Kurilpa Commons has become the centre of a tense standoff after police arrested several people while authorities moved to secure the long-running community garden ahead of plans to prepare the site for future housing.
Read: Kurilpa Commons Protest: Community Resists Closure of Beloved Garden
The inner-south green space, located on the corner of Boundary and Dudley streets near the West End and Highgate Hill border, has been cared for by volunteers since the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the years, it has grown into more than a community garden, hosting shared meals, workshops, movie nights and other neighbourhood activities.
The dispute intensified early on 29 June when representatives from Economic Development Queensland (EDQ), accompanied by contractors, arrived to install fencing around the state-owned land. Protesters gathered shortly afterwards, with police later called to the scene as some demonstrators entered the site and climbed trees in an effort to stop the works.
Queensland Police said six people were arrested on 29 June after officers responded to the disturbance. Police alleged trespass offences in relation to several arrests. Officers remained at the site overnight while continuing to engage with protesters who had stayed in trees within the fenced area.
By 30 June, emergency crews assisted in safely bringing down one woman who had spent the night in a tree. She was taken to hospital as a precaution, while another person was arrested during the operation.
Community voices concerns over future of Kurilpa Commons
For many involved in the protest, the issue extends beyond the loss of a garden.
Local supporters say Kurilpa Commons has become a valued meeting place where neighbours grow fresh produce, share skills and build connections. They also describe the site as holding personal significance, with memorials established for community members who have died.
Kurilpa Commons member Shane Cucow questioned both the removal of a space used to grow food and the scale of the police response, arguing that community gardens provide practical support during a period when many households continue to face rising living costs.
Another supporter, Jemika Lancaster, said the space had evolved into an important gathering place where people could connect and remember loved ones. She said losing the garden would also mean losing one of the area’s few freely accessible community spaces.
Cr Trina Massey criticised the fencing of the site without prior notice to users, saying residents deserved greater transparency about the future of publicly owned land. She said the garden had transformed a long-vacant block into a vibrant community hub through the efforts of local volunteers.
Housing plans at the centre of the dispute
EDQ said the site is being prepared for more housing, describing it as meeting a community need. The agency said the land had always remained publicly owned, had never been approved as a permanent community garden, and that users had previously been advised the occupation was temporary.
The agency also said a Brisbane City-approved community garden is located about 200 metres away for local residents to use, and that personal belongings left on the site would be returned to their owners where possible.
The land occupied by Kurilpa Commons is owned by the Department of Transport and Main Roads and has recently been transferred to EDQ. The site is expected to be offered for future residential development, although details of any proposed project have not been publicly released.
Read: West End Gardeners Defy Warnings Over Contamination Risk
Police remained at the site as work to secure the land continued, while supporters of Kurilpa Commons said they planned to continue advocating for the future of the community space. EDQ has maintained the site is being prepared for future housing and that users had previously been notified the occupation was temporary.
Published 1-July-2026
