Old Government House, Queensland
Encyclopedia
Queensland
's first Government House is located at Gardens Point in the grounds of the Queensland University of Technology
at the end of George Street
in Brisbane
, Queensland, Australia. The building's construction was the first important architectural work undertaken by the newly formed Government of Queensland
.
, Sir George Bowen, and his family. On 22 May 1860, the first Queensland parliament met. One month later a vote to fund a new government house was successful. The site chosen for the building was a high point of Gardens Point overlooking the Botanic Gardens
and with expansive vistas of the Brisbane River
. There was some contention as to building being built in Brisbane as the capital of the Queensland had not yet been decided.
The two-storey building was designed by colonial architect Charles Tiffin
in the Classical revival
style in 1860. The front half of the building contained the Governor's public and private rooms while the rear housed the service section. The front of the house had a plain design without displays of grandeur so as not to affront politicians and country citizens.
The first stage of the building was completed in March 1862 by builder Joshua Jeays
. The building is built from locally-sourced materials, predominantly sandstone
, porphyry
, red cedar
, hoop pine
and cast iron
.
, was leased for their use as a temporary Government House, while the construction of this building was undertaken.
The Governor and his family moved into the building in April 1862. The first public function held in the building was a ball on Monday 16 June 1862 to celebrate the birthday of Queen Victoria
. The ball was to have been earlier (Victoria's birthday being 24 May), but was postponed due to a period of public mourning for the Prince consort
Albert. Sir George and Lady Diamantina Bowen
hosted 300 to 400 guests. It was a gala occasion and the new Government House was praised for enabling "the Governor to exercise his hospitality without restrictions through the want of space". There were rooms available for dancing, drinking of claret
, sherry
, tea
and coffee
and the playing of the card game whist
. Meanwhile the dowagers and other ladies not involved in the drinking, dancing and card playing were entertained in drawing room. At 1 a.m., supper was served in the quadrangle, protected by a canvas roof and decorated with candles and Chinese lanterns
. The dancing continued until 4 a.m., although the Bowens did not participate in the dancing due to his wife Lady Diamantina's delicate health.
Approximately one month later on 26 July 1862, Lady Diamantina was safely delivered of a daughter, Agnes. Lady Diamantina's "delicate health" at the Birthday Ball was presumably a delicate reference to her advanced pregnancy. Agnes is believed to be the first child born in the building (the custom of those times was that children were born at home, indeed, Brisbane had no maternity hospitals in that era). Their son, George William Howard, was also born at Government House on 9 April 1864.
Lady Diamantina Bowen was interested in the development of the gardens around the building, which features lawns and flower gardens on the public sides of the building and vegetable gardens at the rear. She collaborated with Walter Hill
, curator of the adjacent Botanical Gardens
on a number of projects, including large public events which extended out from the grounds of Government House into the Botanic Gardens.
The house was originally lit with candles and kerosene lamps, but by the late 1860s, gas became available and was installed. Unfortunately the initial pipes used were too thin and it was not possible to turn on all the gas lights simultaneously.
and their families. The building was modified somewhat during those years, the most obvious difference to the public face of the building being the roofing of the previously open upper terraces converting them into more Queenslander-style
verandah
s. In 1873, a roof was built over the balcony. By the late 1870s the building was being described as inadequate, particularly for large scale entertainment purposes.
Some extensions were also made at the rear, but these were more related to the service areas. Larger gas pipes were eventually installed to allow all the lights to be used. Although Brisbane had electricity in the late 1880s, the cost of fitting it to Government House was regarded as too expensive.
About 1900, a billard room was added at the request of Lord Lamington. The interior was renovated and redecorated in 1985—96.
deemed essential for entertaining. It was decided to give Government House to be the nucleus of Queensland's first university, the University of Queensland
, which was to be established at Gardens Point. A plaque on the building commemorates this transfer in December 1909.
In early 1910, the Governor, Sir William MacGregor
, relocated into the leased property Fernberg at Paddington
, a suburb of Brisbane, as a temporary measure while a new Government House was constructed in Victoria Park. However, although the plans for the new Government House were drawn and the foundations laid, for some reason, the project was abandoned. In 1911 the Government purchased Fernberg for ₤10,000 to be the permanent Government House
of Queensland, a role that has continued to the present day.
, as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the founding of the State of Queensland
. The University had electricity
connected to the building about 1911.
The University of Queensland
used the building until the late 1930s when the university outgrew the Gardens Point campus and relocated its main campus to St Lucia
.
