brisbaneopenhouse

The striking gothic arched William St section of this office was designed by colonial architect FDG Stanley and built in 1874 after an earlier wooden printing office had been demolished. As the first purpose-built government printery in Queensland, it went on to function as the state printery for 120 years. And with the ongoing expansion a second building - complete with a printer’s devil face on the keystone over the doorway – was built in 1910 on George St. There are also two printer’s devil gargoyles crouched on the parapet, one holding a G and the other a P. The printer’s devil has its origins in the days when newspapers were seen as heresy for printing stuff that was not related to God. This particular building is rumored to be haunted by the ghost of a young man who was caught up in and killed by the printing presses when he climbed in to see why one had stopped working. In 1984 the government printing offices moved on and the 1874 building housed the Sciencentre for a brief period in 1991 the Public Service Club moved in and remains today. Source: www.mustdobrisbane.com/visitor-info-arts-culture-history/...

Raymont Residential College is located in the historic suburb of Auchenflower. It began in a grand old house Drysllwyn (named after a ruined castle in Wales, meaning ‘green, rolling hills’), built for the Davies family in 1904-05. William Davies was a Welshman who came to Australia during the gold rush. He prospered in the nearby town of Gympie, accumulating a controlling interest in about 18 mines. With the Second World War in full swing, the US military command requisitioned Somerville House Girls School, displacing the students from their premises. Davies offered to lease Drysllwyn to the Presbyterian and Methodist Schools Association and from 1942 to 1944 the house was used as a day school for about 50 girls. After the war, the Methodist Church began to use the house for female boarders from the country who were undergoing teacher training or working. In 1947 Mrs E. Raymont left a large bequest to the church which enabled them to pay off debts and formally take ownership of Drysllwyn. Hence the building was renamed Raymont College in recognition of this philanthropy. The beautiful verandas of the house were closed in to create more bedrooms. There were various additions for kitchen staff quarters and walkways to and from these buildings. Source: raymont.com.au/about-us/

From GARDENING AUSTRALIA: Newstead House is Brisbane's oldest surviving residence. I love its tranquillity, its history but I especially love its gardens. The property was first established in 1846. Since then has been the home of a Darling Downs grazier, a Moreton Bay District police magistrate, and other prominent businessmen and politicians, until it was taken over by the local government in 1918. The homestead originally had a garden planted for food and the front lawns were created to establish a visual connection to the river. But we are interested in the trees. Newstead Park, like many other 19th-century heritage properties, is home to some great irreplaceable assets - grand old trees. Some favorites are: * Crow's ash Flindersia australis a magnificent tree from tropical Australia. The specimen in the park was probably planted before the house was built so it must be over 160 years old. It produces dense foliage, large leaves and then creamy white flowers. * A tree that's unique to Newstead House is a crepe myrtle known as Lagerstroemia speciosa. It was planted about the same time as the house was built and it's claimed to be the largest tree of its kind in the southern hemisphere. * Another was the Ficus virens or Cunningham's fig which sits in the centre of the round-about at the entrance to Newstead House. It was there before the house was built which makes it over 200 years old. These grand old trees perfectly complement the grandeur of the house and garden and are an essential part of our history and environment. These trees are irreplaceable and need to be preserved for future generations. Source: www.abc.net.au/gardening/factsheets/newstead-house/942940...