Addresses
Type of place
Drainage
Period
Victorian 1860-1890
Sneyd Street Drain
Sneyd Street Drain
Sneyd Street Drain
Sneyd Street Drain
Sneyd Street Drain
Sneyd Street Drain
Addresses
Type of place
Drainage
Period
Victorian 1860-1890
The Sneyd Street drain is significant in demonstrating the development of stormwater drainage in Brisbane during the latter part of the 19th century. The Sneyd Street drain was constructed in response to population growth and the concern about disease, and also the need to control flooding. The rapid growth of Brisbane in the 1880s created health problems, including the spread of contagious diseases and unsanitary conditions, in crowded urban areas such as Spring Hill and Fortitude Valley. The construction of the Sneyd Street drain and other drains was part of a wider program to improve the quality of urban life and improve public health.
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Citation —
Criterion for listing
(A) Historical; (B) Rarity; (C) Scientific; (F) TechnicalInteractive mapping
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Citation —
Criterion for listing
(A) Historical; (B) Rarity; (C) Scientific; (F) TechnicalInteractive mapping
History
In October 1885 the contract had been let for the construction “of a culvert 660ft in length and 8ft in diameter, through Bowen Hills from O’Connell Terrace to Campbell
Street” and open channels lined with stone. The tunnel was to be lined with concrete. This became known as the Sneyd Street Drain. It was estimated that the £7000 cost would be offset by the sale of land in the vicinity. In 1886 the reported that the rock in Bowen Hills had proved to be harder than anticipated. Fresh tenders were called and parts of the drain tunnel were eventually left unlined. The work was completed in 1887. The drain’s arched porphyry outlet and open drain lined with porphyry blocks have now been covered over by the Inner City Bypass (ICB).
The Sneyd Street drain is significant in demonstrating the evolution of drain technology and construction methods in the late 19th and early 20th century. The drain comprises five distinct sections that demonstrate the changing uses of materials, in particular from stone and brick to concrete and then reinforced concrete.
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 Heritage Unit, Stone and Brickwork Drainage (Various Locations) Conservation Management Study Site Report, September 2002
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Riddell Architecture, Cultural Heritage Assessment: Sneyd Street drain, January 2007
Citation prepared by — Brisbane City Council (page revised June 2022)