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Having fun yet? Saturday's federal election has delivered a result that loosely tracks what all the polling was saying right up until July 2nd and now the waiting game - similar to the election back in 2010 - begins.

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) put out a media release on Sunday stating that counting will continue once postal and absentee votes are returned to the respective electorates. This is likely to occur on Tuesday (July 5).

On the face of it, if you only pay attention to the mainstream media TV news, the changing seats in Melbourne are either due to retiring members (Chisholm) or the state-focused issue of the Country Fire Authority (CFA) has allowed the Liberals to hold on to various outer suburban seats (La Trobe, Dunkley).

In seeking to provide decisive commentary in the vacuum of uncertainty, in my view, the CFA "reason" for the Australian Labor Party (ALP) not picking more seats up in Victoria seems to be at most overblown or at least not giving the much talked about Mediscare campaign proper credit.

Another perfectly good "reason" for the ALP swing not being at the same level as the national swing could quite possibly be the commentariat glossing over the swing from the ALP and the Liberal party to the Greens in inner Melbourne.

<h2>Is enough attention being paid to inner Melbourne?</h2>

The headlines and comment have thus far broadly focused on Labor versus Liberal contests underway on the fringes of the city; not much attention has been given to the Greens and how they're extracting more and more votes after having created the beachhead at the 2010 election.

Adam Bandt solidified his position as the member for Melbourne, obtaining an increase of 1% on the preliminary two-candidate preferred results on <a href="http://vtr.aec.gov.au/HouseDivisionPage-20499-228.htm">AEC's website</a>.

As I <a href="/expert-insights/buying/federal-election-aftermath-the-changing-face-of-melbournes-federal-electoral-map">wrote in the week before the election</a>, Wills, Batman and Higgins are seeing large amounts of development - and therefore population growth - and the new population moving into these areas is seeing more and more Greens voters.

The two seats north of Melbourne - Wills and Batman - have in both cases seen the primary votes for the Greens increase.

Wills 2013 result: ALP 40,931, Liberal 20,710, Greens 20,157. Wills 2016 results (at time of writing 70% of the vote was counted): ALP 28,346, Greens: 22,373, Liberal 16,015.

Batman 2013 result: ALP 36,798, Greens 23,522, Liberal 20,017. Batman 2016 results (at time of writing, 70.5% of the vote was counted): Greens 26,377, ALP 25,794, Liberal 13,593.

In 2013, Wills had 105,498 electors and three years later there were 113,856 on the electoral roll. Likewise in Batman in 2013 there were 103,246 on the electoral roll and at the election on Saturday, 108,942 people were registered to vote.

Assuming the next parliament runs for three years and similar population growth continues - which I believe is a highly likely case based on the development pipeline numbers - the election in these seats next time around are likely to be even closer and it's even more probable that at least one of those two seats goes Green (if one doesn't fall to them at this election).

<h2>Progressive state, increasingly a three party city</h2>

Much has been made of Victora's de facto progressive capital status among the regions of Australia. We have a Premier who actively trumpets his own and the state's progressive credentials, heavily through social media which is broadly backed up in the state government's legislative agenda.

At the state level, the Greens established beachheads on both sides of the river - in the seats of Melbourne and Prahran - in the most recent election and in the state seat of Brunswick, the Greens achieved the highest amount of first preference votes yet it was only Liberal Party preferences which got the ALP candidate - Jane Garret - over the line.

This crossover from state to federal electorates points to a very real shift underway.

This shift from the two big parties to the Greens in inner Melbourne gets a little bit of airtime every now and then however from this point on, it's my view that this state-specific competition like the marginals in Western Sydney and fickle flip-flopping Queenslanders, is and will be for the foreseeable future now Victoria's federal electoral topic du jour.

The development activity translating to population growth in the seven seats that share a boundary with the seat of Melbourne at the federal level would theoretically all be in play from this point on. Clearly, the Greens are focusing on only a handful of those seven seats at a time, but it's now having a measurable impact when you look at the knife-edge that Batman is sitting on.

Urban.com.au doesn't endorse political parties because all three parties that are competitive in Melbourne have something to bring to the greater urban agenda. Yet we hope the increased three-way competition in Melbourne will have a positive impact on urban policies and one area that requires work from all three political parties at the federal level is housing.
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Alastair Taylor

Federal election aftermath: the changing face of Melbourne's (federal) electoral map

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<h2>Comment</h2>

The pig is on the spit, slowly turning, basted at regular intervals. The customary apple in the pig's mouth is looking shiny and the minions, staring at the rotating chunk of pork, are salivating. All of a sudden, due to the lack of foresight and failure to maintain the equipment, the spike falls out of the rotisserie and the pig falls on the coals.

That's how I look at the story of the cynical vote buy in Batman and the in-trouble ALP candidate's breathless <a href="http://davidfeeney.com.au/labor-to-extend-no-11-tram-route/">media release</a> stating that an ALP government would extend the route 11 tram.

The proposal would see $22 million spent on a 1-1.2km tram route extension from the current terminus at Regent Street to 'the end of Gilbert Road'. According to the media release, it is the first stage in the eventual extension to Reservoir station.

'The end of Gilbert Road' would see a tram route, which, at present, terminates at a strip shopping centre, extended to another relatively useless terminus location.

