Historically:
centre of Bris port
employment infrastructure building during depression
most intact air-raid shelters left in brisbane
strategic importance of wharves+bridges
pre-1940 port of brisbane
how closley war impacted on brisbane's workers
utilitarian function
Howard Smith Company offices
Aesthetic value - views
creates background for the story bridges impression
6 decades association w HS shipping company
"For the wharves, a reinforced concrete base was laid on the rock at the river's edge, with timber piles rammed into the riverbed. Large hardwood timbers were used for the walings and decking, which extended about 24 feet (8 metres) out over the river. Hundreds of thousands of feet of timber - mostly hardwoods such as ironbark, blue gum, yellow stringybark, spotted gum and messmate - were required to build the berths."
"The threat of invasion by Japan appeared very real at the time, there was a substantial workforce employed at the wharves, and the site was located adjacent to the Story Bridge - a prime target in wartime. Three of the shelters were the usual 'pillbox' style built by the City Council at many places in the inner city and in the suburbs. This was a standard type, rectangular in plan and constructed of concrete. However, the other two shelters at the Howard Smith Wharves were constructed of large stormwater pipes with multiple entrances."
"A large part of the timber decking from both the upper and middle berths was washed away during the 1974 floods."
SITE COMPONENTS:
Wilson Outlook over looks the site to the east
Northern pylons of Story bridge included
2 story reinforced concrete office building (currently walter police)
No. 2 Shed
No. 3 Shed
No. 4 Shed
No. 5 Shed
4 former air-raid shelters
numerous concrete slabs
former air-raid shelter and lavoratory block
This information is notes from the following site:
Queensland Government. 2009. "Howard Smith Wharves." Accessed March 3, 2011. http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/chims/placeDetail.html?siteId=16518
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