The Co-Ordinator General of State Works originally gave the commission for the University of Queensland Agriculture and Entomology Building (known as Hartley Teakle Building) to Fred Scorer of the firm Scorer and Scorer on 17 March 1966. After Fred Scorer's untimely death in 1966, James Birrell purchased the Scorer and Scorer firm as part of setting up his own practice. He resigned as University Architect in late March 1966. The Co-Ordinator General approved Birrell taking over the commission for the Agriculture and Entomology Building. James Birrell and Partners were the architects for the building. The site chosen for the building was to the north-west of the Great Court on the western side of Mill road. The glass houses and veterinary buildings were built. Mayne Hall, now the UQ Art Museum and the Biological Science Library and Refect were not yet built. Front Drive still ran along the front of Main Building (now Forgan Smith).

The Agriculture and Entomology Building was designed to follow the site contours, was a 'c-shaped plan' and was designed to be built in three separate stages. Each stage was designed to be complete within themselves. Stage 1 was completed in February 1969; Stage 2 in May 1970; and Stage 3 in December 1970.

The subseries consists of plans for the Agriculture and Entomology Building, Stages 1-3, on the University of Queensland St. Lucia campus. It contains preliminary drawings by James Birrell as the University Architect and Master plans by Scorer and Scorer. Stage 1 : Job B7. Stage 2 : Job B7A; Stage 3 : Job B7B. Includes: site plan, floor plans, drainage plans, elevations, sections, roof details, site works, sun control details, window details, stair details, furniture details, seminar rooms, teaching rooms, administrative rooms, staff room details, student rooms, door schedules, perspectives, preliminary plans. Engineering plans Job 3092, 3378, 3398. Electrical engineer Job 1217. Mechanical engineer Job 2040.

13 plans for the Goondiwindi Clinical Centre. The Pastoral Veterinary Centre of the Department of Veterinary Clinical Studies, University of Queensland, at Goondiwindi opened in 1965 and closed 31 December 2011. Plans comprise:
[Item1] Job no. U Working drawings for the Pastoral Clinical Centre Goondiwindi; 1 volume of 8 plans stapled together; the first seven drawings are for Job no. U with sheets numbered sequentially from 6 to 12; dated Oct and Nov 1964; the final plan is from Consulting engineers Dardno and Davies, job/drawing number 2-629B; Oct 1964.
[Item 2] Job no. U/14 Veterinary Pastoral Centre at Goondiwindi for the Department of Clinical Studies - First laboratory block; 10 Dec 1965.
[Item 3] Drawing no. 1041 University of Queensland Pastoral Clinical Centre Goondiwindi Electrical installation, contractor is H. Platt & Associates (Consulting Engineering), dated 6 Nov 1964.
[Item 4] Drawing no. AB6033/B1 University of Queensland Qld Pastoral Clinical Centre - G'Windi. Air conditioning system, contractor is Andrew Barton & Co. Pty Ltd, dated 2 Jun 1965.
[Items 5-6] Drawings by Cardno and Davies (Consulting engineers) for the Goondiwindi Clinical Centre, dated 29 Oct 1964.

In 1923 Dr James O'Neil Mayne and Mary Emelia Mayne (siblings) donated to the University of Queensland 693 acres of land at Moggill (now Pinjarra Hills) on the Brisbane River. In 1952 the Veterinary School set up an experimental farm at Moggill. At the time it was referred to as Moggill Farm.

Located between the Great Court buildings and Circular Drive (now Staff House Road), the Bookshop was built in 1957. In September 1963 Birrell, as University Architect, design a small internal refit of which there is one drawing in this subseries: Job/Sheet no. A4/33. Further additions and alterations to the Bookshop were designed by James Birrell and Partners in 1970-1972 ( Job no. B97 and unnumbered drawings), and these make up the bulk of the drawings in this subseries as well as some done in collaboration with contractors.

While working as University Architect for the University of Queensland, the Co-Ordinator General of the Department of Public Works asked Birrell to design the campus plan for the The University College of Townsville. The College, to be an extension college of University of Queensland, was opened in February 1961. Birrell designed several of its early buildings between 1964 and 1970. The plans in this subseries are from after Birrell resigned as University of Queensland Architect. There are plans for Stages 1 and 2 of the Humanities building, including some plans by contractors or plans designed collaboratively. Stage 1 has 7 drawings. Stage 2 has 1 volume (21 drawings) and 59 architectural drawings.

While working as University Architect for the University of Queensland, the Co-Ordinator General of the Department of Public Works asked Birrell to design the campus plan for the The University College of Townsville. The College, to be an extension college of University of Queensland, was opened in February 1961. Birrell designed several of its early buildings as University of Queensland Architect, including the First Hall of Residence.

