Plan discovers 800 heritage buildings

AN AMENDED Town Plan has identified more than 800 properties of cultural heritage significance that are now listed individually on Charters Towers Regional Council’s local heritage register.

Councillors voted to adopt the amended plan, which includes 137 local heritage place cards that have been created to demonstrate the Department of Environment and Science’s guidelines.

Those included assessment of each property’s historical, scientific, typological,

aesthetic and spiritual significance.

Council regional development manager Matthew Kelly said the local heritage register list was the “start of something big for us”.

In addition to the 137 place cards, a further 676 properties have been listed individually.

Some of the properties are commercial, but the larger number are residential addresses.

They include the Honey Pot Building, better known as Griffiths Pharmacy, which was built in 1933 and has been occupied by three genera

tions of Griffiths family pharmacists.

Thomas Kelly’s residence built in 1881 in Boundary St is listed due to its design, form and the construction techniques used, which were typical of four room residences built before 1911.

Also listed were houses such as the one at 3-5 Bow St which, though in poor condition, was regarded as typological because of the characteristics it had that contributed to the understanding of local history.

Mr Kelly said the amendments included the inclusion

of Local Heritage Place Cards for Local Heritage Places and amendments to formatting throughout the Town Plan. It is the second version of the Town Plan to be adopted by the council.

He said that local archivist and historian Michael Brumby from the Charters Towers Archives was commissioned to prepare the information for the 137 place cards.

Mr Kelly said the place cards were the original category one local heritage properties in the former Charters Towers City Council scheme.

“This work can be used for other projects across the region — economic development and tourism opportunities,” he said.

“I think it’s really important that we started today.”

He said that given the size of the Local Heritage Register, it was anticipated that further amendments would be required to create Local Heritage Place Cards for all Local Heritage Places.

“This is a lot more than a Town Plan, this is a history lesson. It was very impressive,” Councillor Graham Lohmann said.

Clockwise from top left: This low set timber framed house on Bow St was constructed in 1890; This house was built as the Richmond Hill State Educational Establishment head teacher’s residence in 1895; This high set timber framed four roomed residence facing Boundary St exemplifies the design, form and construction techniques used during the growth of Charters Towers as North Queensland’s most prominent goldfield up until 1911 and; The Honey Pot Building is one of twin shops rebuilt in 1933 and occupied by three generations of Griffiths family pharmacists. Pictures: Supplied