Owners of Keating House Indooroopilly ordered to restore it

The owners of the iconic Brisbane mansion "Keating House" near the railway station in Indooroopilly have been ordered to restore it.

The turreted turn of the century house at 10 Westminster Road Indooroopilly is my favourite in Brisbane, standing out from the run of the mill timber Queenslander. With its solid Queen Anne character it also stands alone from others of the era with its fanciful roof, like something you might find in Sydney's Glebe. I'd always thought that the stucco seemed anacrhonous to the style of the building, like it was remodeled in the 1920s. Whatever the case, it is part of the building's character. I've always thought that if any house in Brisbane was going to be haunted - it would be this one.

I have always wondered who owned it and lived there. At one stage someone told me it was an old lady who refused to sell it despite large offers from developers. It certainly is suprising to see it remain in such a prominent position in such a progressive area.

Apparently new owners had tried to approve a new development to replace the mansion but it was given local heritage listing which prevented them from proceeding.

Indooroopilly has already seen the spoiling of many landmarks including the nearby Eldorado cinema and the Indooroopilly Hotel.

Still, I'm a little sad at this as Keating House does have a certain charm in its neglected, run down, state.


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Yungaba, built 1887, desecrated 2008

Yungaba, a landmark heritage building at 120 Main Street in Kangaroo Point next to the Storey Bridge at the bend of the Brisbanis the latest victim of Brisbane's disdain for its heritage.

Despite the efforts of the Yungaba Action Group and even notable heritage proponent actor Geoffrey Rush, the state planning department has decided to reject the idea of it becoming an immigration museum and that the best outcome for the the historic 1887 immigration depot is to facade, state strata title and build it out it as part of a new apartment development. Historically the building was the only extant purpose-built immigration depot in Australia and one of the first buildings to be added to Queensland's first heritage register in 1988. It has played a key part in Brisbane's history including a key role in the development of the neighbouring landmark Storey Bridge.

Architecturally, the elegant building is in the distinctive Victorian Italianate style which although a popular style in the southern states is notably rare in Brisbane. The Palladian plan building has a twin set of small campanile belvedere towers with a set of Victorian filigree verandahs atop an arcade with waterfront position.

Rupert McCall has posted an interesting and passionate take on the situation.


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Bardon Fairy House could be sacrificed for traffic solution

A group called Save the Fairy House are trying to stop the heritage-listed Bardon landmark, known locally as the "Fairy House", from demolition to widen a road.

The group has had some success, gathering 200 signatures on its online petition and council support against the move which continues to be put forward by the State Government.

The "Fairy House" was built in the 1950s by a Russian architect (who also designed Cloudland's chairlift). The "A frame" style for the house was based on the prevailing style of buildings in his Russian home town. The house features fairytale figures on its fence and a prominent bust of Wagner and Beethoven on the facade. The Brisbane City Council heritage listed it in 2001.