Queen's Wharf Brisbane

Construction is well underway on the $3.6 billion Queen's Wharf Brisbane Integrated Resort Development that will put Brisbane firmly on the map as a global tourism, leisure and entertainment destination.

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Project overview

In November 2015 the Queensland Government entered into a contract with Destination Brisbane Consortium (DBC) to develop the $3.6 billion Queen’s Wharf Brisbane Integrated Resort Development (IRD) – a truly world-class tourism precinct in the heart of the Brisbane CBD.

DBC is a joint venture led by The Star Entertainment Group and their Hong Kong based partners Far East Consortium and Chow Tai Fook Enterprises.

The Queensland Government is working in partnership with DBC to deliver economic growth for Queensland with the creation of thousands of jobs during construction and 8,000 jobs when the IRD is fully operational.

Queen’s Wharf Brisbane will elevate Brisbane as a tourism, leisure and entertainment destination ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Showcasing Brisbane to the world

The revitalised precinct will provide improved facilities for everyday use and public events to showcase Brisbane to locals and interstate and international visitors.

The Queen's Wharf Brisbane (QWB) precinct marks where European settlement of Brisbane started over 190 years ago. The Queen's Wharf Brisbane area will become a hub that connects parts of the city, including the Botanic Gardens, the Queen Street Mall, the Cultural Precinct, South Bank, the Parliamentary Precinct and the Brisbane River.

The redevelopment area is state-owned land and is located between the Brisbane River and George Street and between Alice and Queen streets. The area contains heritage buildings, former government buildings and neglected riverfront land under the Riverside Expressway.

QWB will offer a unique and vibrant destination for a new world city that attracts visitors and investment, reconnects the activity of the CBD to the river, preserves and celebrates Brisbane's heritage, and delivers high quality public spaces.

Queen's Wharf Brisbane will:

become an internationally recognised precinct with world class sustainable urban design and architecture that establishes an identity that is uniquely 'Brisbane' and 'Queensland'
redefine public access and transport connections into, through and around the CBD, South Bank, Cultural Precinct and the Botanic Gardens
transform and activate places and spaces that draw people to the origin of Brisbane
promote social interaction and a broad range of urban activities from the city centre down to the river's edge and beyond.

Economic Benefits to Queenslanders

Queen’s Wharf Brisbane is stimulating investment and economic development for Queensland’s long-term future for example:

Over $3 billion capital investment
Over one million training hours (to date)
Supporting local suppliers and contractors (over 80% of contracts awarded to local businesses to date)

World-class tourism benefits

Public spaces
- more than the equivalent of 12 football fields of redeveloped and enhanced public spaces
- a new pedestrian bridge to South Bank, the Neville Bonner Bridge
- an iconic signature 'Arc' building, including a spectacular feature Sky Deck (from a height of more than 100 metres), with restaurants and bars fully accessible to the public
A moonlight cinema
High-end retail precincts
Hotels and residential
- four new luxury hotels (some 1000 new premier hotel rooms)
- two residential towers (approximately 1500 residential apartments)
- one commercial tower
Heritage buildings and places
- restoring and activating nine heritage buildings and two heritage places
Dining – around 50 new restaurants, cafes and bars
World-class gaming facilities.

Frequently asked questions

Queen's Wharf Brisbane is a long-term project with parts of the development continuing after the main IRD has opened for business.
The Queensland Government along with Destination Brisbane Consortium will continue to engage and provide information to businesses and the community as the development progresses.
The developer’s website has information on employment and ICN/Tender/Supplier opportunities.
To keep up to date, subscribe to the developer’s construction updates and monthly newsletter by clicking “stay informed” on
the developer’s website or follow the Queen's Wharf Brisbane Facebook page.
No heritage building in the precinct is being demolished. All heritage buildings and places will be retained, revitalised and reactivated helping to bring the new precinct to life. Greater access will be established for the community to these wonderful spaces and will include a blend of historic and contemporary architecture.
When the Integrated Resort Development is operational, the heritage buildings and places will feature strongly within the development through their conversion into cultural, retail, dining, hotel entertainment and tourism spaces.
No, Brisbane's existing Treasury Casino will close and be replaced by a new-purpose built facility.
The operator of the existing Treasury Hotel and Casino, The Star Entertainment Group, forms part of the Consortium that won the QWB project. The existing Treasury Casino in the Brisbane CBD will continue to operate throughout the QWB construction phase (approximately 2017 to 2023). The existing Treasury Casino will close when the new world-class international casino facility opens within the IRD. The existing Treasury Casino will be repurposed to provide mixed used and greater public access.
At the QWB IRD, the casino gaming floor will be less than 5% of the overall development and is comparable to other IRDs in Australia and globally. The casino size and format will enable Queensland to compete effectively with similar developments across the region.
The Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation is undertaking all suitability and probity requirements for the opening of the new casino.
On Friday 12 August 2016 the Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships (DATSIP) hosted a cultural closure event of the Neville Bonner Building. This event was attended by Senator Neville Bonner's son Alfred 'Tiny' Bonner, other Bonner family members and representatives of the Indigenous community as well as the then Minister for State Development Dr Anthony Lynham MP who announced the naming of The Neville Bonner Bridge.
The Neville Bonner Bridge is a pedestrian bridge linking both sides of the Brisbane River forming a greater connection between the popular South Bank and Cultural Arts precinct to Queen’s Wharf Brisbane.
The Queensland Government also moved artwork that was located in the Neville Bonner Building to 1 William Street and the Queensland Performing Arts Centre. The Neville Bonner 'bust'—a larger-than-life bronze sculpture—is now on display at Queensland's Parliament House until its is relocation to the Queen’s Wharf Brisbane precinct once construction activities are completed.
The Bicentennial Bikeway, under the Riverside Expressway, is used by a large number of cyclists and pedestrians.
In 2016 the developer, the Destination Brisbane Consortium (DBC) conducted cycle and pedestrian counts for the number of users along the path to gauge the peak and non-peak times.
During the construction period, DBC and its contractors are required to maintain the function of the bikeway, ensuring safe construction activities near or across the bikeway.
As construction works continue, the bikeway route for cyclists and pedestrians will change and be diverted for safety and construction activities.
Cyclists are encouraged to subscribe to the latest news and construction updates direct from the developer, by selecting "stay informed" on the Queen's Wharf Brisbane or by following on Facebook .
Once it is open, Queen's Wharf Brisbane will provide high quality end of trip facilities for staff, residents and visitors to the precinct.

