Six Dutch Houses Officially Heritage Listed in Brisbane

Coopers Plains – First Crossroad of Brisbane

The Coopers Plains History Group and the Dutch Australian Cultural Centre (DACC) welcome the official heritage listing of six post-war Dutch Houses in Sunnybank by Brisbane City Council. This decision recognises the historical, architectural, and migrant heritage value of these homes, built as part of a unique collaboration between the Queensland Housing Commission and a Dutch construction company in the early 1950s.

The following properties have been formally added to the Brisbane Local Heritage Register:

• 19 Aldershot Street, Sunnybank

• 15 Lawford Street, Sunnybank

• 17 Lawford Street, Sunnybank

• 19 Lawford Street, Sunnybank

• 21 Lawford Street, Sunnybank

• 4 Pasteur Street, Sunnybank

Official listing reference: Brisbane City Council Heritage Register – Place 2816

These well-maintained homes – still in use as public housing – are examples of a bold post-war housing project that brought Dutch prefabrication techniques, materials, and skilled labour to Brisbane. They form part of a broader legacy of Dutch–Australian cooperation during the post-war reconstruction period and reflect the contribution of migrants to Brisbane’s suburban development.

In August 2025, this legacy was further acknowledged with the official naming of Dutch Houses Park in Coopers Plains. The park features interpretive signage and stands near where many of the original Dutch Houses once stood. The renaming followed years of advocacy by local historian Simon Cole, in partnership with the DACC and Brisbane City Council.

Heritage listing ensures these homes are now part of Brisbane’s recorded history. While their locations in quiet residential streets limit public access, their inclusion in the register makes their story visible and searchable online, offering an important educational resource.

However, heritage protection is not permanent. With only an estimated 60 Dutch Houses still surviving, the urgency remains to secure at least one original house – in accessible location – for preservation and interpretation. This would allow future generations to experience firsthand a unique example of post-war Dutch–Australian architectural and social history.

This listing represents a shared success for local history advocates, the Dutch-Australian community, and Brisbane’s heritage as a whole.

Media Contacts:
Paul Budde
Chair, Dutch Australian Cultural Centre
paul@paulbudde.com | 0418 438 183

Simon Cole
Chair, Coopers Plains History Group
0491 737 603