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Asian investors have recently spent a combined $257 million on commercial property in Melbourne with foreign investors buying 25% of commercial property listings in the city, according to Savills Australia.
Two Singaporean firms have spent $226.1 million on four Melbourne properties in the past month and a Hong Kong investor spent $31.5 million on an office block, Fairfax reported.
Singaporean firm Hotel Grand Central spent $48.5 million on Victoria University’s 12-level office building at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-offices-vic-melbourne-500810779">300 Flinders Street </a>(pictured below).
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Fellow Singaporean company Hiap Hoe spent $105 million on a shopping mall at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-retail-vic-melbourne-500679347">206 Bourke Street</a> (pictured below left), $43.8 million on an office and car-park at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-land+development-vic-melbourne-500818235">380 Lonsdale Street</a> (pictured below right) and $28.8 million on a development site at <a target="_blank" href="https://cbre.realcommercial.com.au/property-land+development-vic-docklands-500728599">6-22 Pearl River Road</a>  (pictured below bottom) in Docklands.
<img alt="melbourne_sept_10_three" height="172" width="240" src="/images/stories/2013/09/10/melbourne_sept_10_three.jpg"><img alt="melbourne_sept_10_four" height="172" width="230" src="/images/stories/2013/09/10/melbourne_sept_10_four.jpg">
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And a Hong Kong firm spent $31.5 million on Taylors House at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-offices-vic-melbourne-500015676">399 Lonsdale Street</a> (pictured below).
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Foreign investors buy 25% of commercial listings in Melbourne: Savills

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Melbourne City has again attacked a mooted 72-storey residential tower on Southbank, describing it as “oppressive”.
It says Urban Matrix’s 240 metre plans for 54 Clarke Street will cast shadows on public spaces and dominate the view of neighbouring buildings.
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''The sense of containment would be substantial and oppressive, particularly for dwellings at the lower levels,'' a council report viewed by Fairfax Media says.
The building is being reviewed by the state government after planning control changes nullified a previous approval.
BKK Architects director Simon Knott says the tower will become an icon for those travelling on the West Gate Freeway.
''Because it twists as you move around that bend, the whole building will twist and turn. It's almost like the building is alive,'' he told Fairfax Media.
He says south-facing apartments in the neighbouring building would keep their views, including of the Royal Botanic Gardens.
''The building will sit down one side of the view - it's anything but oppressive.”
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Units in the previously approved designs started from $340,000 for one bedroom and from $400,000 for two bedrooms.
In February Robert Doyle said the building was more than 100 metres taller than preferred by the council.
The 239 square metre site is the former premises of a motor repair firm.
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Melbourne council attacks 240 metre Southbank development

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Total lending on houses has continued to grow steadily according to the Australia Bureau of statistics, but The Real Estate Institute of Australia says first home buyers are missing out.
The number of owner-occupied finance commitments rose by 1.6% – following increases of 2.1% in June and 2.4% in May, in trend terms, according to the ABS.
If refinancing is excluded the increase for July, is 1.5%, in trend terms.
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The value of investment housing commitments rose by 0.8% in July in trend terms, the 12th consecutive monthly increase.
Every state had increases in owner-occupied finance commitments with the largest increases in the ACT and Queensland, up 2.0% and 1.9% respectively in trend terms.
The purchase of established dwellings is up 1.8% in trend terms, the purchase of new dwellings is up 1.4% in trend terms and the number of commitments for the construction of new dwellings is up 0.2% in trend terms.
But the proportion of first home buyers in the number of owner-occupied housing finance commitments fell to 14.7% compared to 15.1% in June.
“The figure remains persistently low compared to the long-run average proportion of 20.1 per cent despite seven interest rate cuts since November 2011,” says REIA’s Peter Bushby.
“In large part, this drop can be attributed to state governments withdrawing previous levels of support for first home owners buying established dwellings and it is established dwellings that 80% of first home buyers prefer.
“With the proportion of first home buyers remaining consistently below the long term average, this needs to be a high priority issue for the incoming Government.”
Westpac’s Matthew Hassan’s the results are broadly positive save for continued subdued first home buyer activity and a more mixed month for construction-related approvals.
“Stepping back from the monthly detail, finance approvals are starting to show a clear response to low interest rates. The upturn has been much slower to come through than previous cycles and remains of middling strength,” Hassan says.
“It is also showing a much more muted pick up in housing credit (+5.3% per year in July). The implication is that the rise in new lending is being mostly matched by a rise in repayments on outstanding loans.
“Some of that may be a byproduct of low FHB activity but it also likely reflects consumers' aversion to taking on additional debt.”
The Housing Industry Association says the results for construction finance are disappointing with the number of loans for construction fell by 2.1% to be only 1.1% higher than a year earlier.
“This is a good result, but the lack of strong upward momentum for the construction component over 2013 to date is disappointing,” says HIA’s Geordan Murray.
“The aggregate value of lending for housing increased by 4.5% in the July 2013 quarter. There has been strengthening demand from both owner occupiers and investors, which in itself is encouraging, but growth has been driven primarily by lending to those purchasing existing homes.
“The value of lending to owner occupiers for construction and the purchase of new homes increased by 2.5 per cent, while lending to investors purchasing new homes increased by 3.3 per cent in the July quarter of 2013. Despite this, the total increase in lending for new homes only contributed 0.5 percentage points to the quarterly growth.”
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Housing borrowing increasing for everyone except first-home buyers: ABS

