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A typical home owner in Mount Gambier could be a first home buyer, a family or an empty nester, according to a recent report from the Herron Todd White valuation firm.
First home buyers are generally younger and look for a property that is within the $150,000 to $250,000 price range.
Families are generally after a home that has 3- to 4-bedrooms and perhaps two living areas and is within the price range of $250,000 to $450,000.
"For empty nesters it is varying," the report said.
"They may be looking to downsize from a large family home.
"They are pretty flexible and may choose to either buy or build a modern, smaller dwelling for easier maintenance.
"A lot of empty nesters are also selling and following their children to university or even packing up and travelling."
Recently, a three-bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-sa-mount+gambier-120791109" target="_blank">61 Acacia Street</a>, picture above, in Mount Gambier recently sold for $185,000.
Another three-bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-sa-mount+gambier-126405418" target="_blank">81 Cardinia Street</a> recently changed hands for $220,000.
<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/2017/11/22/MtGambier2.jpg" alt=""> 
HTW noted with the construction grant still in place for first home buyers, it is still common for first home buyers to build their first home.
These homes are generally within the price range of $250,000 to $350,000.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Mount Gambier first home buyers spending $150,000 plus

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The South Australian Weatherill government has reversed its position on foreign ­investor taxes.
It intends to raise more revenue by increasing a proposed levy on foreign buyers.
The reframing of the budget comes after Premier Jay Weatherill conceded the state bank tax was “dead” following its rejection by parliament.
State Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis responded by increasing the proposed “foreign investor surcharge” from 4% to 7% to raise an extra $36.6 million over four years.
It will recoup well short of the estimated $417 million the bank levy had been expected to raise, The Australian noted.
Foreign investor taxes on residential transactions in NSW are set at 8%, Victoria at 7%, Western Australia at 4% and Queensland at 3%, with an extra 1.5% levy for absentee foreign owners.
Koutsantonis last year said such a measure was an eastern states revenue grab driven by “a little bit of xenophobia”.
“It is also a recognition there are a lot of people in Southeast Asia and India who are fleeing … and they want to invest in other economies and bring their capital to Australia,” he said at the time.
“I am never going to say that I don’t want a type of investment because ‘I don’t speak your language’ … I think that’s appalling.’’
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South Australia ignores their own xenophobia concerns to raise tax on foreigner property purchases

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Specialty Fashion Group, the owner of Katies, Rivers and City Chic, plans to close 300 of its 1000 stores.
Specialty Fashion shares sit 80% down on their value five years ago, falling to 19.5 cents this week - an eight-year low.
The clothing retailer indicated its plans where to quickly close 100 stores this year.
It signalled 300 stores on "hold over" leases will close by 2020, while accelerating its investment in e-commerce.
Outgoing chief executive Gary Perlstein said 159 of the 300 stores set to close were losing money.
This was about 30% more than in past years.
Most of the loss-making stores are under its Crossroads and Autograph stores.
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300 landlords to lose Specialty Fashion tenancies

