<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/draycon">Draycon Building</a> is nearing completion of Boutique Chevron Island, a 42-apartment development on the northern end of Chevron Island at 17–19 Parneno Street, with a limited-time offer of fully furnished apartments available.

Now more than 90 per cent complete, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/boutique-chevron-island-17-19-parneno-chevron-island-qld-4217">Boutique</a> has been shaped by one of the Gold Coast’s most tightly held island addresses, where riverfront outlooks and walkable access to Surfers Paradise converge.

For Draycon Building Managing Director Howard Dabit, the appeal of the site was immediate.

“I knew it was a good site as soon as I saw it,” Dabit said.

“The position and location on the north end of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/chevron-island-qld-4217">Chevron Island</a>, the way the river swirls around the site basically from the north to the east, it feels like the site is surrounded by the water. The height that we’ve got and the aspect looking north is beautiful. Eighty per cent of the apartments are looking north so they get that drenching sunlight coming in.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=89709 project_image_fid=360922]

That northern orientation places the development within a stretch of Chevron Island defined by open river aspects and skyline views, while remaining embedded in the suburb’s established village setting.

Chevron Island has increasingly drawn owner-occupiers seeking centrality without the intensity of high-rise beachfront living. Positioned at the geographical centre of the Gold Coast, the island offers direct access to both the beach and key cultural infrastructure while retaining a neighbourhood-scale character.

Connected by bridge to Surfers Paradise, Chevron Island offers walkable access to beaches, riverfront parklands and a revitalised foreshore boulevard animated by walkers and cyclists throughout the day. The Pacific Ocean is only minutes away, reinforcing the suburb’s dual river-and-surf identity.

At the same time, Thomas Drive forms the spine of the island’s village life, delivering cafés, wine bars, casual dining and everyday services within easy reach. Independent grocers, wellness operators and neighbourhood retailers contribute to a community atmosphere that remains distinct from the vertical scale of the beachfront.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=89709 project_image_fid=360915]

In the opposite direction, the Green Bridge links directly to HOTA – Home of the Arts – placing galleries, performance venues and parklands within walking distance. Weekly markets and major exhibitions draw visitors from across the region, while residents return to a quieter residential pocket at day’s end.

Public transport, including nearby bus routes and the G:link light rail corridor along the coastal spine, strengthens connectivity north and south. Griffith University, the Gold Coast University Hospital precinct and established private schools such as The Southport School are all within a short drive.

Ongoing investment across Surfers Paradise, HOTA and the broader Southport corridor has elevated amenity while preserving Chevron Island’s comparatively low-rise residential character. It is this balance, walkable village atmosphere paired with metropolitan-scale infrastructure, that continues to differentiate the suburb from higher-density beachfront precincts.

Boutique comprises just 42 residences, designed to maximise river and skyline outlooks within this tightly held island setting.

Boutique Chevron Island is slated for completion in April 2026, with prices starting from $1,220,000.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=89709]

Joel Robinson

Draycon Building’s Boutique Chevron Island places 42 residences at the heart of the Gold Coast

Sydney developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/deicorp">Deicorp</a> has secured planning approval for a $300 million residential development in Lindfield, marking the company’s second project on Sydney’s North Shore and its first on the Upper North Shore.

Located on Beaconsfield Parade and designed by DKO Architecture, the state significant development comprises three buildings of up to 10 storeys and will include 399 residences, including 59 affordable homes and 40 adaptable homes.

Residences will range in size from one, two and three bedrooms, with two-bedroom apartments accounting for over 60 per cent of the product make-up. Residents will have access to a broad suite of amenities, including a wellness area, indoor and outdoor recreational spaces, a pool, a gym, a community room and a golf simulator.

In line with Deicorp’s long-standing focus on creating transit-oriented communities, the project is located just 260 metres from the Lindfield Train Station, reinforcing its role in delivering well-connected housing close to established infrastructure, retail and local services.

The inclusion of affordable and adaptable housing supports greater diversity within the local market, while the mix of apartment types responds to demand from downsizers, young professionals and families seeking access to the Upper North Shore.

Deicorp Founder Fouad Deiri OAM said the approval represents an important milestone for both the company and the suburb

“This approval allows us to deliver well-designed homes in a location that is already supported by strong transport and community infrastructure," Deiri said.

