ABOUT THE ZOO

THE ZOO IS LOCATED ON THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE SHANNON’S BUILDING ON ANN STREET, IN THE HEART OF BRISBANE’S FORTITUDE VALLEY.

BUILT IN THE 1920S AND DESIGNED BY RENOWNED BRISBANE ARCHITECT, E.P. TREWERN, THE BUILDING WAS INITIALLY DESIGNED WITH FOUR FIRST FLOOR RESIDENTIAL APARTMENTS, HOWEVER, THE APARTMENTS WERE NOT BUILT, AND A LARGE WAREHOUSE SPACE WAS CREATED.

IN 1992, THE FIRST FLOOR OF 711 ANN STREET WAS TRANSFORMED INTO THE ZOO BY FOUNDERS, JOC CURRAN & C.SMITH. THEY BUILT THE VENUE FROM THE GROUND UP AND NURTURED THE BRISBANE LIVE MUSIC SCENE, PROVIDING A MUCH-NEEDED PERFORMANCE PLATFORM FOR TOURING ARTISTS AND LOCAL MUSICIANS. 

INDEPENDENTLY OWNED FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS, THE ZOO IS ONE OF BRISBANE’S OLDEST AND MOST BELOVED LIVE MUSIC VENUES. THIS YEAR THE ZOO WILL CELEBRATE 30 YEARS OF HOSTING SOME OF THE WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS ACTS, INCLUDING THE PIXIES, THE BLACK KEYS, PAUL KELLY, LORDE, NICK CAVE AND THE DIRTY THREE, BEN HARPER, POWDERFINGER, SILVERCHAIR, VIOLENT SOHO AND MOGWAI (TO NAME A FEW). 

CURRAN & SMITH CHANGED THE LIVE MUSIC LANDSCAPE OF BRISBANE LEAVING AN INDELIBLE LEGACY THAT IS CARRIED ON BY THE CURRENT OWNER, SHANE CHIDGZEY.