Melbourne developer Spacious Group has completed Voyage Altona, one of the closest new apartment developments to Altona Beach.

Off the plan purchasers have started moving into the 49-apartment project on Pier Street, with the remaining move-in-ready one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments starting from just over $500,000.

Display apartments have now been fitted out, allowing prospective buyers to inspect the completed residences by appointment.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112195 project_image_fid=372638]

The completed apartments feature open-plan living and dining areas which extend onto private balconies and terraces, while full-height glazing maximises natural light throughout the interiors.&nbsp;

Hybrid timber-look flooring, stone benchtops, Miele appliances, porcelain-tiled bathrooms and generous storage feature throughout the building which also features landscaped communal areas, expansive shared terraces, lift access and secure on-grade parking.

Drawing inspiration from its bayside setting, Voyage adopts a restrained palette of warm neutral tones and textured finishes. Many of the apartments take advantage of views across Port Phillip Bay, while the indoor-outdoor living spaces have been designed to make the most of the coastal outlook.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112195 project_image_fid=3286]

Voyage was developed to address what Spacious Group identified as an undersupply of higher-quality apartment product in Altona, with a focus on owner-occupiers looking to remain within the bayside community.

"Voyage responds to very strong local buyer demand for quality, owner-occupier-focused product," says Barry Plant Projects Director Jarrod Farey, who has handled sales since the project's launch.

"The project delivers an elevated lifestyle proposition, with its design and quality of finish far exceeding anything previously produced in the area, as well as its proximity to Pier Street Village and the beach."

The majority of purchasers have been local downsizers and owner-occupiers looking to stay within the Altona community but who previously had limited opportunities to buy a brand-new apartment.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112195]

Joel Robinson

Spacious Group completes Voyage Altona in Altona's beachside precinct

Homecorp has secured approval for a $360 million apartment development at Budds Beach, paving the way for one of the Gold Coast's most amenity-rich residential projects to launch later this year.

Gold Coast City Council has approved Lýon Residences, a 32-level tower that will deliver 178 two and three-bedroom apartments across a prominent corner site at 8-10 Acacia Avenue and 25-27 Oak Avenue.

The approval comes as developers continue to invest in premium lifestyle-driven apartment projects on the Gold Coast, where owner occupiers are increasingly prioritising amenity as much as apartment size and location.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/l-on-residences-25-27-oak-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Lýon Residences</a> has been designed around a resort-style wellness offering, headlined by a Moroccan-inspired spa precinct featuring treatment rooms, a Nordic sauna and steam room, hot and cold plunge pools, a soaking pool and a residents-only juice bar.

The rooftop will include a heated infinity pool and spa, residents' lounge with private kitchen and bar, gymnasium, yoga and Pilates studio, outdoor entertaining areas and barbecue facilities overlooking the Surfers Paradise skyline.

<img alt="Lyon" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2d3e29af-8793-486e-a684-52cef862241f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-15%20at%204.32.26%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=ayG2zpLf3SS6Zy8XmKDcQods4kVWb0gm" />

Homecorp Founder and CEO Ron Bakir said Budds Beach provided the ideal location for the company's latest luxury apartment project.

"Budds Beach represents one of the most unique and sought-after pockets of the Gold Coast, and Lýon Residences has been designed to reflect that sense of rarity and refinement," Bakir said.

The project arrives as wellness continues to become a defining feature of new residential developments both in Australia and internationally.

The latest Global Wellness Institute figures show wellness real estate remains the fastest-growing segment of the global wellness economy and is forecast to exceed $1.8 trillion by 2030. Australia continues to rank among the world's 15 largest wellness real estate markets, with developers increasingly integrating health, recreation and community facilities into apartment projects.

Queensland is also experiencing strong population growth, with the Gold Coast continuing to outperform many other Australian cities as demand for new housing remains elevated ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Bakir said the project had been designed to respond to that shift in buyer expectations.

"Strong population growth and sustained demand across the Gold Coast continue to highlight the need for well-designed new housing supply. Lýon Residences responds directly to this demand while setting a new benchmark for residential living," he said.

