Stop 6 Jeans West Building
This building features organic shaped symmetrical elipse windows.
Stop 5 Lighthouse Building
The Lighthouse is a two storey commercial building, characterised by a distinctive stepped window treatment. This is now a real estate agency.
Stop 4 Regent Hotel
A blacksmith occupied this site until 1951, when the hotel was constructed for Mrs Tucker, who then ran it for twelve years before selling it to the Tasmanian Brewery. They leased it to licensee Dick Jones and later to Max Green, prominent footballer with the Cooee Football Club.
The hotel was designed by the prominent architects Roy, Smith and Willing from Launceston and was built by the owner’s son, Tom Tucker, who carried out most of the concrete construction on his own in an era before ready-mixed concrete.
Stop 3 20 Alexander Street
Features of this two-storey commercial/residential building include an exaggerated eyebrow lip and subtle stepping in the window recesses. It was constructed as a private residence by Mr A. P Best (known to all as Abbie, described as a lovable larrikin). The Bests lived upstairs and their daughter, Mrs Rita Hughes, ran a hairdressing salon in the downstairs section. When the Bests eventually moved out, Mrs Hughes and her husband Cecil occupied the upstairs
Stop 2 Goodyear Tyre Shop / Communion Brewery
In 1936, Carter & Peace constructed this building for the Dunlop Rubber Co. It later became the showroom for General Motors cars, and accommodation for visiting salesman was added to the rear. A distinctive feature is the pair of squared-off towers.
Stop 1 Apartments Downtown
Constructed in 1937 to a design by prominent Melbourne architects Hugh and Arthur Peck, this striking ‘style moderne’ block of ten flats in red brick features was purpose-built as rental accommodation. It has curved walls punctuated with contrasting lines and a flat roof. It represented the latest in European styling. The block also featured a row of garages on the boundary – an indication of sophistication in interwar Burnie. It is now a privately run hostel.
Stop 20 Marine Terrace looking South
At one time this was one of Burnie’s main commercial streets. Several shops, public houses, and hotels lined the street. At the port end, there were Steamer agents and trading stores, and at the spring street and, Burnie’s first undertaker.
Stop 19 Jones Hotel
The first Bay View Hotel was constructed in 1875 by prominent local businessman, Captain William Jones. Here, a two storey weatherboard building was erected, generally known as Jones’ Hotel. Jones and his family lived on site until 1878, before leasing the hotel. Thomas Wiseman became the eventual owner in 1884.
Stop 18 Goodman Skin Buyers
Goodmans Skin Buying Store. Started in the early 1900s, the Goodman’s eventually sold their business after 6 years to South Australian Skins merchants, Willcox-Mofflin & co. They left for an extended tour of England and the continent”. They came back to Burnie eventually starting a new produce store, Goodman’s Produce in Marine terrace and later the VDL Co. building.
Stop 17 Union Line Steamers
Union Line Steamers- Built near the site of the Goodman skins merchants, offered a weekly sailing to Sydney and on to New Zealand from the port of Burnie and Devonport. They began their service in 1883 with their ships, Pateena and Flora
Stop 16 The VDL company store
This was the site of the majestic Van Diemen Land Company Store. Built in 1901 on the site of the original company stores established in 1827 the building continued to operate as a produce store after the Van Diemen Land Co. dwindled. It eventually was demolished in the 1970s to create a car park, and eventually, the current cinema was constructed on the same site.
Stop 15 The Old Burnie Wharf
Burnie’s port was one of the State’s main gateways for products in and out of Tasmania, and still is to this day. The key export was potatoes until Burnie’s industrial expansion in the 1930s. At times there were in excess of 25,000 bags of potatoes awaiting loading at the wharf.