Imagine farmers bringing their goods to sell. This was West End long ago. It is now a vibrant suburb.
West End is an inner southern suburb of Brisbane. It has a rich history and diverse culture. Let’s explore its past.
Before Europeans arrived, the area was called Kurilpa. This means place of the water rat. The Jagera and Turrbal people lived here. Boundary Street marked the town limits. Police enforced these boundaries. They prevented Aboriginal people from being within the settlement at night and on Sundays.
The riverbank was once dense rainforest. It teemed with trees vines and flowers. Bush rats thrived here. Women hunted them for food. These rats featured in Aboriginal dreaming tales.
British settlers named West End after London’s West End. They farmed the fertile soil. Strawberry farms allowed visitors to eat all they wanted for a fee. A creek flowed through the area sometimes causing floods. Residents collected water from a spring near the Boundary Hotel. Long queues formed during dry periods.
A Primitive Methodist Church opened in Hill End in 1873. In 1875 West End Boys State School West End Girls State School and West End Infants State School opened. The boys’ and girls’ schools merged in 1936. The infants’ school joined them in 1994. The school was built on land intended for a cemetery. But the South Brisbane Cemetery was established instead.
The Brighton Road Congregational Church was completed in 1879. It had a Gothic roof and bell turret. It closed in 1972. A retirement village now stands on the site.
Industry developed along Montague Road in the 1880s. This included gasworks sawmills and a joinery. Farms were divided into suburban allotments. People liked the proximity to the city river breezes and better transport.
The West End Wesleyan Methodist Church opened in 1884. It later became the West End Uniting Church. It is listed on the Brisbane Heritage Register.
West End was one of Brisbane’s first suburbs with a tram line. The tram initially was horse-drawn. Electrification extended the line in 1897. The tram line closed in 1969.
St Peter’s Anglican Church was dedicated in 1888. It is now a childcare centre. The Brisbane Heritage Register lists it too.
The 1893 Brisbane flood badly affected the riverside area. West End Library opened in 1925. St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church was built in 1923. It was moved to a larger site. A school opened next to the church in 1928. The school closed in 1974.
The Tristram’s Drink Factory was built in 1928. It is a Mission Revival style landmark. Today it is a market. The Dornoch Terrace Bridge was completed in 1941. It replaced an older bridge. A planned bridge to the University of Queensland was never built.
West End is known for its diverse population. Many Greek immigrants settled here after World War Two. It became known as Little Athens. Today West End maintains its multicultural atmosphere.
West End has several heritage-listed sites. These include Astrea Kurilpa Library and the West End Gasworks.
West End continues to evolve. It blends its rich past with a vibrant present. Take a stroll through Boundary Street. Enjoy the cafes restaurants and unique shops. West End offers a taste of Brisbane’s diverse culture.