Collection: New Farm Collection

New Farm is one of Brisbane’s oldest and most historically rich suburbs, with origins dating back to the early colonial period. Before European settlement, the area—known as “Binkin‑ba”—was used by local Indigenous people as a resource‑rich landscape of bushland and lagoons. Following the establishment of the Moreton Bay penal colony in the 1820s, the land was cleared by convict labour and used as a government farm to grow food for the settlement, giving rise to the name “New Farm.” By the 1840s, the area was subdivided into allotments and gradually transitioned from farmland to a mix of estates, residential housing, and recreational uses, including a racecourse established in the mid‑19th century. As Brisbane expanded, New Farm developed into a vibrant riverside suburb with a blend of industry, transport links, and housing, reflected today in its diverse architecture ranging from colonial buildings to Queenslanders and art deco apartments. This layered history is still evident in landmarks such as New Farm Park and the former power station, now the Brisbane Powerhouse, which together illustrate the suburb’s transformation into a cultural and community hub.