City Hall Leadlight

When people think of Brisbane City Hall, the immediate things which spring to mind are its facade featuring the tympanum of the pediment, the Museum of Brisbane, or the spectacular main auditorium. However, if you wander around the hallowed halls, you can come across other, more subtle pieces of Brisbane's history. These include the magnificent leadlight feature windows which can be found in the small entrance halls off Adelaide and Ann Streets on the first floor level. These were designed by artist William Bustard.

William Bustard (1894-1973) is renowned in Australia not only as a painter, but also due to his stained-glass and book illustration work. Born in England in 1894, he migrated to Queensland in 1921. At that time he was already well versed in stained glass work and over the intervening years through to the second world war he did work in many of Brisbane's churches, along with this piece in City Hall. His artworks can also be found at the Queensland Art Gallery.

The history of City Hall has been well documented, having been opened in 1930, but with the idea and foundation stone being laid in 1913. I think that William Bustard would not have worked on this until the late 1920's. What I particularly love about this piece is I believe it would have been reflective of the view one would have had from Adelaide Street back down to the Brisbane River at that time. The crest with the phrases City of Brisbane and Conjunctis Viribus (With united powers) emblaze the sky, and the wealth from the land and growing industry are also depicted.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Big Feathers

Big Feathers is a sculpture in the Queen Street Mall which was commissioned by the Brisbane City Council in 1999. Located in the heart of the mall, near Jimmy's, it was created by Sydney-based artist Bronwyn Oliver. Made from aluminium, the sculpture consists of two large and intricately constructed aluminum feathers which are suspended on overhead wires.

The associated plaque details how the image of the feathers floating downwards connects the earth and sky. Like birds, people flock together to socialise, preen and display. Given that the Queen Street Mall is the premiere gathering place in the city, the associations of how both people and birds use their "plumage" is represented in this piece. As the plaque says "'Plumage' attracts attention, displays status and virility, beauty and availability, and indicates belonging to one group or another." Also, the feather brings an image of the natural world into the city centre.


Bronwyn Oliver was born in 1959 and passed away in 2006. She has contributed in a very unique and significant way to visual culture in Australia, with a large body of public works over her 20 years of producing sculpture. I feel blessed that we in Brisbane were recipients of one of her works in the public domain, and that it has made it to such a prominent place in the mall. Again, I wonder how many people pass underneath each day, not knowing that a feather like touch is just above them!

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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State Library of Queensland

The State Library of Queensland is located in the Cultural Centre at Stanley Place, Southbank. Next to the Gallery of Modern Art, it reopened at its revamped location on the 25 November, 2006. The library is open daily from 10am to 5pm, with extended hours through to 8pm on Monday through Thursday. There are also commercial outlets including the Library Shop and Tognini's Cafe.

With its mission of "Creatively linking Queenslanders to information, knowledge and each other", the State Library offers a raft of services to the Queensland public. These include access to traditional hard materials like books, newspapers, journals, family history, maps and audio-visual, as well as a number of electronic services, such as bibliographic and full content databases. They also provide access to key historical collections of Queensland, including the John Oxley Library. The State Library has a distinct focus on Queensland’s documentary heritage, and advocates for as well as partners with public libraries all across Queensland.


Despite the new look to the library, many of the traditional services offered have been provided to the community for well over 100 years. Since moving from the Former State Library in William Street in 1988, the Library has continued to grow and expand into a far more varied offering today. They provide services that would have been frowned upon years ago, particularly with the active kids programs (and noise that goes along with them!) Their electronic services are excellent, with wireless access throughout. Being a former librarian myself, I'm incredibly proud that such a great facility is available here.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Building Blocks of Life

"Building Blocks of Life" is a sculpture located in the City Botanic Gardens. Created by sculptor Antone Bruinsma, it was gifted to the gardens in 1988. The imposing work features a traditional family, with the father protector stoically holding the mother and two young children under his protective and watchful eye. The mother is with the younger of the children, whilst the older child resides with inquisitive face and the large hand of the father. Standing over 2.4m high, it is sculpted in sandstone.

Antone Bruinsma is a Dutch born, Australian-based sculptor. Active as an artist for over twenty five years, he graduated from the Queensland College of Art in 1979. This work is reflective of his association with the Warana Festival (which became the Brisbane Festival) in the 1980's. To quote directly from his resume, I think this sums up his approach fantastically: "His sculptures are homages to Mother Earth and the gifts she bestows on us. He uses archetypal and mythological imagery, related to the environment and the community in which the sculptures will be placed."

