page_title: Merriland Hall
section_title: Description
hierarchical_section_title: Merriland Hall / Description
caption_attribution_description: English: Australian Army canteen under construction in Atherton, Queensland, 26 November 1943
context_page_description: Merriland Hall is a heritage-listed community hall at Mazlin Street, Atherton, Tablelands Region, Queensland, Australia. It was built in November 1943 by the Allied Works Council. It is also known as Former Atherton Camp Supply Depot. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 28 July 2000.
context_section_description: Merriland is a large igloo situated within the Atherton Show Grounds and located at the corner of Robert and Mazlin Streets, Atherton. The name "igloo" was a Second World War slang shorthand term for any of a number of building forms with curved metal roofs. The igloo was designed as a camp supply depot, today it is composed of two major elements:
  an "igloo" of timber trusses clad in corrugated iron which forms the auditorium
  a brick frontage which forms part of the stage, backstage area and dressing rooms.
  A separate building has been attached to the rear of the auditorium. This weatherboard building with a corrugated galvanised iron roof, is a cafeteria.
  The Merriland Hall is approximately 60 metres (200 ft) long and has an overall width of 30 metres (98 ft). The igloo stands on a concrete slab foundation with a raised kerb and two external drains running along the building's long sides, and cast concrete feet which support the trusses. There are sixteen trusses spanning the interior space. Each is composed of four curved half-trusses which are pinned at the foundations and at the apex where they meet. The two adjacent trusses are laced together at top and bottom chord level. Therefore, each half-truss consists of four timber chords sprung into arch form, with light timber bracing nailed into position to form a curved open-latticed box truss. The trusses are made entirely of sawn pieces of native hardwood nailed together.
  Horizontal timber members run the full length of the auditorium on each half-truss. The roof structure is braced by a pattern of crossed diagonal timber struts running across the roof between the trusses. The centre section of the roof has been angled up into a low-pitched gable with rafters rising up from the upper chords of the trusses to meet a ridge beam running down the centreline of the igloo. Timber purlins running the length of the roof are nailed to these rafters and to the upper chords. The corrugated iron cladding is nailed directly to the purlins. There are four ventilators in the roof.
  The interior of the auditorium has been divided into two spaces. The rear of the building is basically a clear space, it has been set up for indoor sports. An indoor basketball court has been marked out on the concrete floor and two backboards have been attached to trusses on either side of the igloo. One side of the auditorium has been modified to include both male and female toilets in a narrow concrete-block extension. A wire storage cage has been erected at the rear of the igloo. On the other side of the igloo, storage facilities have been provided in the form of timber lockers. In the centre of the rear wall are large double doors. Above the doors, and to either side, are a series of fixed glass windows.
  A raised timber dance floor has been constructed in the front section of the building, with a stage and backstage area at one end. Dressing rooms and additional backstage space are housed in the 1958 brick frontage. Raised galleries, approximately 4 metres (13 ft) wide, have been constructed along either side of the dance floor for seating.
  The cafeteria is housed in a rectangular timber-framed building with a gabled roof, which has been attached to the rear of the igloo. This symmetrical structure is raised off the ground on concrete stumps. It is externally clad in weatherboard and the internal walls are lined with fibro cement sheeting. Vinyl floor tiles line the timber floor. Six timber framed glass windows extend along either long wall. Exit doors are located on each side of the building. The internal area has been divided into two elements; a hall containing tables and chairs and a small kitchen situated in the rear of the building.
caption: Australian Army canteen "igloo" under construction in Atherton, Queensland, 1943
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