Hendra Archives - Ascot News

Hendra Horse Property at 112 Raceview Avenue Listed With Approval for 66 Houses

A large inner-city property at 112 Raceview Avenue in Hendra currently used to house horses has been listed for sale, with approval already in place for a 66-lot residential subdivision.

From Horse Paddocks to Residential Site

The 55,600-square-metre block sits just north of Doomben Racecourse and backs onto Southern Cross Way, placing it within about seven kilometres of central Brisbane. The site is currently home to around 20 horses.

Positioned near established suburbs including Ascot and Clayfield, the land is being offered through an expression of interest campaign. Interest has been reported as strong, with formal offers expected closer to the campaign’s closing date.

Raceview Avenue — Photo Credit: Colliers

Approved Plans in Place

Approval has been granted for the development of 66 houses, along with internal roads and green space across the site. The approval was issued on March 23, 2026.

The proposed subdivision includes an average lot size of about 427 square metres. The approval would lapse on June 19, 2030, if not acted on.

Brisbane property — Photo Credit: Colliers

Demand in Hendra Drives Attention

The offering comes amid continued demand in Hendra, where property values have risen sharply in recent years. The suburb’s median house price now exceeds $2 million.

Agents handling the campaign have indicated solid enquiry levels, though the expected sale price has not been disclosed. The expression of interest process is scheduled to close at the end of April.

Transition Raises Local Concerns

The planned shift from horse paddocks to residential housing has prompted concern among those currently using the land. The property is used by horse owners, and one tenant has been advised that users may need to leave within a timeframe ranging from six months to a couple of years.

A petition opposing the development has attracted more than 600 signatures, highlighting concerns about the loss of space for horse care and changes to the area’s character.

Submissions have also raised issues relating to flooding, traffic, and the level of green space included in the proposal. The site is known to be prone to flooding.

Residential subdivision — Photo Credit: Colliers

Large Infill Site Offered to Market

The 5.56-hectare holding represents a substantial infill land opportunity within Hendra, combining a large land area with proximity to the Brisbane CBD. Its current use as a horse property is expected to change if the approved subdivision proceeds.

The expression of interest campaign for the Raceview Avenue site is set to close on April 30.

Published 12-Apr-2026

Brisbane Dedicates Charlie Parrella Place to Hendra Barber’s 50 Years of Service

Brisbane has unveiled a street sign in Hendra honouring one of the suburb’s longest-serving small business owners — Charlie Parrella, an 85-year-old barber who has been cutting hair at his long-time Hendra address for more than 50 years.

Read: Whimsical Hendra Home Comes with One of Australia’s Largest Private Dr Seuss Collections

The sign, named “Charlie Parrella Place,” was unveiled on 7 March in front of a gathering of family, friends, and long-time customers. The event was organised with the support of Cr Tim Nicholls and Cr Julia Dixon, whom Charlie credited personally in his remarks after the day.

Photo credit: Facebook/Cr Julia Dixon – Hamilton Ward

In a message shared on his Facebook page following the unveiling, Charlie wrote:

“To all my Family and Friends — Especially Tim and Julia who made this Special Day happen. I would like to thank all the people who attended on my ‘Charlie Parrella Place.’ I will remember this for the rest of my life. I hope to catch up with you all again on another Special Day if possible.”

From Italy to Hendra

Charlie Parrella was born in Italy, where he first learned the barber’s trade before emigrating to Australia in 1955. He settled initially in Inglewood, a small town in south-west Queensland, where he rented a shop and worked as the town’s barber for a decade, all while learning English.

In 1968, Charlie moved to Brisbane and established his salon in Hendra, bringing with him the original ornate barber’s chair he had used throughout his Inglewood years. Over more than half a century at the same address, the shop has built a loyal following. In one media interview, he revealed that around 90 per cent of his customers have always been regulars.

Still Coming In

At 85, Charlie is still coming in to work. When asked why, his answer is straightforward: he comes in for the social life, to talk to his friends. It’s what gets him out of the house.

