The University of Queensland Faculty of Dentistry was formed in 1935 and was located at various locations throughout the city including Turbot Street. In the early 1960s there was a desire to have the Dental School transferred from its location in Turbot Street to the St. Lucia campus with Birrell writing a report in favour of this is in 1964. However the Australian Universities Commission did not support this idea. Rather they offered money to extend the Turbot Street facilities and to use space within the Physiology Building to house preclinical training. The new dental school at St. Lucia campus was not built.

The Geology Annex, the Chemistry Annexe and the Western Arts Building were part of a master planning concept. They shared the structural and construction concept developed by Birrell and Antony Tod (structural engineer). None of the proposals were built.

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.

In 1957, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Queensland, Professor James Douglas Story, proposed a regional university college be established. This desire came to fruition on 27 February 1961 when the University College of Townsville was opened. This college became the James Cook University of North Queensland on 29 April 1970 and is now known as James Cook University.

In 1965 430 acres of bushland was set aside for a new campus in Brisbane's south in the suburb Nathan. Initially this was to be a University college of the University of Queensland but by September 1971 it was established as Griffith University.

Birrell was asked by the Co-Ordinator General of the Public Works to draw up plans for both colleges. The majority of these plans have the title block for the University of Queensland and James Birrell as the UQ Architect. This subseries contains plans for the University Colleges, Townsville (22 plans) and Mt Gravatt (23 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.

Prior to the construction of the J.D. Story Administration Building, University administration facilities had been housed within Main Building (now know as the Forgan Smith Building). Main Building had undergone many alterations in response to the changing needs of the university administration. In 1959 the Senate decided a new Administration Building should be built. Other building priorities delayed designs being drawn up. In 1962 plans were submitted to the Australian Universities Commission (A.U.C.). Changes requested by the A.U.C. delayed construction which was to be a two stage process: Stage One was completed in October 1965 and Stage Two in October 1966. Plans include: site plans, window details, detail of senate table, floor plans, electrical services plans, roof plans.

There are 6 volumes (sets/presentation volume/office copy sets) with plans as well as individual plans; the total number of plans for this building in this subseries are 281. Not all have been created by James Birrell.

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.

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.

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.