Cooktown Hospital (former)

The Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Hall in May Street, Cooktown, was built in stages between 1879 and 1881 as the Cooktown Hospital. It was built on the Hospital Reserve, bounded by Boundary, Hope, May and Ida Streets and replaced a smaller timber structure built in 1874. At the time of construction, the Queensland government appointed a medical officer and committed to provide £300 towards a permanent hospital if further subscriptions were forthcoming. In April 1879, the Colonial Architect FGD Stanley prepared the plans, and a hospital reserve was established. A typical hospital of this era, the design was a pavilion plan, emphasising the importance of good ventilation and sanitation. Situated on the top of the hill, the hospital provided patients with light and airy wards, surrounded by cooling verandahs. The hospital was built by Doorey & Sons in 1879, followed by the construction of the kitchen and outbuildings by Gordon and Menzies in late 1880. Although relocated to this site when the hospital expanded in 1986, the building reflects the hey-day of the town when it was the port for the Palmer River goldfields. The building operated as a hospital for more than 105 years.