Heritage oddities
A tree where a bank robber briefly hid
Local legend connects this tree with the story of a robbery in 1880, which had repercussions for the practice of capital punishment in Queensland. The tree is significant for its strong social value to the community as the focus of a local bushranger legend and it has become a feature of interest to tourists.
The robbery led to an accidental wounding, a bungled get away and the robber's hiding spot in a tree betrayed by a faithful sheepdog.
Learn more about the Robber's Tree at Cunnamulla and its impact on Queensland's legal system.
A building dedicated to an insect
Cactoblastis Memorial
Hall at Boonarga
The hall illustrates a rare aspect of Queensland's cultural heritage as the only known building dedicated to an insect. It was erected as a monument to a moth that overcame one of Australia's worst plant pests during the late 1920s and early 1930s.
It is a timber hall built to service a small rural community and has been in continuous use since its completion in 1936. The place has a strong and special association with the local community.
Learn more about the Cactoblastis Memorial Hall at Boonarga, a small settlement approximately 12 kilometres southeast of Chinchilla.
High rise home units
Torbreck at Highgate Hill
This prominent inner suburban building was erected in 1958-1960 to the design of Brisbane architects AH Job and RP Froud. The building comprised two stages; a low rise Garden Block and a high rise Tower Block. Importantly, it was the first multi-storeyed home unit development in Queensland, constructed when Brisbane's Building Ordinances had no provision for home units, and advertised at the time as the greatest single contribution to home development in the state.
When first promoted in 1957, the scheme received support from Premier Nicklin, who saw this high-density, inner urban residential development as an important contribution toward curbing Brisbane's urban sprawl.
Learn more about the Torbreck at Highgate Hill.
City carpark
Wickham Terrace carpark in Brisbane
The building, through its dramatic sculptural forms and textured surfaces is a powerful symbol of modernity and change. The prominence of the building and its assertive architectural style demonstrate the increased visibility and importance of the car in Australian culture during the 1950s.
Wickham Terrace carpark in Brisbane
Under the direction of City Architect James Birrell, the carpark contributed to the tradition of high quality civic architecture established by the Brisbane City Council. Birrell, a leading modernist architect of the 1950s and 1960s, was responsible for many designs during his term of employment with the council. The carpark, his last major work for the council, is a significant example of his work.
Learn more about the Wickham Terrace carpark in Brisbane.
Last updated: 11 December 2007
