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GUEST OBSERVATION
The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-11-30/international-students-arrive-in-australia-coronavirus-nt/12933370">arrival at Darwin airport</a> on Monday of 63 students from China, Hong Kong, Japan, Vietnam and Indonesia on a charter flight from Singapore ended an eight-month hiatus in international student arrivals in Australia. They are now in the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-11-27/nt-chief-minister-covid-cap-on-international-arrivals-doubles/12927552">Howard Springs quarantine facility</a>.
Quarantine capacity is a major issue, given the <a href="/news">numbers of international students</a>. Using student accommodation to quarantine newly arrived students is a way to increase this capacity. <a href="https://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/research-papers/enhancing-the-design-quality-of-purpose-built-student-accommodation">Our research</a>, released today, shows this could be important for solving the quarantine issue.
But shouldn’t Australians get priority?
Over the years we have become accustomed to hundreds of thousands of young learners crossing our borders. In airport arrival halls incoming international students rubbed shoulders with Australian students returning from exchanges, study tours and internships. In departure lounges departing international students, with perhaps some hints of an Australian twang in their accents, mingled with Australian students setting off on their big adventures.
Despite student mobility being a normal feature of modern Australia, it was inevitable “Australians first” critics would deride the arrivals. Tasmanian Senator Jacquie Lambie <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-11-30/international-students-arrive-in-australia-coronavirus-nt/12933370">said</a> she found the student quarantine program “sickening”.
The Department of Home Affairs <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-11-30/international-students-arrive-in-australia-coronavirus-nt/12933370">said</a> the students arriving in Darwin were in addition to the government’s <a href="https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/news-and-updates/limits-passenger-flights-australia">returning passenger caps</a>. And that is the way it should be. Just as international students do not displace any local students from university places, it is important their arrival does not delay the return of Australian citizens and permanent residents.
All Australian states are considering plans to create secure corridors for students to return for the 2021 academic year. Universities, schools and colleges across the country are planning for their return, albeit with some online learning continuing to allow for social distancing on campus. The Commonwealth has sadly remained lukewarm on the states’ proposals to date. 
Student housing provides an answer
The investment in purpose-built student accommodation over the past decade has been enormous.
Our research identified nearly 67,000 beds in this form of accommodation in Australia’s capital city CBDs alone. The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://studentaccassoc.com.au/news/9376655">Student Accommodation Association</a> estimates there are over 95,000 beds Australia-wide. Major developments are due to open soon that will swell those numbers.
As well as dramatic increases in scale, the character of this purpose-built accommodation has changed significantly. Older student dormitories are relatively small and closely affiliated with universities, religious orders and other not-for-profit organisations. The newer commercial developments are large-scale properties, usually in city centres.
According to City of Melbourne data, between 2011 and 2018 the average height of purpose-built student accommodation increased from five storeys to 24. The average number of beds increased from 82 to 579! The largest planning application for a new property in Melbourne comprised 901 beds across 49 storeys, while the tallest building is 63 storeys with 740 beds.
A large proportion of these beds are now sitting empty. These facilities provide an ideal means for developing parallel pathways for these students to return to Australia without using existing channels for repatriating Australians. Whole buildings with hundreds of beds could easily be dedicated to housing the international students waiting to begin or resume their studies here.
How would student quarantine work?
The design of these buildings varies considerably. Authorities would be able to choose from many different bedroom and communal space configurations.
At first, it is likely quarantine authorities will want students to be kept in isolation for 14 days, so student apartments with their own kitchenettes and bathrooms are likely to be chosen. Over time, as confidence builds and systems to manage risks are refined, small clusters may be possible, using buildings in which several rooms share a kitchen and living space.
In either model, student accommodation properties are better suited to quarantine than hotels. They already provide pastoral care, security and staff attuned to the needs of newly arrived young people as a matter of course.
They should have no trouble implementing rigorous quarantine requirements to ensure no further outbreaks are caused by contagion through support staff, as has occurred in other contexts in Melbourne and Adelaide. Staff would have minimal contact with student residents. Meals could be left at the door, and rubbish collected at the door.
Staff and education providers could deliver support services by phone and video. Many universities are already providing daily exercise classes and arranging virtual meet-ups. These programs could easily be tailored to students in quarantine.
We have learned much this year about how to reduce the risk of transmission from incoming travellers. We know contact between quarantine workers and the broader community poses a serious risk. Thus, most staff working in student quarantine facilities would likely live on site. The scale of the newer properties makes this easy to implement.
Risks can be further reduced by arranging direct flights from a city with few cases to an Australian city where the students are transported directly to one facility, thereby avoiding flight transfers in busy hub airports. Testing would be required prior to departure and again before leaving quarantine. Staff would be tested regularly.
Students and education providers cover costs
These arrangements need place no burden on the Australian community. The Darwin model, in which students pay for their flights and the university covers quarantine costs, seems like a reasonable split.
 
