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Appendix 9 Avalon Theatre Conservation Management Plan

THE AVALON THEATRE

ST LUCIA

A CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN March 2015

ANDREW LADLAY ARCHITECT

Grant and I started the Brisbane band The Go-Betweens in January

1978. We’d met two years earlier in the drama department at the

University of Queensland, where we were both doing Bachelor of Arts

degrees centred mainly on English literature. Most of the drama

subjects were taught at a small off-campus theatre called the Avalon. It

was a jostling atmosphere in which Grant and I felt immediately at

home, and our friendship began and blossomed here, amid the costume

trunks, the works of Beckett, Genet and Ionesco (perfect for a pop

band), and a genial professor, an Englishman by the name of Harry

Garlick. It was action, and fun, and good learning, and it’s where The

Go-Betweens started.

From A True Hipster - Remembering Grant McClennan, Robert Forster in The

Monthly, July 2006.

THE AVALON THEATRE

A CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN

CONTENTS

i

SUMMARY 2

1 INTRODUCTION 4

2 SOME HISTORICAL BACKGROUND 6

3 THE PHYSICAL EVIDENCE 17

4 CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS 29

5 CULTURAL HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE 32

6 CONSTRAINTS AND OPPORTUNITIES 37

7 CONSERVATION APPROACH AND POLICIES 40

APPENDIX 1 – BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL HERITAGE REGISTER ENTRY 49

APPENDIX 2 – DRAWINGS 53

Copyright March 2015 1438


35 O’DONNELL STREET WAVELL HEIGHTS QLD 4012

P (07) 3256 8508 F (07) 3256 8540

E [email protected] W www.andrewladlayarchitect.com.au

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SUMMARY

This report has been prepared for the University of Queensland and is intended to provide guidance for the future use and management of the Avalon Theatre.

The Avalon Theatre was originally constructed in the early 1920s as a church hall for the Church of England. The St Lucia Progress and Debating Society bought the building in 1926, and in July 1927 the building was extended. In 1947 the building was adapted for use as a cinema, and in July 1956 the property was sold to Henry and Dorothy Endres who made an application for extensions to and lowering of the building. The Art Deco facade to the front elevation probably dates from this period.

The University of Queensland purchased the building in February 1963. Many thousands of University students used the space as a teaching and performance space from the 1960s to the early 2000s. The building closed in the mid 2000s and remains vacant.

As seen from Sir Fred Schonell Drive, the theatre presents as a "decorated shed", with the stepped, symmetrical deco-styled facade covering a simple gable-roofed hall, albeit with several projecting additions. The building and it's site and context have changed since it opened in 1924. From a 1946 aerial view it is clear that the footprint of the St Lucia Show Hall, as it was then known, was around half its present size, but appears to be larger than the original building. In around 1965, the rear of the building was extended further, following the construction of new toilets at the front of the building and a stage at the rear in 1963. Various alterations were carried out during the University's occupation.

The exterior of the building is may be described as being generally run down, and the interior displays its ten years of vacancy and neglect, as well as infiltration by vermin, possums, squatters, termites, and rainwater.

Prior to the consideration of the cultural heritage significance of the Avalon Theatre the report looks at its historical context and attributes in relation to local halls and suburban picture theatres. The Avalon Theatre example of a church hall constructed well away from the church it was associated with is slightly unusual. It reflects the history of the suburb of St Lucia at the time the building was constructed. As a picture theatre from the 1940s, the Avalon Theatre is slightly later than other suburban picture theatres which were well established by this time. Very few suburban picture theatre buildings survive in the suburbs of Brisbane, and those that do survive have been converted to other uses.

This report finds that the Avalon Theatre to some extent demonstrates the early twentieth century history of the suburb of St Lucia and the development of the community in this location. It has some historical significance and rarity value as an early building in the suburb of St Lucia. The former Avalon Theatre would be one of the earliest buildings in the suburb and to some extent it is able to demonstrate this early history.

The Avalon Theatre also has some historical significance and rarity value as a local picture theatre for the St Lucia community. While not purpose-built as a cinema, this use was maintained for approximately 15 years. Few other suburban picture theatres remain in Brisbane in any discernible form and the former Avalon Theatre demonstrates rare aspects of the city and the local area’s cultural heritage. While the building has been modified extensively over time, the Avalon has some

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aesthetic significance as an example of a building, or at least front facade, with Art Deco pretensions and design motifs, which exemplify the use of the building as a picture theatre.

The former Avalon Theatre has historical significance for its history as part of the expansion of the University of Queensland, in particular the Department of English and the wider cultural pursuits of the campus.

The Avalon Theatre has social significance as a building with a strong connection with the St Lucia community and in particular the student community of the University of Queensland. The latter extends to the wider music and arts community in Brisbane and indeed, through its connections with now-famous people who studied and performed there to Australia and overseas.

The relative significance of the individual elements of the building are listed to help manage future changes. While the Avalon Theatre is considered culturally significant, not all of its component parts are equally significant. However with this building it is not a clear case of the earliest fabric being the most significant. Many of the additions and changes, although largely obscuring the few remnants of the original 1920s structure, relate to the building's social significance as a local picture theatre and later as University arts facility, and are of some significance. The fact that little of the building's earliest form and fabric survives does not lessen the importance of these later layers. The constraints and opportunities for the Avalon Theatre are considered in the light of the place’s cultural heritage significance. Issues considered include its run-down, structurally questionable condition, potential uses of the site and the building, the potential for community support for the conservation of the building, and the potential to adapt and extend the building for future uses. A use, or uses, which reflect the significance of the Avalon Theatre are the most appropriate.

In the final chapter, the appropriate steps that should be taken to conserve the Avalon Theatre in order to protect and retain its cultural heritage significance are considered, in the light of the constraints and opportunities. In broad terms, the Avalon Theatre should be conserved, and any future alteration and adaptation work should minimise the loss of, and impact on, significant building fabric.

Policies are included which are intended to provide broad direction rather than address specific fine details related to the fabric. There is considered to be more at stake in terms of "big picture" issues of structural repair and appropriate use of the building and its site.

The pre-1960s timber cinema, with the art deco front facade, should be conserved in its current form. While less significant, the northern 1960s additions should be retained, although external change and adaptation of these would be acceptable. Similarly the 1963 toilet additions have some significance for their connection with the University period and should be retained. The 1980s store room and sundry later additions may be removed or modified.

Internally, the planning and fabric of the front of the building survives relatively intact, as does the open auditorium space, albeit divided into two sections. In principal any further changes made to these areas should be minimal. Further subdivision of the auditorium would not be appropriate but the forming of openings in the dividing block wall may be acceptable. The interior of the northern 1960s additions may be further modified and adapted.

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1 INTRODUCTION

The former Avalon Theatre is located at 172 Fred Schonell Drive, St Lucia. The building was originally constructed in the early 1920s as a church hall for the Church of England, to a design by the local Brisbane architect J Norman Allom. It has been altered extensively and enlarged since its original construction, and is currently empty. The Avalon has served a myriad of roles in the local St Lucia community – built as a church hall for Sunday school and church services, it has also operated as a general public hall, a local picture theatre, and a performance space for the University of Queensland nearby.

The former Avalon Theatre is subject to the Heritage Overlay and the Heritage Planning Scheme Policy of the Brisbane City Council City Plan 2014 as a local heritage place. The site was first entered in the Council local heritage register in 2000.

This report was commissioned by the University of Queensland, and is intended to guide and inform the future use, management, and day to day care of the property so that those aspects found to be of cultural heritage significance are conserved. This report is prepared in the context of a master plan being prepared for the St Lucia campus by the University. T H E S I T E

The Avalon Theatre is located on land described as Lot 35/36 on RP 23316 and Lot 1/2 on RP 60072. The building is on the northern side of the road with park land to its north and west.

A Google earth view showing the location of the theatre relative to the University campus a few hundred metres to the east. The theatre is circled in red. North, and the Brisbane River, is to the top of the page.

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M E T H O D O L O G Y

This report has been prepared following the principles of the Burra Charter of Australia ICOMOS and associated guidelines, and The Conservation Plan by James Semple Kerr. It follows the accepted practice of research and evidence gathering, analysis of that evidence, assessing and stating the cultural heritage significance, and the formulation of relevant conservation policy.

D E F I N I T I O N S

Some Burra Charter definitions for terms used in this report include:

Adaptation: Modifying a place to suit the existing use or a proposed use.

Conservation: All the processes of looking after a place so that it retains its cultural significance. It includes maintenance, preservation, restoration, reconstruction, and adaptation.

Fabric: The physical material of the place including components, fixtures, contents, and objects.

Maintenance: The continuous protective care of the fabric and setting of a place.

Preservation: Maintaining the fabric in its existing state and retarding deterioration.

Place: Site, area, building(s) or other work(s), contents, and surrounds.

Restoration: Returning the existing fabric of a place to a known earlier state by removing accretions or by assembling existing components without the introduction of new material.

Reconstruction: Returning a place to a known earlier state, and is distinguished from restoration by the introduction of new materials.

L I M I T A T I O N S

At the time of inspection, lighting was only available in the front section of the building. The rear part was inspected using only natural light and torchlight. Most windows and doors were fixed closed, and many over-sheeted with plywood. The exterior on the eastern side of the building could not be accessed and inspected. Ceiling spaces and sub-floors were not inspected.

This report does not include studies of the trees and landscape surrounding the building, and a detailed condition assessment was not made.

A C K N O W L E D G M E N T S

This report has been prepared by Andrew Ladlay, who inspected the building on two occasions in November 2014. All drawings and photographs are by Andrew Ladlay except where noted otherwise. The assistance of Site Planner Ross Meakin, Project Manager Tim Sweeney, and Archivist Bruce Ibsen of the University of Queensland is gratefully acknowledged.

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2 SOME HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

S T L U C I A

St Lucia is an inner south-western suburb of Brisbane, and is well known as the location of the University of Queensland. The University was planned and built from the 1930s, when the suburb was still predominantly rural with little of the residential development which characterises it now. Although only four kilometres from the centre of the city and opposite Highgate Hill and Hill End on the southern side of the Brisbane River, St Lucia remained relatively untouched throughout the major residential boom periods in Brisbane of the 1880s and the 1920s. It was a bit isolated and difficult to reach, being surrounded on three sides by the Brisbane River. While the Ipswich to Brisbane rail line was constructed in the 1870s and a station was established at Toowong, the station was well to the west of what later became the suburb of St Lucia. The presence of the rail line and the station encouraged residential development in Toowong – St Lucia remained isolated from this activity.

