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

Joel Robinson

First look: Harridan plans Burke Street transformation beside Boggo Road transport hub

IN BRIEF

<ul>
	<li>
	Just three double-storey Sky Homes sit at the top of The Waterline, each with its own private marina berth and rooftop terrace.
	</li>
	<li>
	Construction on The Waterline is complete, with the first residents expected to move in from mid-October.
	</li>
	<li>
	Sky Homes range from 282 sqm to 367 sqm and are priced from $3.65 million.
	</li>
</ul>

<hr />
Lewis Land has opened the first completed sky home for inspection at Harbour Shores, giving buyers their first opportunity to step inside one of just three double-storey residences crowning The Waterline.

Each sky home comes with its own private marina berth, rooftop terrace and Broadwater views, combining the scale of a larger home with direct access to the boating lifestyle that underpins the wider <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/harbour-shores-biggera-waters-564-oxley-drive-biggera-waters-qld-4216">Harbour Shores</a> masterplan.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=113271 project_image_fid=366708]

Lewis Land Head of Development Michael Long said the inclusion of a berth with every Sky Home had become increasingly valuable as marina access across the Gold Coast tightened.

“Marina berths are becoming increasingly difficult to secure across the Gold Coast, so including one with every Sky Home makes this a genuinely rare offering,” Long said.

“The private 70-berth marina will accommodate boats up to 12 metres in length and is positioned just 2.5 kilometres from the Broadwater, placing the open ocean only 15 minutes away.

“Being able to step out of your home onto your boat is a rare luxury, and it’s something residents here can look forward to when it opens later this year.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=113271 project_image_fid=366709]

The display opening comes as construction completes on The Waterline, with the first residents expected to move in from mid-October.

The three Sky Homes range from 282 sqm to 367 sqm and each feature three bedrooms, three bathrooms, multiple living zones, expansive kitchens with butler's pantries and large balconies taking in the Broadwater outlook.

Each residence also has three secure basement car spaces and additional storage.

“This is the first opportunity the Gold Coast has had to step into Harbour Shores and see, touch and feel what we’re bringing to life here,” Long said.

“There are only three Sky Homes within The Waterline, ranging in size from 282sqm to 367sqm, with each residence featuring three large bedrooms, three bathrooms, multiple living zones, expansive custom-built kitchens with butler’s pantry, and large balconies capturing Broadwater views.”

<img alt="Harbour Shores" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bab65e10-4fab-45e1-92d8-fc56e2ab98ff" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-25%20at%202.00.16%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=XT8q76LsPkw3cYTsvN3JfFDaPLud90PN" />

Residents of The Waterline will have access to a private pool, along with Harbour Shores' wider collection of amenity including a lagoon pool, social clubhouse, tennis court, gym, yoga facilities and sauna.

Lewis Land partnered with Studio Collective to furnish the completed display, with the interiors designed to demonstrate how the residences could function as permanent homes rather than simply as show apartments.

Studio Collective Director Melissa Park said the surrounding waterways informed the interiors, but in a more restrained way than a traditional coastal scheme.

“We drew inspiration from the canals and coastal surrounds, but our approach was to interpret that subtly through layered materials and a grounded palette of earthy tones, rather than literal coastal references,” Park said.

“We introduced hero moments of green and teal to reference the surrounding waterways, while mirrored elements help reflect natural light.

“The result is a residence that feels elevated yet comfortable, somewhere buyers can genuinely imagine themselves living, entertaining and unwinding.”

Sky Homes are priced from $3.65 million.

Lewis Land is also offering private marina berths with The Residences, its limited collection of three and four-bedroom villas positioned directly along the Harbour Shores waterfront boardwalk.

Three-bedroom villas are priced from $2.99 million, while four-bedroom residences start from $3.19 million.

Harbour Shores is being marketed by Colliers International.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=113271]

Lewis Land opens sky home display as The Waterline completes at Harbour Shores

St Vincent de Paul Society Housing Australia has filed plans for a major mixed-use housing precinct on the southern edge of the North Sydney CBD, adding another significant proposal to a pocket around North Sydn​ey Station that is quickly becoming one of the LGA's busiest development zones.

The State Significant Development Application covers a 5,990 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/1-19-mackenzie-street-lavender-bay-nsw-2060">1-19 MacKenzie Street and 211 Blues Point Road in Lavender Bay</a>, immediately south of Nor​th Sydney Station and between the commercial core and the lower-rise Lavender Bay Heritage Conservation Area.

Designed by Wardle, the proposal would deliver a new residential tower comprising 88 build-to-sell apartments and 19 affordable apartments, alongside a separate co-living building with 57 rooms and a building manager's studio.

It would also see the significant restoration and upgrade of St Francis Xavier Catholic Church, the adaptive reuse of the former school building, new parish facilities, retail, a new public square and around 1,000 sqm of publicly accessible open space.

<img alt="Vinnies North Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d5dd7f87-a617-463e-b577-17541e01f0e9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.10.13%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4R8TsFN3P_LrrXO2HswTOIrx2blil8lh" />

The project is seeking a concurrent rezoning of the site to R4 High Density Residential and an increase in the maximum building height to allow a tower reaching RL120, or up to 20 storeys. The proposal was progressed through the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

The build-to-sell component will be weighted toward larger apartments, with just six one-bedroom apartments compared with 31 two-beds, 43 three-beds and eight four-bedroom residences.

The 19 affordable apartments will comprise two studios, 15 one-bedroom apartments and two two-bedroom apartments, taking the total apartment component to 107 residences before the 58 co-living rooms are included.

