They travelled all over the colony, showing samples of goods to retailers in isolated towns and conveying orders to the suppliers.

[1] Since its inception, the CTA had met in hotels, but between 1904 and 1906 the association acquired property in Elizabeth Street for a purpose-built headquarters and club rooms.

He resided mainly in Sydney from 1915, but remained in partnership in Brisbane with Lange Leopold Powell 1911–1920 and Eric Marshall Ford 1920–1935.

It contained a "handsome dining hall" and bar on the ground floor, bedrooms for the accommodation of members, and a roof garden.

The association provided a variety of services to its members, including in 1914–1915 the provision of a purpose-built Sample Rooms Building, now demolished, on an adjacent site fronting Charlotte Street, acquired in 1913.

[1] Changing retail practice, prompted by improvements in transport and communications led to a decline in CTA membership after the Second World War.

In 1949 the CTA sold the 1914–1915 sample rooms block and the 1927–1928 building to the Commonwealth of Australia, which used them to house the Engineering Branch of the Post Master General's Department.

It is a four-storey building with a basement, constructed of red face brick with contrasting cream rendered features on its facade.

Behind the facade the levels above the ground floor are recessed, previously providing a light well adjoining Hesketh House (now demolished).

The building is also important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of the commercial work of prominent Brisbane architect CW Chambers.

Telecommunications House is important for its aesthetic characteristics including the deeply modelled facade of contrasting face brickwork and rendered classical details.

[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.