Commissariat Store, Brisbane, Colonial museum building in Brisbane City, Australia
The Commissariat Store is a two-storey building of local stone at 115–127 William Street, Brisbane, with a third storey of rendered brick added in 1913. It stands beside the Brisbane River and Queen's Wharf Road, and its symmetrical elevations and windows decreasing in size from lower to upper levels reflect Georgian and Regency styles. It now houses the Royal Historical Society of Queensland's museum, the Welsby Library and function spaces.
Designed by William John Dumaresq, acting civil engineer for New South Wales, the store was built of local stone in 1828–1829 by convict labour under Captain Patrick Logan, commandant from 1826. The Gaol Gang cut the sloping riverbank to a level platform as punishment. A third storey of rendered brick was added in 1913, giving the building its William Street address.
The name reflects its original purpose as a colonial supply point, and today its rooms display objects that show how early settlers and convicts lived. Walking through, you see everyday items and documents that reveal what daily life was like in the young colony.
The building sits in the city center and is easy to reach on foot from nearby attractions and transport hubs. Visitors should check opening hours in advance, as they are limited to certain weekdays and afternoons.
The building is one of only four surviving commissariat buildings in Australia, alongside stores in Hobart, Launceston, Norfolk Island and Fremantle. Its design came from William John Dumaresq, Acting Civil Engineer for New South Wales, whose plans reached Sydney in April 1828.
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