The Law Courts Complex

The Supreme and District Courts are part of the The Law Courts Complex located at 304 George Street. Standing in the courtyard and facing the building you see the Supreme Court on your left and the District Court on your right. You notice the overwhelming greenery and gardens in the courtyard, in addition to three stone pillars which feature the Queensland coat of arms and a series of plaques that trace the creation of the Supreme Court.

Just to the left of the courtyard is the imposing sculpture of Themis, Greek goddess of justice. In Greek mythology, Themis was the daughter of Uranus and Gaia (Sky and Earth). Historically a goddess of order and assemblies, the word 'themis' has now come to mean ‘law’ in Greek, which explains the statue's relevance to the operation of justice today. Themis is the work of Greek sculptor Maria I. Papaconstantinou. The bronze casting of the statue was taken from a mould of the original sculpture on the Greek island of Chios and transported complete to Australia.

There is an excellent article on Themis and her Themes which was presented by The Hon Paul de Jersey AC, Chief Justice of Queensland, at a fine arts lunch in 2001. As he opened, "Study of the law is unlikely to inspire aesthetic delight...", but with law courts like these, and the associated artworks and sculpture utilised in the building and its surrounds, in Brisbane we truly have the counterpoint to the often dry life of the Law.

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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Pride

On the corner of Albert and Charlotte Streets outside the Sebel hotel is the sculpture Pride. The work was commissioned by the Mirvac Group, as a gift to the city and was unveiled in 1999. It is made of stainless steel, and was sculpted by Grant Lehmann. Standing 3.4 metres tall, the sculpture has 598 panels fixed to a network of underlying framework by 2562 rivets.

One of the things which has intrigued me in researching this sculpture is that the associated plaque references the web site "grantlehmannsculptures.com". I can't locate this site at all, and even on the Wayback machine, there isn't any reference. I find it strange that you'd put the details of your site there and then not have an actual site! The other dilemma is whether this sculptor Grant Lehmann is the same Grant Lehmann who has worked recently on Hollywood film productions here in Brisbane as a special effects sculptor.

Aside from the intrigue of the sculptor, the sculpture itself is visually stunning. The height and polished stainless steel make it stand out from some distance. I love the reflective nature of the panels, and this is one of those works of art where as the photographer you can try to take shots which show your own reflection, albeit minimalistically. Another thing I found amusing was that you can easily walk between the legs and not bang your head (I'm easliy amused)! You will also notice that the Traffic Signal Box Art behind it actually depicts the sculpture on TSB: B0211. Two pieces of art for the free price of one.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Thomas Joseph Byrnes

Thomas Joseph Byrnes was an early prominent Queenslander, being Premier of the State in 1898. Born in 1860 into a large, impoverished Irish Catholic family , he excelled at school, and studied arts and law at Melbourne University in Victoria graduating in 1884. Shortly after, he returned to Brisbane where he began a successful practice. He soon turned to politics, and was appointed as attorney-general of Queensland in March 1893.

On the 13th April, 1898, Byrnes became Premier of Queensland. Allegedly he had far more electoral appeal than any of his undistinguished older colleagues who, despite their covert dislike for him, had to accept their youngest member as leader. Unfortunately, he succumbed to a sudden attack of measles followed by pneumonia on 27 September 1898 after only 5 months in office. He was seen to be constituting a more progressive form of government than Queensland had yet seen, though in concrete terms his five months premiership had accomplished little. His popular policies and well-publicized defence of Queensland interests contributed to the enormous public distress, with large crowds attending his state funeral.

In Brisbane, a Byrnes Memorial Fund was established and this £2,000 bronze statue was erected, originally in Petrie Bight at the junction of Boundary and Wickham Streets, and then transferred to where it now resides in Centenary Place. It was sculpted by Sir Bertram Macenall. This is considered of historical significance as Brisbane's first statue. I love that people of this calibre are recognised, even if he was a politician. He is another example of how people can rise above others perceived lowly expectations.