. Concert
s have also been performed in the building.
In 1969, Old Government House was placed on the first list of significant heritage buildings compiled by the National Trust of Queensland
, which protected the building from demolition. In March 1978, Old Government House became the first building to be protected by Queensland heritage legislation.
, the Queensland Government and Queensland University of Technology
gave custodianship of Old Government House to the Queensland University of Technology—QUT.
Queensland University of Technology performed a major 3-year restoration of the building and it re-opened in 2009, with a ceremony on 7 June 2009 to mark the 150th anniversary of the establishment of Queensland
. Speakers at the ceremony included Peter Coaldrake, Queensland Governor
Penny Wensley, Queensland Premier
Anna Bligh
and QUT Chancellor (and former Queensland Governor
Peter Arnison
. In addition to unveiling the plaque, Anna Bligh
announced that QUT's lease of the building would be extended for another 30 years.
Having restored the buildings, QUT will use it for events and functions, and provide tours and information (including interactive displays) for visitors.
was invented by the cook Armand Gallan at Government House, during the time of the Queensland Governor, Lord Lamington
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
's first Government House is located at Gardens Point in the grounds of the Queensland University of Technology
Queensland University of Technology
Queensland University of Technology is an Australian university with an applied emphasis in courses and research. Based in Brisbane, it has 40,000 students, including 6,000 international students, over 4,000 staff members, and an annual budget of more than A$750 million.QUT is marketed as "A...
at the end of George Street
George Street, Brisbane
George Street is a main street located in the Brisbane CBD in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. A major thoroughfare, George Street connects to the Queensland University of Technology as well as the state Botanical Gardens, to the commercial centre of Brisbane, Queen Street and Queen Street Mall.The...
in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Queensland, Australia. The building's construction was the first important architectural work undertaken by the newly formed Government of Queensland
Government of Queensland
The Government of Queensland is commonly known as the "Queensland Government".The form of the Government of Queensland is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1859, although it has been amended many times since then...
.
Architecture and construction
The government residential building was constructed to accommodate the first Governor of QueenslandGovernors of Queensland
The Governor of Queensland is the representative in the state of Queensland of the Queen of Australia. The Governor performs the same constitutional and ceremonial functions at the state level as does the Governor-General of Australia at the national level....
, Sir George Bowen, and his family. On 22 May 1860, the first Queensland parliament met. One month later a vote to fund a new government house was successful. The site chosen for the building was a high point of Gardens Point overlooking the Botanic Gardens
Brisbane City Botanic Gardens
The City Botanic Gardens is located on a point known as Gardens Point on the Brisbane River adjacent to the central business district of the city of Brisbane...
and with expansive vistas of the Brisbane River
Brisbane River
The Brisbane River is the longest river in south east Queensland, Australia, and flows through the city of Brisbane, before emptying into Moreton Bay. John Oxley was the first European to explore the river who named it after the Governor of New South Wales, Thomas Brisbane in 1823...
. There was some contention as to building being built in Brisbane as the capital of the Queensland had not yet been decided.
The two-storey building was designed by colonial architect Charles Tiffin
Charles Tiffin
Charles Tiffin was an Australian architect.- Early life :He was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England where he studied under local architects M...
in the Classical revival
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
style in 1860. The front half of the building contained the Governor's public and private rooms while the rear housed the service section. The front of the house had a plain design without displays of grandeur so as not to affront politicians and country citizens.
The first stage of the building was completed in March 1862 by builder Joshua Jeays
Joshua Jeays
-Personal life:Joshua Jeays was born in 1812 in Leicestershire, England.He married Sarah Edwyn in 1838 in Marylebone, Middlesex, England with whom he had a number of children including:* Sarah Jane* Joseph Joshua * Charles Edwyn...
. The building is built from locally-sourced materials, predominantly sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
, porphyry
Porphyry (geology)
Porphyry is a variety of igneous rock consisting of large-grained crystals, such as feldspar or quartz, dispersed in a fine-grained feldspathic matrix or groundmass. The larger crystals are called phenocrysts...
, red cedar
Toona ciliata
Australian Red Cedar , Toona ciliata is a forest tree in the family Meliaceae which grows throughout southern Asia from Afghanistan to Papua New Guinea and Australia. In Australia its natural habitat is now extensively cleared subtropical rainforests of New South Wales and Queensland...
