Commissariat Store

Overview

The Commissariat Store is one of Brisbane's two surviving convict-era buildings, dating from 1829. Now operated by the Royal Historical Society of Queensland, the heritage museum documents early colonial Brisbane through original artefacts, photographs, and convict records.

Highlights

• Convict records: Original documents detailing the lives and sentences of Moreton Bay convicts.
• Heritage building: Thick stone walls and timber interiors survive from the 1829 construction.
• First Free Settlement display: An exhibition on Brisbane's transition from penal colony to free settlement in 1842.

History

Built in 1829 on the banks of the Brisbane River, the store served as the provisions storehouse for the Moreton Bay Penal Settlement. After the colony opened to free settlers in 1842, it was repurposed as a government store and immigration depot.

Visitor Tips

• Tip 1: The museum is open Tuesday to Saturday — closed on Sundays and Mondays.
• Tip 2: Ask the volunteer guides about the convict records — they can help trace early settler histories.
• Duration: 30–45 minutes.