Just a few months after acquiring a prime Broadbeach site on the corner of First Avenue and Surf Parade, family-run developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/raptis">Raptis</a> has filed fresh plans for a new apartment development.

Raptis is seeking to deliver a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/17-19-first-avenue-broadbeach-qld-4217">29-storey tower with 73 apartments</a> on the 818 sqm site. It will be the developer's seventh project in the suburb, as they are approaching completion of The Sterling on George Avenue.

There will be a pool, barbecue and outdoor dining area, residents lounge and dining, sauna and steam room, gym, and a Yoga and Pilates studio.

<img alt="Raptis" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b554da3f-7344-49aa-b1c9-44cf459af0d7" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-05%20at%2010.41.45%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=zzjWu1iO1wnuYv4EV4fyOyf5nSXjGYut" />

Raptis Joint Managing Director, Evan Raptis, says they remain&nbsp;committed to developing quality infill sites across the Gold Coast in the lead-up to the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.

"This project continues our long track record of delivery in Broadbeach, and we look forward to bringing another premium development to this thriving precinct."

The announcement follows strong delivery momentum for Raptis, with The Sterling Broadbeach nearing completion and construction well underway on the final stage of the Waterpoint community adjacent to Harbour Town. The developer's continued investment in the Gold Coast reflects confidence in the region's apartment market fundamentals, underpinned by sustained Southeast Queensland population growth.&nbsp;

The outlook for the region is further bolstered by infrastructure investment tied to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games, which is expected to drive continued economic and population growth across the SEQ corridor.&nbsp;

Subject to a favourable response from Gold Coast City Council, construction on the new First Avenue tower is targeted to commence before the end of 2026.&nbsp;

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/it-s-all-in-the-family-four-decades-later-raptis-continues-to-shape-the-gold-coast-skyline">It’s all in the family: Four decades later, Raptis continues to shape the Gold Coast skyline</a>

Read more: <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/raptis-secures-prime-surf-parade-site-for-next-broadbeach-apartment-development">Raptis secures prime Surf Parade site for next Broadbeach apartment development</a> 
&nbsp;

Gold Coast developer brings seventh Broadbeach project to market, targeting construction commencement before year end

Joel Robinson

First look: Raptis lodges plans for new 29-storey Broadbeach tower 

Brisbane development veteran Kevin Seymour's Seymour Group is set to deepen its presence on one of Brisbane's most tightly held riverfront addresses, lodging revised plans for a luxury apartment development on Oxlade, just a few doors down from The Oxlade, which it completed in 2024.

The <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/70-72-oxlade-drive-new-farm-qld-4005">new project at 70-72 Oxlade Drive</a>, directly north of The Oxlade, will have 27 apartments across a seven-storey building&nbsp;overlooking the Brisbane River and Merthyr Park. It's a revision from a 2021-approved design.

Designed by bureau^proberts, the project has evolved from the previously approved 26-apartment scheme, introducing an additional penthouse level while maintaining a low-density, boutique character. The development will comprise 26 three-bedroom apartments and a single four-bedroom penthouse, supported by two basement levels with 86 car spaces and 34 bicycle spaces.

The architectural response is centred around two distinct building forms separated by a landscaped open-air atrium.&nbsp;"This dual composition captures and embraces Brisbane’s subtropical environment whilst breaking down built form and scale," the submission to the Brisbane City Council noted.

<img alt="First look: Seymour Group returns to Oxlade Drive with revised riverfront apartment plans in New Farm" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c12d84d0-bc11-4067-b46f-5bd2d786a34d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/new%20farm%20landscape.png?VersionId=YEPc2k5CAdh6aAPlu4uVpgZadh4MEfRd" />

A defining feature of the design is a deep landscaped void running through the centre of the building, creating what bureau^proberts describes as a "natural ravine" that enhances airflow, daylight penetration and resident amenity. The design report notes that the separation of the two building volumes is intended to maximise natural light, cross-ventilation and outlook while strengthening connections to the surrounding riverfront setting.

Curved balcony edges, integrated planting and extensive landscaping throughout the façade reinforce the subtropical design approach. The building's façade is softened by elevated gardens and planter beds, creating a green edge that complements the established landscape character of Oxlade Drive and neighbouring Merthyr Park.

New Farm has become one of Brisbane's most sought-after suburbs for developers delivering premium downsizer-focused apartments.

GRAYA has been particularly active in the precinct, completing both Chalk and York in recent years, while construction of Moray House, being delivered for Spyre, is now nearing completion. Architect-turned-developer Joe Adsett recently launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/arcilla-new-farm-by-joe-adsett-28-maxwell-street-new-farm-qld-4005">Arcilla on Maxwell Street</a>, an exclusive collection of just nine apartments.

