HERITAGE WAREHOUSES REBORN AS SYDNEY WORKSPACES UNDER THE HARBOUR BRIDGE
A cluster of century-old warehouses beneath the Harbour Bridge has been transformed into a modern workplace hub, now home to more than 100 businesses.
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Six historic warehouses beneath the Sydney Harbour Bridge have been given a new lease on life, re-emerging as Work inc., a co-working precinct housing over 100 businesses.
Built in the 1920s to support the construction of the Harbour Bridge, the Lavender Bay structures have served various roles over the decades, from housing highway patrol units to operating as car dealerships.
Founder Mark Davidson said the potential of the site became clear when he first encountered the abandoned Bay 10 warehouse.
“When I first stumbled upon the abandoned Bay 10 warehouse, it was leaky and forgotten, but I saw incredible potential,” Davidson said.
“We weren’t just building offices; we were building a community, creating a space where the grit of Sydney’s industrial heritage could inspire the next generation of innovators.”
The development retains much of the original industrial character, with soaring concrete walls and exposed steelwork now sitting alongside floating glass office pods, curated interiors and collaborative breakout zones.
Among the site’s quirks is Bay Ten Espresso, a café housed in a converted shipping container once seized during a major drug smuggling operation. It now serves as a coffee hub for both tenants and the wider Lavender Bay community.
Davidson said its inclusion underscored the broader theme of transformation.
“When we found this particular shipping container, its illicit past made it an even more compelling part of our story of reinvention. Now, it’s serving up a much-needed, perfectly legal kind of fix,” he said.
Work inc’s mix of preserved heritage and contemporary design has turned a piece of Sydney’s industrial history into a case study in adaptive reuse, while providing an unconventional workspace for the city’s growing business community.
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Designed by the late Kerry Hill and built by Hutchinson Builders, The Residence at Hayman Island blends tropical modernism with absolute waterfront luxury.
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Is this Whitsunday’s best home?
Hayman Island may have been ravaged by Cyclone Debbie in 2017, which saw the island, one of the smallest of the major Whitsunday islands, all but shut down, but the 390-hectare paradise has made an extraordinary comeback.
The InterContinental brand took over the island’s only resort, which was completely devastated by the Category 4 cyclone. The same year the cyclone hit, The Residence at Hayman was built, one of just two private residences on the island.
Constructed by Hutchinson Builders, a Tier 1 builder better known for delivering some of South East Queensland’s finest multi-residential developments, the lavish home is made from reinforced concrete with a blend of glass and timber battening.
It was designed by the late, internationally renowned architect Kerry Hill, widely regarded as a key figure in refining tropical modernist architecture. Hill was an island specialist, having designed several major resorts in Bali.
The Residence at Hayman spans three levels and offers over 1,400 sqm of living space, including around 580 sqm of internal living areas. The remainder comprises breezeways, terraces, and balconies designed to embrace the island’s subtropical climate.
Entry to the home is via the upper level, as the property tiers down the site with direct access to the beach. The top and lower levels accommodate most of the home’s eight bedrooms, as well as a study and a double garage with buggy parking, the preferred mode of transport throughout the Whitsundays.
The middle level is home to the main kitchen, living, and dining areas, complete with a full butler’s pantry. It opens to a large, L-shaped terrace featuring an outdoor kitchen, alfresco dining and lounge zones, and a sundeck. The terrace flows to the basalt-clad infinity swimming pool, deck, and cabana with integrated seating, as well as a pool house.
Owners or guests of The Residence also have access to the InterContinental Hayman Island Resort facilities, including 24-hour room service, butler assistance, private chefs, and the resort’s wellness centre.
Whitefox agents Cheyne Fox and Nic Whitehead are marketing The Residence as “a rare and extraordinary find.”
“This is more than just a home, it’s an opportunity to own a piece of paradise, a legacy to share with family and friends for generations to come,” Fox said.
The only other private residence on Hayman Island, Hayman House, is also on the market. Commissioned by Terry Peabody, former billionaire and Transpacific Industries founder, Hayman House was first listed last year with hopes of $27 million, later reportedly reduced to $20 million in early 2025.
Designed by Kerry Hill and also built by Hutchies (in 2010), Hayman House shares a similar design ethos to The Residence, albeit on a smaller scale. Its 18-week construction endured three cyclones, with all site access via the beach, which had to be reinforced to prevent heavy vehicles from sinking into the sand.
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