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GUEST OBSERVER
When you think of devastating deforestation and extinction you usually think of the Amazon, Borneo and the Congo. But eastern Australia ranks alongside these in the top 10 of the world’s major deforestation fronts – the only one in a developed nation. Most of the clearing is happening in Queensland, and it is accelerating.
Only last year a group of leading ecologists voiced their alarm at new data which showed the clearing of 296,000 hectares of forest in 2013-14. This was three times higher than in 2008-09, kicking Australia up the list as one of the world’s forest-clearing pariahs. At the 2016 Society for Conservation Biology Conference, a Scientists’ Declaration was signed by hundreds of scientists, expressing concern at these clearing rates.
But the latest snapshot, Queensland’s Department of Science report on land cover change published last month, showed a staggering 395,000ha of clearing for 2015-16: an increase of one third on 2014-15. As far as we can tell this rate of increased clearing is unmatched anywhere else on the globe.
showed a staggering 395,000 of clearing for 2015-16: which is an increase of one third on 2014-15, or 133% over the period
Strong vegetation management laws enacted in Queensland – the Vegetation Management Act 1999 – achieved dramatic reductions in forest and woodland loss. But the subsequent Liberal National state government, elected in 2012, overturned these protections.
The current government, elected in 2015, has tried and failed to reinstate the protections. In response, “panic clearing” caused clearing rates to shoot up, in anticipation that the state election will deliver a government that will reintroduce the much-needed protection of forests.
The Queensland Parliament is now in caretaker mode ahead of the November 25 election. The Queensland Labor Party has pledged to reinstate laws to prevent wholesale clearing, while the LNP opposition has vowed to retain current clearing rates.
Australian community and wildlife lose
Whichever way you look at it, there is not a lot of sense in continued clearing. Australia already has some of the highest extinction rates on the planet for plants and animals. With 80% of Queensland’s threatened species living in forest and woodland, more clearing will certainly increase that rate.
Clearing also kills tens of millions of animals across Australia each year, a major animal welfare concern that rarely receives attention. This jeopardises both wildlife and the A$140 million invested in threatened species recovery.
This rate of clearing neutralises our major environment programs. Just one year of clearing has removed more trees than the bulk of 20 million trees painstakingly planted, at a cost of A$50 million. Australia’s major environment programs simply can’t keep up, and since 2013 are restoring only one-tenth of the extent of land bulldozed just last year.
Restoration costs to improve the quality of waters running onto the Great Barrier Reef are estimated at around A$5 billion to A$10 billion over 10 years. Nearly 40% of the land cleared in Queensland is in reef catchments, which will reverse any water quality gains as sediment pours onto the reef.
Climate efforts nullified
Since 2014, the federal government has invested A$2.55 billion on reducing emissions in the Carbon Farming Initiative through the Emissions Reduction Fund. Currently 189 million tonnes of abatement has been delivered by the Emissions Reduction Fund. This – the central plank of the Australian government’s climate response – will be all but nullified by the end of 2018 with the current clearing rates, and will certainly be wiped out by 2020, when Australia is expected to meet its climate target of 5% below 2000 emissions.
Ironically, this target will be achieved with the help of carried-over results from the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, which Australia was only able to meet because land clearing had decreased between 1990 and 1997.
Why is this happening?
Most of the clearing in Queensland since 1999 has been for pasture. Most good cropping land was cleared decades ago. Removing trees in more marginal lands can increase the carrying capacity for a short time with an immediate, and usually short-lived, financial reward. These rewards come at the expense of long-term sustainability, which future landholders and government will bear.
Large areas of the cleared lands have been subject to substantial erosion and nutrient loss from the newly cleared lands, and land degradation over time, and some areas have suffered massive woody weed incursions.
This is playing out today across the north where pastoralism is a marginal activity at best, with declining terms of trade of about 2% per year, with no net productivity growth, high average debts and low returns, and many enterprises facing insolvency. Clearing vegetation won’t change that.
A recent preliminary valuation of ecosystem services, on the other hand, estimated that uncleared lands are worth A$3,300-$6,100 per hectare per year to the Australian community, compared with productivity of grazing lands of A$18 per hectare.
With a clear divide between the policies Labor and the LNP are taking to the election, now is a good time to give land clearing’s social, economic and environmental impact the scrutiny it deserves.
Noel D Preece, Adjunct Principal Research Fellow at Charles Darwin and, James Cook University.
Penny van Oosterzee, Principal Research Adjunct James Cook University and University Fellow Charles Darwin University, James Cook University.
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-is-a-global-top-ten-deforester-and-queensland-is-leading-the-way-87259" target="_blank">original article</a>.
Picture: Forest cleared by bulldozers towing massive chains. Source: Provided by author. 
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Australia is a global top-10 deforester – and Queensland is leading the way