Antone is quite an inspirational sculptor and has an obvious affinity with Queensland. His works can be found in many locations around Brisbane and the Great South East. He is an active community member, and I must agree by reviewing his works that he has enriched all of the areas which have had his works and sculptures on display. I love the way he has captured the essence of family within the sculpture, which I agree are truly the building blocks of life. I would highly recommend exploring his sculpture park in the Gold Coast hinterland at Cedar Creek, south of Brisbane.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Irish Murphy's

Irish Murphy's Brisbane pub is located at the corner of George and Elizabeth Street. Part of the Irish Murphy's chain, their motto is to offer the best craic in town. They provide live music seven days a week, and have function rooms available. Their gallery restaurant offers more traditional Irish food, and their cafe bar menu offers standard pub fare. They also offer backpacker accommodation from around $30 per night, however, with an opening license through to 3am you need to be a bit of a party animal to stay there!

This building was formerly the Treasury Hotel. It was built in 1887-1888 and with the Transcontinental is the only building from this era on George Street still operating as a hotel. However, even back then the hotel was a replacement for an earlier hotel, the Dunmore Arms, from 1865. The site therefore has quite a long history. It was named to serve the new government treasury building across the street. The title TREASURY HOTEL still can be seen in the balustrade at the top of the building.

Today, despite being a pub of some repute, you can still see the classical design in the architecture. The upper two stories contain much of the original detail, but the first floor verandah has obviously been altered to serve the drinking consultants who frequent the bar on most evenings. It can be a bit cold to hand out there during winter, but with a few Guinness in your kick I'm sure it warms the cockles of your heart enough to endure!

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Little Stanley Street Restaurants

We've had some real Winter weather here in Brisbane over the past few weeks, which is a bit of a novelty. What better way to enjoy it, than by spending some time out eating in some of the great restaurants the city has to offer. One precinct which has certainly expanded over the past 10 years is Little Stanley Street, adjacent to the South Bank Parklands. In this particular strip you will not only find boutique fashion shops, but a variety of restaurants as well. Most offer both indoor and al fresco dining, as well as take-away service.

The variety is excellent. Ahmets is a licensed Turkish restaurant. The Gandhi Curry House offers Indian. Ginga is Japanese. Toscanis is Mediterranean / Italian. In addition there are Chinese, Vietnamese, Australian and others offering meals ranging from simple fare through to gourmet. You can even have the Aussie staples of steak and seafood!

I've had the pleasure at eating at a number of these restaurants, and although I'm no culinary master, I'd recommend most of them. The food is usually great. I've also found that the service in Brisbane is generally quite good, and especially in Summer when there is a lot to smile about. That said, given a rainy day in Brisbane when things are a bit slower, the staff seem even more likely to smile to give you a bit more warmth. Its all part of the reason why I love living here.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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I'm Back - And an Update

Dear Valued Readers!

Over the course of the majority of this year, I've attempted to blog each day about an element of Brisbane City that I've found of interest. This is has been quite demanding, and although I've found it very enjoyable the time burden has become somewhat of a personal issue.

So instead of posting daily, I'm now intending to post somewhat less frequently. This isn't because I've found the city has less to offer, rather, there are always new and exciting things to explore and discover. I hope to continue to share these with you into the coming months.

Cheers, Wes.

Hiatus II!

I Love Brisbane will again be on a short hiatus whilst I take another personal holiday travelling! This time around I'm fortunate to be going a Queensland coast island as part of a trip organised by my wonderful mother as part of her 70th Birthday celebrations.

Cheers, and see you soon, Wes.

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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Indigenous Art Under the Story Bridge

Most mornings when I walk into work I park in a suburb of Brisbane known as New Farm. This walk involves going under the Story Bridge at its northern end, almost directly under the roadway and high on the cliff side. Rather than dull grey or off white on the walls, aboriginal style artwork has been painted over a simulated brickwork on much of the area directly under the bridge.

I have been unable to determine who or why did this work. I can only assume it may have been part of an community artwork scheme, but then again it may have been a fully commissioned work. It is quite extensive, with a large area which has been sealed off fully painted. Animals represented include snakes, turtles, lizards and fish in vivid colours. There doesn't appear to be any indication of the artist or artists at the actual site.

My take on this is that the Brisbane River is said to have flown for over 400 million years. Indigenous Australians have been here for at least 40,000 years, and were settled in the Brisbane region long before European Settlers left their marks. The artwork represented here appears to be an obvious recognition of the river, its makeup, and of the animals that originally inhabited the area. If you are exploring the city and walk over the Story Bridge, don't forget to have a sneak peak under it at another of Brisbane's hidden delights.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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The Shingle Inn

Today is my birthday, and what better way to celebrate it with a post on The Shingle Inn. Somewhat of an institution in Brisbane, The Shingle Inn has been creating superior quality cakes since 1936. There are a number of stores throughout Brisbane and the suburbs, however the one represented here is in the basement of the Macarthur Central. The store consists of display cabinets for cakes and pastries, with a cafe area with magnificent high backed chairs to sit, eat and enjoy purchased treats at your leisure.

