Urbex, a residential and commercial developer in major cities across the country, has put up a rare opportunity for investors to purchase a spacious property in a prestigious location in Manly.
The site on 37 to 41 Oceana Terrace, atop Manly Hill, overlooks the Manly Boat Harbour and captures the gorgeous views of Moreton Bay and North Stradbroke Islands. Spanning 1,760 square metres, the land has potential for reconfiguration as a commercial or residential development for affluent locals, across three titles.
The land has existing houses that may also be primed for an upgrade, subject to Council approval. The houses have a combined nine bedrooms and five bathrooms.
Photo Credit: Google Maps
Craig Covacich of Urbex said that the offer is a “perfect opportunity” for investors to capitalise on an established and beautiful location amidst a lack of supply in an in-demand market like Manly.
Ubex expects that the site will fetch a record price, with both locals and interstate buyers expressing interest.
In Manly, the average price for a house with at least four bedrooms is $1.2 million as of 25 June 2021. The general forecast for Brisbane’s property will continue to strengthen in 2022 as a result of the city’s improving infrastructure.
Composting involves recycling organic matter such as kitchen scraps, garden clippings, and other forms of green waste by using them as mulch to enrich soil and plants. With the aid of these new compost bins, people will be able to provide their gardens with nutrients from leftover food.
Photo credit: Karolina Grabowska/Pexels
Some of the benefits provided by composting include spending less time weeding, using less artificial fertiliser, making soil healthier, saving time and money, and keeping green waste out of landfills and reducing overall greenhouse emissions.
Brisbane City Council invites Manly and Lota residents to partake in their compost rebate program, which gives eligible Brisbane residents up to $70 worth of rebates on the purchase of equipment. Those interested in taking part can do so via this website. Once registered, people can come and claim their free compost caddy from Councilor Peter Cumming’s office.
Those interested in learning more about composting and gardening can visit the Bethania St Community Garden in Lota which provides a range of workshops both interactive and educational.
Photo credit: Facebook/Bethania Street Community Garden
Upcoming Workshops at the Bethania St Community Garden
A workshop dubbed “Introduction to Organic Gardening” is scheduled for Sunday the 1st of August 2021, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.. The workshop will teach attendants how to start a vegetable garden with topics such as location, soil, garden beds, seasons in South East Queensland, and lastly, plant choice.
Another workshop called “Veggie Gardening for a Year-Round Supply” has been scheduled for Sunday the 8th of August 2021, also from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.. This event will teach attendants all about how food can be grown all year round, covering topics like seasonal plants and how to plan harvests throughout the year.
Photo credit: Pixabay/Pexels
The last Community Garden workshop in August is “Propagation – New Plants from Old”, will be held on Thursday the 19th of August 2021 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.. This workshop is about propagation — the process of growing plants from specific sources such as seeds, cuttings, and other plant parts. Here, participants can learn about edibles and get the chance to bring plants home to grow and practise what they’ve learned.
To make a booking for any of the three workshops, dial 0439 048 585 and make a reservation. The Bethania St Community Garden can be found at Bethania St, Lota, open seven days a week from 5:00 a.m to 7:00 p.m. To learn more about the gardening and composting workshops offered at the park, visit their website here.
Whilst hundreds of Brisbane suburbs are projected to have an increase in median price for houses by the end of 2021, Manly has been ahead and has had a 20 percent surge in the first quarter.
This waterside eastern suburb is one of the top six Brisbane areas with the strongest gain in the housing market as of March 2021. Manly’s current median house price is tipping nearly a million at $985,000.
Highgate Hill is also experiencing a 20 percent increase with a median price currently settled at $1.2 million. But it is Yeronga that has the biggest first-quarter surge at 38 percent, followed by Saint Lucia, New Farm and Hamilton at 36 percent.
Brisbane’s property market sales within the last six months have been described as “extraordinary.” However, apartment sales in Manly have been rare, with only a handful of listings during this quarter.
Photo Credit: Google Maps
Manly appeals to investors for its chilled coastal lifestyle. The community hub at The Esplanade is a big and idyllic place for families with kids who enjoy heaps of activities at the harbourside, or young professionals who love spending time at the rows of shops and eateries, and retirees who spend their weekends at markets or going on sailing.
A quiet suburb where every age group has its own special sites, Manly has no massive shopping centre with chain stores but there are plenty of small-business retailers. Everything residents need is within a short walking distance from their homes.
Despite some unexpected structural issues during the redevelopment and a burglary days before its scheduled opening date, Bayside’s newest restaurant, Manly Boathouse, has finally welcomed diners at the site of the former Wilson’s Boathouse.
Bound to be the new seafood go-to, Manly Boathouse is from the team behind Newstead’s Reef Seafood and Sushi, Nikki and Greg Kay, both old-timers in the seafood industry.
