Paxton’s Warehouse gets eviction notice after termite damage

Only months into a $3.7m refurbishment of Mackay’s riverfront restaurant, the project is in turmoil after the discovery of extensive termite damage, rot, and missing foundations. So what’s next? VOTE IN OUR POLL

Mackay Regional Council Mayor Greg Williamson said they were going back to the 'drawing board' on refurbishment plans for the former Don Daniels restaurant at 8 River St after the discovery of extensive termite damage. Picture: Heidi Petith

Only months into a $3.7 million refurbishment of a riverfront restaurant, the project is in turmoil after the discovery of extensive termite damage, rotted columns, and missing foundations.

It comes as the next-door heritage-listed Paxton’s Warehouse was deemed unsafe for occupancy with the owner and tenants given a week to vacate the premises.

Mackay Regional Council mayor Greg Williamson said works on the former Don Daniels building at 8 River St stopped in October after cement floorboards were lifted and Woollam Constructions discovered a termite “infestation” and pylons which were not connected to joists.

AECOM Australia had earlier investigated the building to find rotted pylons, corroded steel, “significant deterioration” of timbers, and cracked concrete casings.

Construction has halted at 8 River St in Mackay after the discovery of termites and structural issues. Picture: Heidi Petith

But Mr Williamson said the termites were not “obvious before” and were not included in a report to council “otherwise we would have attacked it slightly differently”.

He said the structural issues were “very, very difficult to fix” and would cost “well above” their total $4.13 million spending pool.

“The building is totally unsafe at the moment so it’s not worth restoring,” he said.

“You could restore it if you had millions and millions more but we don’t have that.”

Mr Williamson said the “appropriate expenditure” of ratepayers’ and federal government money was to return to the “drawing board” and focus on delivering a modern, new facility within budget.

“In my view, (the building’s) probably not worth saving but we’ve got to let the experts tell us that,” he said.

When asked if the council would consider a more expensive design that would capitalise on the prime riverfront real estate, Mr Williamson ruled out anything that required extra money, citing an environment with “skyrocketing” costs.

The owners and tenants of Paxton's Warehouse in River St, Mackay (top left) have been given a notice to vacate the premises after it was deemed unsafe for occupation. Don Daniel’s (bottom left) was shut in late 2020. And (bottom right): Mackay Regional Council has begun construction on a floating river pontoon. Picture: Heidi Petith

He further explained why they had not demolished the council-owned building in the first instance.

“Because of the age of the building, because of its history and because the designs that we got back that we had quoted on made it look pretty good, but the underlying factor is there’s nothing to support the building there (anymore). The building is decrepit,” Mr Williamson said.

The site, which was also formerly home to the popular Maria’s Donkey restaurant, is part of the state-declared Mackay Waterfront Priority Development Area as is Paxton’s Warehouse.

Mr Williamson confirmed the owners and tenants of Paxton’s were given a notice to vacate the building this week as it was unsafe, with similar structural issues to 8 River St.

It comes just months after the official opening of a $5.5 million revitalisation of the public realm area between Paxton’s and the Fish Market, and the same day council began installing a floating pontoon on the river where from residents will be able to launch kayaks and other non-motorised watercraft.

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