History - High Tea Brisbane
The Old Teahouse Gallery building itself is steeped in history…
It was established in 1911 as the home of the Lather family. Originally situated in Scarborough Street, Southport – which is now the site of the Australia Fair Shopping Centre – the home belonged to the family of the late S H Andrews Esq. for nearly 50 years.
In 1981, the home was sold to Bill Short and his wife Mim. Bill and Mim where collectors of nostalgic memorabilia and had established a new Pioneer Village at Springbrook, set in eight hectares of mountain farm land called The Settlement (a perfectly preserved and restored collection of 16 historical buildings).
The home was cut in half and experienced house removalists, Hollindale & Gustafson, undertook the hazardous mountain trip from Southport to Springbrook, a slow traumatic haul. On arrival the home was restored by a team of passionate painters, carpenters and labourers and named The Virginian. The building operated as a tearoom while The Settlement was open to the public.
In 1990, GoldCo Properties bought the property and planned a golf course for the site but went into liquidation a year later. After four years of controversy the Queensland Government Lands Department purchased the property and all buildings on the site were sold off.
It was at this time (April 1995) that the home was purchased by Anastasia and Clem Gair and moved to its current site on the corner of Johns Road and Springbrook Road, Mudgeeraba. This site was formerly the Mudgeeraba Heights State School, a one-teacher school in the mid 1950’s.
Once on this site the house was named Ursula’s Gallery in tribute to Ursula Birmingham, mother of Anastasia, a local artist.
In 2001, the home was purchased by Brian and Diane Lamb and renamed The Old Teahouse Gallery as everyone locally called it The Old Teahouse.
It has operated as a teahouse for the past eight years, and in August 2009, was purchased by the current owners Greg and Ann Norris who will continue the tradition of a teahouse adding their own unique interpretation such as High Tea Gold Coast experience in the settings of a Gold Coast Wedding Venue
