SOURCE: Quarry Magazine August 29, 2024
A new vision has been proposed to transform Mount Coot-Tha Quarry into an ‘iconic’ destination with an eye-catching design.
PRAX Studio has unveiled its proposal to turn the quarry site into a tourist attraction following the Brisbane City Council’s call for submissions to transform Mt Coot-Tha Quarry and Pine Mountain Quarry last year.
The council had money allocated in its budget for the two projects, and Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner previously linked the projects to the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane.
“If we start planning now, then we can organise the transition over the coming years so that things can happen prior to the Olympics,” he told the ABC last year.
Now, PRAX Studio, headed up by Stephen Pratt, has released its vision to bring the sound of music to Mt Coot-Tha Quarry.
“This is a once in a generation opportunity to deliver a vibrant new public space for Brisbane,” the company said in a statement.
“This is a vision for Mt Coot-Tha that is open, green, accessible, and both inspired by and deeply connected to its rich First Nations heritage while reflecting the contemporary and innovative spirit for which Brisbane and Australia are known around the world.
“Our vision is for a seamless, organic interconnection between built structures and the natural environment, delivering opportunities for community gathering, exploration, discovery and memory building.”
The plan features several precincts which each showcase different attractions to draw tourists from around the world.
The centrepiece is a music bowl that would use the sloping walls of the old quarry pit to create a “world-class” amphitheatre for live music and theatre with a capacity of 3000. In its vision document, PRAX Studio likened the music bowl concept as Brisbane’s chance to “rival” Sydney’s Domain.
Central to this is the “event lawn”, which can host everything from a “humble family picnic to a raging music festival” across its 5 hectares of open space.
A striking feature of PRAX Studio’s vision is The Hive, a series of interconnected domes, including a tropical bio-dome and greenhouse. The two-hectare space would be built into the Western wall of the old quarry. According to the designers, it would take attendees on a “journey of discovery through the natural world and Brisbane’s unique place within it.”
Several water play locations, a boutique eco-hotel, hospitality spots, mountain biking and bush walking trails, and a zip line are also included.
“Mt Coot-tha derives it’s name from the Aboriginal word ‘ku-ta’ which means honey. This was an area where the Aboriginal people collected honey from the stingless bee which is native to the area. In recognition of this, our vision evokes honeycomb like structures with a waterhole forming the central focus around which all life and activity revolves,” PRAX Studio said.
“Perched on the ridge line overlooking the site, structures take their inspiration from the eucalyptus leaf, as an acknowledgement and reflection on Mt Coottha’s past as “one tree hill” after the European settlers removed all but one large eucalyptus tree from the summit.
“We imagine a future in which a deep scar is healed in one of Brisbane’s most sacred and beloved natural environments while creating an iconic new place to visit that attracts people from all over the world, helping to make Brisbane a leading destination in the Asia Pacific Region for major events and global tourism.”
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