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A weekend Armadale auction of a renovated four-bedroom home with a pool secured $6,075,000.
The sale came after it was declared on the market at $5.5 million.
Bidding on <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-armadale-127725282" target="_blank">32 Armadale Street</a> started on a vendor bid of $4.8 million.
There where four bidders on the modernised Edwardian property sold by Marshall White.
It last sold in 1991 at $575,000.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Armadale trophy home auction tops $6 million

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GUEST OBSERVER
Governments can encourage more affordable housing by targeting first home buyer subsidies to specific locations and housing types, a new report finds. It also suggests incentivising developers and builders to create smaller houses with more cost-efficient designs.
The report is based on the housing market in Perth, Western Australia, and shows that historically building single houses as opposed to units or town houses is a more effective way of delivering affordable housing on the city fringes.
The report examined housing affordability through individual transaction records over a six year sample period. It compared prices between established and new housing, showing that new land and building developments play important roles in supplying affordable housing options.
New dwellings comprise 13% of single house transactions and 33% for dwellings such as apartment or townhouses. Although new dwellings like apartments provided some affordable housing options, in general they are selling at a premium over existing houses.
Australia’s largest cities, like Perth, are stretched to the limit of land supply and infrastructure for affordable housing. The most infrastructure exists in city centres where houses are expensive.
Over the past two decades Perth has grown rapidly. Between 2001 and 2016 the population increased by 46.7%, the largest proportional increase of any Australian capital city. The make-up of the housing market is similar to other capitals: 68% of the housing stock is single houses, 20% other dwellings and 11% vacant.
Levels of home ownership are generally consistent with the national pattern: 62% of housing is owned outright or mortgaged, and 24% rented.
House prices have grown rapidly. From 1999 to 2016 house prices grew at an average annual rate of 8.4%; other dwellings grew 9%. Both sectors report the highest annual increases for all Australian capital cities over this period.
How can governments help?
The challenge in Australia’s housing market is supplying an adequate range of affordable new dwelling types within a range of suitable locations – both inner city and outer suburban choices.
Clusters of cheaper housing on the urban fringe and more expensive inner-city development suggest new building activity is confined to specific locations. These are defined by the price the constructor or buyer is willing to pay.
Housing policy in Australia has relied on market outcomes to determine aesthetic and economic characteristics of housing in our cities. Government intervention has mainly been through zoning, predominantly at local levels. More recently there’s also been stimulus at state and federal levels for first home buyers through various deposit subsidy schemes.
Subsidy schemes have been important in helping first home buyers bridge the deposit gap. Incentives have included cash payments and stamp duty relief.
In some states additional payments have been made for new building and for purchases in specific locations. But the Perth study indicates that some of these subsidies are becoming ineffective.
Standard “one type fits all” subsidies are limiting first home buyers’ choices of location and housing type.
The solution to this problem is to make subsidy schemes more flexible to nudge first home buyers towards affordable locations. This would even out the supply of affordable houses from areas where housing is densely clustered in certain locations.
Policy would also need to take into account the needs of different demographics in certain locations. Housing requirements of young singles are obviously different than for young families.
Effective policy would also need to take into account the types of housing finance available for first home buyers. One example is the WA government’s Keystart loans which help eligible people to buy their own homes through low deposit loans and shared equity schemes.
These types of schemes include shared ownership with the government owned housing authorities and include existing and newly built homes in a variety of locations.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/93841/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">But it’s not all up to state governments. The problems of lack of land supply and infrastructure are the same in all Australian capital cities. The federal government could play a more prominent role through infrastructure grant funding in changing the location choice of buyers and variation of affordable housing types at a national level.
Greg Costello, Associate Professor, Curtin University
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-governments-can-learn-from-perths-property-market-93841" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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What governments can learn from Perth's property market: Greg Costello

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A three bedroom house in Koongamia, the north-eastern suburb of Perth, has been listed for mortgagee sale for $379,000.
Set on a 548 square metre block, <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-wa-koongamia-127851006" target="_blank">located at 33B Koolgoo Way</a>, it features three double sized bedrooms, formal lounge, open plan kitchen, dining and family room.
Other features include the entrance hall with high ceilings and double linen cupboard, backyard and double garage spaces.
The brick and tile home was built in 2003.
The marketing says the property is being sold "as is".
It last sold at $372,500 in 2007.
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Mortgagee Koongamia three bedroom house listed for sale

