by Desley Garnett
On a very windy Saturday morning, I joined a crowd of a couple of hundred people (including several members of the New Farm & Districts Historical Society) for the reopening of Newstead House after its closure for three years for renovations.
Several speakers talked about the meticulous work undertaken to bring the house, built in 1846, back to the time hen George Harris and his family resided there. This period, from 1862 to 1889 was a time of much partying.
The ribbon for the official re-opening was ceremoniously cut by Her Excellency Dr Jeanette Young, Governor of Qld, Patron of Newstead House. Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef, Leanne Linard, whose Department was intimately involved with overseeing the spending of the $6.65 million funding by the Miles Government, said: “I commend the Board of Trustees for the meticulous work they have done to ensure this renovation project aligns to the style of the mid-to-late 1800s.”
Minister Grace Grace, member for McConnel, spoke passionately about her memories of visiting Newstead House as a child, and about the restoration. “Newstead House is a beloved part of my community here in McConnel and as an advocate for the restoration I’m very proud to see the House not only returned to magnificence but preserved for generations to come.”
Congratulations must go to Claire Moore, Chair of the Board of Trustees, and to her fellow trustees, for seeing this project through to completion.
Claire will tell us more about the restoration project at our meeting in September.
Claire expressed her passion for the project in the words “This labour of love has given this grand dame a much-needed facelift, well-deserved after 178 years, ensuring Newstead House is once again the life of the party” I look forward to visiting this grand house, Brisbane’s oldest European residential property, for a more relaxed tour and to hear more of the stories of the people who lived, worked and visited there.
Maybe we will organise a group tour for members of NFDHS.