Learn the everything you need to know about hundreds of projects from throughout Australia. We’ve got the insider information to ensure that you choose the apartment, townhouse or house and land project that suits you and your lifestyle.
This is independent editorial content written by a PropertyMash Journalist. While we try to ensure all information is as accurate as possible, please double check with the developer or real estate agent directly before making a purchasing decision. The information contained within this article may be incorrect or out of date.
The Wellington is a large mixed-use project being built in East Brisbane, bordering the suburb of Woolloongabba. With a mixture of one (1) and two (2) bedroom apartments, it will suit investors and owner occupiers who are after an affordable apartment close to the city.
The commercial precinct of the building is a nice feature for residents and will be welcomed by the community as this area is not overly well serviced in this regard at the moment.
Artists Impression of The Wellingtons Commercial Level
Director of EPV Developments Denis Mackenzie was quoted recently when describing the new project, “The concept for our latest project was to create affordable, quality apartments in a prime location.” This is a fair assessment of the project.
While this area of Brisbane would not necessarily be called ‘prime’ at the moment (perhaps that is best reserved for Fortitude Valley, South Brisbane and West End), it certainly is quickly transforming as increasing development and urban renewal occurs. Therefore, if you were to buy in The Wellington you will certainly be getting in early as this whole area transforms over the next 20 years.
One bedroom apartments are selling for $345,000 and two bedroom apartments are selling from $470,000
Construction on the $60 million project is now complete (Feb 2018)
The Wellington is a mixed-use project made up of 127 apartments and a retail and dining precinct on the ground floor. The project will have commercial space underneath the building and it is being developed by EPV Developments.
The Wellington Artists Impression
The retail space on the ground floor will be anchored by a ‘flagship experience’ by Phillip Di Bella, the founder of the Di Bella coffee. We were unable to find out what the flagship experience actually means, but one would assume it will be a cafe/restaurant of some kind. This should give the retail element of the project a good start and hopefully will attract other tenants of a similarly high quality.
The building is a U shape as you can see in the artist impression above below. This is its defining characteristic and is relatively uncommon in new buildings.
The Wellington Internal Atrium / Courtyard and Void – Artists Impression
Traditionally this style of design is excellent for getting cross breezes within an apartment, which is really beneficial in a sub-tropical climate such as Brisbane. We have not been able to find out if the windows looking into the courtyard will be able to open. We would hope they would as this would add significantly to the liveability of the apartments while reducing air-conditioning running costs.
Apartments looking to the north will look over The Australian Hotel and Dan Murphy’s outlet, but will otherwise have relatively unobstructed views from perhaps level two and up. Those looking to the south will look over over Overend St and will again have good suburban views, although sites to the south will no doubt inevitably also have high-density residential apartments built on them as well at some stage.
The building will feature an impressive looking atrium entrance, a rooftop podium with swimming pool and a second resident recreation area on the 2nd floor with BBQ facilities, which is less common and a nice additional feature for residents.
The above level plan is from the Development Approval for The Wellington and is for level seven. As you can see it features lovely courtyard terraces facing the east which would make these units particularly nice. Most one bedroom apartments have internal space of around 60 sqm’s and two bedroom apartments around 80 sqm’s, which is average for new inner-city apartments in this price range in Brisbane at the moment.
Kitchens are all adjacent walls (L shaped) so don’t offer the more traditional U shape design which provides a breakfast bar with stools. This is an almost inevitable design outcome as internal space in apartments become smaller to try and keep them affordable. The outcome is no definable separation from your kitchen to your dining area and lounge room, making a more functional space than it would otherwise be given its size. It is a less traditional layout in Brisbane but quite common in many other countries around the world.
The Wellington Artist Impression of Kitchen
The Wellington is approved for 167 car parks (and features two-level basement carpark) and 132 bicycle parks. We are unsure where these will be located on site but are a nice addition. Cycling in Brisbane is an increasingly popular means of recreation including a transport option for commuting to and from work. It is great to see bike parking becoming an increasingly common feature in new buildings. This area of Brisbane, however, doesn’t have a great number of separate bike lanes so you will be sharing the road.
