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The majority of economists expect the RBA to cut the cash rate to a new record low of 2.5% on August.
Of the 28 economists polled by Bloomberg just before the weekend, 22 expect the RBA to reduce the cash rate to fall by 25 basis points.
ANZ chief economist Warren Hogan is the most notable exception among the six economists expecting the RBA to hold fire.
The others are from Deutsche Bank, J.P. Morgan, Merrill Lynch, QIC and TD Securities.
Looking beyond August, no further rate cut is forecast on September 3 with all economists' surveyed maintaining their August positions.
Beyond September and views are quite divergent.
Macquarie Research and Westpac's Bill Evans foresee a 2% cash rate, the former before the end of the year and the later by the first quarter 0f 2014.
However, Shane Oliver from AMP Capital, expects the cash rate to start rising from the first quarter of 2014 to 2.75% and to reach 3.5% by the end of 2014.
The median view is a cash rate of 2.63% (so either 2.5% or 2.75%) by the end of 2014 - suggesting rates could remain low throughout next year.
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lschlesinger-FZcF9M3vE6

Economists favour rate cut on August 6: Bloomberg survey

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The four major banks are currently writing around 90% of new mortgages
Three out of the four major banks – NAB, Commonwealth Bank and Westpac - are tipping the RBA to cut the cash rate to 2.5% when its board meets in just over a week (August 6).
ANZ expects the RBA to hold fire until the final quarter of the year.
Currently there is not much difference between the major banks when looking at their standard variable rates, but most customers will be offered between 50 and 85 basis points off that rate, depending on factors including how much they borrow, size of their deposit and their credit-worthiness.
These are the lowest advertised variable and fixed mortgage rates on the websites of the major banks as of July 22:
Standard variable rate offerings:
<table width="347" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="1"><tbody>
<tr>
<td width="137" valign="top">
Provider
</td>
<td width="95" valign="top">
Rate
</td>
<td width="114" valign="top">
Comparison rate*
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="137" valign="top">
NAB
</td>
<td width="95" valign="top">
6.13%
</td>
<td width="114" valign="top">
6.22%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="137" valign="top">
ANZ
</td>
<td width="95" valign="top">
6.13%
</td>
<td width="114" valign="top">
6.23%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="137" valign="top">
CBA
</td>
<td width="95" valign="top">
6.15%
</td>
<td width="114" valign="top">
6.29%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="137" valign="top">
Westpac
</td>
<td width="95" valign="top">
6.26%
</td>
<td width="114" valign="top">
6.39%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
Lowest discount variable rate offerings 
<table width="461" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="1"><tbody>
<tr>
<td width="137" valign="top">
Provider
</td>
<td width="95" valign="top">
Rate
</td>
<td width="114" valign="top">
Maximum advertised discount
</td>
<td width="114" valign="top">
Comparison rate*
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="137" valign="top">
NAB
</td>
<td width="95" valign="top">
5.28%
</td>
<td width="114" valign="top">
85 basis points
</td>
<td width="114" valign="top">
6.22%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="137" valign="top">
CBA
</td>
<td width="95" valign="top">
5.35%
</td>
<td width="114" valign="top">
80 basis points
</td>
<td width="114" valign="top">
6.29%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="137" valign="top">
ANZ
</td>
<td width="95" valign="top">
5.43%
</td>
<td width="114" valign="top">
70 basis points
</td>
<td width="114" valign="top">
6.23%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="137" valign="top">
Westpac
</td>
<td width="95" valign="top">
5.56%
</td>
<td width="114" valign="top">
70 basis points
</td>
<td width="114" valign="top">
6.39%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
Lowest one-year fixed-rate package offerings
<table width="347" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="1"><tbody>
<tr>
<td width="137" valign="top">
Provider
</td>
<td width="95" valign="top">
Rate
</td>
<td width="114" valign="top">
Comparison rate*
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="137" valign="top">
NAB
</td>
<td width="95" valign="top">
4.79%
</td>
<td width="114" valign="top">
5.83%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="137" valign="top">
CBA
</td>
<td width="95" valign="top">
4.79%
</td>
<td width="114" valign="top">
5.93%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="137" valign="top">
ANZ
</td>
<td width="95" valign="top">
4.85%
</td>
<td width="114" valign="top">
6.07%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="137" valign="top">
Westpac
</td>
<td width="95" valign="top">
5.24%
</td>
<td width="114" valign="top">
6.31%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
Lowest three-year fixed-rate package offerings
<table width="347" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="1"><tbody>
<tr>
<td width="137" valign="top">
Provider
</td>
<td width="95" valign="top">
Rate
</td>
<td width="114" valign="top">
Comparison rate*
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="137" valign="top">
NAB
</td>
<td width="95" valign="top">
4.99%
</td>
<td width="114" valign="top">
5.75%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="137" valign="top">
CBA
</td>
<td width="95" valign="top">
4.99%
</td>
<td width="114" valign="top">
5.84%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="137" valign="top">
Westpac
</td>
<td width="95" valign="top">
4.99%
</td>
<td width="114" valign="top">
6.09%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="137" valign="top">
ANZ
</td>
<td width="95" valign="top">
5.19%
</td>
<td width="114" valign="top">
5.98%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
 *A comparison rate includes both the interest rate and the fees and charges relating to a loan, combined into a single percentage figure. All comparison rates recorded here are calculated on the basis of secured credit of $150,000 over a 25 year term. Different amounts and terms will result in different comparison rates.
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The four major banks lowest fixed and variable mortgage offerings ahead of August 6 RBA cash rate decision