Charlie’s shop walls are covered in photos and memorabilia accumulated over the decades. Charlie has always been clear about what the job demands: a barber, he has said, needs to understand what a person’s appearance means to them.Otherwise, they simply don’t belong in the trade.

Read: Tom’s Confectionery Warehouse in Hendra Highlights Brisbane’s Global Food Push

A Permanent Place in the Suburb

The naming of “Charlie Parrella Place” by Brisbane’s local officials formally recognises his contribution to the Hendra community. The unveiling was attended by family, friends, and community members who gathered to mark the occasion.

Charlie has operated from the same Hendra address since 1968.

For Charlie, the milestone is personal. As he wrote after the day: “I will remember this for the rest of my life.”

Published 9-March-2026

Rare Mein Street Trackside Properties Hit the Market

Photo Credit: YouTube / @aurorapropertybne

Two side-by-side properties on Mein Street have hit the market in a combined offering that agents say is the largest trackside listing to come up in years — and the timing, with the Queensland Racing Carnival kicking off in just two months, is unlikely to be lost on prospective buyers.

The properties at 126 and 134 Mein Street, which together span 1,472 square metres, are being sold in one line by Aurora Property agents Jill Wright-Wotton and Tony Duncombe. The package comprises a classic Queenslander house at number 126 and a seven-unit complex next door at number 134. Publicly available property records show both are owned by Haycorp, a developer with a focus on Hendra.

Positioned between the 1,200-metre and 1,400-metre markers on the Eagle Farm course, the properties sit on the back straight and enjoy views in both directions along the track. For neighbours, that means watching the field thunder past from their own backyard — a prospect that has long made Mein Street a magnet for racing enthusiasts and those drawn to its tree-lined character.

Eagle Farm Racecourse has been operating since the 1860s and the surrounding Hendra streets have been closely tied to the development of Brisbane’s racing industry since the area was subdivided in the 1880s. Mein Street, running directly along the back of the course, has evolved into one of the more exclusive pockets in the precinct, with properties there rarely changing hands at this scale.

Wright-Wotton, who has been involved in several Mein Street sales, said the size of the current offering sets it apart. She pointed to a vacant 850-square-metre block on the same street that sold for $3.8 million in April last year as a point of comparison, noting that this combined holding is considerably larger and more versatile.

The existing Queenslander has been maintained in good condition and, alongside the income-producing unit block, gives a buyer the option to move in and generate rental returns from the adjoining property straight away. But that is only one of several paths forward. There is also a Development Approval already in place to relocate the Queenslander and remove the apartment complex, clearing the way for a new build across both addresses.

Duncombe said a future owner could use that approval to create a substantial private residence — something on a scale that would sit comfortably among the larger prestige homes that have emerged along the street in recent years — or explore a multi-dwelling development beside the track. He noted that buyer conversations so far have covered the full range of possibilities.

The offer-deadline process closes on 16 March, with Eagle Farm scheduled to host racing from 2 May as part of the Queensland Racing Carnival season. The carnival, which runs across May and June at Eagle Farm and Doomben racecourses, is one of the premier events on the Australian racing calendar, with highlights including the Stradbroke Handicap and the Queensland Derby.

For whoever secures the keys, the view from Mein Street when the carnival gets underway will be free.

Published 4-March-2026

Brisbane’s Hidden History: How 2011 Floods Unearthed Thousands of Colonial Artefacts in Race Against Time

In a purpose-built warehouse at the Queensland Museum in Hendra, young archaeology students are hunched over fragments of Brisbane’s past that were violently dislodged by the 2011 floods, piecing together a puzzle that began with disaster.

Read: Albion Schoolboy’s 1958 Fossil Find Confirmed as Australia’s Oldest Dinosaur Footprint

Emily Totivan, 19, wears blue plastic gloves as she carefully assembles ceramic shards in the Queensland Museum’s Collections and Research Centre. The fragments once formed dinner plates used by Brisbane residents more than 150 years ago, decorated with intricate blue and white Chinese-inspired patterns that were wildly popular in colonial Queensland.