First look: Seymour Group returns to New Farm's Oxlade Drive with riverfront apartment plans

A new residential tower will be the first piece of a broader mixed-use precinct set to reshape a prominent Newcastle West site, with local developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/gwh">GWH</a> bringing its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/cambridge-quarter-newcastle-west-12-denison-street-newcastle-west-nsw-2302">Cambridge Quarter</a> vision to market.

The first release, Tempo, will introduce 87 apartments across a 24-storey tower, marking Stage 1 of the residential component of a larger urban regeneration project planned for the western end of Newcastle's city centre, encompassing the former Cambridge Hotel site.

Positioned on Denison Street, Tempo has been designed as the inaugural building within Cambridge Quarter, a precinct that will ultimately combine apartments, retail activation and revitalised public spaces including the revamping of the Cambridge Hotel.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135876 project_image_fid=368853]

The tower will comprise a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, including layouts with multipurpose rooms, catering to a broad cross-section of owner-occupiers. Apartment sizes range from around 60 sqm to 192 sqm, with a number of residences oriented to capture views across Newcastle Harbour, the city skyline and coastline.

GWH has emphasised liveability in the design, with open-plan layouts extending to generous balconies and terraces. Residents will have a choice of two interior palettes, while specifications include engineered stone benchtops, SMEG appliances, full-height bathroom tiling and secure building access. Premium upgrade packages will also be available.

Multiple rooftop resident retreats will provide communal outdoor space overlooking the harbour and city, offering an elevated amenity layer above the activity of the precinct below.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135876 project_image_fid=368851]

The broader Cambridge Quarter vision extends beyond the residential tower itself. Ground-level retail activation and landscaped public areas are planned throughout the precinct, creating a walkable neighbourhood environment connected to the surrounding renewal of Newcastle West. The Cambridge Hotel is also earmarked for future redevelopment into a family-friendly hospitality venue integrated with the new precinct.

The project is strategically positioned within walking distance of Newcastle Interchange, providing access to light rail, regional rail services and direct connections to Sydney. Residents will also be close to Honeysuckle, Newcastle Harbour and the city's beaches and coastal walkways.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135876 project_image_fid=368852]

For GWH, Cambridge Quarter represents one of its most significant Newcastle developments to date. The locally based developer, which has operated in the Hunter region since 1995, describes the project as a new chapter in the ongoing transformation of Newcastle West.

GWH Executive Director Jonathan Craig said the project had been shaped by a focus on creating lasting community connections.

"We take pride in creating places that last. Spaces where people feel connected, comfortable and a genuine sense of belonging," Craig said.

"Cambridge Quarter is something we are truly proud of, a place shaped by local knowledge, built with care and designed to be part of Newcastle's next chapter."

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135876]

GWH unveils first release at landmark Cambridge Quarter precinct in Newcastle West

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ss-projects">S&amp;S Projects</a>,&nbsp;Rainbow Bay's busiest developer,&nbsp;has officially lodged plans for the largest development in its booming local portfolio, seeking approval for a further 88 apartments on Boundary Street.

The proposal&nbsp;at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/209-213-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">209–213 Boundary Street, Coolangatta</a>,&nbsp;marks the next chapter in the developer's transformation of the southern Gold Coast beachside precinct. It will be its fifth in the area, having already delivered Flow, Awaken and Esprit, while construction continues on the 38-apartment Radia. The new project would rise 57 metres above a consolidated 1,518 sqm site, on the same street as Radia and Esprit.

&nbsp;

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cottee-parker-architects">Cottee Parker</a>, the proposed development comprises 88 two and three-bedroom apartments across a contemporary podium-and-tower form that integrates extensive landscaping from street level through to the rooftop.

The tower would be delivered above a basement and multi-level podium accommodating resident and visitor parking, with the residential component commencing from level three. The design incorporates cascading planting throughout the façade, landscaped podium edges, and deep planting zones along the Boundary Street frontage.

<img alt="First look: S&amp;S Projects lodges plans for 88-apartment wellness tower at Coolangatta's Boundary Street" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="677e6615-b5c0-4b6c-b4f9-efb14fcde1a6" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/ss%20da%20pers.png?VersionId=YOnPKQm7IFXv0M5H326djEpxk80500Hi" />

A key feature of the development is its expansive rooftop wellness and recreation precinct. Plans reveal a resort-style pool deck, gymnasium, sauna, steam room, hot and cold plunge pools, rooftop terraces, barbecue areas and landscaped relaxation spaces positioned to capture views across the southern Gold Coast coastline.

The rooftop wellness focus builds on the vision S&amp;S Projects first outlined when it acquired the site for $20.25 million last year.