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Australasian architecture firm The Buchan Group have released the design details for the $550 Queen Street Village precinct at Southport on Queensland’s Gold Coast.
The retail, dining, entertainment and residential precinct is set to begin construction is following the Commonwealth Games in April. It will be built on a 3.2 hectare site bound by Queen, Nerang and Little High streets in Southport.
Buchan was engaged in 2014 by Brisbane based developer Property Solutions to design the urban village’s masterplan.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/3/23/The%20Buchan%20Group%20QSV_6.jpg" alt="">
The Buchan Group Gold Coast principal Brett Saville said Queen Street Village was a large-scale project featuring at least seven mid-rise towers.
“Queen Street Village will be an integrated master-planned community, featuring showrooms, food and retail tenancies, offices, childcare and medical centres, high-rise living and a cinema,” Saville said.
“Buchan is a global architecture firm with experience working on major hotel, retail, residential and mixed-use projects nationally and overseas.
“While the project is primarily designed in our Gold Coast office we have drawn on the broad expertise of the whole group at all stages of the projects’ design.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/3/23/The%20Buchan%20Group%20QSV_7.jpg" alt="">
“A key element of our design brief was to ensure the village could include a wide range of uses to keep the precinct active and vibrant over extended hours, and that it can be built in stages to suit the market demands of the Gold Coast.
“The overall design will complement the site’s physical characteristics and the wonderful Gold Coast climate while acknowledging the surrounding land uses.”
Building heights will be taller at the eastern end of the site with slightly shorter towers to the west, and the Gold Coast Light Rail stop on Nerang Street will be a focus for the pedestrian movement patterns through the precinct, Saville said.
“The main pedestrian spine – The Promenade – runs from a new signalised crossing at Queen Street through the site and down stairs and escalators to Nerang Street adjacent to the light rail,” he said.
“At the centre of the site is the central plaza – a large landscaped space that includes convenient parking and is surrounded by activated shopfronts and building entries.
“This project will really cement Southport as a place where people can work, live and play within a village-style precinct.”
Buildings have been architecturally designed to maximise the views from the site across Southport and the Broadwater, as well as to Surfers Paradise at night.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/3/23/Palladium%20view.jpg" alt="">
“Careful attention to the planning and the placement of windows ensures that overlooking between buildings is minimised,” Saville said.
“The proposed material palettes for the buildings are curated to provide each part of the overall development a distinctive character that each sits comfortably with the others. 
“The materials on the towers are crisp and modern while the colour schemes maximise the impacts of light and shade on the external walls.
“There is a richer and more textured palette for the podiums and ground levels – the part of the buildings that people can more readily touch and feel.
“Internal finishes for the residential apartments offer two colour schemes – one that is reflective of the light coastal colours of the region and one that is subtly more intense.”
The Buchan Group has recently finished projects on the Gold Coast at Harbour Town Shopping Centre, the Oasis at Broadbeach (awarded a Commendation in the 2017 City of Gold Coast Urban Design Awards) and Robina Town Centre at Robina, which was named Retail Property of the Year in the Property Council of Australia’s 2017 Queensland Retail Property of the Year Awards. 
 
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Designs for $550 million Queen Street Village in Southport released

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A four bedroom home in Kallangur, north of Brisbane in the Moreton Bay region, has been sold by mortgagees for $400,000.
It had last sold at $430,000 in 2015.
Located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-qld-kallangur-127492738" target="_blank">33 Beerwah Parade</a>, the home comes with four bedrooms, open plan lounge/dining, and kitchen with quality appliances and breakfast bar.
Other features include ducted air-conditioning throughout, private under-roof outdoor entertainment area and double remote garage.
It situated in a central location that’s handy to shops, day-care, schools and shops.
Liam Booker at LJ Hooker sold the home.
The suburb's median house price sits on $382,500 according to CoreLogic.
 
