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Southbank property sales have increased in the past three months, according to CoreLogic’s Cityscope report.
The property data firm says that sales recorded in the quarter ending February 2017 totalled $758 million, an increase from the $610.6 million recorded in the three months to November 2016.
However this is a decrease from the $952.9 million recorded to August 2016.
This data brings the 12 month total to $2.509 billion, an increase from the $1.465 billion recorded the same time last year.
The table below shows sales recorded for the past eight updates of Southbank Cityscope.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/24/Corelogic-3.jpeg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/02/24/Corelogic-3.jpeg" alt="">
Notable sales in the February 2017 update of Southbank Cityscope include:
<ul>
<li>World Trade Centre, also known as WTC Wharf at 18-38 Siddeley Street, Docklands, which comprise Towers 2, 3 and 4 and are linked by a three-level concourse of shops, showrooms and office suites plus basement parking for 436 cars. It was built in 1983, refurbished 2010, and has sold for $267.5 million through Knight Frank and JLL;</li>
<li>Esso House, Riverside Quay site 5 at 51-65 Southbank Promenade, Southbank, a 17-level office building of 20,000 square metres, built in 1995 at a cost of $100m, and featuring a glass-covered rainforest atrium on a 6,603 square metres site, has been sold for $160 million through  JLL Melbourne and</li>
<li>A 25% interest in the DFO South Wharf and the DFO Homemaker Hub South Wharf, two four-level buildings, both completed in late 2009 was bought for $141.25 million. The two buildings are interconnected at first floor level and basement level. The Homemaker Hub extends over level 1 of both buildings and the ground floor of the northern building and DFO South Wharf on ground and basement of the southern building plus studio offices on levels 2 to 4.</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/24/Corelogic-4.jpeg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/02/24/Corelogic-4.jpeg" alt="">
Properties listed as for sale in February 2017 update of Southbank Cityscope include:
<ul>
<li>190 City Road, a three-storey glass-fronted office building of concrete construction built in 1987, and refurbished in 1990 and in 2005 with building area of 3,815 square metres on a 1,597 site, for sale by expressions of interest closing March 23, 2017 through CBRE;</li>
<li>Shop 9R at 3 Freshwater Place, Southbank, a retail space of 95 square metres on the ground level, for sale by auction on 2nd March 2017 through Fitzroys and</li>
<li>8-16 Palmerston Crescent, South Melbourne, a two-storey rendered concrete-block building built in 1988 on a 908 square metres site, for sale by expressions of interest closing March 8, 2017 through Colliers International.</li>
</ul>
Leasing opportunities listed in the February 2017 update of Southbank Cityscope include:
<ul>
<li>99 Queensbridge Street (pictured above), a five-storey building with three ground-floor showrooms, office floors of about 1,040 square metres, and to City Road a single-storey showroom plus entry to 70 car spaces on ground and roof levels, built in 1991, has office space ranging from 210 to 1,974 square metres for lease through Ryder Commercial and Colliers International Melbourne;</li>
<li>2 Southbank Boulevard, the 37-storey commercial tower of Freshwater Place, completed in June 2005 with net lettable area of 55,769 square metres, has office space ranging from 276 to 23,000 square metres for lease through CBRE Melbourne and Colliers International Melbourne and</li>
<li>Lot 1, a three-storey rendered brick office building with undercover parking for 32 cars and Lot 2, a one and two-storey office, showroom and warehouse building, both at 164 to 182 Kings Way, South Melbourne, has office floor areas ranging from 1,390 to 1,900 square metres for lease through CBRE Melbourne.</li>
</ul>
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Southbank commercial property sales on the rebound: Cityscope

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Sydney's Verandah hotel in Martin Place has been sold for over $9 million.
The hotel is at 60 Castlereagh St and fronts both Castlereagh and Elizabeth Sts.
It sold through Andrew Jolliffe of Ray White's Asia Pacific Hotels. 
<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/2017/02/28/022_Open2view_ID448707-55-65_Elizabet_Street.jpg" alt="">
 He is also selling on behalf of the same vendors John Singleton, Geoff Dixon and Mark Carnegie of The Australian Pub Fund (APF), the Marlborough Hotel in Newtown and Kinselas in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs.
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Sydney's Martin Place hotel, Verandah, sold

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CoreLogic has revised commercial auction results to the 10th of February, which indicate a slight increase in activity as the year progresses, according to CoreLogic’s Cityscope.
The property data firm says that listings in the second week of February ramped up to 11, compared with just five in the previous week.
Three of the 11 listings cleared at auction, bringing the clearance rate up to 27.27 percent from the previous week of 20 percent.
The sales for the week ending 10th of February had a combined worth of $2.75 million, also up from $1.58 million in the previous week.
The following image summarises the type and value of properties sold at auction collected by CoreLogic across the country.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/24/Corelogic-5.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/02/24/Corelogic-5.jpg" alt="">
Unsurprisingly, the high performing economies of New South Wales and Victoria have seen most of the first few sales in 2017.
The average sale price is just under $1 million.
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Auction activity increases as year progresses: Cityscope

