Engine Room (former) Capricorn New Farm Wharf

This brick engine shed was probably built between 1917 and 1927 by the Brisbane Stevedoring and Wool Dumping Company, who acquired the riverside site in 1907 and 1909. The engine shed was part of the company’s wharf, built to service Brisbane’s wool industry which was centred on the Teneriffe/New Farm area in the first half of the twentieth century.During World War II, the wharf was used to service Allied submarines and shipping. Some sheds on the wharf were taken over by the US Navy in 1942. Post-war, the wharf remained in the hands of Brisbane Stevedoring and Wool Dumping Company until 1968 when it was sold. It was acquired by the Commonwealth in 1982 for use by the Royal Australian Navy and became known as HMAS Moreton North.The other surviving wharf buildings have been demolished and the surrounding area redeveloped for housing in the early 2000s. The engine house has been vacant for some time and is currently owned by the Brisbane City Council.