<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/darebin_how_to_pork_barrel.png" rel="gallery-all" title="'The end of Gilbert Road' would miss out on servicing RGZ in Reservoir. www.planningschemes.dpcd.vic.gov.au"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="348" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/darebin_how_to_pork_barrel.png?itok=Hf0vFVWS" title="'The end of Gilbert Road' would miss out on servicing RGZ in Reservoir. www.planningschemes.dpcd.vic.gov.au" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>'The end of Gilbert Road' would miss out on servicing RGZ in Reservoir. <a href="http://planningschemes.dpcd.vic.gov.au/schemes/darebin/maps#pso-planningSchemeMaps-grid06">www.planningschemes.dpcd.vic.gov.au</a></figcaption></figure>As seen on the map above, the end of Gilbert Road (left of map) misses out on two things: servicing the Residential Growth Zones and connecting with the station at Reservoir. The wider economic benefits of this tram extension would only be higher if the entire route to Reservoir station were built in one go, therefore incentivising the redevelopment of properties on Edwardes Street.

And yes, the Reservoir station area is one of the state government's 50 level crossings that is scheduled to be removed - and that will in all likelihood incentivise new development in the zones shown on the map - but if a political party wanted to wave the cash infront of the electorate, can we at least do the job properly, in one go?

The ALP's figure of $22 million looks set to "buy" 1-1.2km of new track, and it looks as if it would be the same distance again to run the tracks right into Reservoir (down Edwardes Street) to a tram/train interchange, and doubling their own figures to $45-50 million could possibly pass the pub test.

Yet the return on that investment - we're still in pub test mode - would be greater if the line serviced areas which will allow change in land-use and also synchronised with the level crossing removal.

This election-focused policy announcement is a micro case study which has scarce detail, a demonstrated lack of integration with local planning issues/needs and no complimentary affordable housing policy; and furthermore it paints a picture of how far off the mark the Federal Government in Canberra will be if it decides to infringe further on traditional state issue areas.

Here's hoping that by the time of the next federal election, all political parties in Victoria will have a rich transport infrastructure plan - the one Infrastructure Victoria is devising - to cherry-pick for projects for their respective platforms. At least then, the electoral pork-barrelling won't be in danger of being underdone, or burnt to a crisp.

Lead image credit: <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/Kzi4UVrst8s">Google Street View</a>
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Route 11 tram extension: pork-barrelling, underdone

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The last time the Australian Electoral Commission redistributed the electorate boundaries in Victoria was 2010. Given that the next parliament is likely to last until 2019 and inner Melbourne has had - and will continue to have - extremely strong population growth, the electoral contests that we're heading about in local and national media are likely to continue for the foreseeable future.

There are many factors which influence people's votes, including electorate-specific such as an incumbent retiring, socio-economic factors and the like; but one factor not readily discussed is the change over time in the population make-up of an electorate.

I'd argue that the increased population growth, which can be predicted through current development numbers, is not necessarily the single biggest factor in changing electoral dynamics, but one of many which has heightened the electoral contests in inner Melbourne.

With the exception of Melbourne Ports, there's been a Red versus Blue line following the course of the Yarra River at both a federal and state level: The ALP's seats were to the north and the Liberal party's seats were to the south.

The electorate of Higgins covers South Yarra, Prahran and Windsor in the west of the seat which are seeing high rates of new development (and therefore the capacity to sustain high population growth) and over time, the main opposing candidate has shifted from the ALP to what the local media are now reporting a contest between the Liberal party and the Greens.

Similarly in the north, the seats of Wills and Batman are both seeing very high rates of development and local media have widely reported that both seats are ALP versus Greens contests.

The federal electorates of Wills, Batman and Higgins are getting the most media coverage in inner Melbourne thanks to the Greens battling it out between the two major parties and they also happen to have, between them, 275 projects on the Apartments.com.au project database, representing 23% of all the projects (1200).

The following is a look at the aforementioned electorates in more detail.

<h2>Wills</h2>

Wills is a Prime-Ministerial electorate - with Bob Hawke once holding the seat - and includes suburbs such as the three Brunswicks in the south of the electorate, Coburg, Pascoe Vale and Glenroy/Fawkner. New development and population growth is heavily concentrated in the south in the Brunswicks and Coburg, closest to the central employment area.

We believe Wills - Brunswick and Coburg in general - will continue to see strong growth over the next decade. The Melbourne Metro Project, although located to the south in the electorate of Melbourne, will enhance Brunswick's appeal thanks to the tight integration of two of Brunswick's tram lines with Parkville station.

Wills is likely to remain in the "not that safe anymore" column.

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width:100%;">
<thead><tr>
<th scope="col">Aspect</th>
			<th scope="col">Total</th>
			<th scope="col">Under Construction</th>
			<th scope="col">At sales</th>
			<th scope="col">In the pipeline</th>
		</tr></thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Number of projects</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">76</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">18</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">18</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">40</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>Number of dwellings</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">6,284</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">1,752</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">1,585</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">2,947</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>Potential new electors</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">9,426</td>
			<td class="rtecenter"> </td>
			<td class="rtecenter"> </td>
			<td class="rtecenter"> </td>
		</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
* "In the pipeline" = projects either at council or approved.

** "The Brunswicks" - Brunswick West, Brunswick and Brunswick East (postcodes 3055, 3056 and 3057).

*** Potential new electors is based on an apartment having an average of 1.5 occupants living in it.

<h2>Batman</h2>

Batman sits to the east of Wills and includes suburbs such as Clifton Hill, Northcote, Thornbury, Preston, Fairfield and Reservoir. In contrast to Wills, development is not as concentrated in one section of the electorate; although, there is a definitive bias to the southern and middle sections of the electorate.

