General Post Office

The General Post Office is located at 261 Queen Street, directly opposite Post Office Square. Facing the building, on the right you have specialty shops including the RACQ, and on the left, the Post Office and related postal services of Australia Post. Under the arch the complex is split by an arcade which runs from Queen Street through to Elizabeth Street.

The General Post Office was opened in September of 1872. The original GPO building, was designed by colonial architect Francis Drummond Greville (FDG) Stanley with an Italianate influence. The two storied northern building was completed by John Petrie in 1872, and the southern wing, central tower and archway were erected from 1876 to 1879. The complex was established to meet the increasing communications needs of the colony of Queensland. Helidon freestone is used throughout the building, particularly on the facade, columns and arcades. Over the years further extensions and expansions of the complex were made, however the main original components remain intact.


I love the historic grandeur of the building. Restoration work was undertaken in the mid 1990's, and today the building still shines as a result. The sandstone usage, like many other buildings in the city from that period, is sensational. One part of the GPO I love is the clock face on the northern building. It reminds me of the clock tower from Back to the Future! One day someone should dress up as Doc and slide from the tower down into Post Office Square.

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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Naval Offices

The Naval Offices at 3 Edward Street are representative of the historic character of the Brisbane riverfront. They were built in 1901 as the administrative headquarters of Queensland Marine Defence Force, providing a residence for the Naval Commandant and his staff. The Naval Offices served as a key naval administrative location from the Royal Australian Navy's formation in 1913 and throughout two World Wars. The premises were occupied by the Navy through to 1959. Subsequently, they were used by various government departments until being leased as a restaurant in 1982. The Naval Offices are currently home to Baggaley's Florist.


The architectural style of the building is mainly Baroque, with an ornate entrance pediment which incorporates the Naval Defence Coat of Arms. This is a largely intact example of a Federation period building. The original wrought iron entry gates still hang in the arched entrance way. The building is predominantly constructed from red brick which is essentially plain on the lower level and stuccoed on the upper level.


This is another of the city buildings with a unique and largely intact historical significance. Being so close to the river, the naval representatives would have had a commanding view of the activities on the river during both wars, although now the Stamford Hotel has largely blocked their vista. They could also have monitored activities at the Naval Store, directly across the river. Today, there's flowers inside, so if you're looking for a brilliant bloom, have a look at their floral delights whilst you savour the history!

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Naldham House

Naldham House is located at 193 Mary Street, at the intersection of Mary Street and Felix Street. Currently home to the Brisbane Polo Club who began operating from the building in 1990, the building has a long history, originally being part of the maritime community. Naldham House was built in the late 1870s with major extensions in 1889 and served for almost a century as a shipping office. In 1988 major external and internal alternations were carried out in converting the building into premises for the polo club.

The site where Naldham House stands, adjacent to the Brisbane River, was acquired by the Australasian Steam Navigation Company (ASN) in March 1852. In 1864 a two storey office building was erected, and was extended during the intervening years to 1888, when renovations began creating the building in its current form. The name Naldham House came about in 1915 when the building was taken over by McDonald Hamilton - Naldham being a contraction of the two names. For many years the port trade played a significant factor in the economic success of the shipping companies, and they dominated much of the Brisbane River waterfront.


The building itself exudes English colonial style. The building forms a thin rectangle with the visually dominant tower being located at the north-eastern end. I love how the stark white rendering has been maintained, and the architectural integrity has been kept intact. You can take a virtual tour of the insides of the building, and here you can see the definite formal British club influence of the renovations.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Pancake Manor at St Luke's Church Hall

The Pancake Manor or Pancake Cafe is located at 18 Charlotte Street. The main item on their menu is obviously Pancakes! There are many variations, including crepes. The food and atmosphere is good, and the restaurant is open 24 hours. There are tables and booths with carved wooden seating. There's a bar in the middle of the main restaurant, as well as a pool table should you feel like playing. Downstairs, the Good Knight Bar is open in the evenings.

The building is part of Brisbane's Heritage Trail. It was originally selected as a site for a new Mission by the Anglican Church in 1903. It opened as St Luke's in 1904, designed with a Romanesque architecture by J.S. Murdoch. It was used as the main Brisbane church for the Anglican congregation until 1910, when St John's Cathedral was completed. From 1910 it acted as an Anglican Mission, and is also famous for housing the Newsboys' Club, amongst other youth groups. It remained associated with the Church until 1977. It opened as the Pancake Manor in 1979.

This is a great place to go with kids. Because of the booths you can squeeze them in so they can't escape, and the fare suits kids tastes for a quick meal out. Who doesn't love pancakes?! Being from Melbourne, there's an obvious association for me with the Pancake Parlour, although I imagine there may be some rivalry between the two. They have the same logo, although one says Perfect and the other says Lovely. Who cares? Both are right in my books!

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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The Hotel Orient

On the corner of Queen and Ann Streets at one of the main roadway entrances to the CBD is the Orient Hotel. Located at 560 Queen Street, the building was originally erected as the Excelsior Hotel in two stages during 1875 and 1884. The Orient is one of a handful of surviving 19th century hotels in central Brisbane. The Hotel has experienced a number of refurbishments over the years, but the basic three story structure has remained over almost the past 100 years.

