The Commissariat Store
THE COMMISSARIAT STORE
Moreton Bay Penal Settlement was established in 1824 for secondary punishment for New South Wales convicts. Brisbane Town began on the north bank of the Brisbane River in 1825 where William and George Streets were later opened. Four buildings were used for handling stores – food, clothing and other goods – for use by military and convicts. In April 1828 Acting Civil Engineer William Dumaresque’s plan for a permanent Commissariat Store was sent to Moreton Bay.Work on construction of the Commissariat Store began in July 1828 with excavation of the river bank and laying foundations. Convicts took four months on it. A brick drain system was created and the Store was erected facing the river. Skilled convicts undertook masonry and construction work, supervised by Lt Bainbridge who was sent from Sydney specifically for this task, completed in 1829.
Wolston House is an early stone and brick farmhouse built in 1852 but substantially extended in the 1860′s. The layout of this early farm house, one room width linked by verandahs with cellars and dairy underneath, is unusual in Queensland. Although only 25 minutes from Brisbane, the house retains its pastoral setting overlooking the river flats.
The Albert St Uniting Church is in the decorative Gothic style of architecture to harmonise the style with the requirements of a tropical climate. The most prominent feature of the external design is the spire on the Albert and Ann Streets corner. This rises to a height of 42 metres from the street. The spire continues upwards in a gracefull and unbroken line capped by a handsome wrought iron final.
The orginal organ was imported from England, built buy George Benson of Manchester. The front pipes were coloured and guilded with gold leaf and provide an imposing appearance as a beautiful backdrop to the pulpit and choir area.
The ANZAC Square War Memorial is uniquely and ideally set in peaceful surrounds amidst the hustle and bustle of city life. Centrally located, ANZAC Square is dedicated to Australia’s military heritage. The Shrine of Remembrance, with its Eternal Flame, forms the focal point for the radially patterned pathways, pools, lawns and Bribie Island Pine and Bottle trees.
There are Touch – Tell systems in place that explain the significance of ANZAC Square to visitors. Co-located beside ANZAC Square, in the pedestrian tunnel, is the World War II Shrine of Memories. Visitors can view Honour Rolls, Unit Plaques and a mosaic containing over 140,000 hand-cut Venetian glass enamels and soils from official World War II cemeteries.