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 The information contained within this article may be incorrect or out of date.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 Boatyard is a new riverfront project by HG developments on the site of the Norman R. Wright & Sons boatyard in Bulimba. This boat builder has been Brisbane-based for more than 100 years and one of the members of the development team is a relation of Norman Wright. So this site has quite a rich history.
This development is thoughtfully designed inside and out. There are references to the building’s history as a boatyard from the curved white facade, to the design of the kitchen.
The location of this project is quite special as well. It is located on the northern side of the Bulimba Peninsula, facing towards Hamilton. It is likely that it will be one of the last riverfront apartment developments in Bulimba. Byron Street is the last part of Bulimba that is industrial space, the rest is private waterfront homes. There are a few new developments in Byron Street and one large project is planned at the old army barracks.
The Boatyard is just 27 apartments across four buildings. The front two buildings are situated right on the Brisbane River and will get fantastic views of the water and Hamilton. These buildings have the three (3) and four (4) bedrooms, along with penthouse apartments. The two buildings at the rear of the site contain the two bedroom apartments. In all of the buildings, there are just two apartments per level – so there will be a very private feeling to the whole project. The buildings at the rear of the building will still get river glimpses and will look over the timber pool deck in the middle of the complex.
Glimpses of river and pool deck from a two bedroom unit. Supplied by developer.
These are large apartments. Internally, the two (2) bedroom apartments range from 82m2 to 97m2. The external space on these units spans from 15m2 decks to 74m2 of courtyard space. The courtyard apartments on the ground floor can be accessed via Byron Street straight into the courtyard.
These are not your standard two bedroom apartments. Both bedrooms have ensuites and there is a study nook in each unit. The kitchen is long – well over four metres and it has a double sink and a kitchen island with breakfast bar. There is a separate laundry in these units, along with storage space.
The three (3) bedroom units are a big step-up from the two (2) bedrooms in this project. They are located on the ground floor of the riverfront buildings. They are between 133m² and 142m² internally, with courtyards ranging from 93m² to 176m². At this size, it is understandable that they start at $1.795 million. The floorplans of these units are quite special. There is a large open plan living and dining area that flows on from the kitchen. There is a butler’s pantry in the kitchen as well. The decks and courtyards open up onto the Brisbane River. These units also have an extra family room for watching TV or kids who want to play Xbox.
The four (4) bedroom apartments have a similar design to the three (3) bedroom apartments, they are just slightly bigger. These range from 149m² to 167m².
The penthouse at this project is truly special. It is without a doubt one of the finest penthouses in Brisbane. On the fourth level, it will have a spectacular outlook. Internally, it spans 329m². It has four (4) bedrooms – each with its own ensuite. The master bedroom has its own balcony and huge (actually huge) walk in wardrobe. There are two family rooms that can be made into one large area. One of these family rooms has a small kitchenette. There is a media room, a dining room and a large lounge room and kitchen with butlers pantry. There is even a full separate study in this unit.
The ceilings in this project are generally 2.9m with 2.7m ‘bulk head’ ceilings around the kitchen. These are part of the building design’s reference to boat design within the apartments.
In this complex, there is a timber pool deck with a lap pool that overlooks the river. There is also landscaped space and footpaths between each building.
Render of the lap pool and timber deck looking out onto the river. Supplied by developer.
The two (2) bedroom units come with a single car space, whilst the three (3) and four (4) bedroom units have two side by side spaces. There may be an option to purchase extra car parks on application.
There are five marina berths at The Boatyard. These can accommodate boats up to 55ft and the berths are designed so that each boat has plenty of room and the bays aren’t shared. It is quite rare to get new marina berths this close to Brisbane, particularly for boats of this size.
Location:
The Boatyard is an absolute waterfront project located on Byron Street in Bulimba. It is situated on the north shore of the Bulimba Peninsula, overlooking Hamilton Hill.
This is the last stretch of riverfront land available for development in Bulimba.
Location map. Supplied by developer.
The site is adjacent to the redevelopment of the Bulimba Barracks – a masterplanned project on 20ha of prime waterfront space.
In time, there will be a footpath constructed between these apartments and the river. This footpath will link the new Barracks precinct to McConnel Street.
Oxford Street Bulimba is a famous retail and dining precinct in Brisbane. It is just over 1km away from The Boatyard, meaning residents could walk there in around 15 minutes or drive there in 3 minutes.
The Apollo Road Ferry Terminal is just 100m from The Boatyard. From here, residents can easily pop over to Portside at Hamilton in a few minutes. Alternatively, a trip into the city takes 45 minutes via ferry.