"We are taking every advantage to create a truly unique rooftop wellness experience with a natural feel for residents, offering stone features throughout and an underlying theme that emulates a botanical garden," S&amp;S Projects founder and director Paul Gedoun said at the time.

The proposal seeks a 57-metre building height, representing a 50 per cent uplift on the site's mapped 38-metre height limit. Planning documents argue the additional height is consistent with recently approved and emerging towers in the immediate Boundary Street and Rainbow Bay precinct.

Urbis, acting as planning consultant, said the development would provide "88 dwellings, comprising a mix of two and three-bedroom apartments, contributing to housing choice and supply within an established medium to high-rise coastal urban neighbourhood."

The scheme has undergone extensive pre-lodgement consultation with the City of Gold Coast, with the design refined following feedback relating to architectural expression, landscaping, traffic access and podium treatment.

<img alt="S&amp;S" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0a2d70fd-62ac-4b83-97c6-b798fc1243dd" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-05%20at%209.16.31%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=yHmghUwKM3IVGpBktQU1mE.0Lpf3WimG" />

The architectural team is led by Brisbane-based Cottee Parker, one of Australia's most active residential design studios, with landscape architecture by Dunn + Moran. The consultant team also includes ADG Engineers, Windtech and Acoustic Works.

S&amp;S Projects has become one of the most influential private developers operating on the southern Gold Coast. Since entering Rainbow Bay in 2022, the company has assembled a portfolio exceeding $1 billion in end value, establishing itself as a key player in the area's evolution into a premium apartment destination. Pezet Matheson will again handle the sales for S&amp;S.

Coolangatta is entering another wave of apartment development, following the delivery of several prominent residential projects in recent years.

John Kearney's Immerse Projects will launch&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kaiya-kirra-beach-5-haig-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Kaiya on Haig Street</a>&nbsp;soon, meanwhile, Palm Beach-based Sherpa Property Group is preparing to bring its debut Coolangatta development, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-viver-87-griffith-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Flourish Viveré</a>, to market later this year, subject to approvals.

First look: S&S Projects proposes 88-apartment wellness tower at Coolangatta's Boundary Street

A landmark former orphanage site in Surrey Hills could be transformed into a new residential community under plans lodged by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/antipodean-land-developments">Antipodean Land Developments</a> that would deliver 76 apartments and townhouses while restoring some of the suburb's most significant heritage buildings.

The burgeoninng Melbourne-based developer has submitted plans for the 9,158 sqm site at 1 Kent Road and 24 Durham Road, home to the former St Joseph's Home for Destitute Children, a historic institutional complex dating back to the late 19th century. The proposal seeks to adaptively reuse several heritage buildings while introducing two new four-storey residential buildings set within extensive landscaped grounds.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a> and Kerstin Thompson Architects, the project has been conceived as a contemporary residential village embedded within a restored heritage precinct. The development team describes the design approach as "The Village in the Garden," with new buildings positioned among mature landscaping by OCULUS and significant heritage structures.

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="44ec8c1b-c0b6-44ae-859e-5811b3e6a023" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%281%29.png?VersionId=p.p1_KFh4iQoV4nisdnPfQBAsWNi7m79" />

The proposal would deliver 76 dwellings comprising a mix of apartments and duplex-style residences, significantly increasing housing supply on one of the largest privately held residential landholdings in Surrey Hills. The development includes 127 car spaces, 24 bicycle spaces and more than 1,000 sqm of communal amenity, with the existing chapel building earmarked for conversion into resident facilities.

According to the planning submission, the project centres on the restoration and adaptive reuse of the site's most significant heritage assets, including the original c.1889 St Joseph's building, the chapel designed by architect Augustus Andrew Fritsch, and the historic brick perimeter walls and entry gates. The proposal also incorporates the retention of other contributory buildings including the former infirmary and school building.

Tract Consultants, in the planning report accompanying the application, said the scheme had been shaped through extensive heritage analysis and design development.

"The shared vision for the Site by the project team has culminated in a scheme which successfully breathes life back into a historic site while delivering upon the objectives of Victoria's Housing Statement in a carefully curated and contextually responsive manner."

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7263b7d8-95ea-400f-9531-6ca7d22c3c33" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%282%29.png?VersionId=4cR1tiWOsDpgxEOwZi5vVFcyvvOsYkIE" />

The proposal is being assessed under Victoria's Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway. As part of the application, three per cent of the project's residential development cost would be contributed to the Social Housing Growth Fund. The development would also provide a diverse mix of one, two and three-bedroom residences targeting a broader range of buyers than typically found in Surrey Hills' detached housing market.

Sustainability initiatives include an anticipated 66 per cent BESS score, natural cross-ventilation to 80 per cent of apartments, 28 per cent deep soil landscaping and a canopy cover outcome exceeding local planning requirements. The proposal also sets aside more than 1,083 sqm for communal indoor and outdoor resident amenity spaces.

