It is possible however, that references to Taylor at Cleveland during this period derive from his purchase of land, in the vicinity of Fernleigh, in the 1851 land sale. By the late 1850s, Brisbane was finally recognised as the main port for Queensland. Cleveland remained isolated, developing into one of two fashionable Brisbane holiday resorts, the other being Sandgate to the north of Brisbane. The Taylor family's first recorded connection with Fernleigh is in 1879, when Taylor's daughters, Ellen, Ann and Elizabeth acquired lots 14-15. Also in 1879, Taylor purchased the Cleveland State School building for , and it is understood that he moved this building to Fernleigh where it became the kitchen house. Prior to being used as a schoolhouse, the building was a cottage/shop in Cleveland, on land owned by the Hon Arthur Macalister (three times Queensland Premier). It was acquired by the Board of Education in 1868 for use as the first Cleveland State School which opened in April of that year. Taylor acquired lot 16 in 1882, possibly at the same time he retired from his business (early-mid 1880s). Taylor moved to Fernleigh, where he lived until his death in December 1895. The title to lot 16 passed to Taylor's daughters, and Fernleigh remained in the Taylor family until the 1960s. The house was proposed to be converted into flats during the 1970s/early 1980s. Fernleigh was acquired by the present owners in 1987. Fernleigh, fronting Shore Street East to the northwest and bounded by GJ Walker Park to the east and south, is a single-storeyed timber residence with a detached kitchen house overlooking Moreton Bay and Stradbroke Island to the east. The residence has a corrugated iron gable roof, in which an attic space has been enclosed in recent years, with a large dormer window to both the northwest and southeast. The building has both timber and concrete stumps, with a timber batten skirt to the perimeter. It has verandahs to all sides with corrugated iron skillion roofs, boarded soffits and timber posts. The exterior walls are weatherboard and the building has sash windows of cedar, some of which have timber shutters, with a row of more recent silky oak sash windows to the eastern corner room. The southwest corner of the verandah has been enclosed with vertical boarding to form a bathroom and storeroom. Internally, the building has four rooms with a central corridor.