Each apartment has been designed to maximise views across the coastline, the Nerang River and the Gold Coast hinterland.

Located just minutes from Surfers Paradise beach and the Broadwater, the development also offers easy access to the light rail network, Broadbeach and Burleigh Heads.

Early site works are underway, with construction expected to commence later this year.

Homecorp approved for Budds Beach apartment tower, Lýon Residences

New apartment developments with uninterrupted, north-facing views over Perth's Swan River are exceptionally rare.

Recognising just how limited those opportunities are, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/edge-visionary-living">Edge Visionary Living</a>, one of Perth's most respected builder-developers, targeted <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/applecross-wa-6153">Applecross</a>, assembling an unrepeatable 6,342 sqm riverfront site on the corner of Moreau Mews and Canning Beach Road to create one of Perth's only new north-facing apartment developments directly overlooking the Swan River.

Today, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/riviere-residences-applecross-59-canning-beach-road-applecross-wa-6153">Rivière Residences</a> offers buyers a unique opportunity to choose between completed residences ready to move into now and off-the-plan homes in the final stage, Rivière West.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=28384 project_image_fid=3823]

Across the completed East and Central buildings, residents are already enjoying the development's luxury amenity, while two of the precinct's hospitality venues are now open.

The completed component of the development gives buyers the advantage of experiencing the finished product firsthand, including its uninterrupted river views, while still having the opportunity to secure a residence in the final stage.

"People are wowed by the view and the quality of the apartments,"&nbsp;Edge Visionary Living Sales Executive, Holly McSweeney, says.

"They're looking for the convenience of lock-and-leave living, but they're not looking to downsize on quality."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=28384 project_image_fid=3826]

The rarity of the development hasn't been lost on prospective buyers, McSweeney says.

For McSweeney, it all comes back to a location that is becoming increasingly difficult to replicate.

"Location, location, location," she says. "We are nestled right on the front of the Swan River. You can never get built out, so wherever you are in Rivière Residences, you've got views of the river forever."

The unique waterfront position has resonated particularly strongly with local downsizers. McSweeney says many buyers are long-time Applecross residents looking to transition from large family homes into a luxury apartment without sacrificing space, quality or the lifestyle they've enjoyed for decades.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N_FowNW0wu8?si=vb25XFq1wZ-iufAW" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

A major focus for Edge in recent years has been resident amenity. Across its apartment portfolio, from beachfront developments in Scarborough to luxury towers in South Perth, the developer has increasingly invested in the spaces beyond the apartment itself.

The strategy has largely been shaped by downsizer demand. Many buyers are moving from large family homes with swimming pools and established gardens. While they're looking to leave the maintenance behind, they don't want to compromise on lifestyle.

At Rivière, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hillam-architects">Hillam Architects</a> designed the resident facilities as an extension of each apartment. A 25-metre heated swimming pool takes advantage of the north-facing river outlook, complemented by a large gym, sauna and steam rooms, private dining spaces, residents' lounges, a cinema, games room, and dedicated wine and whisky rooms.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=28384 project_image_fid=372542]

The waterfront location has also proved to be a major drawcard. Residents are within walking distance of the Raffles Hotel, South of Perth Yacht Club, the Heathcote Cultural Precinct and the cafés, restaurants and boutiques along Ardross Street.

Beyond the location and amenity, McSweeney says many buyers take confidence from Edge's fully integrated development model.

Having delivered apartments across Perth for decades, Edge now designs, develops and constructs its projects in-house, giving the company greater control over quality, delivery and the finished product.

"What I love is when people walk through their apartment for the first time and say, 'This is better than what we imagined,'" McSweeney says. "We hear that all the time."

Completed apartments in the East and Central buildings are now available to inspect by appointment, while Rivière West, the final stage of the precinct, is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=28384]

North-facing Swan River views drive demand at Rivière Residences in Applecross

Nearly 60 per cent of apartments at McNab Group's $220 million The Tannery development in Brisbane's West End have sold ahead of the project's public launch, including a suburb-record $2.57 million sale for a two-bedroom apartment.

