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459:, to suggest their organisations combined forces and funds to commission the statue. However, the Scottish community had to wait many years before seeing their dream realised as it was not until 1929 that a statue of Robert Burns was commissioned by the Brisbane Caledonian Society and Burns Club and installed on a pedestal provided by the council. Traditionally, statues of Robert Burns are placed so that the poet's back is turned on the church. The statue of Burns in the park has been positioned in accordance to this tradition and had the Holy Name Cathedral been built, the poet's back would have been turned on it. The statue of Burns has served as a focal point for gatherings and events, such as the
482:) were constructed at many inner city sites in the early 1940s as part of Queensland's wartime defences. In 1961, the Council prepared plans to convert the Wickham Street air raid shelter into a toilet block. These were evidently demolished by the time the Council planned the construction of a new toilet block in 1973. This entailed the demolition of the remaining air raid shelter on Ann Street. In 1977 the park was extended towards Wickham Street at the entry podium area and the edge trimmed around Gotha Street. The park underwent extensive refurbishment in 1999-2000 carried out by Belt Collins Landscape Architects which restored the original formality of the park.
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pedestal. The west face features a worn inscription of Byrnes' name and dates of birth and death. Mounted on the base of the statue is a small plaque bearing a brief description of Byrnes and the statue. This plaque incorrectly credits the sculptor of the statue as being "Sir
Bertram Macenell". The statue was actually sculpted by renowned artist, "Sir Bertram Mackennal" and is noted as being Mackennal's fiftieth sculpture.
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formal spine of the park, reinforced by avenues of trees with a series of monuments providing focal points along its length. At the park's centre is the statue of Thomas Joseph Byrnes, former
Premier of Queensland. The statue occupies a large paved area formed by the convergence of the central path. Curved paths leading to the centre of the park from Ann and Wickham Streets are mirrored on either side of it.
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470:. Sunday afternoons became a regular event in Brisbane with hundreds of people turning up to hear speakers holding forth on all manner of issues including speakers campaigning for Aboriginal rights in the 1960s and 1970s. After the people's forum ceased at Centenary Place, the people of Brisbane had to wait until 1990 before a new location was officially made available by the Brisbane City Council at
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of a public forum or speaker's corner during the 1960s and 1970s when political activism was increasing and public speaking spaces were used to promote public awareness of both national and local issues. The increasing importance of open spaces in urban areas is also demonstrated through the changing land use of
Centenary Place from urban development to parkland.
338:, a massive "Renaissance basilica" that was to occupy the block bounded by Gotha, Ann, Gipps and Wickham Streets. Although the park was designed by Henry Moore, the Parks Superintendent for Council, given the layout, which is still intact, includes a central path originally designed to lead to the proposed cathedral entrance, it is possible that
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Centenary Place, established in 1925, is important as
Brisbane City Council's principal contribution to the celebration of the 1924 centenary of European settlement in Queensland and Queensland's growth and development during this time from a penal colony to a state. It is also important as the site
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incorporates the lettering "Centenary Place" and supports for the spherical glass lanterns on each side. The podium forms the roof of what was variously a tramways cash office and lost property office, and is now an automated traffic signal control centre. Access to this basement area is provided by
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Centenary Place was designed and constructed for the purpose of commemorating the centenary of
European settlement in Queensland (1824-1924). The council began clearing of the land of existing buildings in 1924 and the park was formed in 1925. It covers an area of 8,748 square metres and is bounded
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The Byrnes statue is also bronze and supported on a sandstone pedestal. When
Centenary Place was constructed in 1924, the statue was moved to its present position in the park. The pedestal features an elaborate base and cornice. A carved sandstone wreath decorates the north and south faces of the
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Centenary Place is a teardrop-shaped park bounded by Ann, Wickham and Gotha
Streets. The park falls gently from the corner of Ann and Gotha Streets and is bisected along its length by a processional path, starting with a ceremonial archway at the narrow southern end of the park. This path is the
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Grassed areas are delineated by formal paths, mulched garden beds, hedges and several regular lines of trees. These significant mature trees include poincianas (Delonix regia), weeping figs (Ficus benjamina), white figs (Ficus virens), Canary Island date palms (Phoenix canariensis), Queen palms
