Centenary Pool Complex
| Centenary Pool Complex | |
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| Location | 400 Gregory Terrace, Spring Hill, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Coordinates | 27°27′18″S 153°01′33″E / 27.4549°S 153.0259°ECoordinates: 27°27′18″S 153°01′33″E / 27.4549°S 153.0259°E |
| Design period | 1940s - 1960s (post-World War II) |
| Built | 1959 |
| Built for | Brisbane City Council |
| Architect | James Birrell |
| Architectural style(s) | Post-War International |
| Owner | Brisbane City Council |
| Official name: Centenary Pool Complex | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 5 November 1996 |
| Reference no. | 601240 |
| Significant period | 1959 (fabric) 1959-1980 (historical, social) |
| Significant components | trees/plantings, swimming pool, tower - diving, restaurant, bathroom/bathhouse, grandstand, kiosk |
| Builders | Cyril Porter Hornick |
 Location of Centenary Pool Complex in Queensland
Location of Centenary Pool Complex in Queensland
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Centenary Pool Complex is a heritage-listed swimming pool at 400 Gregory Terrace, Spring Hill, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by architect James Birrell and built in 1959. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 5 November 1996.
The Centenary Pool complex was constructed in 1959 by the Brisbane City Council, as its principal contribution to the celebrations marking the centenary of local government in Brisbane, proclaimed a City in October 1859, and the proclamation of the separation of Queensland from New South Wales in December 1859.
The complex was designed by Brisbane City Architect James Birrell and his staff, who commenced work on the design in 1957, and was completed in November 1959 at a cost of approximately £150,000. The contractor was Brisbane Master Builder, Cyril Porter Hornick. The project was Brisbane's first Olympic standard pool and diving pool complex and, until the construction of the Sleeman Sports Complex at Chandler in 1980, remained Brisbane's principal aquatic sports centre. The inclusion of an up-market restaurant was an innovative concept which raised the status of the complex above that of simply a sports facility.
The City Council's choice of a pool complex of Olympic standard, reflected the intense public interest in competitive swimming which had been generated by Australian successes at the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games. Not only was Australia the proud host nation; at the Melbourne Olympics, Australia produced its best performance ever, winning 13 gold medals - 8 in swimming events. Throughout Australia, the popularity of competitive swimming surged, and in the ten years following the Olympics, the Brisbane City Council built seven new public swimming pools. Of these, the Centenary complex was the only one to incorporate diving facilities. The BCC was keen to include a wading pool in the Centenary complex, one of its principal objectives being to provide facilities for children of an early age to be taught to swim.
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