Addresses
Type of place
Sportsground
Period
Interwar 1919-1939
Style
Composite
This is an image of the local heritage place known as Valley Baths (facade only)
Valley Baths (facade only)
Addresses
Type of place
Sportsground
Period
Interwar 1919-1939
Style
Composite
The Valley Baths facade was built in 1925 and designed by City Architect Alfred Herbert Foster. The design also included an Olympic Pool, diving board and spectator’s gallery, however none of these survive today. They were constructed on the site of the original Booroodabin Baths, which had been built in 1901. The current pool and surrounding premises were built in 1985 under a Brisbane City Council Redevelopment Scheme and this facade is all that remains of either the 1901 or 1925 bathing complexes.
Lot plan
L30_B32290; L29_SL12328
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Citation —
Construction
Walls: Face brickPeople/associations
Alfred Herbert Foster (Architect)Criterion for listing
(A) Historical; (E) Aesthetic; (G) Social; (H) Historical associationInteractive mapping
Lot plan
L30_B32290; L29_SL12328
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Citation —
Construction
Walls: Face brickPeople/associations
Alfred Herbert Foster (Architect)Criterion for listing
(A) Historical; (E) Aesthetic; (G) Social; (H) Historical associationInteractive mapping
History
The baths were built on the site of the original Booroodabin Baths, completed in 1901 by Mr H Taylor, Contractor, and designed by architect, Mr JJ Clark and Mr JM Woodward, the Booroodabin Divisional Board’s Clerk of Works. The building included two shops, dressing rooms and spectators gallery. The bath itself was 90 x 30 feet with a depth of three feet six inches to seven feet six inches. 60,000 or 80,000 gallons of water were pumped into the pool daily from Breakfast Creek.
In 1925 a new swimming complex was built on top of the original baths. These premises were designed by architect AH Foster and included an Olympic Pool, diving board and a spectators gallery for 2,000 people. The pool was constructed from reinforced concrete and faced with white glazed tiles. The complex cost 17,000 pounds to build.
In 1985 the Brisbane City Council launched a $1.5 million - $2 million redevelopment project to replace the existing pool complex. During the demolition process the original Booroodabin Baths were exposed but were subsequently destroyed. Today all that remains of the previous baths is the 1925 façade which was preserved at a cost of $130,000.
The 1985 Bath complex includes an Olympic Pool, a three level grandstand with seating for 720 spectators, a meeting room, club room, media facilities and a kiosk.
Description
The symmetrical three storey façade of brick construction features dark brick pilasters with patterned polychrome brickwork infill panels. The centre panel contains double entry doors with doors centred above in a semi-circular arched opening with alternate rendered voussoirs and quoins, leading on to a bracketed balcony with wrought iron balustrading. A projecting cornice with dentil blocks separates the central brick parapet with a triangular pediment, crest, and the building’s name.
The flanking panels contain square headed multi paned windows to the ground floor and doors with multi paned fanlights, surmounted by a continuous rendered lintel. The upper walls contain similar windows with a continuous rendered sill band and lintel, with the end panels terminating in rendered triangular pediments and pentil blocks. At mid height, each panel contains circular port hole windows with rendered keystones.
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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The Brisbane Courier, 20 December 1895
-
The Courier Mail, 19 October 1985
Citation prepared by — Brisbane City Council (page revised September 2020)