A heritage Queenslander dating to 1884 that once served as West End’s police station has been put to market, ending plans to transform the site at Boundary Street into a health and housing hub for people experiencing homelessness and disadvantage in Brisbane’s inner south.
Read: Old West End Police Station to be Converted as a Community Centre
The deal struck under the former Labor administration was not carried forward, with Queensland’s new administration citing a lack of allocated funding for capital works and operational costs. Not-for-profit services provider Micah Projects had planned to develop it into a centre offering health, housing, and legal services to the local community.
The building sat vacant from 2021, when police relocated to newer premises on Vulture Street. Ownership was transferred from Queensland Police Service to the housing department in early 2022, with the intention of repurposing it for community use.
A Deal That Never Crossed the Line
Those plans gained momentum in April 2025, when the administration pledged $10 million towards the project. The funding was intended to cover capital costs for the new health and housing clinic, and would have complemented Micah Projects’ own $6.1 million investment already committed to the initiative. The federal pledge was contingent on a finalised land-transfer agreement being reached with Queensland.
That agreement never eventuated. Families, Seniors and Disability Services Minister Amanda Camm said the deal left by the previous administration lacked adequate funding, noting that no state money had been set aside for either the capital works or the ongoing operational costs tied to the proposed development. She said any decision about public assets had to account for all associated costs.
Queensland Police Service confirmed the site was transferred back to QPS in 2025 after it was assessed as not fit for purpose for a community services hub. QPS then engaged a commercial real estate agent to manage a sale process it described as fair, equitable and transparent. Further detail on how the not-fit-for-purpose determination was made was not provided by QPS or the minister’s office. Decisions about the future use and sale of surplus public assets are routinely made by the relevant department without public disclosure of internal assessments.
From Community Hub to Development Opportunity
The property, located at 96 Boundary Street, was marketed by commercial agents C Property QLD, whose listing described it as a rare inner-city opportunity suited to developers, investors and owner-occupiers. The 1,113-square-metre, District Centre-zoned site was offered for a wide range of potential uses, including mixed-use development, residential, medical, retail and office. The listing noted several value-add possibilities, including raising the existing building, building beneath it, or constructing a new structure to the rear. The expression of interest campaign closed in March 2026.
C Property QLD declined to comment on the outcome of the sale process, citing commercial-in-confidence obligations.
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The site sits directly opposite the $1.2 billion West Village precinct and within walking distance of Fish Lane, placing it squarely in one of Brisbane’s most rapidly changing urban neighbourhoods. That location, which made it attractive for community services, also made it a compelling prospect for private development.
The move marks a change in direction for one of West End’s most recognised heritage properties, which had been in public hands since 1884.
Published 28-May-2026
