Old Government House and William Robinson Gallery

The Old Government House in Brisbane features a distinct exterior of local porphyry stone and a wide veranda that wraps around two levels of the building. Governor George Bowen commissioned this sandstone residence in eighteen sixty-two because he found the previous accommodations drafty and unsuitable for colonial administration. He and his wife Diamantina moved in before the roof was fully finished. They held their first ball in the uncompleted drawing room, with guests dancing over floorboards that were still being laid down.