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A waterfront home in Cottage Point designed as the home of INXS band member Andrew Farriss in the early 1990s is back on the market, seeking its fourth owner.
There are $6.8 million hopes for the Luigi Rosselli-designed home.
The six-bedroom home was designed and built in 1991 for multi-instrumentalist Farriss and his then wife, Shelley.
It drew inspiration from ship architecture.
The 1,486 square metre Cowan Drive property also includes a restored 1910 stone guest cottage on the waters edge with a private deck, slipway, boatshed and pontoon access.
Coined “the INXS house” by Luigi Rosselli, the Farriss’ sold the property in 1996 for $1,715,000.
The current vendors, the Ell family purchased it in 1999 for $2.3 million.
The exclusive Cottage Point saw a record price paid in 2008 at $6.45 million when Lifestyle Village Services owner Jytte Logan bought an award-winning waterfront.
Shelley Farriss has her current Bayview home (pictured above) back on the market. It came with initial hopes around $14 million, last time, with LJ Hooker agent Noel Nicholson relisting it last month.
Situated on 3,065 square metres, the five-bedroom home includes a wet bar, French doors, music room and a library.
The property also boasts a 24-metre frontage, an infinity pool and a rooftop entertaining area.
Shelley bought the property in 1999 for $4,375,000.
The Farris brothers, Andrew, Tim and Jon Farris, and high school friend Kirk Pengilly, were part of INXS since the beginning when they were Davidson High School classmates.
The late charismatic band leader Michael Hutchence was back in the news when documents revealed insights into an offshore tax haven relating to his estate.
Hutchence’s estate details were revealed in the Paradise Papers leak from the law firm Appleby, some 20 years after he took his own life in a Double Bay hotel room.
He reputedly held three Gold Coast properties, a villa in France, a house in Chelsea and a development in Lombok.
But his ownership rights were never established by Michael’s late mother, Patricia Glassop who pursued the estate’s assets held in labyrinthine offshore structures through the Queensland Supreme Court.
The case ended in 1999 reportedly with the settlement not enough to cover the family’s $500,000 in court costs.
This article was first published in The Daily Telegraph.
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INXS member's former waterfront home in Cottage Point listed 

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Quentin Van der Hecht of Lismore has been sentenced after pleading guilty to an offence of disposing money with an intent to defraud his creditors.
Mr Van der Hecht filed for voluntary bankruptcy in July 2011.
In June 2011, Mr Van der Hecht received over $200,000 from the sale of his property.
Mr Van der Hecht directed his solicitor to pay the surplus funds from the sale to his estranged wife to keep the funds out of reach of his creditors. 
The Court recently found the offence proven and convicted Mr Van der Hecht.
He was sentenced to two years imprisonment that was suspended upon him entering into a $2000 good behaviour bond for two years.
The Magistrate noted the importance of the bankruptcy system and the need to prevent bankrupts from exploiting the system.
The matter was prosecuted by the Office of the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecution on behalf of the Australian Financial Security Authority.
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Bankrupt gets suspended prison sentence after undeclared Lismore property sale

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Danny Usher has been sentenced at the Christie Beach Magistrates Court for failing to fully and truthfully disclose information in relation to the sale of a South Australia property.
On 5 February 2014, Mr Usher sold a house on a large block of land to a property developer.
Pursuant to the Contract of Sale:
<ul>
<li>the developer would subdivide the land into 14 units</li>
<li>the house portion would remain on the land and would be held on trust by the developer for Mr Usher until the subdivision had been completed.  </li>
</ul>
Mr Usher became bankrupt by virtue of a Sequestration Order on 15 September 2014.
During this time, Danny James Usher continued living in the house rent-free.
Once a Plan of Division and a separate Certificate of Title for the house had been issued, the developer was to transfer ownership of the house back to Mr Usher at no cost.
In his Statement of Affairs form, Mr Usher failed to declare that he had sold a property.
He also failed to respond to the trustee’s request for information in relation to the sale of the property and failed to disclose the details about who owned the property that he lived in and his relationship with the property’s owner.
Mr Usher was convicted and entered into a recognizance of $200 and 12 month good behaviour bond.
He was also ordered to pay court costs of $260 and disbursement costs of $79.70 within 28 days, from 23 August 2017.
The trustee has since recovered the house portion and sold it for the benefit of the bankrupt estate.
The matter was prosecuted by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions on behalf of the Australian Financial Security Authority.
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Bankrupt gets good behaviour bond after undisclosed South Australia property sale

