Rose's Rooftop Garden

In 1913, Henry Barnett Rose and his wife, Louisa (nee Grice) were living at Old Gowrie Station in Charleville. By the following year, they had permanently relocated to the Sea View Hill Kiosk at Cobaki Creek, Tweed Heads. It’s unclear if the family had purchased Sea View, which included an accommodation house and tennis courts, prior to 1914 but the property was not the only commitment the Rose’s had in the region. In addition to the the accommodation house and kiosk, Henry also owned an oyster lease and farm in the area.

In 1925 the family moved the Burleigh Heads where Henry purchased the Imperial Café in James Street and promptly renamed it Rose’s Imperial Refreshment Rooms. By December of the same year he was advertising a ‘new kiosk’ on ‘Big Burleigh Heights’. This is the first known reference to the Rose’s Rooftop Garden.

While he had already cleared the land, it appears that Henry waited until after the 1925 Christmas season to build permanent structures on Burleigh Headland. It was not until 1926 that Henry applied for permission to establish a shelter shed to act as a kiosk from which refreshments could be served. Rose’s Rooftop Garden also included a dance floor and telescope to enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding area.

Those undertaking the steep climb to enjoy the ocean views, sip tea, drink soft drinks and dance to music provided by a portable gramophone were charged three pence for entry. The venture was a success and, in 1931, Henry asked the local government to renew the lease at Big Burleigh at 10/6 per year. Approval was granted by Councillors Pegg and Symonds. On 6 September 1939 Henry died and the Rooftop Garden fell into disuse.

Sources of information and further reading

1. Roof Garden (1929, May 24). South Coast Bulletin (Southport, Qld. : 1929 – 1954), p. 10. Retrieved December 14, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article136468945
2. Letters from Little Readers (1932, December 15). The Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 – 1939), p. 40. Retrieved December 15, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23154454
3. SOUTH COAST (1926, May 20). The Daily Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1903 – 1926), p. 2. Retrieved December 15, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article219039702
4. SOUTH COAST (1925, November 13). The Daily Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1903 – 1926), p. 15. Retrieved December 15, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article220626835
5. BURLEIGH HEADS (1939, September 8). The Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1933 – 1954), p. 7. Retrieved December 15, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article40899426
6. NERANG SHIRE COUNCIL (1931, October 2). South Coast Bulletin (Southport, Qld. : 1929 – 1954), p. 9. Retrieved December 15, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article133659928
7. Advertising (1925, December 17). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 – 1933), p. 16. Retrieved December 15, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article20986791
8. Advertising (1924, January 14). The Daily Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1903 – 1926), p. 15. Retrieved December 15, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article217631121
9. Advertising (1914, September 30). Daily Standard (Brisbane, Qld. : 1912 – 1936), p. 3 (SECOND EDITION). Retrieved December 15, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article178843098
10. STURDY PIONEERS. (1925, December 17). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 – 1933), p. 17. Retrieved December 15, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article20986685
11. BURLEIGH HEADS (1939, August 25). South Coast Bulletin (Southport, Qld. : 1929 – 1954), p. 12. Retrieved December 15, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article133655706
12. PERSONAL (1936, March 6). South Coast Bulletin (Southport, Qld. : 1929 – 1954), p. 4. Retrieved December 15, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article133480608
13. SOUTH COAST. (1925, May 8). The Daily Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1903 – 1926), p. 15. Retrieved December 15, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article218258800
14. Obituary. (1933, July 14). The Charleville Times (Brisbane, Qld. : 1896 – 1954), p. 6. Retrieved December 15, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article76389715
15. Obituary. (1933, July 14). The Charleville Times (Brisbane, Qld. : 1896 – 1954), p. 6. Retrieved December 15, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article76389715
16.  OBITUARY (1933, November 3). Tweed Daily (Murwillumbah, NSW : 1914 – 1949), p. 2. Retrieved December 15, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article193734671
17. WEDDING BELLS. (1933, November 17). South Coast Bulletin (Southport, Qld. : 1929 – 1954), p. 9. Retrieved December 15, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article133772656