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Perth developers are taking advantage of vendors who have failed to update their asking prices following planning law changes in WA.
Under laws introduced in August, developers are potentially able to build double the number of units on a site than they were previously.
Vendors in Perth, unaware of the changes, have failed to factor in the additional earning potential of their land and have not updated the price and have <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/western-australia/beware-developers-trying-to-buy-your-property/2013090964871?utm_source=po&amp;utm_medium=aida&amp;utm_campaign=newsplus" target="_blank">recently been warned to ensure they price correctly</a>.
Jake Prout, director of development firm Progressive Developments, says he was able to purchase the land at his latest development for well below market price.
He paid $420,000 for an 868 square metre block of land in Midland, a block he says would likely have been priced at around $550,000 if new zoning laws had been taken into account.
Prout will be building an eight unit apartment block on the site.
“Looking at other development sites you’d be looking at least $80,000 per unit which makes it $550,000 or $600,000,” Prout told Property Observer.
“We bought it with eight units in mind, we knew we would be able to get it through planning. There was another site nearby which went for $365,000 and it was advertised as a potential five unit site. But we had already worked out feasibility and we knew we could get 10 on it.”
Had the zoning changes not come into effect Prout would have been forced to build four town-house or villa style apartments on the site which sell at a higher individual price but less in total.
“We did feasibility study on the four versus the eight and obviously you’ll make a lot more on the eight. In that particular area we don’t think it will support purchases much more than $380,000. If you did four $500,000 townhouses I don’ think you’d make as much money.”
Prout is starting marketing on the project next week through Clarendon Realty’s Ray Conrad.
The first three units will be marketed for around $338,000.
They are being marketed at first home buyers and investors.
He says vendors will cotton on to the new zoning changes soon.
“I think it’s probably fair to say there’s a short window where all of a sudden there is an opportunity to buy well,” he says.
“Over time, people tend to price their land on what it can be redeveloped for. As soon as people realise we can build eight units on this site then blocks of land will go up.”
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Perth land undervalued as vendors slow to understand zoning changes

