Palm Beach cranes boom

THE number of cranes dotting the Gold Coast skyline has surged this year, increasing by 33 per cent, despite a fall in the value of construction projects underway.

According to the latest Rider Levett Bucknall Crane Index for the first quarter, there are 32 cranes on the Gold Coast – eight more working on construction projects compared to six months ago.

However, the new report shows a further shift away from major apartment and retail projects, such as the $1 billion Jewel project and Westfield Coomera, towards smaller, mostly residential, towers.

Instead of working on the 41, 47, and 34-storey towers at Jewel, cranes have shifted to mid-rise towers such as the 13level Sea Palm Beach tower.

The residential sector accounts for 94 per cent of the cranes with 17 erected since the last count, bringing the total count to 30.

The highest number are located in the Palm Beach area, which is seeing an explosion in apartment developments.

The director of RLB’s Gold Coast office, Jim Krebs, said 18 new cranes were erected in the past six months while 10 were removed.

“Despite an increase in the number of residential projects under construction, the overall value of construction work underway on the Gold Coast is down, reflecting the higher volume of smaller value projects starting,” he said.

New cranes include: Bluewater in Bilinga; Vue Apartments and Elysian in Broadbeach; Zinc in Coolangatta; 372 Marine Parade in Labrador; Ocean in Mermaid; 17 Jefferson Lane, Canopy, Pacific, Magnoli, Periscope, Sea Palm Beach, 80-106 Jefferson Lane, ACQUA and Aleia in Palm Beach; 23 Railway Street in Southport and Evelve in Tweed Heads.

Cranes were removed from the 40-level Qube in Broadbeach, John Francis Drive in Carrara, Iconic in Kirra, Waterpoint Stage 4 in Labrador, Neo in Mermaid, Miami Apartments in Miami, ONE in Palm Beach and Ruby Stage 1 in Surfers Paradise.

Two were also removed

from the threetower Jewel project in Surfers Paradise, bringing the number working on that project down to two.

Just one health-related crane made the count at the Gold Coast North Medical hub in Helensvale while the mixed-use sector also had one at the $30 million Japara aged-care facility in Robina.

The Gold Coast has the fifth highest number of cranes in Australia coming after Syd-