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Following on from <a href="/news/werribee">Friday's overview</a> of the public transport projects on the horizon in Melbourne's west, today we take a look at the broad growth patronage growth drivers in Melbourne's west.

Greenfields development is the catch-all term used to describe, broadly speaking, low-density suburban development and for the most part, the planning for these precincts are governed by precinct structure plans.

Within each precinct structure plan, developers in the past have focused on detached housing, generally auto-dependent coupled with retail and community (schools etc) precincts.

In the past few years however, precinct structure plans have improved - in the sense that many now include a diverse amount of dwelling types that may get developed as new suburbs do.

It's quite common to see zones that will support apartment buildings - sometimes landmark building - as well as higher-density commercial buildings appear on precinct structure plan maps.

<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/vpa_werribee_melton_psp_map1.png" rel="gallery-all" title="There are numerous approved Precinct Structure Plans in Melbourne's west. Image: vpa.vic.gov.au"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="419" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/vpa_werribee_melton_psp_map1.png?itok=qincubAj" title="There are numerous approved Precinct Structure Plans in Melbourne's west. Image: vpa.vic.gov.au" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>There are numerous approved Precinct Structure Plans in Melbourne's west. Image: <a href="https://vpa.vic.gov.au/greenfield/interactive-status-map/">vpa.vic.gov.au</a></figcaption></figure>A good example of how greenfields developments have started diversifying dwelling types is Caroline Springs.  Originally marketed by Delfin from 1999, the development has seen a handful of apartment buildings spring up over the past decade.

Maps contained within the <a href="https://vpa-web.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/WyndhamC170Incor-BlackForestRoadNorthPrecinctStructurePlanDecember2015ApprovalGazetted.pdf">Black Forest Road North precinct structure plan</a> - better known as Mamnbourin, which covers land directly west of a future station on the Regional Rail Link (and Western Rail Plan) alignment, show a concentration of higher-density commercial/employment uses to be built opposite a future railway station in the area.

The <a href="https://vpa-web.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Toolern-Part-A.pdf">Toolern precinct structure plan</a>, which governs land either side of the Cobblebank railway station which is nearing the end of its construction cycle, shows a major activity centre to be build either side of the new station and employment land will be zoned between the railway line and Western Freeway.

Two stations up the line toward the city, Stockland's <a href="https://vpa-web.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/MeltonC162IncorpDoc-MtAtkinsonTarneitPlainsPrecinctStructurePlanJune2017ApprovalGazetted.pdf">Mt Atkinson precinct structure plan</a> has provisions for another major town centre located on either side of a future railway station that includes commercial/employment zones with higher-density residential components located above.

The new start-up A-League club, Western United FC, has plans to build its own 15,000 seat stadium in Tarneit, adjacent to the Regional Rail Link corridor.  The <a href="https://vpa.vic.gov.au/wp-content/Assets/Files/Riverdale%20PSP.pdf">Riverdale precinct structure plan</a> was gazetted over this slice of land and it too makes reference to a future station located next to a new town centre.

<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/wydnham_stadium.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Render of proposed Wyndham Stadium. Image: Grand Central Tarneit"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="327" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/wydnham_stadium.jpg?itok=ihRGWzWy" title="Render of proposed Wyndham Stadium. Image: Grand Central Tarneit" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Render of proposed Wyndham Stadium. Image: Grand Central Tarneit</figcaption></figure>There are many precincts to be developed within the urban growth boundary in Melbourne's west, however it's not all going to be low-density residential development.

Diverse town centres and a large proportion of land set aside for employment uses highlights the transport planning context of the Western Rail Plan - many hundreds of thousands of people moving into the area over the next few decades will need to be transported on metropolitan, not regional rail services.

And we shouldn't discount existing suburban centres in the west either - Werribee is one that already has a smattering of higher-density projects that will ensure dwelling types diversify in the region too.

<iframe frameborder="0" height="500" scrolling="no" src="https://www.urban.com.au/developments/werribee-vic?embeddable=list-map" width="100%"></iframe>

Lead image credit: <a href="https://levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/media/news/works-on-track-for-train-storage-in-wyndham-vale">levelcrossings.vic.gov.au</a>
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Alastair Taylor

Precincts and developments that will drive public transport patronage growth in Melbourne's West

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<h2>Comment</h2>

In 2015, the first new railway line to be built in Melbourne in many decades opened to passengers. Known as the Regional Rail Link, the project sought to begin separating metropolitan and regional services, giving trains to Victoria's regional cities their own set of tracks all the way into Southern Cross station.

A new track pair was built between Southern Cross and Sunshine station which included a new bridge over the Maribyrnong River, a flyover to separate regional and Werribee/Williamstown line metropolitan services and Footscray and Sunshine stations saw major works with the addition of two new platforms.  

The new track railway corridor from Deer Park to West Werribee was built through rural properties and, at the time, fledging development occurring around Tarneit, Truganina and Wyndham Vale.

Fast forward to today and patronage has boomed on the Geelong line, mostly due to the stations built on the new railway corridor that attract passengers from the newly built suburbs.

<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/geelong_line_patronage_boom1.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Geelong Line patronage has boomed thanks to suburban passengers at Tarneit and Wyndham Vale. Image: bigbuild.vic.gov.au"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="459" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/geelong_line_patronage_boom1.png?itok=t853WqKV" title="Geelong Line patronage has boomed thanks to suburban passengers at Tarneit and Wyndham Vale. Image: bigbuild.vic.gov.au" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Geelong Line patronage has boomed thanks to suburban passengers at Tarneit and Wyndham Vale. Image: bigbuild.vic.gov.au</figcaption></figure>Last year's state election saw the ALP release a policy - the Western Rail Plan - one month out from the election to invest even more money into more heavy rail public transport services for the west that would achieve two goals: separating regional and metropolitan services further through the growth areas and speeding up services to Geelong and Ballarat.

In 2019's state budget, $100 million was set aside for the business case/reference design.  This work is underway in parallel with the business case for the Melbourne Airport Rail Link which will be released in 2020.