Curiously, Charles Darwin University was not the first Australian university to organise charter flights and dedicated quarantine arrangements for students. In September, <a href="https://www.rmit.edu.vn/news/all-news/2020/sep/rmit-vietnam-students-returned-home-through-bamboo-airways-partnership">RMIT chartered a flight</a> from Melbourne to Vietnam to return 270 people, including many students from RMIT’s Vietnam campus who had been on exchange in Melbourne when the virus hit, as well as RMIT staff and business partners. A second RMIT charter flight from Melbourne landed in Da Nang on November 28.
Australia’s international education sector has the capacity to manage such logistics. Our universities have extensive experience in moving tens of thousands of students around the world every year. Our accommodation providers have huge capacity in new facilities specifically designed for students.
Expanding parallel pathways for students to return to Australia need not interfere at all with the return of Australians.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/150180/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christopher-ziguras-956941">Christopher Ziguras</a>, Professor of Global Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tom-alves-1183729">Tom Alves</a>, Head of Development, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-housing-and-urban-research-institute-1038">Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute </a>
This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-unis-can-use-student-housing-to-solve-international-student-quarantine-issues-150180">original article</a>.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

How universities can use student housing to solve international student quarantine issues

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Four of five tenanted investments in the Noosa region’s new retail development, Shops on Hilton, have sold to local investors after recent strata titling.
Located at 11-19 Hilton Terrace, the development is situated on a busy road linking Noosaville to Tewantin.
Ray White’s Louisa Blennerhassett and David Brinkley have been leasing the properties since it opened for trade in 2019.
“Yields achieved have ranged from 5.7 per cent to 6.2 per cent with buyers recognising the value of a brand-new building in a prominent location,” Blennerhassett said.
According to the agents, enquiry has been “very strong” on the individual tenancies, coming from Queensland, NSW and Victoria.
“We feel that local buyers are witnessing firsthand the strength of the Sunshine Coast and Noosa markets and want to be part of this growth”, Brinkley said.
All tenants at the properties were in the early stages of three to five-year terms, with options, indicating that investors are seeking quality tenants and long-term investments.
“Given low interest rates, yields are tightening to levels we have not seen before”, Brinkley said.
“These results are confirming what we already know - that the Sunshine Coast is on a strong upwards growth curve which certainly has not slowed in recent months”, he said.
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Tenanted investments in Noosa's new retail development attracts local investors

There are 2,125 auctions scheduled to take place across the combined capital cities this week, down slightly from last week when 2,168 auctions were held, according to CoreLogic data.

This time last year, a considerably higher 2,912 homes were taken to auction over the same week.

There are 884 Melbourne homes set to go under the hammer this week, a slight decrease on last week’s 909 auctions held, and around 40% below the levels seen last year.

There are currently 913 homes set for auction in Sydney over the week, rising on last week’s 886 auctions held, although lower than the 976 homes taken to auction one year ago.

Across the smaller auction markets, Perth is the only city set to see a rise in activity over the week with 21 auctions set to take place, with scheduled volumes lower in Adelaide (-11.7%), Brisbane (-21%), Canberra (-6.1%) and Tasmania (3 auctions).

<img alt="Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2ee19662-2628-45a0-b523-75dbf2eadaa1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/b6aed8b9-5bc4-4c8b-89da-6ba547502947.png?VersionId=rcCDE_8P2ZCb4iPaZDxpozlat2LKEzdo" />

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Mosman took the lead in NSW auction volumes this weekend with 13 homes set to go under the auctioneers gavel, according to SQM Research.

One such property is <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-mosman-134802378" target="_blank">14 Dalton Road</a>, (pictured) which saw so much interest that it sold ahead of its scheduled December 5 auction.

The four bedroom, two bathroom abode sits on a 247 sqm plot.

