64-535: Rockhampton Railway Workshops is a heritage-listed railway workshop at 380 Bolsover Street, Depot Hill , Rockhampton Region , Queensland , Australia. It was built from 1915 to 1953. It is also known as Rockhampton Roundhouse. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 August 1992. The original workshops at Rockhampton were established in the late 1870s at the railway reserve area bounded by Denison, South, Campbell and Stanley Street. With
128-553: A Main Roads office for about four decades, and eventually was restored and, since 1985, has been the home of Rockhampton and District Historical Society . Wards were abolished at some point and were not reintroduced until 1982, when the council was restructured with 10 divisions each electing one councillor, plus a mayor elected by the entire City. On 1 July 1984, the City grew northwards by annexing Parkhurst , where its water treatment facility
192-544: A central point, and boiler washout facility. With steel frames, concrete floors and corrugated iron cladding, the former machine shop (when originally constructed, but now comprising four bays) and the former electricians' shop are significant as examples of standard Queensland Railway designs. The two are part of the group of buildings at the site which are larger and higher than others, usually to accommodate gantries for heavy lifting. With timber columns, steel roof trusses, corrugated galvanised iron cladding and concrete floor,
256-411: A central point. A two-storeyed steel and glass office building is inserted within 14 of the 52 bays. The building is a steel-framed structure clad with corrugated, galvanised iron with concrete floors. The former machine shop, located to the east of the roundhouse along Bolsover Street, consists of four bays, comprising steel columns and trusses to the centre and timber columns and roof framing to
320-528: A change of location in the early years of the 20th century, further development took place in the mid to late 1910s as part of a redevelopment of the entire railway infrastructure in Rockhampton. With many modifications and adaptations over time, the railway workshops continue to function as an operational railway workshop maintaining and repairing railway rolling stock. In 1863 the Parliament of Queensland passed
384-412: A curved light steel bow string truss roof. The structure is clad to the north-east with timber battens above window sill level and corrugated iron below. The building has timber casement windows in groups of three. The floor comprises both concrete and timber sections. Timber-framed infills join the building to the former carriage shop. The other buildings include: The railway workshops are surrounded by
448-432: A new roundhouse with triple the capacity of the existing building. At the same time that plans were being drawn up for the new roundhouse, expansion of the railway workshops in Rockhampton was also being investigated. The Railways Department sought the acquisition of Fitzroy Square, a park and recreation area owned by Rockhampton City Council . The negotiations for resumption of Fitzroy Square were not completed until 1912. In
512-484: A partial modernisation of the working environment. In 1983 an office for subforemen was also built into one of the stalls in the roundhouse. In 1988 one of the bays was converted into a store area for breakdown equipment. The roundhouse was utilised as a wagon repair shop until 1990. In 1992-3 as part of a $ 20 million redevelopment of the Rockhampton Workshops, an administration complex was inserted into two bays of
576-578: A reliable water supply and at the time of its amalgamation was still trying to raise funds for a dam. Although a foundation stone was laid for a town hall in 1897, it was not until 1941 that the Rockhampton Town Hall was completed. With the passage of the Local Authorities Act 1902 , Rockhampton became one of three former municipalities, alongside Brisbane and Townsville , to become a City on 31 March 1903, while North Rockhampton became
640-502: A similar fashion to the development of the Mayne depot site (1911–30) large amounts of landfill were required, to level the area and provide foundation beds for heavy machinery. Drawings were prepared by the Chief Railway's Engineer for workshop buildings, constructed as part of the redevelopment of the site in conjunction with the roundhouse, including the blacksmiths' shop (demolished) and
704-594: Is The Cathedral College in Allenstown. City of Rockhampton The City of Rockhampton was a local government area in the Central Queensland region of Queensland , Australia, encompassing most of the suburban area of the regional city of Rockhampton . The city covered an area of 188.7 square kilometres (72.9 sq mi), and has existed as a local government entity in various forms from 1860 until 2008, when it amalgamated with several other councils in
