Taking A Wander Around Wynnum

Wynnum is a great area to visit, situated on the shores of Moreton Bay in Brisbane’s Bayside. The area around Wynnum did not take off with settlement until around 1880’s when the train line reached the area. In 1891 the area had a population of just under 700 but grew significantly in the next 20 years to over 2,300. Wynnum became a municipality around 1914 before being absorbed into Brisbane City in 1925.

The same railway line that spurred the growth of the area early on also makes it very easy to visit Wynnum. Wynnum Central Train Station is just off Ronald Street on the edge of the street shopping area.

One interesting feature at the train station is a number of the signal or power boxes that are painted. The one on the left in the above photo is the most interesting. I am not certain of the details, as these appear to be a different project to other signal boxes that are painted around Brisbane. But below is a more detailed look at this one.

Walk Into Wynnum

The walk from the train station into Wynnum is not far at all. If you depart the train station towards Ronald Street, before turning left onto Ronald Street you will soon cross Tingal Road. You will then be walking up Florence Street which is one of four main streets that make up the shopping precinct. The other three are Tingal Road, Bay Terrace and Edith Street.

On the corner of Tingal Road and Florence Street is a couple more of the painted traffic signal boxes. You will find boxes like these in a few locations around Wynnum as well as all over Brisbane City. They are part of a program operated by Urban Smart Projects who work with city authorities and artists to provide projects like these in over 20 cities. These are just two, but there have been almost 2000 painted boxes around Brisbane to date, and you can see these in the gallery on the Urban Smart Projects Website.

Wynnum Library

One of the newer additions to Wynnum is a centre that houses the Wynnum Library above Woolworths. The Library looks out towards the old Wynnum Central School Building. The school (pictured below) opened in 1896 as Wynnum State School and was eventually closed in 2011 when the school was amalgamated due to low student numbers. The building has since been redeveloped to provide the Wynnum Community Centre.

Historic Cannon

Located behind the old Wynnum Central School Building is a rather old Cannon. The Carron M.L. Cannon is rather old and comes from around the year 1790. The cannon is one of 12 which was gifted to Queensland by Queen Victoria and arrived in Queensland in 1862. The cannons were relics that were used in the Napoleonic Wars between 1803 and 1850.

Street Shopping

Wynnum is still one of those areas that you can take a wander through the streets with shops and businesses lining the footpath. While there are other areas that this is still somewhat possible, few seem to be as large as the area in Wynnum. There is a rather good range of stores that you will find here including Op shops, cafes, bakery, banks, supermarkets, clothing and some other unqiue additions.

Wynnum Cafes

The more common reason that I personally find myself visiting Wynnum is for the cafes. There are a few spots that I enjoy visiting from time to time and you might like to stop in for a coffee or bite to eat if you are visiting Wynnum.

Dramanti Artisan Roaster – 94 Tingal Road

Dramanti is a local Brisbane coffee roaster and this is where it all started for them. Originally this was suppose to be where the coffee was roasted, but the cafe got so popular they had to move the roasting to another location. Recently they opened up their roasting location to the public at Morningside. But you can also find their coffee at numerous cafes around Brisbane.

Florence Street Coffee – 124 Florence Street

I had spotted Florence Street Coffee while walking around Wynnum a couple of times but never took the time to go in. I thought it just looked a little to busy and so I just kept going past. Finally one day I decided to check them out and very glad that I did. The coffee they are serving comes from Marvell Street Coffee Roasters who are located in Byron Bay. The coffee is good and worth a visit if you like good coffee.

Other Cafes

There are also a couple of others worth mentioning. For those who might be looking to bring their dog, you can find Frenchies on Bay Terrace. Frenchies even cater to your fur friend with a doggie menu. There is also Caffeination Station on Tingal Road and Capacillios Cafe just near to Woolworths and the Wynnum Library. The area is full of cafes and bakeries so why not explore a little.

Why Not Visit Wynnum?

If you are looking for something to do why not take a day to visit Wynnum. There is plenty to take a look at around the area. If you are keen for a little walk there is the Wynnum Foreshore to check out as well. That is another area that I hope to share with you very soon.