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With rail services recommencing operations between Box Hill and Ringwood this morning after the completion of major works on Heatherdale Road and Blackburn road level crossing removal projects, there remains only two level crossings between Flinders Street and Ringwood.

Located at Mont Albert Road and Union Road, the latter of which saw a horrific accident last year, these two level crossings, if they were to be reprioritised - perhaps even bolted-on to the list of the state government's 50 - would most likely result in one station rebuild (Surrey Hills), possibly two (Surrey Hills and Mont Albert).

Beyond Ringwood on the Lilydale branch, level crossings remain at Dublin Road (East Ringwood), Coolstore Road (Croydon), Manchester Road (Mooroolbark), Melba Avenue and Maroodah Highway (Lilydale). Manchester Road and Maroondah Highway are on Spring Street's list of 50 crossings to be removed by 2022.

On the Belgrave branch, Bedford Road (Ringwood), Alpine Street (Ferntree Gully), and Railway Avenue (Upper Ferntree Gully) are the three remaining level crossings, after Scoresby Road and Mountain Highway were grade separated late last year.

Trenches are a feature of this eastern suburbs spine. Starting with the first modern day grade separation project at Boronia, right through to deepening the cutting that already existed at Heatherdale during the most recent grade separation.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/16463334_1347577555316926_2868075743451115199_o.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The trench leading up to Blackburn Station. Image © Level Crossing Removal Authority"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/16463334_1347577555316926_2868075743451115199_o.jpg?itok=2hiZZ-4-" title="The trench leading up to Blackburn Station. Image © Level Crossing Removal Authority" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The trench leading up to Blackburn Station. Image © Level Crossing Removal Authority</figcaption></figure><h2>Dandenong corridor is firing up</h2>

At the same time as the Ringwood corridor is [almost] becoming level crossing-free, the major works on the Dandenong corridor have kicked up a gear.

Last week images of the first columns to support the elevated track between Caulfield and Oakleigh started appearing on social media. Murrumbeena is the site which is seeing the majority activity at present as it's the launch site for this section of the Dandenong corridor work.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">
Fourth pier in place overnight <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/skyrail?src=hash">#skyrail</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MelbourneStevo">@MelbourneStevo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/trainspotter67">@trainspotter67</a> <a href="https://t.co/uGeqnEWP0s">pic.twitter.com/uGeqnEWP0s</a>
— Crossing Watch (@CrossingWatchin) <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://twitter.com/CrossingWatchin/status/827389942116474880">February 3, 2017</a>
</blockquote>

Beyond the primary 'skyrail' project, there are five more level crossings on the list of 50 set to be removed over the next few years.

Abbots Road on the Cranbourne line along with Thompsons Road appear to be the most advanced with the primary website for the <a href="http://levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/crossings">Level Crossing Removal Authority</a> carrying multiple renders at both locations.

Likewise, South Gippsland Highway (Dandenong), Hallam Road (Hallam) and Clyde Road (Berwick) on the Pakenham line are currently 'in planning'.
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Alastair Taylor

Only two level crossings remain between the City and Ringwood

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In December 2016, Melbourne airport almost nudged 1,000,000 international passengers through its terminals - on top of the 2,100,000 people who flew through the domestic terminals.

The January 25th media release title says it all: "<a href="http://melbourneairport.com.au/news-events/listing/overview/melbourne-airport-passenger-records-smashed-in-2016-2136">Melbourne Airport passenger records smashed in 2016</a>".

In December 2015, 864,477 international passengers used Tullamarine, in December 2016: 953,855 passengers embarked on their journey to or from Australia through our airport, representing 10.2% growth.

Domestic growth was a little more tempered, where 2,188,317 people used the domestic terminals (compared to the December 2015 numbers of 2,142,748) representing 2.1% growth.

Overall, the calendar year saw 34.6 million passengers fly through Melbourne Airport - 4.6% growth compared to the 2015 calendar year.  4.6% growth is <a href="/news/tick-tock-melbourne-airport-records-5-1-fy16-passenger-growth">bang-on the 10 year average growth rate</a> at the airport.  

Tick tock, tick tock.

<h2>Monorail proposal pops up again</h2>

Despite the curious, generalised and overwhelmingly simplistic put-down of old steel-wheel on steel-rail technology in the first 15 seconds of its corporate video, <a href="http://www.airshuttleaust.com.au/">Airshuttle Australia</a> as it is now known, popped up again in October last year with a promise to build a cheap monorail down a freeway median with a ticket price similar to the current skybus.

On the whole we should encourage solutions that propose to use a different technology to fulfil a solution to a major problem. Yet, I question whether it should be a sky-high fares, private-sector type solution.

There's a now a decent amount of literature on Toronto's dalliance with dedicated "downtown to Airport" rail which began services with sky-high fares only to have them more-than-halved soon after launch.  4-5 months after fares were chopped in half, ridership had tripled according to <a href="http://torontoist.com/2016/10/ridership-is-up-on-torontos-airport-rail-link/">Torontoist</a>.  

I recommend reading Human Transit's "<a href="http://humantransit.org/2016/03/keys-to-great-airport-transit">Keys to Great Airport Transit</a>"; discerning readers will note this one major warning: don't limit the airport rail service to just make it serve one destination, having more is better.  

Consider this: Toronto Pearson saw 40 million passengers in 2016, Melbourne Tullamarine saw 34.6 million.  Toronto Pearson is - measured by rail distance 23 km from the centre of the city, Melbourne Tullamarine would be a similar distance via Sunshine &amp; Albion.  The Union-Pearson Express has two intermediate stops, an airport rail line to Tullamarine would likely stop at Footscray and Sunshine (including Metro tunnel stations).

In fact the only dramatic difference between Toronto and Melbourne airport is that Toronto sees a much higher amount of aircraft movements (~440k versus ~250k), best explained owing to the nature of North American aviation: short and medium distance city pairs are generally served by regional jets (~50-100 passengers) on high frequencies; the bulk of Melbourne's aircraft movements are undertaken in Boeing 737/Airbus 320 or larger sized aircraft (~150-180+ passengers).

It's not uncommon to hear/read people use the early experience of Sydney and Brisbane when discussing (or debating) Melbourne's possible solution for better public transport to the airport. 

Sydney, if you go by Human Transit's guidance, got it right on making trains go "somewhere else" other than the city and airport (trains head all the way out to the south western suburbs) but got it wrong on fares.  <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/train-passengers-to-sydney-airport-line-governments-coffers-to-tune-of-100m-20160301-gn7c3y">Calls are still to this day being made</a> to eliminate the high access fee which bumps up the Sydney airport rail fares.

The lessons of Toronto are possibly the most relevant to Melbourne and here's hoping the state government take heed of them when assessing an unsolicited proposal, should one actually end up on Spring Street.
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Tick tock: Melbourne airport achieves 10% year-on-year international passenger growth in 2016

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Continuing on our journey of taking a look at Melbourne's development along each tram line, we're kicking off 2017 with the 48 - the first of the "south of the river" routes, and the 75 - both of these routes leave/enter the city on the same corridor: Wellington Parade / Bridge Road.

As a reminder, I'm not including projects from the City of Melbourne or City of Port Phillip in any of these individual route analyses, for the simple reason that as the network "bunches" its routes the closer to the city, the more irrelevant an individual line becomes.

Nevertheless, such is the nature of the tram network in the east, that routes interact with each other on a grander scale compared to Melbourne's north (use the navigation section below to view routes in the north already covered) where the network is just like our heavy rail: mainly radial. The 48 &amp; 75 could be described quite easily as radial as well however the routes link up with others in the inner suburbs, particularly in Richmond, Kew, Hawthorn and Camberwell.

The 48 uses the relatively new Collins Street to Spring Street southbound junction and then continues along Wellington Parade and is one of the two main routes on Bridge Road. Crossing the river the 48 turns north to Kew and then continues in a north-easterly direction to its terminus at North Balwyn.

The 75 begins outside Edithad Stadium and runs down to Flinders Street and shares the same track as the 48 along Wellington Parade and Bridge Route.

