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The additional funding for city-based property buyers, workers and small business owners moving to regional New South Wales could be a potential game changer, according to Chief executive officer of Raine &amp; Horne Angus Raine.
Additional funding includes the $7,000 Regional Relocation Grant, which was expanded from the start of January to include long-term renters in metro Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong and the Skilled Regional Relocation Incentive.
The Skilled Regional Relocation Incentive is worth $10,000 and encourages people to relocate for jobs unfilled by regional workforces, with a minimum relocation distance requirement of 100 kilometres.
“The incentive for skilled workers is a very smart move as it will attract key people to regional towns to help drive those economies – and of course eventually they'll buy houses – and hopefully create jobs for others to buy and rent properties.
“Given that Sydney median house prices have crashed through the $700,000 ceiling, buying a home in regional towns such as Tamworth (median house price $290,000), Wagga Wagga ($320,000), Port Macquarie ($385,000), and Orange ($331,000) makes enormous sense,” says Raine.
Raine says it’s important to do your research if you’re wanting to find a property with potential long-term growth.
“Look for regional towns with viable and growing economies and populations – the Australian Bureau of Statistics or the local council are great sources of data about the demographics of a town.
“A regional town with excellent long-term growth prospects should have decent infrastructure in place – public transport, major roads, hospitals and schools.
“The growth towns will essentially have all the lifestyle benefits we associate with city living, such as cafes, restaurants, cinemas and so on,” says Raine.
Raine says those looking to relocate should act soon as the grants will be capped by the 13/14 budget allocation of $10.4 million.
<a target="_blank" href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
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ntrotman-Et3xWpamVh

Additional funding for NSW regional movers a potential game changer

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Wickham has been chosen as the location to boast a fully accessible interchange as part of the first stage of the Newcastle light rail line.
The announcement by the NSW Government was made over the Christmas break, but the Government is yet to determine where the light rail will travel between Wickham and the beach.
“This is about providing the first stage of a light rail system for Newcastle – connecting people to prominent, vibrant areas of the city centre, such as the Honeysuckle precinct and Hunter Street, and encouraging ongoing investment,” says Minister for Planning and Infrastructure Brad Hazzard.
Two potential short-listed light rail routes include the rail corridor and Scott Street to near Newcastle Beach at Pacific Park, or Hunter Street and Hunter Street Mall to near Newcastle Beach at Pacific Park.
The community will get to have their say on the potential routes, with a community consultation starting early this year to seek feedback.
“Both options promote urban renewal and improve access to key destinations in the Newcastle city centre – supporting Newcastle and the Hunter’s revitalisation.
“Consultation with the community, which we will start in the new year, will be critical to our decision-making about Newcastle’s future light rail system,” says Hazzard.
Minister for Transport Gladys Berejiklian says the Wickham interchange will offer direct access from trains on the Hunter and Central Coast lines.
“A transport interchange at Wickham will help create a new business district within the emerging Newcastle CBD at the western end of Newcastle city centre,” says Berejiklian.
Hazzard says the introduction of a light rail and the interchange at Wickham will help bring jobs, residents and visitors into the Newcastle city centre.
More than 11 hectares of undeveloped land is located within 400 metres of Wickham, meaning the interchange could also trigger significant development and economic growth.
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Wickham to act as crossing point for Newcastle light rail line

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Some 3,200 new homes are to be delivered in Sydney’s south west as a bid by the New South Wales Government to boost Sydney’s housing supply.
Located in the Catherine Field precinct, the first blocks of land will go on sale this year, with homes to be available in 2015.
Some 44,628 homes were approved in New South Wales in the 12 months to October, making it the highest level since 2005, according to the ABS.
“There’s a massive housing boom occurring in NSW that is being driven by the unlocking of more land for new homes by the NSW Government,” says NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell.
“We are making homes more affordable and in the process Western Sydney is being transformed into a tradies paradise, with the creation of thousands of jobs in the construction sector,” says Farrell.
More than 60,000 first home owners received a helping hand by the NSW Government last year with an extra 2,814 grants paid out – almost an 80% increase on 2012.
“The new homes will be supported by $30 million of essential infrastructure that will be delivered or funded by the two main construction firms involved in the project,” says Minister for Planning and Infrastructure Brad Hazzard.
“This includes protecting Oran Park House through a future listing on the State Heritage Register, constructing an extension to Rickard Road, upgrading Oran Park Drive, providing land for a new primary school and building the main sewerage line.
“Catherine Field is the seventh major precinct rezoning in the Growth Centres in Western Sydney since the NSW Liberals and Nationals came to office in 2011.
“Together, those seven rezonings will see the construction of about 50,000 new houses - news every homebuyer wants to hear,” says Hazzard.
Treasuer Mike Baird says the NSW housing sector is in better shape than it has been for a decade, but there is much more work to do in order to get more first homebuyers into the housing market sooner.
<a target="_blank" href="mailto:ntrotman@propertyobserver.com.au">ntrotman@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
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Sydney's housing boom to continue with 3,200 new homes in south west

