Multi-billion-dollar developer and lifestyle brand <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/developers/gurner">GURNER™</a> has achieved a planning permit for its second <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/developments/port-douglas-qld">Port Douglas</a> project, a 26,000 sqm site at 91 – 113 Davidson Road, that is set to become a landmark destination resort and private residences. &nbsp;

Urban <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/news/qld/urban-reveal-gurner-release-teaser-of-port-douglas-project-the-davidson-by-gurner">exclusively revealed Gurner's plans</a> for the $250 million resort, dubbed <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-apartments/the-davidson-by-gurner-97-113-davidson-street-port-douglas">The Davidson by Gurner</a>, back in June 2023 when they filed plans for a 112-room hotel across a three-level&nbsp;building, including the six “underwater” aquarium rooms with a glassed wall creating an underwater visage into the lagoon.&nbsp;

<img alt="Landmark underwater rooms soon a reality by GURNER" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="83ee232c-3b75-45f7-a70b-c81ba760b4a8" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Port%20Douglas%20underwater%20aquarium%20rooms.png?VersionId=Ou4XlOAu126fsIF6YTj1Mo1hQAmxeThY" />

The GURNER™ team worked closely with Douglas Shire over the past 18 months to re-imagine a new level of luxury accommodation for the area, with the developer engaging Port Douglas-based <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/architects/hunt-design">Hunt Design</a> as lead architect to elevate the offering beyond the traditional to create something completely unique to the market.&nbsp;

The result is a landmark resort that’s been inspired by Europe’s best beach clubs, including Saint Tropez and the Greek islands, that centres around its distinctive blue lagoon and features bars and restaurants, a day spa and gymnasium facilities.&nbsp;

The design principles prioritise the seamless integration of indoor and outdoor spaces, promoting the opening of the buildings and activation of sheltered external areas for comfortable outdoor living.&nbsp;

The resort will also feature a residential component, consisting of 44 ultra-luxury homes and townhomes, with seven different villa types and the ability to provide both short-term and permanent accommodation. Purchasers will have the option of incorporating advanced wellness options that have been curated to promote physical, mental and emotional well-being.&nbsp;

<img alt="Landmark underwater rooms soon a reality by GURNER - lagoon" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8f2edc80-bcab-4a20-a086-505f444c0be0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Port%20Douglas%20GURNER%20pool.png?VersionId=aBd22c7U1IDKM_.k18AJUTy24i74Y6AN" />

Maintaining a key focus on wellness, which is becoming a hallmark of the Gurner Group brand, the resort is designed as a sanctuary for the mind, body, and soul, and is situated amidst breathtaking natural surroundings, offering guests a tranquil escape from the stresses of modern life. &nbsp;

Further wellness inclusions include classes, spa and relaxation amenities, wellness concierge services, fitness facilities, air and water purification and sustainable green spaces that are eco-friendly and energy efficient, which enhances residents’ connection to nature. &nbsp;

The ultra-luxe private residents are set to be priced between $2.5m - $10m, surrounded by over 5,500 sqm of private landscaped areas and bookable facilities. Over 30 per cent of the 26,000 sqm site will be covered in tropical landscaping, with 3,000 sqm of shared outdoor amenities.&nbsp;

With a planning permit now in place, the GURNER™ team is expecting to break ground in 2025.

“We see this as a huge opportunity for the future of Port Douglas – the incredible area is crying out for some amazing accommodation that highlights its natural beauty, which is what inspired the design of our luxury wellness experience that locals will be proud of," Tim Gurner said.

“Port Douglas is one of my favourite parts of the world – I love holidaying there with my family, and I’m looking forward to seeing this family-friendly resort experience come to life and bring more visitors to the area."

“Port Douglas is one of my favourite parts of the world – I love holidaying there with my family, and I’m looking forward to seeing this family-friendly resort experience come to life and bring more visitors to the area," Gurner says

Joel Robinson

GURNER secures planning approval for $250 million Port Douglas resort

The 1908-built Cairns Post Office is set to undergo a major redevelopment which will seek to create a new hub for the Far North Queensland hub.

