Knowledge (XXG)

Cairns Customs House

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202: 324: 230: 31: 339:, the customs reserve became the property of the Australian Government, and was occupied by the Department of Trade & Customs. In 1905 it was subdivided into three allotments, two being revested with the state government. Allotment 2, with frontages to the Esplanade and Abbott Street, became customs reserve R.293. This site contained the 1889 customs house and a bond store (1876 customs house). The latter was extended in the early part of the twentieth century. 237: 209: 702: 446:
Internally the ground floor contains the Long Room and four offices, with the upper floor being residential accommodation of seven principal rooms. All the rooms on both levels open out onto verandahs and balconies. The building contains most of its original finishes and fittings. The Long Room has a
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The former Cairns Customs House is important in demonstrating the evolution and pattern of Cairns' history, the site being associated with the earliest European settlement of the Trinity Bay area and with the development of Cairns as the principal port in far northern Queensland. The present
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The building was erected on the same Abbott Street site as the preceding customs house, which was relocated to the backyard to provide temporary office accommodation while the new building was being constructed. The 1889 building was removed/demolished at a later date.
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of Commonwealth Public Works, Queensland, in 1936. The ground floor contained offices, and the upper floor provided residential accommodation for the sub-collector of customs. It was constructed in 1936-37 by local building contractors Watkins & Deal, at a cost of
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The customs reserve at Cairns was the first land surveyed after proclamation of the port of Cairns on 1 November 1876. The reserve of just over 1.2 hectares (3.0 acres) included the whole of the land bounded by Abbott, Spence and Wharf Streets and the Esplanade.
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The present Customs House was constructed on the site during the large-scale interwar redevelopment of Cairns, in which the city centre was virtually rebuilt. This building boom was in part a consequence of severe cyclone damage suffered by the city in
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The former customs reserve occupies a 2,656 square metre site at the southern end of the city centre, with frontages to Abbott Street (the principal commercial axis) and the Esplanade. The main building of The Reef Hotel Casino is built around it.
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In 1889 a new, single-storeyed timber building with a frontage to Abbott Street replaced the first customs house, which was converted to a bond store. In the same year the site was proclaimed a permanent reserve for customs purposes.
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Designed to complement the former Customs House, the former Bond Store is a single-storeyed rendered cavity brick building, with a suspended concrete slab floor and a terracotta tiled roof. The interior has been renovated.
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The site and buildings are valued for social and historic reasons by the Cairns community, as part of an historic government precinct which includes the adjacent Anzac Memorial Park and reserve R.886.
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Plans for a new bond store on the site were prepared in mid-1939. The first customs house/bond store appears to have been removed to accommodate the new building, which was erected by 1941.
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In 1970 the first floor residence in the customs house was vacated to accommodate increased office staff, and in 1989 the customs department removed to a new building in Aplin Street.
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In 1992, the Queensland Government called for submissions to build and operate a casino in Cairns on the site. The Cairns Customs House became part of the development of
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in 1924. Cairns became the northern terminus of the coastal railway, and functioned as a service town for sugar, mining, maize, dairying, timber and fruit growing.
