A 185-square-metre driveway on Regent Street could well be the smallest block of land ever put up for sale in Brisbane — and it goes to auction this weekend, offering a glimpse into just how much appetite there is for pint-sized inner-city land in our suburb.
The property at 38 Regent Street (also known as 219a Hale Street) in Petrie Terrace is, at first glance, not much to look at: a carport shed at the rear and a small patch of unprotected vegetation. But for buyers and developers watching Brisbane’s property market closely, it represents something more significant — a blank canvas sitting minutes from where much of the 2032 Olympic action will unfold.
Ray White Paddington agent Nicholas Hall, who is handling the sale, has described Petrie Terrace as the smallest suburb in the Brisbane local government area, making any land here genuinely scarce. He noted that when the Regent Street block was first listed, it was unlike anything he had previously marketed — the smallest block he’d ever taken to market.
The driveway and a nearby house at 219 Hale Street are being sold separately as part of a deceased estate, with Hall managing both auctions. The house sits on an even tighter 177sqm and includes a three-bedroom, one-bathroom dwelling described as liveable but in need of some attention. Utility issues that had previously complicated the vacant block have since been resolved, Hall said, and the sales process is ready to proceed.
Interest in the house has been strong, with multiple bidders anticipated. The land listing is drawing a smaller but focused pool of interest — Hall indicated around two or three parties are expected to bid, including at least one developer with plans to build and on-sell.
The timing of the auction adds an extra layer of intrigue. Brisbane City Council is currently considering changes to low-to-medium residential (LMR) zoning that would reduce the minimum allowable lot size from 260sqm down to 120sqm — meaning the Regent Street driveway, at 185sqm, would comfortably exceed that proposed new minimum. If the changes are approved, blocks like this one — once considered curiosities — could become a template for future urban infill.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner has publicly backed the proposed zoning changes as a way to create more housing options across the city, particularly in well-serviced middle-ring suburbs where there is room for villas, townhouses and low-scale unit developments rather than high-rise towers. The LMR zoning currently applies to around 14 per cent of the city, with affected suburbs including Highgate Hill, Toowong, East Brisbane, Coorparoo, Hamilton and Ascot, among others.
For those of us living in Petrie Terrace — a suburb where space has always come at a premium — this weekend’s auction is worth watching. Whether it ends up setting a benchmark for the smallest viable inner-city block, or simply becomes a footnote in Brisbane’s property history, it speaks to how dramatically the conversation around density and housing has shifted in the lead-up to 2032.
Published 24-August-2026
