Former Brisbane fire station finds buyer after passing in at auction
A former fire station in Brisbane’s suburbs has been sold for more than $900,000 two months after it passed in at auction.
Situated on the commercial section of Ipswich Road, the former Yeronga fire station was purchased by local construction company Stokes Wheeler for $925,000.
The property at 785 Ipswich Road, Yeronga, was owned by the Queensland government until 1999 when it was offloaded for $135,100. It was last sold in 2001 for $230,000, according to Pricefinder.
Old fire stations are popular with residential buyers, because they often have character buildings on large blocks of land. But the configuration of the buildings at Yeronga proved difficult for homeowners, said Matt Wray of Ray White Industrial Milton.
“(Converting it) would have been tough because the house, which is heritage protected, is in the middle of the block. You could extend, but it would look like a mess,” he said.
The fire station passed in at auction in early December and was sold by the end of January, with several parties putting in offers.
During WWII Yeronga Park – behind the fire station – played host to US and Dutch soldiers. Photo: Supplied
“The owners took a break over Christmas but we resumed negotiations with interested parties and by the end of January we had multiple offers,” said fellow listing agent Aaron Burtenshaw.
“We secured a cash unconditional contract for the owners at $925,000, which was well above the highest bid on auction day.”
Stoke Wheeler will use the office as a warehouse and office, making some renovations to the heritage listed building.
Built in 1934 it is among some of the earliest designs from leading Queensland architecture firm Conrad and Gargett.
During WWII Yeronga Park – behind the fire station – played host to US and Dutch soldiers, and there was said to be an effigy of Hitler hung from the fire station awning.
After the station was decommissioned in 1974 it was used as an SES office until it was sold in 1999.
The cedar fire pole and a special switch controlling the traffic lights outside may have both been removed in the 1970s – the pole, along with the commissioning plaque sent to the museum at the YMCA Old Petrie Town – but a host of original features remain.
These include the large engine bay with outlines showing the locations where boats and ladders were hung from the walls, a superintendent’s building, and original shower building on the mid landing.
