Newstead House’s $6.6m restoration complete in time for Brisbane Open House

A 178-year-old heritage-listed home with one of the best views in Brisbane will reopen this weekend after more than four years closed due to the pandemic and conservation works. WATCH THE VIDEO

If the walls in Newstead House could talk, boy would they have some stories – from its extravagant early colonial parties, to hosting an English monarch on a royal visit, and housing US soldiers during World War II as many found love with local Brisbane women.

After a four-and-a-half year hiatus, the heritage-listed home is throwing open its doors to the Brisbane public once again this weekend to share those tales.

Newstead House is Brisbane’s oldest standing European residence.

It will be filled with period furniture from the 1860s to take visitors back to colonial days, and has several quirky features such as a door that leads to nowhere, and trapdoors in the floor used by servants to move between the main house and their basement quarters.

The home has undergone a $6.6 million revamp. Picture: John Gass

In its 178-year history, Brisbane’s oldest standing European residence has been occupied by some of the city’s most influential colonial figures – pioneer Patrick Leslie, naval officer and magistrate John Clements Wickham (namesake of Wickham Terrace), as well as merchant and politician George Harris.

Newstead House has a collection of thousands of historic items. Picture: John Gass

Today, it is a living museum and function space, home to a collection of more than 6000 historical items.

The house, adjoining substation and park received heritage status in 1992.

Having closed during the pandemic, the heritage property remained closed from December 2021 onwards to undergo a $6.6m conservation overhaul – which was funded by the state government and managed by the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation.

Much of the home’s original stone and brickwork has been restored. Picture: John Gass

The work included a full roof replacement from tiles to Welsh slate to match original roofing, drainage upgrades to particularly protect the basement servant quarters, as ell as repairs to structural and decorative timber features.

There was also stone and brickwork restoration and conservation, the house’s exterior was painted blue based on original colour schemes used by the Harris family, and remnants of original wallpaper were found and used to recreate the pattern through screen printing.

Newstead House board of trustees chair Claire Moore. Picture: John Gass

Newstead House Board of Trustees chair Claire Moore said the heritage property has been “an integral part” of the city’s heritage, with its “marvellous history” of visitors and residents.

“It is such a prominent position, anyone on a ferry along the river or anyone driving along Kingsford Smith Drive sees it,” she said.

“It is beloved by so many people and has been an integral part of Brisbane society.

“It was built as a residence at a time when there weren’t many, but also at a time where Brisbane and Queensland were so wealthy.

An antique wooden clock. Picture: John Gass

A beautiful china vase. Picture: John Gass

“It was the social centre, the location was just as important and special as it is now, there were no more impressive sites to sit on than that veranda and look down the river.”

Newstead House will officially reopen on Saturday, July 6 from 10am-2pm with food trucks, artisan markets, kid’s activities, self-guided tours and live music.

The heritage home will also be open as part of Brisbane Open House on July 13-14.

“We’re hoping people will come back, we’ve known they’re interested and we see the way people have been following the process,” Ms Moore said.

“We’re wanting to see it alive again. For so many years people have seen a building site, now we want it to be back in its former glory and sparkling again.”

Originally published as Newstead House’s $6.6m restoration complete in time for Brisbane Open House