Burra Bru was located in Archibald Street, and was the private residence of Mr. V. E. Donaldson. It became a private hospital in early 1921 when the property was purchased by Nurse E. Osler.
The building consisted of 6 large rooms, a kitchen, a white enamelled bathroom supplied with a gas heater, and 10ft verandahs on all four sides.
In 1928, the hospital was purchased by Nurse Margaret Dever, who came to Dalby from Bonnie Doon Hospital in Lismore, NSW.
In 1937, Matron Gwen Newman purchased the hospital, and she continued to run it until it was requisitioned by the military authorities in 1942.
Downlands College had been requisitioned as a military hospital, so the Queen's Hotel, the Grande Hotel, Mulholland's Boarding House, and Burra Bru Private Hospital were taken over for use by the College. 200 boys, 10 priests and 12 brothers were accommodated in Dalby, with the Queen's Hotel used as the main school room.
As Dalby then had a shortfall in maternity services, Dalby Public Hospital made plans to extend their maternity ward. Sister Newman made available to the Dalby Public Hospital furniture and equipment from Burra Bru for their extensions to the maternity ward.
