Why Brendale in Moreton Bay is fast becoming an industrial hotspot

As a testament to its growing popularity, high-profile local, national and international occupiers have moved in, including Aldi, which constructed a 50,000-square-metre warehouse in 2015, as well as Bunnings and Super Retail Group.

TJM, which manufactures and distributes 4×4 equipment, has also relocated its head office to Brendale, which Moreton Bay Regional Council deputy mayor Mike Charlton nominates as a huge vote of confidence in the wider Moreton Bay region.

“These big names build on Brendale’s long-standing status as a premier industrial precinct,” he says. “Brendale’s booming industrial precinct is the perfect location for trade industries, boasting capital city convenience without the capital city price tag.”

Located just three kilometres from the Bruce Highway, six kilometres from the Gateway Motorway and within 18 kilometres of the CBD, the Port of Brisbane and Brisbane Airport, Brendale hosts a variety of industrial land types supported by key infrastructure connections.

Charlton says confidence in the wider Moreton Bay area is only continuing to grow, adding that The Mill at Moreton Bay, where the University of the Sunshine Coast’s new campus is under construction, is providing added stimulus.

Herron Todd White industrial director David Walsh says Brendale’s location initially saw it overlooked by industrial users, but things had changed significantly.

“Previously, Brendale was considered an outlier from Brisbane, but now it’s really cemented itself as an important midpoint between Brisbane and Caboolture in the north, Walsh says.

“It’s now recognised as an industrial hub. There are not many industrial precincts that are as large and recognised as Brendale in this area.

“As a result of demand and affordability, it’s viewed as a pretty safe area to invest, and there have been some pretty decent sales in recent years.”

Demand sees land availability fall

Bruce Harper, general manager Queensland at AVID Property Group, which has developed the New Base business park in Brendale, says the company recognised the suburb’s high growth potential 15 years ago.

He says demand has been increasing over the past few years with developers seeing the strong return on investment from premium locations like Brendale.

“The current market is strengthening, particularly for smaller lots as well as for occupiers and developers, so we are definitely seeing an upswing in the development cycle,” he says.

Being overlooked for many years, Brendale previously had an abundance of available industrial land, but with the suburb’s growing popularity, a significant increase in development over the past five years has seen the availability of land fall dramatically, adds Walsh.

“A lot of buildings have been constructed in recent years, and there is now very little vacant land available.”

Main roads: prime real estate

Brendale’s increase in popularity among investors and developers has resulted in a shortage of available land on its main roads, in particular, says Phil Grant, NAI Harcourts’ director of commercial sales and leasing.

As a result, he says, long-term redevelopment opportunities will be a focus for some owners and purchasers.

One such opportunity comes in the form of a property Grant is currently marketing for sale at 67-71 South Pine Road, which has 75 metres of frontage to the sought-after main strip. He expects buyer interest to be strong.

“This is an extremely unique opportunity to purchase two freestanding warehouse buildings side by side on 8000 square metres of land on a major road in Brendale,” he says. “It is a unique site as each building is strata titled but with one owner for each, so the opportunities to reposition the properties are endless.”

Grant says buyers could purchase the property and hold, with income provided from 15 tenants, with potential for future redevelopment. Or they could refurbish and increase the return or sell the strata units.

“Main road properties in Brendale are always a great opportunity,” he adds. “These sites will continue to be hard to buy, with demand from end users to buy or lease main road stock always being higher than locations in back streets.

“These sites can command higher rents and sale rates usually, so it’s a great chance to buy a property at a great price point and capitalise moving forward.”