Published documents on the Victorian Government's Big Build <a href="https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/333705/Western-Rail-Plan.pdf">website</a> highlight the complex inter-relations with the Melbourne Airport Rail Link, Suburban Rail Loop and Western Rail Plan and recent reporting elsewhere indicates stakeholders are debating whether to build an enabling component for the wholesale upgrade of railways in Western Melbourne.

<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/western-rail-plan_pdf.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Heavy rail public transport projects in Melbourne. Image: bigbuild.vic.gov.au"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="356" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/western-rail-plan_pdf.png?itok=u_UcMIIH" title="Heavy rail public transport projects in Melbourne. Image: bigbuild.vic.gov.au" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Heavy rail public transport projects in Melbourne. Image: bigbuild.vic.gov.au</figcaption></figure>The bone of contention - or more to the point: the one certain stakeholders want to debate through mainstream media - is the extra track pair labeled "New Sunshine to CBD access" in the map above.

Melbourne Airport Rail Link and faster trains to Geelong and Ballarat have an emphasis on speed, making journeys as quick as possible.  The Western Rail Plan has an emphasis on new, targetted services that will, like the Airport Link and less so the faster regional services, require more track to access the city.

The Geelong line's patronage figures since the opening of the Regional Rail Link have been boosted, fundamentally, by Melbourne Metropolitan commuters in outer Western Melbourne.  The Western Rail Plan seeks to shift those outer suburban passengers on to train services that are more appropriate: metropolitan services.

With those broad parameters in mind, it's been speculated that a tunnel from Sunshine to the city is the best solution to enable fast journeys to the regions and the airport while existing track - the regional rail track pair and the existing Sunbury line - then have room for expansion. For instance, the new Melton and Wyndham Vale services could possibly share the existing regional rail track pair with Bendigo V/Line services while Geelong, Ballarat and airport services use the new tunnel.

One can understand the desire to explore other options - like not building a tunnel and running more services on the existing track pairs - however we need only look to the Regional Rail Link and how it struggles to deal with outer suburban patronage growth.  Cool heads need to think clearly the long-term and what impact not building a tunnel will do to a metropolitan area whose centre of population is moving westward.

<a href="/news/an-overview-of-western-melbourne-precinct-structure-plans">On Monday we look</a> at the greenfields areas in Western Melbourne that will drive patronage growth.
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Western Melbourne's complex rail plan needs to be done right

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The Victorian State Government has awarded the contract, valued at $542.4 million, to an alliance of John Holland Group, Kellogg Brown &amp; Root and Metro Trains Melbourne to remove four level crossings and rebuild two stations on the Upfield railway line in Melbourne's north.

Renders and the overall design for the upgrade to the railway corridor were released in August and both stations to be rebuilt will be elevated above the current rail grade.  Similar to the Caulfield-Dandenong corridor, with the elevate of the railway lines, community spaces will be provided underneath the tracks.

Bell Street, Munro Street, Reynard Street and Moreland Road are the four level crossings that will be removed.

Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Jacinta Allan, is reported to have said to the Herald Sun the corridor is one of the narrowest in Melbourne and will require an extended occupation period.

Further investigative works and service relocations are scheduled to ramp up in the short term with major works beginning next year that will include a construction blitz that will shut down the rail corridor for three months.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7BEDJbszWvo" width="100%"></iframe>

As part of the community space improvements, the congested Upfield bike path will see an upgrade as well as a new pedestrian path added underneath the railway line.

The alliance that has been awarded the contract is also removing the High Street level crossing in Reservoir.  Like the soon-to-be-rebuilt Moreland and Coburg stations, Reservoir station will be elevated above the existing road level.

<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/east-end-entry.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The new Reservoir station currently under construction. Image: Level Crossing Removal Authority"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="365" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/east-end-entry.jpg?itok=nzT5pSB6" title="The new Reservoir station currently under construction. Image: Level Crossing Removal Authority" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The new Reservoir station currently under construction. Image: Level Crossing Removal Authority</figcaption></figure>The inner-north region of Melbourne, predominantly centred on the City of Moreland is also home to the highest number of bicycle commuters thanks to the extensive off-road and on-road bike lanes leading to the adjacent City of Melbourne.

Coburg and Brunswick are two of Melbourne's redevelopment hotspots with both suburbs registering over 100 apartment and townhouse projects in the pipeline. <a href="/developments/coburg-vic-3058">Coburg is registering 38</a> new projects on Apartments.com.au's database, <a href="/developments/brunswick-vic-3056">Brunswick has 76</a>.  

If you expand the search parameters to include to both <a href="/developments/brunswick-east-vic-3057">Brunswick East</a> and <a href="/developments/brunswick-west-vic-3055">Brunswick West</a>, the total number for all three 'Brunswicks' expands to 143 apartment and townhouse projects in the pipeline.

<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/519-537-sydney-road-coburg-cbc83648268f96d2d96be4ee646d9065.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="519-537 Sydney Road, Coburg."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="354" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/519-537-sydney-road-coburg-cbc83648268f96d2d96be4ee646d9065.jpg?itok=4aWGfcrG" title="519-537 Sydney Road, Coburg." width="580"></a>

<figcaption><a href="/new-apartments/519-537-sydney-road-coburg">519-537 Sydney Road, Coburg</a>.</figcaption></figure>In the long run, the Upfield corridor is likely to see other infrastructure changes that are linked to future railway projects in the area.

Namely, the Suburban Rail Loop's second phase will see a station interface with the Upfield line to the north of Coburg and also plans leaked to the media prior to the November 2018 state election show the Upfield line extending to Wallan via Roxburgh Park.

Bell Street, Munro Street, Reynard Street and Moreland Road level crossings are all set to be removed by late 2020 and the new open space will be ready in 2021.
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$542.4 million contract signed for level crossing removals in Melbourne's north

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<h2>Comment</h2>

The Victorian Government, freshly re-elected a year ago for another term, has a very large program of public transport projects that will impact on various suburban centres over the next few decades. 

Arden, Sunshine and Box Hill are three suburbs developers, property buyers and renters should keep an eye on.

The redevelopment of Arden will centre around a public transport project already under construction (Melbourne Metro) and Sunshine and Box Hill, based on publicly available information, will attract intense focus from projects that have their respective business cases underway (Melbourne Airport Rail Link and the Suburban Rail Loop).

