The GREAT FIRE of BRISBANE - The Complete Story

Рет қаралды 16,501

Күн бұрын

There were three fires that beset Brisbane in 1864, with the third one being the most destructive. In this documentary I'll visit the actual place where the fire began and follow its path of destruction.
#brisbane #queenstreetmall #brisbanehistory

Пікірлер: 179

@garylydement5020 8 ай бұрын

We had some great fires in our back yard when I was a kid, Dad loved the incinerator... Flames shooting up into the sky🔥🔥🔥🔥

@shellebelle53 8 ай бұрын

We had an incinerator at home too. I remember pulling apart cardboard boxes to burn and having a massive huntsman jump on me 😂

@DirtySlapper99 8 ай бұрын

😂 they'd try and jail him these days

@bondy284 7 ай бұрын

Ahh the incinerator.....Great memories from the 1970’s as a young fella.

@servantofgod5642 7 ай бұрын

Yay incinerators ! Ours were always old 44 gallon drums with the top chopped off. Best of all with cardboard boxes was drawing windows and doors and pretending it was a house. Oh yeah and drop an Eveready battery in and wait for the KafrigginBOOOM!.

@davidhoward4715 7 ай бұрын

@@DirtySlapper99 Rightly so. Have you seen a house burn to the ground? It's not a pretty sight.

@thesauce1219 8 ай бұрын

Mt Coot-tha would make for an interesting video. The Botanic gardens, the Quarry, Slaughter falls, the old Freers chips factory, the TV stations, the summit restaurant, the old gold mine, and the cool old building at Stuartholme school. Then not far to the Toowong Cemetary... Epic!

@watt0455 7 ай бұрын

Yes please!

@geoffreyfox60 7 ай бұрын

Thank you Sharon for your help with the history of the great fire. Well done Mr Rob for finding Sharon, great show ❤😂🎉😢😮😅😊

@DJTHORR.. 20 сағат бұрын

Great video thank you very much i love living in Brisbane the architecture has so much character specially all the older buildings

@becsterbrisbane6275 8 ай бұрын

Amazing how we walk through here every day to work and take it for granted- thanks for the history lesson, Rob!

@walkaboutwithrob 7 ай бұрын

You're welcome! Thanks for watching.

@BradGryphonn 8 ай бұрын

I remember the York. It had a basement bar as well. Flashback to the late 70s. I worked for a clothes manufacturing company down the bottom end of Albert Street, opposite the carpark. It was a three-storey, timber and iron building. The top floor was the sewing room, the second was cloth storage, and the first were the offices. I was told by long-term employees that their original factory was in Queen Street. When the owner bought the building in Albert Street, rather than have a removals company move all the equipment, he had his employees move the sewing machines, Roneo copiers, cloth, and all their stock to the new site on wooden trolleys that were used to move the cloth around. He used to park his Rolls Royce out the front of his ancient factory. We supplied businesses such as Sportsgirl and all those other fashion shops in Brisbane. The site is now an apartment block. I also got to see Dr Hook at Her Majesty's before it got demolished.

@walkaboutwithrob 8 ай бұрын

You really should write your memories of growing up in Brisbane and publish it. You've seen a lot!

@BradGryphonn 8 ай бұрын

@walkaboutwithrob I've ordered a vouce recorder because I want to tell my life story to my kids. I don't often think I've done much, but compared to my peers, I've seen and experienced a far bit of not only Brissie, but many other places in Queensland. And I'm still relatively young at 60.

@jesusislukeskywalker4294 8 ай бұрын

@@BradGryphonndo it bro 🤠

@UsualmikeTelevision 7 ай бұрын

Great video Rob. The story of the great fire of Brisbane should be made into a film some day!

@DaniPitchford 7 ай бұрын

Cheers to you both indeed. Loving people like you, keeping history alive. Thankyou :D

@peterhay8961 8 ай бұрын

3 cheers for Sharon. She added a lot to your already cool videos.

@walkaboutwithrob 8 ай бұрын

Totally agree!

@sandramackin9817 8 ай бұрын

Never knew such a fire was in that area. How many walk around Queen St Mall and not know about the fire. Fascinating ...

