Queensland Club, Private club building in Brisbane, Australia
The Queensland Club is a three-storey rendered brick building on the corner of Alice and George Streets, diagonally opposite Parliament House. Its broad H-shaped plan has long verandahs on two levels, supported by Tuscan columns below and slender Corinthian cast iron columns above, with decorative cast iron balustrades. Projecting bay windows end each wing, and large ornate urns sit at the corners above an open parapet.
The club was founded in December 1859, coinciding with Queensland's separation as a colony, and first met in small premises in Mary Street. In 1881 it bought three allotments at the corner of George and Alice Streets, known as Hodgsons Corner, and member-architect FDG Stanley designed the new building, approved in March 1882. Contractor J Smith & Sons built it for £14,150, and it opened in June 1884.
The place served as a gathering space for pastoralists, politicians, and business professionals following British private club traditions during the colonial era. The rooms reflect the social life of these elite groups who met here for business and social occasions.
The building is located at George Street in central Brisbane and is easily accessible on foot. Although it is a private club, the facade and architecture are clearly visible from outside and can be viewed from the street.
In 1973 the Builders Labourers Federation imposed a green ban on the building to prevent its demolition for an office block development. This ban was a powerful action to protect the historic structure from destruction.
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