Mandurah Ocean Marina, Mandurah

CLIENT BRIEF:

Develop a world-class waterfront development which revitalises the undeveloped, underutilised and contaminatedforeshore into a highly sought after location and reconnects the historic city with the magnificent Princess Royal Harbour.

BENCHMARK’S ACHIEVEMENTS:

• Benchmark’s exceptional expertise in stakeholder engagement secured broad community support for the redevelopment of Albany’s foreshore after a 30-plus year hiatus

• Albany’s $40 million waterfront redevelopment transformed the historic city’s former waterfront wasteland into a spectacular, world-class tourism precinct

• The project has boosted Albany’s tourism industry, creating a variety of cultural and leisure activities for visitors and the people of Albany and the surrounding region

BACKGROUND:

Albany’s undeveloped foreshore – on the banks of one of the wold’s most stunning natural harbours at Princess Royal Harbour – was the subject of intense community debate for more than 30 years.

Closely flanked by the City of Albany’s historic and bustling commercial and residential areas located between local geographic landmarks Mount Clarence and Mount Melville, the foreshore ‘wasteland’- with no public or recreation amenities or facilities – was physically and culturally disconnected from its nearby surrounds.

Appointed by the State Government’s land development agency LandCorp as project manager, Benchmark Projects Australasia spearheaded an extensive stakeholder engagement process with the City of Albany, Albany Port Authority, Great Southern Development Commission, port-user groups and the wider community to gain majority community support to redevelopment Albany’s waterfront.

Benchmark managed every aspect of the redevelopment, from the detailed feasibility, planning, design, construction, marketing and sales – to deliver the redevelopment project on time and on budget despite many varied challenges.

The redevelopment included five key elements – a marina, a new pedestrian bridge sapnning a freight railway line and major transport corridor to the Port, commercial facilities, accommodation and a major entertainment precinct.

Benchmark coordinated the design and construction of the 160 metre span pedestrian bridge, linking Albany’s central business district with the waterfront, the start of the Bibbulman Track, Albany Tourist Information Centre and community facilities at nearby Anzac Peace Park.

A new breakwater was also constructed to create a safe harbour to accommodate a floating marina of up to 130 pens.