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<p><span>The townhouse market in Ballarat has seen significant upswing in supply over the past five years, according to Herron Todd White.</span></p>
<p><span>Herron Todd White's September Month in Review noted several developers have built multiple three bedroom townhouses with the demand met by investors - holding capital values steady.</span></p>
<p><span>The report said developers and agents are now reporting this demand is showing some signs of slowing and As such, the next 12 months will reveal if an over supply issue is a possibility.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">"Off the plan purchases for villas and units have been steady in recent months with three developments of ten to 20 townhouses each in progress within Brown Hill, Ballarat East and Sebastopol," it said. </span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">"The villa market has shown approximately a 5% to 10% increase </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">in value over the past five years in the sub prime locations.</span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">This increase has largely been driven by investors looking for positively geared properties with tax depreciation benefits. Given the increase in supply prices should begin to stabilise. </span></p>
<p>"An opportunity would be to purchase an older, original 1- or 2-bedroom unit in the Wendouree area, undertake a simple renovation or update of the property and then lease it. This would result in a return to the investor of around 7%."</p>
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mick.cee-iDmgDDAmu8

Ballarat townhouse market strong: Herron Todd White

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<div><span>Melbourne developer Kalex will release pre-sales late September of their 26 apartment project 166 Gertrude in Melbourne's Fitzroy.</span></div>
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<span><span>166 Gertrude will include </span></span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">26 one-, two- and three-bedroom residential apartments, priced from $580,000 to $2.2M, with a 600sqm retail space on the ground floor. </span>
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<div><span>Construction is due to commence 2016.</span></div>
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<div>For more information, <a href="https://kalex.com.au/selling/166-gertrude-st-fitzroy/" target="_blank">click here</a>.</div>
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166 Gertrude pre-sales released soon in Fitzroy

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<p>An 80 hectare beachfront site in Lennox Head has sold 51 residential homesites in the first release stage for a total of $11 million.</p>
<p>The Epiq residential development will eventually hold<span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> some 480 homesites, a shopping centre and playing fields.</span></p>
<p>Prices range from $230,000 to $310,000 for lots ranging between 600sqm and 900sqm.</p>
<p>Managing director of Clarence Property, Peter Fahey, said beachside land on the NSW north coast is in chronic undersupply, despite the market returning to a level where purchasers are willing to pay a lifestyle premium.</p>
<p>"The Tweed and Ballina coastal corridor is more aligned with South East Queensland activity than most people realise, with values and buyer demand shadowing this region - which is on the upswing - more closely than southern markets," he said.<span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> </span></p>
<p>For more information, <a href="https://www.epiqlennox.com.au" target="_blank">click here</a>. </p>
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Lennox Head residential Epiq sales

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<p><span>Chief executive officer of McGrath estate agents John McGrath has outlined his top five picks for the Sydney housing market.</span></p>
<p>In the McGrath Report 2015 he said properties in Sydney suburbs such as Kensington, Curl Curl, Parramatta, Engadine and The Rocks are looking safe.</p>
<p><strong><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">The Rocks</span></strong></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">"As a shift in the housing stock moves from Government owned to private dwelling there is bound to be a massive upgrade to these beautiful harbourside Georgian and Victorian homes. Plus a significant change in local amenity that usually follows such upgrades. With the recently opened Barangaroo Point park, a 5 minute walk to the CBD &amp; Barangaroo commercial precinct, this is fast becoming one of the most fashionable addresses in Sydney," he said.</span></p>
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<p><strong>Kensington </strong></p>
<p><span>"With the recent surging interest from overseas buyers Kenso will become one of the main beneficiaries due to the University campus around which the suburb has evolved. And the upcoming light rail which will whisk residents in &amp; out of the City &amp; to the mighty sporting facilities of Moore park &amp; Royal Randwick, your investment is looking safe in this university suburb," he said.</span></p>
<p><strong>Curl Curl </strong></p>
<p><span>"While the Sydney recovery is still more heavily focused on the Inner Ring suburbs, the gorgeous Northern Beaches lifestyle is attracting great attention from the water babies looking for better value than the East. </span><span>We like Curl Curl with it’s intimate pos</span><span>itioning by the sand and relatively easy access to the CBD compared to some of her further north sister suburbs. Not only will you live longer with a Curl </span><span>Curl address but you’ll outperform the Sydney market by many percentage points in the next decade," he said.</span></p>
<p><strong>Parramatta </strong></p>
<p><span>"There are two key reasons Parramatta is a must-</span><span>have in this year’s report. </span><span>First, the commercial and infrastructure activities in and around Parramatta are leaving much of Sydney in their wake with many smart companies choosing to re-locate closer to their employees in what is now the heart of Sydney. The second reason is the activation of the river which has for many years been a forgotten waterway. Opportunities are starting to emerge to build quality medium density riverside dwellings over the next few years which will establish new pricing benchmarks. So for investors and home owners alike, head west to get a piece of this golden lifestyle," he said.</span></p>
<p><strong>Engadine </strong></p>
<p><span>"The Shire and great living have been closely aligned for many generations as the locals know only too well. But as the surf-side suburbs shoot north in price and young homeowners look to secure a piece of </span><span>God’s country, areas like Engadine offer great land size at an affordable entry point. </span><span>So if a 600 square </span><span>metre block is still on your “must have” list and your budget is under $750,000 pop Engadine into your search engine and find sensible value you couldn’t spot elsewhere," he said.</span></p>
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The Rocks head John McGrath’s top five Sydney picks

