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The hockingstuart Yarraville-based estate agency will contribute $45,000 to the Victorian Consumer Law Fund, after it acknowledged contravening Victorian laws relating to the sale of residential properties.
The Director of Consumer Affairs Victoria accepted an undertaking from Hocking Stuart Yarraville and its directors after they acknowledged that the company contravened sections 18 and 30 of the Australian Consumer Law (Vic) and underquoting provisions of the Estate Agents Act 1980.
The worst example was a Footscray property (above) that had sold for more than $1.3 million in March 2014 and then advertised with price guidance in online ads or in emails at "$1,000,000 plus" in November and December of 2015.
It then sold for $2.11 million in December of 2015.
Their trading company L&amp;L Dardha acknowledged:
<ul>
<li>making false and misleading representations about the sale of property, knowing the vendors were not likely to sell the property for the advertised price</li>
<li>advertising properties on the realestate.com.au website at prices likely to mislead potential purchasers because they were in a lower price bracket than the agency’s estimated selling price (ESP) or estimated sales range (ESR) on the sale authority</li>
<li>advertising a price range online or in emails, which was less than the ESP or ESR on the sale authority.</li>
</ul>
The contraventions related to six properties in Altona North, Brooklyn, Footscray, West Footscray and Yarraville.
Acting on an initial complaint in December 2015, Consumer Affairs Victoria’s investigation found that, among other things:
<ul>
<li>three of the six properties did not state the agent’s ESP or ESR on the sales authority</li>
<li>two of the properties were advertised at a price range that was less than the ESR on the authority.</li>
</ul>
On a West Footscray property's signed authority, the agent's ESR of $600,000 to $660,000, yet in email correspondence to prospective purchasers, the advertised price range was listed as "$550,000 plus".
As part of the undertaking, the company has also agreed to:
<ul>
<li>display a notice at its place of business acknowledging the contraventions, and</li>
<li>implement a compliance program, which includes appointing a compliance officer, establishing a complaints handling system and providing regular training for staff.</li>
</ul>
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Hockingstuart Yarraville acknowledge underquoting on $2.11 million Footscray home

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A four bedroom home on Tamborine Mountain has been listed for January 29 auction.
Located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-tamborine+mountain-124425598" target="_blank">22-30 Eagles Retreat Place</a>, the property is a contemporary masterpiece inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright.
Attention to detail was vital during the construction of this property from the soaring ceilings to the heated flooring.
With panoramic views from Moreton Bay to Byron Bay, the heart of the house is the Great Room which combines dining, lounge, snooker and games area while remaining in contact with the entertainer’s kitchen, terrace, pool and spa.
The terrace features heated flooring, a 13 meter lap pool, heated spa and giant chess set as well as being connected via a floor to ceiling bifold doors.
Featured in the kitchen are Smeg and Meile appliances, Zeus granite bench tops, Germancraft cabinetry, underfloor heating and panoramic hinterland and coastal views.
Inside the guest wing are three king sized ensuite bedrooms with the master wing having a spa bath, dressing room and study included.
The property is 20 minutes to the M1 and an hour to either domestic or international airport.
The property is scheduled for auction on January 29 through Ray White Prestige agent Josh Thomas.
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Mountain luxury at Tamborine Mountains for auction

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There’s two Portsea bathing boxes for sale set among tea trees on the Shelley Beach foreshore.
Agents expect <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-portsea-124335854" target="_blank">box number 43</a> (above) to fetch about $500,000.
It was number 23 sold for a record price of $615,000 in late 2015 at auction while Boat Shed No.1 on Portsea’s Front Beach received an offer of more than $700,000 last year, before the listing was withdrawn.
“It wasn’t high enough for the vendors to let go of an asset that they know they can never replace,” Melbourne Sotheby’s International Realty Sorrento’s Rob Curtain told the local paper.
Dubbed by the agent as the “buttercup boatshed”, no. 43 sits at the foot of the main track to Shelley Beach, near the Hemston Avenue car park.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-portsea-124449762" target="_blank">Number 37</a>, (below) between the car park and Campbells Road stairs, is also on the market for $400,000.
<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/2017/01/17/Portsea-2.jpg" alt="">
There are about 50 on Shelley Beach.
Kay and Burton’s Liz Jensen is the listing agent of no. 43.
The Shelley Beach boat sheds are north facing, and typically sheltered from prevailing winds.
Mr Curtain is the listing agent for no. 37.
 
