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China's love affair with Australian real estate market is growing, with at least $1.5 billion set to be invested locally in over the coming years.
Recent research from CBRE revealed that Chinese insurance funds, alone, had about US$14 billion available for overseas real estate investment. Australia was among a handful of countries it identified as "key targets" for that money.
Underpinning the attraction said Cushman &amp; Wakefield director of investment sales, Mr Tony Dixon was that "Australia was high yielding".
Yields had been compressing in other regions of the world, he said, but that it hadn’t happened to the same extent in Australia. Political stability, transparency and the positive property fundamentals were also appealing.
In the last 12 months, he estimates more than $1 billion has been spent by Chinese investors buying local real estate.
In a paper last month on Chinese investment in Australian property, Colliers International identified that investment was coming from four major sources: Banks and financial institutions; Developers with global ambitions;  large state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and China sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) and high net worth individuals.
The Colliers paper also said that while the increase in Chinese investment in the Australian residential property market has been widely reported, statistics show that Chinese investors are putting their money into a wide range of commercial property assets.
“While first time private investors may start by looking at residential investments, the more experienced investors have a broader appetite, and we’re receiving interest across a range of asset classes from farmland and wineries through to retirement, hotel, retail and large office building assets,” said Steam Leung, director of investment sales at Colliers International, who heads up the company’s Asian Division.
“However the most common enquiries are seeking Commercial A and B-grade offices and residential sites.”
Colliers estimates that Chinese investors have spent more than $600 million in the year to date on residential development sites in Sydney alone, with plans for almost 5,000 units on these sites.
Mr Dixon said that the indication from Chinese groups was that at least a further $1.5 billion could be invested in Australian real estate. But he emphasised that "if deals show themselves, they will do a deal".
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Australia identified as a 'key target' by Chinese insurance funds

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The glut of office sublease space facing most Australian capital cities appears to have peaked.
A national review of the sublease office market by CBRE, titled Sublease Barometers - showed that the amount of sublease space is hovering between 70,000 square metres and 80,000 square metres in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.
And while the figures are above historic average, the expectation was that no significant tranches of new sublease space were expected to come to the market in the near future.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/10/29/chart_of_the_week_oct_29.jpg" width="470" height="250" alt="chart_of_the_week_oct_29">
Source: CBRE
CBRE regional director, office services, Andrew Tracey pointed out that "much of the available stock is subject to very short lease tails with expiries in 2014 and 2015." 
"This is more of a deferred direct hidden vacancy issue given the inherent difficulty in leasing space with less than a three year lease expiry.
"Much of this stock is expected to revert back to direct vacancy, which will significantly reduce the volume of available sublease space."
In short, CBRE believes that the availability of office sublease space nationally is likely to have peaked
In assessing the state of the national office sublease market, The Sublease Barometers tracked both the volume of sublease space, the trends occurring within different industry groups and market sectors in the major capital city markets.
The results varied significantly between the small and bigger cities. Canberra recorded the least sublease space available at just 8,553 square metres in September. Conditions are expected to change any day as various government departments are restructured, leading to public sector rationalisation.
Market influencers also varied by city. It said the mining sector, as expected, had a much more significant influence on the Perth and Brisbane markets given the recent slowdown in this sector to which both cities have a high exposure.
At the same time, Brisbane’s high exposure to government tenants also resulted in that city being hit by Queensland state government job cuts and consolidation, with almost 2,500 full-time equivalent jobs in inner Brisbane cut from the Queensland public service in 2013, CBRE said.
While Sydney's high exposure to the finance industry saw it hit hard by the low sentiment in that sector.
But Mr Tracey noted that employment in the Sydney finance and insurance sector had increased by 4.5% in the September quarter, surpassing the national figure of 0.4%.
"With this sector being the main contributor of sublease space, overall availabilities may start to decline as business sentiment improves,” he said.
He concluded by saying that the national office leasing market was expected to show signs of improvement in the second half of 2014 and early 2015 as business confidence improved.    
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Glut of national office sublease space appears to have peaked

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<img src="/images/stories/2013/10/29/KF_STACKED_RGB.jpg" width="200" height="75" alt="KF_STACKED_RGB" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
Name: Greg McAlpine<img src="/images/stories/2013/10/29/greg-mcalpine-profile.jpg" width="150" height="200" alt="greg-mcalpine-profile" style="float: right;">

Position: National director of office leasing

Company: Knight Frank

Office Location: Perth
 
How long have you been in the industry?
 
I have been working in the property for 27 years.


What’s happening in the area you specialise in? 
 
The Perth office leasing market has softened over the last 18 months. That said, we do expect to see demand pick up in the Q1/Q2 next year.


Describe the most interesting property you have sold?
 
