Addresses
Type of place
Hall, Tree/s
Period
World War I 1914-1918
Style
Queenslander
This is an image of the local heritage place known as Nudgee School of Arts & Row of Trees
Nudgee School of Arts & Row of Trees
Addresses
Type of place
Hall, Tree/s
Period
World War I 1914-1918
Style
Queenslander
The Nudgee School of Arts is important because of its role in the social life of the local community. Since 1914 the hall has, at different times, provided a venue for receptions, dances and classes. The setting of this simple weatherboard shed in a large park, beside mature trees evokes the area’s rural past.
Lot plan
L50_SL543
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Citation —
Construction
Roof: Corrugated iron;Walls: Timber
Criterion for listing
(A) Historical; (B) Rarity; (E) Aesthetic; (G) Social; (H) Historical associationInteractive mapping
Lot plan
L50_SL543
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Citation —
Construction
Roof: Corrugated iron;Walls: Timber
Criterion for listing
(A) Historical; (B) Rarity; (E) Aesthetic; (G) Social; (H) Historical associationInteractive mapping
History
The School of Arts building was constructed in 1914. The Hall was used for a range of community purposes. Wedding receptions, weekly dances, and weekend activities such as table tennis, quoits and euchre were very common. While dances waned with the construction of Cloudland, they were re-instated during the 1960s. This School of Arts, in common with many others, operated a lending library in the Hall. The property was retained in the ownership of the State Government, and for a time was rented to a number of local organisations. It was transferred to Brisbane City Council in 1988.
The School of Arts was in a state of disrepair when Brisbane City Council took over the building in 1988. Its demolition was recommended, but the local community particularly valued the site. The Nundah and Districts Youth Club, with other organisations, began a 5 month restoration project which included restumping, re-roofing and the installation of a ceiling.
Description
The Nudgee School of Arts is a single-storey timber framed, iron-roofed hall, set in parkland near the corner of Hayden and Penhill Streets. The building’s main entry is on Hayden Street, and features a gabled foyer projecting from the main volume of the hall space. Photos of the School of Arts shortly after its construction in 1914 show that this entry structure was not part of the original structure. The photos reveal a simple gabled structure devoid of ornamentation save for a curved barge board and timber finial, both of which remain. Other additions to the original building include a lean-to extension along the hall’s northern side and a concrete block amenities building abutting the rear of the building.
The building is supported on low concrete stumps. These are infilled with timber battens along the halls front and two sides and with sheet metal along the rear. The building is clad with painted timber weatherboards. The roof features two rotating ventilators along the ridge and two smaller vents on the lean-to roof.
It appears that the original timber double-hung windows remain on the building’s original external walls. However all openings are heavily screened with steel mesh grilles, indicating that the structure is prone to vandalism.
A brief visual inspection of the building reveals it to be in generally good physical condition, but susceptible to vandalism.
The window grilles visually detract from the School of Arts and allude to a tougher environment than is otherwise suggested by the hall’s peaceful parkland setting. Nevertheless the School of Arts, together with the large fig trees beside it, remains an important part of the neighbourhood landscape, evoking the area’s rural past through the shed-like simplicity and honesty of its form.
Statement of significance
Relevant assessment criteria
This is a place of local heritage significance and meets one or more of the local heritage criteria under the Heritage planning scheme policy of the Brisbane City Plan 2014. It is significant because:
References
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Brisbane City Council - City Assets Branch Conservation Management Study Stage 1 Report. November 2002
Citation prepared by — Brisbane City Council (page revised September 2020)