Lightbulb Moment Drives Manly Wharf Precinct Recasting

Adam Flaskas has been a hard man to pin down to talk to about Manly Wharf. As it turns out, this was by design. Since the $110-million acquisition of the 4ha site in 2023 , Artemus Group—co-founded by Flaskas and Paul Henry, with Luke Fraser as chief executive—has moved quickly and quietly. It is the latest chapter in a precinct empire built on a castaway story and a drive to create Australia’s premium craft beer brand—ideas behind Howard Smith Wharves in Brisbane and now Manly Wharf. ▲ Howard Smith Wharves, anchored by Felons Brewing Co, turned a dilapidated 9ha site under the Story Bridge into one of Australia’s busiest riverfront precincts. Felons Brewing Co opened in October in a former Aldi supermarket, a $13.5-million, 700-person-capacity microbrewery anchoring the precinct. Felons Seafood followed in July this year, replacing the old Bavarian site. Patronage, Flaskas tells The Urban Developer , has already lifted 50 per cent. More venues are in the pipeline, but instead of chasing headlines, he has focused on embedding himself locally. “We had approvals through in four-and-a-half months, which speaks volumes about the community-driven nature of the project,” he says. The timing aligns with the Northern Beaches Council’s push to formalise Manly as a Special Entertainment Precinct, confirmed last week with a $173,760 Kickstart Grant from the NSW Government to fund acoustic testing and define live-music and non-event zones. ▲ Felons Barrel Hall at Howard Smith Wharves, one of the anchor venues drawing millions to Brisbane’s riverfront precinct. Flaskas sees the designation as a turning point, saying it could “open the doors to world-class experiences otherwise not possible”, positioning Manly as both a cultural destination and a hospitality hub. A community playbook Flaskas splits his schedule 80-20 between Manly and Brisbane, but most of his attention has been on the wharf. Living nearby, he has been running surveys and sponsoring surf and swim clubs to understand community priorities. “Manly is paradise on earth. Living here has given me a real sense of what this community values,” he says. “People want authentic places to share food and drinks and enjoy the wharf precinct. The response has been overwhelming and really encouraging.” The strategy has already helped secure strong local backing and smooth council support. ▲ Manly Wharf precinct in 2023 before its $110m acquisition by Artemus Group. The site is no small stage. Manly Wharf handles an estimated four to five million passengers a year, making it Sydney’s busiest ferry stop outside Circular Quay and often described as the gateway to the Northern Beaches. Part of the playbook also involves technology. At Howard Smith Wharves, Flaskas became one of the first to roll out order-and-pay platform me&amp;u at scale, later becoming an investor. “We saw early it solved a big challenge: how to give guests control and speed while easing pressure on staff,” he says. “It freed up our team to focus on hospitality rather than transactions, and the data helped us run the precinct more efficiently.” Brisbane’s bigger canvas The contrast with Brisbane is scale. Howard Smith Wharves turned a derelict 9ha site of sheds and riverfront land beneath the Story Bridge into one of the busiest waterfront destinations in the country. ▲ Flaskas says precinct success at Howard Smith Wharves has hinged on the right mix of operators, experiences and community connection. Backed by the Brisbane City Council, the revitalisation carried a $109-million construction value. Total investment is often cited as closer to $200 million. Today the precinct draws close to 20 million visitors a year. “Honestly, it was the mix,” Flaskas says. “Getting the right balance of operators, experiences and design, all supported by close, long-term relationships with all stakeholders and government, working together creating a successful precinct.” A castaway origin The precinct model grew out of Felons Brewing Co—and a remarkable piece of Australian history. In 1823, four ticket-of-leave convicts—Thomas Pamphlett, Richard Parsons, John Thompson and John Finnegan—left Sydney in a small open boat to collect cedar. A storm blew them far north. Thompson died at sea, but the others drifted for weeks before landing on Moreton Island. They were taken in by First Nations people, who gave them food, shelter and safe passage across the region. While living with them, the convicts heard of a wide freshwater river further inland. Months later, near Bribie Island, Finnegan and Pamphlett met John Oxley, the Surveyor-General of New South Wales, who was charting the coast. They told him