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#1732875851985768-437: Is clad with corrugated galvanised iron sheets. The building comprises seven sections, each containing seven or eight stalls, making a total of 52. Each section forms a major space or room in the building and is bounded by radial brick fire walls, by faceted inner and outer walls, by a concrete floor with rails and pits and covered by a trussed roof. Each locomotive stall forms a shed for a single engine. Storage roads radiate from
832-522: Is now the town of Emerald , being opened to that point in 1879. The Central Railway was progressively extended further west reaching Longreach in 1892. With its headquarters at Rockhampton, the Central Railway remained an isolated railway system, with no connection to the southern division of Queensland railways until 1903. The Railway Department in 1890 investigated the possibility of linking Rockhampton's two separate railways. In 1895 construction
896-420: Is significant as a rare example of this type of structure. The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places. The building demonstrates the characteristics of a steam locomotive running shed and maintenance depot consisting of stalls in a covered environment, inspection pits, centrally located locomotive turning facility, storage roads radiating from
960-506: Is significant as it demonstrates an evolutionary solution to the need to service and stable labour-intensive machinery. The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland's cultural heritage. The Rockhampton Roundhouse is significant as the only example of a full circle roundhouse constructed in Queensland, and, as one of only two examples still extant in Australia, it
1024-601: The 2006 census , Depot Hill had a population of 1,164. In the 2011 census , Depot Hill had a population of 1,064 people. In the 2016 census , Depot Hill had a population of 1,032 people. In the 2021 census , Depot Hill had a population of 995 people. Depot Hill has a number of heritage-listed sites, including: Depot Hill State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at O'Connell Street ( 23°23′45″S 150°31′03″E / 23.3959°S 150.5176°E / -23.3959; 150.5176 ( Depot Hill State School ) ). In 2017,
1088-599: The Gogango Division was established as one of 74 divisions around Queensland under the Divisional Boards Act 1879 . It covered an area of 16,239 km (6,270 sq mi) surrounding the municipality—an area significantly greater than the modern Rockhampton Regional Council covers. Capital and people came to the area in greater numbers after the discovery of gold in 1882 at Mount Morgan , about 20 kilometres (12 mi) south of Rockhampton. Fitzroy Bridge
1152-597: The Rockhampton Region , Queensland , Australia. In the 2021 census , Depot Hill had a population of 995 people. Depot Hill is situated about one kilometre south of the Rockhampton central business district . It is considered a low socioeconomic area. It also suffers extensively from flooding due to its proximity to the Fitzroy River and its height above sea level. The North Coast railway line passes through
1216-727: The Town of North Rockhampton . The State Government became concerned in 1918 after both the City of Rockhampton and Town of North Rockhampton councils proposed separate water infrastructure projects. On Saturday 25 January 1919, an amalgamation referendum held in North Rockhampton passed with 884 of the 1,029 votes cast in favour. On 15 March 1919, elections for the new four-ward council with 11 councillors took place, with their first meeting being held five days later. North Rockhampton Borough Chambers , located in Stapleton Park, Berserker , became
1280-652: The Mary Immaculate Catholic Church was officially opened and blessed by Bishop Andrew Gerard Tynan . The church building had originally been the Catholic church at Westwood , but it was relocated to 81 Wood Street in Depot Hill ( 23°23′36″S 150°31′06″E / 23.3933°S 150.5183°E / -23.3933; 150.5183 ( Mary Immaculate Catholic Church (former) ) ). The church has now closed and passed into private ownership. In
1344-469: The Mayne steam locomotive depot where three semi-circular roundhouses were planned. These plans were later altered for the construction of a through engine shed design based on American patterning (c.1918). The development of the Rockhampton roundhouse and workshops was a simultaneous undertaking. The design of the roundhouse was to feature external cladding of the walls with corrugated iron sheeting. Milled timber
