The 15-hectare hilltop property of the Sisters of Mercy in Bardon is for sale. However, residents have expressed their concerns about any potential development at the massive bushland site and its effect on the area.
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The landmark estate in one of Brisbane’s most affluent suburbs spans 14.8 hectares and bears the valuable green backdrop of Mt Coot-tha. Found some five kilometres away from Brisbane CBD’s northwest, the property on 371 Simpsons Road offers an unrivalled view of the city and Moreton Bay.
Cushman & Wakefield is handling the sale of the Sisters of Mercy property, which is expected to fetch multimillion-dollar bids. The site is going up the market for the first time since the congregation had the property in the 1950s.
Following the sale, Sisters of Mercy will be moving to Nudgee, where the renovation of St Vincent’s Convent has been underway. The congregation planned the move due to the reduction of the number of its members.
The Bardon building has been used as the congregation’s administration offices and the dormitory for the novices. Until 2020, the quiet location was also a conference facility and temporary accommodation.
According to the realtors, the Bardon property could be developed into a “multi-residential, retirement, gated community, health and wellness precincts or a major home site for a high-net-worth private investor.” About 13,090 square metres of the property is not covered by the Vegetation Protection Order.
The realtor’s statement has prompted residents to reach out to Greens MP for Maiwar Michael Berkman to express their worries that a new owner could potentially ruin “the high ecological significance of the land.”
Mr Berkman is hosting a community meeting on 30 June 2021 at 9:00 a.m. outside the Simpsons Road location to discuss these concerns. Meanwhile, interested investors have until 22 July 2021 to submit their Expression of Interest.