The suburb of St Lucia was first settled by Europeans from the 1850s. In these early days thick scrub covered the lower levels towards the river, while the higher ground was forested. In the 1860s the scrub and timber were cleared and the lands cultivated for sugar cane, bananas and cotton. The bananas grown along the banks of the river at St Lucia were apparently among the best in Queensland.1 The produce was transported by boat up the river to Ipswich and down to the Brisbane CBD. Once it was demonstrated that sugar cane could be grown successfully in Queensland, the colonial government passed legislation that offered land for sugar cane cultivation. The flats of St. Lucia, extending along the Brisbane River to Long Pocket, were soon under cane cultivation. A cane crushing plant was established on a small steamer called the Walrus, which travelled to several waterside cane plantations, and allowed small growers to have their cane crushed without having to take their cane to mill or construct a mill themselves.

One of the first to take up cane cultivation on the banks of the river at St. Lucia was William Dart. The success of his plantation led to his construction of what is said to have been the first sugar mill in Queensland, at the end of what is now known as Mill Road in St Lucia. The mill began operating in the 1860s, and other growers crushed their cane at Dart’s mill as well. By 1870 there were enough farming families in the area to warrant the opening of the Ironside State School. This school served the local farming community for many years; however Dart’s mill was washed away in the floods of 1893.

1 Sunday Mail, 28 April 1929.

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In the 1880s the population of Brisbane expanded three fold, from 30,000 to 100,000. Parts of the city that were formerly farms were subdivided for residential allotments and new suburbs were created. In 1882 a syndicate of Brisbane businessmen – WA Wilson, L Cusack, R Morrison, and WD Cosham – advertised for sale the St Lucia estate. The land was previously a large sugar cane plantation that was subdivided for residential development. As Wilson was born in the West Indies he named the estate after the Jamaican island St Lucia. Close to 300 allotments were surveyed as part of the estate, and a proposed bridge across the river West End was shown on the marketing material for this estate. This bridge was never built, and only a few allotments of the estate were sold. In any event the name of the estate was adopted for the wider area. The area was considered to be an outlying part of Indooroopilly, and the lack of transport affected its potential. While the population of Toowong in the 1880s was more than 1,200, there were only a handful of residents in St Lucia. One of the earliest houses in the area was that of the architect and surveyor Richard Gailey. Gailey had acquired the former Lang's Farm, a large farm east of Toowong and the railway line. Gailey subdivided the area himself, naming Gailey Road which later became one of the main thoroughfares through Toowong and St Lucia. He retained a large residential estate of 12 acres, on which he built his residence Glen Olive in 1891. A large single storey timber residence facing the river to the north, Glen Olive was located east of Gailey Road in what is now Sandford Street; Glen Olive Lane runs off Sir Fred Schonell Drive to the north.2 Gailey was also chairman of the Toowong Divisional Board which administered the area of Toowong, Taringa and Indooroopilly at this time. But even Gailey’s efforts as architect, surveyor and local politician did not change St Lucia from the small rural community that it was.

After these stalled attempts of residential subdivision and closer settlement in St Lucia, the area remained a small rural pocket. Into the twentieth century the population of St Lucia remained relatively small compared to other Brisbane suburbs. In 1911 there were only 63 residents, and in 1921 there were just 251. In spite of the small population, or perhaps because of it, the sense of community in the area was strong, and by the early 1920s there was a progress association of Ironside and St Lucia (a progress and debating society). However shopping and community needs were provided from elsewhere, such as Toowong, which had a small shopping district based around the railway station, a post office and a series of churches, as well as Indooroopilly.

The St Thomas Church of England in Toowong was established by the Anglican community of that suburb in the 1860s. In 1877 a small brick church was constructed at the corner of High Street and Jephson Street in 1877. The church ministered to the Anglican community of Toowong and the surrounding suburbs from this time, and into the twentieth century some of the small St Lucia community attended St Thomas’s Church in Toowong. It was a long way to travel however.

2 Robert Longhurst, Brisbane’s Western Suburbs: Our Heritage In Focus (South Brisbane: State Library of Queensland Foundation,

1994) p. 53.

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T H E O R I G I N S O F T H E B U I L D I N G

The building now known as the Avalon Theatre was originally constructed for this local Anglican community in St Lucia. Toowong was a great distance for small children to walk, and therefore Sunday School classes were held on the verandah of a house in St Lucia Road (now Sir Fred Schonell Drive) from the start of the 1921 school year. These classes quickly outgrew the cramped quarters. The rector at Toowong, Archdeacon John Osborn, spoke to the Anglican Archbishop of Brisbane about providing facilities for the growing suburb of St Lucia. Osborn favoured buying land on which a small hall for Sunday School could be constructed, which could also serve as a meeting place for the local St Lucia community.3

The St Lucia and Ironsides Progress Association was also involved. In February 1922 the association formed a committee to cooperate with the Church of England Hall Committee, to organise a sports and entertainment program at St. Lucia to raise funds to assist in the construction of this Church of England Hall in the suburb.4

What was needed first was a site. The St Thomas parish council agreed to spend £125 on land, on the understanding that the Anglican community of St Lucia would fund the building. In August 1921 seven allotments of land, at the corner of St Lucia Road and Macquarie Street, were acquired (lots 35-36 and 95-97, and lots 93-94). The hall was built on lots 93-94.

These allotments were formerly part of the Hyde Park residential estate of Toowong, which had been originally subdivided for sale in the late 1880s. The Hyde Park estate was another of these residential subdivisions in the area that were not greatly successful at that time. While some allotments were sold in the late nineteenth century, others remained on the books for many years.

The hall site had indeed been acquired in 1889 by a George Murphy as two separate parcels. The allotments totalled just over 35 perches and 97 perches respectively. Murphy remained owner of these properties until his death in 1921.

However Murphy did not live there, and the land was no doubt bought as an investment. He was an accountant and Justice of the Peace and lived in Hamilton. After his death the property was administered by the Union Trustee Company of Australia Limited until 1923, when it was transferred to Queensland Trustees Limited.

The progress association and the Anglican community of St Lucia organised events to raise funds. A fete was held in November 1921 which raised more than £50. In June 1922 the first St Lucia Horticultural and Industrial show was held, in conjunction with a sports program. There were large numbers in attendance at the day, with many exhibits (fruit, honey, and other food-related items) on show. A contemporary newspaper article stated that:

3 John Kerr, Christ Church 40 years : A History of the Anglican Church at St. Lucia (Christ Church, St Lucia, 2002) pp. 5-6. 4 Brisbane Courier, 8 February 1922.

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The effort is mainly in connection with raising funds for a hall for the convenience of the residents over the river in that locality. Part of the proceeds is also being devoted to public baths.5

Fundraising for the hall’s construction was slow. The original intention of a hall 50 feet by 30 feet, with casement windows and double front doors with a porch, and a 10 feet deep stage constructed of timber chamferboards was abandoned due to cost and a much smaller building of just 40 feet by 20 feet was preferred. The cost estimate of this smaller building was still £430 plus £115 for a piano, seating and lighting. 6

At its meeting in February 1923, the Toowong Parish Council approved the new plans for the hall and organised a loan for its construction. The same month the local architect J Norman Allom called tenders for the erection and completion of a new Church Hall in timber at St Lucia. The plans and specifications, and other information concerning the construction of the building, were available from his offices, and also from the St Thomas rectory, High Street, Toowong.7

Construction of the building began. A contract was signed in March 1923, but the builder was not recorded.8 An opening concert was planned for the building for May, while the Toowong rector John Osborn planned two morning services and one evensong in the new hall each month. However May came and went and the building was not yet complete. By August 1923 the Brisbane Courier noted that construction was progressing on the Church of England public hall at St Lucia. 9

The building finally opened in early 1924. The first church service in the hall was held on 17 February 1924, when WJ Park held Holy Communion with a congregation of 10 participants. Unfortunately no documentary record could be found describing its opening, so it not clear what the building looked like originally, or if it was indeed the 40 feet by 20 feet building. Diocesan records noted that it could seat 100 people. 10 Apparently the building was raised on timber stumps originally.

It clearly was not a just ‘church’. The building was used by the local St Lucia community for meetings, organised local groups as well as the Anglican community of the suburb. In November 1924 the St Lucia Improvement and Debating Society held its annual social in the Church of England Hall, when the building was crowded with guests. The local politician, JF Maxwell, was patron of the society, and in his address thanked all who had assisted the society in advancing the claims of the district over the last 12 months. 11

5 Brisbane Courier, 6 June 1922. 6 John Kerr, Christ Church, p. 7. 7 Brisbane Courier, 7 February 1923. 8 Brisbane Courier, 24 March 1923. 9 Brisbane Courier, 11 August 1923. 10 John Kerr, Christ Church, p. 8. 11 Brisbane Courier, 13 November 1923.

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The hall continued in this role, serving the general St Lucia community equally as the Anglican parishioners. The annual St Lucia Horticultural and Industrial Show was held in the hall for example. In December 1925 about 50 members and guests of the St Lucia Improvement and Debating Society attended the annual social of the society, which was held in the hall. In 1926 the state politician JF Maxwell, held his election address at the hall in front of his many constituents.12

From the news articles in the local press it appears the St Lucia Progress and Debating Society was heavily involved in the use of the hall. Indeed by June 1926 the Society bought the hall from the St Thomas Anglican parish. Apparently the church could not afford the repayments on the construction of the hall, and decided to sell it. The St Lucia Progress and Debating Society bought the building, together with two adjoining allotments. The society planned some changes and extensions to the building, which were described in news articles as big alterations and improvements. 13 Again, there is no documentary evidence to indicate what these building extensions were.

