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First home buyers have purchased more than 50 percent of property in 2017 at Queensland's Ecco Ripley development by Sekisui House.
Some 56 percent of buyers so far are first home owners, 37 percent investors, six percent second-plus home buyers and three percent downsizers.
Scott Blaney, Ecco Ripley Sales Manager said they are seeing an increase in sales from first-home owners, due to the $20,000 state government grant.
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"Overall, the Ecco Ripley community comprises 66 per cent owner occupiers with 33 percent of home owners from Ipswich and 40 percent from greater Brisbane," he said.
"11 percent hail from New South Wales, three per cent from Victoria, 3 percent from the Sunshine Coast and the remaining 3 percent from Western Australia.
“There is a constant stream of new faces and nationalities moving to Ecco Ripley, adding a great deal of diversity to this growing community.
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“Beyond this, leisure areas and recreational spaces dot the wider community, offering neighbours every excuse to enjoy the social side of life and share genuine moments that extend beyond the fence line.
Bikeways and walking paths link residents to green parks, communal spaces and the highly anticipated $1.5 billion Ripley Town Centre.”
Ecco Ripley has more than 750 residents currently living in the community or in the process of building their home.
New release duplexes by Sekisui House are now selling from $318,00 for house and land.
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The Terraces at Parkview Parade, comprising a mix of single and double-storey designs are priced from $277,000 to $336,800 for house and land, with the final release now selling.
A range of newly constructed homes is also available with park-fronting double-storey homes from $474,000 and the last remaining three-bedroom single-storey homes for $369,400.
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For further information please contact 13 74 22, or visit <a href="https://www.eccoripley.com.au" target="_blank">www.eccoripley.com.au</a>.  
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

First home owners flocking to Ecco Ripley

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Daylesford and Hepburn Mineral Water Co founder Mitch Watson is selling his Daylesford home at the foothills of Victoria’s spa precinct.
It was designed by Joost Bakker with the sustainability guru’s trademark grassed rooftop.
The Green House occupies a three-hectare Daylesford site with the three-bedroom residence billed Australia’s first bushfire resistant straw house.
It also has sustainable solar power and hot water systems.
The kitchen overlooks its lounge and dining room, divided by a dual-opening Cheminees Philippe open fireplace.
The Green House, at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-daylesford-124699454" target="_blank">50A Railway Crescent</a>, is expected to sell for about $1.45 million at March 18 auction through Jellis Craig’s Tom May and Terry Gibson.
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Sustainable bushfire-proof straw Daylesford house, The Green House, listed

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A five hectare site on the Pacific Highway, Ballina, in northern New South Wales is on the market with expectations of more than $35 million.
A modified plan for the site had been approved by Ballina Council for a highway service centre. It is for sale via Offers to Purchase by Andrew Schmidt and John Dwyer of Ray White on behalf of interests associated with former Consolidated Properties co-founder Steve Tyson.
Andrew Schmidt said the new centre will be anchored by a 15-year lease plus 2 x 10-year options to Caltex, who will offer a state-of- the-art facility incorporating separate truck and standard vehicle facilities and parking for up to 25 B-doubles and capacity for AB-triples.
“The design of the complex ensures the traditional conflict between cars and trucks evident in so many existing service centres will be a thing of the past in this project," he said.
“Service centres have become a highly sought after asset class in the current market, and the outstanding mix of tenants on long leases in this centre coupled with the prime location, is expected to appeal to both the institutional market and also major private groups.
"The current approximate net income is $1.5 million per annum.”
John Dwyer said another feature of the service centre will be the largest and most diverse food court offering on the east coast.
"KFC had committed to a 15-year lease with 3 x five-year options for a new freestanding KFC store on an adjoining lot to the service centre," he said.
“The food court includes healthy food operators Oliver's Real Food and growing kebab group Zaza Kebabs, while Gloria Jean's Coffee will operate one of the two drive-through facilities.
“Negotiations are underway with the three pad sites with an opportunity to acquire the adjoining adjacent land parcel comprising approx. 6.48ha.
McDonald's has acquired its own lot and recently submitted a Development Application.
Offers to Purchase close on Wednesday, April 5, 2017.
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Ballina highway service centre site hits the market