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The outlook for the residential building sector is mixed with growth expected in the previously underperforming states of NSW, Queensland and WA, but Victoria to weaken as the Melbourne apartment market cools.
Overall, residential building is forecast to decline 2% in the 2013 financial year, before picking up 9% in 2014/15 and 4% in 2015/16.
Nationally, the recovery will see private detached house starts grow by 2% in 2013/14 and 12% in 2014/15. Another lift of 6% will follow in 2015/16.
At the same time private multi-residential dwelling starts will initially fall by 5% in 2013/14 as the Melbourne apartment market cools, before a bounce back of 5% begins in 2014/15 and a further 1% rise the year after.
However, then a cyclical decline will set in with a 5% contraction in 2016/17 followed by an 8% fall in 2017/18.
“[2013/14] will be a year of change in the mix – from Victoria to NSW, and from high rise to bungalows – before gaining strong traction the following year, in 2014/15,” says Dr Kim Hawtrey, associate director at BIS Shrapnel and author of its Building in Australia 2013 report.
The report forecasts a critical 12 month period for the Australian economy as it transitions away from mining investment into non-mining sectors.
“We’re in for a real nail biter,” says Hawtrey.
“We see an upswing in building but it will be uneven and slower to get going than usual.
“The next 12 months will be a critical test of how quickly the construction sector can take on more of the heavy lifting, and the Australian economy will remain balanced on a knife edge.”
The strongest upswings will occur in the prevously underperforming NSW new home building market and in the the two ‘mining’ states of Western Australia and Queensland.
However, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT are all expected to post declines in 2012/13 and this will continue into 2013/14.
Victoria will undergo an “inevitable correction following several record years of phenomenal home building".
“These markets are generally in oversupply, notably Victoria,” says Hawtrey. 
Overall, BIS Shrapnel says that building, especially home construction, is not responding to low interest rates as might be expected.
“Home building has been punching below its weight and normally low mortgage rates would be stimulating the sector toward clear recovery by now.
"But the antibiotics are taking longer to work this time around.
“High household debt, concerns about the global economy, planning restrictions in some states and lack of land supply are among the factors that explain this new phenomenon," says Hawtrey.
Figures for the financial year to date has residential outperforming expectations over 2012/13, with strong results in the September and December 2012 quarters boosting the calendar 2012 result to 147,970 commencements.
The emergence of tentative growth in NSW, Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory as well as a softer than anticipated fall in Victoria are behind the positive results.
Leading indicators suggest that growth in these markets will continue and this fits with BIS Shrapnel’s expectations based off its longer term analysis.
However, despite the low interest rates (set to remain low for the immediate future) and improved housing affordability, BIS Shrapnel notes that the recovery in residential building activity has not been as strong or as quick to set in as some commentators would have expected.
“Although the Australian economy has shown more resilience than many other developed economies, it has faced its own struggles,” says Hawtrey.
“Outside the resources sector, activity has been subdued, with many industries struggling with the higher dollar and the public sector pulling back on spending.
“As investment in the mining sector begins to decline economic growth will weaken and unemployment will pick up. This has already begun to happen and is weighing heavily on confidence.
BIS Shrapnel expects that a fall in residential building in Victoria’s will “basically neutralize the rise in NSW” resulting in an overall 9% pick-up in residential construction in 2014/15 and 4% in 2015/16.
“Momentum will build in the undersupplied states of New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia driving the national total, whilst declines in Victoria will level out, and South Australia and Tasmania will return to growth off their low levels,” says Hawtrey.
The overall outlook for building (residential and non-residential) is weak with the value of national building commencements is forecast to grow 3% in 2013/14.The sector will then stabilise in 2015/16 (0%) and record falls in 2016/17 and 2017/18.</body></html>