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Danielle Andrews and her husband Dean Andrews have been sentenced at the Downing Centre Local Court for their disposal of property with intent to defraud creditors during bankruptcy.
In October and November 2014 both Mr and Mrs Andrews were made bankrupt, pursuant to sequestration orders made at the Federal Magistrates Court, after failing to comply with bankruptcy notices brought against them by Andrews Advertising Pty Ltd.
While bankrupt, they sold their $2.2 million Oatley home.
The sale proceeds of $498,113.10 were deposited in their joint account, Danielle Louise Andrews and Dean James Andrews
Mrs Andrews then transferred $348,500 to her accountant and withdrew $8,000 in cash. Mr Andrews withdrew $21,000 in cash.
On 25 July 2017, Mr and Mrs Andrews attended the Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney, both entering a plea of guilty for their charges. 
Mrs Andrews was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment to be served by way of Intensive Corrections Order.
In sentencing last month, Magistrate Hamilton noted that Mrs Andrews’ offence was mid‑range in seriousness and had some aspect of sophistication.
Magistrate Hamilton found she tried to maintain her standard of living despite bankruptcy which her Honour described as an “unrealistic expectation”. 
Magistrate Hamilton gave weight to the fact that Mrs Andrews was the primary and only available carer for her three children, each of whom requires special care.
Mr Andrews was sentenced to 80 hours community service for his part in the removal.
The matter was prosecuted by the office of the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions on behalf of the Australia Financial Security Authority.
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Bankrupts caught selling Oatley property 

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A 48-year-old engineer from Mount Martha, Antony Fensome, has been sentenced to a community correction order after pleading guilty to disposing of property after bankruptcy, altering records, and leaving Australia without written permission from his trustee.
Magistrate Lethbridge recently sentenced Mr Fensome at Dromana Magistrates’ Court to a 15 month Community Correction Order (CCO) and 150 hours of community service.
Antony Sean Fensome had filed for voluntary bankruptcy on 11 September 2012 with debts in excess of $83,000.
At the time, Mr Fensome jointly owned a property in the United Kingdom which he sold during his bankruptcy period for £225,000.
Following the sale, Mr Fensome provided false information to his trustee about the amount he received, including a false bank account statement and settlement statement, showing he received only £195,000 from the sale. He has since commenced making repayments to the trustee in respect of the $37,708.48 debt owing from the unauthorised sale of the UK property.
During a voluntary interview with the Australian Financial Security Authority Investigators, Mr Fensome made admissions that he had provided false information about the amount of surplus proceeds from the sale and that he had produced the false documents to reduce the amount he would have to pay to his trustee.
Mr Fensome also travelled overseas on six occasions during his bankruptcy, without written permission from his trustee.
In sentencing, His Honour noted that the offences were extremely serious and, if not for the accused’s early guilty plea, personal circumstances and repayment schedule, he would have faced a period of imprisonment.
The matter was prosecuted by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions on behalf of the Australian Financial Security Authority.
 
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Bankrupt caught selling UK property without telling Australian trustee