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A fire station built in 1934 in Brisbane's Yeronga has sold for $925,000 after being passed in at auction before Christmas.
The property, 785 Ipswich Road, Yeronga, was sold to construction company Stokes Wheeler.
Aron Burtenshaw Ray White Industrial Milton said the owners took a break over Christmas but we resumed negotiations with interested parties and by the end of January we had multiple offers.
“We secured a cash unconditional contract for the owners at $925,000, which was well above the highest bid on auction day,” he said.
"Stokes Wheeler plan to maintain the 280 sqm two-level building in its heritage form and occupy as their head office, relocating from their current premises at Loganholme."
It was designed by Queensland architecture company Conrad and Gargett, who also designed Old Government House and Customs House in Brisbane.
The current owners bought it in 2001.
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Historic Yeronga fire station sold

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A fish and chip shop in Melbourne's Cranbourne has been sold at auction for $660,000 for a yield of 5.2 percent.
The 112 sqm building, <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-retail-vic-cranbourne-502136454" target="_blank">19 Hotham Street</a>, Cranbourne, was sold for $60,000 above reserve.
Ryan Amler of Ray White Commercial Oakleigh said there were more than 40 enquiries during the marketing campaign and five bidders at the on-site auction.
“The tenant of the standalone single level building recently signed a new 10-year lease and the property is returning gross rent of $34,548 per annum," he said.
“There is future value-add/development potential subject to council approval.”
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Cranbourne fish and chip shop sold for $660,000

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Nine Entertainment Co has announced plans to relocate its Sydney headquarters to North Sydney after striking a 15,500sqm lease agreement.
Nine has committed to anchor Winten Property Group’s landmark 1 Denison Street office tower, which is scheduled to be completed in early 2020.
CBRE represented Winten in the lease negotiations, which follow last year’s sale of the Channel Nine studios in Willoughby for $147,500,000.
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The North Sydney relocation announcement heralds an historic move for the network, which has been broadcasting from its Willoughby site for over 60 years.
The 1 Denison Street development will house Nine’s production, sales and digital operations.
On completion, the 39-storey, 1 Denison Street tower will be the tallest skyscraper in North Sydney.
1 Denison Street will be developed at the new centre of the North Sydney CBD, adjacent to the new Metro train station.
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The project will incorporate two levels of luxury shopping and restaurants as well as circa 60,000sqm of upper-level office space.
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Nine Network lease underpins landmark North Sydney office project

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Developer JQZ will build a residential complex near the grounds of Sydney Olympic Park with demolition of the site slated to begin June this year.
The residential development, named Vivacity,  as been designed by architects BVN.
Vivacity will feature four buildings of one, two, three and four bedroom single and double-storey apartments and penthouses as well as landscaped gardens and communal rooftop spaces.
Interior designers is by Turner.
The apartments feature integrated gourmet kitchens with Caesarstone benchtops, stainless steel Miele appliances, custom-designed chrome handles and designer joinery with a textured grain.
Caesarstone vanities feature timber grain joinery, wall-hung sinks and ambient LED lighting. Laundries come fully equipped with wall-mounted dryers.
The development will also feature three bedroom penthouses.
For more information, <a href="https://www.pia.com.au/en/buy-property/Lidcombe/651/" target="_blank">click here.</a>
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JQZ to build Sydney Olympic Park residential development Vivacity

