Willards Farm
Redland City Council has fully restored the heritage-listed Willards Farm and surrounding dairy outbuildings.
On this page:
History
The farmhouse, which was built in the late 1800s, was in very poor repair and facing demolition in 2016 when Council stepped in to buy the property to protect the region's early farming history.
It is believed the former farm was developed by the Willard family in phases from the 1860s and it remains a significant example of early Queensland agricultural history, building techniques and dairy infrastructure.
James Willard, an agricultural labourer from England, and Margaret Jones, a servant from Ireland, married in 1860. During the next 21 years they had 11 children.
The Willards milled timber on site, grew crops including maize and sweet potatoes, and operated a dairy herd before also opening a cattle dip on the land in the early 1900s.
The original farmhouse consisted of a two-room house with verandahs and a separate kitchen wing. In about 1910 James connected another wing to the farmhouse, adding two extra rooms to the home.
Some property features hint that the Willards were relatively prosperous – the milking shed included an early mechanical milking machine and the iron railings around the farmhouse veranda were a luxurious addition for the time.
James died in 1914 and with Margaret's death in 1916, the property was passed on to two of their children, eldest son William and unmarried daughter Margaret, who operated the dairy until the mid-1920s.
During the next 90 or so years the property was sold many times to owners including the Cotton, Daniel, Brook and Brandt families.
Tours
Get ready for a fun day out at Willards Farm.
Redland City Council is inviting the community to tour Willards Farm to hear about its fascinating history and the remarkable methods used in its restoration.
This in-person event is perfect for anyone who loves history and learning about 19th century colonial farming life in south-east Queensland.
Visitors will explore the farm buildings and structures and enjoy a seated presentation within the farmhouse.
You'll hear about the everyday life of the families that called Willards 'home' and learn about how Redland City Council saved and restored Willards for the community and future generations.
Bring your friends or family and make some great memories. Can't wait to see you there!
Address: 302 Old Cleveland Road East, Birkdale Qld 4159. Entry off Old Cleveland Road, just after the Baptist Church.
Bookings for these tours are via Redland Performing Arts Centre. You can book online below, by calling the RPAC Box Office on 3829 8131 or in person at the RPAC Box Office (2-16 Middle Street, Cleveland). Box Office hours are Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm.
Tickets cost $10 + $2.50 administration fee per person.
If required – due to extreme weather, staffing availability or other unforeseen circumstances – Council reserves the right to cancel or reschedule tours with full refund of ticket costs.
Book a tour now
Is there all abilities access?
Council has built pathways and installed accessible toilets and a lift to help the Willards Farm tours be as accessible as possible.
However, some areas may have uneven ground surfaces and changes in level, and parts of the building – for example, the width of the doorways – do not meet current accessibility standards.
As Willards Farm is a heritage site protected under Queensland legislation it is subject to heritage conservation requirements administered through the Queensland building and planning framework, including provisions overseen by the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC).
Where meeting contemporary building and accessibility standards would require modifications that could compromise the heritage significance of the site, specific concessions are permitted. As a result, features such as narrow doorways – integral to the building’s historic character – have been retained in accordance with approved heritage conservation obligations.
We encourage everyone with accessibility requirements to contact the RPAC Box Office before booking.
Are there toilets?
Yes, including for people with disabilities.
What should I wear?
Comfortable, enclosed shoes and we always encourage sun-safe clothing like long-sleeved shirts and a hat.
What should I bring with me?
Bring a hat and a water bottle – you can refill it from an on-site bubbler.
Can I take photos?
We'd love that! Feel free to share them with your families, friends and followers :)
Why is the site open only for tours?
The community’s interest in the restored Willards Farm led to Council opening the property ahead of schedule – the Birkdale Community Precinct Master Plan had the public opening scheduled for 2027. A temporary permit from the Queensland Government was required to enable the early opening, and further approvals are required to open the property outside tour times. When permanent approvals are in place, Council will open Willards Farm to the community more fully.
Heritage protection
Willards Farm is an important architectural example of a subtropical Queenslander farmhouse.
In breathing new life into the property during the restoration process, it was a priority for Council to protect the heritage values of each individual structure – the homestead, milking shed, creamery, garage, elevated water tank and cistern.
All work was overseen by heritage specialists and replicated traditional methods where possible.
- The original timber used in the buildings was milled locally to non-standard sizes. With much of it needing replacing, the restoration team established a timber mill on site where they could create customised pieces, stamping each for clear future identification.
- Traditional construction methods have been replicated in the milking shed, with timber dowels used instead of nails.
- The team painstakingly scraped back about 20 layers of paint and sought advice from heritage specialists to determine the restoration colour scheme.
- The concrete floor in the creamery is an early example of using thermal mass to create a cool and constant environment.
- The cistern – which isn’t a well, but an inground rainwater storage tank – is an early pioneering example of ingenuity. An 8m deep hole was dug, lined with a single skin of local bricks and then rendered for water proofing. Rainwater from the farmhouse roof was piped into the cistern and then pumped by windmill - into a tank for the family’s water supply, and water troughs for the cattle.
- More than 600 design decisions were made by the restoration team and approved by the heritage specialist throughout the process.
The restoration has been designed to preserve these important buildings while also celebrating the district's original farming heritage. Visitors will enjoy a snapshot of the working life and home of a typical family dairy farm of the late 1800s to the 1950s.
The future
Restoration of Willards Farm launched the Birkdale Community Precinct program of works.
The precinct is the largest, most anticipated and most diverse community project ever delivered by Redland City Council with planning the result of more than two years of extensive community consultation.
The precinct master plan released in 2023 envisaged that portions of the 62 hectare site would open pre-2032 with the timeline determined by the construction of infrastructure such as access roads, car parking, set-down areas, footpaths, amenities buildings and landscaping.
In the long term, Willards Farm will become a welcome gate for visitors to Birkdale Community Precinct.