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A home overlooking The Bay of Fires in Tasmania has been listed for sale.
Architect designed with a nautical-inspired layout, the beach house on offers ocean views from its deck.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-tas-the+gardens-127018046" target="_blank">The home</a> is set in The Gardens on an 800 sqm beachfront reserve.
<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/2017/12/20/bay2.jpg" alt="">
It has a loft style bedroom, open plan lounge and dining zone and lower deck with storage for kayaks and boats.
Kerri's Coastal Realty St Helens agent Kerri Kennewell has a price guide of $1.75 million.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Tasmanian trophy home overlooking The Bay of Fires listed at $1.75 million

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Perth restaurateur Nic Trimboli and property developer Adrian Fini have bought the historic Coogee Hotel.
The 118 year old premises were bought from Main Roads WA for $2.3 million.
They intend to embark on a restaurant venture at the 6660 sqm site.
When the WA State Government bought the Coogee Hotel in 1981, it intended to pull it down and build a road through the site.
The hotel, located in Coogee, seven kilometres south of Fremantle, was built around 1899 by local identity Walter Powell.
It became known as “the honeymooners’ hotel” because it was popular with newlyweds for its gardens and proximity to the beach. Powell died in 1923, and in 1927 the Coogee Hotel was closed after the De-Licencing Board decided there were too many hotels in the area. The hotel became an orphanage which closed in 1969.
It was heritage-listed in 2001 and the restored as part of the State Government’s $4 million Revolving Fund, a scheme to reactivate languishing publicly owned heritage buildings.
The <a href="https://www.commercialrealestate.com.au/property/371-cockburn-road-coogee-wa-6166-2013155744" target="_blank">heritage hotel offering </a>listed for sale at $2.4 million has a lettable area of 400sq m.
The nearby Woodman Point Recreation Reserve attracts 350,000-500,000 visitors per year.
Trimboli and Fini, who are also co-founders of Little Creatures brewery, hope to complete their plans for the Cockburn Road property by mid-2018.
 
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Trimboli and Fini secure the historic Perth honeymoon hotel, the Coogee

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Global real estate investment manager Cromwell Funds Management has purchased 433 Boundary Street in Spring Hill.
It provides unitholders of the Cromwell Direct Property Fund (DPF) exposure to the booming higher education market in Brisbane.
The major tenant, International Education Services (IES), works in partnership with organisations such as the University of Queensland to offer educational services for international students and education professionals.   Acquired for $42 million with a 6.7 per cent yield, the refurbished 6,000sqm building is fully leased.
It comes with a weighted average lease expiry (WALE) of approximately 12 years.    Hamish Wehl, Head of Retail Funds Management at Cromwell, said the Boundary Street investment was set to be a compelling addition to the DPF portfolio.   “The education sector is growing substantially and is Australia’s third largest export behind iron ore and coal.  
"IES, as a global leader in education services, is well positioned to benefit from the influx of international students coming to Australia,” Mr Wehl said. “With the Brisbane City Council’s clear agenda to continually attract more students to the city, combined with their vision to rejuvenate the Spring Hill precinct, Boundary Street will add long-term value and diversification to the Fund.”
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Cromwell spends $42 million on Brisbane tertiary education offering 

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<div class="cq-article-content-paras section">
Credit Suisse has provided a $100 million funding facility to Lannock Strata Finance.
Lending to body corporates to fund strata improvements, such as repairs, renovations, renewals and defect rectification is an emerging, but highly specialised area.
Lannock managing director Paul Morton founded Lannock 14 years ago.
It finances capital works for strata blocks around Australia for litigation and also re-development.
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<div class="related-quotes section">Morton told Fairfax Media the growth potential for strata loans was significant given the age and deteriorating condition of much of Australia's apartment stock.</div>
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"The capital value of these apartment buildings will diminish without investment in renovation or improvement and that's bad for owners," Mr Morton said.
"It is a small market segment at the moment but we are buying into the growth story," Credit Suisse managing director Will Farrant said.
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<div class="cq-article-content-paras section">
The corporate advisory group Aura Capital become a significant shareholder in Lannock last year.
NSW has some 775,000 strata lots, followed by Victoria (750,000), Queensland (410,000), WA (285,000), SA (270,000), ACT (46,000), Tasmania (34,000) and NT (18,000), figures from Strata Community Australia show. 
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Credit Suisse boosts Lannock Strata Finance capacity

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<div class="cq-article-content-paras section">
CKM, a London-based women's clothing manufacturer and distributor owned by the Singh Uppal family, has sold another Collingwood apartment development site.
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<div class="cq-article-content-paras section">
It is among several sites its has sold to the developer Tim Gurner.
It fetched around $7 million for a 404 sq m site running from 368–374 Smith Street.
The Singh Uppals also sold the historic 8500 sq m Gasworks site at 26–56 Queens Parade – home to the Melbourne office of Caroline K Morgan – to Gurner for $40 million plus.
<div class="cq-article-content-paras section">
The Australian Financial Review noted Gurner recently also secured a 3,300 sq m site at 81–89 Queens Parade in North Fitzroy from the Singh Uppals.
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Singh Uppals sell off more inner Melbourne apartment development sites

