Lands Administration Building, Heritage government building in Brisbane, Australia

The Lands Administration Building at 142 George Street is a four-storey masonry, steel and concrete structure faced with Helidon and Warwick sandstone, sitting on a plinth of alternating Enoggera and Mount Crosby granite courses. Its Edwardian Baroque facades have banded rustication on the lower two storeys, a Giant order Ionic colonnade above, and corner and central pavilions; the central pavilion carries an open segmental pediment topped by an allegorical sculpture of agriculture and mining.

The building was constructed between 1901 and 1905 under architect Thomas Pye's direction and served as offices for Queensland's Lands and Survey Departments as well as the Premier's administration. The Queensland National Art Gallery occupied the third floor from 1901 until 1930, before relocating to different premises.

The building displays allegorical carvings representing Queensland's mining and agriculture sectors, created by sculptor William Priestly MacIntosh after Thomas Pye's designs. These ornamental details on the facade tell of the region's economic foundations that visitors notice when approaching the structure.

The building has multiple entrances on George Street and William Street, allowing for easy navigation to different areas. Visitors should note the gas lamps from 1911 still operating at the entrances, as they provide historical context to the 1900s era.

The gas lamps at the William and George Street entrances, installed by about 1911, still burn natural gas today. The George Street pair appear to have been moved further apart over time. Look for them flanking the ministerial entrance.