These aren’t treasures carefully excavated from a planned archaeological dig. They’re survivors of an extraordinary rescue mission that began during Brisbane’s catastrophic 2011 floods, when a burst water main on William Street sent tens of thousands of historical artefacts cascading past the convict-built Commissariat Store, one of Queensland’s oldest buildings.

As emergency crews worked to restore access to one of the city’s major streets, the University of Queensland Archaeological Services Unit faced a race against time to salvage what they could before the road reopened. The result is what’s now known as the William Street assemblage, a collection of everyday objects from the 1870s to 1890s that offers an intimate glimpse into early Brisbane life during its transformation from penal settlement to thriving river port capital.

Among the recovered items are clay pipes and rum bottles, ceramic dolls and a bone toothbrush, and even a chamberpot. These objects tell stories of the ordinary people who built the city—fragments of lives that might otherwise have been lost forever beneath the bitumen.

2011 Floods — Photo credit: Google Street View

For fellow student Elisha Kilderry, the experience of handling these artefacts is surreal. She’s piecing together a geometric viridian green chamberpot once used by people who lived on the same streets she walks today.

Initially, Kilderry imagined her archaeology career would take her to Europe or remote Indigenous cultural heritage sites. Instead, she finds herself engrossed in the quotidian details of colonial Brisbane life.

The timing of this cataloguing work couldn’t be more relevant for Brisbane. As the city prepares for the 2032 Olympics, Queensland Museum archaeology curator Nick Hadnutt says the city is on the brink of a boom in salvage archaeology. Massive infrastructure projects—including the proposed 63,000-seat stadium at Victoria Park, a site heritage-listed for its rich Indigenous, colonial and multicultural history—will churn up vast amounts of soil, potentially revealing countless more fragments of Brisbane’s past.

University of Queensland lecturer Dr Caitlin D’Gluyas organised the first hands-on cataloguing experience for students this January, with many more applicants than available positions. She says the collaborative nature of archaeology creates unique bonds between participants.

While the William Street objects hold limited scientific value due to their violent dislodgement—the archaeological context that usually provides crucial information was destroyed by the flood—they were acquired by the museum for more emotive reasons.

One particularly poignant artefact demonstrates this tangible connection to the past: a small ink bottle from the heritage-listed government printing house. It still contains a dash of ink—an exquisite midnight shade—last used over a century ago, perhaps to print an act of parliament. When students used a paper towel to clean it, the ancient ink still stained the cloth.

For student John Duckett, 21, from Rockhampton, who previously volunteered on a Bronze Age brewery dig in Norfolk, England, there’s something irreplaceable about this physical connection to history.

As Brisbane transforms for its Olympic future, these students are working against the clock to preserve fragments of its colonial past. With major infrastructure projects looming, the question isn’t whether more historical treasures will be unearthed—it’s whether we’ll be ready to catch them when they surface.

Read: Hendra Residents Challenge Mega Childcare Centre on Flood-Prone Site

The lesson from William Street is clear: Brisbane’s history lies waiting beneath our feet, vulnerable to the next flood, the next burst pipe, or the next stadium excavation. In Hendra, a dedicated team is ensuring that when those fragments emerge, they won’t be lost to time.

Published 12-February-2026

Four-Decade-Old Land Acquisition Set to Deliver Huge Return for Hendra Family

Photo Credit: Ray White Ascot

A savvy land acquisition made more than 40 years ago is poised to deliver a substantial financial outcome for a Hendra family, though the person who made the original deal will not share in the proceeds.

The property at 63 Sefton Road in Hendra has been listed with a price guide of $3.99 million, according to information provided by Ross Drewe, whose family has owned the home since 1985.