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Centenary Place is aesthetically important for its formal stone stepped arched gateway with opposing piers with a wrought iron archway which leads into the processional pathway that extends through the park. The avenues of mature specimens of poinciana (Delonix regia), Canary Island date palms
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To advance the centenary celebrations, a
Centenary Celebrations Committee was formed as was a Centenary Fund. Many fundraising events were held by the Centenary Celebrations Committee and all proceeds from these events were devoted to the Centenary Fund to go towards the provision of centenary
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Centenary Place has a strong association with the
Catholic community as evidenced by its selection as the forecourt for the proposed Holy Name Cathedral and placement of the statue of a prominent Catholic, former Queensland premier Thomas Joseph Byrnes. It also has strong association with the
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Centenary Place has strong association with the works of horticulturalist and landscape gardener Henry Moore, who was the first
Brisbane City Parks Superintendent (1912–1925). His design work in Brisbane includes New Farm Park and Newstead Park. It is also associated with Harry Oakman, Parks
632:(Phoenix canariensis), Queen palms (Syagrus romanzoffiana), wine palms (Butia capitata) and fig trees including weeping figs (Ficus benjamina) and white figs (Ficus virens), provide a pleasant vista amongst its busy, commercial surrounds and make an important contribution to the landscape.
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Over the years the park has undergone numerous changes. In 1938, a tram waiting shelter was built onto the Wickham Street side of the archway podium and tramways office. The park also featured two air raid shelters, one each on the Ann and Wickham Street frontages. Similar shelters (e.g.
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The strength of the central path as an axial feature has been diminished by the loss of its relationship with the stone remnants of the Holy Name Cathedral site. Thus the northern end of the central path lacks the strong foci provided elsewhere by the archway and the two statues.
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Celebrating the centenary of European settlement in Queensland was an important milestone in the state's history, and presented an opportunity to demonstrate how far it had progressed in 100 years. From its beginnings as a penal colony, followed by the arrival of free settlers,
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Between Byrnes and the archway, the central path passes through a shaded avenue of mature fig trees and a monument to the Scottish poet Robert Burns. At the northern or Gotha Street end of the park, the central path accommodates a 1999
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Centenary Place has an uncommon structure built from Brisbane Tuff which displays both ceremonial and utilitarian functions by combining the formal commemorative steps and archway with a tramway office and passenger shelter.
318:, Queensland had experienced many tumultuous events in its first 100 years worthy of commemoration and celebration. The creation of Centenary Place provided the public with a tangible means of doing this.
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Other features were added to the park at later dates with the drawings for the podium, archway and tramways office dated 1928. Centenary Place was designed by Moore who was also responsible for designing
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The Catholic Church took great interest in the development of Centenary Place, sensing an opportunity to promote their vision of a new cathedral and envisaging the site as the forecourt for the proposed
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Scottish community as evidenced by their selection of the park to house the statue commissioned of Scottish bard Robert Burns and by their use of the park to hold events such as the Burns Night.
361:. He employed a formal design with defined layouts, planted garden beds, grassed areas, low sandstone retaining walls and curved paths. The garden includes mature specimens of poinciana (
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bounded by Brisbane Tuff retaining walls. The stairs on the western or Wickham Street side are protected by a simple, compressed fibre cement canopy erected in 2000. The Brisbane Tuff
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389:, the Council Parks & Gardens Director, planned additional garden beds along the walks in the fig and poinciana avenues. These proposals were largely in place by 1950.
432:, but he died without completing it. When the park was completed in 1925, the statue was moved from Petrie Bight to its new location. Another statue of Byrnes (the
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Superintendent for the Brisbane City Council (1948–1963), who was the first purpose-trained landscape architect to be employed by a government in Queensland.
273:, Australia. It is also known by some as Centenary Park even though this is not the name it was given at the ceremonial dedication. It was designed by
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519:(Syagrus romanzoffiana) and wine palms (Butia capitata). The overall visual effect is a well developed formal tropical landscape character.