The early sales campaign has secured buyers for 50 of the project's 87 apartments, highlighting continued demand for larger owner-occupier apartments that combine generous floorplans with premium lifestyle amenities in one of Brisbane's most tightly held inner-city suburbs.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=143337 project_image_fid=374768]

McNab Group Executive Chairman Michael McNab said selling more than half the project before launch reflected changing buyer expectations.

"Selling more than half the project before public sales open tells us buyers are actively seeking apartments that offer something genuinely different," McNab said.

"Today's buyers are looking beyond four walls. They want homes that genuinely enhance the way they live, with spaces that support health, connection and everyday wellbeing."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=143337 project_image_fid=374767]

A key point of difference for the project is the adaptive reuse of the heritage-listed Dixon's Tannery building, which will become The Retreat, a residents-only wellness precinct rather than being redeveloped into additional apartments.

The Retreat will feature a sauna and steam room, hot and cold plunge pools, a commercial-grade gym, Pilates studio, cinema, library, co-working spaces and private dining room. Rooftop amenities will include a swimming pool, landscaped gardens, outdoor entertaining areas and dog-friendly spaces.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=143337 project_image_fid=374760]

Designed by Cottee Parker Architects with interiors by Tom Mark Henry and landscape architecture by Aspect Studios, The Tannery comprises 87 two, three and four-bedroom apartments across 11 levels overlooking the Brisbane River.

Cottee Parker principal Dee Passenger said preserving the original tannery building had been central to the project's design.

"The easy option would have been to maximise the site's development potential with additional apartments. Instead, McNab has chosen to preserve the original tannery as a shared wellness retreat, ensuring this important piece of Brisbane's history remains at the heart of the community."

Passenger said sustainability also played a key role in the design, with materials from the original industrial site salvaged and repurposed throughout the development.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=143337 project_image_fid=374761]

Motiv CEO Carly Cottam said buyers had responded strongly to the combination of larger apartments, wellness facilities and the West End lifestyle.

"We are seeing more buyers looking for homes in the sky that provide the space and functionality of a traditional home, while benefiting from the convenience and lifestyle that apartment living brings," Cottam said.

She said purchasers included both owner occupiers and investors, with demand coming from local buyers as well as interstate purchasers.

Coinciding with the public launch, McNab also announced a partnership with Queensland Ballet, whose neighbouring Thomas Dixon Centre shares historical ties with the original Dixon family.

Located on a 4,465 sqm site at 439 Montague Road, The Tannery overlooks the Brisbane River and is around 10 minutes from the CBD.

Construction is underway, with completion expected in the second half of 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=143337]

More than half of residences sold before public sales as McNab announces significant partnership with Queensland Ballet

McNab's The Tannery nears 60 per cent sold before public release, sets two-bedroom West End record

Iwan Sunito's vision for a landmark mixed-use precinct in Sydney's Inner West has taken a major step forward, with approval granted for the $1.9 billion Five Dock development first unveiled earlier this year.

The approved scheme by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/one-global-capital">One Global Capital</a> will deliver an 80,500 sqm mixed-use precinct comprising 840 apartments, integrated hotel accommodation, commercial and retail space, alongside publicly accessible open space designed to create a new destination for the growing suburb.

"This is a significant milestone for One Global Capital and for the future of housing delivery in Sydney," Sunito said.

"The Housing Delivery Authority was established to identify major housing projects capable of delivering meaningful supply more efficiently, and we are delighted that Spencer Street has been recognised as one of those projects.”

He said the declaration reflected the rapid progress achieved since acquiring control of the site.

"In less than seven months we have progressed from taking control of the site to securing entry into one of the NSW Government's most important planning pathways. It reflects the experience of our team, the strength of our consultant group led by Urbis, and our long-term commitment to delivering transformational projects that contribute to Sydney's future."

When the project was revealed earlier this year, Sunito described the opportunity as one of the strongest development sites he had worked on.

"I probably hadn't appreciated the uniqueness of the site until more recently when putting together the concept plans," Sunito said.

