International Cities Town Centres & Communities Society
ICTC2011 Grand Chancellor Hotel, Hobart, Australia 25 – 28 October, 2011
Mandurah Ocean Marina – building a world-class facility Ross Holt (1) Chief Executive, Western Australia T: +618-9482 7426 – E: ross.holt@landcorp.com.au
ABSTRACT The Mandurah Ocean Marina opened in 2001 as Australia's first fully integrated marina, seamlessly combining maritime, residential, commercial, tourism and recreational areas. The development, 70 kilometres south of Perth in Western Australia, has attracted international interest and received world-wide acclaim. This includes this year’s Marina Excellence Design Jack Nichol Award presented by the Permanent International Association of Navigation Congresses (PIANC) at the ICOMIA World Marinas Conference in Singapore in May. Fulfilling a 30-year community vision, the marina was created on a strip of under-utilised and, in some areas derelict, crown land. It has twin harbours, North and South, which now host a range of lifestyle options including luxury resort accommodation, residential apartments and townhouses, restaurants, cafes, entertainment venues and a host of activities for boating and fishing enthusiasts. The development of the Mandurah Ocean Marina achieved a delicate balance between environmental and social objectives while creating worldclass facilities and the foundation for ongoing financial viability. It has been the catalyst for phenomenal growth in Mandurah’s housing and tourism markets. In addition to more than 100 jobs created during the infrastructure phase, the development has created more than 600 ongoing employment opportunities and will have injected more than $900 million into the local economy by 2016. The development is a stand-out example of how regeneration can transform the character and appeal of a locality. It also highlights the results that can be achieved when the public and private sectors adopt a collaborative, team approach. KEYWORDS: World-class, regeneration, lifestyle, appeal, collaboration
1. INTRODUCTION Located 70 kilometres south of Perth near the Peel Inlet, Mandurah has long been a popular seaside destination for holidaymakers, dating back to the turn of the 20th Century. It has also enjoyed a long association with the recreational fishing and boating industry as well as supporting a commercial fishing industry. Since the 1970s, Mandurah has grown from a sleepy town to a vibrant metropolis and the need for a new marina became increasingly evident. Population forecasts have predicted the population to exceed more than 116,000 people by 2031 while recreational boat ownership in metropolitan Perth is expected to nearly double within a similar timeframe². After years of community debate about the need for a new marina, in 1999 the State Government announced its master plan for a world-class marina to be delivered by a Mandurah Ocean Marina project team comprising LandCorp as the State Government land developer, its consulting and contracting partners and the City of Mandurah. To develop a world-class facility while achieving economic sustainability, and environmental and social outcomes, the project team successfully addressed significant challenges to deliver innovations across: Design and construction Community engagement Economic sustainability Engineering and logistics Environment The development of Mandurah Ocean Marina has transformed an abandoned shoreline into a dynamic waterfront destination, subsequently becoming Australia’s most awarded marina development including winning the international PIANC Marina Excellence Design Jack Nichol Award in 2011.
Aerial view of the Mandurah Ocean Marina (centre) showing major components of the project (Source: LandCorp)
Since the marina opened in 2001, it has attracted private investment in projects worth more than $550million, including luxury resorts, townhouses and apartments. The development created more than 100 jobs during its infrastructure phase and more than 600 ongoing employment opportunities, generating an estimated $900m for the local economy by 2016. 2. HISTORY During the 1970s and 1980s, Mandurah underwent rapid growth and the town’s existing marina facilities – which were minimalistic at best – became overcrowded, run-down and no longer capable of adequately servicing the area. The local community began to discuss the need for a new marina on unused land and surrounding waters on the northern side of the Peel Inlet entrance. Numerous issues arose such as settling land title disputes, deciding who would develop and manage a marina project and what the development would entail. In 1992, LandCorp was formed by bringing together the Joondalup Development Corporation, the Industrial Land Development Agency (ILDA) and the Western Australian Development Commission. This successful amalgamation paved the way for a single entity to set about developing and managing the marina project. LandCorp instigated a comprehensive community consultation program in 1995 to work through all the community issues in relation to developing a world-class marina in Mandurah. In 1999, the State Government released the master plan for the development which was to be delivered by Mandurah Ocean Marina project team. This master plan lay the foundation for what now stands on the 62 hectare site. 3. DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION In creating the marina, the project team was mindful of ensuring a natural, seamless transition from the older city centre to the new facilities. Consideration of the natural coastal environment and the proximity of the urban centre of Mandurah informed design and construction of the marina complex. The following factors were considered in delivering a highly practical design: segregating the working harbour and boating activities from the tourism precinct; maintaining and upgrading the existing public foreshore and beaches; accommodating pleasure craft and the commercial boating community; creating a central tourism precinct to link the project to Mandurah city centre; and developing smaller, more sustainable waterfront lots. The development created two distinct precincts – a North and South Harbour which have been cleverly linked by a striking pedestrian bridge. Both north and south precincts feature a contemporary mix of residential options.
