Sydney developer Harry Triguboff labels Gold Coast cruise ship terminal a ‘must have’ for city

A major Australian developer has sailed into the debate over a Gold Coast cruise ship terminal, branding it a “must have” for the city.

AUSTRALIA’S apartments king Harry Triguboff has sailed into the debate over a Gold Coast cruise ship terminal, saying it is a “must have”.

The 86-year-old Sydney developer yesterday said the city would be left foundering in the wake of other tourism destinations if a terminal was not built.

“The Gold Coast will be gifting them major economic boosts – the cruise industry’s worth $5 billion a year to Australia – along with thousands of jobs.

“The ships will sail by and disappear over the horizon, taking their passengers’ money with them and depriving the city of exposure to people from around the world.

“It’s time for those that can facilitate a terminal becoming a reality, such as the State Government, to get on the front foot and stop kowtowing to the loud minorities.”

It previously has been predicted that a cruise-ship terminal could create 3600 jobs on the Gold Coast and contribute $2.8 billion to the economy over three decades.

The proposed offshore Gold Coast cruise ship terminal. Photo: Supplied

Mr Triguboff, founder of the Meriton group, has been a vocal critic of the Gold Coast airport in the past.

“The city aspires to be an international tourism destination, but the airport lets it down,” he said in 2013.

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“For many people, flying into the Gold Coast is like flying into an aviation backwater.”

Last year he criticised it for the first impression it made on visitors.

The Meriton owner yesterday welcomed a $500 million plan, unveiled last month, to expand the airport in a move that included doubling the terminal space and adding aerobridges.

“Let’s hope we can get similar positive activity when it comes to a cruise ship terminal.”

Mr Triguboff said he regarded the Southport Spit as the “obvious” place to host a terminal.

“It’s close to the heart of the tourism strip, Surfers Paradise, and its great beach.

“Your mayor (Tom Tate) is pretty smart when it comes to seeing what the city needs to keep prospering and I give him full marks for thinking outside the square.

“He’s trying to bring a decade-long debate about a terminal to a head and I’m sure he’s on a viable track with his proposed oceanside terminal.

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“If everyone had bowed to the ‘no people’ in the past and torpedoed progress, Surfers would be way down the tourism ladder.”

Mr Triguboff said Brisbane, with a new cruise ship terminal due to open next year, was stealing a march on the Gold Coast.

The terminal would be located at the Spit.

“Don’t forget Sydney – it’s not lagging either.

“It already has two terminals and is in the throes of homework on building a possible third one, at Yarra Bay.”

Mayor Tate wants to build an oceanside terminal east of Philip Park on the southern end of The Spit. Early designs included a home port terminal and 900-long jetty.

The council has allocated $1.25 million to prepare further detailed studies including a business case as it seeks approvals from State Government departments.

Mr Triguboff has been a developer on the Gold Coast since the early 1980s and has his 19th tower, the 74-floor Ocean, under way overlooking the beach in Surfers Paradise.

Ocean will include 332 hotel suites, adding to the 621 the Meriton Suites chain has at Broadbeach and Southport.