Rosebank was designed by James Gall, architect, for Mark Moss, and built by William Ireland in 1873. Moss called the house Rosebank after his wife, Roselle, known as Rose.

Mark Moss was born in England in 1824 and arrived in Melbourne in 1852 with his wife and the first two of his many children. Initially he settled in the city before moving to East Melbourne. He was known as a financier, but was also a philanthropist being responsible for the building of one of the Old Colonists’ Homes, and also a Jewish alms house. He was apparently best known as ‘the "father of bowls" in Victoria. He took the first visiting bowlers' teams from Melbourne to Sydney and New Zealand’, and was president of the Victorian Bowling Association over several years.  

James Gall lived for a time in East Melbourne and designed a number of houses in the area. [See link below.] William Ireland, too, was responsible for the construction of many buildings around East Melbourne, including the old Parade College in Victoria Parade. 

Both Mark and Rose died in 1901 and the house was put up for sale shortly afterwards.  The advertisement gives a good description. 

… that magnificent BRICK FAMILY MANSION, known as "Rosebank," containing on the ground floor drawingrroom, diningroom, both very large; billiard-room, large lounge, and smokeroom, extensive and beautifully appointed ballroom, 2 pantries, store-rooms, kitchen, scullery, servants' hall, ironing-room; basement, with 3 storerooms, coal and wood sheds, cellar, man's room, laundry, &c., &c. Upstairs, best bedroom, 5 other bedrooms, nursery, 2 servants' rooms, 2 bathrooms, linen cupboards, &c, &c. The outbuildings comprise an exceptionally fine two-story brick stable, containing 2 loose-boxes, 2 stalls, harness-rooms, man's room, 2 feed-rooms, large coachhouse, &c. …

However it failed to sell and the trustees ran it as guesthouse/boarding house for about another ten or twelve years.  It was considered quite upmarket in its era.  On one occasion Table Talk reported on an amateur theatrical performance by the Rosebank Dramatic Club.  This was a ‘juvenile organisation’ who performed a 4-act play written especially for them by one of the ‘gentlemen of the house’, entitled “The Clarendon Mystery".  The plot was not explained but the characters included an heiress, a crafty villain, a persecuted woman, a boxer, and of course, a barrister. The article made note of the fact that the audience included Sir Thomas and Lady Ewing. 

Annie Farrar became the owner in about 1914. She and her husband, George Frederic Farrar, continued the business initially but they were divorced in 1920 and she became the sole manager.

Until 1924 the rate books had described the house as having 24 rooms, in 1925 the number jumps to 50 but subsequently falls back to 40.  Whether this increase was the result of an extension to the house or subdivision of the existing large rooms is unclear. 

In 1933 the United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons bought the property next door in preparation for the building of their new hospital.  Even as they were building they had plans to extend the hospital and in 1934 they bought Rosebank. It however continued to run as a boarding house until 1956 when Whelan the Wrecker advertised for sale, ‘Marble Mantelpieces. Verandah Posts. Ornamental Front Fence, with Decorative Columns. (Suitable for Large Home.) Staircase, with Classical Posts. Marble Tiles.’