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Fashion brand Bettina Liano is up for sale, following the appointment last week of administrators for the second time in recent years.
Administrators Richard Albarran, Brent Kijurina and David Ross from Hall Chadwick in Sydney are seeking “urgent expressions of interest” to purchase the business and/or its assets.
They have listed the label’s 24-year history, sale of goods via Myer department stores, strong brand recognition and consumer goodwill as key selling points. Stock and inventory, registered trademarks and the customer database are all part of the sale.
The administrators for the eponymous brand said in a statement they are working with the director regarding a proposal for a formal restructure of the company via a Deed of Company Arrangement.
“The administrators will commence a marketing campaign for the sale of the company’s business as a going concern. The administrators are currently continuing to trade the business as a going concern to maximise the return to creditors,” the statement said.
The first creditors meeting will be held in Hall Chadwick’s Melbourne offices on Friday, October 4 at 11am.
The eponymous label first went into administration in 2011, but recovered following a deal with Sydney-based clothing manufacturing business Apparel Group to design, manufacture and wholesale the brand.
A spokesperson for Apparel Group said yesterday that they were not aware of the latest administration announcement, and that nothing had changed with the agreement with the brand.
Apparel Group was contacted for further comment today, but no reply was received prior to publication.
Through the deal, Liano was to maintain control of her business – both the Bettina Liano label and youth diffusion label T by Bettina Liano – and retain the role of creative director for both brands.
Bettina Liano launched its first store in 1990. Recently it has experienced a turbulent few years that saw the brand close all but one of its Australian retail stores in favour of opening a New York store.
The closures included its original Chapel Street, Melbourne, store, which had operated for 23 years.
<a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/strategy/049928-bettina-liano-escapes-administration-and-stitches-up-a-new-deal-three-companies-that-have-hung-on-to-their-founders">Liano said in February this year</a> that the decision to move overseas was linked to Australia’s expensive retail rents. The designer said she was paying $25,000 a month for rent in Melbourne’s Chapel Street.
“It’s sad, but I’m going to come back and by the end of the year I’m going to reopen stores,” Liano said in February 2013. “I just want to pay good rent; Melbourne is not worth what they are charging at the moment.  
“At the moment in the States it is like repeating how I started in Melbourne, there were empty stores going cheap. In Australia, in the last 12 months, I have been on sale for the last 12 months; it is just so price sensitive.”
At the time Liano said she wanted Bettina Liano to become a global brand with international trends and styles at the core of the seasonal collections.
In addition to the New York store, she intended to open sites in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Miami.
“I am just looking for volume in the market, I feel that I outgrew Melbourne in particular and I have been banging the drum for 23 years. I feel like I could do with a new audience and I’m confident that what I do is different enough from everyone else to be able to sell it [in the United States],” she said.
Liano said in January this year she had faced a “chronic delay with my suppliers”.
“I didn’t get delivery of a summer season until the first week of January so that just killed me – I don’t know how long you can sell a sweater for,” she said.
Liano said in early 2012 that the 2011 administration was a harrowing experience.
“I lost most of what I worked 25 years for, I lost millions of dollars in equity and I'm trying really hard. I’m not a crook.
“I was solely responsible and no one could help me except for me.
“It was harrowing and it was like walking a tightrope: it was like a 50-foot wave surf movie, when you fly down the face off a wave. I just flew down the face and I didn’t wipe out and now I am paddling back out.”
2013 has been a tough year for Australian fashion brands, with fellow womenswear labels <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/retail/056338-fate-unknown-for-fashion-brand-kirrily-johnston-under-administration">Kirrily Johnston</a> facing administration and <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/buy-or-sell-a-business/056851-phoenix-issue-rises-to-plague-lisa-ho-following-the-brand-s-collapse">Lisa Ho being forced to shut down</a>.
Bettina Liano is known for its denim wear, sharp tailoring and fashion forward looks for women.

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This article first appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au">SmartCompany</a>.
 
