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The new South Australian Marshall Government has introduced legislation that will set up a new statutory body called Infrastructure South Australia.

The new body will have responsibility for four key activities including devising a long-term infrastructure plan and managing the oversight of all projects with a capital value greater than $50 million.

Infrastructure SA will also be responsible for developing annual 'Capital Intention Statements' that will prioritise potential major projects for the government over a 5 year period and the boy will also be used to provide advice to government on infrastructure planning, delivery and use as well as advice on appropriate funding and financing models.

Premier of South Australia, Steven Marshall, linked the introduction of the legislation with delivering on election commitments.

<blockquote>
"South Australia spends well over $1 billion a year on the infrastructure needed to get its product to market and that investment needs to be based on economic imperatives.

“This legislation will end the previous Labor Government’s practice of deciding infrastructure investment based around political considerations.

“One of reasons the South Australian economy crawled along during 16 years of Labor Government is the previous government’s poor decisions on infrastructure planning and investment.

“The introduction of the Infrastructure SA Bill 2018 Bill delivers on yet another election commitment.”
<cite>Steve Marshall, Premier of South Australia</cite>
</blockquote>

Like the Victorian equivalent - Infrastructure Victoria - that was set up within a year of the Andrews Government coming to power, the body will have a board made up of public and private sector members and will be required to firstly devise the statewide infrastructure strategy.

One election policy area that we speculate will be assessed (or at least fleshed out) is the Marshall Government's <a href="https://www.saglobelink.com.au/">GlobeLink</a> policy - a series of transport-related projects that aim to increase connectivity with Victoria and New South Wales and the world through a new freight-only airport.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/globelink.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Overview of the SA Government's GlobeLink - image: saglobelink.com.au"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="326" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/globelink.jpg?itok=A1ACtayZ" title="Overview of the SA Government's GlobeLink - image: saglobelink.com.au" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Overview of the SA Government's GlobeLink - image: saglobelink.com.au</figcaption></figure>The aim of the policy is to redirect heavy freight north-east then south-east out of metropolitan Adelaide thus avoiding the steep road grades on the South Eastern Freeway and the windy rail track that weaves its way up and down the Adelaide Hills.

GlobeLink would see a new freight-only airport built near Murray Bridge which in turn would link with existing road and rail corridors to Victoria.

Likewise, the new airport would be the southern end of the new road and rail corridor that will bypass the Adelaide Hills.

The railway which meanders up and down the Adelaide Hills and links Adelaide to Melbourne and Melbourne to Perth and Darwin has multiple tunnels and thanks to its serpentine nature it is s a slow route.  Removing freight from this route would also free-up corridor space for Adelaide Metro expansion over time.

Lead image credit: <a href="https://www.parliament.sa.gov.au/ABOUTPARLIAMENT/PARLIAMENTHOUSE/Pages/TheBuildingPhotoGallery.aspx">parliament.sa.gov.au</a>
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Alastair Taylor

Infrastructure South Australia legislation introduced to SA parliament 

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The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is the latest industry body, lobby or political group to add 'building the East-West Link' to an infrastructure wishlist.  

Their top priority is planning for an airport in Melbourne's south east, presumably one out on the former Koo Wee Rup swamp at Monomeith, and the East-west Link is number two on the list, as reported in the <a href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/calls-for-second-airport-in-melbournes-booming-southeast/news-story/7cef4f14d03b77fe754467c5419995ab">HUN</a>.

“What I’m talking about there is the white vans making deliveries,” Mark Stone, chief executive of the VCCI, told the Herald Sun. “We are still saying that the East West Link is a vital part of infrastructure. Politics is such that if Labor is elected it will not be done at the next election term.”

Let's unpackage that statement.

How would a tunnel linking the Eastern and Tullamarine freeways aid in allowing 'the white vans making deliveries around the city'? 

The primary benefit of large-scale road building in the inner city for the freight &amp; logistics sectors is that transport from entry points - like the Port of Melbourne - to distribution centres becomes faster.  Little white vans don't pick their deliveries up from the docks, they get them from a distribution centre.

If we cast our minds back to the East-West link as approved by the former planning minister, there was to be an entry and exit ramp for Flemington Road coming out of the tunnel from the east and a triangle interchange with the Tullamarine Freeway/City Link that would have consumed a fair chunk of Royal Park (see Red + Black Architect's analysis in the lead image above).

Traffic from the east would be deposited on Flemington Road; would be directed onto CityLink either north or southbound or would be set to travel further, once the second phase of the project was completed, down the new road past the port and into the western tunnel.

I struggle to see how that specific set up would help the little white vans making deliveries around the inner-city.

In many ways, groups lobbying for more road projects in the inner-city are living the 50s, 60s and 70s dream of complete freedom in private vehicles - our roads are all open-access, some of them you have to pay a toll, but we don't designate specific roads for a specific purpose and perhaps this is where the East-West Link truly lost the argument with the local communities affected by it.

The project, as approved by Matthew Guy and just like the West Gate Tunnel and North East Link under the Andrews Government banks on the fact there will be a lot of toll-paying private vehicle usage when the centre of the city is the place where we not only don't want, but really don't need more private vehicles jockeying for public space.  Central Melbourne isn't the hole in the doughnut city we were of the 1980s anymore.

