Brisbane view from South Brisbane, taken from Stephen's Hill,1873

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This view of Brisbane is from the southern part of the Expo 88 site on the South Bank of the Brisbane River. To the left centre of the engraving can be seen the first Bridge across the Brisbane River, a temporary wooden structure opened on June 24, 1865, which was replaced by the permanent Victoria Bridge in June, 1874. The right foreground depicts the Presbyterian Church built in 1851 in Grey Street, South Brisbane, which remained in use until the erection of the Park Presbyterian Church. Looking across the river the Observatory may be seen through the fork of the tree on the left, and further to the right the Deanery, originally the home of Dr. Hobbs, built by Andrew Petrie. It became the first home of Sir George Ferguson Bowen, Queensland's first Governor. Closer to the river may be seen the Military Barracks (later the Treasury), St John's Parsonage and St John's Pro-Cathedral. Behind St John's may be seen St Paul's Church on the site of the Gresham Hotel, in Creek Street. Next to the Pro-Cathedral are the Commandant's Residence, the first Electrical Telegraph Office (formerly the Evangelical Church in William Street) and the first Government Printing Office, which was replaced by the present building in 1874. Along the river bank are Queen's Wharf, the Commissariat Stores (built in 1827), the Immigration Depot, Pettigrew's Sawmill ( established 1853), and the warehouse of John and George Harris, agents for the London Line of Clipper passenger ships, and importers of general merchandise. The present Treasury Building is now on the site of the Military Barracks, and the present Queen's Park occupies the site of St John's Pro-Cathedral and Parsonage. The Commandant's Residence and the Electrical Telegraph Office site is occupied by the Land Administration Building, formerly the Executive Building, and the former State Library is opposite the site of St John's. The Commissariat Stores remain, though additions have been made to the building. The young colony of Brisbane was becoming a popular place to live as shown in the following descriptions from a publication about Brisbane, dated 1876. "Brisbane, bright, beautiful busy Brisbane, will ere long be as great a source of pride to its inhabitants as Sydney has always been to the people of New South Wales." Again, "There is, perhaps, no town in Australia where more pleasant sites for pleasant homes exist than in and around Brisbane ... The noble mansions, genteel villa, snug cottage, all find a place here. Shops, of course, abound; and they are for the most part gay as shops need be. The premises of the 'merchants, bankers, and others' are all handsome buildings architecturally, and admirably designed and arranged for the purposes they are intended to serve." "The various religious bodies have all erected handsome churches, chapels, and schoolhouses. The Cathedral of St Stephen, which, though not completed, has been opened for public worship long ago. The houses of Legislature were fine buildings, and so is the vice-regal residence. Newspapers, mechanics' institutes, (schools of art they are called in Australia), benevolent institutions, theatres, mutual improve­ment societies, and indeed, all the appliances and surroundings of a high civilization, abound in Brisbane. That people are equal to the external appearance of their city need hardly be told; they are bold, speculative, and enterprising. That they enjoy themselves thoroughly is a mere necessity of the climate and country in which they live, and they take advantage of their surroundings to the fullest extent." . This engraving by J.C. Armytage (1820-1897) is an excellent example of his work, and was published in 1873. He was considered to be one of the best engravers in England and worked in steel and copper. Colour was added in 1987 by M.J. Nixon of Stanthorpe, Queensland This image is also appeared in a book p.188 by Edwin Carton Booth called "Australia".