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Two Portsea beach boxes listed for sale

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The average time that a house in Adelaide stays on the market is 56 days, according to CoreLogic’s latest report, as at early January 2017.
The property data firm says that the average time for a unit in Adelaide is 64 days.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/01/16/Capital%20city%20time%20on%20market.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/2017/01/16/Capital%20city%20time%20on%20market.jpg" alt="">
Darwin homes takes the longest time to sell with an average of 103 days on the market while units in Perth takes 93 days to sell.
Sydney is the place where properties take the least amount of time to sell with 35 days for homes and 41 days for units.
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Adelaide homes stay on the market for 56 days on average: CoreLogic

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Wentworthville has the highest stock growth for units in NSW, according to Investar’s latest report.
The property investment firm says that the stock growth for Wentworthville had increased by 240 percent.
This is followed by Baulkham Hills with 179 percent and Arncliffe with 113 percent.
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="106">
Suburb
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
Postcode
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
Current median price
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
Stock growth
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="106">
Wentworthville
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
2145
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
$560,000
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
240%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="106">
Baulkham Hills
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
2153
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
$695,000
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
179%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="106">
Arncliffe
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
2205
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
$700,000
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
113%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="106">
Rosehill
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
2142
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
$540,000
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
107%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="106">
Burwood
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
2134
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
$795,000
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
100%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="106">
Lavington
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
2641
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
$169,500
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
80%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
A two bedroom unit at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-unit-nsw-wentworthville-118235763" target="_blank">203/2 Rawson Road</a> (above) was sold for $558,000.
Similarly a two bedroom unit at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-unit-nsw-wentworthville-121310898" target="_blank">106/2 Rawson Road</a> (below) was sold for $560,000.
<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/2017/01/13/106_2%20Rawson%20Road.jpg" alt="">
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Sydney's Wentworthville sees unit stock explosion: Investar

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A waterfront home at Sovereign Islands is listed for January 29 auction.
Located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-sovereign+islands-124067090" target="_blank">46-48 Knightsbridge Parade East</a>, the property has a 360 degree view of Broadwater, the city and hinterland.
Designed by Davis Carlson it has been crafted to provide a luxurious contemporary haven.
Built solid with concrete construction, there are four king size ensuited bedrooms along with seven bathrooms with marble/granite tops.
There is a basement carpark big enough to accommodate 10 cars as well as a Kone Lift.
A 12 metre grand void entry with artistic lighting, smart wiring and state of the art media room is also included.
The rooftop has a BBQ and terrace with breath taking views and the sleek kitchen features Miele appliances and bi-fold outdoors servery.
The alfresco dining area feature views, and also a BBQ kitchenette.
There is also a large Infinity edge heated pool with automatic top up water system as well as meeting room/games room, cedar sauna, library/study that features black wood timber floors.
The property also has a generator, underground water tank, irrigation system and lush tropical gardens.
The auction is on 29 January through Prestige Property agents Nick Zhang and Jeffrey Sturgess.
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Waterfront Sovereign Islands home listed for auction

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A Croydon estate agency will contribute $45,000 to the Victorian Consumer Law Fund, after acknowledging contraventions of Victorian consumer and property laws relating to property sales.
The Director of Consumer Affairs Victoria has accepted undertakings from O'Brien Real Estate Croydon Pty Ltd (ACN 150 146 008) and its sole director, Mr Jerry Caleca, for making false or misleading representations about the sale price of a number of properties.
"We commenced an investigation after receiving a complaint alleging that an agent's representative at the company was misleading potential buyers by advertising a property at a price that was less than the vendor's price.
"We found that seven properties in Croydon, Mooroolbark, Chirnside Park and Wonga Park were advertised with a price range lower than what was listed as the vendor's price on the sales authority.
"We also found that four of the properties were advertised at a price that was less than the agent's estimated selling price."
Consumer Affairs Victoria considers that the company has engaged in conduct that was misleading and deceptive, or likely to mislead or deceive, and has contravened the Australian Consumer Law (Victoria).
O'Brien Real Estate acknowledged that it had contravened sections of the Australian Consumer Law (Victoria) and the Estate Agents Act 1980.
As well as the $45,000 contribution to the Victorian Consumer Law Fund, Mr Caleca, 49, of Croydon Hills, offered an undertaking that at its own expense, the company will:
<ul>
<li>establish a compliance program within three months of the undertaking, and maintain the compliance program for three years. Mr Caleca must also provide our Director with a signed affidavit verifying that the compliance program has been implemented</li>
<li>display a public notice stating its contraventions:</li>
<li>on the company website (www.methven.com.au), and</li>
<li>at or near the reception desk of each of its existing or new premises from which the company carries on real estate services.</li>
</ul>
This public notice will be displayed within 14 days of the undertaking and remain displayed for three months.
This enforceable undertaking will be in effect for three years.
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Croydon's O'Brien Real Estate pays $45,000 fine for underquoting

