War memorial damaged at site of former Pinkenba school
A heritage-listed Brisbane war memorial has been accidentally damaged in what has been described as a “disgraceful desecration”.
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A heritage-listed Brisbane war memorial has been accidentally damaged in what has been described as a “disgraceful desecration”.
The memorial and a wrought iron archway are located at the entrance to the former Pinkenba State School which operated from 1875 to 2008 on Brisbane’s northside.
Cr David McLachlan (Hamilton) said residents alerted him to the damage, which left the archway lying on the ground, after it occurred on May 1.
“I was disappointed to see the disgraceful desecration of a heritage-listed World War II memorial,” he said.
“The memorial gates – and the Pinkenba State School buildings – are significant items on the Brisbane City Council local heritage register.
“The memorial … has the names of soldiers, sailors and airmen who fought and died in World War II inscribed on marble tablets attached to the gateway columns, connected by a wrought iron archway.
“Council’s Compliance and Regulatory Unit and Heritage Unit are conducting an investigation into the damage and whether a development offence under the Planning Act 2016 has occurred, by way of the gate being dislodged.
“I have inspected the damage personally and have contacted the property owner to advise him that … restoration is an absolute obligation.”
Clayfield RSL Sub-Branch President William O’Chee, said, “This memorial is a rare example on Brisbane’s northside of specific World War II memorials in its recognitions of all soldiers, sailors and airmen who were recruited for service from the district.”
The site is currently managed by SPMA Group. Director and part land owner Peter Crothers said the property owners were upset by the damage and “the understandable feelings of the community”.
“The owners of the site are working with Council’s Heritage Officers to repair the damage as quick as possible and are committed to preserving and restoring the archway for the Pinkenba and greater community.”
Mr Crothers said they weren’t made aware of the damage until May 5, but an investigation indicated it occurred during the removal of shipping containers from the site.
He said the containers had recently been sold and the new owners arranged for their removal on May 1.
“A representative of the previous owners met with a driver from the freight company to ensure all truck movements were through double gates,” Mr Crothers said.
“The first container was moved successfully through the double gates. At this time, the representative of the previous owners left the site.
“Upon return for the collection of the second container a different driver, in error, accessed the site via the heritage gates, rather than the double gates as instructed.
“The damage to the gates occurred upon exit from the site.”
Mr Crothers said discussions had been held with Council compliance and heritage officers, Cr McLachlan, Pinkenba Community Association representatives, engineers and safety and planning experts.
Cr McLachlan said the broken elements of the gates would be relocated to a weather protected location while a future plan and restoration was considered.
SPMA has a development application before Brisbane City Council for the former school site at 238 Eagle Farm Rd, and intends to subdivide the 24,000 sqm block into seven light industrial lots.
The application, lodged in June 2019, also seeks to create an additional lot to contain the heritage buildings and to relocate the memorial gates further south near the Eagle Farm Rd-Serpentine Rd intersection.
However, in a letter to the applicant from September 2019, Council stated, “The proposed relocation of the memorial gates is considered to have negative impacts on the setting of the heritage place and should be removed from the proposal”.
The DA also proposes the adaptive reuse of the existing heritage buildings for a range of neighbourhood centre purposes “while ensuring the heritage significance of the proposed heritage precinct is maintained and enhanced”.
The Pinkenba State School grounds included adjoining land to the west, now a Council park known as Thomas McBride Park.
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