@walkaboutwithrob 8 ай бұрын

Most people have never heard of it. I read about it years ago but didn't know the details.

@sandramackin9817 8 ай бұрын

@@walkaboutwithrob thanks for enlightening us and about that book too.

@Enthusiastic-Trainspotter-BNE 8 ай бұрын

@@walkaboutwithrobthis is only the second time ever (I think) that I actually have heard of this, the first was in another of your videos.

@QIKUGAMES-QIKU 8 ай бұрын

@@walkaboutwithrobdo you realise what you stand on top of ? Have you gone into the tunnels of the City ? If you have you would understand.. I dont mind showing you myself...Just stop denying it and open your mind... THERE ONCE WERE GIANTS ✝️

@QIKUGAMES-QIKU 8 ай бұрын

The best people to talk to are the tradesmen and maintenance workers that people ignore. 😅

@ozziecozzie274 6 ай бұрын

Hey Rob, been loving your work and like yourself, I'm an immigrant from Sydney but this year marks my 40th anniversary as a Qlder. My family moved to Toowoomba in 1984 and in later years, owned the oldest service station in Toowoomba. So if you want heaps of Darling Downs history, Toowoomba and Drayton are the places to go mate!

@walkaboutwithrob 6 ай бұрын

Yes I'm very keen to cover Toowoomba some time in 2024. What part of Sydney were you from?

@ozziecozzie274 6 ай бұрын

@@walkaboutwithrob Born in Marrickville 1972 (at the Bethesda Salvation Army Hospital - love to know more about it's history if you happen to know), lived in Petersham until about 1980, then Berala out in the Burbs (well it was back then). Dad had decided that NSW was not a good place to keep living under the "Nifty Nev" government and thus his dream of moving his family to Paradise was born. We made it by 1984 and arrived in Toowoomba. It was so NOT the image of Paradise that a 12yr old city girl had Dad!!!! Anyway you learn to appreciate things more as you get older don't you?? Toowoomba is a really beautiful city. Which is why I have lived on the Gold Coast for 30+ years.

@connord6194 8 ай бұрын

Woohoo! Love these videos, Rob!

@NathanMorris22 8 ай бұрын

Thanks Rob another interesting video love the history!

@walkaboutwithrob 8 ай бұрын

Thank you!

@chaseadams5037 8 ай бұрын

I'd love to see Rob do a show on the Northgate/Nundah area👍

@KimAllenAnima-Saurus 8 ай бұрын

Fasinating history. Love your vid's, Rob. Learning heaps on Brissy history.

@mikeyhau 8 ай бұрын

No fire brigade? I would love it if you were to do a history of Brisbane's early fire brigades and the locations of the stations.

@hcaes 8 ай бұрын

or one big video of all emergency services locations and history

@Enthusiastic-Trainspotter-BNE 8 ай бұрын

So that UniQlo place you mentioned is a Japanese clothes business that mum & I both have been to purchase some pretty decent quality clothing, would definitely recommend. And thank you heaps for yet another lovely walkabout video that had plenty of information to learn about that i previously was unaware of having been here ny whole life. Extra thanks for having Sharon along with you, it made it great to hear some of the perspectives of a different person - keep on going woth the solid work, and I look forward to your next walkabout video!¡! 🎉🎉

@WHDRWN 8 ай бұрын

Uniqlo is a disposable fast fashion company

@Enthusiastic-Trainspotter-BNE 8 ай бұрын

@@WHDRWN I disagree, I do have clothes from them now that have lasted many years. Your comment is definitely your opinion, so you can think whatever you want to - I was just answering a question in the video.

@WHDRWN 7 ай бұрын

oh no that's their reputation, google is your friend. have a nice day.@@Enthusiastic-Trainspotter-BNE

@davidhoward4715 7 ай бұрын

I could spend (have spent) hours looking at old maps and photos of Brisbane and comparing them with today. Your videos save me the effort of recording my walkabouts.

@94vrcommodore 7 ай бұрын

Good history. I’ll be buying that book

@elephantgiftstore 8 ай бұрын

Thanks Rob, I knew about the big fire but not all the details. This must have been a Sunday morning going by the lack of people.

