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On the November 15 episode of Grand Designs, a couple with a property developer background is building a luxurious beach house in Bryon Bay.
Peter Maddison says the house has a distinct Balinese flavor.
The garage is located on the ground floor and has an exterior stone walkway that runs up the east side to the entry. The first floor has the three bedrooms, including the master bedroom, which has an outdoor bath and shower. The top floor consists of an open-plan kitchen and living area, which opens out to a sweeping view of the bay.
A lift services all three levels.
A swimming pool and spa are located at the rear of the block.
The upper structure of the house is made of a lightweight timber that sits on a heavier stone base.
Before building had started on the house, property developer Max tells Maddison the house is going to cost around $2 million to $2.5 million to build.
Max also says the block is one of the most north-east-facing blocks in Australia, meaning it will get early sunlight.
<a href="/news">Byron Bay</a> is a beachside town in the far north-eastern corner of New South Wales.
According to RP Data, the median house price for Bryon Bay is $660,000. Prices dropped 11.1% in the past year and fell 17.5% in the past five years.
The median rent for houses is $550 per week.
A property located on <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.raineandhorne.com.au/properties/147189" target="_blank">12 Beachcomber Drive in Byron Bay</a> is currently listed for $1.85 million. It has been listed for 569 days and was last sold in 2003 for $1.27 million.
Another property located at<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-byron+bay-107948191" target="_blank"> 37 Beachcomber Drive</a> is currently listed for $2.25 million. It has been listed for 1,260 days.
Last week’s episode featured a feng shui expert guiding the development of a <a href="/news">Warburton </a>home.
The Byron Bay Beach house episode will air on the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.lifestyle.com.au/granddesigns/">LifeStyle channel</a> on November 15 at 8.30pm.
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Grand Designs takes on Balinese Byron Bay flavour

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The premises of the popular Monk Bodhi Dharma café in Balaclava has been listed for sale with price expectations of $550,000 to $590,000.
Located at the rear of<a target="_blank" href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-retail-vic-st+kilda-500512003"> 202 Carlisle Street </a>and adjoining a Safeway supermarket, the 55-square-metre space comes with a secure lease to Monk Bodhi Dharma Café.
The six-year lease with multiple renewal options started on November 1, 2012, with the café paying rent of $39,000 per annum plus GST and outgoings.
The <a target="_blank" href="/news">Balaclava</a> café investment offers a significant rental yield possibility ranging from around 6.6% to 7% at current price expectations.
Monk Bodhi Dharma offers a range of vegan and vegetarian foods and is a popular spot for Melburnians, with breakfast and lunch options.
According to estate agent Kenny Oliver from Hocking Stuart, the commercial space has received a considerable amount of interest since being listed for sale.
Oliver, alongside colleague Charles Carty from Hocking Stuart Commercial South Melbourne, is marketing the property for sale, which will be auctioned on December 5 at 3pm.
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Balaclava café premises listed with 7% yield potential

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The 200-hectare Scenic Hills equestrian property Sweeney’s at Scenic Hills, which is also a wedding and function centre, has been listed for sale.
CBRE agents Frank Oliveri and Peter Vines have been appointed to market the property located at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sweeneys.com.au/">Lot 1 Campbelltown Road, Denham Court.</a>
<img src="/images/stories/2012/11/sweeneys.jpg">
It dates back to when Patrick and Cynthia Sweeney purchased the property in 1955 and built their home and raised four children.
It was originally a dairy farm, and the Sweeney family opened the riding ranch in 1959.
The Sweeney’s Wedding and Function Centre was built as a dream of Patrick’s after he died.
Cynthia still lives on the property and is known as the matriarch of Scenic Hills.
 Scenic Hills riding ranch closed its doors to the public in late 2010 after 51 years.
“We have been staunch servants of the local community, but our business has continued to lose money hand over fist,” Cynthia told The Macarthur Chronicle in 2010 when the ranch closed operations.
“Firstly the drought, then equine influenza and more recently the government charging rates and land tax at a rate of $320,000 per annum have killed our business.”
The property comprises of a function centre, an outdoor theatre, shed, stables and outbuildings.
 Scenic Hills Riding Ranch is 47 kilometres from the Sydney CBD.
“This property offers an exceptionally rare opportunity for owner-occupier or speculator groups to secure an enormous land holding with great proximity to the Sydney, Liverpool and Campbelltown CBD,” says CBRE’s Peter Vines who is acting under receivers' instructions.
Offers are due November 22.
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Sweeney's at Scenic Hills equestrian property listed