A later recollection of the building at this time gives an idea of the building interior. The building was:

…on higher stumps with a small verandah and a dozen or so steps. It had a stage with dressing rooms on either side. When not being used the seating was stored under the stage. At the front of the hall there were two rooms; one was used as a ticket office and the other for refreshments. Dances were held in the Progress Hall and during the war years they were held most Friday nights. The pianist was Mr Fred Smith; he was excellent and could play anything the dancers wanted.14

In July 1927 the extensions to the building carried out for the progress association were formally opened by the Mayor of Brisbane, Alderman William Jolly. At the opening Jolly stated that St Lucia was destined to become the most beautiful suburb of Brisbane, as it would be a distinctly residential area, free of industry and other noxious trades, as well as the University of Queensland, the establishment of which had recently been announced. Representatives from the Kurilpa, Toowong, Rosalie, and other progress associations were present at the opening function. In officially declaring the hall open, Jolly congratulated the society on the wonderful improvements that had been made to the district. It had set an excellent example for other progress associations in Brisbane to follow. Such a hall was a boon to the district, especially as a meeting place for young people. 15

The newly named St Lucia Hall became the focal point of the growing St Lucia community. It was used for meetings, dances, concerts, live theatre and later film screenings. It was also the venue for the local agricultural shows of the district. In June 1928 the annual St. Lucia

12 Brisbane Courier, 22 April 1926. 13 Brisbane Courier, 4 June and 21 July 1926. 14 Quoted in Peter Brown, ‘St Lucia (Qld) History Research Papers, Vol.3, Nos. 16 to 20’, St Lucia History Group, 2005, p. 4. 15 Brisbane Courier, 16 July 1927.

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Horticultural and Industrial Show was held in the hall under the auspices of the St. Lucia Progress and Debating Society. The exhibits were not extensive, but were of high quality. The local politician J P Maxwell declared the show officially open, saying that the society had done wonderful things, and congratulated it on having a deficit of no more than £240 after an outlay of over £1,200 on the building and land.

Of these shows a local resident of St Lucia, Joan Haig, recalled:

…lunch, tea and cakes were served underneath the hall. Around the grounds a chocolate wheel, a hoopla stall and a coconut shy were set up. We would pay 6d to enter the hall. Cakes, sweets, fruit, vegies, flowers, wonderful needlework and other arts and crafts were displayed and judged. Certificates were awarded with a cash prize for the winner. Plenty of wildflowers grew on the hillsides of St Lucia in those days and made first class displays.16

A condition of the sale of the building was that church services could still be held there. These continued until 1930 when members of the church raised funds and built a new timber hall on land adjacent to the earlier one at the corner of Macquarie Street and the St Lucia Road. This new hall was constructed of timber and iron sheeting, and measured 39 feet by 25 feet. 17

T H E A V A L O N T H E A T R E

During Second World War the building was still owned by the progress association and retained its role as a community facility. Soldiers stationed at the University came from the base there and joined locals for dances.

In 1947 the building was adapted for use as a cinema. In May of that year The Brisbane City Council received an application from the St Lucia Progress Association to convert the building into a ‘picture hall’.18 It was known as the Esquire Cinema for a few years, and by the mid 1950s was known as the St Lucia Theatre.

By the time the hall was adapted for use as a picture theatre, the local cinema was a ubiquitous part of the suburban landscape in Brisbane and in other Queensland towns and cities. Nearly every suburb had one. They were generally modest structures of little architectural merit, but were visible elements of the suburb and important socially to these communities. Before the days of television, the local picture theatre provided readily accessible entertainment in a local setting.

In July 1956 the property was sold to Henry and Dorothy Endres. An application was made to the Council for extensions to and lowering of the building, to a design by architects Goodsir

16 Quoted in Peter Brown, ‘St Lucia (Qld) History Research Papers, Vol.3, Nos. 16 to 20’, St Lucia History Group, 2005, p. 4. 17 Brisbane Courier, 30 June 1930. 18 Brisbane City Council building cards, 172 Sir Fred Schonell Drive, St Lucia, site.

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A 1946 BCC aerial view of the site, with the Avalon site at number 172 outlined, and the 1930 church hall beside it at 170.

The Avalon appears to have a gable behind a front verandah and a hipped roof at the rear.

and Carlyle. The ceiling height was 18 feet, less than 20 feet requirement for theatre buildings. The Council building card for this work suggests that the use of the land for a theatre was not approved for this reason, but this requirement was relaxed however and the theatre use continued. Further alterations to the building were approved in 1958 for the

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owner Endres. The architect was not recorded nor was the scope of works. The Art Deco facade to the front elevation probably dates from this period, although Art Deco motifs were typical designs for picture theatres in the 1930s and 1940s.19

The suburb of St Lucia expanded considerably in the post-war period. Residential development was primarily driven by the growth of the University of Queensland, with the relocation of the campus from George Street and the construction of many new buildings at the St Lucia site in the late 1940s and 1950s. Many lecturers and staff built houses nearby the campus in St Lucia.

In this same post-war period television was introduced to Queensland. Many suburban picture theatres declined as a result of this new medium. The Avalon Theatre was one of those theatres affected. In 1962 the Henry Endres, the owner of the theatre, offered the site and building to the University of Queensland Student Union. The offer included the land, building, seating, and projection equipment for the sum of £9,000. The Union discussed this offer with the Department of English. The Darnell Professor of English, AC Cawley, wrote to University Vice Chancellor, Sir Fred Schonell, as follows:

The excitement of seeing the production of Patrick White’s The Ham Funeral has inspired me to write and ask whether there is any possibility of the University buying the Avalon Theatre (which I hear will shortly be up for sale). The Theatre would serve as a theatre, lecture hall, or examination centre and would be a valuable asset to the University.20

For some time the Student Union had been promoting the idea of a purpose-built permanent live theatre building at the St Lucia site. The union commissioned the architect Steven Trotter to prepare plans for a theatre to be built adjacent to the Union Buildings, which had been designed by Trotter’s firm, Fulton, Collin and Partners. At that time Brisbane had few live theatres apart from Her Majesty’s in the city, which was large, old and expensive. Funding for these projects through the official channels of the University was cumbersome and time consuming. Buying the Avalon Theatre was an easier alternative to the Union’s grand plans for a new building on the campus. The University was also desperately in need of more teaching space on campus. The use of the Avalon would free up space in other buildings at the University. 21

The Union and the Vice-Chancellor met to discuss the possible purchase of the Avalon. The Union noted that the theatre was not suitable for theatrical performance in its current form; Steve Trotter inspected the building to confirm the alterations needed. After some negotiations, the Union Council approved the University’s purchase of the building, but it would still promote the idea of a permanent theatre on the campus itself. 22

19 Brisbane City Council building cards, 172 Sir Fred Schonell Drive, St Lucia, site. 20 Quoted in Nigel Pearn and Richard Fotheringham, ‘A History of the Avalon Theatre 1921-2007’, University of Queensland, 2007, p.

4. 21 Nigel Pearn and Richard Fotheringham, ‘A History of the Avalon Theatre 1921-2007’, University of Queensland, 2007, p. 4. 22 Nigel Pearn and Richard Fotheringham, ‘A History of the Avalon Theatre 1921-2007’, University of Queensland, 2007, pp. 4-5.

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In December 1962 the University Senate endorsed the acquisition of the Avalon, for a price of £8,500. Settlement occurred in February 1963. On Trotter’s advice, the University installed a small stage at the rear of the building, bought new seating and replaced the toilets, which were still earth closets that required weekly ‘night soil’ collection. This meant further costs for the acquisition. The University negotiated the issue with the Queensland government, and the government agreed to pay for the unimproved value of the land (£3,220). The remaining costs were borrowed from University funds.

The Avalon, a local picture theatre and former church hall, was now owned by the University of Queensland. But was it a teaching space or a public theatre? It was not clear in these early days. The University wrote to the Brisbane City Council advising that the theatre would be used for general University purposes – lectures to students, other lectures, examinations, the performance of plays by University language departments, the UQ Dramatic Society, revues, and the screening of films by the University student film society – and as such there was no need to license the building as a place of public entertainment. 23

The UQ Dramatic Society had the honour of staging the first University performance in the Avalon Theatre. At the 1963 O Week new students saw a production of Robert Bolt’s The Tiger and the Horse. At this time the Avalon had a capacity of just over 300, with 260 canvas chairs and 50 upholstered seats set out in 17 rows with two aisles – 4 on each side and 10 in the middle. The stage was raised about one metre off the floor but with a flat floor sight lines were not good. There were no dressing rooms and no space for storage.

An undated seating plan for the "University Theatre" (UQ Archives)

But with all these problems, the theatre filled a need and was used continuously this first year. It was not just the UQ Dramatic Society and UQ Film Society using the theatre, as travelling groups used it as well such as the Melbourne University Drama Company, the Melbourne University Choral Society, the Marlowe Society from Melbourne, Trinity College, Queens College, Ormond College, Newman College, the Melbourne University Film Society, and other local groups such as the College Gilbert and Sullivan Society, the UQ Architecture Student Club, the UQ SRC Revue and the Conservatorium Opera School. Films were screened Friday and Saturday nights.

In 1963 the actor Bryan Nason, a former UQ student who had been involved in student productions, retuned from overseas and developed a semi professional touring group called The College Players. The first season at the Avalon featured the actor Jane Harders in a

23 Nigel Pearn and Richard Fotheringham, ‘A history of the Avalon Theatre 1921-2007’, University of Queensland, 2007, p. 5.

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program called Salad Days. Later years saw performances such as Oklahoma!, and HMS Pinafore and The Tempest; the latter featured Jack Thompson, Michael Caton and Shane Porteous, UQ students and later successful Australian actors who started out at the Avalon Theatre. The local Brisbane actor David Clendenning directed many plays at the venue. The theatre provided a focal point for theatrical activity on campus. 24

In 1964-5 a major concrete block extension was made to the rear of the building for dressing rooms, apparently to a design by the Students’ Union architects, Fulton, Collin and Partners.25

In 1969-70 the Students Union of the University constructed the Schonell Theatre on the main campus. Student drama moved to this location. A few years after the Cement Box Theatre was developed under the Schonell Theatre and this too was used for student drama performances. At the request of the Students Union the Avalon Theatre was closed for public performances and its licence was revoked. The theatre apparently has never been re-registered, and public performances in the theatre were not permitted. 26 The site was enlarged with the acquisition of the land to the north and west from the Anglican Church in 1970.

In 1973, the then Vice-Chancellor of the University, Sir Zelman Cowan, proposed that the University establish a drama section as part of the Department of English. Drama tutorials were held in the space. To provide temporary accommodation for the teaching program, and for the newly established television unit of the University, the rear section of the building was remodeled as a television studio, and the front section a single drama studio with floor-to-ceiling curtains and a basic lighting grid. This work saw the removal of the cinema screen, the stage, and the backstage areas.