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 Platypus Chair

Just in from the Alice and Edward Street entrance to the City Botanic Gardens you will find what I've dubbed The Platypus Chair. It is probably what you would more likely term as a seat, sculpted in a bidirectional fashion with one side facing the river, and the other back into the gardens. On the arm rest between the two seats is the platypus, quite happily there to make your acquaintance. I unfortunately am unable to find any reference as to who sculpted this, or why it was placed here other than for its great aesthetic value.

The platypus is an iconic Australian animal. A mammal, its bizarre duck-billed head, furred body and webbed feet made British naturalists at first think it was a hoax when originally presented. In fact, in 1799 British scientist, Dr George Shaw initial reaction to this original specimen was such that he even took a pair of scissors to the pelt, expecting to find stitches attaching the bill to the skin. Aboriginal people have many different names for the animal, including "boondaburra", "mallingong" and "tambreet".

On a hot day in the gardens, its a great place to take a rest. There is a water bubbler next to the chair, and as you can see, variance on the way you can sit in the seat - particularly if you're a kid! Brisbane and its surrounds have such wonderful parks that a day out exploring on the weekend will always find many and varied treats.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Confluence

In the George Street forecourt of the Brisbane Magistrates Court is the large sculpture Confluence by Daniel Templeman. The courts are located at 363 George Street. It was commissioned as part of the Art Built-In programme in 2004. Made of plate aluminium and concrete, the sculpture is definitely a striking part of the entrance to the complex. It measures 65 metres in length.

Daniel Templeman is a Brisbane born artist, who has been steadily exhibiting around Brisbane since graduating in 1999. This was his first public art commission. Of the work, he has described it as representative of a "notion associated with the judicial experience; that life presents obstacles which are either seen as overwhelming or resolvable. The work begins with a sense of calm, building up intensity towards the 'obstacle' before penetrating it and returning to the 'resolved' state."

I love the lines on this sculpture, and I love the description. When you study the work it is obvious what Daniel was trying to achieve. The rolling wave of metal bursting through the so called obstacle before reaching its resolution is brilliant. It also makes a great resting place for weary feet when you've been wandering around the city on a warm Saturday afternoon!



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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Robert Burns' Statue

At the request of a Scottish colleague, I ventured up to Centenary Place. Bounded by Ann, Boundary, Wickham and Gotha Street, the park is at the North-Eastern edge of the City. The reason for this was to investigate the large statue of Robert Burns, the world famous Scottish Poet and lyricist. He wanted to know when and why it was placed there. The statue itself is nearly 80 years old, and was erected by the Burns Club in 1929.

In her work, Civilising the City: Literary Societies and Clubs in Brisbane during the 1880s and 1890s, Leanne Day writes of the establishment and activities of the Scottish Societies in Brisbane. The Brisbane Burns Club was a men’s club. The general aim was to provide a facility for Scottish people to come together to enjoy, and importantly, to share their culture with the wider community. In her paper she notes: In 1888, the President of the Brisbane Burns Club, Alderman Galloway, contacted the President of the Queensland Scottish Association, Sir Thomas McIlwraith, to suggest their organisations combine forces (and funds) to erect a statue of Robert Burns in Brisbane... It was not until 1929 that the statue was finally erected in Centenary
Place and was dedicated to Brisbane by the Burns Club.


Not only does the pedestal hold the immortal bard, but also images of his life are etched into it as well. Unfortunately, some undesirables have currently graffitied the base, which hopefully will be cleaned up soon. The Scottish Clans of Brisbane have recently had their Burns' Nights. Burns' Night is celebrated on 25 January with Burns' Suppers around the world. I hope they had an enjoyable time!

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Memorial

At the intersection of Elizabeth and George Street, at the pathway entrance to Queens Gardens, stands the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) memorial. The memorial honours all men and women who served in the RAAF, especially those who in so doing gave their lives or suffered lasting hurt. The main feature of the memorial is the Wedge-tailed Eagle, perched upon a striking pedestal.

Made of bronze, granite and cast concrete, the sculpture is another of those by Rhyl Hinwood. Representing all branches of the Service, the memorial was commissioned to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the RAAF in 1996. On the granite base the RAAF Motto Per Ardua Ad Astra, is repeated on each facet, as well as emblazoned on the RAAF Crest and plaque which identifies the memorial.