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Knight Frank has predicted that UK house prices will not reach their 2007 peak until 2019, making it the longest housing market recovery on record.
Transactions levels have roughly halved since the last market peak in 2007, according to Knight Frank.
Transaction levels are currently 35% below the 20- to 30-year average, and Knight Frank predicts transaction levels will rise by only 2% in 2013, remaining well below peak levels until 2020.
Knight Frank expects no price movements in central London next year, due to tax changed weighing on the market.
Head of Frank Knight’s UK residential research Gráinne Gilmore says this is due to first-time buyers and those further up the housing ladder struggling with tighter mortgage lending rules.
“The fundamentals suggest that a further correction in prices is needed, as the relationship between average earnings and average house prices is well above the long-term average.
“Some five years after the start of the financial crisis, the housing sector in the UK still does not bear the hallmarks of a fully functioning market,” says Gilmore.
This forecast does not come as a surprise, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/overseas/uk-housing-market-wont-recover-to-pre-gfc-levels-before-2020-pwc/2012071755626" target="_blank">PricewaterhouseCooper predicted in July this year </a>that the UK housing market will not return to pre-GFC conditions before 2020.
The PwC report predicts that UK house prices will be up by more than 30% in 2020 compared with 2007. However, this would be 7% below peak levels when inflation is taken into account.
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UK house prices will not fully recover until 2019: Knight Frank

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The 110-year old riverfront Heritage Hotel in Rockhampton on the central Queensland coast has been listed for sale with price expectations of around $7 million.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/10/heritagerockhampton2.jpg">
Located at 228 Quay Street <a target="_blank" href="/news">Rockhampton</a>, 600 kilometres north of Brisbane, the heritage-listed country-style hotel has been offered for sale as a freehold going concern with sales campaign led by Paul Fraser from Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels and Pat O’Driscoll from Knight Frank Rockhampton &amp; Region.
The original hotel that stood on the site was built in 1859 and had three owners and three different names before it became the Commercial Hotel in 1865.
The original building was then demolished in 1897 and designed and rebuilt by Rockhampton locals JW Wilson and JK Evans featuring metal lace-work balconies and is one of only a few three-storey pubs in Queensland.
It last sold in 2005 and was renamed The Heritage Hotel after receiving renovations and modern touches.
Further renovations were undertaken in 2009.
The property is split over three levels with three bars, three function rooms, a two-bedroom manager's unit, an 80-seat restaurant and 20 accommodation rooms.
The hotel is being sold with a full commercial liquor licence and 14 electronic gaming machines.
In 1863, Rockhampton gold commissioner Thomas John Griffin shouted a round of drinks at the bar, unaware the pound note he paid with later caused him to be found guilty of murdering two police officers 10 days earlier.
The two troops were escorting £4,000 on Griffin's instruction, when he hijacked them and stole the payload.
The pound note he used at the bar was traced to the missing loot.
The Heritage Hotel is being offered for sale by way of tender closing November 22 at 4pm. 
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Rockhampton's Heritage Hotel listed with $7 million hopes

