The iconic clock tower defining the skyline of Sandgate conceals a surprising secret –its mechanical heart– one of the oldest working clocks in Brisbane which originally belonged to a completely different city.
Rising from the Ashes
The story of the current town hall began with a disaster. In May 1910, a fire destroyed the previous council chambers located in neighbouring Shorncliffe. This event forced the local council to rethink their location. While the first municipal buildings sat near the pier, the centre of development had shifted over time. The council decided to move operations closer to the railway station on Rainbow Street, which had become a busy hub for the seaside resort area.
Construction on the new building started in 1911. Builder John Gemmell took on the project, which cost £5000 at the time. The work moved quickly, taking only about eleven months to finish. On 14 October 1911, Sir William MacGregor, the Governor of Queensland, laid the foundation stone to mark the start of this new chapter for the community.
A Famous Architect’s Early Work
The design of the building came from a man who played a huge role in the look of Brisbane. Thomas Ramsay Hall was the architect responsible for the town hall, but he held another job at the same time: he was the Town Clerk of Sandgate. This project was one of his earlier works before he went on to design the famous Brisbane City Hall.
Hall designed the building to sit on a sharp corner, giving it a distinctive L-shape. He chose a style known as Federation Free Style, mixing rough-cast stucco with face brick. The design included grand features like massive columns at the main entrance and decorative Art Nouveau signage. Inside, the main hall featured a ceiling made of pressed metal and a dress circle gallery for seating.
The Clock That Travelled
While the building opened on 21 September 1912, its most famous feature did not arrive until years later. The four-faced clock that looks over the street was not part of the original construction. The mechanism inside was actually built in Croydon, England, way back in 1877 by Gillett and Johnston.
For many years, this clock kept time for the people of Ipswich at the Old Ipswich Town Hall. In 1923, the Sandgate Town Council purchased the clock and brought it to the coast. A Brisbane watchmaker named Frederick John Bright installed it in the tower. Experts say it remains one of the oldest functioning clocks in the entire city, ticking away reliable time more than a century after it was made.
Serving the Community
Significant changes came to the region in 1925. The Town of Sandgate merged with 19 other local councils to form the Greater Brisbane area. Even though the local government structure changed, the building stayed relevant. The Brisbane City Council kept the hall for public use. Over the decades, it has served many purposes, acting as a library, a health clinic, and a meeting place.
Recognising its importance, the state government added the hall to the Queensland Heritage Register in January 1995. Today, it continues to serve the locals just as it did over a hundred years ago. The main hall hosts community gatherings and events, while the library operates from the spaces that were once council offices, keeping the building at the centre of daily life in the suburb.
Published Date 26-January-2026
Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council
