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Petrie Terrace Heritage Trail

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Potter around Petrie Terrace on this self-guided heritage trail. Download the guide to learn more about the area’s history.

About the Petrie Terrace Heritage Trail

Learn about one of Brisbane's oldest suburbs on the Petrie Terrace Heritage Trail.

The trail features sites and events that explore:

  • Aboriginal history

  • the impact of the Great Depression and suburban overcrowding

  • notable landmarks such as Lang Park, The Normanby Hotel and La Boite Theatre. 

Petrie Terrace Heritage Trail map

There are 18 points of interest on the 2.7-kilometre trail.

Start your journey at the iconic Suncorp Stadium (part of Lang Park). Pass notable Brisbane landmarks, including the Ithaca Playground and Victoria Barracks, before concluding your walk at Petrie Terrace Police Barracks.

information outline

Note

Some parts of this trail are steep and may not be easy for everyone to walk.

For addresses of all trail stops and suggested route between stops, download the trail guide.

Points of interest

Caxton Street, Milton

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Lang Park

View over Paddington Cemetery towards Milton, c. 1870 (State Library of Queensland)
About this stop
The area that is now part of Suncorp Stadium (formerly known as Lang Park) was originally the site of the North Brisbane Burial Ground.

113 Caxton Street, Paddington

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Ithaca Playground

Children’s Playground at Ithaca, 1918 (State Library of Queensland)
About this stop
This playground was established in 1918 to provide poor children with recreational facilities.

15-25 Wellington Street, Petrie Terrace

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Stombuco's terrace houses Petrie Terrace, c. 1902 (State Library of Queensland)
About this stop
These are fine examples of Brisbane’s 19th Century terrace houses.

1 Musgrave Road, Red Hill

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Normanby Hotel Architectural Drawing of the Normanby Hotel, 1890 (State Library of Queensland)
About this stop
Built in 1890, the Normanby Hotel is one of Brisbane’s landmarks.

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Aboriginal history

Drawing of Petrie Terrace, 1881 (State Library of Queensland)
About this stop
The ridge along Petrie Terrace was a key meeting place for groups from across South East Queensland. It was used during inter-tribal gatherings to connect and share between different Aboriginal communities.

155 Petrie Terrace, Petrie Terrace

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Hardgrave Park

Hardgrave Park, Petrie Terrace, 1949 (Brisbane City Council)
About this stop
This park is the earliest gazetted park reserve in Brisbane.

194 Petrie Terrace, Petrie Terrace

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Princess Row

Looking towards Petrie Terrace, c. 1878 (State Library of Queensland)
About this stop
Originally called Costin’s Cottages, these terraces were built in 1863. They are some of the earliest surviving terrace houses in Brisbane.

172 Petrie Terrace, Petrie Terrace

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Shawn Flats

Aerial photograph of Petrie Terrace, 1946 (Brisbane City Council)
About this stop
Built in 1936, the unique set of flats incorporates a popular interwar architectural styles, including Old English and Mediterranean.

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About this stop
In the 1870s, the lower areas of Petrie Terrace raised concerns amongst the community. Crowded conditions and poor drainage were thought to be causing disease.

Menzies Street, Petrie Terrace

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Row of cottages Auction sale advertisement, Petrie Terrace, 1883 (State Library of Queensland)
About this stop
Cottages along Menzies Street were built on very small portions of land, and are a reflection of the crowded conditions on the hill in the late 1800s.

82 Petrie Terrace, Petrie Terrace

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Victoria Barracks

Military Barracks, Petrie Terrace, Brisbane, State Library of Queensland, Negative Number 146231
About this stop
Victoria Barracks was established in 1864. The designs for the first buildings on the site were sent from the War Office in London.

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Brisbane Gaol Brisbane Gaol, 1868 (State Library of Queensland)
About this stop
Located on the rise of the hill, Queensland’s second purpose-built prison was built between 1858 and 59.

68 Petrie Terrace, Petrie Terrace

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Prince Alfred Hotel

Prince Alfred Hotel, c. 1929 (State Library of Queensland)
About this stop
This hotel was designed by one of Brisbane’s most important architects, Richard Gailey, in 1881.

15 Caxton Street, Petrie Terrace

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Oddfellows Hall Caxton Street, Petrie Terrace, 1950s (Brisbane City Council)
About this stop
Known as the Oddfellows Hall, this was built in 1891. It's another example of architect Richard Gailey’s work.

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Petrie Terrace push Newspaper clipping on "The Larrikin Outbreak", in The Melbourne Punch, 27 February 1896 (National Library of Australia)
About this stop
The ‘larrikin’ emerged in Brisbane in the late 19th Century and groups of them caused havoc in Petrie Terrace.

69 Hale Street, Petrie Terrace

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About this stop
The Brisbane Repertory Theatre Society (now the La Boite Theatre Group) built the ‘theatre in the round’ in 1972. It was Australia’s first purpose-built arena theatre.

8 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane City

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Jackson and Co's Granary

Courier Mail, Friday 26 December 1947
About this stop
A terrible tragedy took place at J. Jackson & Co., a long-established produce and seed merchant, in 1947.

61 Petrie Terrace, Petrie Terrace

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About this stop
Building of the impressive brick barracks building was completed by 1939, and the original 1912 brick stables were retained. The building and the brick stables have been carefully restored.