Stop, relax, enjoy spring at Hillsdon Shops Taringa

Spring, don't you just love it?   Here at Hillsdon Road Centre Taringa our courtyard gardens are enjoying the 'pink blush' of the Bauhinias!  Now most of the year they provide shade and lots and lots of leaves to sweep up lol.

But right now, they are adding a beautiful finishing touch to our lovely garden area.  Feels even more relaxing now!  So if you are in the area, stop on by, enjoy a coffee from Abode Cafe, grab a slushie for the kids from The Corner Store, even pop that nasty load of dirty laundry in at Indooroopilly Laundromat....while you enjoy a touch of pink on us!

Memories and History - Hillsdon Road Centre

 A collection of memories about Hillsdon Road Centre, Taringa.

Mrs Rodger, daughters Iris, Beryl and son Kevin

I have been very excited to finally find more fabulous photo's showing some of the history of Hillsdon Road Centre at Taringa.  Loaned to us by the Rodger and Andronicus family who developed the Centre from it's original one little corner shop.  In approximately 1946.


I have enjoyed sitting, chatting and collecting wonderful stories and memories from long time local resident Iris Andronicos, 102 years strong and still living at Taringa.  Her daughter Nola, has found and loaned us some wonderful old photos of the days that the Rodger family took over the Hillsdon Road Shops.  

Inside the Grocer, (now Mosaic Education) Kevin and Beryl Rodger.

The story goes, that Mrs Rodger a real business woman, was shown a dumpy old shoebox of a shop, from the top of Goldsbrough Road.  It was tiny and in need of repair, to the extent that she had a laugh when the Agent showed it to her.  Mrs Rodger and her children Kevin, Iris and Beryl took on the shop and started developing the Centre.  The plan was a business for the family and the soon to returning husband and son from the war.  

There is an advertisement in the newspaper archives showing a listing dated -  19 Feb, 1946. 

Outside the Corner store, looks pretty good!

"Freehold Corner Shop for Sale - vacant with scales, shelves and counters included.  450 pounds" Contact Miss Stanford.  *Mrs Stanford was a spinster who lived alone with her Pomerian dog and ran the little original corner shop*

Mr Rodgers truck, that did runs in to Roma Street Markets

Mrs Rodger and family soon cleaned up the shop, expanded it and created the well stocked modern, self service Corner Store.  They also went on to purchase the shops next door: currently Indooroopilly Laundromat, Martin Randall Travel and Mosaic Education.  This little block had been built by a local carpenter and his son.  However the father died and the son, not much of a carpenter didn't finish it off very well and lost interest.

Iris Andronicos (nee Rodger) inside the Drapery Store (Laundromat)

Mrs Rodger, Beryl and young local girl employee

The family developed the two blocks to successful and in demand businesses.  A Grocer - in the space where Mosaic Education is and a Draper in the space where the Laundromat is.  They also built a residence behind the Corner Store for son Kevin to live in on his return from the war.  Iris and her husband George loved the land opposite the shop on Hillsdon Road and offered local Farmer a deal to purchase that block and build their family home.  Which still stands today and is still Iris's home.  The back yard at the shops, was soon filled with flowers and garden beds.  Mrs Rodger besides being a sharp, smart businesswoman was also an avid gardener!  

The beautiful gardens, where the Courtyard is today.

Iris, Marshall & Nola Andronicos

The family have so many stories to tell of the Centre, the area and it's residents.  How there was a creek that flowed through Goldsbrough Road and in to the back of the shops, where there was a natural spring with yabbies.  That they used to enjoy lunch by the creek, surrounded by flowers and shrubs Mrs Rodger had planted.  

Another story I love is that Mrs Rodger had noticed that the area had a lot of Catholic residents, so she started offering Fish & Chips on Friday.  It soon took off and they had to purchase another little Bunsen burner, but even that couldn't cope with the growing demand and after a while they had to stop doing it.  As the orders phoned in, couldn't be met!  

Over time the Centre was developed changed and refurbished.  The dirt roads and gutters in these photos upgraded.  Originally a Pauls Milk Depot, with the Bus Stop in existence since the 1930's this has been the local shopping hub.  In the years it has existed there has been a Butcher (where Pampered Pets is now)  A Shoe Repairer, three Hair Salon businesses, a Library, a Dressmaker, Gift shop, craft shop, Surveyor....such a rich history exists at Hillsdon Road Centre.  

We plan to continue to find more history on the Centre, names, dates, maps, City plans.  So if you have any more, photos or stories to add, please contact me.  We'd love to add it to the Archives on Hillsdon Road Centre.

Karen & Geoff Sexton