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Portside Looks Promising, 02 August 2006
DEVELOPMENT is in full swing along the Brisbane River at Hamilton. The first stages of an apartment and shopping development are due to be finished in August. But the sale of a nearby site ensures development for years to come
Laura Stead reports.
HAMILTON ’S Portside Wharf was a bustling, dirty site this week.
By late August, however, the first of its residents will be moving in and several restaurants and shops will be up and running.
Among the restaurant mix, seafood specialist Wilson’s Boathouse will open there, Edward St bar restaurant Gianni will establish a function centre and Brisbane restaurateur Paul McGivern will open Manx.
The Loft unit building will be the first to open in August, with its 12 boutique one-and- two bedroom apartments, ranging from $425,000 to $1.8 million, sold out as early as last September.
Wilson ’s Boathouse owner Neil Jedid said the Portside Wharf location was ideal for restaurateurs.
“Clearly there is an attraction of customers from Hamilton and the surrounding suburbs and, importantly, I believe Portside Wharf will be a destination which will attract people from across Brisbane.” Mr Jedid said.
He said his 800sq m restaurant would have an oyster bar and fresh seafood display.
Gianni Greghini said the function centre, with seating for 400, would target the boutique market.
“We believe that people want an alternative to the standard, run-of-the-mill function centre experience presently on offer.” Mr Greghini said.
“There will be spectacular views of the river and city.”
Senior development manager for the Multiplex development, Ryan Anderson, said Portside would be in a unique destination.
“There’s really nothing like this in Brisbane.” He said.
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Lorna Jane looks to Portside for Bodywize, 02 August 2006
Lorna Jane looks to Portside for BodywizeElizabeth Tilley
BRISBANE fashion entrepreneur Lorna Jane Clarkson is set to open a third branch of her health and wellbeing club, Bodywize, at Multiplex ...
Elizabeth Tilley
BRISBANE fashion entrepreneur Lorna Jane Clarkson is set to open a third branch of her health and wellbeing club, Bodywize, at Multiplex Group’s new Hamilton development, Portside Wharf.
The lease of 619sq m of space in the $400million luxury retail and residential development will include Brisbane’s first international cruise terminal, is for 10 years at a rate of between $275 and $300sq m. Bodywize managing director Bill Clarkson said he and Lorna Jane saw Portside Wharf as an opportunity to capitalise on the demographic in the affluent suburbs of Hamilton, Ascot and Clayfield.
There is already a larger Bodywize at Teneriffe and a smaller express centre at Rosalie, but the new medium sized centre at Hamilton will have a 5-star hotel finish and provide every member of the club with a personal trainer, according to Mr Clarkson.
“This is a boutique model set up for results not process.” He said. “It will have a very big emphasis on achieving results.”
Mr Clarkson said he believed there was a demand for such a service in the area.
“Multiplex approached us on the back of the result we achieved at Teneriffe”. He said.
The new Bodywize is scheduled to open in August this year with a capped membership. It will include a 25m headed outdoor lap pool overlooking the Brisbane River, an on-site dietician and a strong personal training focus.
The Clarkson’s are also looking to expand Bodywize by turning it into a franchise.
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Best Of Both Worlds, 02 August 2006
VERTICAL house apartments are the hot buzz words in prestige property.
Most one-per-floor house sized apartments are fetching higher prices a square meter than any other unit type, as equity-rich suburbanites pay $1million plus to switch to large, finely finished, inner-city pads with three or more bedrooms. And it seems big is best for developers bottom line. The highest returns are coming from units that only share one adjoining surface with neighbouring apartments.
Research reveals most penthouses are selling for $16400 a square meter of internal space, at an average price of about 4.8million. That price is generally unmatched by there $1million-plus prestige properties. Three bedroom stock is next best at $13700 a square meter and four bedroom apartments and terrace houses selling more than $12500 a square meter. Research author Cameron Kusher said the large apartments were selling because of their location, quality and their house-like facilities.
“That’s generally because they are well located,” Mr Kusher said. “Dining and entertainment is close by and they are usually located near retail centres.” Marion and Michael Tapping are one couple who have decided to move “closer to the action”. They have bought a $5 million vertical house being built high over the Portside Wharf development at Hamilton, in Brisbane’s inner North-East. Even though her house at Raby Bay, Cleveland, has a huge pool, home theatre, spa, sauna, wine cellar, waterfront location, 1057sq m of landscaped land and five bedrooms. Mrs Tapping and her husband Michael are auctioning it next month.
Their penthouse will have four bedrooms, three bathrooms, wall to floor views and a wine cellar. But the best feature, Mrs Tapping says, is the shops, restaurants and a cinema a mere elevator ride away. Their Raby Bay home will be auctioned on August 3 by LJ Hooker Cleveland
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Full steam ahead, 18 July 2006
Australia's cruise ship industry is expanding rapidly with a new study predicting the number of international tourists aboard cruise ships will increase by 32 per cent this year.
The study, funded by the Australian Government and industry body Cruise Down Under estimates the number of days cruise ships spent at Australian ports would increase from 325 in 2004-05 to about 430 days in 2005-06.