Where the 48 turns northward once crossing the river, the 75 heads through Hawthorn, turns south on Power Street then heads east along Riversdale Road - sharing the tracks with route 70 in the process - then at Camberwell junction heads south east to Toorak Road and then all the way out to Vermont South on the Burwood Highway.

<h2>The numbers</h2>

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width:100%;">
<thead><tr>
<th scope="col">Aspect</th>
			<th scope="col">Number of projects</th>
			<th scope="col">Number of dwellings</th>
		</tr></thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Residential projects: Planning Assessment</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">21</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">1174</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>Residential projects: Approved</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">13</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">1071</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>Residential projects: Registration and Sales</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">20</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">983</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>Residential projects: Under Construction</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">19</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">1013</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>TOTAL</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">75</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">4241</td>
		</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<a href="https://static.ptv.vic.gov.au/siteassets/Maps/Routes/PDFs/2903_Tram48.pdf">Linear route 48 map</a>

<a href="https://static.ptv.vic.gov.au/siteassets/Maps/Routes/PDFs/958_Tram75.pdf">Linear route 75 map</a>

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width:100%;">
<thead><tr>
<th scope="col">Tram routes 48 &amp; 75</th>
			<th scope="col">Further information</th>
		</tr></thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Timetabled weekday peak frequency</td>
			<td>48: 5-6 minutes (11-12 trams per hour) 75: 9-10 minutes (6-7 trams per hour)</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>Timetabled weekday off-peak frequency</td>
			<td>48: 10 minutes (6 trams per hour); 75: 10 minutes (6 trams per hour)</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>Timetabled weekend daytime frequency</td>
			<td>Both routes: 12-15 minutes (4-5 trams per hour)</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>Timetabled night-time frequency</td>
			<td>48: 20 minutes (3 trams per hour); 75: 30 minutes (2 trams per hour) - 30 minutes (24/7 operation Friday/Saturday nights)</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>Raised-platform stops?</td>
			<td>
			Not uniform limited to inner city Melbourne, Richmond, some scattered at the outer edges of route 75.
			</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>Where do the trams go to sleep?</td>
			<td>48: <a href="http://vicsig.net/index.php?page=trams&amp;depot=kew">Kew Depot</a>, 75: <a href="http://vicsig.net/index.php?page=trams&amp;depot=camberwell">Camberwell Depot</a>
</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>Primary tram class that operates on the route.</td>
			<td>B2 (high-floor, articulated).</td>
		</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2>Richmond</h2>

It should come as no surprise that within Richmond, the section of Bridge Road between Punt Road and Church street has a very high concentration of projects - 12 in total.  Further down the hill toward the river, 5 projects are located either side of the tram corridor.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image9_8_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="10 Bromham Place, Richmond"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="336" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image9_8_0.jpg?itok=0ChjPMDK" title="10 Bromham Place, Richmond" width="580"></a>

<figcaption><a href="/buildings/10-bromham-place-richmond">10 Bromham Place, Richmond</a></figcaption></figure><h2>Hawthorn</h2>

Both 48 and 75 routes diverge as Bridge Road crosses the Yarra River and both routes within the suburb of Hawthorn (and Hawthorn East) have a smattering of projects, although not on the same scale as Richmond

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/render007_exterior_c.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Maple, Hawthorn"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="413" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/render007_exterior_c.jpg?itok=QuHPWgt5" title="Maple, Hawthorn" width="580"></a>

<figcaption><a href="/buildings/maple-121-power-street-hawthorn">Maple, Hawthorn</a></figcaption></figure> 

<h2>Kew &amp; Balwyn (route 48)</h2>

Kew junction features 5 projects with a further 3 located not far from the tram corridor. As route 48 climbs up the hill, the project density becomes sparse however there is one notable project located - depicted below - not far from the terminus.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image59_1_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="76-78 Doncaster road, Balwyn North"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="318" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image59_1_0.jpg?itok=lsvcggsb" title="76-78 Doncaster road, Balwyn North" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>76-78 Doncaster road, Balwyn North</figcaption></figure> 

<h2>Camberwell, Burwood &amp; Vermont South (route 75)</h2>

The 75 is one of the longest routes in the city and transitions through a wide variety of streetscapes.  In particular, as the route leaves Burwood-proper, the wider Burwood Highway sees the tram route run in its own right of way.  Interestingly, in this section, near Middleborough Road, a cluster of pipeline projects exists.  Ditto near Deakin University and Burwood East - clusters of 2 and 3 projects exist.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image24_5.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Poplars, Burwood"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="344" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image24_5.jpg?itok=aSRX0rTp" title="The Poplars, Burwood" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Poplars, Burwood</figcaption></figure>​​​​​​​

<h2>Navigation</h2>

<a href="/news/melbournes-development-by-tram-the-86">Anti-clockwise: the 86 - Bundoora RMIT to Waterfront City Docklands</a>
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Melbourne's development by tram: the 48 & 75

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<h2>Comment</h2>

In a word: Docklands. Oh, and Southbank. Long gone are the days when the major development projects in the CBD were dominated by office uses.

I vividly remember as a young boy, trips to the CBD with giant commercial builds dotting the skyline. 101 Collins Street, 120 Collins Street, 333 Collins Street, 530 Collins Street, 500 Bourke Street, 360 Elizabeth Street, 242 Exhibition Street and 2 Lonsdale Street were all under construction over the last few years of the 80s and early 90s.

In fact, four of those towers listed above - 101 Collins, 120 Collins, 600 Bourke (a.k.a. Bourke Place), 360 Elizabeth (a.k.a. Melbourne Central) - coupled with Rialto which was built earlier in the 80s, remained visual anchors for Melbourne CBD's skyline for years to come.

The next boom which occurred around the turn of the millennium saw uppity residential projects take the height crown from Rialto. Eureka Tower and 1 Freshwater Place were constructed simultaneously, and not only did they take the cake for scale overall, it was the start of a push outside the CBD.

The early 2000s cycle still witnessed a fair whack of commercial towers developed: Bourke Street's former Southern Cross Hotel made way for a dual-tower development tenanted by State Government departments and Australia Post; Freshwater Place saw a 160m tower built which was originally tenanted by PriceWaterhouseCoopers, 8 Exhibition Street whose Ernst &amp; Young signage hasn't changed since it completed construction and the Urban Workshop, squished in between Casselden Place (2 Lonsdale Street) and Telstra's HQ (242 Exhibition Street).

It's true, in this <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/from-boardrooms-to-bedrooms-could-the-apartment-boom-kill-melbournes-cbd-20170111-gtpidk">long-cycle that we're currently in, residential is dominating in the CBD</a> but there are some commercial towers on the cards; the most high-profile of which are 80 Collins Street and 477 Collins Street.

<h2>But Docklands happened, and Fishermans Bend is about to happen</h2>

Docklands is many things: an extension of the traditional Central Business District, multiple new residential areas, a leisure and entertainment precinct as well as a new sporting precinct. People will debate if it's still bad or is much better than what it was previously during its haphazard development, but overall it has sucked most of the major new commercial development out of the traditional CBD: the Hoddle grid.

At the same time as the 8 Exhibition Street, Southern Cross and Urban Workshop projects were underway, so too were NAB's campuses at 800 Bourke Street, followed by ANZ's new headquarters down the Docklands end of Collins Street. Fairfax media ditched an old campus that used to house its printing presses on one side of Spencer Street for a brand spanker on the other side of the street not all that long ago too.

They're all giant 'groundscrapers' designed around larger open-plan floorplates, the type of footprint that used to be exclusively in the purview of suburban business parks; they've won awards, they're definitely 'greener' than the towers built in the early 90s commercial tower boom yet at a fundamental level, their giant footprints only have critical mass of activity around business hours. Most of the retail components in these buildings work on these hours as well.

More land consumed, little use of the precinct outside of business hours. Contrast that with the CBD and the large skyscraper offices that have existed since the 60s and 70s: less land consumed, more diverse uses at ground level and in adjoining properties.

Yes, I can already hear the keyboards bashing away ready to blurt out "but it's a business district" however are offices solely responsible for the massive amounts of activity in the Hoddle grid? 20 years ago one could argue yes, these days? We have far more diverse uses for the spaces in the CBD that are used well beyond the Monday to Friday 9-5.