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Investment mentor George Fokas is predicting a property market downturn next year.
He says job insecurity and an economic down-turn from a drop off in mining will lead to less investment in average price homes across Australia.
“I believe the property market will either flatten or drop a bit,” Fokas told Property Observer.
“The economy is not the best. Job security is a big issue, mining investment is going down and job security is going to be a big question.
“Because of that people won’t be buying property.
“Interest rates coming down confirms there is a problem with economy. Although rates are low right now a lot of people will be careful to get into the market before there’s certainty.”
He was unsure where specifically the market would be most affected but says the higher end shouldn’t be hit too hard.
“People who still have money will still invest. Average mum and dads won’t have the income to do it. They’re the ones people are pushing to invest in property.”
Fokas is in the minority though – many analysts are predicting a pick-up in the market.
Shane Oliver, the head of investment strategy and chief economist at AMP Capital, says property prices will likely increase next year.
“I think job security is likely to remain reasonably high but I doubt that will be enough to cause a property downturn. Interest rates will remain low and economy is likely to pick up as next year proceeds,” Oliver told Property Observer.
“I think job insecurity will gradually start to fade next year. We’ll be looking stronger. Insecurity will peak by the middle of next year and as the economy picks that will likely see the labour market take a turn for the better.
He says the Reserve Bank of Australia may raise interest rates which will keep a lid on the property market but says it won’t be enough to cause a downturn.
He says the mining boom has actually been detrimental to New South Wales and Victoria.
“The first phase of the mining boom which ended around 2007, 2008 – that was good for everyone. But that five or six years ago,” Oliver told Property Observer.
“I think the investment stage was actually a negative for states like New South Wales and Victoria because growth in those states was subdued to make way for growth in WA and Queensland. Retail was subdued, unemployment generally rose,
Friends of mine were losing their jobs during the period. I find it hard to believe the mining boom has been good for NSW. The only thing is it’s now fading which means the aussie dollar is falling.”
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Housing market downturn next year: George Fokas

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Four neighbouring Barossa Valley vineyards have sold for a total of $2.28 million to three separate local buyers.
St Vincent vineyard, Tschirpig vineyard, Augusta Grenache vineyard and Augusta shiraz vineyard in the Krondorf district were marketed for sale both separately and in one line. Together they formed Russell Vineyard.
St Vincent has 14.3 hectares of vines, including 9.9 hectares of shiraz vines, on 20.94 hectares of land. It sold along with Tschirpig, which has 2.5 hectares of shiraz vines on 8.67 hectares of land, for $1.5 million.
The Augusta shiraz block has 1.7 hectares of shiraz vines on 2.364 hectares of land and includes an old stone cottage and shedding. It sold for $330,000.
The Augusta Grenache block has 1.7 hectares of grenache vines on 6.216 hectares of land. It sold for $450,000.
They were sold by Colliers agents Jesse Manuel, Tim Altschwager and Nick Dean.
Altschwager says there was international interest in the property.
“We had a lot of interest in it from the whole market really including some overseas Chinese but at the end of the day the strongest guys were the locals. It’s showing there’s a bit more confidence in the market here,” Altschwager told Property Observer.
He says the property market in the Barossa didn’t soften as much as other parts of the country.
“The Barossa wasn’t affected as drastically as some of the other areas because it’s probably the best recognised region in Australia and from overseas,” Altschwager said.
Krondorf is home to labels including Grant Burge Wines, Charles Melton Wines and Rockford.
The properties were sold by John and Rosalind Russell who moved to the Barossa in 1990 to create the Barossa Music Festival and started making wines in 1994.
They will not be managing the properties.
The vineyards are part of <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/leisure/six-vineyards-that-might-tempt-those-fond-of-the-odd-drop/2013051361053">several around the country that has been offered recently.</a>
In August we reported Zhi Jian Zhou and Ou Guo Ying from Amway China bought a Hunter Valley vineyard for $3.8 million.
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Four Barossa vineyards sell to local buyers