"Our focus is on creating places that integrate into their surroundings and provide long-term value for residents, and the broader Lindfield community. Being within walking distance of the station ensures this project supports sustainable growth in the right locations."

Across its portfolio, Deicorp currently has 4,703 apartments under construction, playing a leading role in shaping connected, liveable communities across Sydney.

Its expanding portfolio of Metro-linked developments includes Tallawong Village, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kings-bay-village-five-dock-53-75-queens-road-five-dock-nsw-2046">Kings Bay Village</a> in Five Dock, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/hyde-metropolitan-sydney-133-141-liverpool-street-sydney-nsw-2000">Hyde Metropolitan</a> in Sydney CBD, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/falcon-alexander-crows-nest-8-alexander-street-crows-nest-nsw-2065">Falcon &amp; Alexander</a> in Crows Nest and Showground Village, Castle Hill.

Deicorp purchased the Beaconsfield Paradise site last year. Construction is scheduled to commence in Q2 of 2026 and will be completed in 2029.

Deicorp expands portfolio to nearly 5,000 apartments with Lindfield project

In a joint venture with The Trump Organization, Australia developer Altus Property Group has announced plans to bring a Trump International Hotel &amp; Tower to the Gold Coast, marking the first Trump-branded project in Australia.

&nbsp;

"Trump International Hotel &amp; Tower, Gold Coast is our first official project in Australia and reflects our unwavering commitment to delivering world-class luxury experiences in iconic locations around the world," Eric Trump, Executive Vice President of The Trump Organization, said.

"This development exemplifies the Trump brand’s dedication to quality, sophistication, and unmatched service, and we are thrilled to bring this vision to the vibrant Gold Coast community."

The 91-storey building, which will become the tallest in Australia at 335 metres, will feature a&nbsp;285-room luxury hotel bearing the trademark Trump logo. It will also include 272 luxury residential apartments, a three-level podium with an exclusive Beach Club, and over 3,400 sqm of premium commercial, retail, and dining space, revitalizing the central Surfers Paradise precinct.

“Trump International Hotel &amp; Tower, Gold Coast will be a truly unique offering in the Australian market, bringing the prestige and allure of a world-class luxury brand,"&nbsp;Altus founder and chief executive David Young said.

"Altus Property Group is proud of its track record in delivering landmark developments across Australia, and our expertise ensures this project will be an outstanding success."

Trump Hotel heads for the Gold Coast to become Australia's tallest building

More than a century after the Corrimal Coke Works first opened in 1912, the industrial landmark that helped shape the suburb is being reinterpreted as a walkable residential neighbourhood, with Stage One of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-works-stage-one-27-railway-street-corrimal-nsw-2518">The Works</a> now underway at 27 Railway Street.

For 102 years, the site was central to <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/corrimal-nsw-2518">Corrimal</a>’s economic and social identity before operations ceased in 2014. Rather than erasing that legacy, developer Legacy Property has embedded it into the masterplan, retaining and reinterpreting elements such as the iconic 1912 brick chimney and sections of the original C1 Coke Oven Battery, alongside the adaptive reuse of the former powerhouse building.

Stage One will introduce 181 apartments across low-rise buildings, offering predominantly two and three-bedroom residences with completion targeted for mid-2027. The scale and configuration reflect a deliberate focus on owner-occupiers, targeting those seeking a lower-maintenance home in a prime location within the northern suburbs of Wollongong.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=143415 project_image_fid=359833]

Apartments have been designed to maximise natural light and cross-ventilation, with floor-to-ceiling glazing extending living areas onto generous balconies. Engineered timber flooring, induction cooktops and 900mm ovens in larger residences support everyday functionality, while two interior palettes allow buyers to tailor finishes to their preferences. The material selection draws on a restrained coastal language, intended to connect homes to their surroundings rather than compete with them.