@shellebelle53 8 ай бұрын

Wow, I never knew about the fire. How cool to have a guest with you 😊

@walkaboutwithrob 8 ай бұрын

It was fun to have an accomplice!

@shellebelle53 8 ай бұрын

@walkaboutwithrob 😁 accomplice is a good description... I like that 😊

@sheilahapted1568 8 ай бұрын

One more great doco Rob, do Luv the intricate details within your info. I used to work in the 'Old Myer Store' '75-78'. Most Friday lunches were had at th 'Carlton Lounge', a Shandy and a Chicken breast/salad sandwich, with butter and salad dressing, before the Mall and when 'Rock n Roll Bob' was riding up and down Queen St in his 'Old Holden' beautifully restored. Those were the days 😊.

@Bundydream 3 ай бұрын

Don’t you mean rock and roll George?

@grouchogroucho7743 7 ай бұрын

Great video. I would like to see you interview her in more detail for a (say) 10 minute video somewhere quiet. Keep up the great work.

@purejoy58 7 ай бұрын

Love your videos Rob, have you considered doing one on the Daisy Hill, Springwood, Rochedale South and Cornubia 😊

@SlimjimMK11 8 ай бұрын

A lot of famous early pioneers names on the list there.. I thought it was a great idea to introduce protection for the facades of the old historic buildings.. WOW!!!... That goes back a few years for me.. Thanks for the interesting and well researched videos and with the woman who had the knowledge to GUIDE YOU on this one.. LOL

@CowboyJojosAdventures 7 ай бұрын

Imagine the blood and the stench of internal organs on the street by the butcher. Thank you Rob an informative video and enjoyed coming along with you on this walk in Brisbane. ❤👍🏽

@jamesru1 8 ай бұрын

I done heaps of work in the bank of NSW building for about 6 months in 2017-2018 we had digger and all in there and a makeshift floor over the marble because we couldn't damage it wish I still had all the photos of inside in the actual bank area and basement and the safes before alot got gutted

@duncaninglis5407 8 ай бұрын

Another great show mate cheers

@shirvojones 7 ай бұрын

Thank you Rob and Sharyn, interesting stuff.

@leonarddarker2798 8 ай бұрын

Another great video Rob.

@ngairemartin9753 Ай бұрын

Terrific mate! You rock

@ConnorsComedyClipsOffical 7 ай бұрын

Love the effort you put into your content

@sandybarrie5526 2 ай бұрын

you mentioned Beak House, corner of Albert & Queen Sts. I worked in Ranald Simmonds Studio there for over 10 years and with the studio when it mover to under the Irish Club. i can say that the inside of Beak House, does not match the outside. the window sills of the first floor, you have to stand on a chair to reach, while the top floor the windowsills were at shin height. and there was small mesanine floor inbetween the main hallway entrance and the first flor. records say that it was built in 1898, bit I firmly believe that it was just Re-built in 1898. and am sure the building itself was a lot earlier. there were still Gas light fitting in the studio even n the 1970's (I have one of them) and my job first thing int the morning was to open the main doo on the ground floor and run up all the stairs to the door to the roof and open it to let all the gas out. no one could find where the gas lines went into the building and the led pipes were all cracking and leaking. it had a Gian glass wal day light studio lighting which was facing the lane way behind. and I believe it was rebuilt as a daylight photo studio from an older building. Henry Ranald Simmonds started his studio there in 1928, and before him was Mason, and in the early 1900's was Ada Drivers studio. (have a few of he Lenses)

@walkaboutwithrob 2 ай бұрын

Heavens, quite a lot of history in your comment. I hope you will record your memories and donate them to a local history archive.

@sandybarrie5526 2 ай бұрын

@@walkaboutwithrob one thing about Beak House you dont see today, it is has a deep basement. there was a nightclub in there once.