of the river, and Oxley relied on Finnegan to guide him upstream. ▲ The Manly Wharf setting has helped Felons tie the castaway story back to its Sydney origins. In December 1823, he confirmed its course and named it the Brisbane River in honour of Governor Sir Thomas Brisbane. “The remarkable story of adventure and freedom really resonated with me for Felons brewery,” Flaskas says. “For me it was a light bulb moment—wow, what an enduring story and one that champions adventure and freedom, the very things we focus on when brewing great beer for the people of Brisbane and Sydney.” The story became the brand behind Felons Brewing Co and the heartbeat of Howard Smith Wharves. “Our passion from the get-go was to build Australia’s premium beer brand … a brewing company for all walks of life to connect with,” Flaskas says. At Manly, it brings the story full circle. “The beauty of bringing the Felons brewery to Manly is we are bringing the story back to where it first began,” he says. Heritage roots Manly Wharf has its own layered history. The first jetty was built in 1855 by Henry Gilbert Smith, founder of Manly, who also laid out The Corso, Hotel Steyne and the pine-lined avenues that defined the seaside resort. ▲ Manly Wharf’s heritage-listed facade was rebuilt in the 1940s and remain a gateway for millions of ferry passengers each year. The wharf was rebuilt several times, most notably in 1940-41 in a modernist style with a clock tower and nautical motifs. It has been heritage listed on the NSW State Heritage Register since 2000. The site later came under the Magid family. Robert Magid’s father, Isador, is credited with inventing Twisties in the early 1950s after importing a rotary-head extruder from the US and refining the process with CSIRO advice. He sold the brand in 1955 and turned to property, building a portfolio through TMG Developments, which included Manly Wharf. TMG held the wharf for decades, operating it alongside the Manly Wharf Hotel, until Artemus Group acquired the precinct in 2023. The deal also covered Ben May’s Manly Wharf Hotel and later Hugos Manly, which continues under its existing operators. What worked, what’s next Flaskas says the Brisbane lessons carry over, even if the scale differs. “When you look at Howard Smith Wharves now, what worked best was the mix,” he says. “Getting the right balance of operators, experiences, and design, all supported by close long-term relationships.” ▲ Felons Brewing Co at Howard Smith Wharves in Brisbane, the anchor brand that has now expanded south to Manly Wharf. In Manly, the principle applies at a smaller scale. “We are immersed within the community and are building trust,” he says. “Since we opened Felons our patronage has increased by 50 per cent—which is awesome and something we are very grateful for from the Manly community.” More venues are planned. “We are currently working on ... new offerings that we are excited to launch before the end of the year in time for those glorious summer days,” Flaskas says. Driving force This is not just a property play for Flaskas. It is about creating places people can connect to. “It’s clear this isn’t just about building venues,” he says. “It’s about creating places where people connect, celebrate and feel proud of where they live.” ▲ Manly Cove looking across to the wharf—a heritage landmark now at the centre of the $110m precinct overhaul. His values—community, innovation and authenticity—run through both projects. “Things evolve, outlooks change, the business calls for different approaches all the time, however, our values and behaviours have always remained the same,” he says. “Our values steer our decisions and have been driving a consistent outcome.”

Lightbulb Moment Drives Manly Wharf Precinct Recasting

Want to read more?

Keeping the Lights On: Growing Pains Jeopardise Industrial Boom

What’s Driving Pro-invest Push into ‘Underserved’ Micro-Apartments

Sydney Pub Market Rebounds After Post-Covid Lows

Bhutan’s Mindfulness Masterplan Resetting How Cities Work

Time to Rethink: Fresh Bid to Unlock Prison’s Prime Site for Homes

Fireside Chat | Inside GemLife With Adrian Puljich

Building Australia's Newest Airport: Multiplex

The Makers Of The Mondrian | Design, Vision And Delivery Behind One Of Australia’s Most Anticipated Luxury Hotels

Next Gen Now | How Emerging Developers Are Redefining The Game

Off-Market Newstead Site Deal Breaks Land Rate Record

Keeping the Lights On: Growing Pains Jeopardise Industrial Boom

Coposit Expands to WA with Linic Group Partnership

Historic Midland Workshops Site Listed for Sale

Women’s Leadership Lunch

Commercial Real Estate Summit

Urban Leader Awards

Property Development Masterclass Series