<h2>Looking ahead</h2>

One of the more unexpected things to happen after the Andrews Government came to power a little over two years ago, was for the Planning Minister to enlarge the Fishermans Bend urban renewal area. Ditto, the purchase of the former General Motors site in the precinct was also… interesting.

The expansion of the urban renewal area is focused solely on jobs and to date, early renders that have floated about the internet depict the former General Motors site to be developed in much the same way as commercial developments sprung up in the early days of Docklands.

We're lucky to be at this early stage of the development, where structure plans can incentivise and guide specific types of development into precincts, but one thing's for certain: if we're going to be getting new 'employment spaces' in Fishermans Bend in the form of campus offices, expect more Docklands. Not postcode 3000.

And overall, this comparatively cheap land in Fishermans Bend will attract the eyes of many developers and new large-scale corporate tenants looking to upgrade. The pull away from the CBD is not going to cease.

Therefore it's imperative that we properly service the expansion of central Melbourne with the right level of public transport, so it integrates fully with the CBD. This means plans like the second Metro tunnel should be well advanced as the first piling rigs for the new wave of commercial development start driving into the ground in Fishermans Bend.

The best bet the City of Melbourne can hope for in the CBD is more projects like Collins Arch - residential, office, hotel and retail all contained within one building, creating a micro 24/7 precinct - and this is what we should be aiming for throughout Fishermans Bend too.
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The horse bolted on concentrated commercial development in Melbourne's CBD long ago

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Today we're heading off on our annual article publishing hiatus. We'll be back to normal article publishing operations in mid-January 2017.

2016 has been the most interesting year yet with our database ballooning to over 1,300 projects, the launch of <a href="https://developmentsites.melbourne/">Development Sites Melbourne</a>, Oh.Yes.Melbourne's new home on Apartments.com.au, our buyer-friendly <a href="/new-apartments">Off The Plan landing page</a> kicked off recently and you, our audience, continues to grow (15% since the start of the year).

Since January 1 and up until the time of writing, a touch over 500,000 unique user agents have visited sites in our network and we have served up 3,400,000 pages to them.

Melbourne loves its towers, if our the top five most viewed projects are any guide, in order: <a href="/buildings/collins-arch-447-collins-street-melbourne">Collins Place</a>, <a href="/buildings/queens-place-157-a-beckett-street-and-370-queen-street-melbourne">Queens Place</a>, <a href="/buildings/eq-tower-127-abeckett-street-melbourne">EQ Tower</a>, <a href="/buildings/aurora-melbourne-central-224-la-trobe-street-melbourne">Aurora Melbourne Central</a> and <a href="/buildings/whitehorse-towers-850-whitehorse-road-box-hill">Whitehorse Towers</a> were clubhouse leaders this year.

The top five most read articles were:

<ol>
<li><a href="/news/monash-clayton-continues-to-evolve-with-another-new-construction-program">Monash Clayton continues to evolve with a new construction program</a></li>
	<li><a href="/news/st-kilda-junction-subject-to-its-biggest-development-yet">St Kilda Junction subject to its biggest development yet</a></li>
	<li>
<a href="/news/melbournes-low-rise-high-density-all-projects-with-5-or-6-floors-in-one-long-list">Melbourne's low-rise high-density: all projects with 5 or 6 floors in one long list</a>*</li>
	<li>
<a href="/news/welcome-to-boom-town-melbournes-low-rise-high-density-projects-in-one-long-list">Welcome to boom-town: Melbourne's low-rise high-density projects in one long list</a> (all projects with 2, 3 or 4 floors)*</li>
	<li><a href="/news/southbanks-surge-continues-another-cbd-model-update">Southbank's surge continues: another CBD model update</a></li>
</ol>
* the low-rise high-density articles were published in November 2015 and found a new life earlier this year.

Looking ahead, in 2017 we're looking forward to seeing the Fishermans Bend structure plans released &amp; bedded down, a myriad of new completions - both tall and small - and perhaps, just perhaps, more momentum behind better market-affordable &amp; social urban housing policy from Spring Street.

Also next year, expect to see new regular writers published in 2017 and stay tuned for new infrastructure changes in the first half of the year.

From all of us, thank you to the readers, the commenters, our advertisers/commercial partners and fans in general. Have a safe break and see you in the new year.

 

P.S. A book recommendation for your summer reading list / last minute Christmas gift to yourself: <a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/City-Dreamers-Urban-Imagination-Australia-ebook/dp/B01ICS52TU">City Dreamers: The Urban Imagination in Australia by Graeme Davison</a>.

<blockquote>
City Dreamers restores Australian cities, and those who created them, to their rightful place in the national imagination. Building on a lifetime’s work, Graeme Davison views Australian history, from 1788 to the present day, through the eyes of city dreamers - such as Henry Lawson, Charles Bean and Hugh Stretton – and others who have helped make the cities we inhabit.

Davison looks at significant individuals or groups that he calls snobs, slummers, pessimists, exodists, suburbans and anti-suburbans – and argues that there’s a particular twist to the ways in which Australians think about cities. And the way we live in them.

This extraordinary book excavates the cultural history of the Australian city by focusing on ‘dreamers’, those who battle to make and re-make our cities. It reminds us that for most of us the city is home, and it is there that we find belonging.
</blockquote>

Lead image credit: <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.flickr.com/photos/aasmund/6773343231">flickr</a>.
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2016 in review

<html><body>
<h2>Comment</h2>

The clock keeps ticking. And it's not going away anytime soon. I'm of course talking about land transport to and from Melbourne Airport, or more to the point our over-reliance on the road network to transport both passengers and employees to and from the airport terminals and the many businesses located nearby.

In either reporting or an op-ed form, there's a vast array of published public advocacy for a Melbourne rail link both here on UM and elsewhere, and when Spring Street is asked to comment, this article in <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/melbourne-aiport-begs-for-rail-link-warns-tullamarine-freeway-faces-gridlock-20161205-gt4hnr">The Age</a> from December 2016 illustrates the government's consistent response: yes, but not now.

<blockquote>
Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan said an airport rail link could not be build without the Metro Rail Tunnel first being completed.

"In less than two years we've fully funded and started building the Metro Tunnel, and we're getting on with the other major projects our network needs – 50 level crossing removals, bigger trains, high-capacity signalling and major line upgrades in Melbourne and regional Victoria," Ms Allan said.
<cite>Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan as quoted in <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/melbourne-aiport-begs-for-rail-link-warns-tullamarine-freeway-faces-gridlock-20161205-gt4hnr">The Age</a></cite>
</blockquote>

Whether the government doesn't want to commit to expanding the scope of works required in an already incredibly large-scale project - the 'High Capacity Metro Line' (HCML - the Melbourne Metro Tunnel + Level Crossing removals + new trains + new signalling system on the Sunbury-Pakenham/Cranbourne corridor) - or some other reason, we may never know.

However, the 'line' pushed out by the government is consistent: the government is placing a de facto Metro tunnel dependency on the Melbourne Airport Rail link.

If we take this on face value, then why isn't the government positioning itself to kick off the project so that its construction and opening coincides with the completion of the metro tunnel in 2025-2026? Day 1 of metro tunnel operations would be day 1 of Airport rail services as well as Melton.

The <a href="http://www.infrastructurevictoria.com.au/sites/default/files/files/Draft%20strategy%20-%20tech%20reports/AECOMPwC%20Options%20Assessment%203%20Technical%20Report%20%E2%80%93%20Supplement%20C.PDF">Aecom-PWC report</a> conducted for Infrastructure Victoria to inform the authority on the costs of well-known big-ticket transport projects produced a 'lower bound cost' of $2.1 billion and an 'upper bound cost' of $3.1 billion to build the Melbourne Airport Heavy rail line - project coded as MAH (refer to <a href="http://www.infrastructurevictoria.com.au/sites/default/files/files/Draft%20strategy%20-%20tech%20reports/AECOMPwC%20Options%20Assessment%203%20Technical%20Report%20%E2%80%93%20Supplement%20C.PDF">pages 25 through 30</a>).

