A woman told three men at a Brisbane hostel "we're all going to die tonight" before stabbing them and then killing another in a yard outside, police allege.

According to court documents, the 42-year-old man died in hospital after being stabbed once in the abdomen and three times in the back outside Pinjarra Lodge, a Paddington half-way house.

After attacking the four men around 10pm, police say she then went to Ashgrove and attempted to stab a fifth man near a bridge on Waterworks Road, leaving him with minor stomach wounds.

Police arrested her soon after after they allegedly found her at Woolcock Park, under the bridge, holding a large knife.

Natascha Mielke, 39, briefly appeared in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Saturday morning charged with once count of murder, three counts of attempted murder and one count of acts intended to maim.

The court heard she had mental health issues and tendered documents allege she had been homeless for a year.

Police allege in the court documents she knew the men she is accused of stabbing at the residential care facility.

She allegedly arrived at Pinjarra Lodge and told her first three victims "we're all going to die tonight" before the stabbing rampage.

While the 42-year-old man, stabbed outside a common room, died after being transported to Princess Alexandria Hospital.

While police say the survivors have non-life-threatening injuries, Queensland Ambulance operations supervisor Brad Hardy said the hostel victims suffered "significant stab wounds".

"One person was deceased after arriving at hospital and three other people had been transported with multiple stab wounds," he said.

Mielke did not apply for bail and Magistrate Zac Sarra remanded her in custody to appear via videolink on May 22.