Queensland Cultural Centre - History

History

The Queensland Cultural Centre is situated on the site of one of Queensland's historical theatres, the Cremorne. Originally an open-air structure with seating for about 1,800, the Cremorne Theatre was located on Stanley Street, South Brisbane, between Peel and Melbourne Streets, close to the point where the Victoria Bridge crossed the Brisbane River from the city and on the site where the QAG now stands.

By mid-1952, the building had been converted for use as offices and storage facilities for film distribution companies. It burnt down in 1954 and was never rebuilt. The present Cremorne Theatre, in the QPAC building, was named in honour of the historic Cremorne Theatre. During 1972, a decision to build a new Queensland Art Gallery on its present location at South Bank was made by the Queensland Government. Later, during 1974, the government decided to extend this idea to a Queensland Cultural Centre which included the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, the State Library of Queensland and the Queensland Museum, as well as the Queensland Art Gallery, so that all of these institutions would be in proximity to each other, as well as being within easy reach of the Brisbane Central Business District.