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<p><span>CoreLogic RP Data found a preliminary clearance rate of 71.3% for the combined capital cities for the week ending 27 September, up from 69.9% last week.</span></p>
<p><span>Some 2,820 auctions were held last week, up from 2,565 the week before. </span></p>
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Combined capital preliminary clearance rate at 71.3%: CoreLogic RP Data

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<p><span>The </span>apartment market in Coffs Harbour has turned around, with dwelling construction ramping up and key suburbs seeing considerable new unit development, according to Herron Todd White.</p>
<p><span>Herron Todd White's September Month in Review found </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">popular beach and harbourside suburbs around Coffs Harbour typically have prices ranging from $350,000 to in excess of $1 million, with average prices around $450,000 to $700,000.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">"The high end of the market of $700,000 plus does see sales dramatically reduce due to limited local demand for this price range," the report noted.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">"These units are generally purchased by high net wealth individuals with long selling periods required to attract potential purchasers. </span></p>
<p>"Several modern townhouse complexes have been constructed which generally provide three bedroom, one or two bathroom accommodation in complexes of five to ten units ranging in price from $350,000 to $400,000. The majority of purchasers have been investors with rental returns of $360 to $400 per week being achieved."</p>
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Coffs Harbour construction ramping up: Herron Todd White

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<p><span>All signs point to future heartache for owners of inner city apartments and suburban townhouses in Gladstone, according to Herron Todd White.</span></p>
<p><span>Herron Todd White's September Month in Review said only two modern apartments have sold in 2015 so far, with both showing declines of between 45% and 50% from sales in the market peak between 2011 and 2012.</span></p>
<p><span>The review stated the market for older townhouse and unit stock in suburbs around the city has been fairly active over the past several months, with 13 sales to date for units.</span></p>
<p><span>"Despite the oversupply of unit products in Gladstone we are aware of a number of projects that have recently started marketing units off the plan and there is another fairly significant townhouse development which has commenced construction," the report noted.</span></p>
<p><span>"Another worrying sign for the unit market in Gladstone is the vacancy rate which has been steadily climbing over the past several months.</span></p>
<p><span>"The vacancy rate peaked in December 2013 at 10.2% and has generally fallen until around January 2015 at which time it started rising again. The vacancy rate currently sits at 6.8%, the highest it has been since May 2014.</span></p>
<p><span>"The unit market in Gladstone is performing very poorly at present and given the current low level of demand, the high level of supply and the rising vacancy rate, the signs are pointing toward further heartache for owners of inner city units/apartments and suburban townhouses in Gladstone." </span></p>
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Future heartache for Gladstone inner city market: Herron Todd White

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<p>New South Wales auction results for week ending Sunday 27 September show a preliminary clearance rate of 74% from 1193 scheduled auctions.</p>
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<div class="num">According to data from realestate.com.au, 405 were sold at auction within NSW, 196 passed in and 201 sold prior to auction.</div>
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<div class="num">One standout property in the Sydney suburb of Maroubra sold for $500,000 above reserve - a three bedroom home on 1011.7sqm <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-maroubra-120679697" target="_blank">which sold for <span>$3,700,000</span></a>.</div>
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<div class="num"><a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/auction-results/nsw?rsf=edm:auction:nsw" target="_blank">Click here to see the full state breakout.</a></div>
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NSW auction results show preliminary clearance rate of 74%: Realestate.com.au

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<p>Australian Property Monitors (APM) has released a list of results from 984 auctions in Sydney for the Saturday 26 September. The clearance rate was 70%.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.homepriceguide.com.au/saturday_auction_results/Sydney.pdf" target="_blank">Click here</a> for the auction results, and click on each street address to see the property's marketing.</p>
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APM's Sydney auction results for Saturday 26 September

