How A 130-Year-Old Heritage Landmark Is Being Transformed Into One Of West End’s Hottest New Addresses
history meets modern lifestyle
By Victoria Lewis | 30th July 2026For any long-time West End locals or Brisbane history buffs, you’ll know The Tannery as the cornerstone of the local leather industry for over a century. Making headlines once again in 2026, the site forms the basis of the new $220m West End residential development, The Tannery.
In the prime Montague Road location, across the road from the Thomas Dixon Centre, the project by McNab Group is already causing quite the stir, having broken a suburb sales record and sold 60% of its residences before public launch. Further solidifying its West End ties at the launch, the McNab Group also announced a significant partnership with the Queensland Ballet, a fitting collaboration considering the historical and geographical link between the Thomas Dixon Centre and the original site of the new development, Dixon’s Tannery.
Preserving its heritage-soaked past while remaining at the forefront of modern innovation with an unparalleled wellness offering, The Tannery is shaping up to be one of the most exciting developments to come out of 2026. Slated for a late 2027 completion, these are all the details on The Tannery development.
A record-breaking development for West End
Delivering a curated collection of 87 generous two-, three-, and four-bedroom residences across 11 levels, McNab Group’s $220m The Tannery project is not only gathering attention for its grandeur, but for its already record-breaking sales run.
Early interest in the project is strong, with 50 of the 87 residences sold before the project’s public launch, signalling not only a growing confidence in Brisbane’s apartment market at large, but also in the strength of the project’s unique, heritage offering. Not only this, one of the two-bedroom sales resulted in a new suburb record, selling at $2.57m.
“Selling more than half the project before public sales open tells us buyers are actively seeking apartments that offer something genuinely different,” McNab Group Executive Chairman Michael McNab says of The Tannery project.
With access to a residents-only wellness retreat, oversized floor plans, the coveted West End lifestyle, and Queensland’s leading public school catchment, it is no surprise that the development has generated such early interest. In other words, buyers know that developments like this don’t come around every day. “In my 30 years at McNab, I’m genuinely excited to be bringing a project like The Tannery to market. It combines a high-quality product, an exceptional location in the heart of West End, and a level of amenity and lifestyle offering that we believe will set a new benchmark for apartment living in Brisbane,” McNab adds.
Particularly with the ever-looming 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games not so far away on the horizon, such buyer confidence in The Tannery signifies Brisbane’s long-term outlook, one marked by population growth, lifestyle-driven residential development, and increased investment.
Once a tannery, now a retreat
Possibly the most notable aspect of the development is the innovative transformation of the 1893 Dixon Tannery into a community-centric wellness centre, aptly titled The Retreat. A space for movement, with a fully equipped fitness centre not without a dedicated weights room or Pilates and stretch space, as well as restoration, with a state-of-the-art suite of wellness amenities, The Retreat is truly unlike any offering in the residential market right now.
On top of hot and cold plunge pools, a sauna and steam room, a Nordic shower, a cinema, and a private kitchen, The Retreat will offer unique co-working facilities, including a library and meeting rooms. With its combined wealth of lifestyle facilities, The Retreat speaks to that broader collective drive for connection and everyday work-life balance we are seeing in society at the moment, bringing it home in the heart of West End.
Where the old meets the new: Preserving the site’s heritage features
The Tannery is a distinct design collaboration between Cottee Parker Architects, Aspect Studios, and Tom Mark Henry. Principal at Cottee Parker, Dee Passenger, says the project will be a prime example of how heritage buildings can be thoughtfully adapted to meet contemporary lifestyles, all while preserving their historical significance.
“The design philosophy for The Tannery was about creating a dialogue between old and new,” says Passenger. “We wanted to ensure the site’s industrial heritage was a defining feature of the development, not simply a reference to its past.”
As a result, she says a conscious choice has been made to preserve the original tannery and transform it into a shared wellness space, rather than maximise the site’s development potential with additional apartments, “ensuring this important piece of Brisbane’s history remains at the heart of the community.”
Preserving the original tannery’s heritage features is at the forefront of the development. So much so, the McNab team is working with Five Mile Radius to salvage and repurpose several materials from the original site throughout the development. For example, by transforming one of the original concrete slabs into an artistic water feature, Dee says the site’s history can continue to be experienced in meaningful and unexpected ways.
The design will pay homage to the industrial nature of the original Dixon Tannery by incorporating hardy, tactile materials like brick, steel, and stone. As the site was originally used for leather production, a process that relies heavily on water, The Tannery will also include subtle references to leather and water throughout the architecture and interiors, creating a rare, character-rich environment for a modern space.
Explore the residences
As for the residences themselves, each of the gorgeous open-plan apartments will possess a refined, retreat-like quality, bringing functionality, indoor-outdoor living, and modern design touches to each space.
Using a warm but refined colour palette, engineered timber flooring and stone island benches add natural texture and sophistication to indoor living areas, while generous balconies and terraces allow for sprawling views and outdoor entertaining.
Interior design by Tom Mark Henry will showcase the site’s heritage character while introducing a distinctly modern sense of refinement to each apartment, at once being effortlessly luxurious while still feeling like “home”.
On top of the wellness-driven Retreat, the Tannery residents will also have access to expansive rooftop amenities, including a pool, landscaped gardens, outdoor dining areas, a sunset lawn, and dog-friendly zones laid out before picturesque views of the surrounding landscape.
About Dixon’s Tannery
To fully understand the gravity of The Tannery development, let’s unpack its history. First opened in 1869 by Thomas Coar Dixon, and later rebuilt in 1893, Dixon’s Tannery was one of West End’s earliest and most enduring industrial enterprises, specialising in processing hides using tanning pits and water drawn from the nearby Brisbane River. Becoming a significant industrial presence in the region, Dixon’s Tannery operated for approximately 77 years, expanding over time to include boot and shoe manufacturing before its closure in 1970.
A partnership with the Queensland Ballet
Alongside the public launch of sales for The Tannery, McNab also announced a significant new partnership with Queensland Ballet, whose home at the Thomas Dixon Centre sits alongside the development and shares its origins with the Dixon family.
As a vital show of support for the arts in 2026, the partnership is a natural fit for McNab Group. “We’re really proud to support an organisation that shares our commitment to celebrating Queensland’s heritage and enriches our communities through arts, culture and wellbeing,” says McNab.
Not only are the two companies forging new ways for people to connect, but McNab says the neighbouring heritage buildings are both prime examples of how “historic buildings can be thoughtfully reimagined for future generations while continuing to serve [the] community.”
Queensland Ballet has transformed the neighbouring Thomas Dixon Centre into one of Australia’s leading cultural destinations, a legacy that The Tannery only stands to improve upon. As Queensland Ballet Executive Director Dilshani Weerasinghe puts it, the partnership with McNab reflects a shared commitment to preserving Queensland’s heritage while investing in its future.
Rachael Walsh and Michael McNab pictured with Queensland Ballet’s Gabriel Lowe and Saya Hibino
“McNab understands that great places are more than buildings. They are where communities come together, stories are shared, and lasting memories are created. That philosophy aligns beautifully with Queensland Ballet’s mission to inspire, connect and enrich lives through dance,” Ms Weerasinghe said. McNab will come on board as a major partner of the Queensland Ballet’s new production of The Nutcracker, one of the most significant artistic projects in Queensland Ballet’s history.
From its heritage character to its connection to culture, The Tannery development marks a new era for Brisbane residential development. With construction currently underway, expected to be complete in the second half of 2027, now is your chance to live amongst it all. For more information or to enquire, visit their website here.
Imagery: Supplied (McNab, artist impressions)