The line as assessed in the report would include rebuilding Albion Station (and presumably a proper grade separated rail junction that didn't force airport trains to pass the Albion station platforms), a new rail bridge over the Maribyrnong (presumably to run alongside the <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/63W8YFSSzxo">existing bridge</a> which carries the interstate network across the river), an elevated track section in the airport precinct and a station at the airport near the transport hub near terminals 3 &amp; 4.

The draft options book, which the Aecom-PWC report findings were fed into, found that the benefit-cost ratio without wider economic benefits ranged from 1.0 and 1.2 and with wider economic benefits, the ratio would be 1.2 to 1.6. In other words, the project makes economic sense in that the project would produce an 'even' return (1.0) or more likely a positive return.

<blockquote>
While the existing plans for an Airport Rail Link have provided the basis for our assessment, we have not proposed a particular technical solution for this option, but note that existing plans for the rail link along the Albion East alignment and connecting to the south-east via the Melbourne Metro tunnel are projected to face capacity challenges over the long term, due to growth on the Melton and Sunbury lines which would share tracks with the airport line.

A more enduring solution could require a different network configuration, potentially leveraging further capacity upgrades to the Sunshine and Werribee corridors (ref. 10.10.2), or by identifying a different corridor for the airport rail link – whether connected to the existing rail corridor or a separate dedicated link. Consideration could even be given to linking to regional rail corridors.

However, caution is warranted in pursuing any options which would be materially higher cost than the current plans.
<cite><a href="http://www.infrastructurevictoria.com.au/sites/default/files/files/Draft%20Options%20Book%20Version%20Two%20-%20FINAL.PDF">Infrastructure Victoria Draft Options Book version two</a>, page 460</cite>
</blockquote>

Furthermore:

<blockquote>
With the large supply of car parking areas at Melbourne Airport, there is a risk that the structure of the pricing and number of services may not attract people to leave their cars at home.

This could lower the benefits from this option that involves a significant capital investment. This option presents the opportunity to re-use a proportion of the existing airport car parking for more productive land uses such as hotels and other development plans to increase the ability to realise Melbourne Airport as a national employment centre.
<cite><a href="http://www.infrastructurevictoria.com.au/sites/default/files/files/Draft%20Options%20Book%20Version%20Two%20-%20FINAL.PDF">Infrastructure Victoria Draft Options Book version two</a>, page 460</cite>
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/schematic_stage_3_0.png" rel="gallery-all" title="The Melton &amp; Airport lines in the context of the 2012 PTV Network Development Plan"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="490" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/schematic_stage_3_0.png?itok=75YHa7P0" title="The Melton &amp; Airport lines in the context of the 2012 PTV Network Development Plan" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Melton &amp; Airport lines in the context of the 2012 PTV Network Development Plan</figcaption></figure>In 2016's budget, nearly half a billion dollars was committed to upgrading the Ballarat line - including duplicating the track between Deer Park and Melton as the precursor to electrification and bringing Melton onto the Metro network, another western branch of the new HCML.

And most recently comments from the Prime Minister about Melbourne's lack of a rail link point to, perhaps, an increasing willingness for the Federal Government to finally invest in a proper city shaping project (and not a project for the road freight lobby) in Melbourne.

Despite efforts at the state level to remove the politics out of infrastructure planning - the true test for Spring Street will be once they release their 5-year plan at the end of the year - populism is going to reign supreme at the Federal level.

Daniel Andrews, Jacinta Allan and Tim Pallas should be grabbing this opportunity to kick off the planning and design for the second round of Melton line works (the electrification) and the planning and design for the Airport Link at the same time.

The existing non-electrified regional track from Sunshine to Deer Park will need to be duplicated (to become a 4 track corridor) to maintain separation of Vline and Metro services where the regional trains are at their most frequent (Geelong trains turn off the corridor beyond Deer Park) and that will inevitably result in augmentation of Sunshine station, specifically its track layout.

Given the likelihood of building airport rail link will require minimal interaction with existing services - it would be built adjacent to existing track or in new corridors - and that catenary can be installed with only minor interference with existing services, the major disruptive works will likely be where the two branches connect with the mainline and Sunshine and Albion respectively. Upgrading Melton and building the Airport branches at the same time would present an opportunity to minimise disruption by building both new junctions at the same time.

The overwhelming majority of track for the airport line in the Albion corridor can be built in isolation, therefore it begs the question what's stopping the planning for the airport link and Melton electrification kicking off soon with the aim of opening these two new branches at or around the same time as the HCML?

If the High Capacity Metro Line is to begin operations in 2025-2026 when the new tunnel opens, that's plenty of lead time for both governments to invest in the detailed business case for both branches within the next 12 months and then pending the results, kick off an 18-24 month planning and design period thereafter.

Another 36-month build-test-commission period after the planning and design phase would bring us very close to the estimated High Capacity Metro Line opening date.

Spring Street might want Melburnians to focus on the huge infrastructure programme it has unleashed on the city already, however what's next?

The 5 year plan to be released at the end of the year might answer this question but will the Federal Government be on side with it? Unlikely - it's far more likely to be infrastructure politics as usual when it comes to dealing with Canberra.

Spring Street should be getting the Federal Government to put their money where the Prime Minister's mouth is and get them to lock in the $2-$3 billion extra needed to add the airport branch to the new cross-city metro line.

Lead image: Daniel Bowen
</body></html>

Tick tock: let's get Melton upgraded and the Airport rail link built at the same time

<html><body>
Property developer FourSQ are opening the doors of their warehouse inspired display suite for luxury townhouse development, No. 108, located at 108 Leicester Street, Fitzroy, following an unprecedented sales campaign which has seen seven of the eight residences sold in five weeks.

The development, which has broken price barriers with townhouses priced from $1.6-2.3 million, has previously been accessible strictly by appointment only, but this Saturday the public are invited to take a glimpse into the luxury vertical penthouses.

Daniel Cashen, Director of Residential at Knight Frank says he is not surprised by the level of interest in the project to date.

<blockquote>
Fitzroy consistently achieves high prices for its housing stock, which gave us confidence that there was latent demand for our product. Buyers have been drawn to the superior design and finishes, as well as the high ceilings and obviously the location. They have also embraced the ‘vertical penthouse’ style of living, with baby boomers responding positively to the private lifts.
<cite>Daniel Cashen, Director of Residential, Knight Frank</cite>
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/fsq003_exterior_01_complete.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="No. 108 - Leicester Street, Fitzroy. Image: Knight Frank"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="386" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/fsq003_exterior_01_complete.jpg?itok=ezXUmTNS" title="No. 108 - Leicester Street, Fitzroy. Image: Knight Frank" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>No. 108 - Leicester Street, Fitzroy. Image: Knight Frank</figcaption></figure>On display in this warehouse shell, will be a full-scale example of the spacious living area, furnished by exclusive furniture retailer, Hub, as well as the Italian-made and designed Dada kitchen with a stone island bench and stainless steel bench top.

Visitors will have the opportunity to get a sense of the full floor bedrooms with walk-in-wardrobes complete with dressing tables, customisable Italian made Molteni joinery, ensuites featuring solid surface double vanities, built-in bath and the large walk-in shower.

A key feature of the 4 and 5 level townhouses, No. 108’s private roof terraces with Tait Tilt Outdoor Kitchen and a premium Electrolux barbecue, have also been fully mocked up to give potential purchasers a taste of what life would look like in these striking vertical homes.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/fsq003_section_03_complete.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="No. 108 - Leicester Street, Fitzroy. Image: Knight Frank"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="701" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/fsq003_section_03_complete.jpg?itok=c79pO2eL" title="No. 108 - Leicester Street, Fitzroy. Image: Knight Frank" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>No. 108 - Leicester Street, Fitzroy. Image: Knight Frank</figcaption></figure>The first collaboration between FourSQ and BKK Architects, No. 108 residences have a 6.6-star average energy rating and offer expansive, flexible floorplans of 152-232 square metres. They each feature private lifts and soaring 3 metre ceilings along with the private roof terraces, which boast spectacular city and mountain range views.

The design of the project acknowledges the classic housing genres of its Fitzroy neighbourhood. Along Young Street the design is a contemporary reworking of traditional Victorian terraces while on Leicester Street it’s a reimagining of archetypal warehouse conversions.