Residential building recovery to transition from “high rise to bungalows” as NSW picks up Victoria’s slack: BIS Shrapnel

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The finance arm of Yellow Brick Road has changed the way it authorises companies and individuals that offer home loan advice under its Australian credit licence, through its 150 plus franchise network.
This following concerns from ASIC. YBR Finance has directly authorised over 100 individuals working in YBR branches as credit representatives (loan writers).
ASIC considered that the national credit licensing framework also required YBR to authorise the companies which operate the branches as the companies also act as intermediaries between the licensee and the consumer. 
ASIC acknowledges YBR's co-operation in responding to this issue and says the franchise group is now in the process of authorising the corporate entities directly under its licence.
Those entities can sub-authorise employees or they can be directly appointed under YBR’s credit licence.
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Yellow Brick Road upgrades credit licence structure following ASIC concerns

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Aussie Home Loans founder John Symond paid at least $100,000 to $150,000 after tax every month to lawyers over a five year period to defend his reputation after receiving a $7 million tax bill from the Australian Tax Office based on poor advice from a former partner of law firm Gadens.
The tax bill with penalties - paid in full in 2008 - related to a restructuring of the Aussie Home Loans business to facilitate a loan Symond sought to build his Point Piper mansion.
Speaking to Ross Greenwood on 2GB Money News this week following Supreme Court Justice Robert Beech-Jones ruling last week that he had received “aggressive and wrong” advice by former Gadens partner Ross Seller in 2003 and 2004, Symond said the court case was about protecting his reputation as well as receiving justice.
John Symond built his reputation on the back of Aussie Home Loans offering ordinary Aussie battlers a fair go when it came to home loan deals with his catch-phrase “We’ll save you” and by his promise to keep the major banks honest.
“It was primarily about reputation, that was the main thing I was concerned about,” said John Symond to Ross Greenwood.
He told Greenwood he received a letter from the tax office after they completed their investigations, which he says showed “no signs of me, nor any of my companies, trying to avoid paying income tax”.
But to clear his name took many years and millions of dollars.
“I went for at least five years paying at least $100,000 to $150,000 after tax dollars every month to lawyers,” said Symond.
“[Gadens] gave me terrible advice and caused me to pay unnecessarily millions of dollars in double taxation to the tax office
“Even the tax office admitted they were never out of pocket a dollar,” he said.
Symond's mansion in Point Piper on Sydney harbour was completed in November 2006.
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Legal bills were $100,000 a month plus for five years: John Symond

