Acknowledgement of Country
BrisWest Centre acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Yuggera Country, home to the Yuggera, Yagara, Turrbal and Urgarapul clans, and honours their enduring care for Country.
We acknowledge their land was never ceded, nor settled by treaty and that the ongoing impacts of colonisation continue today.
We offer our respect to Elders past and present, emerging leaders and to any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples attending BrisWest Centre.
Senior Citizens Centres were an initiative of the Whitlam Government in the early 1970s, in recognition of the retiring men and women
of Australia’s contribution to the community good and the Commonwealth.
Brisbane West Senior Citizens Centre was opened in November 1972.
Locally, Milton Congregational Church and the Brisbane West Rotary Club worked in partnership with State and Federal Governments, supported by public donations, to bring the building to life. Construction was undertaken by Kratzmann Holdings Pty Ltd.
In 1987, an Aged Care Respite Centre was added beneath the main hall. This initiative was led by the Brisbane West Senior Citizens Centre, with support from both State and Federal Governments.
The Building
A place built and cared for by community
Images showing the block of land at 132 Latrobe Terrace before construction commenced.
1971–1972 | A community refuses to give up
The idea for a Brisbane West Senior Citizens Centre emerged in the early 1970s, driven by local residents who believed older people deserved a place to gather, connect and remain active in community life. After losing an earlier site in Milton to government resumption, the committee persisted — eventually purchasing land at 132 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington, chosen for its views, accessibility and proximity to shops and transport.
1972 | Built to last
Construction commenced in May 1972, with the successful tender awarded to Kratzmann Holdings Pty Ltd, a respected Brisbane builder also involved in landmark projects such as Torbreck Apartments, West End, and Toowong Private Hospital. The building was designed to be practical, welcoming and adaptable, with a large hall, kitchen facilities planned for Meals on Wheels, and spaces intended for daily use rather than ceremony.
1972 | Doors open
When the Centre officially opened later that year, hundreds of people attended — many of them prospective members. From the beginning, the building was alive with activity: shared meals, music, conversation and connection. It quickly became a familiar and trusted place in the neighbourhood.
Today | Care as stewardship
More than fifty years on, BrisWest Centre remains true to its original purpose. Owned and managed by Brisbane West Senior Citizens Centre Incorporated (BWSCC Inc), the building is cared for by a volunteer committee, members and supporters who see themselves not as owners, but as custodians.
Maintenance, upgrades and improvements are carried out with care and foresight — quietly and consistently — so the Centre can continue to serve current and future generations.
A living building
The BrisWest Centre is more than bricks and mortar. It is a living community asset — shaped by perseverance, sustained by generosity, and grounded in the simple idea that belonging matters.