New Farm Park Upgrades 2025
New Farm Park Upgrades 2025 are on the way with the Schrinner Council is delivering a significant drainage upgrade in New Farm next year to improve flood resilience and protect residents, businesses, and public spaces during severe weather events.
While flooding can’t be entirely prevented in Brisbane, we are taking proactive steps to reduce risks and improve resilience.
These works, scheduled for completion in just six months, will deliver increase flood resilience for our suburbs now and into the future.
New Farm has some of the oldest drainage in all of Brisbane and by delivering this upgrade we are helping our suburbs be more resilient.
We are using specialised techniques to deliver this project to ensure the least impact to residents and people visiting New Farm Park and the surrounding areas.
Much of Brisbane is built on a flood plain meaning all flooding can’t be prevented, but targeted upgrades like this can be done in some areas to help reduce risk and improve resilience.
New Farm’s original drainage networks, constructed in the early 1900s, were among the city’s first efforts to manage flooding.
Since then, Brisbane’s population has grown ten-fold, making these upgrades critical to manage and minimise future flooding risks in the local area.
The Elystan Road and New Farm Park Drainage project involves constructing additional stormwater infrastructure, including new drainage pipes, connections, and roadside gullies to reduce the risk of localised flooding.
Micro-tunnelling techniques will be used where drainage pipes can be installed underground without digging up the surface to minimise the need for above-groundwork and disruptions to residents.
To safely deliver these works, a small section of Elystan Road near Brunswick Street will be closed from early January to June 2025. Access to all residences and driveways will remain open, and traffic controllers will be in place to assist residents where needed.
Some of the works will also take place in a section of New Farm Park which will be fenced off for safety between mid-January and March.
Three essential projects will be delivered to enhance New Farm Park and the surrounding areas:
- Elystan Road Drainage Upgrade – enhancing flood resilience by upgrading stormwater infrastructure. Works planned for January to June 2025 Information above
- Backflow Device Maintenance – upgrading systems to help protect nearby areas from river backflow during flood events. Works planned for April to June 2025.
- Playground Redecking – improving New Farm Park Playground. Works planned for May to September 2025.
BACKFLOW DEVICE MAINTENANCE WORKS
Backflow devices reduce the chance of backflow flooding by preventing water flowing back up stormwater drainage paths and are one of the many ways Council helps to manage flooding in Brisbane. I had New Farm’s Backflow decides placed in 2013.
The New Farm Park Backflow Device maintenance works will upgrade and replace mechanical components of the park’s backflow prevention system. The existing backflow prevention gates were constructed in 2013 and require maintenance and upgrades to ensure full functionally of the gates.
The works will occur intermittently over an 8-week period in a small area, near the New Farm Park Ferry Terminal in the south-east corner of New Farm Park. During this time, there may be some shared-path diversions around the work area, particularly when trenching is underway for the installation of the conduit.
As the works will take place within a bookable section of the park, the project team are coordinating with the park bookings team to help minimise disruption for park users wherever possible.
Works will include:
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installation of new actuator (a motor that helps open and close the valves automatically) and new drive spindle a metal rod that connects the actuator to the valve
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removal of the penstocks (gates used to control water) to offsite location to modify the door to accept the new drive spindle
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trenching in New Farm Park to allow for installation of new 27-meter-long conduit to connect existing electrical pits for system power and controls
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construction of new electrical switchboard to improve the electrical system supporting the backflow devices.
Works are expected to start in April 2025 and are expected to take approximately 8 weeks, with intermittent site activity. The project will be completed by June 2025, subject to weather and site conditions.
NEW FARM PARK PLAYGROUND REDECKING PROJECT
As part of Council’s ongoing commitment to maintaining iconic parks as beautiful as our children, we have organised for the New Farm Park playground to be redecked.
This project will upgrade the walkway structure around the New Farm Park playground.
The works will involve some alternations to the decking around play areas, including the removal and replacement of existing decking, posts, and rails and some new fence installation and will be carried out in stages to allow sections of the playground to remain open during construction.
Works are expected to start in early May with expected completion in September 2025, weather and site conditions permitting.
If you have any further questions about the New Farm Park Upgrades 2025 , please contact the project team on 3178 5413 during business hours or email cityprojects@brisbane.qld.gov.au
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