The Old Windmill

The Old Windmill is the oldest surviving building in Queensland. The initial structure was built in the 1820s by convict labour in the Moreton Bay penal settlement, but it has been refurbished at many different times throughout its life by Petrie.

The Old Windmill was erected in 1828 to process the wheat and corn crops of the Moreton Bay penal settlement, however it did not operate successfully by wind power, so a treadmill was attached not only to make the windmill function properly but also as a tool to punish convicts. Grinding operations ceased in 1845, and the treadmill was dismantled before 1849. From 1855 onwards, the tower functioned as a signal station, relaying shipping news between the Brisbane River entrance and the town.

In October 1861, John Petrie commenced renovation works that included the removal of the windmill arms and wheels; the laying of floors on each storey; new doors and windows; a weatherproof floor on the top of the tower with an iron railing; a new winding staircase from bottom to top; repair of stone, brickwork and plastering; and the installation of a high flagstaff to fly signals. During this period of renovation, the tower was also equipped to function as a public observatory and became known by that term.

Many renovations and alterations have been carried out over the year by generations of different Petrie’s, including the construction of a cottage for the signalman west of the tower in 1881, and the addition of a detached kitchen to the south two years later (though both structures were eventually demolished), as well as significant conservation efforts in the 1980s and again in 2009 to help maintain the character of the heritage structure.

Location: Spring Hill, Brisbane Year: 1824