Mount Carmel Convent is a heritage-listed

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

former

convent A convent is a community of monks, nuns, religious brothers or, sisters or priests. Alternatively, ''convent'' means the building used by the community. The word is particularly used in the Catholic Church, Lutheran churches, and the Anglican ...

at 199 Bay Terrace,

Wynnum Wynnum is a coastal suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the , Wynnum had a population of 12,915 people. The suburb is a popular destination in Brisbane due to its coastline, jetty and tidal wading pool. Geography Wynnu ...

, City of Brisbane,

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

, Australia. It was designed by

Hall & Dods Hall & Dods was an architectural partnership in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The partners were Francis Richard Hall and Robin Dods and the partnership lasted from 1896 to 1913. Works Works of the partnership include: * Australian Mercantile ...

and built in 1915 by William Richard Juster. It was added to the

Queensland Heritage Register The Queensland Heritage Register is a heritage register, a statutory list of places in Queensland, Australia that are protected by Queensland legislation, the Queensland Heritage Act 1992. It is maintained by the Queensland Heritage Council. As a ...

on 27 August 1999. The building operated as a convent from 1915 until 2011 and has subsequently been sold and renovated as a residence with bed-and-breakfast accommodation.

History

Mt Carmel Convent, a substantial two storey brick building with surrounding verandahs, was constructed in 1915 as a convent for the

Sisters of Mercy The Sisters of Mercy is a religious institute of Catholic women founded in 1831 in Dublin, Ireland, by Catherine McAuley. As of 2019, the institute had about 6200 sisters worldwide, organized into a number of independent congregations. They a ...

. It was designed by the architectural partnership of Hall and Dods and constructed by William Richard Juster at a cost of . A Catholic presence in Wynnum was prompted by the establishment of the area as a popular seaside resort. The opening of the Wynnum South railway station in 1898 encouraged further development, and the demand for a religious presence in the area grew. In 1903, the first Catholic masses were held in the Shire Hall, and the Sisters of Mercy began visiting Wynnum to teach the children residing in the area. Established primarily as a teaching order in 1831 in Ireland by Catherine McAuley, the first Sisters of Mercy arrived in

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

in 1861. Various orders were later established throughout Queensland to ensure children gained adequate education and religious instruction. The first Catholic church in Wynnum, known as the Catholic Church of Guardian Angels was erected in 1905. Designed by architect

Richard Gailey Richard Gailey, Sr. (22 April 1834 – 24 April 1924) was an Irish-born Australian architect. Gailey was born in Donegal, Ireland and emigrated to Australia in 1864, becoming an influential and prolific architect in colonial-era Brisbane. He di ...

it was constructed on Bay Terrace on land donated by Archbishop

Robert Dunne Robert Dunne (5 September 1830 – 13 January 1917) was the second Roman Catholic bishop of Brisbane and later he became its first archbishop. Dunne was born in Ardfinnan, County Tipperary, Ireland and was educated at Lismore Grammar School ...

. Following the formal establishment of the parish of Wynnum in 1913, a new school also designed by Gailey and located in Bay Terrace, was opened. On 8 August 1915 ''"the Convent of Our Lady of Mount Carmel was solemnly blessed and dedicated by His Grace, Archbishop Duhig."'' A collection which realised for the furnishing fund was taken up during the opening ceremony. Designed by architects

Francis Richard Hall Francis Richard Hall (9 February 1862 – 18 March 1939) was an architect in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Many of his works are listed on the Queensland Heritage Register. Early life Francis Hall was born on 9 February 1862 in Brisbane, the ...

and Robert Smith (Robin) Dods, the convent was described in

The Age ''The Age'' is a daily newspaper in Melbourne, Australia, that has been published since 1854. Owned and published by Nine Entertainment, ''The Age'' primarily serves Victoria (Australia), Victoria, but copies also sell in Tasmania, the Austral ...

as a ''"handsome 2 storey brick building situated on a commanding eminence on the west side of Bay Terrace."'' The article continues: ''"The building is built of brick; wide verandahs and balconies extend round the main block. On the ground floor on both sides of the main entrance are parlours, the one on the right giving access to the music room, and the one on the left to the chapel through the sacristy. The children's study and refectory are entered from a corridor running at right angles on either side of the entrance hall. This corridor also gives direct access to the chapel, sister's dormitory, main staircase, music room and service passage and stairs. The sister's dormitory is connected with the chapel by sliding doors. The first floor is occupied with two large and five smaller cells, community room and children's dormitory. Spacious lavatory and bathroom accommodation on this floor completes the main block. A separate block comprises the kitchen, offices and laundry on the ground floor and a large dormitory and servants quarters on the first floor. This block is connected with the verandah and balcony of the main block by a covered way."'' The partnership of Hall and Dods was established in 1896 and continued until 1916. Dods was appointed architect to the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane and the firm oversaw the construction of

St John's Cathedral :''This list is for St. John the Evangelist Cathedrals. For St. John the Baptist Cathedrals, see St. John the Baptist Cathedral (disambiguation)'' St. John's Cathedral, St. John Cathedral, or Cathedral of St. John, or other variations on the name ...

in this capacity. They also designed many buildings for the

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane is a Latin Church metropolitan archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Australia located in Brisbane and covering the South East region of Queensland, Australia. Part of the Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical ...