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width:100%;">
<thead><tr>
<th scope="col">Aspect</th>
			<th scope="col">Total</th>
			<th scope="col">Under Construction</th>
			<th scope="col">At Sales</th>
			<th scope="col">In the pipeline</th>
		</tr></thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Number of projects</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">57</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">20</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">10</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">27</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>Number of dwellings</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">4,533</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">1,166</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">611</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">2,756</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>Potential new electors</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">6,800</td>
			<td class="rtecenter"> </td>
			<td class="rtecenter"> </td>
			<td class="rtecenter"> </td>
		</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
* "In the pipeline" = projects either at council or approved.

** Potential new electors is based on an apartment having an average of 1.5 occupants living in it.

<h2>Higgins</h2>

Another Prime-Ministerial electorate - Harold Holt and John Gorton both held the seat during their premierships - and is viewed traditionally as a blue ribbon Liberal seat. Higgins includes suburbs like South Yarra, Toorak, Malvern, Carnegie, half of Murrumbeena (north of the Pakenham/Cranbourne rail line), Glen Iris and Ashburton.

It's an interesting seat from a development perspective: the Chapel Street spine through South Yarra, Prahran and Windsor is seeing a very high level of new development and increasingly the suburbs to the east of Chapel street are seeing the typical residential growth zone development of up to 4 levels dispersed through suburbs like Carnegie, Glen Iris and Hughesdale/Murrumbeena.

Higgins is doubly interesting because based on the following numbers, there's going to be a lot of new residents, more than likely concentrated on the Chapel Street corridor, that will ensure that Higgins will not remain as a safe Liberal seat.

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width:100%;">
<thead><tr>
<th scope="col">Aspect</th>
			<th scope="col">Total</th>
			<th scope="col">Under Construction</th>
			<th scope="col">At Sales</th>
			<th scope="col">In the pipeline</th>
		</tr></thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Number of projects</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">142</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">33</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">34</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">75</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>Number of dwellings</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">8,212</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">2,595</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">1,634</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">3,983</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>Potential new electors</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">12,318</td>
			<td> </td>
			<td> </td>
			<td> </td>
		</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
* "In the pipeline" = projects either at council or approved.

** Potential new electors is based on an apartment having an average of 1.5 occupants living in it.

*** A [very] small part of South Yarra and half of Murrumbeena's development, included in the numbers above, are located in the electorates of Melbourne and Hotham respectively.
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Inner Melbourne's federal electorates: development + population growth = contests aplenty

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John Holland has secured a $324 million contract to undertake the early works package on the <a href="http://melbournemetro.vic.gov.au/about-the-project/news/major-work-to-begin-next-year">Melbourne Metro project</a>. In a media release distributed this morning, the Premier said "Next year, the face of our City will change as we dig 11 storeys below the CBD, and pave the way for Melbourne's new Metro Tunnel and five new underground stations."

The early works contract will involve the relocation and protection of up to 100 utilities, including gas, power and telecommunications services, and the 120 year old brick main sewer line under the Domain interchange.

Moreover, the contract will also include the excavation of three shafts in the CBD: two located in the north of the city on Franklin and A'Beckett Streets and one at City Square. The shafts are required for access to allow the excavation of the station pits which will be located under Swanston Street between La Trobe and Franklin in the north and between Flinders and Collins in the south.

The shafts will be up to 35 metres in depth and involve the excavation of 34 Olympic-sized swimming pools worth of soil and rock from beneath the heart of the city.

Early works construction will kick off next year.

<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/mm-20160622-scope-of-early-works.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Overview of early works package components: www.melbournemetro.vic.gov.au"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="327" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/mm-20160622-scope-of-early-works.jpg?itok=nv6h1o4U" title="Overview of early works package components: www.melbournemetro.vic.gov.au" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Overview of early works package components: <a href="http://melbournemetro.vic.gov.au/about-the-project/news/major-work-to-begin-next-year">www.melbournemetro.vic.gov.au</a></figcaption></figure><h2>In case you missed it</h2>

New South Wales treasurer Gladys Berejiklian <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-21/nsw-treasurer-gladys-berejiklian-hands-down-2016-state-budget/7528542">delivered the state's budget yesterday</a> with very similar themes to the Victorian budget released in April: solid surplus thanks to strong property markets in both capitals and enormous rail investments.

One of the key infrastructure messages Berejiklian delivered was that the <a href="http://nwrail.transport.nsw.gov.au/">Sydney Metro North West</a> and <a href="http://sydneymetro.info/home">City and South West</a> are now fully funded through the forward estimates, just like how Tim Pallas announced that Melbourne Metro was now fully funded.

<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/sm_0040_whole_alignment_no_liverpool-01.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Overview of both major components of the new Sydney Metro: www.sydneymetro.info"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="413" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/sm_0040_whole_alignment_no_liverpool-01.jpg?itok=SXOO6M5L" title="Overview of both major components of the new Sydney Metro: www.sydneymetro.info" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Overview of both major components of the new Sydney Metro: <a href="http://sydneymetro.info/">www.sydneymetro.info</a></figcaption></figure>Regardless of who has the largest public transport project in the country, one thing is for sure: there's an extraordinarily large amount of dollars being funneled into rail projects around the country, perhaps at levels not seen in a century.

