The government of Queensland announced that it is set to welcome first dedicated mega-cruise ship terminal, which will be constructed at Luggage Point, on the north side of the Brisbane River.
The terminal building itself will be around 9,300 square metres set over two levels and connected to a 200m long wharf, with two air bridges facilitating the movement of passengers on and off the ships. There will also be public open spaces, parking for cars and buses, as well as an extensive landscaping across the site.
The preparatory works for the site will start in November, with construction of the wharf to begin mid-next year. The construction of the terminal is expected to begin in about a year.
According to Premier and Minister for the Arts, Annastacia Palaszczuk, the Cruise Terminal can support 245 jobs each year through construction and will give a big boost to tourism as Brisbane will be considered a global tourism destination of choice.
From his part Treasurer Curtis Pitt, welcomed the progression of the Port of Brisbane’s cruise terminal and said: “Once the terminal is operational it is expected the additional cruise ships stopping in Brisbane could continue their journey up the coast to destinations like Cairns and give visitors the opportunity to visit other iconic destinations such as the Great Barrier Reef. The economic investment will bring broader benefits to the state economy through increased opportunities for tourism operators and other sectors like agriculture and our services industry.”
Tourism Minister Kate Jones highlighted the importance of the terminal as a transport infrastructure, as a large number of cruise ships and therefore tourists are set to visit the state. She also added that the terminal will safeguard 1,250 jobs related to the cruise industry in Brisbane and add 49 operational jobs on average each year over the next 20 years.
Once the terminal is approved by Australia’s competition regulator and national consumer law champion (ACCC), it will be an integral part of Brisbane’s tourism infrastructure network, Roy Cummins, CEO of Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd’s (PBPL) said.