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The biggest sale across the country last week was in the Gold Coast where a five bedroom home sold for $7.7 million, according to CoreLogic.
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-qld-surfers+paradise-124029274" target="_blank">Admiralty Drive riverfront</a> (pictured above and below) last traded for $7 million in 2007, sits on 678 sqm and features Juliet balconies and graceful arches.
<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/2017/01/17/Admiralty1.jpg" alt="" width="411" height="250">
There's a home cinema, executive study and an entertaining terrace with teppanyaki bbq that overlooks the infinity pool and the river.
Michael Kollosche at Kollosche Prestige agents secured the sale after over 640 days on the market.
The second most expensive property in Queensland was a three bedroom <a href="https://www.ultraproperties.com.au/properties/4301-71-eagle-street-brisbane-city/" target="_blank">Brisbane sky home</a> that sold for $2,562,000.
A Northbridge home at 52 Coolawin Road topped the New South Wales biggest sellers, going for $4.85 million.
Black Diamondz property agent Tim Le secured the sale of the substantial five bedroom family home (below).
 
<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/2017/01/17/Northbridge.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="251">
The second biggest seller in the state was a 157 sqm Kent Street apartment that sold for $3.05 million.
The three bedroom apartment at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-apartment-nsw-sydney-108425391" target="_blank">2007/183 Kent Street</a> last traded for $892,500 in 2001.
Victoria's biggest sale came from Park Orchards where a four bedroom home built just two years ago. It sold for $3,107,000.
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Mermaid Beach Gold Coast trophy home tops sales with 10 percent growth over 10 years

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Gold Coast superstar Gary Ablett has listed his luxury Ashmore waterfront which is sure to respark the rumours he'll leave the Suns at the end of 2017, having not departed over the 2016 summer break.
The versatile midfielder has two years left on his current $1 million-a-season contract, however there's regular suggestions the 32 year old will finish his career on the Gold Coast.
Ablett paid <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-ashmore-124479490" target="_blank">$1.8 million for the home</a> upon his arrival at the Gold Coast in 2011 having left boyhood club Geelong, whom he reportedly asked whether he could be traded to during last year's AFL trade period.
Set on 3342 sqm of landscaped grounds, with mature tropical trees and plants ensuring privacy, the home comprises four en-suited king size bedrooms and a self-contained guest quarters.
<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/2017/01/17/Ablett2.jpg" alt="" width="428" height="310">
There are Bali huts and an outdoor entertaining area accompanying the full size floodlit tennis court and the lagoon style pool.
<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/2017/01/17/Ablett3.jpg" alt="" width="429" height="255">
The home offers 65 metres of river frontage with a floating pontoon.
Ray White Surfers Paradise agent Marek Ancypa is seeking expressions of interest.
<a href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/afl-star-garry-ablett-to-be-dumped-as-gold-coast-suns-skipper-amid-family-drama/news-story/6731c5e3760a985feeccf43c50e6a285" target="_blank"> </a>
<div class="w_ad w_unruly">
<div id="ad-block-3011828955-3" class="w_unruly ad-block ad-custom unruly_insert_native_ad_here" data-ad-size="4x4" data-ad-tar="pos=1" data-google-query-id="COXWm8STyNECFdRwvAodRJMJIQ"> </div>
</div>
 
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Suns superstar Gary Ablett lists Ashmore home after departure rumours

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Perth has the biggest decline of home values for the year to date, according to CoreLogic’s latest report.
The property data firm says that Perth’s home value has declined by 1.6% in 2016.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/01/16/Capital%20city%20home%20values.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/2017/01/16/Capital%20city%20home%20values.jpg" alt="">
This is followed by a 6% decline of home values over the last 12 months.
Melbourne had a slight increase in home value by 0.9% for the year to date followed by a 13.6% increase over the last 12 months.
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Perth home values decline by 1.6% in 2017: 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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