History of Rockhampton Base Hospital

Hockings and Palmer, the architects of the first nurses' quarters were again employed on the next building project; the construction of a medical superintendents residence on Canning Street. Many medical residences were constructed on Hospital sites during the 1930s when formal schemes were introduced to house medical staff on site. To complement this building, and foreshadowing the design of the Outpatients Department of 1939, a brick fence was constructed along the Canning Street perimeter of the Hospital site. This was considered an integrating element and was dedicated to the memory of George Henry Sandrock, an early hospital benefactor. The elaborate geometrically designed gates have been removed but are stored on site.[1]

Sister Kenny clinic, 1939

The next major building constructed at the Rockhampton Hospital was a brick Outpatients' Department and Sister Kenny Clinic, also designed by Hockings and Palmer. The building was officially opened by the Minister for Health and Home Affairs, Mr Ned Hanlon on 25 June 1939.[1]

At the opening discussion of the rapid and dramatic increase in the number of outpatients in the five years prior to the construction of the building was given as the reason for it. The Hospital Board had decided that the building would also house a Sister Kenny Clinic for the treatment of poliomyelitis. Two nurses trained in the Kenny method of treatment, came from Brisbane to Rockhampton to provide treatments at the clinic. The cost of the building was estimated at £13,500 of which the government had made a subsidy of £3100 and the balance had been finance by a debenture loan from the State Government Insurance Office.[1]

Sister Elizabeth Kenny became a renowned medical figure for her treatment of people with poliomyelitis, an infectious disease causing motor paralysis and permanent deformities. Following an outbreak of the disease in 1931–32, Kenny's unorthodox methods of treating poliomyelitis were more seriously considered by the medical establishment resulting in the establishment of several clinics throughout Queensland, Australia and internationally. Although the benefits of her methods were never fully endorsed in Australia, the popularity of Sister Kenny and of her treatment was prolific. Previously poliomyelitis was treated with immobilisation, but Sister Kenny advocated mobility in the form of massage, warm baths and constant nursing supervision. Despite controversy surrounding Kenny, her methods were an interesting and controversial development in the treatment of poliomyelitis, spastic paralysis and other long term physical disabilities which were unavailable elsewhere.[1]

Kenny opened a private clinic in Townsville in 1932 and soon attracted the attention of the government to her endeavours. The Home Secretary, Ned Hanlon, supported her methods and, through the Queensland Government, financed the establishment of Kenny Clinics at Townsville, Rockhampton, Cairns and Brisbane. The popularity of her work expanded and in 1938 the wing of the new outpatients block at the Rockhampton Hospital became the only purpose built Kenny Clinic in Queensland. At the opening Ned Hanlon, defended the government's financial backing of the Kenny method by saying:[1]

"the methods were now in operation not only in Queensland, but in Tasmania, New South Wales and in London. In all those centres a great number of cases had been successfully dealt with and ... the clinic ... would prove a wonderful service to the people of Rockhampton."

The Outpatients' Department and Sister Kenny Clinic have been converted for use as a therapies block. The building is an important example of the work of architects, Hockings and Palmer and similar to their design for the Rockhampton Town Hall. It was designed, like the nearby residence and fence, from polychrome brick with Art Deco inspired detailing.[1]

In the years following the construction of the Outpatients' Department, the idea of a "modern hospital" emerged as a departure from the nineteenth century pavilion planned hospital which endured into the twentieth century. The modern hospital was focussed on cleanliness and efficiency influenced by the new germ theory of disease. These values were achieved within the framework provided by a new, modern architecture and characterised by multi-levelled high rise structures incorporating new building and health technology.[1]

As a result of these ideas governing hospital design many new buildings were constructed on the Hospital site. A five storeyed nurses quarters' was built from 1950, designed by Brisbane architects, Conrad and Gargett. In 1952 the same firm designed a single storeyed isolation ward and in 1958 they designed a two storeyed animal house. The next major building was constructed in 1959 when Conrad and Gargett designed a four storeyed chest clinic funded by the Australian Government as part of plan to eradicate tuberculosis and other chest related diseases. In 1970 construction of a new multi storeyed surgical block was commenced. In 1986 the remaining nineteenth century buildings and the 1930 Roy Chipps designed nurses' quarters were demolished.[1]

In about 1997, the therapies block was demolished despite its heritage listing.[2]

This is a substantial one storeyed face brick and concrete building situated close to the northern corner of the site and addressing Canning Street. The building has an L-shaped plan and a shallow pitched roof comprises two hipped sections all concealed by a parapet. Forming the northern, Canning Street elevation and the western elevation fronting the entrance drive, is an open brick framed loggia. The loggia comprises a number of square headed openings separated by substantial brick pillars which extend upward and project from the face of the parapet above the loggia. The openings are balustraded with brick panels with rectangular cutouts. The parapet steps up, to form symmetrical Art Deco projections over the principal entrances on the two principal facades and at the corners of the building. These projections feature clustered vertical bands of shaped brickwork. The facades of the building are lined with variously coloured brick bands and detailing surrounding windows and on the parapet projections.[1]

This building was designed by the architects of the former Outpatients Department and Sister Kenny's Clinic and is similar in material and detail. It is a one storeyed dark cavity brick and concrete building with a multi-hipped roof clad with corrugated iron. The house is sited facing Canning Street and this elevation of the building is dominated by a large, hipped roof porch, supported on brick piers surmounted by double timber columns. The porch is balustraded with vertical timber battening at the height of the brick piers. The interior contains three bedrooms, a bathroom, a lounge, kitchen and dining room. Accommodation for a laundry is under the house. The building is very intact, although the kitchen and bathroom have been refurbished. Two conifers are on either side of the Canning Street entrance.[1]

Along the Canning Street boundary of the site is a substantial brick fence, which visually integrates the brick buildings along this side of the hospital. The fence steps down the length of the boundary and at each break features brick piers decorated with strapwork caps. Along the top of the fence is a line of rectangular cutouts, similar to those on the balustrades of the former Outpatients Department and Sister Kenny Clinic.[1]

This Wikipedia article was originally based on "The Queensland heritage register" published by the State of Queensland under CC-BY 3.0 AU licence (accessed on 7 July 2014, archived on 8 October 2014). The geo-coordinates were originally computed from the "Queensland heritage register boundaries" published by the State of Queensland under CC-BY 3.0 AU licence (accessed on 5 September 2014, archived on 15 October 2014).