Brisbane Powerhouse is a great place to visit after you are done with your shopping at Jan Power’s Farmers Market which was right outside its vicinity. Nestled along the beautiful banks of Brisbane River (beside New Farm Park) the former power station has become a distinct landmark in the New Farm suburb.
The place has grown from a stunning industrial creation to a local hub for everything creative, including theatre, music, comedy, film, visual arts, festivals and ideas.
The place will probably get busier when the crowd comes in for performances in the evening.
From the ground floor, the entire place looks really open with hardly any hidden spaces.
A small stage is positioned at the centre of level 1. Audiences are able to view the action on stage from the seats directly in front as well as top down from the upper levels.
The whole place still strikes me as a piece of raw unfinished industrial structure with a subtle European flair. It is bold, rugged and very much untamed.
Together with the preserved graffiti walls, a unique venue was created and earned the building a heritage listing.
With a spacious balcony that offers unblocked view of the Brisbane river, Brisbane Powerhouse is also a popular wedding venue. While I was there, a busy wedding planner was making preparation for a blissful white wedding that evening.
I nearly missed a hidden section at the basement that hosted a small scale art exhibition. No white walls, just the photos against the original greyish walls.
Here’s a video trailer of Brisbane Powerhouse’s latest event – World Theatre Festival 2013.
Brisbane Powerhouse is still evolving but it has definitely secured its place with the local as the cultural and arts hub. I wouldn’t recommend you visiting it on its own, unless you are catching a performance in the evening. It is just a standalone building which you can finish exploring in half an hours time. Visit the place while you are at Jan Power’s Farmers Market on 2nd or 4th Sunday of the month to make your trip more worthwhile.
You may also like to check out my posts on other exciting travel destinations here