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="33fad46f-fe26-4d0a-acfd-6b776e1c6a3d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design.png?VersionId=D9F6WVSyYCtGvSUmith35LRp6R7PQkw_" />

Planning documents describe the property as one of the largest underutilised residential sites in Surrey Hills, arguing it presents a rare opportunity to introduce "missing middle" housing in an established inner-eastern suburb while preserving and revitalising a significant heritage precinct.

Antipodean Land Developments has built a reputation for design-focused residential projects across Melbourne, particularly in the medium-density sector. Previous developments include Neighbourhood in Brunswick East, delivered with Breathe Architecture, and Balfe Park Lane, designed by Kerstin Thompson Architects.

They've been very active in site acquisition as they build out their future development pipeline. They recently launched Thornubury House, 45 apartments above a mix of commercial, retail, and food and beverage tenancies, and have plans for a boutique project in Fitzroy and another <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/vic/antipodean-plan-apartments-for-deepdenes-missing-middle-on-whitehorse-road">"missing middle" project</a> on Deepdene's Whitehorse Road.

First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills

Manufacturing

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EXPERT OBSERVER
Why is the manufacturing industry a target for cyber criminals?
In two words, money and information. Most cybercriminals want cold, hard cash or access to trade secrets.
In its <a href="https://www.verizonenterprise.com/verizon-insights-lab/dbir/" target="_blank">2018 Data Breach Investigations Report</a>, global telecommunications and technology company Verizon reveals that financial motives are behind just over half of all data breaches in the manufacturing sector, while espionage makes up most of the other incidents as spies seek to gain confidential information from companies.
The findings show what the cyber crooks are after, with personal information (32 per cent), company secrets (30 per cent) and credentials (24 per cent) topping the list. With the latter, stolen credentials can be used to ramp up cyberattacks and access other data types.
Chris Tappin, Principal Consultant at the Investigative Response team for the Verizon Threat Research Advisory Centre, points out that first-mover advantage is crucial in the manufacturing sector, so cyber criminals are hell-bent on trying to pinch companies’ best ideas. “If they can obtain trade secrets, such as plans and R&amp;D information, and then use these to bring an idea to market first, they can potentially make big financial wins,” he says.
Whereas organised crime gangs are responsible for most attacks on retailers, accommodation, food services groups and financial services companies, state-sponsored hackers carry out the greatest percentage of manufacturing attacks. These rogue governments want intellectual property as a means to score trade success and often see manufacturers as an easy target because old IT systems are difficult to update and protect. Better still, they know that many manufacturers’ supply chains are large and exposed, giving them an opportunity to infect many suppliers and businesses at the same time.
What are some high-profile examples of attacks on manufacturers?
One of the best known is the attack on networks of defence contractor Lockheed Martin, and the world’s largest aerospace manufacturer Boeing, in a series of strategic data breaches on top-secret plans and information around a decade ago.
Authorities were stunned at the scale of the espionage in which hackers accessed designs and data on the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter jet, the B-2 stealth bomber, the F-22 jet, space-based lasers, missile navigation and tracking systems, and more.
Following the FBI’s 2014 arrest, and the subsequent jailing, of a businessman reportedly working with the Chinese military, the hackers’ modus operandi was revealed to involve phishing emails to employees at the target companies and installing malware on their systems which allowed remote access to directories containing the trade secrets, along with other sections of the companies’ networks.
How do cyber criminals typically target manufacturing companies?
Traditionally, it’s via phishing campaigns to gain unauthorised access to systems and data, tricking executives and employees into revealing login credentials and other private information. Networks, as a result, become highly exposed.
“The initial vector of intrusion is often not that sophisticated,” says Simon Ezard, a Senior Security Consultant at the Verizon Threat Research Advisory Center. “Unsophisticated cases involve attackers sending phishing emails, sometimes to thousands of people and in the hopes that a percentage of those will fall victim.”
Verizon’s research indicates that in most cases manufacturers can expect the cyberattacks to come from outside the business. In about nine out of 10 data breaches, external players are to blame, with employees responsible for just a small percentage of incidents.
What action should manufacturers take to limit threats?
With crucial company data, trade secrets and business reputations at stake, it is incumbent on manufacturing leaders and innovators to protect their intellectual property.
There are some basic means to combat cyber criminals, including being vigilant, educating employees about the dangers of phishing scams, keeping anti-virus software and patching up to date, encrypting data and using multi-factor authentication to limit the chances of attacks.
According to Verizon, manufacturers should also be taking three overarching actions to mitigate risks:
<ol>
<li>Separate highly sensitive and secret data from the rest of their networks, and restrict access to only those individuals who absolutely require it to do their jobs.2.</li>
<li>Implement data-loss-prevention controls to identify and block transfers of data by employees, and especially those who are terminated or resigning.</li>
<li>Ensure that employees quickly report phishing attacks so they can be better understood and combatted.</li>
</ol>
“Make people your first line of defence,” Ezard says. “Give your employees cybersecurity and social engineering training. Help them learn how to spot a phishing email and empower them to speak up to their IT department if they become suspicious.”
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

How can manufacturers beat cybercrime?