<img alt="Vnnies" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7d568ca5-cb90-4e18-96c6-d9795dba0c56" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.10.05%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=GY2R5M9VtQh0EKy1vajaea19PSLOPuRD" />

Wardle's design for the Vinnies site has sought to negotiate that emerging high-rise context while retaining the lower-scale character of MacKenzie Street and the adjoining heritage conservation area.

The main building adopts a three-storey podium and tower arrangement, with the podium aligned to the ridgeline and front setback of St Francis Xavier Church.&nbsp;Wardle has designed the podium with colonnades, seating, recessed entries and active ground-floor frontages, with sandstone-toned precast concrete and face brick referencing the materiality of the existing church.

The tower then steps back eight metres to the south and six metres to the north before rising in a sculpted form comprising four interlocking quadrants. Wardle has also introduced rounded forms and chamfered corners to reduce the tower's perceived bulk and improve view sharing with neighbouring development sites.

Resident facilities and outdoor areas are planned at the separation between the podium and tower at Level 3, oriented toward Sydney Harbour and the CBD skyline.

The tower itself will feature a glass reinforced concrete facade, with recessed balconies and deep reveals used both to provide shading and privacy and frame views toward the harbour and city. The lower levels take a different architectural approach, using brick and sandstone-toned finishes intended to establish a stronger relationship with St Francis Xavier Church. The Church itself will be conserved and upgraded for its continued use, while the former school building will be adaptively reused as part of the co-living component.

<img alt="Lavendar Bay" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2d4418ad-90aa-4d49-af93-c80b140aea80" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.09.47%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=Kv4gzbsACaGvZSRuaqcfGC54jEJRXIDJ" />

&nbsp;

The proposal adds to an increasingly concentrated pipeline of residential development around Blue Street, MacKenzie Street and Lavender Bay.

Just west of the site, Central Element lodged plans earlier this year for one of the most significant residential developments proposed in Lavender Bay in recent years.

Central Element's SJB-designed scheme at 64-66 Lavender Street and 3-7 Middlemiss Street would deliver 163 apartments across two towers rising 23 and 32 storeys, replacing five existing apartment buildings containing 32 homes. The project also forms part of the Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-central-element-reveals-lavender-bay-apartment-plans?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">First look: Central Element reveals Lavender Bay apartment plans</a>

Immediately around North Sy​dney Station, another two significant proposals have emerged at 5 and 15 Blue Street.

Zurich Australian Insurance Properties is seeking to adaptively reuse its longstanding commercial building at 5 Blue Street, directly above North Sydney Station, rather than demolishing the structure.

Its SSDA proposes converting the building into a 14-storey mixed-use development with 62 apartments and 86 co-living rooms, together with ground-floor retail and a major refurbishment of Blue Street Plaza. The application is currently at the Response to Submissions stage.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-zurich-targets-north-sydney-office-conversion-with-148-unit-proposal-above-metro-station">First look: Zurich targets North Sydney office conversion with 148-unit proposal above Metro station</a>

&nbsp;

First look: Vinnies files for 20-storey Lavender Bay apartment tower as North Sydney housing pocket heats up

When the opportunity arose for South Australian developer Palumbo to return to Kent Town, where it had previously delivered East Park Apartments and the East 
Rundle Apartments, it wasn't one the longstanding developer-builder was going to pass up.

The decision was quickly vindicated, with more than 30 apartments sold within the first month of launching <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/royal-apartments-kent-town-2-8-north-terrace-kent-town-sa-5067">Royal Apartments</a> to the market.

The 206-apartment development, which will bring significant new supply to Adelaide's tightly held eastern city fringe, also gives <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/palumbo">Palumbo</a> the opportunity to bring new life to one of Kent Town's most recognisable watering holes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376073]

Royal Apartments incorporates the historic Royal Hotel, a venue Palumbo Managing Director Daniel Palumbo said has a longstanding connection with the local community.

"Everyone in the area has history with the Royal Hotel," Palumbo told Apartments.com.au.

"It was quite an active pub and social gathering place for locals. We want to bring it back to its former glory."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376072]

The wider development will comprise two residential towers alongside the restored hotel, sitting on North Terrace opposite the Adelaide Park Lands.

For Palumbo, the project also marks a return to familiar territory.

The developer completed East Park Apartments next door more than a decade ago and jumped at the opportunity to develop in Kent Town again when the Royal Hotel site became available.

"The opportunity emerged, and we moved to secure the site," Palumbo said.

"We were approached by the previous landowner, who said they had extensive commitments in Sydney and weren't in a position to deliver the project.

"We took over the site and within six months recut the design scheme to be more in keeping with the type of development we want to bring to Adelaide.

"Now we're on the market and those changes have really resonated with local buyers."

That has translated into a strong start to sales, with 33 apartments transacting in the project's first 35 days.

Palumbo said the early purchaser profile had been consistent with the group's traditional focus on owner-occupiers rather than investor-led apartment stock.

"Local owner-occupiers have always been our market," he said.

"There are always some investors, but we've never developed what would be called traditional development stock. Owner-occupiers are very much our market."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376068]

The buyer mix has been diverse so far, with downsizers and younger professionals both accounting for a significant portion of early sales.

South Australia's current stamp duty settings, which allow&nbsp;eligible homeowners in South Australia aged 60 savings of up to $103,830 on stamp duty when they downsize to a new property valued at up to $2 million,&nbsp;have helped encourage downsizer activity, while younger buyers in their late 20s and early 30s have been attracted to the opportunity to live immediately outside the CBD while still being able to walk into the city.



