Demolition in Brisbane's Bayside & Eastern Suburbs

Housing in the east

Bulimba, Hawthorne, Balmoral and Morningside have plenty of Queenslanders and interwar cottages, much of it inside the Traditional building character overlay. Carina, Carindale, Cannon Hill and Tingalpa include large areas of post-war and 1960s–70s housing, from lowset timber to brick on slab. Wynnum, Manly and Lota have older beach houses and fibro cottages, many dating from an era when asbestos cement sheeting was everywhere.

Salt, wind and wear

Close to Moreton Bay, salt air takes a toll. Roofing, fixings, steel stumps and reinforcement in older homes can be badly corroded, and weakened structures need care during demolition. Rusted stumps and roof sheeting don't behave predictably, so the dismantling order matters.

Storm tide and low-lying land

Parts of Wynnum, Manly, Lota, Hemmant and Murarrie are low-lying and can be affected by storm tide and coastal flooding, as well as creek flooding from Wynnum Creek and Bulimba Creek. These overlays mostly influence the new home's floor levels and design, but they are worth knowing before a rebuild is costed. Some low-lying ground near the bay and river also contains acid sulfate soils, which need managing if excavation goes deep.

River frontage

Riverside properties in Bulimba, Hawthorne and Balmoral may have steep banks, retaining walls and pontoon access. Demolition near the riverbank is planned so the bank isn't destabilised and no debris reaches the water.

Common bayside jobs

• Knockdowns of fibro and weatherboard beach houses in Wynnum and Manly
• Character-house approvals and partial demolitions in Bulimba and Hawthorne
• Brick home demolitions in Carina, Carindale and Belmont
• Commercial and industrial demolition around Murarrie, Hemmant and Tingalpa
• Pool removals and concrete clearing across the east

Approvals and services

The bayside and eastern suburbs are within Brisbane City Council, so City Plan 2014 overlays apply and a building approval from a private certifier is normally needed for demolition. Power goes through Energex, and water and sewer through Urban Utilities. Properties south of Tingalpa Creek, such as Thorneside and Birkdale, fall under Redland City Council — see our Redlands demolition page.

Waterfront and canal blocks

A handful of eastern properties back onto creeks or the bay foreshore. Machinery has to stay off soft ground near the water, sediment fencing keeps runoff out of the waterway, and stockpiles are kept well back from the bank. Any work on or near a seawall is checked against council requirements before it starts.

Industrial neighbours

The eastern suburbs mix homes with industry around the port, Murarrie and Hemmant. Residential blocks backing onto industrial land can have old fill, drainage easements or contamination history worth checking before excavation, especially where the new build needs deep footings.