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Brisbane offers the best investor opportunities in the country, according to leading Sydney real estate agent John McGrath.
If buyers can get physically get to Brisbane and have a look around then now is a good time to buy, McGrath told the audience at the Property Millionaires Tour in Melbourne on Friday which Property Observer attended.
“I can think of no better city other than Brisbane over the next five years, it’s great,” McGrath said.
“But you will have to have the ability to get up there and research it and become an expert in that market. If you don’t have that ability I’d stick closer to home in Melbourne.
“If I was investing today, if someone gave me $1 million today, I would be looking at either Melbourne, Sydney, Gold Coast or Brisbane. They would be my four choices.”
He says the Gold Coast is a good option but there can be significant movement.
“Gold Coast has been hit very hard but while it comes down very quickly but it can go back up very quickly. We have seen prices go for 40% or 50% from the top, it’s now stabilised and we’re seeing it get a bit better up there so we think that’s a good market.”
“The Sydney market under $1 million is leading the way around Australia. The Melbourne market is good, Hobart is terrible at the moment, Gold Coast has been struggling but I think represents some great buying opportunities going forward. Perth is good at the moment but is quite cyclical.”
He says Sydney and Melbourne are both looking strong in the sub $1 million market.
“If you were up in the Gold Coast you would say the strength is under $600,000 and in Brisbane it’s at $750,000.”
In Februrary McGrath opened his <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/industry-news/mcgrath-estate-agents-opens-another-brisbane-office/2013022559555" target="_blank">fourth real estate office in Brisbane</a> within nine months.
In his autumn property report <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/queensland/brisbane-residential-market-tipped-for-recovery-mcgrath/2013031959874" target="_blank">he tipped Brisbane for a recovery</a> driven by strong employment and population growth coupled with a supply shortage and rising rents.
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Brisbane offers the best investment opportunities in the country: John McGrath

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The Canberra and Darwin property markets will experience a slow-down, especially if the Coalition wins the federal election, according to leading Sydney estate agent John McGrath.
Areas heavily reliant on the public sector employment experienced strong growth during the global financial crisis but the growth will slow down, McGrath told the audience at the Property Millionaires Tour in Melbourne on Friday which Property Observer attended.
“Canberra and Darwin have been stellar performers in the last few years. My personal view is they won’t have that same stellar performance again going forward because they’re kind of like a defensive stock in the stock market.,” McGrath said.
“When things are bad people like defensive stocks because they are safe and never really change much but when the cycle starts to go back up and the economy starts getting back into a roll then often places like that are left behind. Plus they’ve enjoyed some good growth.”
He says Canberra has challenging times ahead if the coalition wins government.
“They’re talking about cutbacks and some of the roles there may not be replaced in terms of public service,” he said.
“I still think it’s going to grow but I don’t think it will grow a heap.”
He cautioned potential buyers they may be too late to cash in on Darwin price rises.
“Over the last 10 years Darwin has been going up at about 10% a year. Some would say that sounds great but sometimes when you can see the bandwagon already formed it’s too late to get on,” McGrath said.
“It would have been a great market to get into a decade ago if you had the insight to see it was going to perform like this.”
McGrath’s comments echo the thoughts of Hotspotting’s Terry Ryder who says there will be <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/hotspots/canberra-needs-to-stand-by-for-some-earth-quaking-changes-terry-ryder/2013090464794?utm_source=po&amp;utm_medium=aida&amp;utm_campaign=upperright">earth-quaking changes in Canberra</a> post-election.
“It’s pretty clear whoever wins will put the cleaners through the federal public service, particularly if we have a Tony Abbott-led government on Monday morning,” Ryder said.
He says there will be significant job losses which would replicate the actions of Liberal state governments as they have taken over in Victoria, New South Wales and, especially, in Queensland.
“Canberra, therefore, is a market to avoid. Prices are likely to fall.”
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Canberra property market likely to slow down, especially under Coalition: John McGrath

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The Brisbane housing market continues to record gradual increases in housing market activity, according to Australian Property Monitor's latest housing market report.
"Following a surge in activity last year due to local changes in the first home buyers grant, first home buyer levels are unsurprisingly at their lowest on record," the report says.
"Buyer activity in the lower-price ranges, particularly in the outer-northern suburbs, remains subdued. 
"Properties in Brisbane’s established inner and middle ring suburbs however remain popular with buyers, with investors attracted by high yields, rising rents and solid capital growth potential."
The report found Brisbane’s median house price rose by just 0.3% over the June quarter and was up by 1.8% over the 2013 financial year.
"Brisbane has recorded four consecutive quarters of house price growth for the first time in three years, although the increases have been incremental. Brisbane’s median house price remains 6.7% below its previous price peak, which is the worst performance of all the capitals."
"The local Brisbane economy can be expected to provide one of the best performers over the medium-term, with benefits from the lower dollar translating into increased activity in the mining and tourism industries and also attracting international investment.
"The expected surge in jobseekers from the southern states will lift population significantly in South-East Queensland."
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Brisbane's continuing recovery: APM