Another key argument for the East-West link, back in the day, was it provided a second high-quality road crossing between Western and Eastern Melbourne, yet now we're seeing an enormous road project that's going to do just that - the North East Link.  It will also link the industrial and logistics sectors in the north with Melbourne's east.

Infrastructure Victoria still has some form of link from the Eastern Freeway to Citylink in its needs assessment - and it's much vaguer than other projects on its list.

If the East-West Link ever rears its ugly head again, perhaps next time the proposal should be for a complete bypass tunnel, a single lane in each direction, for freight vehicles only.

I'm guessing it mightn't stack up, therefore, it would rely on private vehicles, which in turn would expand the scope - you'd need more traffic lanes - and then we'd be back to square one. It's been 4 years since local communities and councils were out with the pitchforks, it''s still very much in people's mind and since then the inner-city has seen even more people move to it.

In order to let the little white vans make their deliveries more efficiently, the focus should be on getting more people out of their cars in the inner-city so the existing high-quality arterial network can see more productive use by the logistics sector.

Lead image credit: <a href="https://theredandblackarchitect.wordpress.com/2013/12/10/an-update-on-the-east-west-link/">Red + Black Architect</a>.
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Calls to "build the East-West Link" persist - perhaps its time to redefine it?

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This week Laurence and Alastair sit down and wax lyrical on the events of the past week, including a new apartment launch within Fishermans Bend, Adelaide's SAHMRI 2 and Keilor Road is losing its last car yard to a new development.

Don't forget to subscribe to our podcast through your favourite app - just search for Apartments.com.au.

If you've missed any of our earlier episodes, check out our soundcloud stream <a href="https://soundcloud.com/urbancomau">here</a>.

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Weekly Podcast: Episode 19 - Fishermans Bend, Adelaide's SAHMRI 2 and Keilor Road car yards gone kaput

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The New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment has begun a new consultation round that has been triggered due to an updated scope on the section of the new metro line between Sydenham and Bankstown.

Transport for New South Wales has prepared a <a href="http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.pl?action=view_job&amp;job_id=8256">Preferred Infrastructure Report</a> (PIR) which "provides a description of changes as the result of community comment since the exhibition of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)."

The PIR lists a station-by-station comparison of the Sydney Metro City &amp; Southwest project, as it was described during the EIS period, with the preferred option which has taken previous consultation rounds into account and now crystallised in the PIR.

For instance, at Dulwich Hill, when the project was exhibited as part of the EIS, the existing station entrance was to be removed and the platforms rebuilt, however as part of the preferred project, the existing station entrance would be retained and upgraded as well as the heritage platforms would be re-levelled.

Likewise, at Wiley Park, originally in the EIS the station entrance would be removed however in the PIR it is set to be retained with heritage platforms to be re-levelled just like at Dulwich Hill.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/bankstown_syd_metro_1.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Overview of the works proposed for Bankstown station - image: Transport for NSW"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="376" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/bankstown_syd_metro_1.png?itok=L8hCHu9s" title="Overview of the works proposed for Bankstown station - image: Transport for NSW" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Overview of the works proposed for Bankstown station - image: Transport for NSW</figcaption></figure>Most of the stations between Sydenham and Bankstown would see the same kind of scaled-back changes except for Bankstown itself.

As it will be the interchange station between Sydney Metro and Sydney's suburban trains, it will still see a significant amount of work carried out on site.

The Preferred Infrastructure Report outlines that all the works at Bankstown that were exhibited as part of the EIS process remain the same with the exception of a shared path component within the station precinct that will no longer be preferred.

David Gainsford, the Department of Planning and Environment's Executive Director for Priority Projects is calling for the community to get involved once again. "We encourage the community to have its say on the revised proposal and provide important feedback on this public transport project."

To view the Preferred Infrastructure Report and other associated documents, and to lodge a submission, see <a href="http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.pl?action=view_job&amp;job_id=8256">majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au</a>.

The Department is also handling the strategic planning for the priority growth areas and precincts which has thus far culminated in a draft <a href="http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/Plans-for-your-area/Priority-Growth-Areas-and-Precincts/Sydenham-to-Bankstown-Urban-Renewal-Corridor">strategy</a> for the region.  

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Sydney Metro City & Southwest enters new consultation round

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In the latest push from the City of Melbourne's transport strategy refresh, the council released a new round of <a href="https://participate.melbourne.vic.gov.au/transportstrategy/motor-vehicles">discussion papers</a>, this time focused solely on motor vehicles and the amount of space dedicated to them in the municipality.

Data provided by the City of Melbourne illustrates the decline of car usage in the municipality since 2001 the share of car trips to work has decreased by 28% while the amount of jobs has increased 43%.

Similarly, the daytime population of the municipality is expected to grow from 914,000 per day to 1.4 million by 2036 and the Transport portfolio chair, Cr Nicolas Frances Gilley is keen to see more space reclaimed within the municipality for people.

On average, the amount of space utilised per person when cars are used to travel to the city is 9.2 square metres - contrast this with walking, public transport and cycling at 0.5, 0.5 and 0.6 square metres.

