318:. Charters Towers set up the second branch of the QATB in 1900, needing it not only as a major city, but also as a mining town. Mining had always been a dangerous occupation and rapid growth tended to overtake the provision of safety measures, making serious accidents not uncommon. This was also the case in Ravenswood where between 1879 and 1917, 22 miners were killed and 116 injured in the course of their work. The water supply was also unsafe and there were periodic outbreaks of serious illnesses caused by this. The ambulance centre was established in Macrossan Street, a date commemorated on the parapet of the current ambulance building. Ambulances were equipped with harnesses which were used to pull up injured men from mine shafts. In 1904, the current building was constructed to serve 4700 people, the highest population level that Ravenswood would ever have.
367:
295:
time, but by then the goldfield itself, and the buildings and streets already established had shaped the town and the survey merely formalised what was already in place. This can still be seen clearly in the irregularity of the major streets. Ravenswood was gazetted as a town in 1871, but problems were soon encountered as the gold at deeper levels proved to be finely distributed in ore containing other minerals and was difficult to separate either by mechanical or chemical means. This required greater capital to fund various technologies for extraction. Many miners left for other fields, such as
184:
31:
283:. The need to access and exploit gold finds determined the path of railways, the establishment of related industries and commerce and the location of settlements. Some of these were short lived "rushes", where tent and shanty townships disappeared almost as quickly as they rose. Other settlements based on goldfields became established towns with government and civic buildings, shops and family homes and survived as such. A few became important centres, only to fade away as gold yields fell. Ravenswood was one of these.
212:
219:
191:
586:
322:
judgement eventually favoured the miners, Wilson could no longer afford to employ many of them. The decline of the
Ravenswood mines continued with the outbreak of war in 1914 increasing costs and disruptions to the labour supply. Buildings began to be sold for removal and in 1916 rail services were cut. In 1917, the New Ravenswood Company closed.
303:
established by subscription in 1871. The stability of the town was also assisted by the arrival of the railway in 1884 and the use of improved means to extract gold from ore. A new generation of public buildings began to replace those from the early days of the field, including a new hospital built in 1887.
294:
Much of the gold initially found was in a triangle in and around three dry creeks which soon formed the focus for a tent and shanty settlement. Ravenswood gold was in reefs and a small battery was first set up in 1869, followed by the Lady Marian Mill in 1870. The settlement was also surveyed at this
333:
in 1929 and in 1930 Ravenswood became the first
Queensland town to lose its railway connection and therefore the use of the railway ambulance which had served Ravenswood from Charters Towers since 1919. Mining had a modest revival in the 1930s, but this had little effect on the life of the town. By
426:
Mining has been important in the development of North
Queensland and the Ambulance Station is one of the few buildings remaining from the boom period of the once important goldfield town of Ravenswood. Many accidents occurred in early mines and the erratic water supply of many mining towns caused
321:
After 1908, the town began to decline and the hospital closed. As time went by the cost of extraction grew as returns lessened and Wilson lost money searching for "mother" lodes at deep levels and began to lay off miners. A strike in 1912 dragged out for eight months causing hardship and although
306:
In 1899, the New
Ravenswood Company was formed by Archibald Laurence Wilson who raised overseas capital, reopened old mines and used modern methods to rework tailings more efficiently. The shareholders recouped their investment in the first two years and this drew world-wide interest. It was the
302:
Despite this, Ravenswood continued to prosper due to a steady, though reduced, production of gold, the discovery of silver at nearby Totley in 1878 and as a commercial centre. By 1874, the town had a courthouse and police station, a post and telegraph office, and a school. The first hospital was
271:
The
Ravenswood Ambulance Building, constructed in 1904 by Ravenswood builder Hans Thomsen, has played an important role in the Ravenswood community providing assistance for the sick and injured. This role expanded when the hospital closed and it has continued its community service as a venue for
349:
Following the closure of the hospital, the ambulance service had often provided medical advice. The centre was staffed until the 1950s although the buildings was also used intermittently for storage. In the 1960s, the Royal Flying Doctor
Service began to hold a monthly surgery in the building.
290:
in 1861. Pastoral runs were soon set up in the hinterland, including the area on which the
Ravenswood field was to develop. The first gold in north Queensland had been found at Star River in 1865 and triggered further exploration. Gold was found at Merri Merriwa, the run on which the town of
427:
frequent outbreaks of serious illness. The
Ambulance Station therefore provided an essential service. Its early establishment and subsequent expanded medical use when the population reduced and the hospital closed illustrates a pattern of expansion and decline common to many mining towns.
