22 Killarney Street, Yeronga

This large dwelling set in a spacious garden reflects the prestigious residential development of Yeronga following the opening of the South Brisbane rail line to Corinda in 1884 and Yeronga Railway Station in 1885.

As early as 1906 Yeronga was attracting fulsome praise as potentially ‘one of the best residential areas in Southern Queensland’ with ‘delightful residential nooks’ and houses.

The land on which the house was built was originally part of the Killarney Estate, portion 149 in the parish of Yeerongpilly, County of Stanley. 

By 27 January 1864 portion 149 was advertised in the Brisbane Courier as ‘the Village of Killarney’, with a subsequent auction sale notice appearing on 28 January 1864.

Portion 149 was bounded by Park Road and Yeronga Park along the eastern side, the railway line to the west, Killarney Street and portion 148 along the southern side and undivided Portion 150 at the northern end.

The name ‘Killarney Estate’ was used in the 1880s building boom years to designate a single portion of land – about 3.6 hectares – which was offered for auction in subdivided lots.

 

Patrick Crowe, who owned much of Killarney Estate, had established himself as a land and mining agent in Brisbane in the 1880s. He was a director of several mining companies and connected with various syndicates. Also a commission and land agent, Crowe was involved in speculation. He was to get into financial difficulty by the 1900s when the mortgagee transferred his remaining Killarney property. 

During the 1920s ownership of the property remained in the Rollwagen name but the house was occupied by Thomas Hopkins, Eric Scriven, a prominent local identity, and Frederick Clifton. William D M Johnson subsequently occupied the house from the 1930s.

The Johnson family moved from 15 Killarney Street on the opposite side of the road. Ted Johnson eventually bought the house from the Rollwagens in 1943 for his father William Johnson who had been forced into early retirement.

The house continued to remain in the Johnson family, being occupied by various member of the family since World War II.

Federation era features include the brackets and balustrades. There are step in windows and french doors on the side of the house that has encircling timber verandahs. 

The leadlight front door is not the original door. This was blown off in the 1973 tornado which swept through the area, step-in windows and french doors on the side.

1. Brisbane City Council, Properties on the Web, website

2. Department of Natural Resources, Queensland Certificate of Title records

3. Applied History Centre, Department of History, Character Study of Killarney Estate, Yeronga, December 1994

4. Yeronga Heritage Survey