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Paper giant Visy Australia has signed a 20-year lease with Frasers Property Australia.
The new $46 million purpose built cardboard manufacturing and distribution centre is situated in West Park Industrial Estate in Melbourne’s western suburb of Truganina.
The state of the art facility will sit on 7.843 hectares of land located at 27 Doriemus Drive.
The facility will be 42,770 square metres.
It includes a 1,025 square metre office and 124 car spaces. 
The facility is now under construction by Frasers Property’s in-house construction division in two stages.
Stage 1 is expected to be completed by September 2018, while Stage 2’s completion date is December 2018.
The industrial park boasts access to the Western Ring Road, Deer Park Bypass and Melbourne’s ports and airport. 
Visy Australia will join several significant groups in the estate including Ceva Logistics, Toll, DB Schenker and National Tiles.
The transaction was brokered by Ben Fahey from Frasers Property, Stuart Duncan from Visy and Michael Green from Cushman Wakefield.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Visy signs new lease for manufacturing and distribution centre in Truganina 

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Holden will finally end its Australia manufacturing chapter in October 2017, leading to job losses numbering a least 1,000. 
It first announced its decision to shut making cars in Australia in late 2013. Much was said back then about the impact on the economy. 
Real estate being a being part of the Australian economy, Property Observer looked up for change in property prices in Elizabeth, site of Holden's plant, from around the time the decision was first announced and found there was no major impact on values. In fact, both house and unit prices have grown in value from 2013 to October 2016, according to CoreLogic RP Data.
The population in the area was 18,672 people, according to ABS Census 2011 data. The dwelling composition in the suburb was 67.8 percent houses, 8.2 percent units/apartments, while the rest comprised semi-detached homes or townhouses.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/01/19/HoldenElizabeth.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/01/19/HoldenElizabeth.png" alt="">
The median house price in Elizabeth (postcode 5112) in October 2016 was $226,000 with an annual average growth of 5.07 percent and three-year growth of 10.24 percent, according to CoreLogic data as at October 2016. There were 19 properties sold, data shows. 
The weekly median rent was $250 per week, with a gross rental yield of 5.75 percent, data shows.
For units, corresponding data was not available. However, according to the suburb profile on <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/neighbourhoods/elizabeth-5112-sa" target="_blank">www.realestate.com.au</a>, the median unit rent was $201 per week.
Median house prices rose from about $200,000 in 2013, when Holden first announced its closure decision, to about $226,000 (CoreLogic, October 2016).
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Property prices rose in Elizabeth, SA despite impending Holden shutdown  

