Incredible New Farm Queenslander hits the market for just the second time in 100 years

A New Farm Queenslander once owned by one of Australia’s most famous theatre families has hit the market.

Available for sale for only the second time in more than 100 years, Park View is an original Queenslander set on a sprawling — and incredibly rare — 749 square metres, overlooking New Farm Park.

A landmark relic on Brunswick Street, the house was built in the early 1900s by John McCallum snr, builder of the original 2000-seat Cremorne Theatre on the banks of South Brisbane.

His son, acclaimed actor John McCallum Jr (CBE) and wife, British actress Googie Withers, who starred in many Hollywood films including Alfred Hitchcock’s The Lady Vanishes, also spent time in the home.

“It’s had quite the extraordinary history,” Place agent Hayley Jane said. “The McCallum family were one of Brisbane’s most notable families in the early 1900s and John McCallum Jnr was one of Australia’s finest actors in the 1930s.”

But to Rick Nowicki, who recently inherited the property along with his cousin, the house represents so much more than its original high profile owners.

For him it means home; his childhood, his mother and memories of his grandparents, who bought the house from John McCallum in 1953.

“I grew up in that house. I spent my childhood with New Farm Park as my front yard and my teenage years hanging out at the decommissioned Brisbane Powerhouse, fishing and swimming with my friends in the Brisbane River,” he said.

“Back then New Farm was a working class suburb full of factories. Most of my friends went on after school to work in the sugar refinery. My memories of life in this house are very different to the way life is in New Farm today.”

But he remembers the conversations about the property’s original owners.

“I didn’t quite understand the significance of it as a child but I remember overhearing conversations between my mother and my grandmother about the McCallum family and how famous they were,” he said.

“To me, though, this house is less about the McCallums and more about my family history.

“My grandmother lived in that house, cared for by my mother, until she was 99. Then my own mother lived there until she died suddenly three months ago, aged 88. The links we’ve had to New Farm go back a very long way.”

The house itself is in original condition and stands as a living relic of Queenslander architecture from generations ago. Pressed metal ceilings, intricately ornate cornices and original VJ walls are all intact – but the property certainly needs work.

“This is the ultimate site to renovate and recreate,” Ms Jane said.

“The home could be revived to its former glory, or it could be repositioned to utilise this exceptional land offering to create a dream house … it’s a very exclusive location.”

Co-incidentally, another famous Brisbane home with connections to the Cremorne Theatre is also currently for sale. The heritage-listed villa, which sits on top of Hamilton Hill at 34 Mullens Street, is still known as Cremorne and was built by Brisbane hotel owner James O’Connor in 1905.

965 Brunswick Street, New Farm

Three bedrooms, one bathroom

Auction Saturday December 10, 3pm
Agents Judy Goodger 0438 767 377 and Hayley Jane 0400 958 567, Place New Farm