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The latest data on property exposures of Australia’s authorised deposit-taking institutions (ADI) show that the perceived riskier areas of new mortgage lending continue to slow.  This is indicative of the macroprudential measures which have been implemented by APRA taking effect and slowing higher loan to valuation ratio (LVR) lending as well as the more recent crackdown on both investor and interest-only mortgage lending.
<img src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/styles/article_image_570w_/public/2017-12/2017-12-11-blogimg1.png" alt="2017-12-11--annualchangeinthevalueofnewoweneroccuperandivestorlending" width="570" height="198">
  The latest quarterly property exposures data released by APRA for the September 2017 quarter shows that ADIs provided mortgages worth $98.211 billion which was 3.3% higher than the value of lending over the same quarter last year.  These new mortgages were split between $67.217 billion for owner occupiers and $30.994 billion for investors.  The value of lending to investors was actually the lowest it has been since the March 2016 quarter.  The value of lending to investors fell by -9.1% over the quarter and is -6.6% lower year-on-year.  After most recently peaking over the December 2016 quarter at $35.572 billion in investor commitments, the value has fallen by -12.9% to September 2017.  While investor demand has fallen, the value of owner occupier mortgage commitments continues to rise to its highest quarterly value since December 2015.
<img src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/styles/article_image_570w_/public/2017-12/2017-12-11-blogimg2.png" alt="2017-12-11--quarterlyproportionofnewmortgagelendingforinterestonlypurposes" width="570" height="198">
  The total value of interest-only lending over the September 2017 quarter was $16.603 billion which was -44.8% lower than the value over the June 2017 quarter and -52.8% lower than it was a year ago.  We have recently seen the implementation on the cap of new interest-only lending, limiting it to 30% of new mortgages.  Over the September 2017 quarter, interest-only mortgages accounted for 16.9% of new mortgage lending which was the lowest proportion on record and well down on the 30.5% the previous quarter.  It is a little surprising to see the proportion of lending to investors fall so much over the quarter, especially considering that the cap is 30%.  This potentially indicates that the higher mortgage rates being incurred by interest-only borrowers are actually curtailing demand more so than the cap.
<img src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/styles/article_image_570w_/public/2017-12/2017-12-11-blogimg3.png" alt="2017-12-11--proportionofquarterlynewmortagelendingbylvrband" width="570" height="198">
The changes to macroprudential policies has resulted in (not-surprisingly) more prudent borrowing.  As a result there has been an ongoing decline in new mortgages being written on high loan to valuation ratios (LVRs).  Over the quarter, $6.676 billion in mortgages were for LVRs above 90%.  Based on this figure, the value of mortgages on LVRs above 90% was -2.3% lower over the quarter, -13.3% lower over the year and it was the lowest quarterly value of mortgages greater than 90% LVR since March 2011.  Over the quarter, the value of mortgages with an LVR of between 80% and 90% was $13.547 billion which was -4.1% lower over the quarter but 3.6% higher year-on-year.  Over the September 2017 quarter, an historic low 20.6% of new mortgages had an LVR greater than 80%.
This latest data highlights that there appears to be a much more prudent approach being taken towards investment and interest-only mortgage lending.  Of course, the macroprudential policies implemented by APRA were specifically targeting these segments of lending which suggests that they are being successful.  Over the coming quarters the most interesting developments to watch will be whether investor lending continues to decline, which we suspect it will.  It will also be interesting to see whether interest-only lending rebounds back to levels closer to the 30% limit or if they continue to languish at much lower levels. If it is the former it indicates that potentially lenders tightened too hard and that there remains demand for this product.  Meanwhile, if it is the latter it suggests that demand for interest-only lending has reduced.
Cameron Kusher is head of research for CoreLogic. You can contact him <a href="https://blog.corelogic.com.au/about/">here</a>.
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IO loans hit record low: Cameron Kusher

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Coffee mogul Phillip Di Bella and his wife Gianna have listed their whole floor Allure luxury apartment in Surfers Paradise.
Ray White Surfers Paradise Group agent Robert Graham has the beachfront offering scheduled for the group's big annual auction, The Event on January 28.
<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/2017/12/20/SURF1.jpg" alt="">
Di Bella calculated the family had only spend 20 nights at the Northcliffe Terrace apartment in the past 2.5 years. They plan to spend more time in Queenstown, New Zealand where they have built a four-level house on Queenstown Hill with views over Lake Wakatipu.
The Di Bella’s apartment spans <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-surfers+paradise-127206706" target="_blank">the fourth floor apartment</a> with almost 350sq m of living space.
This article was first published in the Weekend Australian property section.
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Di Bella coffee moguls list Surfers Paradise apartment

