jduke-EHk3XBmHkn

More home owners taking out risky interest-only loans: Moodys

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Nearly one fifth of Australians believe they will never be able to afford to buy their home, according to a new ME Bank survey.
The survey found that 18% of Australians now believe they will never be able to buy a home. The belief was most prominent among people aged below 30, with 26% saying they will never afford property.
Expectations of property price increases are also prominent – perhaps contributing to the sense of unaffordability.
The survey found that 51% of those with properties, or planning to buy, expect further increases in the next 12 to 24 months. Another 40% are expecting prices to remain steady, while 9% expect prices to drop.
The results show that first home buyer affordability is a growing challenge that is becoming an issue for all Australians, said ME Bank general manager asset products, Luke Easton.
“A large group of young people are delaying or ruling out home ownership altogether,” Easton said.
ME Bank surveyed 1,000 people online for the results.
{mijopolls 60}
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Nearly one in five believe they will never be able to buy a home: survey

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Foreign investment in Australian property is a divisive topic.
The Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) <a href="/news/tougher-firb-rules-delayed">is coming under close scrutiny</a>, with many believing the board is neglecting to police the current rules around offshore purchasers. Others suggest that the existing rules are too weak and are pushing for new legislation. 
But what actually are the current rules for foreign buyers looking to purchase Australian residential property? Here are some of the most pertinent rules:
<ol>
<li>An application must be made for each specific property that a foreign buyer intends to purchase. An application must be lodged for that home – it cannot be lodged for a general or in principle approval. This approval then stands for 12 months from the date on the letter. Separate applications can simultaneously be made and granted for multiple properties. 
</li>
<li>The approval letter (which comes as an email) only applies to the individual or group who applied. It is not transferrable, and if another party wants to buy they must re-apply. 
</li>
<li>Temporary residents, and 457 visa holders, are only able to buy one established dwelling, which is to be used as a primary place of residence. There are no restrictions on the number of vacant and new properties (or established properties for redevelopment) that approval can be received for. 
</li>
<li>Temporary residents cannot purchase established dwellings until they actually live in the country. 
</li>
<li>Temporary residents must sell the established property when they leave as it is no longer their PPOR. They cannot rent it out. It must be sold within three months of leaving the country. 
</li>
<li>Foreign non-residents can only purchase vacant land or new property upon application. Established properties for redevelopment can be purchased under certain circumstances. 
</li>
<li>Approval is not required to sell unless the conditions have not been met. For instance, if vacant land was not developed by the purchaser, then approval will be required. 
</li>
<li>Those who no longer wish to purchase the property need to withdraw their approval by notifying the FIRB. 
</li>
<li>If you become a permanent resident then all conditions cease to apply. 
</li>
<li>If the developer has been granted pre-approval to sell new dwellings to foreign buyers, the foreign buyer does not need to submit an approval application. 
</li>
<li>Approval is required for foreign non-residents regardless of the method in which they buy – e.g. through a trust or company structure. 
</li>
<li>Foreign non-residents cannot buy secondhand (established) property, or buy a stake in the property, unless they do so with a spouse. Approval is still required.</li>
</ol>
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What are Australia's foreign investment in real estate rules?

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The industrial leasing market in Melbourne is showing green shoots of a recovery, according to Savills Australia’s Melbourne Industrial Spotlight Quarter 3/2014.
An extra 150,000 square metres were reported as leased over the past 12 months compared to the previous corresponding period.
The report recorded 681,520 square metres of industrial space leased over the past 12 months, with a total of 90 deals, in the year to September 2014.
The 12 months previous came in at 524,606 square metres with 60 deals.
The decade average is 594,221 square metres per annum.
<img src="/images/2014/10/29/sav%20oct%2029%20one.jpg" alt="">
Savills’ Victorian head of research, and author of the report, Glenn Lampard, said that it is not a definitive recovery quite yet, but that they are indicators of a possible market upswing.
“One swallow does not a summer make and neither does two, but leasing and land sales are the best indicators we have of a recovery. These figures are not one month, or one quarter but 12 months and more. While it’s certainly not definitive the figures are nonetheless very encouraging and at the very least suggest a new confidence in the market,’’ Lampard said.
Melbourne’s north-west industrial precinct was the recipient of the majority of leasing activity, responsible for 64% of the result, while the south-east took 35% of the total.
City fringe areas were responsible for less than 1% of the result.
This has Savills Victorian industrial director Greg Jensz note that there has been an upswing of the last 12 months.
“In the previous 12 months (2012/2013) there had been fairly good enquiry but that had not resulted in more than a modest outcome. This year we are seeing those enquiries taken that step further and the results are there including a substantial rise in pre-commitment deals and that’s a very good indicator of confidence returning to the market,” he said.
“On the basis of current enquiry we expect to see the current leasing trend continue throughout the remainder of 2014 as firms gear up for the new year.”
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Melbourne’s industrial market showing green shoots, but yet to spring into recovery: Savills

