Global partners needed to turn prime riverfront land into high-end hotel

The West Australian government has gone global to attract partners to help redevelop the stalled East Perth Power Station site.

The power station featured in a Tourism WA booklet shopped around to visiting delegates at last week’s World Travel and Tourism Council global summit in Perth, spruiking an opportunity to build hotels at locations like Perth Zoo and the convention centre.

The state’s long-held aspiration to redevelop the 8.5-hectare East Perth site was dealt a blow last year after an Andrew Forrest-Kerry Stokes joint venture fell apart, leaving their $218 million plan for commercial and residential buildings in tatters.

The hotel pitch to international visitors suggests the state is now searching further afield for private partners to get the land redeveloped.

“The precinct’s riverfront location, coupled with its proximity to key attractions including the award-winning Optus Stadium, makes it an ideal site for high-end accommodation,” the booklet read.

“The proposed development’s focus on community and tourism growth seeks to deliver a steady flow of visitors.

“The East Perth Power Station precinct offers a distinctive opportunity for investors to be part of a landmark tourism development in Perth.”

The site is ready for development after the state spent more than $109 million to remediate it – $79 million more than initially budgeted when redevelopment plans were first announced in 2019.

The two large lots that make up the site have been reclassified from “contaminated” to “remediated for restricted use”, which included high-density residential, commercial/industrial and public open space uses.

The site was one of five locations in Perth where the state is trying to attract private tourism investment.

Included in the booklet were pitches for hotels at the expanded Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre, the future Ocean Reef marina, Hillary’s boat harbour and a luxury development on the Perth Zoo grounds.

The East Perth Power Station precinct.Credit: MRA

The zoo pitch suggested a hotel or eco-lodge up to five storeys high with 50 luxury abodes overlooking the zoo’s African Savannah exhibit.

“The proposed hotel/eco-lodge site is accessible by the general public (not just zoo visitors) from the street and located in close proximity to the spectacular new Perth Zoo Maali Function Centre,” it said.

A spokesman for Planning Minister John Carey said the state had always considered the East Perth Power Station site for tourism opportunities, given its location to the Perth CBD and proximity to existing amenities – including Optus Stadium.

“This was highlighted during the recent World Tourism and Travel Global Summit held in Perth last week,” he said.

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