Brisbane Arcade
Brisbane Arcade is a heritage-listed shopping arcade linking Queen Street and Adelaide Street in Brisbane's central business district.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Brisbane Arcade is a historic shopping arcade in the Brisbane central business district, Queensland, connecting 160 Queen Street with Adelaide Street between Edward and Albert Streets. Conceived as a purpose-built commercial and pedestrian passage in the early 1920s, it was commissioned for Dr James Mayne and his sister, Mary Emelia Mayne, whose family had held the underlying city properties since the nineteenth century. The building was designed by Richard Gailey Jr., son of the prominent Brisbane architect Richard Gailey, and constructed by J & E L Rees for the Queen Street section and Forsyth & Speering for the Adelaide Street section. Construction took place from 1923 to 1924, and the arcade opened to tenants in March 1924, with the commonly recorded opening date being 16 April 1924. The arcade was designed not merely as a passage but as a substantial retail and office complex. Its original arrangement included shops opening onto both street frontages, approximately twenty ground-floor shops, approximately twenty more on the first floor, and office accommodation. Early tenants promoted luxury-oriented goods including silks, women's fashion and floral products, establishing the arcade's long association with specialist and higher-end retail. Architecturally, the building combines restrained classical street elevations with a more elaborate internal shopping environment. The Queen Street and Adelaide Street facades use face brickwork, cement details, cornices, parapets, balconies and multi-paned timber windows, while the central arcade contains a long open void, galleries, terrazzo stairs, exposed steel roof trusses and clerestory windows that admit natural light. The property has also had cultural and institutional associations. After the deaths of James Mayne in 1939 and Mary Emelia Mayne in 1940, the arcade came to be operated by trustees for the benefit of their estates. Proceeds support the University of Queensland's medical education interests, now associated with the Mayne Medical School. McGees Property manages the arcade on behalf of the trustees. In 1952, a former air-raid shelter beneath the arcade became the Johnstone Gallery, an important Brisbane art venue that operated there until moving to Bowen Hills in 1957. The arcade also contains or has displayed cultural material connected with Brisbane's Expo '88, including Mirage by Swiss-Israeli artist Gidon Graetz. Brisbane Arcade was entered in the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. The listing recognises its role in illustrating the development of Brisbane's 1920s commercial centre, its representative qualities as a purpose-built shopping arcade, and the architectural and craftsmanship values of its facades and interior. In contemporary use, it remains an active retail destination with artisan, boutique, fashion, jewellery and specialist businesses. Its heritage architecture, compact pedestrian scale and curated tenant mix distinguish it from larger enclosed shopping centres. The arcade marked its 95th anniversary in 2019 with a Spring Flower Show, and it continues to operate as both a commercial venue and a prominent element of Brisbane's historic Queen Street and Adelaide Street streetscapes.
History
Brisbane Arcade occupies two adjoining historic city allotments associated with the Mayne family. Patrick Mayne acquired the Queen Street property in 1853 and the Adelaide Street property in 1854. His children, Dr James Mayne and Mary Emelia Mayne, later commissioned the construction of a major commercial arcade linking the two frontages. Their project formed part of the broader expansion and redevelopment of Brisbane's Queen Street commercial district during the 1920s, a period that also saw the construction of other significant city buildings. Richard Gailey Jr. designed the arcade, while separate building contractors handled the Queen Street and Adelaide Street sections: J & E L Rees worked on the former and Forsyth & Speering on the latter. Construction occurred between 1923 and 1924. The completed building used three-storey street elevations at each end, connected by a two-storey internal arcade. Its layout combined retail shops, upper-level galleries and offices, providing a practical pedestrian route between Queen and Adelaide Streets while creating a distinctive commercial setting. The building opened to retailers in March 1924, with 16 April 1924 often given as its opening date. There does not appear to have been a formal opening ceremony, but early tenants advertised stores selling luxury-oriented goods such as silks, women's clothing and floral products. The internal design was important to the arcade's identity. A long central void runs through the building, with a cross-passage and upper galleries on either side. Stairs at both ends retain terrazzo finishes, and the roof is supported by exposed lightweight steel trusses. Clerestory windows bring daylight into the central space. The external facades use face brick, cement dressings, classical parapets, cornices, pilasters, balconies and decorative details. Although some shopfronts have been modernised with marble and other contemporary materials, much of the building's historic character remains legible. Following James Mayne's death in 1939 and Mary Emelia Mayne's death in 1940, the arcade was operated by trustees for the benefit of their estates. Its operating proceeds support medical education at the University of Queensland, now reflected in the Mayne Medical School name. McGees Property manages the site for the trustee board. This ownership and operating arrangement has given the arcade an institutional continuity distinct from that of a conventional privately branded retail chain. The building gained an additional cultural role in the post-war period. On 5 February 1952, the Johnstone Gallery opened in a former bomb shelter below the arcade. It remained there until 19 December 1957, when it moved to Bowen Hills. The arcade also retains a connection to Brisbane's international cultural history through Mirage, an artwork by Gidon Graetz associated with World Expo '88. Queensland formally listed Brisbane Arcade on its Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. The listing recognised the building as an important example of a 1920s purpose-built Brisbane shopping arcade, as evidence of the city's commercial development, and for the aesthetic value of its architecture, materials and craftsmanship. In the twenty-first century, Brisbane Arcade has continued as an active boutique retail venue. Its tenants include fashion, jewellery, artisan and specialist businesses, while its protected architecture and pedestrian connection maintain its role in the civic and commercial life of central Brisbane. The 2019 Spring Flower Show, held for the arcade's 95th anniversary, demonstrated how the site uses events and visual presentation to connect its heritage identity with contemporary visitation.