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The Australian retail investment market is expected to maintain its strong run in 2017 as retail property’s relative value proposition continues.
In 2017, investor demand is likely to remain buoyant while liquidity should increase as more stock is brought to market and the spread between bond and property yields contracts, according to the latest Australia Retail Investment Outlook Report released by Cushman &amp; Wakefield.
Nick Potter, Head of Retail Investments Australia and New Zealand commented: “Australian retail property as a whole remains an attractive investment proposition given the relatively wide gap between the cost of debt and returns on offer.
While we expect this to support further yield compression, it will be more modest than seen over the past year.”
The report reveals that the Australian retail sector is being buffeted by cyclical and structural changes, which will provide opportunities for retailers and landlords alike.
Shorter term changes in the economy and financial markets are influencing spending and investment patterns, while longer term shifts in demographics and technology are changing the way the population live and shop.
Economic, employment and income growth are all forecast to remain positive, though sub-trend, and retail sales should remain in line with this with moving annual turnover (MAT) growth in 2017 of 3-4%.
Variations in retail expenditure between state and territories should narrow as state economic growth moves through different points in the cycle.
Investment transaction activity remained buoyant in 2016 at $7.2bn, with strong support of $1.6bn provided by CBD retail centre transactions.
While total volume declined 14% year-on-year, this was more a reflection of a lack of available stock for purchase.
Looking ahead, investor demand is expected to remain strong in 2017, though more stock is expected to be brought to market, increasing liquidity, which will support investment volumes.
Nick Potter noted: “We expect institutional owners to continue to dispose of non-core assets, such as sub-regional centres in non-metropolitan locations.
Active traders are also likely to offer repositioned assets for sale as they seek new opportunities.
Overall, this will provide opportunities for purchasers all along the risk curve. As a result, heightened liquidity is projected for 2017.”
Structurally, longer term changes are evident as the Australian lifestyle shifts away from large weekly food shopping, towards daily food purchases and increased consumption of prepared meals.
At the retailer level, this evolution has driven development of new “fast dining” options to meet a growing consumer need.
Landlords and developers have used these changes to increasingly pursue mixed use projects and secure “highest and best” site usage.
“With a significant drop in retail centre based floor space per capita, limited green field retail development opportunities and shift towards daily rather than weekly food shopping, mixed-use retail continues to emerge as a major category in Australia’s retail landscape" Nick Potter said.
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Liquidity to increase in 2017 in buoyant retail investment market

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New home building activity in Australia is forecast to move back a gear in 2017, from the record highs seen during the previous 12 months, according to the latest forecasts presented in the Housing Industry Association National Outlook.
“2016 will long occupy a special place in the history of Australia’s residential building industry.
"New dwelling starts hit an all-time high of 228,230 during the year – the culmination of the longest housing upturn since the end of WWII,” said HIA senior economist, Shane Garrett.
“Even though we saw new dwelling starts reach record levels during 2016 on a national basis, the geographic pattern of activity is still strikingly uneven.
Four of the eight states actually experienced falls in new home starts last year.”
With taxation accounting for over 40 per cent of the price of a new house in several key markets, the long-term solution to the affordability challenge has to involve root and branch changes to the way is which new housing is taxed.”
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/03/08/Screen%20Shot%202017-03-08%20at%205.11.28%20pm.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
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“Even though new dwelling starts will decline over the next couple of years, the annual volume of new home starts is not likely to fall below 173,000 at any stage.
By any standard, this is still a very robust level of activity,” concluded Shane Garrett.
The Summer 2017 edition of the Housing Industry Association National Outlook report discusses how the number of new dwelling commencements nationally is likely to have peaked at 231,803 during 2015/16.
New dwelling starts are projected to decline by 6.9 per cent during 2016/17 with a further fall of 15.3 per cent anticipated to take place the following year.
A smaller reduction of 5.2 percent is expected to bring new dwelling starts to a cyclical low point of 173,169 in the 2018/19 financial year before growth resumes in 2019/20.
According to the HIA National Outlook report, the volume of renovations work is anticipated to grow by 1.6 percent during 2016/17 and by 2.0 percent in 2017/18.
The pace of growth is expected to pick up the following year (+2.7 percent) bringing the value of the Australian renovations market to $34.65 billion during 2018/19.
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Home building forecasted to decline with further reduction next year: HIA