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The third episode of Grand Designs Australia airs November 1 with an eco conscious couple upgrading their 1930s hobby farm beach shack into an entertainer’s home.
The episode features a property in <a href="/news">Balnarring</a>, a town located in the south-eastern Mornington Peninsula.
Claire and Lisa want to build a sustainable, Modernist, entertainers' home with a mix of recycled materials.
A cellar and pool will be located three metres down in the basement.
Three bedrooms with ensuites will be located on the ground floor.
The large kitchen and living space will feature rammed earth walls and concrete polished floors.
The master bedroom will be upstairs, with the white box appearing to be floating above the lower level.
Claire and Lisa started building their new home in April last year.
Lisa says on her blog that the most challenging part of the project was the destruction of the old house.
According to RP Data, the median sale price in Balnarring is $495,000, a 59.7% change in median price over the past five years.
Separate houses account for 98% of dwelling types.
A two-bedroom blue beach shack located at 14 Buckley Street, Balnarring, recently sold for $400,000.
Alternatively ,a 12.68-hectare property at 195 Stumpy Gully Road and only minutes from Balnarring beach has a $2.2 million asking price.
Last week's episode featured a Californian bungalow in Hampton being replaced by a sculptural, Japanese style all-timber house.
Grand Designs Australia airs Thursday nights on the LifeStyle channel at 8:30pm.
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Balnarring hobby farm beach house as Grand Designs Australia's third episode 

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Internationally acclaimed photographer Ken Duncan has secured exhibition space at 500 Collins Street for a flagship art gallery, in hopes of tapping into the strong core retail market in the Melbourne CBD.
The core Melbourne CBD market has a vacancy rate of 2.4% according to a recent Knight Frank retail report, with just 39 out of 1,604 shops recorded vacant in July this year.
His new art gallery will sit opposite the distinctive Venetian Gothic facade of the Rialto Intercontinental Hotel.
“Melburnians are well known for their love of art, and we have many staunch fans here. We believe our clients are going to love this new Collins Street location, and we will launch the new gallery in November with a Meet the Artists weekend,” says Duncan.
The five-year leasing deal was negotiated by CBRE’s Max Cookes and Zelman Ainsworth.
Duncan’s gallery will occupy a 120-square metre spot and will pay an estimated $1,000 per square metre rent per annum.
Ainsworth says Duncan’s new flagship Collins Street gallery will add value to the already established tenancy mix on the western end of Collins Street.
“In Sydney we are near the stock exchange and often the traders come in and sit in front of the prints and pretend they’re in the middle of the outback because I think they are stressed out,” Duncan said in an interview with The Age.
“Our galleries end up like sanctuaries, they come in and go bush. Where we need to be is Collins Street.”
Cookes says CBRE’s retail leasing team had concluded nine of the last 10 retail-leasing deals on Collins Street between King and William streets.
Ainsworth said the increasing level of rents achieved at this end of Collins Street over the past 24 months demonstrated the strong demand from quality retailers wanting to secure a presence in this heritage pocket of Collins Street.
Duncan is famous for his landscape photography and was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia by the Australian government in 2009 for his services to landscape photography.
Duncan has also been honoured by the Photo Imaging Council of Australia with its highest award, The Gold Tripod.
Duncan prefers the panoramic format for images, saying it’s the way we see.
Collins Street will be Duncan’s second Melbourne gallery, with another located in Docklands.
Duncan also has a store in Sydney and one in Erina Heights on the New South Wales central coast.
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Photographer Ken Duncan rents gallery space on Melbourne's Collins Street 

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Dayleford’s iconic Chocolate Mill has been listed for sale with an asking price of $1,295,000.
The two-bedroom residence has been bundled with the award-winning chocolate business, which has received reviews from Getaway, Postcards, Gourmet Traveller and Country Style.
The residence is worth $850,000 and the business worth $445,000.
Located seven kilometres north for <a href="/news">Daylesford</a>, the residence is split across two levels.
The ground floor of the main building plays host to the manufacturing kitchen and the retail shop as well as a café, second kitchen, staffroom and a workshop.
The top floor is a private residence with two bedrooms, a large kitchen with timber bench tops, an open-plan living/dining area and a four-metre high curved wood ceiling.
The Chocolate Mill trades seven days per week and has 15 fully trained staff.
A four-week training period will be provided to the new owners with an option to extend.
The Chocolate Mill is being sold by Gerry Morelli from Klemms Business Brokers.
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Daylesford's Chocolate Mill to tempt a new owner