For buyers aspiring to secure their own FourSQ/BKK townhouse but with a smaller budget, FourSQ will be launching a new development in collaboration with the award-winning architect in Flemington early next year, with residences under $1 million.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/fsq003_interior_06_complete.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="No. 108 - Leicester Street, Fitzroy. Image: Knight Frank"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="193" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/fsq003_interior_06_complete.jpg?itok=12xEnagS" title="No. 108 - Leicester Street, Fitzroy. Image: Knight Frank" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>No. 108 - Leicester Street, Fitzroy. Image: Knight Frank</figcaption></figure>
</body></html>

FourSQ throws open its display suite for No. 108 in Fitzroy

<html><body>
Planning Minister Richard Wynne has announced new development controls for Fishermans Bend with a focus on social housing, three bedroom apartments and more commercial and community uses in certain precincts.

In a media release distributed on Sunday morning, the new controls are:

<ul>
<li>If buildings taller than 12 levels are proposed, the developers will be encouraged to make 6% of the total unit stock available for social housing.</li>
	<li>Similarly, in 12+ level proposals, developers are encouraged to configure at 30% of total unit stock as three bedroom apartments.</li>
	<li>In Lorimer and Montague precincts, buildings taller than 2 levels will be expected to include at least 15% of floor space for commercial and community use.</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
We need our new neighbourhoods to have a good mix of small and large apartments with social housing and commercial space.

Developers who want to build projects in properly planned precincts, who want to build neighbourhoods with some longevity, have got the opportunity to be part of the biggest urban renewal opportunity in the country.

Landowners wanting to sell off applications for maximum profit with no regard to the long-term will have to work a bit harder.
<cite>Planning Minister Richard Wynne</cite>
</blockquote>

The interim controls which had discretionary height limits between 4 and 40 levels were introduced last year whilst detailed neighbourhood environmental precinct plans were underway. The discretionary height limits will now be mandatory and applied to every existing development application currently under assessment.

The mandatory controls which also include new building setbacks will be in place until final neighbourhood plans are set in late 2008. There are currently 21 proposals under assessment in Fishermans Bend at present.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u5gQBcZg_RE" width="100%"></iframe>

A spokesperson for the Minister added some clarity around the language used in the media release, that developers are 'encouraged' to make 6% of units available for social housing:

<ul>
<li>Whilst the discretionary height limit controls (4-40 levels) are now mandatory and will remain in place until the neighbourhood plans are set in stone in late 2018, the social housing components are discretionary until this time as well.</li>
	<li>Discretionary, in this sense, means that the Minister - as the responsible authority for Fishermans Bend - will look more favourably on new (or revamped existing) proposals which include a social housing component.</li>
	<li>The Victorian Government is seeking to encourage the development community to forge relationships with social housing providers and overall will take a view on the market's response before implementing mandatory controls when the neighbourhood plans come into force in late 2018.</li>
</ul>
</body></html>

Planning Minister announces new controls for Fishermans Bend

<html><body>
Tram route 86 is the last of the routes in Northern Melbourne and it also happens to be the route with the largest development pipeline thus far in this series.

By virtue of the route passing through Fitzroy and Collingwood, Northcote and Thornbury, the emerging Preston cluster and then right out into the middle-to-outer north eastern suburbs, the route covers a lot of ground and therefore passes by a large population. The 86 is the 2nd busiest in Melbourne with 15.5 million trips recorded annually according to the publically available data on Yarra Trams' website.

The municipalities of Yarra, Darebin and Whittlesea are serviced by the 86 with all but 1 project on the Apartments.com.au Project Database positioned near this tram corridor in Yarra and Darebin.

<h2>The numbers</h2>

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width:100%;">
<thead><tr>
<th scope="col">Aspect</th>
			<th scope="col">Number of projects</th>
			<th scope="col">Number of dwellings</th>
		</tr></thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Residential projects: Planning Assessment</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">15</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">844</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>Residential projects: Approved</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">17</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">1544</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>Residential projects: Registration and Sales</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">13</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">851</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>Residential projects: Under Construction</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">16</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">1175</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>TOTAL</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">61</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">4414</td>
		</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
​

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/1881_tram86.gif" rel="gallery-all" title="Linear route 86 map - Yarra Trams"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="3118" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/1881_tram86.gif?itok=xT80xX-D" title="Linear route 86 map - Yarra Trams" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Linear route 86 map - Yarra Trams</figcaption></figure>​

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width:100%;">
<thead><tr>
<th scope="col">Tram route 86</th>
			<th scope="col">Further information</th>
		</tr></thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Timetabled weekday peak frequency</td>
			<td>5-6 minutes (10-11 trams per hour)</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>Timetabled weekday off-peak frequency</td>
			<td>7-8 minutes (8 trams per hour)</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>Timetabled weekend daytime frequency</td>
			<td>10-12 minutes (5-6 trams per hour)</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>Timetabled night-time frequency</td>
			<td>20-30 minutes (2-3 trams per hour); 30 minutes/2 trams per hour (Sunday nights) 24/7 operation Friday/Saturday nights</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>Raised-platform stops?</td>
			<td>
			Not uniform but several scattered up and down the route both in the inner-city and middle/outer suburbs.
			</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>Where do the trams go to sleep?</td>
			<td>
<a href="http://vicsig.net/index.php?page=trams&amp;depot=preston">Preston Depot</a> (Miller Street, Preston)</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>Primary tram class that operates on the route.</td>
			<td>B2 (high-floor, articulated), <a href="http://www.yarratrams.com.au/media-centre/news/articles/2016/route-86-will-be-next-to-run-e-class!/">recently announced</a> that E-Class trams will begin rolling out on to this route.</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>Annual patronage and rank</td>
			<td>15,500,000 trips annually (2nd busiest route in Melbourne). <a href="http://www.yarratrams.com.au/about-us/who-we-are/facts-figures/">Source</a>
</td>
		</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2>Fitzroy, Collingwood and Clifton Hill</h2>

Similar to the <a href="/news/melbournes-development-by-tram-the-11">11</a> and <a href="/news/melbournes-development-by-tram-the-96">96</a>, as the 86 passes through Fitzroy/Collingwood it passes properties with development-friendly zones - C1Z and MUZ.

Similarly as the 86 crosses Alexandra parade, Smith Street and Queens Parade have a liberal amount of C1Z as well as C2Z and some small parcels of GRZ2 and MUZ. A portion of Queens Parade near the intersection of Smith street is zoned Neighbourhood Residential.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/otterst.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="1-3 Otter Street, Collingwood"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="362" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/otterst.jpg?itok=ODLsvvka" title="1-3 Otter Street, Collingwood" width="580"></a>

<figcaption><a href="/buildings/otter-place-by-milieu">1-3 Otter Street, Collingwood</a></figcaption></figure>Many of the projects on the database are clustered on the eastern side of Smith Street in Collingwood, in particular the Smith/Gertrude Street intersection has 11 projects within a 300-400m radius.

There are another 15 projects located between the aforementioned "South" Fitzroy/Collingwood cluster and Alexandra Parade. Clifton Hill only has four projects located within the scope of the tram corridor.

<h2>Northcote and Thornbury</h2>

As the 86 tram crosses the Merri Creek into the City of Darebin, Northcote and Thornbury have 11 projects between them.

Excluding the properties located to the west of High Street just after crossing Merri Creek and a small section of Northcote hill, the properties directly facing High Street throughout the corridor all the way to Preston Junction are zoned C1Z.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image1pace.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Pace of Northcote"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="343" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image1pace.jpg?itok=6omSTA6e" title="Pace of Northcote" width="580"></a>

<figcaption><a href="/buildings/pace-of-northcote-5-beavers-road-northcote">Pace of Northcote</a></figcaption></figure>Darebin has also seen it fit to graduate the zones just behind the properties which face High Street as well with liberal application of the GRZ2 to both the east and west of High Street throughout Northcote and Thornbury.