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A new development in Sydney’s Pyrmont, with views of the Anzac Bridge, is taking expressions of interest with a display suite opening soon.
The <a href="https://pier99.com.au" target="_blank">Pier 99</a> development includes studios and one, two and three bedroom. Views span over Blackwattle Bay and Anzac Bridge.
Studios start from $649,000. One bedroom apartments with one bathroom are priced from $740,000. Two bedroom, two bathroom apartments with a car parking space will set you back $985,000 plus.The three bedroom, two bathroom, one car park option are priced upwards of $1,500,000. Podium-level apartments include private gardens.
A collaboration partnership between Galazy Capital, SIV Fund/VIMG and China Venture, the development is designed by JPR Architects.
It is located one minute to the light rail and is walking distance to Darling Harbour. The lift lobby is in Wattle Crescent, while the apartments official address is 99 Pyrmont Bridge Road.
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New Pyrmont apartments with views of Anzac Bridge taking expressions of interest

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Atop the new Eliza apartment building on Sydney’s Elizabeth Street is a 499 square metre penthouse with views of Sydney Harbour.
Seventeen storeys up at 141-143 Elizabeth Street, the four bedroom, six bathroom penthouse also has a private lobby and an internal passenger lift.
With 3.8 metre high ceilings, the rooftop level is an entertainment option, with level 15 and 16 devoted to living and dining, as well as sleeping quarters.  Each floor is connected by a 10 metre high marble staircase.
All up, the penthouse will set back the buyer $15 million.
<img src="/images/2014/10/29/eliza-oct-29-one.jpg" alt="">
The rooftop includes a landscaped terrace, outdoor kitchen and transparent infinity-edge swimming pool.
The master bedroom, at 60 square metres, includes a private study and a walk-in dressing ‘chamber’.
The kitchen includes a walk-in pantry and separate prep area for catering. According to released marketing material, the fridge is worth $50,000. To put that into perspective, it’s more than many first timers put down as a deposit on their first home.
Basement storage and three car parking spots are also included, with a private driveway.
<img src="/images/2014/10/29/eliza-oct-29-two.jpg" alt="">
Industry figure John McGrath said that it is in a culturally significant precinct in Sydney.
“It makes use of the world’s finest materials and finishes in a technologically brilliant way, and everything is over-specified, including double glazing and acoustic innovations to ensure whisper-quiet interiors,” he said.
Built and developed by Ceerose, founded by Edward Doueihi, Eliza was designed by Tony Owen, the man behind the renowned <a href="/news/moebius-house-at-dover-heights-has-price-hopes-pared-back">Dover Heights property Moebius House</a>.
“We wanted to create a building with an architectural point of difference that did justice to our landmark site in arguably Sydney’s most beautiful street,” said Doueihi.
“It took us more than three years to build, but the effort has been worth it.”
All 18 apartments in the Eliza block have been sold, with the penthouse the last to go to market.
The penthouse is <a href="https://www.elizasydney.com" target="_blank">available to inspect by appointment</a> and is being marketed through Savills and McGrath Estate Agents.
It was <a href="/news/nsw/eliza-penthouse-finally-getting-off-the-ground-with-15-million-hopes-title-tattle">previously being marketed through CBRE</a>.
Furnished photographs will be made available next week.
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The $15 million Eliza penthouse has a $50,000 fridge