Braden White is the talented chef heading the kitchen, where he will be creating and cooking up mouthwatering culinary treats, such as this winning sand crab linguine.
Photo Credit: Manly Tastetest/Instagram
Diners can expect to order a plate full of fresh sashimi, buckets of prawns, hefty seafood platters, and wood-grilled seafood goodness like barramundi or swordfish, as well as a range of roasted BBQ chicken, slow-cooked lamb shoulders or premium steaks. (SEE MENU)
To complement the food, the restaurant also offers a wide selection of wines from France, Italy, Spain, New Zealand and some local favourites. The choices for cocktails or craft beers are extensive as well.
The boulangerie serves a rotating selection of pastries like croissants, danishes and cream puffs.
Photo Credit: The White Boathouse/Instagram
Within the next few days, Manly Boathouse will open its outdoor kiosks right by The Patio section. The kiosks will feature a fish & chippery, a coffee bar and a gelateria boasting of freshly-made cold treats.
The casual open-space dining area, set with picnic tables and striped umbrellas, requires no reservation and promptly opens at 5:00 a.m. for breakfast lovers who can enjoy classic dishes with a gourmet twist.
Several trees providing shade and coolness to Manly residents, especially those who enjoy the breeze and views at the Esplanade, have been needlessly poisoned and illegally removed in the last six months. The Council has issued an appeal to the public to report the incidents so that the culprits may be properly identified and apprehended.
In December 2020, signs were tied around the trees asking the public for information as residents said the unlawful practice has been happening for some time.
On Manly’s Falcon Street, at least three of four beautiful trees have died because of the holes drilled in its trunks to administer the poison. The dead trees are now potential street safety hazards that could topple down and hit people or cars with some strong winds.
In the last two years, over 23,000 trees have been planted around Brisbane. Ms Marx appealed to the residents to seriously protect the natural vegetation and greenery around them.
The Council receives an average of three to four complaints of tree poisoning a day, with multiple reports on some locations. The previous year saw a rise in these reports at over 1,4000 locations, including Manly. Ms Marx said that each of these reports is checked and investigated but the culprits have yet to be caught.
To contact Ms Marx’s office, send an email at chair.standards@brisbane.qld.gov.au.
A new food and lifestyle precinct at the former Wilson’s Boathouse site will open at the Manly Harbour this summer. New tenants Nikki and Greg Kay, who run the popular Reef Seafood and Sushi in Newstead, have moved in to establish Manly Boathouse.
Wilson’s Boathouse lost its bid to remain in the waterfront after the Supreme Court stepped in and ordered the owners to vacate the premises. The restaurant closed permanently after 18 years of operation.
The award-winning seafood restaurant, which was once visited by Hollywood star Angeline Jolie, lost its tenancy effective 15 Oct 2020. Despite fighting to stay open, Wilson’s Boathouse owners Neil Jedid and Diane Mansfield said it was an unequal match against the government.
The Department of Transport and Main Roads owns the land where the restaurant stood.
“This is a heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported us for the past 18yrs,” the owners posted on Facebook. “We appreciated your loyalty immensely, we love our community. Everyone knows what happened to us, and we thank everyone who helped us with our cause. We’re looking forward for another venture, you’ll see Wilson’s Boathouse somewhere soon.”
Photo Credit: Facebook
Meanwhile, refurbishments and renovations are on-going for the new restaurant. The Kays are adding picnic tables by the waterfront of the Manly Boathouse, which will have a gelateria, a French patisserie and a fish and chippery.
Photo Credit: Reef Seafood and Sushi
Two private dining rooms will be added to the main building where intimate parties like weddings and other functions can take place.
Chef Braden White will head Manly Boathouse’s kitchen, which will open from breakfast to dinner for the whole week. The Kays also plans to add a drive-through service for boaties.
Manly Boathouse‘s redevelopment is expected to be completed by the end of the year and will open in time for the summer. For store updates, follow their Facebook page.
The city council is urging the local community around Manly to have their say on the Manly Harbour Village Precinct Project which aims to revitalise the neighbourhood shopping precinct on Cambridge Parade as well as a section of the Esplanade.
The project, which will cost $890,000, will improve the amenity, connection, and safety for residents and visitors to the centre whilst instilling a stronger community sense of place and pride. At the same time, the project aims to contribute to economic growth in the area.
Among the improvements included in the neighbourhood project are:
Footpath upgrades to improve accessibility, areas of underutilised space and visual amenity
Improving pedestrian safety and accessibility by upgrading existing crossing points
Tree planting to improve visual and physical amenity while providing shade
Groundcover plantings to new and existing garden beds
Standard and unique street furniture
Creating placemaking opportunities and delivering creative outcomes
The survey aims to know and understand what the local community think is important in their neighbourhood. The result of the consultation will influence the design concept which will be presented back to the community in the middle of November 2020.