Sky Commercial Pty Ltd, directed by Alex Seckler, is seeking to redevelop the old 1908-built Cairns Post office at 22-34 Abbott Street in the heart of Cairns' CBD. Seckler, who acquired the heritage-listed building in 2021 for nearly $4 million, promptly expanded his holdings to include the adjacent strip of shops, creating an impressive 1.1-hectare amalgamated site.

The more than 100-year-old Cairns Post building has been dormant for many years since the newspaper's operations ceased on the site.

The development application, prepared by Kelly Reaston Development and Property Services and designed by Hunt Design, outlines a vision that combines luxury accommodation, dining, and shopping along Abbott Street. The premium apartments planned for the site aim to cater to a unique market demand in Cairns.

"The overarching design concept is to create a poster child for tropical urbanism, to formulate a building that amplifies that Cairns is a city in a tropical garden," the application states.

At the heart of the development is a tower that will rise above the existing structures, offering an array of amenities and lifestyle options. The tower's design incorporates three levels of parking, a residents' recreation area with a pool, and eight levels of short-term accommodation, featuring 75 units.

<img alt="Render of the proposed Cairns development " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="57f71331-a1db-493a-8692-073596010e96" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202023-09-22%20at%201.28.57%20pm.png?VersionId=f6YexpiuF4FnL.lrW7PpOLNA6N5_6HrC" />

A mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments will be on offer, ranging in size from 67 sqm to 178 sqm.&nbsp;

The architects have responded to the evolving desire of people to return to city living, seeking the convenience of having everything at their doorstep.

"The introduction of a suite of new residences are designed to attract buyers seeking a premium product with limited intervention on maintenance, security and offering high levels of amenity," the Design Report noted.

This trend has been on the rise, driven by factors like proximity to The Esplanade with its various attractions, dining options, entertainment venues, professional services, and a diverse range of retail and commercial outlets.

The tower's design takes full advantage of the natural beauty and climate of Cairns. On the first accommodation floor, residents will enjoy a recreation area complete with a gym, spa, amenities, and a swimming pool. The pool features a glass frontage four levels above the street, creating a visually captivating element, while a wide sun deck on the same level enhances the overall experience, creating a tranquil space that further separates the tower from the lower-level heritage buildings.

The tower's aesthetic is characterised by its highly articulated design, with wide balconies that create horizontal lines and shadowed building facades. The architects have ingeniously employed a setback of the carpark face and a recessive treatment to allow the heritage buildings on the ground level to stand beside the tower structure.

Sustainability was also a focus in the design, with wide doors incorporated throughout that&nbsp;open alongside openable windows, facilitating cross-ventilation, naturally cooling the living spaces and minimising the need for air-conditioning.

The more than 100 year old Cairns Post building has been dormant for many years since the newspaper's operations ceased on the site

alisonwarters@gmail.com

Tropical residential tower set to top former Cairns Post office

Tim Gurner has revealed what his development firm, GURNER™, is creating at their huge Port Douglas site.

He's already had the green light from the Douglas Shire Council for four luxury homes at 69-73 Murphy Street, and now he's revealed his plans for a mixed-use hotel and residential villa development on Davidson Street, just behind the Sheraton Mirage.

Gurner secured three adjoining sites last year, 97-113 Davidson Street, paying just under $18 million to create a near 26,000 sqm block.

One of the sites was the&nbsp;Port Douglas Pandanus Tourist Park Caravan Park, and another the&nbsp;award-winning Dougies Backpackers Resort Port Douglas.

Gurner has had local architecture firm Hunt Design to create what is being called&nbsp;The Davidson by GURNER™.

They weren't giving too much away in the near 1,000 page application, only a few teaser images of the central pool, the focal point of the development.

Described as&nbsp;more of a lagoon, the ocean pool will have a beach, a swim up pool bar, and an island in the water.

Around the pool will be a kids club, with play area and separate pool, a treatment space, yoga room, a lounge, a cafe, and a separate restaurant and dining space.