"The proximity to the water, and the golf course opposite, is unlike any other part of Parramatta Road. We have a unique position and view corridors over the water that makes this one of the best sites I've worked on."

The development has evolved since its initial announcement, with the approved plans increasing the residential component from the originally proposed 750 apartments to 840 homes while retaining the project's focus on creating an integrated neighbourhood rather than a standalone residential development.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/a-city-within-a-city-iwan-sunito-flags-1-5-billion-mixed-use-precinct-in-five-dock">"A city within a city": Iwan Sunito flags $1.5 billion mixed-use precinct in Five Dock</a>

The precinct will combine apartments with hotel accommodation, commercial workplaces, retail offerings and public spaces, creating a mixed-use environment intended to serve both residents and the broader Five Dock community. The proposal also continues the collaboration between One Global Capital and internationally recognised architect <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/koichi-takada-architects">Koichi Takada</a>, whose previous work with Sunito includes Infinity, Arc and Skye North Sydney.

Takada previously said the design was driven by a philosophy of integrating nature into the built environment.

"The concept for this development is born from our design approach to naturalising architecture," Takada said.

"The public realm benefits from biophilic design that integrates generous landscaping, and the development is optimised for natural daylight, airflow and water views to foster wellbeing, sustainability and spaces that foster community interaction."

Sunito has consistently described the project as a "city within a city", with a strong emphasis on creating a destination that extends beyond housing.

"We want to create a development that's not only to be seen, but to be experienced by the whole local community," he said.

The approval comes as Five Dock continues its transformation ahead of the opening of the Sydney Metro West line, with the new Five Dock station set to significantly improve connections between the Inner West, Parramatta and the Sydney CBD.&nbsp;

The precinct will also benefit from its proximity to the Parramatta Road corridor, nearby waterfront parklands and established retail and dining offerings that have made Five Dock one of Sydney's most tightly held Inner West suburbs.

Iwan Sunito secures approval for $1.9 billion Five Dock mixed-use precinct

Great Barrier Reef

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An approved beachfront tourist accommodation park at 66-72 Rules Beach Road, on the edge of The Great Barrier Reef has hit the market.
The asset offers a 5.05 hectares of land area that is the balance area of ‘Rules Beach Estate’ and is being offered by way of expressions of interest closing June 25 2020.
The site is being marketed and sold by Ray White Special Projects Qld Executive Directors Mark Creevey and Tony Williams, in conjunction with HTL Property Directors Glenn Price and Brent McCarthy.
<img src="https://f.datasrvr.com/f1/120/40079/Rules_1.JPG" width="640" data-imagetype="External">
Mr Creevey said, "we know travel overseas will be heavily restricted in the short-to-medium term, and maybe even longer, so people’s focus will turn to domestic destinations."
“We expect a huge amount of money to be invested in tourism at home, and this asset really does represent exactly the kind of resort Australians will look to visit in the near future."
Mr Williams said the thoughtful and architecturally designed scheme was led by Shane Thompson, a prominent Australian architect, and Principal of Shane Thompson Architects.
“The site has development approval in place for glamping, camping and caravan park, as well as 42 freehold holiday villas and a rural service centre,” he said.
“It’s encircled by unspoiled beaches, Deepwater National Park and Baffle Creek inlet, with access to Lady Elliot and Lady Musgrave islands.
“Substantial development and infrastructure works to the estate have already been undertaken with access, power and water connected, and DA for sewerage treatment plant," Mr Williams added.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Approved beachfront tourist accommodation park near Great Barrier Reef listed