South Harbour is predominantly a tourism precinct which includes restaurants, shops, cafés and entertainment venues. Venetian-style canals and bridges in the South Harbour have given the development a true point of difference. Bridges over the canals link the islands which have been constructed to prevent access for craft over six metres in length. North Harbour is dominated by a working harbour, accommodating pleasure craft and the commercial boating community. An area where there had been an ageing caravan park and fishing club rooms, a bare mooring basin and small jetty was transformed into state-of-the-art facilities servicing more than 600 recreational craft and up to 50 commercial fishing vessels. North Harbour is home to the Mandurah Offshore Fishing and Sailing Club which is the largest club of its kind in the southern hemisphere. It is also home to the Mandurah Emergency Sea Rescue Group and Commercial Fishermen’s Association. Design and construction also accounted for the project’s relationship to established community and civic facilities in Mandurah. The pedestrian suspension bridge linking North and South Harbours was a significant part of the marina works which successfully helped integrate the project with its surroundings. The entire marina is seamlessly linked to Mandurah’s traditional city heart, building on the city as a tourism destination. Enhancing community access to the waterfront was a primary consideration achieved through the imposition of easements on the individual lots. A split height, dual wall system ensures privacy for landowners is maintained, while the public can enjoy a stroll along a purpose-built pathway alongside which boats are moored.
The suspension footbridge links the North and South Harbours. (Source: LandCorp)
Other key design and construction features include: construction of a navigable deep channel marina entrance; semi buried sea wall and breakwater to provide protected harbour; design criteria to ensure all buildings comply with the maritime theme;
construction of a variety of building types to the street edge; and allowance for construction of landmark buildings at key locations. A prime design consideration for the Mandurah Ocean Marina was to provide universal community access for all fishing, boating and other water-based pursuits. The core objective of ensuring overall community accessibility was achieved with 90 per cent of the marina being able to be enjoyed by the general public, with 40 per cent of public open space comprising foreshore areas, boardwalks, landscaped streets and piazzas. People with reduced mobility have complete access to the water’s edge and can actively participate in all aspects of community life within the marina. The Mandurah Ocean Marina’s commitment to universal access was acknowledged at the 2004 Western Australian Disability Services Commission’s Awards when the project received recognition in the Commission’s Accessible Community Award category. 4. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Community consultation was a key component of the marina’s development and management of stakeholder relations was one of the most challenging aspects of the project. Development of the marina had been a community vision for 30 years and many divergent expectations and objectives had developed during that time. The project team identified the imperative need to ensure stakeholders had a shared vision for the marina which was consistently promoted and community concerns addressed throughout the project life. From the onset of its involvement, LandCorp understood the important role consultation played in developing community support for the marina development. Significantly, LandCorp instigated a comprehensive community consultation program in 1995 - a time when such programs were not commonplace. As testament to the success of the consultation process, community support for the project increased dramatically from just 69 per cent in 1995 when the marina concept was first mooted. This increased to 99 per cent when it was submitted to the State Government. The exceptionally wide range of stakeholders consulted included community-based action groups, such as the Friends of Dolphin Pool, a local anti-development lobby group; nearby residents wary of the impact of both construction and operation of the new marina on their homes and lifestyle; local businesses; Members of Parliament; commercial fishermen; the Peel Development Commission, the City of Mandurah; the Mandurah Offshore Fishing Club and Mandurah Yachting Club; and the local sea rescue group. A number of sensitive social issues relating to business and community group stakeholders which needed to be addressed included concerns about closing down the run-down Peninsula Caravan Park, location of a “replacement” Chalet Park and a new hotel operation, relocation of a fish shop and debate about amalgamating and co-locating the local fishing and sailing clubs.