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<p><span>The convenience, neighbourhood and large format retail outlets lead the activity in the Brisbane retail </span>market, according to Herron Todd White.</p>
<p>Herron Todd White's September Month in Review noted an insatiable demand from investors for centres in the sub $10 million category and demand for Coles or Woolworths in neighbourhood shopping centres in the $10 million to $30 million range.</p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">"Demand is being driven by a search for yield at a time when share markets are volatile and interest rates are at a record low and as a consequence, yields of 6% to 7% which were previously the domain of premium quality assets, are now becoming commonplace for even some second tier assets," </span>it<span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> said. </span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">"There is, however, a significant risk that the market may be overshooting for such second tier centres.</span></p>
<p><span>"At the neighbourhood end of the spectrum, recent sales of two new Woolworths anchored centres at Logan Village and Ormeau showed yields of 6.7% and 6.5% respectively, showing that there is very strong demand and tight yields for such centres with secure long term anchors. </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">An interesting feature of such sales is that some percentage rent thresholds are set at levels which are very unlikely to be achieved for many years."</span></p>
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Convenience, neighbourhood, large format retail outlets lead Brisbane activity

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


Joel Robinson

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

<p>It's been several years since there's been an opportunity to buy a brand new townhome in Melbourne's coastal suburb of Mordialloc. Even apartment developments in recent times have been few and far between in the area.</p>

<p>Local developer LDS Property identified the gap in new housing, securing a site on White Street, directly opposite&nbsp;Woodlands Golf Club Mordialloc. They've recently launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/wm-residences-mordialloc-102-white-street-mordialloc-vic-3195">WM Residences</a>, just 13 townhouses which they have already started building.</p>

<p>Projects by Buxton Director Heath Thompson, who is selling WM Residences, says the townhouses x that perfect middle ground be</p>

<p data-end="683" data-start="511">"Mordialloc residents have had limited options to downsize within the suburb, often forcing them to look elsewhere despite long-standing ties to the area," Thompson says.</p>

<p data-end="882" data-start="690">"With very little comparable new supply coming to market, projects like WM Residences are well placed, particularly as buyers look to capitalise on current conditions amid constrained supply."</p>

<p data-end="882" data-start="690">[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6109]</p>

<p>The development, designed by regarded architecture firm&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ewert-leaf">Ewert Leaf</a>,&nbsp;adopts a deliberately restrained architectural approach, focusing on simplicity, durability and liveability rather than overt design gestures.</p>

<p>The boutique scale is central to the offering. With only 13 three-bedroom residences, each home is configured to prioritise functional layouts and everyday use, supported by private terraces and secure two-car garages.</p>

<p>Ewert Leaf’s design response leans into a calm, neutral material palette. Interiors are defined by oak flooring, white walls and soft finishes, creating a consistent and understated backdrop. The approach avoids trend-driven detailing in favour of longevity, with an emphasis on natural light and spatial clarity.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6110]</p>

<p>Beyond aesthetics, the homes are designed to meet contemporary performance expectations. Each residence targets a minimum 6-star energy rating, incorporating double glazing, comprehensive insulation and all-electric Bosch appliances.</p>

<p>The project’s location supports a walkable coastal lifestyle, sitting within close proximity to Mordialloc’s foreshore, Main Street retail strip and the train station. Local cafés and dining venues, including Suburbia Deli and Hendriks Café, are within a short walk, reinforcing the area’s established neighbourhood character.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6116]</p>

<p data-end="247" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="" data-start="0">While <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/mordialloc-vic-3195">Mordialloc</a> is often defined by its beach and pier, the project taps into other areas of day to day living, offering easy access to local food, casual dining and transport, rather than positioning itself purely as a lifestyle retreat.</p>

<p>WM Residences reflects a continued trend across Melbourne’s coastal suburbs towards smaller-scale, design-led townhouse developments, particularly on infill sites where proximity to amenity is already established.</p>

<p>With construction commenced prior to its market entry, the project aligns with a growing preference among buyers for developments with visible progress and defined delivery timeframes.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134646]</p>


WM Residences fills gap in Mordialloc townhouse market

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


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

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

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


NAB funds $1 billion Surfers Paradise apartment development, Palmera

<p>Two years after completing one of the newest developments in North Sydney, developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/aqualand-australia">Aqualand</a> is turning its attention to the rapidly evolving St Leonards apartment market.</p>

<p>The developer, which completed AURA by Aqualand on North Sydney's Walker Street, has lodged plans for a 5,918 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/33-37-herbert-street-st-leonards-nsw-2065">33-37 Herbert Street, St Leonards,</a> seeking approval for a pair of residential towers rising above a shared podium opposite Royal North Shore Hospital.</p>

<p>The proposal forms part of the broader transformation underway across the St Leonards-Crows Nest precinct, where former industrial and commercial sites are increasingly being redeveloped into high-density mixed-use projects tied to major transport infrastructure.</p>

