Information

Built 1849-50. David McConnel was a successful pastoralist, having established Brisbane Valley’s (NSW) second cattle run ‘Cressbrook’ in 1841. In 1849, he bought 173 acres, beside the Brisbane River, to establish an experimental farm ‘Toogoolawah’. He engaged pioneer Andrew Petrie to build a stone farmhouse It was completed in 1850 and named ‘Bulimba House’. Bulimba was supposedly Aboriginal for a peewee bird. Located on the centre hill of’ Toogoolawah’, the House operated in the English manor-house tradition, surrounded by outbuildings and outlying farms that were leased to McConnel’s workers. He sold his enlarged 220-acre Estate to pastoralist Donald Coutts in 1853 and returned to England. Coutts subdivided ‘Toogoolawah’ for small farms or housing estates and died in 1869. The House and remaining land were owned or leased by wealthy citizens. In 1935, former Queensland Premier (1929-32) Arthur Moore bought ‘Bulimba House’. It is now a suburban residence on just 0.65 hectares.

Citations

Department of Enviroment and Heritage Protection, Queensland Heritage Register citation No.600179

Image Citations

Map References

QSA. QSA Series 1748 Moreton District, County of Stanley Maps – A1 Series. 40 chains to 1 inch. Road proposed to be opened through property of JJ Galloway, Portion 129, Parish of Bulimba, County of Stanley. 40 chains to the inch. Survey Office, Brisbane. 620416