In just under ten years, a number of Brisbane’s suburbs will look completely different – and few more so than Woolloongabba. With the forthcoming completion of Cross River Rail and the government-funded redevelopment of The Gabba, the suburb will become a pivotal hub of Brisbane’s inner-south in the lead-up to the Olympics. A development prospectus revealed this week by property developer Trenert could, if approved, see a 1-ha parcel of land bordered by Stanley, Hubert and Reid Streets transformed into a mixed-use 24-hour precinct tentatively titled Station Square. The $1.2-billion proposal could transform an entire block – currently containing many empty shopfront tenancies – with the construction of five towers (purposed for both residential and commercial use) centred around a public plaza boasting a pedestrian link to the Cross River Rail station on the opposite side of Stanley Street.

The centrepiece to Station Square’s proposal is the restoration of the heritage-listed Railway Hotel (most recently operating as the Chalk Hotel), which has sat vacant for years. The revitalised landmark will be joined by 114 affordable and social housing units delivered in partnership with BlueCHP, 165 residential units, a five-star hotel (containing 320 hotel suites and 120 private residences), and 50,000-sqm of commercial office space. A retail plaza will also host a mix of food and beverage concepts. “The Government investment in the Gabba stadium and Cross River Rail are the catalysts for the transformation of the Gabba, and Station Square is an investment in that vision,” says Trenert managing partner Peter Priest in a statement. “We’re looking forward to delivering much-needed housing as part of the Gabba transformation, putting homes adjacent to transport infrastructure and creating a vibrant 24-hour precinct.” A development application will be submitted in the coming months, with a long-term timetable estimating project delivery by 2030.