Darwin
The right move Bunnings Warehouse, Australia’s largest hardware chain, had been looking for the right site to open its first outlet in the Northern Territory – AXIS, the new business park at Darwin International Airport, provided it. “The airport land is centrally
located to the majority of the population, is large enough to cater for a warehouse of 10,000sqm, and is located on a main arterial road with signalised intersection which allows easy access for customers,” said Matthew Toohey, general manager of property at Bunnings. The company had identified a market niche: Darwin’s population of well over 100,000 was underserviced in terms of home improvement products and services, Toohey said. Despite still being the only tenant, the move into AXIS was a good one, he added. “We have continued to trade very well and are pleased we made the move to this location in 2005.” Bunnings still believes in the
AXIS concept, and looks forward to other bulky goods retailers co-locating on the site. “We believe the estate would benefit by having a strong electrical/white goods offer, furniture, bedding, sports goods and other specialist category retailers such as automotive, pool, pet supplies, camping, boating and fishing,” said Toohey.
The precinct’s joint venture partner was the first to succumb, followed by several key prospective anchor tenants. Potential deals with leading retailers, who had identified AXIS as their preferred site for expansion, failed to close.
Despite these setbacks, management remains committed to the original vision. “What we’ve got is sound,” insists Baynes, buoyed by rebounding inquiry. “However, the end product will be market driven.” Indeed, the two-year hiatus provided time
mining industry, and an emerging oil and gas sector. While it was originally envisaged that the
first stage, a bulky goods development, would be up and running by mid-2011, to date, Bunnings remains the only tenant. Ross Baynes, director property, Northern Territory Airports Pty Ltd (NTA), hired late last year to progress the project, said the global financial crisis had delayed the plans.
48 Issue 1, Volume 5
to take stock. It gave them opportunity to refine the AXIS precinct master plan and to elevate its status as a truly ecologically sensitive and commercially sound development. The premise is one of sustainable design. It includes solar principles, energy and water conservation throughout the park, and significant allocation of space for conservation, landscaping, and outdoor community amenities such as alfresco cafes, cycling and walking tracks.
Even quiet, chill-out zones will be
provided. Indeed, this concept of an urban habitat – where work and lifestyle concepts are balanced in an inspiring landscape – was always going to be the project’s “X-factor”. It was felt that this special place, with its exhilarating sense of space, prestige and functionality, would be unrivalled anywhere in the Northern Territory. Ross Baynes, who has been involved in other Ecologically Sustainable Design (ESD) projects, says what’s been done with the AXIS master planning is a great start. “But in this field, the bar always rises.” “We are not looking at what the market was two years ago, but what it will be like in two to five years time,” said Baynes. “The delayed start provided time to say ‘let’s future-proof this’ and that means targeting a Green Star business park of environmentally sustainable design, utilising smart, eco- friendly principles that minimise its footprint on an increasingly fragile local ecology.”
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