Toowoomba Hospital Foundation reveals plan to turn part of Baillie Henderson campus into museum, amphitheatre

One of Toowoomba’s biggest charities has lodged plans to transform part of a hospital site into a special museum and amphitheatre.

A dilapidated and unloved heritage-listed part of the Baillie Henderson Hospital site could be transformed into a beautiful museum, performance space and cafe by one of the region’s top charities.

The Toowoomba Hospital Foundation has lodged plans with the council to turn the old superintendent’s building along Hogg Street in Cranley into a three-stage development to observe the region’s health history and attract extra business.

The buildings, which are too far away from Baillie Henderson to be used, are state heritage-listed but have fallen into disrepair in recent years.

PROPOSED: The old superintendent’s building on the Baillie Henderson Hospital site along Hogg Street will be transformed into a beautiful museum, cafe and function/performance space by the Toowoomba Hospital Foundation.

According to the report by Precinct Urban Planning’s James Williams, the proposal would create a gallery for museum items, parking lot, cafe, reception area and use the natural contours of the site to create an amphitheatre to host events.

“(The development site) is currently un-used due to the distance to other hospital facilities within the hospital campus,” he wrote.

“Stage one will involve renovations to the existing superintendent’s house to create galleries for the display of museum pieces and the construction of the amphitheatre, car park and vehicle manoeuvring areas.

“The second stage will involve the construction of a new building, which will consist of a cafe and reception area.

“Stage three will involve the construction of a new building, which will consist of back-of-house facilities including staff amenities, offices and storage spaces.”

PROPOSED: The old superintendent’s building on the Baillie Henderson Hospital site along Hogg Street will be transformed into a beautiful museum, cafe and function/performance space by the Toowoomba Hospital Foundation.

The foundation also plans to make use of heritage-significant trees to create additional gardens on the campus, while also removing chain-link fencing currently installed.

“The proposed development will also seek to establish additional landscaping to improve the amenity of the area, minimise impact on the heritage characteristics of the site and assist in creating a garden-style hospital campus,” Mr Williams wrote.

The assistant medical superintendent’s quarters were built in 1898 as a single-story red brick masonry residence, with a large hipped roof.

The Baillie Henderson campus was included on the Queensland Heritage Register in 1999.

THF CEO Alison Kennedy was contacted for comment.

Originally published as Toowoomba Hospital Foundation reveals plan to turn part of Baillie Henderson campus into museum, amphitheatre