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The Sydney CBD is getting what has been described as the city's most luxurious apartment building.
ONE30 Hyde Park still a handful of two-bedroom apartments remaining from $2.2 million.
These 101 to 107sqm apartments face north to across Hyde Park.
There is also a selection of one-bedroom apartments (66sqm and 67sqm) still available from $1.29 million.
The 38-level development at 130 Elizabeth Street and the Liverpool Street corner will also look south to as far as Sydney Airport.
ONE30 Hyde Park is a joint venture between the Chinese-based Aoyuan Property Group and Ecove, a local company that transformed Sydney Olympic Park into a fully functioning residential suburb.
Work on the project has been underway for more than a year. Demolition of the old building was completed last June, and excavation is now in full swing with the building expected to top-out by early-2018. Full fit-out and completion will take a further 12 months from then.
As part of the development, Aoyuan and Ecove are creating a prestigious entry to Museum Railway Station, which is on their site.
“Prices of prime CBD apartments in Sydney continue to rise due to the many attractions of living in the heart of one of the world's most attractive cities,” said Sue Ballesty, marketing director of Ecove.
“Properties such as this tend to appreciate in value more quickly than average because of their scarcity.
“Overseas investors, in particular, appreciate that ONE30 Hyde Park represents excellent value for money on an international scale.”
Ecove sales director, Louie Bechara, said the ONE30 Hyde Park has been designed by Bates Smart to tap into a demand for the highest levels of luxury.
ONE30 Hyde Park is being sold through Ecove visit: <a href="https://www.one30hydepark.com.au/" target="_blank">www.one30hydepark.com.au</a>
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Sydney's ONE30 Hyde Park offers $2.2 million two bedroom apartments OTP

Apartment buyers in New South Wales are set to gain a decade of insurance-backed protection against major building defects, after the NSW Parliament passed the Fair Trading and Building Legislation Amendment Bill 2026.&nbsp;

The Bill establishes decennial defect insurance, known in the market as Latent Defects Insurance (LDI), as an alternative to the existing two-year strata building bond. It cleared the Legislative Council with amendments on Tuesday evening (August 4, 2026), with the Legislative Assembly agreeing to those amendments shortly after.

Under the reform, eligible developers can satisfy their statutory bond obligation by taking out an approved decennial-style policy that gives owners 10 years of cover for major structural defects from completion, claimable directly, without first having to pursue developers or builders through costly legal action.&nbsp;

The change forms the final tranche of amendments arising from the 2021 statutory review of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 and related legislation.

Resilience Insurance, which originated the cover in Australia and has delivered it in NSW since 2022, welcomed the passage and credited the NSW Government for delivering it.

“This is protection apartment buyers have needed for a long time, and the credit for delivering it belongs to the NSW Government,”&nbsp;said Corey Nugent, CEO of Resilience Insurance.

“Minister Chanthivong and his team have shown real leadership in replacing an outdated two-year bond with cover that matches the lifespan of the buildings people are buying into. Reform like this is what good, evidence-based regulation looks like.”

Resilience has delivered LDI in NSW since 2022, protecting thousands of apartments, giving the State, and now the country, real-world evidence of how decade-long, no-fault protection works in practice.

The reform also places NSW within a wider national shift.

NSW is the third jurisdiction to put decennial cover into law. The ACT legislated for it in 2024, with the scheme taking effect in late 2025, and Victoria passed its own framework on 17 June. Between them, the three cover the majority of Australia's apartment market.

The reform commences once the legislation is proclaimed, which is expected in the coming weeks. From that point, developers of Class 2 residential apartment buildings can meet their statutory obligation with an approved decennial policy in place of the bond.

Buyers who purchased into projects that took out the cover early are among the first in the country to take keys to apartments carrying decade-long structural protection.

“With the legislation passed, the focus now turns to making it work for buyers,”&nbsp;Nugent said.

“There are already thousands of apartments in NSW covered by this insurance, bought by developers who moved early. The question every buyer should be asking in a display suite is a simple one: does this building come with 10-year defect cover, and who stands behind it?&nbsp;

“We look forward to working with the Government and the Building Commission in coming weeks as the framework moves to implementation, and to sharing what we have learned over the past four years so the protection reaches owners as smoothly and quickly as possible.”

Other states are working through their own reform programs. Western Australia has indicated that decennial cover is within consideration a later stage of its reform sequence, and Queensland has been examining the settings as it looks at the development pipeline ahead of the 2032 Olympics.

