Shrine of Remembrance

The Shrine of Remembrance is located in ANZAC Square and serves as a State memorial to those who lost their lives participating in overseas armed service campaigns, in particular the First World War. The Shrine houses an Eternal Flame in remembrance of those who lost their lives representing the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZACs). It holds an elevated position at the Ann Street entrance to ANZAC Square. It was dedicated at 11am on Armistice Day, Tuesday, 11 November 1930.


The Shrine is a dominant feature of the Square. The architecture is Greek Classic Revival style, utilising the forms of a Greek sacred enclosure (temenos) comprising of a round temple (tholos). The various columns are made of Helidon sandstone, which stand on a three tiered base of Queensland granite. The eighteen columns utilise doric order, and represent the year of peace, 1918. They support a circular entablature which on its outside edge is ornamented with rosettes and within the shrine is inscribed with the names of battlefields where Australian soldiers fought. Within the middle of the shrine a bronze urn houses the Eternal Flame. Twin stone staircases wrap around the Shrine, descending to the level of the Square.


Of all the elements within ANZAC Square, this has to be the most striking. The Shrine is a meeting place for the dawn service on ANZAC Day, and throughout that particular day draws huge crowds who pay their respect. At any time of the year, it is a moving and sombre experience to visit and recognise and remember the fallen.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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The Mansions

The Mansions are a row of six attached houses which were built in 1889. The first tenants were three doctors who set up practice early in 1890 and included Dr Lilian Cooper, the first female doctor in Queensland. It was also used by Queensland parliamentarians, including the then premier Boyd Dunlop Morehead. In the following years the various houses were used as private residences, a day school, consulting rooms and boarding houses before falling into government hands as offices. In 1982 the building was refurbished to accommodate shops and a restaurant on the ground floors and offices on the upper levels.


Given its age, the style is a Victorian version of Italian Classical architecture. With predominantly red brickwork, each attached house is three stories in height. Designed by architect G.H.M. Addison it is an example of the prestigious housing of the late 19th century. This was where the elite of Queensland society of the time lived, offering views over the township and the river from one of the highest points in the city. The interiors have been significantly renovated over time, with very little of the original interior architecture remaining.

I love how at each of the main corners of the building facing George Street, two cats are perched overlooking the streetscape. These are similar to Gargoyles, however these serve as sculpture providing what appears to be an ornamental or artistic function. I wonder if these were placed here to scare off evil spirits and used for some level of spiritual protection. They looked quite determined with their ever vigilant eyes on those who pass by underneath.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Spencers Building

There are times when I wander around the city that I come across places and wonder what there history could be. Like in any city in the world, you can come across derelict buildings. This one, at 45-47 Edwards Street, is in obvious need of repair. Although the facade is still intact, inside is a complete mess. There is rubbish and signs of squatters on the main entrance floor, and although the main structure is intact, the building is basically untenantable. There is also graffiti over the building as well.

However, there was a time when this building, and its associated building next door, formed part of the warehouse district near the bustling original Port of Brisbane. Known as Spencers Building, the building was completed in 1890 to a design by colonial architect FDG Stanley. Unfortunately it was flooded in the 1890 floods not long after completion, however over the intervening years it was used as a coach building premises, tent manufacturer, leather manufacturer, and as is noted on the facade, a typewriter dealer. Unfortunately it has since fallen into disrepute.

I can only hope that at some point in the near future, the building will be redeveloped, and the classical Victorian detailing will be maintained. There is still hope for this, as the adjacent building still maintains an example of what the facade could be like if the entire structure was refurbished. There is ample space inside and whatever its future holds, it does offer its owner a great opportunity to maintain the aesthetic qualities of this type of architecture.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Former State Library of Queensland

The building at 159 William Street has a long and auspicious history within the public life of Brisbane. Like many other buildings in the area along William Street, this is another of the city buildings designed by Colonial Architect Francis Drummond Greville (FDG) Stanley. It was modelled on 16th century Italian architecture. Constructed between 1876 and 1879, it was the first purpose-built home for the Queensland Museum.


Unfortunately, it proved inadequate for museum purposes. It reopened as the Public Library of Queensland in April 1902. Over the years the collection expanded, and the the library building itself was extended in 1958-59. The name was changed to the State Library of Queensland in 1971. In 1988 the State Library moved to new, larger premises in the Queensland Cultural Centre at Southbank.


