Conservation

Every place has it's own unique history and reason for being. It is this individuality that makes a place meaningful. Heritage conservation aims to retain physical evidence of the past, but in parallel, must allow places adapt and change to remain functional and economically viable.

One definition of heritage is "what we want to keep".

As an aid to understanding why we need to conserve our heritage, parallels have been drawn to the trauma involved in house fires. Loss of day to day functional goods and appliances cannot be compared to the loss of personal memorabilia, which provide evidence of our past and help us identify "who we are." The fabric of our towns is similar - built examples from various periods help explain our culture background and generate a "sense of place."

I believe that to keep our heritage buildings, we must use them. The Sunshine Coast has the opportunity to use it's heritage as a tourist draw card. In parallel with a range of strategies, the urban fabric can be a vehicle through which pride of place, community, spirit, and the social concept of neighborhood can be engendered

  • Conservation Management Plans for Schools

2017-19 For Building and Asset Services, Department of Housing and Public Works, on behalf of the Department of Education

Typically, these schools had been identified by Project Services as being of heritage significance, and were being progressively State listed by the Department of Environment and Science. The work involved detailed analysis of of the fabric; consideration of the significance; and management/restoration/adaptive reuse proposals to conserve the places into the future.

Mt Tarampa State School & Prenzlau State School in the Lockyer Valley

Greenslopes and Buranda State Schools in Brisbane

Bundaberg State High School, and Urangan Point State School

Allenstown State School, in Rockhampton, and Duringa State School 100km to the west.

Buderim Mountain State School and Redcliffe State High School

old Redcliffe Fire Station Master Planning

The 1948 brick building with subsequent extensions occupies a prominent position on Oxley Ave, and is proposed to be repurposed for an Arts Centre by the Moreton Bay Regional Council.

Fairview, Maleny

In 2010/11 Roger Todd Architect was involved in Conservation/Change of Use for the place. Following on from the CMP, the work involved documentation of building works required for bracing and tie down of the structure as well as minimal requirements to convert the place for interim use prior to projected long term end use.

In 2014, following a detailed Management Plan, Roger documented and administered the contract for interior and exterior painting, roof maintenance, stabilisation of the rear verandah, restoration of lost elements including a window, door and verandah balustrades, and work to the kitchen and bathroom. All works were performed according to best conservation practice, and facilitated the Friends of Pattemore House to use the place to interpret Maleny’s history and heritage to the wider community

  • 15 Warne Tce

Conservation and additions to 1939 flats in Caloundra. New outdoor rooms at each level increased living area on the ocean side. The decayed front steps were remodelled to provide additional parking space and a small deck to the north. The form or the original flats were retained and integrated into the new arrangement.

    • Documentation of Sam Kelly's house Yandina

This circa 1890s house in Yandina will eventually be demolished. The place is recorded on sunshinecoastplaces

The place has a high level of significance but has been allowed to fall into disrepair over the last two decades. I am not aware of any other nineteenth century house on the Coast which still has its separate kitchen structure intact. Sam Kelly was the longest serving councillor (40Years) and ex chairman of Maroochy Shire Council

    • Memorial Park Gympie - Conservation Management Plan

Gympie's Memorial Park was established in 1919-1921 as the Gympie and Widgee District Fallen Soldiers' Memorial Park, with a landscape design prepared by Brisbane's Parks Superintendent Henry (Harry) Moore and a focal timber bandstand designed by Brisbane City Council's architect Alfred Herbert Foster. The citizens of Gympie who conceived and funded the park as a memorial wanted to provide a restful and beautiful place where people could relax, meet for recreational purposes, and enjoy the freedom which cost the lives of so many. The park is recognized for its beautiful and picturesque attributes. Conservation of this aspect of the park is allied to the preceding aspects of its significance. It is beautiful by design, and has added meaning because the mature vegetation evidences the passing of time.

  • Caloundra Lighthouses

Along with the relocated keeper's cottage, the 1896 Lighthouse is the oldest surviving building in the Caloundra township. It was relocated in 1970 when it was replaced with a reinforced concrete structure. In 1999 it was retuned to it's original site. This project is a good example of the way in which the uncovering of our heritage can generate community pride and spirit.

The lighthouses on sunshinecoastplaces

  • Studio Addition at Moffat Beach

The design accommodates the two flats, commercial space, parking and turning for four cars, as well as mature trees, all within the confines of a 20mx20m property. A commercial studio was added to post WW2 flats at Moffat Beach.

    • Old Caloundra Council Works Depot

Conservation and change of use to an educational campus for CADET/Skillshare. The original timber framed industrial buildings were designed "in the field" in 1953, and were augmented with various removal buildings.

  • Trentham

Conservation and change of use for 7 Wilson Ave, Dicky Beach, Caloundra. The original house had been built in 1939 for rental accommodation, and has some local significance in that it is one of the originals in that area. It is also important in it's contribution to the character of the streetscape, and in it's ability to demonstrate the evolution of the local beach houses of the post WW2 era.

The Burra Charter (the acknowledged authority for heritage conservation) is a philosophy aimed at retaining significance while facilitating maximum usefulness of buildings. The intention is to mix old with new, but in the light of a clear understanding and respect for the old fabric. The charter sets out guidelines for understanding the existing, and extending in sympathy with scale, texture, rhythm, meaning and context. Reproductions, often not built as well as the originals, do little to enrich the urban environment. The philosophy can be extended to urban design.


  • Beerwah Field Study Centre

Roger has had a long association with the centre, which began when the Caloundra based Estuarine Research Group leased three single mens' quarters within the Beerwah Forest Centre in 1989. The Centre is an example of adaptive reuse which has enabled conservation of a significant place. Roger designed an amenities block to best environmental practice which responds to the unique character of the area.


    • Tillstead Yandina

This circa 1899 farmhouse, originally called Tillstead" was relocated to make way for the Yandina Bypass. Roger's role involved co-ordination of consultants and overall conservation planning and design. Considerable initial work was done however the project was subsequently abandoned by the Department of Transport and the house donated to the Maroochy Shire Council. More recently, Roger was commissioned by the Maroochy Shire Council to design and document proposals to convert the building for community use.


    • Landsborough Urban Design Guidelines

In March 2001, Caloundra City Council adopted design guidelines prepared by Roger Todd in association with Deicke Richards. Roger's input concerned the heritage character of the town. Landsborough (originally "Mellum Creek") was on the original Gympie Road, pushed through in 1868 to service the goldfields. The town re-focused around the railway station in 1890. It remained an important commercial centre and was the original seat of power for the Landsborough Shire. Much physical evidence of this history remains. Roger had previously been involved in a study of Landsborough for National Trust "Heritage Week" activity - theme "Heritage on the Move" in conjunction with the Landsborough Museum. This included preparation of flyer's and a booklet as well as coordination of the day itself. Follow up work included addressing the Landsborough Chamber of Commerce on heritage possibilities for the town, and a building report for the Chamber on the Landsborough Station Building. This was part of a wider campaign to conserve railway heritage.


  • Ewen Maddock Dam Coach House

Advice, design and documentation for the Coach House, at Ewen Maddock Dam, for the Caloundra City Council. The House was the last building from the original Mooloolah township on the Old Gympie Road, and was donated to the Council when it's site was developed for housing . It has been converted for community use.


  • Tivoli Coke Ovens

Roger was involved in conservation planning for this place of industrial significance at Tivoli, near Ipswich, in association with Ann Wallin & Associates, cultural heritage consultants.