West End brewery site to hit the market next week, $80m offers expected

This piece of South Australian history could be yours – if you’ve got a spare $80m and the will to battle interstate developers for it.

The long-awaited sale of the West End brewery site in Thebarton is a step closer as an archaeological dig of the site draws to an end.

Drinks giant Lion will put the 8.4ha site on the market next week, with local and interstate developers expected to compete for the sprawling property.

At the time of the brewery closure announcement two years ago, property experts predicted the site could fetch up to $750 per square metre.

However Adelaide’s residential price boom since then means offers closer to $1000 per square metre, or more than $80m, are now expected.

Ahead of its sale an archaeological dig of the site is continuing, with another six weeks or so of excavation work planned.

The dig has so far uncovered a series of historically significant items including the ruins of the cottage once lived in by Colonel William Light.

Archaeologist Guadalupe Cincunegui with remnants of Colonel William Light’s cottage at the West End brewery site. Picture: Mark Brake

Aerial view of West End brewery site at Port Rd, Thebarton. Picture: Beyond Property

A Lion spokeswoman said the company had engaged heritage conservation firm International Conservation Services to provide advice on how best to preserve the items ahead of the site’s sale.

“We’re continuing the sale process while working with our expert team of conservators, archaeologists and Heritage SA to document the discoveries and determine the best way for the site’s heritage to be recognised,” she said.

“We expect a further period of excavation will be required before final documentation relating to the discoveries will be produced by our team of archaeologists and conservators. We will provide a further update on options for the preservation of the discoveries once that expert work is completed.”

Demolition and remediation work at the former brewery site is ongoing ahead of its sale.

The original Walkerville Brewhouse Tower, located behind the brewery’s former glass-fronted building on Port Rd, and an electrical transformer structure on Holland St will be retained in any future development in line with their heritage protections.

The West End site before its demolition. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

Advisory firm Property Beyond has been engaged to manage the sale process and is offering the site for sale as a whole or in four separate parcels ranging in size from 1.5ha to 2.9ha.

Property Beyond managing director Mark Daniel said several groups had already shown interest in developing the site.

“I would say most people would look at it from a mixed-use development, and really try and activate the site, particularly with the water frontage and connecting to the parklands to the east,” he said.

“When we first started this project we went through Covid and the market’s reasonably strong, so we expect some strong demand for the site.

“We’re just going to let the market decide what they’re prepared to pay for it.”

Lion is currently seeking to rezone the land in order to allow for development of apartments up to seven storeys together with retail and commercial uses.

West End ceased production at Thebarton in June last year. Brewing had taken place there since 1886.

Expressions of interest in the site close on November 25.

Originally published as West End brewery site to hit the market next week, $80m offers expected