The site’s value stems largely from its unusual size. The original owner expanded what was a standard 32-perch block to more than 44 perches by purchasing a strip of land from a neighbouring property. This strategic move created a 1,122-square-metre parcel – roughly equivalent to three modern residential blocks combined.

The single-storey home, constructed by Griffin and Knowlman in the 1970s, features two independent units built on a slab. Mr Drewe said his father made modifications to the residence after the family purchased it, including opening up the breakfast room with a servery hatch, skylight and glass door leading to the back lawn.

According to Mr Drewe, the lounge area features two large double glass doors overlooking the front lawn. He described it as a comfortable space where his mother spent time in her later years when mobility became more difficult.

The property’s positioning on the larger-than-average block provides green space with lawn and shrubs surrounding all four sides of the house, Mr Drewe noted.

Mr Drewe and his two siblings are proceeding with the sale following their mother’s death in 2024 and their father’s passing approximately four years earlier.

Ray White Ascot principal Damon Warat is handling the sale.

Published 25-January-2026

Racecourse-Front Homes Drive Buyer Demand in Hendra

Photo Credit: Place

A rare run of racecourse-front homes in Hendra has attracted a buyer waiting list, driven by tightly held supply and direct views across Eagle Farm Racecourse.

A Rare Racecourse Boundary In Hendra

Mein Street in Hendra is described as one of the only streets in Australia where freestanding homes sit directly on the boundary of a major metropolitan racecourse. About 20 homes sit along the stretch between the 1200m and 1400m start points of the Eagle Farm track.

The positioning is unusual for metropolitan racecourses, which are more commonly bordered by commercial buildings, stables, or infrastructure rather than residential homes.

Hendra racecourse homes — Photo Credit: Place

Record Land Sale Points To Scarcity

A recently sold 850sqm parcel achieved $3.8 million, reported as a suburb land sale record for Hendra. The sale was made to Eagle Farm trainer Caitlin Hoysted and her husband Matt.

Market commentary linked the result to the limited supply and the difficulty of replicating the street’s outlook and location.

Eagle Farm Racecourse — Photo Credit: Place

Micro-Market Draws Highly Specific Buyers

Agents have described Mein Street as a micro-market that has outperformed the broader Hendra market. Buyer interest has been characterised as narrow and location-specific, with some prospective purchasers focused solely on the racecourse frontage.

98 Mein Street Listing Highlights The Appeal

A neighbouring property at 98 Mein Street in Hendra is also on the market. The home is owned by interior designer Tonya Scheiwe of Style Elements Interiors and her husband Stu Balding.

The pair have recently completed the residence and are building on the block directly next door, while describing the street as a social community with race-day gatherings.

Location Links To Nearby Precincts

Other notable points about the property are the home’s position within Hendra, accessible to Racecourse Road and Portside; within walking distance to Doomben and Eagle Farm racecourses and the CBD about 8km away, a short commute via bus or train.

Published 19-Dec-2025

Hendra Residents ‘Priced Out’ of Legal Fight Against McDonald’s

Photo Credit: DA A006543699

A Hendra community group has been forced to abandon its legal challenge against a new McDonald’s drive-through on Nudgee Rd, stating the overwhelming cost of a court battle against the multinational corporation made their fight impossible to continue.

Community Abandons Appeal

The group, Hendra Locals Against McDonald’s (HLAM), recently dropped its Planning and Environment Court appeal over the restaurant proposed for 330 Nudgee Rd.

A spokesman for the group, Bill Moore, said it should not be up to local “mums and dads” to find money for expensive legal battles during an affordability crisis. He expressed frustration that residents had to withdraw their appeal in August after lodging it in March, simply because they ran out of money.

Mr Moore suggested the case shows the need for an independent planning tribunal, similar to one used in Sydney. He argued that local councils often lack the financial and human resources to fight large corporations and that new exclusion zones are needed to protect communities.