The Melbourne Metro project that was initiated during the first term has recently entered the primary tunneling phase with two of four tunnel boring machines now working their way westward under the city.  The launching pad for the first two TBMs is located at the site of the future North Melbourne (née Arden) station, an area where the state government is a major landholder and one the state government has expressed an interest in 'doing things differently'.

In 2018 the Victorian Planning Authority released the <a href="https://vpa.vic.gov.au/project/arden/">Arden Vision</a> which outlines how the "Victorian Government and the city of Melbourne are committed to preparing in partnership land use and transport planning frameworks to coordinate and guide planning to 2050".

According to the vision document, North Melbourne station will open in 2025 and major development of the land surrounding the new station will begin shortly thereafter.

<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/arden_vision_2018.png" rel="gallery-all" title="The Arden Vision. Image Vic.gov.au"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="409" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/arden_vision_2018.png?itok=kC-25X3b" title="The Arden Vision. Image Vic.gov.au" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Arden Vision. Image Vic.gov.au</figcaption></figure>Apart from the ongoing level crossing removal program, all other major public transport projects that are likely to leave an impact on land surrounding new stations are in various stages of planning and design.

Extending the Frankston railway line to Baxter has a business case under development expected to be completed by 2019.  Construction to duplicate the Cranbourne line will begin in 2021 with completion scheduled for 2023; the state government has also said this project is required before work can get underway to extend the Cranbourne line to Clyde.

The Melbourne Airport Rail Link, the Suburban Rail Loop, the Western Rail Plan and initiatives to speed up trains to Geelong and Ballarat are four inter-related projects that have all been appropriated funds from the state budget that will see reference designs and business cases completed over the next 12-18 months.

<h2>All railways lead to Sunshine</h2>

We've said it before, and we're saying it again - cast your gaze westward to Sunshine.  Excluding central Melbourne, no other suburb in metropolitan Melbourne will see as much intensive new rail infrastructure and services in the foreseeable future.

The Regional Rail Link project from a decade ago routed connections to Victoria's second, third and fourth-largest cities through Sunshine and the Western Rail Plan looks set to expand on regional and metropolitan rail separation possibly through the quadruplication and (partial) electrification of railways between Sunshine and Deer Park, Deer Park to Wyndham Vale and Deer Park to Melton.

The Melbourne Airport Rail Link had its route confirmed via Sunshine and what's known as the 'Albion corridor' (the stretch of railway used primarily for freight between Albion station and Broadmeadows station) and Sunshine likewise appears on maps for the Suburban Rail Loop.

<iframe frameborder="0" height="500" scrolling="no" src="https://www.urban.com.au/developments/sunshine-vic?embeddable=list-map" width="100%"></iframe>

If the Melbourne Airport Rail Link, Suburban Rail Loop, Western Rail Plan and higher-speed trains to Geelong and Ballarat proceed - whether all at the same time or in a sequential fashion - Sunshine will have the best suburban connectivity to other parts of the metropolitan area and regional Victoria.

<h2>Box Hill is already flying high</h2>

Box Hill has always garnered our interest.  The railway lines that run through Box Hill on their way to the city are unlike other major corridors like Dandenong and Sunshine because there will be minimal greenfields development within the Lilydale and Belgrave branch catchments.

In short, the only population growth throughout the whole eastern corridor can only be catered for through higher-density development.  And the numbers speak for themselves.

Box Hill has at least 35 projects contained within a 1 square kilometre grid centred around the Box Hill station and Box Hill Central shopping centre.  Further up the line at Ringwood, where both Lilydale and Belgrave lines converge to provide a very high frequency of service all the way through the inner and middle rings of eastern Melbourne, has at least <a href="/developments/ringwood-vic-3134">19 high-density projects</a> in the pipeline.

<iframe frameborder="0" height="500" scrolling="no" src="https://www.urban.com.au/developments/box-hill-vic?embeddable=list-map" width="100%"></iframe>

The Victorian Premier has already publicly announced the Suburban Rail Loop, despite its business case and reference design currently underway, will be split in two phases through the east and north of the metropolitan area.  The first phase will run from Cheltenham on the Frankston line to Box Hill, servicing Clayton, Monash University and employment precinct, Glen Waverley and Deakin University located just south of Box Hill.

The second phase of the Suburban Rail Loop extending from Box Hill to Tullamarine Airport would then create a major node, accessible to and from the north, south, east and west via heavy rail, in an area that already has a large concentration of jobs and retail activity and an area that already supports major increases in residential density.

We'll be watching the release of each public transport business case with great interest.

Lead image credit: metrotunnel.vic.gov.au
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Arden, Sunshine and Box Hill: three Melbourne suburbs to watch 

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The New South Wales Government has confirmed the location of 7 stations for the upcoming Sydney Metro West that will run between Sydney's CBD and Westmead, adding significant capacity to the rail network between Sydney and Parramatta.

The 7 confirmed station locations include Westmead, Parramatta, Sydney Olympic Park, North Strathfield, Burwood North, Five Dock, and The Bays Precinct.

Investigations are still ongoing for the Sydney CBD station and possibly adding two more stations - one in Rydalmere and the other in Pyrmont.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="500" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/do_N9uHFzJI" width="100%"></iframe>

The station location confirmation announcement follows Transport for NSW representatives having begun door knocking on residents door's notifying them the state government intends to acquire their property to make way for components of the project.

Construction is set to begin in 2020 and according to the project's overview, will then be followed by the Sydney Metro Greater West (formerly known as the North-South Link) outer western metro line linking St. Mary's and the new Western Sydney Airport.

The 'aerotropolis' located south of the new Nancy-Bird Walton Airport will also be connected with the St. Mary's link and the Sydney Metro West line may at some stage run all the way out to the airport as well.

<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/1uf2199.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Confirmed and potential station locations for Sydney Metro West"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="320" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/1uf2199.jpg?itok=DJqvsBUZ" title="Confirmed and potential station locations for Sydney Metro West" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Confirmed and potential station locations for Sydney Metro West</figcaption></figure>The focus on speed rather than more stations on Sydney Metro West becomes more obvious when viewed in context of plans for the Sydney basin over the next few decades.

