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                     BOLANDS standing tall for OVER a century

The Boland's Centre is an example of the most ambitious Department Store ever constructed in North Queensland.

It demonstrated the growth of Cairns as a centre of commerce in Queensland and the evolution of the Queensland retail industry.

It’s creator Michael Boland was at the forefront of Cairn's commercial and business life.Act 1992

To put that time into perspective, Boland’s was constructed when George V was the King of England, when  William Taft was the President of the United States of America and when Andrew Fisher was Prime Minister of Australia, Fisher founded the Commonwealth Bank in 1912.

So the Boland’s Centre has stood during two World Wars, the Great Depression and has borne witness to the vast changes during the 20th. Century and now the 21st. Century as well ...

In early 2006 The Boland's Centre sold to a new owner who recognised three features that all the other potential buyers had  overlooked.

1. The huge value and goodwill attached to the Boland's name in Cairns and throughout Far North Queensland.

2. The prime position on the corner of Lake Street and Spence Street, the best position in the centre of Cairns CBD.

3. The intricate architectural facade, which is why Boland's was known as  

                               " Cairns Most Beautiful Building "

So in late 2006 after a detailed D.A Approval process the interior of the Boland Centre was completely gutted and stripped right back to expose the bare concrete shell.

All of the floors and all of the external walls were constructed of solid 9 inch thick Portland Cement, explaining why Boland's has remained so permanent, indestructible and  cyclone proof in the past and why it will do so into the future.

A concrete sample cut from the 9 inch thick floor is displayed in a glass case as part of the ground floor heritage display in the client lounge.

The heritage restoration and re-working of the interiors of Boland’s began in February 2007, with Boland's re-opening two years later in April 2009.

The total restoration and rebuilding works included all new electrical, all new fire services, all new plumbing, all new individual air conditioning, a new lift and a completely new heritage themed premium office interior, architect designed to match in with the exterior of Boland's, costing in excess of $ 9 million dollars.

More than 120 individual building contractors worked on the Boland’s project over that two year period, creating much-needed employment for the Cairns building industry during the 2007 to 2009 Global Financial Crisis.

So after a painstakingly correct heritage restoration, the Boland’s Centre re-opened in 2009 and the new owner of Boland's introduced Cairns for the very first time to a huge range of Premium Serviced Offices together with luxurious Conference and Meeting Spaces.

The success of this now long established business has guaranteed Boland's  commercial success for the balance of the 21st. Century.