<html><body>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/69398/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
Despite the well publicised closure of some manufacturing sectors in Australia, manufacturing isn’t dying.
Instead, like industry around the world, it’s undergoing a period of significant change as new, disruptive technologies and economic realities take hold and new markets emerge.
There is a role for the manufacturing sector in Australia. Through interviews with 56 stakeholders, three workshops and a survey of industry and government organisations, as well as leading researchers, CSIRO identified major growth opportunities and what the manufacturing sector needs to do to achieve them.
Currently Australian manufacturing contributes 6.05% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), exports A$96.1 billion of goods and employs 856,000 people. This has fallen from a high in 1995, when it contributed to 14% of GDP and employed more than a million people. 
High wages, geographical remoteness and a small dispersed local market are some of the reasons for these changes. However consumers are also changing what products they buy which then impacts the type of products made.
Major companies like Boeing and General Electric now look to the world using global supply chains for components for their final product, so Australia has to compete globally. 
The innovation resulting from science and technology, such as automation, digitisation and new materials, has changed the equation of what it means to be a manufacturer. Manufacturing is no longer a basic industry that employs low-skilled workers.
Over the next 20 years, Australia’s manufacturing industry must transform into a highly-integrated, collaborative and export-focused “ecosystem” that provides high-value customised solutions contributing to global supply chains.
Our research brought up some exciting examples of Australian companies that have already embraced this evolution, setting a standard to follow.
<h2>Customised high-margin solutions</h2>
We found that demand for more expensive bespoke products is replacing mass-produced products relying on value from producing a lot for the market. New materials, automation, biotechnology and new chemical processes have driven this innovation in manufacturing. 
These new technologies enable a new level of customisation. Products like personalised medical implants and functional foods and clothing are already possible thanks to the combination of design services and superior components (such as 3D printing).
Small to medium enterprises (SMEs) make up 97% of Australia businesses. So customisation is an ideal recipe for Australian SMEs to achieve global reach without the need for producing more goods than their competitors.
An example of an Australian company doing this well is Oventus. They produce an O2Vent mouthpiece for those that suffer sleep apnoea. Oventus uses a 3D scanner to map a patient’s mouth, then 3D prints a custom-made mouthpiece that helps stop dangerous pauses in sleep at night. Its custom fit and relative comfort attract a price premium. The company recently listed on the Australian stock exchange and is about to go global.
<h2>Collaboration</h2>
Too often Australian manufacturers focus on the rival across the street, rather than the looming competition over the horizon.
Our research shows manufacturers need to partner among themselves, either through business partnerships or increased collaboration. Nautitech and Northern Light Technologies Australia, for example, were brought together by a mining company to improve underground communications. 
These two companies combined hardware from one company and software from the other to provide mobile Wi-Fi coverage for mine sites. It allows miners to monitor worker safety, fleet optimisation, machine performance and also allows autonomous mining and productivity improvements. 
<h2>Global supply chain integration</h2>
In a global marketplace, Australia cannot stand on its own. The Australian market alone is too small - our population is the size of Shanghai, China. 
Australia has few multinational companies manufacturing here. However multinational companies do source components from the best suppliers globally and herein lies the opportunity for Australia.
For example, manufacturer ANCA Tools delivers specifically designed parts to Japan. These parts are made using the company’s multi-axis grinding machines. 
These machines, designed and built in Australia, are automated and wired up for flexible and precision manufacturing. The components are integrated into Japanese customers’ unmanned, factory-wide automated production systems.
Manufacturers need to integrate into international supply chains; using Australia’s advanced technology industry and research sector, to stand out from the crowd. One example of this highlighted from our research is Carbon Revolution, a company that pioneered the commercial production of carbon composite car wheels. These wheels are made from a single piece of material. 
Carbon Revolution is supplying Ford with wheels for the Mustang Shelby GT350R, making it the first company in the world to supply mass produced carbon fibre wheels on standard equipment for a major automaker.
The wheels weigh up to 50% less than conventional aluminium equivalents and reduce carbon emissions by up to 6%. Carbon Revolution is now investigating opportunities in aerospace and industrial markets.
<h2>Increased role for the research sector</h2>
Australia’s research sector can play a critical role in the future of Australian manufacturing, providing the significant technological innovation needed to drive future prosperity.
Publicly funded research agencies in Australia are already building stronger industry engagement. In our research, Australian manufacturers have identified the science and technology gaps that need filling. 
These companies want to use research results to be able to differentiate, make manufacturing processes more efficient, monitor in real time and drive decision making with data. Australian research institutions need to adapt to these demands.
The establishment of open access hubs such as Lab22, the Australian National Fabrication Facilities (ANFF), industry collaboration spaces in research organisations, researchers in business, industry PhDs and internships are all examples of initiatives to link the research and manufacturing sectors.
Australia has a high level of education, an excellent research sector, vast natural resources, a reputation for quality, keen SMEs and close proximity to a burgeoning Asia. The strengths far outweigh the weaknesses.
Cathy Foley is deputy director and Science Director Manufacturing Flagship CSIRO, and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/cathy-foley-1066" target="_blank">here</a>.
Keith McLean is director, CSIRO Manufacturing, CSIRO and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/keith-mclean-318305" target="_blank">here</a>.
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The Australian manufacturing industry is not dying, it’s evolving: CSIRO study