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Changes to zoning regulations will lead to higher density development in Perth.
The minimum required area for a two lot subdivision has decreased from 1000 square metres to 900 square metres.
The minimum size for a subdivided lot is now 350 square metres with an average of 450 square metres among the two blocks.
The Western Australian Planning Commission will also consider a 5% variation on this meaning the minimum size potentially required to subdivide is potentially 855 square metres.
Perth-based property investment consultant Damian Collins says this allows much higher density development in Perth.
“Fit in with changes made two years ago with multiple dwellings where you used to be able to put three townhouses or three villas can now put up to eight apartments,” Collins told Property Observer.
“Not all suburbs will be able to do this, but a number of them will. It’s all related to the Directions 2031 strategy for Perth where they’re trying to condense a lot of that growth within existing catchment areas.
“Half of the new growth over the next 30 years is to come within existing suburbs.”
The zoning changes also have implications for granny flat investors.
First it was the small dwelling scheme enabling Fremantle homeowners to build granny flats without the need for a granny.
Now the city has taken its density planning to new lengths with a draft planning scheme amendment allowing homeowners to build dwellings on eligible sites, irrespective of the site’s planning density coding.
The city is now seeking public comment on the proposed planning scheme amendment (Amendment 50) to provide greater flexibility for homeowners and result in more diverse and affordable housing in Fremantle – a key objective of the city’s Strategic Plan 2010-15.
The amendment will allow the development of one additional dwelling per lot on residential properties where the lot benefits from front and rear road access. This will assist in the delivery of infill housing, at a range of different densities, because homeowners won’t be confined to the standard lot size requirements of the R-Codes.
The provisions require new dwellings to address the alternate frontage to the existing house on the site, meaning rear streets will benefit from improved street activation and surveillance.
Fremantle mayor Dr Brad Pettitt said the amendment would provide flexibility in delivering different forms of housing as well as improving the appearance of rear streetscapes.
“Fremantle homeowners will have greater choice in developing new forms of housing to address local needs and demands that, otherwise, may not have been allowed by the density code of their area,” Pettitt said.
“The additional dwellings will also help to address Perth’s urban sprawl issue and will have the added benefit of transforming typical rear access streets into active and appealing streetscapes.”
Key requirements of the provisions in the proposed amendment are:
* The property must have frontage to more than one gazetted road. The provisions will not apply to properties with a secondary frontage to a right-of-way or private street. Properties at street corners are also excluded
* The additional dwelling will need to address and gain access from the rear street
* The additional dwelling will still need to meet other planning requirements, such as those relating to parking, setbacks, building height and open space
* The provisions will not apply to subdivision, meaning they will not create vacant sites.
The amendment is currently being advertised for public comment until October 4.
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Perth zoning changes will lead to eight apartments on one block

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/broadbeach-qld-4218">Broadbeach</a> offers plenty of reasons to live vertically, but moving from a substantial family home into an apartment can expose the compromises of high-density living. Privacy, room for guests and usable living space tend to matter more when an apartment is intended as a permanent home rather than an occasional coastal base.

A typical residential floor at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-eveleigh-broadbeach-7-9-surf-parade-broadbeach-qld-4218">The Eveleigh</a>, on Surf Parade,&nbsp;contains just four apartments. The 94-residence development by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hirsch-faigen">Hirsch &amp; Faigen</a> is predominantly made up of expansive three-bedroom homes, with a limited collection of half-floor penthouses above.

Across the apartment floors, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> has used the relatively limited number of residences to give each home greater access to natural light and outlook. Living spaces extend towards full-height glazing, while a series of bay windows frame selected views across the Pacific Ocean, city and hinterland rather than treating the building edge as a continuous wall of glass.

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[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360965]

“The apartment floors deliver a collection of homes that embrace controlled outlook via a series of bay windows deliberately framing moments of view,” Rothelowman Director Kim Lowman said.

