Publications
New Farm and Districts Historical Society has 3 books about the area that are available for purchase in various locations:
- From the Society at the office or at public meetings
- Mary Ryan, New Farm (Merthyr Village)
- New Farm Editions (Merthyr Village)
- Ollie and LLoyd (Gasworks)
- Museum of Brisbane Shop
- State Library of Qld Bookshop
- OR contact the Society for other information info@newfarmhistorical.org.au
Homes With History
The New Farm locality was once a semi-rural retreat for a few well-heeled families on well-chosen sites. Gradually, the large estates gave way to gentlemen’s villas and workers’ cottages. Many of those original homes – whether modest or grand – have not survived, but luckily, an impressive variety of houses from earlier eras still remains.
While this snapshot of more than 20 local homes notes architectural details, the main focus is upon people – those who built the houses, the architects who designed them, and the successive residents and families who occupied and adapted them.
Tides of Teneriffe
Author Vicki Bridgstock steers readers through the flow of Teneriffe’s history and local memories.
From hunting for tortoises with the Turrbal people to living in one of our choice inner city locations, enjoy this journey interspersed with historic images and never-before-published family photos of life in Teneriffe.
Reflections on New Farm
Few suburbs in Brisbane can boast a higher ‘brand recognition’ than New Farm.
However it’s not widely known that this was the site of the ‘new farm’ worked by convicts from 1828.
Nor is it widely known that the remains of 1870s lime kilns can still be seen on the riverbank below Julius Street, or that Dulcie Markham, known as the “Angel of Death” because of her Sydney and Melbourne underworld notoriety, took up residence here in the 1940s.
Other books about New Farm available at the above locations:
New Farm – 50 Stories, by Gerard Benjamin
“Drawn from articles which have appeared in the local magazine My Village News, now Village Voice, these 50 stories, featuring characters, events and locations, add to the rich history of New Farm, Teneriffe, Newstead and Bowen Hills.
More than 200 photographs have been included, as well as in some cases, a ‘postscript’ to update the story or to include useful additional information.”–Bookseller’s website.
New Farm: Another 50 Stories – by Gerard Benjamin
Launched in November 2025, New Farm: Another 50 Stories offers its own colourful cast of characters who show that the history of New Farm and environs (Teneriffe, Newstead, Fortitude Valley and Bowen Hills) can be not only engrossing, but can offer an added dimension to the present.
If a picture tells a thousand words, then there’s plenty of historical content in the more than 225 photos included in this book. A map, showing the location of each story, will help you to organise your own personal walking tour. The index enables you to quickly pinpoint local topics that interest you.
“Well-written, well-illustrated, well done!” is the adjudication of a professor of history.
“Real people, real lives, making the past not past but an ongoing presence…” writes an enthusiastic reader (VH).