 
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Moreton Bay home sale by mortgagee goes backwards

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Entrepreneur Tony Denny has acquired a 5 per cent stake in the listed real estate agent agency, McGrath.
An ASX substantial holding notice was lodged yesterday after Denny acquired his 5.05 per cent stake in the agency.
The cashed-up businessman took a position ahead of the agency unveiling its turnaround strategy.
The 7.2 million shares were bought over the past fortnight after buying shares on March 12 and 20 costing just over $3 million.
Some were likely acquired from McGrath's biggest institutional backer, Perpetual which sold almost 2.5 million shares on March 12 to reduce its stake from 14.2 per cent to 11.6 per cent.
</div>
<div>Denny's is a Central Coast-based property developer, whose $355 million fortune came from selling his AAA Auto dealership European network to Polish private equity firm Abris Capital Partners in 2014.  AAA AUTO was the largest used car dealer in Central and Eastern Europe.
</div>
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<div>Denny's sold-out apartment development called Vue at Gosford used McGrath's Central Coast office in its marketing.</div>
<div>
Shares in McGrath closed Tuesday up 2.5 per cent at 41 cents, having dipped to a 39 cent record low last Friday after a series of earnings downgrades and board turmoil.
<div>
A spokeswoman for Denny's development company, Central Real, told The Australian Financial Review the shareholding was a "passive long-term investment".
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For $3 million, Central Coast entrepreneur Tony Denny buys 5 percent stake in McGrath

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A Wilga Street home at the south end of Bondi Beach has sold for $12.9 million, smashing its $10 million reserve.
The home, <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-bondi-127741054" target="_blank">built in the early 1980s</a>, last traded for $1.15 million in 1996.
It spans three levels with ocean, cliff and beach views.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/3/27/wilga2.jpg" alt="">
There are four bedrooms, three bathrooms and an internal spa room.
A large outdoor terrace with lawn and garden sits on the 535 sqm parcel.
Raine &amp; Horne agents Paul Langsam and Ric Serrao sold the home at auction on Tuesday through auctioneer Damien Cooley.
 
 
 
 
 
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Bondi Beach home smashes reserve by nearly $3 million

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A mechanics shed at the rear of a cottage in south-western Sydney has been sold at $2.25 million.
Located on 1498 square metres, the <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-lakemba-127600430" target="_blank">69 Wangee Road</a>, Lakemba property features four large bedrooms, large living area, original kitchen and bathroom and an additional workshop at the rear ready for operation.
The property is currently zoned Light Industrial IN2 and situated on two lots, offering the potential for re-zoning (S.T.C.A). 
 It is close to places of worship, local train station, schools &amp; Lakemba's popular Haldon Street and the newly constructed Woolworths. 
The house property sold through John Yatman from Ray White.
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Mechanics shed at Lakemba cottage sold

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Multiplex has completed the new $225 million Learning and Teaching Building at Monash University, delivering a new education space to the Clayton campus.
The project includes a new regional transport interchange and a state of the art four-level building with innovative learning spaces, providing a new front door experience for all visitors.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/3/14/Monash_LTB_INTERIOR_FINAL_18_WEB_preview.jpeg" alt="">
Designed by architects John Wardle Architects, the Learning and Teaching Building provides a total of 29,227 square metres of formal and informal learning space as well as contemporary staff workspace.
It aims to facilitate learning across all disciplines and will also be home to the Faculty of Education and the Office of Learning and Teaching.
An innovative design element is a revolutionary learning space known as 'The Kiln' which features a series of large brick-clad areas suspended above ground level so students can occupy them underneath, imitating an amplified conversation pit.
Construction was completed ahead of schedule with the building ready to be utilised by students for the 2018 academic year.
Last year Multiplex completed Monash University’s $145 million student accommodation precinct comprising four new residential buildings and providing a combined total of more than 1,000 studio apartments, with associated retail and student informal learning spaces. 
The contractor has also been responsible for delivering some of the most high-profile and technically advanced education facilities in Victoria including the $200 million Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), Swanston Academic Building in Melbourne’s CBD and the $100 million Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning Building (FABP) in Parkville. 
 <img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/3/14/Monash_LTB_INTERIOR_FINAL_33_WEB_preview.jpeg" alt="">
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Multiplex finish construction of $225 million building at Monash University

