In the 1850s he purchased and/or leased extensive landholdings in the Moreton region, including Kilcoy Station (in partnership with Robert Ramsey) in 1853, Shafston House at Kangaroo Point in 1854, and land in the Cleveland area overlooking Raby Bay, 1852–55.

[1] In 1864 Hope erected Queensland's first sugar crushing mill, supplied by Cook & Co. of Glasgow, on the banks of Hilliards Creek.

[1] Accompanying the establishment of his sugar plantation and mill, Hope erected on the property a substantial brick residence in 1864–65.

The earlier small brick house appears to have been incorporated into the new structure, which featured gas lighting (probably a by-product of sugar manufacture), hot water and cisterns.

Reputedly, Hope brought out Scottish workmen to erect the house, and sent cypress pine logs from Ormiston to England to be turned for the tuscan columns along the verandahs.

From September 1867 Hope was employing South Pacific islanders in his canefields, and producing 50-60 long tons (61 t) of sugar in a season.

In the same year he leased the bulk of the property west of Hilliards Creek to his former manager Gilbert Burnett, retaining about 80 hectares (200 acres) with the main residence.

The house was described as a large brick and stone residence of sixteen rooms, with wide verandahs to three sides, a detached kitchen, servants' quarters, and laundry.

Hope died in 1894, but Ormiston House remained in the family until 1912, when it was sold to grazier John Arthur Macartney of Waverley Station.

The property overlooks Raby Bay to the east, with the grounds extending to the water's edge with terracing to mangrove wetlands along the foreshore.

The entry hall, in the junction between the two wings, has a panelled cedar door with clear glass fanlight and sidelights at either end.

[1] The split-log slab kitchen, sitting on large timber sleepers, has a corrugated iron gable roof and is situated to the west of the house.

Internally, the building has a boarded ceiling, casement windows and the original brick chimney and kitchen oven at the north end.

[1] A single skin timber laundry, attached to the western side of the slab kitchen, has a corrugated iron skillion roof and is open to the north.

[1] The grounds include an avenue of Bunya Pines to the southeast, mature exotic trees between the house and the road, large areas of lawn and other remnants of earlier plantings.

Ormiston House Estate has potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Queensland's history, containing the site of early agricultural and industrial activity and extensive 19th century gardens.