, hoop pine
Araucaria cunninghamii
Araucaria cunninghamii is a species of Araucaria known as Moreton Bay Pine, or Hoop Pine. Other less commonly used names include Colonial Pine, Richmond River Pine, Queensland Pine, Alloa, Ningwik, or Pien, the wood is sometimes called Arakaria)...
and cast iron
Cast iron
Cast iron is derived from pig iron, and while it usually refers to gray iron, it also identifies a large group of ferrous alloys which solidify with a eutectic. The color of a fractured surface can be used to identify an alloy. White cast iron is named after its white surface when fractured, due...
.
Governor Sir George Bowen
The family first arrived in Brisbane in 1859 and Adelaide House, now the Deanery of St John's CathedralSt John's Cathedral, Brisbane
St John's Cathedral is the Anglican cathedral of Brisbane and the metropolitan cathedral of the ecclesiastical province of Queensland, Australia...
, was leased for their use as a temporary Government House, while the construction of this building was undertaken.
The Governor and his family moved into the building in April 1862. The first public function held in the building was a ball on Monday 16 June 1862 to celebrate the birthday of Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
. The ball was to have been earlier (Victoria's birthday being 24 May), but was postponed due to a period of public mourning for the Prince consort
Prince consort
A prince consort is the husband of a queen regnant who is not himself a king in his own right.Current examples include the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , and Prince Henrik of Denmark .In recognition of his status, a prince consort may be given a formal...
Albert. Sir George and Lady Diamantina Bowen
Diamantina Bowen
Lady Diamantina Bowen was a Greek noble who became the wife of Sir George Ferguson Bowen, the first governor of Queensland.-Personal life:...
hosted 300 to 400 guests. It was a gala occasion and the new Government House was praised for enabling "the Governor to exercise his hospitality without restrictions through the want of space". There were rooms available for dancing, drinking of claret
Claret
Claret is a name primarily used in British English for red wine from the Bordeaux region of France.-Usage:Claret derives from the French clairet, a now uncommon dark rosé and the most common wine exported from Bordeaux until the 18th century...
, sherry
Sherry
Sherry is a fortified wine made from white grapes that are grown near the town of Jerez , Spain. In Spanish, it is called vino de Jerez....
, tea
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
and coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
and the playing of the card game whist
Whist
Whist is a classic English trick-taking card game which was played widely in the 18th and 19th centuries. It derives from the 16th century game of Trump or Ruff, via Ruff and Honours...
. Meanwhile the dowagers and other ladies not involved in the drinking, dancing and card playing were entertained in drawing room. At 1 a.m., supper was served in the quadrangle, protected by a canvas roof and decorated with candles and Chinese lanterns
Paper lantern
Paper lanterns come in various shapes and sizes, as well as various methods of construction. In their simplest form, they are simply a paper bag with a candle placed inside, although more complicated lanterns consist of a collapsible bamboo or metal frame of hoops covered with tough paper.-In Asian...
. The dancing continued until 4 a.m., although the Bowens did not participate in the dancing due to his wife Lady Diamantina's delicate health.
Approximately one month later on 26 July 1862, Lady Diamantina was safely delivered of a daughter, Agnes. Lady Diamantina's "delicate health" at the Birthday Ball was presumably a delicate reference to her advanced pregnancy. Agnes is believed to be the first child born in the building (the custom of those times was that children were born at home, indeed, Brisbane had no maternity hospitals in that era). Their son, George William Howard, was also born at Government House on 9 April 1864.
Lady Diamantina Bowen was interested in the development of the gardens around the building, which features lawns and flower gardens on the public sides of the building and vegetable gardens at the rear. She collaborated with Walter Hill
Walter Hill (garden curator)
Walter Hill was the first curator of the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens, located at Gardens Point, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.-Personal life:...
, curator of the adjacent Botanical Gardens
Brisbane City Botanic Gardens
The City Botanic Gardens is located on a point known as Gardens Point on the Brisbane River adjacent to the central business district of the city of Brisbane...
on a number of projects, including large public events which extended out from the grounds of Government House into the Botanic Gardens.
The house was originally lit with candles and kerosene lamps, but by the late 1860s, gas became available and was installed. Unfortunately the initial pipes used were too thin and it was not possible to turn on all the gas lights simultaneously.