<h2>Preston and Bundoora</h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image29_8.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="67-69 High Street, Preston"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="302" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image29_8.jpg?itok=wbbxJXW0" title="67-69 High Street, Preston" width="580"></a>

<figcaption><a href="/buildings/oak-on-high-67-69-high-street-preston">67-69 High Street, Preston</a></figcaption></figure>Preston is synonymous with its market but a curious thing is happening in the suburb. It's a large suburb with the name and postcode present on both sides of Bell Street and three mini-clusters of new development within the same suburb are apparent.

Preston and Bell Stations (both out of the scope of this article) have various projects at different stages popping up next to them. And the High Street/Plenty Road intersection (Preston Junction) has its own mini-cluster - all of which are within the scope of this article.

The properties between Preston Junction and Bell Street are covered by a C1Z and GRZ2 combination and to the north of Bell Street along Plenty Road there's a mish-mash of C1Z, GRZ2 and Industrial Zones according to the most recently published <a href="http://planning-schemes.delwp.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/178373/darebin11zn.pdf">Darebin planning maps</a>.

Beyond Reservoir, Plenty Road's zones become predominantly GRZ2 with the odd exception - there are three projects in Bundoora.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image111_2.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Botanic at Parc Vue"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="347" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image111_2.jpg?itok=QWq9O1u-" title="Botanic at Parc Vue" width="580"></a>

<figcaption><a href="/buildings/botanic-at-parc-vue-1091-plenty-road-bundoora">Botanic at Parc Vue</a></figcaption></figure><h2>Navigation</h2>

<a href="/news/melbournes-development-by-tram-the-11">Anti-clockwise: the 11 West Preston - Victoria Harbour Docklands.</a>

<a href="/news/melbournes-development-by-tram-the-48-75">Clockwise: 48 North Balwyn &amp; 75 Vermont South</a>
</body></html>

Melbourne's development by tram: the 86

<html><body>
The Minister for Public Transport, Jacinta Allan, has held a re-opening of St Albans and Ginifer stations ceremony this morning with trains now running on the new grade separated alignment.

In both cases, the rail line was lowered beneath the road grade. Before the metro services were extended to Watergardens (and subsequently Sunbury), St Albans used to be the terminus and had a third, terminating, platform. This legacy terminating and stabling infrastructure has now been removed.

Likewise at Ginifer, the new station has been rebuilt to front Furlong Road. Previously the platforms were located approximately 100-150 metres from Furlong Road.

The new Ginifer station entrance is now a mere 200 metre walk from the Sunshine Hospital site which will see major investment over the coming years when the Joan Kirner Womens and Childrens hospital is built on the existing site.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tixfpFg0nTE" width="100%"></iframe>

Public Transport Users Association spokesperson, Daniel Bowen, visited both stations on Cup Day and has <a href="http://www.danielbowen.com/2016/11/02/new-ginifer-st-albans-stations/">written a blog post</a> on the history behind the area's level crossing removals. The following images are Daniel's and have been republished with permission.

Like the stations between Caulfield and Moorabbin that were recently re-built, work is still ongoing however train services are now running once more and basic station facilities are now open.

<h2>Ginifer</h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/ginifer_1.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Ginifer station. Image © Daniel Bowen"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="336" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/ginifer_1.png?itok=wMyBdS93" title="Ginifer station. Image © Daniel Bowen" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Ginifer station. Image © Daniel Bowen</figcaption></figure><figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/ginifer_2.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Ginifer station. Image © Daniel Bowen"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="383" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/ginifer_2.png?itok=FgwiusvE" title="Ginifer station. Image © Daniel Bowen" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Ginifer station. Image © Daniel Bowen</figcaption></figure><figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/ginifer_3.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Ginifer station from the concourse. Image © Daniel Bowen"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="360" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/ginifer_3.png?itok=3BHHKvhr" title="Ginifer station from the concourse. Image © Daniel Bowen" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Ginifer station from the concourse. Image © Daniel Bowen</figcaption></figure><figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/ginifer_4.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Ginifer station. Image © Daniel Bowen"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="291" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/ginifer_4.png?itok=dNl9xTkm" title="Ginifer station. Image © Daniel Bowen" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Ginifer station. Image © Daniel Bowen</figcaption></figure><h2>St Albans</h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/st_abans_1.png" rel="gallery-all" title="St Albans station. Image © Daniel Bowen"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="363" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/st_abans_1.png?itok=NCL824kw" title="St Albans station. Image © Daniel Bowen" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>St Albans station. Image © Daniel Bowen</figcaption></figure><figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/st_abans_2.png" rel="gallery-all" title="St Albans station. Image © Daniel Bowen"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="367" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/st_abans_2.png?itok=HHXkc7HN" title="St Albans station. Image © Daniel Bowen" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>St Albans station. Image © Daniel Bowen</figcaption></figure><figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/st_abans_3.png" rel="gallery-all" title="The almost-complete St Albans station concourse. Image © Daniel Bowen"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="360" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/st_abans_3.png?itok=p-RUprtI" title="The almost-complete St Albans station concourse. Image © Daniel Bowen" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The almost-complete St Albans station concourse. Image © Daniel Bowen</figcaption></figure>To see more images, see <a href="http://www.danielbowen.com/2016/11/02/new-ginifer-st-albans-stations/">Daniel Bower's blog</a>.

Main Road (St Albans Station) will close on Friday so the old tracks can be removed and the road will be resurfaced. The road is due to re-open on the 28th of November.

The Minister for Public Transport also announced the next construction 'blitz' is due to start on Friday this week with services on the entire Belgrave branch from Ringwood to be replaced by buses as the Bayswater level crossing removals kick up a gear.

Scoresby Road will be closed from the 2nd (today) until the 19th of November. Mountain Highway will close from the 20th of November until the 23rd of December.
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The new St Albans and Ginifer stations - in pictures

Repeat buyers are one of the strongest measures of confidence in any apartment development.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/era-newcastle-west-124-126-bull-street-newcastle-west-nsw-2302">ERA</a> in Newcastle West, some purchasers are returning to <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/gwh">GWH</a> after living at the developer's One Apartments. Their decision to purchase again was driven by the quality of life they found after moving into their first GWH home.

Keith Wilton had spent years living in a house in East Maitland before deciding it was time for a change. Apartment living had always been on his radar, but he was selective about what he wanted.

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"I had some boxes I wanted to tick," he says.

Keith points to the open-plan design, generous outdoor areas and considered inclusions as key reasons One Apartments worked for him.

“One of those things was a nice indoor open plan area, but also I wanted a nice outdoor open area that I could entertain on in summer or Christmases or birthdays,” he says.

He also found value in the smaller details, from integrated appliances to shared resident spaces including the pool, cinema and rooftop areas.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356818]

After comparing several developments, he chose One Apartments because of GWH's longstanding local reputation and his own experience working with the developer on a commercial project more than a decade earlier.

"I knew that they were local, that the quality of the build was going to be up there. I'd looked at other apartment complexes around and close by, and I just knew that here was a better decision location wise."

Today, Keith says the move has completely changed how he experiences Newcastle.

"I enjoy living in this location because it's more of a lifestyle change. That Newcastle city living where you can walk to restaurants and bars and even beaches and parks and even shopping across the road."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356828]

Beyond the location, he says it's the sense of community that has surprised him most.

"Everyone loves living here because they chose to live here, but everyone looks out for each other. It's a real great community feel here."

For Aimee and Lyle Goodman, the journey started almost by chance.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tsioMLcnjas?si=zq-ys3JuWpfa5hFv" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

The couple happened to be having coffee in Newcastle when they noticed the site where One Apartments was about to begin construction.

"We were aware GWH was planning a development," Aimee says. "We made one phone call and things moved pretty quickly after that."

As busy business owners, they initially thought apartment living would simply reduce the maintenance that came with larger homes. Instead, it fundamentally changed how they spent time together.

"We actually catch up more as a family now," Aimee says.

"We've had homes with big yards and lots of space, but everyone ended up in different rooms. Here we'll have dinner together, the kids can play, and we spend far more quality time together."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356829]

Lyle says their confidence came from GWH's reputation within Newcastle's building industry.

"I know people who've worked across different apartment projects, and whenever GWH came up the feedback was always the same. They're rock solid. They're quality."

That confidence only grew throughout the buying process.

