Old Government House, QUT

Completed in 1862, Old Government House was the home of Queensland’s first 11 Governors. It was the colonial hub of Brisbane, where laws and deals were made, grand balls were held, and Royalty stayed. Today, this beautifully restored 1862 sandstone building is a house museum for all to visit.

The building is a fine example of Classical Revival architecture modified for a tropical environment and contains many rare finishes and fittings. With its iron and sandstone Ionic columns, triangular gables, and graceful semi-circular pavilions, it was the epitome of civilisation and democracy at the time.

This House is unique as the only purpose-built Government House in Queensland, and as a rare surviving example of the domestic work of the Colonial Architect, Charles Tiffin. It displays the characteristics of a well-appointed 19th-century house, particularly in its demarcation between public zones, private rooms and service spaces, as well as the division of the genders into female and male sides of the House. The splendid reception rooms are a dramatic contrast to the rear service wing. This wing with its rougher building stone and smaller plainer rooms and features were designed to facilitate the running of the House. It is interesting to compare the wide, gleaming staircase of the main hall with the narrow, winding steps of the female servants’ staircase with its treads worn down by many rushing feet.

Originally located in the middle of a private domain of 30 acres and surrounded on three sides by the Brisbane River, today this two-story sandstone house is at the centre of QUT’s Gardens Point Campus. Some of the garden setting survives and provides a glimpse of the tall trees, lawns, and flower beds that once surrounded the House and demonstrates the picturesque qualities of a grand garden villa.

FREE MUSICAL PERFORMANCE SUNDAY 14 JULY: Irish Association Pipe Band 11:00am – 12:00pm