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memorials, including Centenary Place. Other commemorative memorials and events included the minting of commemorative medals, a statue of
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The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons.
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Council in 1925. The park has been in continual use by the public since its creation and was extensively refurbished in 1999/2000.
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The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places.
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feature bronze bas- reliefs. The fourth face features the statue's inscription in applied bronze letters.
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and Gotha Street, Fortitude Valley. The park was one of the last civic projects undertaken by the former
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which included the purchase of some 6000 books and numerous tree planting ceremonies across Brisbane.
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Sandstone park signage walls have been erected on each of the Wickham and Ann Street frontages.
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The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland's cultural heritage.
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The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history.
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From 1962 to the mid 1970s, Centenary Place was Brisbane's designated people's forum or
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The original design of the park specifically allocated space to accommodate a statue of
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746:. Vol. XXVII, no. 1147. Western Australia. 20 September 1902. p. 18.
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on the western side of the podium was erected as a tramway shelter in 1938.
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on 8 October 2014). The geo-coordinates were originally computed from the
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The bronze figure of Robert Burns stands on a tapered dressed sandstone
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sculpture commemorating the 75th anniversary of Centenary Place.
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The place is important because of its aesthetic significance.
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on 6 August 2007 having satisfied the following criteria.
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At the city or southern end of the park, a formal stone
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Unveiling of the T. J. Byrnes statue, Petrie Bight, 1902
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with a rusticated granite base and thistle- patterned
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776:This Knowledge article was originally based on
420:premier. The statue, by renowned sculptor, Sir
404:T. J. Byrnes status in Centenary Place, 2017
16:Heritage-listed park in Brisbane, Queensland
758:– via National Library of Australia.
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797:"Queensland heritage register boundaries"
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212:Location of Centenary Place in Queensland
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779:"The Queensland heritage register"
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592:Centenary Place was listed on the
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738:"The Byrnes Monument in Brisbane"
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710:"Centenary Place (entry 602442)"
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178:1920s–ongoing (historical use)
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718:. Queensland Heritage Council
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345:and the cathedral architect,
852:Fortitude Valley, Queensland
842:Queensland Heritage Register
715:Queensland Heritage Register
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553:two steep, narrow concrete
502:Robert Burns Memorial, 2023
453:William McNaughton Galloway
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215:Show map of Queensland
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812:on 15 October 2014).
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371:Syagrus romanzoffiana
347:Jack Hennessy, junior
296:Brisbane City Council
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243:Show map of Australia
122:Brisbane City Council
102:Brisbane City Council
862:Ann Street, Brisbane
410:Thomas Joseph Byrnes
847:History of Brisbane
802:State of Queensland
784:State of Queensland
434:T J Byrnes Monument
367:Phoenix canariensis
336:Holy Name Cathedral
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82:27.461°S 153.0319°E
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44:85 Wickham Street,
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328:John Oxley Library
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173:Significant period
165:Reference no.
857:Parks in Brisbane
825:Media related to
800:published by the
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457:Thomas McIlwraith
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422:Bertram Mackennal
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767:Attribution
486:Description
461:Burns Night
451:, Alderman
412:, a former
385:). In 1947
343:James Duhig
275:Henry Moore
112:Henry Moore
85: /
73:153°01′55″E
61:Coordinates
56:, Australia
836:Categories
754:22 January
645:References
449:Burns Club
340:Archbishop
324:John Oxley
312:Federation
292:Ann Street
271:Queensland
157:Designated
70:27°27′40″S
54:Queensland
545:archway.
108:Architect
98:Built for
810:archived
792:archived
748:Archived
722:1 August
566:pedestal
550:ironwork
314:and the
41:Location
570:cornice
529:Gateway
513:sundial
438:Warwick
285:History
804:under
786:under
574:plinth
559:loggia
555:stairs
535:podium
168:602442
118:Owner
756:2017
724:2014
548:The
357:and
259:park
149:Type
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