In 1977 an amateur theatre group Camerata Theatre presented seasons of plays at the Avalon Theatre, as public performances. Camerata applied to the Council for a licence for public performances and inspections were made. A series of costly improvements were needed before the theatre could be licensed again 27.

From this time the building was used as a teaching space by the University. It continued in this role for many years, as a teaching and performance space for the Drama Society of the University and the Department of English. In the 1980s the Avalon was used for drama workshops for three undergraduate units per semester, with up to 170 students in first year courses and 50-80 for later courses. The building was used six days a week from early morning until late at night.

24 Nigel Pearn and Richard Fotheringham, ‘A History of the Avalon Theatre 1921-2007’, University of Queensland, 2007, passim. 25 Nigel Pearn and Richard Fotheringham, ‘A History of the Avalon Theatre 1921-2007’, University of Queensland, 2007, pp. 8-11. 26 Nigel Pearn and Richard Fotheringham, ‘A History of the Avalon Theatre 1921-2007’, University of Queensland, 2007, pp. 16-17. 27 Nigel Pearn and Richard Fotheringham, ‘A History of the Avalon Theatre 1921-2007’, University of Queensland, 2007, pp. 26-27.

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Many thousands of University students have used the space for these purposes from the 1960s to the early 2000s. The Architecture Revue Band was formed in 1967 to make musical contributions to the Architecture Student Revues which at that time were being performed every year at the Avalon Theatre. In 1978 two drama students , Robert Forster and Grant McLennan met and discovered shared interests in music and film. Not long after the two formed a band called The Go-Betweens, which became one of Australia’s most admired and respected groups of the 1970s and later, and one of Brisbane’s cultural contributions to the world28.

The Go-Betweens, with Forster and McLennan in the centre (ABC/ Tripple J website)

The building closed in the mid 2000s and the University’s School of English, Media Studies and Art History relocated its drama teaching program to the Cement Box Theatre.

Left: The theatre in 1971 (Fryer Library AE P 01); right; in c1980 (ref: S908 p1054 source unknown)

28 See the quotation on the cover.

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3 THE PHYSICAL EVIDENCE ( A L O O K A T T H E B U I L D I N G A N D I T S S E T T I N G T O D A Y )

This chapter describes the Avalon Theatre, its current setting, and the changes made since the building was first constructed, and includes observations on its current condition.

A D E S C R I P T I O N

The site and setting

As noted earlier, the Avalon Theatre faces south to Sir Fed Schonell Drive. The building is elevated relative to the busy road, and is accessed from the footpath directly to the front entrance via wide concrete stairs. There are remains of a concrete retaining wall to the street frontage, together with several small trees. Opposite the site are single and multi-unit residences and mature street trees.

The Sir Fred Schonell Drive streetscape opposite the theatre.

To the west of the site, a grassed bank falls to a bitumen-paved car park for patrons of Citycat ferry terminal at Brisbane River edge of the adjacent Guyatt Park. The park also includes cycle paths, a cycle hire station, walking paths and recreational facilities. A circa 1940s house closely adjoins the Avalon site to the east.

Vehicular access to the site is via a driveway from the end of Macquarie Street at the rear, to the north-west. It rises up to a bitumen-paved car parking area edged by mature trees.

The building is located in the south-eastern corner of the site, within Lot 1 on RP 60072. This is the highest part of the site, and indeed the immediate area. The rear of the 3396 square metre site is relatively open to Macquarie Street. A large pine tree, noted in the BCC heritage Citation, is located west of the building's front facade. There are no structures on the site apart from the theatre and the garage immediately to its west.

Views of the site from Sir Fred Schonell drive, left to right from west to east.

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Above left: An aerial view with the overall site denoted by the heavy black line and Lot 1, the original site, by the broken lines, with north to the top of the page (BCC). The University also owns the adjacent sites to the east, two fronting Sir Fred Schonell Drive and two fronting Macquarie Street; top right: the building from the west with the car park in the foreground ; above right: the building from the driveway to the north- west; left: the pine tree to the south-west.

The exterior of the building

As seen from Sir Fred Schonell Drive, the theatre presents as a "decorated shed", with the stepped, symmetrical deco-styled facade covering a simple gable-roofed hall, albeit with several projecting additions. The faded "Avalon" sign from the 1980s remains above a

cantilevered awning covering the wide entrance which has glazed timber bi-folding doors. The facade has flat sheeting with a textured paint finish, with decorative brickwork infilling the sub-floor. Matching brick planter boxes flank the front stairs. The brickwork is painted.

Later toilet additions project from the eastern and western ends of the front of the building, each with outside access. Also projecting on the western side is a flat roofed weatherboard addition and further to the north on that side is a free-standing metal clad garage. Here the bitumen paving of the car park area extends up to the building with ramps accessing side entrances, and the internal floor level is only some 300mm above the paving. At least part of the building appears to bear on round timber stumps. A concrete block dividing wall can be seen extending through the weatherboard walls and corrugated steel roofing to divide the

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former auditorium. Two steel braces extend from the upper western wall, with at least one on the eastern side, and are set into the ground beyond the building. Windows are typically timber awning type with solid plywood infills in place of glazing, and doors are flush timber or over-sheeted V-jointed tongue and groove timber.

At the northern end of the building are substantial painted concrete block additions. These have a "flat" ribbed metal roof and wide shallow panels of louvre windows.

Above are exterior views of the building. Top: the front; above from left: the weatherboard addition to the western side; the dividing wall penetrating the walls and roof; the garage. Left: the northern additions seen from the north-west.

The following descriptions of the building's interior refer to room numbers used by the University, and which are reproduced on the plans at the end of this section.

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The interior of the southern part of the building

The front entrance to building from Sir Fred Schonell Drive opens directly into a central small foyer, with rooms off to each side. The room to the left (104) has a ticket window, and a stair leading up to the balcony, and the room to the right (102) has built-in cupboards and a sink unit. Just beyond the foyer, opened-up passages to the left and right lead to the toilets (103,105), each of which have access to the outside. The front rooms have light coloured flat sheeted walls and ceilings (which appears to be hardboard), with carpet and vinyl on timber floors.

Right: the foyer; below left to right: room 104 to the west of the foyer; room 102 to the east of the foyer; the male toilet (105); bottom: the ladies toilet (103).

Beyond the foyer is the auditorium (101), a large open space of some 15 metres length and 12 metres width, with a polished hardwood floor and black painted flat sheeted walls. The 1970s sub-dividing wall at the northern end of this space is painted black with a white painted screen in the centre. The ceilings are also painted black, with a flat central section flanked by sloping sections each side. The are mostly lined with V-jointed tongue and groove timber boards, with flat sheeting towards the northern end, corresponding with a change in wall sheeting layout29.

The central section of the hall ceiling has several lattice ventilation panels as well as extensive lighting rails, lighting fixtures, and fans. Running the full length of this auditorium are rows of "acrow" props bearing on timber plates on the floor and extending up to where the raking ceilings meet the flat ceilings. The space is otherwise empty apart from two banks of mobile seating units.

29

This is indicative of the start of the first additions to the original hall. Based on scaling of the 1946 aerial photo, the actual northern end of the building then appears to have been where the current concrete block auditorium dividing wall is located.

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Opening off this auditorium on the western side is a former store room (106) which has been gutted internally. Tongue and groove timber exit doors are located on the east and west sides.

Top: the auditorium looking towards the front; above left: the auditorium looking towards the rear; above centre: the store room (106) on the western side; above right: the stair to the former bio-box and gallery .

From the office to the west of the foyer (104), a hardwood stair rises up to the former bio-box and gallery. Part of the way up the second stair flight, an early four-panel door opens into a store room (which could not be accessed for inspection). The stair arrives in the former projection room (201) which opens onto a narrow balcony (203) overlooking the auditorium. The former projection room has a sink and bench at the eastern end, and

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painted flat sheet linings (again, possibly hardboard) and a carpeted floor. Another door at the eastern end of this room opens onto an unlined store room (202). Some unpainted V-jointed tongue and groove timber boards line one wall of this room, and also the corresponding wall of the balcony facing the auditorium, but in the latter case they are painted black.

Left: the former projection room (201); centre: the gallery (203) overlooking the auditorium; right: the store room (202) at the eastern end of the former projection room.

The interior of the southern part of the building

The rear, northern, part of the building consists of two main areas, the first being the continuation of the front auditorium/studio (110), divided from it by the concrete block wall. Near over-sheeted external double doors to the western side of the auditorium, and adjacent to the former garage, another door accesses a passageway leading to the former back-of-house rooms which are set at a higher level than the auditorium. Weatherboard cladding, demarking former external walls, remains on the eastern side of this passageway. Several carpeted offices (111,112) are on the western side of the passageway. A third room (113) on this side is fitted out with acoustic ceiling and wall linings and a viewing window to the adjacent room (114).

Left: the passageway from just inside the western entrance; centre: room 113; right: room 114.

Just before the passageway turns to the right (east), a door accesses a room (119) on that side, also with some acoustic lining, exposed air conditioning ducting, built-in benching and a viewing window to the auditorium/studio (110) below. Part of the southern side of the east/west section of the passageway is lined with weatherboards, and the passageway opens into a black painted room (118), also with some acoustic lining and air conditioning ducting. Beyond this room further to the east is a space occupied by stairs leading down to a

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foyer for the auditorium/studio (110). Another flight of stairs leads up to a timber platform (210) immediately above the foyer. The northern auditorium/studio (110) is around 12 metres wide and 8 metres deep, a single black-painted space apart from a toilet and airlock in the south-west corner. It also has a polished hardwood floor. At the north-east end of the building is a former dressing or green room (115), with built-in benches and vanity basins. Accessed off this room is a smaller room (116) which appears to have been a costume wardrobe. At the end of the east/west passageway is a room with outside access and a built-in sink unit (117).

Clockwise from top left: Room 119; the east/west passageway; room 118; the dressing room 115; the auditorium studio 110; the east/west passage; room 117.

These rear rooms are typically divided by timber framed and sheeted walls, with painted flat sheet

ceilings and carpeted floors. The concrete block external walls are exposed internally and painted. Many of the walls are decorated with murals, graphics, and assorted graffiti.

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Current floor plans of the building, based on drawings supplied by the University of Queensland.