The following is a non-exhaustive list of rail projects this author could think of with the associated committed funds value (or estimated costs, where applicable).

In Victoria: the ongoing level crossing removals ($5-6 billion, mostly committed), Mernda rail extension ($600 million, funded in budget), Hurstbridge line capacity expansion ($140 million, funded in budget), Ballarat line capacity expansion works ($500 million, funded in budget), Melbourne Metro ($11 billion, funded in budget), HMCT &amp; new stabling/maintenance yards in Pakenham East ($1.3 billion, out to tender).

In New South Wales: Sydney Metro North West ($8.3 billion, funded in budget), Sydney Metro City &amp; South West ($10-11 billion estimated), Sydney Trains new rolling stock ($1 billion, funded in budget) and three new light rail lines.

In South Australia: Ongoing Adelaide rail network electrification (cost varies)

In Western Australia: Forrestfield-Airport Rail Link ($2 billion, funded).

In Queensland: Cross-river rail ($5.4 billion, business case just released), Moreton Bay Rail Link ($1.15 billion).

Have we missed anything? Let us know in the comments section.
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Early works package contract signed for Melbourne Metro and other national rail news

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<h2>Comment</h2>

One of the first orders of business for the Victorian Government, after having announced the Net Zero by 2050 pledge yesterday, is to get cracking on the eventual switch of power that supplies both the train and tram networks to renewable sources.

The Victorian Government announced it will enshrine a reduction target in legislation and further announced a series of five year interim targets with the ultimate goal of achieving the overall target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Using public transport might empower people and lead them to think they're being 'greener' than driving a car to work, to the shops or on some other trip; however the green tinge fades to brown when using a mode of public transport in Victoria that involves electric traction thanks to the majority of the electricity we consume originating from brown coal.

It's the perfect opportunity for the government to lean on public transport agencies and the two private rail network operators to match action with words. This opportunity could kick off by dangling two large-scale power purchasing agreements to the best tenderer who comes up with a solution to provide dispatchable, renewable energy to both the tram and rail networks in Melbourne.

<h3>Consider this</h3>

Last month, the powers that be in Santiago <a href="http://www.pv-magazine.com/news/details/beitrag/100-mw-ac-solar-project-to-power-the-santiago-metro_100024714/#axzz4B5HXg6J2">signed a deal with the US-domiciled, French parent company owned SunPower</a> to supply up to 100MW or 42% of the Chilean capital metro's power needs through the use of solar energy sources. A separate wind farm will provide a further 18% of the Santiago metro's energy needs.

Spain and <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-34883224">Morocco</a> are rapidly implementing solar-thermal power plants which are able to capture energy - in the form of heat - during the day, store it and then dispatch it through a heat exchanger which in turns spins a turbine and discharges electricity through the respective national grids at night. This in effect provides 24/7 renewable energy from the sun.

This is not the first time there have been calls to switch Melbourne's public transport network over to renewable sources through the use of utilising long-term power purchase agreements to stimulate private investment in renewable energy power plants.

The Australian Solar Group <a href="http://reneweconomy.com.au/2015/solar-power-proposal-for-melbourne-trams-challenges-coal-generators-42035">were in the news last year</a> stating they could build two solar farms in the sunnier corners of Victoria around Swan Hill and Mildura that would generate around 80 gigawatt hours of electricity a year, or enough to supply the tram network.

Discovering just how much power the rail networks in Melbourne consume can be a tricky ordeal with scant detail, however at the end of <a href="http://www.esv.vic.gov.au/Portals/0/legislation%20and%20regulations/Metro%20Trains%20Melbourne.pdf">this document</a> dated from 2015, Metro Melbourne state that "the Melbourne Railway System is a major customer of Electricity Distribution Businesses in Victoria. It consumes 377 MWh per annum and has a coincident maximum demand of approximately 100MW".

I suspect a typo was made with '377-megawatt hours (MWh) per annum' given the tram network reportedly consumes 80-gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity per annum, however it's the last part that is of particular interest; the heavy rail network has an approximate maximum demand of 100MW.

Presumably, the maximum demand occurs during the morning and afternoon peaks and storage would be critical if the switch to renewable were to occur, especially during the shorter-day, winter months. Regardless, should this Metro electricity consumption figure be correct, it neatly aligns with the capacity numbers of the Santiago project.

It's not pie-in-the-sky stuff anymore; purpose-built renewable power stations are being built for public transport networks.

Thankfully the Premier didn't do a Rudd and make a "greatest moral challenge of our time" speech, and while I appreciate I haven't even begun to scratch the surface of the complexity involved with making this kind of switch, in order to match actions with words, it's time to take a razor gang to town on Victoria's transport emissions, and public transport should lead the way.
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Getting started with Spring Street's Net Zero by 2050 pledge: public transport

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If you’d like to know more, get in touch today for a turn-key <a href="https://www.energyaustralia.com.au/embedded-networks">embedded network</a> energy solution by calling 1300 345 863.
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EnergyAustralia enters embedded network market

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The Victorian Government has released a new <a href="http://economicdevelopment.vic.gov.au/transport/rail-and-roads/public-transport/regional-network-development-plan">regional public transport network development plan</a> and key amongst its aims is to eventually have V/Line services on the Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat, Seymour and Traralgon lines run at 20 minute peak and 40 off-peak frequencies.

On top of the commuter-focused service increases over the plans various timeframes (short-term: within 5 years, medium-term: 5-10 years and long-term: 10+ years), many of towns and cities beyond the major regional hubs are likely to see service increases as well.