Preliminary costs reported in other media have put the price tag for the Sydney CBD to Westmead Sydney Metro West at $10billion and some reports have suggested the price could be as high as $20 billion.

The business case for the project has not been released at this stage and will eventually go a long way to informing the public of the project's cost.

<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/sydney_metro_west_context1.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Wider context of the new metro line. Sydney Metro West Project Overview, page 4"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="345" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/sydney_metro_west_context1.png?itok=wYWD2hbR" title="Wider context of the new metro line. Sydney Metro West Project Overview, page 4" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Wider context of the new metro line. <a href="https://www.sydneymetro.info/sites/default/files/document-library/Sydney_Metro_West_Project_Overview_Booklet_October_2019.pdf">Sydney Metro West Project Overview, page 4</a></figcaption></figure>Boom times for Australian railway building.
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NSW Government confirms Sydney Metro West's station locations

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It’s that time again. Congestion charging discussion is back in the public realm and this time the experts have nominated a price and a - pardon the pun - road map to overhauling the road pricing regime in Australian cities.

The first phase, according to the Grattan Institute, should be introduced within 5 years and would introduce a cordon charge around CBDs.  This would operate similarly to how the London and Singapore congestion charges were introduced.

The report's authors have nominated $5 as the one-way charge for private vehicles entering the cordon.  For those that drive to the city, park, go to work and then drive home this, naturally, would represent a $10 return trip charge.

<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/grattan_melb_cordon.png" rel="gallery-all" title="From the Grattan Institute's report titled &quot;Right time, right place, right price&quot;. Page 12"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="403" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/grattan_melb_cordon.png?itok=ATBTjR-l" title="From the Grattan Institute's report titled &quot;Right time, right place, right price&quot;. Page 12" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>From the Grattan Institute's report titled "Right time, right place, right price". <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/924-Right-time-right-place-right-price-high-res.pdf">Page 12</a></figcaption></figure>Furthermore, the Grattan Institute says the cordon charge of $5 should only apply from 8 am to 9:30 am and between 4 pm and 6 pm in the afternoon peak with lower charges at either side of the peak periods.

Beyond the initial CBD cordon charging regime, the Grattan Institute recommends applying charges to key arterial routes. 

The arterial charges would apply on a per-kilometre basis on weekday mornings and afternoon peak periods, apply only in the peak direction, use enhance number plate recognition technology and include a fairness test and package to ensure vulnerable people are not disadvantaged.

Arterial charges would be introduced within 5 years of a successful CBD cordon charging regime.

Finally, the Grattan Institue recommends state governments should investigate costs and benefits of whole-of-network-based distance-based charging, presumably to replace the existing registration regime.

<h2>COMMENT</h2>

Calls for 'congestion charging' or 'road-pricing regime change' are not new. State Governments tend to dismiss those calls, just like they have with the latest release of research from the Grattan Institute.

Perhaps governments know that public transport networks couldn't cope with extra passengers if it was introduced in the very short-term, perhaps it's purely about the politics of change.

Regardless, this time around, the Grattan Institute has sought to address some of the often-used concerns - especially around the equity argument.

The institute’s research suggests of the 61,000 people who drive to work in Melbourne’s CBD, the majority of people have a weekly income of $1500 or more and are driving from the inner and middle rings of Melbourne’s suburbs.

The Grattan Institute says 45% of workers driving to the city have an annual income of $104,000 or more. In Sydney, that rises to 57%.

Notwithstanding tram capacity improvement projects, the biggest public transport capacity-increasing projects on the horizon in Melbourne is the Melbourne Metro project which will take three lines out of the city loop creating capacity for 3 other lines to increase services. 

We know the Melbourne Metro project will be delivered by 2025 and in Sydney a similar major capacity increase for its CBD is underway with the Sydney Metro City &amp; Southwest set to begin operations in 2024.

Notice those timeframes fit somewhat neatly with Grattan's call for the introduction of cordon charge within 5 years. 

Fast forward to 2024/2025, the Victorian Government in power at that time will look a bit silly if it rolls out the "the best way to ease congestion is to build a public transport network system which can deliver more trains, more often – and we’re getting it done" if the calls for congestion charging are still being made.
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The Grattan Institute nominates congestion charging rates for Melbourne

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Regardless of who wins the upcoming New South Wales state election on March 23rd, the proposal for Sydney Metro West looks set to be fast-tracked with the NSW Liberals and Premier Gladys Berejiklian committing to get construction underway by 2020.

This follows an earlier commitment - announced in February - from NSW Labor to fast-track the construction of the second metro line as well as spend $8 billion on the project.

The New South Wales Liberal Party announced over the weekend that Sydney Metro West proposal will kick off construction in 2020 should the coalition win this month's state election on the 23rd of March.

The caretaker and election-period announcement also included the NSW Liberal party promising to bring the public funding up to $6.4 billion.

The first phase of the Sydney Metro is set to open this year running from Tallawong/Rouse Hill in the out northwest to Chatswood.  The second phase, which is well underway, will run from Chatswood under the harbour and through the CBD to Sydenham where the existing inner-west line will be converted to handle metro services to Blacktown.

NSW Labor has vowed to halt the conversion of the inner-west line between Sydenham and Blacktown.

Sydney Metro West is the second line of a new, separate rail network proposed for the Sydney region that will initially connect Sydney's CBD with Westmead, adding more rail capacity between Sydney and Parramatta.

One of the key benefits to be spruiked by the NSW Government is that journey times between Parramatta and central Sydney will reduce to 20 minutes.  Likewise, key locations between the two endpoints will also see new stations including at Sydney Olympic Park, Five Dock and The Bays Precinct.

A connection to the T1 line will be made at Strathfield North and a potential station may be built in Pyrmont.

The NSW state election is to be held on Saturday, March 23rd. 
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NSW Liberal party commits to kicking off construction in 2020 on Sydney Metro West

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Train services which operate along railway lines in Melbourne's south-east will be shut down for three weeks over the Easter school holiday period to allow for major works to be carried out on the eastern portal for the Melbourne Metro Tunnel.

