Newstead, Queensland
Encyclopedia
Newstead is a riverside suburb of the city of Brisbane
, Queensland
, Australia
. It is situated 3 km north of the Brisbane central business district
. The north-west portion of the suburb, centred on Breakfast Creek Road, is predominantly commercial, with the remainder of the suburb now mainly residential.
At the last census, over 67% of the households in Newstead consisted of couples without children and a further 20% were single person households. Over 82% of dwellings in the area are units and 15% are stand-alone houses. Newstead is known for trendy cafes and restaurants, upmarket studio apartments and renovated older homes with well-established gardens. It is one of the more expensive suburbs in which to purchase a property in Brisbane, with the mean unit price for the 2006 calendar year reaching $1,400,000.
The suburb's present role as an up-market residential suburb belies its industrial past. Timber yards, asbestos works, wharves and woolstores once dominated the eastern side of the suburb. The tall iron structure of the No. 2 gasholder on Longland Street is a remnant of the Newstead Gasworks, which was established in 1887 as Brisbane's second gas works. The structure, however, was originally located at the Petrie Bight gasworks, where it was erected in 1873.
The suburb was served by first horse drawn tram
s from 1885. From 1897 electric trams ran along Commercial Road (until December 1962) and along Ann and Wickham Streets until April 1969. Light Street tram and bus depot was located in the suburb. It opened as a tram depot in 1885, saw its last trams in December 1968 and finally closed as a bus depot in the mid 1990s, making it one of Queensland
's longest continually operating industrial sites. All traces of the depot and its heritage have been obliterated and the site redeveloped, although a remnant of its trackwork - a unique three way set of points
- has been preserved at the Brisbane Tramway Museum
.
Brisbane Transport
continues to serve the suburb by bus. A cross river ferry, also operated by Brisbane Transport, links the suburb to Bulimba
. The suburb is also linked to the city by "City Cat" catamaran
ferry service.
The suburb was also served by a Queensland railways
train line, which branched off the main north coast line at Bowen Hills
and descended towards the river and Breakfast Creek Road, crossing it to reach the industry, wool stores and wharves along the river. The line closed in the early 1990s. Some remnants of the rail line have been preserved in the wool stores precinct.
Pride of the suburb is Newstead House
, Brisbane
’s oldest existing home, built for pioneer
Darling Downs squatter Patrick Leslie
in 1845. It is set in superb grounds overlooking the mouth of the creek and is within easy walking distance of the famed Breakfast Creek Hotel - a flamboyant Victorian
structure which has been described as 'the very soul of Brisbane
'. Newstead House’s glory days came during the time of the residence of Captain John Clements Wickham
, the official resident and magistrate
of the Moreton Bay settlement and a noted and gracious host. Wickham had previously been Commander of the HMS Beagle
, made famous by its association with Charles Darwin
.
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It is situated 3 km north of the Brisbane central business district
Brisbane central business district
The Brisbane central business district , sometimes referred to as the city, is a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia and is located on a point on the northern bank of the Brisbane River. The triangular shaped area is bounded by the Brisbane River to the east, south and west...
. The north-west portion of the suburb, centred on Breakfast Creek Road, is predominantly commercial, with the remainder of the suburb now mainly residential.
At the last census, over 67% of the households in Newstead consisted of couples without children and a further 20% were single person households. Over 82% of dwellings in the area are units and 15% are stand-alone houses. Newstead is known for trendy cafes and restaurants, upmarket studio apartments and renovated older homes with well-established gardens. It is one of the more expensive suburbs in which to purchase a property in Brisbane, with the mean unit price for the 2006 calendar year reaching $1,400,000.
The suburb's present role as an up-market residential suburb belies its industrial past. Timber yards, asbestos works, wharves and woolstores once dominated the eastern side of the suburb. The tall iron structure of the No. 2 gasholder on Longland Street is a remnant of the Newstead Gasworks, which was established in 1887 as Brisbane's second gas works. The structure, however, was originally located at the Petrie Bight gasworks, where it was erected in 1873.