334:
the 1960s, Ravenswood had reached its lowest ebb with a population of about 70. At this point, tourists began to take a growing interest in the town, studies were made of the buildings and work began to conserve them. In the 1980s the whole town was listed by the
374:
The
Ravenswood Ambulance station is located in Deighton St close to the bank of Elphinstone Creek. It is a single storey building of rendered brick, rectangular in plan, with its long axis at right angles to the street. The roof is clad in
353:
The building underwent considerable repair and refurbishment in the 1990s and continues to provide medical services for the community through clinics. It also houses a part-time children's play group and the
391:
and is asymmetrical, with the central doorway flanked by a large arched gateway for the ambulance vehicle to the left and a sash window on the right. It has rendered ornamentation including fluted
443:
The
Ambulance station is an attractive building and, as one of the few brick buildings from the boom years of Ravenswood, is an important feature of its townscape.
183:
66:
435:
It is important as an example of an early ambulance station providing accommodation for ambulance, staff and office in a small, centrally placed building.
366:
325:
In the 1920s, most of the timber buildings in Ravenswood were moved away, although brick buildings, such as the ambulance station, could not be moved.
625:
620:
615:
573:
291:
Ravenswood stands, in 1867, although it was reported as being on the adjoining property of Ravenswood, the name by which the field was always known.
211:
315:
310:
In the 1890s, the perceived need to provide trained assistance and transport to hospital for the sick and injured resulted in the formation in
555:
605:
590:
537:
447:
The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons.
299:, discovered in 1871 and which quickly overtook Ravenswood as a gold producer and as the most important inland North Queensland town.
610:
335:
510:
415:
339:
260:
119:
273:
402:
Inside there is provision for the ambulance and a series of rooms on one side of the building with timber framed
451:
The Ambulance station has a long association with the Ravenswood community and the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
431:
The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places.
355:
279:
Ravenswood was one of several important goldfields in which formed a major component in the development of
559:
252:
248:
49:
45:
505:
30:
565:
547:
541:
326:
330:
403:
287:
244:
280:
399:
and the words "Ambulance" and "1902" in raised letters. There is a lamp over the doorway.
376:
296:
422:
The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history.
599:
396:
343:
569:
551:
536:
256:
53:
81:
68:
392:
406:
partitions, concrete and timber floors, and flat galvanised iron ceilings.
585:
558:
on 8 October 2014). The geo-coordinates were originally computed from the
380:
311:
342:. In 1987, Carpentaria Gold Ltd opened a new open cut mine using modern
388:
286:
The area was first settled by Europeans following the establishment of
384:
350:
Clinics held by the Flying Doctor have continued to the present day.
383:
at the rear. It has a decorative metal ventilator on the ridge. The
365:
439:
The place is important because of its aesthetic significance.
418:
on 21 October 1992 having satisfied the following criteria.
358:
has storage facilities built in a shed to the rear in 1997.
259:, Australia. It was built in 1904. It was added to the
198:
Location of Ravenswood Ambulance Station in Queensland
540:
This Knowledge (XXG) article was originally based on
218:
190:
158:
150:
142:
134:
126:
117:
105:
97:
60:
40:
23:
307:beginning of Ravenswood's most prosperous period.
130:Ravenswood Ambulance Station, Ambulance Building
414:Ravenswood Ambulance Station was listed on the
506:"Ravenswood Ambulance Station (entry 600445)"
8:
29:
20:
561:"Queensland heritage register boundaries"
226:Ravenswood Ambulance Station (Australia)
572:licence (accessed on 5 September 2014,
460:
500:
498:
496:
494:
492:
490:
488:
486:
484:
316:Queensland Ambulance Transport Brigade
18:Historic site in Queensland, Australia
482:
480:
478:
476:
474:
472:
470:
468:
466:
464:
157:
149:
141:
133:
125:
116:
7:
554:licence (accessed on 7 July 2014,
543:"The Queensland heritage register"
35:Ravenswood Ambulance Station, 1997
14:
626:1904 establishments in Australia
621:Infrastructure completed in 1904
616:Ambulance stations in Queensland
584:
535:
217:
210:
189:
182:
336:Australian Heritage Commission
101:1900–1914 (early 20th century)
1:
514:. Queensland Heritage Council
606:Queensland Heritage Register
591:Ravenswood Ambulance Station
511:Queensland Heritage Register
416:Queensland Heritage Register
340:National Trust of Queensland
272:regular clinics held by the
261:Queensland Heritage Register
241:Ravenswood Ambulance Station
120:Queensland Heritage Register
24:Ravenswood Ambulance Station
274:Royal Flying Doctor Service
642:
176:
172:
168:
164:1904–ongoing (historical)
113:
28:
370:Ambulance station, 1906
356:State Emergency Service
276:for over thirty years.