<img alt="Gurner Port Douglas" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ef4f4a8a-8350-4f04-97ce-49d1682cf56c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202023-06-28%20at%203.58.45%20pm.png?VersionId=PmfK9jRSDh4laElUcxYCwleQ0bmHBnIA" />

Flanking the pool will be a 107-room hotel, a mix of Garden Suites and Poolside Suites. The ground floor Garden Suites have private access to another pool, exclusively for guests. Each Garden Suite room is 40 sqm, with a further 14 sqm of balcony space. The Poolside Suites are a touch larger.

The low-rise hotel will also home a sky bar on level three.

45 private villas then complete the resort-style development, on blocks ranging in size from 155 sqm to 470 sqm. There are six different configurations of villas, each two levels. They will have three or four bedrooms and their own pools.

In their planning submission, Hunt Design said The Davidson by GURNER™ is the touchstone for a new era for the tourism industry in Port Douglas.

"From the outset, the GURNER™ brief to Hunt Design was to actualise the developer’s vision whilst being respectful of the objectives of the town plan," the planning application read.

"The proposed luxury hotel and private homes are demonstrative of this objective being attained."

Hunt said the vision by GURNER™ is to reinstate Port Douglas as the most desirable tourism destination in Australia.

"Excellence in design and execution will propel “The Davidson by GURNER™” to become a new benchmark for luxe travel in Australia, as measured against the best in the world.

"Elements such as the integrated swimming lagoon at the epicentre of the Luxury Hotel will capture the imagination and vibe of a Beach Club."

<img alt="Gurner Port Douglas" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="31668439-4896-4ea8-b0a4-b8e442f60e55" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202023-06-28%20at%205.24.07%20pm.png?VersionId=63jhQfmzP_MZ8AkS2oO4Q6HugB8UcwUx" />

Hunt also wrote in their submission there is a trend of developers moving away from fully hotel-precincts and creating a mix of hotels and private residences.

"The tourism accommodation industry is continuing to evolve with a shift away from conventional hotels with a collection of rooms and suites to a model with a wider range of accommodation types, including more conventional private homes.

"This is clearly manifested on examining premium operators such as Four Seasons, where they now have in the order of 47% of their inventory being what they term as 'Residences'.

"Such private homes span several typologies ranging from Villas with varying bedroom counts through to stand alone mansions.

"GURNER™ have determined that their intention is to deliver a product meeting contemporary expectations of high-end luxury hotel brands which in turn resonates with sophisticated travellers.

"Part of the residential product is tailored towards absentee owners that may visit numerous times a year and have the choice to enjoy a rental income from the letting of their luxury home at other times.

"To that end the Hunt Design Master Plan captures this ethos with a luxury hotel located in the centre of the site flanked by Private Homes on both sides, draped around an internal private driveway."

Hunt said the hotel&nbsp;is poised to propel Port Douglas back into the heady days when the Sheraton Mirage put the Village on the “must do list” of visitors from around the world.

<img alt="Gurner Port Douglas" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ffb055eb-6806-45be-a1d1-a5e0604745f3" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202023-06-29%20at%2011.38.04%20am.png?VersionId=zjGwXQ2wrA5A4S5PmfDLMlTDXWrsKnOK" />

"The catalytic effect of the Sheraton Hotel cannot be understated.

"It spawned a raft of new tourism projects in the town and set the upper benchmark.

"The Davidson by GURNER™ will do the same. It will recalibrate the premium tourism product in the village …. And within the Region."

GURNER™ have steadily increased their footprint in Queensland, with their $1.7 billion, four-tower development La Pelago the cornerstone of their expansion. They also have a site in Burleigh Heads where they are planning a 22-level project with 80 apartments.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.urban.com.au/news/qld/exclusive-first-look-tim-gurner-lodges-burleigh-heads-apartment-plans">Exclusive first look: Tim Gurner lodges Burleigh Heads apartment plans</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.urban.com.au/news/qld/gurner-to-open-qld-office-to-service-over-2-billion-local-pipeline">Gurner to open QLD office to service over $2 billion local pipeline</a>

Gurner secured three adjoining sites last year, 97-113 Davidson Street, paying just under $18 million to create a near 26,000 sqm block.

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