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C H A N G E S

Clearly, the building's site and context have changed since it opened in 1924. The BCC 1946 aerial photograph (in part reproduced on p11) shows that there were by then buildings located on the adjacent lots to the north and west (the 1930 church hall), and on the other side of Macquarie Street, then joining St Lucia Road, now Sir Fred Schonell Drive, in what is now Guyatt Park.

A fence appears to define what was then the theatre site, now Lot 1 on RP 60072, with small structures visible in the north-east and north-west corners which are possibly earth-closets. Mature trees do not appear to exist at that time, and there appears to be no driveway or car parking within Lot 1.

The streetscape opposite the theatre in Sir Fred Schonell Drive has also changed as buildings have been constructed, demolished, and replaced over the intervening period.

The building itself has clearly changed significantly since it was first constructed, although no drawings from that time are available. However, from the 1946 aerial view it is clear that the footprint of the St Lucia Show Hall, as it was then known, was around half its present size, but appears to be larger than the original 40 feet by 20 feet building as described earlier.

The building was described as originally being elevated on stumps. At some stage it was lowered and had the deco-style facade added, possibly post-1946 as the aerial view shows

evidence of a front verandah roof with central gabled pediment, and possibly a hipped roof to the rear of the hall. What may be a surviving rafter of the front verandah roof can be seen in an upper level store room (see page 21)

It appears that the an extension to the rear in the late 1950s eliminated the hipped roof and continued the auditorium ridge at the same height, where it terminated in a gable end which is still visible above later 1960s additions.

Part of the upper wall and ceiling of the southern auditorium showing what appears to be where the pre-1946 or 1950s additions (right) join the original hall (left). Differences include the ceiling materials, height of window heads, alignment of wall sheet cover battens, skirtings, and cornices.

In around 1965, the rear of the building was extended further with the concrete block storage and dressing room additions which wrapped around three sides of the former stage. These were relatively out of scale with the rest of the hall although some of the apparent height is as a result of the fall of the ground to the rear. These additions followed the construction of new toilets at the front of the building and a stage at the rear in 1963.

Various alterations were carried out during the University's occupation, outlined as follows and as illustrated by the appended drawings from the University. It should be noted that the

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existence of these drawings does not prove that the work depicted was carried out. In some cases it never eventuated, in others it appears to have occurred much later than the drawings indicted. The sequential floor plans on the following page are conjecturally based on the available physical and documentary evidence.

August 1970 (dwg no. 000736 / 095.1) - Alterations for Department of Architecture, including erection of a wall and doors at the edge of the stage and rearrangement of back-of-house rooms. It is not clear whether this work took place or indeed whether the Department of Architecture ever occupied the building. Of interest is that the garage for the TV mobile unit is shown on this drawing although the working drawing for its construction is dated April 1972. The store on the western side is also shown although the working drawing for its construction is dated April 1985.

June 1971 (dwg no. 000739 / 095.3) - Alterations for TV Unit and English Department, including creation of a studio on the former stage, a folding partition in the centre of the auditorium, and inclusion of a garage for a TV van within the building. This appears to have been superseded by the December 1971 scheme.

December 1971 (dwg no. 000738 / 095.5) - Alterations for TV Centre, including removal of the stage and construction of a dividing wall (initially framed and sheeted, later concrete block) through the auditorium and reworking of back-of-house rooms. Pearn and Fotheringham note that this work did not occur until 197430. The dividing wall was reportedly built to separate the conflicting uses on each side - noisy, physically active rehearsals and performances from sound and vibration sensitive TV recording.

April 1972 (dwg no. 000744 / 095.7) - TV Mobile Unit Garage - the free-standing garage to the west.

January 1985 (dwg no. 000742 / 095.09) - Improvements to roofing system, including new roofs to the rear additions and removal of a section of parapet to the west elevation. This work appears to have been carried out.

April 1985 (dwg no. 000743 / 095-10) - Store Addition to western side, which was built.

March 1989 (dwg no. 000746 / 095-12) - Name sign to front facade, the "deco"-style sign which is extant.

March 1995 (dwg no. 000748 / 095-13) - Alterations and New Amenities, including general internal refurbishment, and a new toilet and shower and an L-shaped partition to the northern auditorium/studio. This work converted the former TV Unit facilities into a second performance space with associated back-of-house rooms.

30

Nigel Pearn and Richard Fotheringham, ‘A History of the Avalon Theatre 1921-2007’, University of Queensland, 2007, p. 24.

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Emergency and exit lighting and fire hose reels were upgraded, but the L-shaped partition and the shower section of the studio amenities room were not built. The face brickwork at the front of the building may have been painted and ramps installed at the entrances around this time.

The external steel braces are indicated in the 1995 plan and appear to pre-date that time. They were probably installed to remedy structural deficiencies.

Plans showing the sequential development of the building. The earliest is based on the 1946 aerial photo. The red outline

denotes the conjectural 40 foot by 20 foot footprint of the original building, and the original Lot 1 site is denoted by the

broken line, Sir Fred Schonell Drive is to the bottom of the page.

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C O N D I T I O N

The building was inspected internally and externally in order to obtain a general indication of its condition and the issues which may require attention (see Limitations, page 4).

Generally, the surrounds appear to be well maintained, although the trees in front of the building, including celtis sinensis (or Chinese elm), are overgrown. Some concrete slabs to area in front of the building are lifted and broken.

The exterior of the building is clearly run down. Most gutters and downpipes have been removed, no doubt due to regular blockage by leaves from the overhanging tree branches. There is water damage evident to the front awning where it meets the building at the western end, rust to the roofing to the garage eaves, decayed weatherboards to the bottom edge of the western elevation, decayed boards to the north-west entry landing, and general deterioration of paint finishes, particularly to timber elements.

Clockwise from top left: lifting paving to the front; decay where the front awning meets the building; missing guttering and rusted roofing to the garage; decayed decking boards and joists to the north-west entrance landing; decayed lower weatherboards and paint finish generally.

The interior of the building displays its ten years of vacancy and neglect, as well as infiltration by vermin, possums, squatters, termites, and rainwater. The latter two appear to have caused the most damage, and of these the worst example is the large rusted hole in the roof of the ladies toilet which has caused water entry and resultant destruction of much

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of the room. Water from here also appears to have flowed out into the auditorium and buckled the timber floor. Elsewhere in the front rooms there is evidence of water entry and termite damage, and the uneven floors suggest settlement and/or decay of stumps.

The propping of the front auditorium roof, according to the Pearn and Fotheringham history, was carried out in 2004 in conjunction with the closure of the building, and was a result of the addition of the lighting grid which had "simply been bolted to the ceiling of the old picture theatre". The document goes on to refer to "major structural damage" to the roof, as well as "severe white ant infestation" (most severe to the front facade) and settled stumps.31 The condition of the rear section of the building was more difficult to assess, but there was extensive peeling of paint, areas of water entry, possible termite damage, and vandalism.

Some of the decay and damage to the front rooms, from left to right: the male toilets, the office (104); the ladies' toilet.

Clearly in the 10 years since its closure, the condition of the building has worsened. It remains prone to vandalism, as exhibit by graffiti sprayed on the front wall in the period between two inspections made as part of this report, as well as accelerated rates of decay from water entry and termite infestation.

4 CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS Prior to the consideration of the cultural heritage significance of the Avalon Theatre, it is first useful to gain an understanding of its historical context and attributes in relation to local halls and suburban picture theatres. L O C A L H A L L S

As a building type the local hall is not the most obvious building in architectural or aesthetic terms, but the local hall has played an important role in the social history of towns and suburbs in Queensland. In most cases modest timber buildings, the public hall provided a venue for social celebration, meeting rooms, recreation, and any type of event that could take place in a local community.

31

Nigel Pearn and Richard Fotheringham, ‘A History of the Avalon Theatre 1921-2007’, University of Queensland, 2007, pp. 32-33

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Many were built by public subscription, taking some time from start to finish while sufficient funds could be raised. Some were built by local government, some built as schools of arts, some built as halls for the masons or other community groups. In some cases public halls were constructed as memorial halls after World War I, as a memorial to those in the town or the wider community who served during the war.

The Avalon Theatre was originally constructed as a church hall, which is a more common form of public hall. Usually church halls were constructed on the same site as the churches they were associated with, or the church hall was the earlier church for a congregation that constructed a new building, and the former church was relegated to serve as a hall. The Avalon Theatre example, of a church hall constructed well away from the church it was associated with, is slightly unusual. It reflects the history of the suburb of St Lucia at the time the building was constructed – it was large enough for the Church of England to establish a presence in the suburb, but not large enough for a formal church to be built.

Left: St Andrew's Anglican Church Hall, South Brisbane, built in 1909. Below: the Munna Creek community hall, built in 1906.

S U B U R B A N P I C T U R E T H E A T R E S

For a long period of the twentieth century the local picture theatre was a common feature of many if not most suburbs of Brisbane. From the first picture theatres that were adapted from live theatres in the 1910s, purpose-built cinemas were constructed in the city and suburbs from the 1920s onwards.

In the 1930s, there were about 200 picture theatres operating in Queensland, of which about a quarter were in Brisbane. This was the period when most Brisbane suburbs had at least one picture theatre, if not more, and encouraged local allegiances. Theatre staff - owners, management and other employees [such as projectionists, organ or piano players, ticket sellers and ushers] - generally lived in the district, and the theatre offered a local community focus and sense of local identity. Competition for audiences was strong.

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As a picture theatre from the 1940s, the Avalon Theatre is slightly later than other suburban picture theatres which were well established by this time. Local theatres were ubiquitous – in Toowong the Elite Theatre was located on Milton Road, near the corner of Sylvan Road, while in Indooroopilly the Eldorado Theatre was located in Coonan Street. There was a picture theatre in Taringa on Moggill Road. Across the river were the Regal at Graceville and the Globe at Sherwood, and the Star in Oxley.

Very few suburban picture theatre buildings survive in the suburbs of Brisbane, and those that do survive have been converted to other uses. Following the introduction of television to Brisbane in the late 1950s, Brisbane cinema audiences declined rapidly. Suburban cinemas struggled to continue screening films and in the 1960s and 1970s many closed, the buildings were converted to alternative uses or their sites redeveloped.