While working as University Architect for the University of Queensland, the Co-Ordinator General of the Department of Public Works asked Birrell to design the campus plan for the The University College of Townsville. The College, to be an extension college of University of Queensland, was opened in February 1961. Birrell designed several of its early buildings as University of Queensland Architect.

This subseries has the designs of the University College of Townsville Library (now the Eddie Koiki Mabo Library) by James Birrell and Partners. There are several of the earlier plans in this subseries have University of Queensland in the title block and James Birrell as the University Architect with James Birrell and Partners written above the title block.

The Boat Club of the University of Queensland was established in 1911. Referred to as a shed in the working drawings, Birrell designed a simple building to function as an amenities building for The Boat Club. These plans were designed for submission to the Australian Universities Commission in 1965. It is located between Sir William Macgregor Drive and the Brisbane River. It is now called the Eric Freeman Boathouse. Eric Freeman, attained a Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Queensland and was a valued member of the Varsity Eight (rowing) from 1921 to 1924. This file includes:
[Item 1] Boat garage sketch plan (May 1964).
[Item 2] Portal frame diagram (29 Feb 1966).
[Item 3] Job no. A41 Boat Shed Working Drawings; 8 architectural drawings; stapled together; numbered sequentially A41/1 to A41/7, with A41/5A; dated Nov 1965; drawn by J. Kershaw; University Architect is J.P. Birrell.

Unbuilt works by James Birrell:
[File 1] Queensland Art Gallery: drawings for Queensland Gallery of Modern Art; undated; 6 plans, 4 board drawings, 2 sketches.
[File 2] Museum of Victoria, Carlton: architectural design competition; undated; 8 plans.
[Item 3] Unidentified building, east and north elevation, undated.
[File 4] Parliament House, Canberra: undated; 16 plans.
[File 5] Parliament House, Darwin: undated; 8 plans.
[File 6] Koki Market Development scheme: undated; 16 plans, 1 aerial photograph in folder.
[Item 7] Original concept for M.S.C. chamber forecourt; undated; 1 plan.
[Item 8] Perspective from Edward St., Brisbane, of proposed building for Development Underwriters Pty Ltd: undated; 1 sketch.
[File 9] Master Plan Kingston Foreshore Development, Canberra, competition of ideas: undated; 4 sketches.
[Item 10] Proposed Commercial Centre, Waigaini, Papua New Guinea: undated; 1 sketch.
[Item 11] Proposed Coral Sea Hotel for steamships Trading Co. at Champion Parade, Port Moresby: 1969; 1 sketch.
[Item 12] Ten cluster patio houses for Centaurie Pty Limited at Drane Street, Clayfield, QLD.: 1970; undated; 1 sketch.
[Item 13] Proposed office building, Boundary St., Spring Hill, Brisbane: 1968 ; 1 plan.
[Item 14] Perspective Kyamba Court Units, Bundilla Lakes, Mooloolaba for Alfred Grant Pty Ltd.: 1972, 1 sketch plan on transparency.
[File 15] Notional scheme Siar Island Resort Hotel: 1972 ; 2 sketches.
[File 16] Proposed residence at Boulder Valley Farm, Upper Brookfield, Brisbane for Neil and Merle Thornton: 1973 ; 2 plans.
[File 17] Proposed Local Government Association building, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea: 1975 ; 3 plans.
[Item 18] Papua New Guinea National Computer Centre at Waigani. Perspective from east: 1975 ; 1 sketch.
[Item 19] PNG Banking Corporation. Arawa Branch: 1977 ; 1 sketch.
[Item 20] Proposed branch at Kimbe for Papua New Guinea Banking Corporation: 1977 ; 1 plan.
[File] 21] PNG Parliament House competition: 1978 ; 6 plans.
[File] 22] Sunshine Coast C.O.T.A. Technology complex: 1978 ; 12 plans.

There are two architectural drawings, ink on paper, with the title The Union which may form part of the pilot plans for an extension to The Union Building which Birrell designed in 1962. There are 14 drawings for the Master Planning Report upon the Student Union Precinct University of Queensland, which was produced by Birrell and assistant architect Richard Stringer. This report was submitted to the Buildings and Grounds Committee in March 1966. 12 of these 14 drawings have the University of Queensland title block with J.P. Birrell as University Architect. Included with these drawings, which form part of the master plan for the precinct, are several designs for a Union Theatre. There are two pencil drawings related to the Union Theatre, without title, date, or creators. All plans are undated.