Story House, an eight-storey residential building with 86 units and a communal rooftop, could soon rise in Kangaroo Point, if development plans from Pellicano receive approval.
Named after the Story Bridge, the residential site designed by DBI Architecture will be built on Duke Street, within walking distance to The Gabba, widely expected to become the centre of action in the 2023 Brisbane Olympics.
Per the development application (DA A005878209) filed in November 2021, Story House will provide studio apartments on the first to third level for short-term accommodation, or a stay averaging less than three months, given its location near the stadium. The rest of the apartments, on the other hand, will be for multiple dwellings.
Story House will also feature a building design that has a “more natural feel” with plenty of deep planting areas, especially on the ground floor. The top floors, on the other hand, will incorporate natural and neutral textures and provide a rooftop communal space with facilities like a pool with a deck, a yoga lawn, and an outdoor gym, as well as a barbecue area and a lounge terrace.
Car parking options at two basement levels will provide for 73 cars and 54 bikes. Provisions for a solar array system are also outlined in the plans, which will likely be installed on the rooftop.
Residents, however, have made their submissions to the development application citing that there is already an oversupply of apartment blocks within the precinct. The busy location has also been riddled with parking issues and the development has not provided enough parking spaces in its plan.
Instead, the residents said that Duke Street could use an underground parking complex or a public park. Residents in the neighbouring apartment buildings said that they were not consulted before the development application was filed with Brisbane City Council. The project is currently under assessment.
Meanwhile, Pellicano is also developing a $700-million build-to-rent residential/commercial complex at a nearby site in Woolloonggaba, which is already on Stage 7. This project will include a tree-filled secret garden next to the heritage-listed Hillyard’s Shop House.
An application for a 14-storey building on O’Connell St in Kangaroo Point has received a number of submissions from residents concerned about traffic congestion and over-development.
Located at 44 O’Connell St in Kangaroo Point, the site contains a residential apartment that was built in the 1960s, which will be removed to facilitate the development.
Level 1 Plans (Photo credit: Brisbane City Council)
Plans (A005871704) submitted by the developer revealed they are seeking to establish multiple dwellings with a rooftop terrace that will have a swimming pool, lounge area, entertainment/dining area, landscape planters, and lift wells and stairs.
The proposed $80-million building, though only 14 storeys in height, will have a maximum building height of 15 storeys. Each floor will have a combination of three-bedroom and four-bedroom apartments whilst the basement will provide 39 car parks and three visitor car park spaces.
Plans for rooftop terrace (Photo credit: Brisbane City Council)
Locals’ concerns
Nearby residents have already expressed their concerns regarding the potential traffic problems it could create. Because the building has a battle-axe shape and would stand around 15 storeys tall, it would require residents dealing with up to seven sets of traffic lights from the front gate to the car park.
A series of traffic lights that will control car movements will also be essential for a vehicle to enter or exit the car park.
One resident, in particular, mentioned that it could bring traffic chaos to the area. Based on the development application, pedestrian access will be via O’Connell Street, providing ground floor access to the tower.
In response to the concerns of residents, developers said there will be no problem regarding access to the property and that they met all the requirements for the proposed development.
“The development is consistent with the anticipated density and assumed infrastructure demand. The proposal represents a high density development outcome, consistent with the intent of the zone,” Mewing Planning Consultants stated in a planning report.
Queen’s Wharf Brisbane is on its way to becoming Queensland’s biggest, world-class, integrated resort development, as it undergoes a massive digital transformation through a partnership with Schneider Electric.
Schneider will design and implement integrated digital solutions that feature Building Management Systems (BMS), and Integrated System Platforms (ISP) across the whole precinct, including The Star Grand hotel, casino, main podium area, Sky Deck, as well as the Dorsett hotel and Rosewood hotel.
The company’s tech solution, which involves integrating over 20 building systems across the whole site, is designed to effectively aggregate data for workflow management and analytics, while achieving the precinct’s sustainability goals.
Louise Monger, Vice President of Digital Buildings at Schneider Electric said the highly integrated and intelligent system will allow the facility management team to respond to building incidents faster, and drive energy efficiencies.
The Building Advisor platform within Schneider’s solution also uses machine learning to provide key operational insights and recommendations for improvement.