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CBRE has launched an Australian build-to-rent committee to service the emerging sector of the market. 
It will be led by CBRE’s director of development valuations and advisory, Jozef Dickinson whose committee will provide valuation and advisory work, research, development feasibility and site identification services. 
Joining Dickinson in CBRE’s Australian ruild-to-rent committee are Ken Smith, Simon Cowley, Ben Martin-Henry, Kate Heaney, Ashley Kerfoot, Josh Rutman and Simone Lutz. 
The committee will be supported by CBRE’s US-based multifamily expert Colleen Pentland Lally, executive managing director of investor services Mark Granter and national director of institutional valuations Stephen Thomas. 
Granter said the establishment of a dedicated committee highlighted the firm’s commitment to diversify into new growth areas. 
The launch of this committee follows a successful nine-day build-to-rent campaign undertaken by Pentland Lally across Australia last year. 
CBRE has a multifamily business in several major international markets – completing US$24 billion worth of transactions in the US, £$2.4 billion in the UK and €$1 billion in Germany, in 2017.
Last year in the US, multifamily assets accounted for 32% (US$150 billion) of total commercial property investment in the US – making it the most popular asset class. 
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CBRE launch local build-to-rent committee

Buyers considering a residence at boutique Gordon townhouse development <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/lume-gordon-43-47-dumaresq-street-gordon-nsw-2072">Lume</a>&nbsp;now have another reason to bring forward their decision.

For a limited time, purchasers of a residence at Lume will receive a BMW iX3 50 electric SUV, valued at more than $120,000, as part of their purchase. The offer is designed to add value for buyers while complementing the lifestyle envisioned for the architecturally designed Upper North Shore development.

Scott Timmins, Development Manager at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/winim">WINIM</a>, said the partnership was created to provide buyers with a compelling reason to act.

"In today's market, buyers need a compelling reason to act now, and the BMW partnership was designed to create that catalyst. We wanted to add genuine value for our future purchasers. Choosing the all-electric BMW iX3 50 also reflects the values behind LUME, forward-thinking design, innovation and a more sustainable way of living. It's a premium incentive that complements the lifestyle our buyers aspire to and rewards those who commit early."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7354 project_image_fid=374893]

Delivered by WINIM in partnership with Burtonwood Investment Partners, Lume comprises 14 architecturally designed two, three and four-bedroom townhomes created for families seeking the space of a freestanding house with the ease of modern, low-maintenance living.

The three-storey residences, designed by award-winning architecture practice <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a>, have been tailored for families and multi-generational living, featuring private internal lifts, flexible lower-level spaces, generous open-plan living and entertaining areas, media rooms, and landscaped outdoor spaces with custom outdoor kitchens.&nbsp;

Inside, engineered oak flooring, bespoke dining joinery with integrated wine fridges and backlit bars, sculptural porcelain bathrooms, Parisi freestanding baths and Astra Walker tapware create interiors that balance functionality with refined finishes.

Each townhome has been designed to combine generous internal spaces with sustainability initiatives such as EV charging infrastructure, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/arcadia-landscape-architecture">Arcadia</a>'s landscaped communal areas, centred around a restored creek line and native planting, encourage residents to connect with nature and spend more time outdoors.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7354 project_image_fid=269527]

Rothelowman's Gary Tsui said the architecture was conceived to respond carefully to its Upper North Shore setting.

"Our vision was to create elegant, uplifting homes that draw on and positively contribute to the local character through meticulously considered design and an interaction with the surroundings."

The communal landscape has been designed as more than an open space between homes. Arcadia's Ben Newell and Kate Phillips said the adjoining reserve provided an opportunity to create a distinctive natural retreat for residents.

"Just as waterways carve their way through Ku-ring-gai's landscape, a raised boardwalk weaves through the reserve, connecting the homes to this tranquil oasis."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7354 project_image_fid=374892]

Located just 300 metres from <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/gordon-nsw-2072">Gordon</a> Village and Gordon railway station, Lume offers convenient access to Sydney's CBD while placing residents close to some of the North Shore's leading schools, including Ravenswood, Pymble Ladies' College and Knox Grammar. Lane Cove National Park, Gordon Golf Club and a range of cafés and restaurants further reinforce the family-focused lifestyle on offer, with the BMW iX3 50 complementing everything from local trips around Gordon to weekend drives and city commutes.

