The Queensland Heritage Listed Sugar Wharf, a Port Douglas icon, is undergoing a significant revamp courtesy of TPG Architects who have been engaged by Brisbane based Australian Heritage Specialists and the Douglas Shire Council. Built in 1905, this structure has a fascinating history, first serving as a terminal for passengers and freight, then as a warehouse and loading point for sugar transported by train direct from Mossman Sugar Mill.

When road transport became the dominant mode of freight movement from 1958, the Sugar Wharf’s later incarnations included a restaurant and Ben Cropp’s Shipwreck Museum. Fast forward to 2020, and this popular events venue will be updated to improve its functionality and aesthetics, reveal its interesting history, and take advantage of stunning views of the coastline and Coral Sea from within the building. ­

While reinstating features reminiscent of its original function as a timber shed, TPG Architects’ adaptations will include a new visible veranda to clarify the building’s entry point. This welcoming arrival space will feature timber louvres to maximise sea breezes and befitting the building’s tropical context, while roof vents will be reintroduced to assist passive cooling within the greater building.

Interior spaces will be visually reconnected as a singular volume, while a new amenities and powder room area will beckon from the building’s edge with sea views in the central public portion. Bathrooms flanked on either side of this vista will suggest the form of timber shipping containers. Feature murals will tell the story of Sugar Wharf’s history, and interior walls introduced in the 1980s will be removed to reveal the original trusses. The lofty raked ceiling and exposed rafters will continue to provide the ‘wow factor’ of this popular venue.

< Back to Current Works