Cr Frances Gilley said the movement of people needs to be prioritised, not vehicles.

<blockquote>
Make no mistake, with a few notable exceptions such as deliveries, disability and emergency services access, we are in the business of reclaiming space from cars for great shared living.

We need to optimise our city streets for people walking, cycling and taking public transport because that is how the majority of people move around and it’s the most efficient way to move large numbers of people as our population grows.

Our ambition is for a beautiful, liveable city where people can continue to enjoy all that Melbourne is famous for, our tree lined streets, pedestrian thoroughfares and outdoor dining.
<cite>Cr Frances Gilley, City of Melbourne</cite>
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/com_trans_refresh_cars1.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Infographic - City of Melbourne"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="867" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/com_trans_refresh_cars1.png?itok=Fod3-kCF" title="Infographic - City of Melbourne" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Infographic - City of Melbourne</figcaption></figure>Chief among the current issues is vehicle congestion, specifically the one in three vehicles on streets such as Flinders, King and Spring that are using the city as a through route.  "Private vehicles cause significant delay for people walking and riding bikes.  Buses and trams stuck in the traffic or blocked at intersections undermine the efficiency and reliability of public transport."

The discussion also says the city needs to significantly increase its transport capacity to serve a 65% increase of people in the city.  "The expansion needs to be based on space-efficient modes better suited to city movement: public transport, cycling and walking," the <a href="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/hdp.au.prod.app.com-participate.files/9815/2948/0050/Transport_Strategy_refresh_-_Motor_vehicles.PDF">discussion paper</a> says.

It appears the state government and opposition might have a bone of contention with the council if the municipality pursues increased reallocation of space from cars to sustainable modes with the Premier telling the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-21/melbourne-city-council-considers-sweeping-changes-to-push-cars/9892998">ABC</a> "Melbourne City council are free to pursue these ideas, but they're not ideas the Government supports."

"We've already got significant pressure in the city with some narrowing of roads and some other disruptions and I am very grateful to people who move throughout the city for dealing with those important disruptions."

Matthew Guy, the Leader of the Opposition, likewise told the ABC "I don't think it's a radical plan, it's a ridiculous plan."

Despite the not unsurprising reaction from Premier and the Opposition Leader, effectively turning their noses up at the idea of reducing cars in central Melbourne, the council wants a wider debate to occur.

Cr Frances Gilley said we need to change the way we as a society think about car parking.

“In San Francisco, they introduced a dynamic pricing system for on-street parking that increases with demand, this resulted in a 50 per cent reduction in drivers circulating streets searching for parking," Cr Frances Gilley said.

“There’s a lot we can learn from cities around the world who are decreasing dependence on cars in order to remain economically and globally competitive. New York and London have converted road space to pedestrian zones and bicycle lanes, improving safety and increasing retail sales.”

To view the discussion paper and have your say, see <a href="https://participate.melbourne.vic.gov.au/transportstrategy/motor-vehicles">participate.melbourne.vic.gov.au</a>
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City of Melbourne wants to see less cars, more space for sustainable transport in its municipality

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On Adelaide's North Terrace, in what's dubbed the Adelaide BioMed City, a second building will join the original SA Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) which will house the southern hemisphere's first proton therapy unit.

To be named the Australian Bragg Centre for Proton Therapy (also known as SAHMRI 2), the proton therapy unit will be located in the basement of the 14 level Woods Bagot-designed building.

Funding for the new therapy unit and research building will come from the SA and Federal Governments as well as private sector sources.

According to developer Commercial &amp; General, the "unique infrastructure represents South Australia’s highest priority project for health, research and education, providing a focal point for research of international calibre into the most serious chronic illnesses."

The SA Government will move Adelaide Metro's train operating and control centre which currently resides on the site before construction gets underway.  A <a href="https://www.saplanningcommission.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/470840/Combined_Docs_020.A035.18_SAHMRI_2.pdf">planning application</a> is currently on public exhibition.

The second SAHMRI building joins the new Royal Adelaide Hospital, The University of Adelaide's Health and Medical Sciences building and University of South Australia's Health Innovation building to form the Adelaide BioMed City cluster.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/sahmri2_commgen.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="An overview of Adelaide BioMed City - image: Commercial &amp; General"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="232" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/sahmri2_commgen.jpg?itok=HiNAlulC" title="An overview of Adelaide BioMed City - image: Commercial &amp; General" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>An overview of Adelaide BioMed City - image: <a href="http://www.commercialgeneral.com.au/projects/sahmri-2/">Commercial &amp; General</a></figcaption></figure>According to Proton Therapy Australia, Proton Therapy is one of the most technologically advanced treatments for cancer.

<blockquote>
Protons are split off a hydrogen atom, accelerated to roughly two-thirds the speed of light; transported along an evacuated tube into one of a number of treatment rooms and delivered to the patient via gantries allowing 360 degree rotation around the patient, or via single beam lines.

When treating any cancer with radiation, the aim is to deliver maximum dose to cancer cells while sparing as much healthy tissue as possible.

Conventional radiation therapy faces challenges from side effects because of a relatively high radiation entrance dose and the exit dose.

