Mint Apartments Yeppoon to start 2023, The Strand acquired by Aus Venue Co

Construction is set to start on a 45-unit seven-storey beachfront development in Yeppoon as an iconic hotel nearby changes hands.

Brookport Holdings director David Shannon at the Mint Apartments site.

A deal has been struck between Yeppoon’s Strand Hotel and national company Australian Venue Co, marking a milestone for the $30 million Mint Apartments development.

The Strand owner Brookport Holdings signed over the management lease to AVC on February 20, after owning and operating the Anzac Parade hotel for the past 20 years.

“It’s quite exciting for the Strand,” Brookport Holdings director David Shannon said.

“We did all the renovations nine to 10 years ago now.

“AVC has big plans to renovate the Strand as well.”

Mr Shannon said he was in talks with AVC for some time, exploring various options.

“As the owner I want to thank everyone for the last 20 years,” he said.

“We are very thankful to the people of Yeppoon and Central Queensland for the last 20 years, we’ve had a great time.

“We have certainly bought the Strand into the modern age from the old green monster it used to be.”

Councillor Glenda Mathers at the site of The Strand Hotel redevelopment in Yeppoon in 2006.

The Strand will add to AVC’s Central Queensland portfolio comprising The Berserker Tavern in Rockhampton, Club Hotel in Gladstone and The Metropolitan in Mackay and more than 90 other pubs across Queensland.

The company also operates The Leichhardt Hotel in Rockhampton CBD which is under demolition to make way for a new pub.

It is also understood major million-dollar renovations are in the works for The Berserker Tavern - known as the Bersy by locals.

AVC CEO Paul Waterson said the beachside pub in Yeppoon would be a welcome addition to the hospitality group’s growing drive to invest in regional Queensland.

“We’re committed to expanding our business across regional Queensland to enhance local venues with huge potential,” he said.

“The Strand Hotel has remained a go-to pub for local residents for some time now, so we’re delighted to be acquiring the oceanfront venue and to be taking it forward into its next chapter.”

The lease is for 12 years with multiple options to extend and Mr Shannon said it would now allow his company to focus its attention on the Mint apartment development.

“It is a big job over the next two or three years,” he said.

An artist's impression of what the $30m development next to Yeppoon's Strand Hotel would look like.

The seven-storey development will include 45 residential units, food and drink outlets and retail shops on the ground floor, two levels of car parking, top level penthouses, a rooftop pool deck and a tennis court.

There will also be a walkway from the car park stairs and lift through to the beachfront.

The development was designed by Tim Stewart Architects and features a “wave design” as a point of difference.

“We are very proud of what we have designed, we haven’t just tried to build a square box and build it as cheap as possible, we have really tried to incorporate a lot of design elements,” Mr Shannon said.

Brookport Holdings bought The Strand Hotel in 2003 and the neighbouring sites in 2005, where the holiday units and Lure Living cafe are positioned.

The development will be built from the edge of the hotel across to the corner of Queen Street, demolishing the current buildings.

These buildings will be removed to make way for the 45-unit seven-storey development.

The project was first approved by Livingstone Shire Council in 2020 and the developers did plan to build it then, but COVID-19 and the rising costs of building supplies made it impossible.

“While it’s (the building crisis) not over, it has certainly settled down, things have calmed down a lot, steel and timber and the like,” Mr Shannon said.

They are now looking to get construction underway in the second half of this year, with an expected 18 months build timeline from start to finish.

The units have sold out, with a handful retained by the developers.

“What has been very encouraging for us is the people that bought still want their apartments,” Mr Shannon said.

“They want it to go out, we have had no people pulling out, I give them the option if you want out.

“That gives us great confidence.”

Mint Apartments will be the first development on the Yeppoon foreshore since the $28m 50-unit Salt Apartments was completed in late 2015 by well known CQ developer-pair Andrew Beaumont and Wayne Riddell.

It also comes as work has just started this month on the Keppel Bay Sailing Club Convention Centre.

The beachfront clubhouse closed last month and will be demolished to make way for a modern club and function facility.

Originally published as Mint Apartments Yeppoon to start 2023, The Strand acquired by Aus Venue Co