Location has been a major part of the proposition for both buyer cohorts.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376075]

Royal Apartments sits on North Terrace directly opposite the Adelaide Park Lands, with residents able to walk through the parklands toward the East End, Rundle Street and Rundle Mall.

Apartments have been positioned to capture views across the parklands, Adelaide skyline, Botanic Gardens and Adelaide Hills.

Palumbo believes the scarcity of developable land along this section of the Park Lands makes the site particularly difficult to replicate.

"There's very few allotments on that side that can be developed," he said.

"If this location was in New York and you were sitting on Central Park, you'd be talking about a $60 million apartments."

Royal Apartments will offer a broad mix of residences, ranging from one-bedroom apartments through to four-bedroom sub-penthouses and penthouses.

Current listings include one-bedroom apartments from $680,000, while larger three and four-bedroom residences are priced around $2.5 million.

Residents will have access to a swimming pool, gym, barbecue and recreation areas, residents' lounge and dining space, and a communal deck.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376067]

The apartments will feature generous balconies, while secure parking, bicycle storage and storage cages will also be provided.

A porte-cochère-style arrival and drop-off area has also resonated with buyers, particularly those attracted to being able to walk into the CBD during the day while retaining secure vehicle access at home.

Palumbo is acting as developer, architect and builder on Royal Apartments, continuing the vertically integrated model it has used across its South Australian portfolio.

The group was also behind the $150 million Sofitel Adelaide, the 251-room five-star hotel and residential tower which opened in 2021.

Palumbo said Royal's launch had come at an interesting time for the broader Adelaide apartment market.

Buyer confidence had initially been impacted by uncertainty surrounding the Federal Budget and broader economic conditions, but Palumbo believes sentiment is beginning to improve against a backdrop of significant investment flowing into South Australia.

He pointed to increased activity across defence and resources, including Olympic Dam, as potential long-term drivers of the state's economy and housing market.

"Money is starting to flow into Adeliade, significant amounts as Adelaide bucks the trend of the rest of the country.," Palumbo said.

"There's a lot of activity in the economy over the next decade. I think more investment will come into this market."

Early works on Royal Apartments are expected to commence this year, with major construction activity and cranes anticipated on site from early next year.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=6109]

Palumbo's return to Kent Town strikes early chord with buyers

Go-to builder-developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/graya">GRAYA</a> is continuing to bulk out its already impressive and diverse apartment portfolio across South East Queensland. Their latest milestone is securing development approval for Silk, its boutique riverfront apartment development in St Lucia.

The approval clears&nbsp;the way for the team to begin construction planning for the 22-residence project.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/silk-st-lucia-16-18-sandford-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">Silk</a> will rise 15 levels from an 810 sqm site at 16-18 Sandford Street, occupying a prominent bend of the Brisbane River with a prized northern aspect across Orleigh Park toward the Brisbane CBD.

The approved scheme will comprise 16 split-floor and six full-floor residences, continuing GRAYA's move into larger-format apartment developments targeting Brisbane's prestige owner-occupier market.

The project has been designed around the site's broad river frontage and dual-direction views, with GRAYA prioritising larger residences, privacy and outlook over apartment yield.

<img alt="Silk St Lucia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="aa5c2349-f96c-4914-a812-1f2cd6827af8" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%208.25.44%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=WY0vEU_7vYjeRJKQHiCwFdMxu8PvFh52" />

GRAYA Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Rob Gray said the project had been shaped around local homeowners wanting to remain in St Lucia without maintaining a traditional family home.

"St Lucia is one of those suburbs people do not want to leave," Gray said.

"They know the river, the trees, UQ, the golf course, Toowong and Indooroopilly, and that familiarity is hard to replace.

"True riverfront opportunities here are exceptionally scarce. What we have designed at Silk is a way to stay in the suburb people love, with the scale and privacy of a private home and far less to maintain.

"This is not typical apartment product. It is a proper home on the river, and that is exactly what this market has been missing."

The approval comes as new apartment development continues to increase across the St Lucia and neighbouring Toowong corridor, although direct riverfront sites remain considerably more tightly held.

GRAYA Co-founder and Managing Director Andrew Gray said securing the approval had removed a significant element of development risk from Silk.

"Genuine riverfront sites of this quality in St Lucia are not something that comes up regularly," Gray said.

"The approval removes a substantial layer of execution risk, and the location underwrites demand in a way very few inner-city sites can.

"The fundamentals here are as strong as anything we have assessed in Brisbane."

<img alt="Silk St Lucia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d0f3d734-65e1-48e8-8ed3-2e0715ffcdd9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%208.25.56%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=sOLSs_jdHkXLWbBKzRyayf5BfTb2vPsD" />

Silk will see GRAYA return to a stretch of the Brisbane River where it already has recent construction experience. The vertically integrated group recently completed ARC in neighbouring Toowong as builder for developer Spyre, delivering the riverfront project on a constrained site.

GRAYA will take a different role at Silk, controlling the project from design and development through construction and aftercare under its vertically integrated model.

The development will include a gym and resident leisure areas at ground level, integrated with the river's edge.

Silk joins a growing pipeline for GRAYA across Brisbane and the Gold Coast, which includes Enclave, The Gallery, Coral and Ripple.

The developer-builder has also recently lodged plans for its largest project to date, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-silo-19-chester-street-newstead-qld-4006">The Silo</a>, a proposed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/graya-buys-frasers-newstead-site-plans-the-silo-between-james-street-and-gasworks-precincts">$700 million mixed-use development</a> in Brisbane's James Street precinct.

Silk is expected to predominantly target local owner-occupiers and prestige buyers seeking a permanent riverfront home in Brisbane's inner west.