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Deloitte Access Economics <a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/au/en/pages/economics/articles/great-barrier-reef" target="_blank">has valued</a> the Great Barrier Reef at A$56 billion, with an economic contribution of A$6.4 billion per year. Yet this figure grossly underestimates the value of the reef, as it mainly focuses on tourism and the reef’s role as an Australian icon.
When you include aspects of the reef that the report excludes, such as the ecosystem services provided by coral reefs, you find that the reef is priceless.
Putting a price on the Great Barrier Reef buys into the notion that a cost-benefit analysis is the right way to make decisions on policies and projects that may affect the reef. For example, the environmental cost of the extension to the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-22/massive-abbot-point-coal-port-expansion-gets-federal-approval/7047380" target="_blank">Abbot Point coal terminal</a> can be compared to any economic benefits.
But as the reef is both priceless and irreplaceable, this is the wrong approach. Instead, the <a href="http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001395/139578e.pdf" target="_blank">precautionary principle</a> should be used to make decisions regarding the reef. Policies and projects that may damage the reef cannot go ahead.
How do you value the Great Barrier Reef?
The Deloitte report uses what’s known as a “contingent valuation” approach. This is a survey-based methodology, and is commonly used to measure the value of non-market environmental assets such as <a href="http://www.appstate.edu/%7Ewhiteheadjc/eco3620/projects/mocktrial/pdf/loomisandwhite-ee-1996.pdf" target="_blank">endangered species</a> and <a href="http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/2663496.pdf" target="_blank">national parks</a> – as well as to calculate the impact of events such as <a href="http://econweb.ucsd.edu/%7Ercarson/papers/AlaskaReport.pdf" target="_blank">oil spills</a>.
In valuing the reef, surveys were used to elicit people’s willingness to pay for it, such as through a tax or levy. This was found to be A$67.60 per person per year. The report also uses the travel-cost method, which estimates willingness to pay for the Great Barrier Reef, based on the time and money that people spend to visit it. Again, this is commonly used in environmental economics to value national parks and the recreational value of local lakes.
Of course, all methods of valuing environmental assets have limitations. For example, it is difficult to make sure that respondents are stating realistic amounts in their willingness to pay. Respondents may act strategically if they think they really will be slugged with a Great Barrier Reef levy. They may conflate this environmental issue with all environmental issues.
But more importantly, the methodology in the report leaves out the most important non-market value that the reef provides, which are called <a href="http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/publications/ecosystem-services-key-concepts-and-applications" target="_blank">ecosystem services</a>. For example, coral reefs provide storm protection and erosion protection, and they are the nurseries for 25% of all marine animals which themselves have commercial and existence value.
The Deloitte report even cites (but does not reference) a <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959378014000685" target="_blank">2014 study</a> that values the ecosystem services provided by coral reefs at US$352,249 per hectare per year. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park <a href="https://www.npsr.qld.gov.au/world-heritage-areas/great_barrier_reef" target="_blank">covers 35 million hectares</a> with 2,900 individual reefs of varying sizes. This means the ecosystem services it provides are worth trillions of dollars per year.
That is, it is essentially priceless.
The problem with putting a value on the Reef
Valuing the environment at all is <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2014/jul/24/price-nature-neoliberal-capital-road-ruin" target="_blank">contentious</a> in <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0095069684710084" target="_blank">economics</a>. Valuation is performed so that all impacts from, say, a new development, can be expressed in a common metric – in this case dollars. This allows a cost-benefit analysis to be performed.
But putting a price on the Great Barrier Reef hides the fact that it is irreplaceable, and as such its value is not <a href="http://le.uwpress.org/content/82/2/141.short" target="_blank">commensurate</a> with the values of other assets. For instance, using Deloitte’s figure, The Australian newspaper <a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/great-barrier-reef-valued-at-more-than-12-opera-houses-study/news-story/33e7f7420e2b41bf9efd6a4aa6e3351b">compared the reef</a> to the value of 12 Sydney Opera Houses. But while they are both icons, the Opera House can be rebuilt. The Great Barrier Reef cannot. Any loss is irreversible.
When environmental assets are irreplaceable and their loss irreversible, a more appropriate decision-making framework is the <a href="http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001395/139578e.pdf" target="_blank">Precautionary Principle</a>.
The Precautionary Principle suggests that when there is uncertainty regarding the impacts of a new development on an environmental asset, decision makers should be cautious and minimise the maximum loss. For example, if it is even remotely possible that the extension to the Abbot Point coal terminal could lead to <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-22/massive-abbot-point-coal-port-expansion-gets-federal-approval/7047380" target="_blank">massive destruction</a> of the reef, then precaution suggests that it shouldn’t go ahead.
Assigning a value to the reef might still be appropriate under the Precautionary Principle, to estimate the maximum loss. But it would require the pricing of all values and especially ecosystem services.
While the Precautionary Principle has been <a href="http://www.public.iastate.edu/%7Ejwcwolf/Papers/Gardiner%20on%20Precautionary%20Principle.pdf" target="_blank">much maligned</a> due to its perceived bias against development, it is a key element of the definition of Ecologically Sustainable Development in Australia’s <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2012C00801" target="_blank">Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999</a>.
For a priceless asset like the Great Barrier Reef, it is perhaps better to leave it as “priceless” and to act accordingly. After all, if the Precautionary Principle is ever going to be used when assessing Ecologically Sustainable Development, in contrast with cost-benefit analysis and valuations, it is surely for our main environmental icon.
Ultimately, the protection and prioritisation of the Great Barrier Reef is a political issue that requires political will, and not one that can be solved by pricing and economics.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/80061/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
Neil Perry, Research Lecturer, Western Sydney University
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-the-economic-value-of-the-great-barrier-reef-its-priceless-80061" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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What's the economic value of the Great Barrier Reef? It's priceless