By contrast, Proton Therapy has a much lower entrance dose and no exit dose causing less damage to healthy tissue surrounding the tumour.
<a href="http://protontherapy.com.au/proton"><cite>Proton Therapy Australia</cite></a>
</blockquote>

The new building is set to include 31,000 sqm of space with the first three floors occupied by SAHMRI researchers.  The building will also have 20-25 clinical trial rooms and be able to deliver proton therapy to 800 patients a year.

SAHMRI 2 is expected to be complete by 2021.

Lead image credit: <a href="https://www.australianbraggcentre.com/">australianbraggcentre.com</a>
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Adelaide's Bragg Centre for Proton Therapy unveiled

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<h2>Comment</h2>

Since 2013 when the first contract for Sydney Metro Northwest was signed by the New South Wales Government, there have been two further announcements that deal with the new metro network's expansion.

Sydney Metro Northwest is phase 1, Sydney Metro City &amp; Southwest is phase 2 and in the 2018 NSW state budget announced recently, $28 million will be allocated to finalise the business case for the Western Metro - let's simply call it phase 3.

The NSW Government has chosen to break the link with the existing railway network by selecting a rail technology platform that will operate independently of the Sydney Trains network.

The NSW Premier, Gladys Berejiklian has overseen, whether in her current role as Premier or in her former role as Minister for Transport, a very large amount of new metro lines either proposed or under construction - 66km of new or upgraded track for the first two phases and approximately 20-25km with the Western Metro / phase 3.

And it's no secret there's more to come based on the joint announcement with the Federal Government on the Western Sydney City Deal and new rail lines to the Badgery's Creek airport.

In 7 years, the NSW Government has almost completed the first phase; is advancing toward full-blown construction on the second phase, and is now even 'reserving' money for the third phase.

<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cYU3-CcBG-8" width="100%"></iframe>

The Andrews Government in Victoria had an election pledge to remove 50 level crossings across metropolitan Melbourne and has kicked off the Melbourne Metro tunnel and upgrades to the Pakenham/Cranbourne lines which includes an entirely new and separate fleet of trains.

The Level Crossing Removal program is vast and will occupy a lot of government time if the Andrews Government is re-elected in November (and you could also argue beyond the list of 50, if an ongoing program is set up and executed, that work will continue for another decade or more).

We first saw the second metro tunnel appear on maps under the previous Liberal Government, however, this year, we now see routes and stations appear on structure plans for Fishermans Bend.

Yet we've not had a commitment to the build, unlike the time when the Andrews Government announced $1 million for a Rowville Light Rail line.

The Prime Minister threw $5 billion into the mix for a Tullamarine airport rail line - and the planning work for that is expected to be completed soon, or at least, the Federal Government wants it done before the Victorian election in November.

Spring Street announced funding for a light rail business case from Caulfield through Monash and potentially out to Rowville and similarly there's a study on 'speedier' Geelong rail services on the cards as well.

Yet still no commitment to the second metro tunnel from Clifton Hill to Newport. 

Infrastructure Victoria gave it a negative BCR albeit with one giant asterisk that states there's no model for calculating the benefits of redeveloping the vast Fishermans Bend area (and thus, that benefit was not factored into the preliminary BCR) which the second metro tunnel will directly service.

It'd be remiss of me to not acknowledge the NSW Government has a 3-year head start on the Victorian Government when it comes to laying out a decade's worth of city-shaping rail projects however we're still left with one question in Victoria.

Where to next?

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NSW gets on with its new metro phase 3, VIC still stuck on phase 1

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The Western Australia Government is seeking expressions of interest from a range of parties to undertake economic analysis and support business case preparation for the extension of the Armadale railway line to Byford which will possibly over the long term be further extended to Mundijong.

Expressions of interest are also being sought for engineering and land-use planning consultants who will undertake further work to inform the business case preparation.

The planning and engineering consultants will study the best station location and design options, potential land uses surrounding the station precincts as well as rail alignment design work, traffic and access analysis and creating a vision for how the extension will integrate with surrounding precincts.

The WA Government secured $750 million from the Federal Government to be used for projects under development and the Byford extension project also received $21 million in state government funding.

The WA Premier, Mark McGowan, said his government was getting on with their election commitment to move forward with its Metronet plan for metropolitan Perth.

"The Byford extension is a key component of Metronet stage one because it will link one of our fastest growing areas to the rest of our public transport system, providing access to jobs, schools, the airport and the CBD," the WA Premier said.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/render_1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Whiteman Park station on the Morley-Ellenbrook line will see significant medium density development - image: Metronet"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="405" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/render_1.jpg?itok=7-PSaZt1" title="Whiteman Park station on the Morley-Ellenbrook line will see significant medium density development - image: Metronet" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Whiteman Park station on the Morley-Ellenbrook line will see significant medium density development - image: Metronet</figcaption></figure>Meanwhile, in late May the WA Government announced a partnership between the Department of Communities and Peet Brabham will be formed to see a new town centre and housing development occur along the Morley-Ellenbrook line.

The Morley-Ellenbrook line will be a greenfields railway that will branch off the from the Airport &amp; Midland lines near Bayswater and it will travel northwards to Ellenbrook.