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#17328758519851408-617: The Queensland Railways system and the growth of the Central Division based in Rockhampton. The site, including the roundhouse, workshop buildings, tracks and other buildings, spread over a large area, provides evidence that Rockhampton was, historically, a major railway terminus. The Railway Workshops, particularly the roundhouse, demonstrates the evolutionary change of the motive power of Queensland Railways from steam based traction to diesel-electric and electric. The Railway Workshops
1472-584: The Railway Act had been passed the 5000 citizens of Rockhampton objected to having no provision made for the construction of a railway to their hinterland. At the period that railway construction was being agitated for connection with copper ore being exploited in the Peak Downs area. A railway was thought to ensure further economic development of the interior. The first length of the Central Western railway line
1536-584: The available roads. In the period of the early 1950s new technological motive power was introduced onto Queensland Railways, when the first diesel-electric locomotives (DEL) arrived from the General-Electric Company . The new motive power was revolutionary and did not require the labour-intensive maintenance and preparation, nor produce the dirty environment of steam locomotives. The first DELs to be shedded at Rockhampton were in 1966, for use on export coal traffic. Prior to this DELs were worked through on
1600-555: The buildings were finished they were occupied one by one. By 1916 the machine shop was reported as being almost complete in the Commissioner's report for that year. By 1917 the former machine shop (now comprising only four bays and currently unused) and the former paint shop (now the Building Maintenance Shop) were completed and occupied by staff. The paint shop was an existing building that is thought to have been relocated to
1664-437: The construction of these buildings, the workshops were all but complete. In 1918, work was transferred to the new workshops. The old workshops were used for the storage of rail carriages. The names of the various buildings at the workshop indicated their functions. For example, in the machine shop employees worked on small engine components, using a variety of lathes, milling machines, planing machines, grinders and drillers while
1728-450: The controversial Railway Bill, which committed Queensland to the use of a narrow gauge for the development of its main line in Queensland. Other colonies in Australia at this time had adopted broader gauges for use on their rail networks. Queensland on the recommendation of Abram Fitzgibbon its first Commissioner and consultant engineer on the first survey, authorised the use of a 3 ft 6 in gauge main line. The reasoning behind this decision
1792-648: The early part of the twentieth century. A major element of this expansion was the approval construction of the North Coast railway line to Mackay . With additional mileage being opened extra services were provided by the Railway Department to cope with increased patronage. New workshop and running sheds were also required to maintain and service the extra rollingstock operating on the Central line. A partial roundhouse consisting of seven roads had been erected in 1877 on
1856-416: The entire roundhouse be given over to exclusive occupancy of the running staff. Whilst the roundhouse was intended as a servicing and preparation area for locomotives, tinsmiths and coppersmiths were also accommodated in bays not needed for locomotives. This adaption was unique in the Queensland experience as all other semi-roundhouses constructed were utilised as steam sheds. The second Rockhampton Roundhouse
1920-416: The former carriage shop also demonstrates a standard Queensland Railway design. The Railway Workshops buildings are significant as the extant structures of a major facility constructed on the site in the early part of the 20th century, contributing to the understanding of the operation of the complex. Depot Hill, Queensland Download coordinates as: Depot Hill is a suburb of Rockhampton in
1984-505: The future, it is proposed that Rockhampton will be the major workshop site for Queensland Rail in North Queensland . Particularly, the roundhouse remains today as a surviving infrastructural element of the steam era on Queensland Rail, and as part of the adaptive working environment of the railway workshops. The Railway Workshops is located at the corner of Bolsover and South streets in Rockhampton. The site has undergone many changes over
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2048-415: The machine shop. Construction on the shops was delayed due to the shortages caused by World War I as there was difficulty in obtaining steel for the framing of the buildings. Expenditure to 1915 on the alterations to station yards and construction of the workshops at Rockhampton was £23,000. The new locomotive roundhouse was opened in late 1915, while work continued on the rest of the workshop buildings. As