Other governors
The building was home to the first 11 of the Governors of QueenslandGovernors of Queensland
The Governor of Queensland is the representative in the state of Queensland of the Queen of Australia. The Governor performs the same constitutional and ceremonial functions at the state level as does the Governor-General of Australia at the national level....
and their families. The building was modified somewhat during those years, the most obvious difference to the public face of the building being the roofing of the previously open upper terraces converting them into more Queenslander-style
Queenslander (architecture)
Queenslander architecture is a modern term for the vernacular type of architecture of Queensland, Australia. It is also found in the northern parts of the adjacent state of New South Wales and shares many traits with architecture in other states of Australia but is distinct and unique...
verandah
Verandah
A veranda or verandah is a roofed opened gallery or porch. It is also described as an open pillared gallery, generally roofed, built around a central structure...
s. In 1873, a roof was built over the balcony. By the late 1870s the building was being described as inadequate, particularly for large scale entertainment purposes.
Some extensions were also made at the rear, but these were more related to the service areas. Larger gas pipes were eventually installed to allow all the lights to be used. Although Brisbane had electricity in the late 1880s, the cost of fitting it to Government House was regarded as too expensive.
About 1900, a billard room was added at the request of Lord Lamington. The interior was renovated and redecorated in 1985—96.
Last resident governor
By 1909 the once spacious Government House was now nearly fifty years old, and by the standards of the times, perceived as being too small for the Governor's residence, especially as it lacked a ballroomBallroom
A ballroom is a large room inside a building, the designated purpose of which is holding formal dances called balls. Traditionally, most balls were held in private residences; many mansions contain one or more ballrooms...
deemed essential for entertaining. It was decided to give Government House to be the nucleus of Queensland's first university, the University of Queensland
University of Queensland
The University of Queensland, also known as UQ, is a public university located in state of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest and largest university in Queensland and the fifth oldest in the nation...
, which was to be established at Gardens Point. A plaque on the building commemorates this transfer in December 1909.
In early 1910, the Governor, Sir William MacGregor
William MacGregor
Sir William MacGregor GCMG, CB was a Lieutenant-Governor of British New Guinea, Governor of Newfoundland and Governor of Queensland.-Early life:...
, relocated into the leased property Fernberg at Paddington
Paddington, Queensland
Paddington is an inner suburb of Brisbane, Australia located 2 km west of the Brisbane CBD. As is common with other suburbs in the area, Paddington is located on a number of steep ridges and hills. It was originally settled in the 1860s. Many original and distinctive Queenslander homes can...
, a suburb of Brisbane, as a temporary measure while a new Government House was constructed in Victoria Park. However, although the plans for the new Government House were drawn and the foundations laid, for some reason, the project was abandoned. In 1911 the Government purchased Fernberg for ₤10,000 to be the permanent Government House
Government House, Queensland
Government House, or 'Fernberg', is located in the Brisbane suburb of Paddington, in Queensland, Australia.Government House is the official residence of the Governor of Queensland, and is commonly known as 'Fernberg'. The Governor of Queensland is the representative of Queen Elizabeth II in...
of Queensland, a role that has continued to the present day.
University of Queensland
On 10 December 1909, the building was given to be the nucleus of the newly established University of QueenslandUniversity of Queensland
The University of Queensland, also known as UQ, is a public university located in state of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest and largest university in Queensland and the fifth oldest in the nation...
, as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the founding of the State of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
. The University had electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
connected to the building about 1911.
The University of Queensland
University of Queensland
The University of Queensland, also known as UQ, is a public university located in state of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest and largest university in Queensland and the fifth oldest in the nation...
used the building until the late 1930s when the university outgrew the Gardens Point campus and relocated its main campus to St Lucia
St Lucia, Queensland
St Lucia is an inner suburb of Brisbane, Australia located 4 km south-west of the Brisbane CBD. The suburb is bordered on three sides by the Brisbane River and is dominated by the main campus of the University of Queensland.-History:...
.
Heritage protection
Old Government House has been used as the Queensland headquarters for the National Trust of AustraliaNational Trust of Australia
The Australian Council of National Trusts is the peak body for community-based, non-government organisations committed to promoting and conserving Australia's indigenous, natural and historic heritage....
. Concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
s have also been performed in the building.
In 1969, Old Government House was placed on the first list of significant heritage buildings compiled by the National Trust of Queensland
National Trust of Australia
The Australian Council of National Trusts is the peak body for community-based, non-government organisations committed to promoting and conserving Australia's indigenous, natural and historic heritage....
, which protected the building from demolition. In March 1978, Old Government House became the first building to be protected by Queensland heritage legislation.