@sandybarrie5526 2 ай бұрын

@@walkaboutwithrob also one of the very funny incidents in Beak House, because of the gas, Mrs Simmonds would sack on the spot any of the girls working in the framing section (that was in the larger room over the studio) where the Jewellery sellers are now. and one day the girls were smoking out on the top of the wooden fire escape, and heard mrs Simmonds coming up the stairs. and they threw their cigs down, and they fell into the dry rotted runs on the studios level landing, and started a fire. I was about to go out to lunch, and i smelt smoke. i went to look out the studio door to the fire escape, and saw small flames, i shouted to Paul Simmonds about the fire. the only water available was on the top floor (there were toilets on the roof), so I ran upstairs, grabbed a bucked, and filled it, ran to the back top door, and threw it out and almost doused the fire, second bucket put it out. in the mean time paul did his best chicken little impersonation, and grabbed a bucket and ran into the dark room scooped the bucked though the fixer bath, scooping up some of the days pas port photos i printed and ran out throwing there every where. and then the fire brigade arrived. (the people in the T&G building across had phoned). the funny part is, because it was a heritage listed building, they could only replace the runs that had completely burnt through. those badly cahred had to stay. national trust rules.

@sandybarrie5526 2 ай бұрын

there was an extreme cloud burst over the central city one day, an the front roof of Beak House filled up with water. the first i knew was the wall inside turned to rivers streaming down. the drain pipes were filled up with dead pigeon bodies. (you dont see dead pigeons in the city often, because they die on the roofs and fall into the roof gutters and their feathers dont rot, so they form perfect waterproof dams) when i ran up to the roof and look over to the front it looked like a swimming pool.the groaning noise of the rafters mean the roof was as if it would cave in. seeing where the blockage was, i grabbed a claw hammer, and hung out the window above albert street and bashed of the end of the down pipe. which ten formed a full burts water fall out into albert st, but let the flood on the roof down. someone in the T&G building actualy reported my mad actions, and it was printed in the newspaper.

@frederickherring2284 7 ай бұрын

I remember the Tram depot burning down. We could see the smoke, so Dad piled us all in the car to go have a look. Dad sed that's the last of the trams now

@hortonwilson9279 8 ай бұрын

Cheers Rob, hopefully i get to see you one day doing your fabulous videos

@divarachelenvy 8 ай бұрын

Seems every great city has a great fire... Thanks Rob, loved the video..

@walkaboutwithrob 7 ай бұрын

It pretty much comes from the fact that they were all built mostly in wood. With a lack of available water and lax building regulations, fire was inevitable.

@harrybowes9617 2 ай бұрын

@@walkaboutwithrob do some more research mate ahha you really are not informed. These “great fires” around the world targeted the same kind of buildings that are not just wood as you say ahaha.

@walkaboutwithrob 2 ай бұрын

@@harrybowes9617 I love it when I get comments like this. They all say the same thing, which is to command me to do research. Of course they never say what that research should entail or what sources to go to. And they never, ever provide any research of their own. (The reason being of course that they have none). To the person who posted the above comment, I am assuming you are mud flood/ tartarian believer who thinks that evil elites have deliberately set fire to buildings to hide the evidence of the former tartarian empire and the existence of giants. Am I right or am I right?

@chaffcutter58. 8 ай бұрын

Love ya work Rob,Do one on the Gatton murders.

@jesusislukeskywalker4294 8 ай бұрын

👍🏻 great stuff Rob

@joebowd4726 3 ай бұрын

Brilliant. Great job mate

@clubgus07 7 ай бұрын

Thanks Rob it will be slow pace and looking up next time im walking in that Mall i just never notice, i mean i know the famous Old Brisbane Arcade but i would of never thought Hungry jacks would be housed in z very old building

@Br0wnCh3 8 ай бұрын

Hi Sharon hi rob. 😊 thanks for this video

@walkaboutwithrob 8 ай бұрын

Thanks!

@Sem5626 8 ай бұрын

bah i was going to go down and wander around to see if i could see ya but work got busy

@SteveMack 8 ай бұрын

Interesting as always

@56music64 7 ай бұрын

Very interesting Rob, did not know any of the details of the fire. Drapery stores, you said how many would a small town need, remember drapery could be used for the making of clothing not just drapes and I guess there was a lot of making your own clothes going on, I am sure you could not, even back then run around with no clothes and as their was no Zara, H&M or DJ's to buy your clothes from, sewing was it.

