Post Code: 4103 Distance to CBD: 5 km
Annerly is an inner residential suburb of Brisbane. The town is said to be named after Annerley, a town in Surrey, England. The suburb is situated on a ridge that provides a view of the city and a cool breeze. The houses are a conglomerate of post-war cottages, Queenslanders and modern single-detached units and townhouses. The suburb is very popular for medical professionals due to its proximity to the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Woolloongabba.
Ipswich Road cuts through the center of the suburb. The road connects the Story Bridge to the west and Ipswich City. There are cafes and restaurants along Ipswich Road. At the center of the suburb is the Annerley Junction, where the Annerley Road (formerly Boggo Road) and Ipswich Road intersect. The junction was once a thriving commercial area but had shown a decline over the years.
The growth of the junction area as a shopping centre started in 1866, when a hotel named the Junction was built in there. It was soon followed by the establishment of various shops. In the 1880’s, the place started to become a township when the settlements replaced the dairy farms. Urbanization came later when the railway was established in 1884. However, it was the extension of the electric tram service in 1899 that transformed the suburb from a rural area into a residential area. In the 1920’s, the Queensland Government Workers’ Home Scheme and war service loans brought a housing boom in the suburb. It resulted in a neighborhood of Queenslander houses constructed from timber.
Annerley Top Landmark:
o The Annerley Army Reserve Depot (Drill Hall)
The drill halls were constructed in 1914 and 1954 and it was designed by the Office of the Government Architect, an agency of the Department of Public Works. It used to be a camp for the local militia that was organized in the defense of Queensland. Soon after, it became a regular training camp for Queensland Volunteer Force. When Australia became a commonwealth in 1901, the government took control of the defense that used to be the local communities’ responsibility. A series of laws were enacted for a compulsory regular military training of its young male citizens, aging 12 to 20. The Department of Army responded by providing the necessary facilities for the compulsory militia. In the 19th century, drill halls were constructed in Brisbane. The original drill hall is built in 1914 and it is still intact. During the Second World War, the site became an encampment of Australian and American Forces. In 1947, other detached buildings were added including a kitchen, latrines and showers, storage, and an officers’ mess hall. The second drill hall was built in 1954 during the Cold War. In 1964, a mezzanie floor was added in the drill hall. The added floor serves as offices, a small theatre, lecture room and a mess hall for non-commissioned officers.
The Annerly Army Reserve Depot is a historical building and it preserves the military tradition of the state. The two main buildings also provide a rare view of its construction that was based on efficiency and cost.