Flinders Street Wharves, a new waterside hospitality precinct in Townsville, will open on 11 December.
The $30m precinct is located in the former Burns Philp & Co building at 108 Flinders Street, overlooking the waterfront. It will house six unique spaces, alongside Townsville’s first floating pontoon bar, The Docks, and a marine tourism hub.
Publican and co-owner of Flinders Street Wharves, Grant Morgan (ex Boundary Hotel, Shafston Hotel), is eager to open the doors and bring North Queensland a new hospitality destination.
“This vision has been many years in the making, and to be able to welcome locals to experience a new and exciting destination in Townsville is something we are so proud of,” stated Morgan.
“Our role here at Flinders Street Wharves is to create a sense of place for the people of Townsville. For years, our city centre has longed for renewal, and now, this vibrant precinct has been delivered back to the locals as a destination to catch up, connect, and celebrate.”
The Flinders Street Wharves development commenced construction in September 2024, with the design led by KP Architects.
Day-to-night destination
The 2600sqm building has capacity for up to 1000 guests, and will feature six indoor and outdoor spaces and five bars, across two levels.
The Kiosk, the venue’s casual eatery will serve all-day coffee, as well as breakfast bites, by the waterfront. Situated next to The Kiosk, the outdoor Beer Garden provides an outdoor F&B space on the Townsville riverfront. Inside, guests can expect a relaxed setting at The Bistrowhere pub favourites like woodfired pizzas as well as locally caught seafood are on the menu.
The Merchants Barretains a sense of heritage of the original Burns, Philp & Co. building. Beer is the focus at The Merchants Bar, with 108 taps installed. For an exclusive and elevated dining experience, The Dining Room offers a private dining experience for up to 16 guests.
On the second level, The Rooftop will provide panoramic views of Townsville and live entertainment bring the precinct to life at night.
Investing in Townsville
The design is a reflection of Townsville’s tropical lifestyle while paying homage to the heritage of the Burns Philp & Co. building, the last surviving 19th century warehouse complex along the Ross Creek River. The Flinders Street Wharves design heroes original features throughout the multi-level site.
The precinct will create 120 jobs for locals and hopes to attract over 350,000 guests in its first year, with a Townsville Enterprise Economic Assessment suggesting the venue could inject approximately $6m back into the local economy.
The half-acre site will also be home to North Queensland’s first floating pontoon bar and a tourism hub to revitalise the waterways and increase connectivity between the mainland and tourism hot spots. The overwater restaurant and bar, The Dockswill offer a more elevated experience for locals and travellers, with a Mediterranean inspired menu where North Queensland’s quality seafood will be reminiscent of an ocean-to-plate like experience.
The pontoon’s tourism hub features two pontoons, operated by local tourism business Poseidon Adventures. It will allow for boat and jet ski tours from the pontoon to Magnetic Island and Cape Cleveland, plus shorter trips up and down the river.
Flinders Street Wharves will operate seven days a week, from 6am until 12am Sundays through to Thursdays and 6am until 2am Fridays and Saturdays. The Docks and marine tourism hub will open this summer.