Elizabeth Quay

About

Elizabeth Quay (colloquially abbreviated to EQ) is a mixed-use development project in the Perth central business district. Encompassing an area located on the north shore of Perth Water near the landmark Swan Bells, the precinct was named in honour of Queen Elizabeth II during her Diamond Jubilee. The project includes construction of an artificial inlet on what was previously the Esplanade Reserve, and modifications to the surrounding environs including Barrack Square, with the project opening nine sites for potential development. Completed facilities were initially projected to include 1,700 residential apartments, 150,000 square metres (1.6 million square feet) of office space and 39,000 square metres (0.42 million square feet) of retail space.

Planning Minister John Day and Premier Colin Barnett turned the first ground at the Esplanade Reserve on 26 April 2012, and Barnett announced the name Elizabeth Quay on 28 May 2012. Construction of the inlet and associated infrastructure were completed in January 2016, ahead of the Perth International Arts Festival and Fringe World. The quay was officially opened on 29 January 2016. Construction of the associated buildings will be completed...

The Elizabeth Quay precinct is centred around an artificial inlet that opens to the Swan River at its south. At the eastern side of the mouth of the inlet is an islet, which contains the Florence Hummerston Kiosk (which hosts a hospitality complex), the Bessie Rischbieth statue and a playground, and is connected to the eastern shore by a short bridge and to the western shore by the longer Elizabeth Quay Bridge, a pedestrian and cycling bridge which spans the mouth of the inlet.

On the eastern shore are 24 public short stay moorings for recreational boats, as well as the Meet Our Australian Sailor sculpture on the south-eastern shore near the islet. The eastern side contains The Towers at Elizabeth Quay, a development consisting of a 28-storey Ritz Carlton Hotel and an adjacent residential tower, as well as two smaller buildings containing food and beverage outlets. The north shore, designated the Landing, features the sculpture Spanda at its centre, with a carousel immediately west of the public artwork. Directly north of the Landing, across Geoffrey Bolton Avenue which bisects the area from west to east, is the 19-storey Nine The Esplanade office tower development, with the 29-storey One The Esplanade tower containing the Australian headquarters of Chevron Corporation located in the north-east of the precinct. To the north-west, adjacent to the Nine The Esplanade development, is an empty lot yet to be developed as of January 2026 [update] ; this lot has been slated for the future 56-storey Fifteen The Esplanade mixed-use development.

The western shore features the Elizabeth Quay Jetty for Transperth ferry services to South Perth as well as commercial moorings. To the north-west is a shaded water park and play area and a building containing public toilets and a food and beverage outlet, with the mixed-use EQ West development consisting of two towers (52-storeys and 25-storeys, under construction as of January 2026 [update] ) taking up the rest of the precinct to its west and south-west. The art piece First Contact stands on the south-west shore, near the western entry to the Elizabeth Quay Bridge.

In February 2011, Premier Colin Barnett and Perth Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi confirmed plans for the project and funding which included A$ 270 million, equivalent to A$346.22 million in 2022, from the 2011/12 state budget. The total government outlay would be A$440 million with A$134 million recovered from property sales to developers. [ citation needed ]

The project created significant changes to adjacent features such as Riverside Drive, Barrack Square and environs. Other nearby sites such as Supreme Court Gardens and Langley Park were affected through changes in use or additional use. Nearby heritage listed Lawson Apartments and the Weld Club were affected due to pile driving and obstruction of views.

The JJ Talbot Hobbs memorial, a feature of Anzac Day ceremonies for over sixty years, was relocated to the entrance of the Supreme Court Gardens. The Esplanade Kiosk, built in 1927 in the Federation Arts and Crafts style, was dismantled and rebuilt, brick by brick, as a kiosk on the island feature in the new inlet.

While some of the trees in the reserve and surrounding areas were retained, the Moreton Bay figs along Barrack Street were removed and replaced with London planes.

The state government identified project returns in the order of A$1.7 million on the sale of real estate sites to commercial developers, with the whole development projected as a A$2.6 billion investment opportunity. There was debate on the speculative nature of the estimates.

The Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority (MRA) launched a publicity campaign for the development, with the slogan "The river. The city. Together again." and also had a range of panels on screens surrounding the development site repeating anecdotes about the former esplanade area, as well as text of the material found on the website, and other public relations material.

On 21 April 2012, the MRA released new design guidelines for the development and called for submissions on a second amendment to the Metropolitan Region Scheme. The Minister for Planning granted approval for public comment on the redevelopment scheme and amendments, and the Metropolitan Redevelopment Board approved the Draft Perth Waterfront Design Guidelines. MRA chairman Eric Lumsden made comment on the MRA role in the process.

ARM Architecture were the architects on the development. Urban planner Richard Weller was a lead consultant. Weller commented about the development as an experiment on bringing in new high rise development in the CBD.

The Perth firm Hocking Heritage Studio has identified its involvement with the project. [ further explanation needed ]

Leighton Contractors and its parent CIMIC Group, were awarded the principal construction contract in December 2012. Construction included a new inlet, associated roads, parks, promenades, and an island with connecting bridge within a 10 hectares (25 acres) parcel of land. The contract value was $210 million as at 31 December 2012.

ARM Architecture were the architects on the development. Urban planner Richard Weller was a lead consultant. Weller commented about the development as an experiment on bringing in new high rise development in the CBD.

The Perth firm Hocking Heritage Studio has identified its involvement with the project. [ further explanation needed ]

Leighton Contractors and its parent CIMIC Group, were awarded the principal construction contract in December 2012. Construction included a new inlet, associated roads, parks, promenades, and an island with connecting bridge within a 10 hectares (25 acres) parcel of land. The contract value was $210 million as at 31 December 2012.

Following the announcement, the proposals created extensive public debate and opposition due to its supposed failure to sustain respect for heritage, and potential risks to the ecology of the river.

At a "Foreshore Forum" in 2011, organised by the History Council of Western Australia, speakers examined the history and heritage of the site, and expressed concerns about the way in which the heritage aspects of the site were to be interpreted. Speakers suggested that a thorough archaeological examination of the site for European artefacts associated with the early commercial maritime activities and later recreational bathing activities on the site should be included as part of any digging for the proposed inlet. Subsequent discoveries during the excavation process have included a set of timber poles and timber "steps", consistent with pier construction of the 19th century and the formwork for the Barrack Square retaining wall.