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An inter-war two-storeyed rendered cavity brick building, with hipped terracotta tiled roof. The building is square in plan with a projecting entrance
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The former Cairns Customs House is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of an interwar custom house employing classical motifs.
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The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons.
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through the Public Works branch of the Department of the Interior, largely as an employment-generating initiative during the
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The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places.
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to Abbott Street is decorated with moulded details that are classically derived including double height
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buildings were associated with the administration of customs operations at Cairns for over 50 years.
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The grounds contain a number of mature shade trees and the site also includes garages and
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The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history.
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By July 1877 the first customs buildings were completed at what was then known as
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Plans for a two-storeyed masonry customs building were prepared by architect
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By the late 1930s, Cairns had become the third largest port in Queensland.
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on 8 October 2014). The geo-coordinates were originally computed from the
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where it now operates as a Cafe China Noodle Bar, a Chinese restaurant.
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and built from 1936 to 1937 by Watkins & Deal. It was added to the
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and pilasters. All the joinery throughout the building is silky oak.
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The former Cairns Customs House was erected in 1936-37 by the
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on 21 October 1992 having satisfied the following criteria.
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customs house, shed/s, trees/plantings, garage, store – bond
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Between 1986 and 1991 the bond store was occupied by the
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This Knowledge (XXG) article was originally based on
178: 170: 162: 154: 146: 138: 130: 121: 109: 101: 64: 40: 23: 482:The former Cairns Customs House was listed on the 572:"Cairns Customs House (former) (entry 600377)" 305:. It was the third customs house on the site. 216:Location of Cairns Customs House in Queensland 320:and the sub-collector of customs' residence. 8: 236: 208: 265:and now restaurant at 6A–8A Abbott Street, 35:Cairns Customs House, now Cafe China, 2015 29: 20: 16:Historic building in Queensland, Australia 677:"Queensland heritage register boundaries" 688:licence (accessed on 5 September 2014, 520: 566: 564: 562: 560: 558: 556: 554: 552: 550: 548: 546: 544: 542: 540: 538: 536: 534: 532: 530: 528: 526: 524: 177: 169: 161: 153: 145: 137: 129: 120: 7: 732:Government buildings in Queensland 727:Buildings and structures in Cairns 670:licence (accessed on 7 July 2014, 659:"The Queensland heritage register" 14: 700: 651: 281:, Australia. It was designed by 244:Cairns Customs House (Australia) 235: 228: 207: 200: 327:Cairns Custom House, circa 1905 423:Former Customs House (1936–37) 1: 580:. Queensland Heritage Council 456: 134:Cairns Customs House (former) 722:Queensland Heritage Register 577:Queensland Heritage Register 484:Queensland Heritage Register 287:Queensland Heritage Register 261:is a heritage-listed former 124:Queensland Heritage Register 105:1919–1930s (interwar period) 447:decorative moulded plaster 753: 359:, and the opening of the 353:Soldier Settlement Scheme 194: 190: 186: 117: 28: 737:Cairns City, Queensland 625:"Cafè China Noodle Bar" 600:"The Reef Casino Trust" 337:Federation of Australia 328: 219:Show map of Queensland 171:Significant components 142:state heritage (built) 709:at Wikimedia Commons 692:on 15 October 2014). 