Villa Street, Annerley has been the focus of a two year project of Annerley-Stephens History Group (ASHG). A “living history” of Villa Street will be launched on Saturday 30 August 2025 at the Yeronga Community Centre. The event commences at 10.30 and goes through until 1.00 pm.

Villa Street is a rich area of Brisbane history from pre-colonial times to the present. Housing dating from the 1880s has been occupied by a wide cross-section of society including writer Jessica Anderson (whose Stories from the Warm Zone reflect 1920s Villa Street), the Cilento family of medicos together with politicians, artists, dancers, actors, teachers, newsagents, trades and business people, and dairymen in the 1800s. The back fences of half the Villa Street houses join Yeronga Memorial Park which was a tournament ground on Yuggera country as well as being a major WW2 camp for American and other troops and also a natural wild playground for the neighbourhood kids through all eras.    

Our research process has included many interviews with present and past residents who have contributed their stories and family photographs. The launch will be a very special event as many people who grew up in Villa Street are reunited and share their stories with each other and the current residents.