Old Windmill

A windmill right in the middle of the city? This may be hard to believe… But Brisbane is full of surprises! Wingless but rich in history, the Old Windmill is loved by both tourists and locals. But did you know that behind the oldest building in Queensland lies a strange and dark past? Built around 1828, the old windmill was originally meant for grinding local crops, such as corn and wheat, to feed the Moreton Bay penal colony. Despite being on a hill, the structure failed to catch even the slightest breeze. Quite ironic for a windmill, isn’t it? To compensate for this lack of wind power, the authorities came up with a different solution: forced convict labour. And this particular “resource” was far less likely to let them down. Up to 25 convicts were forced to work on a treadmill for 14 hours straight. In 1841, the site became the setting for a public execution of two local Aboriginal men. Accused of murdering an assistant surveyor and one of his colleagues—who had entered their sacred land without permission—the two men were hanged from one of the building’s windows. Soldiers had to be stationed on-site to prevent any interference with this act of punishment and deterrence. In October 1849, the Old Windmill became inactive and was put up for auction. What followed was a variety of different uses: an observation tower, a signal station, the first home of the Queensland Museum, and finally, an iconic tourist attraction symbolising Queensland’s heritage.