- 2019
95th anniversary Spring Flower Show
[1]The arcade celebrates its 95th anniversary with a Spring Flower Show.
- 1992
Queensland Heritage Register listing
[1]Brisbane Arcade is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October.
- 1988
Connection to Expo '88 artwork
[1]The arcade features Mirage by Gidon Graetz, an artwork associated with Brisbane's World Expo '88.
- 1957
Johnstone Gallery relocates
[1]The gallery closes its Brisbane Arcade premises in December and relocates to Bowen Hills.
- 1952
Johnstone Gallery opens
[1]The Johnstone Gallery opens in a former bomb shelter beneath the arcade.
- 1940
Mary Emelia Mayne dies
[1]After Mary Emelia Mayne's death, trustee administration continues for the estates, with proceeds supporting medical education.
- 1939
James Mayne dies
[1]Following James Mayne's death, the arcade's future operation becomes associated with trustees acting for the Mayne estate.
- 1924
Brisbane Arcade opens
[1]The new shopping arcade opens to tenants in March, with 16 April commonly recorded as the opening date.
- 1923
Construction begins
[1]Construction begins on the arcade designed by Richard Gailey Jr., with separate contractors responsible for the Queen Street and Adelaide Street sections.
- 1854
Patrick Mayne acquires the Adelaide Street allotment
[1]A second adjoining allotment fronting Adelaide Street is acquired by Patrick Mayne, later enabling the cross-block arcade project.
Products and positioning
A heritage-led boutique shopping destination centred on specialist retail, historic architecture and Brisbane city-centre pedestrian culture.
Fashion · 1924
Boutique fashion retail
Fashion has been part of Brisbane Arcade's commercial identity since its opening, when tenants promoted women's clothing and silks. Contemporary fashion businesses contribute to the site's boutique and specialist retail positioning.
Jewellery
Jewellery and accessories
Jewellery and accessory businesses form part of the arcade's current specialist tenant mix, complementing its emphasis on independent, design-oriented and higher-consideration retail.
Specialty retail
Artisan and specialist retail
The arcade accommodates artisan and specialist businesses rather than operating as a single-product brand. This mix supports its role as a small-scale destination for distinctive goods within Brisbane's central shopping district.
Retail destination · 1924
Heritage arcade experience
The building itself is a core offering: visitors use the Queen Street-to-Adelaide Street passage while experiencing the historic facades, galleries, terrazzo stairs, roof trusses and clerestory-lit central space.
Marketing campaigns
- 201995th Anniversary Spring Flower Show
Australia
Brisbane Arcade staged a Spring Flower Show to mark its 95th anniversary. The event connected the arcade's historic identity with a contemporary visitor experience and highlighted its longstanding association with floral and boutique retail.
Outcome. The event served as a heritage and visitation celebration; no attendance or financial outcome is reported in the supplied sources.
Brand decisions
1952
Convert former bomb shelter into an art galleryOtherBackground
A below-ground space beneath the arcade was available for a new cultural use in the post-war period.
Action taken
The space was adapted for the Johnstone Gallery, which opened there on 5 February 1952.
Aftermath
The gallery operated at Brisbane Arcade until December 1957 before relocating to Bowen Hills, adding a significant cultural chapter to the site's commercial history.
1923
Develop a purpose-built cross-block shopping arcadeStrategyBackground
The Mayne family held adjoining Queen Street and Adelaide Street properties during a period of major commercial development in Brisbane's city centre.
Action taken
James Mayne and Mary Emelia Mayne commissioned Richard Gailey Jr. to design a retail and office complex that would connect the two streets with a pedestrian passage.
Aftermath
The project opened in 1924 and established Brisbane Arcade as a long-running specialist retail destination and a representative example of 1920s arcade architecture.
Recent events
- 2019
Brisbane Arcade hosts Spring Flower Show for its 95th anniversary[1]
Campaign
Brisbane Arcade marked its 95th anniversary with a Spring Flower Show, using a floral event to celebrate the site's history and attract visitors to its boutique retail environment.
- 1992
Brisbane Arcade added to the Queensland Heritage Register[1]
Regulation
The arcade received formal heritage protection in Queensland on 21 October 1992 because of its historical, architectural, aesthetic and townscape significance.
- 1952
Johnstone Gallery opens beneath Brisbane Arcade[1]
Other
A former bomb shelter beneath Brisbane Arcade was converted into the Johnstone Gallery, which opened on 5 February 1952 and operated at the arcade until December 1957.
Sources2 sources
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