Boutique cruises, eco-tourism, adventure sports, and private water taxis will soon be part of the regular activity on the Brisbane River with construction commencing on the Colmslie Wharves, Morningside.
It will be the city’s only dedicated commercial marina and is expected to inject $100 million into the tourism economy, with leasing now underway for 50 berths to open mid-2026.
The project is being delivered by Raptis Investments, with $4 million in support from the Queensland Government’s Growing Tourism Fund.
Raptis Investments Head of Leasing Arthur Raptis said marine tourism had suffered in Brisbane because operators were forced to work around a lack of infrastructure which prevented expansion or innovation.
“Colmslie Wharves will give operators the confidence to invest in river-based tourism and bay experiences, such as intimate boutique cruises, eco-tourism, adventure sports, private water taxis and much more,” Mr Raptis said in a statement.
“It will be a launching pad for new ideas.
“The Brisbane River and Moreton Bay are being rediscovered, creating an unprecedented opportunity for marine tourism to flourish like never before.”
Besides existing local operators and new entrants, the marina is expected to attract major interstate marine businesses to the River City.
Australian Commercial Marine Group (ACMG) Chief Executive Officer David Good said the shortage of long-term berthing options in Brisbane had previously forced potential operators to go elsewhere.
“There has been an increase in the number of tourism operators wanting to service Brisbane and start operations, especially with the Olympics coming up, but there is a lack of infrastructure,” Mr Good said in a statement.
“To put that into perspective, every year thousands of people head north to Hervey Bay to go whale watching, despite Brisbane having Moreton Bay and whales on the doorstep.”
River cruise provider Yot Club owner and operator David Fisher said he was forced to put expansion plans on hold despite demand from his customer base.
“We’ve got plans to roll out new vessels, which means more staff and more business for all the contractors and suppliers we deal with, but we’ve just had to put it on hold until Colmslie Wharves is finished,” Mr Fisher said in a statement.
The marina will allow overnight berthing for tourism and commercial vessels, and will accommodate vessels up to 50 metres long, together with crew amenities, fuel provisioning, waste management, and car parking.
It is forecast to attract almost 110,000 additional visitors to Brisbane each year, and create 337 ongoing tourism jobs.
To find out more visit colmsliewharves.com.au