Along with the historic building, the associated annex with mural by Victorian artist Lindsay Edwards, are still prominent architectural and artistic features on William Street. I believe the building may still be used as a library store, although I also understand that it is partially home to offices of Tabcorp, associated with the Treasury Casino across the road. Hopefully we'll never lose such a unique facade.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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The Inchcolm Hotel

The Inchcolm Hotel is a boutique hotel located at 73 Wickham Terrace. A part of the Quality Hotel chain, the hotel offers standard and deluxe suites, "Seasalt" restaurant, conference and function facilities, and a rooftop pool with views back down to the city. In 1999 The Inchcolm was transformed from a heritage listed medical chambers to its current reincarnation. There are 35 suites in the hotel, and these are unique in that they are named after significant people or places of interest in Queensland history.

Wickham Terrace is significant for its relationship to the medical profession. This particular site has been associated with the profession since the 1880's. The original building contained private consulting rooms and then became a private hospital. In 1930 the current building was created in Georgian Style. Internally the building was divided into suites of medical offices, accessed via a narrow central corridor on each level. These suites now form the basis of the hotel. In refurbishing the building as a hotel many of the original features were kept including the silky oak wall panelling and doors, the original brass fittings and the 1920s New York style cage lift which still services the hotel today.

I love the look and feel of this hotel. The red brick rendering, overall faced, and the lettering pronouncing the hotel all give it a certain charm which harks back to the 1930's. The lettering in particular is deceptive, grabbing your attention because it appears out of focus - even though it isn't. It must be a trick of the camera as well! Although I haven't had the pleasure of staying here, I think it would be a great place to take a break.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Westpac Bank Building

On the corner of George Street and the Queen Street Mall at 33 Queen Street is the imposing Westpac Bank Building. Formerly the Bank of New South Wales Building, it is now home to a branch of the Westpac Bank. The six storey building houses not only the banking services, but a range of small to medium size business ranging from Realtors, Lawyers, Solicitors, Personnel Recruitment and Software companies throughout the Chambers.


The actual site of the building has been associated with banking since 1851. This building was constructed between 1928 to 1930 by Brisbane architects Hall and Devereux. Similar in style to the National Australia Bank down the street, the architecture is an an example of the neo-classical style used in other commercial and government buildings of similar scale and materials built during this period. The main facades comprise Helidon freestone as a stone facing on a base of Uralla polished granite. The facade also features four ionic columns which form a prominent and striking feature.


As a building on one of the main throughfares of the city, I imagine thousands of people walk past without giving this facade a second glance. After all, its a bank isn't it? Yet the building itself, and its architecture are so imposing and outstanding, that I find it amazing that you can walk passed without being overawed. Given the visual pollution of billboards and hoardings throwing glaring advertisements in garish colours at us, I love that a strong piece of architecture can remind us of where we've come from with the multi-cultural classical influences of our wonderful city in our historic buildings.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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The Myer Centre

The Myer Centre is one of the premier shopping and entertainment centres in Brisbane. Located at 91 Queen Street and spanning from the Queen Street Mall through to Elizabeth Street it is a six floor shopping complex. The Centre is home to close to 170 stores, including the largest Myer department store in Queensland, as well as Target and Coles. It opened in March 1988. A full centre directory can be found on their web site. The centre is open most days with store trading mainly from 9:00am - 5:30pm and extended hours on Fridays.

Aside from shops, the Myer Centre also is home to an eight screen cinema complex on the top level. Underneath the centre is four levels of car parking, and the Queen Street Bus Station is located on the lower ground level. A major food court is also contained on the lower levels, and coffee shops and eateries are interspersed amongst the specialty shops on most levels. If you can't find something to suit your tastes in either food, goods or fashion, then you're not trying hard enough.

There are two other things I like about the Myer Centre, and they relate to history. Architecturally, the facades of the buildings facing the Queen Street Mall, all date back to the turn of the century. The former Myer store used to be directly opposite the current location, and those facades have similar architecture. The second piece of history is personal. I remember coming to Brisbane in the 90's, and one of the highlights for me was going to what was then known as "Tops", a kids entertainment area on the highest level, and riding the dragon rollercoaster. Sadly, this was all removed when it became unprofitable, although interestingly enough in this case, the dragon has been up for sale!

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Aurora - Queensland Country Life Building Facade

The Aurora Tower at 420 Queen Street is currently the tallest building in Brisbane. With 69 floors and at an overall height of 207 metres it is visible from many suburbs outside the CBD. It comprises 18 penthouses, 54 skyhomes (two storey luxury apartments) and 408 apartments. There's also a recreation deck with pool, spa, gym, sauna, and mini cinema. Centrally located, if you were into inner-city living it would be a great place to live. Aurora Tower was opened on May 5, 2006.

The interesting thing about this building was the inclusion of the facade from the old Queensland Country Life Building. At 432-440 Queen Street, it has been incorporated, as you can see, into the fascia of the Aurora Tower. This dates back to 1888-89. In the late Victorian style, it is an example of Richard Gailey's work, a prominent architect of the time. Note the well maintained and restored rendering, Corinthian columns and intricate cornice work which has been done.