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Sydney artisan jewellery designer Rosemary Luker and her tree surgeon partner Russell Freeman have dropped the asking price of Mallacoota's Karbeethong Lodge.
The historic 1903 residence now comes with $1.35 million plus hopes - down from $1.8 million - as the pair try and trigger a sale through Unique Estate's Nicolette van Wijngaarden.
The coastal Edwardian retreat on an inlet halfway between Sydney and Melbourne cost the couple $620,000 in 2001. They have restored and renovated the lodge during their ownership.
Luker and Freeman stumbled upon the place looking for a room and fell in love with it.
Set among fruit trees with access to a jetty, the 10 bedroom lodge sits on 4476 sqm of waterfront land and has hosted Australian and international guests, all the way back to poet Banjo Paterson.
This article first appeared in The Weekend Australian's Mansion Australia section. 
 
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Price drop for Karbeethong Lodge, Mallacoota

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One of Brisbane’s last remaining ‘large format’ hotels, the Mansfield Tavern tenanted by Liquorland, has been listed for sale.
Located just 11 km from the Brisbane CBD, the Mansfield Tavern at 181 Wecker Road in Mansfield, is a popular venue incorporating a public bar, gaming room with 31 machines, entertainment space and detached function room/bistro. 
It sits on a 20,830 sqm land parcel.
CBRE Hotels’ Glenn Price, Paul Fraser and Daniel Dragicevich are selling the property via an expression of interest process.
Price said the property’s tenancy profile would attract strong buyer interest. The Mansfield Tavern and First Choice Liquor is leased to Wesfarmers subsidiary, Liquorland (Qld) Pty Ltd.
“In recent years, hotels leased to either Liquorland (Coles) or ALH (Woolworths) have been tightly held, with those that have come to the market being seen as prized assets by purchasers and subsequently strongly sought after,” Price said.
Mansfield Tavern has been leased to Liquorland for the past 20 years with a further five-year option available. Current rental income from the hotel is nearly $810,000 (excluding GST) with the freehold owner having the option to retain ownership of the gaming machines upon expiry of the lease.
Coles (Liquorland) is the country’s second largest hotel operator, with a portfolio of 98 hotels.
The suburb of Mansfield was originally developed as government housing estates, but has progressively been replaced by larger private residences in recent years.
These dwellings are overwhelmingly occupied by couple families largely because of nearby schools and higher education institutions.
<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/2017/02/24/BRIS_HOT_Mansfield%20Tav.jpg" alt="">
“The Mansfield Tavern is a unique opportunity - not only due to the sheer scale of the site but also due to the term of the current lease," Price said.
Upon expiry of the lease, an investor could restructure a new lease, or for a hotelier, the opportunity offers the ability to run the hotel capitalising on the reversionary value of the business.
Dragicevich added that a “new hotel could be repositioned on the site, unlocking a large portion of the land which could then be developed into apartments, town houses, aged care or possibly retail uses subject to council approvals”.
 
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Tavern leased to Liquorland listed for sale in Brisbane's Mansfield

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Melbourne's five bedroom trophy home Zermatt, in Surrey Hills, has sold for $5,655,000 at private auction.
The home, 16 Tower St Surrey Hills, was built in 1914 and features northern views to the ranges, a resort-style tennis court and pool over 1515sqm.
It also features two study areas, a games room with cathedral ceilings, butler's pantry and rooftop terrace.
It sold through Kay &amp; Burton's Judy Balloch and Scott Patterson.
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Surrey Hills, Melbourne trophy home Zermatt sold

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Urban development and renewal expert, Dr Joan Clos, Under Secretary-General and Executive Director of the United Nations’ Habitat Program, will visit Australia in May.
Australia is a signatory to the New Urban Agenda (NUA), the UN’s 20 year road map for sustainable urban development.
The NUA sets a new standard for sustainable urban development and is designed to help countries rethink how they plan, manage and live in cities.
Compass Housing, in association with RMIT University, Victorian Department of the Environment, Land Water and Planning, CoDesign Studio and Eastern Organisation for Planning and Human Settlements (EAROPH), is bringing together representatives from across the region to explore the implications of the new agenda and start work towards delivery of outcomes.
The conference Implementing the New Urban Agenda: Making Cities and Human Settlements Inclusive, Safe, Resilient and Sustainable will take place at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on 4-5 May 2017.
Greg Budworth, Compass Housing group managing director,  said the Australian Government's adoption of the NUA last October was an important opportunity for housing and urban policy development.
“The conference in Melbourne will provide the first real opportunity in Australasia and the Pacific region for those with an interest in getting urban development right, to start developing an effective and strategic approach without further delay.
“We know our population is growing, it will potentially double in the next 50 years, and this is putting pressure on our urban areas, particularly capital cities. Australian Bureau of Statistics figures suggest two-thirds of Australians currently live in a capital city and this may increase to nearly three-quarters in the relatively near future.
“Housing affordability is already an enormous problem, and there are more than 200,000 families on the waiting list for social housing while 40 per cent of people receiving Commonwealth Rent Assistance are still in housing stress.”
Professor David Adamson, conference chair,  said addressing these issues and delivering the key NUA objectives of “cities for all” and “no one left behind” would require the collaboration of a wide range of private, public, academic and not-for-profit agencies.
“Having the head of the UN Habitat Program in attendance in Melbourne is a fantastic opportunity and a sign of the global significance of the event,” he said.
“Dr Clos has had an illustrious career spanning public health, diplomacy, municipal government and urban renewal and will bring powerful insight and enormous practical experience to the task at hand,” he said.
 
