Moreton Bay Penal Settlement: Permanent Exhibition

The whole of the ground floor of the Commissariat Store Museum is devoted to a model of the Moreton Bay Penal Settlement on the Brisbane River. Using copies of building plans, our modeller has constructed each building in a 1:72 scale. Depicted on the ground floor these models have been placed as indicated in George Browne’s 1839 map of the settlement and relative to the Brisbane River.

This exhibition shows the Georgian-influenced building design of early Brisbane and gives a clear indication of the size of the settlement. Each building and its outbuildings are clearly labelled. This exhibition will be of particular interest to students looking at spatial relationships, the architectural history of this era and the history of convict Brisbane.

Visit the ground floor of the Commissariat Store to see a 1/70th scale model of the Moreton Bay Penal

Settlement as it was in 1838. Copies of plans drawn by Andrew Petrie are displayed on the walls. The settlement at that time consisted of the Commandant’s house and kitchen, the windmill, Gardener’s cottage, Commissariat Store, military barracks, apartments for the military, male prisoners’ barracks, female factory, convict and military hospital, surgeon’s quarters, Chaplain’s quarters and the lumber yard.