A classic Queenslander has come to market in one of Brisbane’s most strategically important suburbs, a neighbourhood quietly playing a pivotal role in Queensland’s long-term housing overhaul.
The three-bedroom home at 11 Folkestone Street, Bowen Hills, listed by Aaron Woolard and Cody Durante of Place New Farm, sits inside an Emerging Community (EC) zone, a rare planning category in Brisbane’s inner ring that offers significantly more development flexibility than the tight character protections seen nearby.
While EC zoning exists sporadically across Queensland, Bowen Hills stands out.
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Approximately 29.1 per cent of the suburb sits within this future-growth classification, giving it the highest known concentration of EC zoning of any inner-Brisbane suburb with available data.
Woolard said this unique zoning is now one of the suburb’s biggest drawcards.
11 Folkestone Street, Bowen Hills, QLD 4006 Credit: View “People love the character of Queenslanders, but most of them come with restrictions that limit what you can do,” he said.
“Here, buyers get something you almost never see in the inner city; the charm of a traditional home and the freedom to shape its future. It’s one of the few places where you’re not boxed in by long-term zoning rules.”
The flexibility is attracting a wide mix of buyers, from young professionals seeking proximity to the CBD, to families wanting adaptable living options, and downsizers who want character without the planning constraints.
Neighbouring blue-chip areas, by contrast, offer little to no EC zoning at all:
New Farm – 0 per cent
Newstead – 0 per cent
Teneriffe – 0 per cent
Fortitude Valley – 0 per cent
Kangaroo Point – 0 per cent
South Brisbane – 0 per cent
Wilston – minimal
Windsor – minimal
Woolloongabba – approx. 3.75 per cent
Bowen Hills has been designated by the Queensland Government as a Priority Development Area, chosen to absorb population growth and to deliver a stronger supply of new housing close to transport, hospitals, major employment hubs and lifestyle precincts.
Queensland’s Minister for Housing, Local Government and Planning and Minister for Public Works, Meaghan Scanlon has stated that the long-term housing plan includes a new bill that “slashes planning barriers” and speeds up construction, as well as a goal to deliver 53,500 social homes by 2046.
The plan, dubbed “Homes for Queenslanders,” aims to increase housing supply by one million homes by 2046 and also includes measures to support renters and first-home buyers.
Scanlon said: “We need to plan well and plan ahead by pulling new levers in the planning space and unlock supply for more homes faster.”
11 Folkestone Street, Bowen Hills, QLD 4006 Credit: View That strategic positioning is what makes the Folkestone Street home so unusual: unlike most Queenslanders, it is not locked into perpetual preservation.
The EC zoning acknowledges the property can evolve, whether into a new contemporary home, a dual-occupancy layout, multigenerational living arrangement or a boutique duplex, all subject to council approval.
11 Folkestone Street, Bowen Hills, QLD 4006 Credit: View Cody Durante said the suburb’s planning settings reflect what residents want.
“Locals want more homes in suburbs that already have the transport, jobs and lifestyle infrastructure people rely on,” he said.
“This property sits right in the middle of Brisbane’s next chapter. It’s appealing to buyers who want more than just a home, they want the ability to shape it over time.”
Yet, despite its redevelopment potential, the home still delivers everything buyers expect from a classic Queenslander: polished timber floors, VJ walls, high ceilings, a north-facing sunroom and established greenery that gives it warmth and charm from day one.
Its location adds further appeal, directly opposite Perry Park and moments from major employment, entertainment and transport corridors including the CBD, Fortitude Valley, the RNA precinct and the Cross River Rail network.
With Brisbane preparing for the Olympics and undergoing one of the most transformative decades in its history, Durante said Bowen Hills’ designation as a growth hub is becoming central to the city’s housing future.
“Bowen Hills is evolving, and this property represents what that future looks like, flexibility, character and long-term opportunity,” he said.
11 Folkestone Street, Bowen Hills goes to auction on Saturday, November 29.