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The second episode of the latest Grand Designs Australia airs tonight with a Californian bungalow being replaced by a sculptural, Japanese style all-timber house.
Hosted by Peter Maddison, <a href="https://www.lifestyle.com.au/granddesigns/series-3/episode-2-hampton-timber.aspx" target="_blank">Grand Designs Australia l</a>ooks at the residential project in the Melbourne suburb of <a href="/news">Hampton</a>.
The elaborate design project is undertaken by self-builders Jenny and Brett. The four-bedroom home gets a wrap-around lap pool with decking that hugs the back of house.
Its master bedroom is located on the second floor.
The origami-influenced structure is clad in spotted gum. 
Their dedication ensures the challenging rebuild triumphs despite the challenges.
In last week's episode showed a couple in Victoria’s <a href="/news">Mansfield</a> turn their vision of an indoor/outdoor lifestyle into a home.
Grand Designs Australia airs on the Lifestyle channel at 8:30pm.
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Hampton Californian bungalow feeling Japanese on tonight's Grand Designs

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The first integrated residential estate in Bali is proving to be popular with Australian investors, who join purchasers from the USA, Singapore and Japan.
Ayana Residences, a new residential complex on the grounds of the luxury Ayana Resort and Spa in Jimbaran Bay in Bali, has had particularly strong interest from Western Australian based mining industry people given their proximity to the resort location.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/10/ayana.jpg">
The 30 weekly flights a week from Perth to Bali take about the same time as the 3½ hour drive to Margaret River, 300 kilometres south of Perth. The Bali-based Elite Havens real estate agent Matthew Georgeson recently told the Australian Financial Review that 70% of inquiries from Australia came from Perth, with half involved in mining.
Apartments in the Ayana Residences range from about $US500,000 for one-bedroom through to $US1?million for two bedrooms, with rooftop and garden penthouses at around $US2.7?million.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/10/ayana3.jpg">
It will consist on completion of 155 luxury apartments within a 6.5-hectare secure gated community.
Already three out of the four rooftop penthouses have sold.
One couple Adelaide who have purchased a two-bedroom unit say they consider themselves "snowbirds."
"We will escape the South Australian winter for a few months every year and migrate north to Bali for the warm weather, and when we’re not using the unit, we’ll rent it out,” the couple told News Ltd papers.
 
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Located on the largest oceanfront land bank remaining in South Bali near Jimbaran Bay 10 kilometres from the airport, Ayana Residences is being marketed as offering the largest living spaces of all luxury residences in Bali, with one-bedroom units ranging from 105 to 131 square metres and the penthouses ranging from 595 to 698 square metres.
Developer PT Nusa Jaya Prima has the stated intention of seeking the quality, warmth and Balinese philosophy through its design by WATG Architects.
It will come with interior designs by P49 Design.
Bill Reed from WATG, landscape architect Dennis Selinger from St Legere Design International and interior designer Carl Almeida from P49 Deesign were all separately involved over the past 16 years in Ayana Resort and Spa, which was previously known as The Ritz-Carlton.
Owners will have their own club, Ashoka, named after the green Indian Emperor who promoted peace, love, truth and tolerance.
The resort will have two swimming pools, a 10-seat cinema, a gymnasium and library, with five hectares of botanical gardens installed by the Hong Kong-based landscape architecture and planning firm St Legere Design International Ltd, which will seek to combine modern style with the traditional concept of Tri Hita Karana, the Balinese belief of balance between man, God and nature.
Since presenting the offering to the recent 2012 Home Buyer and Property Investor shows across several Australian cities, Ayana Residences has been receiving regular enquiries from prospective investors.
Only the first stage has been released for sale so far, and almost 50% of units have sold, including the three penthouses.
"We’ve already sold many pre-launch and, outside of Indonesia, Australians are our most interested,” says Ayana director of sales and marketing Mariusz Mierzejewski.
“And the mining industry people are a particularly strong group.”
Australians can’t buy freehold property in Bali, so investments are typically structured under lease arrangements or bought on behalf of a local with the buyer retaining control in a mortgage.
The residences have fully compliant strata titles for Indonesian citizens and 70-year leaseholds for foreigners or ownership through a foreign investment company.
Craig Williams, from Elders Real Estate, Mosman has been engaged to assist Australian buyers.
Ayana has advised unlike other developers who build rental yields into their selling price, it does not guarantee yield, nor will it take on the role of rental agency.
It will provide three rental agencies for buyers to consider, after which investors are free to choose and appoint their own agency.
The yields will depend on the agency’s performance.
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Luxury Balinese resort Ayana attracts attention of WA mining off-the-plan investors

