As momentum builds toward the development of the Gold Coast’s first cruise ship terminal, we take a look at some early artist’s impressions and proposals.

By late last month, the Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate was reportedly fielding six proposals for cruise ship terminal and hotel complexes and expecting more.

The latest news is that a $4.9 billion proposal has been lodged from Singaporean group Sembawang, coming just days after another plan from billionaire property developer Bob Ell.

An artist's impression of the Southport Broadwater project proposal from Sembawang. Source: The Courier-Mail

There has been much resistance already from community and environmental groups to proposals for Broadwater, at Wavebreak Island and Tugan.

ABC television news reported on the local response (view the video here).

Sembawang of Singapore said it would independently fund a development, called Wavebreak, to be completed in time for the Commonwealth Games. The project would include two cruise ship terminals, 12 superyacht berths, a 400 berth marina and Fisherman's Wharf-style trawler centre among its marine infrastructure.

They also propose other tourism facilities including 1500 hotel rooms — up to six stars - an aquarium, theatre and casino.

"The project would be one of the largest undertaken on Australia's Eastern Seaboard,'' the company announced.

Billionaire Bob Ell of Leda Group’s $200 million Tugun proposal includes three hotels, a casino, three terminal berths, a water park, an underwater observatory, new North Kirra surf club and a superyacht marina.

Impressions of Bob Ell’s $200 Tugun proposal. Source: Gold Coast

According to Gold Coast Mayoral candidate Peter Young, cruise ship companies eager to dock at the Gold Coast would embrace the concept of a floating offshore terminal.

He says in his blog that futuristic floating facilities that overcome issues and objections relating to land-based docks are already being mooted around the world.

He shows a design propsal for the Gold Coast by Dutch company Waterstudio for a consortium that hopes to have it built by 2014.

'Floating cruiseterminal' - Image and Design by Waterstudio

On the critical side, a blog entry from Ryan Pearson looks at the impacts similar structures have had on other communities worldwide.

Ryan Pearson posts artist John Wayne's impression of proposed cruise terminal on the Gold Coast.

The below video visualisation of a Gold Coast Cruise Terminal was created by local Queensland architect Glenn Crawford to prompt discussion, planning and engineering “with a view to bringing such a project to the Gold Coast for the benefit of the whole region”.

David Wheeldon

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