"One of the things that really impressed us with GWH was the whole process, was the communication," Lyle says. "It was consistent, it was regular, there was no problem if we had some weird questions, there was no problems in getting answers."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=351104]

Aimee says one moment stood out.

"The project actually finished on time. We realised we needed to hurry up and sell our house because everything was happening exactly when they said it would."

The positive experience at One Apartments ultimately gave all three buyers the confidence to purchase again with GWH, this time at ERA.

Their confidence reflects what many buyers are seeking in today's apartment market. Location remains important, but so too does certainty around delivery, quality and long-term liveability.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356822]

ERA builds on those foundations with 280 one, two and three-bedroom apartments across two landmark towers in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/newcastle-west-nsw-2302">Newcastle West</a>.&nbsp;

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fk-australia">Fender Katsalidis</a>, the project will include more than 2,000 square metres of resident amenities, including a resort-style pool, gym, sauna, private cinema and rooftop entertaining spaces overlooking the harbour and coastline.&nbsp;

The development is also within walking distance of the Newcastle Interchange, Honeysuckle, Darby Street, the harbour foreshore, restaurants, retail and the city’s beaches, continuing the walkable lifestyle that existing GWH buyers say has transformed how they live.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356826]

For Keith, the appeal remains straightforward.

"You feel at home even before you've moved into your home."

For Aimee, the change is measured in time.

“I just felt like I had more time,” she says.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=351102]

Construction at ERA is now underway, with more than half of the residences already sold and limited two and three-bedroom apartments remaining in the East Tower release. Priced from $980,000 for two-bedroom residences and $1.46 million for three-bedroom residences, buyers can secure an apartment with a 10 per cent deposit, with premium homes offering ocean views from Level 8 and harbour views from Level 10.

ERA is also backed by Resilience Insurance's 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy, providing protection against structural or waterproofing defects for 10 years after completion. The project is anticipated to be completed in early 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135096]

Joel Robinson

From ONE to ERA: Why buyers are choosing GWH again in Newcastle West

Virgate Property Group is preparing to commence construction of Verdé, its new apartment development in Melbourne's Arts Precinct at Southbank, following a strong run of sales that has seen more than half of the project's 173 apartments secured.

Verdé has attracted a broad mix of first home buyers, owner-occupiers upgrading from nearby inner-city suburbs and investors, with younger owner-occupier couples aged between 28 and 45 accounting for the strongest enquiry. Many are already living in Southbank, South Melbourne, Albert Park, Port Melbourne, South Yarra and the CBD.

"Verdé is located in one of the most desirable pockets of southern Melbourne," Blair Property Group Director Darren Blair, who is managing sales at Verdé, said.

"It's within walking distance of the Arts Centre, Royal Botanic Gardens, Albert Park Lake, and Southbank's restaurants and retail. It's a great lifestyle location with strong amenity and liveability, which made it a very attractive choice for the project."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=4661 project_image_fid=372549]

Virgate was already familiar with the precinct, having previously delivered the successful Domain House development in neighbouring South Melbourne. That experience gave the developer confidence to acquire the Coventry Street site and continue expanding its presence in Melbourne's inner south.

"We had been keeping an eye on the site and the broader precinct for a few months before deciding to move forward with the acquisition," Virgate said.

The project was ultimately secured in 2020 following feasibility studies, planning assessments and due diligence, with the brief centred on delivering "a high-quality, considered design that feels both refined and fit for purpose."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=4661 project_image_fid=314259]

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bruce-henderson-architects">Bruce Henderson Architects</a>, Verdé comprises 173 one, two and three-bedroom apartments priced from $599,000. The architecture is distinguished by a faceted glass façade that responds to both the site's outlook and Melbourne's changing light conditions.

According to Bruce Henderson Architects, the coloured glazing gives the building a distinctive identity while also providing privacy and solar shading, with residences oriented to capture views across the bay, city skyline and surrounding parklands.

Inside, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/designoffice">DesignOffice</a> has created interiors focused on natural light, efficient planning and enduring materials. Apartments feature engineered oak flooring, natural stone benchtops, floor-to-ceiling glazing and SMEG appliances, while a restrained material palette aims to complement the expansive outlooks rather than compete with them.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=4661 project_image_fid=372550]

Resident amenity has also been designed around everyday functionality rather than occasional use. Facilities include a concierge-serviced lobby, residents' lounge with fireplace, library and co-working space, gym, terrace garden with barbecue facilities, ground-floor café, and package delivery management.

The project's location continues to be one of its strongest drawcards. Positioned on Coventry Street, Verdé sits within walking distance of the National Gallery of Victoria, Arts Centre Melbourne, Royal Botanic Gardens and Albert Park Lake, while Southbank's dining precinct, Sturt Street trams and the new ANZAC Station are all nearby. The surrounding education catchment also includes Melbourne Grammar, Melbourne Girls Grammar, Mac.Robertson Girls' High School and several major university campuses.

The sales team says buyers have responded particularly well to the combination of location, design quality and long-term liveability.

"They're responding really positively to the quality of the design, premium resident amenities and the uninterrupted views. Many also appreciate the location and how connected it is to everything they need."

The ability to secure stamp duty savings before completion has also been a key factor for purchasers, alongside the opportunity to personalise finishes ahead of settlement.

With construction set to commence soon and more than half the apartments already sold, Verdé enters its next phase as one of the Arts Precinct's more established apartment developments, offering remaining buyers an opportunity to secure a residence before construction advances further. Expected completion is scheduled for late 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=4661]

Virgate's Verdé Southbank moves toward construction as sales fly past halfway stage

Downsizer-focused apartment development Kooyongkoot in Hawthorn has been recognised at the 2026 Better Future Melbourne Design Awards, taking home Gold and Silver awards in two categories.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kooyongkoot-hawthorn-1-kooyongkoot-road-hawthorn-vic-3122">Kooyongkoot</a>, currently being delivered by developer PQD and designed by Cera Stribley, received Gold in the Interior Design – Proposed category and Silver in the Architecture – Proposed category.

The dual recognition reflects the design approach behind the boutique development on prestigious Kooyongkoot Road, where the focus has been on creating homes for downsizers seeking the space, quality and functionality of a detached house within a low-rise apartment building.

Rather than maximising apartment numbers, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/pqd">PQD</a> and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cera-stribley-architects">Cera Stribley</a> limited the development to just 18 residences, allowing for larger floorplans, greater privacy, generous landscaping and expansive communal spaces.&nbsp;The majority of the apartments also benefit from corner aspects, allowing for dual sources of natural light.

Now around 70 per cent complete and on track for completion in November 2026, Kooyongkoot will comprise a mix of garden residences, ter​race apartments, sub-penthouses, and is crowned by two half-floor penthouses with direct lift access and private rooftop terraces.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355297]

The Silver Award for Architecture recognised the way the building responds to its prominent corner position at the ent​rance to Hawthorn's Scotch Hill precinct, one of Melbourne's most established residential neighbourhoods.

Rather than competing with the grand homes that line Kooyongkoot Road, the architectural approach focused on restraint and longevity, using curved brickwork, generous landscaping and carefully considered proportions to integrate with the existing streetscape.

"The form feels fluid and timeless, as though shaped by the landscape itself – architecture that belongs, rather than competes," said Chris Stribley, Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Cera Stribley.

The judging submission also highlighted practical innovations throughout the building, including lift cores servicing only nine homes each, a central landscaped lightcourt designed to bring daylight and ventilation into the building, and fully enclosed private storage rooms with lighting, power and shelving to better accommodate residents transitioning from larger family homes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355293]

The Gold Award for Interior Design recognised the project's focus on long-term liveability rather than display-home aesthetics.

According to the awards submission, the interiors were designed from the inside out, prioritising how homes would function over decades of daily use through generous proportions, practical storage, durable natural materials and flexible layouts.