This is a fantastic example of how the old and the new can be brought together. We have a great new building, providing residential accommodation and many high technology components befitting a building of the 2000's. Juxtaposed with this is architecture from more than a century prior, showing the intricacies and engineering skills of craftsmen without any of the benefits of modern technology and design. Its brilliant, and another reason why it is so great to live here.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Old Government House

Old Government House is located on theQueensland University of Technology Gardens Point campus at 2 George Street. If you travel down the pathway beside the campus as you come from George Street, you will hit this heritage building, opposite the Gardens Theatre. Old Government House was the official residence of the Governors of Queensland from 1862-1909. Since that time the house has been occupied by the University of Queensland, the National Trust and the Queensland Institute of Technology.

Old Government House was the first major building constructed by the Queensland Government. It was built from 1860-1862 at a cost of £12,000-£17,000 and designed by the Colonial Architect Charles Tiffin. This classical revival style residence was home to eleven of Queensland's Governors. In 1910, the then Governor Sir William MacGregor moved to Fernberg, which would become the current Government House. At that time it was handed over by the Government to form the nucleus of Queensland’s first university.

Guided tours of the house are available on request between 10.00am and 4.00pm Monday to Friday. Online you can do a Self Guided Tour or a Virtual Tour, but nothing beats going there in person. I personally like the relaxed feel of the courtyard, but the main rooms are also architecturally splendid. I bet that most of the students who go to QUT don't recognise the historical significance of the building on their great campus.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Brisbane Arcade

Brisbane Arcade is located at 160 Queen Street Mall in the Central Business District. It houses stores which sell award-winning fashion, fine jewellery, bridal accessories, homewares and antiques, along with having some fantastic cafes. This happens to be all in the one elegant, heritage shopping galleria. It covers three levels: basement; ground; and balcony. It spans from the Mall through to Adelaide Street.

The Brisbane Arcade was built in 1923 for Dr James Mayne, and his sister Miss Mary Emelia Mayne, part of the infamous Mayne family. The site was previously occupied by the family home. The Arcade was designed by Richard Gailey (Junior), who is regarded as one of Queensland’s most prolific and important earlier architects. Despite the infamy and enormous wealth of their father, these children were quite philanthropic in donating back to Brisbane. The Arcade continues to be operated today by the Trustees of the estate of Dr James O’Neil Mayne and the estate of Miss Mary Emelia Mayne. The brother and sister were two principal benefactors of the Queensland University, enabling relocation to the St Lucia campus. Operating proceeds from Brisbane Arcade are for the direct benefit of the Medical School of the University.

Like many sights within Brisbane, with your dose of shopping you can also get a dose of history. In this case it is both unique and fascinating on both fronts. The shopping in this mall is upmarket, and most stores are incredibly well presented and sophisticated. The architecture within the mall is spectacular. The history is also enthralling. The Mayne family amassed incredible wealth, but the deathbed confessions of murder by their main patriarch, Patrick Mayne, brought into question the original source of the wealth. However, the children in their own rights did not deserve the disapproval and disdain they received due to the actions of their father.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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The Batman Building

When you're a kid, its easy to delight in the absurdity of what adults say, and take what they say as the truth. As a father, I am guilty of this with my kids. That's why this little divergence I feel is relevant. This building is what we know as the Batman building in our family. I'm sure I'm not unique with this. Why Batman you ask? Well, when Batman fights the evils of the city, and when he's away from Gotham visiting Brisbane, he still needs a place to work from. Hence, the Batman building.

The building is actually the State Law Building, located at 50 Ann Street, on the corner of George and Ann Streets. Appropriately, with its association with Batman, it is part of the law precinct with offices of the Queensland Department of Justice housed inside. Designed by Sipen Rojnavibul, the State Law Building was a refurbishment of Comalco House, a 25 storey commercial building designed by Conrad, Gargett and Partners Pty Ltd in 1977. In 1993,a process of upgrading services and amenities, including plant facilities, as well as giving the building a new identity was undertaken. It was then that they came up with the idea and benefit of concealing the plant facilities with a new Gotham City style "crown" which has become an iconic element in Brisbane's skyline.

The building is considered one of Brisbane's skyscrapers. It stands at 128 metres with the new structure on top. My kids are now convinced that this is where Batman lives. At night, they look out for the Bat Signal. I can't help but sing, "Na na, Na na, Na na, Na na, Bat Man" when I see it.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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The Brisbane Synagogue

The Brisbane Synagogue at 98 Margaret Street was built in 1885 for the Brisbane Hebrew Congregation. It was Brisbane's first purpose built Synagogue, and is significant as an important development in nineteenth century Jewish worship in the city. It is in an unusual Byzantine style, and is constructed of stuccoed brickwork on a concrete foundation.