The Works forms part of a broader 18-hectare masterplan that will ultimately deliver around 550 dwellings, new parks, and a heritage precinct celebrating the site’s past. More than seven hectares are dedicated to open space, including Southern Park and a Village Green with community gardens and recreation areas. The creek corridor is being rehabilitated with 150,000 native plantings, restoring biodiversity to the site and softening landscape.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=143415 project_image_fid=359841]

Positioned adjacent to Corrimal Station and within walking distance of Corrimal Town Centre, the precinct places daily essentials, rail connections and local retail within easy reach. Wollongong CBD, including the hospital, university and entertainment venues, sits approximately 6.5 kilometres to the south.

For buyers more familiar with North Wollongong, Corrimal offers a different proposition: a well-established coastal suburb framed by beaches to the east and the escarpment to the west, with a strong sense of local identity shaped in part by the former Coke Works. The Works seeks to reinforce that identity by creating a connected, walkable neighbourhood between coast and escarpment, rather than a standalone apartment complex.

Sustainability underpins the development approach. The Works is targeting Wollongong’s first 5-Star Green Star-rated community, with water-sensitive urban design, recycled materials and energy-efficient buildings integrated across the masterplan. For residents, these measures provide not only environmental benefits but also reduced operational costs and future resilience.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=143415 project_image_fid=359842]

With construction commenced and display materials available to view, prospective buyers can now engage more directly with the project’s vision, reviewing floorplans, material selections and the broader masterplan in detail. For many local homeowners weighing a move, the opportunity to experience how heritage, landscape and contemporary design intersect may help bridge the gap between familiarity and the next chapter.

As Stage One progresses toward its mid-2027 completion, The Works represents a significant chapter in Corrimal’s evolution, transforming a site that once powered local industry into a walkable residential precinct designed for its next generation of residents.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=143415]

Legacy Property’s The Works reimagines Corrimal’s century-old Coke Works

When it comes to developing in Melb​ourne's Bayside region, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/lowe-living">Lowe Living</a> knows exactly what buyers want.

With a longstanding presence in the area and a string of sell-out projects, Lowe Living consistently delivers developments that are as sought-after as their predecessors.

Their latest instalment is in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/hampton-vic-3188">Hampton</a><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/hampton-east-vic-3188">&nbsp;East,</a> the same postcode where they have previously delivered Hampton Hill and Oceano. The developer-builder recently commenced construction on its newest project,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/marella-hampton-31-35-alicia-street-hampton-east-vic-3188">Marella</a>, a collection of 32 apartments just five minutes from the beach.

Site acquisition is paramount to success. Lowe Living rarely brings a building to market that isn’t within walking distance of essential amenities, whether it be the beach, a prominent retail strip, or a train station. Marella is no exception, located at its Alicia Street address, less than a kilometre from the retail heart of Hampton Street and Hampton Station.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146197 project_image_fid=358495]

Equally important to Lowe Living is the architecture.

For Marella, they appointed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cera-stribley-architects">Cera Stribley</a>, who explains that the architectural vision was to create a contemporary reinterpretation of the Californian bungalow, a style that’s iconic to Hampton’s heritage.

"By borrowing, abstracting, and reinterpreting elements of this quintessential style, such as strong datum lines, articulated columns, exposed structures, and roof tiles, our design strikes a balance between modernity and familiarity," says Cera Stribley.

"This approach ensures that the development is not only visually appealing but also contextually sensitive, resonating with Hampton's existing architectural landscape."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146197 project_image_fid=358499]

The building features terracotta brick, soft cream masonry, and exposed metal detailing, giving it a tactile presence that is intended to weather gently over time.

Internally, the focus on lasting quality continues, with two and three-bedroom residences anchored by sculptural stone kitchen islands, natural light, and clearly defined transitions between living, dining, and outdoor spaces.

The layouts have been carefully designed. Open-plan zones extend to private balconies, with light-filled interiors and generous kitchen proportions, supported by Miele wall ovens, induction cooktops, and integrated fridge-freezers. These are not small apartments rebranded as luxury; they have been designed at scale, with ample storage, hotel-style entry access, and secure basement parking provided as standard.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146197 project_image_fid=358492]

At the uppermost level, Marella’s Signature Collection penthouses offer city or bay views, large entertaining terraces (some with outdoor spas), and elevated finishes, including fully wrapped stone kitchen benches and a Liebherr wine fridge.

