New Farm, Queensland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids New Farm Brisbane, Queensland
New Farm Park
New Farm Location in Queensland
Population	12,197 (2021 census)
• Density	4,880/km2 (12,600/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4005
Area	2.5 km2 (1.0 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	2.8 km (2 mi) E of Brisbane CBD
LGA(s)	City of Brisbane (Central Ward)
State electorate(s)	McConnel
Federal Division(s)	Brisbane
Suburbs around New Farm: Fortitude Valley Teneriffe Teneriffe Kangaroo Point New Farm Hawthorne Kangaroo Point East Brisbane Norman Park

New Farm is a cool suburb in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It's right by the Brisbane River and is located north of the city center. In 2021, about 12,197 people lived here.

Exploring New Farm's Location

The suburb of New Farm (the peninsula in the upper part of the image) and New Farm Park are located on the Brisbane River.

New Farm is about 2 kilometers east of the main city area of Brisbane. It sits on a big bend of the Brisbane River, almost like a peninsula. You can get to New Farm by land from the northwest through Fortitude Valley and from the north through Newstead.

Homes and Buildings in New Farm

An old Queenslander house in New Farm.

New Farm has a mix of old and new buildings. You can see homes from the 1800s, traditional Queenslander houses, and Federation homes from the early 1900s. There are also many modern buildings. New Farm is famous for its amazing art deco buildings, which have a cool, stylish look from the 1920s and 30s.

Main Areas and Parks

At the southeastern tip of New Farm is the famous New Farm Park. This park is a great place to visit! Brunswick Street is the main road that runs through the middle of the suburb.

South of Brunswick Street, you'll find big, fancy Queenslander-style houses and tall apartment buildings, especially along the river. These streets often have lots of shady trees. North of Brunswick Street, the houses are a bit smaller, but still in the Queenslander style.

New Farm has a main shopping area called 'Merthyr Village' near New Farm Park. You'll also find many shops and cafes along Brunswick Street. The old electric tram power station, which used to power the trams, is now a community arts center called 'The Powerhouse'. It's a popular spot for shows and events.

New Farm is sometimes called Brisbane's "Little Italy" because many Italian immigrants first settled here. The Brisbane City Council has a public library on Sydney Street that opened in 1975 and offers free Wi-Fi.

A Look Back at New Farm's History

A view of New Farm around 1885.

Even though New Farm is one of Brisbane's oldest suburbs, the local Turrbal tribe used to call this area Binkinba, which means "place of the land tortoises." In 1827, a farm was started here by Patrick Logan.

New Farm has a rich history! It was once a place where convicts worked, and you can still see old lime kilns (places where limestone was heated) from the 1870s along the riverbanks. During World War II, it was even a marine base. Many wealthy business people and lawyers also built their homes here. For example, a famous politician and judge named Samuel Griffith built his house 'Merthyr' in New Farm in 1870.

Getting Around in the Past

New Farm Village, a shopping area on Brunswick Street.

From 1885 to 1897, people in New Farm traveled by horse-drawn trams along Brunswick Street. In 1897, these were replaced by electric trams, which could go even further. The electric trams stopped running in 1969, and since then, buses have been the main way to get around.

New Farm Today

New Farm has changed a lot over the years. In the 1990s and 2000s, many older buildings were updated, and new homes were built. However, New Farm still has a diverse community, with long-standing Australian and Italian families. It's also known for its many restaurants and cafes.

New Farm Park has even been a filming location for movies! Parts of the film Fool's Gold, starring Kate Hudson, were shot there in 2007. Other movies like All My Friends Are Leaving Brisbane (2007) and Jucy (2011) also filmed scenes in the area.

New Farm's Population

In 2011, New Farm had a population of 11,330 people. This made it one of the most densely populated areas in Greater Brisbane at the time. By 2016, the population grew to 12,542 people. In the most recent count in 2021, New Farm had 12,197 residents.

Historic Places in New Farm

New Farm has many places that are listed as heritage sites. This means they are important historical buildings or areas that are protected. Some of these include:

• 41 Abbott Street: Residence, Abbott Street 
• 41 Balfour Street: Cairnsville 
• 388 Bowen Terrace: Feniton 
• 701 Brunswick Street: Village Twin Cinemas 
• Cnr James & Heal Streets: New Farm State School 
• 12 Julius Street: Langshaw Marble Lime Works 
• 15 Julius Street: Julius Street Flats 
• Lamington Street: former CSR Refinery 
• 71–73 Moray Street: Bertholme 
• 186 Moray Street: Glenugie 
• 209 Moray Street: Santa Barbara 
• 172 Oxlade Drive: Glenfalloch Apartments 
• 137 Sydney Street: New Farm Park 
• 101 Welsby Street: Amity 

Schools in New Farm

New Farm has two primary schools for younger students:

• New Farm State School is a government primary school for students from Prep to Year 6. It's located at the corner of James & Heal Streets. In 2017, it had 449 students.
• Holy Spirit School is a Catholic primary school for students from Prep to Year 6. It's located at 36 Villiers Street. In 2017, it had 255 students.

There are no high schools directly in New Farm. Students usually go to nearby schools like Fortitude Valley State Secondary College, which opened in 2020.

Parks and Fun Places

Brisbane city center seen from New Farm Park.

New Farm has many great parks where you can relax and play:

• Howard Smith Wharf Precinct
• Merthyr Park
• Merthyr Road Park
• Merthyr Road Park (no.2)
• New Farm Park
• Powerhouse Park
• Welsby Street Park
• Wilson Outlook Reserve

Getting Around New Farm

By Ferry

You can get to New Farm by CityCat ferry! There are two stops: one at Sydney Street and another at New Farm Park.

By Bus

The suburb has several bus routes run by Transport for Brisbane. These include routes 196 and 199, which travel across the city, and route 195, which goes to the city during busy times.

There are also ideas to build new "green bridges" for walking and cycling from Merthyr Road across the Brisbane River. One bridge could go to Bulimba in the east, and another to Kangaroo Point in the west.

Famous People from New Farm

Some well-known people have lived in New Farm, including:

• Sir Samuel Griffith (a judge and politician)
• Thomas Welsby (a politician and businessman)
• Jim Soorley (a politician)
• William Villiers Brown (a politician)
• Thomas Wilson (a politician)