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Fashion brand Bettina Liano up for sale

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Whether you’re in Melbourne, Perth or elsewhere around the country tomorrow, it will be hard to escape footy fever as Hawthorn and Fremantle battle it out for the 2013 AFL premiership.
Footballers are worshipped by die-hard fans, however, like any other physically tough athletic pursuit, their time in the spotlight can be brief. Therefore, giving players advice on planning for life beyond football has become a key focus of football clubs.
When they hang up their boots, many stars of the field go on to run their own business – with their celebrity status giving their ventures a good kick off the ground. Some start their companies on the side while still playing, in order to capitalise on the public’s good will. No doubt the discipline, teamwork and marketing savvy they learn from the game helps in their pursuit.
We've has gathered a list of some of the most interesting football-to-business ventures in recent times.
1. Up and coming
Melbourne Football Club players Joel Macdonald, James Strauss and Rowan Bail are teaming up off the field to launch their own business called Liquorun. As the name suggests, it is an alcohol delivery service which will see customers order their beer, wine and spirits online, and have them delivered to their door. Here’s the point of difference though – they promise to do so within the hour.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.startupsmart.com.au/planning/business-planning/afl-players-set-to-launch-a-start-up-to-deliver-alcohol-within-the-hour-to-your-door/2013071710240">Macdonald said</a> the idea was hatched over a post-training coffee brainstorm.
“A little while back, I was involved in an altercation in a taxi rank in Brisbane and ended up getting arrested,” Macdonald said. “I had this vision that the hospitality and late-night transport industry needed a bit of a shake-up.
“Straussy [James Strauss] had a night where he was drinking with a couple of mates and they ran out [of alcohol], and the night ended because they couldn’t drive to a bottle shop and it was too far and a bit risky to walk.”
Macdonald, Strauss and Bail have partnered with a 24-hour bottle shop in Melbourne and venture technology group Blue Chilli. They plan to launch Liquorun in Melbourne in October, followed by Sydney and Brisbane.
Hawthorn star Cyril Rioli is also involved in a brand-new venture, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.startupsmart.com.au/technology/websites/three65-underwear-aims-to-make-cheap-mens-undies-cool/2013090410634" rel="nofollow">with StartupSmart reporting</a> he is a shareholder in online men’s underwear subscription service Three65 Underwear.
2. On your bike
There must be something in the water at Melbourne Football Club, as player James Magner has also ventured into the business world.
<a target="_parent" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.startupsmart.com.au/growth/start-up-profiles/glow-fixie-founder-afl-player-james-magner-from-melbourne-football-club-says-be-passionate-about-new-business/2013091710735" rel="nofollow">He said</a> that while looking to upgrade his bike, he came across glow-in-the-dark fixed single-gear bikes, known as ‘fixies’, which were sold in the US.
He was inspired to import and sell the colourful bikes online, so launched Glow Fixie, appealing to the inner-city “hipster” crowd.
“I thought ‘that’s a pretty awesome point of difference’,” Magner said.
3. Behind the bar
Running pubs, nightclubs, cafes and restaurants has been a common theme for ex-players over the years. Former star-player and Western Bulldogs captain Luke Darcy has followed this lead. He is involved in his family’s business the Darcy Group, which runs a chain of Melbourne-based hotels. These include The Precinct in Richmond (a stone’s throw from the heart of football, the MCG), and The Motel nightclub in South Melbourne among others.
In August he told <a target="_blank" href="https://www.smh.com.au/small-business/managing/what-luke-darcy-did-next-20130813-2rufq#ixzz2g310j7pH" rel="nofollow">The Sydney Morning Herald</a> that a profile from playing football can help in business pursuits.
“There’s been a long history of footballers buying into pubs. I think it’s probably because of the idea that if you’re trying to attract patrons then someone with a profile would make a good publican,” he said.
4. In fashion
He’s admired on field as much for his prowess as his striking looks, so it’s no surprise Hawthorn star Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin has a side career in running a fashion brand.
He’s behind unisex street-style fashion label Nena &amp; Pasadena, and reportedly owns a fashion boutique, the Neverland Store, in Melbourne’s trendy retail precinct, Chapel Street.
His fashion brand, which he often models for, has <a target="_blank" href="https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/fashion/lifeguard-booted-off-bus-over-buddybrand-tshirt-20130709-2pnm0" rel="nofollow">sparked controversy</a> over the past few years for its provocative prints on T-shirts.
Also in fashion, Hawthorn’s Michael Osborne is cofounder of Melbourne-based pyjama company Sleep'n Round, which launched in 2009, and which also has a store in Chapel Street.
5. Money and suits
In the 1990s, Chris Langford was a star on the field for the Hawthorn Football Club. In 2011, he cofounded Newmark Property Group, a Melbourne-based business which is involved in property funds management and development.
Similarly, embattled Essendon coach James Hird is involved in the corporate world, as a non-executive director of savvy marketing group Gemba.