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Daniel Grollo’s Grocon development group is partnering with private developer Harry Stamoulis on plans to build a $600 million office tower at 555 Collins Street.
An earlier proposal by the Stamoulis Property Group to build a 404 metre tower on the Western side of Collins Street, just behind the Rialto Tower, was deemed too tall and there were also concerns it would cast a shadow over the Yarra River.
Grocon and Stamoulis are working on a proposal for an office tower to feature around 60,000 square metres of prime space and are already seeking out potential anchor tenants, reports the Australian Financial Review.
There is currently a 24 storey building on the site built in 1975 and owned by the Stamoulis Property Group. It is leased to NAB, with the lease due to expire in 2014.
The partnership with Grocon, should add gravitas to the Stamoulis proposals – the Rialto Tower at 524 Collins Street, once the second tallest building in Melbourne after the Eureka tower was developed by the Grollo family and completed in 1986.
It is all part of efforts to regenerate the less glamorous Western end of Collins Street with construction now underway of the 26 storey 55,000-square-metre office building at 567 Collins Street on the site of a former ‘black hole’.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/retail/richard-branson-s-virgin-active-group-virginactiveoz-exercises-leasing-deal-at-leighton-properties-567-collins-street-development/2013060661996">567 Collins Street, being built by Leighton Contractors</a> and due for completion in 2015, was acquired by Investa Office Fund (IOF) and Investa Commercial Property Fund (ICPF) earlier this year and has signed Richard Branson's Virgin Active gym group as ground floor tenants with other tenants including law firm Corrs Chambers Westgarth who will lease 8,800 square metres.
GPT has recently “revitalised” its premium grade 530 Collins Street, which now has a 5.5 star NABERS Energy rating.
Office space in the tower was advertised for lease last year via an advertising campaign that included street performers and tram advertising, which won Jones Lang LaSalle the REIV’s 2012 Commercial &amp; Industrial Marketing Awards.
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Daniel Grollo's Grocon joins forces with Harry Stamoulis on 555 Collins Street tower project

Investor magazines' 2011 unit hotspots are more misses than hits two years on

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Tiernan O’Rourke has been appointed as the new chief financial officer at Stockland as part of the management shake-up by chief executive Mark Steinert.
O’Rourke will commence in the role on October 20 with current CFO Tim Foster remaining on board until the end of October to ensure a smooth transition.
Steinert announced in May that Foster would step down later in the year once a replacement had been appointed.
O'Rourke is currently chief financial officer at Transfield Services Limited and was previously finance chief at Australand.
A month again, Stockland appointed Andrew Whitson as group executive and chief executive of Stockland's residential business following the departure of Stockland’s former head of residential, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/australian-capital-territory/stockland-executive-team-shake-up-as-tim-foster-and-mark-hunter-sacked/2013050861155" target="_blank">Mark Hunter in May</a>.
At the same time Stephen Bull promotedgeneral manager development and design (commercial property) as its new group executive and chief executive of retirement living following the resignation of David Pitman.
Steinert took over as new Stockland boss in January, replacing Matthew Quinn.
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Stockland appoints former Australand executive Tiernan O'Rourke as new finance boss

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A rate cut in August is not inevitable but underlying inflation trends mean the RBA has the justification it needs to cut the cash rate to 2.5% says the Australian Financial Review’s economics editor, Alan Mitchell.
His analysis of the inflation data and broader economic trends suggest it will be a complicated decision for the RBA.
Mitchell says the situation is complicated due to the need to rebalance the economy and for the RBA to “induce a revival of non-mining business investments”.
This is happening to a degree as the most recent NAB business survey revealed but Mitchell says the “investment outlook still looks soft”.
An issue is the Australian dollar, which stopped depreciating in the first week of July and which has since risen slightly – a fall in the dollar will help non-mining sectors of the economy such as tourism, manufacturing and retail.
Mitchell also highlights the difficulty in assessing the true impact of inflation given the different measures used to work underlying inflation – inflation with volatile components stripped out.
He says one measure of underlying inflation has it running at the bottom of the RBA’s 2% to 3% target band, while another shows it running in the top half of this target.
“The lower of the two measures of underlying inflation is more reliable and a simple average of the two readings still has inflation in the bottom half of the target range,” he says.
Fellow AFR economics writer David Bassanese says while underlying inflation could have been lower, it’s “probably good enough” for a rate cut.
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A rate cut in August is “justified” but inflation and economic picture “complicated”: AFR's Alan Mitchell

