The Blakeney family owned two substantial houses in Highgate Hill located on huge blocks of land. Unfortunately neither have survived but memories of the family linger on as street names.
Places
Of Tobacconists, Brewers and Other Things
A house in Franklin Street, Highgate Hill, has connections to France, the gold rush in Victoria, an early Brisbane tobacconist, a Brisbane brewery and philanthropic women. Find out about a remnant of the long forgotten brewery.
Gloucester Street Railway Station
For about 90 years, Highgate hill had its own railway station at Gloucester Street but it was out of the way and never heavily patronised.
Toonarbin
Stately Toonarbin built in the 1860s is one of the district's oldest houses and predates the creation of Dornoch Terrace on which it now stands.
Torbreck
Since the early 1960s, the Torbreck apartment building on Highgate Hill has been a Brisbane landmark. It stands on the site of a colonial era house of the same name.
The Tamarind Trees of Dornoch Terrace
Dornoch Terrace is lined with productive tamarind trees. Their history dates back to the 1850s.
The Dornoch Terrace Bridge
The original bridge on Dornoch Terrace passing over Boundary Street was built in the 1880s. The current bridge was the first stage of a river crossing that was never built.
Highgate Hill Park
Since 1903, the little park on the peak of Highgate Hill has been a popular spot for Brisbane residents. It has seen famous visitors and has been proposed for various memorials.
John Sankey and Sankey Street
Sankey Street is one of the steepest in Brisbane and is named after a Sergeant-Major with links to early Queensland military history. A house on the corner has an interesting history.
Westbourne St. 1930s Architecture
Westbourne Street in Highgate Hill illustrates how the break up of large estates in the first half of the twentieth century resulted in new architectural styles being explored.