<hr>
This article originally appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au">SmartCompany</a>.
 
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From the footy field to running a business – star AFL players who’ve taken the leap

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Spring shone on the property market over the weekend, with auction clearance rates up in both Melbourne and Sydney.
Results from Australian Property Monitors (APM) showed Melbourne auction clearance rates at 80.1% (up from 72.6% last week) and for Sydney at 86.3% (up from 79.2% last week).
The results were up dramatically on the same weekend last year, which saw auction clearances at 62.6% for Sydney and 61.2% for Melbourne.
The Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV) recorded a clearance rate of 78% across the state, up from 74% last week and 59% compared to the same weekend last year.
Markets were still slower in Brisbane with clearance at 31.3%, down from 43.2% last week. The result for Adelaide was not yet recorded.
APM senior economist Andrew Wilson said this morning that the results for Sydney and Melbourne show the markets are on the rise, particularly Melbourne which he says has “shifted up two gears”.
The first rise was to clearance rates in the 70% range, now it is sitting in the 80% range.
“It is moving into strong territory,” Wilson says. “It shows the enthusiasm in the market, and the impact of the low interest rates.”
Wilson says there were higher property listings in Melbourne, which also demonstrates enthusiasm from sellers and more confidence. However, he says it is still not at the same level as peaks of 2009, 2007 and 2001.
The REIV reported that 837 houses were up for auction across the state on the weekend. Wilson says this is in high contrast to next Saturday, September 28, which will see the property market “pause and reflect” due to the Australian Football League grand final. There will only be around 50 to 60 auctions listed.
For Sydney, Wilson says the weekend results were “almost at record levels”.
“Sydney is on track for its strongest spring ever. It is averaging over the 85% clearance mark.”

<hr>
This article originally appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au">SmartCompany</a>.
 
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Property sales buoyant ahead of a pause for footy fever

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The Real Estate Institute of Australia has reacted fiercely to the Council of Australian Governments' proposed new national licensing standards for real estate agents.
REIA president Peter Bushby was "bitterly disappointed" with the proposed reforms, which he argued will "dilute standards within the real estate profession", he said in a statement.
On Friday, COAG released a 264-page Decision Regulatory Impact Statement, in which it outlined national reforms for the real estate industry, to improve cost and efficiency and cut red tape. It aimed to allow property agents to work across jurisdictions without needing to meet differing licensing standards.
The report outlined that there are "up to eight different approaches to setting licensing requirements around the country".
"Different licence classifications, training requirements, licence periods and licence structures commonly apply. These inconsistencies impose costs on those businesses that operate in more than one jurisdiction," the report said.
The REIA dispute the standardisation of the minimum education requirements for real estate agents, from the Diploma Level currently required in some states, to a Certificate IV.
For auctioneers, the report proposed a required three units of study, down from the REIA's recommendation of 12 units.
Bushby said the reform lacked mandated professional development, as currently stands in four states and territories, "and no certainty over how the licensing of commercial agents will operate".
He said consumers would suffer if these national standards of licencing were established. "If COAG continues on this path, the biggest risk is to the consumer. I simply do not understand why the needs of the Australian public have not been taken into account in this process."
Bushby stated the REIA would prefer a national licensing system that requires real estate agents to achieve a diploma level for licensing, and one that requires compulsory continuing professional development and licensing for commercial agency work.
The review is part of the National Occupational Licensing Scheme reform, which will see a series of industries reviewed, with the aim of commencing national licensing in 2014. Other industries under review include plumbing, gasfitters, air-conditioning and refrigeration.
This article first appeared on <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/" target="_blank">Smartcompany.com.au</a>.
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REIA fires up against national licensing reform for real estate agents