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Here are eight recent quotes from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) made in reference to the Australian property market:
<ol>
<li>"Prices have risen faster than consumer prices, but they have not risen materially faster than household incomes… This is not a country where we haven't experienced house price falls; we have experienced house price falls. There is risk in the system that people have already experienced. It's simply incorrect to treat the Australian history as if there had never been any kind of downturn." October, RBA head of financial stability, Luci Ellis, at the AHURI panel roundtable 
</li>
<li>"Australia is not one of the boomier places over the last 10 years. Prices have risen faster than consumer prices, but they have not risen materially faster than household incomes in Australia… Mortgage repayments are lower than the average of the past 10 or 15 years, so again thinking about what it means to have affordability and unaffordability – the affordability of a current mortgage is not unusually high at present." October, RBA head of financial stability, Luci Ellis, at the AHURI panel roundtable 
</li>
<li>"Apartment construction in the inner city [in particular Melbourne, Sydney] has been at high levels for some time and, given the time lags in completing higher density constructions, is expected to remain elevated for the next few years. That said, liaison suggests that construction in Melbourne continues to be driven by strong demand, including from foreign investors, with pre-sale levels remaining high." September, RBA Financial Stability Review 
</li>
<li>"A related risk, which is likely to be currently most pronounced in Melbourne, is that some new developments may appeal to a relatively narrow segment of tenant or owner demand. For example, some new developments involve smaller-sized apartments that are targeted at international students, which could be harder to sell in the secondary market than more traditional-sized apartments. This could place downward pressure on apartment prices if student demand weakens or if there are other shocks that reduce foreign investors’ appetite for these apartments." September, RBA Financial Stability Review 
</li>
<li>"Dwelling investment had increased by more than 8% over the year to the June quarter, and continued strength in building approvals and other indicators pointed to further growth in coming quarters. House price growth had been a little slower, on average, over 2014 than in late 2013, but remained consistent with strong conditions in the established housing market." October RBA board minutes 
</li>
<li>"What matters is how much speculation there is in the market and what that might mean for a subsequent price cycle, and at the moment there is more speculative activity than we are comfortable with." October, RBA head of financial stability, Luci Ellis, Senate Inquiry into housing affordability 
</li>
<li>"Some of this [growth seen in the property markets, such as Sydney] perhaps represented an element of catch up after some earlier weakness. Nonetheless, prices have continued to rise significantly faster than incomes, and this has been associated with strong growth in investor activity." October, RBA assistant governor Malcolm Edey, Senate Inquiry into housing affordability 
</li>
<li>"The general point I would make is that we can't improve housing affordability simply by adding to demand. Targeted assistance can certainly help particular groups such as first home buyers, but without a supply-side response, any generalised increase in demand will just be capitalised into prices." October, RBA assistant governor Malcolm Edey, Senate Inquiry into housing affordability
</li>
</ol>
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Eight quotes from the RBA about Australia’s property market

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The final decision on the Western Sydney light rail network route must be looked at in the context of housing supply, says Urban Taskforce’s CEO Chris Johnson.
The NSW government has <a href="/news/parramatta-light-rail-options-down-to-four-routes">narrowed down the options for Western Sydney’s light rail route to four</a> and Johnson says whichever area receives the new infrastructure will see an uptick in supply.
Currently, the four routes under consideration include:
<ol>
<li>
Macquarie Park (via Carlingford) This particular line has the advantage of having land available at present, Johnson said. 
</li>
<li>
Castle Hill (via Old Northern Road) This line, along with the Bankstown line below, would assist rebalancing the current east-west transport focus. 
</li>
<li>
Bankstown 
</li>
<li>
Sydney Olympic Park (with the potential of reaching Strathfield/Burwood) Johnson said that Olympic Park is “crying out” for better public transport connections to Parramatta. This option would traverse through redundant industrial land, and “stimulate new development”.</li>
</ol>
The lines discussed in December 2013 included the following specifics:
Castle Hill Line: Connects Castle Hill, Baulkham Hills town centre, Parramatta CBD, Rydalmere and an interchange to the North West Rail link.
Macquarie Park Line: Connects Westmead health precinct, Parramatta CBD, University of Western Sydney at Rydalmere, Eastwood town centre and Macquarie Park.
“Each of the four options has its own logic and could be great additions to the cities transport network,” said Johnson.
“With metropolitan Sydney needing to double the existing 1.66 million homes over the next 50 years we must find the best locations for these new homes. The city cannot keep spreading outwards and most communities won’t want every suburban street to be doubled in density.
“The best solution to manage this growth will be through apartment living in taller towers at major centres and in mid-rise apartments along light rail routes,” he said.
“Just as the centres along the North West rail will have significant increases in density so too should the centres along Western Sydney’s light rail be places for growth.”
Johnson expects the development of 4,000 or more homes along the route.
The state government hopes that the light rail network will cement Parramatta as Sydney's second CBD and improve connectivity throughout the region.
{mijopolls 59}
Picture of Parramatta skyline courtesy of Gareth Edwards/ <a class="mw-mmv-license cc-license" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0" target="_blank">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>.
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How the four potential light rail routes may affect Western Sydney: Urban Taskforce

