Wavell Heights is a residential suburb about 10.5 kilometres north of the Brisbane CBD. Investors own here for its established housing, family-friendly schools and central northside position between Nundah, Chermside and Toombul.
Wavell Heights at a glance
Originally West Nundah, the area was subdivided for housing in the mid-1920s and was nearly fully built up by the Second World War. It was renamed Wavell Heights in 1941 after Field Marshal Lord Wavell. After the war, War Service and Housing Commission homes were built alongside private estates, so the stock today is a mix of interwar and post-war houses with some newer homes. The suburb runs from Downfall Creek in the north to Kedron Brook in the south, with Shaw Park and Mercer Park at its southern end.
Who rents in Wavell Heights
Census data shown on Domain puts Wavell Heights at roughly 72% owners and 28% renters. The tenant pool leans towards families and professional couples, supported by:
- Schools: Wavell Heights State School, Our Lady of the Angels' School and Wavell State High School, one of the largest public secondary schools on Brisbane's north side.
- Transport: parts of the suburb near Sandgate Road are less than a kilometre from Nundah station.
- Shopping: neighbourhood shops along Rode Road, with Westfield Chermside and Toombul both close by.
The Wavell Heights rental market
Wavell Heights shares postcode 4012 with Nundah. SQM Research's weekly asking rents index for 4012 was about $852 a week for all houses and about $737 for three-bedroom houses in the week ending 20 October 2026, with units averaging about $649. Most of Nundah's apartments sit outside Wavell Heights, so for houses here we lean on the house figures and on recent comparable leasings in the suburb.
In Queensland rent can only be increased once every 12 months for a property, and rent bidding is banned, so getting the starting rent right at each new lease matters more than it used to.
Where the opportunity is
Older homes in Wavell Heights often have good bones and room to grow. Sensible options include:
- Raise or build in: many interwar and post-war homes have space underneath that can become extra bedrooms, a bathroom or a second living area.
- Modernise the essentials: a new kitchen or bathroom in an original home can lift rent and widen the tenant pool without changing the home's character.
- A secondary dwelling: on a suitable block, a granny flat can add income. Queensland has allowed these to be rented to anyone since September 2022, though approvals still apply. Our granny flat cash flow guide explains the numbers.
Smaller lifts such as air conditioning, ceiling fans and better storage also help. See increasing yield without overcapitalising.
Managing a property in Wavell Heights
Timber homes of this age reward planned maintenance covering roofs, stumps, timber decks and termite protection. Homes built before 1946 may be subject to Brisbane City Council's character overlays, which affect what can be changed, so it pays to check before planning work. With Downfall Creek and Kedron Brook on the suburb's edges, we suggest checking each address with Council's FloodWise Property Report and confirming insurance. Every Rentwell client also receives an Annual Property Performance Review, where we plan improvements around lease dates.
Rentwell manages properties in Wavell Heights, and if you own here, or are weighing up a purchase, we are happy to talk it through. You can read more about our approach to property management in Brisbane, or run your numbers through our cashflow calculator first.
General information only, current as at October 2026.
Wavell Heights FAQs
What kind of homes are in Wavell Heights?
Mostly interwar homes from the mid-1920s onwards and post-war houses, including former War Service and Housing Commission homes, with some newer builds. Character overlays may apply to older homes.
What are rents like in Wavell Heights?
SQM Research's asking rents index for postcode 4012, shared with Nundah, was about $852 a week for all houses and about $737 for three-bedroom houses in the week ending 20 October 2026.