Former Military Building

Military accommodation
Townsville

16 Harold Street, West End 4810

This house is reported to have been a former military building that was converted into a residence post war. Aerial imagery prior to the Pacific War show the block vacant however the building was on site by 1952. At present it is unknown where 16 Harold Street may have originated from.

History

Former military barracks, administration and hospital buildings were converted into housing post-war and many survive in altered form today. Building supplies after WW2 were limited and Commonwealth and US disposal auctions sold entire buildings and surplus materials to the public. Queensland’s Department of Public Works also purchased prefabricated military buildings and transformed them into attractive low-cost housing for service families and new migrants.

Source/comments

Ray Holyoak (contributing author).