The partnership announced by the WA Government is expected to construct 3000 homes as well as schools, retail and recreational facilities close to the proposed Whiteman Park train station - about halfway along the proposed Morley-Ellenbrook line.

WA Housing Minister Peter Tinley said "Brabham will be a major transport oriented development linking the Swan Valley to Perth, and provide a significant boost to the State's stock of affordable housing in Perth".

<a href="https://www.metronet.wa.gov.au/">Metronet</a> is a WA Government program that will see multiple rail extensions and new lines across Perth including the new Airport &amp; Forrestfield link, the Morley-Ellenbrook line, the Byford extension and the Thornlie-Cockburn link which will create an outer eastern and south-eastern orbital rail line in metropolitan Perth.

The program also includes station upgrades, an upgrade to the rail system's signalling system and level crossing removals.

Lead image credit: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armadale_railway_station,_Perth">Wikipedia</a>.
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Tenders for Perth Metronet Armadale to Byford extension released

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NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet has handed down 2018's state budget which will see the state's massive education and transport infrastructure bonanza continue.

In common with other states and the federal government, much of the big ticket items have already been announced prior to the budget speech.  They included, among may things, money to kick start converting Sydney Train's existing lines to use a 'digital signalling platform'.

However, unveiled today is a cool $3billion is to be reserved for the Western Metro project which aims to add rail capacity between Sydney's CBD to Parramatta/Westmead.

$28 million will immediately be made available in order for the business case to be accelerated and finalised by year-end.

There has been a consultation process where over 1,200 people have so far provided feedback on the route of the Western Metro and there will further opportunities later in the year, the NSW Government says.

The NSW Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Andrew Constance, re-iterated the Western Metro will link Sydney CBD with Parramatta and Westmead via The Bays Precinct and Sydney Olympic Park.  The money that is released from today's budget will go toward determining where other stations on the new metro line will be located.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/18044-west_simplified-alignment-map-web.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Sydney's Western Metro will have a finalised route by the end of the year. Image: Sydney Metro"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="361" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/18044-west_simplified-alignment-map-web.jpg?itok=NFn6Gpa0" title="Sydney's Western Metro will have a finalised route by the end of the year. Image: Sydney Metro" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Sydney's Western Metro will have a finalised route by the end of the year. Image: <a href="https://www.sydneymetro.info/files/west-map">Sydney Metro</a></figcaption></figure>“This project will redefine how we get around Sydney and will double rail capacity between the two city centres, a true city-shaping infrastructure investment that will serve generations to come. We have already begun the work to determine the best underground route between the Sydney CBD and Greater Parramatta with a program of geotechnical drilling, which will continue," Andrew Constance said.

The $3 billion foreshadowed in today's budget will partly be used for land acquisition, early works and tunnelling, subject to completion of the business case. 

Elsewhere in the budget $121 million was allocated to completing Arthur Phillip High, a vertical school in Parramatta, The Sydney Morning Herald reports funding will also be allocated to a neighbouring primary school.

$2.4 billion will be allocated in 2018-2019 for Sydney Metro Northwest, the first stage of Sydney's new metro network that is scheduled to have construction and testing complete with full operations starting in 2019. $258 million will be allocated to Parramatta Light Rail Stage 1.

To see the 2018 NSW Government budget, see <a href="http://www.budget.nsw.gov.au">budget.nsw.gov.au</a>

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Lead image credit: <a href="https://www.sydneymetro.info/">Sydney Metro</a>.
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NSW Budget allocates $3 billion for Sydney's Western Metro

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Despite some unrelated signalling issues around Cardinia Road on Monday morning, the trains are back and all the level crossings between Caulfield and Dandenong have been removed in south east Melbourne's busiest rail corridor.

Likewise, the new Frankston station was opened to passengers today that will also see Frankston trains use the new Skye/Overton Road bridges.  Frankston line trains will also be using new temporary track through the site of the Seaford Road level crossing removal project.

Carnegie and Murrumbeena stations are now open, albeit with temporarily reduced accessibility - the stations are only accessible via temporary stairs while work continues below the train deck. Hughesdale station is still a few months away from opening.

Trumpeting the government's progress, removing more than their original target of 20 in the first term of government, the Minister for Public Transport, Jacinta Allan, said the removal of level crossings between Caulfield and Dandenong has paved the way to run more trains more often.

"No government has ever removed this many level crossings, this quickly. As we reach the half way point of the project, we celebrate the significant progress we’ve made but recognise there is still plenty more to do," the Minister said.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">
Every level crossing between Caulfield and Dandenong is done and dusted. 
Thrilled to catch first train at the new Carnegie Station with <a href="https://twitter.com/Steve_Dimo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Steve_Dimo</a> this morning. 
Locals can move about the community without ever having to worry about boom gates again. <a href="https://t.co/Cf4X3QxlQV">pic.twitter.com/Cf4X3QxlQV</a>
— Jacinta Allan (@JacintaAllanMP) <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://twitter.com/JacintaAllanMP/status/1008461422865465345?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2018</a>
</blockquote>

The Victorian Government says by the end of June 2018, 25 level crossings will have been removed - this includes the 4 level crossings between Caulfield and Oakleigh which opened on Monday, Skye/Overton Road in Frankston and Thompsons Road in Cranbourne.