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<div>Hotel Delany, one of Newcastle’s trophy hotels, has been listed for sale amid a surge of interest in pub investment opportunities.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The hotel at <a href="https://www.commercialrealestate.com.au/property/134-darby-street-newcastle-nsw-2300-2014003489" target="_blank">134 Darby Street</a> is positioned between the redeveloping Newcastle City Centre and the $750 million East End project.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>It sits on a 1,684 sqm retail site with future redevelopment potential and also includes a valuable late trading hotel licence and 22 PME’s.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The hotel is being marketed by CBRE Hotels’ Ben McDonald and Daniel Dragicevich along with Deane Moore of Moore &amp; Moore Real Estate.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>“The Hotel Delany has long been one of the most asked about pubs in Newcastle and we have no doubt there will be significant interest from hoteliers around the state – particularly from Novocastrian operators but also from mixed use developers and commercial property investors,” CBRE's McDonald said.</div>
<div>
Hotelier Gary Hird and his son, Anthony, are selling the iconic pub. It marks the end of an era for the Hird family, who have spent nearly two decades at the helm of the Cooks Hill operation, the Newcastle Herald added. The Hird family bankrolled the renovation of the pub in 2009, at an estimated cost of up to $6 million.
 The pub gets its name from Newcastle businessman Victor R. Delany, who commissioned the design of the original building in 1924. 
</div>
<div>“The venue holds a special place in the hearts and minds of all locals and even though the Hirds have steered it well during their tenure I look forward to what new lease of life the next operator can breathe into the operation,” added Moore &amp; Moore Real Estate’s Deane Moore. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>There has been a surge of interest in larger scale hotels in Newcastle in recent times with the Prince of Wales at Merewether, Duke of Wellington at New Lambton, The Exchange Hotel in Hamilton and Nags Heads at Adamstown all transacting over the past 12 months at sale yields normally reserved for Sydney metro hotels, said McDonald.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>McDonald said this exemplified the interest, not just in the local pub sector, but in Newcastle’s commercial property market in general.</div>
<div> </div>
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Newcastle pub Hotel Delany listed by hotelier Hird family 

Sydney developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/central-element">Central Element</a>&nbsp;is doubling down in Drummoyne, lodging plans for a boutique apartment development on St Georges Crescent, only one-kilometre down the road from its first Drummoyne development, Bianca.

The new project at 15A-21 St Georges Crescent,&nbsp;a&nbsp;1,701sqm north-facing site overlooking Iron Cove, will have 45 apartmnts across 10 levels. Eight of the units will be dedicated to affordable housing.

The site sits within walking distance of Drummoyne Village, Birkenhead Point, ferry services and the Bay Run, and offers harbour views towards the Sydney Harbour Bridge and CBD skyline.

Designed by MHN Design Union, the development will deliver a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, alongside resident amenity including a gym, landscaped communal open space and three levels of basement parking.

The project has been lodged under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing reforms, with Drummoyne Village identified as a town centre capable of accommodating additional housing supply.

Central Element acquired the site earlier this year as part of its continued expansion across Sydney's eastern suburbs, lower north shore and inner west.

The developer's current pipeline includes luxury apartment projects Pearl Bondi and a separate development on Lamrock Avenue in Bondi, a residential project in Barry Street, Neutral Bay, and a mixed-use seniors living community in Greenwich.

Central Element Managing Director Nathan Chivas said the project would address a shortage of new owner-occupier housing opportunities in Drummoyne.

"While we're seeing a significant shift across Canada Bay as major infrastructure investment, population growth and planning reform drive a new chapter for the region, in suburbs like Drummoyne there remains a genuine shortage of new boutique luxury housing opportunities for owner occupiers," Chivas said.

"Sites of this nature are increasingly difficult to secure, particularly those that combine a north-facing aspect with direct water outlook. Our St Georges Crescent project responds directly to the market demand, offering a level of exclusivity, outlook and lifestyle in the highly sought after suburb."

The development application has been lodged with the City of Canada Bay Council, with the project expected to launch to market in early 2027.

&nbsp;

Joel Robinson

Central Element seeks second Drummoyne apartment development

The NSW Government has unveiled plans that could deliver around 1,300 new homes across Nowra and Kiama, continuing its push to unlock housing in well-located regional centres along the South Coast.

The proposals, now on public exhibition, would pave the way for around 830 homes in Nowra and a further 450 homes in Kiama, while also introducing affordable housing requirements and increased building heights in key locations.

The larger of the two proposals is centred on Nowra, where the NSW Government is seeking to rezone land within the Mandalay and Riverfront precincts.

The Mandalay sub-precinct, located close to Shoalhaven Memorial Hospital, Nowra Library and the city's aquatic centre, could accommodate around 530 new homes. Around 30 per cent of housing delivered on Homes NSW-owned land would be dedicated to social and affordable housing, equating to roughly 100 homes. Building heights would increase from the current two-storey limit to between three and six storeys.

