The Commissariat Store Museum

The heritage-listed Commissariat Store is Brisbane’s oldest surviving occupied building and one of only two remaining from the city’s convict era—the other being the Old Windmill. Built by convicts in 1828–29 using Brisbane tuff from Kangaroo Point and sandstone from Oxley Creek, it stands as a remarkable example of early colonial construction methods, materials, and craftsmanship. Heavy excavation was completed by convict gangs, while skilled labourers from Sydney undertook the masonry and finer construction work.

Originally constructed as a two-storey provisions store, the building was a vital part of the penal colony’s military-run supply system, used for the procurement, storage, and distribution of essential goods. In 1913, a third storey of rendered brick was added to accommodate its continued use as a government store. The Royal Cipher and date embedded in the original façade were carefully preserved during this extension, highlighting the building’s ongoing significance.

Following the closure of the Moreton Bay penal colony in 1839 and the opening of the region to free settlement in 1842, many former government buildings were demolished or sold off. However, the Commissariat Store was retained and adapted for multiple roles over the years, including as a land sales office, immigration depot, and police barracks.

Today, the Commissariat Store is one of only four such buildings surviving in Australia and holds national significance for its historical, architectural, and cultural value. Since 1981, it has served as the headquarters of the Royal Historical Society of Queensland and now operates as a museum dedicated to Queensland’s 19th-century history. Exhibitions explore themes including the convict era, early free settlement, and Queensland’s development prior to Federation.