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As <a target="_blank" href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/buy-or-sell-a-business/056104-lisa-ho-folds-as-administrators-are-unable-to-find-a-buyer-for-the-iconic-brand">Lisa Ho Designs</a> enters liquidation, it has emerged from its administrator that designer Lisa Ho has bought the intellectual property rights to the brand name.
Lisa Ho Designs entered liquidation yesterday as a result of a creditors meeting, and final entities will be wound up in the next two weeks.
Administrators Barry Taylor and Todd Gammel of HLB Mann Judd Sydney announced they reached an agreement with brand owner Lisa Ho regarding the sale of the majority of the intellectual property of the business.
Gammel said this morning that Ho had obtained the rights to the name and the archive of historical designs. He could not speculate on what Ho would do with the intellectual property rights, stating that was "her decision".
The news follows the separate sale of Lisa Ho eyewear intellectual property to luxury eyewear producer and distributor Face Optics on June 28.
Gammel said in a statement the arrangement with Face Optics will result in a return to the secured creditors of the Lisa Ho business after costs.
"After the extensive sale program, we came to a position that the sale of the IP to the two separate parties was the best way of maximising value for these assets," Gammel said.
"The arrangements also mean that there is an opportunity for the Lisa Ho brand to continue in both eyewear and clothing, notwithstanding the liquidation of the Lisa Ho Group entities and ongoing realisation of remaining assets by the liquidators."
The Lisa Ho retail stores in Sydney and Melbourne closed on July 7, while a final warehouse sale of unsold apparel, samples, archive pieces and unused materials is underway in Surry Hills, Sydney today and tomorrow, July 12. The online retailer division has also shut down.
"New stock has continued to arrive and stock from closed stores consolidated, so there is an opportunity for a great discount on day wear, evening and bridal dresses," Gammel said.
The chief executive officer of the Council of Textile and Fashion Industries of Australia, Richard Evans, said that popular brands with goodwill in the community can thrive if the name is carried on by a new business.
"Lisa Ho was a credible brand for many years and it has a goodwill following among consumers," he says.
Lisa Ho went into administration in May this year, with around 100 staff put out of work. At the time, Taylor said the company had debt of around $11 million.
Last week, fellow Australian fashion brand <a target="_blank" href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/retail/056338-fate-unknown-for-fashion-brand-kirrily-johnston-under-administration">Kirrily Johnston</a> went into administration, part of a tough run for the fashion retail industry in recent years.
This article originally appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/">SmartCompany</a>.
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Lisa Ho Designs enters liquidation as flagship Sydney and Melbourne retail stores close

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

The Eveleigh brings house-like apartments to Broadbeach

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

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

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

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

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

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Castle Hill, the longtime hub of the Hills District, has been one of the major beneficiaries of Sydney's Metro expansion, with improved connectivity helping drive continued population growth, development and buyer demand across the Hills District.

But despite that growth, the suburb has seen relatively few major new apartment projects brought to market over the past 18 months.

Hills District developer Reve Group is looking to fill that gap with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nova-r-ve-castle-hill-2-garthowen-crescent-castle-hill-nsw-2154">Nova Rêve</a>, a major new mixed-use precinct on the corner of Garthowen Crescent and Old Castle Hill Road, a short walk from Castle Hill Metro Station and Castle Towers.

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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.

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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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Melinda Oliver

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