Registrations of interest are now open, with further details on the project and construction program to be released as it progresses.

<hr />
<h2>SILK PROJECT FACTS</h2>

Developer-builder: GRAYA

Project: Silk

Location: 16-18 Sandford Street, St Lucia

Apartments: 22

Built form: 15 levels

Site: 810 sqm riverfront holding

Mix: 16 split-floor and six full-floor residences

Status: Development approved

Next step: Construction planning underway

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152168]

GRAYA greenlit for riverfront St Lucia apartment development, Silk

Growth

<html><body>
Brisbane’s market has been busy recently, without delivering strong capital growth. It has in common with most of the nation’s capital cities a reluctance to join Sydney in a property boom.
It’s overdue for a period of growth because it’s been an under-achiever in the recent past. It ranks fifth among the eight state and territory capitals for long-term capital growth, well behind (in order of ranking) Perth, Melbourne, Darwin and Sydney.
Based on Domain figures for the average annual growth in median prices over the past 10 years, the top 20 suburbs in Perth all have growth rates between 9% and 10% per year. Brisbane’s top 20, bar one, are between 6% and 7% per year.
Brisbane averages have been dragged down by poor performance in the past four years. City markets took time to recover from the floods of early 2011. In the years since, Perth, Darwin, Sydney and Melbourne have all had periods of price growth ranging from solid to strong, but Brisbane has yet to join the growth party.
Parts of the Brisbane metropolitan area have out-performed, but the average citywide performance has been lukewarm.
Looking at the figures describing growth rates for the past 10 years, Brisbane currently has only one suburb with a growth rate above 7% (Hendra, which averages 7.6%). All of the other Top 20 suburbs have long-term growth rates between 6.0% and 6.9%. 
The leading precinct is Brisbane Northside – the northern suburbs of the Brisbane City Council area – which provides the top four suburbs and six of the top 10. This area is prominent in terms of capital growth rates because it led the upturn in sales activity in the city market in 2013 and 2014 – and many suburbs have recorded double-digit annual price growth in the past 12 months, lifting their long-term growth rates.
The Brisbane Northside suburbs, and indeed most of the suburbs on the Top 20 list, represent Brisbane’s middle market. The 12 most expensive suburbs in the Brisbane region have median house prices in the range from $900,000 to $1.2 million. The middle market is the next tier below that – and that’s the market that leads on capital growth rates.
All but one of the Top 20 have median prices below $900,000. Fourteen of the Top 20 have median prices in the $600,000s and $700,000s. There are currently no bottom-end suburbs on the list – only two have medians below $600,000. 
I expect a different result a year from now, as many of the cheaper markets are now rising across the Brisbane metropolitan area and are likely to experience good price growth, lifting their long-term growth rates.
Brisbane’s most expensive suburbs have been mediocre performers – only one of the 12 priciest suburbs features on the Top 20 list for capital growth rates. Only four of them have capital growth rates above 6%.
The worst performing precinct has been the Moreton Bay Regional Council area in the far north of the Greater Brisbane area. Seven of the Bottom 20 suburbs are located there. This may change in the near future, as this precinct is one of the areas with elevated sales activity, as the momentum ripples out from the neighbouring Brisbane Northside precinct.
BRISBANE TOP 20 – ANNUAL GROWTH % OVER 10 YEARS
<table style="height: 293px; width: 392px;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
No.
</td>
<td valign="middle">
SUBURB
</td>
<td valign="middle">
MUNICIPALITY
</td>
<td valign="middle">
  MEDIAN
</td>
<td valign="middle">
GROWTH RATE %
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
1
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Hendra
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Brisbane-North
</td>
<td valign="middle">
 $815,000
</td>
<td valign="middle">
    7.6
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
2
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Newmarket
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Brisbane-North
</td>
<td valign="middle">
 $740,000
</td>
<td valign="middle">
    6.9
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
3
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Gordon Park
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Brisbane-North
</td>
<td valign="middle">
 $700,000
</td>
<td valign="middle">
    6.8
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
4
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Northgate
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Brisbane-North
</td>
<td valign="middle">
 $610,000
</td>
<td valign="middle">
    6.7
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
5
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Paddington
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Brisbane-Inner
</td>
<td valign="middle">
 $865,000
</td>
<td valign="middle">
    6.6
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
6
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Cannon Hill
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Brisbane-East
</td>
<td valign="middle">
 $705,000
</td>
<td valign="middle">
    6.5
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
7
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Lutwyche
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Brisbane-North
</td>
<td valign="middle">
 $697,000
</td>
<td valign="middle">
    6.5
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
8
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Doolandella
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Brisbane-South
</td>
<td valign="middle">
 $460,000
</td>
<td valign="middle">
    6.3
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
9
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Gaythorne
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Brisbane-North
</td>
<td valign="middle">
 $618,000
</td>
<td valign="middle">
    6.3
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
10
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Bardon
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Brisbane-West
</td>
<td valign="middle">
 $840,000
</td>
<td valign="middle">
    6.2
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
11
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Fig Tree Pocket
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Brisbane-West
</td>
<td valign="middle">
 $934,000
</td>
<td valign="middle">
    6.2
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
12
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Holland Park
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Brisbane-South
</td>
<td valign="middle">
 $619,000
</td>
<td valign="middle">
    6.2
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
13
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Woolloongabba
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Brisbane-Inner
</td>
<td valign="middle">
 $645,000
</td>
<td valign="middle">
    6.2
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
14
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Camp Hill
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Brisbane-South
</td>
<td valign="middle">
 $748,000
</td>
<td valign="middle">
    6.1
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
15
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Fairfield
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Brisbane-South
</td>
<td valign="middle">
 $678,000
</td>
<td valign="middle">
    6.1
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
16
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Upper Mt Gravatt
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Brisbane-South
</td>
<td valign="middle">
 $550,000
</td>
<td valign="middle">
    6.1
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
17
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Albion
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Brisbane-North
</td>
<td valign="middle">
 $687,000
</td>
<td valign="middle">
    6.0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
18
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Eight Mile Plains
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Brisbane-South
</td>
<td valign="middle">
 $619,000
</td>
<td valign="middle">
    6.0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
19
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Norman Park
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Brisbane-East
</td>
<td valign="middle">
 $760,000
</td>
<td valign="middle">
    6.0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
20
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Seven Hills
</td>
<td valign="middle">
Brisbane-East
</td>
<td valign="middle">
 $618,000
</td>
<td valign="middle">
    6.0
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
 
