Government House Queensland
No contemporary gardener would import rose bushes from France and expect them to thrive in Brisbane’s humid, subtropical climate. Yet at the beginning of the 20th century, Lady Frances Chermside, wife of then Queensland Governor Sir Herbert Chermside, did exactly that, ordering 500 rose plants for the grounds of Queensland’s original Government House beside the Botanic Gardens.
Against the odds, some of those roses survived and were later transplanted to Fernberg when it became Government House in 1910.
Their longevity is due in no small part to the work of two notable horticulturalists, Ernest Bick and John Bailey, who arrived at Fernberg around the same time as the roses. Together, they helped establish the gardens and lawns that continue to define the estate today. Successive generations of gardeners have carefully preserved their vision, maintaining the historic rose rockeries and even installing a discreet electric fence to protect the plants from possums.
Today, almost 100 rose bushes line the remnant carriage drive that once encircled the House. Among them is a rose planted for each of the 17 Governors who have lived at Fernberg, including the Queensland-bred Brindabella Sunshine, planted by Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeannette Young AC PSM.
The collection also reflects more recent chapters of Queensland’s story. In October 2024, the Daniel Morcombe Rose was planted as a tribute to Daniel and to the work of the Daniel Morcombe Foundation, established by his parents to keep children safe through education, advocacy and support.
Although the peak flowering season is drawing to a close, visitors attending Brisbane Open House at Government House this weekend may still catch sight of one of the garden’s newest additions — the Centaur Commemorative Rose, distinguished by its blue and purple blooms with pink undertones.
Visitors interested in exploring Fernberg’s heritage gardens can learn more about the free guided garden tours, led by Government House’s knowledgeable volunteer guides, by visiting the Government House Queensland website.
More than a century after their journey from France, the roses of Fernberg continue to bloom, offering a living link to Queensland’s Vice-Regal history and the people who have helped shape it.