At first sight, several buildings and places around Rosalie may seem ordinary, but historical trails such as the Rosalie Heritage Trail will reveal rich stories of the past, all worth revisiting.
The Rosalie Heritage Trail is a 2.1 kilometre-trail that may take a full-hour walk to explore.
First Stops on Nash Street
Begin your walk on the Rosalie Heritage Trail at the corner of Baroona Road and Nash Street. A commemorative plaque set on this site will tell you that Rosalie had three incidences of the worst flooding — in 1893, 1974 and 2011 — that burdened the village.
Since Rosalie is geographically low-lying, torrential rains expectedly bring some risks. However, amid the damages and the muddy ground, this force of nature will never dampen the spirit of the community as neighbours help clean up Rose Village each and every time.
Walk further to Nash Street and visit the Rosalie School of Arts and Commemorative Hall. Opening in 1928, this historic landmark is a memorial to the heroes of World War I. Then, head next door to the Beverly Theatre, the site of the first outdoor movie establishment. Today, however, this area is filled with choice dining places.
Then walk across the other side of Nash Street to find a building with a red roof. This used to be the Tram Shelter No. 6, which was built during the Great Depression and stopped operations when buses came to Paddington in the 1960s.
Crossing Elizabeth Street and Given Terrace
From Nash Street, cross Elizabeth Street, where you’ll find the site of The Little Citizen’s Free Kindergarten, one of the first kindies in Brisbane, which was built in 1935. Today, it’s the C & K Rosalie Community Kindergarten and Preschool.
Turn right when you reach the intersection on Fernberg Road to spot the Marist Brothers Monastery. Walk across the trail to the Given Terrace and you won’t miss the Sacred Heart Church. Restored as a brick building from a modest wood building in 1918, this Catholic institution remains a vital presence in the community.
About 100 metres away is the Our Lady of Help Christian Convent, which was built in 1919 for the Sisters of Mercy. Five nuns from the congregation arrived in Brisbane during this period to educate Brisbane children at the nearby Sacred Heart School.
More on Fernberg and Haig Road
Retrace your steps from Given Terrace and back to Fernberg Road to find Lucerne. This gorgeous detached house is one of the oldest private residences in Brisbane. Built by the bricklayer James Young around 1862, a part of Lucerne today is a bed and breakfast place.
Continue on Fernberg Road and walk along the beautiful stone kerbs and garden beds. These were built to beautify Brisbane for Queen Elizabeth II’s visit in 1954.
Past the Fernberg planting boxes, cross Baroona Road and you’ll get to the former site of the Milton Congregational Church at the corner of Baroona and Haig Road. Opened in 1887, it was one of the earliest churches in the district. The church was demolished sometime in the 1960s.
Proceed along Haig Road to Gregory Park, named after Queensland’s Surveyor General and one of Australia’s most influential explorers, Sir Augustus Charles Gregory. Gregory Park has ample green space, tennis courts and other sporting facilities, picnic areas, and shaded playgrounds. It’s hard to believe that this used to be marshland.
Walk further along Haig Road and you’ll be in the site of the once premier international tennis centre in Queensland, the Milton Tennis Centre. Since hosting its first Davis Cup match in 1952, the tennis centre managed to host more Davis Cup matches than any other city in Australia. Today, the site is called Frew Park, named after Robert Frew, who was lovingly named as the ‘father of Queensland tennis.’
There are also other interesting sites worth checking out as you go done memory lane on the Rosalie Heritage Trail. These include the Glenworth villa, the Boondah timbre house, and the Baroona, which is one of Rosalie’s oldest houses, and the Fernberg, Government House.
While some of the sites along the trail are private properties and inaccessible to the public, walking through this trail can give you a glimpse of the rich history of Rosalie.