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Listed commercial property trust Dexus has acquired a 14.9% investment in the Commonwealth Office Property Fund.
The fund holds prime-grade office assets worth $3.7 billion, including a 50% share of  the premium grade 5 Martin Place office tower in Sydney, due for completion in 2015, with law firm Ashurst to occupy 44% of the 31,000 square metres of office space.
Dexus says the investment is consistent with its investment in high quality Australian office properties.
The investment comes <a target="_blank" href="/news">one day after the Commonwealth Bank</a> announced that it had submitted non-binding proposals to internalise the management rights of the Commonwealth Office Property Fund, the CFS Retail Property Trust and the Kiwi Income Property Trust.
All three are managed by the banks’ wealth management arm, Colonial First State Global Asset Management.
This is believed to be as part of plans by the bank to exit the real estate funds management business.
The Australian Financial Review reports that Dexus and GPT are mulling a possible takeover bid for the office fund. They may also bid for the management rights.
Both have strong ties to the funds management business - Dexus chief executive Darren Steinberg was previously managing director of property for Colonial First State Global Asset Management while Carmel Hourigan, head of investment management at GPT, is a former fund manager of the Commonwealth Property Office Fund.
The AFR also names Mirvac, Investa Property, Brookfield and Blackstone as possible bidders for the office fund.
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Dexus acquires 14.9% of Commonwealth Office Property Fund as big players circle

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.

Joel Robinson

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

<main data-perf-region="main">
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]

<h3 data-end="3697" data-section-id="q3n5ak" data-start="3672">&nbsp;</h3>
</main>

Nova Rêve arrives as Reve Group bets on Castle Hill's next growth phase

A collection of just 25 large-format apartments and penthouses overlooking Goodwin Park is entering the Coolangatta market, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/marea-residences-coolangatta-27-27a-dixon-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Maréa Residences</a> combining a low-density, residential-only approach with uninterrupted park and Pacific Ocean outlooks.

Located at 27 Dixon Street, Maréa comprises three and four-bedroom residences alongside a limited number of dual-level penthouses, with the project positioned between Goodwin Park and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/coolangatta-qld-4225">Coolangatta</a>’s coastal precinct.

Construction has commenced, with completion currently estimated for late 2027. Three-bedroom residences are priced from $1.8 million.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150999 project_image_fid=374005]

The project has been designed around its northern outlook across the park, with the building’s architecture, landscaping and material palette intended to establish a connection with the neighbouring green space. The residences have been configured to maximise natural light and views across Goodwin Park towards the ocean.

Inside, the material palette incorporates timber, stone and brushed brass, complemented by curved detailing and ambient lighting. Kitchens and bathrooms carry the same natural material approach, while residences also include basement parking, storage and lift access.

Maréa’s penthouses are arranged over two levels and include private pools, adding another layer to the project’s focus on larger-format apartment living. Across the development, residences are configured with three or four bedrooms rather than the broader mix of smaller apartment types commonly found in larger projects.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150999 project_image_fid=374010]

Resident amenity is concentrated at rooftop level, where landscaped entertaining terraces and pools take advantage of elevated views across Coolangatta and the Pacific Ocean.

The project has so far been particularly well received by local owner-occupiers and downsizers, according to Urban Activation Property Sales and Marketing Director Matt George, with the residential-only format, construction quality and northern park outlook among the features resonating with purchasers.

“The uninterrupted northern aspect overlooking Goodwin Park has been a key point of difference, with buyers attracted to the sense of serenity and open space the park provides, while still enjoying easy access to the ocean and being within walking distance of the lifestyle and amenities Coolangatta has to offer,” George said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150999 project_image_fid=374002]

“The combination of high-quality construction, a residential-only building, park outlook and proximity to the beach has resonated strongly with the local downsizer market.”

The Dixon Street address is within walking distance of Coolangatta Beach and the broader southern Gold Coast coastline, including the surf breaks at Snapper Rocks and Kirra. Coolangatta’s cafés, restaurants and retail are nearby, while Gold Coast Airport is also within close proximity.

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Maréa Residences brings parkside apartments to Coolangatta

Melbourne developer PDG has secured Victorian Government approval for its $1.5 billion Southbank development <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-one-1-queens-bridge-street-southbank-vic-3006">The One</a>, clearing the way for the long-dormant riverfront site opposite Crown to finally be developed.

The Minister for Planning has approved the project at 1-29 Queens Bridge Street, with the Department of Transport and Planning issuing the planning permit following its assessment.

The approval will allow PDG to develop the prominent 5,059 sqm site with a major mixed-use tower comprising premium apartments, including branded residences, a luxury hotel and boutique office space.

PDG acquired the site in late 2024, with its position directly opposite Crown's main entrance and near Melbourne's Arts Precinct making it one of Southbank's most significant remaining development opportunities.