The countdown is on!

It’s hard to miss the rapid progress taking shape at Queen’s Wharf Brisbane with the new Neville Bonner pedestrian bridge now joined over the Brisbane River, the elevated Sky Deck pieces being lifted into place and new landscaping surrounding the riverline public green space flourishing thanks to recent rain.

These extensive public spaces are on track to open at the same time as the Integrated Resort Development including new restaurants, shops, bars and the hotel and casino.

The completed integrated resort will eventually include hundreds of apartments, around 100 shops, bars and restaurants and four hotels, two of which are anticipated to be 6-star rated.

Due to the success of the integrated resort so far, construction on the Mansions Precinct (across the road from Parliament House) has been accelerated with excavation works for the basements now well underway. The Precinct will include a new residential tower with over 900 apartments, a commercial building, a new park (Bellevue Plaza) with the centrepiece being a repurposed Mansions heritage building.

The final parts of the development which will include a repurposed heritage listed Treasury Building, State Library Building and Land Administration Building (including Queen’s Park), will be undertaken once the tenants of those building relocate.

The timeline below provides a guide to the development’s progression – from announcement to completion.

So far...

2012

Announcement of the Government Precinct Redevelopment (now QWB)

2013

Government announces that QWB would include a casino license

Government seeks proposals from suitable Developers

2014

A Priority Development Area (PDA) for the redevelopment is declared

2015

DBC announced as the preferred developer for QWB

Queensland Government enters into Development Agreements with Developers for QWB

2016

Developers commence detailed designs for QWB

Legislation passes for the Casino Agreement to be ratified by Parliament

2017

Site handed over to Developer for IRD Stages 1 and 2

Work commences with the demolition of existing buildings on the main IRD site (Stage 2)

Plan of Development submitted under the PDA

Plan of Development approved by Economic Development Queensland

2018

Basement excavation for the main IRD begins

Commencement of Waterline Park, Mangrove Walk and Bicentennial Bikeway upgrade (Stage 1)

2019

Waterline Park, Mangrove Walk and section of Bicentennial Bikeway upgrade (Stage 1) opens to the public

Marine structural works and construction of new public spaces on the river edge commence

Excavation works completed and IRD basement works commence

2020

IRD basement works completed

Podium construction and tower cores commence

Neville Bonner Bridge works (Stage 3) commence

2022

Mansions Precinct (opposite Parliament House) excavation works commence

Still to come!

2023

Neville Bonner Bridge complete

Mansions Precinct basements commence construction

2024

IRD (Stages 2 and 3) to commence opening

Residents commence moving into Queen’s Wharf Residences in IRD

Mansions Precinct towers commence

2025-26

Final two hotels in IRD commence opening

Heritage refurbishment works commence on the Land Administration Heritage Building (upgrading the existing hotel) and Treasury Heritage Building (old Casino)

2027-28

Land Administration Heritage Building reopens as new 6 star hotel

Treasury Heritage Building (old Casino) repurposing works completed

Mansions and State Library Heritage Buildings repurposing commences

2028-29

Mansions Precinct including Bellevue Plaza opens

Queen’s Wharf Brisbane development complete

Further information

Community engagement
The Queensland Government has conducted extensive public consultation on Queen’s Wharf Brisbane since May 2013. You can read about how we conducted the consultation and a history of our activities from 2013 to today.

Artist impressions
See the artist impressions of Queen’s Wharf Brisbane.

Plan of development
Read about what a plan of development is, who is delivering the development and construction details.

Heritage and public spaces
How is the development planning to preserve, re-purpose and celebrate Brisbane's eleven heritage buildings and places located in the precinct.

Queen's Whaft Brisbane: Green Star Community
Delivery of a 6-Star Green Star Communities precinct.