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GUEST OBSERVER
Australian car manufacturers are closing. Ford is closing in October this year. Toyota and Holden are to quit manufacturing in Australia by the end of 2017.
That means that from 2017, Australia will not have a local car manufacturing industry. This will especially impact on companies that make parts for new cars.
One aspect that has not been discussed among the many forthcoming hardships, is the impact on industrial property owners. The suburbs of Melbourne will be hard hit, especially the Northern Suburbs.
Opinions vary as to the number of businesses in the automotive component manufacturing industry but all agree that it is a large number. Many of which are located in Melbourne’s outer suburbs. Administrators appointed to one component manufacturer claims there are 150 firms nationally while Ibis Research says there are 882 businesses. Government committees have relied on automotive aftermarket association membership of 260 as their number.
Many component suppliers’ premises are setup for manufacturing and have limited alternative uses. While there is an ongoing demand for warehouse and distribution industrial properties, these component supplier premises are not considered as they usually lack the necessary high ceiling and high clearance entrance required for storage stacking and large vehicle access.
<h1 style="text-align: left;" align="center">Figure 1. Declining Industrial while Retail and Office do strong </h1>
<a href="/images/2016/08/16/Screen%20Shot%202016-08-16%20at%201.12.09%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/08/16/Screen%20Shot%202016-08-16%20at%201.12.09%20PM.png" alt="">
The effect on industrial property will happen sooner than we think. In fact, it’s happening now.
The Commercial Property Guide Asking Price Index (API) shows a steady decline in the rent that real estate agents are seeking for their clients’ industrial properties. This contrasts with a healthy increase over recent times for office and retail commercial space.
The industrial property rental asking price has been in a decline since November 2015 (see figure 1.). In May 2016 the asking price for industrial property rents have decreased 1.0 percent in the past three months. In the last two months (June and July) industrial rents have found a new lower level. One area that has been particularly hard hit is the Inner Northern suburbs of Melbourne where demand for logistics and warehouse properties does not appear to have offset the effect of factory rents decreases. Table 1. Shows the last six month changes.
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="75">
Feb
</td>
<td valign="top" width="75">
Mar
</td>
<td valign="top" width="75">
Apr
</td>
<td valign="top" width="75">
May
</td>
<td valign="top" width="75">
June
</td>
<td valign="top" width="75">
July
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="75">
-3.08
</td>
<td valign="top" width="75">
-1.23
</td>
<td valign="top" width="75">
-3.23
</td>
<td valign="top" width="75">
-3.08
</td>
<td valign="top" width="75">
-3.26
</td>
<td valign="top" width="75">
-1.78
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
 
Table 1. Change over the previous 3 months for Inner Northern Melbourne Industrial Property
With domestic vehicle manufacturing to cease by 2017, the Victorian Government has launched a funding program “Towards Future Industries: Victoria’s Automotive Transition Plan”, to assist businesses, employees and communities to capitalise on opportunities and provide support to those affected.
One group not eligible for direct assistance are factory owners of premises where component manufacture will stop.
The Commercial Property Guide API is starting to tell the story of these parts makers. There is considerable lead-time required to transition out of car parts to a new opportunity. As well as the much discussed unemployment and economic impact, the unintended consequences on commercial property owners is just beginning to be felt.
Simon Rose is chief executive officer, Commercial Property Guide and can be contacted <a href="https://www.commercialpropertyguide.com.au" target="_blank">here</a>.
 
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Real estate early-warning radar for end of car manufacturing

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Manufacturing in Melbourne, and pharmaceuticals and logistics in Sydney, are driving strong industrial markets with the demand for land in both cities pushing up values and triggering rental growth in Sydney, while pre-commitments are strong in Melbourne, according to the latest industrial leasing data from Savills Australia. 
Savills’ industrial leasing summaries reveal a tale of two economies with states beset by the end of the mining investment boom continuing to struggle while Melbourne and to a lesser extent, Sydney, forge ahead.
In the last 12 months to March, 2,694,559 square metres of industrial space was leased across Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney markets, slightly below the five-year average, according to Savills’ national head of research, Tony Crabb. 
Melbourne and Sydney together accounted for 1.96 million square metres of the total – a rise of nearly 20 per cent on the five-year average - while Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth were down more than 34 per cent from 1,109,312 to just 731,542 square metres leased.
Melbourne has been the bolter with leasing up nearly 90,000 square metres on the previous 12 months and more than 230,000 square metres, or 36 per cent, on the five-year average, while Brisbane is nearly 33 per cent down on the long-term average    
Crabb said the data unequivocally illustrated the variance in economic fortunes the mainland states had experienced since the end of the mining investment boom.
"This is just what the doctor ordered. The end of the mining investment boom meant the national economy had to look to other sectors to drive growth and that is clearly what is happening.
"The lower Australian dollar has played no small part in the resurgence of the manufacturing sector, especially in Victoria, Australia’s manufacturing heartland, and that has been the key to a much more lively industrial market, while the drop in the oil price has been a timely boost for the transport &amp; logistics sector,’’ Crabb said.
The lower dollar has increased export competitiveness with some companies reportedly considering returning manufacturing operations to Australia and others putting on staff to handle increased export orders, according to the Australian Industry Group. 
In Victoria, the automotive industry suppliers have not totally shut down as was feared, due to the impending closure of car manufacturing, with a significant number of supply-chain manufacturers diversifying and restructuring, state government data shows.
The AIG’s Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index jumped by 2 points to 53.5 points in February, its highest level since July 2010, which, according to AIG, indicated a stronger rate of expansion. The rise was the eighth consecutive monthly rise above 50 points (net expansion) and the longest continuous run of expansion since 2006.
Crabb said the leasing results were also in accord with the latest NAB Monthly Business Survey for March which showed a jump in both business conditions and confidence to their highest level since 2008: "(Providing).. more assurance that the Australian economy is weathering the global challenges well, and is successfully transitioning through the end of the mining boom’’. 
<a href="/images/2016/04/19/Screen%20Shot%202016-04-18%20at%204.55.10%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/04/19/Screen%20Shot%202016-04-18%20at%204.55.10%20PM.png" alt="">
The strong demand for land in Sydney was now driving rental growth, said Savills’ head of industrial, Darren Curry.
"The market in Sydney is pretty hot with significant buy orders from numerous high profile institutional investors and a groundswell of pre-leases with well over 100,000 sqm soon to be announced driven heavily by requirements from the pharmaceutical industry and 3PLs (third party logistics).
"In Melbourne, it’s a similar story. We are now seeing the emergence of a new speculative industrial construction push and that is driving land values around key transport routes. 
"While rents remain stable in Melbourne, a 20 per cent jump in land values over the last 24 months is now driving rental growth in Sydney, particularly in South Sydney and Western Sydney,’’ Curry said.
According to Victorian head of industrial David Norman what is driving the Victorian leasing market are pre-commitments - 309,691 square metres in the 12 months to March - with retailers with online presence and corporates looking for efficiencies through consolidation, the key players.
The leasing summaries show businesses requiring industrial space for the purposes of Manufacturing/Engineering were the most active leasing 351,436 square metres in Melbourne, while Transport &amp; Logistics firms were the most active in Sydney leasing 475,948 square metres. 
<a href="/images/2016/04/19/Screen%20Shot%202016-04-18%20at%205.00.14%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/04/19/Screen%20Shot%202016-04-18%20at%205.00.14%20PM.png" alt=""> 
<a href="/images/2016/04/19/Screen%20Shot%202016-04-18%20at%205.06.11%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/04/19/Screen%20Shot%202016-04-18%20at%205.06.11%20PM.png" alt="">
 