@user-dn8mr9if5o 8 ай бұрын

Hi Rob, if you go back to 9.39 in your story Where the building is in the red circle just a little to your right is the Cobb & Co building whose actually entrance was around 60 feet this side of the building itself off Albert Street. It ran parallel to Elizabeth Street . My point is the building on the corner part of which is standing is on the corner of Albert and Queen. In the 40s it is where my ancestor Thomas Grenier had his butcher shop and diagonally across was Patrick Mayne's butcher Shop.

@cinemaipswich4636 8 ай бұрын

I remember the Chalton Hotel was a cinema for a short while, and later a Live Music venue with the stage set high in a wall. "White Chairs" on the Elizebeth St side, was a beer garden before the Myer Cntr was built. It had an indoor roller coaster!

@randyr4877 2 ай бұрын

jon levi channel is a great one guys

@walkaboutwithrob 2 ай бұрын

Sure is, if you want ludicrous beliefs, demented conclusions and idiotic false information.

@0011011100111001 2 ай бұрын

Can you do a story on the underground KFC that used to be on queen Street mall I think, before it was condemned? Do you remember it?

@walkaboutwithrob 2 ай бұрын

I think you might be referring to the KFC that used to be underground at the Brisbane Arcade. I used to go there sometimes in the late 90's. I'm not aware of one directly in the Mall. With that said, I probably wouldn't do an entire video just on a KFC outlet. It'd need to be part of some larger story of the area.

@charlessale409 7 ай бұрын

Rob what the hell is with the crazy comments lol. Who did you disturb!

@walkaboutwithrob 7 ай бұрын

@charlessale409 I think you are referring to a few conspiracy theorists who emerge from the woodwork to rant and yell about history being fake and a lie. They never provide any evidence because they have none. It's all make believe and nonsense.

@charlessale409 7 ай бұрын

@@walkaboutwithrob it’s just totally non sequitur behaviour. I guess some people are crazy.

@FutureSystem738 7 ай бұрын

@@walkaboutwithrobRob, they are also commonly known as “flat earthers” and “moon landing deniers”.

@Jeff-kn8ux 8 ай бұрын

👍

@gordonbarker5844 7 ай бұрын

My grand mother was born in # 1 Queen St. about 1866

@robsengahay5614 7 ай бұрын

I’m 63 and my grandparents were born around the turn of the 20th Century so that comment dates you somewhat, Gordon.

@gordonbarker5844 7 ай бұрын

Yep, every sunrise is a blessing. @@robsengahay5614

@G-G._ 8 ай бұрын

fire is always about to erase history, art and literature. and nothing usually replaces it

@TheTigerQuoll 8 ай бұрын

He was no soft Pillow,heave ho off you go Mr Cribb.

@colinvincent9101 7 ай бұрын

Have you done one on the Battle of brisbane.

@walkaboutwithrob 7 ай бұрын

Yes, I have indeed.

@colinvincent9101 7 ай бұрын

I kind of know a bit about it but a re run would be interesting.

@tosh_is_me942 2 ай бұрын

when the broncos played the dolphins...

@Ducayneau 6 ай бұрын

Rob, do you ever get sad or indignant at historical buildings of Brisbane lost to bad governance or developer greed? Sure it's interesting when you point out where things used to be but it's far better to be able to point to actual historical structures.

@walkaboutwithrob 6 ай бұрын

@Ducayneau Good question. Though I am by heart a stoic, I do however lament old buildings being pulled down that didn't have to be, usually due to greed or just bad planning. There's enough space for both old and new.

@gordyokeeffe361 7 ай бұрын

I love your mini history documentaries Rob, but this one has huge background traffic noise and pub news. Couldn’t hardly hear your commentary mate.

@walkaboutwithrob 7 ай бұрын

While the shot in the pub certainly had a lot of background noise, the audio for the rest of the documentary was quite clear.

@jacksonrichards1833 7 ай бұрын

Agree, mics would be great. But love the videos.

