Floriana, Cairns facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Floriana, Cairns |
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Front elevation, Floriana, 2009
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| Location | 183-185 The Esplanade, Cairns North, Cairns, Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1919 - 1930s (interwar period) |
| Built | 1939 |
| Architect | Edwin Roy Orchard |
| Official name: Floriana | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 30 April 2010 |
| Reference no. | 602738 |
| Significant period | 1939 - |
| Significant components | residential accommodation - flat/s, ballroom, other - residential: component |
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Floriana is a special building in Cairns North, Queensland, Australia. It used to be a private home but is now a guesthouse. The house was designed by Edwin Roy Orchard and built in 1939. It is considered a heritage-listed site, meaning it's important to Queensland's history.
Contents
Floriana's Story
Floriana, located at 183 The Esplanade, was once the grand city home of Paul and Paulina Zammit and their family. They were migrants from Malta. This two-storey house was built in 1939. It had five bedrooms, a sitting room, dining room, and kitchen upstairs. Downstairs was a huge ballroom! Later, this ballroom was changed into two flats and an entrance area.
The Zammit Family's Journey
Paul Zammit was born in Birkirkara, Malta, around 1889. He married Paulina Aquiline from the same town. Malta was a small British colony. Many people there faced unemployment in the early 1900s. Australia was seen as a land of new chances.
Paul came to Australia in 1912, arriving in Melbourne. He then traveled to North Queensland. He worked in mines and cut sugar cane. Paulina arrived in 1913 with their first child. They had nine more children, all born in Queensland. The Zammits became successful farmers near Mirriwinni.
Helping Others and Community Spirit
Paul Zammit used his success to help many other migrants from Italy and Malta. He sponsored them or offered other kinds of help. From 1919 to 1929, over 3000 Maltese men moved to Australia. Paul Zammit was well-known for his kindness and community work.
In 1933, he was called one of the most successful sugar farmers in North Queensland. His achievements were even mentioned in Malta as an inspiration for people wanting to move to Australia. He was also praised by the Roman Catholic Bishop of Cairns, Bishop John Heavey, for his support of the church and Maltese heritage.
Building in Cairns
Even though the family lived on their farm, Paul Zammit started buying properties in Cairns. In 1932, Paulina bought land at 183 and 185 The Esplanade. This was a prime location overlooking Trinity Inlet.
In 1934, the Zammits built some Spanish Mission-style flats next door at 185 The Esplanade. These were also designed by Edwin Roy Orchard. He was an architect from Sydney who moved to Cairns. Orchard designed Floriana for the Zammit family in 1938.
Floriana's Unique Design
Orchard's design for Floriana mixed modern ideas with traditional Maltese house features. The ground floor was made of brick, and the upper floor was timber. The main living areas were upstairs to catch the sea breezes and enjoy the views of Trinity Inlet.
A beautiful, winding staircase was a key feature inside. It was handcrafted by a Maltese timber sculptor named Mick Farrugia. He was another immigrant sponsored by the Zammits. The staircase went from the ballroom on the ground floor to the main living area upstairs.
The house's front looked very Maltese. It had a central entrance with glass panels and a balcony above. The whole ground floor was a large ballroom. This design was very special and showed the family's pride in their Maltese heritage.
Floriana During Wartime
The Zammits moved into Floriana in September 1939, just as World War II began in Europe. They named it Floriana after a suburb in Malta.
During the war, North Queensland became a base for Allied forces fighting in the Pacific. Cairns was filled with American and Australian soldiers. The Zammit family, who were all musical, often entertained visiting army bands. The ballroom at Floriana hosted many social events and fundraisers. Two of the Zammit daughters married American servicemen and moved to the United States.
Changes and New Beginnings
In 1946, the Zammits changed the large ballroom. They turned it into two separate flats for family members. Mick Farrugia, the timber sculptor, created curved wooden walls to make a central entrance area.
Paul Zammit continued to be very successful. He even funded the building of a small concrete church near his farm in 1947. He received a special medal from Pope Pius XII in 1948 for his work for the Catholic Church.
Paul Zammit passed away in 1959. He was known for his business success and community work, even though he couldn't read or write English well. Ten years later, Paulina gave Floriana and the nearby flats to their son Salvatore and his wife. The Zammit family lived in Floriana until 1981.
In 1982, Floriana became the Floriana Guesthouse and Hotel. The upper floor was changed into self-contained flats, and the downstairs flats were reconfigured. In 2006, the former Spanish Mission flats next door were renovated into fancy villas. Floriana Guesthouse still has its early 1980s layout with 10 rooms.
Floriana's Appearance
Floriana is a large, two-storey building on the Cairns Esplanade. It faces east, looking out towards parkland and the ocean. It's part of a holiday accommodation complex, standing between some 1930s Spanish Mission-style flats and a modern apartment building.
The house is set back from the street with a front garden of palms and shrubs. It's built from brick and timber, with a multi-hipped roof. Today, it has ten accommodation units and an office.
Building Details
The front of the house has a wide entrance bay that sticks out from the middle. The lower part of the front is made of rendered brick, while the upper floor is timber. The main entrance has double doors with old timber panels on either side. Above the door, the name "Floriana" is carved into the wall.
Large windows are on either side of the entrance. The ground floor windows are semi-circular. The upper floor has bay windows that stick out, with many small glass panes.
Inside, the front doors lead into a short entry area. This opens into a central foyer with curved, timber-paneled walls. The floor is polished timber with a special square design in the middle, which was part of the original ballroom floor. The main staircase is at the end of the foyer. This winding staircase, with its carved handrails, is a beautiful part of the house.
Upstairs, there are six doors leading to accommodation units. Many original features like ceiling decorations and bay window seats are still there.
The front garden has a low concrete fence with round posts. A driveway runs between Floriana and the Spanish Mission units, leading to a backyard with a swimming pool.
Why Floriana is Special
Floriana was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 30 April 2010. This means it's an important part of Queensland's history.
A Story of Success
Floriana shows how immigrants helped shape Queensland's history. It's a clear sign of the Zammit family's success in Queensland. Paul Zammit came from Malta in 1912 and became one of the most successful sugar farmers in North Queensland. He also invested in gold mining and property. He was a leader in the Maltese community.
Unique Design
The Zammits chose a prime location in Cairns and hired a well-known architect, Edwin R Orchard. They built a large, two-storey house that blended traditional Maltese design with a Queensland house style of its time.
The house has a multi-hipped roof, wide eaves, and decorative details from the Art Moderne (Art Deco) style. But it also has Maltese features:
- A central entrance with a balcony above.
- The entire ground floor was a large ballroom.
- A grand, winding staircase, crafted by Maltese sculptor Mick Farrugia, is a beautiful work of art itself.
Floriana is unique because it combines these different styles. It tells a story of cultural blending and the achievements of a migrant family in Queensland.