In the end, LandCorp and the project team overcame potentially irreconcilable stakeholder differences, with the overall stakeholder management approach achieving “win-win” outcomes for the adjoining land owners, clubs and residents in the local community. LandCorp attributes its success in developing a marina where its community can integrate within itself and the wider Mandurah community to its insistence that the masterplan incorporate a range of land uses. This encourages people to reside within the marina and visit for a range of activities. 5. ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY The $80million development has been the catalyst for phenomenal growth in Mandurah’s housing and tourism markets. Land sales broke all records in the area, with gross estimated land sales worth $153million. The marina’s success attracted a string of private investment projects worth more than $550million, including a luxury resort, residential apartments and townhouses. A 2002 study by Curtin University of Technology’s Institute for Research into International Competitiveness predicted the project would create more than 600 ongoing employment opportunities and generate more than $900million into the local economy by 2016. From seed funding of $9million, the project quickly made a gross return for taxpayers of approximately $73million.
Land sales for the Mandurah Ocean Marina broke all records for the area, with lots facing the marina among the more popular sites. (Source: LandCorp)
6. ENGINEERING, LOGISTICS AND THE ENVIRONMENT Engineering, logistical and environmental challenges included the dewatering of the north and south harbour basins, the creation of a protected nesting ground for migratory fairy terns, or seabirds and relocation of marine life during the dewatering operation. To enable earthworks for the harbour and construction of the edge walls in dry conditions, staged dewatering of the harbour basin was undertaken. Dewatering of the existing harbour basin was carried out on a scale bigger than anything previously attempted in WA. Nearly 3 billion litres of water were pumped out of North Harbour and 1.5 million from South Harbour. Construction of the dewatering bund was a technically complex task and the first major step in the overall construction program of the masterplan for the marina. The masterplan also included redevelopment of the existing mooring basin, new edge walls and subdivision of the surrounding land. The South Harbour’s series of waterways, or canals based on the Venetian theme, were technically challenging to construct. They were much narrower than those previously constructed anywhere else in WA. The canals are just 21 metres wide and have three metre-wide boat mooring envelopes on each side, reducing the fairway width to 15 metres. While the northern harbour area was drained to allow construction of the marina to begin, officers from the Department of Fisheries and a team of local Volunteer Fisheries Liaison Officers relocated fish and marine life including crabs. A new breeding ground for fairy terns was developed adjacent to the marina which involved shaping dredge spoils, rocks, sand and shell grit from the City’s dredging program to develop the bird habitat. The development of South Harbour required meticulous attention to community and environmental concerns due to its location alongside the fragile coastline, proximity to the Mandurah city centre and the presence of residents within the adjoining North Harbour and immediately adjacent to the work site. The creation of the Mandurah Ocean Marina has vastly improved the environmental amenity of the area by removing old facilities, stopping groundwater pollution and providing even cleaner water in the process. Foreshores were upgraded, a new swimming beach created and public open space was rehabilitated. A sand replenishment system now operates annually to ensure easy entrance to the estuary. The project has also led to the development of an environmental management plan for ongoing operations at the marina.
7. CONCLUSIONS Ultimately, the marina achieved a delicate balance between environmental and social objectives while creating world-class facilities and the foundation for ongoing financial viability. As a reflection of the amazing achievements of this project, the Mandurah Ocean Marina has been winning awards since 2003 and now has amassed 13 awards including two international awards this year. The project has also been recognised in an additional six awards. The PIANC Marina Excellence Design Award was presented in May this year and is one of the most coveted international awards of its kind. It was the first time the award was won by an Australian project since the award’s inception in 2002. In June the marina was awarded the prestigious Urban Land Institute’s Award for Excellence for the Asia Pacific region. As a winner in the Asia Pacific region, the project now qualifies for the ULI Global Awards for Excellence, which will be announced at the ULI Autumn Meeting and Urban Land Expo being held in Los Angeles in October. LandCorp, together with stakeholder groups, consultants, contractors and the Mandurah community, have created a lasting legacy for Western Australia which has now been recognised on a global stage.
LandCorp Finance and Strategy General Manager Frank Marra (left), City of Mandurah Mayor Paddi Creevey and LandCorp Regional General Manager Mike Moloney with the PIANC and ULI Awards (Source: LandCorp)
REFERENCES City of Mandurah (2011) Population Forecasts available at: http://forecast2.id.com.au/Default.aspx?id=260&pg=5180. Department for Planning and Infrastructure (February 2009) The Perth Recreational Boating Facilities Study 2008, p.7. Available at: http://www.transport.wa.gov.au/mediaFiles/cf_Perth_Recreational_Boating_Facilities _Study2008.pdf.