[1] The government residential building was constructed to accommodate the first Governor of Queensland, Sir George Bowen, and his family.

[2] The two-storey building was designed by colonial architect Charles Tiffin in the Classical revival style in 1860.

[3][4] The front half of the building contained the Governor's public and private rooms while the rear housed the service section.

[4][7][8] The building is built from locally sourced materials, with sandstone facades, Brisbane tuff (stone) (sometimes referred to incorrectly as 'Porphyry') to the service areas, red cedar, hoop pine and cast iron.

The first public function held in the building was a ball on Monday 16 June 1862 to celebrate the birthday of Queen Victoria.

The ball was to have been earlier (Victoria's birthday being 24 May), but was postponed due to a period of public mourning for the Prince consort Albert.

It was a gala occasion and the new Government House was praised for enabling "the Governor to exercise his hospitality without restrictions through the want of space".

There were rooms available for dancing, drinking of claret, sherry, tea and coffee and the playing of the card game whist.

[14] By 1909 the once spacious Government House was now nearly fifty years old, and by the standards of the times, perceived as being too small for the Governor's residence, especially as it lacked a ballroom deemed essential for entertaining.

In early 1910, the Governor, Sir William MacGregor, relocated into the leased property Fernberg at Paddington, a suburb of Brisbane, as a temporary measure while a new Government House was constructed in Victoria Park.

In addition to unveiling the plaque, Anna Bligh announced that QUT's lease of the building would be extended for another 30 years.

Having restored the buildings, QUT uses it for events and functions, and provide tours and information (including interactive displays) for visitors.