Alex Smith (1899–1973), or Alexander Patterson Blakie Smith, was a noted designer-builder on the

Redcliffe Peninsula The Redcliffe Peninsula is a peninsula located in the Moreton Bay Region LGA in the northeast of the Brisbane metropolitan area in Queensland, Australia. The area covers the suburbs of Clontarf, Kippa-Ring, Margate, Newport, Redcliffe, Ro ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

, Australia. His work is now widely recognised as being of

heritage Heritage may refer to: History and society * A heritage asset is a preexisting thing of value today ** Cultural heritage is created by humans ** Natural heritage is not * Heritage language Biology * Heredity, biological inheritance of physical c ...

significance. All the extant construction by Alex Smith on the Redcliffe Peninsula either has heritage listing or otherwise has official recognition as being of significance.

Seabrae Guest House

This was built by Alex Smith around 1928 and represents a specific era on the history of Redcliffe as a seaside resort. The

guest house A guest house (also guesthouse) is a kind of lodging. In some parts of the world (such as the Caribbean), guest houses are a type of inexpensive hotel-like lodging. In others, it is a private home that has been converted for the exclusive use o ...

was popular with visitors from

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

and interstate, and was also popular with service personnel stationed in Redcliffe during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. This building has since been demolished.

Dumbarton House

This is believed to have been constructed by Alex Smith in the 1930s. Dumbarton House was listed in the Moreton Bay Regional Council (formerly Redcliffe City Council) Local Heritage Register simply on two grounds: a) it represented a modern house, and b) it represented a construction by Alex Smith.

CWA Hall

The CWA Hall, or the

Country Women's Association The Country Women's Association (CWA) is the largest regional and rural advocacy group in Australia. It comprises seven independent State and Territory Associations, who are passionate advocates for country women and their families, working ...

Hall, was constructed by Alex Smith in the 1930s. The Hall is listed of being of heritage value with the Moreton Bay Regional Council Local Heritage Register,Redcliffe City Council ow Moreton Bay Regional Council 2005. Redcliffe City Council Planning Scheme. Redcliffe: Redcliffe City Council. http://www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/uploadedFiles/moretonbay/development/planning/redcliffe/Section%205%20-%20Overlay%20Codes.pdf and one of the stated reasons for the listing is association with Alex Smith as builder.

Redcliffe Rollerdrome

The Redcliffe Rollerdrome, built by Alex Smith, was opened by in 1938. The Rollerdrome was a roller-skating rink on the beachfront at Redcliffe, and was representative of a number of such venues popular around Queensland in that era. The Rollerdrome was demolished in 1985.

Renown Theatre

Initially known as the Margate Theatre, this was constructed by Alex Smith in 1940.University of Queensland, Centre for the Government of Queensland. 2011. Queensland Places Directory: Margate. Brisbane: University of Queensland. http://queenslandplaces.com.au/search/results/Margate The Theatre served as a cinema, concert hall and ballroom, and was especially popular with service personnel stationed in Redcliffe during World War II It was during World War II that the Theatre was renamed the Renown Theatre, as part of a plan to avoid locality names which might assist invading Japanese forces. The building was demolished in 1971.

Redcliffe Fire Station

The Redcliffe Fire Station was constructed by Alex Smith and opened by the then Opposition Leader Sir

Frank Nicklin Sir George Francis Reuben Nicklin, (6 August 1895 – 29 January 1978) was an Australian politician. He was the Premier of Queensland from 1957 to 1968, the first non-Australian Labor Party (Queensland Branch), Labor Party premier since 1932.

on 1 November 1949. The construction of the Fire Station was part of a concerted action at the time by the then Redcliffe Town Council to develop its infrastructure. In 2005 the structure was placed on the

Queensland Heritage Register The Queensland Heritage Register is a heritage register, a statutory list of places in Queensland, Australia that are protected by Queensland legislation, the Queensland Heritage Act 1992. It is maintained by the Queensland Heritage Council. As a ...

Waltzing Matilda Motel

This is an example of modern early 1960s

motel A motel, also known as a motor hotel, motor inn or motor lodge, is a hotel designed for motorists, usually having each room entered directly from the parking area for motor vehicles rather than through a central lobby. Entering dictionaries ...

design and was constructed by Alex Smith in 1963–64 The official opening was on 1 April 1964 as the venue of a Rotary Convention. The motel features the ample use of brick which typified the era, as well as an angled design to give guests a sea view. The Waltzing Matilda Motel is featured in the Queensland Places Directory, published by the

University of Queensland , mottoeng = By means of knowledge and hard work , established = , endowment = A$224.3 million , budget = A$2.1 billion , type = Public research university , chancellor = Peter Varghese , vice_chancellor = Deborah Terry , city = B ...

, as one of the landmarks for the seaside suburb of

Margate Margate is a seaside resort, seaside town on the north coast of Kent in south-east England. The town is estimated to be 1.5 miles long, north-east of Canterbury and includes Cliftonville, Garlinge, Palm Bay, UK, Palm Bay and Westbrook, Kent, ...

and is recognised locally as an important part of the history of Margate and the Redcliffe Peninsula.Mason, Jamie-Leigh. 2013. 'Old school is part of the charm; Peninsular's past: Margate'. Redcliffe and Bayside Herald. 10 July 2013. p.15.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Alex Australian builders 1899 births 1973 deaths