Palma Rosa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Palma Rosa |
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Residence in 2015
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| Location | 9 Queens Road, Hamilton, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1870s - 1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | 1886 - 1887 |
| Architect | Andrea Stombuco |
| Official name: Palma Rosa, Palmerosa/Palmarosa, Sans Souci | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600219 |
| Significant period | 1880s (fabric) 1880s-1940s (historical) 1970s- (social) |
| Significant components | tower - observation/lookout, residential accommodation - main house, fence/wall - perimeter |
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Palma Rosa is a beautiful old mansion located at 9 Queens Road in Hamilton, Australia. It was designed by a famous architect named Andrea Stombuco and built between 1886 and 1887. This grand house is also known by other names like Palmerosa, Palmarosa, and Sans Souci. It's so special that it's listed on the Queensland Heritage Register, which means it's protected because of its important history and design.
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A Look Back at Palma Rosa
Palma Rosa is a large, three-level house made of sandstone. It was built from 1886 to 1887. It might have been built by its architect, Andrea Stombuco, as a way to make money. This house is one of Stombuco's most exciting designs. Building it might have even caused him financial problems later on.
The Architect: Andrea Stombuco
Andrea Stombuco was an Italian sculptor and builder. He traveled a lot and worked in different businesses. He even worked in stone quarrying in South Africa. He moved to Australia in 1851. After trying his luck finding gold, he became known as a sculptor, builder, and architect.
Stombuco moved to Queensland in 1875. He designed many important buildings for the Roman Catholic Church. These included St Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace in Brisbane and St Patrick's Church in Fortitude Valley. He also designed other important buildings like St Andrew's Anglican Church and Her Majesty's Opera House.
Stombuco designed several large homes in Brisbane. He also built some houses for himself to sell later. When Queensland's economy faced problems in 1890, Stombuco had to sell his own home. He then left Queensland for Perth, Western Australia, in 1891. He never returned to Queensland and passed away in Perth in 1907.
What Happened to the House?
It's not clear if Palma Rosa, which was first called Sans Souci (meaning 'without care'), was built to be sold or as the Stombuco family home. If they lived there, it was only for a very short time. The house was finished by late 1887. However, records show Stombuco's home was elsewhere from 1888 to 1891.
Stombuco bought the land for Sans Souci in 1886. The house was designed that same year. Several builders worked on the house, including JAM O'Keeffe, A Petrie (who provided the stone), and Bell & McLaughlan.
When it was finished in 1887, Sans Souci was called "one of the finest residences" in Brisbane. The house had three floors and was made of stone from Petrie's Quarry. The rooms were very large. They had fancy wooden details and decorative ceilings. The main hallway had a beautiful archway and a floor made of patterned tiles. Marble was used for the front steps and many fireplaces.
Original plans show the bottom floor had a large dining room, kitchen, and servant's room. The main floor had a drawing room, library, and two bedrooms. The top floor had five bedrooms and a bathroom. All three floors had a wide hallway running through the middle.
From Family Home to Flats
In 1888, Stombuco took out a large loan on Sans Souci. Even before he left Queensland in 1891, a mortgage company seemed to control the property. By 1890, the house was rented out and was known as Palmerosa. Many important families lived there over the years.
From about 1904 to 1934, Arthur Cecil Hunter Palmer lived there with his wife. He was the son of a former Queensland Premier. The Palmers were known for their parties at Palmerosa, which overlooked the Albion Park Raceway. By 1932, the house had been divided into three separate apartments. During World War II, American soldiers used Palma Rosa from 1942 to about 1945.
The house stayed with the Palmer family until 1945. In 1951, it was turned into a boarding house. Some famous people, like Sir William Knox, lived there. In the late 1950s or early 1960s, it became a private hospital. By 1963, some verandahs (porches) were removed, and more toilets were added for the hospital. Around this time, the name Palma Rosa started to be spelled as two words.
A Home for the English Speaking Union
In 1972, a group called the English Speaking Union (ESU) bought the property. The ESU is a society that promotes English as a way for people around the world to communicate. Palma Rosa became their club rooms and art gallery.
The ESU did a lot of repair work on Palma Rosa. This included rebuilding the verandahs in the 1980s. In 1996-97, they even had a special report done on how to best care for the building.
In 2010, the ESU sold Palma Rosa at an auction. A local family bought it for $3.715 million. They planned to restore the property to its original beauty. The ESU then bought another historic property nearby.
What Palma Rosa Looks Like
Palma Rosa is on a hillside in Hamilton. It looks out over the Albion Park Racecourse and Breakfast Creek. From the racecourse, it's one of the most noticeable buildings. It's a real landmark.
Outside the Mansion
Palma Rosa is a large sandstone house with three levels. It also has a tall, five-level tower attached to it. From the top of the tower, you can see great views of the Brisbane River. The windows on the fourth level of the tower have been closed up.
The house has a sloped roof covered with slate tiles. There are two-story verandahs (porches) on the front and side of the house. These were rebuilt in the early 1980s. On the other side, the original verandahs have been closed in to make bathrooms. The house also has a projecting bay window on two sides. These windows offer amazing views over the racecourse and river. The main entrance is at the front, with steps leading up to the main living floor.
Inside Palma Rosa
Inside, the house has 15 main rooms spread across three levels. A wide hallway runs through the middle of the house on each floor. The layout of all three levels is almost the same. The main rooms on the ground and first floors are very tall. They have decorative plaster designs on the ceilings.
There's a lot of cedar wood used throughout the house. This includes fancy wood panels around the doors. The hallway on the main floor has patterned tiles and decorative columns. There are also eight fireplaces with marble surrounds and tiles.
The house takes up most of its land, which is about 1181 square meters. There are a few trees and bushes along the edges and a small lawn at the back. A fence made of stone and cast-iron runs across the front of the property.
Why Palma Rosa is Special
Palma Rosa was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. This means it's recognized as an important historical place.
A Glimpse into Queensland's Past
Palma Rosa was built in 1887. It's a very grand house, even for its time. It shows how confident people were during the economic boom of the 1880s in Queensland. This period changed Queensland's economy and led to a lot of building in Brisbane.
A Unique and Beautiful Design
This house is a great example of the homes designed by the famous Brisbane architect Andrea Giovanni Stombuco. It's a wonderful example of a fancy house from the 1880s in Queensland. The inside of the house is very decorated, showing the architect's exciting style. This makes it very beautiful.
Important to the Community
Palma Rosa is a landmark that people recognize. It has also been very important to the English Speaking Union. It served as their club rooms in Brisbane since 1972.
Images for kids
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Back view of Palma Rosa