Construction is underway with completion expected in mid-2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=7354]

Joel Robinson

Boutique Gordon townhomes now come with a BMW iX3 50

Two apartments have sold for more than $10 million at EADE Byron Bay, setting some of the highest apartment prices ever achieved in the coastal town and underlining the growing appetite for luxury beachfront apartments in Australia's most popular coastal locations.

The $210 million project by Vitale Property Group has now secured more than $70 million in sales, led by residences that changed hands for $12.75 million and $11.75 million.

The record-breaking transactions reinforce the shift occurring in Byron Bay's premium property market, where affluent downsizers and lifestyle buyers are increasingly opting for high-end apartments over large beachfront homes.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/eade-byron-bay-29-shirley-street-byron-bay-nsw-2481">EADE Byron Bay</a> occupies a rare 6,000 sqm absolute beachfront site on the corner of Shirley and Milton Streets overlooking Main Beach and The Wreck surf break, just 350 metres from Byron Bay's town centre.

The 25-residence development is the first beachfront apartment project approved in Byron Bay in more than a decade and is currently under construction, with completion expected in May 2027.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145590 project_image_fid=359521]

The project has attracted a mix of local Byron Shire residents downsizing from larger homes, alongside interstate buyers from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane seeking a permanent coastal lifestyle without compromising on space.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hayball">Hayball</a> and with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/alexander-co">Alexander &amp; Co</a>, EADE comprises&nbsp;10 garden apartments ranging from 284 sqm to 622 sqm, nine with private pools, five full-floor apartments and 10 rooftop residences with private plunge pools, expansive outdoor entertaining areas and uninterrupted ocean views.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145590 project_image_fid=359527]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/vitale-property-group">Vitale Property Group</a> Managing Partner Chris Vitale said the project's combination of scale, location and limited future supply was driving buyer demand.

"There isn't another beachfront holding in Byron Bay of this size and position that could be developed again," Vitale said.

"Buyers are responding to the scarcity and the irreplaceability of a site of this calibre and to floorplans they can't find elsewhere in the market.

"We are seeing buyers place significant value on quality, space, design, resort-style amenities and the rarity of the location. The sales achieved to date demonstrate that discerning purchasers recognise the long-term significance of what is being created at EADE Byron Bay.

"Many are coming from larger homes in the Byron region, or from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and are after the space, security and convenience, without the upkeep of a house."

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145590 project_image_fid=359523]

The Byron Bay project follows Vitale Property Group's delivery of the Mondrian Hotel and Private Residences at Burleigh Heads, with EADE continuing the developer's focus on luxury coastal developments.

Residents will have access to a resort-style swimming pool, gymnasium, sauna, cold plunge pool, concierge services and dedicated workspaces, while the project is targeting an 8-Star Green Star rating.

EADE Byron Bay is being exclusively marketed by Projx Australia in conjunction with WHITEFOX Projects.

WHITEFOX National Projects Director Phillip Rand said demand had been driven predominantly by owner-occupiers.

"We are seeing buyers at EADE place significant value on quality, space, design, resort-style amenities and the rarity of this location," Rand says.

"The sales achieved to date demonstrate that purchasers at this level recognise the long-term significance of what is being created at EADE Byron Bay."

Residences at EADE Byron Bay are currently priced between $4.75 million and $15.95 million.

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[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145590]

Vitale breaks Byron Bay records with EADE sales flurry 

When buying an apartment, most people compare the big-ticket items first. Floorplans. Kitchens. Balcony size. Natural light. The view.

But there's one everyday consideration that often doesn't come up until after moving in: how parcels are delivered.

As online shopping has become part of everyday life, parcel deliveries have shifted from an occasional event to a regular occurrence. Australians spent a record $82.6 billion shopping online in 2025, with almost one in every four retail dollars now spent digitally.