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Home buyers looking for affordable options on the Gold Coast may not be thrilled to know that the average price for a new apartment in the area is sitting at $812,045, according to Urbis Research’s Gold Coast Apartment Report.
However, there are two new development projects offering apartments for under $400,000.
These projects are:
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.sage-apartments.com.au" target="_blank">Sage</a> in Merrimac (from Minamarc Pty Ltd), pictured above: Two bedroom, two bathroom apartments in stage one from $345,000 to $369,000, averaging more than 90 square metres. 
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://azzuragreens.com.au/" target="_blank">Azzura Greens</a> in Hope Island: A resort complex that offered 159 one and two bedroom apartments, from approximately $330,000 upwards.</li>
</ul>
Sage Apartments sale manager, Elena Marchetti, said that the level of sales and enquiry in recent months have been strong, reflecting upwards growth figures in the median price – with Merrimac’s median lifting to $380,000 (a 25% uptick, potentially due to the new developments in the area), a vacancy rate of 1.03% and an estimated yield at the 6.1% mark.
Sage represents one of the few entry level projects on the Gold Coast and has also seen a high level of investor enquiry.
"The majority of the apartments we have sold to date have been taken up by interstate investors and local first home buyers who wanted an affordable property with potential for growth, in a central location," she said.
"While Sage is considered entry level stock, purchasers are also saying that they are extremely impressed by the high quality of fittings and finishes in the apartments.”
Their display apartment is open next month, with their first building of 24 apartments completed in early-2015. Body corporate fees are $47 per week for some apartments.
Sage Apartments were recently labeled a “Matusik Property Pick” for these seven reasons:
<ol>
<li>Quality stock, well-priced, well-designed. 
</li>
<li>Population growth area, with growth stronger than projected. 
</li>
<li>Undersupply is evident with greatest rental demand for affordable attached dwellings. 
</li>
<li>Strong demand from young rental and first home buyer market, plus locals downsizing. 
</li>
<li>Tight local vacancy rate. 
</li>
<li>Over 67,500 people work in the local area with a strong employment backbone. 
</li>
<li>The Gold Coast market generally is in a recovery upswing.</li>
</ol>
Meanwhile, Hope Island’s Azzura Greens is a resort complex for holiday purchasers, rather than for standard residential buyers.
A few properties are available, such as a two bedroom, two ensuite offering for $357,000 on the top floor. It also includes a car park.
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Two new Gold Coast developments offering sub-$400,000 options

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The recent ANZ Australian Housing Market Update has pointed to a broadly positive outlook for sales and price growth in the coming months.
The depth of home buyer demand in Melbourne was tested over the recent record breaking auction weekend, said ANZ Research’s David Cannington.
“Melbourne’s clearance rate held up well (70.6%), reflecting solid home buyer sentiment,” Cannington explained using RP Data's statistics.
Meanwhile, Cannington noted that Sydney’s clearance rate of 78% was also indicative of buoyant home buyer sentiment.
Analysis of Sydney's weekend auction results differed, <a href="/expert-insights/buying/sydney-october-auction-strength-easing-says-apm-but-rp-data-proffers-otherwise">with APM and RP Data at odds with each other over the market’s movements</a>.
Cannington said that auction clearance rates have eased since their early-2014 peaks, pointing to further moderation in house price growth “in coming months”. However, ANZ remain “cautiously optimistic” in their outlook.
In recent weeks, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth have recorded the strongest growth in home prices, with Adelaide posting lower results. 
“Nonetheless, looking through the weekly volatility, home prices are increasing in trend terms across all capital cities, reflecting a broadly positive outlook for housing sales and price growth in the coming months,” Cannington said.
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Broadly positive house price outlook for rest of 2014: ANZ

Property developer One Living, backed by former Macquarie banker turned investment manager Chris Green’s investment firm, has unveiled plans to bring more institutional capital into housing to help address the national supply crisis.