Construction is planned to start in early 2021 and should be completed in mid-2021, depending on weather and site conditions.
For more information about the Manly Harbour Village Precinct Project, contact Council on 07 3403 8888.
The COVID-19 pandemic will delay the redevelopment of the heritage-listed Lota House. Detailed designs of the $67 million retirement village facility, located some two kilometres off the Manly Boat Harbour, are still in the process of finalisation.
A spokesperson for the Village Retirement Group confirmed that the pandemic has impacted plans for Lota House. It comes after the Manly retirement village project received heavy opposition from Bayside residents.
Brisbane City Council previously rejected the development application but the Planning and Environment Court overturned the ruling in late 2019. Locals said that the planned retirement village will ruin the view, character area and habitat surrounding the Edwin Marsden Tooth Memorial Building (Lota House).
Photo Credit: PD Online/Brisbane City CouncilPhoto Credit: PD Online/Brisbane City Council
Located at 162 Oceana Terrace, this house was built in 1865 for William Duckett White and his family. It remained in the Duckett White family until a grandson, also named William, subdivided the estate in 1911.
In 1913, a cousin, Graham Ernest Mylne, bought the property and moved in with his wife and children. Following his death in 1958, his wife Kathleen sold Lota House to the Anglican Church. The church used the money gifted by Mr Marsden Tooth, a businessman and philanthropist, to establish a home care facility.
The Lota House was listed as a heritage site in 1992 as significant to the establishment of the upper-class estates in Brisbane’s eastern bayside area. It is one of the oldest surviving residential homes in Manly-Lota, showing a glimpse of the 1860s Georgian influence.
The property is still owned by the Anglican Church.
Why Residents Opposed Redevelopment
About 100 Bayside residents protested after the original ruling saying no to development was overturned. Locals don’t want a high-rise in the area.
“Multi-storey developments would significantly change the area and ruin it in our eyes,” one resident said. “Lota is a quiet leafy suburb with beautiful green space and picnic/playground areas on the waterfront. Increasing density opens up the area to significant commercial development. Friends, family, neighbours and locals alike that I have spoken to, invested in this area for the quiet retreat that it is.”
The Bayside Action Group also opposes the development because the planned retirement village will cost between $755,000 and $849,000 per unit.
“This means that many local residents who currently live in the area will not be able to afford these units and will need to look at options outside the area. The Anglican Church says that the local community wants this development so families can remain close, but it appears that most will not be able to afford to live in this development if built.”
Manly Pool is reopening its doors to the public after its COVID-19 safety plans were approved by the Queensland Government.
On Monday 13 July, the Manly Pool will open again after months of closure as it implements improvements in sanitation and crowd management measures.
All of the 22 pools run by the city council closed on 23 March following directives from the State Government due to the coronavirus health scare.
Since June 3, 10 pools have reopened after complying with the Aquatic Industry COVID Safe Plan.
Manly Pool, which is located on the foreshore next to the Marina, is among the six council pools that are reopening this week. Other facilities reopening are the Acacia Ridge, Emily Seebohm, Jindalee, Newmarket, and Sandgate pools.
On its reopening day, Manly Pool is scheduling Aqua and Forever Young programs. Manly Pool is also laying down guidelines for visitors coming to the facility.
Pool REOPENING Monday 13 July 2020. Information regarding COVID 19 restrictions/regulations to be advised closer to…
Australia’s largest boat harbour is up for some big changes and the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR), which owns and operates the facility, opened an online forum where Brisbane residents may share their ideas for improvements before the redevelopment begins.
Locals may post their thoughts on what they want to see improved at the Manly Boat Harbor via the Ideas Wall. TMR is also taking a survey to hear the inputs from residents.
“We want to better understand what the community values about the Manly Boat Harbour, how the community currently uses the Manly Boat Harbour, and ideas about how the community could use it in the future,” TMR stated on the survey’s website.
Some of the ideas, so far, include upgrading and modernising the Wynnum wading pool, the rock wall area, and Wilson’s Boathouse. Residents also want a bigger green space for dining and entertaining, as well as better lighting along the esplanade, more bins for rubbish collection, and police patrol.
“Create an outrigger, kayak, canoe, kite surfing, windsurfing, SUP area to the right side of RQYS. Right now it’s just a road with minimal parking and no facilities. It could be turned into a beautiful day-use area for picnics with showers, cafes,” a resident shared.
“With international travel drying up and with domestic travel playing such a critical role in the economic recovery, there has never been a better time to invest in the entire Wynnum manly esplanade. State govt/ BCC has never truly appreciated the tourism opportunity Wynnum manly presents. It’s both a destination in itself and a gateway to the islands and our bay,” another local said.