While the Eldorado and Regal Theatres still operate at Indooroopilly and Graceville, each has been redeveloped numerous times, and the early form of these buildings has been lost. Elsewhere in Brisbane the Chermside Dawn and the Gaythorne Theatre continued to operate as suburban theatres until relatively recently, but these buildings no longer survive.

The Dawn Theatre at Chermside which opened in 1928. It closed in 2005 prior to the site's redevelopment. The facade was "modernised" as part of renovations in 1959. The projection room was at the back of the theatre and the screen at the front, so the building was highest at the back and was scaled down towards Gympie Road. The Avalon arrangement was more conventional with the screen to the rear and the projection room at the front. (Chermside and District Historical Society website).

The Brisbane City Council local heritage register contains several other former suburban picture theatres that remain in Brisbane, each of varying intactness and integrity. The best examples are the Classic at East Brisbane (1927), the Rialto West End (1926), and the Paddington Plaza (1929).

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5 CULTURAL HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE ( W H A T M A K E S T H E A V A L O N T H E A T R E I M P O R T A N T )

Cultural significance is the term used to embrace the range of qualities that make some places especially important to the community, over and above their basic utilitarian function. These places are usually those that help to understand the past, enrich the present, and that will be of value to future generations.

The Burra Charter of Australia ICOMOS defines cultural significance as aesthetic, historic, scientific, social or spiritual value for past, present, or future generations.32

The Queensland Heritage Act 1992 defines cultural heritage significance as follows:

cultural heritage significance, of a place or feature of a place, means its aesthetic, architectural, historical, scientific, social, or other significance, to the present generation or past or future generations.

The Brisbane City Council planning scheme does not contain a definition of cultural heritage significance, but has a local heritage register that contains eight criteria of cultural heritage significance. These criteria are based on the standard criteria of cultural significance that have been developed in Australia since the 1970s. Most heritage organisations and bodies use a system of heritage criteria, and require that a place considered for listing satisfies at least one of these criteria.

A place can be entered in the Brisbane City Council Local Heritage Register if it has been assessed as meeting one or more of the following criteria:

it is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of the city’s or local area’s history

it demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of the city’s or local area’s cultural heritage

it has potential to yield information that will contribute to the knowledge and understanding of the city’s or local area’s history

it is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class or classes of cultural places

it is important because of its aesthetic significance

it is important in demonstrating a high degree of creative or technological achievement at a particular period

it has a strong or special association with the life or work of a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons

32 ‘The Australia ICOMOS Charter for the Conservation of Places of Cultural Significance (the Burra Charter)’, reprinted in Peter

Marquis-Kyle and Meredith Walker, The illustrated Burra Charter: Good Practice for Heritage Places (Sydney: Australia ICOMOS, 2004) p. 11.

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it has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organisation of importance in the city’s or local area’s history

it is a group of premises, land, roads or open spaces which collectively has significant cultural value, or is important to the fabric and setting of the location.

P R E V I O U S S T A T E M E N T S

The following statement of significance is taken from the Brisbane City Council Heritage Register citation for the Avalon Theatre:

It is important in demonstrating the evolution and pattern of the City's or local area's history as it is a building that has served a variety of purposes reflecting the changing needs and wishes of St Lucia residents since 1923.

It is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class or classes of cultural places as it is a remaining Brisbane suburban picture theatre.

It has a strong or special association with the life or work of a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons as it has a longstanding connection with the St Lucia Community through its use as a Sunday school, community hall, cinema, and as a teaching space.

While this report largely agrees with the Brisbane City Council Heritage Register citation, the building's significance associated with use by the University of Queensland has been under-emphasised. The following statement is a result of the reconsideration of the listing criteria in the light of the documentary and physical evidence provided, and attempts to redress this shortcoming.

S T A T E M E N T O F S I G N I F I C A N C E

The Avalon Theatre is a place of cultural heritage significance at the local level, for its historical and social values, its aesthetic significance, and for its relative rarity.

Although drastically altered from its earliest form, the Avalon Theatre to some extent demonstrates the early twentieth century history of the suburb of St Lucia and the development of the community in this location. The building was originally constructed for the Church of England parish of Toowong as a Sunday School hall for the small Anglican community in St Lucia in the early 1920s, but was equally used as a meeting place and hall for the whole community. There were few other local halls in the area at the time and the building was well used by this community. The building was owned by the St Lucia Progress and Debating Society from the late 1920s to the late 1940s and was used for local shows, dances, lectures and other community activities, which again provides evidence of the role the building played in this local community.

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The Avalon Theatre has some historical significance and rarity value as an early building in the suburb of St Lucia. In the early 1920s when it was built St Lucia was still a rural community with only a very small population. The expansion of the suburb took place in the 1940s and 1950s largely in association with the development of the University at that time and many of the churches and other public or community buildings that survive are from the 1950s. The former Avalon Theatre would be one of the earliest buildings in the suburb and to some extent it is able to demonstrate this early history.

The Avalon Theatre has some historical significance and rarity value as a local picture theatre for the St Lucia community. While not purpose-built as a cinema, this use was maintained for approximately 15 years. Few other suburban picture theatres remain in Brisbane in any discernible form and the former Avalon Theatre demonstrates rare aspects of the city and the local area’s cultural heritage. While the building has been modified extensively over time, the Avalon has some aesthetic significance as an example of a building, or at least front facade, with Art Deco pretensions and design motifs, which exemplify the use of the building as a picture theatre.

The former Avalon Theatre has historical significance for its history as part of the expansion of the University of Queensland, in particular the Department of English and the wider cultural pursuits of the campus. The building was acquired by the University in 1963 and used as a venue for plays, departmental revues and other performances, the Dramatic Society and Film Society of the University, and for many years by drama students of the Department of English.

The Avalon Theatre has social significance as a building with a strong connection with the St Lucia community and in particular the student community of the University of Queensland. The latter extends to the wider music and arts community in Brisbane and indeed, through its connections with now-famous people who studied and performed there such as Geoffrey Rush, Jack Thompson, Robert Forster and Grant McClennan, to Australia and overseas. While the building was always used by this community as a Sunday School hall, a local community hall, and then a picture theatre, it is its use as a venue and teaching space for the University of Queensland that will resonate with the greatest number of St Lucia and Brisbane residents, particularly those who studied at the University and attended performances at the theatre. S I G N I F I C A N T F A B R I C A N D A S P E C T S

While the Avalon Theatre is considered culturally significant, not all of its component parts are equally significant. However with this building it is not a clear case of the earliest fabric being the most significant. Many of the additions and changes, although largely obscuring the few remnants of the original 1920s structure, relate to the building's social significance as a local picture theatre and later as University arts facility, and are of some significance. The fact that little of the building's earliest form and fabric survives does not lessen the importance of these later layers.

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The following table indicates the relative significance of the various aspects or parts of the Avalon Theatre and its site. They are each ranked in one of three levels of significance, high, some, and little. The impact of this relative significance is reflected in the conservation policies in Chapter 7.

The parts of the site and setting Significance

The traditional setting of the building high above Sir Fred Schonell Drive High

The views to the building from all directions in Sir Fred Schonell Drive High The stairs and concrete paving extending from the Sir Fred Schonell Drive alignment up to the front doors

High

The views to the building from Guyatt Park Some The remnant front fence/wall to Sir Fred Schonell Drive Some The pine tree at the front of the building Some

The other trees and planting in general, the bitumen driveway and paving, fencing to the eastern boundary

Little

The parts of the building exterior

The front facade and the clearly discernible late 1950s cinema form and fabric, including the front awning, the gabled roof (and northern gable), weatherboard cladding, eaves and fascias, windows, and glazed folding and double T&G doors, but excluding later changes and modifications such as the auditorium dividing wall, the front sign

High

The 1960s male and female toilets, including entries and landings Some The 1960s concrete block storage and dressing room additions to the rear of the building

Some

The early 1970s alterations for the TV Centre including the dividing wall Some The TV Mobile Unit garage Some The brick base and planters to the front facade Some

The 1985 store addition to the west, the front sign, ramps and balustrading, side entry awnings, later flush doors (except to the rear additions), remaining gutters and downpipes, roof sheeting and ventilators, louvres to rear auditorium toilets, window infills generally, steel braces, external services, paint finishes

Little

The parts of the building interior

The planning, layout, walls, ceilings and doors to the front part of the building from the front facade to the block dividing wall, including the bio-box/gallery and store rooms and the stair

High

Walls within the rear section demarking the extent of the late 1950s building, including weatherboard cladding

High

The planning, layout, walls and ceilings of the rear part of the building from the block dividing wall to northern end wall (except late 1950s walls as above)

Some

Acoustic linings, viewing windows and remnants of the 1970s TV studio Some

Polished timber flooring to the auditorium (both sections) Some

The interiors of the 1960s toilets Some/little

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Toilet and airlock to the rear auditorium, steel and timber stairs and added upper floor between rooms 117 and 118, interior fittings and fixtures, sliding doors, paint and floor finishes, building services generally.

Little

A plan showing the broad levels of significance of the parts of the building.

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6 CONSTRAINTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

( I S S U E S T H A T A F F E C T T H E A V A L O N T H E A T R E )

In this chapter the constraints and opportunities for the Avalon Theatre are considered in the light of the place’s cultural heritage significance, as outlined in the previous chapter.

T H E C O N D I T I O N O F T H E B U I L D I N G

The building was vacated in 2004, due to concerns about the structural integrity of the roof, termite damage, and stump settlement, and no action was taken to address these issues. As noted earlier, its condition has declined since, and while the building remains vacant it is under constant threat from further decay and vandalism. Although it is currently well secured, intruders have managed to breach security in the past and no doubt will continue to do so. It may not be long before the large hole in the ladies toilet roof is discovered, enlarged, and used to gain access to the building.

To some extent the security measures employed, including boarding-up and screwing-closed doors and windows, make regular inspection and maintenance of the interiors very difficult.

The nearby trees contribute to the aesthetic values of the site and the setting of the building, yet they present challenges to the maintenance of roofing and rainwater goods in particular. Removal of some gutters and downpipes has not solved the problem but rather deflected it, and has meant that rainwater is instead deposited at the base of the building, and probably under it, leading to further decay of timber and ideal conditions for termites. Remaining gutters and downpipes are most likely blocked and in places overflowing causing internal damage.

