Canberra Farmland Flips to Mixed-Use Village

The ACT government has rezoned land between Fyshwick and the Jerrabomberra Wetlands to make way for an industrial and residential eco-village.

Some stages of the masterplan have been completed with Molonglo—a Canberra-based developer spearheading the project. 

Reports show overall development costs would be upward of $162 million.

The site at 1 Dairy Road is now occupied by Capital Brewing Co, Blochaus Bouldering, Vertikal Indoor Snow Sports and Kidzplore—with plans to develop 11 apartment buildings comprising 403 units and two commercial buildings. 

If all development plans are approved, the developments will move in stages with two mixed-use commercial buildings to add into the mix.

Construction would consist of an eight storey and a split three and seven storey building. 

Molonglo have done an Estate Development Plan and two separate masterplans for the northern and southern parts of the site, collaborating with Assemble (UK), David Chipperfield Architects, and Jane Irwin Landscape Architecture. 

▲ The adaptive-use precinct on Dairy Road has multiple functions.

At the northern end, building 13 would consist of commercial offices alongside wellness products such as beauty, massage, bathing, psychology, physiotherapy and dietetics with retail overlooking a wetland garden.

Meanwhile, building 12 to the south would comprise more commercial co-working spaces with mezzanines on the ground floor. 

Among the 40 tenants already on site include distilleries, a brewery, co-working spaces, a gallery and a design studio—all converted from warehouses into the vision of “an adaptive recuse precinct”, according to Molonglo’s vision. 

The vision for Dairy Road is to host an adaptive reuse precinct combining creativity and eco aspects into one.

According to documents, the $162 million masterplan would be spread out across 10-15 years.