These extra regional services beyond the major regional hubs include running five services, five days a week to Warrnambool, Bairnsdale, Albury-Wodonga, Echuca, Swan Hill and Shepparton.

The plan lists strategic network wide priorities like upgrading station facilities, balancing passenger and freight needs on the rail network, better (real-time) passenger information, accessibility improvements, putting the passenger first, encouraging active transport in the regions and supporting tourism.

This year's state budget included a half billion dollar investment in the Ballarat line which at the fundamental level will include track duplication to Melton and include more passing loops on the single track sections between Melton and Ballarat in order for more punctual services to run. And according to the plan we're likely to see more of it.

<h2>Comment</h2>

<h3>On rail infrastructure</h3>

This year's budget sees the Ballarat line receive a capacity upgrade - more two-track sections to run more reliable and punctual services - however one of the legacies of the Regional Fast Rail project on the Bendigo line doesn't to be getting a look in at this point.

In short, the Bendigo line when it was "upgraded" had its original two tracks reduced to a single in sections between Kyneton and Bendigo and only one of the two tracks between Sunbury and Kyneton was upgraded to enable trains to run at 160kph in both directions.

The result is an inconsistent level of service - depending on the time of travel, some trains run faster on the "fast" track, others run slower - and as the network development plan aims to increase Bendigo line services, the risk of further performance degradation will increase.

The same occurred on the La Trobe Valley line. In some sections where there is two tracks, only one was upgraded to allow for the higher speeds.

The medium to long term plan should place an emphasis on ensuring that the four trunk routes that were upgraded last decade become fully-fledged two track <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Higher-speed_rail">"higher-speed railways"</a>.

<h3>On tourism and services</h3>

No-one doubts V/Line's primary mission of providing public transport to regional Victoria, however from an instra-state tourism perspective, is the rail operator doing enough?

Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong all have walkable, robust city centres with infrastructure in place to support increased numbers of city-break weekend trips; and each has their own tourism drawcards.

V/Line should be supporting increased regional city tourism by introducing Friday night and weekend flagship express services which reduce the time it takes to get to and from all three cities.

These long trains which express from Southern Cross to Ballarat, Geelong and Bendigo (with a stop in Castlemaine) can then be split in two with services then heading out to Ararat and Maryborough from Ballarat, Echuca and Swan Hill from Bendigo and to Warrnambool from Geelong.

The existing Bendigo line timetable serves as an example of how unfriendly the flagship express services are to both commuters and tourists: it departs Southern Cross at 4:58pm. That train is the fastest journey to Bendigo from Melbourne taking 92 minutes (even when the original promise of the Regional Fast Rail project was 80 minutes).

As new trains come online, and track infrastructure is expanded, there should be more express services during the week, but most importantly on the weekends with departures from Southern Cross around 6pm on Friday nights, 9am and 3pm on Saturdays and Sundays with return journeys departing 11am and 4pm on both days of the weekend from each of the three cities as well.

<h3>On the next generation of trains: is it time to tilt?</h3>

Tilting-technology allows trains to travel curves at higher speeds and despite the efforts of the Regional Fast Rail project upgrades, there are still many curves in regional Victoria which require trains to slow down.

If the next generation regional trains are built with tilting technology this will enable the existing lines to have more speed squeezed out of them: decreasing journey times and increasing capacity.

A process to identify sections of upgraded track which can support higher than 160kph speeds should also be undertaken in order to ascertain if the next generation trains should be built to cater for higher in-service speeds, especially if the trains also implement tilting technology.

<h3>What about new higher-speed track sections?</h3>

The regional network development plan makes three mentions of new upgraded 160kph track sections: to Seymour, on the Gippsland line and the Bendigo line. But should that be all?

Echuca, Swan Hill, Maryborough, Ararat, Warrnambool and Shepparton beyond Seymour all have varying levels of achievable speed. Should these lines not be on a long-term list of upgrades?

Seymour (and potentially Shepparton) is a logical first priority given it is the only regional line leading to Melbourne without upgraded track and services.

Lead image credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/normanbear/2954191554/in/photostream/">Flickr</a>
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Regional Network Development Plan: analysis & comment

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The vision for Australia's largest urban renewal project, Fishermans Bend, is one step closer to being formalised with the release of a paper to be used for community consultation.

In the latest public release of information on the project which is likely to be under construction all the way through to the mid-point of this century, the vision for the individual neighbourhood precincts is clearer.

Overall, the headline figures are roughly the same: the residential population of 80,000 by 2050 remains intact however the number of jobs projected to be in the precinct has been bumped up to 60,000.

In a sign of the times, Fishermans Bend now has its own (soon-to-be-official, no doubt) Twitter account run by government communications representatives: <a href="https://twitter.com/fishermans_bend">@Fishermans_Bend</a>

All the familiar names are still there: Montague, Sandridge, Lorimer, Wirraway and thanks to the enlargement of the entire urban renewal area not long after the Andrews Government came to power, the 'new employment precinct'.

Quoting from a media release distributed on Friday afternoon, the employment precinct - depicted in the lead image - "will be designed to attract international investment and will become a destination for emerging technologies, specialised labs and education spaces".

