HERITAGE NOOSA
HERITAGE NOOSA
Pelican Place
DETAILS
Alternative NameShop 3, Pelican StreetF.R. Bickle & Son BuildingPelican HouseDescription
Constructed in 1929, Pelican Place, also known as the FR Bickle & Son building, served as a shop and business premises until it was purchased by Noosa Council in 1999. It currently serves as offices for the Council. The allotment was purchased by RT Read in approximately 1924. While it is difficult to confirm the early history of the building, it was most likely built between July and August 1929 for Frank Bickle and his son, Frank Buchanan Bickle, carpenter and cabinet maker respectively. As the Bickles never owned the land, it is presumed that it was leased from RT Read. By 1934, Bickle was constructing a new shop building on the opposite (western) side of the street.
After Bickle & Son relocated across the road, the shop at 3 Pelican Street was occupied by chemist, James Frederick Sweet, for about three years. By 1942, Sweet had also relocated to premises across the street. Richard Read owned 3 Pelican Street until his death in 1949. The property was then inherited by his widow, May Honor Read, and in 1951, she subdivided Allotment 4 into two smaller blocks, retaining ownership over both. This created the blocks that became 3 Pelican Street and 52 Doonella Street.
After further changes of ownership throughout the 1950s, by 1965, Maurice and Nellie Doyle purchased the property and opened Doyles’ Fashion Salon. Around this time, the neighbouring building on the corner of Doonella Street burnt down. It had operated as a café for many years.
Between 1964 and 1973, the building at 3 Pelican Street was extended to the rear and today this extension contains a bathroom and store.
Dorothy Parr took over the running of Doyles’ Fashion Salon in 1970, changing the name to ‘Leslee’s Fashions’ in 1971, and subsequently purchased the property that year. Parr continued to run the shop for over ten years and after she closed the business, remained the owner, leasing the building to several different tenants before selling the property in 1999.
Noosa Shire Council purchased the building in May 1999, originally for use by community groups. In 2003 it was refurbished and in 2008, the tenant was Noosa Council Plumbing Services. By 2016, it was occupied by the Tewantin-Noosa RSL Sub-Branch Advocacy and Welfare Centre. More recently, it has been used as offices for the Council and is known as ‘Pelican Place’. The building is the only surviving former retail building on Pelican Street.Address3, Pelican Street, Tewantin, 4565
Pelican Place. Heritage Noosa, accessed 31/07/2026, https://heritage.noosa.qld.gov.au/nodes/view/20405