TERRY RYDER is the founder of <a href="https://www.hotspotting.com.au/" target="_blank">hotspotting.com.au</a>. You can <a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au" target="_blank">email him</a> or follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/hotspotting" target="_blank">Twitter.</a> 
Terry was recently joined by Property Observer editor at large Jonathan Chancellor for a webinar on why research is the key to successful property investing in 2015. You can download slides and audio from the webinar here.
 
 
 
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terryryder-YECXbqmri2

Top 20 Brisbane growth suburbs of the decade: Terry Ryder

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Amid media’s multiple orgasms over Sydney price rises, the factor overlooked is how poorly the city had performed on capital growth in the decade before its belated resurgence. 
Hotspotting’s latest survey for the Capital Growth Superstars report shows that Sydney still ranks only fourth among the capital cities for long-term capital growth. Perth is No.1, marginally ahead of Melbourne and Darwin.
Perth’s market peaked in the middle of 2013 and been gradually subsiding since then – but, in terms of long-term growth rates, it still has more suburbs with strong growth averages than any other capital city. All but one of the Perth Top 20 average above 9% per year (which means property doubles in value every eight years).
The recent Sydney boom has elevated the city from 6th late in 2014 to 4th in mid-2015 – an improvement, but still mediocre for long-term growth. Fourteen of Sydney’s Top 20 suburbs have long-term growth rates below 8% - not nearly good enough to make the Top 20 lists for Melbourne, Perth or Darwin.
No suburb in the vast Sydney metropolitan area has a double-digit growth rate. The best is Pemulwuy (median price $720,000) in the city’s western suburbs, with a long-term growth rate of 9.5% per year. Most of the suburbs in the Top 20 have growth rates in the 7.0% to 8.0% range.
At first glance, it appears that the Top End suburbs dominate Sydney’s Top 20 list, as 19 of the Top 20 (all except Pemulwuy) have median prices above $1 million. But, in fact, these are mostly suburbs a tier below the Top End.  
In Sydney, the 15 most expensive suburbs all have median house prices above $2 million. None of the 20 most expensive suburbs (all with median prices above $1.9 million) make the Sydney’s Top 20 list for long-term capital growth. Most of them have growth rates below 5% per year.
Sydney’s Top 20 is dominated by 15 suburbs in the $1 million to $1.5 million range, which is Sydney’s second tier market.
This factor is common to most of the capital cities. Most of the Top 20 lists, including those in Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Canberra, are dominated by the middle market. The exception is Perth, where the cheaper end of the market fills most of the spaces on the Top 20 list. 
In Sydney, the outstanding precinct is the Ryde LGA on the lower North Shore, which has four suburbs in the city Top 20. Ryde is the only municipality with more than two suburbs in the Top 20. Its four top suburbs are Eastwood, Ryde, Denistone East and West Ryde, all with median prices in the $1.1 million to $1.3 million range.
The prestige end of the market, suburbs with median house prices above $2 million, continues to deliver poor capital growth rates. Indeed, three of the most expensive suburbs of Sydney are included in the Bottom 20 list of suburbs with the worst growth rates in the city.
Vaucluse (median $3.4 million), Palm Beach ($2.6 million) and Clontarf ($2.5 million) all have growth rates of 2.1% per year or less. Clontarf’s 1.3% grow rate means it would take 55 years for property to double in value (compared to eight years for Pemulwuy).
There are four other million-dollar suburbs on the Bottom 20 list.
The worst precinct in Sydney for capital growth is the Sutherland LGA in the south of the metropolitan area – it has four suburbs (Burraneer, Bundeena, Lilli Pilli and Illawong) on the Bottom 20 list, all with growth rates below 2% per year.
TERRY RYDER is the founder of <a href="https://www.hotspotting.com.au/" target="_blank">hotspotting.com.au</a>. You can <a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au" target="_blank">email him</a> or follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/hotspotting" target="_blank">Twitter.</a> 
Terry was recently joined by Property Observer editor at large Jonathan Chancellor for a webinar on why research is the key to successful property investing in 2015. You can download slides and audio from the webinar here.
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Sydney ranks fourth for long-term capital growth: Terry Ryder