Montague will have "taller buildings, taking advantage of transport links, with laneways and renovated older buildings. Buckhurst street will be tree-lined and will become a retail and dining destination"

<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/fbt_-_vision_-_montague_-_colour_drawing.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Sketch of Montague. Image © DELWP"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="410" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/fbt_-_vision_-_montague_-_colour_drawing.jpg?itok=rjYeeCwa" title="Sketch of Montague. Image © DELWP" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Sketch of Montague. Image © DELWP</figcaption></figure>Lorimer precinct "will have lower-scale development and be home to small businesses, with social infrastructure such as childcare centres and libraries, and will connect Fishermans Bend to the city with walking and cycling trails and public transport".

<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/fbt_-_vision_-_lorimer-_colour_drawing.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Sketch of Lorimer. Image © DELWP"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="410" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/fbt_-_vision_-_lorimer-_colour_drawing.jpg?itok=vVBSHsN0" title="Sketch of Lorimer. Image © DELWP" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Sketch of Lorimer. Image © DELWP</figcaption></figure>Sandridge "will have lots of open space and a mix of residential development, office space and commercial uses"

<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/fbt_-_vision_-_sandridge_-_colour_drawing_-_processed.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Sketch of Sandridge. Image © DELWP"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="410" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/fbt_-_vision_-_sandridge_-_colour_drawing_-_processed.jpg?itok=PZwlgnmo" title="Sketch of Sandridge. Image © DELWP" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Sketch of Sandridge. Image © DELWP</figcaption></figure>Wirraway "will be designed for families, with leafy streets and a range of housing types, with good access to the bay and Westgate park".

<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/fbt_-_vision_-_wirraway_-_colour_drawing.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Sketch of Wirraway. Image © DELWP"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="410" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/fbt_-_vision_-_wirraway_-_colour_drawing.jpg?itok=0vfJCXvz" title="Sketch of Wirraway. Image © DELWP" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Sketch of Wirraway. Image © DELWP</figcaption></figure>A more detailed vision for each neighbourhood precinct is contained within the "vision recast" document on the <a href="http://fishermansbend.vic.gov.au">fishermansbend.vic.gov.au</a> website. Feedback submissions close on the 1st of July.
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Fishermans Bend vision becoming clearer: consultation now open

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When K2LD Architects were commissioned to design a new school in Bendigo they turned to the students for inspiration.  Armed with crayons, it wasn't long before the limitations of architecture and design were being tested with notions of space ships, floating desks and lickable wallpaper.

After a great deal of sketching, the children collectively decided that it was only fitting their new school, which is located on Maple Street in the Bendigo suburb of Golden Square, took inspiration from a tree house.

Golden Square Primary Principal Barry Goode says that "children are particularly sensitive to change, so we felt involving them in the process from the beginning would ease the transition and foster a sense of ownership over their new school". The new Golden Square Primary School is the result of merging to campuses on to a single site.

<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/golden_square_primary_094.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Golden Square Primary School in Bendigo - image supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/golden_square_primary_094.jpg?itok=ZMJ_uORu" title="Golden Square Primary School in Bendigo - image supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Golden Square Primary School in Bendigo - image supplied</figcaption></figure>The school consists of a central administration and specialist building which houses reception, office, art, library and staff facilities and is flanked by two double storey buildings in which a total of four classroom precincts are contained.  

The four classroom precincts are arranged around a central collaborative space with further staff resource and meeting rooms in each.

Owing to the size of the site, in order to merge the two campuses, a second storey had to be added to create more capacity.

K2LD Principal Tisha Lee said "the added height feeds into our tree house concept, allowing us to get creative with 'trunk' and 'canopy' inspired levels, whilst the withdrawal spaces offered an opportunity to create play 'cubby' spaces".

<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/golden_square_primary_061.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Golden Square Primary School in Bendigo - image supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/golden_square_primary_061.jpg?itok=JMDoVMR7" title="Golden Square Primary School in Bendigo - image supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Golden Square Primary School in Bendigo - image supplied</figcaption></figure>K2LD is gaining a greater presence on the Apartments.com.au Project Database yet in an interview with Apartments.com.au, Tisha Lee said that around 40% of K2LD's portfolio is made up of public school projects and that K2LD doesn't lock its staff into any type of project - they're exposed to all facets of work the firm takes on.

"It helps us feel real and allows us to engage with the community on a more personal level, the public sector work allows the staff to transpose aspects of the community into the private sector work" says Lee.

K2LD currently have <a href="/architects/k2ld-architects">four projects</a> on the Apartments.com.au database, one of which - 399 Little Lonsdale Street -  will be a hotel with Accor Group brands operating in the property, with onsite demolition for the tower recently completed.

<h2>Where is design headed for public schools?</h2>

No-one would argue that a school's primary purpose is to educate children, however Tisha Lee expects that in the many new schools that are to be built, as foreshadowed in the recent state budget, we will see increasingly diverse spaces added to them to cater for greater community needs, both inside and outside of normal school hours.

Outside of school hours, the new schools that are built may be used for adult education and learning, the performing arts, language education and perhaps even religious uses.

During the day, new schools may include spaces for stay-at-home parents who are looking to network with others; in a sense the design of new schools may witness a greater merging of the humble public school and community centres that are traditionally separate in middle suburbia.

This trend makes sense for new schools which have been mooted for medium and high-density areas of the city given that land is scarce and more expensive - Fishermans Bend, Arden-Macaulay and E-Gate would benefit from this school and greater community facility treatment.
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Children at the heart of the school design process

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This morning the Victorian Government released the environmental effects statement (EES) for the Melbourne Metro Rail project and the release of the document suite now provides a clearer picture on how we'll all access the stations once the project is complete.