629:The Reef Hotel Casino 604:The Reef Hotel Casino 408:The Reef Hotel Casino 397:Queensland Government 361:North Coast rail link 326: 299:Australian Government 247:Show map of Australia 44:6A–8A Abbott Street, 707:Cairns Customs House 289:on 21 October 1992. 259:Cairns Customs House 86:16.9235°S 145.7791°E 24:Cairns Customs House 682:State of Queensland 664:State of Queensland 455:Former Bond Store ( 363:between Cairns and 82: /  375:Robert Henry Bowen 357:Atherton Tableland 329: 283:Robert Henry Bowen 182:Watkins & Deal 163:Significant period 155:Reference no. 91:-16.9235; 145.7791 705:Media related to 680:published by the 662:published by the 256: 255: 744: 704: 655: 640: 639: 637: 635: 621: 615: 614: 612: 610: 596: 590: 589: 587: 585: 568: 478:Heritage listing 461: 458: 303:Great Depression 248: 239: 238: 232: 220: 211: 210: 204: 97: 96: 94: 93: 92: 87: 83: 80: 79: 78: 75: 33: 21: 752: 751: 747: 746: 745: 743: 742: 741: 712: 711: 698: 649: 644: 643: 633: 631: 623: 622: 618: 608: 606: 598: 597: 593: 583: 581: 570: 569: 522: 517: 480: 464: 459: 435:. The entrance 425: 416: 335:As part of the 295: 252: 251: 250: 249: 246: 245: 242: 241: 240: 223: 222: 221: 218: 217: 214: 213: 212: 150:21 October 1992 126: 90: 88: 84: 81: 76: 73: 71: 69: 68: 36: 17: 12: 11: 5: 750: 748: 740: 739: 734: 729: 724: 714: 713: 697: 696:External links 694: 648: 645: 642: 641: 616: 591: 519: 518: 516: 513: 479: 476: 463: 453: 424: 421: 415: 412: 294: 291: 254: 253: 243: 234: 233: 227: 226: 225: 224: 215: 206: 205: 199: 198: 197: 196: 195: 192: 191: 188: 187: 184: 183: 180: 176: 175: 172: 168: 167: 164: 160: 159: 156: 152: 151: 148: 144: 143: 140: 136: 135: 132: 128: 127: 122: 119: 118: 115: 114: 111: 107: 106: 103: 99: 98: 66: 62: 61: 42: 38: 37: 34: 26: 25: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 749: 738: 735: 733: 730: 728: 725: 723: 720: 719: 717: 710: 708: 703: 695: 693: 691: 687: 683: 679: 678: 673: 669: 665: 661: 660: 654: 646: 630: 626: 620: 617: 605: 601: 595: 592: 579: 578: 573: 567: 565: 563: 561: 559: 557: 555: 553: 551: 549: 547: 545: 543: 541: 539: 537: 535: 533: 531: 529: 527: 525: 521: 514: 512: 509: 508: 504: 501: 500: 496: 492: 491: 487: 485: 477: 475: 473: 468: 454: 452: 450: 444: 442: 438: 434: 430: 422: 420: 413: 411: 409: 404: 402: 398: 393: 390: 387: 383: 381: 376: 371: 368: 366: 362: 358: 354: 350: 346: 340: 338: 333: 325: 321: 319: 315: 310: 306: 304: 300: 292: 290: 288: 284: 280: 276: 275:Cairns Region 272: 268: 264: 263:customs house 260: 231: 203: 193: 189: 185: 181: 173: 165: 157: 149: 141: 133: 131:Official name 125: 116: 112: 108: 104: 102:Design period 100: 95: 67: 63: 59: 55: 54:Cairns Region 51: 47: 43: 39: 32: 27: 22: 19: 699: 686:CC-BY 3.0 AU 676: 668:CC-BY 3.0 AU 658: 650: 632:. Retrieved 628: 619: 607:. Retrieved 603: 594: 582:. Retrieved 575: 510: 506: 505: 502: 498: 497: 493: 489: 488: 481: 469: 465: 445: 426: 417: 405: 394: 391: 388: 384: 372: 369: 341: 334: 330: 311: 307: 296: 258: 257: 166:1930s, 1940s 18: 647:Attribution 460: 1940 414:Description 314:Trinity Bay 267:Cairns City 89: / 77:145°46′45″E 65:Coordinates 60:, Australia 46:Cairns City 716:Categories 515:References 318:bond store 279:Queensland 147:Designated 74:16°55′25″S 58:Queensland 441:pilasters 403:in 1987. 113:1936–1937 690:archived 672:archived 609:11 April 584:1 August 365:Brisbane 179:Builders 41:Location 449:cornice 433:balcony 429:portico 401:Suncorp 382:8,500. 355:to the 293:History 684:under 666:under 634:20 May 437:facade 271:Cairns 158:600377 50:Cairns 472:sheds 110:Built 636:2017 611:2015 586:2014 431:and 349:1927 347:and 345:1920 139:Type 718:: 627:. 602:. 574:. 523:^ 474:. 457:c. 277:, 273:, 269:, 56:, 52:, 48:, 638:. 613:. 588:. 462:) 380:£

Index


Cairns City
Cairns
Cairns Region
Queensland
16°55′25″S 145°46′45″E / 16.9235°S 145.7791°E / -16.9235; 145.7791
Queensland Heritage Register
Cairns Customs House is located in Queensland
Cairns Customs House is located in Australia
customs house
Cairns City
Cairns
Cairns Region
Queensland
Robert Henry Bowen
Queensland Heritage Register
Australian Government
Great Depression
Trinity Bay
bond store

Federation of Australia
1920
1927
Soldier Settlement Scheme
Atherton Tableland
North Coast rail link
Brisbane
Robert Henry Bowen
£

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