Top apps every property investor should use

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Residents in the Waterford Rise estate in Warragul have welcomed lightning-fast internet speeds some 10 years ahead of their neighbours as part of Australia’s high-speed internet rollout.
The Baw Baw Shire mayor Cr Murray Cook activated the new fibre-optic connection last week by a click of a button.
The estate has skipped the National Broadband Network rollout queue with installation by a private operation Redtrain Network, at no cost to the developer.
When planning the estate, the developers chose to have the fibre-optic connection installed by Redtrain, which offers lightening fast speeds to residents years before the NBN rollout.
“Importantly, Redtrain has “future-proofed” the connection so that no more civil work will be required because the network is designed to cater for up to a gigabit connection to each individual house premises,” says David Setiady director of Redtrain Network
“This means that that the connection is there to cater for any commercial enterprises or health or educational institutions in the Warragul region where Redtrain deploys its network, that may need access to such high levels of bandwidth in the future,” says Setiady.
“Importantly, it will also have significant benefits for Waterford Rise residents who work in Melbourne’s CBD, with the high speeds allowing them to work from home, or ‘tele-commute,’ a number of days a week,” says Glenn Sanford general manager of Baw Baw developments..
The estate will house around 3,000 people when it is completed.
<a target="_blank" href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
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Waterford Rise residents welcome lightening fast internet speeds ahead of NBN rollout

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A $31 million mixed-use apartment complex on the Ballina Riverfront is set to break the six-year development lull in the area if given the green light by the council.
Known as Reside Living Ballina, the former Sundowner Motor Inn site will host 36 apartments aimed at downsizing baby boomers and empty nesters.
Located at 274 River Street, the project will host 794 square metres of ground floor commercial space, including a waterfront café and restaurant tenancy and four other spaces aimed at convenience and medical service providers.
Developed by Reside Living, the apartment complex will feature 21 three-bedroom apartments, 10 two-bedroom apartments and five one-bedroom apartments.
Residents will have access to a communal vegetable garden.
“We believe it certainly heralds a new property cycle for Ballina and the move certainly reflects the developer’s confidence in the area’s strong appeal as a lifestyle destination, especially for the baby boomer market,” says project marketing agent Dean Shay of LJ Hooker Ballina.
“In addition to being one of the most established coastal towns in Northern NSW, Ballina boasts stunning beaches and waterways, and is well serviced by transport, community and commercial infrastructure.”
Shay says the opening of the $640 million Ballina Bypass and the $359 million Banora Point highway upgrade has improved driving times between Ballina and Brisbane.
Simon Green of Reside Living says empty nesters will reap the benefits of being in the centre of the town, close to shops, professional services and recreational pursuits including the local entertainment hub, Baillina RSL.
If approved Reside Living Ballina is set to launch in early 2014 and construction is planned to start mid-2014.
The project is forecasted to create 150 new jobs during the 12 month building phase.
<a href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au" target="_blank">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
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Reside Living Ballina could break six-year development lull

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Crown Group has unveiled a new conceptual image of its $80 million Viking by Crown development in Waterloo, and has hopes to open a new in-situ display apartment in late January.
“In an industry where it is imperative to stay ahead of the pack and find new and innovative ways to help people engage with our product, the new display apartment will allow clients to step inside a real Viking by Crown apartment for the first time,” says Crown Group director of sales and marketing Adam Sparkes.
“The brand-new image completes the picture, giving buyers a view of Viking by Crown’s bold, eye-catching exterior when completed,” says Sparkes.
Designed by MPRDG and located in Sydney’s new Green Square precinct, the development will feature floor-to-ceiling glass, a wide loggia and views to the CBD and adjoining parklands.
Its coloured panel louvres in O’Dea Avenue are expected to create an ever-changing hue on its façade.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/12/20/nicolaflicker.jpg" width="630" height="354" alt="nicolaflicker">
Inspiration for the design was drawn from the work of internationally renowned Israeli artist Yaacov Agam, founder of the post-war kinetic art movement and creator of ground-breaking sculpture, paintings and architecture
“Viking by Crown’s striking architecture sets it apart from other more generic developments in the Waterloo area,” says Crown Group project sales manager Anthony Falas.
“Viking by Crown is attracting buyers which the area’s other developments are failing to entice.
“It’s the epitome of low-maintenance but luxurious lifestyle,” says Falas.
Viking by Crown will feature 110 apartments across 10 storeys, 25-metre pool, gymnasium and a ground floor terrace café.
Only 10 apartments remain, including two-bedroom apartments ranging in size from 123 square metres to 130 square metres in total and priced from $995,000.
Seven three-bedroom apartments remain ranging in size from 147 square metres to 273 square metres and start from $1.27 million.
The two-bedroom display apartment is set to open in late January, ahead of Viking by Crown’s expected completion date of mid-2014.
Viking by Crown began <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/developments/crown-group-to-begin-construction-on-viking-apartments-at-green-square-waterloo/2012041754313">construction in 2012</a>.
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Crown Group unveils new Viking image 