The first section of the new road bridge that will send Thompsons Road rising over the Cranbourne line will open at the end of this week. 

As was the case at the site of the level crossing removal at Watergardens, one section of new road bridge will open taking both directions of traffic while the second section is built.  Eventually, Thompsons Road will have 6 car lanes over the Cranbourne line, up from the single lane in each direction with a level crossing.

Now that Frankston trains divert around the original site of the Seaford Road level crossing on temporary track, major works will get underway to remove the level crossing entirely by building a rail bridge over Seaford Road.  

Trains running through all three individual elevated rail segments on the Dandenong corridor is only temporary as another major shutdown, from Westall to Pakenham and Cranbourne, is scheduled to kick off on June 30 and last until July 8 while power and signalling systems are upgraded.

According to the Victorian Government's <a href="https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/projects/level-crossing-removal-project">bigbuild.vic.gov.au</a> website, level crossings located at Kororoit Creek Road in Williamstown North, Buckley Street in Essendon and Abbots Road in Dandenong South will have been removed as well.

Lead image credit: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/levelcrossings/photos/a.883837948357558.1073741830.843601892381164/1980139698727372/?type=3&amp;theater">Level Crossing Removal Authority</a>.
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Trains resume on Dandenong and Frankston rail corridors

Queensland builder-developer MAYD has revealed the first look at its major North Kirra beachfront development, lodging amended plans that reduce the number of apartments and increase the proportion of larger residences.

The project is planned across a substantial 4,742 sqm amalgamated site spanning seven lots at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/2-6-pacific-parade-bilinga-qld-4225">2-6 Pacific Parade</a> and 27-33 Golden Four Drive in Bilin​ga, directly opposite Nor​th Kirra Beach.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mayd-group">MAYD</a> secured the site for $32.5 million in 2025, in what was one of the Gold Coast's largest property transactions of the year.

The development will be delivered across two stages, with the first stage carrying an estimated gross realisation value of around $360 million.

The latest amendments seek to reduce the overall apartment count and shift the project further toward the owner-occupier market, with larger residences designed for buyers wanting considerably more space than traditionally offered in a beachfront apartment.

The residential mix will include townhomes, oversized two-bedroom apartments, substantial three-bedroom residences and four-bedroom homes.

MAYD has appointed Cera Stribley to lead the architecture and interiors, with the Melbourne-based design practice drawing on the beachfront setting through a series of ocean-facing terraces and heavily landscaped balconies.

Strong horizontal forms and curved balconies will define the exterior, with subtropical landscaping integrated throughout the building to soften the built form and increase the connection between the residences and the beachfront.

The project will also include an extensive collection of resident wellness and lifestyle facilities, continuing the broader shift across the Gold Coast's luxury apartment market toward larger homes supported by resort-style amenity.

<img alt="MAYD" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d1bcbb05-e659-4b47-8bd4-1e595315e2ad" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%202.05.03%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=jj0XEud1X1DuLt7_KyElhjMdZGOXmLHP" />

MAYD Founder Todd Mould said North Kirra was increasingly appealing to buyers attracted to the more established, lower-density character of the southern Gold Coast.

"North Kirra presents one of the most compelling luxury residential opportunities currently emerging in Australia, combining absolute beachfront with the character and authenticity that buyers are increasingly seeking, and the same sense of tight-knit community that defined Burleigh and Currumbin perhaps 10 or 15 years ago," Mould said.

"With Gold Coast Airport on its doorstep, it also offers a level of accessibility that broadens its appeal across almost every market demographic."

The project comes as the southern Gold Coast continues to attract an increasing share of high-end apartment development and buyer activity.

Kirra in particular has emerged as one of the region's more tightly held beachfront markets, with its relatively low-density character, established surf and hospitality scene and proximity to Gold Coast Airport differentiating it from the higher-density markets further north.

Mould said those characteristics had informed the approach MAYD and Cera Stribley had taken to the project.

"We've worked closely with Cera Stribley to create a vision that is deeply connected to its surroundings," he said.

"Inspired by the coastline itself, the architecture has been shaped around space, privacy and resort-style living, creating a collection of homes that reflects the next generation of luxury on the southern Gold Coast."

MOTIV Managing Director Carly Cottam, who has been appointed to market the project, said buyer attention had continued to move south along the Gold Coast.

"Purchasers who may once have defaulted to Broadbeach, Main Beach or Surfers Paradise are increasingly recognising the value of a genuine beachfront location that offers lower density, strong amenity and a more established sense of community," Cottam said.

"Kirra has a powerful combination of growing demand and genuine scarcity. Beachfront supply is inherently constrained, the area remains relatively low density, and buyers are increasingly placing a premium on locations that feel established, uncrowded and authentic rather than heavily developed."

Cottam said the proximity to Gold Coast Airport was also proving increasingly important for interstate and second-home buyers.

"Being minutes from Gold Coast Airport makes it particularly compelling for interstate buyers, frequent travellers and second-home purchasers who can access an authentic coastal lifestyle almost immediately after stepping off a flight."

The acquisition takes MAYD's active development portfolio to more than $500 million, with the North Kirra project representing one of its largest undertakings to date.