The full <a href="http://melbournemetro.vic.gov.au/ees/documents">document suite</a> has a map book which provides the most relevant information on station entrances yet. And it makes for interesting reading (or should that be viewing?).

The map book details expected areas that will be excavated; outlines station footprints as well as depicting the location of proposed surface buildings such as ventilation infrastructure and station entrances.

Here's a summary from west to east along the path of the Melbourne Metro Rail tunnel; green depicts ventilation infrastructure, red outlines the station footprint and blue patches delineate station entrance buildings.

<a href="http://melbournemetro.vic.gov.au/locations/arden">Arden Station</a> is proposed to have a single station entry at the station's western end fronting Laurens Street with provisions made for two future station entries to the north and south.

<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_0.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Arden Station. Image from Melbourne Metro EES Map Book"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="384" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/arden_0.png?itok=9NnA98Tn" title="Arden Station. Image from Melbourne Metro EES Map Book" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Arden Station. Image from Melbourne Metro EES Map Book</figcaption></figure><a href="http://melbournemetro.vic.gov.au/locations/parkville">Parkville Station</a> is proposed to have multiple station entrances from the outset: opposite Barry Street on Grattan Street and on the north-eastern and south-western corners of the Royal Parade and Grattan Street intersection.

<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/parkville_0.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Parkville Station. Image from Melbourne Metro EES Map Book"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="335" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/parkville_0.png?itok=KG2ThyTj" title="Parkville Station. Image from Melbourne Metro EES Map Book" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Parkville Station. Image from Melbourne Metro EES Map Book</figcaption></figure><a href="http://melbournemetro.vic.gov.au/locations/cbd-north">CBD North</a> or better known as Melbourne Central Station is proposed to have two surface level buildings as station entrances: one in Franklin Street and one on the corner of La Trobe and Swanston Street.

<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/mc.png" rel="gallery-all" title="CBD North (Melbourne Central) Station. Image from Melbourne Metro EES Map Book"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="327" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/mc.png?itok=y496yo00" title="CBD North (Melbourne Central) Station. Image from Melbourne Metro EES Map Book" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>CBD North (Melbourne Central) Station. Image from Melbourne Metro EES Map Book</figcaption></figure><a href="http://melbournemetro.vic.gov.au/locations/cbd-south">CBD South</a> (Flinders Street) looks set to have the most surface buildings acting as station entrances across the project - Federation Square, Collins Street, Flinders Lane and a very large entrance building between Young &amp; Jackson and the Nicholas Building on Swanston Street.

<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/flinders.png" rel="gallery-all" title="CBD South (Flinders Street) Station. Image from Melbourne Metro EES Map Book"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="356" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/flinders.png?itok=fLDX8BqS" title="CBD South (Flinders Street) Station. Image from Melbourne Metro EES Map Book" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>CBD South (Flinders Street) Station. Image from Melbourne Metro EES Map Book</figcaption></figure><a href="http://melbournemetro.vic.gov.au/locations/domain">​Domain Station</a> is proposed to have three station entrances: one each on the eastern and western sides of St Kilda Road and one for a new, rebuilt domain tram stop, which itself is proposed to move south of where it currently lies.

<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/domain_0.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Domain Station. Image from Melbourne Metro EES Map Book"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="413" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/domain_0.png?itok=HMw3CdAo" title="Domain Station. Image from Melbourne Metro EES Map Book" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Domain Station. Image from Melbourne Metro EES Map Book</figcaption></figure>The environmental effects statement (EES) is on public display until the 6th of July and submissions can be made through the <a href="http://www.dtpli.vic.gov.au/planning/panels-and-committees/current-panels-and-committees/melbourne-metropolitan-rail-inquiry">DELWP website</a>.

At time of publishing, the only other renders of the stations available are contained within a video the Premier sent through his facebook and twitter feeds, see below.

<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="444" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FDanielAndrewsMP%2Fvideos%2F1084932754904593%2F&amp;show_text=1&amp;width=560" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" width="100%"></iframe>
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Melbourne Metro EES released; more information on station proposals

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/broadbeach-qld-4218">Broadbeach</a> offers plenty of reasons to live vertically, but moving from a substantial family home into an apartment can expose the compromises of high-density living. Privacy, room for guests and usable living space tend to matter more when an apartment is intended as a permanent home rather than an occasional coastal base.

A typical residential floor at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-eveleigh-broadbeach-7-9-surf-parade-broadbeach-qld-4218">The Eveleigh</a>, on Surf Parade,&nbsp;contains just four apartments. The 94-residence development by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hirsch-faigen">Hirsch &amp; Faigen</a> is predominantly made up of expansive three-bedroom homes, with a limited collection of half-floor penthouses above.

Across the apartment floors, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> has used the relatively limited number of residences to give each home greater access to natural light and outlook. Living spaces extend towards full-height glazing, while a series of bay windows frame selected views across the Pacific Ocean, city and hinterland rather than treating the building edge as a continuous wall of glass.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360965]

“The apartment floors deliver a collection of homes that embrace controlled outlook via a series of bay windows deliberately framing moments of view,” Rothelowman Director Kim Lowman said.

From outside, those projecting forms contribute to the tower’s faceted profile. Strong horizontal and vertical elements establish its proportions, while the changing position of the sun alters the light, shadow and reflection across the façade throughout the day.

