Whitsunday International Hotel 1960s Design Features - Mackay

This bold example of 1960s motel accommodation typifies the mid 20th Century when many similar styles of building went up all over Australia, especially in Queensland, the major tourist destination. A lot were to be found on the Gold Coast (Regrettably many have been demolished).

The Whitsunday Hotel has many exciting design features. The most apparent is the main entrance overhang which splays out in a zig-zag pattern. This is a very typical use of concrete in 1960s design and many similar styles can be found throughout mid 20th Century building in Australia. Another highlight of the building is the decorative use of breeze block on the upper section of the building, again typical of 1960s design. In fact I would say that these kind of breeze block is seen more in Queensland than in any other state. The use of plain red brick to create patterns is a very common trait in many 1960s designs.

The period design element of any good 1960s design is in the interior stairwell railings. If you look closely at the photograph below to the staircase you can see what I am talking about. The use of simple patters made with steel are to be found all over place in 1960s design. The most common use was in motels, and the feature can also be seen at sporting venues and public swimming pools designed in the 1950s and 1960s.