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Terry Agnew has offloaded Great Keppel Island resort to an Asian duo, after a recent agreement with a cryptocurrency consortium for the island did not proceed..
The buyer, identified as Wei Chao Pty Ltd Singapore, lists its directors as Wan Long Wei and Pauline Wei from Taiwan as well as Peter Godber from Brisbane.
<div>The sale involves a significant portion of 970 ha of development approved land on the island, subject to State and Federal Government requirements.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Current development approvals for the island include a 250-room beachfront hotel, 300 luxury apartments, 285 luxury villas, 9,000sq m of retail shops and a 250-berth marina.</div>
<div>
Knight Frank Rockhampton agent Pat O’Driscoll was marketing Great Keppel Island with JLL Hotels with over 100 requests for information memorandums.
While an agreement has been reached, the sale process is yet to be finalised.
Great Keppel is the largest in the Keppel group of Islands with a total area of some 1454 ha and boasts 17 white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters just 12 kilometres off Yeppoon on the Capricorn Coast at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef. 
The sale of Great Keppel Island is the fifth Great Barrier Reef island sale over the past two years, which includes South Molle Island, Daydream Island, Wilson Island and Heron Island.
 
</div>
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Terry Agnew offloads Great Keppel Island resort to Asian duo

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A cryptocurrency consortium plans to resurrect luxury resort plans for Great Keppel Island.
Great Keppel will become the world’s largest island cryptocurrency micro-economy, a project that could bring the new digital economy to the bricks-and-mortar mainstream.
Investors will be invited to buy so-called Great Keppel Island Tokens in order to fund the $300 million development through what is known as a Security Token Offering, similar to an initial public offering for shares.
The tokens will be tradeable on existing cryptocurrency exchanges.
Under the deal, the owner of the existing defunct resort at Great Keppel Island, Tower Holdings, will retain 12% of the GKI Tokens.
Tower Holdings, which owns more than 70% of Great Keppel Island, is owned by Sydney businessman Terry Agnew.
The GKI Tokens will be backed by the value of the development.
Building is expected to start next year and be completed within five years.
<p data-gtm-vis-polling-id-6236702_632="810" data-gtm-vis-recent-on-screen-6236702_632="1536019780230" data-gtm-vis-first-on-screen-6236702_632="1536019780230" data-gtm-vis-total-visible-time-6236702_632="2900">The STO is being marketed with a flashy sales video starring Greg Norman, who is designing the development’s golf course.
"The development is fully supported from all levels of Australian government, federal, state and local, and has approval for the immediate development of an 18-hole international golf course," says the video.
"Also approved are 750 luxury villas … 300 luxury apartments and a five-star beachfront resort with 250 rooms and a 250-berth marina."
Tower Holdings’ chief executive officer, Anthony Aiossa, told Fairfax Media even with all the approvals in place, Tower had difficulty raising the funds to develop the site until it was approached by someone proposing the cryptocurrency consortium earlier this year.
He said the company had to do homework into cryptocurrencies before it seriously considered the deal.
It is expected that a white paper, similar to a prospectus, will be released on Friday or Monday, with the minimum likely to be more than $100,000, while those buying in during the retail round might have to meet a minimum of around $1000. 
"I think to get a lot of people involved is a wonderful idea," the unofficial mayor Jeff Mercer told Ross Greenwood's 2GB Money News.
The island is a small active township with 18 private homes, he said, adding that the island wasn't closed.
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Cryptocurrency play behind Great Keppel Island's $300 million development proposal