With one Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) already landed and another shortly to arrive, two more TBMs will also be arriving in Melbourne, launching from the Anzac Station site, located just behind the Shrine of Remembrance.

The two remaining TBMs that are yet to appear on the project's <a href="https://metrotunnel.vic.gov.au/construction/building-the-tunnels-and-stations/tunnel-boring-machines/tbm-tracker">website</a>, according to publicly available information, first head toward the eastern portal at South Yarra once they are launched.

The Easter school holiday shutdown will mark the commencement of major works - the breaking ground of the tunnel portal - in South Yarra and will also be the site where the final two TBMs will be extracted once they've completed their run from Anzac Station.

Pakenham, Cranbourne, Frankston and Sandringham lines will all have trains replaced with buses - from the city to each of the respective termini - over a 3 week period from the 1st of April to the 23rd of April. The first week of the shutdown will occur in the final week of Term 1 at Victorian schools.

Gippsland VLine services, which share track with the Pakenham line, will also have a total 'bustitution' and the Premier announced that Glen Waverley, Mernda and Geelong/Warrnambool lines will also be closed during this period for other level crossings and ongoing upgrade works.

The Mernda line shutdown will allow major level crossings removal works to kick off at Reservoir Station and similarly on the Frankston line, major works will proceed at the site of the Carrum level crossing removal.

The various shut downs and bustitutions that will befall the Eastern school holiday period are estimated to add 60 minutes onto most journeys throughout the metropolitan and regional networks.

Lead image credit: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/metrotunnel/photos/pcb.2332368913652035/2332368620318731/?type=3&amp;theater">Metro Tunnel on facebook</a>.
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Widespread shut down for Melbourne's metro and regional railway lines over Easter holidays

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The Level Crossing on Toorak Road on the Glen Waverley line, adjacent to the Monash Freeway interchange, will be removed by construction a 550m long rail bridge in the existing rail corridor.

The Premier and Minister for Transport Infrastructure were on site this morning to announce major works will commence on the new structure this year with completion expected by 2021.

160,000 passengers use the Glen Waverley railway line per week as well as 37,000 vehicles per day using Toorak Road. The new rail bridge will be located 9m above the existing road level.

Only two level crossings on the Glen Waverley railway line were earmarked for removal with Gardiner Station which included a tram+train crossing having been removed during the first term of the Andrews Government.

Toorak Road is the second and final on the list of 75 level crossings.  Glenferrie Road at Kooyong Station also includes a tram+train crossing and there are two more level crossings not included in the list, Tooronga Road at Tooronga Station and High Street at Glen Iris station.

<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/carrum1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Aerial render of the new elevated rail structure at new station at Carrum. Image: LXRA"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="363" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/carrum1.jpg?itok=iA6DDzpK" title="Aerial render of the new elevated rail structure at new station at Carrum. Image: LXRA" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Aerial render of the new elevated rail structure at new station at Carrum. Image: LXRA</figcaption></figure>Meanwhile, major works have kicked off at Carrum station where three level crossings will be removed by elevating railway track through the area while also providing a new Carrum station.

Early works, including moving electrical and water services as well as new signalling on the Frankston line, have been underway for some time and closure of existing car parks at Carrum station will start in March and last for the length of the construction period.

Temporary rail track will be built between the Patterson River and Eel Race Road so trains can continue running through the area while the permanent elevated rail structure and station is under construction.

During this time, Carrum station will be closed and buses will shuttle passenger either northwards to Bonbeach or southwards to Seaford.  

The new elevated rail structure and station is expected to be open in 2020 and a government media release states that 1.2 hectares worth of new community space is included in the Carrum project.
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Toorak Road level crossing on the Glen Waverley line to be removed

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The first of Melbourne Metro's TBMs has completed its sea voyage from China and arrived at the North Melbourne (née Arden) launch site where it will begin its journey underground shortly.

Tunnel Boring Machines around the world are given female names and the first TBM for Melbourne Metro will be named for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Kirner">Joan Kirner</a>, after Victoria's first female premier.

Joan Kirner served as the ALP member for Williamstown and was elected leader of the parliamentary Labor party in 1990 and served as premier until October 1992.

The second TBM will be named for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meg_Lanning">Meg Lanning</a> who captains the Australian women's national cricket team.  The third TBM will be named for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Ross-King">Alice Appleford</a>, a civilian and military nurse during both world wars.

The fourth and final TBM to be launched for the Melbourne Metro project will be named for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millie_Peacock">Millie Peacock</a>, Victoria's first female MP.

<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/tbm_mm.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Sequencing of the various stages for tunnelling on the Melbourne Metro project. Image: Melbourne Metro"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="347" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/tbm_mm.png?itok=WQzHiTGT" title="Sequencing of the various stages for tunnelling on the Melbourne Metro project. Image: Melbourne Metro" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Sequencing of the various stages for tunneling on the Melbourne Metro project. Image: Melbourne Metro</figcaption></figure>As each TBM arrives at their respective launch site, they will begin their tunneling journeys by heading towards the eastern or western portals in South Yarra or Kensington respectively.

Once that let of the journey is complete, the TBMs will be disassembled and trucked back to the launch site where they will then be reassembled and set on their way toward the CBD stations at State Library or Town Hall.

State Library and Town Hall stations, as well as the tunnel between the two, will be constructed using road headers, which crushed their first rock under Swanston street in late <a href="/news/cbd-metro-tunnel-station-construction-begins">November 2018</a>.

According to the updated TBM tracker on the Metro Tunnel website, the second TBM - Meg, is well on its way from China and at the time of posting is on a ship sailing down the east coast of Australia.

The Melbourne Metro project is scheduled to be complete with train services operational by 2025.
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Melbourne Metro's first TBM arrives, named after Victoria's first female premier

Repeat buyers are one of the strongest measures of confidence in any apartment development.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/era-newcastle-west-124-126-bull-street-newcastle-west-nsw-2302">ERA</a> in Newcastle West, some purchasers are returning to <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/gwh">GWH</a> after living at the developer's One Apartments. Their decision to purchase again was driven by the quality of life they found after moving into their first GWH home.

Keith Wilton had spent years living in a house in East Maitland before deciding it was time for a change. Apartment living had always been on his radar, but he was selective about what he wanted.