Flexible room arrangements allow for a fourth bedroom or secondary living space, sought-after by both empty nesters who want the space when family visits and families with older children.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146197 project_image_fid=358498]

A residents’ lounge on the ground floor reinforces the project’s small-community feel. With a fireplace, private dining area, and adjoining terrace, it’s one of several shared spaces that balance amenity with privacy and scale.

Construction has commenced, with completion expected in early 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=146197]

Lowe Living continues Bayside legacy as Marella rises in Hampton

Urban Growth

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<h2>Australian tech matters</h2>

Tech and innovation represents so much more than internet search engines, live streaming, and handheld electronic devices, spanning widely across manufacturing, energy, resources, agriculture, and much more besides.

For decades Australia has lagged far behind the U.S. and elsewhere in terms of its risk-taking, technological innovation, and entrepreneurship, but it’s crucial that Aussies now look to seize the initiative to move forward with confidence.

The sheer scale of the opportunities lying ahead in the sector shouldn’t be underestimated.

With tech employment growth comfortably outpacing that of the wider economy the number of technology workers in Australia looks set to increase from around 750,000 to more than 1 million by 2027, while the contribution to the Aussie economy has the potential to grow from a pre-COVID $122 billion (about 6½% of GDP) to more than $200 billion over the course of this critical decade.

<h2>Strawberry Hills, forever…</h2>

While tech centres could theoretically be located anywhere (I co-founded a PropTech startup wherefrom all three of the founders are now based at Gold Coast, for example), Sydney is forging ahead to become the beating heart of tech and innovation in Australia.

Although Google has taken up substantial commercial space at Pyrmont – and adjacent Ultimo also serves as a home for budding tech entrepreneurs – lately Surry Hills has become the base of many key players, from Blackbird Ventures and Startmate, to tech unicorns Canva and SafetyCulture, as well as Dovetail and numerous others.

There are more than 160,000 STEM graduates in New South Wales, and being a location both attractive to new migrant talent and in close proximity to several of Australia’s eminent Universities, Sydney’s Strawberry Hills district will continue to be a strong drawcard.

The NSW government’s announcement of the $2.5 billion ‘Tech Central’ in the Central Precinct at the southern end of Sydney’s CBD has effectively cemented the trend, at a stroke aiming to add 250,000 square metres of net lettable floor space and an estimated 25,000 tech, STEM, and innovation jobs, including across a hundred new scaleup companies.

Sydney’s tech giant Atlassian has been announced as an anchor tenant and will be headquartered at an environmentally friendly giant timber tower to be constructed at a Railway Square site, creating sustainable space for up to 4,000 employees.

<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/atlassian.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="World’s tallest hybrid timber tower design (Atlassian)"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="322" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/atlassian.jpg?itok=RcjMXULi" title="World’s tallest hybrid timber tower design (Atlassian)" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>World’s tallest hybrid timber tower design (Atlassian)</figcaption></figure><h2>Busting the bros club</h2>

The original Silicon Valley long held the reputation of being a ‘bros club’, but for Sydney’s tech centre cultural vibrancy, diversity, and inclusion will each be stated government benchmarks.

The consummate tech superstar Melanie Perkins, founder of the design unicorn Canva, has already amply demonstrated with her personable Perthite flair that the future for Sydney’s tech community needn’t be a male-dominated affair.

If Australia is to triumph in the forthcoming global war for talent, Sydney’s nascent tech precinct ideally needs an internationally recognisable moniker.

It could do worse than playfully channelling Jose Antonio Samaranch’s announcement of “Syddie” as the winning host of the 2000 Olympics, being one of the Emerald city’s most memorable modern moments.

‘Sydicon Valley’ – or perhaps a wittier variation thereof! – can be Australia’s major, world-class innovation hub, and should aim to position the harbour city as one of the world’s leading technology metropolises.

<h2>A vision for Sydney’s Silicon Valley</h2>

The NSW Government has already mapped out the State Significant Precinct (SSP) area running from Pitt Street at its north end, past Central Station, and down to Cleveland Street on the edge of Surry Hills and Redfern.

<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/ssp-area.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Central Precinct SSP Area (Planning NSW)"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="583" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/ssp-area.jpg?itok=BXLJhlAH" title="Central Precinct SSP Area (Planning NSW)" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Central Precinct SSP Area (Planning NSW)</figcaption></figure>For years it’s been debated how best to regenerate the tired tramsheds and redundant railyards of Central Sydney.