An OPSM glasses factory in Bayswater. It was a really interesting property as it gave me a “behind the scene” look into the technology that goes into making glasses, different styles and the strength of the glass that actually goes into the glasses.


What are the ingredients to being successful in your job?
 
Hard work, discipline and doing what you say.


What aspects of your role do you enjoy the most?
 
Meeting and talking to new people every day.


Where would you invest a spare $750,000?
 
In Perth residential within a 7 kilometres radius of the CBD.


Which football team do you support?
 
The Fremantle Dockers - At last, some success!


What’s your favourite app or techno gadget?
 Favourite 

gadget is my TENS Machine (Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) a must for tennis tournaments to get the aching knees and shoulders through three or four days of tennis straight.
How do you use social media?
 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://au.linkedin.com/pub/greg-mcalpine/50/903/55" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a> for keeping up to speed with the industry news and connected with contacts.
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In profile: Knight Frank's national director of office leasing, Greg McAlpine

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Leasing activity in Adelaide's industrial property market surged nearly 20% in the 12 months to September, buoyed by improving economic conditions.
Data from Savills Australia's Spotlight Adelaide Industrial report showed total space leased - based on leases of more than 700 square metres- rose by 45,698 square metres to 282,352 square metres from 66 deals in the 12 months to September. That compared to the previous corresponding period which recorded a total of 236,654 square metres of stock reported leased from 90 deals.
<img alt="chart-of-the-weeek-cot-23" height="282" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/10/23/chart-of-the-weeek-cot-23.png">
Leases in the manufacturing and engineering sectors made up the bulk of the industrial leasing activity, accounting for 100,795 square metres of space reported leased, the report said.
The transport and logistics sectors had the most number of leasing deals, with 16 or 24% of the market.
Savills examined Adelaide's five main industrial precincts in the report- the Inner West, North, North West, South and South West.
Of the three precincts, it found that the North, Inner West and South all recorded decreases in leasing activity over the period,  however leasing activity in the North West increased significantly with 143,059 square metres reported leased. The North West registered the greatest number of leasing deals at 30.
Savills also noted that the largest volume of industrial activity took place in the 2,000 to 5,000 square metre categories, closely followed by the 15,000 plus square metre category
Looking ahead, Savills expects the number of leasing deals to remain steady in the short term while the economy continues to recover, increasing in the medium term as a larger number of tenants return to the market.
The report, which also examined sales activity, highlighted that Adelaide’s industrial sector is experiencing "a time of great change” with several major projects, in particular those in the mining and defence sectors, expected to drive growth and investment in the market.
"As these projects become more established we can expect to see an increase in both the number and value of industrial sales and leasing transactions," it said.
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Adelaide's industrial property market surges by 20%: Savills

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The historic Gracemere Hotel at Gracemere in central Queensland has been slated for sale.
Constructed in 1885, the double storey building is located on the Old Capricorn Highway and is adjacent to the recently opened Gracemere Shopping World, which has Woolworths and Best &amp; Less as anchor tenants.
The hotel - about 11 kilometres from the Rockhampton CBD - is being marketed by Tony Bargwanna and Leon Alaban of Ray White Hotels Australia.
Mr Bargwanna said the hotel enjoys a reliable trade and no immediate competition in a diverse local economy.
“The hotel in the 2012-13 financial year generated turnover of approximately $7 million plus gaming revenue,” he said.
The hotel, which has had multiple refurbishments, comprises of a sports bar, a bistro and dining area accommodating around 175 patrons, a gaming lounge with 30 EGMs, PubTAB, Keno, a bottle shop, commercial kitchen, children’s playground and eight hotel guest rooms. The land area is about 2,829 square metres.
“The current owners have identified that the sports bar and beer garden would be next areas of growth for the Hotel; concept plans for future works to these areas have already been prepared, added Mr Bargwanna.
While Mr Alaban said the gaming room could easily accommodate an additional 10 electronic gaming machines, subject to approval. “For strategic purchasers, we also believe the acquisition of a vacant block of land adjacent to the hotel car park could be targeted to construct a motel or expand the bottleshop and the car park area,” he said.
Expressions of interest close on November 13.
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Central Queensland's historic Gracemere Hotel slated for sale

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A city fringe office building in Melbourne's seaside suburb of St Kilda has been slated with price expectations of more than $11 million.
The 180 St Kilda Road building is spread over three levels and is being offered for sale with pending vacant possession.
Co-selling agent Peter Bremner of Colliers International said there was a current lease in place to Austereo, with a sub-lease in place to current occupant Village Roadshow, until 30 June 2014 and no further options, "meaning a business could plan for their future in the medium to long term while receiving just over $1 million per annum in rental income in the short term".
The join agent is Jeremy Gruzewski also of Colliers.
The property sits on a 1,258 square metres freehold parcel of land and the building is described as "modern" and "refurbished". It comprises 2,951 square metres of office space, plus a 285 square metre rooftop deck and 61 car bays.
“Opportunities to purchase a building of this size with pending vacant possession in one of Melbourne’s most tightly held office markets are genuinely rare, especially for standalone buildings with such high exposure and presence," said Mr Bremner.
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Three storey St Kilda office slated for expected $11 million plus sale

