Recreation of Brisbane’s lost heart stirs wealth of emotion
On November 7, 1982, as Brisbane slept, the heart of the city was turned to dust, but now those who fell in love with — or at — the Cloudland Ballroom have walked its halls again.
Redlands Coast
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IT was the iconic venue where first love blossomed, boys and girls became men and women and stories that would live for generations were forged — and it has been lovingly recreated in pictures.
Brisbane management consultant Magnus Eriksson lovingly crafted a digital recreation of Bowen Hills’ magnificent Cloudland Ballroom, the icon which sat atop Montpelier Hill for 40 years.
The colours of the room, the textures and every little detail have been brought back to life through Mr Eriksson’s work.
They transport former patrons back to the venue’s 1940s and 50s heyday, when its sprung dance floor attracted thousands to revel upon it.
And four years on from their release, the images continue to evoke a stream of emotional comments from those whose youth was firmly planted at the grand dancing venue.
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“The response from the public to the model has been overwhelming,” Mr Eriksson said.
“Thousands of messages and comments on my Facebook page.
“The images have triggered a lot of emotion and memories out there.
“Comments such as ‘that spot over there, by the third column from the right, that’s where I met my wife’.
“It’s been incredibly rewarding, and not at all what I expected when I started this project.”
Designed by T H Eslick, the mastermind behind Melbourne’s famous Luna Park, Cloudland Ballroom — then also known as Luna Park — was opened in 1940 and featured its own rail line to transport patrons up the hill from Breakfast Creek Rd.
By 1942 however it had fallen into disuse and was taken over by American troops during World War II.
The venue was restored to its former glory after the war and even used as an exam venue by students at the University of Queensland.
It was a frequent backdrop for Midnight Oil shows in its later years however on November 7, 1982, as Brisbane slept, the building was controversially demolished.
Now in its place stands a gated housing complex.
Mr Eriksson said researching just what the ballroom would have looked like in its glory days was challenging.
“Surprisingly there’s not much photo documentation available of Cloundland, at least in the public domain,” he said.
“And there are no architectural plans or other construction documentation left.
“So it was a process of compiling everything available — descriptions from the construction period, photos, sketches, aerial photography, and then gradually developing a computer model where all the elements matched the reference materials.
“I’m pleased with the final result and it does match the original venue very closely - down to the small details.”
He said while he had never actually walked the halls of the building himself, he came across plenty who had.
“We moved here in 2002, and from very early on it was clear that Cloudland had been a very important building.
“The subject comes up all the time, particularly if you have an interest in local history.
“There is an incredible affection for this venue among the generations that visited it.
“The public fascination for this venue will never go away — it’s like the lost heart of Brisbane.”
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