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The historic home at 101 Welsby Street, New Farm.
IT’S been home to the head of the navy, an architect, and a Queensland rugby union legend and now this half acre inner city villa on the river is on the market for the first time this century.
Amity House is a New Farm time capsule: the last surviving riverfront home from the 19th century.
Not much has changed at Amity House in 127 years.
It was built for Brisbane historian, author, politician, angler and sportsman, Thomas Welsby, in 1892 and has a 30m river frontage along the Bulimba reach of the Brisbane River.
The house, at 101 Welsby St, is for sale as a complete 2127sq m property, or there is an option to buy a 672sq m parcel of vacant land around the home.
“This opportunity will never ever be seen again,” Ray White New Farm principal Matt Lancashire said.
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Mr Welsby played halfback in the first intercolonial rugby match between Queensland and New South Wales in 1882.
Thomas Welsby had a house at New Farm and one at Amity Point on North Stradbroke Island where this picture was taken for the book: ‘Moreton Bay — Our Heritage in Focus’. Picture: supplied.
He was president of the Queensland Rugby Union for 10 years before the start of World War II, and today Queensland clubs still play for the Thomas Welsby Memorial cup.
He also started the Brisbane Sailing Club which later became the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron.
Amity House remained in the family until 1952 when it was sold to the Colonial Sugar Refining Company. In 1980 it was bought by the Commonwealth Government and used as Queensland’s principle naval residence.
In 1997 it made national headlines when it returned to the market and was bought by Brisbane architect Tony Dempsey who turned it into his family home.
Architect Tony Dempsey is now selling his Amity House home.
“The first thing that architects look for is aspect and there aren’t too many inner city properties with this northeast aspect,” Mr Dempsey said.
The house has been maintained in original condition with verandas on three sides fronting the river.
There are terraced gardens leading down to the Brisbane Riverwalk where you can stroll along the river into the city.
There are original compass points etched into the front path and stained glass panels featuring the house name, Amity.
The residence has four bedrooms, two of which have ensuites and the master bedroom has a walk-in wardrobe.
The main living area.
A 1.8m wide central corridor showcases the polished timber floors, 3.6m high VJ ceilings and double sided VJ boarding walls.
The house faces northeast, out to the Brisbane River.
An extension in the 1920s added a sub-floor office and car accommodation and Mr Dempsey has remodelled the original bathroom, added an ensuite to the master bedroom and repainted.
The property is being sold by Expressions of Interest through Ray White New Farm.