<html><body>
The most common “common denominator” of boom property markets over time is an elevated level of spending on infrastructure.
It’s not coincidence that Sydney has been having its strongest market in 12 years at a time when the level of infrastructure development is the highest it’s been in 12 years. It’s not the only reason but it has played a significant role.
And as Sydney starts to shows signs of beginning the fade-out that’s inevitable after three years of heightened activity and prices, investors seeking long-term growth are well advised to follow the infrastructure trail.
Real estate that lies in the path of progress usually grows at superior rates.
The property cycle in Sydney has reached the point where investors need to be extremely careful with their locational choices.
The Sydney market has been percolating for three years and most locations have recorded significant price growth, including double-digit annual increases in median prices across much of the Sydney metropolitan area.
This scenario has meant that owning real estate almost anywhere in Greater Sydney has delivered good capital growth.
But it will not be so simple moving forward. There are already indications that the Sydney boom is beginning to fade. It was inevitable that this would occur and it was most likely to happen in the third year of heightened market activity – i.e. during 2015.
Our latest analysis of sales data shows that there are fewer growth suburbs (in terms of sales activity) than before, which is an indicator that the boom may be fading. I do not expect any dramatic decline, but the high level of price growth of the past 2-3 years is unlikely to continue.
I note that other research sources, including BIS Shrapnel and National Australia Bank, have also forecast that the rate of price growth in Sydney will decrease over the next year or so.
Investors now need to be selective to achieve capital growth – and the best strategy is to focus on locations where spending on new infrastructure, particularly transport infrastructure, will be a catalyst to real estate demand. 
Currently, the outer reaches of the metropolitan area are the market leaders in Sydney. Penrith, Camden and Campbelltown – as far as you can get from the CBD and still be in Greater Sydney – have the most upwardly-mobile markets.
Some Top End suburbs remain vibrant. But, increasingly, we are seeing the biggest growth in the middle and bottom tiers of the market. This continues a process which evolved throughout 2014, with the millionaire suburbs a little less prominent and the more affordable areas rising. 
Western areas are prominent, including the far south-west of the Sydney metropolitan area where both the Campbelltown and Camden LGAs still have numerous growth suburbs, the Liverpool LGA and the Rouse Hill precinct in the far north-west. 
These are all areas which will benefit from infrastructure spending, including projects currently under construction and those in the planning stages.
In some instances, the level of new transport infrastructure is quite exceptional. Take the north-west precinct centred on the emerging growth region of Rouse Hill. This area is an obvious and direct beneficiary of the $9 billion North west Rail Link, now under construction. 
Currently the main transport link to this precinct is the M2 motorway, where a significant upgrade was recently completed.
Other accessibility improvements are being made with the upgrade of Schofields Road,linking Windsor Road at Rouse Hill to Railway Terrace at Schofields. The two-lane rural road will be transformed into a major east-west connection between Windsor Road and Richmond Road over three stages costing about $200 million.
Stage one opened to traffic in July 2014. Stage two should be complete in early 2017 while stage three remains in the planning phase.
Richmond Road has also undergone a recent $46 million upgrade.
The north-west region of Sydney will benefit from the M9 Orbital road, which will connect it to the far south-west of Sydney. The M9 will link Camden in the south-west to Penrith in the west and continue north to Windsor, a near neighbour of Rouse Hill.
The link is in the early stages of planning, with $4.6 million set aside in the FY2015 State Budget for a feasibility study on the construction of the M9.
The north-west region will also benefit from the NorthConnex motorway, the $2.6 billion project designed to address the missing link between the southern end of the M1 Pacific Motorway at Wahroonga and the M2 motorway at its Pennant Hills Road interchange.
Spanning 9km, NorthConnex will be the longest road tunnel project in Australia. Construction of the tunnel is expected to be completed in 2019. It was announced in February 2015 that Lend Lease had won the contract to construct the motorway.
These infrastructure projects are part of the mix that will make the north-west a growth market long-term, beyond the current boom.
TERRY RYDER is the founder of <a href="https://www.hotspotting.com.au/" target="_blank">hotspotting.com.au</a>. You can <a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au" target="_blank">email him</a> or follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/hotspotting" target="_blank">Twitter.</a> 
Terry was recently joined by Property Observer editor at large Jonathan Chancellor for a webinar on why research is the key to successful property investing in 2015. You can download slides and audio from the webinar here.
 
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Property investors must follow the infrastructure trail: Terry Ryder 

<html><body><div class="page" title="Page 33">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
A report has found land values in the Gold Coast region have seen strong growth with Mermaid Waters, Mermaid Beach and Broadbeach Waters all seeing an increase in land values from between 25% to 30% through June 2015.
According to the Herron Todd White June 2015 update, official land values on the Gold Coast are reported to have increased by 10.7% over the past year, marking an upward swing in the local property market with prices "well off the bottom across all residential property categories".
The report cited the recent resale of 145 Allambi Avenue, Broadbeach Waters for $1,015,000 which sold for $760,000 in August 2013, with no additional improvements to the property made.
According to its data, purchasers still favour the sub $500,000 price bracket which accounts for 71.5% of transactions, compared to 23.5% for $500,000 to $1 million and 5% over $1 million. 
The HTW report noted the Gold Coast was one of the hardest hit regions of Australia following the GFC, with mortgagee in possession sale rates running above 6%. 
"However, that all seems to be well behind us now as the property market has recovered and turned upwards.
"Prices are well off the bottom across all residential property categories."
It nominated six reasons underpinning the recovery in positive economic changes driving the property market on the Gold Coast:
• Increasing population. Current Gold Coast population is now at 535,000 (source: Gold Coast City Council web site) with projections of a population of circa 680,000 by 2021 (source: Queensland Office of Economy and Statistical Research Population Prediction Report dated 2011).
• Tourism is back stimulated by the lower Australian dollar and strengthened by new international flights direct to China and other parts of Asia.
• Increase in building development and infrastructure projects.
• Increase in number of new homes being built and apparent increase in number of substantial renovations of dwellings.
• Increased international investors including the very influential and growing Chinese investment market and cashed up Auckland based Kiwis.
• Increased interstate buyers with many cashed up investors from the very buoyant Melbourne and Sydney markets.
• Predictions of improving employment in the tourism sector and also boosted by the impending 2018 Commonwealth Games. 
 