For apartment residents, that can present a challenge.

If nobody is home to accept a delivery, parcels may be redirected to a nearby Post Office, left in a building lobby or common area, or require building management to step in. In higher-density buildings, where dozens or even hundreds of residents may receive deliveries each day, parcel management has become an increasingly important part of everyday living.

That can create a range of frustrations. A missed delivery often means making time to collect a parcel elsewhere, while packages left unattended in foyers or mail areas can create clutter and increase the risk of theft. What seems like a minor inconvenience can quickly become a recurring issue for residents who shop online regularly.

It's one of those details that rarely features in a display suite but can have a noticeable impact once residents move in.

As a result, buyers are beginning to look beyond traditional apartment features and consider how a building supports day-to-day convenience, including whether there are secure options for receiving deliveries.

Australia Post's Parcel Lockers provide one solution.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CkF2oKmlACg?si=C50sDaoUUn2nuLmq" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Rather than having a parcel delivered directly to an apartment, eligible deliveries can be sent to a nominated Parcel Locker. Once the parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS and can collect it using a QR code or one-time PIN at a time that suits them.

The Parcel Locker network now includes more than 1,500 locations nationwide, with installations at Post Offices, shopping centres, transport hubs and an increasing number of residential developments. By providing a secure collection point, Parcel Lockers help reduce missed deliveries and avoid parcels being left unattended in common areas.

For developers, parcel infrastructure is becoming another way to improve the resident experience. Rather than relying on concierge staff or leaving parcels in communal spaces, secure collection points help streamline deliveries while preserving the presentation and functionality of shared areas.

For buyers, it's a reminder that the best apartment features aren't always the most obvious.

A generous floorplan or quality finishes might help narrow the shortlist, but the conveniences that simplify everyday life, whether that's EV charging, secure bike storage or reliable parcel delivery, often become the features residents appreciate most once they're living there.

The apartment feature many buyers don't think about, until their first missed delivery

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hg-developments">HG Developments</a> is doubling down on Maud Street in Newstead, filing plans for a new apartment tower just a few doors down from its under-construction Aire Newstead development.

Recently submitted to Brisbane City Council, the proposal is for an 18-storey building designed by bureau^proberts, which has drawn heavily on Brisbane's subtropical design principles while referencing the suburb's industrial heritage.

A total of 64 apartments are planned for the amalgamated 1,518 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/17-21-maud-street-newstead-qld-4006">17–21 Maud Street</a>, a short walk from the Brisbane River and Newstead Riverwalk.

<img alt="First look: HG Developments plans 18-storey subtropical apartment tower for Newstead" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a400c7fd-bd15-48f8-a63b-10ede92efe00" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Maud%20st%20bldg.png?VersionId=.0vPmjpbC7CNP7kqGWa6L7rGIwsNExaw" />

"The building is defined by a series of vaulted motifs that reinterpret the arches, colonnades and layered facades evident throughout Newstead's historic built fabric," the Urban Design Report states.

"Combined with recessed glazing and generous balconies, these elements create a layered building envelope that provides shade, weather protection and opportunities for natural ventilation whilst establishing a distinctive architectural identity."

The proposal comprises 64 two, three and four-bedroom apartments across 18 residential levels, positioning it alongside a growing number of taller residential projects transforming Newstead's northern precinct. The tower incorporates extensive subtropical landscaping, with cascading planter boxes, deep planting at street level and a landscaped rooftop recreation area.

<img alt="First look: HG Developments plans 18-storey subtropical apartment tower for Newstead" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1d8140f4-8b98-45cd-b1b8-1efe8c8e266b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Maud%20st%20podium.png?VersionId=VAZtbCoD44YCJ57N99fQCAKeSJx7ldZs" />

Bureau Proberts has prioritised passive environmental design throughout the project, with generous balconies, recessed glazing and operable façades helping reduce solar heat gain while maximising natural ventilation. River views become available from the upper levels, while the building has been orientated to capture prevailing breezes from both the Brisbane River and the west.

The architects say landscape is intended to be integral to the building rather than an applied element.

"Vertical greenery, cascading planter boxes and elevated gardens are woven throughout the architecture, softening the built form and strengthening the connection between residents and the subtropical environment."

