Dairy Road warehouse-style precinct to house ski slopes, coffee, beer and more

Move over Braddon and NewActon. Canberra’s newest creative hotspot is emerging in a surprising location.

Fyshwick, the suburb infamous for fireworks, porn and industrial land, is the new home of Dairy Road District, an almost 20,000-square-metre, warehouse-style precinct being developed by Canberra’s Molonglo Group.

A brewery, a coffee roaster, three indoor ski slopes, and a rock climbing centre are slated for the Dairy Road site next to the Jerrabomberra Wetlands.

Capital Brewing Co, industrial designers Red Robot, and 42 Lines letterpress are among the residents who have already moved in.

Red Robot, who are the largest manufacturer of photo booths in the southern hemisphere, were one of the first to open their office in the warehouse. Co-founder Duncan Amos said they were drawn to plans for the creative and collaborative space.

“That’s really what Molonglo [Group] wanted was this collaboration of concepts and ideas, and I think to a certain degree it’s already started to happen,” he said.

“We’ve spent a couple of days with the Capital [Brewing Co] guys, in fact we’re going to produce a few very cool products for them. And we’re doing some stuff for Greg [Hewitson from 42 Lines], and he’s done stuff for us. So there’s a collaboration.”

Out the front, Capital Brewing are putting the finishing touches on a new brewery, will produce more than 750,000 litres of beer per year. 

The brewery with also house a taphouse, licensed for up to 600 people, offering the chance to taste the beer straight from the source, plus food trucks, a large outdoor seating area, a stage for live music, and a giant cubby house.

Barrio Collective Coffee and industrial designer Tom Skeehan are among other confirmed tenants.

Molonglo Group’s director of planning Gordon Lowe said Vertikal Indoor Snow Sports were expected to open before the end of the year.

A development application for the centre that includes a trio of indoor ski slopes is being assessed by the ACT government.

It’s not the only drawcard for Canberrans with a sense of adventure. Rock climbing gym Bloc Haus has also moved in, and is already drawing people to Dairy Road. 

“The future of Canberra won’t rest entirely in the hands of creative, innovative industries,” Mr Lowe said.

“The lifestyle and recreation opportunities [these businesses offer] will be an important part of 21st century Canberra.”

Mr Lowe said the 14.36-hecatre site at Dairy Road encompasses about 19,800-square-metres of industrial and ancillary commercial space.

The site falls within the ACT government’s broader East Lake urban renewal area.

Mr Lowe said the Molonglo Group had made a “substantial investment” in refurbishing vacant industrial warehouses to accommodate new businesses. 

“At present we have 22 tenants and there is very little vacant space,” Mr Lowe said. 

“Whatever may happen in the future as part of the wider East Lake urban renewal, the existing space will not be demolished. It will be retained and reused to accommodate new innovative and creative businesses.”

Mr Lowe said existing zoning did not enable residential development however, that might change in the future as broader renewal progresses.

“Right now our focus is on creating a contemporary, diverse commercial environment where creative and innovative businesses can thrive,” he said.