Red Hill

Red Hill can be explored through several historical themes: churches and community life, entertainment, trades and individual features of the designed environment. These stories span different periods and tell of construction, use and change. For travellers who choose a holiday destination partly for its cultural history, this mix offers a tangible point of interest. The churches, former theatre and brass foundry prompt different questions about community, leisure and work.

Churches and community life

The original St. Brigid’s Catholic Church was built in 1882. The present church replaced the earlier building in 1914; it was designed to accommodate up to 1,000 people. The change links two clearly distinct building phases: the early church dates to the end of the 19th century, while the present church was built more than three decades later. Another religious landmark is St Barnabas Anglican Church, built in 1888; a parish hall was added in 1909. These dates show that churches and community buildings in Red Hill were constructed in several stages. Those who choose architectural history as a holiday theme can also consider the different dates of the church and parish hall.

From theatre to skate arena

The Red Hill Picture Pops Theatre opened around 1920. The building operated as a theatre until about 1964; afterwards, it became the “sound lounge” Teen City, where Little Pattie, Col Joy and the BeeGees performed. In 1965, the building was converted into the Red Hill Skate Arena. It remained open until 2004, after which most of the building was destroyed by arson. Here, the focus is less on a single construction date than on the succession of different entertainment uses. The approximate dates for the theatre period and the later years mark distinct phases.

Trades and crafts

In the same year that the original St. Brigid’s Catholic Church was built, David Green established a brass foundry in Red Hill in 1882. The Green family operated it as the Windsor Road Brass Foundry until 1973. Another commercial landmark is Shops & Flats: this Mediterranean-style building block was constructed around 1940 and housed a boot and shoe manufacturing business in the 1940s. The two examples have different points of emphasis: for the foundry, the founder, operators and long period of operation are named; for Shops & Flats, the building block and its use at the time take centre stage.

Individual features in the area

Landscaped Precinct 3 includes a single surviving fig tree from a planting in 1909. The precinct’s tram shelter was built by the Brisbane Tramway Company in 1925. The tree and shelter offer two different points of reference in time: the planting dates back to 1909, and the shelter to 1925. A porphyry stone wall on Ithaca Creek was probably built in the 1910s. Its dating is therefore tentative, whereas specific years are available for the other features mentioned.

Nearby are the Terrace Shops, a masonry terrace building constructed around 1895. It is considered a rare example of this building type in the area and possibly even in Brisbane. Shops & Flats and the Terrace Shops differ both in their approximate dates of construction and in their described architectural forms. Together with the wall and tram shelter, they broaden the view beyond churches, theatre and trades to include other historical features.

This thematic variety can help when choosing a travel destination: Red Hill may appeal to travellers interested in church and community history, former entertainment venues or local trades. If you are looking for a holiday rental, you can take these interests into account when choosing where to stay. If you would like to see individual buildings inside, please check in advance whether access is possible.

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