Queensland University of Technology
In 2002, an agreement between the National Trust of QueenslandNational Trust of Australia
The Australian Council of National Trusts is the peak body for community-based, non-government organisations committed to promoting and conserving Australia's indigenous, natural and historic heritage....
, the Queensland Government and Queensland University of Technology
Queensland University of Technology
Queensland University of Technology is an Australian university with an applied emphasis in courses and research. Based in Brisbane, it has 40,000 students, including 6,000 international students, over 4,000 staff members, and an annual budget of more than A$750 million.QUT is marketed as "A...
gave custodianship of Old Government House to the Queensland University of Technology—QUT.
Queensland University of Technology performed a major 3-year restoration of the building and it re-opened in 2009, with a ceremony on 7 June 2009 to mark the 150th anniversary of the establishment of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
. Speakers at the ceremony included Peter Coaldrake, Queensland Governor
Governors of Queensland
The Governor of Queensland is the representative in the state of Queensland of the Queen of Australia. The Governor performs the same constitutional and ceremonial functions at the state level as does the Governor-General of Australia at the national level....
Penny Wensley, Queensland Premier
Premiers of Queensland
Before the 1890s, there was no developed party system in Queensland. Political affiliation labels before that time indicate a general tendency only. Before the end of the first decade of the twentieth century, political parties were more akin to parliamentary factions, and were fluid, informal and...
Anna Bligh
Anna Bligh
Anna Maria Bligh is an Australian politician and the Premier of Queensland since 2007. The 2009 Queensland state election was the first time a female-led political party won or retained state or federal government in Australia...
and QUT Chancellor (and former Queensland Governor
Governors of Queensland
The Governor of Queensland is the representative in the state of Queensland of the Queen of Australia. The Governor performs the same constitutional and ceremonial functions at the state level as does the Governor-General of Australia at the national level....
Peter Arnison
Peter Arnison
Major General Peter Maurice Arnison AC CVO, , was Governor of Queensland from July 1997 until July 2003. He graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon in 1962, and retired from the Australian Army in 1996...
. In addition to unveiling the plaque, Anna Bligh
Anna Bligh
Anna Maria Bligh is an Australian politician and the Premier of Queensland since 2007. The 2009 Queensland state election was the first time a female-led political party won or retained state or federal government in Australia...
announced that QUT's lease of the building would be extended for another 30 years.
Having restored the buildings, QUT will use it for events and functions, and provide tours and information (including interactive displays) for visitors.
Origin of the lamington
One of Australia's famous culinary features, the lamingtonLamington
A lamington is a sponge cake of Australian origin in the shape of a cuboid, coated in a layer of traditionally chocolate icing then desiccated coconut. Lamingtons are sometimes served as two halves with a layer of cream and/or strawberry jam between, and are commonly found in South African and...
was invented by the cook Armand Gallan at Government House, during the time of the Queensland Governor, Lord Lamington
Charles Cochrane-Baillie, 2nd Baron Lamington
Charles Wallace Alexander Napier Cochrane-Baillie, 2nd Baron Lamington, GCMG, GCIE was a British politician and colonial administrator who was Governor of Queensland from 1896 to 1901, and Governor of Bombay from 1903 to 1907....
See also
- Government HouseGovernment House, QueenslandGovernment House, or 'Fernberg', is located in the Brisbane suburb of Paddington, in Queensland, Australia.Government House is the official residence of the Governor of Queensland, and is commonly known as 'Fernberg'. The Governor of Queensland is the representative of Queen Elizabeth II in...
for information about Government House at Bardon, Queensland. - Government Houses of AustraliaGovernment Houses of Australia-Current:Federal* Government House, Canberra, aka Yarralumla; Governor-General's Canberra residence* Admiralty House, Governor-General's Sydney residence* The Lodge, Canberra, Prime Minister's Canberra residence...
- Government Houses of the British Empire
- Governors of QueenslandGovernors of QueenslandThe Governor of Queensland is the representative in the state of Queensland of the Queen of Australia. The Governor performs the same constitutional and ceremonial functions at the state level as does the Governor-General of Australia at the national level....
External links
- QUT: Old Government House - information provided by the current custodians Queensland University of TechnologyQueensland University of TechnologyQueensland University of Technology is an Australian university with an applied emphasis in courses and research. Based in Brisbane, it has 40,000 students, including 6,000 international students, over 4,000 staff members, and an annual budget of more than A$750 million.QUT is marketed as "A...
- Government House, Queensland - Official Website - includes information about Brisbane's first Government House