows the work of these important building companies. It was also one of the few two-storey timber houses built in Townsville in the 1800s.
A Rare Find
This building is even more special now because it is the only two-storey house from the 1800s still standing in Townsville. It still has enough of its original parts to show what houses of its type were like.
Special Design Features
The building also has some beautiful architectural details. These include the finely made staircase and entrance, the special porch, and the way it was built with exposed timber frames.
A Beautiful Building
Yongala Lodge looks great on Fryer Street. Some of its architectural parts, like the cast-iron railings and the main entrance door, are especially beautiful.
Connected to Important People
The manager's residence and restaurant at Yongala Lodge have a strong historical link to Matthew Rooney. He was an important builder and businessman in early Townsville. His family's building companies, Rooney Bros and Rooney & Co., helped build a lot of North Queensland. This house, built for and lived in by Matthew Rooney, shows the work of these important companies. It was also one of the few two-storey timber houses built in Townsville in the 1800s.
