Brisbane Customs House - Corinthian Building

At the height of modernism, high-technology, and new age in Brisbane, stands a grand and more than a century-old Corinthian building, known

as the Customs House.

Built in 1886 and opened in 1889, this highly structured historical

building is older than Brisbane’s City Hall. As the name implies, this building used to serve as headquarter for the collections of customs duty for more than 100 years. It was closed in 1988 when port activities were transferred closer to the river mouth. In 1991, the University of Queensland took the lease and restored the building making it again a major attraction of Brisbane.

Today, the Customs House is more than just a heritage of the past

but serves as a multipurpose building for various activities like wedding, corporate meetings, as well as important cultural and educational activities.

Gallery, the Charitable Trusts Room, the Lady Thiess Room, the Long Room , the Reid Dining Room, and the Sylvia Jones Boardroom.

The Art Gallery located at the River level showcase many interesting artwork such as the Stuartholme-Behan Collection of Australian Art.

This collection includes works of famous Australian artists like Han Heysen, George Lambert, and Frederick Mc Cubbin. Rare memorabilia from

the old Customs House like spirit tables, and measuring casks as well as photographs of the Brisbane City center and customs officers who served

during the time of war can also be seen. The Art Gallery is also a perfect venue for cocktail and dinner function.

Adjacent to the art gallery is the Lady Theiss Room. The rooms are only divided by a glass dividing wall with double doors thus providing guests easy access between the two rooms. The Charitable Trusts Room at the Mezzanine level is a small yet elegant room with a capacity of up to 30 persons. Decorated with paintings from the University Art Museum and a classy crystal chandelier which intensified its sophisticated and peaceful ambience, the room is a perfect venue for cocktails and pre-dinner drinks. Adjoining the Charitable Room is the much smaller Reid Dining Room suitable for a banquet

of eight to ten persons and the Balcony.

Another room located at the Mezzanine is the Sylvia Jones Boardroom fit for up to 20 guests. Richly adorned with imported Victorian style crystal chandeliers and silverware, the room has an air of the late 19th century. With its classy architecture, romantic atmosphere, and overwhelming view

of the Brisbane River, the Custom House is one the best venues for wedding. The cathedral ceiling, grand pillars, magnificent dome, red carpet, and exquisite ballroom of the Long Room give an air of royalty almost perfect for a king and queen.

A licensed restaurant offering the best cuisine and warm customer service can be found inside the Customs House. Guests can choose between an

inside dining wherein they can feel the ambience of the past and an outside dining where they can have an excellent view of the river and the Story Bridge.

The house also offers professional catering for up to 300 people. The Customs House is open daily for the public. It is a living heritage of Brisbane now and then. So what are you waiting for, travel back in time and discover the richness of Brisbane before the turn of the 19th century.