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/consolidated-properties">Consolidated Properties Group</a> (CPG) is approaching the launch of its latest Brisbane riverfront development, Castile, on the dress circle Skyring Terrace in Newstead.

VIP buyers are now being engaged, with a full public sales launch coming later this year.

Positioned as the final opportunity to secure a new absolute riverfront residence on the East bank of Newstead, Teneriffe or New Farm, Castile at 47 Skyring Terrace has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a> as a timeless addition to the Brisbane skyline.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=371113]

The name Castile draws on themes of permanence, sophistication and legacy, reflecting a broader vision centred on enduring architecture and timelessness in the rarest of riverfront positions.&nbsp;

CPG Chairman and CEO Don O’Rorke said the project had been envisioned as a future Brisbane icon.&nbsp;

“With 47 metres of direct river frontage and never to be built out views, 47 Skyring Terrace is the definitive address on the Brisbane River,” O’Rorke said.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=371114]

“Rather than following trend-based apartment design, Castile draws inspiration from Brisbane’s great heritage buildings, reinterpreting classical architecture into a contemporary riverfront landmark designed to stand proudly for the next 100 years,” he said.&nbsp;

The approved development will comprise 227 apartments across a 25-storey tower alongside a boutique six-storey riverfront building of just 12 residences.&nbsp;

Construction is scheduled to commence in September 2026.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150489]

Joel Robinson

CPG unveils Castile Newstead ahead of upcoming sales launch

Australia’s online shopping habits have shifted dramatically over the last decade. As eCommerce volumes surged, so too did the frustrations that came with traditional parcel delivery: missed deliveries, long Post Office queues, parcel theft and the challenge of being home during business hours.

Australia Post’s Parcel Lockers emerged as one of the more practical responses to that changing consumer behaviour.

What started as a relatively niche delivery option has evolved into a nationwide network of more than 1,400 self-service Parcel Lockers positioned at train stations, shopping centres, supermarkets and Post Offices across the country. The system allows Australians to send, collect and return parcels 24 hours a day, fundamentally changing how many people interact with deliveries.

The appeal is relatively straightforward: flexibility.

Instead of waiting at home for a delivery driver or rushing to a Post Office before closing time, users can direct eligible parcels to a Parcel Locker location of their choice. Once the parcel arrives, Australia Post sends a notification with a collection code or QR access through the AusPost app, allowing customers to retrieve their package at any time within the collection window.

For apartment residents in particular, the system has become increasingly valuable.

Higher-density living has created logistical challenges around deliveries, especially in buildings without concierge services or secure parcel rooms. Missed deliveries are common, while parcel theft has become an increasing concern as online shopping volumes continue to rise.

Australia Post itself has repeatedly highlighted the growing issue of “porch pirates” during peak shopping periods, encouraging customers to use Parcel Lockers as a safer alternative to unattended home deliveries.

That security aspect is one of the key reasons the Australia Post Parcel Locker network has grown so rapidly.

Parcel Lockers are positioned as secure, monitored collection points that reduce the risk of theft while also improving delivery efficiency for Australia Post. Instead of multiple redelivery attempts, parcels can be consolidated into a single secure destination.

The Parcel Lockers themselves are free to use through a MyPost account and support a range of parcel sizes up to 16 kilograms and dimensions of approximately 35 x 44 x 61 centimetres.

Beyond receiving parcels, the system has increasingly become integrated into the broader eCommerce ecosystem.

