It is believed the first hotel in the district was built by the Gustavus Hamilton (father of Messrs. F. G. Hamilton, barrister, and R. Hamilton, surveyor). Amongst the earlier lessees of the hotel was a Mrs. Warren, who, by coincidence, married another Mr. Hamilton, so that the hotel was occupied by different families of the name
Hamilton. The Hamilton Hotel became an easy reference mark in the days when buildings were few in the district, and its name was gradually applied to the whole district. In March 1884, 19 allotments from "Belle Vue Estate" were advertised to be auctioned by E. Hooker & Son, Auctioneers. A map advertising the auction states the estate was "the pick of the Mount Pleasant Estate" at Breakfast Creek and contains a locality sketch. In September 1885, "The Hamilton Reach Estate" comprising 428 allotments were advertised to be auctioned by Arthur Martin & Co., Auctioneers. A map advertising the auction shows the estate had frontage on the Brisbane River and contains a locality sketch. In October 1885, "Wickham Estate" consisting of 412 allotments were advertised to be auctioned by John Cameron, Auctioneer. A map advertising the auction includes a local sketch of the area. Newspaper advertising states the estate is "situated on the bank of the Brisbane River, immediately below the Hamilton Hotel, and is intersected by the Eagle Farm Road and Nudgee Road". In July 1887, 54 allotments from "Russell Association Land" were advertised to be auctioned by James R. Dickson & Company, Auctioneers. A map advertising the auction states the estate held "magnificent sites, commanding views of the city and Brisbane River". Hamilton State School opened on 19 March 1907. Hamilton Methodist Church was dedicated on 11 May 1911, but services had been held at the site since 26 January 1907. It was remodelled a number of times over the years, including the 1971 addition of the pipe organ from the former Congregational Church in Baroona Road,
Milton. On 12 October 1976, it was renamed St Luke's and in 1977 with the amalgamation of the Methodist Church into the Uniting Church in Australia, it became St Luke's Hamilton Uniting Church.
Archbishop James Duhig laid the
foundation block of St Cecilia's Catholic Church on Sunday 14 December 1913. The church was officially opened, blessed and dedicated on Sunday 5 April 1914 by Archbishop Duhig. On Sunday 1 October 1916, Archbishop Duhig laid the foundation stone for St Cecilia's Convent School. Archbishop Duhig officially opened the school on Sunday 21 January 1917. It was operated by the
Sisters of Mercy and was just to the north of the church. It closed on 4 December 1981. As at 2025, the former school building is now a childcare centre. After
World War I, a war memorial was built alongside the
Brisbane River near Cameron Rocks (). It was unveiled by the
Queensland Governor John Goodwin on Sunday 16 August 1931. The Hamilton Library opened in 1947. In 1947 five priests of the
Augustinian Order established a secondary school for Catholic boys called
Villanova College after
St Thomas of Villanova in a house called
Whinstanes on a site on College Road (). Archbishop Duhig officially opened the school on Sunday 25 January 1948 with an initial enrolment of 40 days. The number of students grew so quickly that by 1951 it was necessary to find a new location. In 1954, the school was transferred to the school's current site at
Coorparoo. The Archbishop's Chapel of The Good Shepherd at
Bishopsbourne (the residence of the
Anglican Archbishop of Brisbane) was dedicated on 4 November 1964 by Archbishop
Philip Strong. Its closure on 20 December 2006 due to the sale of the property was approved by Archbishop
Phillip Aspinall. In 1967, the Mission to Seafarers opened the Anglican Chapel of St Nicolas in Hamilton. It was dedicated by Coadjutor
Bishop Hudson on 4 November 1967. Its closure on 17 June 2007 was approved by
Bishop Adrian Charles. The development of the Northshore Hamilton project was announced on 27 March 2008 by the Urban Land Development Authority. A concept master plan for Northshore Hamilton was released by Premier
Anna Bligh in September 2008. == Demographics ==