It previously sold for $920,000 in 2009.

<img alt="Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4cdb3b79-8dca-4d66-b5a0-59a85ad1ae53" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/e09e2a49-f3a9-409d-a27a-e37339f7a55c.png?VersionId=gpbdRAmDSAX20TO0.ysDHBZyJO3TvbEx" />

Another example of the spread of auctions in Mosman is 1/28 Orlando Avenue.

The two bedroom, one bathroom apartment goes to auction without a price guide.

Sydney takes baton back for first week of December auctions

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The Melbourne developer GURNER and fund manager Qualitas have announced a partnership to enter the multi-family housing sector.
They will soon launch of capital raising for a dedicated build-to-rent fund with three seed projects in the works with total value of over $1 billion and 1,200 plus apartments.
GURNER and Qualitas aim to become the largest multi-family housing players over the next one to two years.
In September Gurner announced a strategic agreement with the private real estate financier for an equity allocation of up to $150 million on residential apartment projects.
Gurner's decision to partner with Qualities comes six months after Tim Gurner labelled the emerging sector a "stupid model" and warned that institutional investors like Blackstone and Greystar would wipe out mum-and-dad investors.
However he has since qualified the comments that came in a spat with Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp who'd suggested that BTR was a great way of delivering affordable housing.
Gurner maintains the asset class was about delivering a premium product and compelling returns to investors.
He told The Australian Financial Review a significant reduction in apartment supply, falling interest rates, and land tax breaks and incentives introduced in NSW and Victoria this year specifically would make returns "very attractive".
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Melbourne developer Gurner and Qualitas seek to be Australia's largest muti-family housing player

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A Boomerang Beach weekender has sold for a record $4.35 million.
The sale came just 25 days into its marketing by Chantal Hooper at Pillinger Real Estate.
88 Sur, the Boomerang Beach holiday home was sold by former investment banker Paul Bernasconi.
It was listed five years ago with more than $2.8 million hopes.
His no-expense-spared project with a mix of concrete, timber, zinc and glass was undertaken 15 years ago.
Next door is known as 88 Nord, that sold at $2.35 million in 2017.
He bought the double block in 2002 for $1.12 million.
The two residences were designed by Collins &amp; Turner Architects.
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Record $4.35 million Boomerang Beach trophy home sale

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There has been an $8.9 million record price paid for a St Kilda house.
The sale was an off-market deal for the 1904 Queen Anne style period home at 8a St Leonards Avenue.
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<div id="adspot-1x1-pos-5" class="ad" data-google-query-id="CL35teGOsO0CFcHScwEdWwIKLA">
<div id="google_ads_iframe_//31694718/domain.com.au/news_0__container__"><iframe title="3rd party ad content" name="google_ads_iframe_//31694718/domain.com.au/news_0" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" width="1" height="1" data-google-container-id="5" data-integralas-id-f7d4ffe2-20e9-23f0-6b9b-029d435b4799="" data-load-complete="true"></iframe></div>
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</div>
<div class="in-content-ad">It has five bedrooms and four bathrooms, on its 1300 sqm plus holding.</div>
<div class="in-content-ad"> </div>
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<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-st+kilda-113069475" target="_blank">It last sold</a> in 2013 at $4,317,000.</div>
<div class="in-content-ad"> </div>
<div class="in-content-ad">It sold in 1999 at $1.65 million and at $77,500 in 1978.</div>
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<div class="in-content-ad">A Fitzroy Street terrace across two titles fetched $7 million in 2012 with higher prices secured for a contemporary St Kilda West house trading for $11.7 million.</div>
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Record $8.9 million St Kilda house price