<img alt="PDG" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3933013e-6332-4386-b9be-089df05caf17" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%209.29.22%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=sITIgBqDL0N3VNSMwWEmF5UA.uvcsRyu" />

Designed by COX in collaboration with ODO and PDG, the tower's architecture draws on the movement of the Yarra River, with six vertical pleats running the height of the sculpted facade.

The project will also see the heritage-listed Queens Bridge Hotel restored and incorporated into the development&nbsp;with new hospitality and public uses, including a rooftop venue.

A significant component of The One will be its residential amenity.

More than 5,000 sqm of resident facilities will be delivered across a single level, making it one of the largest consolidated residential amenity offerings proposed in an Australian apartment development.

The planning approval also incorporates a major upgrade of Queensbridge Square, which PDG will deliver in partnership with the City of Melbourne.

<img alt="PDG" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="73167fcd-1031-4b6f-a408-a064cfe45ed1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%209.29.17%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=Pf1AEWxw6SNmBqR0zQW5lyEze.MtxgFp" />

The existing square will be revitalised as a new civic and pedestrian space along the Yarra River, strengthening the connection between the project, Southbank and the riverfront.

PDG Founder and Managing Director Vince Giuliano said the approval represented a major milestone for a site which has remained largely underutilised for more than 15 years.

“This is the most significant Planning Permit approval Melbourne has seen in recent years,” Giuliano said.

“For more than 15 years, this site has remained underutilised. This approval enables us to deliver a project that will contribute meaningfully to the revitalisation of Southbank, restore and reactivate an important heritage building, and create a new civic and hospitality destination for Melbourne.”

The latest approval follows an earlier planning permit issued by the City of Melbourne covering demolition works across part of the site at 9-29 Queens Bridge Street. Those demolition and early works are already underway.

PDG has also started generating early interest in the residential component from owner-occupiers ahead of a planned public launch in early 2027.

PDG secures approval for $1.5bn Southbank apartment development, The One

Local developer Harridan is seeking to turn its Woolloongabba apartment project into the first stage of a broader transformation of Burke Street, using a new 16-storey mixed-use building to establish a greener pedestrian connection toward the rapidly evolving Boggo Road transport and knowledge precinct.

The South East Queensland developer has filed plans for 154 apartments on the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/4-burke-street-woolloongabba-qld-4102">southern side of Burke Street</a>, where its proposal has been designed alongside a wider vision by LatStudios for the street.

That vision positions the southern side of Burke Street for buildings of 15 storeys and above, while envisaging lower-rise development of up to five storeys on the northern side to transition into Woolloongabba's existing character housing. It also proposes wider pedestrian verges, deep planting, new street trees and upgrades to the pedestrian approach to Boggo Road Station.

The Harridan development itself has been designed by Brisbane-based Arqus Design and will comprise 154 apartments across 16 storeys. The mix is weighted heavily toward two-bedroom apartments, with 121 proposed alongside 10 one-bedroom and 23 three-bedroom residences. There will typically be around 14 units per floor.

A lower-ground car park and three podium levels will accommodate 156 resident parking spaces, along with visitor and commercial parking. There will also be 154 resident bicycle spaces and 40 visitor bicycle parks.

&nbsp;

Harridan is a family-owned developer and part of the Holmwood Highgate Group, with more than three decades of development activity across South East Queensland. Its portfolio spans residential, commercial and industrial property, with current residential projects including Riverbank on Byron in Bulimba, Esperance Residences in Carina and The Precinct at Kinross Road in Thornlands.

Wooloongabba has been popular for apartment developers, particularly since the announcement of the 2032 Summer Olympics games in Brisbane.

While there have been a lot of development applications, it has failed to materialize into real supply.&nbsp;

Sarazin has been the major player in the area. They are under construction at Murcia Residences, on the fringe of East Brisbane and Woolloongabba. They have just launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-stanley-residences-woolloongabba-8-trafalgar-street-woolloongabba-qld-4102">The Stanley Residences</a>, in Woolloongabba on Trafalagar Street. They also have Nuage coming soon on the nearby <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nuage-woolloongabba-14-wellington-road-woolloongabba-qld-4102">Wellington Road</a>.

Larry Schlesinger

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