The suburb was served by first horse drawn tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
s from 1885. From 1897 electric trams ran along Commercial Road (until December 1962) and along Ann and Wickham Streets until April 1969. Light Street tram and bus depot was located in the suburb. It opened as a tram depot in 1885, saw its last trams in December 1968 and finally closed as a bus depot in the mid 1990s, making it one of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
's longest continually operating industrial sites. All traces of the depot and its heritage have been obliterated and the site redeveloped, although a remnant of its trackwork - a unique three way set of points
Railroad switch
A railroad switch, turnout or [set of] points is a mechanical installation enabling railway trains to be guided from one track to another at a railway junction....
- has been preserved at the Brisbane Tramway Museum
Brisbane Tramway Museum
Brisbane Tramway Museum is a transport museum which preserves and displays trams and trolley-buses, most of which operated in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The museum also has a collection of vehicles and other equipment used in maintaining Brisbane's electric street transport system which...
.
Brisbane Transport
Brisbane Transport
Brisbane Transport is a business unit of Brisbane City Council, operating suburban and urban bus services under the TransLink integrated public transport scheme in Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia. The origins of Brisbane Transport can be seen as far back as 1885 when horse...
continues to serve the suburb by bus. A cross river ferry, also operated by Brisbane Transport, links the suburb to Bulimba
Bulimba, Queensland
Bulimba is an inner suburb of Brisbane, Australia. It is 4 kilometres south-east of the CBD, and is located on the southern bank of the Brisbane River...
. The suburb is also linked to the city by "City Cat" catamaran
Catamaran
A catamaran is a type of multihulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls, or vakas, joined by some structure, the most basic being a frame, formed of akas...
ferry service.
The suburb was also served by a Queensland railways
Queensland Rail
Queensland Rail, also known as QR, is a government-owned railway operator in the state of Queensland. Under the control of the Queensland Government, Queensland Rail operates the inner-city and long-distance passenger services, as well as some freight operations and gives railway access to other...
train line, which branched off the main north coast line at Bowen Hills
Bowen Hills, Queensland
Bowen Hills is an inner suburb of Brisbane, Australia, located 3 km northeast of the Brisbane CBD. It was named after a Governor of Queensland, Sir George Ferguson Bowen.-History:...
and descended towards the river and Breakfast Creek Road, crossing it to reach the industry, wool stores and wharves along the river. The line closed in the early 1990s. Some remnants of the rail line have been preserved in the wool stores precinct.
Pride of the suburb is Newstead House
Newstead House, Brisbane
Newstead House is Brisbane’s oldest surviving residence and is located on the Breakfast Creek bank of the Brisbane River,in the northern Brisbane suburb of Newstead, in Queensland, Australia...
, Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
’s oldest existing home, built for pioneer
Settler
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. Settlers are generally people who take up residence on land and cultivate it, as opposed to nomads...
Darling Downs squatter Patrick Leslie
Patrick Leslie
Patrick Leslie was a Scottish Settler in Australia. Leslie and his two brothers were the first to settle on the Darling Downs, and he was the first person to buy land in Warwick.-Early life:...
in 1845. It is set in superb grounds overlooking the mouth of the creek and is within easy walking distance of the famed Breakfast Creek Hotel - a flamboyant Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
structure which has been described as 'the very soul of Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
'. Newstead House’s glory days came during the time of the residence of Captain John Clements Wickham
John Clements Wickham
John Clements Wickham was a naval officer, magistrate and administrator. He was a Lieutenant on HMS Beagle during her second survey mission from 1831 to 1836, which took the young naturalist Charles Darwin on what became the subject of his book, The Voyage of the Beagle...
, the official resident and magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
of the Moreton Bay settlement and a noted and gracious host. Wickham had previously been Commander of the HMS Beagle
HMS Beagle
HMS Beagle was a Cherokee-class 10-gun brig-sloop of the Royal Navy. She was launched on 11 May 1820 from the Woolwich Dockyard on the River Thames, at a cost of £7,803. In July of that year she took part in a fleet review celebrating the coronation of King George IV of the United Kingdom in which...
, made famous by its association with Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
.