<p data-end="792" data-start="529"><img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2cc428cf-fe70-4cac-9cd5-264ad53af62c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.56%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=otKSnHtbjAvAddOnovyXQMgcAwE6DMe1" /></p>

<p data-end="1040" data-start="794">According to the planning documents, the site sits “within the St Leonards–Crows Nest Strategic Centre, identified by the NSW Government as a key area for accommodating future jobs and housing across Sydney.”</p>

<p>The proposal has been designed by fjcstudio, formerly FJMT Studio, and is being progressed through the State Significant Development pathway due to its scale and affordable housing provision.</p>

<p>The scheme would comprise 413 apartments, including 46 affordable housing units, alongside retail and commercial uses fronting Herbert Street. The project would also include communal open space, landscaping, a swimming pool, gymnasium, children’s play areas and podium-level resident amenities.</p>

<p>Planning documents show the development would consist of a part-13, part-39 storey tower form positioned above a four-storey podium.</p>

<p>“The development comprises a unified podium that activates the street interface, and two setback towers to accommodate new housing supply while maintaining an appropriate human scale at ground level,” fjcstudio noted in its Design Report.</p>

<p>The northern and southern towers have been shaped to respond to the surrounding skyline while also limiting overshadowing impacts to nearby public open space, particularly Talus Reserve.</p>

<p>The design report said the differing tower heights were intended to “contribute to a varied skyline while responding to the surrounding built form context and solar access considerations.”</p>

<p><img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="36da62dc-ff9e-41f2-a7e3-7be38373751c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.45%E2%80%AFAM_0.png?VersionId=Mo6Rp2r.XRLTzIfg_PEEpw8NepDH8UBs" /></p>

<p>The site sits directly opposite Royal North Shore Hospital and within walking distance of both St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.</p>

<p>While the site itself sits just outside the formal Crows Nest Transport Oriented Development boundary, the planning documents repeatedly reference its alignment with the broader TOD objectives reshaping the Lower North Shore.</p>

<p>“The site is located adjacent to St Leonards Station and in close proximity to Crows Nest Metro which is within the Crows Nest Transit Orientated Development Accelerated Precinct which has been identified by the NSW Government to support housing delivery,” the Design Verification Statement noted.</p>

<p>According to fjcstudio, the project has been designed to respond to the broader transition occurring across St Leonards, where increasing residential density is being concentrated around transport infrastructure and employment hubs.</p>

<p>“The broader precinct is undergoing significant change, with a mix of existing mid-rise buildings and newer high-density developments,” the report stated.</p>

<p>“Recent and approved projects indicate a consistent shift toward taller built form, typically organised as tower-and-podium typologies with more active ground levels.”</p>

<p>The proposal includes close to 6,000 sqm of retail and commercial space across the ground floor and podium levels, designed to create a more activated street edge along Herbert Street.</p>

<p>Aqualand’s plans would also introduce a landscaped podium shared between the two towers, with communal open space in the form of a podium rooftop designed to support resident interaction and improve urban greening outcomes. The scheme would also introduce pocket parks at the northern and southern ends of the site, including a landscaped area at the corner of Herbert and Ella streets designed to improve pedestrian amenity and soften the streetscape.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The proposal is being progressed through the NSW Government’s Housing Delivery Authority pathway, which was introduced to accelerate housing supply across the state. The application was declared State Significant Development in April 2025 following an expression of interest process.</p>

<p><img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="faf6d97d-2671-454f-b85a-fe1c6a7be608" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.49%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=diVd28OBVr5.YV.7prrOz.uAanwwwm7a" /></p>

<p>St Leonards has been particularly active with new developments in recent weeks. Developer SP Setia’s <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-sp-setia-targets-st-leonards-skyline-with-40-storey-tod-tower">plans for a new 42-storey tower</a> recently went on exhibition through the same pathway, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">Stockland’s 52-storey tower proposal</a> was also recently unveiled.</p>

<p>Aside from the St Leonards project, which is expected to take around nine months to move through the approvals process ahead of a potential 2027 launch, Aqualand is also preparing to launch Boronia, a new apartment project in Roseville comprising around 111 apartments on Larkin Street.</p>

<p>The developer also has approvals in place for the next stage of the Barangaroo precinct, which will feature new residential, retail, hospitality and community uses, alongside a new metro entry across the five-hectare site.</p>

<p>More than 50 new retail destinations are planned for Central Barangaroo, alongside a 270-metre-long boulevard connecting Hickson Park to Nawi Cove. Together with Harbour Park, more than 50 per cent of the precinct will comprise public open space and parkland.</p>


Michael Crawford

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