Harbour Shores: Lewis Land breaks ground on giant Biggera Waters development near Harbour Town Shopping Centre

The transformation of a long-vacant block of land next to one of the Gold Coast’s best-known shopping centres has begun, with the first residents set to move in much earlier than expected.

Shay Lewis-Thorp and Marnie Lewis-Millar spent their childhood touring their father’s development sites and watching the Gold Coast grow.

This week the sisters, who are co-chairs and directors of Lewis Land, broke ground on one of the biggest residential projects to be built in the city this decade.

The daughters of late Sovereign Islands founder Bernie Lewis turned the first sod on their Harbour Shores project, which will feature more than 2000 homes built over the next 10 years.

It was a full-circle moment for the pair who said they “couldn’t be more delighted to be standing with dirt in the air” and construction equipment behind them.

Co-Chair and Directors Shay Lewis-Thorp and Marnie Lewis-Millar are delighted their project is underway. Picture Glenn Hampson

“Shay and I have been coming to the Gold Coast since the 1970s and my first memory of the Gold Coast was in 1973 staying at The Sands on The Esplanade with Shay in a bassinet,” Ms Lewis-Millar said.

“We’ve lived and breathed the Gold Coast and Lewis Land since we were born.

“As kids we were dragged to development sites and observation towers, spent countless hours in sales offices, watched subdivisional plans being drawn up ripped up and drawn up again, and floated around The Sovereign Islands pre-development in a tinnie.”

Artist impression of Harbour Shores by Lewis Land.

The development, directly across from the Harbour Town retail precinct, is the biggest in the company’s 67-year history.

The 16ha site, which stretches along 1.5km of canal-front, will become home to more than 2000 houses and nearly 5000 people, with the company planning to build 30 buildings which will range from two to 12 levels.

The project is expected to create more than 5000 jobs during construction.

Lewis Land CEO Brett Draffen said the first residents would move into the site in 2026.

“The first stage, which will be three buildings, will be finished in 2026 and the first residents will come in mid-late 2026,” he said.

Lewis Land CEO Brett Draffen with Head of Development Michael Long. Picture Glenn Hampson

“Ultimately this project between south and north shore will deliver 2000 apartments and our plan is to be constructing here for the next 10 years

“It is really special and having this size and scale means we can put in industry leading amenity and we plan to just keep going stage by stage.”

Mayor Tom Tate, who helped turn the first sod, said the project would help deliver much-needed housing supply to the city’s north.

“The submission for the development application was weighted and it was 5km, so it was a detailed submission and looking at what they have done, it’ll be a six-star product which means it is very green and friendly,” he said.

“People recognise the northern part of our city for its wonderful infrastructure in place and it has some of our best shopping.”

Originally published as Harbour Shores: Lewis Land breaks ground on giant Biggera Waters development near Harbour Town Shopping Centre