Brisbane Heritage Architecture Tour (Self Guided), Brisbane

St. John’s Cathedral is one of the most impressive churches in Brisbane and is used for important Anglican occasions such as the ordination of priests or deacons. In addition, it is an important part of the Brisbane arts scene with its own orchestra that holds many events and concerts throughout the year. It is also home to the largest cathedral pipe organ in Australia and has an acclaimed choir. In the tradition of grand medieval cathedrals in Europe, St. John’s is the only Australian cathedral that has been completed over more than a century with stonemasons, architects and the diocese working together.

The work has resulted in a stunning Gothic revival cathedral designed by one of England’s most prestigious 19th century architects, John Loughborough Pearson. This was to be his final masterpiece and he died just prior to the final plans being approved. The project was taken over by his son Frank. The most recent additions to the cathedral have been the western spires clad in copper, which were hoisted into place in 2008. One of the highlights of the interior of the cathedral are the mosaics brought back from the “Holy Land” by WWI Australian light horsemen: you can see them in front of the cathedral altar.

Customs House is one of Brisbane’s most beautiful colonial buildings and its location on the shores of the Brisbane River make it even more impressive. The building once played a key role in the city’s economics – it was built in 1886 to replace a humble custom’s house at Petrie Bight. It was designed by Charles McLay of the Colonial Architect’s Office and is a magnificent example of the Victorian Free Classical style. The exterior of the building is dominated by the impressive copper dome roof and its beautiful portico.

The building is now owned by the University of Queensland and is used for public and private functions – you can often find art exhibitions or music concerts being held inside. Some of the rooms are open to visitors to enjoy and take in the significant history of the building and remind us that Brisbane was once a great port city. Within Customs House, the Long Room is the grandest and there are historical displays inside showing the building as it was in its heyday. There is also a charming restaurant that can be visited by the public and provides the perfect chance to imagine Brisbane as it was in Victorian times.

The General Post Office building is a beautiful historical building first opened on 28 September 1872. The building is made of sandstone and features deep verandahs and high ceilings. The site where the building sits today once stood a prison that housed women convicts. The prison building was demolished in 1871 to make room for the new post office building.

A clock mounted in the pediment positioned above the main entrance was once illuminated by a gas powered light. It was later replaced by a smaller, electric clock. The first typewriter to be used in any post office in any Australian city was used at this building in 1892.

The square in front of the General Post Office building is called Post Office Square. There are various statues and fountains within the square. One is a statue of Major-General Thomas William Glasgow who was leader of one of the light horse brigades that landed at Anzac Cove in Gallipoli and later a Senator for Queensland. Post Office Square is well known for its excellent food court where each day the hoards head for a bite to eat.

St. Andrews Church is one of Brisbane’s grandest churches, built in Romanesque style; it is well known for its grand pipe organ. The church was built in 1905 as Presbyterian, but became a Uniting Church when the non-conformist denominations merged in 1977. Originally the congregation met on Wickham Terrace, but when their space was needed for railways a competition was held for the design of the proposed church on the corner of Ann and Creek Streets. It was won by George Payne who presented plans for a Neo-Romanesque style and bagged the 100 pounds reward. Although it was originally viewed with some trepidation by Brisbane residents who were expecting a grand Gothic design, it is now heavily regarded as the finest example of Neo-Romanesque in the Southern Hemisphere.

In the 1920s the St. Andrews underwent extensive renovations with a more ornate entrance from Ann Street into the sanctuary and from Creek Street into the Hall added. In this same period the stunning stained glass windows of the church were finally completed. The church was most recently refurbished in 1999. One of the main features of the façade is the bell tower, which is still used to call the congregation to church on Sundays.

The Old Windmill is Queensland’s oldest surviving building and one of the very few convict built buildings to remain in the city. It was constructed in 1824 to grind maize and wheat to feed the convict population of the colony. Originally a treadmill the mill, but the cloth sails were added a couple of months after its inauguration; however the treadmill was still put to use as a form of punishment. In 1841 two aboriginal men were hung from the windmill after they were deemed to have been guilty of murdering two members of a surveying party at Mount Lindsay.

Around 1849 the windmill was decommissioned and was put to use as Queensland’s first museum and during the 1930s and 1940s it was used as a broadcasting tower. In fact, it is thought that this was the site of the very first TV broadcast in Australia in 1934. In 1866 a cannon was installed at the windmill and was fired each day at precisely 1pm for the residents of the colony to set their watches by.

The Albert Street Uniting Church began construction in 1889 and is an excellent example of the Victorian Gothic Revival style that was so popular in the colony at the time. The first Methodist congregation of Brisbane began in 1849 and met at an Albert Street address, but as the church grew it became clear that a larger space was required. A competition to choose the design was established and G H M Addison won for his plans. On August 18, 1888 five foundation stones were laid down by high profile parishioners and the church was completed in 1889. It features a cruciform shape, with a steeply pitched roof and buttressing and a high bell tower and spire.