From outside, those projecting forms contribute to the tower’s faceted profile. Strong horizontal and vertical elements establish its proportions, while the changing position of the sun alters the light, shadow and reflection across the façade throughout the day.

The same attention moves inside the apartments, where the material palette combines warm timber, natural stone, metallic detailing and softer curved forms. Kitchens sit within the main living zone, with stone island benches, integrated joinery and European appliances, before the living areas extend towards the glazing and the outlook.

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[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360981]

Three genuine bedrooms provide room to accommodate family and guests, while two secure car spaces and storage address some of the practical considerations that can become more noticeable when moving from a larger home. Feedback from the display suite has centred on the warmth and restraint of the interiors, with buyers commenting that the residences feel like homes rather than conventional coastal apartments.

A limited collection of half-floor penthouses occupies the upper levels, increasing the scale of the living spaces and adding private balconies and elevated finishes. From this position, the outlook extends between the ocean and hinterland.

Outside the private residences, The Eveleigh separates its shared spaces between the podium and rooftop. The podium is centred on wellness, with subtropical landscaping surrounding a swimming pool and pool terrace, yoga garden, private gymnasium, sauna and hot and cold plunge facilities. Landscaped retreats and pavilions provide additional places to sit away from the main recreation areas.

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Higher in the building, a rooftop pavilion and private dining suite sit alongside resident lounge, barbecue and outdoor dining areas, opening towards panoramic views across the ocean, city and hinterland.

“Buyers are no longer just looking for an apartment, but a lifestyle where they can relax, reset, and enjoy a balanced way of living,” Hirsch &amp; Faigen Director of Sales Matt George said.

Interest to date has come from established owner-occupiers and interstate lifestyle purchasers, including buyers planning a future move to the Gold Coast. Many are coming from larger homes and want to reduce ongoing maintenance without giving up space for family and guests, privacy, two car spaces or the ability to entertain at home.

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[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360969]

Much of that daily life can also take place beyond the building without requiring a drive. Kurrawa Beach and Pratten Park are an easy walk from Surf Parade, while Pacific Fair, Oracle Boulevard, The Oasis, restaurants, cafés, entertainment and public transport are also within walking distance.

The Eveleigh is Hirsch &amp; Faigen's fourth Gold Coast development since entering the market in 2021, following The Hemingway at Palm Beach, The Emerson at Kirra and Yves at Mermaid Beach. Each of the preceding projects sold out before completion.

“Broadbeach had been on our radar throughout our time operating on the Gold Coast,” the developer said. “Following our projects in Palm Beach, Kirra and Mermaid Beach, Broadbeach represented the natural next step for the business.”

The Surf Parade site brought together proximity to the beach, protected coastal outlooks and walkability to dining, shopping and recreation. Hirsch &amp; Faigen also identified the street as an emerging premium residential address, with enough separation from Broadbeach's busier destinations to retain a quieter environment at home.

The Eveleigh is now under construction by Maxcon, with completion forecast for mid-2028. Three-bedroom residences are currently available from $2.87 million.

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Joel Robinson

The Eveleigh brings house-like apartments to Broadbeach

A long-stalled Campbelltown development site is back in play, with new plans for 139 apartments set to supersede a mixed-use scheme approved almost a decade ago but never built.

The new proposal for 28 Cordeaux Street would deliver 116 market and 23 affordable apartments in a part 14-storey building, bringing a substantial new project into a Campbelltown market where new apartment supply remains limited.

Plans have been filed over the 3,092 sqm corner site at Moore-Oxley Street, around 600 metres from Campbelltown Railway Station and the city-centre retail core.

The site already carries a mixed-use residential approval dating to 2016. Doroch Architects has now been engaged on a larger replacement scheme, which is progressing as a State Significant Development Application following a Housing Delivery Authority determination in August 2025.

The apartment mix comprises 39 one-bedroom, 72 two-bedroom and 28 three-bedroom residences. Two-bedroom apartments make up just over half of the project, while three-bedroom homes account for 20 per cent.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="136dd5b9-3791-4da6-9e31-76f533f5b4de" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da2.png?VersionId=LgOSy9nwf5u.MGswBBwaGGxuX8QpHSl_" />

Of the 139 apartments, 23 will be delivered as affordable housing under the in-fill affordable housing provisions of the Housing SEPP. The affordable component represents 15 per cent of the residential gross floor area and will be managed by a registered Community Housing Provider.