The specification includes natural stone throughout, upgraded acoustic glazing, V-ZUG appliances and fully enclosed storage rooms, alongside an amenity offering focused on wellness, entertainment and everyday convenience.&nbsp;

Residents will have access to a gym and yoga studio, a wellness centre featuring traditional and infrared saunas, a cold therapy shower and treatment room, as well as a residents' lounge and golf simulator/cinema room for entertainment.&nbsp;Kooyongkoot has also considered the everyday convenience of its residents by offering a private carwash and pet wash facilities on site as well as dedicated parcel lockers and oversized fully enclosed storage rooms.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355303]

The project's attention to detail has already resonated with buyers. Earlier this year, Kooyongkoot recorded one of Boroondara's highest apartment sales when an $8 million penthouse was purchased by a Melbourne CEO downsizing from a nearby family home.

"Every detail feels deliberate, from the overall design down to the smallest touches," the purchaser said.

"The level of quality and refinement is exceptional, but what really sold it was how liveable it felt... It felt like a place where everything had been considered, not just a luxury building."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355304]

Sustainability also formed a key part of both award submissions. Kooyongkoot is targeting a minimum 7.5-star NatHERS rating across all residences, supported by passive design principles, high-performance glazing, EV charging infrastructure, water reuse systems and a wellness model focused on lower-energy dry facilities rather than pools and large wet areas.

Located within walking distance of Scotch College, Methodist Ladies' College, Koo​yong Lawn Tennis Club, Aubur​n Village and Camberwell Junction, Kooyongkoot continues to target owner-occupiers looking to remain in Melbourne's inner east without compromising on space or quality. A limited selection of two, three and four-bedroom residences remains available, with prices starting from $1.9 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=102717]

Kooyongkoot wins Gold and Silver at Better Future Melbourne Design Awards

New apartment supply has become increasingly constrained across <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/parramatta-nsw-2150">Parramatta</a> in recent years, with fewer projects progressing through to completion as development conditions have become more challenging.

It makes <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/novm">NOVM</a>'s 2021-completed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/the-lennox-parramatta-12-phillip-street-parramatta-nsw-2150">The Lennox</a> one of the most recently completed residential towers on the Parramatta River, and among the newest apartment developments in Sydney's second CBD.

With the project largely completed before the sharp escalation in construction costs and inflation following the pandemic, The Lennox is now offering pricing that would be difficult to replicate in a comparable new development in Parramatta today, or across much of Western Sydney.

The majority of the 413 apartments at The Lennox sold before and shortly after completion. A limited release of the remaining apartments has recently been brought to market by capital partner <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/equitifund-group">Equitifund</a>, with entry-level pricing from $700,000 and two-bedroom apartments available from under $1 million.

Rising above the Parramatta River at 12 Phillip Street, The Lennox comprises one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments, appealing to first home buyers, young professionals, families, downsizers and interstate investors seeking a completed apartment in one of Australia's fastest-growing economic centres.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=372394]

Rather than positioning Parramatta as an alternative to Sydney's CBD, Equitifund believes the city has reached a point where it stands on its own merits.

"Parramatta is no longer simply an alternative to Sydney CBD, it's becoming a destination in its own right," Equitifund Executive Chairman Greg Huxley said.

"The Lennox captures that evolution with a level of quality and amenity that's difficult to match at its price point."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=953]

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/marchese-partners">Marchese Partners</a>, the tower responds directly to its riverfront setting through expansive glazing and open-plan layouts that maximise views across the Parramatta River and city skyline. Interiors feature engineered timber flooring, stone benchtops, stainless steel appliances and floor-to-ceiling glazing, while generous balconies extend the living spaces outdoors.

Marchese Partners says the project was conceived to balance high-quality apartment living with practical, long-term functionality, pairing larger, efficient floorplans with amenities more commonly associated with five-star hotels.

That emphasis continues through the resident facilities, which include a 20-metre rooftop swimming pool, fully equipped gym and wellness spaces, full-time concierge, a residents' lounge, function room, private lifts, secure basement parking and rooftop communal areas overlooking the Parramatta River. Ground-floor boardwalk retail and dining further activate the riverfront and integrate the building into the surrounding public realm.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=925]

Australian housing and finance group Equitifund has secured the remaining apartments, believing there are few completed apartment opportunities in Parramatta that offer the same combination of location, amenity and pricing.

Equitifund National Sales Director Ben Hamblett says buyers are increasingly recognising that premium apartment living no longer needs to come with Sydney CBD pricing.

"The Lennox is where aspirational living becomes attainable," Hamblett said.

"Wake to river and mountain views, step into Sydney's Second CBD, and arrive home to resort-calibre amenities, all without the harbour price tag."

Hamblett says owner-occupiers are also attracted by the convenience of having Westfield Parramatta, Church Street's dining precinct, Parramatta Park, Riverside Theatres, Western Sydney University and major transport connections all within walking distance.

"At The Lennox, lifestyle is not an afterthought, it is the foundation."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=5374]

The Lennox places residents within walking distance of Parramatta Square, Westfield Parramatta, Church Street Eat Street, Parramatta Station, the ferry wharf, Light Rail, the future Sydney Metro West, Parramatta Park and CommBank Stadium, reinforcing Parramatta's position as one of Australia's most connected metropolitan centres outside Sydney's CBD.

Equitifund says buyers visiting the display suite consistently comment on the quality of the finishes, generous floorplans, river and skyline views, and the walkability of the location. The project has attracted a broad mix of local professionals, upsizers, downsizers, buyers relocating from Sydney's inner suburbs and interstate investors seeking long-term growth opportunities.

That demand aligns with Parramatta's continued evolution as an economic powerhouse. Equitifund Research and Market Insights specialist John Bekiaris says sustained population growth, infrastructure investment and expanding employment opportunities continue to support long-term housing demand across the city.

"Parramatta has evolved from a satellite city into one of Australia's most important economic centres. Population growth, infrastructure investment and employment are all supporting sustained long-term housing demand."

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=5743]

The apartment price gap drawing Sydney buyers west

A luxury beachfront apartment at Rainbow Bay has more than doubled in value since it sold off the plan six years ago, setting a new local apartment record in the process.

The three-bedroom apartment in the Flow development on Petrie Street, the first of four new projects locally by Paul Gedoun's S&amp;S Projects, has sold for $7.4 million, after originally selling for $3.27 million when the project launched in 2020.

The seventh-floor apartment, comprising 187 sqm of internal living space and a 54 sqm balcony overlooking Froggies Beach and Snapper Rocks, was purchased by a local family.

The transaction was negotiated by Pezet Matheson director Kerry Pezet and equates to more than $30,000 per sqm.

Pezet said the sale reflected the limited opportunities to buy into the boutique beachfront development.

"The sale highlights the rarity of opportunities within the boutique beachfront development, where residences seldom become available," Pezet said.

"Flow is one of the Gold Coast's most tightly held buildings. Buyers from our database move quickly when residences become available, and achieving an off-market sale at $7.4 million demonstrates the depth of demand for property of this calibre."

<img alt="Flow" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c585b206-2130-4eee-a50c-3f27c51a7c70" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-06%20at%208.33.25%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=m3pHRDV62Y3fvN.XQuQHq.52ilTWpRLf" />

Flow was the first of four luxury apartment developments delivered by Paul Gedoun's S&amp;S Projects at Rainbow Bay and was completed in 2023.

Positioned on the beachfront overlooking Snapper Rocks, the residence includes three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a powder room and views stretching north along the coastline towards Surfers Paradise.

Pezet Matheson Residential principal Mitchell Lambert said buyers continued to prioritise quality beachfront apartments in tightly held locations.

"Flow Residences offers a rare combination of elevated beachfront positioning, architectural excellence, comprehensive resident amenity and premium finishes, which is exactly what discerning purchasers are seeking," Lambert said.

"The transaction further reinforces Rainbow Bay's reputation as one of Australia's premier coastal lifestyle destinations, where limited supply and growing demand continue to support strong market performance."

Pezet Matheson originally marketed and sold out Flow off the plan, making the latest transaction a return to one of the project's original buyers.

Paul Gedoun is selling his third project, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/radia-rainbow-bay-271-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Radia Rainbow Bay</a>, after recently completing, and selling out, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/esprit-217-227-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Esprit</a>. He has plans for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/first-look-s-s-projects-proposes-88-apartment-wellness-tower-at-coolangattas-boundary-street">fourth building</a>, 88 apartments on <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/209-213-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Boundary Street</a>.

Alastair Taylor

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