 
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Melbourne, Sydney driving industrial market: Savills 

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Car manufacturing job losses and oversupply of houses and apartments are expected to hit property prices in Melbourne from 2017, according to new research.
The study, by property market researcher Propertyology, found that Melbourne is on the cusp of a market downturn. The report says the slump will be caused by the untimely collision of thousands of job losses in manufacturing with entrenched oversupply issues.
"Propertyology believes that the 2016 supply-demand fundamentals for Greater Melbourne resemble those of Perth’s in 2014," said Propertyology market analyst Simon Pressley.
"The housing supply pipeline exceeds population demand in Melbourne to the tune of approximately 12,000 dwellings per year.
"Of even bigger concern is the impact on as much as six per cent of the city’s households from car manufacturing plant closures from late-2016 and continuing through 2017. One would have to anticipate there’d be a significant knock-on effect to consumer and business confidence across the entire city."
The report says the main factor in the market downturn will be the loss of jobs from 2014 to 2017 in the manufacturing plants of Ford, Holden and Toyota.
And it is not just the apartment sector that is burdened by oversupply. Sixteen of Greater Melbourne’s 31 local government areas (LGAs) have approved 50 per cent more dwellings than normal, even though the population growth rate has remained the same. The apartment sector also remains bloated by oversupply, the report says.
"Melbourne City is on track to approving 19,000 CBD apartments over the past three years; this is an increase of 158 per cent on the annual average from the previous five years," Pressley says.
"The Melbourne LGA population growth is just shy of 6,000 people per annum and equates to demand for 3,000 extra dwellings compared to the recent average annual supply of 6,300 CBD dwellings."
Pressley says a University of Adelaide study into the impact of the closures on Australia predicted huge job losses, with Victoria being the worst hit.
"The study states that 'Australia is expected to suffer a fall in national employment of around 200,000 as a result of the planned closure to motor vehicle manufacturing between (mid-2014) and 2017'," he says.
"The greatest impact in terms of projected job losses will be in Victoria, with an estimated decline of close to 100,000 jobs. Victoria’s Gross Regional Product is also forecast to decline by $13 billion per year."
Pressley says Victoria may have the highest unemployment rate in the country by the end of 2017, which will further negatively impact its property market from 2017 to 2018.
"Sales volumes will fall, days on market will increase, as will vacancy rates," Pressley says.
Property prices across Melbourne, and not just inner-city apartments, are likely to reduce as will rents, he said.
"I believe there is a stark resemblance between Melbourne’s current fundamentals and those of Perth’s in 2014. Propertyology correctly forecast the resultant easing of demand in Perth and rising housing supply that left the legacy of a five per cent decline in Perth property values during 2015 – and we feel more of the same is likely there in 2016."
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