Old Windmill

The Old Windmill, the oldest building in Queensland

The Brisbane audio-guided tour leads you to the Old Windmill, a surprising windmill without sails perched on the heights of Spring Hill. The oldest building in Queensland, it is a popular landmark that hides, behind its picturesque appearance, a grave past recalled with restraint.

A mill born in the penal era

Built around 1828, the old mill was intended to grind the corn and wheat of local crops, at a time when Brisbane was a penal colony. Its construction and operation relied on the forced labour of convicts, and the place was associated with painful episodes of that period. This dark past is part of the city's memory.

What there is to see

Now without sails, the stone tower stands in Observatory Park, north of the city centre. It has had various uses over time, from mill to observatory. Recalled with respect, its past evokes the penal origins of Brisbane. The site also offers a pleasant view over the city from the heights of Spring Hill.

Practical information

The Old Windmill is in Observatory Park, on the heights of Spring Hill, just north of the centre of Brisbane. The tower can be contemplated freely from the park, accessible on foot; the interior is generally not open to visitors. The site, on a height, offers a viewpoint over the city.

When was the Old Windmill built?

It was built around 1828, when Brisbane was a penal colony. It is the oldest building in Queensland.

Why does the mill have a dark past?

Its construction and operation relied on the forced labour of convicts, and the place was associated with painful episodes of Brisbane's penal era.