Behold, the birth of Sydney’s very own Silicon Valley!

<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/urban-growth-nsw-artists-impression.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Artist’s impression (Urban Growth NSW)"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="378" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/urban-growth-nsw-artists-impression.jpg?itok=5m60CXJ4" title="Artist’s impression (Urban Growth NSW)" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Artist’s impression (Urban Growth NSW)</figcaption></figure>Suburbs set to directly benefit from this mega-project will include Chippendale and Camperdown to the inner west, Surry Hills and Redfern to the east, and Erskineville and Alexandria to the south.
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Behold, the birth of Sydney’s very own Silicon Valley!

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The road to ‘Syd-icon Valley’: Pete Wargent 

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/57114/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
In his 1972 election campaign, Gough Whitlam loudly proclaimed that in modern Australia an individual’s health, wellbeing and life chances were shaped more by where they lived than by the job they held, their religion, race or ethnicity.
It was a powerful statement that spoke to an Australian population scarred by decades of urban growth unsupported by the infrastructure needed to make places decent, worthwhile environments to raise children, live a productive life and contribute to society.
Fast-forward almost 50 years and urban issues are once again on the agenda. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s Smart Cities Plan would deliver new transport infrastructure, better urban planning, and the sort of “urban visioning” that earned Whitlam praise and damnation in equal measure.
But there is a big difference this time around. The Whitlam agenda was informed by a fundamental concern with social justice, a desire to improve the lot in life of the most deprived, and a belief in a fairer Australia.
The 2016 articulation of an urban agenda has no such commitment to social ideals. Instead, it assumes building more highways, railways and trams will produce better, more productive cities that somehow give everyone a job.
We know it doesn’t work that way. Our recent research has highlighted both the unequal nature of Australia’s cities and the processes that keep poor places poor.
<h2>Upwardly and downwardly mobile</h2>
On average, about 15 percent of Australians move house each year. Generally, when they move they shift to places that are a bit better than the places they left – that is, places with good access to employment, quality environments, and social settings.
Our research suggests, however, that this statistical average hides a very interesting two-speed process that is neglected by the Smart Cities Plan. The relatively well-off and the upwardly mobile improve the areas in which they live over an extended period. The more economically vulnerable tend to make more frequent, multiple moves – living in slightly less advantaged areas each time.
To put it in plain terms, the poor move to poor areas where they may become even more disadvantaged. Meanwhile, the middle classes move through our cities gradually climbing the housing ladder.
This process has immediate as well as intergenerational implications, gradually filtering some families into areas with fewer and fewer opportunities, poorer educational outcomes, higher transport costs and few resources to deal effectively with health conditions. In some cases, jobs can’t be found, or are simply too far away to be practical.
<h2>Housing affordability widens the gap</h2>
In the current climate of ongoing housing affordability “crisis<a href="https://theconversation.com/our-cities-will-stop-working-without-a-decent-national-housing-policy-60537">”</a> and highly localised house price differentiation, more and more Australians are forced to move through the market because of the (un)-affordability of their housing. Housing affordability should be a key question when we think about our cities.
In our new paper, we examine if housing affordability problems are concentrating some people into less advantaged areas. When we track the residential mobility of Australians, we find that housing affordability is “sorting” some people into more and less advantaged places.
Australia’s housing affordability problems are much more complex than simple supply problems. Cities are shaped by the people who live within them. Some people need affordable housing responses that are smarter than the market alone can supply.
Our work indicates that some people’s access to the good things smart cities have to offer is limited by the location of housing they can afford – be it ownership or rental.
Smart cities of the future will need to address the consequences of housing-generated social and economic inequalities in Australia.
 
Andrew Beer is dean, Research and Innovation, University of South Australia and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/andrew-beer-111469" target="_blank">here</a>.
Emma Baker is reader in Housing, University of Adelaide and author for The Conversation. She can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emma-baker-172081" target="_blank">here</a>.
Rebecca Bentley is associate professor, Centre for Health Equity, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne and author for The Conversation. She can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebecca-bentley-173502" target="_blank">here</a>.
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