In the tradition of the Methodist Church there was a heavy emphasis on music and a grand organ was installed. The organ came from England and was enveloped in gold leaf. The design means that the organ and the pulpit are the direct focus of the seated congregation. The church is open Monday to Friday to visitors from 10am to 2pm and you can arrange for tours of the church in advance – it is free, but a small donation is appreciated.

Brisbane City Hall is located in King George Square. The building is widely considered to be one of the most ornate and beautiful of Australia’s city halls. The foundation stone of the building was laid in 1920 and construction was completed by 1930. For many years the hall was Brisbane’s tallest building and to this day you can take the elevator to the top of the clock tower and get an impressive panoramic view over the city. The viewing platform is open 10am to 3pm every day, and there is no admission fee. The clock tower is 91 meters above the ground and was inspired by St. Mark’s Campanile in Venice, Italy.

Built in the Italian Renaissance style, there is much to see in the building. Above the Corinthian columns at the entrance to the building is the ornately carved tympanum, which was carved by Sculptor Daphne Mayo in the 1930s. It features scenes of the settlement of Queensland with cattle drovers extending out into the lands filled with kangaroos. Inside there are many beautiful rooms, but the highlight is the main auditorium inspired by the Pantheon in Rome.

On the city hall's third floor, you will find the Museum of Brisbane which is dedicated to showcase the different facets, historical and contemporary, of this sub-tropical state capital city. You will find fascinating displays of all aspects of the city. The ethos of the museum is to guide visitors towards developing an understanding of Brisbane’s people and communities and how they have worked together to create the city that you see today. It also encourages visitors to envisage the city that will become in the future.

The museum is open every day between 10am and 5pm, Fridays till 7 pm, and is only closed on Anzac Day and Christmas Day. Entry is free.

The Brisbane Arcade is a historical building that contains one of the city’s most charming shopping arcades. In addition to its art deco style architecture, the arcade is of historical importance as it was built by one of Brisbane’s most important and mysterious colonial families – the Maynes.

The arcade was built by siblings James and Mary Mayne and opened in 1924 on the land their brother Isaac had bought in 1892. The Mayne family was also responsible for donating the land used to form the University of Queensland at the beginning of the 20th century. Their family had a murky past of madness and murder as it was said that their father Patrick had begun his immense fortune with money he had stolen from a man he murdered on the banks of the Brisbane River in the mid 19th century.

There is entry to the arcade from both Queen Street and Adelaide Street and inside there are two levels of retail stores. Each level has ornate floral moldings on the pilasters on the first level there are stylish wrought iron railings. Stepping into the arcade is like stepping back into the jazz age of the 1920s and its romantic nouveau aesthetic. Many of Brisbane’s most respected designers have boutiques here.

The Treasury Building, also previously known as the New Public Offices, is a heritage-listed former government public administration building located in Brisbane. It was built from 1886 to 1928 for the Queensland Government. On 21 October 1992 the Italian Renaissance style building was added to the Queensland Heritage Register.

The building is located at North Quay, near the northern end of Victoria Bridge. Although officially fronting on Queen Street, the building occupies an entire city block surrounded by Queen Street, George Street, Elizabeth Street and William Street. The Elizabeth Street frontage is opposite the Queens Gardens. In the 1890s and early 1900s the imposing Treasury Building served as a symbol of self-government and as a focus for celebratory and patriotic displays.

The design of the building is consistent with English practice of the late nineteenth century in employing a classical style drawn from sixteenth century Italian architecture. Arcades protect the northeast, northwest and southwest elevations. The arcaded facades are symmetrical with central towers of one additional storey surmounted by a pediment. The corners are emphasised with pavilions which step forward terminating the arcades. The basement walls are distinguished by smooth banded rustication. The southeast facade has no arcade and no central tower.

The building is faced with sandstone ashlar except for the inner walls of the arcade. These brick walls are finished with lined and unpainted render imitating ashlar. Each phase of construction has used a different type of sandstone. A colour difference is discernible between the Highfields stone used for the first phase of construction, and the Helidon sandstones used for the later stages. The external walls sit on a porphyry plinth. A matching porphyry dwarf wall adjoins the building on some elevations surmounted by a wrought iron fence.

The Treasury Building is currently occupied by the Treasury Casino owned by Star Entertainment Group.

Brisbane Parliament House is the seat of the Queensland State Parliament, which is a unicameral institution and the only parliament of its kind in Australia. Following the separation of Queensland from New South Wales in 1859, a grand building was ordered to be built. Robert Tiffin’s design was selected in 1863 following an Australia wide competition. The French Renaissance style construction was inaugurated in 1868 although additions such as the colonnades were not completed until 1878.

When you enter the main entrance you are greeted by a Minton tile European imported foyer and grand staircase, which leads up to the Chambers and the Reading Room. In the Red Chamber, which was the Upper House until it was abolished in 1922, you find Waterford crystal chandeliers, which were presented to the parliament by Queen Victoria. Stained glass in both the Green and Red Chambers depict the monarch. On a Parliament House tour you can view the mace, which is a stunning gold and silver creation one meter long and weighing 7.7 kilograms. It features many Queensland opals and sapphires and is placed in the Green Chamber when the Parliament is in session. There are guided tours held every Saturday and Sunday between 10am and 2pm.