A separate rezoning proposal for the Nowra Riverfront Precinct would unlock a further 377 homes while creating stronger connections between the Shoalhaven River and the CBD. The plans include building heights ranging from five to 12 storeys, floor space ratios of up to 2:1 and a requirement for two per cent affordable housing.

Together, the two proposals would deliver more than 900 homes across the broader Nowra area, reinforcing the city's role as one of regional NSW's key growth centres.

The housing push builds on previous infrastructure commitments in the Shoalhaven, including government funding aimed at supporting thousands of future homes in West Nowra through upgrades to water and wastewater infrastructure.

Further north, the NSW Government is also progressing plans for the former Kiama Depot site, a two-hectare parcel near Kiama's town centre.

The rezoning proposal would transform the former industrial site into a residential community capable of delivering up to 450 homes. Buildings would range between six and eight storeys, with at least 10 per cent of homes allocated as affordable housing. The proposal also includes approximately 600 parking spaces and improved walking and cycling connections.

Planning Minister Paul Scully said the proposals are designed to increase housing supply in locations close to jobs, transport and services.

"For too long, families have struggled to find somewhere to live, and activating underutilised sites allows us to deliver the new homes these families need," Scully said.

"The Minns Labor Government is getting on with the job of unlocking well-located sites close to transport, jobs, and town centres and building the homes our communities need.

"These rezonings are about removing barriers to housing delivery and making sure land is put to better use so more people can find a place to call home within the communities they choose."

The latest rezonings form part of the Minns Government's broader strategy to accelerate housing delivery across NSW, particularly in established centres where existing infrastructure can support additional population growth.

Community consultation on the proposals is now underway, with feedback set to inform the final planning controls before the rezonings are determined.

Around 1,300 new homes earmarked for Nowra and Kiama as NSW Government pushes housing supply

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mrcb">MRCB International</a> has commenced construction on its latest Gold Coast apartment development, Maris, on the site of the former Sundale Motel in Southport.

The start of construction by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/binah-constructions">Binah</a> follows an exceptionally strong sales campaign, with more than 90 per cent of apartments sold since launch. Every purchaser has been local, an&nbsp;indicator of confidence in both the development and Southport's evolution into a thriving CBD.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/maris-southport-20-queen-street-southport-qld-4215">Maris</a> will deliver 192 residences across 20 levels. The project forms part of MRCB's Australian and New Zealand development pipeline now exceeding $1.6 billion in gross development value, alongside a growing portfolio of projects globally.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134403 project_image_fid=350663]

The company also commenced construction on its $600 million 26 Vista residences in Surfers Paradise last year, following strong sales momentum, with over 70 per cent of residences sold.

Maris has been designed to meet evolving buyer demand, offering architecturally designed layouts suited to long-term liveability. The approach reflects a growing preference for quality and adaptability among Gold Coast buyers.

Positioned next to the Broadwater in the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/southport-qld-4215">Southport</a> CBD, Maris sits directly opposite the Broadwater Parklands light rail station and within easy reach of retail, dining and lifestyle precincts, placing residents at the centre of one of the Gold Coast's most connected and rapidly maturing urban centres.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134403 project_image_fid=372756]

Maris will offer a full suite of resort-style residential amenities, including a pool, gym and sauna, along with a rooftop level featuring decks, lounges and dining and yoga areas that command sweeping views across the Broadwater and out to the ocean.

Binah, a New South Wales headquartered company co-founded by Amen Zoabi and Khalil Hafza in 2008, has expressed its excitement at establishing its first partnership with MRCB.

Binah's Managing Director Khalil Hafza said partnering with MRCB on Maris is a significant moment for Binah.

"MRCB's financial strength and a track record that speaks for itself give this project a solid foundation, and this marks the beginning of what will be a long and successful relationship.