The New York-based investor has focused his firm, GreenPoint Partners, on addressing the supply shortage hitting middle market housing in Australia.

It is backing the new One Living business to develop more than 1000 units along the eastern seaboard. The new firm is starting with a development on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, with around 140 apartments planned. They are eyeing off more sites across the city.

With cost pressures rising in the industry, One Living’s model is to be a vertically integrated developer-builder, so it can respond directly to the housing gap by removing the cost inefficiencies embedded in traditional residential delivery.

“We are building a platform designed to operate at scale and starting in a market where there’s a clear need for quality, attainable housing,” One Living joint managing director Joseph Scuderi said.

“It’s that missing middle – it’s that attainable end of housing… that’s what most Australians invest into and what Australians can actually afford.”

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="798dfa93-4941-4db6-a696-31e9dc18e81c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.31.50%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=mKBqi5C_DmeiXS.AtJkcR8LQIxqCqmFi" />

GreenPoint Partners brings years of experience assembling and scaling real estate operating businesses across major markets. And Green sees a big opportunity in Australia.

“For its size, sophistication and importance to the community, Australia’s living sector has remained largely under-institutionalised, which represents significant opportunity,” Green said. “GreenPoint identified that gap, assembled the right team, and is backing One Living to build a platform that is aligned to market needs.”

Green said being a builder-developer would give the company the capacity and flexibility it required to deliver reasonably-priced homes.

“We want it to be at that attainable level; not super high end luxury but at that attainable level,” he said.

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="74a5344a-4b26-4d4a-ada3-056b1220be77" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.32.15%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=vY8hXHO4reBMdO8ZXMWCNtGZJofUPQ3j" />

&nbsp;

One Living will undertake a component of affordable housing in its schemes, which it will own and operate, and it could also run build-to-rent on some sites.

Green praised local policy settings.

“The NSW government is being very supportive, strategic and pragmatic in terms of how do we generate more supply of housing,” he said. “We think it’s actually positive for development and the bit that’s been lacking at that attainable level is that it’s lots of relatively small private developers, whereas we want to create an institutional platform.”

One Living is also&nbsp;looking at high-density projects and could take on more institutional funding in the future.

“The way we will be able to achieve economies of scale is through size,” Green added.

Joel Robinson

One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition

It's been several years since there's been an opportunity to buy a brand new townhome in Melbourne's coastal suburb of Mordialloc. Even apartment developments in recent times have been few and far between in the area.

Local developer LDS Property identified the gap in new housing, securing a site on White Street, directly opposite&nbsp;Woodlands Golf Club Mordialloc. They've recently launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/wm-residences-mordialloc-102-white-street-mordialloc-vic-3195">WM Residences</a>, just 13 townhouses which they have already started building.

Projects by Buxton Director Heath Thompson, who is selling WM Residences, says the townhouses x that perfect middle ground be

"Mordialloc residents have had limited options to downsize within the suburb, often forcing them to look elsewhere despite long-standing ties to the area," Thompson says.

"With very little comparable new supply coming to market, projects like WM Residences are well placed, particularly as buyers look to capitalise on current conditions amid constrained supply."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6109]

The development, designed by regarded architecture firm&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ewert-leaf">Ewert Leaf</a>,&nbsp;adopts a deliberately restrained architectural approach, focusing on simplicity, durability and liveability rather than overt design gestures.

The boutique scale is central to the offering. With only 13 three-bedroom residences, each home is configured to prioritise functional layouts and everyday use, supported by private terraces and secure two-car garages.

Ewert Leaf’s design response leans into a calm, neutral material palette. Interiors are defined by oak flooring, white walls and soft finishes, creating a consistent and understated backdrop. The approach avoids trend-driven detailing in favour of longevity, with an emphasis on natural light and spatial clarity.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6110]

Beyond aesthetics, the homes are designed to meet contemporary performance expectations. Each residence targets a minimum 6-star energy rating, incorporating double glazing, comprehensive insulation and all-electric Bosch appliances.

The project’s location supports a walkable coastal lifestyle, sitting within close proximity to Mordialloc’s foreshore, Main Street retail strip and the train station. Local cafés and dining venues, including Suburbia Deli and Hendriks Café, are within a short walk, reinforcing the area’s established neighbourhood character.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6116]

While <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/mordialloc-vic-3195">Mordialloc</a> is often defined by its beach and pier, the project taps into other areas of day to day living, offering easy access to local food, casual dining and transport, rather than positioning itself purely as a lifestyle retreat.

