St Isidore's

Hidden behind the lush vegetation on Rainbow Park Drive Mapleton is a high-set timber residence which was once the centre of the local citrus industry. The house has been known variously as Seaview House, St Isidore's and Mapleton Homestead. William James Smith and his brother David came to the district in 1889, initially growing bananas, but began citrus cultivation in 1892. The first section of Seaview House was likely built by October 1906, when the Smiths hosted a luncheon for the Governor of Queensland, Lord Chelmsford. WJ Smith subdivided the property in 1910 leaving the house and orchard on 14ha. The house was extended in 1913 and sold in 1919. In 1923 it was purchased by the Archbishop of Brisbane, James Duhig, who acquired further land at Mapleton with the intention of establishing St Isidore's Agricultural College. However, Duhig's vision was not supported by the Brisbane diocese which refused to finance the venture, and the property fell into disrepair. The concept was resurrected in 1947 as St Isidore's Farm College. In 1951 it again became a private farm. During the 1980s and 1990s it operated as a guesthouse. Today St Isidore’s is a private residence and not publically accessible.