"With the right people, systems and partnerships behind it, Maris is set to become a significant addition to the Gold Coast's premium residential market."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134403 project_image_fid=350664]

MRCB International CEO Ravi Krishnan said the project's progression to construction reflects both sustained demand and tightening conditions across the apartment sector, as well as MRCB's continued confidence in the Gold Coast market.

"Commencing construction at Maris is a significant step and reflects the depth of demand for quality apartments in well-connected urban locations," said Krishnan.

"Across Southeast Queensland, new apartment supply remains constrained, particularly in established precincts with infrastructure and amenity already in place. Projects like Maris are increasingly critical in meeting that demand, especially on the Gold Coast and in the city's CBD precinct."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134403 project_image_fid=372761]

Krishnan said Southport's ongoing transformation, supported by infrastructure investment and long-term planning, was underpinning renewed buyer confidence.

"We're seeing a clear shift back towards well-located urban centres where infrastructure, connectivity and amenity are already established," said Mr Krishnan. "Southport is evolving into a more mature CBD environment, and that is being reflected in buyer behaviour."

Construction at Maris is anticipated to be completed in 2029.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134403]

Construction commences on MRCB’s $200m Maris Residences in Southport

Moonee Valley Park’s latest residential release <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-eveline-at-moonee-valley-park-moonee-ponds-100-thomas-street-moonee-ponds-vic-3039">The Eveline</a>, has achieved a new benchmark for off-the-plan apartment sales in the suburb, with the sale of The Alexandra penthouse selling for $5,435,000.

Positioned on the top floor of a 16-level residential building, the three-bedroom, three and-a-half-bathroom penthouse features uninterrupted city skyline views across the future Valley racetrack.&nbsp;

The landmark sale comes as momentum at the precinct continues to build, with the Moonee Valley Racing Club progressing works on its new racetrack ahead of the 2027 Cox Plate. The transformative development will see MVRC reimagine the beloved Valley as a vibrant year-round entertainment and lifestyle destination.

Alongside a world-class racing experience, the historic precinct will be activated with events, hospitality and public green spaces designed to attract broader audiences, while breathing new life into one of Melbourne’s most iconic destinations.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=142519 project_image_fid=372786]

Development partners <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hamton">Hamton Property Group</a> and Hostplus have delivered five residential stages over the past four years, the most recent in November 2025 with Trackside House and Stonepine House. The flourishing community is now home to almost 500 families.&nbsp;

The latest residential release, The Eveline, has recorded strong demand since launching publicly last July, securing more than $200 million in sales to date, satisfying its pre sales hurdle for construction to commence.&nbsp;

Hamton Founder and Executive Chairman, Paul Hameister OAM said, the sales&nbsp;team have been overwhelmed by demand for these unique homes in this unique project.

"Buyers continue to be predominantly hyperlocal and attracted by the 40 hectare botanic masterplan in Melbourne’s inner north west," Hameister said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=142519 project_image_fid=372788]

Hamton’s Sales and Marketing Director Fergus Humphries said the team has achieved more than 70 sales over the past eight weeks, including the penthouse purchase by a local buyer.

"These results reinforce that, even in a challenging market, purchasers continue to be drawn to quality projects that offer more than just a home, they offer a lifestyle.”

Designed by Cera Stribley, the penthouse has been created with entertaining in mind, spanning close to 400 sqm of indoor and outdoor living space, including multiple terraces designed to capture sweeping views across Melbourne’s skyline, the new Valley racecourse and sunset views over Moonee Ponds.

Moonee Valley Park is one of Melbourne’s largest urban renewal projects, transforming the iconic racecourse site into a vibrant mixed-use neighbourhood integrating homes, parklands, retail, racing and community amenities.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=142519]

Moonee Valley Park penthouse sets suburb record as sales surge clears construction benchmark

A company linked to one of Australia's largest privately owned cattle businesses has lodged plans for a new residential tower in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/newstead-qld-4006">Newstead</a>, continuing the rapid transformation of one of Brisbane's most sought-after, inner-city precincts.

