Inside Willards Farm in Birkdale, visitors are finding more than a restored Queensland farmhouse. The heritage-listed property is giving Redlands Coast residents a rare chance to walk through one of the region’s last surviving farming homes while learning about the families, workers and communities connected to the land across generations.
Tours of the site began in May 2026 after years of restoration work led by Redland City Council. Guided by Council’s Library Local History Adviser, visitors move through the farmhouse and surrounding buildings while hearing stories linked to the property and the wider development of the Redlands district.
Restoring one of Redlands’ last surviving farmhouses
When Redland City Council purchased Willards Farm in 2016, the farmhouse had deteriorated over time and required significant restoration to preserve the structure.
According to official council updates, heritage specialists worked to return the property as closely as possible to its earlier condition while protecting original features throughout the site.
The farmhouse is regarded as one of the last remaining examples of the area’s early farming history. Long before residential growth transformed much of the bayside region, properties such as Willards Farm formed part of the agricultural landscape that supported local communities.
Mayor Jos Mitchell stated that preserving the property would allow future generations to experience an important part of the region’s past firsthand.
Tours uncover stories behind the property
The first public tours focused not only on the restored buildings but also on the people whose lives were connected to the property.
Tours place the farm within wider Queensland colonial history, including discussion of South Sea Islander labour and blackbirding during the 19th century. The term refers to the deceptive or forced recruitment of Pacific Islander labourers who were brought to parts of Australia during the colonial era.
Visitors are also introduced to local folklore connected to the property, including stories about a woman remembered in the district as the “Goat Lady”.
Together, the stories offer a broader picture of life in the region during a period when farming shaped much of the local economy and community life.
Farmhouse to become part of wider community precinct
Willards Farm sits within the Birkdale Community Precinct, where future community, cultural and environmental projects are planned. It is a future gateway to the precinct, linking the area’s history with new community spaces planned for the site in coming years.
Interest in the tours has highlighted strong community curiosity about places that connect present-day residents with the people and events that helped shape the Redlands Coast.
Published 29-May-2026
Featured Image Credit: RedlandCityCouncil