WM Residences reflects a continued trend across Melbourne’s coastal suburbs towards smaller-scale, design-led townhouse developments, particularly on infill sites where proximity to amenity is already established.

With construction commenced prior to its market entry, the project aligns with a growing preference among buyers for developments with visible progress and defined delivery timeframes.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134646]

WM Residences fills gap in Mordialloc townhouse market

&nbsp;

Developer GURNER™ Group has revealed $1.65 billion in residential sales nationally across the 12 months to December 2025, driven largely by the continued momentum of its Docklands wellness-focused precinct, Elysium Fields.

The sales result was generated across seven projects in Victoria and New South Wales, headlined by Elysium Fields, GURNER™’s $2.75 billion mixed-use precinct planned for Harbour Esplanade in Docklands.

The project has recorded more than $500 million in sales across the first three towers, equating to around 580 apartments sold.

The first tower, Helios, has now sold out of its 240 private residences, with GURNER™ preparing to release a premium penthouse collection comprising 15 three-bedroom penthouses in coming weeks.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370975]

Elysium Fields is being developed on the long-held 20,000 sqm Docklands site at 208-226 Harbour Esplanade, which had remained undeveloped for more than two decades prior to GURNER™ taking over the project around four years ago.

Construction has now commenced across four towers ranging between 18 and 30 storeys, with Hamilton Marino and Maxcon appointed as builders.

Once complete, the precinct is expected to comprise around 1,100 residences, alongside retail, hospitality and public realm uses integrated throughout the site.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370981]

Designed by Fraser &amp; Partners in collaboration with GURNER™ Design House, the project has been positioned around the developer’s broader focus on wellness-led residential living.

“We don’t sell apartments. We create a true luxury lifestyle that simply doesn’t exist elsewhere in the market today,” Founder and Executive Chairman Tim Gurner said.

“To deliver that requires an extraordinary level of detail, coordination and discipline across multiple verticals, from design and hospitality through to wellness and service.”

“We’ve always believed that living extends far beyond the physical residence. It’s about how you feel the moment you arrive, how you live day-to-day, and the ecosystem that supports that.” 
[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370977]

The project’s design places a heavy focus on landscaping, wellness amenities and biophilic design principles.

Plans include around 3,700 sqm of landscaped gardens and open space throughout the precinct, alongside a retail and dining offering spanning approximately 5,000 sqm.

The broader public realm strategy centres around what GURNER™ describes as the “Path of Life”, an urban forest and landscaped pedestrian environment intended to connect the various buildings and wellness spaces across the precinct.

The apartments themselves will incorporate a range of wellness-focused inclusions, including purified air and water systems, circadian lighting, antimicrobial surfaces, and optional in-home wellness upgrades.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370980]

Gurner said the company’s experience through its Saint Haven wellness clubs had directly informed the residential offering now being incorporated into Elysium Fields.

“We’re seeing a clear global shift toward longevity, performance and proactive health,” Gurner said.

“Our role is to deliver that in a way that feels seamless, highly private and beautifully resolved within the environments we create.”

A large component of the wellness offering is planned through the resident amenity and health facilities proposed within the precinct.

That includes plans for bathing and recovery facilities spread throughout the towers, incorporating mineral pools, saunas, steam rooms, flotation therapy, red light therapy and wellness lounges.

The developer is also seeking approvals for what it describes as a “reverse ageing medical clinic” within the precinct.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370978]

According to project information released by the group, the proposed facility would include cryotherapy, IV infusion therapy, infrared and dry saunas, PEMF beds, MRIs, DEXA scans, brain scans and blood analysis services.

Within the first tower, Helios, residents will also have access to a dedicated amenity offering known as the Sky Private Club.

The upper 15 levels of the building will include private lounges, dining spaces, rooftop amenities and optional private wellness studios integrated within residences.

The Helios tower itself comprises 260 apartments ranging between 60 sqm and 300 sqm, including a collection of penthouses.

That includes a planned two-storey penthouse spanning around 600 sqm with uninterrupted bay views.

The Elysium Fields precinct is being delivered in partnership with Digital Harbour Holdings, a consortium that includes the Liberman family, which controls the development rights across the Docklands site.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370979]

The sales result comes as GURNER™ continues expanding its national development pipeline beyond Victoria.

