Rakeevan
| Beth-Eden | |
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Building in 2014
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| Location | 85 Bank Road, Graceville, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Coordinates | 27°31′14″S 152°58′16″E / 27.5206°S 152.9711°ECoordinates: 27°31′14″S 152°58′16″E / 27.5206°S 152.9711°E |
| Design period | 1870s – 1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | 1888–1910s |
| Architect | Richard Gailey |
| Official name: Beth-Eden, Rakeevan, Verney | |
| Type | state heritage (built, landscape) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600215 |
| Significant period | 1880s (fabric – house) 1900s, 1910s (fabric – garden) 1880s – 1920s (historical) |
| Significant components | coach house, residential accommodation – main house, stables, garden/grounds |
 Location of Beth-Eden in Queensland
Location of Beth-Eden in Queensland
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Beth-Eden is a heritage-listed villa at 85 Bank Road, Graceville, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Richard Gailey and built from 1888 to 1910s. It is also known as Rakeevan and Verney. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.
Beth-Eden is a two-storeyed rendered brick house with a weatherboard stables/coach-house, overlooking the Brisbane River. Originally called "Verney", Beth-Eden was erected in 1888 for newspaper proprietor Charles Hardie Buzacott. The architect was Richard Gailey, who in 1884 had designed the Courier Building for Buzacott.
In 1895, John Ferguson (Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly), a Rockhampton parliamentarian and a major shareholder in the Mount Morgan Mine company, purchased the property, which became the home of his daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. A H Chambers. Mr. Chambers was the manager of the Union Bank of Australia and changed the name of the house to "Rakeevan", after his family home in Ireland.
In 1903, Ferguson's other daughter and her husband, Joshua Thomas Bell MLA, took up residence. Bell, from Jimbour Station, held various portfolios and also served as speaker of the Legislative Assembly. In November 1919, the Fergusons loaned Rakeevan for 3 years to the Australian Red Cross to use as a convalescent home for soldiers returned from World War I.
The Ferguson daughters established extensive tropical gardens in the grounds and in 1921 Rakeevan hosted the inaugural Sherwood Shire Agricultural, Horticultural and Industrial Society Show. Most of the gardens have been destroyed by subsequent development.
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