Spring Hill Reservoirs, Historic water reservoirs in Spring Hill, Australia
Spring Hill Reservoirs consist of two underground storage chambers built from red brick with arched internal dividers and gabled roofs above ground. They contained roughly 69,000 locally made bricks and operated using gravity to distribute water throughout the city.
The first reservoir was built in 1871 and the second in 1882 to supply water from Enoggera Dam to Brisbane residents. Both were taken out of service in 1962 after decades of providing the city with water.
The reservoirs became event spaces in 2014, now hosting opera performances and art installations deep underground. This transformation links the engineering past with modern creative expression in a way that feels entirely different from their original purpose.
The reservoirs sit at 230 Wickham Terrace and visitors can enter the underground chambers to see the arched brick construction up close. Being underground means the space stays cool and dim, so comfortable clothes and a light source are helpful for exploring.
These are the only brick-built underground water reservoirs with arched baffle walls in Queensland, making them different from the standard concrete construction method used elsewhere. Their rarity makes them rare examples of an older engineering technique that is hardly found today.
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