MAYD is targeting an early 2027 launch.

Joel Robinson

First look at MAYD's North Kirra mixed-use precinct

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Castle Hill, the longtime hub of the Hills District, has been one of the major beneficiaries of Sydney's Metro expansion, with improved connectivity helping drive continued population growth, development and buyer demand across the Hills District.

But despite that growth, the suburb has seen relatively few major new apartment projects brought to market over the past 18 months.

Hills District developer Reve Group is looking to fill that gap with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nova-r-ve-castle-hill-2-garthowen-crescent-castle-hill-nsw-2154">Nova Rêve</a>, a major new mixed-use precinct on the corner of Garthowen Crescent and Old Castle Hill Road, a short walk from Castle Hill Metro Station and Castle Towers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377679]

The project will comprise three residential towers alongside a hotel, restaurants, cafes and a skybar, more than 1,600 sqm of ground-floor retail and almost an acre of landscaped gardens.

It represents the largest project undertaken by Reve Group, the development arm of the Kassis family, which has been building across the Hills District for more than 30 years through Kassis Homes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377675]

Nova Rêve also represents a significant step up from the family's first apartment development, Grand Rêve, which was delivered nearby on Garthowen Crescent.

Grand Rêve introduced larger, house-like apartment layouts and premium inclusions including Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances to the Castle Hill market.

Nova Rêve takes that approach to a precinct scale, combining the residential component with hospitality, retail and substantial public and resident landscaping.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377685]

Reve Group Managing Director Sam Kassis said the project reflected the family's three decades of building in the Hills, which has evolved from trophy homes on quarter-acre blocks to larger-scale apartment development.

"Grand Rêve was our first apartment project here and it showed us what this pocket of Castle Hill could be. Nova Rêve is the refinement of that idea: not just apartments, but a place the whole suburb can use," Kassis said.

A key part of that approach is the hotel, which has been designed to operate as an amenity for the wider Castle Hill community rather than solely hotel guests.

It will include restaurants, cafes, skybars and all-day dining, alongside conference and event facilities catering to business functions, community groups and private events.

At ground level, more than 1,600 sqm of shops and cafes will open onto the surrounding streets and landscaped areas.

Almost an acre of gardens designed by Land and Form Studios will run through the precinct, incorporating pathways, seating, barbecue areas and children's play spaces.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377680]

Reve Group's Romio Georges said creating an active ground plane had been central to the planning of Nova Rêve.

"There are gardens with pathways, barbecues, seating and play areas, shops and cafes opening onto the street, and a hotel with restaurants and a skybar that anyone in Castle Hill can walk into," Georges said.

The project's elevated position on one of Sydney's highest ridgelines will also provide apartments with outlooks toward the Sydney skyline, surrounding parkland and the Blue Mountains.

More than 80 per cent of the apartments will occupy corner positions, with Turner responsible for both the architecture and interiors.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152737]

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Nova Rêve arrives as Reve Group bets on Castle Hill's next growth phase

A collection of just 25 large-format apartments and penthouses overlooking Goodwin Park is entering the Coolangatta market, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/marea-residences-coolangatta-27-27a-dixon-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Maréa Residences</a> combining a low-density, residential-only approach with uninterrupted park and Pacific Ocean outlooks.

Located at 27 Dixon Street, Maréa comprises three and four-bedroom residences alongside a limited number of dual-level penthouses, with the project positioned between Goodwin Park and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/coolangatta-qld-4225">Coolangatta</a>’s coastal precinct.

Construction has commenced, with completion currently estimated for late 2027. Three-bedroom residences are priced from $1.8 million.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150999 project_image_fid=374005]

The project has been designed around its northern outlook across the park, with the building’s architecture, landscaping and material palette intended to establish a connection with the neighbouring green space. The residences have been configured to maximise natural light and views across Goodwin Park towards the ocean.

Inside, the material palette incorporates timber, stone and brushed brass, complemented by curved detailing and ambient lighting. Kitchens and bathrooms carry the same natural material approach, while residences also include basement parking, storage and lift access.

Maréa’s penthouses are arranged over two levels and include private pools, adding another layer to the project’s focus on larger-format apartment living. Across the development, residences are configured with three or four bedrooms rather than the broader mix of smaller apartment types commonly found in larger projects.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150999 project_image_fid=374010]

Resident amenity is concentrated at rooftop level, where landscaped entertaining terraces and pools take advantage of elevated views across Coolangatta and the Pacific Ocean.

The project has so far been particularly well received by local owner-occupiers and downsizers, according to Urban Activation Property Sales and Marketing Director Matt George, with the residential-only format, construction quality and northern park outlook among the features resonating with purchasers.

“The uninterrupted northern aspect overlooking Goodwin Park has been a key point of difference, with buyers attracted to the sense of serenity and open space the park provides, while still enjoying easy access to the ocean and being within walking distance of the lifestyle and amenities Coolangatta has to offer,” George said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150999 project_image_fid=374002]

“The combination of high-quality construction, a residential-only building, park outlook and proximity to the beach has resonated strongly with the local downsizer market.”

