1864: The Year Brisbane Almost Burned Down

Imagine walking along Queen Street in 1864. Timber shops lined Brisbane's main commercial thoroughfare, packed tightly together with warehouses, hotels and businesses. At night, candles, oil lamps, stoves and open fireplaces provided much of the light and warmth.

Brisbane had volunteer fire services, but firefighting equipment was basic, water supplies were limited, and many buildings were constructed almost entirely from timber. Under these conditions, even a small fire could quickly become a catastrophe.

Few people realise that 1864 became known as Brisbane's "Year of Fires", when three major blazes struck the young colonial town in just eight months.

11 April 1864 – The Queen Street Fire

The first major fire broke out in Queen Street, destroying around 13 buildings. Shops, businesses and valuable stock were lost, exposing just how vulnerable Brisbane's timber-built commercial centre had become.

4–5 September 1864 – The Refuge Row Fire

Less than five months later, disaster struck again. A fire swept through Refuge Row, destroying around 14 buildings, including the well-known Little Wonder Store.

Many merchants who had only just recovered from the April disaster were once again forced to rebuild their businesses and livelihoods.

1 December 1864 – The Great Fire of Brisbane

Then came the fire that would become one of the defining disasters of early Brisbane.

At around 7:30 pm, flames broke out in the cellar beneath Stewart & Hemmant's drapery store on the corner of Queen and Albert Streets. The exact cause was never established.

Driven by a strong south-westerly wind and fuelled by rows of closely packed timber buildings, the fire swept through the heart of Brisbane's commercial district.

Within a few hours, approximately 70 buildings were destroyed, including banks, hotels, drapery stores, warehouses and numerous shops and offices. Remarkably, despite the scale of the disaster, no lives were lost, although several people were injured.

Why did Brisbane suffer so many fires in 1864?

The answer was largely in the way Brisbane had been built.

Many commercial buildings were timber structures, standing close together with little separation between them. Everyday life depended on open flames - candles, lamps, stoves and fireplaces - while firefighting resources were limited.

Once a fire gained momentum, bringing it under control was extremely difficult.

The disasters of 1864 became a turning point for Brisbane. As the city rebuilt, brick and masonry buildings increasingly replaced many timber structures, while improved building practices, water infrastructure and organised firefighting services helped reduce the risk of future disasters.

Today, it is difficult to imagine Queen Street - the bustling heart of modern Brisbane - engulfed in flames. Yet in 1864, it happened repeatedly, forever changing the way the city was built.

Had you heard of Brisbane's incredible "Year of Fires"? Share your thoughts below.

A note on our visuals: To ℎelp bring tℎis story to life, we've used artistic illustrations. Wℎile we've aimed for ℎistorical accuracy, tℎey may contain errors or artistic interpretation. Tℎey are used solely for educational, non-commercial ℎistory storytelling.