I feel that this sculpture is a fitting memorial to RAAF personnel. These pictures do not do justice to the width of the Eagle, whose wingspan is well over two metres. In researching this piece, I found some interesting variants on the translation of the Latin. Since there can be a number of different meanings to "Ardua", scholars have declared it to be untranslatable. To the Royal Australian Air Force, however, it will remain translated as Through Adversity to the Stars.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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The View Down Mary Street

If you stand at the intersection of George and Mary Street, you have a view down Mary Street all the way from one end of the city through to the Story Bridge. This shot was taken near the Executive Building at 100 Queen Street, home of the current Queensland Treasury.

The central streets of Brisbane are named after members of the House of Hanover, part of the British Royalty. Streets named after female members (Adelaide, Alice, Ann, Charlotte, Elizabeth, Margaret, Mary) run parallel to Queen Street and Queen Street Mall (named in honour of Queen Victoria) and perpendicular to streets named after male members (Albert, Edward, George, William).

In history past, I could imagine standing at that same point over 100 years ago, and being surrounded on the high side of George Street by the many government buildings which had sprung up with Separation from New South Wales. I imagine that looking down the slope to the river, there would have been no high rise, and no bridge, just the early settlement and river traffic for what was to become the thriving hub of the North.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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The Regent

The Regent Theatre complex is a cinema treasure located at 167 Queen Street. Opened in 1929, the theatre is characteristic of a 1920s picture palace, and was one of only four Hoyts Picture Palaces constructed in Australia at the time. Originally it was erected for use as a theatre and cinema. The Regent was designed by Melbourne architect, Charles N. Hollinshed, with assistance from the Brisbane-based Richard Gailey Junior and Aaron Bolot. In the mid 1970s Hoyts planned the demolition of the Regent. A "Save the Regent" campaign was launched and a compromise was reached whereby the foyer and the marble staircase were retained. The new four cinema complex opened on 2 August 1980.

The photos I've added here do not do the cinema true justice, and I'd recommend you visit in person, or have a look at the Cinema Tours website for some much higher quality images. Another excellent site shows the history of the original theatre organ used at the theatre. The narrow black marble entrance hall has a decorated barrel-vaulted ceiling, friezes and stunning mural. The foyer is reminiscent of a medieval chapel. As you head up to the cinemas you get to traverse an immense white Queensland marble staircase which leads up to the mezzanine foyer.

I have to say that I love going to the movies. I'd much rather that than sit at home and watch a DVD. I prefer to sit in a cinema watching the big screen and feeling that sense of audience participation all around. Whilst the original cinema's here are no longer, the upgrades to the cinemas have given a whole modern aspect to what remains one of the best movie centres in Brisbane. Its no wonder that the Brisbane International Film Festival continues to do the majority of its screenings here!

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Queen Elizabeth II

This post is somewhat about Queen Elizabeth II. Well, its actually about her statue. This statue of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was unveiled by the then governor of Queensland, Sir Walter Campbell, on the 5th September, 1986. It was done at the official naming of the associated area known as Queen's Place, at the intersection of Alice and George Street. It was cast by the Adelaide Art Foundry in 1984.

Australia is a constitutional monarchy and part of the Commonwealth. Queen Elizabeth II has been the reigning monarch since 6 February 1952. The Queen's role in Australia is almost entirely symbolic and cultural, and the powers that are constitutionally hers are exercised wholly upon the advice of the elected government. That said, the symbolic and cultural influence yielded is quite strong, as evidenced by her representation in many Australian cities in this type of manner.

The Queen amazes me. Of all the worldly monarchs, she holds a certain place in most Australian's hearts, regardless of their republican or monarchy leanings. In 1984, when the statue was cast, the Queen would have been in her late 50's. I'm not sure if this depiction was meant to be of her in a younger representation, however, they have certainly captured the regal way in which the Queen holds herself. To me, the uplifted head, and almost model-like pose show a woman full of confidence and strident in her beliefs. Long live the Queen!

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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