Photo credit: Queen’s Wharf Brisbane
“Our relationship with the Queen’s Wharf team began in 2017, when we first identified technology to be a key focus for the development. Since then, we have been working closely together to ensure they are supplied with the best tech solutions and customer experience throughout the journey,” said Ms Monger.
“In addition to bringing more employment opportunities to the local community, we also pride ourselves on a 100% on-schedule delivery to date for the project, despite border closure. It’s largely because we don’t need to fly technicians from other regions to Brisbane, thanks to Schneider’s strong delivery team on the ground and highly experienced projects delivery leadership,” she added.
About the Queen’s Wharf Development
Photo credit: Queen’s Wharf Brisbane
Queen’s Wharf, which is being built between the Brisbane River and George Street and between Alice and Queen streets, is a new destination with exciting entertainment and attractions that will showcase the essence of Queensland, and the best of Australia.
Queen’s Wharf is comprised of:
Multiple hotel towers with over 1,000 rooms
Three residential towers with over 2,000 apartments, gaming and entertainment facilities
A feature curved sky deck sitting 100 metres above street level
A range of restaurants and bars, from hatted fine dining to pop-up cafes
An outdoor moonlight cinema and large areas of public event space
A new pedestrian bridge that crosses the river to South Bank
The $3.6-billion development is set to open in the first half of 2023. For more details about Queensland’s biggest development to date, visit https://queenswharfbrisbane.com.au/.
“Save our green space!” Concerned that plans to upgrade Raymond Park will “disrupt the balance,” Kangaroo Point residents launched an online petition to express their objection over plans to upgrade the park and construct warm-up facilities for the 2032 Olympics.
An online petition was launched to urge decision-makers to ditch their plans for the park and instead redirect the funds to the Coorparoo Giffin Park precinct, where such a facility is needed.
Brisbane City Council wants to upgrade fields being used by the Kangaroo Point Rovers and the Brisbane City Quidditch Club to serve as Olympic training ground and will invest $287,000 for the project.
The petition said that the park provides “a mix of community sport, open space, family recreation and barbecue facilities” which balance would be disrupted if plans for Raymond Park upgrade push through.
Concerns were also raised that a facility of Olympic standard would require more space than the park could provide, thus resulting in possible land resumption to accommodate the project.
Instead, the proposal suggests that funds be redirected to Coorparoo Giffin Park. The petition also highlighted several benefits to investing in the Coorparoo Giffin Park precinct for Olympics training purposes.
According to the petition, the facilities will be built where they are needed and the proposed solution would benefit local schools and sporting clubs. It added that Coorparoo Giffin Park precinct would also benefit economically by way of renting out these facilities for Olympic and other events, among other benefits to the government and Coorparoo locals.
“The importance of this green space was highlighted during and now post COVID, where we’ve seen an increase in the use of the park and its facilities by the local community. Inner city green space is rare, and vital to the liveability and mental health of local residents,” the online petition explained.
“Raymond park represents 49% of the available green space in Kangaroo Point, and without this, we fall well below the BCC required green space of .8ha per 1000 residents. We have to speak up now to preserve this vital green space for our local residents and future generations.”
Act now. You can still have your say on the proposed development involving the heritage-listed Shafston House at 23 Castlebar Street, Kangaroo Point until November 30, 2021.
The Burgundy Group is fine-tuning its plans for the Shafston House at Kangaroo Point, before a formal proposal is submitted to the Brisbane City Council for approval. The Group has established a dedicated website for the proposed development and is currently seeking community feedback. Residents may fill out the form provided on the website.
The proposal involves the restoration of the house as a residential dwelling, fulfilling their promise to bring the building back to its former glory, with the other buildings on the site converted for residential purposes as well. However, other added structures will be removed whilst an allowance will be provided to allow for a riverwalk connection to be constructed in the future.
Photo credit: Shafston House Apartments / shafstonhouseapartments.com.au
“The proposed development concept is consistent with Council’s planning guidelines as set out in City Plan 2014 which identifies the entire nearly one hectare site in the High Density Residential (up to 15 storeys) Zone (HDR2) and within the Shafston Precinct of the Kangaroo Point Peninsula Neighbourhood Plan which anticipates as an acceptable outcome multiple dwelling development up to 15 storeys in height with a tower site cover of up to 45%,” the website said.