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The four levels of shops and restaurants at the base of the luxury apartment project Opera Residences, overlooking Circular Quay, have been sold off the plan for more than $40 million to a private Sydney family.
The off-the-plan deal for 980 square metres of prime retail space at 71 Macquarie Street was struck on a sub-4 per cent yield. It was listed back in October.
The retail space has already been pre-committed to high-end fashion brands, including a two chefs' hat-restaurant and an international restaurant chain.
There is an 19-level tower being developed by Chinese developer Macrolink in partnership with Kevin Li's Landream.
<div>
Opera Residences set a new Australia apartment record last year when the penthouse sold for $27 million to Robert Salteri and his wife Kelly.  
</div>
<div>
Demolition of the former 1960s Coca-Cola Amatil office building is almost complete with Opera Residences due for completion in 2020.
Opera Retail was marketed by Knight Frank, JLL and Belle Property Commercial.
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$40 million OTP retail sale at Opera Residences 

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National Australia Bank Limited has refunded $1.7 million to 966 home loan customers after it failed to properly set up mortgage offset accounts.
Following customer complaints, NAB conducted an internal review which found that between April 2010 and August 2017 it had not linked some offset accounts to broker originated loans.
It resulted in those customers overpaying interest on their home loan.
NAB has refunded affected customers so that they are only charged interest that would have been payable had the mortgage offset account been properly linked from the commencement of the home loan.
'Consumers should be confident that when they sign up for a home loan they are receiving all of the benefits that are being promoted,' Acting ASIC Chair Peter Kell said.
'Where there are errors there should be timely and appropriate action to ensure that consumers are not any worse off as a result of the mistake.'
NAB reported the issue to ASIC. NAB has also engaged PwC to review the remediation approach and to ensure NAB's compliance systems will prevent a similar error from occurring in future.
NAB has commenced contacting and refunding affected customers. Customers who have any questions about their accounts should contact NAB on 1800 152 015.
<h2>Background</h2>
An offset account is a savings or transaction account that is linked to a home loan account. Any money in the offset account reduces the amount of interest payable on the linked home loan. For example, if the outstanding balance on the home loan is $300,000 and there are savings of $50,000 in the offset account, then interest is only payable on the difference ($250,000).
In this case, NAB failed to link some offset accounts to home loan accounts, which meant that money held in those offset accounts did not reduce the interest payable on the home loan accounts. As a result, consumers paid more in interest than was required.
NAB also conducted a broader investigation which found that the issue only applies to broker originated loans.
NAB will also remediate customers who had an offset account during the relevant period but had repaid their home loan before 2017.
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NAB refunds home borrowers after mortgage offset system failure

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Housing market conditions had generally eased, especially in Sydney, the December RBA minutes indicated.
Conditions had eased in the established housing market, most noticeably in Sydney, where housing prices had declined in prior months and auction clearance rates had fallen, the central bank noted.
 Housing price growth had also eased in Melbourne, but remained relatively strong, with the RBA noting Melbourne prices had been supported by high population growth. 
"Housing prices in Perth and Brisbane had been little changed in preceding months," the minutes advised.
The central bank noted in the eastern capital cities, a considerable additional supply of apartments is scheduled to come on stream over the next couple of years.
The minutes also showed that board members noted housing credit growth had eased a little over the second half of 2017, as growth in lending to owner-occupiers had slowed somewhat and growth in lending to investors had stabilised at a lower level than in the first half of the year.
"The easing in housing credit growth had been accounted for by the major banks, which had been more affected by the need to restrain interest-only lending to comply with the supervisory measures announced earlier in the year," the minutes said.
"Growth in housing lending by non-authorised deposit-taking institutions (non-ADIs) had picked up, although these institutions' share of overall housing lending remained small. 
Members noted that these lenders charged higher interest rates on average than ADIs, which is likely to reflect both the borrower risk profile and higher funding costs of non-ADIs.
To address the medium-term risks associated with high and rising household indebtedness, the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority had introduced a number of supervisory measures earlier in the year and credit standards had been tightened to lower the risk profile of borrowers.
 Growth in household credit had slowed somewhat, but members agreed that household balance sheets still warranted careful monitoring.
It noted dwelling investment was expected to have fallen marginally in the September quarter. 
Dwelling investment had fallen over the preceding year in Queensland and Western Australia, but had remained at a high level in New South Wales and Victoria. 
Residential building approvals had picked up in preceding months, but remained below the levels of a few years earlier, the bank minutes said.
"Together with data on the pipeline of work yet to be done, this suggested that dwelling investment would remain at a high level for the following year or so, but that it was not likely to add materially to GDP growth."
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Sydney and Melbourne property prices had eased, Perth and Brisbane little changed: RBA minutes

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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