The Shingle Inn has a long and distinguished history within Brisbane. The original Shingle Inn was unfortunately closed in August 2002. Located in Edward Street between Adelaide and Queen Streets, it resembled English Tudor architecture, and had a distinct feel both inside and out. It also was said to be a popular haunt of soldiers during the second world war, as detailed here. After its closure, the original was painstakingly dismantled due to its heritage listing, with the intent that it would be rebuilt at some future time.

I'm glad you can still savour the delicious cakes in the city even with the original closed. I must admit, however, that as much as I wanted to buy a birthday cake during the day, I knew my wife had made me scrumptious chocolate mousse to devour when I got home - so I had to knock it back for today. There have been very recent rumours that the original Inn will be rebuilt at City Hall, with specific budget put aside, but we shall see.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Jimmy's on The Mall

Jimmy's on the Mall is a restaurant and bar between Edward and Albert Streets in the Queen Street Mall. Effectively an Al Fresco cafe, they offer both a modern Australian (read beer, steaks and seafood!) and Asian influenced menu, and are open every day from breakfast until very late in the evening. There is seating for over 200 patrons, and they are licensed.

Meals range in price from around $10 for entrees, $25 for mains and $8 for desserts. Opened in 1984, Jimmy's has become one of the mainstays of central Brisbane. It is actually operated by the same crowd that runs the Pig 'N' Whistle pub restaurants within the city. There are both outside and inside seats, although the bulk of the seating still is undercover.

If you want a fairly laid back experience and want to watch the multitude of people who frequent the mall on a weekday or weekends, Jimmy's is a great place to go for lunch. Its also a great place for a late night snack or drink, and for a long time was a stop off point within the city for that last bite, due to it being one of the few places that was still open. There are now a number of cafes which do the same thing, but at least with Jimmy's you know you've got an original.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Adelaide Street Animal Sculpture

The light posts on Adelaide Street between George and Edward Street are home to a menagerie of sculpted creatures. Created by artist Fred Whitehouse, they include Birds, a Flying Fox, a Frog, a Goanna and a Possum. They are installed in Adelaide Street as permanent artworks. They are all cast bronze sculptures and were installed in 1996.

The detail of each is exquisite, even after more than ten years of peering down on the bus travellers of Brisbane. The recent roadworks and ongoing shop front work have meant that they may not be as obvious to those wandering past, but all you have to do is look up. Fred Whitehouse has other works installed around the city suburbs, however, I'm unsure if he is a local Queensland sculptor, or just happened to be passing through in 1996, when the bulk of his works in the area were installed.

These are more examples of public artwork which blends into the streetscape and is not obvious to those doing their normal daily errands. It is fascinating to watch the responses of people as you turn your camera up to the top of a lamp post. Most people look at you with an expression of "What is he doing?" which soon turns to either delight, amazement or puzzlement when they realise that there are these fantastic creatures mere feet above their heads. I like the surprises, and that our city has these somewhat hidden delights - even if they are in full public view!

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA)

The Queensland Art Gallery - Gallery of Modern Art, or GOMA as its known to the locals, is a wonderful new gallery located in South Brisbane within the Cultural Centre precinct of South Bank. It is the largest gallery of modern and contemporary art in Australia. Opening hours are from 10:00am to - 5:00pm Monday to Friday, with the weekend opening time extended to 9:00am. Admission is free, except for special exhibitions and screenings. It was opened on the 2nd December, 2006.

The entrance foyer is dominated by this huge black and white work by Eko Nugroho. The prime reason for having an art gallery is to exhibit Art, however, aside from the many public gallery areas, there are also cinemas, a library, a number of cafes, and a gallery store. Multi-media and new technology is used as both an adjunct to certain pieces, and also as art in itself. They also have guest speakers and guided tours of the collections. A major exhibition, the Asia–Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art was the prime opening exhibition. At present, the main gallery is being refurbished for a new exhibition. Details of upcoming and current events can be found on the gallery website.


Today we were still able to wander through the existing exhibitions. There are some things which take my eye, and others that leave me wondering if a blank canvas with a small splotch of paint really is art. I enjoyed the indigenous aboriginal collection. One problem I have with these galleries is how hard it is to take your kids, and not let them touch the artworks, particularly things like carved stonework. Of course they want to explore! However, in this instance my boys were very well behaved.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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