This article is from the Australian Property Journal archive
AN Adelaide-based consortium is planning a $350 million Shute Harbour resort that would be the Whitsundays’ first major residential and marina precinct since 2006.
The Shute Harbour Marina Resort master plan features 395-berth marina, 58 managed resort dwellings with private berths of 25 to 35 metres at their doorstep, a 100-plus room resort hotel, alongside a residential precinct with restaurants and a commercial hub named Pier 61 that will create new retail and commercial outlets for the waterfront development.
The multi-use marina will be on a 28-hectare waterfront site, with the berths to be sold on 99-year leases. The consortium holds a development lease with the state government.
Marina berths will range from 10 to 35 metres for mono and multi-hull craft, while the proposed land and berth packages will include marina facilities to accommodate boats up to 35 metres. Berths are priced between $175,000 and $1 million.
Stage one will offer freehold residential waterfront sites of 440 sqm earmarked for two- and three-storey design concepts, and stage one land and berth that start from $1.75 million. Development is expected to take two years to complete. Construction is targeted to commence in 12 months.
Funding for the project is yet to be secured.
Expressions of interest are being taken on future stages that will include marina loft apartments and plaza terrace homes.
It has taken 20 years to gain all necessary approvals for Shute Harbour Marina Resort, which was identified as a project of significance in 2006 by the Queensland government.
“Shute Harbour is the gateway to the Whitsundays, with an outstanding marina location, and our plans will bring much-needed tourism infrastructure to the region and complement the township’s existing tourism and marine facilities,” said project director Mark Daniels, who heads the consortium along with Mark McLachlan, Greg Phillips and Sam Wade.
“In particular, we’ve seen growing demand for marina berths in recent years and this is an exceptional offering that delivers a highly accessible mainland residential marina resort with a superb range of amenities and supporting services.”
Three regional airports will be located within 30 to 90-minute drives.
The consortium members have a combined 70 years’ experience in the development industry with a collective delivery of projects worth $1.25 billion. These have included South Australian projects Encounter Lakes residential development in Encounter Bay; residential, tourism, retail and commercial development involving Holdfast Shores in Glenelg, and 730-hectare greenfield development Seaford in Noarlunga that has a projected population of over 15,000.