The synagogue has a long history within the Brisbane community. The Jewish families who settled in Queensland from the time of separation from New South Wales in 1859, formed the nucleus of the Brisbane Hebrew Congregation founded in Brisbane in 1865. They used temporary premises until the consecration of this synagogue in 1886. Renovations took place in 1965 to celebrate the centenary of the formation of the Brisbane Hebrew Congregation. Many people who had lost family members during the Holocaust donated additional stained glass windows. At this time the congregation's spiritual name "Kehilla Kedosha Sha'ari Emuna", the Holy Congregation of the Gates of Faith was added over the arched entry.

I love how these places of worship for the various faiths are dotted around the city. In this instance, it is again nestled between two highrise buildings. Of course, I haven't been inside this synagogue, although from the descriptions of the ornamental stained glass windows inside, I should try to get in one day. There remains a strong Jewish presence in Brisbane, although I lay little claim to fully understanding nor following their faith. I do, however, appreciate the architecture of their synagogue!

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Brisbane School of Arts

Located at 166 Ann Street, the Brisbane School of Arts is located in one of Brisbane's heritage buildings. It became the School in 1873 when it was bought for the then princely sum of 1,000 pounds. This was one of the precursors to the Queensland University of Technology, and it operated as the School of Arts through to 1965 when it was taken over by the Brisbane City Council.

The building was originally known as the Servant's Home. It was established around 1865 when Lady Diamantina Bowen, wife of the first Queensland Governor, Sir George Ferguson Bowen, erected the building as a clearing house and hostel for new domestic servants who had been attracted to work in the Queensland colony. Today, the building is let to a number of community groups, and can be used as a venue for hire via the council.

I'm glad that within the city there remain these rare examples from the history of Brisbane. Although the European aspects of our nation don't have the 1,000+ years of history of many other cultures, when we do have these historic sites I'm glad they can be restored to former glories, particular in CBD locations. I'm also glad that Art and Community continue to have a home in the City!

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Riparian Plaza

Riparian Plaza is a skyscraper development which was completed in late 2005. When we first came to Brisbane, there weren't that many buildings which you would have considered skyscrapers, and this was the first to hit the 200 metre mark in Brisbane. We watched it slowly grow from a hole in the ground next to the Brisbane River up to its impressive height, topped off with a communications spire visible from most of the surrounding suburbs of Brisbane. Located at 71 Eagle Street, the main entrance faces the street and has a row of imported palm trees providing some greenery in an otherwise stark concrete landscape. I do, however, find the view from the bottom quite aesthetically satisfying!

Riparian was built by Multiplex from a design by Harry Seidler. There are some interesting aspects to the building in that it is mixed residential and commercial, the car park goes up to the 11th level, and the recreation centre and swimming pool are way up on the 39th floor. Imagine the view whilst you were swimming laps! There are also restaurants around the base, including Kingsley's Steak and Crabhouse who although quite pricey, serve excellent food.

The construction did experience some significant delays. It was due for completion in 2004, but this stretched on. It used to really annoy me, as they blocked the main walkway along the river during construction. There was a sign there I remember which I think said the river walk would be open in September 2004, but it wasn't to be taking a good year more. Thankfully, when it did get close to completion they did reopen it, and now we once again can stroll effectively all the way along the river on the City side. This shot was taken from the walkway towards the Botanic Gardens.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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An Historic Bank

The National Australia Bank at 308-322 Queen Street is registered as a Brisbane Historic Site. This forms part of the Brisbane Heritage Trail, which can be taken as a walking tour of the city. The Queensland National Bank was formed back in 1872, and all the big knob bankers of the time decided they needed a grand bank to represent them. As you can see, the size and for the time opulent nature of the bank reflected the prosperity of the time.

There is a guide reference next to the bank which outlines its history. It was completed in 1885 after five years of construction in what was known as the Italian Revival style. This was mainly for the Corinthian columns look, which gives it that slightly Roman feel. Inside they have a mahogany and walnut furniture, but I wasn't quite prepared to walk into the bank and take photos for the obvious security reasons.

For such a young country with respect to European influence, I'm still amazed that we seem to have a mix of architectural influences from various places and types in our Australian cities. Part of the reason for throwing this image up is because I love to look at historical sites and imagine the more historical reference markers they would have been using to define their style. Its hard to find much older than 200 years architecturally here in our cities in relation to when they were built, but from my naive eyes, and I'm no student of architectural design, their seems to be a hell of a lot of varying influence!

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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