Plans Launched for Historic Parramatta River Boatshed

The adaptive reuse of a heritage boatshed on a Sydney waterfront site that was once home to one of Australia’s first breweries is to be the centrepiece of a $240-million mixed-use development.

Developers Perifa and Abadeen have teamed up to transform and rejuvenate the historic 1.58ha holding on the banks of the Parramatta River near Kissing Point.

With the backing of equity partners Mitsubishi Estate Asia and Phoenix Property Investors, they plan to redevelop the site at 20 Waterview Street in Putney into a high-end dining, commercial and residential precinct.

The site—15km from Sydney’s CBD—was taken to market in late 2022 with price expectations above $70 million and changed hands this year with a stage one development concept approval in place.

To be called Pier 20, the stage two redevelopment plans include the adaptive reuse of the landmark Halvorsen’s boatshed as well as the construction of two three-storey residential buildings with one, two and three-bedroom apartments and a 36-berth marina.

In the 1790s, First-Fleet convict-turned-brewer James Squire established one of the colony’s earliest breweries on the site. Squire was a friend of Bennelong, a colonial-era Indigenous leader who is believed to have been buried nearby in an orchard on the brewer’s farm.

Norwegian-born boat-builder Lars Halvorsen and his family, who moved to Sydney in 1925, built the boatshed in the 1930s. Gretel, Australia’s first America’s Cup challenger, was built in the Halvorsen yards in 1962.

The boatshed was later used by the Royal Australian Navy for small vessels and in more recent times leased to marine-based businesses.

Pier 20 is expected to be completed by 2027.

Perifa co-founder Fabrizio Perilli—who is also managing director of parent company Versatile Group— said the unique site’s past would be “celebrated and reinvigorated as a buzzing location for the community to enjoy”.

▲ The site of the planned development at Parramatta.

Perilli is the Property Council NSW president and former chief executive of developer Toga Group.

Aberdeen chief operating officer Joe Tack said the Waterview Street acquisition provided a rare opportunity to regenerate a significant infill site with 300m of water frontage.

“We are confident that the mix of townhouses and apartments, together with a curated food and beverage and a new marina will be a unique offering when the project is brought to market in 2024,” he said.

“We’ve known the executive team from Perifa for a long time and are looking forward to bringing the combined expertise together to deliver an exceptional outcome for the community.”