"Through the integration of landscape, high-quality materials and passive design principles, the development delivers a refined residential address that celebrates Newstead's heritage character while contributing positively to Brisbane's evolving subtropical identity."

Newstead has remained one of Brisbane's most active apartment markets in recent years, with a number of developers continuing to back the inner-city suburb.

HG Developments is currently delivering the 40-apartment Aire Newstead at 25 Maud Street. Fortis recently launched the 65-apartment <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/crest-walker-newstead-12-kyabra-street-newstead-qld-4006">Crest &amp; Walker</a> on Kyabra Street, while builder-developer BPG and Don O'Rorke's Consolidated Properties are both expected to launch their respective Newstead projects before the end of the year.

HG Developments doubles down in Newstead with second Maud Street apartment development

Walk past a new apartment development promoting its sustainability credentials and it's easy to picture rooftop gardens, mature trees, landscaped courtyards and residents surrounded by nature.

But in many cases, that's not actually what those sustainability ratings guarantee.

Australia's leading environmental rating tools have played a significant role in improving the energy efficiency and environmental performance of buildings. Yet despite their focus on reducing emissions, many don't require developers to include trees, biodiversity or meaningful green space.

In other words, a building can achieve one of the country's highest sustainability ratings while containing little more than concrete, glass and hard landscaping.

That disconnect has led to the emergence of a new movement across Australia's property industry: nature-based cities.

The concept goes beyond designing buildings that consume less energy. Instead, it encourages developers to treat nature as essential infrastructure, integrating biodiversity, tree canopy, living landscapes and green spaces into projects from the earliest stages of planning.

Research has consistently linked access to nature with better physical and mental health, cooler neighbourhoods, improved biodiversity, stronger climate resilience and more connected communities. As Australia's cities continue to become denser, advocates say those outcomes should be considered just as important as energy efficiency.

Nature Based Cities (NBC) was established in 2022 to help accelerate that shift.

Founded by Hamton Executive Chairman Paul Hameister OAM, the not-for-profit was created after research highlighted a significant gap in Australia's sustainability framework. While existing environmental rating tools rewarded energy performance and emissions reductions, they placed little emphasis on the inclusion of living landscapes.

"We've always wanted to do more, and we know other developers who want to do more, but the ESD rating tools just aren't there," Hameister says.

"In Australia, you can have a five-green-star rated building that's concrete and glass with not a blade of grass.

"The focus is on reducing emissions, which is laudable, but there hasn't been enough attention paid to protecting and re-establishing nature. We need both for the health of the environment and for communities."

Since its launch, NBC has developed independent design guidelines and accreditation frameworks that encourage developers to prioritise ecology, biodiversity, tree canopy, walkability and living landscapes alongside traditional sustainability measures. The organisation first focused on medium and high-density residential developments before recently expanding into precinct-scale communities and masterplanned neighbourhoods.

Jan Talacko, founder of sustainability consultancy Ark Resources and a member of the Nature Based Cities Advisory Council, says the initiative addresses an area that has largely been overlooked by the property industry.

"Throughout my 25 years of working collaboratively with all stakeholders in the property sector, I've always favoured a pragmatic approach to sustainable design which encourages initiatives that not only meet environmental expectations but also improve amenity," Talacko says.

"Whilst we are making steady progress in relation to energy and carbon emissions from buildings, there has been much less emphasis on encouraging biodiversity and tackling the urban heat island effect.

"The Nature Based Cities initiative responds to a gap in the suite of tools currently used by the property development sector, which don't provide sufficient incentive, or recognition, for the integration of landscaping and greenery."

For apartment buyers, the shift is also changing the questions worth asking.

Rather than assuming a sustainable building will naturally include abundant green space, buyers are increasingly being encouraged to look beyond environmental ratings and ask what nature is actually being delivered. How much tree canopy will the development create? Has biodiversity been considered? Are landscaped spaces designed for people as well as appearance?

As Australia's cities continue to grow upwards and outwards, the next generation of sustainability may not simply be measured by lower emissions, but by how successfully developments bring nature back into everyday urban life.

Staff reporter

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