New Farm (4005)
Located only 3 km from Brisbane’s centre on a bend in Brisbane River, New Farm (4005) was once a farming community in Brisbane’s early years. New Farm is noted for its large traditional Queensland homes, and quiet tree-lined streets running down to Brisbane River where apartment buildings are clustered. New Farm has a wealth of historically listed buildings. There is a small commercial/retail precinct concentrated around its main thoroughfare, Brunswick Street. A former tramway station has been converted into a vibrant performing arts space.
In 1827, Patrick Logan began farming in New Farm. In 1870 lime kilns were operated by the settlement’s convicts. In the same year, renowned judge, Samuel Griffith built his property, Merthyr, along with other wealthy professionals and business people. In World War II, New Farm was a marine port. Horse-drawn trams serviced the suburb from 1885 to 1897 when they were replaced by electric trams until 1969. Now New Farm is serviced by regular buses river ferries and City Cats along Brisbane River into the city and to surrounding suburbs.
In the 1980s New Farm became a run down derelict area with a large drug addict population. Since then, New Farm has become gentrified as properties have been renovated and the area undergone significant residential development. However, New Farm continues to be a multicultural suburb with a strong Italian immigrant community as reflected in its boutique cafes and restaurants.
In 2011, 11300 people lived in New Farm, their average age is 36 years. Although a large percentage were Anglo-Australian, a minority were also from Italy, South Africa, and China. Italian, Mandarin, and Cantonese were spoken alongside English at home.