“We have a strong pipeline across Australia and are now focused on scaling into key markets including New South Wales and Queensland, while continuing to build on our Melbourne base,” Gurner said.

“We currently have more than $3 billion in the market, growing to over $5 billion by October, and expect to materially outperform last year in the 2026 calendar year.”

The result also reflects the continued strength of the upper-end apartment market in Melbourne, particularly for owner-occupier-focused product with large-scale amenity and lifestyle offerings.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=144441]

Record result anchored by the Group’s “utopian” Elysium Fields precinct – defying market headwinds in Docklands.

Elysium Fields drive Gurner to $1.65 billion in apartment sales over 2025

National Australia Bank (NAB) will fund <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/palmera-residences-gold-coast-18-garfield-terrace-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Palmera</a>, a $1 billion, 52-level luxury residential tower being developed by Central Equity in one of the Gold Coast’s most tightly held coastal locations at Northcliffe.

The project, launched recently by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/central-equity">Central Equity</a>, one of Victoria’s largest private residential developers, comes at a time when construction funding for large residential developments has become increasingly competitive as lenders tighten exposure to the sector.

Multiplex has been appointed the builder, and construction is now underway.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365784]

Since its first project, Central Equity has delivered more than 85 residential developments with a combined end value exceeding $8 billion.

Palmera reflects Central Equity’s growing focus on the Gold Coast luxury apartment market and continues a relationship between Central Equity and NAB that dates back to the late 1980s, when the bank funded one of Melbourne’s earliest inner-city residential towers at a time when high-rise apartment living in the CBD was largely unproven.

“NAB’s funding of Central Equity’s $36 million CBD development in the late 1980’s to the financing of the billion-dollar tower today highlights the long-term relationship between the two organisations in delivering major residential projects” said Central Equity Founder and Chairman Eddie Kutner.

He said NAB’s early support was instrumental in helping establish the company’s development model.

“When we commenced our first residential tower in the late 1980s the concept of funding off-the-plan apartments was still largely untested in Australia,” Kutner said.

“NAB recognised the opportunity early and supported the project when others were uncertain. That relationship has now continued for more than 37 years across many developments.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365771]

Central Equity was established in 1987 when Melbourne’s CBD and Southbank precinct were still dominated by warehouses and commercial buildings. Fewer than 100 residents lived in Southbank at the time, and large-scale residential development in the inner city was not widely considered.

Recognising changing demographics and lifestyle preferences, the company began developing high-rise residential projects designed to bring permanent residents into the city centre.

Central Equity has provided accommodation for approximately 40,000 residents across Melbourne’s CBD and Southbank, while also incorporating supporting infrastructure including essential lifestyle facilities like retail spaces, childcare facilities and neighbourhood activity centres.

Central Equity has spent many years assembling the Palmera development site on the corner of Garfield Terrace and Frederick Street in Northcliffe, creating a supersite of around 3,300 sqm.

The developer said the Palmera apartment tower reflects its long-term view of the Gold Coast as a growing and increasingly diversified economy.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365768]

Supported by infrastructure including the light rail network, major road upgrades expanded education, hospital and medical facilities and continued expansion at the Gold Coast Airport with more international and domestic flights.

Positioned in the tightly held Northcliffe precinct, the 52-level tower will deliver 347 apartments, targeting buyers seeking a high-end coastal lifestyle, from downsizers to interstate investors.

Designed by Marchese Partners with interiors by DBI, Palmera has been conceived as a next-generation residential offering, featuring a collection of oversized apartments, with premium three-bedroom residences offering sweeping northern views stretching from Surfers Paradise through to Burleigh Heads.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=108274]

NAB funds $1 billion Surfers Paradise apartment development, Palmera

Two years after completing one of the newest developments in North Sydney, developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/aqualand-australia">Aqualand</a> is turning its attention to the rapidly evolving St Leonards apartment market.

The developer, which completed AURA by Aqualand on North Sydney's Walker Street, has lodged plans for a 5,918 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/33-37-herbert-street-st-leonards-nsw-2065">33-37 Herbert Street, St Leonards,</a> seeking approval for a pair of residential towers rising above a shared podium opposite Royal North Shore Hospital.