Customers can now use Parcel Lockers to return online purchases, while retailers have embraced the model as a way to improve delivery success rates and reduce friction in the shopping process. Australia Post has actively expanded partnerships with major retailers and promoted Parcel Lockers as part of a broader out-of-home strategy.

The timing of that expansion aligns with broader changes in Australian shopping behaviour.

The acceleration of online retail during and after the pandemic placed enormous pressure on delivery infrastructure. Parcel volumes reached record highs, particularly during Black Friday and Christmas periods, with Australia Post delivering more than 100 million parcels during peak festive seasons.

That growth forced logistics providers to rethink the “last mile” of delivery, widely regarded as the most expensive and operationally difficult stage of the process.

Parcel Locker systems have increasingly been viewed as part of the long-term solution.

The concept itself is not unique to Australia. Parcel Locker networks have become common globally, particularly across Europe and Asia, where dense urban environments and apartment living create similar logistical challenges. But Australia’s geography and suburban sprawl made adoption slower initially.

Now, however, the convenience factor is driving mainstream usage.

For commuters, Parcel Lockers near train stations allow parcels to be collected on the way home from work. For apartment dwellers, they remove the uncertainty around access and missed deliveries.

The rise of the AusPost app has also streamlined the experience, centralising notifications, tracking and Parcel Locker access into a single platform. Australia Post has increasingly pushed customers toward app-based delivery management, partly as a way to combat phishing scams and fake delivery notifications, which have become more sophisticated in recent years.

The Parcel Locker model is also beginning to influence property development itself.

Parcel management has become a growing consideration in apartment building design, particularly as online shopping becomes embedded in everyday life. Many new residential developments are now incorporating dedicated parcel rooms or Parcel Locker systems into foyers and communal spaces.

For developers, parcel management is increasingly viewed as part of the broader resident amenity offering, alongside gyms, wellness spaces and communal work areas.

That reflects a wider evolution in how residential buildings are designed.

Apartment buyers are placing greater emphasis on convenience, security and operational functionality, particularly in higher-density urban environments. Parcel delivery, once considered a minor operational detail, has become an increasingly important part of that equation.

Australia Post’s Parcel Locker network sits at the centre of that behavioural shift.

What began as a simple alternative delivery option has evolved into a key piece of infrastructure supporting Australia’s growing eCommerce economy and changing urban lifestyles.

And as online shopping continues to expand, the role of Parcel Lockers is likely to become even more embedded in how Australians live, shop and receive goods.

How Australia Post Parcel Lockers changed parcel delivery convenience in Australia

Perth’s new apartment market recorded its strongest quarter of sales since Q4 2021, with 412 apartments sold in Q1 2026 and a record quarterly sold value of $537 million, according to Urbis’ latest Apartment Essentials results.

Urbis said the March quarter result reflects strong, highly product‑specific demand across both ends of the market, from more attainable projects delivering at scale, through to premium stock being absorbed by equity‑rich downsizers.&nbsp;

David Cresp, Partner at Urbis, said the key story in Perth is not demand, it is the market’s ability to convert demand into delivered housing.&nbsp;

“This is the strongest sales quarter since Q4 2021, and it reinforces that demand in Perth is real and it’s local,” David Cresp said. “But the task now is delivery, turning that demand into projects that can actually be built and completed.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110291 project_image_fid=302785]

<h2>Affordable product leads, premium demand remains resilient</h2>

Sales in Q1 were led by more affordable projects, with The Boulevard (SKS Group) recording 115 sales in the quarter, the presentation noting this is only the second time a single project has surpassed 100 quarterly sales. The project was able to offer more affordable housing product right next to a train station.&nbsp;

Palmyra West (Finbar) also delivered strong results with 28 sales in Q1, following 84 sales in Q4, with an average price of under $800,000, underscoring depth of demand for well‑located, attainable new stock.&nbsp;

At the premium end, Urbis said downsizer demand is continuing, with the results highlighting Romeo (Applecross, Finbar) recording 75 sales and reaching almost 50% sold in one quarter.