The same attention moves inside the apartments, where the material palette combines warm timber, natural stone, metallic detailing and softer curved forms. Kitchens sit within the main living zone, with stone island benches, integrated joinery and European appliances, before the living areas extend towards the glazing and the outlook.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360981]

Three genuine bedrooms provide room to accommodate family and guests, while two secure car spaces and storage address some of the practical considerations that can become more noticeable when moving from a larger home. Feedback from the display suite has centred on the warmth and restraint of the interiors, with buyers commenting that the residences feel like homes rather than conventional coastal apartments.

A limited collection of half-floor penthouses occupies the upper levels, increasing the scale of the living spaces and adding private balconies and elevated finishes. From this position, the outlook extends between the ocean and hinterland.

Outside the private residences, The Eveleigh separates its shared spaces between the podium and rooftop. The podium is centred on wellness, with subtropical landscaping surrounding a swimming pool and pool terrace, yoga garden, private gymnasium, sauna and hot and cold plunge facilities. Landscaped retreats and pavilions provide additional places to sit away from the main recreation areas.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360966]

Higher in the building, a rooftop pavilion and private dining suite sit alongside resident lounge, barbecue and outdoor dining areas, opening towards panoramic views across the ocean, city and hinterland.

“Buyers are no longer just looking for an apartment, but a lifestyle where they can relax, reset, and enjoy a balanced way of living,” Hirsch &amp; Faigen Director of Sales Matt George said.

Interest to date has come from established owner-occupiers and interstate lifestyle purchasers, including buyers planning a future move to the Gold Coast. Many are coming from larger homes and want to reduce ongoing maintenance without giving up space for family and guests, privacy, two car spaces or the ability to entertain at home.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360969]

Much of that daily life can also take place beyond the building without requiring a drive. Kurrawa Beach and Pratten Park are an easy walk from Surf Parade, while Pacific Fair, Oracle Boulevard, The Oasis, restaurants, cafés, entertainment and public transport are also within walking distance.

The Eveleigh is Hirsch &amp; Faigen's fourth Gold Coast development since entering the market in 2021, following The Hemingway at Palm Beach, The Emerson at Kirra and Yves at Mermaid Beach. Each of the preceding projects sold out before completion.

“Broadbeach had been on our radar throughout our time operating on the Gold Coast,” the developer said. “Following our projects in Palm Beach, Kirra and Mermaid Beach, Broadbeach represented the natural next step for the business.”

The Surf Parade site brought together proximity to the beach, protected coastal outlooks and walkability to dining, shopping and recreation. Hirsch &amp; Faigen also identified the street as an emerging premium residential address, with enough separation from Broadbeach's busier destinations to retain a quieter environment at home.

The Eveleigh is now under construction by Maxcon, with completion forecast for mid-2028. Three-bedroom residences are currently available from $2.87 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=149670]

Joel Robinson

The Eveleigh brings house-like apartments to Broadbeach

A long-stalled Campbelltown development site is back in play, with new plans for 139 apartments set to supersede a mixed-use scheme approved almost a decade ago but never built.

The new proposal for 28 Cordeaux Street would deliver 116 market and 23 affordable apartments in a part 14-storey building, bringing a substantial new project into a Campbelltown market where new apartment supply remains limited.

Plans have been filed over the 3,092 sqm corner site at Moore-Oxley Street, around 600 metres from Campbelltown Railway Station and the city-centre retail core.

The site already carries a mixed-use residential approval dating to 2016. Doroch Architects has now been engaged on a larger replacement scheme, which is progressing as a State Significant Development Application following a Housing Delivery Authority determination in August 2025.

The apartment mix comprises 39 one-bedroom, 72 two-bedroom and 28 three-bedroom residences. Two-bedroom apartments make up just over half of the project, while three-bedroom homes account for 20 per cent.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="136dd5b9-3791-4da6-9e31-76f533f5b4de" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da2.png?VersionId=LgOSy9nwf5u.MGswBBwaGGxuX8QpHSl_" />

Of the 139 apartments, 23 will be delivered as affordable housing under the in-fill affordable housing provisions of the Housing SEPP. The affordable component represents 15 per cent of the residential gross floor area and will be managed by a registered Community Housing Provider.

Doroch has sought to break the scale of the building into two distinct elements, with a masonry podium of around four storeys establishing the street edge before the residential tower steps back above.

The corner position has shaped that approach. Cordeaux Street faces toward the commercial and civic centre, while Moore-Oxley Street leads into the lower-scale residential neighbourhood to the south, and the design verification report describes the site as "bridging the commercial core to the north and established residential areas to the south."

The podium will be expressed predominantly in face brick, while the upper levels shift to brushed and grooved concrete cladding with darker metal detailing. Recessed sections, deep balcony edges and landscaping break down the upper form, with an approximately 11.8-metre setback to the northern boundary addressing the adjoining St Peters Anglican School.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c8b3d2d3-c561-4bfc-a5d9-a68c0c10dac1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da1.png?VersionId=AeAEyJU02Gk2k5noUj2StziCvdQ7fW4B" />

Campbelltown has been starved of new residential developments in the last decade.

The only other notable development set to come to market this year is ALAND's Queen Square, a mixed-use precinct on over two hectares that will comprise apartments above a vibrant ground-level retail and hospitality dining precinct.

First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site

First Look: Sherlock Construction pitches apartments for low-rise Deception Bay

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.

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.

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[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152737]

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Alastair Taylor

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