[1] Bardon House, a two-storeyed stone residence, was constructed in 1864 by Joshua Jeays, builder, architect and early mayor of Brisbane.

Exley, a school teacher became the sole owner of the house in 1917 and resided in it until James Duhig purchased it for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane in 1925.

[1] Appointed in 1925, Father Max Irvine, the Chaplain at Stuartholme Convent, became the first Parish Priest, and resided at Bardon House.

By the following year, services were no longer held in Bardon House, as a church (St Mary Magdalene's) was constructed within the grounds.

Dr O'Donoghue, the Parish Priest, vacated Bardon and the Missionary Franciscan Sisters moved in on January 19, 1938 to establish the new school, to be known as St Josephs.

Funding for its construction and furnishing was contributed by the local Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Ithaca, Mr Edward Hanlon.

[1] The building is constructed of uncoursed squared rubble, with the remains of tuck pointing, and rough faced sandstone quoining to corners, doors and windows.

The enclosed verandah has a corrugated iron lean-to roof, fibrous cement cladding, and louvred and casement windows.

The narrower gable has a central door to the ground floor, which is no longer used, with a fanlight and squared sandstone moulding forming the upper part of an architrave.

[1] The lean-to addition to the western side of the rear wing has a corrugated iron roof, fibrous cement cladding, louvred windows and a brick base.

The northern room has a central partition wall, which divides the space forming two bedrooms, and which bisects the fireplace surround and window.

The ground floor of the building has mainly rendered masonry walls, pressed metal ceilings, and French doors with fanlights opening onto verandahs.

The joinery is painted throughout, but reportedly is of cedar, and includes panelled doors, some with fanlights, architraves, skirtings and some fireplace surrounds.

[1] A small room adjacent to the staircase has an external door which is no longer used, and a pivoting window with coloured glass panels opening onto the southeast verandah.

The rear kitchen area has been altered, with a small room forming a two-way pantry, and a door and window to the western addition being removed.

Walls and ceilings are lined with fibrous cement sheeting, with the rake of the roof sloping to approximately window sill height.

[1] St Mary Magdalene's Hall is located to the east of Bardon House, on the opposite side of the carpark adjacent to the entrance to the property.

The hall is located on a steeply sloping site, with the entrance on the south at ground level, and the rear of the building supported on tall concrete stumps.

Constructed by 1863, Bardon House is important for the evidence it provides of the way of life of prosperous citizens in the outer suburbs of Brisbane in the early decades of Queensland's history.

Bardon House is significant for its association with its first owner, Joshua Jeays, who was a prominent Brisbane builder, architect and politician.