 
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Global sustainable urban development leader to help inform Australian policy direction

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Sydney already has the annual increase in home value, according to CoreLogic’s latest report.
Now with preliminary CoreLogic February 2017 Home Value Index results, the head of research Asia Pacific, Tim Lawless has noted that further evidence supporting a strong start to the 2017 housing markets.
 “The February results will confirm that housing market conditions remain very strong in Sydney and Melbourne, while Brisbane and Adelaide have also see values rise and Perth dwelling values have slipped lower. 
"Based on preliminary results, the CoreLogic daily home value index has recorded a 1.1 percent rise in dwelling values across the five city aggregate index over the first 27 days of the month, with Sydney continuing to stand out with the highest capital gain. 
The month to date data for Sydney is showing a 2.6 percent to 2.7 percent surge in dwelling values for February, with Melbourne posting a 0.5 percent to 0.7 percent gain over the month, based on the preliminary figures.
"The strong capital gain conditions are likely to push the annual growth rate for Sydney close to the cyclical high of 18.4% which was recorded over the twelve month period ending July 2015,” Tim Lawless. 
The property data firm says that over the past 12 months Sydney’s home value has increased by around 18.2 percent.
The final February result will be released tomorrow.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/27/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-27%20at%2012.39.41%20pm.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/02/27/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-27%20at%2012.39.41%20pm.jpg" alt="">
This is in contrast to Perth’s home value which has declined by 3.8 percent over the past 12 months.
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Sydney home values surge to 18 percent annual growth in February 2017: CoreLogic

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Newly unveiled plans for Bellbird Park’s first off-lead dog park in AVID Property Group’s Brentwood Forest will have tails unanimously wagging across the Greater Springfield and Ipswich regions.
The 1,600 square metre, fully-fenced puppy friendly space, to be completed late-2017, will form part of the new 1.3 hectare park being delivered by AVID Property Group and will be one of the largest off-lead dog parks in the Greater Springfield and Ipswich regions.
AVID general manager Bruce Harper said Ipswich City Council was supportive of AVID’s plans for the park.
“Council has been extremely supportive of our plans for the park as they understand the significant health, social and economic benefits dog parks like this one bring,” he said.
“The park will help cater for the needs of the more than 28,000 registered dogs in the region, and with only 14 other off-lead dog parks in the Ipswich local government area, we expect the park will be welcomed by pet loving locals.”
<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/2017/02/23/Dog%20Park%20Render%202.jpg" alt="">
“The community will also be able to access a range of sports, fitness and kids play facilities that will form part of the new broader $1.2 million dollar park planned for Brentwood Forest.”
The park will be located on the doorstep of approximately 1,200 residents already living at Brentwood Forest.
Brentwood Forest’s latest Magpie land release includes blocks with sizes ranging from an easy care 250 square metre to 563 square metre family sized blocks.
The latest Tempo Living house and land release offers architecturally designed homes as turnkey packages at fixed prices.
Land prices at Brentwood start from just $169,000 while Tempo Living house and land packages start from just $302,215.
Brentwood Forest is also home to newly opened high school - Bellbird Park State Secondary College - and has also welcomed plans for a proposed new child care centre within the community, expected to open in late-2017.
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Brentwood Forest to become home to Bellbird Park’s first off-lead dog park

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Wollongong takes the top spot in the regional regions with the highest weekend auction clearance rate, according to CoreLogic’s latest report.
The property data firm says that out of the 41 auctions known to CoreLogic in Wollongong 80.5% of them were cleared.
This is followed by Geelong with 80% and the Hunter region with 74.1%.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/27/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-27%20at%2011.31.24%20am.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/02/27/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-27%20at%2011.31.24%20am.jpg" alt="">
A three bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-bulli-124645354" target="_blank">20 Somerville Street,</a> Bulli (above) was sold for $1,311,000.
Similarly a three bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-bulli-124610514" target="_blank">72 Willcath Street</a>, Bulli (below) was sold for $1,460,000.
<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/2017/02/27/72%20Willcath%20Street.jpg" alt="">
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80% of Wollongong's auctions cleared over the weekend: CoreLogic

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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