The Wellington apartments are physically in the suburb of East Brisbane but border on the suburb of Woolloongabba, which is probably better known by most Brisbaneites. It is the home of the Gabba, Brisbane and Queensland’s premier cricket and AFL stadium.
You would not say East Brisbane is an urban renewal hot spot just yet, but Woolloongabba certainly is becoming one. When you drive through Woolloongabba you get a real feel of what is happening in many cities around the world where older inner city suburbs which have been somewhat neglected for decades suddenly go through a revitalisation born from their sheer proximity to the CBD. Woolloongabba has traditionally been a mixture of retail business, older office buildings – some with warehouses still and older walkup apartment building from the 1960’s through to the 1980’s. This is the first true property cycle where it is experiencing the urban renewal that is driving the myriad of cranes that you can see across the Brisbane skyline. But as they say, now that it has started in Woolloongabba, it will not stop.
Woolloongabba is ultimately defined by the Gabba, its proximity to the city and the major roads that dissect it. The M1 Freeway runs through/past Woolloongabba which is the major highway from Brisbane to the Gold Coast and then through to Sydney. Logan Road and Ipswich Road, two major suburb routes that each carry four lanes of traffic also run through the suburb. So it is extremely well serviced in terms of road access, but also very busy.
Artists impression looking over Gabba to the City
The Wellington is also only a block away from a nice little dining precinct that sits straight across of the Gabba stadium. This little pocket, on Logan Rd, sits in a cul-de-sac which separates it from the busy Ipswich Rd and Stanley St intersection that it borders. There are a number of excellent restaurants and cafes in this little precinct that are well worth visiting, and The Wellington’s proximity to this little strip is certainly a plus.
Enoteca Restaurant and Strip Shopping And Dining Precinct in Woolloongabba
The Wellington sits a little out of the major hustle and bustle of the area. Sitting on Wellington Road, traffic will still be busy but predominately during peak travel times. It is far enough away from Ipswich Rd, the South East Freeway and Logan Road that you won’t hear the traffic.
To the east of Wellington Road is predominately traditional residential housing, so that side of the building will be naturally much quieter.
Accessing the Project will require you know the area to start with as a number of the streets surrounding the project are one way only. However, once you know the area the Wellington will be very easy to access. Overall traffic flows very well in this are of Brisbane as a whole.
The 2011 Australian Census says that the population of Woolloongabba is 4789 people. The average age is 31 years, six years under the Australian average. Most people who live here are young professionals between the ages of 25 to 34 years.
East Brisbane and Woolloongabba’s neighbouring suburbs are Coorparoo, South Brisbane, Kangaroo Point, Dutton Park, Fairfield, Annerley and Greenslopes.
At this point in time, we have no information on anticipated rental returns and body corporate fees. We have also not been advised if an onsite manager will be appointed for the building.
The most prominent school in the area is the Anglican Church Grammer School, otherwise known as Churchie, which is approximately 1 km away.
East Brisbane State Primary School is also nearby, only a block away down Wellington Rd. Coorparoo Secondary College is a 5-minute drive away and is a Queensland State School.
From The Wellington, you will be extremely well serviced by the BCC bus network. Stop 10 is 100 metres walk away on Stanley St and it has buses constantly running on it. For example, a bus ride from Stop 10 to the Myer Centre in the City will take approximately 15 minutes at 8 am on a workday, and you can expect 8 – 10 buses to stop at Stop 10 between 8 am and 8.30am, all of which will take you quickly to the City.
As outlined above access to major arterial roads, being the South East Freeway to take you quickly to the Gold Coast in the south or to the City to the north, or Ipswich Rd and Logan Rd which can similarly quickly take you to all southern and western suburbs.
A display apartment is available onsite for inspection.
We would love to hear your thoughts on this project.
Have you visited this project recently, or perhaps you live nearby or bought in a neighbouring building? Tell us what you love about this project, or perhaps what you don't.