Addresses
Type of place
Library
Period
Federation 1890-1914
Style
Queenslander
This is an image of the local heritage place known as Corinda Library
Corinda Library
Addresses
Type of place
Library
Period
Federation 1890-1914
Style
Queenslander
The Corinda Library was constructed in the 1890s as a hall for the Corinda School of Arts. A School of Arts movement was flourishing in the late nineteenth century and residents of Corinda had begun fundraising for a local branch in the 1880s. The Corinda School of Arts was founded in 1894 and the hall was built in 1895 by local builder John Dunlop, who later donated land for what is now the library carpark. In 1917 the School of Arts Committee donated the hall to the Sherwood Shire Council. The Hall was used for a variety of public functions, fundraisers and events until it was converted into a library by the Brisbane City Council in 1966.
Also known as
Corinda School of Arts
Lot plan
L143_RP29566; L3_RP29567
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Citation —
Construction
Roof: Corrugated iron;Walls: Timber
People/associations
John Dunlop (Builder)Criterion for listing
(A) Historical; (B) Rarity; (G) Social; (H) Historical associationInteractive mapping
Also known as
Corinda School of Arts
Lot plan
L143_RP29566; L3_RP29567
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Citation —
Construction
Roof: Corrugated iron;Walls: Timber
People/associations
John Dunlop (Builder)Criterion for listing
(A) Historical; (B) Rarity; (G) Social; (H) Historical associationInteractive mapping
History
Brisbane had been able to support its first School of Arts in 1849. The Mechanics Institute and Schools of Art movement flourished in the later parts of the nineteenth century, aided by subscription and suitable injections of government funding. In Britain, free municipal libraries were taking over the business of lending books, however local authorities in Australia were reluctant to bear the cost of public libraries, seemingly content to sporadically support existing institutions. Even though local government authorities in Queensland were enabled by act of parliament to develop municipal libraries from 1878, none did so. In the half-century or so before World War 1 many city suburbs and country towns organised their own Mechanics’ Institute or School of Arts, which usually provided free or subsidised library service and meeting hall facilities for the community.
This building was constructed in 1895 as the Corinda School of Arts, by local builder John Dudley Dunlop.
The building was also widely used by the local community for social and civic functions. The Sherwood Shire Council held its meetings at the School of Arts, and local church groups also made use of the facilities. In 1917 the School of Arts transferred the building to the Sherwood Shire Council, and it was thereafter used as a much valued community hall.
From 1925 with the creation of Greater Brisbane, the site fell under the control of the Brisbane City Council.
In 1966, in response to requests by residents for almost half a decade, Brisbane City Council began conversion of the hall for the purpose of a library. In 1992 it was again remodelled to reflect changes in library procedures.
As part of a continuing wider community use for the former School of Arts, the Oxley-Chelmer History Group was formed in 1996 and has since established a local history collection within the library.
Description
The Corinda Library is a single storey, timber framed iron roofed building, built in the late nineteenth century. The building’s entry is on Oxley Road, and features a gable end wall over an enclosed verandah/entry space which runs across the width of the building.
The building has a steeply pitched gabled roof over the main space, with side and rear spaces covered with skillion roofs. The front section of the building is approached by a concrete ramp, which is likely to be added during one of the renovations to the building.
The building is clad with chamfer boards, with little detail apart from some decoration to the gables. The interior of the building, in the main space, has a curved, vaulted, T&G, VJ lined ceiling. Smaller library spaces, such as office space and children’s library, are located in the side spaces, connected by doorways in the main internal walls. Thus the integrity of the main space is still intact.
The rear of the building contains amenities such as toilets, opening to the paved carpark, and a battened enclosure containing air conditioning equipment.
The Library has undergone changes over the years, during its conversion to other civic uses. Despite the many changes the Library is visually prominent in this commercial area. Its roof is dominant among the featureless retail buildings which surround it.
Several large camphor laurel trees stand at the front of the building, providing a pleasant environment for this small scaled building and providing some protection from the heavy traffic on Oxley Road.
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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Conservation Management Study Site Report, June 2001
Citation prepared by — Brisbane City Council (page revised August 2024)