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A man threatened to blow up his ex-partner and two sleeping infant children by turning on the stove and letting the gas fill the kitchen.

A court has been told the man, aged 27, had been drinking heavily and became enraged when he saw his ex-partner, who was temporarily staying at his Brisbane house, with her new boyfriend.

The Supreme Court in Brisbane was told on Monday that the pair became involved in an argument on June 17, 2010, and that he then waited until she went to bed before turning on the gas stove.

The woman heard him arguing with himself about wanting to kill her and their two children, aged four and two, who were asleep in another room.

When she got up to investigate she found the jets on high, and a strong smell of gas filling the room, the court heard.

She returned to bed, but discovered a short time later that her ex-partner, who had been the subject of a domestic violence order when they were together, had again turned on the gas and left it running.

She aired out the house and called police, who arrested the man.

The man, who pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to injure by a noxious substance, said he did not recall the events of that evening.

He said he did not wish to harm his children, and acknowledged he had a serious alcohol problem.

He was sentenced to three years' jail.

Justice Martin Daubney ordered he be released on parole in December.