The Port Office is a heritage-listed former government building (now a hotel restaurant) at 39
Edward Street,
Brisbane City,
City of Brisbane
The City of Brisbane is a local government area (LGA) which comprises the inner portion of the metropolitan area of Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, Australia. Its governing body is the Brisbane City Council. Unlike LGAs in the other mainlan ...
,
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
, establishe ...
, Australia. It was designed by
Francis Drummond Greville Stanley
Francis Drummond Greville Stanley (1839—1897) was an architect in Queensland, Australia. He was the Queensland Colonial Architect. Many of his designs are now heritage-listed buildings.
Early life
Stanley was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on ...
and built from 1879 to 1929 by
John Petrie
John Petrie (15 January 1822 – 8 December 1892) was a Scottish-born politician,
architect, stonemason and building contractor in Brisbane who became the city's first Mayor.
Private life
John Petrie was born 15 January 1822Toowong Cemetery ...
. It is also known as Stamford Plaza and Harbours & Marine Building. It was added to 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. A ...
on 21 October 1992.
History
The Port Office was built in 1879–80 to a design by FDG Stanley, the
Queensland Colonial Architect
The Queensland Government Architect is a position within the public service of Queensland, Australia with responsibility for the design of government buildings in Queensland. It was formerly known as the Queensland Colonial Architect. The position ...
. It replaced an earlier building nearby. The contractor was
John Petrie
John Petrie (15 January 1822 – 8 December 1892) was a Scottish-born politician,
architect, stonemason and building contractor in Brisbane who became the city's first Mayor.
Private life
John Petrie was born 15 January 1822Toowong Cemetery ...
who had tendered for the work. The building was erected on land adjoining the old Port Office. A slipway and wharves for use by the Department were adjacent. In 1885 a two-storey extension was constructed at the rear of the building.
[
In 1929 the building was extended to provide more space for the Department of Labour which had occupied the building since 1906. A tide marker on the wall of the building since the turn of the century was damaged during the 1974 floods but was later replaced.][
In 1988 the property was leased to a private company and the building became part of the Heritage Hotel complex, later the Stamford Plaza Hotel. Extensive renovations were undertaken including the removal of all post 1880 additions, and the addition of the end balconies which were shown on the Colonial Architect's original plans.][
]
Since June 2010, the former Port Office has been operating as the Moo Moo Wine Bar and Grill within the Stamford Plaza Hotel.
Description
The Port Office is a two-storey, 1880s building which features restrained Classical detailing combined with decorative cast-iron work. The building has a prominent entry porch
A porch (from Old French ''porche'', from Latin ''porticus'' "colonnade", from ''porta'' "passage") is a room or gallery located in front of an entrance of a building. A porch is placed in front of the facade of a building it commands, and form ...
with an extensive elevation facing Edward Street. It has three gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of intersecting roof pitches. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system used, which reflects climate, material availability, and aesth ...
ended projecting bays connected by verandahs. The walls are rendered brick while the roof is sheeted in rolled iron. The lower floor level features plain circular columns
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression membe ...
supporting the verandah and keyed pilasters. The upper level verandah has slender cast-iron columns.[
The building has austere Classical detailing with Roman arched openings and a string course in the form of a cornice that runs the perimeter of the building above the ground floor windows. The building has circular ventilator openings in each gable end. Above the roof are ]chimneys
A chimney is an architectural ventilation structure made of masonry, clay or metal that isolates hot toxic exhaust gases or smoke produced by a boiler, stove, furnace, incinerator, or fireplace from human living areas. Chimneys are typ ...
of varying heights, and decorative cast iron ridge cresting. The building is now separated from the Brisbane River by the Stamford Plaza Hotel.[
Internally, the building has been extensively renovated and adapted to include ground level speciality shops and a restaurant and bar on the top floor. Two of the shops on the ground floor have had mezzanine levels inserted. Otherwise original ceiling heights have been retained.][
]
Heritage listing
The Port Office was listed 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. A ...
on 21 October 1992 having satisfied the following criteria.[
The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history.
Evidence of the expansion of maritime trade in the late 1870s and its importance to the developing economy of the colony.][
The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places.
An example of the work of Colonial Architect FDG Stanley, and of building contractor John Petrie.][
The place is important because of its aesthetic significance.
Its contribution to the streetscape as part of a maritime precinct.][
]
References
Attribution
External links
* {{official website, http://www.moomoorestaurant.com/brisbane.B_ABOUT.ews
Port and Harbour Office Discover Queensland Buildings website
Queensland Heritage Register
History of Brisbane
Government buildings in Queensland
Articles incorporating text from the Queensland Heritage Register
Edward Street, Brisbane
Government buildings completed in 1880
Francis Drummond Greville Stanley buildings
Restaurants in Queensland