Doroch has sought to break the scale of the building into two distinct elements, with a masonry podium of around four storeys establishing the street edge before the residential tower steps back above.

The corner position has shaped that approach. Cordeaux Street faces toward the commercial and civic centre, while Moore-Oxley Street leads into the lower-scale residential neighbourhood to the south, and the design verification report describes the site as "bridging the commercial core to the north and established residential areas to the south."

The podium will be expressed predominantly in face brick, while the upper levels shift to brushed and grooved concrete cladding with darker metal detailing. Recessed sections, deep balcony edges and landscaping break down the upper form, with an approximately 11.8-metre setback to the northern boundary addressing the adjoining St Peters Anglican School.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c8b3d2d3-c561-4bfc-a5d9-a68c0c10dac1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da1.png?VersionId=AeAEyJU02Gk2k5noUj2StziCvdQ7fW4B" />

Campbelltown has been starved of new residential developments in the last decade.

The only other notable development set to come to market this year is ALAND's Queen Square, a mixed-use precinct on over two hectares that will comprise apartments above a vibrant ground-level retail and hospitality dining precinct.

First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site

First Look: Sherlock Construction pitches apartments for low-rise Deception Bay

Queensland builder-developer MAYD has revealed the first look at its major North Kirra beachfront development, lodging amended plans that reduce the number of apartments and increase the proportion of larger residences.

The project is planned across a substantial 4,742 sqm amalgamated site spanning seven lots at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/2-6-pacific-parade-bilinga-qld-4225">2-6 Pacific Parade</a> and 27-33 Golden Four Drive in Bilin​ga, directly opposite Nor​th Kirra Beach.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mayd-group">MAYD</a> secured the site for $32.5 million in 2025, in what was one of the Gold Coast's largest property transactions of the year.

The development will be delivered across two stages, with the first stage carrying an estimated gross realisation value of around $360 million.

The latest amendments seek to reduce the overall apartment count and shift the project further toward the owner-occupier market, with larger residences designed for buyers wanting considerably more space than traditionally offered in a beachfront apartment.

The residential mix will include townhomes, oversized two-bedroom apartments, substantial three-bedroom residences and four-bedroom homes.

MAYD has appointed Cera Stribley to lead the architecture and interiors, with the Melbourne-based design practice drawing on the beachfront setting through a series of ocean-facing terraces and heavily landscaped balconies.

Strong horizontal forms and curved balconies will define the exterior, with subtropical landscaping integrated throughout the building to soften the built form and increase the connection between the residences and the beachfront.

The project will also include an extensive collection of resident wellness and lifestyle facilities, continuing the broader shift across the Gold Coast's luxury apartment market toward larger homes supported by resort-style amenity.

<img alt="MAYD" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d1bcbb05-e659-4b47-8bd4-1e595315e2ad" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%202.05.03%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=jj0XEud1X1DuLt7_KyElhjMdZGOXmLHP" />

MAYD Founder Todd Mould said North Kirra was increasingly appealing to buyers attracted to the more established, lower-density character of the southern Gold Coast.

"North Kirra presents one of the most compelling luxury residential opportunities currently emerging in Australia, combining absolute beachfront with the character and authenticity that buyers are increasingly seeking, and the same sense of tight-knit community that defined Burleigh and Currumbin perhaps 10 or 15 years ago," Mould said.

"With Gold Coast Airport on its doorstep, it also offers a level of accessibility that broadens its appeal across almost every market demographic."

The project comes as the southern Gold Coast continues to attract an increasing share of high-end apartment development and buyer activity.

Kirra in particular has emerged as one of the region's more tightly held beachfront markets, with its relatively low-density character, established surf and hospitality scene and proximity to Gold Coast Airport differentiating it from the higher-density markets further north.

Mould said those characteristics had informed the approach MAYD and Cera Stribley had taken to the project.

