GSA Guide - National Trust House (1865-66, various extensions and refurbishments) Claimed

Bounded by 95 William Street and Queen’s Wharf Road

History

The lower part of this building was originally built as an Immigration Depot in 1865-66. Thousands of immigrants found this to be the point of arrival to the new free colony of Queensland.

The Immigration Depot was designed by the office of Charles Tiffin, Queensland's first colonial architect. It was originally a single story building and had a three-story wing at the rear towards the river.

The rear wing contained three large separate wards; one for single women (William Street level), one for married couples (basement level), and one for single men at the sub-basement level.

From 1890 the Immigration Depot was adapted into offices for the newly established Department of Agriculture and Stock. It served that use for over 40 years.

Somewhere around 1900 an expansion saw another floor and a galvanised roof added. Further expansions to the site were most likely added between 1910 to 1930s, and were then subsequently demolished in 1994.

In the 1990s the building housed the Centenary of Federation offices (named Federation House) and then became the new home of the National Trust (Queensland) in 2002. The building was renamed to National Trust House.

The building also houses the Brisbane Open House office.

Building stones

The main structure of this building is constructed of bricks and concrete. Some rooms in the basement are vaulted and constructed of porphyry (Formation: Brisbane Tuff), probably for greater structural strength. The source of the clay for the handmade bricks is not known.

A steep retaining wall on the William Street side of the building, which continues on from the Commissariat wall, was constructed using blocks of Brisbane Tuff.

Refurbishment of the William Street entrance in 1998 used pavers and tiles of black slate, possibly sourced from Crows Nest.

Architects - Charles Tiffin, Thomas Pye, John Murdoch.

Builder - Department of Public Works (1994 restoration).