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Sweeping changes have been proposed to NSW's infrastructure contributions system.
It follows a new report from the NSW Productivity Commission to be considered by the NSW Government Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes and Treasurer Dominic Perrottet.
They welcomed the report which lays out a roadmap for "the biggest shake-up to the contributions regime in three decades."
Stokes said he commissioned the review into the system to fix uncertainty of developer contributions, unlock new housing supply, deliver infrastructure and drive investment. 
“The development industry has been telling us for years that uncertainty surrounding infrastructure contributions was driving up house prices and slowing down progress,” Mr Stokes said.
“Those who complain about growth in Sydney often have the same gripe - too much housing, not enough infrastructure. This report recommends a complete shift in thinking, where land rezoning, infrastructure planning and funding is considered together at the start of the process.
 “If the changes in this new report are implemented, these barriers will be removed and development will be coordinated with the right infrastructure.”
Productivity Commissioner Peter Achterstraat’s comprehensive review of the system makes 29 recommendations, including:
<ul>
<li>         Changing the funding mix for more efficient infrastructure delivery;</li>
<li>         Linking council rates more closely with population growth;</li>
<li>         Developing a digital tool for calculating infrastructure contributions;</li>
<li>         Ensuring infrastructure contributions plans are in place upfront during the rezoning process;</li>
<li>         Supporting better open space provision through a system for the direct land dedication following re-zoning;</li>
<li>         Reforming state contributions so funding goes where infrastructure is required.</li>
</ul>
 
Perrottet said the long-term benefits of boosting productivity was vital for NSW and the state’s recovery from the economic impacts of COVID-19 
“This is ultimately about providing greater certainty for all parties, ensuring better infrastructure for the community and unlocking more than $12 billion for our economy.”
The Treasurer said $14.8 million was allocated in the recent 2020-21 NSW Budget for the development of a contributions calculator, which would make it easier to determine project development costs at the start of the process. 
The Government will now review the report’s recommendations and consult with industry to develop a formal Government response and roadmap for implementation by early 2021.
To read the report visit <a href="https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/TbccC81V1xhDE1YNtn6Rua?domain=productivity.nsw.gov.au" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/TbccC81V1xhDE1YNtn6Rua?domain%3Dproductivity.nsw.gov.au&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1607030959064000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEH9uicyt8Hol7vQxlB1H5FQLj-qQ">http://productivity.nsw.gov.au/infrastructure-contributions-review</a>
The Urban Taskforce identified the key recommendations and outcomes in the report as: 
▪ removing the disincentive for councils to accept development and growth by allowing for the local government rate peg to reflect population growth
▪ ensuring charges can be properly factored into feasibility studies by requiring contributions plans be developed prior to rezoning
▪ introducing a direct land contribution obligation for landowners following rezoning to provide early and adequate funding for land
▪ managing costs and complexity of section 7.11 local contributions plans by using benchmark costs and focusing the role of the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal in reviewing plans
▪ removing barriers to construction and improving project feasibility by deferring payment of local contributions to the occupation certificate stage
▪ providing a simpler option for councils by increasing the maximum rate of section 7.12 fixed development consent levies to 3% in certain circumstances
▪ limiting the use of state and local planning agreements to direct delivery of works and supporting infrastructure for ‘out-of-sequence’ developments
▪ addressing insufficient and ad hoc section 7.24 special infrastructure contributions (State Government infrastructure levies) through implementation of modest and simple broad-based regional charges
▪ ensuring the beneficiaries of major transport investments contribute to the cost by implementing an additional state contribution for rezoned properties within station service
catchments
▪ taking pressure off household water bills by transitioning to cost reflective charges for water connections
▪ making the system easier to navigate and comply with by providing and maintaining clear and rationalised guidance and comprehensive digital tools
▪ being more transparent in reporting on how much money is collected and where it is spent.
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Developer contributions reform coming to NSW

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The plans to replace Sydney Harbour’s Sirius building have been lodged.
With its public housing tenants relocated to the suburbs, developer JDH Capital, controlled by former Macquarie Bank executive Jean-Dominque Huynh, seeks 76 apartments.
Huynh bought the brutalist style in a Savills tender for around $150 million last year from the NSW government.
The plans show one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments, with penthouses with private swimming pools.
Interiors were designed by architecture firm BVN and leading British interior designer Kelly Hoppen.
Passionate about making her design ethos accessible to the masses, Kelly has authored nine books.
 As a successful business woman she was awarded a CBE in October 2020 for her work in helping to promote British creativity, business and commerce globally.
<a href="https://kellyhoppeninteriors.com/work-in-progress/" target="_blank">Her current works in progress</a> are dominated by China projects.
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Kelly Hoppen interiors for replacement Sirius residential complex

