Stonehouse is a heritage-listed former homestead and inn on the D'Aguilar Highway, Moore, Somerset Region, Queensland, Australia.

Although the Darling Downs had been visited in 1827 by explorer Allan Cunningham, who had reported favourably on the suitability of the district for pastoralism, the presence of the fifty-mile exclusion zone around the penal colony and consequent lack of port access had discouraged early settlement.

In 1841 the runs in the Brisbane Valley were Cressbrook, Colinton and Farney Lawn taken up under licences to occupy Crown Land beyond the limit of settlement.

By 1842, when Moreton Bay was thrown open for free settlement, a cluster of huge runs had claimed most of the productive land on the Darling Downs and searches for grazing country were extending north.

Robert Williams, a widower, had previously lived in Ipswich in the 1860s and in 1874 he selected two blocks of land totalling 2442 acres from the Colinton lease as a grazing property.

Charles, who was a stonemason, began work on a five-roomed stone house at the selection, which Robert had named Stonehouse after the village in Gloucestershire where he had lived.

Building in stone was an unusual choice in this area, but a natural one for a family of stonemasons, given the ready availability of the materia on site.

[1] In the 1870s, Edward (Ned) MacDonald started a coach and mail service between his hotel at Esk and Goode's Inn at Nanango along the old dray route.

[1] The places where major routes crossed watercourses were often used as camps by drovers and carriers and were excellent locations for inns that catered to travellers.

[1] In 1884 the Stonehouse license was forfeited following an incident where Robert Williams was threatened with an axe following his attempt to intervene in a drink-fuelled argument between members of group of Aborigines camped near the hotel.

However, he continued to provide food and accommodation for travellers, and is mentioned in the popular 19th-century ballad Brisbane Ladies as being a stop on the road.

Times were changing and in 1900 a Royal Commission was appointed to investigate the possible route for a railway in the area, taking evidence at Esk, "Cressbrook", "Colinton" and Stonehouse, which were the coach stops.

"Colinton" was cut up and sold around this time, bringing in many new settlers and Stonehouse acted as a provision store and butcher's shop for them.

J J Tilley purchased the land containing Stonehouse and in 1939 it was bought by Barney Grant who continued to employ Arthur Ollenburg as manager.

[1] In 1950 a plaque recognising the historical significance of Stonehouse to the area was affixed to the house, but between 1948 and 1960 the buggy shed, workshop, hayshed, poultry run, slaughterhouse and barn were demolished.

[1] The store and butcher's shop is of similar construction and is set further back on the site and about 25 metres (82 ft) away from the kitchen, which was once separated from it by an internal laneway.

[1] A mid twentieth century timber building on low stumps is located at the front of the property and is the current residence.

Stonehouse is a group of stone buildings surviving from an early wayside inn and as such illustrates the pattern of European settlement in Queensland.

Inns serviced early supply routes by providing food and accommodation, fresh horses and a mail exchange and greatly facilitated the spread of European settlement.

The Stonehouse complex has strong aesthetic appeal as a group of well-made traditional buildings that are pleasing in form, materials and detail.

The use of local stone makes them visually harmonious with the landscape and their prominent position above the highway has made them a well-liked landmark.

[1] The place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organisation of importance in Queensland's history.