Photo credit: Shafston House Apartments / shafstonhouseapartments.com.au
“The investigations and engagement completed to date has confirmed that multiple towers across the site would not be an appropriate outcome,” they added.
The Burgundy Group’s proposal consists of a single 15-storey residential tower, comprising 37 three- and four-bedroom apartments positioned towards the Thorn Street frontage. There will also be two luxury river terrace homes (1 – 2 storeys high) to be built on the eastern portion of the site. The formal lawn and significant view lines to Shafston House from the street, and to and from the Brisbane River, will be preserved.
About the Shafston House
Designed by Robin Dods, the single storey cottage was built in several stages between 1851 and 1904 and underwent renovations with extensions and new buildings adjacent to the house constructed until the 1930s. In 1996, a Shafston International College campus was also established on the site until it was closed in 2020.
Shafston House | 23 Castlebar St, Kangaroo Point QLD 4169, Australia
A development proposal has been submitted for 44 O’Connell St in Kangaroo Point, for a 15-storey residential building where each unit would have an entire floor to themselves.
Photo credit: Brisbane City Council
Whilst the 1,186-sqm site could typically produce 75 dwellings, the developers opted for a unique, low-density design that will make it stand out from the rest of the developments in the area.
“River Arc,” the $85-million proposed development designed by Joe Adsett Architects, will only have 14 dwellings, with each 4-bedroom apartment unit occupying one floor.
There is ancillary basement car parking, as well as a 59-sqm landscaped communal open space area located within the ground-level setback oriented towards the Brisbane River.
Photo credit: Brisbane City Council Photo credit: Brisbane City Council
Meanwhile, the dwellings at level 14 will have access to the landscaped roof terrace that will also feature large glazed doors that will open to an outdoor dining area, lounge area, and a pool.
The proposed residential building will include four basement levels that will contain 39 residential car spaces, 3 visitor spaces, and 18 bicycle spaces (including 4 visitor spaces).
Two-way, single-lane vehicle access will also be provided on O’Connell Street. Due to the vehicle access’ width and to prevent potential safety issues, a signalised system will manage vehicular traffic flow and pedestrians moving along the driveway.
“The proposed development, designed by Joe Adsett Architects, represents a high quality and contemporary architectural design. The design and built form has been guided by the concept of a sculptured concrete form, and a recessed glazed living environment, which maximises access to natural light and ventilation, encourages views towards the Brisbane River and recesses the living environments to the side boundaries. The concrete superstructure and recessed living environment create an eave around the perimeter of each level that will offer shade and protection to the unit below,” Mewing Planning Consultants said.
Going on a boat trip on the Brisbane River is now easier than ever with GoBoat, a self-drive, electric boat that takes you on your very own river cruise, accessible from Kangaroo Point and Breakfast Creek in Newstead.
GoBoat lets guests go on a cruise without worrying about a boating license or a driving experience. The boats are powered by an electric motor connected to a battery bank and are electronically speed-controlled so anyone over 18, even without a boat licence, can be a skipper.
Photo credit: GoBoat Brisbane/Facebook
These self-driving boats are simple to operate and are safe. They are also environmentally friendly because they are constructed from fibreglass which uses recycled PET bottles instead of virgin glass, and are powered by a state-of-the-art electric motor direct from Germany.
Local guide Angela Roberts enjoyed a two-hour Sunday cruise with her family. She and her family were among the first locals to try the river cruise experience.
Photo credit: GoBoat Brisbane/Facebook
“The staff were friendly, helpful and informative during the safety talk and offered to take lots of pictures for us. The boats were lots of fun, and a great way to see the city sites along the Brisbane River,” shared Ms Roberts.
Each boat has a maximum capacity of eight persons, making it perfect for a day out with family or friends. There’s a round picnic table in the middle of the boat and guests are allowed to bring their own food and drinks. Each of the boats also comes with a stylish canopy and all the safety gear guests could ever need.
