Established workers' accommodation near Katherine seeks $1.65m
A purpose-built workers’ accommodation facility near Katherine is seeking a buyer for $1.65 million, with interest from savvy domestic buyers who understand the value of established sites in one of the Northern Territory’s key service hubs.
“We’ve had a broad mix of buyers express interest in the property, ranging from local and interstate contractors and neighbouring landowners to government bodies and corporations seeking short or long stay accommodation facilities,” says Elders Real Estate Katherine listing agent, James Todd.
The property at 155 Napier Road in Venn is currently occupied by construction workers on a contract at RAAF Base Tindal, just a 12-minute drive away, but will be sold with vacant possession.
Set in one of the Northern Territory’s more picturesque settings surrounded by red dirt and scrubland, the site occupies 8.1 hectares. It includes 983 square metres of buildings configured as 38 demountable-style units. Six of these units are ensuited, making them suitable for double occupancy, while the remaining 32 are single units served by three separate amenities blocks and laundries. The air-conditioned complex also has a commercial kitchen, dining hall, converted outdoor dining area, dry room, cold-storage facilities, office and recreation spaces.
The facility is supported by three-phase mains power, an equipped bore, water-storage tanks and filtration, while covered concrete walkways connect the buildings. There’s also compacted gravel hardstand for vehicle access, and the boundary is fenced and firebreaked. Bitumen access links the property to the Stuart Highway.
The size of the holding also creates longer-term possibilities beyond its present use, with redevelopment an option for a future owner, subject to the relevant planning and development approvals.
Katherine service hub
Katherine serves the wider Big Rivers region and supports activity spanning defence, construction, agriculture, energy, resources and tourism. That mix can bring project workforces into the region for periods that don’t justify conventional rental or hotel markets.
RAAF Base Tindal, which is located about 15 kilometres outside Katherine, is one of Australia’s most important defence sites. The prospective development in the Beetaloo Sub-basin is another possible source of future workforce demand. Together with agricultural and government projects, those industries create the rotating accommodation requirements that purpose-built accommodation like Napier Road is designed to serve.
Workers’ camps are a familiar part of remote projects across the Territory, but established facilities offered for sale were comparatively uncommon. Temporary camps are generally assembled for a particular contract and removed when the work moves on.
“Worker’s accommodation listing’s aren’t necessarily common. When companies are doing remote jobs, they might set up a camp of their own for two months, six months or 12 months, whatever the timeframe may be, and then demobilise the camp once they’ve left that area,” explains Todd.
While the Napier Road buildings retain the flexibility associated with demountable accommodation, they were being treated as permanent fixtures for the sale. That gives a purchaser an existing operational base without having to establish accommodation from scratch, while retaining scope to adapt the site if necessary.