Jual (Shenton Park, Celsius Property) also posted a strong quarter with 28 sales, reaching 39% sold in one quarter.

Urbis noted that Perth apartment demand is not speculative, not investor‑led, and not uniform, describing it as localised, often equity‑driven and highly product‑specific, a pattern reflected in the polarisation between strong “attainable” performers and premium downsizer product.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=148957 project_image_fid=364102]

<h2>Prices underpinned by costs, and the delivery risk is growing</h2>

Urbis said pricing pressure is cost not demand‑driven: construction costs and delivery risk are now a central constraint, with the results noting build costs remain elevated and volatile, and that energy, fuel and labour uncertainty weigh on feasibility.

David Cresp said a growing challenge for private Build‑to‑Sell developers is simply securing a builder in the current environment.

“Developers are really feeling the pressure from a building market that was operating at capacity and securing a builder is challenging,” David Cresp said, adding that even where a builder can be secured, “trying to get to the price that makes the development financially viable is incredibly challenging in the current market.”&nbsp;

Urbis’ broader WA commentary also notes that industry remains at or above capacity with lot and housing creation, and that many builders are limiting new sales to manage stretched workforces and fixed‑price contract pressures, conditions that flow directly into apartment feasibility and delivery timing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108869 project_image_fid=317905]

<h2>Supply: improving later, but still constrained, and Perth lags eastern benchmarks</h2>

While near‑term supply remains constrained, Urbis’ forecast shows completions lifting “Supply is forecast to be back above 1,500 apartments per annum for the first time since 2019”, with 1,775 completions forecast for 2026, and volumes remaining above that level over the following years.&nbsp;

Looking further ahead, completions are forecast to reach 2,500 in 2028, with the report noting 32% of that total is social/affordable, reflecting the role of government‑supported delivery in rebuilding the pipeline.&nbsp;

However, Urbis said Perth remains behind comparable markets on pipeline scale. In a national comparison of projects under construction, the report shows under construction Perth Build‑to‑Sell (BTS) at 3,446 apartments versus the Gold Coast at 7,922. Mr Cresp said “The challenge for Perth is how to we grow the delivery pipeline”.

Urbis’ conclusion is that Perth’s market is increasingly defined by product discipline and delivery certainty, with the research identifying “delivery certainty is key” and calling out builder risk and procurement models as core success factors, alongside “timing and staging”.&nbsp;

Perth apartment sales hit strongest pace since late 2021 as builder capacity tightens

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sammut-developments">Sammut Group</a> has secured development approval for its latest Brisbane apartment project, marking the Sydney developer’s next step in expanding its Queensland pipeline following the success of its debut Gold Coast development, Coast.

The approved project at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/44-glen-road-toowong-qld-4066">44 Glen Road, </a><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/toowong-qld-4066">Toowong</a> will deliver a 15-storey riverfront apartment building with 42 residences, significantly increasing the scale of the site’s previous approval for a smaller luxury scheme. Designed by Bureau^proberts, the development will comprise a mix of predominantly four-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments positioned to maximise Brisbane River and city views.

Sammut Director Julian Sammut said the group had been actively searching Brisbane for several years before identifying Toowong as the right fit.

“Brisbane was the right step for Sammut,” Sammut said.

“With the success of Coast we thought we should definitely look to do more in Queensland alone. We then pushed up to look at Brisbane. We've been looking for I'd say two to three years actually and it was hard to find the right location.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_75/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.14%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=dYAVIL7qdcGA8ojvkslSrLjczXFejSSx" />

Sammut said suburbs including New Farm and Teneriffe were considered before the group ultimately focused on Toowong due to its strong downsizer demographic and limited supply of developable riverfront land.

The site was acquired off-market after what Sammut described as a lengthy negotiation and planning process, with the developer pursuing an uplift to the original approval.

“We are DA approved now which is very exciting,” Sammut said.

