federationarchitecture

On 2 February 1911, five years after the Sisters of Mercy opened the first Mater Private Hospital at North Quay, Mater Public Hospital opened. The 40-bed hospital was opened without fanfare or special celebrations and it was supported by fundraising and the proceeds generated by Mater Private Hospital. Many doctors volunteered to serve at the public hospital. In its first ten years, Mater attracted many of Brisbane’s distinguished doctors to its honorary staff. The hospital remained in operation until 1981, when the new Mater Adult Hospital was opened. The following year, Mater was registered as a training school for nurses and the first 14 secular probationers entered the formal training school for nurses in 1914, with the completion of St Mary's Nurses Home, to ensure an adequate supply of nurses with appropriate qualifications. The Sisters of Mercy nurses were trained separately at Mater Private Hospital. In July 1912 the Mater Public Hospital outpatient department opened in its own specially built brick building. The service treated 1440 people in its first six months. The influx was partly a result of the closure of the government’s South Brisbane ‘depot’ where needy people were able to access both medical care and other necessities. Two years later in 1914, extensions to the surgical ward at Mater Public Hospital were completed, just in time to care for soldiers returning from World War I. Twenty beds were made available for soldiers, as Mater worked to provide healthcare during a time of financial strain. During the war, appeals to the public were suspended and many of Mater’s staff were on war service; all contributing to, as Mother Patrick Potter stated ‘slender resources.’ Source: history.mater.org.au/1911-1940

Simply stunning with very good details and depth. Top drawer shot and worthy museum piece.

AT LAST I FOUND IT!

Over a year of puzzling it out. Not easy when you have never been there and you are 400 kms away. But thanks to Google maps, satellite photos, and Google Street view, I can say that it is ...

BALLAST POINT, Birchgrove, looking north-west to Snail's Bay.

Most of the houses on the left are still standing, and a trip along Wharf Street using Google Street View will confirm roof lines, chimneys, etc match this photo. Btw Powerhouse Museum Collection, the houses are definitely NOT "Federation style"; late Victorian Italianate (and some earlier) is more like it.

Where the three gents are sitting, Ballast Point, shows up as a deserted Texaco / Caltex site on the satellite picture. Just last year (11/7/2009) it was again declared a public park. Pity this photo was not identified for that. I imagine the rock the gents are on has long been quarried away, but a field trip and now photo would be terrific. Anyone nearby?

Ballast Point history - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballast_Point,_New_South_Wales

Google Maps satellite view - maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&...

Great work beachcomber Australia!

It may take some time, but I'll see what I can do about a now photograph.

Well done beachcomberaustralia. A well-deserved eureka moment!

I might catch a ferry out there soon and see what I can see. Stay tuned.

Here's a bit of digital fun - travel there in 3D via Google Maps Earth plugin (takes a while to load, be patient!) -
maps.google.com.au/maps?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Sydney+...

No, this is not the design of Hall & Dods. This drawing is the work of the architect Claude Chambers.

Hi peterm_k, it appears to be so! Thanks for letting us know; our Original Materials team is reviewing the finding aid for this collection and we'll let you know the outcome when it's resolved. c:

Hi again peterm_k - looking at the series information for the Davies 1904 architectural drawings within the finding aid, it states that William Davies selected a design by Claude Chambers. We agree that F.R. Hall & Dods as ‘creator’ is too strong a term for this drawing, although it is still part of the Hall & Dods collection - we’ve updated the metadata to reflect this. Thanks again for helping us making this record more accurate!