<a href="/images/2015/06/26/gc1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/06/26/gc1.jpg" alt="">
The prestige market was on the improve with overseas investors, locals and those from interstate preferring waterfront property and the limited luxury units are on the market.
<div class="page" title="Page 33">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
 Examples of sales in 2015 include: 
<div class="page" title="Page 34">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<img src="/images/2015/06/26/700_gc3.jpg" alt="">
 
 
<a href="/images/2015/06/26/gc_house.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge  </a>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<img src="/images/2015/06/26/gc_house.jpg" alt="" width="923" height="571"> 
<a href="/images/2015/06/26/gc_units.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
 
 
<img src="/images/2015/06/26/gc_units.jpg" alt="">
</div>
</div>
</div>
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mick.cee-iDmgDDAmu8

HTW notes strong growth in Gold Coast land values

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Here is a fact which will play with the minds of many property investors: the northern inland New South Wales rural township of Narrabri experienced zero population growth over the last ten years yet its property market performed significantly better than the Melbourne local government authority (LGA) of Wyndham, which had the fifth highest population growth in Australia. 
There is a plethora of ill-informed claims which so-called property gurus make to justify their reasoning for investing in a particular location; investing where population growth is highest is one such claim. And, I’m here to tell you that this claim is flawed!
Now, before you start questioning my sanity, let me first say that historical evidence – facts – back up my statement!
Propertyology has recently concluded a comprehensive study of the historical property market performance of each of Australia’s 550 local government authorities (LGAs) since the turn of the century. 
Someone who purchased a typical 3-bedroom house in Narrabri in 2000 would have paid $96,250. That property would have subsequently grown in value by an average of 8.1% per annum over the last 15 years and today would be worth $287,500. When adding the current rental yield of 6.9%, the total return of Narrabri is a handsome 15.0%. The latest data from ABS shows that Narrabri’s 2014 population of 13,764 was 20 people fewer than 10 years earlier. Yet, in spite of the completely stagnant population, Narrabri is officially ranked the 51st best performer out all LGAs in Australia (top 10% in the country).
Population Growth Rate : Property Return (growth + yield)
Ararat (Vic)-0.3%15.0%
Central Goldfields (Vic)0% 14.1%
Corangmite (Vic)-0.6% 13.7%
Hinchinbrook (Qld)-0.3% 13.9%
Moree Plains (NSW)-0.6% 14.4%
Narrabri (NSW)0% 15.0%
North Burnett (Qld)-0.1% 15.9%
Southern Grampians (Vic)-0.6% 14.5%
York Peninsula (SA) -0.4% 14.1%
Population Growth Rate : Property Return (growth + yield)
Ararat (Vic)-0.3% 15.0%
Central Goldfields (Vic)0% 14.1%
Corangmite (Vic)-0.6% 13.7%
Hinchinbrook (Qld)-0.3% 13.9%
Moree Plains (NSW)-0.6% 14.4%
Narrabri (NSW)0% 15.0%
North Burnett (Qld)-0.1% 15.9%
Southern Grampians (Vic)-0.6% 14.5%
York Peninsula (SA) -0.4% 14.1%
Narrabri’s performance is no fluke. There are in fact 9 locations in the Top 100 (Australia’s best 20%) which have experienced zero (or even negative) population growth over the last decade.
But wait. Here’s some further facts to challenge the credibility of those property gurus. 
Did you hear the one about capital cities being better investments than regions? The facts say that 69 of Australia’s Top 100 property markets over the last 15 years have a population of LESS than 100,000 people.
11 of Australia’s Top 20 property markets (and 42 of the Top 100) had a population growth rate which was LESS than the Australian average.
11 of Australia’s Top 20 property markets have a population of less than 25,000 people.
Average annual population for the City of Hobart over the last decade of 0.4% was well below the capital city average of 1.8%. In contrast, Hobart’s average annual price growth of 9.2% is superior to the capital city average of 8.5%.
Don’t get me wrong, population volume and population growth are considerations for selecting a sustainable location to invest in; an increase in population means higher demand for housing. However, if supply is equally matched through broad acre land release and / or higher density then price growth will be constrained. LGA’s such as Melton VIC (6.3%), Boddington WA (6.2%), Melbourne City (5.5%), Whittlesea VIC (4.2%), Adelaide City (3.8%), and Canada Bay NSW (3.0%) all have very high population growth rates yet their total property returns relative to the national average is underwhelming.
Population growth is not the only driver. Affordability is a significantly bigger driver of property price growth than increasing population. The policemen and hairdressers in regional towns like Ararat and Gayndah probably earn just as much as the same workers in capital cities; yet the cost of accommodation is vastly different.
Population is one of over 30 factors which astute property investors will consider when selecting a location to invest in. It is the sum of all these factors which is important.
Propertyology periodically conduct studies like this to uncover the common-denominators of good and bad market performance. Propertyology then uses the findings from these studies to refine our selection criteria for suitable towns and cities across Australia.
Simon Pressley is Managing Director of <a href="https://www.propertyology.com.au/" target="_blank">Propertyology</a>, REIA Hall of Fame Inductee, property market analyst, accredited property investment adviser, and Buyer’s Agent. 
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spressley-sBoeMhannA

