Job by job – the future at North Harbour

May 28, 2021

From boat repairers to retailers, teachers, tour guides, medical staff and home-based entrepreneurs, North Harbour is shaping up as one of the Moreton Bay region’s biggest job generators over the next two decades.

With its marina precinct set to be declared a Priority Development Area (PDA) by the State Government, North Harbour is primed to create more than 6,500 ongoing jobs.

The good news locally is that around 90 per cent of the jobs will go to workers living in the Moreton Bay region.

It’s one of the ways in which we intend to demonstrate our strong support for a Moreton Bay Regional Council initiative to build a $40 billion local economy and generate 100,000 jobs in the next 20 years.

North Harbour is proud to be backing the council’s Regional Economic Development Strategy and join with a host of other business and community leaders in #teammoretonbay in expanding on a COVID-19 recovery.

The skills in demand

Research from widely respected independent economics group Urbis has revealed that the marina will underpin other major components of North Harbour, including the Business Park and the ongoing delivery of new homes.

North Harbour will support highly skilled workers in all facets of the boating industry, as well as  creating hundreds of jobs across a range of other industries including retail, education, food and beverage and aged care.

The North Harbour Business Park will generate the highest number of jobs with a total of 5,228 employment opportunities.

Construction of North Harbour is expected to be a significant job creator over the next 25 years.

A total 373 direct and indirect jobs a year will be needed in the construction of the residential estate up to 2025, 358 for the North Harbour Business Park over 18 years and 693 for the marina precinct.

Marine trades will be one of the big winners.

With North Harbour planned to become a state-of-the-art marine hub attracting a significant portion of Australia’s $68 billion marine industry to the region, the employment opportunities are vast – ranging from everything including boat repairs to boat and trailer manufacture and sales, brokering, and marine tourism.

Cabinetmakers, electricians, plumbers, sailmakers, marine fabricators, boat detailers, fabricators of upholstery and metal including boilermakers and welders, deckhands, tour operators and guides as well as dive instructors will be needed.  This is in addition to about 70 staff required for dry boat stacking and hardstand operations.

Showroom retailing is expected to be another major employment generator at North Harbour, with approximately 455 people working in range of outlets. Many of these roles will be located at the North Harbour Business Park, which will become a vital centre on the northside for a variety of big-box retailers.

Home-based businesses are expected to flourish. While Urbis has forecast a steep rise in home-based businesses at North Harbour, the COVID-19 pandemic has likely caused a seismic shift in the number of employees working from home as well. With some of the country’s highest internet speeds available at North Harbour, it’s ideal for computer-based operations.

An economic powerhouse for Moreton Bay

North Harbour is set to be become an economic powerhouse, injecting a massive $707 million a year  into the Moreton Bay region.

The 400-berth marina alone will deliver a substantial marina village with retail, tourism and entertainment uses. The precinct will also provide 600 new apartments and 600 detached homes as part of the marina village, 800 dwellings in a canal estate.

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