Wednesday, 3 May 2023

Pentridge entertainment precinct

Anthony CIANFLONE (Pascoe Vale) (19:10): (146) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events and Minister for Creative Industries. The action I seek is for the minister and Visit Victoria and Creative Victoria representatives to visit the newly opened Pentridge visitor entertainment precinct in Coburg. First established in December 1850, Pentridge went on to become Victoria’s main remand and reception prison until its closure on 1 May 1997. As one of the state’s oldest institutions, predating Victoria’s recognition as a colony, the establishment of the Victorian Parliament and Victoria being declared a state of the Commonwealth, Pentridge’s iconic bluestone walls have long been a defining feature in the story of our state’s character and of Melbourne’s north. After years of sitting idle following its closure, its purchase in 2013 by the Shayher Group saw Pentridge undergo a landmark $1 billion revival as Victoria’s newest and most unique destination and a major site of cultural significance.

As the local member for Coburg and as a lifelong local resident who grow up while Pentridge was still operating as a prison, I was honoured to officially open the new Pentridge precinct earlier this week on 1 May – 26 years to the day since Pentridge was originally closed. I am very excited to say that the new Pentridge precinct will be a game changer for Coburg, Melbourne’s north and tourism in this state. Contrasting with and respecting the site’s 170-year history, the new Pentridge is home to some remarkable anchor tenants, including the 106-bedroom Adina hotel; the one-of-a-kind Interlude accommodation and wellness experience, where guests can stay in one of the 19 magnificently converted former B division cells; the North & Common bistro; and Chapter Place, the former prison chapel turned wedding reception centre, which the member for Preston may want to consider for his wedding reception potentially. There are the new Palace Cinemas, a BrewDog brewery and the National Trust’s immersive new prison tours. Whether it is accommodation, wellness, entertainment, history, culture or tourism, all of this will mean a growing visitor economy and more jobs for my community, with 1200 jobs supported during construction and at least 150 ongoing jobs to begin with. While it is genuinely hard to describe the exceptional experience this destination has to offer, it is still not as hard as a real night that many would have experienced in the original B division.

The new precinct has done a magnificent and respectful job in ensuring the stories of the past have been captured for future generations. Along with the state Labor government’s new Coburg station, Moreland station and the Upfield level crossing project, unlocking the new Pentridge will act as a catalyst for the revitalisation of Coburg as a future jobs hub for Melbourne’s north. Situated between Melbourne Airport and the CBD, easily accessible by the number 19 tram, Upfield rail line and Tullamarine Freeway, Pentridge will attract a whole new market of international, interstate and intrastate tourists to Coburg, which will have a flow-on effect to local small businesses along Sydney Road. Already, during March, the Adina hotel was at 100 per cent occupancy.

Opening the doors to Pentridge means tourists will also now have a seventh wonder to add to their list when they visit Victoria: the Twelve Apostles, the Great Ocean Road, Sovereign Hill and the goldfields, the penguins at Phillip Island, the MCG, the NGV and now Pentridge. This precinct truly is a one-of-a-kind destination, unlike anything that exists anywhere in the world. It really is hard to describe. I encourage all members to come to Coburg and spend the night at Pentridge, but this time not at the Governor’s pleasure.