2112-410: The main line from Brisbane to Cairns . Diesel-electric locomotives were serviced at a separate location in the Rockhampton yard. With the introduction of the new technology, withdrawals of steam locomotives took place. The final steam locomotive was overhauled in Rockhampton Workshops in 1969. The roundhouse was officially closed to steam traction on 29 September 1969. Following closure as a steam depot
2176-468: The railway network was to culminate in the passing of the North Coast Railway Act 1910, which sought to unify the separate divisions of the Queensland Railways, into one network. The former steam locomotive running shed (the roundhouse) is a significant element of the development and decline of the steam locomotive as a mode of traction for Queensland Railways in the years 1914–69. The roundhouse
2240-413: The railway reserve area bounded by Denison, South, Campbell and Stanley streets. The original running shed was reported as being too small by 1878, and additional stalls were added in 1880. The extension of the railway network saw further stalls added. Further improvements were made in 1903, and locomotive service facilities (coal stage and water supply) were also upgraded at the same time. Available space at
2304-414: The remainder of the workshops buildings, sheds , tracks and pathways which have been continually modified for over 85 years. Rockhampton Railway Workshops was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 August 1992 having satisfied the following criteria. The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history. The Railway Workshops demonstrates the evolution of
2368-478: The roundhouse was at a premium and inaccessibility to servicing roads meant that storage problems were further compounded. In the early 1910s, there were changes made to the administration of railways in the state. There was a large expansion in the infrastructure with many new facilities commissioned and constructed. There were also improvements in locomotive technology, in rolling stock and railway infrastructure. In October 1909 estimates and plans were prepared for
2432-416: The roundhouse was then used as a wagon repair and maintenance centre from 1969 until 1988 for wooden bodied vehicles. The roof was completely rebuilt in 1976–8 with hardwood timber being used to replace original pine framing. In 1982–3 in several stalls old concrete slabs were replaced with mass concrete, following complaints from employees. Carriage lifting gear and machinery was also installed at this time, as
2496-421: The running staff comprised 80 drivers and 70 fire fighters and 26 cleaners. The smoke from the engine funnels was carried to the atmosphere through proper vents. The roundhouse was equipped with an up-to-date plant, including a cylinder boring machine, pneumatic tools, and oxywelding plant. The roundhouse featured five entry and exit roads leading from the turntable to the depot yards. The major exit and entry road
2560-521: The school had an enrolment of 47 students with 4 teachers and 7 non-teaching staff (4 full-time equivalent). In 2020 the school was expected to mark its 100th anniversary with special centenary celebrations but due to the COVID-19 pandemic , the festivities were postponed to 2021. A special weekend of festivities commenced on 17 September 2021 with a special dinner at a hotel in Allenstown . Celebrations at
2624-512: The school were held the following day which included market stalls, memorabilia displays, classroom tours and a special roll call of former students. Local state MP Barry O'Rourke also officially opened the school's new multipurpose court. In 2021, the school had an enrolment of 58 students. There is no secondary school in Depot Hill; the nearest state high school is Rockhampton State High School in Wandal . The nearest private secondary school
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2688-423: The side annexes. The building is clad with corrugated, galvanised cladding with a timber and concrete floor. The building has timber columns and steel roof trusses clad with corrugated iron and a concrete floor. A vented ridge is located along its entire length. The former carriage shop is joined to the former paint shop to the south-east. The building is timber-framed, clad predominantly with corrugated iron, with
2752-786: The site from Broadmount Wharf, a railway wharf established to the north of the city to service the deepwater port there. The former boiler erecting shop (now the Fabrication Services Building), the former carriage repair shop (now the Machine Shop), the timber mill (demolished), the coppersmith's (demolished) and the former electricians' shop (now the Plan Maintenance Building) were completed by 1918. The buildings were generally of steel frame construction and sheeted in corrugated iron, with gabled roofs. Some had earth floors while others were floored in timber or concrete. With