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GUEST OBSERVATION
The Great Barrier Reef has experienced extensive coral bleaching over the past two years. Faced with this reality, scientists are proposing a range of options to save the reef.
A recent conference showcased new possibilities for enhancing Reef resilience, including boosting coral abundance and geoengineering techniques that would manipulate local conditions to reduce ocean temperatures.
These geoengineering approaches carry their own risks, and require careful management, even at the research and field testing stages.
Technology is needed to buy the reef time
Climate change is affecting the reef through bleaching events, species redistribution, and ocean acidification. Stabilising environmental conditions “to protect current reef biodiversity” requires that global temperatures stay below 1.2℃. Yet modelling of the global community’s current commitments under the Paris Climate Agreement suggests that global warming between 2.6-3.2℃ will occur by 2100. This would destroy the Great Barrier Reef as we know it.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/229736/original/file-20180730-106514-c759g6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Artificial marine clouds already occur as a result of shipping exhaust. Scientists propose simulating this to cool the Reef. Liam Gumley, Space Science and Engineering Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison
It is not surprising, then, that scientists are looking to buy the reef some time, while the international community works to stabilise and then reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. The Commonwealth and Queensland governments have announced funding for feasibility projects aimed at manipulating surface water temperatures using three different techniques:
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<li>
Creating a reflective surface film that would float on the surface of the water. Made from calcium carbonate (the same mineral as coral), the film would reflect sunlight, thereby lowering water temperatures and ultraviolet radiation exposure.
</li>
<li>
Marine cloud brightening to also reflect more sunlight away from the reef. The plan is to spray microscopic salt particles into clouds using customised vessels or modified snow machines. This increases the concentration of droplets in clouds and encourages smaller, more reflective droplets to form.
</li>
<li>
Water-mixing units with large, slow moving fans that will draw cool water from 10-30 metres deep and deliver it to surface areas to limit coral heat stress. In 2017 this proposal received A$2.2 million in Commonwealth funding, to test eight water-mixing units over a 1 kilometre square area of Moore Reef, off the coast of Cairns.
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Engineering the climate of Australia’s most iconic natural system carries obvious risks. Indeed, Australia has a history of well-intended attempts to manage nature that have backfired because the risks were not fully understood.
We must be confident that such technological interventions will protect the reef, not contribute to its destruction. This is a problem because scientific trials are supposed to identify and assess risks, so we won’t fully understand what impacts they have until such trials are undertaken.
Governance necessary for public confidence
Building public confidence that potential risks have been identified and addressed is essential to the long-term success of reef geoengineering proposals. Even feasibility studies can be derailed if they lack public support.
The legitimacy and ultimate acceptability of reef geoengineering technologies therefore demands robust and transparent processes for funding, research, field testing and eventual deployment. Drawing on the Oxford Principles for Geoengineering Governance, the minimum governance standards should include:
<ul>
<li>criteria and clear processes for research funding decisions</li>
<li>public access to information about planned field testing</li>
<li>demonstrated compliance with Australia’s environmental laws.</li>
</ul>
Current environmental laws do not make special exemptions for scientific research or testing in areas of national environmental significance, such as the Great Barrier Reef. Any geoengineering trial that might have a “significant impact” on those areas is illegal without a permit from the Commonwealth Environment Minister. The Minister is guided by the precautionary principle and World Heritage obligations in issuing such permits.
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act imposes separate approval requirements and makes protection of the reef the highest priority. This would suggest that the standard for environmental assessment for any proposal to run geoengineering trials on the Reef should be high.
It is unclear how the federal environment minister and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority will evaluate whether the risks of field testing are small enough to justify granting their approval. The position is made more uncertain by the fact that the authority is directly involved in at least one of the projects. This uncertainty risks poor environmental outcomes and erosion of public confidence.
We need a strong framework for assessing and managing the risks of geoengineering, to address legitimate public concerns.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/100674/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">As the stewards of the reef, the Marine Park Authority is ideally placed to take the lead on developing this framework, to ensure we have the best possible chance of saving our most important natural wonder.
Kerryn Brent, Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Tasmania
Brendan Gogarty, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Tasmania
Jan McDonald, Professor of Environmental Law, University of Tasmania
Jeff McGee, Senior Lecturer in Climate Change, Marine and Antarctic Law Faculty of Law and Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/geoengineering-the-great-barrier-reef-needs-strong-rules-100674" target="_blank">original article</a>.
Main photo: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonstateuniversity/24577819729/" target="_blank">Oregon State University/Flickr</a>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" target="_blank">CC BY-SA</a>
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Geoengineering the Great Barrier Reef needs strong rules

