Where to find Old Brisbane
Contrary to popular belief, there are still many vestiges of Old Brisbane in our midst, from cafes to restaurants, churches to theatres, hotels to swimming pools.
Been to the 58 year old Italian restaurant lately? Swum in the Victorian baths where signs still tell men not to loiter? Taken a wander down Brisbane's oldest lane? Sunk a beer at the oldest licensed pub? If not, check out the guide below, where we've rounded up the Oldest of Everything in Brisbane.
A Valley fixture since Dean Martin was topping the charts, little has changed at this little slice of Italy circa 1966 that still draws a hungry crowd...more
Brisbane's oldest church is still in use today, having held services in its cosy camphor-scented interior since the first mass to celebrate its opening in 1850...more
These days it's home to some hip bars and restaurants but in the days of the penal settlement Burnett Lane was the site of brutality and death for convicts...more
One of only two surviving penal settlement buildings in Brisbane, this convict built landmark has stood sentry atop Spring Hill since 1823...more
Not just the oldest swimming pool in Brisbane, these heritage-listed Victorian baths, still with features intact, are the oldest in the southern hemisphere...more
Brisbane's oldest existing block of flats circa 1929 were actually designed by Hall and Prentice, who were also the architects behind Brisbane City Hall...more
Built in 1846 for pastoralist Patrick Leslie as a simple no-frills dwelling this house, which is open to the public, was transformed by its next unhappy resident...more
This classic bayside hotel, which has accommodation for travellers upstairs, also happens to be Queensland's oldest licensed pub...more
Back open to the public for shows and events this year, this ornate Victorian building circa 1888 is the only surviving intact 19th century theatre in Brisbane
Located in the City Botanic Gardens, this ornate water fountain, designed by colonial architect Charles Tiffin and named after Walter Hill, dates from 1867...more
Prospective buyers of this much talked-about space age building were flown via helicopter to the floor level of apartment they were buying off the plan...more
It may have moved from its original location, but pretty much everything else at this iconic 1920s Brisbane café is just as it was back then...more
Toowong, which opened in 1875, may be Brisbane's oldest operating cemetery, but the oldest existing cemetery ( a northside secret) dates from 1862...more
Since 1966, shortly after Mayfield Rd became a sealed thoroughfare, Ho Choi Restaurant has been the go-to for Chinese food in Moorooka. Still run by descendants of the same family, little has changed, from the decor to the menu... more
