Meet Brickstone: The Sole State-Listed Murphy Street Gem

In 1864 master builder William Hancock raised 3 brick houses on Murphy Street in Ipswich.

Only one, Brickstone (originally called Brixton) still wears its original face and now carries a full Queensland Heritage listing.

The attic lay sealed for sixty silent years after the house became flats in the 1920s.

In the 1980s restorer owners cut through ceilings, craned in a reclaimed cedar staircase and gave those forgotten rooms new light.

Brickstone’s rare Georgian lines, solid brick walls and intact roof cresting set it apart from its altered neighbours at #13 and #15 Murphy St. Integrity, not luck, earned it state protection.

Today the house stands on Denmark Hill as a time capsule of Ipswich ambition—proof that one well-kept survivor can tell the whole street’s story.

📜 Origins & History

Brickstone viewed from Murphy St.

• Construction. Built circa 1864 as a two-storey brick home on Murphy Street.
• Owner. Original owner was James Kirby Swan, a local wheelwright.
• Builder. The house was erected by respected William Hancock.

• Context. Ipswich’s coal and railway boom pushed demand for grand homes.
• Cluster. Hancock built three substantial brick houses in a row on Murphy Street.
• Material. Brickwork signalled wealth in a timber-dominated Queensland market.
• Name. The house was first called Brixton; “Brickstone” became common later.

Brickstone interior from 2012 and 2018 RealEstate sale photos.

• Style. The house shows a simple Georgian influence rare in Queensland.
• Walls. Double-cavity brick sits on a sandstone base with stucco lines.
• Roof. A steep hipped roof once held slate, later replaced by corrugated iron.
• Attic. A full attic storey with four 1980s dormers crowns the house.
• Verandah. A wrap-around verandah boasts cast-iron columns and rails.
• Plan. Four principal rooms flank a central hallway on the main level.

• Outbuilding. A detached brick kitchen survives at the rear.
• Interior. Features include a bay window, fireplaces and pressed-metal ceilings.

⏳ Through the Years

• 1861. James Swan bought the Murphy Street allotment.
• 1864. House completed and occupied by the Swan family.
• 1875. Ownership passed briefly to builder William Hancock.
• 1877. Samuel Irwin purchased the property as a private home.
• 1920s. House converted into flats, closing the attic and verandahs.
• 1930s–70s. The building served long-term tenants as low-cost apartments.
• 1985. Kirk Jensen and Peter Gelherr bought and began full restoration.
• 1988. A high-profile auction expected $400 k but did not meet reserve.
• 1989. Adele Rule acquired Brickstone for about $280 000.

• 2012. Change of hands after a $550,000 sale.
• 2018. Latest recorded sale at $610,000; like-for-like upkeep continues today.

🛠️ Renovations & Restorations

• Flats. In the 1920s the slate roof went, verandahs closed and rooms divided.
• Stairway. The internal attic stair was removed during the flat conversion.
• Dormers. Original dormer windows were lost and the attic sealed.
• 1980s. New owners reopened the attic and added four dormers.
• Verandah. Enclosures were stripped to restore open iron-work verandahs.
• Joinery. Period doors and trims were reinstated using salvage.
• Garden. A Victorian-style garden was planted during the makeover.
• Carport. A sympathetic timber carport appeared under Adele Rule’s care.
• 2019 new roof. Like‑for‑like corrugated‑iron roof replacement and verandah balustrades removed—no DA required, covered by heritage‑exempt maintenance.

Brickstone – Sept 2019 new roof and more.

• No DAs 2019‑24. Council register shows no development applications for the property in this period; recent works fell under routine conservation.