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Bedarra Island, on the Great Barrier Reef, has a handful of private beach homes.
They line the east side of the island.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://raywhitemissionbeach.com.au/properties/residential-for-sale/qld/bedarra-island-4852/house/1681605" target="_blank">Ray White Port Douglas agent Mark Flinn</a> is marketing Berrara Island Villa, a home with private beach that has $2 million plus hopes.
Set on 8000 sqm at Doorila Bay, the home has three pavilions - one once home to the famous artist Noel Woods which has gin and cognac bottles set into a decorative wall which he created.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/2/21/bed1.jpg" alt="">
The property has been owned for two decades by Terry Kaljo, the boss of Contemporary Hotels, a pioneer in Australia's luxury accomodation industry.
“Its latest renovation, if I may boast, is spectacular," Kaljo said.
It was designed by top Australian architect Robert Davidov of Davidov Partners.
“The property is one of the most special in the Contemporary Hotels portfolio, seeing is believing.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/2/21/bed2.jpg" alt="">
“We’ve had lots of wonderful family holidays there over the years, but my children are adults now with busy lives and careers and we are not using the home as we use to anymore. So time to let it go."
Ms Kaljo, who travels extensively, says there was nothing better than to find paradise here in the safety of Australia.
“We would love to represent the home under our ‘Contemporary Hotels’ umbrella for the new purchases if they would like us to - it truly is a unique and special place.” Ms Kaljo said.
This is the only house that is on the beachfront on this east side of the island. 
Bedarra private resort is on the southern side of the bay right across the other side of the bay but they are not allowed to land on the private beach out the front of the house so it is your own sand and beach.
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

Bedarra Island hideaway listed through Ray White

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Keswick Island, a Great Barrier Reef island, is on the market with $30 million hopes.
Keswick Developments, owned by the Dawson-Damer, is hopeful of attracting Chinese tourism interests. 
Captain Cook charted Keswick on his maiden voyage, but since the hilly island -- home to an extinct volcano -- has been sparsely occupier with only about 20 houses and permanent residents.
Cars are banned, with residents travelling by golf buggy on the island.
Keswick Developments obtained the head lease eight years ago after the previous owner, Peter Marshall, spent 20 years attempting to develop the island.
The new owner will have a 117-hectare development lease with the Queensland government until 2096.
The rest of the 517 hectare island is national park. 
The purchase will also give the buyer a 25-hectare seabed lease for a 180-berth marina and deep water jetty.
The mixed-use zoning on the sub-tropical island can accommodate 1000 dwellings and 3000 people. 
The island, 32 kilometres off the coast of Mackay, already has a sealed airstrip, 150 subdivided lots, and preliminary key infrastructure for ongoing development.
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