Bottletree Holdings, an entity associated with Stanbroke Managing Director Brendan Menegazzo, has submitted a development application for a 28-storey mixed-use tower at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/9-longland-street-newstead-qld-4006">9 Longland Street</a>, a site that made headlines last year when it changed hands in an off-market transaction that reportedly set a benchmark land rate for the suburb.

The proposal would replace an existing two-storey commercial building on the 1,510 sqm corner site with a Bureau Proberts-designed tower comprising 76 apartments, ground-floor retail, office space and a suite of resident wellness amenities.

<img alt="9 Longland" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c710a836-568e-4382-bc91-3c34b8e80a8b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-22%20at%209.41.45%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=Vy.mQWBc7GA_a.vIBdxKqRC9XGjWalo2" />

According to planning documents lodged with Brisbane City Council, the development would comprise a mix of 36 two-bedroom apartments, 24 three-bedroom apartments and 16 four-bedroom residences, positioning the project firmly at the premium end of the market. The apartments would sit above a podium containing retail and commercial space, with three levels of communal recreation facilities spread throughout the tower. The proposal also includes 198 car spaces and 95 bicycle spaces.

Bureau Proberts has drawn heavily on Newstead's industrial heritage in developing the architectural response.

"Occupying a prominent corner in the heart of Newstead, the proposal draws from the area's industrial lineage of robust brick warehouses to deliver a distinctly contemporary response," the architects said in the design statement.

"It is conceived as a subtropical sanctuary and elevated private retreat embedded within one of Brisbane's most vibrant lifestyle precincts."

The design seeks to reinterpret the traditional Queensland vernacular through wraparound verandahs, deep shading elements and permeable facades that respond to Brisbane's subtropical climate.

<img alt="9 Longland" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="25524f59-395c-4825-8fad-9b639822fa8a" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-22%20at%209.42.09%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=dlWlbpCc_g3Y6yTLGqRVKvGJvO2ubMJ3" />

Planning documents describe the building as embodying the principles of "buildings that breathe", a design approach increasingly favoured in Brisbane's apartment market as developers focus on natural ventilation and outdoor living spaces.

The tower itself would rise above a heavily landscaped podium designed to reference the woolstore architecture that helped define Newstead and neighbouring Teneriffe for generations. At ground level, fine-grain retail tenancies would activate Longland Street, Wyandra Street and the existing Wyatt Street laneway, further extending the pedestrian network that has become a hallmark of the Gasworks precinct.

The application notes that more than 54 per cent of the site would be dedicated to landscaping and deep planting, while approximately 1,750 sqm of communal recreation space would be delivered across multiple levels.

<img alt="Planning" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fed3b189-1054-4b68-af5f-b0befc4a66e5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-22%20at%209.42.19%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=gqeE3cjsbnLAfeTUKA1HtPZfqDs6S4Xa" />

Bottletree paid $22 million for the 1,510 sqm development site, equating to more than $14,500 per sqm, a reflection of the strong demand for development opportunities in Newstead. The suburb continues to attract both developers and buyers, underpinned by the ongoing evolution of the Gasworks and Teneriffe precincts into some of Brisbane's most sought-after lifestyle destinations.

Brisbane City Council's Sustainable Growth Strategy and Inner City Strategy both identify Newstead as a priority growth precinct capable of accommodating additional housing density due to its proximity to employment hubs, public transport and lifestyle infrastructure.

The proposed tower joins a growing pipeline of high-end apartment developments in the suburb. Fortis recently launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/crest-walker-newstead-12-kyabra-street-newstead-qld-4006">Crest &amp; Walker</a>, a 65-apartment owner-occupier-focused development on Kyabra Street, while Consolidated Properties Group is preparing to launch <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/castile-47-skyring-terrace-newstead-qld-4006">Castile</a>, a 227-apartment waterfront project on Skyring Terrace.

Meanwhile, builder-developer BPG is planning its own Newstead project on Maud Street, comprising just over 100 apartments and more than 1,380 sqm of dedicated wellness and resident amenity spaces, further highlighting the shift towards lifestyle-driven apartment developments in Brisbane's inner-city market.

Staff reporter

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