The Kelvin Grove Urban Village is an urban village and university precinct in Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia that was developed after the closure of the Australian Army's Gona Barracks.
The Kelvin Grove Urban Village is an urban village and university precinct in Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia that was developed after the closure of the Australian Army's Gona Barracks.
The Queensland Department of Housing purchased the Gona Barracks site in 2000 looking for opportunities to develop affordable housing either on the site or funded from the redevelopment of the site. Queensland University of Technology operated its Kelvin Grove campus (formerly the campus of the Brisbane College of Advanced Education and other predecessor institutions) on an adjacent site and desired to expand their campus. Brisbane City Council which controlled adjacent parkland wanted to develop a Local Area Plan that would maximise opportunities for such a large site so close to the Brisbane CBD. Difficulties associated with any redevelopment included the heritage values of the Gona Barracks site (it was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register in 2005), [1] steep slopes and contaminated land. [2]
A heritage assessment of the Gona Barracks site determined that it was the buildings of the upper barracks around the parade ground that, as a group, were of a greatest significance rather than individual buildings. A partnership between the Queensland Department of Housing, Brisbane City Council and the Queensland University of Technology was formed to develop a mixed-use urban village precinct using the Gona Barracks site and adjacent land. The university built its Creative Industries precinct re-using Gona Barracks buildings and introducing new buildings, sited to reinforce the rectangular form of the Gona barracks parade ground. The re-development won major planning and design awards from the Urban Development Institute of Australia. [3]
Following $23,000,000 on construction of infrastructure, the Kelvin Grove Urban Village was officially opened by Queensland Premier Peter Beattie on Monday 24 November 2003. [4]
Unlike most Australian university campuses that comprise a large site for the sole use of the university, the Kelvin Grove Urban Village contains a mix of university buildings (some purpose-built by the university and other buildings leased by the university), apartment blocks, and retail shops. [4] The precinct promotes itself as a hub for creative practice, as it incorporates the QUT Creative Industry Faculty and the Queensland Academy for Creative Industries (a selective senior high school for students wishing to specialise in arts and entertainment).
The university-owned Roundhouse Theatre is used for both educational and commercial purposes. It is Australia's only purpose-built theatre-in-the-round built in 2004 to replace the La Boite Theatre Building (a smaller purpose-built theatre-in-the-round that was no longer commercially viable to operate as a theatre). The Roundhouse Theatre can seat 400 people for central staging (audience on four sides) or 340 people for thrust stage (audience on three sides). [5] The La Boite Theatre Company (Queensland's 2nd largest theatre company) perform at the Roundhouse Theatre. [6]
The Queensland University of Technology (QUT) is a public research university located in the coastal city of Brisbane in Queensland, Australia. It has two major campuses, a modern city campus in Gardens Point and a historical campus in Kelvin Grove. The university offers courses in fields including architecture, engineering, information technology, healthcare, teaching, law, arts and design, science and mathematics.
Fortitude Valley is an inner suburb of the City of Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Fortitude Valley had a population of 9,708 people. The suburb features two pedestrian malls at Brunswick Street Mall and Chinatown, and is one of the hubs of Brisbane's nightlife, renowned for its nightclubs, bars and adult entertainment.
Herston is an inner suburb of the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Herston had a population of 2,311 people.
Bowen Hills is an inner north-eastern suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Bowen Hills had a population of 4,898 people.
Dutton Park is an inner southern suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Dutton Park had a population of 2,134 people.
Kelvin Grove is an inner northern suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Kelvin Grove had a population of 7,909 people.
The culture of Brisbane derives from Australian culture and incorporates a strong history in the performing arts, music and sport.
Brisbane City is the central suburb and central business district of Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia. It is also colloquially referred to as the "Brisbane CBD", "the city", or simply "town". The CBD is located on a point on the northern bank of the Brisbane River, historically known as Meanjin, Mianjin or Meeanjin in the local Yuggera dialect. The triangular-shaped peninsula is bounded by the median of the Brisbane River to the east, south and west. The point, known at its tip as Gardens Point, slopes upward to the north-west where the city is bounded by parkland and the inner city suburb of Spring Hill to the north. The CBD is bounded to the north-east by the suburb of Fortitude Valley. To the west the CBD is bounded by Milton, Petrie Terrace, and Kelvin Grove.
Petrie Terrace is an inner suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Petrie Terrace had a population of 1,168 people.
Paddington is an inner suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Paddington had a population of 9,063 people.
Newmarket is a north-west suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Newmarket had a population of 5,083 people.
Red Hill is an inner northern suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Red Hill had a population of 5,834 people.
George Street is a major street located in the Brisbane CBD in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
The Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI) was an Australian collaborative medical research institute established in 2000 and based at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in Brisbane, Queensland. While the bulk of the institute was located at a purpose-built facility on the Kelvin Grove campus of QUT, a number of projects were conducted at sites across the two main QUT campuses and at multi-partner research institutes adjoining major hospitals. Research was also conducted at IHBI's Medical Engineering Research Facility (MERF), in the grounds of the Prince Charles Hospital.
Coopers Plains is a southern suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Coopers Plains had a population of 5,675 people.
La Boite Theatre, founded as the Brisbane Repertory Theatre Society, is an Australian theatre company based in Brisbane, Queensland. La Boite was established in 1925 and is Australia’s longest continuously running theatre company.
La Boite Theatre Building is a heritage-listed former theatre at 69 Hale Street, Petrie Terrace, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Blair Wilson and built in 1972. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 30 January 2004.
Gona Barracks is a heritage-listed barracks at 3, 7, 12, 25 & 26 Gona Parade, Kelvin Grove, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was built from c. 1914 to 1960s. It is also known as Kelvin Grove Military Reserve and Kelvin Grove Training Area. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 7 February 2005.
The Roundhouse Theatre is a theatre-in-the-round located in the Kelvin Grove Urban Village, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is Australia's only purpose-built theatre in the round. The building is owned by Queensland University of Technology and used by the La Boite Theatre Company.
TAFE Hall of Residence is a heritage-listed disused residential college at 95–107 Musk Avenue, Kelvin Grove, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by John Dalton and built from 1976 to 1978. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 25 February 2004.