Resilience Insurance acknowledges the NSW Government’s continued focus on strengthening consumer protection while supporting housing delivery across the State.

Fast Facts: What the reform means

<ul style="color:#222222; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:small; font-style:normal; font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-weight:400; text-align:start; white-space:normal; background-color:#ffffff; text-decoration-thickness:initial; text-decoration-style:initial; text-decoration-color:initial">
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Proven at scale:&nbsp;Decennial cover has operated in NSW since 2022, protecting thousand of apartments.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">10 years of cover:&nbsp;Protection for major structural defects runs for a decade from completion, claimable directly and with no legal action required.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">An alternative to the bond:&nbsp;Eligible developers can meet their statutory obligation with an approved decennial-style policy in place of the 2% strata building bond.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Part of a national shift:&nbsp;The ACT has had decennial provisions in force since 2025 and Victoria passed its framework in June. NSW now joins them.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">No-fault, first resort:&nbsp;Owners corporations claim directly from the insurer without first having to establish who is liable for the defect.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Cost-competitive:&nbsp;At approximately 1.8% of build cost, LDI is typically priced below the 2% bond while offering broader, longer protection.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Market position:&nbsp;Resilience originated LDI in Australia and has delivered it in NSW since 2022.</li>
</ul>

Fast Facts: What is Resilience LDI?

<ul style="color:#222222; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:small; font-style:normal; font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-weight:400; text-align:start; white-space:normal; background-color:#ffffff; text-decoration-thickness:initial; text-decoration-style:initial; text-decoration-color:initial">
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Resilience Latent Defects Insurance (LDI):&nbsp;Covers major structural defects for 10 years from completion.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Consumer-first:&nbsp;Direct claim access, no need for lengthy legal action.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Cost advantage:&nbsp;At approximately 1.8% of build cost, LDI is typically priced below the traditional 2% Strata Bond while offering broader protection.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Market leader:&nbsp;&nbsp;Resilience Insurance originated LDI in Australia and is the national market leader.</li>
</ul>

Joel Robinson

NSW parliament passes 10-year defect insurance laws for new apartment buyers

Builder-developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mcnab-developments">McNab</a> has wasted little time reshaping one of South Brisbane's most significant undeveloped apartment sites after acquiring the property earlier this year.&nbsp;

McNab has lodged plans to scrap an existing approval for two 30-storey towers and instead deliver a single 28-storey residential building, preserving part of the site for a future development opportunity.

The proposal, lodged over <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/64-peel-street-south-brisbane-qld-4101">64 Peel Street and 9 Cordelia Street</a>, is for a residential-led mixed-use development comprising 124 apartments above a landscaped podium, alongside a boundary realignment that preserves part of the land for a future residential project.

<img alt="First look: McNab resets decade-old South Brisbane approval with 124-apartment tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="743bf564-3f8f-45fc-b8d3-bbf18f5b628f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/mcnab%20Peel%20st%20podium.png?VersionId=EhCxGrVn_VFH3qTbKnI4WppGwaMnOn0t" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hayball">Hayball</a>, the development will deliver 119 two-bedroom and five three-bedroom apartments across 23 residential levels. A five-level podium will accommodate 135 car spaces, while the ground floor will include a 66 sqm commercial tenancy, an activated residential lobby with work-from-home spaces, and a publicly accessible landscaped plaza linking Cordelia and Peel streets.&nbsp;

Communal amenities will span Level 6 and the rooftop, including indoor and outdoor recreation spaces, a swimming pool, barbecue facilities, kitchen and dining areas, lawn space, sauna, steam room and yoga facilities.

The application also proposes a boundary realignment to create a standalone 1,290 sqm development lot while retaining an adjacent parcel for future redevelopment, allowing the balance of the site to contribute additional housing over time.

Hayball said the architecture has been shaped by the site's elevated corner position at the intersection of Peel and Cordelia streets and Brisbane's subtropical climate.

The design incorporates generous landscaped setbacks, a masonry podium wrapped with planting, large north-facing balconies, and a slender tower profile intended to maximise natural light, cross ventilation and long-range views. The rooftop has been conceived as a wellness-focused retreat overlooking Brisbane, with amenities positioned to capture views towards Mount Coot-tha and the CBD.