While the Avalon Theatre remains in a run-down, structurally questionable condition, there is little incentive for its use and occupation. Conversely, with no users in place, there is little or no demand to expend maintenance resources which may be better utilised in occupied buildings within the campus proper. Indeed, that leads to the consideration of another issue, that of the building's physical separation from the campus. There is an "out of sight, out of mind" attitude that seems to prevail, to the detriment of the building's care and attention.

Due to its poor condition, demolition of the building has been raised in the past, including a facade-only retention option. That ignores the cultural significance of the University's occupation, as does much of the Brisbane City Council's Heritage Register citation which emphasises the significance of the building's earlier history. Besides the need to convince Brisbane City Council of the need to demolish the building, such action is also likely to be strenuously opposed by those associated with the University period, several of whom remain influential in the spheres of theatre and music.

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While extensive repairs are needed to conserve the building, as well as statutory upgrading to make it useable, the idea that this is cost prohibitive and not viable should be tested by a fresh and thorough inspection of the building fabric, assessment of the work required, and costing of that work.

U S E O F T H E S I T E A N D T H E B U I L D I N G

The land to the east of the site is also owned by the University of Queensland, and the area is considered suitable for Low/Medium Density Residential development by the Brisbane City Council. A master plan being developed by the University proposes that housing associated with the University is located on this land and within the northern and western parts of the listed Avalon site. Importantly, it includes the retention of the theatre.

This would place the theatre building in an ideal position to serve, at least in part, as a community hub for the new housing, with important connections to Guyatt Park and the wider city via the CityCat and bicycle path network.

A use, or uses, which reflect the significance of the Avalon Theatre are the most appropriate. Therefore reactivation of the building for use as a community facility, also made available for public meeting and rehearsal space and similar uses, would be most suitable. The former TV studio spaces could be made available for music recording, re-establishing the building's connections with the local music scene.

These functions would to some extent be a return to the building's early use as a community hall, but oversight and management by the University would keep it connected to its more recent, but nevertheless important history.

C O M M U N I T Y S U P P O R T

In terms of building work, rather than fund the necessary conservation and upgrading from its own resources, the opportunity exists for the University to seek partnerships and outside support, for example from larger arts organisations and government departments, the Brisbane City Council, TV networks, or even alumni who trained there as TV presenters and technicians. Alternatively, private developers of the adjacent student housing could fund the Avalon's conservation.

Support from the local arts community might be possible, perhaps more in moral terms rather than financial as arts groups traditionally rely on grants and subsidies. Approaches to the several big-name actors and musicians who studied there may yield some support, even if to assist with the promotion of the relaunched venue.

Because of its widespread social significance to the local, University, and wider Brisbane community, there is great potential for the stories of the Avalon Theatre to be collected and promoted. Interpretation of the building's history to generations of current and future students and the community would be an essential part of any adaptive reuse project.

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Bodies such as the State Library of Queensland may be able to assist with the collection and collation of stories about the theatre. A D A P T A T I O N O F T H E B U I L D I N G

Some adaptation of the building will be necessary to allow it to be reactivated and used. Besides the obvious structural and cosmetic repairs, it will be necessary to upgrade toilet facilities and provide equitable access as well as new air conditioning, fire and evacuation services.

The poor condition of the building and the resultant extensive repairs that will be needed will allow a degree of intervention in its adaptation that might not otherwise be appropriate, particularly within the rear areas which are of lesser cultural heritage significance. The place may be treated more robustly than, say, a fine intact and well-maintained Victorian building. The industrial, stripped-back approach used for places such as Brisbane Powerhouse would be suitable here.

There is also opportunity for the addition of light-weight, appropriately scaled additions for associated functions such as food and beverage and retail within the constraints outlined in this report.

D E V E L O P M E N T O F T H E S I T E

The opportunity exists for development on the wider Avalon Theatre site without detriment to the heritage place's significance. Until 1970 the theatre site was confined to the original Lot 1 on RP 60072. It would not be appropriate to reduce the surrounding curtilage back to those lot boundaries, particularly to the west, but provided the significant aspects of the site and setting are retained, further building development on the listed Avalon site and the wider site should be acceptable.

S T A T U T O R Y R E Q U I R E M E N T S

The Avalon Theatre is entered in the Brisbane City Council Heritage Register, and development on the site will require assessment under the Heritage Overlay Code of the Brisbane City Plan 2014, through the Integrated Development Assessment System (IDAS).

Development is as defined under the Sustainable Planning Act (SPA) 2009 which includes Building Work.

The requirements of several other government acts and codes may affect the conservation of the place, and of these the Building Code of Australia (BCA) may require aspects to be changed or upgraded as part of any significant alterations depending on how the building is to be used.

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7 CONSERVATION POLICIES ( W H A T S H O U L D B E D O N E T O L O O K A F T E R T H E P L A C E )

In this chapter the appropriate steps that should be taken to conserve the Avalon Theatre in order to protect and retain its cultural heritage significance are considered, in the light of the constraints and opportunities discussed in the previous chapter.

In broad terms, the Avalon Theatre should be conserved, and any future alteration and adaptation work should minimise the loss of, and impact on, significant building fabric.

These policies are intended to provide broad direction and do not address specific fine details related to the fabric as there is more at stake here in terms of "big picture" issues of structural repair and appropriate use of the building and its site.

T H E B U R R A C H A R T E R

All work to the Avalon Theatre should be informed and guided by its cultural significance. The Burra Charter of Australia ICOMOS defines the aspects of conservation and the approaches and procedures which should be followed in caring for important places.

Policy 1: All work on the building and its surrounds should be carried out using the accepted standards and procedures for the conservation and management of cultural material, as set out in the Burra Charter. P O L I C Y R E V I E W

In the light of possible planned and unforseen changes that may occur to the property, a review of this document should be made within a 10 year period.

Policy 2: This document should be reviewed not later than 2024. E X P E R T A D V I C E

Although this document is intended to guide and inform future use and management of the Avalon Theatre, specific expert advice will be required when planning future adaptive re-use works. This will require the services of a conservation architect as well as other specialised design professionals depending on the circumstances. The extent and nature of that involvement will vary according to the particular aspects of the proposed work and its potential impact on cultural heritage significance. Early consultation with the Brisbane City Council is also recommended.

Policy 3: Expert advice should be sought to assist with the application of this document in relation to future development on the site.

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C A R E A N D R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y

The Avalon Theatre is owned and maintained by the University of Queensland. All University officers and others involved with the care and maintenance of the building should be familiar with this document.

Policy 4: The day to day care and maintenance of the site should remain the responsibility of the University of Queensland.

U R G E N T M A I N T E N A N C E O F T H E B U I L D I N G

Urgent maintenance should be carried out to prevent further entry of rainwater, termites, and unauthorised people. Roofs and remaining gutters, downpipes and sumps should be cleared of leaves, and rusted areas patched. Rainwater should be collected and diverted clear of the building.

A termite inspection, report and treatment should be undertaken, and potential intruder access points should be made secure. These items should be checked on a regular basis.

Policy 5: Essential maintenance should be carried out as a matter of some urgency, and condition and maintenance issues should be regularly monitored.

U N D E R S T A N D I N G T H E B U I L D I N G

To better inform future planning and decision making for the Avalon and wider site, detailed investigations of the building's condition should be carried out, preferably by an experienced heritage architect and structural and services engineers. Asbestos and other specialist reports should also be commissioned. The necessary repair work should then be documented sufficiently to be estimated by a quantity surveyor.

Policy 6: A thorough condition survey should be carried out and the necessary repair works quantified and costed. A C T I O N I N F O R M E D B Y S I G N I F I C A N C E

Not all parts of the building are equally significant, indeed some are considered to have little significance. All future work should take this into account, with those aspects having little or no significance able to be more readily changed than those significant parts. Reference should be made to the table in Chapter 5.

Policy 7: The building should be used and conserved in a manner which recognises its special significance. In principle, building fabric and elements identified as having high cultural significance should be conserved.

Policy 8: This document should inform and guide future work to the place, including maintenance, and should be made available to those responsible for these tasks.

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T H E U S E O F T H E B U I L D I N G

As outlined earlier, it is important to the long term protection of the building that it be used and occupied, and the best uses for buildings are usually those for which they were originally designed. A return to use as a cinema, public hall or theatre would be physically possible with some adaptation, but lower scale use by the local St Lucia and University communities is also acceptable. Any proposed use must be tested to understand the likely impact it will have on the building's cultural heritage significance.

Policy 9: The building may serve any use within the constraints imposed by these policies and recommendations. Public use in some form is important. C O M M U N I T Y S U P P O R T A N D I N T E R P R E T A T I O N

This building has many stories to tell and community support and involvement should be sought early in the process of planning for adaptive re-use of the building. By keeping the community informed and involved there should be less resistance to sensitive change and adaptation.

Policy 10: The University should engage the community in the development of the site and building.

There is an opportunity to interpret the history of building so that users and visitors may be able to gain further understanding of the aspects of its cultural significance.

Policy 11: Material relating to the building's history should be displayed both on the site and the main St Lucia campus. The place should be included as part of "heritage trails" and other promotional and interpretive brochures and on-line resources. T H E S I T E A N D S E T T I N G

The setting and views of the building high above Sir Fred Schonell Drive are important and should be preserved. Views to the building from the west and north are less important but some visual connectivity to the park is desirable.

Vegetation on the site is not considered have cultural heritage significance apart from the large pine which should remain as part of the setting. Other mature trees contribute to the setting and expert assessment of their natural significance should be made before any removal.

Policy 12: The building should remain in its current position on the site and views it from Sir Fred Schonell Drive should be maintained.

Policy 13: The large pine tree at the front of the site should be preserved. Other mature trees should be retained wherever possible, but should be maintained to minimise their potential to cause damage to the building. Other more recent vegetation including that along the front

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alignment may be removed. New planting may be added providing it does not impact on views to and within the site, visually dominate the building, or cause harm to the fabric.

Policy 14: The former front wall and fence which may be reconstructed should evidence of its details become available. Alternatively a plain masonry wall with lightweight steel balustrading would be appropriate.

Policy 15: The concrete paths, steps, and handrails to the front of the building should be conserved. Additional lightweight steel handrails may be added.

In connection with the current or possible future uses, additional buildings or structures may be built on the site.

Policy 16: Any new building on the site should be confined well to the sides and rear of the building. Such structures should be smaller in scale than the Avalon, and should not attempt to replicate its form and details.