‘Unrealistic’ Traffic Claims at Centre of Dispute

The residents’ core concern centred on traffic safety, specifically the risk of cars queuing on Gerler Rd and backing up onto the busy Nudgee Rd intersection.

The developer’s application included a traffic report claiming the drive-through would be highly efficient, assuming an average service time of just 25 seconds per vehicle. This, the report claimed, would allow for 144 vehicles an hour and prevent queuing, noting the site has space for 13 cars.

However, Mr Moore challenged this figure as unrealistic. He said he timed patrons at the nearby Albion McDonald’s during an evening peak period and found the actual time from ordering to exiting was closer to 2.5 minutes. He noted that US studies put average wait times at four minutes.

The article noted that the developer’s traffic report conceded the data was “provided by the client” and was based on a desktop investigation conducted in January of last year.

Council Approved Scaled-Down Plan

The council approved the project in January despite receiving 436 formal objections from the community. Residents believe this decision set a dangerous precedent, fearing it could allow more fast-food outlets to be built in residential zones.

According to town planners for the site’s owner, the 2120-square-metre property had been used for non-residential businesses, such as a car rental storage area, since the 1960s.

The developer’s initial proposal in July 2022 was for a full-scale restaurant. After meetings with the council, the owner agreed to scale back the project. The approved plan is for a drive-through-only facility on one lot, which is about 65 per cent of the standard restaurant size, and has all vehicle access limited to Gerler Rd.

Published Date 30-October-2025

Whimsical Hendra Home Comes with One of Australia’s Largest Private Dr Seuss Collections

Did you know that one of the largest personal Dr Seuss collections in the country can be found in a property in Hendra? Behind the doors of 28 Blaikie Street lies more than just a five-bedroom, three-bathroom entertainer’s dream—it’s a gallery of imagination and nostalgia, lovingly curated by renowned Ascot dance teacher Marilyn Culpitt.

Read: 24/7 Maccas at Nudgee Road in Hendra Gets Green Light, Locals Push Back

Culpitt, who bought the home in 2009, began her unexpected journey into the world of Dr Seuss art during a visit to San Francisco, where she stumbled across a gallery print. As a mother of four, she was familiar with the author’s stories but hadn’t realised the breadth of his visual art. Her first purchase, however, was made back in Australia when she saw a ‘Green Eggs and Ham’ piece on display in a Sydney gallery, and from there, the collection grew.

Now, the walls of her spacious home display 29 original works, from limited edition prints to quirky Seussian taxidermy. But Dr Seuss isn’t the only artist to feature. Culpitt has also long admired and collected pieces by Gerard Manion, creating a vibrant and eclectic art display throughout the house.

She admits her children may have questioned her passion at times, but she finds joy in the colour and hidden meaning of Seuss’s artworks. The home provided ample room for her collection, as well as space to host her large extended family, including 12 grandchildren, for frequent gatherings and meals.

The house has become well-known in the area, with locals recognising it as “Marilyn’s house” following her decades at the helm of the Ascot School of Dance. According to Place Ascot agent Tanya Mitchell, the property has been maintained meticulously since Culpitt purchased it directly from the builder. She says it’s ideal for a buyer seeking a low-maintenance executive home, with a bit of creative flair.

With downsizing now on the horizon, Culpitt is facing the difficult task of letting go of some pieces from her treasured collection. She’s open to selling several artworks and says prospective buyers have already shown interest in acquiring them along with the house.

Still, a few favourites, such as ‘Green Eggs and Ham’, ‘Yawning Cat’, ‘Ted’s Cat’, and ‘Wisdom of the Orient Cat,’ remain close to her heart and unlikely to be parted with easily.

Read: Ascot Joins Elite List of Brisbane’s Richest Neighbourhoods

For the right buyer, this property offers not just a beautiful home, but the chance to own a piece of one woman’s vibrant artistic journey—one that blends imagination, family, and a lifelong love of creativity.