The Dixon Street address is within walking distance of Coolangatta Beach and the broader southern Gold Coast coastline, including the surf breaks at Snapper Rocks and Kirra. Coolangatta’s cafés, restaurants and retail are nearby, while Gold Coast Airport is also within close proximity.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150999]

Maréa Residences brings parkside apartments to Coolangatta

Melbourne developer PDG has secured Victorian Government approval for its $1.5 billion Southbank development <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-one-1-queens-bridge-street-southbank-vic-3006">The One</a>, clearing the way for the long-dormant riverfront site opposite Crown to finally be developed.

The Minister for Planning has approved the project at 1-29 Queens Bridge Street, with the Department of Transport and Planning issuing the planning permit following its assessment.

The approval will allow PDG to develop the prominent 5,059 sqm site with a major mixed-use tower comprising premium apartments, including branded residences, a luxury hotel and boutique office space.

PDG acquired the site in late 2024, with its position directly opposite Crown's main entrance and near Melbourne's Arts Precinct making it one of Southbank's most significant remaining development opportunities.

<img alt="PDG" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3933013e-6332-4386-b9be-089df05caf17" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%209.29.22%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=sITIgBqDL0N3VNSMwWEmF5UA.uvcsRyu" />

Designed by COX in collaboration with ODO and PDG, the tower's architecture draws on the movement of the Yarra River, with six vertical pleats running the height of the sculpted facade.

The project will also see the heritage-listed Queens Bridge Hotel restored and incorporated into the development&nbsp;with new hospitality and public uses, including a rooftop venue.

A significant component of The One will be its residential amenity.

More than 5,000 sqm of resident facilities will be delivered across a single level, making it one of the largest consolidated residential amenity offerings proposed in an Australian apartment development.

The planning approval also incorporates a major upgrade of Queensbridge Square, which PDG will deliver in partnership with the City of Melbourne.

<img alt="PDG" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="73167fcd-1031-4b6f-a408-a064cfe45ed1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%209.29.17%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=Pf1AEWxw6SNmBqR0zQW5lyEze.MtxgFp" />

The existing square will be revitalised as a new civic and pedestrian space along the Yarra River, strengthening the connection between the project, Southbank and the riverfront.

PDG Founder and Managing Director Vince Giuliano said the approval represented a major milestone for a site which has remained largely underutilised for more than 15 years.

“This is the most significant Planning Permit approval Melbourne has seen in recent years,” Giuliano said.

“For more than 15 years, this site has remained underutilised. This approval enables us to deliver a project that will contribute meaningfully to the revitalisation of Southbank, restore and reactivate an important heritage building, and create a new civic and hospitality destination for Melbourne.”

The latest approval follows an earlier planning permit issued by the City of Melbourne covering demolition works across part of the site at 9-29 Queens Bridge Street. Those demolition and early works are already underway.

PDG has also started generating early interest in the residential component from owner-occupiers ahead of a planned public launch in early 2027.

PDG secures approval for $1.5bn Southbank apartment development, The One

Local developer Harridan is seeking to turn its Woolloongabba apartment project into the first stage of a broader transformation of Burke Street, using a new 16-storey mixed-use building to establish a greener pedestrian connection toward the rapidly evolving Boggo Road transport and knowledge precinct.

The South East Queensland developer has filed plans for 154 apartments on the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/4-burke-street-woolloongabba-qld-4102">southern side of Burke Street</a>, where its proposal has been designed alongside a wider vision by LatStudios for the street.

That vision positions the southern side of Burke Street for buildings of 15 storeys and above, while envisaging lower-rise development of up to five storeys on the northern side to transition into Woolloongabba's existing character housing. It also proposes wider pedestrian verges, deep planting, new street trees and upgrades to the pedestrian approach to Boggo Road Station.

The Harridan development itself has been designed by Brisbane-based Arqus Design and will comprise 154 apartments across 16 storeys. The mix is weighted heavily toward two-bedroom apartments, with 121 proposed alongside 10 one-bedroom and 23 three-bedroom residences. There will typically be around 14 units per floor.

A lower-ground car park and three podium levels will accommodate 156 resident parking spaces, along with visitor and commercial parking. There will also be 154 resident bicycle spaces and 40 visitor bicycle parks.

&nbsp;

Harridan is a family-owned developer and part of the Holmwood Highgate Group, with more than three decades of development activity across South East Queensland. Its portfolio spans residential, commercial and industrial property, with current residential projects including Riverbank on Byron in Bulimba, Esperance Residences in Carina and The Precinct at Kinross Road in Thornlands.

Wooloongabba has been popular for apartment developers, particularly since the announcement of the 2032 Summer Olympics games in Brisbane.

While there have been a lot of development applications, it has failed to materialize into real supply.&nbsp;

Sarazin has been the major player in the area. They are under construction at Murcia Residences, on the fringe of East Brisbane and Woolloongabba. They have just launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-stanley-residences-woolloongabba-8-trafalgar-street-woolloongabba-qld-4102">The Stanley Residences</a>, in Woolloongabba on Trafalagar Street. They also have Nuage coming soon on the nearby <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nuage-woolloongabba-14-wellington-road-woolloongabba-qld-4102">Wellington Road</a>.

Alastair Taylor

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