Addresses
Type of place
Defence site, Factory
Period
Interwar 1919-1939
Style
Warehouse
This is an image of the local heritage place known as Austral Motors Building (former)
Austral Motors Building (former)
Addresses
Type of place
Defence site, Factory
Period
Interwar 1919-1939
Style
Warehouse
Austral Motors, which was established in April 1923, had this building purpose-designed as an assembly plant for their car manufacturing business circa 1928. It was at this time that cars were beginning to be mass-produced, making this building reflective of changes in car manufacturing methods and the adoption of new technologies and labour practices, accompanied by a surge in car manufacture and ownership. During World War II, this building was also used by the RAAF as a stores depot but was still owned by Austral Motors until 1985 when it was purchased by the Christian Life Centre. The building has since been converted into apartments.
Also known as
Christian Life Centre
Lot plan
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Citation —
Construction
Roof: Corrugated iron;Walls: Face brick
Criterion for listing
(A) Historical; (D) RepresentativeInteractive mapping
Also known as
Christian Life Centre
Lot plan
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Citation —
Construction
Roof: Corrugated iron;Walls: Face brick
Criterion for listing
(A) Historical; (D) RepresentativeInteractive mapping
History
This building was constructed as an assembly plant for Austral Motors around 1928. The motor company, which had offices in Boundary Street, Spring Hill, purchased the land on which this and the later extension are built, from CSR in 1926. This face brick building was designed to cater for the changing technology and labour practices associated with the mass production of the motor car.
Austral Motors was established on 10 April 1923, at which time they owned no property. The company held the agency for Graham Brothers Trucks and Dodge Brothers Motor Cars. The significance of the position of Austral Motors to the motor industry in Brisbane and Queensland during this period may be gauged by the motor vehicle registrations of 1928. Dodge automobiles consistently were listed as the 4th highest sold for each month, twice in that year reaching the number 3 spot for the months May and June. Although it should also be recognised that there was a substantial gulf of sales between the three leading makes of Ford, Chevrolet and Overland and Dodge.
With the growing popularity in and demand for motor vehicles in the early decades of the twentieth century, the company prospered, and around 1938 expanded its assembly plant on the land behind the Welsby Street property, facing Sydney Street. During the Second World War these buildings were occupied by the RAAF as a stores depot. Austral Motors retained the property until 1985 when it was sold to the Brisbane branch of the Christian Life Centre, which still occupies the buildings today.
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:
References
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Titles Office Records
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Post Office Directories.
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The Queensland Motorist
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The Courier Mail 14/5/1973
Citation prepared by — Brisbane City Council (page revised June 2022)