The proposal forms part of the broader transformation underway across the St Leonards-Crows Nest precinct, where former industrial and commercial sites are increasingly being redeveloped into high-density mixed-use projects tied to major transport infrastructure.

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2cc428cf-fe70-4cac-9cd5-264ad53af62c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.56%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=otKSnHtbjAvAddOnovyXQMgcAwE6DMe1" />

According to the planning documents, the site sits “within the St Leonards–Crows Nest Strategic Centre, identified by the NSW Government as a key area for accommodating future jobs and housing across Sydney.”

The proposal has been designed by fjcstudio, formerly FJMT Studio, and is being progressed through the State Significant Development pathway due to its scale and affordable housing provision.

The scheme would comprise 413 apartments, including 46 affordable housing units, alongside retail and commercial uses fronting Herbert Street. The project would also include communal open space, landscaping, a swimming pool, gymnasium, children’s play areas and podium-level resident amenities.

Planning documents show the development would consist of a part-13, part-39 storey tower form positioned above a four-storey podium.

“The development comprises a unified podium that activates the street interface, and two setback towers to accommodate new housing supply while maintaining an appropriate human scale at ground level,” fjcstudio noted in its Design Report.

The northern and southern towers have been shaped to respond to the surrounding skyline while also limiting overshadowing impacts to nearby public open space, particularly Talus Reserve.

The design report said the differing tower heights were intended to “contribute to a varied skyline while responding to the surrounding built form context and solar access considerations.”

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="36da62dc-ff9e-41f2-a7e3-7be38373751c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.45%E2%80%AFAM_0.png?VersionId=Mo6Rp2r.XRLTzIfg_PEEpw8NepDH8UBs" />

The site sits directly opposite Royal North Shore Hospital and within walking distance of both St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

While the site itself sits just outside the formal Crows Nest Transport Oriented Development boundary, the planning documents repeatedly reference its alignment with the broader TOD objectives reshaping the Lower North Shore.

“The site is located adjacent to St Leonards Station and in close proximity to Crows Nest Metro which is within the Crows Nest Transit Orientated Development Accelerated Precinct which has been identified by the NSW Government to support housing delivery,” the Design Verification Statement noted.

According to fjcstudio, the project has been designed to respond to the broader transition occurring across St Leonards, where increasing residential density is being concentrated around transport infrastructure and employment hubs.

“The broader precinct is undergoing significant change, with a mix of existing mid-rise buildings and newer high-density developments,” the report stated.

“Recent and approved projects indicate a consistent shift toward taller built form, typically organised as tower-and-podium typologies with more active ground levels.”

The proposal includes close to 6,000 sqm of retail and commercial space across the ground floor and podium levels, designed to create a more activated street edge along Herbert Street.

Aqualand’s plans would also introduce a landscaped podium shared between the two towers, with communal open space in the form of a podium rooftop designed to support resident interaction and improve urban greening outcomes. The scheme would also introduce pocket parks at the northern and southern ends of the site, including a landscaped area at the corner of Herbert and Ella streets designed to improve pedestrian amenity and soften the streetscape.

&nbsp;

The proposal is being progressed through the NSW Government’s Housing Delivery Authority pathway, which was introduced to accelerate housing supply across the state. The application was declared State Significant Development in April 2025 following an expression of interest process.

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="faf6d97d-2671-454f-b85a-fe1c6a7be608" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.49%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=diVd28OBVr5.YV.7prrOz.uAanwwwm7a" />

St Leonards has been particularly active with new developments in recent weeks. Developer SP Setia’s <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-sp-setia-targets-st-leonards-skyline-with-40-storey-tod-tower">plans for a new 42-storey tower</a> recently went on exhibition through the same pathway, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">Stockland’s 52-storey tower proposal</a> was also recently unveiled.

Aside from the St Leonards project, which is expected to take around nine months to move through the approvals process ahead of a potential 2027 launch, Aqualand is also preparing to launch Boronia, a new apartment project in Roseville comprising around 111 apartments on Larkin Street.

The developer also has approvals in place for the next stage of the Barangaroo precinct, which will feature new residential, retail, hospitality and community uses, alongside a new metro entry across the five-hectare site.

More than 50 new retail destinations are planned for Central Barangaroo, alongside a 270-metre-long boulevard connecting Hickson Park to Nawi Cove. Together with Harbour Park, more than 50 per cent of the precinct will comprise public open space and parkland.

Jennifer Duke

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