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"I had some boxes I wanted to tick," he says.

Keith points to the open-plan design, generous outdoor areas and considered inclusions as key reasons One Apartments worked for him.

“One of those things was a nice indoor open plan area, but also I wanted a nice outdoor open area that I could entertain on in summer or Christmases or birthdays,” he says.

He also found value in the smaller details, from integrated appliances to shared resident spaces including the pool, cinema and rooftop areas.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356818]

After comparing several developments, he chose One Apartments because of GWH's longstanding local reputation and his own experience working with the developer on a commercial project more than a decade earlier.

"I knew that they were local, that the quality of the build was going to be up there. I'd looked at other apartment complexes around and close by, and I just knew that here was a better decision location wise."

Today, Keith says the move has completely changed how he experiences Newcastle.

"I enjoy living in this location because it's more of a lifestyle change. That Newcastle city living where you can walk to restaurants and bars and even beaches and parks and even shopping across the road."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356828]

Beyond the location, he says it's the sense of community that has surprised him most.

"Everyone loves living here because they chose to live here, but everyone looks out for each other. It's a real great community feel here."

For Aimee and Lyle Goodman, the journey started almost by chance.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tsioMLcnjas?si=zq-ys3JuWpfa5hFv" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

The couple happened to be having coffee in Newcastle when they noticed the site where One Apartments was about to begin construction.

"We were aware GWH was planning a development," Aimee says. "We made one phone call and things moved pretty quickly after that."

As busy business owners, they initially thought apartment living would simply reduce the maintenance that came with larger homes. Instead, it fundamentally changed how they spent time together.

"We actually catch up more as a family now," Aimee says.

"We've had homes with big yards and lots of space, but everyone ended up in different rooms. Here we'll have dinner together, the kids can play, and we spend far more quality time together."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356829]

Lyle says their confidence came from GWH's reputation within Newcastle's building industry.

"I know people who've worked across different apartment projects, and whenever GWH came up the feedback was always the same. They're rock solid. They're quality."

That confidence only grew throughout the buying process.

"One of the things that really impressed us with GWH was the whole process, was the communication," Lyle says. "It was consistent, it was regular, there was no problem if we had some weird questions, there was no problems in getting answers."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=351104]

Aimee says one moment stood out.

"The project actually finished on time. We realised we needed to hurry up and sell our house because everything was happening exactly when they said it would."

The positive experience at One Apartments ultimately gave all three buyers the confidence to purchase again with GWH, this time at ERA.

Their confidence reflects what many buyers are seeking in today's apartment market. Location remains important, but so too does certainty around delivery, quality and long-term liveability.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356822]

ERA builds on those foundations with 280 one, two and three-bedroom apartments across two landmark towers in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/newcastle-west-nsw-2302">Newcastle West</a>.&nbsp;

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fk-australia">Fender Katsalidis</a>, the project will include more than 2,000 square metres of resident amenities, including a resort-style pool, gym, sauna, private cinema and rooftop entertaining spaces overlooking the harbour and coastline.&nbsp;

The development is also within walking distance of the Newcastle Interchange, Honeysuckle, Darby Street, the harbour foreshore, restaurants, retail and the city’s beaches, continuing the walkable lifestyle that existing GWH buyers say has transformed how they live.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356826]

For Keith, the appeal remains straightforward.

"You feel at home even before you've moved into your home."

For Aimee, the change is measured in time.

“I just felt like I had more time,” she says.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=351102]

Construction at ERA is now underway, with more than half of the residences already sold and limited two and three-bedroom apartments remaining in the East Tower release. Priced from $980,000 for two-bedroom residences and $1.46 million for three-bedroom residences, buyers can secure an apartment with a 10 per cent deposit, with premium homes offering ocean views from Level 8 and harbour views from Level 10.

ERA is also backed by Resilience Insurance's 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy, providing protection against structural or waterproofing defects for 10 years after completion. The project is anticipated to be completed in early 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135096]

Joel Robinson

From ONE to ERA: Why buyers are choosing GWH again in Newcastle West

Virgate Property Group is preparing to commence construction of Verdé, its new apartment development in Melbourne's Arts Precinct at Southbank, following a strong run of sales that has seen more than half of the project's 173 apartments secured.

Verdé has attracted a broad mix of first home buyers, owner-occupiers upgrading from nearby inner-city suburbs and investors, with younger owner-occupier couples aged between 28 and 45 accounting for the strongest enquiry. Many are already living in Southbank, South Melbourne, Albert Park, Port Melbourne, South Yarra and the CBD.

"Verdé is located in one of the most desirable pockets of southern Melbourne," Blair Property Group Director Darren Blair, who is managing sales at Verdé, said.

"It's within walking distance of the Arts Centre, Royal Botanic Gardens, Albert Park Lake, and Southbank's restaurants and retail. It's a great lifestyle location with strong amenity and liveability, which made it a very attractive choice for the project."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=4661 project_image_fid=372549]

Virgate was already familiar with the precinct, having previously delivered the successful Domain House development in neighbouring South Melbourne. That experience gave the developer confidence to acquire the Coventry Street site and continue expanding its presence in Melbourne's inner south.

"We had been keeping an eye on the site and the broader precinct for a few months before deciding to move forward with the acquisition," Virgate said.

The project was ultimately secured in 2020 following feasibility studies, planning assessments and due diligence, with the brief centred on delivering "a high-quality, considered design that feels both refined and fit for purpose."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=4661 project_image_fid=314259]

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bruce-henderson-architects">Bruce Henderson Architects</a>, Verdé comprises 173 one, two and three-bedroom apartments priced from $599,000. The architecture is distinguished by a faceted glass façade that responds to both the site's outlook and Melbourne's changing light conditions.

According to Bruce Henderson Architects, the coloured glazing gives the building a distinctive identity while also providing privacy and solar shading, with residences oriented to capture views across the bay, city skyline and surrounding parklands.