“The picnic table is placed centrally in our GoBoats to encourage joyful moments with good food, drink and conversations, while the shores slowly drift by. The silent engines ensure a calm atmosphere, with the stage set for an undisturbed experience,” the company stated.
Photo credit: GoBoat Brisbane/Facebook
The concept began in 2014 whilst GoBoat Australia CEO Nick Tyrrell was on a vacation in Europe.
“With the highest standards of safety, as well as a commitment to environmental sustainability, you can relax knowing you’re in good hands (and you’re treading lightly on the environment) as you cruise the waterways of the Gold Coast in your electric picnic boat,” GoBoat Australia noted in its website.Whilst it was just launched in Brisbane, GoBoat first made its way to Australia in 2017 with a location in Canberra, expanding to Melbourne in 2019 and then Sanctuary Cove and the Gold Coast in 2020.
Kangaroo Point might be one of Brisbane’s oldest suburbs but its urbanisation has brought on changes that have pushed its property market growth ever upward. In a suburb where both stately heritage houses and modern, high-rise apartment units co-exist impressively, the median prices on the property market have grown by almost 17% and 9% for units and houses, respectively.
For the period covering July 2020 to June 2021, 25 houses were sold in Kangaroo Point. Houses here are traditionally tightly held and while they may change hands, not a lot of properties go on the market. Still, data from Property Market Updates show that the suburb’s housing market grew by 9.09 percent for this time period, with an average median house price of $725,000. Most of the houses stayed 51 days on the market.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
One of the most talked-about house sales happened in May 2021 for the over 118-year-old heritage-listed property called the Lamb House, bought for more than $12,000,000. Its new owners plan to renovate and faithfully restore the federation-style riverside mansion and spend another $15,000,000 over the span of three years so it could become a family home. The new owners also plan to open the Lamb House for the public for tours and exhibits from time to time, when the refurbishments are done.
However, the highest-selling house for the period ending June 2021 was also on Leopard St, a stone’s throw away from Lamb House, at $15,000.000.
Unit Market
Unlike other markets in Brisbane, where units lag behind house sales, Kangaroo Point is firmly a unit market, achieving a 16.97 percent growth, with a whopping 337 apartments sold for the same period. The impressive sales volume has pushed the unit median price to $579,000 with the most expensive apartment selling for $5,000,000.
Supplies of units in this river peninsula have been steady and in demand, amidst several construction projects because of the Kangaroo Point Peninsula Neighbourhood Plan that rezoned the area near Story Bridge for high-density residential and community developments. Main Street has also been approved as a mixed-use zone to encourage new business.
More than 60 percent of Kangaroo Point residents are renters.
Once an industrial hub, Kangaroo Point is now known as an inner-city lifestyle and recreational hub bounded by the Brisbane River as a narrow peninsula. This suburb has the popular Kangaroo Point Cliffs for families or groups to enjoy a perfect river spot picnic whilst the outdoorsy and adventurous types love its bike and running trails, kayaking tours, and cliffside activities.
As a high-density residential suburb, Kangaroo Point is home to a lot of young professionals in their 20s to 30s, along with growing families drawn to the area due to its proximity to some of the best schools in Brisbane, like St Joseph’s Primary School on Leopard St, or the universities in nearby St Lucia or South Bank.
Photo Credit: Google Map
Accessible through the Story Bridge and the M3 Riverside expressway, traffic may sometimes be a problem in this, especially when the games are in season at The Gabba, which is just a few minutes off Main St.
As development has rapidly changed Kangaroo Point, the construction of new buildings, both for residential and commercial use, is still expected to continue in the coming years. Locals are also eager for the new Kangaroo Point Green Bridge that will connect the CBD and the eastern suburbs.
“KP is one of the most underrated localities close to the city. Pubs, CBD, Southbank all within walk distance, KP Cliffs are stunning. Great for the young up and coming professional or young families.”
Disco, Homely
“Great if you like waterfront apartment living. Surrounded by water and parkland the city is a 5-minute ferry ride or 5 minutes over the bridge by car. Close enough to the city without the hustle and bustle. I have lived in the area for over ten years and have no plans to leave.”
JKS, Homely
“Great access to the City of Brisbane and its River. We could live there and spend a week there at least once a year. The development of the area is all very well done and it has the Story Bridge Hotel, the city, and Southbank nearby.”