@tosh_is_me942 2 ай бұрын

@@walkaboutwithrob hhaha "hey man, mics would help" "fuck off, its audible" haha

@raylenepreuss1430 7 ай бұрын

The butcher relocated his sheep to Newstead, and presumably that's how Newstead came to have Edminstone Road.

@PhilipLeitch 2 ай бұрын

It's maroon as in moon. Just like you don't look up at the moan, you don't pronounce it maroan because... oo is always pronounced ooh like boo, and foot.

@petermartin4807 8 ай бұрын

When? Mud flood....

@walkaboutwithrob 8 ай бұрын

Why do you persist in posting comments about the fictional mud flood?

@Enthusiastic-Trainspotter-BNE 8 ай бұрын

wtf

@QIKUGAMES-QIKU 8 ай бұрын

@walkaboutwithrob why do you delete comments and fail to look for yourself. We didn't even have an established Brickworks when "we" claim we built bluestone Melbourne.. bluestone from where ? AUTODIDACTIC Channel AUSTRALIA HISTORY IS FAKE

@QIKUGAMES-QIKU 8 ай бұрын

100% It's so obvious 🙄

@WHDRWN 8 ай бұрын

His interactions on the channel will only help you in the algorithm, google don't know he's looney@@walkaboutwithrob

@jaydenritchie1992 7 ай бұрын

there is a Queen St in Ayr aswell, not sure Ayr 4807 was alive and kicking in 1864 i shall find out

@brisfocus3648 7 ай бұрын

Pillows humpy??!!

@jonh9561 7 ай бұрын

I think that there are some videos on KZfaq of dogs doing this ..........

@theoztreecrasher2647 7 ай бұрын

Yep. That Mike Pillow geezer has come down a peg or two in recent times! 🙄😜🤣🤣

@alansivkoff282 7 ай бұрын

1860’s and a prolonged drought? Obviously they hadn’t heard about AGW.

@davidhoward4715 7 ай бұрын

Do you have any idea how climate works? Of course you don't, although my five-year-old nephew does, so not all hope is lost.

@lindabishop3445 7 ай бұрын

I can’t help but comment your videos are informative however was amused you actually found someone to do a video a with you who was even less lively than you. So Aussie….

@walkaboutwithrob 7 ай бұрын

@lindabishop3445 How lively should I be?

@kigna1234 7 ай бұрын

Jeez, Linda must be like an adhd kid on red cordial if she thinks your not lively 😂

@walkaboutwithrob 7 ай бұрын

@@kigna1234 Yeah, that comment did perplex me somewhat. I know I'm not an extrovert but I'm not Eeyore either.

@Ducayneau 6 ай бұрын

Try walking nearly 50km for a video while remaining upbeat and enthusiastic about it. Rob's videos are wonderful. Your sneers are just pathetic.

@tosh_is_me942 2 ай бұрын

guys,... if you dont understand what that comment is about,... watch a "watchMojo" video or something smilar and listen to those voices...

@DirtySlapper99 8 ай бұрын

😂 nothing's changed except that now the cops are trashed on found cocaine instead of grog

@gordonoldfield403 6 ай бұрын

Can U do a story about "Rock n Roll George" , he was an icon in Brisbane City in the 60's & 70's that I remember as a kid ???

@walkaboutwithrob 6 ай бұрын

Maybe... possibly....

@PhilipLeitch 2 ай бұрын

It's maroon as in moon. Just like you don't look up at the moan, you don't pronounce it maroan because... oo is always pronounced ooh like boo, and foot.

@walkaboutwithrob 2 ай бұрын

In Sydney we pronounce it maroan.

@PhilipLeitch 2 ай бұрын

@@walkaboutwithrob for some reason we do in Queensland too. And yet, from what I've been able to determine, this is the only English speaking place in the world that uses this mispronunciation. Often words have common pronunciations rather than a "correct" pronunciation, but the "oo" is always pronounce one of three ways: /uː/ as in "food" or "moon" /ʊ/ as in "book" or "foot" /ʌ/ as in "blood" or "flood" At no point is "oo" ever /oʊ/ as in moan. Except in Coolangatta and Woolloomooloo. That was meant to be a joke....