Addresses
Type of place
Hall
Period
Interwar 1919-1939
Style
Spanish Mission
This is an image of the local heritage place known as Royal Queensland Society of Blind Citizens Building
Royal Queensland Society of Blind Citizens Building
Addresses
Type of place
Hall
Period
Interwar 1919-1939
Style
Spanish Mission
Constructed in 1933, this Spanish Mission styled hall was purpose built for the Queensland Society of Blind Citizens. The hall remained in use by the Society for sixty years and was the site of regular dances for most of that time. The hall has a longstanding connection with the vision impaired residents of South Brisbane and also the wider community.
Lot plan
L8_RP45725; L9_RP45725; L1_RP45725
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Citation —
Construction
Roof: Terracotta tile;Walls: Masonry - Render
Criterion for listing
(B) Rarity; (G) SocialInteractive mapping
Lot plan
L8_RP45725; L9_RP45725; L1_RP45725
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Citation —
Construction
Roof: Terracotta tile;Walls: Masonry - Render
Criterion for listing
(B) Rarity; (G) SocialInteractive mapping
History
This hall, once the headquarters of the Queensland Society of Blind citizens was constructed in 1933, replacing an older residence on the site which the Society had occupied since 1924.
The Queensland Musical, Literary and Self-Aid Society for the Blind first gained title to the property in August 1924. For almost ten years the Society worked from an old converted residence on the site and was known as the Queensland Technical School for the Blind.
Constructed in the Spanish Mission style, the building features offices in the front, a lounge room and music room, a popular dance hall which can accommodate up to 400 people, and a supper room in the basement. The building was the site of regular dances, open to the broader community and these remained popular throughout the Society's tenure.
During the Second World War the building was occupied by the United States Army which used it as a post office.
The Queensland Society of Blind Citizens was founded in 1917 by blind people to assist the blind. It has branches in several locations throughout Queensland. In 1986 the Society changed its name to Royal Queensland Society of Blind Citizens. The hall was sold in 1993, but has remained in use as a dance studio and fitness centre.
Description
This building is almost church-like in its organisation of plan form. The main body of the hall with its gambrel roof is flanked by two subsidiary spaces like the side aisled of a church. The front section of the building with the entry and offices to either side has its own separate hipped roof at right angles to the body of the hall. Centred on top of this roof is an ornate octagonal ventilator, and directly below this a gable end above the entry on which is located the building signage. The front porch with a flat roof sits below this supported on barley sugar columns, with Corinthian capitals.
The porch roof has sculpted rafter ends. The wall are stuccoed to a rough texture, but and ornamental row of moulded arches runs around the building just below eaves line. The door and window architraves also have ornamental mouldings.
The white stucco along with the mottled terracotta tiled appearance of the roof shows that the building was greatly influenced by the Spanish Mission style popular at the time it was constructed.
The building has a basement level below the main hall and entry level. The right hand side of the hall as viewed from the entry has suffered from the addition of modern aluminium framed glazing.
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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Brisbane City Council Sewerage Detail Plans
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Queensland Society of Blind Citizens Executive Committee, Queensland Society of Blind Citizens, South Brisbane, 1971
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Telegraph, 1 July 1983
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Wynnum Herald, 24 November 1993
Citation prepared by — Brisbane City Council (page revised September 2020)