St Vincent’s Hospital in Kangaroo Point has submitted plans for a wellness campus, a redevelopment which will be undertaken in six stages for the next 20 years.
Gaskell Planning Consultants is overseeing the plans on behalf of St Vincent Healthcare Limited whilst Bickerton Masters has been tapped to design the complex.
St Vincent’s development (DA A005844698) will accommodate spaces for residential and commercial uses, including a new aged care accommodation. There will be three towers, between 14 to 18-storeys tall for the residential precinct. It will also have an education precinct for its research and healthcare facilities.
Photo Credit: Artist Impression from Bickerton Masters/BCCPhoto Credit: Artist Impression from Bickerton Masters/BCC
Public green spaces will be incorporated in the plans, including an accessway to the river walk. The buildings will be designed to interconnect via landscaped podiums. The development is aimed at innovating the healthcare offering of St Vincent Healthcare Limited to support Brisbane’s ageing population.
The old building will be gradually knocked down during the stages of the development, whilst the existing aged care facility will be temporarily relocated to the Maycrest site, which has been earmarked for Stage 2.
Lincoln Hopper, the chief executive of St Vincent’s made it clear that the construction phases will consider the relocations carefully as they do not plan to shut down operations. Mr Hopper expects that work on the property will start in a matter of years.
Formerly know as the Mt Olivet Hospital, the private facility built around the mid-1950s to cater to the elderly has been underdeveloped. As the needs of the patients change, the operators believe that redevelopment would help them provide a range of complex health requirements.
Past the park on the cliffs of Kangaroo Point, overlooking the Brisbane Botanic Gardens and the CBD, is St Mary’s Anglican Church. Reminiscent of an old English village church, this impressive neo-gothic stone structure dates back to the late 1800s and is considered one of Brisbane treasures.
St Mary’s is Brisbane’s second oldest church and remains one of the most popular wedding venues in the city. A Kangaroo Point landmark, this church was built by Alfred Grant and designed by architect Richard George Suter in 1873 to replace a timber church erected three decades before.
Intimate, peaceful, and quiet despite the city’s traffic below the cliffs, both church members and visitors come to this sanctuary to reflect and relish in a serene surrounding, which is quite a rarity in Kangaroo Point.
Photo Credit: Rhys Lauder/Google Maps
Historical Claims to Fame
In 1876, a pipe organ built by H.C. Lincoln from the early 1800s, was transported from London to St. Mary’s, the organ’s main custodian. Believed to be the oldest pipe organ in Queensland, this instrument was damaged and repaired in a number of instances and has had a major rebuilt in the 1960s. At present, the instrument is in need of major refurbishments to further preserve its historical significance.
Photo Credit: Organ Historical Trust of Australia
St Mary’s was entered into the Queensland Heritage Register in 1992 as an important place of religious worship, especially for the naval community surrounding the area. In 1903, the HMQS Gayundah conducted its first ship-to-shore radio trials inside the church.
Photo Credit: Rhys Lauder/Google Maps
St Mary’s church grounds are filled with Navy memorials. In the 1950s, a Warrior’s Chapel was dedicated to the fallen heroes, including those who served the HMAS Voyager.
Photo Credit: Enis/Google Maps
On the ceiling of the sanctuary are paintings by English Godfrey Rivers. Down the walls are three panels with his work. Mr Rivers is best known to Australians for his masterpiece, Under the Jaracanda, in 1903, which is on display at GOMA.
Lilian Cooper, the first female doctor in Queensland, was a frequent worshipper at St Mary’s along with her lifetime partner, Josephine Bedford. One of the church’s stained-glass windows is a memorial to the doctor’s legacy. They were the original residents of the St Mary’s rectory next to the church.
Photo Credit: Queensland Heritage RegisterPhoto Credit: Queensland State Library
Visiting St Mary’s
Prior to the pandemic, guided and self-access tours took place at St Mary’s at least once a week. Currently, the site is open to the public for gardening sessions between 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m on Fridays. Choir rehearsals also take place on Thursday evening and slots are open for anyone who might want to join the group.
Follow St Mary’s on Facebook for updates on services and church activities.