"We've worked closely with Cera Stribley to create a vision that is deeply connected to its surroundings," he said.

"Inspired by the coastline itself, the architecture has been shaped around space, privacy and resort-style living, creating a collection of homes that reflects the next generation of luxury on the southern Gold Coast."

MOTIV Managing Director Carly Cottam, who has been appointed to market the project, said buyer attention had continued to move south along the Gold Coast.

"Purchasers who may once have defaulted to Broadbeach, Main Beach or Surfers Paradise are increasingly recognising the value of a genuine beachfront location that offers lower density, strong amenity and a more established sense of community," Cottam said.

"Kirra has a powerful combination of growing demand and genuine scarcity. Beachfront supply is inherently constrained, the area remains relatively low density, and buyers are increasingly placing a premium on locations that feel established, uncrowded and authentic rather than heavily developed."

Cottam said the proximity to Gold Coast Airport was also proving increasingly important for interstate and second-home buyers.

"Being minutes from Gold Coast Airport makes it particularly compelling for interstate buyers, frequent travellers and second-home purchasers who can access an authentic coastal lifestyle almost immediately after stepping off a flight."

The acquisition takes MAYD's active development portfolio to more than $500 million, with the North Kirra project representing one of its largest undertakings to date.

MAYD is targeting an early 2027 launch.

First look at MAYD's North Kirra mixed-use precinct

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Castle Hill, the longtime hub of the Hills District, has been one of the major beneficiaries of Sydney's Metro expansion, with improved connectivity helping drive continued population growth, development and buyer demand across the Hills District.

But despite that growth, the suburb has seen relatively few major new apartment projects brought to market over the past 18 months.

Hills District developer Reve Group is looking to fill that gap with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nova-r-ve-castle-hill-2-garthowen-crescent-castle-hill-nsw-2154">Nova Rêve</a>, a major new mixed-use precinct on the corner of Garthowen Crescent and Old Castle Hill Road, a short walk from Castle Hill Metro Station and Castle Towers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377679]

The project will comprise three residential towers alongside a hotel, restaurants, cafes and a skybar, more than 1,600 sqm of ground-floor retail and almost an acre of landscaped gardens.

It represents the largest project undertaken by Reve Group, the development arm of the Kassis family, which has been building across the Hills District for more than 30 years through Kassis Homes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377675]

Nova Rêve also represents a significant step up from the family's first apartment development, Grand Rêve, which was delivered nearby on Garthowen Crescent.

Grand Rêve introduced larger, house-like apartment layouts and premium inclusions including Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances to the Castle Hill market.

Nova Rêve takes that approach to a precinct scale, combining the residential component with hospitality, retail and substantial public and resident landscaping.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377685]

Reve Group Managing Director Sam Kassis said the project reflected the family's three decades of building in the Hills, which has evolved from trophy homes on quarter-acre blocks to larger-scale apartment development.

"Grand Rêve was our first apartment project here and it showed us what this pocket of Castle Hill could be. Nova Rêve is the refinement of that idea: not just apartments, but a place the whole suburb can use," Kassis said.

A key part of that approach is the hotel, which has been designed to operate as an amenity for the wider Castle Hill community rather than solely hotel guests.

It will include restaurants, cafes, skybars and all-day dining, alongside conference and event facilities catering to business functions, community groups and private events.

At ground level, more than 1,600 sqm of shops and cafes will open onto the surrounding streets and landscaped areas.

Almost an acre of gardens designed by Land and Form Studios will run through the precinct, incorporating pathways, seating, barbecue areas and children's play spaces.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377680]

Reve Group's Romio Georges said creating an active ground plane had been central to the planning of Nova Rêve.

"There are gardens with pathways, barbecues, seating and play areas, shops and cafes opening onto the street, and a hotel with restaurants and a skybar that anyone in Castle Hill can walk into," Georges said.

The project's elevated position on one of Sydney's highest ridgelines will also provide apartments with outlooks toward the Sydney skyline, surrounding parkland and the Blue Mountains.

More than 80 per cent of the apartments will occupy corner positions, with Turner responsible for both the architecture and interiors.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152737]

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Alistair Walsh

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