Today, the hotel has basic accommodation on the top floors, but its main attraction is its public bar and restaurant food. There is casual dining on the street level, with sit down lunch time and evening meals on the first floor. They also have poker machines and a TAB section for those gamblers amongst us. Bands play on Friday and Saturday night, and Thursday night is the night for discounted drinks.

Its great that the Orient is one of the few old pubs to have survived the development frenzy and midnight demolitions that claimed so many heritage buildings in the city centre during the 1970's and 80's. People often associate the building as a much smaller version of the flatiron building, although that isn't that peculiar to triangular blocks of land. I've eaten, drunk and gambled here a few times and always found it quite pleasant.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Palace Backpackers Hostel

Located on the corner of Ann and Edward Street, at 308 Edward Street, is the Palace Backpackers Hostel. One of the primary backpacker facilities in Brisbane, With a variety of accommodation from single and double rooms through to dormitory facilities, their is catering for many tastes, although if you go, you have to have a backpack (not suitcases!) There are a wide variety of shared facilities including: laundry; kitchen; BBQ area; TV and communal rooms; telephones; Internet; and licensed travel agent.

Formerly known as The People's Palace it was built in 1910-11 for the Salvation Army as a temperance hotel. It was designed by the Salvation Army's architect Colonel Saunders (no, not the Chicken Colonel!) Built near Central Railway Station, the hotel contained 130 rooms and provided inexpensive "working class" accommodation for travellers. This continues to this day, although I don't believe the temperance movement is too active there any more. Imagine if alcohol, gambling or `other evils' were not permitted on the premises these days!

The building still holds a strong cultural impact within the city. It is representative of federation style, and the cast iron balustrades are almost unique within the city. It even has the original lift beside the entry foyer. It really is a fantastic place for visitors to the city as well, as it is close to everything. If I were a backpacker this would be high on my choices of places to stay.

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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Customs House

The heritage-listed Brisbane Customs House is located at 399 Queen Street. Work commenced on the building in 1886, and taking three years to build it was opened in 1889. It served as the base for Brisbane River customs operations for almost 100 years. It is a fine example of the work of Scottish architect Charles McLay, who worked in the Colonial Architect's Office. The architecture represents a Victorian building in the Renaissance mode, with strong Corinthian columns abounding!


It is known as the former Customs House, as Customs activities no longer place there! The building is now leased by the University of Queensland. There is a restaurant within the building, and regular concerts and art exhibitions are also held at the building. Facilities are also available for corporate and private functions for up to 350 guests, including a boardroom for meetings, and a seminar room with audio-visual facilities. The University acquired it in 1992. On a day like today, with storms about and quite blowy, you can see the affect on the palm trees!


One of the interesting things I like on Customs House is the heraldry, as shown above, which were precursors to the Queensland coat of arms. You've gotta love kangaroos and emus. I've had the good fortune to attend a number of activities at the Customs House. The Long Room is quite spectacular, with cathedral ceilings and a fantastic chandelier. I haven't yet had an opportunity to eat at the restaurant though I've heard its good. The Art Gallery, on the river level, also has a great collection of Australian Art.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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The Cathedral of St Stephen

The Cathedral of St Stephen is part of the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane. In addition to the Cathedral, the site bounded by Elizabeth, Charlotte and Edward Streets contains numerous buildings that support the Archdiocese. The cathedral was built between 1864 and 1922 in 19th century neo-Gothic style, with extensions made in 1989. Bishop Quinn, the first bishop of the diocese, laid the foundation stone of the cathedral on the feast of St Stephen, 26 December 1863.

The Cathedral is part of the history of Brisbane, and is registered as one of the city's heritage sites. There are a number of significant artworks within the Cathedral. The sculptures were commissioned from Brisbane artist, John Elliott. The Carrara marble baptismal font and sculpture is by Melbourne artist, Peter Schipperheyn, as are the Cathedra (Bishop's Chair), Ambo and Altar. The fine collection of nineteenth century stained glass came from Germany, France, Ireland and England. There are also aboriginal paintings, which recognise the search for God by Indigenous Australians, over 40 000 years before white settlement. Daily tours are available at 10.30am Monday to Friday, and after masses each Sunday.

As I've said before, I'm not a very religious person, however in looking at architecture and buildings around Brisbane some of the most spectacular is related to the Church. I hadn't been inside a church for a long while, and I was awestruck by the magnificence of the insides of the chapel. The stained glass windows, the Christ sculpture and the organ literally take your breath away. I was fortunate in that the cathedral was mostly empty, so I was able to saviour the delights largely by myself.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Central Station

The official address for the Central Railway Station is 304 Ann Street. In reality, the entire facade extends down most of the block on Ann Street, and is bounded by Edward, Turbot and Creek Streets. The clock tower of the Ann Street frontage aligns with the war memorial opposite and the entire building provides a backdrop for ANZAC Square. The station is the central railway station for the Queensland Rail CityTrain rail network.

Central Station was constructed as the inner city link of the Queensland railway network, operational from 18 August 1889. The original building was completed in 1901. Over the years, the Central Station complex has been substantially altered, with the most intact section being this facade fronting Ann Street. This section is an example of Federation Free Style architecture. It is a significant landmark in the city of Brisbane.

Today the station acts as one of the main hubs of the rail network. I used to catch the train into the city and this was my main drop off point. The internals have been modernised to reflect a modern rail network, but the main facade still retains its heritage qualities. Most people, however, access the station from the walkway entrances at Edward and Creek Streets, or via the subway from ANZAC square.

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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