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A private investor has snapped up a new industrial warehouse in the northern Brisbane suburb of Banyo for $420,000.
Located just 12 kilometers north of the Brisbane CBD, the warehouse, at 5/368 Earnshaw Road, features a 5x5 metre roller shutter door and four allocated car parks.
Tim Langford of Ray White Industrial Milton sold the property.
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Private investor snaps up new industrial warehouse in Banyo, Brisbane

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A 5,150 square metre warehouse and office investment property in Melbourne's Footscray West has sold for $1.35 million.
The sale to a private investor represented a yield of 11.5% on a WALE (weighted average lease to expiry) of two years.
The 1 Paramount Road property includes a warehouse and office covering 3,050 square metres and has been leased to the same tenant since 1997, which intends to remain on the property for at least another two years.
DTZ selling agent Rob Mirabello said "This is an excellent sales result given the yield achieved and the remaining lease term".
Mirabello also pointed out that there scope is for planning upside, “with the property located in an area that may be rezoned for residential development in future years.”
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Footscray West warehouse and office sells for $1.35 million

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A rare piece of retail strip on Melbourne's prominent Collins Street is returning to the market.
The retail pocket, at 150 Collins Street, sits within a much larger development due to be completed in August 2014 and will be home to Westpac's new head office.
Gorcon and APN Property Group are developing the project, estimated to have an end value of $180 million.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/10/23/melbourne_oct_23_one.jpg" width="470" height="353" alt="melbourne_oct_23_one">
Artists impression of the 150 Collins Street development
As part of the development, about 650 square metres of retail space, fronting Little Collins Street, will be offered for lease to retailers.
A new state-of-the-art Westpac branch, located on the corner of Russell and Little Collins Street, will anchor the retail offering. The branch will be taking about 330 square metres of the total retail component - roughly 1000 square metres.
A further seven retail tenancies are being offered for lease by Michael Rainey from Fitzroys. The largest tenancy offering has direct access to the main office foyer at Ground Level, and has the ability to be expanded into a mezzanine tenancy. All other tenancies front Little Collins Street, with a number of them with heritage listed art deco frontages. Areas range from 29 square metres to 143 square metres.
Retail rents are $1,000 per square metre to $2,750 square metres plus for the small shops.
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Rare Collins Street retail strip offered for lease

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Investors’ insatiable appetite for prime retail real estate is set see investment sales in the sector produce new record highs this year.
This week alone, more than $120 million worth of retail property assets changed hands in Sydney and Adelaide.
The high-profile Oxford Square commercial retail complex in Sydney's CBD sold for $62.7 million to the Australian Property Opportunities Fund.
<img alt="oxford_square_oct_23_one" height="313" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/10/23/oxford_square_oct_23_one.jpg">
Photo: Oxford Square, Darlinghurst
Oxford Square is fully leased, with a net income of about $5,025,000 per annum. The site has a 48-metre frontage to Oxford Street and a total gross lettable area of 12,088 square metres.
Jones Lang LaSalle’s national head of retail investments Simon Rooney and manager of NSW retail investment sales Luke Harris oversaw the sale on behalf of a local private investor.
"While major deals above a$150 million still dominate the overall market, we’re also seeing an uplift in activity in the $50-150 million bracket this year", said Rooney, citing increased demand from the likes of syndicators and boutique fund managers
Such is the high level of demand that Rooney said including this most recent major sale, total retail transactions were at $5.3 billion.
"The current pace of activity suggests retail investment volumes are on track to produce a new record high in 2013, above the $6.5 billion recorded in 2012,” he said.
In a separate transaction, Charter Hall Retail REIT has acquired the Southgate Plaza in Adelaide's Morphett Vale for $60 million.
<img alt="morphett_oct_23_one" height="251" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/10/23/morphett_oct_23_one.jpg">
Photo: Southgate Plaza, Morphett Vale
The plaza is located 21 kilometres south-west of the Adelaide CBD and is anchored by a recently expanded Target store and a refurbished Coles supermarket.
JLL's Simon Rooney also negotiated the Southgate deal. ISPT was the vendor.
Total sub-regional transactions for 2013 are now at $963.7 million year to date. That compares to $983.2 million in 2012.
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Record highs for prime retail investment sales

<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.

&nbsp;

[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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[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360966]

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.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=149670]

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.

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[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152737]

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Katherine Jimenez

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