Heritage Buildings
Considered the heart of the city of Brisbane, the heritage listed City Hall features a 92 metre Clock Tower that crowns the building’s sandstone face. Recently refurbished, the City Hall is used for an array of community and commercial activities, including numerous free and inexpensive concerts and performances.
Take a City Hall tour, an interesting and informative look at this heritage-listed building as well as a trip up the clock tower in the restored elevator. Ride the restored elevator to the best views of the Brisbane CBD, 92 metres above the City Plaza. For a small fee, those visitors who are feeling energetic can climb to the top of the Clock Tower.
The City Hall is also home to the Museum of Brisbane. Consisting of 5 separate themed exhibition spaces, the Museum of Brisbane celebrates Brisbane's contemporary culture, it's heritage, history and people with a constantly changing exhibition program.
| Where: | King George Square, City |
| Phone: | +61 (0)7 3403 8888 |
| Website: | Brisbane City Hall |
The Commissariat Store building is a reminder of Queensland's days as a convict settlement, and the two lowest levels are considered the second oldest building in Queensland.
The riverside site of the stores is located on what can be considered as a gateway to the colony, and has been extensively reconstructed in conjunction with a historical archaeological excavation, which uncovered further convict constructions.
| Where: | 115 William Street, City. |
| Phone: | +61 (0)7 3221 4198 |
| Website: | Commissariat Store |
Visitors will marvel at the grand Corinthian columns, the stunning ballroom and elegant boardrooms. Recapture a sense of the building’s history while browsing the display of Customs memorabilia, viewing photographs of colonial Brisbane, or take part in a tour, and enjoy the guide’s intimate insights into this magnificent heritage icon.
Customs House boasts a permanent display of the Stuartholme-Behan Collection of Australian Art, a fascinating collection of over 100 works, featuring art from the early 1800’s. There are function rooms available and a licensed restaurant offering excellent food in intimate surroundings or alfresco, with views of the river.
| Where: | 399 Queen Street, City |
| Phone: | + 61 (0)7 3365 8999 |
| Website: | Customs House |
Overlooking the Brisbane River and Story Bridge, and incorporating one of the oldest surviving houses in Brisbane and buildings from a host of significant architects, the Mercy Heritage Centre is rich in history.
The remarkable story of the Mercy Sisters is told through informative exhibitions, and highlights their work in the areas of education, health, and social welfare. Objects in the collection include original artworks, musical instruments, religious artifacts and items from overseas ministries.
| Where: | 547 Ann Street, City. |
| Phone: | +61 (0)7 3831 2252 |
| Website: | The Mercy Heritage Centre |
A place of enormous cultural significance, Old Government House is one of Brisbane’s most important heritage sites. The building served as the home of Queensland’s governor for the State's first fifty years, and is also significant as a survivor from the early days of the Colony when it was one of two major buildings in the then "frontier" town of Brisbane.
Guided tours of the house, with historical commentary, are available by prior arrangement.
| Where: | 2 George St, City (Next to the City Botanic Gardens). |
| Phone: | +61 (0)7 3864 8005 |
| Website: | Old Government House |
A visit to Queensland Parliament allows you to experience the grandeur of Queensland's first and foremost public building. The building was inspired by Parisian buildings like the Louvre, and palms and jacarandas were planted to soften the stone exterior.
Inside, the lush red and gold leaf decoration compliments the grand staircase, which is accented with ancient photographs of colonial Brisbane.
Tours are conducted by Parliamentary Attendants who provide a fascinating insight into the building’s architecture and history and the operations of Parliament.
| Where: | The corner of George and Alice Streets, City. |
| Phone: | +61 (0)7 3406 7562 |
| Website: | Parliament House |
Despite it’s name relating to a place of exile, St Helena Island was the state’s maximum security prison and a world leader in penal institutions for many years during the late 1800’s.
Today, the island is a national park, featuring the stone ruins of the prison, a museum and magnificent views of the once feared bay. Visitors can undertake a guided tour of the prison site and visit the museum.
| Where: | St Helena Island |
| Phone: | +61 (0)7 3893 1240 |
| Website: | St Helena Island |
Demonstrating a skillful modernization of a 19th century neo-Gothic building, Saint Stephen’s Chapel was Queensland’s first church, established in 1850, and refurbished in 1999.
Fascinating history and art are revealed during tours of the Cathedral, when guides point out the various marks left as people add, replace and embellish small parts of the cathedral in their own style.
View striking works of sculpture in bronze and wood, the grand marble baptismal font, the majestic Jubilee pipe organ and the stunning collection of nineteenth century European stained glass.
| Where: | 249 Elizabeth Street, City. |
| Phone: | +61 (0)7 3336 9111 |
| Website: | St Stephens Catholic Cathedral |
The St John’s Cathedral is a fine example of Gothic-Revival architecture. It boasts many superb examples of creative arts including intricately carved Silkwood Choir stalls, the beautifully carved fossiliferous limestone font, vibrant stained glass windows and numerous needlework cushions depicting Australian flora and fauna.
| Where: | Ann Street, City (1.5 blocks north from Central Station) |
| Phone: | +61 (0)7 3835 2231 |
| Website: | St John's Cathedral |
The most famous work of renowned architect George D. Payne, St Andrew’s Uniting Church features strong architectural forms including a tower and steeply pitched gables. Practising a style now known as American Romanesque, the building has many prominent features of historical importance including the magnificent stained glass windows, the strikingly beautiful pipe organ and the internal domed ceiling of the chancel.
The architecture of the church has been complemented by fine timber work such as that in the silky oak organ case, which features carved panels and gold lettering, and elaborate wrought iron balustrade which protects the tiered chancel area.
| Where: | Corner of Creek and Anne Streets, City. |
| Phone: | +61 (0)7 3221 2400 |
| Website: | St Andrew?s Uniting Church |
The Naldham House
(193 Mary Street, City)
Built in 1889, this Classic Revival building features original timber fittings to the interior and a striking cupola on the north-eastern roof.
Guided tours are free on request.
The Historic Windmill
(Wickham Park, Wickham Terrace, City)
The oldest surviving building in Queensland, built in 1828 to grind flour and maize meal for the young penal settlement.
Not open to the public.
Hoyt’s Regent Movie Theatre
(Queen Street Mall, City)
Designed for both films and live productions, the magnificent Hoyt’s Regent Movie Theatre is a sumptuous mixture of Gothic and Empire architecture, reminiscent of a medieval chapel.
Miegunyah
(35 Jordan Terrace, Bowen Hills)
Experience life in an elegant Victorian era home furnished in the style of the late 19th century. Built when the tradition was it’s most opulent, the house is embellished with filigree columns, iron-lace balustrades and decorative friezes.
Moreton Island Lighthouse
(Moreton Island)
The first lighthouse to be built in Queensland, the Moreton Island Lighthouse was built to assist the increased flow of ships along the northern coast of Australia, the need for the lighthouse is attested by the large number of wrecks scattered around the entrance to Moreton Bay.
Newstead House
(Newstead Park, Breakfast Creek Road, Newstead)
Brisbane’s best known heritage site, Newstead House is Brisbane’s oldest domestic dwelling. The building has evolved from a colonial Georgian cottage into the homestead that it is today, a unique architectural style.