611:Ravenswood, Queensland
371:
253:Charters Towers Region
201:Show map of Queensland
138:state heritage (built)
50:Charters Towers Region
593:at Wikimedia Commons
576:on 15 October 2014).
369:
243:is a heritage-listed
229:Show map of Australia
263:on 21 October 1992.
247:at Deighton Street,
82:20.1006°S 146.8885°E
566:State of Queensland
548:State of Queensland
78: /
372:
329:was absorbed into
159:Significant period
151:Reference no.
87:-20.1006; 146.8885
589:Media related to
564:published by the
546:published by the
404:tongue and groove
245:ambulance station
238:
237:
44:Deighton Street,
633:
588:
539:
524:
523:
521:
519:
502:
410:Heritage listing
327:Ravenswood Shire
281:North Queensland
230:
221:
220:
214:
202:
193:
192:
186:
93:
92:
90:
89:
88:
83:
79:
76:
75:
74:
71:
33:
21:
641:
640:
636:
635:
634:
632:
631:
630:
596:
595:
582:
533:
528:
527:
517:
515:
504:
503:
462:
457:
412:
397:Maltese crosses
377:corrugated iron
364:
331:Dalrymple Shire
297:Charters Towers
269:
234:
233:
232:
231:
228:
227:
224:
223:
222:
205:
204:
203:
200:
199:
196:
195:
194:
163:
146:21 October 1992
122:
86:
84:
80:
77:
72:
69:
67:
65:
64:
36:
19:
12:
11:
5:
639:
637:
629:
628:
623:
618:
613:
608:
598:
597:
581:
580:External links
578:
532:
529:
526:
525:
459:
458:
456:
453:
411:
408:
363:
360:
268:
265:
236:
235:
225:
216:
215:
209:
208:
207:
206:
197:
188:
187:
181:
180:
179:
178:
177:
174:
173:
170:
169:
166:
165:
160:
156:
155:
152:
148:
147:
144:
140:
139:
136:
132:
131:
128:
124:
123:
118:
115:
114:
111:
110:
107:
103:
102:
99:
95:
94:
62:
58:
57:
42:
38:
37:
34:
26:
25:
17:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
638:
627:
624:
622:
619:
617:
614:
612:
609:
607:
604:
603:
601:
594:
592:
587:
579:
577:
575:
571:
567:
563:
562:
557:
553:
549:
545:
544:
538:
530:
513:
512:
507:
501:
499:
497:
495:
493:
491:
489:
487:
485:
483:
481:
479:
477:
475:
473:
471:
469:
467:
465:
461:
454:
452:
449:
448:
444:
441:
440:
436:
433:
432:
428:
424:
423:
419:
417:
409:
407:
405:
400:
398:
394:
390:
387:has a gabled
386:
382:
378:
368:
361:
359:
357:
351:
347:
345:
344:heap leaching
341:
337:
332:
328:
323:
319:
317:
313:
308:
304:
300:
298:
292:
289:
284:
282:
277:
275:
266:
264:
262:
258:
254:
250:
246:
242:
213:
185:
175:
171:
167:
162:1904 (fabric)
161:
153:
145:
137:
129:
127:Official name
121:
112:
108:
104:
100:
98:Design period
96:
91:
63:
59:
55:
51:
47:
43:
39:
32:
27:
22:
16:
583:
570:CC-BY 3.0 AU
560:
552:CC-BY 3.0 AU
542:
534:
516:. Retrieved
509:
450:
446:
445:
442:
438:
437:
434:
430:
429:
425:
421:
420:
413:
401:
373:
352:
348:
324:
320:
309:
305:
301:
293:
285:
278:
270:
240:
239:
15:
531:Attribution
362:Description
346:processes.
85: /
73:146°53′19″E
61:Coordinates
56:, Australia
600:Categories
455:References
257:Queensland
249:Ravenswood
143:Designated
70:20°06′02″S
54:Queensland
46:Ravenswood
393:pilasters
574:archived
556:archived
518:1 August
338:and the
312:Brisbane
41:Location
389:parapet
314:of the
267:History
568:under
550:under
395:, two
385:facade
381:hipped
154:600445
288:Bowen
106:Built
520:2014
379:and
135:Type
109:1904
602::
508:.
463:^
255:,
251:,
52:,
48:,
522:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
