Councils of various coastal regions were competing for holiday trade by instigating beautification schemes and programmes for the provision of public facilities on the beaches.

Many public and commercial buildings were designed during this period in Southport by Hall and Phillips including the Council Chambers (1934), the Pier Theatre (1926), accommodation units (1928), a service station (1929) and various business premises as well as two bathing pavilions and lifesaving clubhouse.

[1] South East Queensland has a long tradition of beach-going, resorts were developed from the 1860s when Sandgate and, to a lesser extent Cleveland, were premier coastal destinations.

The construction of major schools, banks and hotels stimulated Southport's growth as a fashionable nineteenth century resort as did the presence of the Queensland Governor's residence in the 1890s.

[1] In the first decades of the century councils permitted privately owned bathing sheds on the beaches, which provided direct access to the water after changing.

South coast councils, realising the possible financial benefits from holiday makers provided firstly public dressing sheds and, later, bathing pavilions.

The contractors for the Main Beach Pavilion were Lee & Barnby, who constructed the building at a cost of £4,447, half of which was subsidised by the Queensland Government.

The pavilion was built as a single storey brick and concrete structure, with change rooms, showers and lavatories.

Upon opening, the pavilion was leased to a married couple, William Thomas and Margaret Elizabeth Vickers, who provided maintenance in return for charging an entrance fee.

From the mid sixties a kiosk was opened at the pavilion when it is thought that an external curved concrete wall was added to the southern end.

[1] Internal concrete block walls were constructed by 1978 diminishing the size of the change rooms, for extended kiosk and storage space.

[1] In 1991-1992 a mural, by artist Derrick Wynness, was commissioned by councillor Dawn Critchlow, for the curved wall on the south of the pavilion.

This high set building, 9 by 3.6 metres (30 by 12 ft), was clad with timber boards and a corrugated iron hipped roof.

New equipment and shortage of accommodation space prompted the first addition to club in 1958, designed by Colin Trapp Architect.

This was designed by John Mobbs and Associates, and consisted of several spaces on the ground floor for storage, living quarters and a gymnasium.

The listing boundary includes the two buildings with associated plantings and a group of Norfolk Island Pines to the south of the Surf Lifesaving Club.

[1] Both buildings illustrate the Spanish Mission style of architecture particularly on the decorative parapeted gables, the heavy pilasters, the external stucco render and the prominent roof sheeted with corrugated fibrous cement, reminiscent of the cordova tile.

At ground level this steps out to form a protruding bay unit housing a signage area in relief render.

The decorative elements of the gable, which occur directly above the bay, include decorative relief patterns, a cartouche inscribed with the date of construction 1934, curved brackets supporting a mid-height awning, a central octagonal multi-paned window opening and lettering "MAIN BEACH PAVILION".

A skillion roofed awning supported by four heavy rendered piers stands in front of the decorative parapet wall.

The side wings of the pavilion feature high level windows which are now battened or boarded, with face brick sills.

[1] The Southport Surf Lifesaving Club is a double storey building of brick, concrete and cement block.

It is used by the surf lifesaving club and provides dormitory, storage and recreational space, and toilet, showering and restaurant facilities.

[1] The western elevation of the 1934 section of the building has a central projecting decorative parapeted gable with two heavy pilasters surmounted by urns on either side.

[1] Main Beach Pavilion and Southport Surf Lifesaving Club was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register on 1 March 1995 having satisfied the following criteria.