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Melbourne’s most slender tower has been approved for Southbank, measuring just 12 metres wide at its narrowest point.
Minister for planning Matthew Guy approved the tower today, which will stand 240 metres high with 73 storeys.
“Melbourne is proud to be developing some of the most innovative and advanced skyscraper designs in the world,” says Guy.
“While other skinny buildings are called ‘pencil towers’, this building displays a slender, twisting flower stem design. 54 Clarke Street has strong architectural features to ensure it embodies a slender, sophisticated style all the way from a 'webbed' foundation at ground level.
“This proposed skyscraper at 54 Clarke Street is similar to slender skyscrapers in major cities overseas, like New York’s skinny towers One Madison Park or 785 Eighth Street,” says Guy.
The tower, designed by Melbourne architectural firm BKK (Black Kosloff Knott) will feature 256 apartments and a ground-level café.
The tower follows in the footsteps of Melbourne’s first skinny building -the Phoenix building – at 108 Flinders Street.
Guy says there are six built or approved buildings in Melbourne that are taller than the 54 Clarke Street site, but none as slender.
“Melbourne's engineering, design and construction skills base provides a strong foundation for investment and highly skilled employment growth into the future.
“This is a key part of the Coalition strategy of growing the economy, and increasing jobs for our future,” says Guy.
<a target="_blank" href="mailto:ntrotman@propertyobserver.com.au">ntrotman@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
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Guy approves Melbourne's most 'skinny' tower for Southbank

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Noosa Heads is on the cusp of solid price growth and sales activity over the next 12 months after prices slipped more than 25% following the GFC.
“I expect the market to regain a considerable part of that lost ground during 2014,” says Tom Offermann of Tom Offermann Real Estate.
Offermann says the busy springtime activity has set the scene for recovery.
“Noosa is still in early recovery mode – we are six to nine months behind the Sydney and Melbourne markets,” says Offermann.
Offermann says his agency is recording a 74% clearance rate, compared with just 42% at the same time last year.
Prior to the September election, Offermann says the market wasn’t really responding to lowering interest rates or the value on offer.
“Everyone was waiting for someone to go first.
“After the election a number of long-standing properties for sale started selling and buyers sitting on the sidelines felt they were missing out.
“They knew they had to jump in quickly as their choices were being depleted,” says Offermann.
Offermann says there is still great value around, but the longer investors leave it, the higher the prices they will need to pay to get into a limited market.
Overseas buyers represented about 5% of sales and were predominantly expatriates living in Asia and Europe.
The median house price in Noosa Heads is $672,500, a 14.3% decline in the past five years, according to RP Data.
The median unit price is $465,000, a 35.9% decline in the past five years, according to RP Data.
A three-bedroom cottage on Samara Place is on the market for $519,000.
Situated on a 530 square-metre block, the property last sold in 2007 for $520,000.
It is listed with Jason Wedge of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-noosa+heads-115439359">Century 21 Conolly Hay Group Noosa Heads</a>.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2013/12/18/noo1]}
On the other end of the spectrum, a four-bedroom home on Nairana Rest is on the market for $1.55 million.
Situated on 506 square metres, the home last sold in 2009 for $1.3 million.
It is listed with Kate Cox of <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-noosa+heads-115373915" target="_blank">Richardson &amp; Wrench Noosa Heads</a>.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2013/12/18/noo2]}
 
<a target="_blank" href="mailto:ntrotman@propertyobserver.com.au">ntrotman@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
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Suburb spotlight: Noosa set for price growth and sales activity in 2014

