[1] The Archer brothers had made a private expedition to the Rockhampton district in 1853, and were the first Europeans to record and chart the Fitzroy River.

Quay Street at the time of the sale was a busy thoroughfare fronting onto the town wharves of the Fitzroy River.

In 1870 the allotment was sold by Schmidt to the original owner of the present building on this property, Dr William Callaghan.

Ferguson retired from the building trade in 1888, after becoming one of the half dozen millionaires in Rockhampton, a result of his investing in the Mount Morgan Mine.

The work of Rockhampton architect John William Wilson was recognised by the Daily Northern Argus:[1]During the last five or six years,...nothing in either stone or brick and mortar has reared its head above the ground, although a good deal of patching up work has been done, all of which has fallen into the hands of one architect Mr. J. W. Wilson who is...about the most practical man in the town in the profession... Amongst many of the jobs executed by him are those of the front of the Joint Stock Bank, a most creditable piece of work... We also understand that Mr. Wilson is the architect for Dr. Callaghan's new residence in Quay Street, adjoining the old "Argus" office.

[1] Dr Callaghan died on 1 April 1912, and the building remained the private residence of his widow Aimee Henrietta until 1919.

From 1920 until 1950 during the ownership by Harris the building was used as professional offices for various tenants including a dentist, stock and station agent.

River Chambers was also the address for professional offices for individuals such as E R Larcombe, the only Barrister practicing in Rockhampton, B S Barcoe Stock and Share Brokers It also used as the consultation rooms for Dr. R S Leeds.

[1] Changes have been introduced into the building since passing into the ownership of Union Trustee Company, including air conditioning on the lower level.

[1] A special stained glass window was commissioned and installed in 1995 containing four scenes depicting the occupations of the previous tenants and owners of the building.

These representations include William Knox D'Arcy, who made a fortune in selling off shares in the Mount Morgan Mine syndicate.

[1] Trustee Chambers is a two-storeyed rendered brick building overlooking the Fitzroy River on Quay Street, Rockhampton.

The Quay Street elevation features a double storeyed verandah, the awning supported on the ground floor by six substantial cast iron columns with Doric capitals resting on square planned bases which are linked with a wrought iron cross braced balustrade on a rendered brick plinth.

The first floor verandah has a cast iron balustrade and the stop chamfered columns have simple timber brackets and decorative mouldings.

The upper floor has a series of half glazed French doors providing access from the internal rooms to the verandah.

[1] The rear elevation is also lined with a double storeyed verandah, constructed from simple timber posts supporting a skillion awning.

[1] The interior of the upper floor of the building is arranged with a central hall running parallel to Quay Street which houses the stair and provides access to the rooms.

Most significantly walls have been removed and, in some places realigned, to form a large reception area, to which access in gained via the entrance doorway from the ground floor verandah.

Several chimney places survive including two white marble examples on the first floor, one with elaborate corbelling and complete with an early cast iron fireplace.

Trustee Chambers is significant as an example of the development of Quay Street as a residential area and is contemporary to other buildings such as Avonleigh.

Trustee Chambers is a well composed 19th century building featuring many fine elements and makes an important contribution to the streetscape of Quay Street and complements the adjoining Rockhampton Club.

Trustee Chambers built in 1877 is significant for its association with the life and work of Dr William Callaghan resident of Rockhampton from 1861 until his death in 1912.

It is also an important example of the work of prolific Rockhampton architect John William Wilson, which includes four other buildings along Quay Street.