Information

The Annerley Junction Township is one of the great landmarks on Brisbane Southside. Council plans in 1916 and 1935 give us snapshots of the eastern-side of the shopping strip. The following is the description of what is seen in 1916. There appeared to be seven shop fronts along the Ipswich road eastern business strip of the Annerley Township from Dudley to Waldheim Streets. On the Dudley East Street corner was what can be assume was called Walker Memorial Hall (see entry). Between a few shops is open land. There are several photographs from the State Library of Queensland that reveal the street view of the Annerley Junction in this era. The photograph called, “Scene at the junction of Ipswich and Annerley Roads, Annerley, ca. 1915 focused on a single carriage tram at speed appearing to race southward on Ipswich Road. The tram blocks the full view of the eastern business strip but there are enough details in the photograph to give us a few clues about a way of life. There is one major sign of a beautification of the streetscape – the ornamental trees spaced along Ipswich Road footpath. Except for one lady and the horse & cart about to be overtaken by the tram, the street is completely empty of its residents within the camera shot. Perhaps it is a Saturday afternoon. On the side of a large double story shop on the Dudley East Street corner has been painted, in bill-board size, the words, “Smoke Tobacco.” Presumably as a matter of business competition a banner has been placed on another shop street corner, (Fanny Street) diagonally across from the Dudley Street shop, and reads, “Referee Tobacco.” The scene reminds one of an old country town. The curbing is minimal, all on the eastern side, none on the western side and the junction itself. The roadway is unsealed, except probably for the tram tracks which are impossible to detect in the photograph. There appears to be fine gravel on the road and some of the curbing has been left to grass. Except for roofing sheets and unseen basements, wood is predominant in building structure, signage and electrical posts. The overarching shop awnings across the footpath provide shade upon the large shop display windows.

Citations

Annabel Lloyd. Detail Plans for Surveyors Plan Field Book. Brisbane City Archives, March 2007, in 1916-1935. Comparison Survey Plans for Junction Park. NDB Document No. BCA 083-094; Walker Memorial Hall. The Brisbane Courier. Monday 4 June 1906, p. 5; Photograph “Scene at the junction of Ipswich and Annerley Roads, Annerley, ca. 1915.” State Library of Queensland. Image Number: 109569.

Image Citations

Map References

MLMS. 8 chain series 1904–1917—Brisbane. 8 chains to the inch. Cadastral map of Brisbane and Suburbs sheet 5. MLMS 8 Chain