While maintenance of the front facade as the main entrance to the building is desirable, it is recognised that most access to the building will come from the road and the park to the north and west, as it does now. In the absence of new development, the present bitumen paved area may remain but should be formalised with marked spaces. Alternatively, car parking for building users may be provided as part of adjacent new development. Policy 17: The present car parking area may remain, but should not be extended. Alternatively, parking may be provided as part of adjacent new development.

A C C E S S F O R P E O P L E W I T H D I S A B I L I T I E S

With any future use of the building there will be the need to properly cater for people with disabilities. To provide disabled access to the front doors, a ramp would be required from the parking area, but this has the potential to adversely impact on the aesthetic qualities of the building. On the other hand, if general public entry is to be provided via the south-west entrance near the male toilet, access could be easily managed by grading of the ground surface and making appropriate modifications to the entrance.

Provision of toilet facilities for people with disabilities would require modification to the existing toilets or construction of additional toilets, changes which in principle are acceptable.

If the building remains divided, separate disabled access and facilities will be needed in each part, with access both levels of the rear area.

These issues would need to be carefully considered so that a balance between equitable access and minimal impact on cultural heritage significance is achieved.

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Policy 18: Planning of access for people with disabilities should consider the potential impact on cultural heritage significance of the various options.

Policy 19: Modification of the existing toilets or provision of new toilets is acceptable.

Alternatively, new disabled toilets could be provided within any new adjoining addition.

T H E E X T E R N A L F A B R I C O F T H E B U I L D I N G

The pre-1960s timber cinema, with the art deco front facade, remains generally intact and should be conserved in its current form. While less significant, the northern 1960s additions, including the TV unit garage, should be retained, although external change and adaptation of these would be acceptable. Similarly the 1963 toilet additions have some significance for their connection with the University period and should be retained. The 1980s store room and sundry later additions may be removed or modified.

Policy 20: All external fabric with a high level of significance, as identified in Chapter 5, should be retained and conserved. Fabric identified as having some significance should also be retained and conserved wherever possible. Fabric with little significance may remain or be removed.

Policy 21: Repairs and replacements of significant elements should match existing details. Gutters to the pre-1960s building, when replaced, should be "quad" profile, and window infills may be replaced with clear glass.

Policy 22: Where new work is carried out it should be done in a manner which minimises concealment of, or damage to, existing fabric and is readily reversible.

T H E I N T E R I O R O F T H E B U I L D I N G

The planning and fabric of the front of the building, with the entry foyer, offices, and upper rooms including the former projection room survives relatively intact, as does the open auditorium space, albeit divided into two sections. In principal any further changes made to these areas should be minimal. Further subdivision of the auditorium would not be appropriate but the forming of openings in the dividing block wall may be acceptable.

The interior of the northern 1960s additions have been altered several times and are less significant than the front of the building. They may be further modified and adapted. The exception here is the remnant weatherboard-clad former perimeter wall which is highly significant as it defines the 1950s building. It should not be further modified. The 1960s toilets are badly run down and may be refitted internally, and possibly adapted for disabled use.

Where they are necessary, changes should be reversible and clearly identifiable as being of their time.

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Policy 23: All internal fabric with a high level of significance, as identified in Chapter 5, should be retained and conserved. Fabric identified as having some significance should also be retained and conserved wherever possible. Other fabric with little significance may remain or be removed.

Policy 24: The front room layout and fabric should be conserved. The auditorium should not be further sub-divided. Further change and adaptation to the rear rooms is acceptable, but the remnant weatherboard-clad former perimeter wall should not be further modified.

Policy 25: The 1960s toilets may be refitted internally, and possibly adapted for disabled use. Other wet areas, including kitchens and toilets, may be located within the rear additions but not within the former auditorium space, or they may be incorporated into any new additions. The existing toilet in the rear auditorium may be removed.

Policy 26: New work should be clearly expressed as such and should not attempt to mimic or copy early details.

Policy 27: Where new fittings or finishes are installed it should be done in a manner which minimises concealment of, or damage to, existing fabric and which is readily reversible.

Policy 28: Evidence of change should be preserved, such as the obvious junction of materials in the auditorium. VJ timber represents the earliest internal material and should be preserved in its entirety.

S E R V I C E S

Services are likely to need extensive replacement as part of any reactivation of the building. It will also be necessary to provide at least some air conditioning to the building. Cabling, pipework and ducting should be run in concealed spaces such as cupboards, cavities, ceiling and sub-floor spaces, and secondary areas wherever possible. Existing switchboard positions, services outlets, lighting points, ceiling roses, penetrations, cable runs, ducting and fixings shall be used in preference to new where possible.

Policy 29: Installation of building services should be planned in a manner to avoid further damage to building fabric. Services should be reticulated in concealed spaces wherever possible. Window air conditioners should not be installed.

Policy 30: Internal lighting should consists of simple and functional contemporary fittings Any additional external lighting should be free-standing rather than attached to the early building.

P A I N T I N G

The interior and exterior paint colour schemes have obviously changed over the life of the building. Exterior colours of the University period (1960s-1990s) are appropriate for the building in its evolved form, essentially pale walls colours and dark trim. Some investigation

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of previous schemes should be undertaken to at least inform any new schemes. The brickwork at the front was unpainted originally, and the existing paint may be removed or the brickwork repainted in a dark colour.

Internal colours of the front rooms are pale creams and off-whites and are appropriate. Unless black is still needed in the auditoriums when they are reactivated, lighter colour schemes based on early paint colours should be considered. The rear rooms may be painted any colours. Policy 31: Prior to future repainting, an investigation of early paint colour schemes should be carried out. Alternatively, simple schemes from the 1960s -1990s may be used.

A S U M M A R Y O F T H E P O L I C I E S

Policy 1: All work on the building and its surrounds should be carried out using the accepted standards and procedures for the conservation and management of cultural material, as set out in the Burra Charter.

Policy 2: This document should be reviewed when needs and circumstances require, for example if a new use for the building is being considered or at the time of a lease renewal or termination, but not later than 2024.

Policy 3: The building should be used and conserved in a manner which recognises its special significance. In principle, building fabric and elements identified as having high or some cultural significance should be conserved.


Policy 5: Essential maintenance should be carried out as a matter of some urgency, and condition and maintenance issues should be regularly monitored.

Policy 6: A thorough condition survey should be carried out and the necessary repair works quantified and costed.

Policy 7: The building should be used and conserved in a manner which recognises its special significance. In principle, building fabric and elements identified as having high cultural significance should be conserved.


Policy 9: The building may serve any use within the constraints imposed by these policies and recommendations. Public use in some form is important.

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Policy 10: The University should engage the community in the development of the site and building.

Policy 11: Material relating to the building's history should be displayed both on the site and the main St Lucia campus. The place should be included as part of "heritage trails" and other promotional and interpretive brochures and on-line resources.

Policy 12: The building should remain in its current position on the site and views it from Sir Fred Schonell Drive should be maintained.

Policy 13: The large pine tree at the front of the site should be preserved. Other mature trees should be retained wherever possible, but should be maintained to minimise their potential to cause damage to the building. Other more recent vegetation including that along the front alignment may be removed. New planting may be added providing it does not impact on views to and within the site, visually dominate the building, or cause harm to the fabric.

Policy 14: The former front wall and fence which may be reconstructed should evidence of its details become available. Alternatively a plain masonry wall with lightweight steel balustrading would be appropriate.

Policy 15: The concrete paths, steps, and handrails to the front of the building should be conserved. Additional lightweight steel handrails may be added.

Policy 16: Any new building on the site should be confined well to the sides and rear of the building. Such structures should be smaller in scale than the Avalon, and should not attempt to replicate its form and details. Policy 17: The present car parking area may remain, but should not be extended. Alternatively, parking may be provided as part of adjacent new development.

Policy 18: Planning of access for people with disabilities should consider the potential impact on cultural heritage significance of the various options.

Policy 19: Modification of the existing toilets or provision of new toilets is acceptable.

Policy 20: All external fabric with a high level of significance, as identified in Chapter 5, should be retained and conserved. Fabric identified as having some significance should also be retained and conserved wherever possible. Fabric with little significance may remain or be removed.

Policy 21: Repairs and replacements of significant elements should match existing details. Gutters to the pre-1960s building, when replaced, should be "quad" profile, and window infills may be replaced with clear glass.

Policy 22: Where new work is carried out it should be done in a manner which minimises concealment of, or damage to, existing fabric and is readily reversible.

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Policy 23: All internal fabric with a high level of significance, as identified in Chapter 5, should be retained and conserved. Fabric identified as having some significance should also be retained and conserved wherever possible. Other fabric with little significance may remain or be removed.

Policy 24: The front room layout and fabric should be conserved. The auditorium should not be further sub-divided. Further change and adaptation to the rear rooms is acceptable, but the remnant weatherboard-clad former perimeter wall should not be further modified.

Policy 25: The 1960s toilets may be refitted internally, and possibly adapted for disabled use. Other wet areas, including kitchens and toilets, may be located within the rear additions but not within the former auditorium space, or they may be incorporated into any new additions. The existing toilet in the rear auditorium may be removed.

Policy 26: New work should be clearly expressed as such and should not attempt to mimic or copy early details.

Policy 27: Where new fittings or finishes are installed it should be done in a manner which minimises concealment of, or damage to, existing fabric and which is readily reversible.

Policy 28: Evidence of change should be preserved, such as the obvious junction of materials in the auditorium. VJ timber represents the earliest internal material and should be preserved in its entirety.

Policy 29: Installation of building services should be planned in a manner to avoid further damage to building fabric. Services should be reticulated in concealed spaces wherever possible. Window air conditioners should not be installed.

Policy 30: Internal lighting should consists of simple and functional contemporary fittings Any additional external lighting should be free-standing rather than attached to the early building.

Policy 31: Prior to future repainting, an investigation of early paint colour schemes should be carried out. Alternatively, simple schemes from the 1960s -1990s may be used.

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APPENDIX 1

BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL HERITAGE REGISTER ENTRY

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APPENDIX 2 - DRAWINGS

The following drawings were supplied by the University of Queensland. They are in chronological order based on the date of each drawing, but it should be noted that all work depicted was not necessarily built as shown or concurrently with other work on the drawings.

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flood & stormwater quality management report for 65 wyllie ... · andrew ladlay architect 1...

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