ONH: [Port Adelaide] Newport Quays | $1.2b

[Ho Really]

...But as soon as someone has a go, you get the armchair experts who say we could have done better...

Are you suggesting we aren't experts?

Cheers

[Cruise]

Im an expert, ive got a degree in f**k all

[jimmy_2486]

I tried to go be a sandwich artist at subway....but I didn't like it......became a good bullshit artist instead working for the liberal party!!

[stumpjumper]

I think the answer to that, h_g_i_h, is that you're right. No-one has ever tried to develop the western side of the Port for housing because the land is crook, and therefore was used for messy industrial purposes, making it more crook and even more difficult to develop etc.

Nothing much was happening at the Port until someone had the bright idea of spending public money to bring the land up to 'zero', ie so that a normal return could be got by spending money on construction and services without the debit of remediating contaminiated and generally shitty land.

The condition of the land has been the big hurdle that no-one has ever been able to jump. Not many tried, either. There has always been better or as good land available elsewhere.

The increased val;ue of waterfront allotments and dwelligns in general probably pushed the govt towards this. After all, it's hardly a marginal seat. Add to that the tendency for govts to want built memorials to themselves, and the pressure from developers once they were assured they didn't have to remediate the dirt, and it was on, despite the token opposition of negative grumpy bastards like me.

[stumpjumper]

Well, here comes the crunch. LMC CEO Wayne Gibbings has given the remaining Port Adelaide boatyards an ultimatum. Sign a document to take up a new lease at horrendous rates elsewhere and while you're at it indemnify LMC, PAMC, etc from any liability past present or future or you're out on your arses forthwith.

No mucking around. Minister for small business Karlene Maywald has backed off, most likely under advice from her political master Mike Rann.

That the terms offered are outrageous and should be investigated is beyond dispute. Meanwhile the government is using the Valuer-General's office to rate businesses out of existence. So what exactly is the rateable value of a pice of boathyard at Port Adeaide? $1.20 per square metre, as it was earlier this year, or $7.50 per square matre, which is being claimed now?

The govt says there is nothing wrong, no impropriety despite it sitting on documents and records of meetings etc. Just get out.

Sadly, in South Australia we have no independent anti-corruption watchdog. Every time there appears to be some chicanery on the part of the govt, the govt, from Mr Rann down, assures us we don't need one. The govt is quite capable of investigating itself, thank you, he says.

Sadly, too, Port Adelaide is not what you would call a marginal seat. So the Libs don't give a rats.

And now Scott Salisbury and his marina partner and former secondhand boat salesman Andrew Craddock are demanding that they be given the management of the 500 odd marina berths in the Inner Harbour as a condition of them taking the berths at Marina Adelaide 5 kms to the north. Naturally, there will be no facilities in the Inner Harbour. You won't even be able legally to carry a jerry can of fuel along the 'promenade' to your boat. The only fuel will be available at...gee, Marina Adelaide. Nothing like a monopoly.

Meanwhile, LMC refuses to undertake an environmental impact study on the effect of 500 powerboats berthing and manoeuvering above and around the Inner Harbour's dolphin sanctuary.

There's no problem, says the government and the LMC.

Thank goodness for that.

[rhino]

If this news is correct, it's very disturbing, and needs to be made very, very public. May I ask where you got it from?

[Ho Really]

If this news is correct, it's very disturbing, and needs to be made very, very public. May I ask where you got it from?

Some of this news I recall was on ABC's Stateline a little while ago. Yes, it doesn't sound right and not good for a "supposedly" Labor government.

There was another story of interest regarding land value at Port Adelaide: 10/08/2007 Boat Builder Sinking

Cheers

[AtD]

Photospam from yesterday!

Stage two is well and truly under way. It might be a bit hard to see from these photos, but there's two large foundations down, both with two cores each and a tower crane base. Looks like there'll be a couple more cranes on the skline!






The northern part of Stage 1 is now open, with some of the town houses already occupied! There were estate agents scurrying around like mad being followed by groups of prospective buyers.


The town-houses on left have water frontage. Many were occupied.


The prison-bar car-parks on the ground floor of the apartment blocks really ruined the area, in my opinion. The ground floor was very under-utilised.






A new walkway down to Ethelton Station. Looking at the development from Causeway Rd, the dilapidated state of the railway station ruins the look of the whole development.




Weird board-walk thing.


Rennie Rd.


This weird piece of landscaping features one of the most annoying zig-zag paths ever built.




Water frontage.


Looking from the bridge

[jk1237]

Nice pics, I really like this development. Does anyone know if Ethelton Stn will be revamped. Amazing and good to see them connect a walkway to the station. We are becoming more and more of a big city each day, and less of a 'large country town'.

[SRW]

Great pics AtD!

[AtD]

Thanks guys.

With regards to Ethelton Station, I only recently noticed how stupidly close it is to Glanville Station, just 700m. It might be an idea, rather than upgrade these two horrid stations, to build a new station under the Jervois Bridge. This would also eliminate the need for pedestrians to cross the rail line (think Mawson Lakes).

Currently, Port Adelaide Station is 1.4km from Ethelton, which is 0.7km from Glanville, which is 0.8km from Peterhead. If Ethelton and Glanville were moved to under the bridge, the new station would be 1.5km from Port Adelaide and 1.3km from Peterhead. More manageable distances for heavy rail, IMO.

[rogue]

Great shots AtD. Well done. Where do you find the time?

[AtD]

I didn't work this weekend. No overtime gold mine for me

[Pikey]

Oooh, our first Multiplex cranes!!! (Might have up to 6 on the Balfours site soon though!)

Great pics Adam, I really need to get down to the Port again soon.

[rhino]

Great pics Adam. The area needs more trees though, like some palms along the waterfront maybe to start with.