File:Bellevue Hotel, Brisbane.jpg

English: The Bellevue Hotel was situated with Parliament House on one side and the Queensland Club on the other and commanded magnificent views of the Botanic Gardens. The Bellevue Hotel took its name from a small private school owned by a Miss Lester, called Belle Vue (beautiful view), which occupied the site from 1859 for a few years.

When the school closed, Charles Hanson constructed a private hotel on the site. Hanson's Bellevue Hotel, a short distance from the Assembly Hall of Parliament House, was convenient accommodation for country parliamentarians and it prospered from their patronage. Mr S. M. Collins took over the ownership of the building and was licenced by Mr John Zahel. He realized the hotel's influential and wealthy clientele required a better class of accommodation.

A new building was erected by Mr Zahel for Mr Collins. Mr. J. J. Cohen, M.A., was the architect, and Mr Cornelius Ryan was the contractor. The building was a three storey construction featuring cast iron balustrading on the wrap around verandahs, with posts supporting a curved corrugated iron roof.

Mr Zahel ran into financial difficulties due to the following financial crisis at the time and the Bellevue Hotel subsequently changed hands. Amongst fig trees and flowering jacarandas its delicate iron-lace balustrades and spacious verandas defined the character of the building. The Bellevue retained its unique position in the heart of the city for well over 80 years and was regarded as the prestige hotel of Brisbane.

Description source: Brisbane Buildings

View the original image at the Queensland State Archives:

Digital Image ID 5269