2816-502: The south bank of the Fitzroy River and had a population of about 600. In 1864, the council was divided into three wards—Fitzroy, Archer and Leichhardt. A proposal to greatly expand its area southwards to include Gracemere and Bouldercombe was rejected in part due to opposition from influential squatters in the area. It achieved a measure of autonomy in 1878 with the enactment of the Local Government Act . On 11 November 1879,
2880-404: The south- eastern axis of the roundhouse, adjacent to the entry/exit road. The railway workshops continues to function as an operational railway workshop maintaining and repairing railway rolling stock. Buildings are used for the repair of wagons, for the modification of wagons and locomotives and for general running maintenance. Queensland Rail is planning continued redevelopment of the site. In
2944-570: The suburb from the south-west to the north-west with access to the Rockhampton Railway Workshops in the north of the suburb. Depot Hill State School opened on 14 September 1920. In 1932 the Wood Street Baptist Church opened at 10 Wood Street ( 23°23′26″S 150°31′21″E / 23.3906°S 150.5224°E / -23.3906; 150.5224 ( Wood Street Baptist Church ) ). On 13 March 1949
3008-609: The surrounding area to become the Rockhampton Region . The Borough of Rockhampton was proclaimed as Queensland's fourth municipality (after Borough of Brisbane , Borough of Ipswich and Borough of Toowoomba ) on 13 December 1860 under the Municipalities Act 1858 , a piece of New South Wales legislation inherited by Queensland when it became a separate colony in 1859. It held its first election on 26 February 1861 and its inaugural meeting on 1 March 1861. The municipality had an area of 13 km (5.0 sq mi) located on
3072-700: The wheel repair shop repaired wheels of rolling stock. The period of 1909-1914 was a period of massive expansion for the Railways Department in Queensland. New workshops and running sheds were to be constructed at Ipswich ( North Ipswich Railway Workshops ), Mayne (in Brisbane) and Rockhampton. The first of these modern running sheds was at North Ipswich (1910, closed 1972 and demolished 1978). Along with this workshop, facilities were to be modernised at Ipswich and Rockhampton and other centres. Modern locomotives and carriage stock were also to be ordered. The expansion of
3136-418: The workshops environment, which was used for the movement of trolley's between the various workshop buildings. The roundhouse was constructed with a capacity to hold 52 locomotives under cover, with additional storage space on roads radiating from the central turntable. The work environment was never fully utilised for the use of steam locomotives. Traffic demands within the Central Division did not require that
3200-404: The years and comprises many buildings and structures associated with an operational railway workshop. Those buildings included in the heritage register boundary include the following. The roundhouse is located at the corner of Bolsover and South streets and is a large circular shed with an internal courtyard containing a turntable. Round timber posts support a timber-framed roof. The roundhouse
3264-466: Was a purpose-built building, designed for the storage, servicing, and running maintenance of steam locomotives allocated to the Central Division based on Rockhampton. The building is significant as the only full circle roundhouse ever constructed in Queensland for the use of steam locomotives, and as one of the last surviving examples of such a building in Australia. The original plan had called for two roundhouses to be built in Rockhampton, however only one
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#17328758519853328-557: Was able to get a loan to construct a Municipal Chambers in 1885, which was completed in December of that year. The town clerk's arrest for embezzlement in 1890 marked the beginning of a period of difficulties characterised by disputes with the surrounding Gogango Divisional Board over road construction, and internal conflict between members of council, in which the Queensland Government was often requested to intervene. It did not have
3392-529: Was approved for what was to be known as the Rockhampton Junction Railway. The combination of projected traffic for the port at Broadmount, and the anticipated growth of suburban traffic in Rockhampton, saw that the connecting line and new bridge would both be built with a double line, the first examples outside of the Brisbane -Ipswich metropolitan area. The Central Line continued to expand throughout
