Brisbane City Hall

Was built despite some significant backlash at the time to house the Brisbance City Council Staff.
Extraordinary costs, 1 million pounds officially opened April 1930

It boasted a 287-foot tall clock tower, had a glass dome with a 2000 candle power electric globe which was turned on until midnight allowing the globe to burn at 200 candlepower until daylight.
It included a concert hall that could accommodate 2500 persons.
An impressive achievement at the time.
Plagued by many detractors denoting it as an abomination (it was meant to house staff) exceptional running costs over 100 pounds a week to clean which was more than the rent on most office buildings including cleaning and acoustic issues later

thought to relate to the dome itself.

Not to be deterred the install of the organ – this was no ordinary or grande organ it remains a masterpiece to this day.

Claimed to be the finest of its kind in the Commonwealth it was installed at a cost of 30 thousand pounds in 1929, required special flooring, contained over 5000 pipes and is electrically controlled. Having the latest devices including a peel of chimes. (an impressive piece of work to this day)

by 1941, however, the Council had outgrown its impressive home with more than the expected 100 staffers required to run the operations of the Council chambers. (1700 staff in 1941)
in 1950 the staff ball was held with 700 guests entering the 1200 point candle canopy.
Many balls and grande festivities were held here.

Social Ballroom dances are still held here on a weekly basis on Monday mornings (holidays excepted)
Square dancing held on Tuesday mornings.

The restoration of this building in recent years was also the cause of outcry.

With the emergence of the dance fraternity, suitable venues were well patronised:
Popular Queensland Dance Venues

Like so many treasures, as time goes by, photos fade as do memories, so whatever treasures you have, from whatever era, in whatever condition, please don’t let them be lost. You are the story of Australian Dance History.