It is welcome and timely news for the Queesland industry, with Brisbane's new $300 million Portside Wharf project which includes the new Brisbane Cruise Terminal at Hamilton which is due to be completed mid year.
Brisbane will be the home port for P&O's 1400-passeger ship Pacific Star, officially christened last week by Miss World Australia 2004, Sarah Davies.
It replaces the troubled Pacific Sky.
Tourism Minister Margaret Keech said Queensland attracts 70 percent of all cruise ships visiting Australia, with Queensland land ports boasting more that 300 visits last year well up on 205 three years ago. "Brisbane is scheduled to host 52 cruise ship visits this year twice as many as 2004," Mrs Keech said.
"The cruise industry looks like injecting more than $100 million into the Queensland economy this year with Pacific Star helping to contribute more than a third of that amount," she said.
According to the new figures, the $228 million cruise ship industry creates about 1600 local jobs.
Cruise Down Under chairman Richard Doyle said Queensland could boast the second biggest cruise ship expenditure (after New South Wales), of $89 million with 166 port days and 37,455 passengers last year.
"Cruise shipping is still a niche market, but it is one of those industries that is supply led not demand led - if more ships are built more people book holidays," he said.
Tourism and Transport Forum managing director Christopher Brown said marketing of passenger cruising must be a prioirty for state governments to increase the number of visitors and their economic foot print.
Mr Brown said cruise passengers spent an estimated $110 to $140 each per day while at ports. He said the yield from cruise passengers could be increased if more shops and restaurants and attractions were made accessible to disembarking passengers.
"This is particularly valuable in cruise shipping as the majority of passengers are either double income, middle aged couples or retirees with high disposable incomes."
P&O managing director Gavin Smith said the real impact on the tourism industry would be realised when the proposed Gold Coast terminal was complete along with the Townsville and Brisbane Terminals. Then we will have a successful Queensland itinerary with a-port-a-day stops, similar to what tourists experience in the Caribbean," Mr Smith said.
Mr Smith is also the president of Carnival Australia, the overarching body for many international cruise brands.
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Portside Development Selling Fast, 30 March 2006
The first of the apartment buildings at Hamilton's Portside Wharf has sold out a year after going on the market.
The four storey Loft buildings 12 boutique one and two bedroom apartments went up for sale last August ranging from $425,000 to $1.8 million. Multiplex Developments Queensland director Shane Bulloch said Stage 1 of Portside would include the anticipated cruise ship terminal and a 500sqm restaurant, fresh food market and specialty retail precinct, as well as 171 apartments in three buildings.
"with in excess of $122 million in unconditional sales across the Loft, Flare and Infinity residential buildings since the launch of Stage 1, this development has already been an overhwhelming succes," Mr Bulloch said.
"Portside Wharf has captured the hearts and minds of many Brisbane Homeowners because it is a prime innercity locality that offers the right combination of residential style, infrastructure and lifestyle amentities."
Netrent Property Specialists' Mike Harrison bought into another of the buildings, Infinity last year.
His three-bedroom 350sqm apartment will sit on the fourth floor of the 10 storey, river facing building.
Mr Harrison said the family would move into Portside form their home in Hamilton, as the need for suburban home and back yard was becoming less pressing.
"Were ready to down size, we don't need the space or a yard that big," he said.
The Harrisons join a growing number of locals who will, over the coming years, emrace the river as a seachange of sorts. I think the most appealing feature of Portside Wharf for us was the feeling that the river comes to you." Mr Harrison said. "We are also great cruise people - we really like the idea of watching ships and bots come into the river."
Mr Harrison said the family already enjoyed an outdoor lifestyle, which would translate perfectly to riverside living." Hamilton dosnt really have a thriving hub of quality entertaining outlets, and were very excited at seeing this development unfold."he said.
We'll be very interested to see what businesses take up residence in the Plaza development.
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Lofty New Heights - Sales Success, 16 September 2005
Multiplex Development’s long awaited and much anticipated release of Portside Wharf’s Loft apartments successfully sold out in record time! Stage One of Portside has achieved an impressive $122 million in unconditional sales to date, testimony to it’s desirability in the Brisbane market.
Expansive vaulted ceilings reminiscent of a glamorous New York loft style apartment are just one of the features of this latest release. Designed with only twelve premium apartments, Loft at Portside features eight one bedroom single level apartments and four exclusive two bedroom split level residences with absolute river frontage.
Each residence will be individually and exquisitely presented with unique interior design layouts and features befitting this fine addition to Stage One of the development.
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Construction Progress, 16 September 2005
Construction of Stage One is in full swing with three tower cranes dominating the skyline along the Brisbane River at Hamilton.
Ground slabs for the Terminal and Retail carparks have been completed and the podium level fronting the Wharf has been poured. Framing has now commenced for level 1 restaurants.
The Infinity building’s foundations are complete with the hydrostatic slab due for completion at the end of July. From here the structure is expected to grow rapidly.
The refurbishment of the 236m Wharf has commenced with dredging of the Cruise Ship berth pocket due to begin in the near future.Completion of construction is planned for mid 2006. |
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