Inside, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/designoffice">DesignOffice</a> has created interiors focused on natural light, efficient planning and enduring materials. Apartments feature engineered oak flooring, natural stone benchtops, floor-to-ceiling glazing and SMEG appliances, while a restrained material palette aims to complement the expansive outlooks rather than compete with them.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=4661 project_image_fid=372550]

Resident amenity has also been designed around everyday functionality rather than occasional use. Facilities include a concierge-serviced lobby, residents' lounge with fireplace, library and co-working space, gym, terrace garden with barbecue facilities, ground-floor café, and package delivery management.

The project's location continues to be one of its strongest drawcards. Positioned on Coventry Street, Verdé sits within walking distance of the National Gallery of Victoria, Arts Centre Melbourne, Royal Botanic Gardens and Albert Park Lake, while Southbank's dining precinct, Sturt Street trams and the new ANZAC Station are all nearby. The surrounding education catchment also includes Melbourne Grammar, Melbourne Girls Grammar, Mac.Robertson Girls' High School and several major university campuses.

The sales team says buyers have responded particularly well to the combination of location, design quality and long-term liveability.

"They're responding really positively to the quality of the design, premium resident amenities and the uninterrupted views. Many also appreciate the location and how connected it is to everything they need."

The ability to secure stamp duty savings before completion has also been a key factor for purchasers, alongside the opportunity to personalise finishes ahead of settlement.

With construction set to commence soon and more than half the apartments already sold, Verdé enters its next phase as one of the Arts Precinct's more established apartment developments, offering remaining buyers an opportunity to secure a residence before construction advances further. Expected completion is scheduled for late 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=4661]

Virgate's Verdé Southbank moves toward construction as sales fly past halfway stage

Downsizer-focused apartment development Kooyongkoot in Hawthorn has been recognised at the 2026 Better Future Melbourne Design Awards, taking home Gold and Silver awards in two categories.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kooyongkoot-hawthorn-1-kooyongkoot-road-hawthorn-vic-3122">Kooyongkoot</a>, currently being delivered by developer PQD and designed by Cera Stribley, received Gold in the Interior Design – Proposed category and Silver in the Architecture – Proposed category.

The dual recognition reflects the design approach behind the boutique development on prestigious Kooyongkoot Road, where the focus has been on creating homes for downsizers seeking the space, quality and functionality of a detached house within a low-rise apartment building.

Rather than maximising apartment numbers, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/pqd">PQD</a> and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cera-stribley-architects">Cera Stribley</a> limited the development to just 18 residences, allowing for larger floorplans, greater privacy, generous landscaping and expansive communal spaces.&nbsp;The majority of the apartments also benefit from corner aspects, allowing for dual sources of natural light.

Now around 70 per cent complete and on track for completion in November 2026, Kooyongkoot will comprise a mix of garden residences, ter​race apartments, sub-penthouses, and is crowned by two half-floor penthouses with direct lift access and private rooftop terraces.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355297]

The Silver Award for Architecture recognised the way the building responds to its prominent corner position at the ent​rance to Hawthorn's Scotch Hill precinct, one of Melbourne's most established residential neighbourhoods.

Rather than competing with the grand homes that line Kooyongkoot Road, the architectural approach focused on restraint and longevity, using curved brickwork, generous landscaping and carefully considered proportions to integrate with the existing streetscape.

"The form feels fluid and timeless, as though shaped by the landscape itself – architecture that belongs, rather than competes," said Chris Stribley, Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Cera Stribley.

The judging submission also highlighted practical innovations throughout the building, including lift cores servicing only nine homes each, a central landscaped lightcourt designed to bring daylight and ventilation into the building, and fully enclosed private storage rooms with lighting, power and shelving to better accommodate residents transitioning from larger family homes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355293]

The Gold Award for Interior Design recognised the project's focus on long-term liveability rather than display-home aesthetics.

According to the awards submission, the interiors were designed from the inside out, prioritising how homes would function over decades of daily use through generous proportions, practical storage, durable natural materials and flexible layouts.

The specification includes natural stone throughout, upgraded acoustic glazing, V-ZUG appliances and fully enclosed storage rooms, alongside an amenity offering focused on wellness, entertainment and everyday convenience.&nbsp;

Residents will have access to a gym and yoga studio, a wellness centre featuring traditional and infrared saunas, a cold therapy shower and treatment room, as well as a residents' lounge and golf simulator/cinema room for entertainment.&nbsp;Kooyongkoot has also considered the everyday convenience of its residents by offering a private carwash and pet wash facilities on site as well as dedicated parcel lockers and oversized fully enclosed storage rooms.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355303]

The project's attention to detail has already resonated with buyers. Earlier this year, Kooyongkoot recorded one of Boroondara's highest apartment sales when an $8 million penthouse was purchased by a Melbourne CEO downsizing from a nearby family home.

"Every detail feels deliberate, from the overall design down to the smallest touches," the purchaser said.

"The level of quality and refinement is exceptional, but what really sold it was how liveable it felt... It felt like a place where everything had been considered, not just a luxury building."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355304]

Sustainability also formed a key part of both award submissions. Kooyongkoot is targeting a minimum 7.5-star NatHERS rating across all residences, supported by passive design principles, high-performance glazing, EV charging infrastructure, water reuse systems and a wellness model focused on lower-energy dry facilities rather than pools and large wet areas.

Located within walking distance of Scotch College, Methodist Ladies' College, Koo​yong Lawn Tennis Club, Aubur​n Village and Camberwell Junction, Kooyongkoot continues to target owner-occupiers looking to remain in Melbourne's inner east without compromising on space or quality. A limited selection of two, three and four-bedroom residences remains available, with prices starting from $1.9 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=102717]

Kooyongkoot wins Gold and Silver at Better Future Melbourne Design Awards

New apartment supply has become increasingly constrained across <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/parramatta-nsw-2150">Parramatta</a> in recent years, with fewer projects progressing through to completion as development conditions have become more challenging.

It makes <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/novm">NOVM</a>'s 2021-completed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/the-lennox-parramatta-12-phillip-street-parramatta-nsw-2150">The Lennox</a> one of the most recently completed residential towers on the Parramatta River, and among the newest apartment developments in Sydney's second CBD.

With the project largely completed before the sharp escalation in construction costs and inflation following the pandemic, The Lennox is now offering pricing that would be difficult to replicate in a comparable new development in Parramatta today, or across much of Western Sydney.

