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

~®illlg Across the bridge it's a new world SoUTH Brisbirne is undergoing a major transformation, from a not so popul,u residential area to the cultural zone of Brisbane. As the Queensland Cultural Centre nears completion, South Bris• bane seems certain to lose much of its old chaructcr. Long due for a clcan– up, the southside o( the river is poised to pre– sent a modern and allractive face to the city. Musgrave Park is the. 'focal point for many activities in Sout'1 Oris- bane, with a swimming pool complex; one ol the oldest bowling clubs in Queensland, the South Brisbane Bowling Club; a croquet lawn and a bandstand. Brisbane State High School adjoins the park and Somerville House Girls' school is in nearby Vulture Street, South Brisliane is a ~~ilway centre. II is the terminus of interstate services, Until the opening of the Mcrivale bridge, South Brisbane was also the terminus of southside suburban services. But the landmark of the area is the South Brisbane Town Hall, built in 1892 nt a cost of £11,000. The hall 1·• now used as an adu t education centre. Another 'elegant building is St Andrew's Church of England, in Vulture Street, oppo– s\te the high school. ... Davies Park at West End, was once part of a banana farm. Today it is the home ground of Southern Suhurbs Rugby League Club. Souths made the grand final this year, but were beaten by Norths. Before the turn of the century West End was famous as a farm– ins area. Bananas, melons and strawber– ries were the major produce. People flocked to the farms at wee• kends where farmers, for an admission price, let them cat their fill or strawberries, ... West End was once called "Kurilpa," an Aboriginal word mean• ing "a place for rats," and many old buildinp still bear the title "Kurill)I," Grazicrs had town– houses there, u it was close to the old South Brisbane racecourse. West End is often called "Little Athens," as an · estimated 75 percent of Brisbane's Greek population live there,. TH£ performing An, complex-part of the Q11t•emland C11/tural Centre. It may be 11eces.rnry for motorists to saaiflc1• part of P1•1•/ Street, S0111.h Bri.,bane, to the cu11se of culture. Shop signs of'tcn arc printed in Greek as well as English. ... Road may_go tor art~s sake PEEL Street, South Brisbane, probably will be closed permanenll)' to traffic from Stan– ley Street to the Brisbane River if the new Cultural Centre has its way. The Land Adminis– tration Commission has advised Brisbane City Council that a rcstaur– an1 building. part of the cultural complex, will encroach upon part of Peel Street. 000 - TELEGRAPH SOUTHSIDE. TUESDAY. DECEMBER 2, 19 of Peel Street providing: • That no structure be placed over sewers. • That the council be permitted to main• lain the existing . . ~ .. ~ ... water main in its present position. • That if the main has to be moved in the future. it be done 111 10 the But the headquarters of the Greek population is in South Brisbane. The Greek Orthodox church and the Greek: Community-;Centre in Edmonstorie Street have been the' · focal point of a border wrangle. The West End Greeks believe both should be in West End, so they have unofficial– ly extended the boundaries to include them. But South Bris– bane residents arc just as adamant thnt Ed– mondstonc Street is theirs. The Blue Nursing Service was founded in West End in 1.953 by the West End Mcth– O<list Mission. West End is r>nc of the truly ''comopoli– tan.• areas or .Brisba11e.