The 42-hectare Griffith University Mount Gravatt campus, closed since last year after more than five decades of operation nestled in Toohey Forest, has been listed for sale with strict conditions protecting Yarranlea Primary School, the aquatic centre and the tennis facilities for ongoing community use.
Expressions of interest for the former Griffith University site, located nine kilometres south-east of the Brisbane CBD near the summit of Mount Gravatt Mountain, close on 13 March 2026. The sale requires any new owner to maintain the primary school and sporting precinct as operational, while the surrounding bushland will be retained separately and not form part of the sale.
Griffith University vacated the Mount Gravatt campus last year after consolidating resources at its larger Nathan campus and a new Brisbane City campus set to open in the historic Treasury Building in 2027. Nine buildings remain on the site, including deserted student dormitories, an auditorium and lecture halls, all in varying states of disrepair after standing empty.
What Stays and What Changes
The recreational precinct at the heart of the site includes a 25-metre pool and aquatic centre, a 12-court tennis centre, outdoor basketball and netball courts and a rugby field. Nearly 1,000 residents signed a petition calling for the aquatic centre’s future to be secured, recognising it as a vital community space used by local residents and school students throughout the year.
Yarranlea Primary School Board Chair Adrienne Innes welcomed the certainty the sale conditions provide, saying the community loves the unique independent school and the multi-age education and wellbeing it provides children. She said the school looks forward to working with the future owner so it can grow and flourish for years to come.
The sale will be conducted as a freehold transaction for both the former university precinct and the recreational precinct, with the surrounding high-value bushland areas preserved separately for future generations. No public funding will be contributed to development of the site, with private investment expected to activate and redevelop the campus buildings.
A Unique and Challenging Site
The former Griffith University campus presents an unusual proposition for the property market. Located only nine kilometres from the Brisbane CBD with good public transport connections, the site offers genuine accessibility and community infrastructure. However, its position perched on Mount Gravatt Mountain and surrounded by Toohey Forest places it in a high bushfire danger zone, complicating any development ambitions.
Urban researcher and Griffith University adjunct professor Matthew Burke described the campus’ public transport links as making it an ideal location for a selective high school or education academy. He noted that the old buildings will need significant investment if they are to be retained, given their deteriorating condition following the university’s departure.
The site’s information memorandum describes it as offering exceptional connectivity, proximity to major transport corridors and access to a thriving community, making it an ideal location for education, innovation and community-focused development. Expressions of interest close March 13, with a sale approval expected in April 2026.
Published 17-February-2026.
