Gibson Island Archives - Morningside News

Incitec Pivot Lists Gibson Island Facility in Murarrie for Sale

Incitec Pivot Limited (IPL) has officially listed its 58-hectare Gibson Island facility in Murarrie for sale, marking a significant transition for the site, which ceased urea production in early 2023. The industrial property, featuring deepwater wharf access and extensive river frontage, is expected to attract strong interest from developers and logistics operators.

Located at 282 Paringa Road, Murarrie, the Gibson Island facility has played a crucial role in Australia’s fertiliser industry since 1969. The site was the nation’s only urea producer using domestic natural gas, with operations focused on ammonia, urea, and ammonium sulphate manufacturing.

However, the boom in Queensland’s gas exports made it increasingly difficult for the plant to remain profitable. In January 2023, IPL ceased fertiliser production at the site and later announced plans to divest its fertiliser business while retaining its Dyno Nobel explosives division.

Prime Industrial Land Hits the Market

The Gibson Island site spans 58 hectares and includes 1.165 kilometres of Brisbane River frontage with deepwater wharf access, making it one of the most sought-after industrial landholdings on the eastern seaboard.

Colliers Queensland, led by Simon Beirne, Rob Joyes, Peter Evans, and James Wilkie, is managing the sale, with expressions of interest closing on 13 March 2025. Mr Beirne emphasised the site’s strategic location within the Australia TradeCoast precinct, which is home to Brisbane Airport and the Port of Brisbane.

Why Developers Are Taking Notice

With Brisbane’s industrial land in high demand, the Gibson Island site is being positioned as the last large-scale development opportunity in the TradeCoast precinct. The region has seen a 136% increase in raw industrial land values over the past decade, with a 57% rise in just the last five years.

According to Colliers, capital values within Australia TradeCoast are 20-25% higher than other Brisbane industrial precincts due to superior infrastructure and proximity to key transport hubs. Rental rates also exceed those in other industrial zones by 5-15%, further underscoring the site’s value.

Market sources speculate that the property could fetch over $250 million, though no official price has been disclosed.

Gibson Island facility — *Photo Credit: Google Maps Street View*

What’s Next for Gibson Island?

Later this year, IPL will relocate its fertiliser distribution centre from Gibson Island to a third-party facility at the Port of Brisbane, solidifying the company’s shift away from on-site manufacturing.

With expressions of interest closing in March, the future of Gibson Island now rests in the hands of potential buyers—whoever acquires the site will be positioned to reshape Murarrie’s industrial landscape for decades to come.

Published 13-Feb-2025

Visy Plots Multi-Million Murrarie Facility Expansion

Glass manufacturer Visy will invest in a multi-million upgrade of its Material Recovery Facility on Gibson Island in Murrarie alongside other plans to expand its operation in QLD.

Under the plan, Anthony Pratt, Visy Executive Chairman, also announced the construction of a new glass food and beverage container recycling and manufacturing facility in Yatala for $500 million and a corrugated box factory at Hemmant for $150 million.

“This is the largest investment Visy has ever made in Queensland,” Mr Pratt stated. “It is part of my pledge to invest $2 billion in Australia over the decade.”

“The upgrade to our facility at Gibson Island will see an additional up to 30,000 tonnes of material diverted from landfill each year.

“Visy currently recycles over 250,000 tonnes of material from kerbside collections a year and is proud to service the majority of South East Queensland’s recycling needs.

“Recycling is an important weapon against climate change and the Queensland Government is to be congratulated for its support for practical environmental measures, like recycling, that all Queenslanders can participate in.

These investments are expected to create more jobs for the people of Queensland. The Murarrie facility alone is set to add 11 more jobs.

“This investment will see the installation of state-of-the-art recycling technology at Visy’s Gibson Island site in Murarrie,” Member for Bulimba Di Farmer said. “We’re supporting jobs and the environment by improving recycling capabilities. It’s a win-win project.”

It comes as Visy will shift its glass manufacturing operations from West End to Yatala by 2025 to pave the way for the construction of the International Broadcasting Centre for the 2032 Olympic Games. This project will also create at least 900 jobs during construction and over 300 jobs once the facility is open.

Take Part in Gibson Island Business Clean-Up Day this February

Photo Credit: Picography/Pixabay

Would you like to be a part of the plant life restoration at Gibson Island? The Bulimba Creek Catchment Coordinating Group (B4C) is mounting a Business Clean-Up Day at the Paringa Road site on Tuesday, the 26th of February, at 9:00 a.m.

The date coincides with the annual Clean Up Australia Day, which enjoins people to take action in saving the environment.

Participants to the said event on Gibson Island will be clearing out weeds and planting more trees in an effort to increase the vegetation to benefit species that live and thrive near the Brisbane River and Aquarium Passage in Murarrie.

Meanwhile, restoration efforts at Gibson Island will continue for the next 18 months as the initiative recently received $30,000 in sponsored funds.

The Pratt Foundation committed $20,000 to the project, whilst Queensland Bulk Handling (QBH) will shoulder $10,000 to rehabilitate the mangrove, the home to a colony of grey-headed flying foxes and other subpopulations of fish.

The grey-headed flying foxes are bats native to Australia. In 2008, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified these mammals as “vulnerable to extinction.”

*Photo Credit: GregTheBusker/Wikimedia Commons*

The B4C and the Department of Natural Resources spearheaded the cleanup and rehabilitation of Gibson Island in 2018 by clearing out the weeds and planting 3,000 trees. The vegetation should provide shade and protection around the waters of the Aquarium Passage. It will also serve as the breeding ground of small birds like the blue fairy wrens.

*Photo Credit: Bulimba Creek Catchment Coordinating Group/Facebook*

On the 25th of January, 56 people returned to this site in Murarrie to plant more trees, which now totals to 3,346. QBH also took this time to hand out the cheque to fund future rehabilitation efforts in the next 12 to 18 months.

Additionally, B4C will be replanting trees and rebuilding the soil around QBH’s 11-hectre land in the Port of Brisbane to also increase the vegetation in the area.