First look at QLD’s newest marina and resort development

Construction of a $350 million marina and resort development in the Whitsundays region will commence within a year, after almost 20 years of negotiating approvals, red tape and protests.

Construction of a new $350 million marina and resort development in the Whitsundays region will commence within a year, after almost 20 years of negotiating approvals, red tape and protests.

The offocial launch of Shute Harbour Marina Resort near Airlie Beach over the weekend will see the master planned development create almost 700 jobs - 450 during construction and 245 once completed.

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Renders of the $350m Shute Harbour Marina Resort, which is set to start construction with a year

“For the many lifestyle homebuyers looking to relocate to the Whitsundays, Shute Harbour Marina Resort will meet a critical shortage of waterfront land in the region,” said Sam Wade, managing director of the consortium delivering the project.

“Waterfront land in the Whitsundays is in very limited supply with little or no other residential development outside the Shute Harbour Marina Resort.

“Our data shows there are only 28 vacant residential waterfront lots currently available in the area and half of these are not located within or close to a marina development.”

Aerial views of the planned development

The project is being undertaken by an Australian consortium headed by Mark Daniels, Mark McLachlan, Greg Phillips and Mr Wade.

The Shute Harbour Marina Resort masterplan comprises of 58 managed resort dwellings, each with their own private marina berths of 25-35m at their doorstep, managed apartments with resort club facilities and a 100-plus room resort hotel, which will include function and meeting rooms, bars, restaurants, a swimming pool and undercover parking.

Renders of the $350m Shute Harbour Marina Resort, which will include a new marina, resort hotel, residential and commercial components. Pictured are renders of the terrace houses

It will be the first major marina and residential development for the Whitsundays since 2006, and will include a total of 395 marina berths.

The entire precinct will be linked by public boardwalks, lookout spaces and seating throughout, with plans to also establish new public parks and a community cyclone shelter on the site.

Renders of the courtyard of a waterfront house

Mr Daniels, the project’s director, said demand for waterfront properties in the region was “unprecedented”, with the project’s construction coming on the back of a significant upswing in the local property market during the pandemic property boom, with prices surging 25 per cent over the past year, and above the 2007 peak.

Internal renders for a waterfront house

The first stage of the development has already garnered “significant interest” from both commercial and residential buyers, according to Rob Taylor of Taylor’s Property Group, which is marketing the project jointly with Bruce Goddard of Place Estate Agents.

“The push by buyers from southern capitals into regional markets during the pandemic has significantly increased the exposure of the area with buyers looking for a lifestyle change,” Mr Taylor said.

“This trend is continuing, with regional Queensland experiencing record migration from the southern states.

“That’s reflected in the early inquiries we have received for this development.”

Renders of the $350m Shute Harbour Marina Resort

Mr Taylor said that while house values had increased about 25 per cent over the past 12 months, units were still about 25 per cent below their 2007 peak and land was only just now matching the levels of 15 years ago.

“But overall, we have an undersupply of residential rental properties in the Whitsundays which is similar to the national market, with the residential rental vacancy rate sitting below 1 per cent,” he said.

Renders of the $350m Shute Harbour Marina Resort

Marina berths will range from 10 to 35m for mono and multihull craft, while the proposed land and berth packages will provide marina berths of up to 35m.

Berths are priced between $175,000 and $1 million, with each berth sold on a 99-year lease.

Stage one will offer freehold residential waterfront sites of 440sq m, which the developer has earmarked for two and three-storey design concepts.

Land and berth prices will start from $1.75 million.

Expressions of interest are also being taken for future stages, which will include marina loft apartments and plaza terrace homes.

The development of the first stage of Shute Harbour Marina Resort, which will include the marina and the stage-one release of land and marina berths, is expected to take two years to complete.

Construction is expected to begin in about 12 months.

Originally published as First look at QLD’s newest marina and resort development