New lease of life for Rockhampton’s heritage Bond Store

Published on 15 May 2018

Bond-Store.jpg

Rockhampton Regional Council has today agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with CQUniversity to turn the iconic Bond Store behind Customs House into a new digital and creative innovation space.

Once a storage space for the region’s produce and goods to be shipped from the Fitzroy, the Bond Store will soon house a state-of-the-art community space designed by the University to nurture digital creativity, disruption and innovation.

CQUniversity will lease the building from Council, which Rockhampton Region Mayor Margaret Strelow said is the perfect solution as the University makes plans to expand its operations and Council invests in transforming the Quay Street area into a Cultural Precinct. 

“We are absolutely delighted to be working with CQUniversity and to have their students become part of this innovative environment that we are creating where private sector and public sector collaborate in an ecosystem fitted for the future,” Mayor Strelow said.

“This new space will play a critical part in expanding and progressing our Cultural Precinct. It is also a fitting role for our beautiful Bond Store that was once the centre for trade and commerce in Rockhampton.

“The Bond Store is an iconic heritage asset that Council is very fortunate to own and this is a great step forward to see it re-purposed and utilised as a marketplace for ideas, for students, for art gallery patrons and Smart Hub members.”

The exterior of the 1873 building was restored last year and final design work for the interior will commence after CQUniversity signs the ten year lease on the heritage listed building.

CQUniversity Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor Alastair Dawson said the University is proud to support Council’s vision for CBD renewal and is looking forward to the opportunity to establish an innovative digital presence in the new precinct.  

“CQUniversity will utilise the Bond Store facility to create a central hub to nurture and encourage digital disruption, creativity and social innovation. To do this, we will create technology driven collaboration spaces that can be used by the entire community,” Mr Dawson said.

“This will include largescale interactive displays, virtual reality spaces and experimental technology spaces for digital collaboration.

“CQUniversity looks forward to sharing this type of cutting edge technology with the broader community and helping to establish Rockhampton as a hub for digital creativity and disruption.”