Griffith Film School

The Griffith Film school building has enjoyed an Interesting and varied life since it first opened as a colonial post and telegraph office in 1881.

The building is composed of four linked structures built at different times to accommodate different uses. For much of its history, the site has been an important South Brisbane landmark and cultural and educational hub.

The South Brisbane Post and Telegraph Office (the southern end of the complex) was designed by architect FDG Stanley and built in 1881–82. The post office closed in late 1889 and the building became the South Brisbane Mechanics Institute and Library. In 1893 the South Brisbane Municipal Council took over the site. The complex was enlarged in 1897–98 with the construction of the ‘Jubilee Wing’, an asymmetrical brick building featuring a tower designed by John Burley. The complex became known as the South Brisbane Municipal Library and Technical College and School of Arts.

The third stage was the concert hall, the long rectangular building at the rear of the site, designed by Alexander B Wilson and completed in 1902. The concert hall was a social centre for South Brisbane, hosting numerous events including grand balls, concerts, lectures and rallies.

The building was refurbished as a convention centre in 1987 for EXPO 88. The Queensland Academy of Sport occupied the building between 1992 and 2004, before it was purchased by Griffith University.

In 2005, Griffith University appointed fourth generation architect Hamilton Wilson to plan the building’s refurbishment for the Griffith Film School. His plan brought coherence and sensitivity to the project. It provided a remarkable opportunity for Hamilton to convert the concert hall, designed by his great-grandfather Alex Wilson, into a modern film sound stage.

The refurbishment transformed the 125-year-old building into a contemporary space incorporating a large sound stage, state-of-the-art editing suites, a professional sound recording suite and special effects facilities. The Griffith Film School has occupied the building since 2007.