, including St Brigids Catholic Church, Red Hill and the Mater Misericordiae Hospital. In 1940, additions were made to the church by Francis Leo Cullen. Alterations and additions were also made to the convent, school and presbytery at this time, possibly by Cullen also. In 1957, a secondary girls school was established at Mount Carmel and continued to operate until 1992 when it was closed due to the falling numbers of school-aged children in the area. The Guardian Angels primary school remains operational. In 1999, the convent housed only four Sisters permanently and was mainly used as a holiday centre for Sisters of Mercy in the Southern Queensland region. In 2011, only two sisters were living in the property and it was sold for A$1.6 million to Ivan Simon. For the following three years, the property was extensively renovated at a cost of A$1 million, after which the Brisbane City Council gave approval for it to be used as a residence with bed-and-breakfast accommodation.

Description

Mount Carmel Convent, a two storeyed brick building with a corrugated iron roof, is located in a prominent position in Bay Terrace, Wynnum. It is surrounded by minimal gardens and lawned areas which are enclosed by a recent metal fence incorporating an earlier

wrought iron Wrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon content (less than 0.08%) in contrast to that of cast iron (2.1% to 4%). It is a semi-fused mass of iron with fibrous slag Inclusion (mineral), inclusions (up to 2% by weight), which give it a ...

gate. The building itself is asymmetrical in plan and is constructed of glazed face brick laid in English bond. The building comprises a main wing running parallel to Bay Terrace, with a transverse wing at the southeastern end. Verandahs encircle the entire building on both levels, with a combination of cast iron and timber balustrading and ripple iron sheeted ceilings. Windows are double hung with clear glass, apart from those in the chapel which feature leadlighting. French doors provide access to the verandahs from most rooms. A single storeyed building containing the kitchen and laundry is located at the rear of the main building, attached to it by breezeways which have been enclosed with aluminium framed windows. The entry is centrally located within the main wing and is defined by a rendered archway rising through the two storeys. The entry door is located within a timber framed arch and leadlighting is featured in the side panels. A second rendered archway is located on the front elevation of the transverse wing, with a statue of Mary and Jesus featured in the

gable A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of intersecting roof pitches. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system used, which reflects climate, material availability, and aesth ...

above. Internally the layout remains relatively intact, apart from the main dormitory for boarders on the upper level, which has been divided into smaller rooms. Two parlours (one now an office) open from the entry, and leadlight doors open onto a hallway which runs parallel to Bay Terrace. The dining room is located behind this and the hall terminates at the chapel which is located in the transverse wing. The main stair is located between the dining room and the chapel. It comprises a half turn with two landings and features a simply designed dark stained timber balustrade. A secondary stair is located at the northwestern end of the building. The upper level is also divided by a central hall, with cells opening from both sides. Two large rooms, now used as recreational rooms are located in the transverse wing. Bathrooms and toilets are located on the enclosed rear verandah and an external stair, enclosed by lattice is located on the southeastern verandah.

Heritage listing

Mount Carmel Convent was listed on the

on 27 August 1999 having satisfied the following criteria. The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history. Constructed in 1915, Mount Carmel Convent demonstrates the evolution of the Order of the Sisters of Mercy and the educational, religious and social practices they implemented throughout Queensland. The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places. The place demonstrates the principal characteristics of a convent building, including a two storeyed plan featuring a chapel, dining area, reception rooms and cells. Finishes are typical of the period and include

pressed metal ceiling A tin ceiling is an architectural element, consisting of a ceiling finished with plates of tin with designs pressed into them, that was very popular in Victorian buildings in North America in the late 19th and early 20th century. They were also ...

s, dark stained timber detailing simple decorative features and cast iron balustrades to the exterior verandahs. Its prominent location on the rise of a hill overlooking Moreton Bay is also typical of convent buildings. The place is important because of its aesthetic significance. Mount Carmel Convent is of aesthetic significance due to its well-composed design which, externally features a combination of decorative elements including cast iron and timber balustrades, glazed face brick walls with rendered sections, timber latticework and a statue of Mary and Jesus in the south eastern gable. Interior features including

s, stained glass and leadlight windows, and arts and crafts style timber balustrades and joinery contribute to the aesthetic value of the place. The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons. The Convent has strong associations with the local community, and with the Sisters of Mercy, who use it as a holiday retreat during the summer months. The place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organisation of importance in Queensland's history. It also has strong associations with the architectural partnership of Hall and Dods, who are highly regarded for their early 20th century ecclesiastical work.

References

Attribution

External links