Addresses
Type of place
Crematorium
Period
Interwar 1919-1939
Style
Brisbane Regional, Old English, Stripped Classical
Mount Thompson Memorial Gardens & Crematorium: West Chapel, Columbarium No.1 & Area No. 1, Columbarium No. 2 & stairs,1 & Area No. 1, Columbarium No. 2 & stairs, 1946 Entrance road, 2 concrete storage bays
This is an image of the local heritage place known as Mt Thompson Memorial Gardens & Crematorium
This is an image of the local heritage place known as Mt Thompson Memorial Gardens & Crematorium 1
This is an image of the local heritage place known as Mt Thompson Memorial Gardens & Crematorium 2
Mount Thompson Memorial Gardens & Crematorium: West Chapel, Columbarium No.1 & Area No. 1, Columbarium No. 2 & stairs,1 & Area No. 1, Columbarium No. 2 & stairs, 1946 Entrance road, 2 concrete storage bays
Addresses
Type of place
Crematorium
Period
Interwar 1919-1939
Style
Brisbane Regional, Old English, Stripped Classical
Mt. Thompson Crematorium opened in 1934 as Brisbane’s first crematorium. Its placement in the farming district of Mt. Gravatt had been opposed by many local residents who did want what they perceived as an unsightly facility located nearby. But the crematorium’s design featured well-planned columbarium gardens and an ornate chapel featuring sculptures by Daphne Mayo and murals by William Bustard. The first cremation was on 10 September 1934. The crematorium has a War Memorial Wall plus memorial burial plaques to famous Australians – Prime Minister Arthur Fadden and Lieutenant General Sir John Lavarack.
Lot plan
L40_RP224283; L132_RP13270
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Citation —
People/associations
Daphne Mayo (Sculptor);William Bustard (Association)
Criterion for listing
(A) Historical; (B) Rarity; (D) Representative; (E) Aesthetic; (F) Technical; (G) Social; (H) Historical associationInteractive mapping
Lot plan
L40_RP224283; L132_RP13270
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Citation —
People/associations
Daphne Mayo (Sculptor);William Bustard (Association)
Criterion for listing
(A) Historical; (B) Rarity; (D) Representative; (E) Aesthetic; (F) Technical; (G) Social; (H) Historical associationInteractive mapping
History
The vacant land was purchased in 1933 from Hubert Clive Daniel.
The crematorium was a very long walk from the terminus of the Holland Park tramline, which was located opposite the Holland Park Hotel at the corner of Logan and Birdwood Roads. The owners Brisbane Crematorium Limited lobbied the Brisbane City Council to extend the tram service to the corner of Nursery and Logan Roads. They offered to pay Council one quarter of the cost of this extension but Council refused the offer.
The first cremation was of Neil Richmond Rose on 10 September 1934.
The East Chapel was added in 1962.
Around 3,000 cremations per annum were conducted at Mt. Thompson until 1990.
Statement of significance
Relevant assessment criteria
This is a place of local heritage significance and meets one or more of the local heritage criteria under the Heritage planning scheme policy of the Brisbane City Plan 2014. It is significant because:
Citation prepared by — Brisbane City Council (page revised June 2022)