3456-629: Was being constructed, from the Shire of Livingstone . The council tried on several occasions to expand further into the Livingstone and Fitzroy areas, but a referendum in Fitzroy on 9 February 1991 was opposed by 83% of valid votes cast. On 15 March 2008, under the Local Government (Reform Implementation) Act 2007 passed by the Parliament of Queensland on 10 August 2007, the City of Rockhampton merged with
3520-599: Was built to span the Fitzroy River in 1882, and a year later in September 1883, the Borough of North Rockhampton was proclaimed. North Rockhampton had a somewhat unhappy 36-year existence—its small population and location opposite the stronger and wealthier Rockhampton borough made comparisons inevitable and development of its own identity almost impossible. In 1919, it was described as a "small and straggling hamlet". Nevertheless, it
3584-542: Was completed in November 1914. Contemporary accounts describe it as being capable of stabling 52 locomotives. It was provided with a turntable, which enabled each engine to be put into the stall required for washing out the boiler or for necessary repairs, while it also protected the engine from the weather. The whole of the roundhouse was lighted with electricity. At its opening, the roundhouse staff consisted of about 20 fitters, 6 boilermakers, and 16 shed men, light up men; while
3648-519: Was erected for the use of Beyer-Garratt engines transferred from the Southern Division for haulage of goods and passenger trains in central Queensland. A new steam shed was required as the overall length of the Beyer-Garratt engines exceeded the length of the turntable. Beyer-Garratt locomotives therefore could only use stalls in the roundhouse which did not require the turntable to spot them into
3712-399: Was never constructed. The area allocated instead was used as a modern coal stage constructed in 1934–5. The central point of the roundhouse, the turntable, was replaced in 1953 with a new turntable bridge capable of heavier axle loadings for locomotives. In the period of the mid-1950s the locomotive storage capacity of the Rockhampton depot was further increased when a special purpose steam shed
3776-470: Was opened to Westwood 50 kilometres (31 mi) from Rockhampton in 1867. The first section opened was a major financial loss, as it terminated at a point before crossing the coastal ranges, and attracted no traffic. Further extension of the line westwards was not possible until 1872, when parliamentary approval was given to continue beyond the Comet River and Gogango Range . The line was built towards what
3840-455: Was provided to accommodate a shunt locomotive held captive serving as a mobile boiler for wash out purposes. Whilst the North Ipswich, and Willowburn (1928–29) roundhouses were developed using a two-thirds circular design, Rockhampton was unique in Queensland in featuring a fully enclosed space. The ambitious plans for two roundhouses at Rockhampton was similarly mirrored in the development of
3904-498: Was situated near the South Street entry gates. The Running Shed Foreman's Office was situated adjacent to this running line. The office area was part of the running shed environment, from where the dispatch of locomotives was monitored. From the additional roads locomotives could be despatched for watering and coaling and prior to working from the Rockhampton yard. At the southern axis of the roundhouse an additional road gave access to
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#17328758519853968-555: Was supplied from the North Ipswich Railway Workshops. Bricks for construction of piers and to divide off locomotive bays were supplied from Mount Morgan brickworks. Departmental labour day labour was used on construction. The Capricornian described the work in progress in July 1914, mentioning that "the finishing touches" were being put on the roundhouse and workshops roofing, brick piers and concrete flooring. The roundhouse
4032-411: Was that a narrow gauge would be of economic benefit to the new colony. The economic benefit would be lower cost of construction work. The first section of the Queensland railway network was opened between Ipswich and Bigges Camp (now Grandchester ) on 31 July 1865. The projected development of the railway network was to link the towns of Warwick , Dalby and Toowoomba with Ipswich. At the time that
4096-491: Was to be constructed. Foundation work began in August 1913 for a complete circle roundhouse with 52 stalls allocated for stabling locomotives in traffic. Drop pits were to be constructed, along with inspection pits. The central element of the roundhouse was to be a revolving turntable allowing for access to each of the engine bays and individual stalls. In a design similar to the North Ipswich roundhouse an external circular running road
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