Photo courtesy of the Museum of Nursing History.
Lady Lamington Nurses Home was one of the historic buildings featured in the 2022 Brisbane Open House program. The event attracted over 200 people to the Herston Quarter Heritage Precinct, including a number of nurses who had lived and trained at the Lady Lamington buildings interested in seeing how the buildings had been brought back to life.
Lady Lamington buildings
The Lady Lamington buildings hold a special place in the heart of generations of past and present nurses. The buildings are named after Lady Lamington, wife of the Governor, who laid the foundation stone on 14 September 1896.
For almost 100 years, nurses who trained at the RBWH were required to ‘live in’ at the Lady Lamington buildings. The buildings formed an important part of not only the nurses’ studies and training but also their social life. Nurses ‘living in’ forged life-long friendships with their fellow nurses with many having fond memories of their time there.
The original L shaped building was designed by architect Robin Dods and is the earliest surviving example of nurses’ quarters in Queensland. Taking prime position on the highest point of the campus with views of the city, the building features a Marseilles tiled roof, expansive verandas and grand external staircases leading down to court-yard gardens.
The architecture was innovative for the time, considering principles of ventilation and light. The hilltop position was designed to catch the breezes and all rooms opened onto the verandas via enormous double hung windows, that came down to floor level. It was this design that also allowed nurses to sneak in friends through their bedroom windows when they returned home after curfew!
STARS Nursing Director Dale Dally Watkins remembers her time staying there in the mid-1980s.
“It was an experience like no other! Most people left their verandah doors open in the summer and on the odd occasion you would wake to someone undressing and heading for bed after mistaking your room for theirs after a big night out! There was a family atmosphere across the corridors and floors and it meant there was always someone to talk to, watch a movie with or just a quiet place to enjoy a rest after a gruelling shift,” Dale said.
1930s extensions
In the 1930s a dramatic increase in nursing staff saw a third wing added, followed by the North and South tower blocks in 1936 and 1939. The tower blocks were designed by architects Atkinson and Conrad and were in the Spanish Mission style favoured at the time, with textured render, arches, and ornate columns.
By the late 1980s, the numbers of student nurses ‘living in’ was greatly reduced with the change to university-based training. On the 11 December 1993, a piper walked along the verandas and the main entrance gates were ceremoniously closed.
Buildings welcome back students
Renovated Lady Lamington building
After falling into disrepair, the buildings underwent a $85-million refurbishment as part of the $1.1 billion Herston Quarter development undertaken by Australian Unity. In February this year, the lower Lady Lamington building, and adjoining towers were re-opened as purpose-built student accommodation. A new generation of students will now call Lady Lamington home, enjoying the amazing location and establishing their own lasting friendships.
When Dale stands on the back balcony of STARS she can pick out her old room in Lady Lamington and the memories come flooding back.
“It is so lovely to see the building brought back to life and once again stand tall as part of the Herston complex. The team have done such an amazing job returning her to her former glory. If the students who get to come and stay in the building now have as much fun as we did, they will be living a great life,” she said.
“I still have friends in my life from our old nursing quarter days and I can only hope that those who pass through her doors now get the opportunity to build some life-long memories as well.”
For more information on the history of Lady Lamington, including a virtual tour, visit the website.