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All land lots in the masterplan development The Fields successfully sold at auction, with majority of buyers flocking from adjoining suburbs.
Located 45 kilometres from the Sydney CBD in Schofields, the 14 residential land lots went to auction last week with around 70 people attending.
“Typically land in this area is sold by a ballot system which is based on ‘first in best dressed’. However an auction sale allows buyers to compete for land on an even playing field,” says Laing+Simmons Hurtsville managing director Matthew Matthews.
The smaller lots of 350 square metres were priced from $320,000 with some larger lots securing $382,000.
The lots sold to a mixture of buyers, including builders who plan to offer house and land packages, as well as local couples and families.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/schofields-land-lots-in-latest-development-to-be-released-via-auction/2013120166683">The Fields</a> has an expected completion date of August 2014.
<a target="_blank" href="mailto:ntrotman@propertyobserver.com.au">ntrotman@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
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Local buyers flock to bid at The Fields

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/broadbeach-qld-4218">Broadbeach</a> offers plenty of reasons to live vertically, but moving from a substantial family home into an apartment can expose the compromises of high-density living. Privacy, room for guests and usable living space tend to matter more when an apartment is intended as a permanent home rather than an occasional coastal base.

A typical residential floor at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-eveleigh-broadbeach-7-9-surf-parade-broadbeach-qld-4218">The Eveleigh</a>, on Surf Parade,&nbsp;contains just four apartments. The 94-residence development by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hirsch-faigen">Hirsch &amp; Faigen</a> is predominantly made up of expansive three-bedroom homes, with a limited collection of half-floor penthouses above.

Across the apartment floors, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> has used the relatively limited number of residences to give each home greater access to natural light and outlook. Living spaces extend towards full-height glazing, while a series of bay windows frame selected views across the Pacific Ocean, city and hinterland rather than treating the building edge as a continuous wall of glass.

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[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360965]

“The apartment floors deliver a collection of homes that embrace controlled outlook via a series of bay windows deliberately framing moments of view,” Rothelowman Director Kim Lowman said.

From outside, those projecting forms contribute to the tower’s faceted profile. Strong horizontal and vertical elements establish its proportions, while the changing position of the sun alters the light, shadow and reflection across the façade throughout the day.

The same attention moves inside the apartments, where the material palette combines warm timber, natural stone, metallic detailing and softer curved forms. Kitchens sit within the main living zone, with stone island benches, integrated joinery and European appliances, before the living areas extend towards the glazing and the outlook.

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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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377679]

The project will comprise three residential towers alongside a hotel, restaurants, cafes and a skybar, more than 1,600 sqm of ground-floor retail and almost an acre of landscaped gardens.

It represents the largest project undertaken by Reve Group, the development arm of the Kassis family, which has been building across the Hills District for more than 30 years through Kassis Homes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377675]

Nova Rêve also represents a significant step up from the family's first apartment development, Grand Rêve, which was delivered nearby on Garthowen Crescent.

Grand Rêve introduced larger, house-like apartment layouts and premium inclusions including Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances to the Castle Hill market.

Nova Rêve takes that approach to a precinct scale, combining the residential component with hospitality, retail and substantial public and resident landscaping.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377685]

Reve Group Managing Director Sam Kassis said the project reflected the family's three decades of building in the Hills, which has evolved from trophy homes on quarter-acre blocks to larger-scale apartment development.

"Grand Rêve was our first apartment project here and it showed us what this pocket of Castle Hill could be. Nova Rêve is the refinement of that idea: not just apartments, but a place the whole suburb can use," Kassis said.

A key part of that approach is the hotel, which has been designed to operate as an amenity for the wider Castle Hill community rather than solely hotel guests.

It will include restaurants, cafes, skybars and all-day dining, alongside conference and event facilities catering to business functions, community groups and private events.

At ground level, more than 1,600 sqm of shops and cafes will open onto the surrounding streets and landscaped areas.

Almost an acre of gardens designed by Land and Form Studios will run through the precinct, incorporating pathways, seating, barbecue areas and children's play spaces.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377680]

Reve Group's Romio Georges said creating an active ground plane had been central to the planning of Nova Rêve.

"There are gardens with pathways, barbecues, seating and play areas, shops and cafes opening onto the street, and a hotel with restaurants and a skybar that anyone in Castle Hill can walk into," Georges said.

The project's elevated position on one of Sydney's highest ridgelines will also provide apartments with outlooks toward the Sydney skyline, surrounding parkland and the Blue Mountains.

More than 80 per cent of the apartments will occupy corner positions, with Turner responsible for both the architecture and interiors.

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[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152737]

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Nicola Trotman

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