Just put simply, Australia does heritage very stupidly by the fact they let the excuse of ‘heritage’ for completely half-arseing major infrastructure projects (like Shorncliffe line duplication, Bendigo line singling, etc.), but the actual heritage places that are worth experiencing (like McWirthers, The Mansions 1889, etc.) are nothing short of neglected).
I don’t see McWirthers getting any upgrades anytime soon unfortunately, which is such a shame for what would otherwise be a well connected area served by trains and CityGlider buses.
The situation is fraught because of the personalities involved and the titling arrangements. If either or both those were different these 2 blocks would be a lot less derelict.
I think Garden City/Chermside/Indooropilly/Carindale/Victoria Point/Wynnum bus stations do as they’re all centers with bus hubs adjacent. Another location is Middle Street Cleveland with the restaurants.
The only anomaly off the top of my head is Capalaba as the bus interchange (and p&r is between two centers and isn’t exactly right outside either.
McWhirters is an interesting (and slightly infuriating) case. It really is a building of two halves - the lower levels retail and upper levels residential.
The body corporate of the residential levels appear to be quite good, as far as I can tell as an outsider. I know they did a pretty nice renovation of their main Warner Street residential foyer space a few years back, said to be worth $50,000, and they have been undertaking other various repair and maintenance works over the past few years, including applying for and receiving a $50,000 Government grant towards the facade restoration of the earliest 1902 facade (the twin gabled section facing Warner Street).
The body corporate of McWhirters Retail, on the other hand, is there the issues are. As with the residential spaces, the retail spaces are strata titled and all individually owned, with the retail spaces much less valuable than the apartments. That means that they receive and have much less money to spend on even general maintenance, and they seem to have less of an appreciation of the building’s heritage as seen in the escalator debacle.
The retail body corporate decided that they were going to rip out the non-functioning escalator from the main entrance of the building, without getting proper approval to do so. That escalator was one of the original ones installed in the building in 1951, making it one of the oldest ones left in Brisbane. Some of the residential owners were so concerned about the heritage implications of the removal of the escalator, that they badgered the heritage authorities who eventually had the removal stopped (hence why it is still half disassembled).
Unfortunately, the part of the building we the public experience is that which the retail body corporate appears largely incapable of maintaining.
Opening the door to Brisbane and creating a lively inner-city hub is the focus of the Roma Street Precinct. Since 1875, Roma Street Station has been Brisbane’s central transport hub, welcoming residents and visitors from across Queensland, Australia and the globe.
Our planning will revitalise this gateway to the city. We are excited about the opportunity to revolutionise the arrival experience in Brisbane to make it something visitors and commuters will remember long after they have returned home.
Connecting existing community hubs is central to our vision for Roma Street. The new precinct is proposed to feature uses including residential, entertainment, hotels, education and technology.
CRR has recently commenced testing & commissioning of the tunnel ventilation system fans - CRL (Auckland), which is now very close to opening [likely late Aug/early Sept], started this process in August, 2024.
I thought TMR stopped with the Italics station names as well?
Unless they’ve literally just changed the giant TL logo to a new lightbox and added the train icon onto it
iPhone Photo 14.07.2026
iPhone Photo 14.07.2026
iPhone Photo 14.07.2026