<img alt="First look: McNab resets decade-old South Brisbane approval with 124-apartment tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c5f99e84-6ad8-4a87-82d1-869685b754d2" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/mcnab%20tower%20perspective.png?VersionId=Gw0IuJaSAlk.tvGBxInhZOcQAdIB..2b" />

The planning submission positions the proposal as a response to both changing market conditions and Brisbane's Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct planning reforms.

McNab acquired the site after the previous approval was granted, with the existing scheme no longer reflecting current residential market demands, economic conditions, construction challenges, construction efficiencies or the quality of development outcome now being pursued, the planning report noted.

McNab continues to expand its residential development pipeline across Brisbane and the Gold Coast. The developer recently launched The Tannery in West End, securing more than 60 per cent of apartments before the project's public release. It is also delivering Elements Budds Beach in Surfers Paradise and Lucia Highgate Hill, an eight-apartment boutique development overlooking the Brisbane River.

McNab resets decade-old South Brisbane approval with 124-apartment tower

A steeply sloping Bellevue Hill site is set to accommodate a new mid-rise apartment development, with plans lodged for 20 homes that respond to the site's dramatic topography.

The proposal for the consolidated land at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/138a-140-bellevue-road-bellevue-hill-nsw-2023">138A-140 Bellevue Road</a> has been designed by Sydney architecture practice Common Office, which has used the site’s substantial fall to distribute the building’s scale and unlock 20 apartments without presenting the full height to the street.&nbsp;

“The unique design strategy leverages the site’s substantial topographical fall to facilitate increased density, presenting a seven-storey profile to Bellevue Road while rising to 10 storeys at the rear,” Common Office said in its architectural design report.

The apartment mix spans one, two, three- and four-bedroom residences. Four two-bedroom apartments are designated as affordable housing, while the plans also include two adaptable dwellings. The mix is majority three-beds, with the typical three-bed apartment offering around 144 sqm internally, with balconies of around 15 sqm.

The affordable housing component represents 15 per cent of the residential floor area and allows the project to access additional height and floor space under the NSW Government’s in-fill affordable housing provisions. The site also falls within the inner area of the Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy because it is within 400 metres walking distance of Double Bay Town Centre.

<img alt="First Look: Plans lodged for topography-led affordable housing project in Bellevue Hill" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1230d0f-3bfa-4a11-abaf-0928c66ef345" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Bellevue%20da.png?VersionId=dZeMK3P.OutGjN8ycjsxm8uNsj_QFWQv" />

Common Office has arranged the building around a masonry podium and a lighter upper volume, drawing on two recurring elements of Bellevue Hill’s established architecture: sandstone bases and the vertical proportions of local Inter-war Art Deco apartment buildings.

“The proposal is governed by a holistic design language that reconciles the solid horizontal masonry of the neighbourhood’s podiums with the elegant verticality of its Art Deco heritage,” the architect said.

“The building maintains a consistent rhythmic logic utilising deep recesses and a sophisticated material transition to break down the 10-storey scale into a series of articulated, human-scale volumes.”

<img alt="First Look: Plans lodged for topography-led affordable housing project in Bellevue Hill" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0147f503-1af1-4d51-97fb-c2f1cba63a9d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Bellevue%20bldg.png?VersionId=GoW7q3NlK67OpnePXhk7zvklrlKb72Qc" />

Large-format sandstone tiles will define the lower levels, establishing a robust base that negotiates the change in elevation from Bellevue Road. Above, red-tinted precast concrete frames, recessed balconies, anodised aluminium screens and expanded metal details will create a more vertically expressed façade. Integrated planter beds will introduce greenery across balcony edges and recessed sections of the building.

The elongated northern façade has been divided into three recessed vertical masses to reduce its perceived length. Triangular window elements and metal privacy screens reference the geometry of nearby Art Deco buildings while controlling overlooking toward surrounding homes. The southern elevation will incorporate further privacy screening, landscaped edges and deep balconies to maintain light and ventilation.