The majority of the 413 apartments at The Lennox sold before and shortly after completion. A limited release of the remaining apartments has recently been brought to market by capital partner <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/equitifund-group">Equitifund</a>, with entry-level pricing from $700,000 and two-bedroom apartments available from under $1 million.

Rising above the Parramatta River at 12 Phillip Street, The Lennox comprises one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments, appealing to first home buyers, young professionals, families, downsizers and interstate investors seeking a completed apartment in one of Australia's fastest-growing economic centres.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=372394]

Rather than positioning Parramatta as an alternative to Sydney's CBD, Equitifund believes the city has reached a point where it stands on its own merits.

"Parramatta is no longer simply an alternative to Sydney CBD, it's becoming a destination in its own right," Equitifund Executive Chairman Greg Huxley said.

"The Lennox captures that evolution with a level of quality and amenity that's difficult to match at its price point."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=953]

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/marchese-partners">Marchese Partners</a>, the tower responds directly to its riverfront setting through expansive glazing and open-plan layouts that maximise views across the Parramatta River and city skyline. Interiors feature engineered timber flooring, stone benchtops, stainless steel appliances and floor-to-ceiling glazing, while generous balconies extend the living spaces outdoors.

Marchese Partners says the project was conceived to balance high-quality apartment living with practical, long-term functionality, pairing larger, efficient floorplans with amenities more commonly associated with five-star hotels.

That emphasis continues through the resident facilities, which include a 20-metre rooftop swimming pool, fully equipped gym and wellness spaces, full-time concierge, a residents' lounge, function room, private lifts, secure basement parking and rooftop communal areas overlooking the Parramatta River. Ground-floor boardwalk retail and dining further activate the riverfront and integrate the building into the surrounding public realm.

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Australian housing and finance group Equitifund has secured the remaining apartments, believing there are few completed apartment opportunities in Parramatta that offer the same combination of location, amenity and pricing.

Equitifund National Sales Director Ben Hamblett says buyers are increasingly recognising that premium apartment living no longer needs to come with Sydney CBD pricing.

"The Lennox is where aspirational living becomes attainable," Hamblett said.

"Wake to river and mountain views, step into Sydney's Second CBD, and arrive home to resort-calibre amenities, all without the harbour price tag."

Hamblett says owner-occupiers are also attracted by the convenience of having Westfield Parramatta, Church Street's dining precinct, Parramatta Park, Riverside Theatres, Western Sydney University and major transport connections all within walking distance.

"At The Lennox, lifestyle is not an afterthought, it is the foundation."

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The Lennox places residents within walking distance of Parramatta Square, Westfield Parramatta, Church Street Eat Street, Parramatta Station, the ferry wharf, Light Rail, the future Sydney Metro West, Parramatta Park and CommBank Stadium, reinforcing Parramatta's position as one of Australia's most connected metropolitan centres outside Sydney's CBD.

Equitifund says buyers visiting the display suite consistently comment on the quality of the finishes, generous floorplans, river and skyline views, and the walkability of the location. The project has attracted a broad mix of local professionals, upsizers, downsizers, buyers relocating from Sydney's inner suburbs and interstate investors seeking long-term growth opportunities.

That demand aligns with Parramatta's continued evolution as an economic powerhouse. Equitifund Research and Market Insights specialist John Bekiaris says sustained population growth, infrastructure investment and expanding employment opportunities continue to support long-term housing demand across the city.

"Parramatta has evolved from a satellite city into one of Australia's most important economic centres. Population growth, infrastructure investment and employment are all supporting sustained long-term housing demand."

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=5743]

The apartment price gap drawing Sydney buyers west

A luxury beachfront apartment at Rainbow Bay has more than doubled in value since it sold off the plan six years ago, setting a new local apartment record in the process.

The three-bedroom apartment in the Flow development on Petrie Street, the first of four new projects locally by Paul Gedoun's S&amp;S Projects, has sold for $7.4 million, after originally selling for $3.27 million when the project launched in 2020.

The seventh-floor apartment, comprising 187 sqm of internal living space and a 54 sqm balcony overlooking Froggies Beach and Snapper Rocks, was purchased by a local family.

The transaction was negotiated by Pezet Matheson director Kerry Pezet and equates to more than $30,000 per sqm.

Pezet said the sale reflected the limited opportunities to buy into the boutique beachfront development.

"The sale highlights the rarity of opportunities within the boutique beachfront development, where residences seldom become available," Pezet said.

"Flow is one of the Gold Coast's most tightly held buildings. Buyers from our database move quickly when residences become available, and achieving an off-market sale at $7.4 million demonstrates the depth of demand for property of this calibre."

<img alt="Flow" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c585b206-2130-4eee-a50c-3f27c51a7c70" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-06%20at%208.33.25%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=m3pHRDV62Y3fvN.XQuQHq.52ilTWpRLf" />

Flow was the first of four luxury apartment developments delivered by Paul Gedoun's S&amp;S Projects at Rainbow Bay and was completed in 2023.

Positioned on the beachfront overlooking Snapper Rocks, the residence includes three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a powder room and views stretching north along the coastline towards Surfers Paradise.

Pezet Matheson Residential principal Mitchell Lambert said buyers continued to prioritise quality beachfront apartments in tightly held locations.

"Flow Residences offers a rare combination of elevated beachfront positioning, architectural excellence, comprehensive resident amenity and premium finishes, which is exactly what discerning purchasers are seeking," Lambert said.

"The transaction further reinforces Rainbow Bay's reputation as one of Australia's premier coastal lifestyle destinations, where limited supply and growing demand continue to support strong market performance."

Pezet Matheson originally marketed and sold out Flow off the plan, making the latest transaction a return to one of the project's original buyers.

Paul Gedoun is selling his third project, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/radia-rainbow-bay-271-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Radia Rainbow Bay</a>, after recently completing, and selling out, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/esprit-217-227-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Esprit</a>. He has plans for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/first-look-s-s-projects-proposes-88-apartment-wellness-tower-at-coolangattas-boundary-street">fourth building</a>, 88 apartments on <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/209-213-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Boundary Street</a>.

Alastair Taylor

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