The University of Queensland has secured its long-term occupancy of an 8.9ha land parcel at Long Pocket in Indooroopilly, after signing a property-swap deal with the State Government this week.
UQ first occupied part of the Meiers Rd site in inner western Brisbane in the aftermath of the January 2011 floods, when buildings and playing fields were inundated at the University’s main St Lucia campus nearby.
UQ’s Property and Facilities director, Alan Egan, said the Long Pocket property would be used for research and operational purposes.
“The site is in a bushland and residential area, near the Indooroopilly golf course,” he said.
“As has been the case for the past two years, small numbers of post-graduate students, researchers and administrative staff will work there, and use facilities there from time to time.”
Before 2011, the property housed a number of state scientific organisations, including the Department of Primary Industries.
“A similar number of UQ people will work from Long Pocket as have been there in recent decades, and they will be engaged in similar work,” Mr Egan said.
“It’s always been used for educational and research purposes, and we will continue to use it the same way.
“There is likely to be little change in traffic in the area, and we don’t expect there will be more students and pedestrians in the neighbourhood. Residents will notice little difference.”
Mr Egan noted that the State had allocated a strip of riverbank land adjoining the site as future parkland.
UQ gained occupancy rights over the Long Pocket land after agreeing to relinquish its occupation rights over the building at 200 Turbot St, Brisbane, that has housed the UQ School of Dentistry for decades.
“The new UQ Oral Health Centre at Herston is due for completion in the next 12 months or so and it is being purpose-built to provide modern new facilities for the dentistry school,” Mr Egan said.
In the 1960s, the State Government gave UQ the right to construct and manage a building on the Turbot St site, for the purpose of a dental school. The building was opened in 1970.
“We are very happy with the swap deal, as after the UQ School of Dentistry relocates to Herston next year, we will have no further use for Turbot St,’’ Mr Egan said. “Meanwhile, the Long Pocket site aligns well with the University’s current needs.”
Contact: Fiona Cameron, UQ Communications, ph +61 7 3346 7086