<img alt="First Look: Plans lodged for topography-led affordable housing project in Bellevue Hill" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e8679cf1-18bc-4447-8a0f-0052b94ab83c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Bellevue%20da%20rooftop.png?VersionId=5SQqQqRFf76rvE2p1TbxJSweMN70AIbc" />

Private and communal landscaping is distributed throughout the development. A landscaped garden apartment is positioned within the lower portion of the site, while a communal terrace on Level 5 will include a central timber deck, barbecue facilities, resident planting plots and areas for outdoor dining and informal gatherings.

Common Office described the terrace as an elevated sanctuary designed to capture district views and sunlight. Its planting strategy incorporates endemic species associated with the Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub, extending the landscape vertically through the building and providing habitat for local flora and fauna.

A second communal outdoor area is proposed at roof level, with built-in seating, paved gathering areas and perimeter planting.

Bellevue Hill is enjoying renewed momentum in the new apartment market, with several boutique developments recently launched and currently under construction. Positive Investment Enterprise is delivering the 16-apartment Kew Palm House on Birriga Road, while Chanine Developments is also under construction at Florian, a 36-apartment project on Banksia Road.

&nbsp;

Bellevue Hill is enjoying renewed momentum in the new apartment market, with several boutique developments recently launched and currently under construction.

First Look: Apartment development pitched for Bellevue Hill, Double Bay fringe

South Brisbane's apartment pipeline continues to build momentum, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/trk-property-group">TRK Property Group</a> lodging plans for a 161-apartment tower on Montague Road as developers accelerate investment across the Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct.

The proposal for 176–186 Montague Road would replace an existing office building with a 20-storey residential tower designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, adding to a growing pipeline of high-density projects reshaping one of Brisbane's fastest-evolving inner-city precincts.

The project has been conceived as a "living building", featuring a flowing tower form, extensive vertical landscaping, and generous communal spaces that respond to the evolving Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct.

TRK Property Group Development Director Matt Kan said the project reflected the confidence developers have in South Brisbane's long-term future.

"South Brisbane is entering an incredibly exciting period, and we see Montague Road sitting right at the heart of that evolution," Kan said.

"With the former Visy site directly opposite us and significant investment planned throughout the broader Kurilpa precinct, there is a real sense of momentum around this part of the city and what it will become over the coming years.

"For TRK, this is an opportunity to be part of that next chapter and deliver a project that responds to where the precinct is heading, while contributing to the continued evolution of Brisbane's river edge."

<img alt="First look: TRK Property joins South Brisbane apartment surge with Montague Road tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="590fe1ad-f892-4446-a679-80e33a16d029" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/TRK%20tower%20facade.png?VersionId=uOJStrcKpyHFcPE1w6_9SMAFzVMCcZll" />

The scheme includes a mix of one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments, incorporating multi-purpose rooms in selected residences to provide additional flexibility for home offices or expanded living areas. The proposed mix comprises 15 one-bedroom, 13 one-bedroom plus MPR, 73 two-bedroom, 26 two-bedroom plus MPR, 30 three-bedroom, and four four-bedroom apartments.

Rather than adopting a conventional rectilinear tower, COX Architecture has developed a sculpted form inspired by the movement of the Brisbane River.

"The proposal has been designed by COX Architecture as a 'living building' that responds to the site's riverine setting, floodplain history and evolving urban context within the Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct," the planning report states.

"The architectural form draws from the fluid nature of the Brisbane River, with a curved and undulating tower form that creates a varied architectural edge and avoids a conventional rectilinear tower expression."

The podium has also been designed as an architectural feature rather than a conventional parking structure, with cascading planting, screening and natural-toned materials softening its appearance. Resident parking is elevated above ground level to address the site's flood constraints, while habitable apartments sit above flood planning levels. Upper-level communal facilities are designed to accommodate shelter-in-place arrangements during major flood events.