Published 16-June-2025

Residents Appeal Against Approved 24/7 McDonald’s Development in Hendra

The battle against a proposed 24/7 McDonald’s in Hendra is far from over, as residents have officially lodged an appeal against the decision to approve the development.

Read: 24/7 Maccas at Nudgee Road in Hendra Gets Green Light, Locals Push Back

The latest legal challenge, submitted earlier this month to the Planning and Environment Court, argued that the development application (A006543699) should be refused because of several reasons. One of these is the fact that the site falls within a character residential zone primarily occupied by detached houses. Petitioners claim that approving a commercial development in such a setting contradicts local planning regulations and community expectations.

In January 2025, Brisbane approved plans for the fast-food outlet, which will be located at 330 Nudgee Road. The single-storey building will offer drive-thru services, counter takeaway, and meal order collection for delivery drivers. While the approved hours of operation would be 24/7, the counter takeaway services would be limited from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Artist’s impression of proposed development (Photo credit: Brisbane PD Online)

However, despite receiving the green light, the proposed 24/7 McDonald’s has faced strong opposition from the local community, with over 400 submissions lodged against the proposal. Residents have raised several concerns, including the site’s proximity to schools, increased traffic congestion, safety risks, and potential environmental pollution. Additionally, many fear that the presence of a 24/7 fast-food outlet will negatively impact property values in the area.

Locals even launched an online campaign through GoFundMe, in hopes of raising funds to engage a lawyer and independent experts to contest the development. As of writing, they have raised over $21,000.

Read: Local Groups Mobilise Over Hendra McDonald’s Proposal

“Your contribution will support the costs needed to draft and file a notice of appeal, engage the required independent experts, hold a mediation meeting with the applicable parties and if necessary take this to trial,” Jackie, the fundraising organiser wrote.

“Together, we can work to protect Hendra and prevent this disruptive development from moving forward.”

As the appeal process unfolds, the dispute over the McDonald’s development in Hendra continues, with residents determined to have their concerns heard in court.

Published 24-March-2025

Car Fire in Hendra: Emergency Crews Rush to the Scene as Traffic is Diverted

Photo Credit: Pexels

A car fire in Hendra caused significant traffic delays, forcing authorities to redirect vehicles in Brisbane’s north. Thick smoke filled the air as emergency services rushed to Gellibrand Street.

Emergency Services Act Quickly

On 6 February, fire crews and police arrived at the scene just after 5 p.m. following reports of a car emitting smoke. A Queensland Police Service spokesperson confirmed that the driver was behind the wheel when they noticed the smoke.

To ensure public safety, police quickly put traffic diversions in place while firefighters worked to extinguish the fire.

Driver Escapes Without Injury

Fortunately, the driver was unharmed and did not require medical assistance. The cause of the fire remains unknown, but emergency crews ensured the area was safe before reopening the road.

Community Reacts to Incident on Facebook, Many Expect EV Involvement

The incident sparked significant discussion on Facebook, with many users sharing their thoughts in the comment section. While some expressed concern over the situation, the conversation revolved around the assumption that it was an electric vehicle (EV).

Chris Cross Platz said, “Wouldn’t be surprised if (it) was a Tesla.” Another one commented, “Bloody Tezzlas mate.”

A few were shocked that a petrol car was involved and not an EV. “Petrol car on fire. Wowee,” Andy Grun said.

Meanwhile, James Fraser noticed that “Another petrol car going up in flames, so many recently.”

Similar Incident in Kenmore

In May 2022, a luxury Audi caught fire outside Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church in Kenmore. The blaze started around 11:30 a.m. on Kenmore Rd, with firefighters quickly on the scene.

While the driver was unharmed, the car was completely beyond saving.

The fire also attracted the attention of passersby, including those attending a nearby Mother’s Day morning tea, who were drawn outside by the smell of smoke.

These incidents serve as a reminder of how quickly a car fire can escalate. Which caused both significant disruption and safety concerns for drivers and bystanders alike.

Published 7-Feb-2025