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<div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa">Australia is officially out of a recession.</div>
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<div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa">The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) advised that the nation's Gross Domestic Product – or GDP – rose 3.3 per cent in the September quarter.</div>
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<div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa">CommSec's Craig James called it a "Christmas miracle."</div>
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It was the strongest quarterly growth since the March quarter 1976. 
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<div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa">However throughout 2020 Australia's GDP has fallen 3.8 per cent.</div>
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<div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa">A technical recession is defined as two consecutive quarters in negative growth.</div>
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<div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa">The three months to June saw the nation's GDP shrink by seven per cent, the biggest drop since records began in 1959.</div>
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<div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa">The previous quarter to March saw Australia's GDP fall by 0.3 per cent.</div>
<div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"> </div>
<div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa">The market had been predicting that the economy would grow 2.5 per cent in the September quarter. Westpac had forecast three per cent growth.</div>
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<div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa">"The key dynamic of the covid recession and the re-opening of the economy relates to the restrictions on the movement of people and on travel, with the closure of the borders," Westpac economist Andrew Hanlan said.</div>
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"Consumer spending plunged by 12.5% in Q2 reflecting the reduced opportunities for people to spend.
"As restrictions were eased, consumers returned to the shops in greater numbers and consumer spending rebounded by 7.9% in Q3 (providing the upside surprise to our forecast).
"Another key feature of this recession has been the massive income transfer from the government to households and businesses – on an unprecedented scale."
 
 
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Australia is officially out of recession after 3.3 per cent rise in GDP in the September quarter

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Experts are positive that Australia is on track to exit a recession, and that property prices will return to 2019 levels next year, according to this month's Finder RBA Cash Rate Survey.
Of the 40 experts and economists who weighed in on future cash rate moves and shared their key economic and financial predictions for 2021; all 40 correctly predicted that the cash rate would remain at 0.10%.
From the closure of major bricks-and-mortar retail stores to the national uptake of a COVID-19 vaccine, experts were asked to rate the likelihood of various economic scenarios unfolding in the year ahead.
Australia will exit recession
When asked about the likelihood of Australia exiting and staying out of a recession in 2021, all 28 experts who weighed in agree that this is either “likely” (54%, 15) or “very likely” (46%, 13).
Economists are also optimistic about the nation’s GDP growth, with 79% (22) expecting the economy to see its first quarter of growth before the end of 2020.
Graham Cooke, insights manager at Finder, said that the nation’s economy may have already recovered.
“Official GDP figures for the September quarter will be released this Wednesday, with the general consensus being that Australia may have already exited a recession.
“This can largely be attributed to almost $500 billion in government and central bank stimulus and effective COVID-19 control measures alongside news of a vaccine, strong consumer spending, and a resilient property market.
“It remains to be seen if our economy can keep moving uphill once the training wheels come off.
“The December quarter is likely to be robust as well, meaning it’s highly probable that we may see a gradual recovery of GDP through 2021,” Cooke said.
Property prices and sales volume to return to 2019 levels
Australia’s property price recovery looks set to continue.
More than 4 in 5 experts (85%, 24/28) predict that house prices will increase above 2019 levels next year, and 79% (22/28) think that sales volumes will recover to match or exceed 2019 levels.
CoreLogic data shows that, despite predictions of up to 15% drops in value earlier in the year, house prices in Australia have proved resilient.
Prices increased in all capitals bar Melbourne in October and were significantly higher compared to October 2019 in all cities bar Perth, which saw a marginal price increase of only 0.04%.
According to Matthew Tiller of LJ Hooker, record-low interest rates have been a key driver of market stability.
“One of the main beneficiaries of the ongoing record low rates has been property markets, with LJ Hooker agents reporting a significant increase in enquiries and strong levels of sales transaction volumes,” he said.
Closure of major bricks-and-mortar stores due to increase in online shopping
E-commerce surged during the pandemic, with more than 8.5 million households shopping online between March and October in 2020 according to Australia Post figures.
Yet over half of the experts (56%, 15/27) believe that the recent uptick in online shopping could be the death knell for major bricks-and-mortar department stores like Myer and David Jones.
Cooke said that Aussie shoppers are becoming increasingly wise to the outdated retail model used by department stores.
“Department stores operate on an old-fashioned regular discounting model, where an item is advertised at an inflated price for several weeks, only then be ‘on sale’ for several more weeks.
“Consumers are becoming annoyed by this false discounting, and they prefer the flat low-cost pricing offered online,” Cooke said.
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Australian property to bounce back in 2021: Finder.com.au survey

<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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[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360981]

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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[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360966]

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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[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360969]

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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