<img alt="First look: TRK Property joins South Brisbane apartment surge with Montague Road tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="01fa15d0-90df-46c7-9555-7941fc45373c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/TRK%20podium.png?VersionId=mHyua.w1pHGBt9qEdWzrlsv.leztUCwO" />

Communal amenity is a major focus of the proposal. Around 1,815 sqm of shared resident space is proposed across the ground floor, level 19 and the rooftop, including co-working areas, indoor and outdoor recreation spaces, wellness facilities, dining and gathering areas, lawn spaces, a rooftop pool and spa, and extensive landscaping. At street level, a landscaped forecourt and approximately 345 sqm of publicly accessible open space along Montague Road are intended to improve the pedestrian experience while activating the building's frontage.

The development will provide 163 car spaces, including 152 resident bays and 11 visitor spaces, together with 144 bicycle spaces incorporating resident storage, visitor parking, bicycle maintenance facilities and e-mobility charging infrastructure.

The site sits within one of Brisbane's fastest-changing inner-city precincts, less than two kilometres from the CBD and within easy reach of South Bank, West End, the Queensland Cultural Centre and extensive public transport connections. The Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct planning framework is encouraging higher-density residential development to help meet Brisbane's housing supply targets while supporting walkable, transit-oriented neighbourhoods.

TRK Property joins South Brisbane apartment surge with Montague Road tower plans

Article summary

<ul data-end="785" data-start="311">
	<li data-end="459" data-section-id="5hbcyr" data-start="311">Pikos Group has released the five-penthouse collection at Skye Kangaroo Point, headlined by a two-storey sky home spanning more than 1,000 sqm.</li>
	<li data-end="561" data-section-id="1p7lq8n" data-start="460">Early buyer interest suggests the residences could set a new Queensland apartment price record.</li>
	<li data-end="667" data-section-id="1y70z0l" data-start="562">The collection includes four move-in ready penthouses and the highly customised Skye One residence.</li>
	<li data-end="785" data-section-id="yvm0y1" data-start="668">The release caps one of Bri​sbane's most ambitious luxury apartment developments overlooking the Brisbane River.</li>
</ul>

<hr data-end="790" data-start="787" />
Pikos Group has released the five-penthouse collection at its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/skye-residences-by-pikos-kangaroo-point-8-river-terrace-kangaroo-point-qld-4169">Skye by Pikos</a> development in Kangaroo Point, with early buyer interest indicating the flagship residences could eclipse every apartment sale previously recorded in Queensland.

The collection crowns the luxury riverfront development with five residences, including four completed penthouses and Skye One, a two-level sky home spanning more than 1,000 sqm that will be tailored to its eventual owner.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374075]

Wanting to offer a fully customisable home, Pikos is offering Skye One as a blank canvas, allowing the buyer to work alongside the developer's design team to customise the home's layout, finishes and internal spaces.

The residence will feature a 247 sqm private rooftop terrace with its own swimming pool, sauna, steam room, outdoor kitchen and multiple entertaining areas overlooking the Brisbane River and CBD skyline.

The remaining four penthouses have been completed and are ready for immediate occupation, each offering four bedrooms, expansive open-plan living areas, soaring ceilings and private lift access.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374059]

One of the defining features throughout the project is its use of Roman Classic Travertine, with more than 20,000 sqm of the natural stone imported from Italy after being personally selected by Pikos Group Founder and Executive Director Pedro Pikos, interior designer Julie Williamson and third-generation stone specialist Mario Caucci.

Pikos said the penthouse collection represented the culmination of the company's long-term vision for Skye.

"True legacy isn't measured by what we build today, but by what endures tomorrow," Pikos said.

"Our ambition is to create places that become more valuable with time, enrich the lives of generations, and stand as timeless landmarks long after we've stepped away."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374060]

Williamson said the interiors were inspired by the natural character of Kangaroo Point and the Brisbane River rather than international design trends.

"Materiality tells the story of a place," Williamson said.

"We looked to the movement of the Brisbane River, the texture of the cliff face and the warmth of the surrounding landscape to create interiors that feel understated, enduring and unmistakably Brisbane."

Positioned above the Kangaroo Point cliffs, Skye places residents within walking distance of Howard Smith Wharves, South Bank and James Street while offering uninterrupted river and city views.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=90059]

Staff reporter

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