THE historic Willards Farm at Birkdale will open to the public next month for the first time in years.
Redland City Council has launched guided walking tours following a multi-million-dollar restoration – but the move has sparked severe backlash over costs, entry fees and the project’s long history.
From May 6, up to six tours a month will be held at the heritage-listed property, with tickets priced at $10 plus a booking fee and available online through the Redland City Council website.
The tours follow the official reopening of the site at a special event on April 17 attended by project partners and Council representatives.
Redland City Mayor Jos Mitchell said the tours would give the community a rare opportunity to step inside one of the region’s most significant historic properties.
“Through the tours, visitors will be able to see how Council has restored this historic property and learn fascinating insights into the families that once called Willards Farm home,” Mayor Mitchell said.
“I know many people have been looking forward to the property opening for community viewings and I’m pleased that Council has now reached this stage.”
Tours will run on the first and third Wednesday of each month and will be led by Council’s Library Local History Adviser, with demand expected to be strong under a first-come, first-served booking system.
The farmhouse, dating back to the 1870s, was purchased by Redland City Council on March 9, 2016, for $1.45 million after community concerns a previous owner planned to demolish the buildings and subdivide the site into 12 housing blocks.
Mayor Mitchell said the property had been in poor condition at the time of purchase.
“The farmhouse was in a state of disrepair when Council stepped in to buy the property in 2016, ensuring its history was protected for future generations,” she said.
However, the project’s escalating costs and planning decisions have come under increasing scrutiny.
A 2015 report to Council by Redland Investment Corporation estimated restoring all structures would cost $503,750 – a fraction of the $5,066,985 restoration contract later awarded by Council in August 2023.
Willards Farm was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on March 8, 2022, following an application by the Birkdale Progress Association – a move some critics say has limited future use of the site.
Some locals argue that without the heritage listing, which had previously been rejected before later being approved, the property may have supported broader commercial uses such as a cafe or restaurant to help offset costs.
As bookings open, scrutiny has intensified over the project’s total cost and the decision to charge entry.
While Council has cited $6,876,457 as the cost of restoring the farm buildings alone, the total spend at Willards Farm has now reached about $9.1 million, highlighting a widening gap between the core restoration figure and overall investment.
Importantly, that $9.1 million relates only to Willards Farm itself, not the broader Birkdale Community Precinct.
The figures have sharpened questions about value for money and triggered an explosion of online reaction, with many residents questioning why ratepayers are being asked to pay again to access a publicly funded site.
The $10 ticket price is understood to cover operational costs for the guided tours run by Council’s Local History team, rather than recoup the restoration itself.