Australia’s population over-achievers: Simon Pressley

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The Housing Industry Association chief economist Harley Dale says strong price growth was only evident in Sydney.
"Any corrective action by regulators must be very targeted, so as not to adversely affect broader housing demand," Harley Dale suggested.
"Residential building is one of the few bright lights in the economy at the moment, and it would be unwise to interfere in the market to an extent that risks derailing activity."
Efforts to boost lending standards in Australian banks' housing portfolios in the last three months were starting to bear fruit, Wayne Byres, the chairman of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA).
"This effort has consumed a great deal of our supervisory time over the past three months, but is now starting to bear fruit," Wayne Byres told a senate committee hearing this week.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

HIA's Harley Dale says strong growth only in Sydney

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Australia’s robust population growth will continue to underpin property prices for decades to come.
Read any government or not-for-profit commissioned reports into the future of Australia and you’ll likely notice one key trend – population growth is forecast to remain strong.
Australia’s population surpassed 23.7 million in January after significant growth over the past 15 years. 
A recent report from The Australia Institute found that since the year 2000, Australia has increased in size by 4.7 million people.
This represents about a 25% rise in the country’s population and equates to adding a new city the size of Canberra every year, the report by the Canberra-based think tank found.
This has undoubtedly helped fuel dwelling prices over that time.
With the exception of Sydney, all of Australia’s capital cities have recorded annual compound house price growth of more than 7% in the same period. Of course, as we know, the Sydney market is experiencing boom time conditions now.
<div>
<table style="width: 302px;"><tbody>
<tr>
<td class="gen10243" nowrap width="113">
City
</td>
<td class="gen1024f" width="189">
15-year compound annual value change (houses)*
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="gen10267" width="113">
Sydney
</td>
<td class="gen10271" width="189">
6.6%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="gen10267" width="113">
Melbourne
</td>
<td class="gen10271" width="189">
8.3%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="gen10267" width="113">
Brisbane
</td>
<td class="gen10271" width="189">
8.1%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="gen10267" width="113">
Adelaide
</td>
<td class="gen10271" width="189">
7.5%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="gen10267" width="113">
Perth
</td>
<td class="gen10271" width="189">
8.6%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="gen10267" width="113">
Hobart
</td>
<td class="gen10271" width="189">
7.8%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="gen10267" width="113">
Canberra
</td>
<td class="gen10271" width="189">
7.7%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="gen10308" width="113">
Darwin
</td>
<td class="gen10312" width="189">
7.2%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Source: CoreLogic RPData *15 years to January 2015.
According to many forecasts, Australia’s high rate of population growth over the past 15 years will continue.
The Federal Government’s recent Intergenerational Report predicts that about 40 million people will call Australia home by the year 2054. Similar estimates have also been forecast by The Australia Institute.
This equates to population growth of about 1.3% per year – about half of this growth will be driven by net oversea migration with the remainder comprising natural growth (births less deaths).
Subsequently, Australia will need to add more than 9 million new homes – double the current housing stock – to meet the population demand, according to the Master Builders Association.
What’s more noteworthy, though, is that almost all of these people are expected to live in Australia’s capital cities.
Melbourne and Perth will experience the biggest increases in population growth over the coming decades, according to The Australia Institute report released in March.
Perth’s population is tipped to nearly triple by the year 2061 with the addition of 3.5 million residents. The city’s population is expected to reach 5.5 million people, which would surpass that of Brisbane’s of about 4.9 million, and make it Australia’s third largest capital.
The report also found that Melbourne is forecast to surpass Sydney as the most populace capital city in Australia.
The Victorian capital is predicted to grow to 8.6 million residents by 2061, compared to Sydney with 8.5 million people.
This rapid population growth, in already sprawled metropolitan zones, will continue to drive demand for land and, in turn, apply upwards pressure on house prices
While there will be ebbs and flows in house values over the decades ahead, the ultimate trend will be an increase in prices. 
<img src="/images/2015/05/28/collins.jpeg" alt="">
Source: The Australia Institute, Population Growth in Australia
 
Damian Collins is managing director of Momentum Wealth, a Perth based property investment consultancy firm. You can contact him <a href="https://www.momentumwealth.com.au/blog/" target="_blank">here</a>.
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DamianCollins-BiwU8NaWEC

Population growth will drive house prices: Damian Collins

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Historically, the east coast housing markets of Brisbane and Melbourne have followed the Sydney growth cycle, booming shortly after the Sydney market reaches its peak.
Despite speculation that growth in the Sydney market would spill north to Brisbane, devastating weather conditions and the deterioration of commodity prices mean that the greater Brisbane region has seen subdued growth so far in 2015.
Our latest data shows that the median house value in Brisbane contracted by 1.33% for the March quarter. Units did not do much better, with growth of 0% in the same period.
Queensland Treasurer Curtis Pitt described the Federal Budget as a “let down for Queensland”.
The State Government was chasing funding for a cross river rail, the second stage of the Gold Coast light rail and the Sunshine Coast rail duplication.
However, the Federal Government has announced its infrastructure loans are conditional, and Queensland will not receive full federal support unless it agrees to sell its assets.
Unless the State Government can negotiate further infrastructure funding, Queensland may see subdued economic and employment growth.
This is further reinforced by the abolishment of the tax free threshold for those on a working holiday in Australia.
The reform could reduce tourism, which has provided a crutch for the Queensland economy following the tapering off of the mining boom.
Any fiscal policy impacting tourism is also important for those with holiday rentals to consider, as rental returns could go down and vacancy periods have the potential to go up.
Eliza Owen is the Market Analyst for <a href="https://investors.onthehouse.com.au/Federal_Budget_2015/?page=1#.VVOx3XpMIzU" target="_blank">Onthehouse.com.au</a>.
</body></html>

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