Apollo Road Ferry Stop with Portside in the background. Photo taken onsite 05/08/2016.
For those that have a boat moored at the front of The Boatyard, Moreton Bay is 15 minutes away and a trip to Tangalooma takes around an hour.
Some of these old pontoons will become marina berths at The Boatyard. Photo taken onsite 05/08/2016.
Driving to the CBD from Bulimba can be a hassle. Wynnum Road traffic is notoriously bad and the route out of Bulimba acts as a bottle neck. The Brisbane City Council are taking steps to ease traffic along these roads by upgrading Wynnum Road.
Bulimba is a riverbound suburb that is located 4kms north east of Brisbane’s CBD. It is bordered by the suburbs of Balmoral, Hawthorne and Morningside. It is one of Brisbane’s most expensive and desirable suburbs. The median house price in Bulimba is $1,200,000 whilst the median apartment price is $599,000.
According to the 2011 ABS Census data, Bulimba has a population of 5,941. Overall, Bulimba is a family oriented suburb with approximately 69% of all households in Bulimba being family households. A Bulimba resident commented to us that one of the best parts of the suburb was its family focus, as it makes it safe and pleasant to live in.
The majority of the population in Bulimba prefer to own property as opposed to rent with over 56% of the population owning or purchasing their property. Detached dwellings comprise 57% of total dwellings in the suburb, with the remaining 43% being apartments and semi detached dwellings. Residents in Bulimba are predominantly higher paid in comparison to the rest of the state, with the median weekly household income being $2,410 – almost $1,200 per week higher than the state median. This is largely due to a high percentage of residents working in white collar industries.
Quality and Finishes:
The Boatyard is finished to a very fine standard. There is custom cabinetry, fittings and even lighting throughout each apartment in this complex. It is truly quite special and the attention to detail in these units is impressive. We recommend heading to the sales display to see it in person because it is difficult to capture everything in words.
There is solid timber flooring throughout each unit in this project. The kitchen has timber veneer on the cupboard doors and both the Miele dishwasher and Liebherr fridge are fully integrated. There is a Liebherr wine fridge in the kitchens as well as a Miele five burner gas cooktop and Miele oven. There is a Miele steam oven in all of the apartments, aside from the two (2) bedroom configurations. The bench top is actually made of imported Dolomite, which is known for its durability.
Kitchen render in a four bedroom unit. Supplied by developer.
The scullery has a 1.5 sink and an insinkerator as well as a chilled and boiling water dispenser and full height pantry.
The kitchen cabinetry is designed to resemble the ‘bulk head’ in boats. This is a special design feature that adds another element to The Boatyard.
The master bathroom comes with a dual sink and a freestanding bathtub. Supplied by developer.
The bathrooms have wall tiles throughout. Some are smaller than others and they are laid in a nice pattern. There is a secret timber cupboard in the bathrooms. There are dual sinks and a double shower-head (one is above and the other is on a hose). One potential fault with the bathrooms is their layout – putting the toilet right next to the glass shower door. Many luxury developments are finding ways to hide the toilets, particularly in the master bathroom. This is for privacy.
Bedroom render showcasing custom lighting, custom desk and custom cabinetry. Supplied by developer.
The bedrooms are all carpeted. The master bedroom has custom sliding timber doors and a custom made desk. The secondary bedrooms have mirrored sliding doors. All bedrooms have custom lighting designed by BVN Architects. The lights are quite nautical – carrying on the boat theme of this project.
This project is owner-occupier stock. Rental appraisals will be available on request for buyers who want them.
Body corporate rates range from $125 to 150 per week and for the two bedroom apartments at the rear of the site, the rates range from $85 to $95 per week.
Local Competition:
There is quite a lot of competition for The Boatyard on Bulimba street. On either side of it, you have One Bulimba Riverfront, Riverbank on Byron, and 11 Byron Street (reviews to come). The main competition for The Boatyard is a project called Barca, which is just down the road. These two developments are very similar. They are both boutique waterfront apartment buildings that offer high-end stock.
Given that some of these developments will be beginning construction in the future, it is possible that residents of The Boatyard may experience some noise and road closures during the construction. Otherwise, Byron street is usually very quiet.
The Boatyard is being developed by HG Developments. They are a boutique Brisbane based developer that specialise in residential developments. They have several other apartment projects across Brisbane including Omega Apartments in Bowen Hills, Hilltop Apartments in Chermside and Vicinity Apartments in Woolloongabba.
The sales display for this project is located at 145 Oxford Street Bulimba. It is a great sales display that has a model, kitchen, living area, walk-in robe and bathroom.
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.