Kenmore House, Rockhampton, Heritage mansion in The Range, Rockhampton, Australia.
Kenmore House is a two-storey Flemish bond brick building with rendered detailing and a hipped corrugated iron roof, set on a northeast-sloping site on the Athelstane Range. Its north side has a Corinthian columned portico with a tower above, large cornice, arcaded loggias, quoining, pilasters, projecting bays, bracketed eaves and a rendered balustrade. Inside, a columned central hall holds a carved cedar staircase with a twin return, a large stained glass window, ornate plaster ceilings and marble floors with decorative tiled borders.
Local builder and politician John Ferguson constructed the house in 1894, sourcing premium materials including black and white marble from the region for the ballroom. The building was later taken over by the Sisters of Mercy in 1915 to serve as a hospital.
The residence became a hospital run by the Sisters of Mercy in 1915, reflecting how the building shifted from a wealthy family home to a place of community care. This transformation is central to how locals remember the building today.
The house sits on Ward Street in the Range neighborhood and is visible from the street. Visitors should be aware that it is located within a hospital complex and access may be limited or require permission depending on current operations.
Ferguson ordered custom monogrammed china and gold plate for the residence, as he envisioned it becoming a government house for a new Australian state. This ambitious vision reveals how grand the builder's expectations were before the house eventually found its purpose.
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