Thornclyffe

Thomas Faulkner purchased various parcels of land offered by Hope during 1875 and 1877 and subsequently sold the land to Barbara Murphy, “Widow” in 1881. The land sold by Faulkner to Mrs Murphy was not one complete allotment. Faulkner rather provided the land to Mrs Murphy from the various separate allotments he had purchased from the Hope sale. Thus a new title was drawn up providing Mrs Murphy with just over one acre and one rood, which extended in an offset pattern from the corner of Lambert Street and King Street (now Castlebar) to the Brisbane River.

The house appears to have been constructed in c1884-1886, the Post Office Directories showing the property as “vacant land” in 1883-1884. In October 1886 Barbara Murphy secured a mortgage from Sir Thomas McIlwraith for £800. She subsequently took out further mortgages in June 1887, June 1888, and October 1888 for £300, £300 and £200 respectively. In 1886 Barbara Murphy married Henry William Llewellyn. Llewellyn joined the Queensland Public Service three years later as a “Draftsman & Clerk” in the Colonial Secretary’s Department. Although the Llewellyns appear to have resided at “Thornclyffe” up until the early 1890s they retained ownership until December 1907.

This house was constructed during the height of the housing boom of the 1880s. This boom saw an expansion of residential. It was clearly constructed as a substantial residence in an idyllic locality at Kangaroo Point, designed to take full advantage of its high position along the Brisbane river. The land, at the date of construction, not only provided river frontage but, also bounded Shafston House. Shafston House had recently (1883) undergone extensive renovation.

During this period ownership by the Llewellyns the property was rented out. Among the tenants was the Honourable David Dalrymple M.L.A. Dalrymple served in ministries between 1895-1903. He held the portfolios of education and later agriculture and had a reputation as a “notable debater”.

In 1907 the property was subdivided and sold. The portion of land that remained with the house was reduced to just over 3 roods and four perches. The property was again sold in 1913 to Caroline Dalby and was further subdivided in 1917. It was the Dalby’s who gave the name to the house of “Neerradah” (also spelt “Neerreadah”). The property remained in the Dalby family until it was sold in 1951. The land was again subdivided in 1953 with only just over 1 rood and sixteen perches remaining with the property.

In 1961 an application was made to the Brisbane City Council for the erection of a garage by the then owner Kathleen Campion. Further alterations occurred to the house in the 1980s, which included the addition of a swimming pool.

At present the house is an integral element of the residential development in the Lambert/Castlebar Street area, which extends from the early 1850s, with the beginnings of Shafston House, until the late housing development occurring in the 1950s. The extent of this existing building span is not only exceptional to the Kangaroo Point DCP area, but also Brisbane.

1. Australian Dictionary of Biography. (Melbourne; Melbourne University Press 1972). Vol. 4. 1851 – 1890. D – J pp.418/419

2. Certificates of Title.

3. Janet Hogan, Historic Homes of Queensland. (National Trust. 1987) “Shafston House.”

4. Certificates of Title.

5. Ibid