West Burleigh Store facts for kids
Quick facts for kids West Burleigh Store |
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Building in 2015
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| Location | 33 Tallebudgera Creek Road, Burleigh Heads, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1919 - 1930s (interwar period) |
| Built | 1935 - 1935 |
| Official name: West Burleigh Store, Flectcher's Store | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 5 December 2005 |
| Reference no. | 602547 |
| Significant period | 1930s (fabric) 1935-1980s (historical use as General Store) |
| Significant components | lead light/s, furniture/fittings, residential accommodation - manager's house/quarters |
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The West Burleigh Store is a special old building in Burleigh Heads, Queensland, Australia. It was built in 1935 and used to be a general store. People also called it Flectcher's Store. It's now listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because it's an important part of history.
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History of the West Burleigh Store
The West Burleigh Store was built in 1935. This was a time when many new buildings were going up on the south coast. This happened because new roads and services were being built. The store is a large, two-storey building made of timber. It is still used as a shop today. Many of its original parts are still there.
Early Days and Growth
The Gold Coast area grew because of timber, farming, and tourism. In the early days, people cut down trees for wood. Sawmills in West Burleigh helped the area grow even in the 1930s.
Farmers also settled here from the 1860s. They grew cotton at first. Later, they grew other crops and raised dairy cows. Between World War I and World War II, bananas and dairy farming were very important.
People started visiting the beautiful beaches of the south coast in the 1870s. But it was hard to get there. Things got better when the railway opened in 1889. It went to Southport and Nerang.
A railway station was built at Booningba in 1901. This town was renamed West Burleigh in 1914. The Oyster Bed Hotel was built nearby for railway workers. The first store in town was built in 1904. By 1907, the storekeeper delivered supplies to campers.
How Cars Changed Everything
In the 1920s, more people owned cars. This made roads very important for growth. The Jubilee Bridge opened in 1925. New coastal roads in 1926 helped more homes and holiday places be built.
In the 1930s, new bridges over the Coomera and Logan Rivers made it easier to drive from Brisbane. This led to a building boom. Basic services also improved. Electricity came to Burleigh Heads in 1930 and West Burleigh in 1934. Water pipes were added in 1935.
The New West Burleigh Store
The West Burleigh Store and Post Office opened in February 1935. Alf Fletcher had bought the old general store business in 1928. When his lease ended, he built this new shop. It was West Burleigh's second general store.
The local newspaper called it a "large and up to date store." It had "modern conveniences." It was seen as an important part of the area's progress. For its time, it was a very modern shop.
Alf Fletcher's new shop had many features common for stores back then. General stores were often big because they sold so many different things. The store had a special two-coloured timber floor. This showed how well Fletcher's business was doing.
The shop had large glass windows at the front. The entrance was set back to show off more items. This was common for shops in the 1920s and 30s. Wooden shelves inside (still there today) were used to display packaged goods.
Petrol pumps used to be under the front verandah. Many shops also had the owner's home above the store. Alf Fletcher lived above his shop with his parents. After they passed away, he lived there with his wife, Gussy.
A Hub for the Community
Alf Fletcher ran the shop until he died in 1963. His wife, Gussy, kept it going until the early 1970s. The store sold many things. These included food, fabric, clothes, boots, and building materials. A large shed at the back held animal feed.
The West Burleigh post office and telephone exchange were also inside the store. The post office was a smaller building attached to the side. It was removed when new shops were built around the store in the 1980s.
Alf Fletcher was a well-known person in the area. His store was a meeting place for people in West Burleigh. Customers came from Burleigh Heads and nearby farms. Mailmen and milk trucks would collect orders and deliver goods. On Friday nights, farm workers would cash their paychecks at Fletcher's. This gave them money for the local hotel.
The West Burleigh store was a general store until the 1980s. Then, a new shopping complex was built around it. The ground floor of the shop was split into two. One side became a real estate office, and the other a saddlery. The upstairs was a home until 2001. Now, it is also used as office space.
What the West Burleigh Store Looks Like
The West Burleigh Store is a two-storey building. It is in a shopping area in West Burleigh. The front door opens onto the footpath. A covered verandah hangs over the footpath, shading it.
The building is about 10 meters wide and 18 meters deep. The verandah is covered with flat sheets. The rest of the building has weatherboard siding. A row of sliding windows runs along the verandah. Each window has a large square glass pane with frosted glass around it. Four square posts hold up the verandah. The roof is made of corrugated iron.
Outside the Store
At the ground level, large glass display windows are at the front. The shop entrance is set back from the street. The glass windows continue around the sides of this entrance area.
A pretty border of red, green, and frosted glass runs along the top of the windows. The rest of the shop front is covered with salmon and black tiles.
Inside the Store Today
The ground floor now has a real estate office and a health food shop. The shiny timber floor has dark and light wood planks. A set of wooden box shelves goes from the floor to the ceiling along one side. A new counter is on the other side. Refrigerators are at the back of the shop. The ceiling has flat sheets with painted timber strips in a pattern.
You can go upstairs using a polished timber staircase. This part of the building is now offices. The floors upstairs are also polished timber. The doors inside are made of wood panels or glass French doors. They have frosted glass or wooden slats above them. The original brass door and window handles are still there. The woodwork is simple but well made.
The West Burleigh Store is the most noticeable building in its area. There are other shops and offices around it. Some other old buildings are also nearby. This includes West Burleigh's very first general store.
Why the West Burleigh Store is Special
The West Burleigh Store was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 5 December 2005. This means it is an important historical place.
A Look into the Past
The store shows how the Gold Coast grew. This area is now a major tourist spot. In the early 1930s, better car access and new services led to a building boom. The store was finished in 1935 during this time.
Building such a strong, well-made building when the country was still recovering from hard times shows how well the area was doing. It also shows that the store owner expected good business in the future. The store is still mostly like it was in the 1930s. It was a full-service general store and a shop-house. This helps us understand how shops used to work in Queensland.
A Unique Building
This store is special because old buildings from this time are becoming rare on the Gold Coast. It also shows a way of life that is uncommon now. Back then, shop owners often lived in the same building as their shop.
A Community Hub
The store is important to many people who used to live or still live on the Gold Coast. It was also important to tourists who visited when it was a general store. Alf Fletcher built and ran the store until he died in 1963. His family owned it until the early 1970s.
It was a central place in West Burleigh. Customers included tourists and people from West Burleigh, Burleigh Heads, Tallebudgera, Nerang, Mudgeeraba, and Ingleside. Alf Fletcher and his general store were very well known in the area.
