Queensland Art Gallery Presscuttings Book 9 : Construction of the cultural centre, 1977-1981

1880s END , -, . HISTORY and culture could combine to make the south bank of the Bri sbane Rive r one of interesting areas, Brisbane City Council's deputy Opposition Leader (Alderman Ray Smith) said these old buildings. He suld tho !lC\\' C ul– tural Centre wo11ld pro- 1·!cte n l'en11e for the per– forming nrts and the Queensland Museum , nmon~ other ihlnas. "Tha: Ls the 1980s end," he said. "AL the other end ls the olrl flour mlll. now O\\'ned b;· the council, which ls of 1880 1•1r..tase. "I gat.her from studies done on the nren tMt the building larrowed ahnn•1 incorporates the original South Brisbone 'l'own Counrl! Chambers built Jn 1888. "That Jn 11,cir is of hlstnr!c interest and should be presrn·ed," Alderman Smith said. 0 !\ty lrlea, Is to H!-C th e mill as a crnll cent re and a ,·cnne for display~ of ht,torkal and cultural interest. "These could range fr m Art.; ond rrnrrs to things like old m,rhlner)'. ,•1n-:1qe cnr~ or hohb1e~." The nnll Is in ct1srrptl1r, bu A!dermnn 1;11111.h said onl.v the floor111~ nPeded to bP wnrkect 011 bcrrn1 ,;;e the hu1Jd!ng wa.s struc– Lurnlly EOUJ1d, "It would cost more to b11 1lrl a new centre or this slze than to repair the olct olle." he sn!d. "Next to the m!II is t.he old ct,·;• dnck nnd Queens– land Maritime Museum. so the area is cert.aill!y ste•pcd in hlSlory." Be wcen the C111t11re Cen tre n.nd lhe old mill 1s Rn nrrR. of hw:n 11,;;rd on occasions such as \Va– ra nn. Alrfrrman ~mllh ~aifl that. a11ar1 from thr!iit oc– ra!->inn.s, thr area wu~ n r ,·f'r 11srrl hrrau1-e lh1•rc wa~ nnthln:? ur lnlcrr_~t to a ltr:-trt P""l*' to It. "Wi th an out<loor res• tnuran nnd rides for the chl!•lre,, !L Ollld he.::ome a pince for family out– ings," h said. "I \\"OU Id el'en like to ~ce n frrry ser\'ke from thr clt · nnd moormcs fnr Pl'll'ate bont,5 to give the nrca rl\'er nrcess ns well as In.ml acces~. ' · R u n n ! n g such & centre would ln\'olvf! as• s1~ ance from the gJ'oups 11,!ng It. the r.ounol! and t,he Go,·ernm,nt. ·but I am confident the project w o11lrl he A StlCC('SS," Aldcrmnn Sm11,h l\'ould like ro henr from an • groups who would 1158 :rnch a cent.re 1! 1L were availnble.