Work starts on development at landmark site

Work has begun on the Tydal Woody Point development, with a ‘ground breaking’ ceremony heralding the start of a new chapter in the history of the former Filmers Palace Hotel site.

A hotel had been on the prominent waterfront site since 1883, with Harold and Lilly Filmer taking over the licence in 1927.

Their son Ken and wife Mavis tapped into the exciting era of ‘50s rock‘n’roll at Filmers Palace Hotel, introducing floor shows and live bands, with the hotel becoming the unlikely launching pad for the Bee Gees.

Mavis sold the hotel in 2001 ending 75 years of ownership by the Filmer family. A devastating fire sealed the fate of the iconic building in 2013.

Traders In Purple is now breathing new life into the site, with construction starting on 104 luxury apartments and penthouses offering panoramic ocean views.

There to be part of the ground breaking ceremony, was Paula Scott Af Uhr, from the Filmer family.

Paula, who now lives at Margate, recalls her mother spent every weekend helping out at the Palace Hotel.

Strong demand

Since being launched in June 2024, more than 60 per cent of the 104 apartments offered in the first stage of Tydal have sold.

Traders In Purple CEO Brett Robinson says the beginning of construction, just three months after the project was launched, demonstrated the national property group’s reputation and capability.

“Tydal is our 14th project on the Moreton Bay Peninsula and will be one of three active construction sites currently underway,” Brett says.

“Just metres away, we have 32 ultra luxury apartments at Orilla under construction and around the bay we have topped out Marin on the Scarborough waterfront, which sold out before construction commenced.

“Where many developers are struggling to get projects out of the ground, having our own construction capability has allowed us to move forward with our own teams and maintain a 100 per cent completion record.

“The majority of our construction team live locally and being able to move seamlessly to a new project provides them with job security and magnifies the community-wide economic benefits of building new homes.”

About Tydal

Traders In Purple purchased the elevated 6900sqm site in 2014 and sought a variation to its approved Development Application (DA) to reduce the building height and number of apartments to offer greater diversity.

Brett says the decision to offer a wider range of two and three-bedroom apartments of varying size and price had tapped into a shift in the demographic of those settling in the Moreton Bay Peninsula.

“While retired downsizers still make up a significant portion of purchasers, we are seeing around 25 per cent of buyers at Tydal aged between 50 and 60,” he says.

“These are people making a lifestyle decision while they are still engaged in the workforce, taking advantage of Tydal’s proximity to the airport and Brisbane CBD.

“We have been pleased to see so many locals and repeat purchasers among our buyers although we are also getting traction from those living in Brisbane’s northern suburbs and even some from New South Wales regional areas.”