“We've had our change approval come through and we've obviously doubled the height, 15 storeys plus rooftop. We've got 42 amazing apartments that are going to be coming to market soon.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.26%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=ohkRkY0dIZlqdfME2EZePsCQavRiBadE" />

Bureau^proberts said the design responds to Toowong’s evolving urban character, balancing contemporary apartment living with the area’s established residential identity.

“A place where traditional Queensland living has taken place for centuries; Toowong is seeing a shift of contemporary influence, commercial and retail hubs mixed with well-considered residential offerings – all the while maintaining its character and charm,” the architect noted in planning documents submitted to Brisbane City Council.

The architecture practice said the project’s form was shaped by its riverfront setting, flood considerations, neighbouring building scales, and view corridors.

“They said the mix of four and two-bedroom apartments capture the ‘fundamental qualities of Queenslander living,’ translated into the context of a contemporary subtropical building.”

The development sits just off Coronation Drive within walking distance of Toowong’s retail precinct and the upgraded Regatta ferry terminal, while also benefiting from proximity to the incoming green bridge connection to West End. Sammut said the accessibility and amenity offering were central to the site’s appeal.

The approval adds to growing residential activity along the Toowong riverfront, joining nearby projects including Consolidated Properties’ Monarch Residences and Spyre Group’s ARC Residences.

Sammut secures approval for debut Brisbane apartment development in Toowong

Developer Lanevick is heading back into Sydney’s apartment market after focusing more heavily on the luxury townhouse and terrace sector in recent years.

Lanevick, founded and directed by Steve Maroun, is expecting to receive approval in the coming months for a new apartment development in Gladesville, with the aim to launch it to the market later this year.

The 51-apartment project, designed by Studio Johnston, will comprise a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments positioned toward the Hunters Hill downsizer market.

“Traditionally it’s been difficult for people in that market to downsize because there just hasn’t been the right product available,” Maroun said.

“We’re targeting buyers who might have 30 to 40 per cent of their house value sitting in the bank after downsizing.

“They still want good spacious entertaining areas, they still want quality design, but they also want flexibility and the ability to enjoy life a bit more after working hard for a long time.”

The project sits near Boronia Park and within close proximity to the Parramatta River foreshore, an area Maroun says offers more of a Hunters Hill lifestyle than a traditional apartment precinct.

“From a lifestyle perspective, it’s really more Hunters Hill than Gladesville,” Maroun said. “You’re close to the foreshore, close to parklands, and still connected back into the village precinct.”

From level four and above, apartments will capture water views&nbsp;toward Sydney Harbour. Communal amenity will include rooftop entertaining areas, wellness spaces, and a gym tailored toward owner-occupier buyers.

“We’ve really designed these apartments around that buyer coming from the Hunters Hill LGA and what they’re actually looking for in their next chapter.”

The proposed development has also been designed to respond to the changing character of the broader Gladesville town centre, where a growing number of mixed-use and residential proposals are expected to emerge over the coming years.

“Gladesville presented a rare opportunity to deliver a genuinely design-led residential project within an evolving lifestyle precinct, just moments from the growing Gladesville town centre, and we’ve approached the project with a strong focus on architecture, liveability and long-term community value,” Maroun said.

Maroun said Lanevick saw a first-mover advantage within the precinct as planning controls continue to evolve to accommodate greater housing density.

“We think there’s a real opportunity there that hasn’t really been serviced properly yet,” he said.

“There’s going to be a broader evolution of the whole Gladesville village precinct over time, particularly with more activation and mixed-use outcomes.”

The Venus Street proposal will include a commercial and retail component at ground level designed to contribute to that evolving streetscape activation.

“A big part of the thinking was how do you activate that area properly and create more vibrancy and amenity, which is what Hunters Hill has been looking for,” Maroun said.

Lanevick’s focus since 2020 has largely been on smaller-scale luxury townhouse and terrace developments. The developer recently completed Royale Randwick, also designed by Studio Johnston, where prices reached $3.65 million. The project was featured in the UDIA NSW 2026 Professional Development Prospectus and was also named a finalist for Development of the Year.

&nbsp;

Nicola Trotman

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