Great Fire of Brisbane, 1 December 1864

Background. Brisbane experienced significant destructive fires in 1864. Prior to the Great Fire, two other fires occurred in the same year. The first happened on 11 April 1864 in Queen Street, burning 14 buildings. A second fire broke out around 1:00 am on 5 September 1864, extinguished within an hour by the Volunteer Fire Brigade. These events set the stage for the major conflagration in December.

Extent of Destruction. The Great Fire swept through central Brisbane on 1 December 1864. It burned out of control for two and a half hours, destroying entire blocks in the central business district. The damage was concentrated mainly in Queen, Albert, George, and Elizabeth Streets. Much of the early commercial centre was destroyed, particularly in Queen Street.

Aftermath and Regulations. The destruction of the commercial centre led to new building regulations in Brisbane. These regulations favoured brick over timber construction, marking a shift from timber to masonry in the central business district. This change was a direct response to the vulnerability demonstrated by the fires of 1864.