Bankfoot House

Bankfoot House offers a look at the people, transport and community life that shaped the Glass House Mountains region. The collection documents the development of the area through the history of the house and the families who lived there, making it a useful stop for anyone interested in the Sunshine Coast’s heritage beyond its better-known natural attractions.

The house was established by William and Mary Grigor in 1868 and became a lunch stop and staging post for Cobb & Co coaches travelling between Brisbane and the Gympie goldfields. It was also an overnight stop for independent travellers, a dairy property and the local Post Office. The name came from Mary Grigor’s village in Scotland. When the railway arrived in the early 1890s, the coach service became unviable and the postal service moved to Glasshouse Railway Station, although Bankfoot House continued as accommodation for visitors climbing the nearby mountains.

The property remained in the Grigor, Burgess and Ferris families for more than 130 years. Their involvement in local industries, community life and government forms an important part of the story presented here. Jack Ferris, the house’s last resident, died in 2002 aged 101. The former Caloundra City Council purchased the property and its contents from the Ferris family in 2004, with the intention of establishing it as a house museum. The precinct is now state heritage-listed and includes the Mary Grigor Centre, an archival and interpretive centre.

Visitors can explore the Bankfoot House collection, read historical stories, take a virtual tour and access online exhibitions through the eExhibits program. The site also offers tours, education programs and resources connected with the house. Together, these options suit visitors who prefer to explore at their own pace as well as school and community groups seeking a more structured learning experience. It is a particularly worthwhile choice for local-history enthusiasts, families wanting an educational outing and anyone curious about the people behind the region’s early travel and settlement. Located in Peregian Beach on the Sunshine Coast, Bankfoot House connects a preserved heritage property with research, interpretation and digital ways to explore its history.