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

Joel Robinson

The Eveleigh brings house-like apartments to Broadbeach

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

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

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

Queensland builder-developer MAYD has revealed the first look at its major North Kirra beachfront development, lodging amended plans that reduce the number of apartments and increase the proportion of larger residences.

The project is planned across a substantial 4,742 sqm amalgamated site spanning seven lots at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/2-6-pacific-parade-bilinga-qld-4225">2-6 Pacific Parade</a> and 27-33 Golden Four Drive in Bilin​ga, directly opposite Nor​th Kirra Beach.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mayd-group">MAYD</a> secured the site for $32.5 million in 2025, in what was one of the Gold Coast's largest property transactions of the year.

The development will be delivered across two stages, with the first stage carrying an estimated gross realisation value of around $360 million.

The latest amendments seek to reduce the overall apartment count and shift the project further toward the owner-occupier market, with larger residences designed for buyers wanting considerably more space than traditionally offered in a beachfront apartment.

The residential mix will include townhomes, oversized two-bedroom apartments, substantial three-bedroom residences and four-bedroom homes.

MAYD has appointed Cera Stribley to lead the architecture and interiors, with the Melbourne-based design practice drawing on the beachfront setting through a series of ocean-facing terraces and heavily landscaped balconies.

Strong horizontal forms and curved balconies will define the exterior, with subtropical landscaping integrated throughout the building to soften the built form and increase the connection between the residences and the beachfront.

The project will also include an extensive collection of resident wellness and lifestyle facilities, continuing the broader shift across the Gold Coast's luxury apartment market toward larger homes supported by resort-style amenity.

<img alt="MAYD" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d1bcbb05-e659-4b47-8bd4-1e595315e2ad" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%202.05.03%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=jj0XEud1X1DuLt7_KyElhjMdZGOXmLHP" />

MAYD Founder Todd Mould said North Kirra was increasingly appealing to buyers attracted to the more established, lower-density character of the southern Gold Coast.

"North Kirra presents one of the most compelling luxury residential opportunities currently emerging in Australia, combining absolute beachfront with the character and authenticity that buyers are increasingly seeking, and the same sense of tight-knit community that defined Burleigh and Currumbin perhaps 10 or 15 years ago," Mould said.

"With Gold Coast Airport on its doorstep, it also offers a level of accessibility that broadens its appeal across almost every market demographic."

The project comes as the southern Gold Coast continues to attract an increasing share of high-end apartment development and buyer activity.

Kirra in particular has emerged as one of the region's more tightly held beachfront markets, with its relatively low-density character, established surf and hospitality scene and proximity to Gold Coast Airport differentiating it from the higher-density markets further north.

Mould said those characteristics had informed the approach MAYD and Cera Stribley had taken to the project.

"We've worked closely with Cera Stribley to create a vision that is deeply connected to its surroundings," he said.

"Inspired by the coastline itself, the architecture has been shaped around space, privacy and resort-style living, creating a collection of homes that reflects the next generation of luxury on the southern Gold Coast."

MOTIV Managing Director Carly Cottam, who has been appointed to market the project, said buyer attention had continued to move south along the Gold Coast.

"Purchasers who may once have defaulted to Broadbeach, Main Beach or Surfers Paradise are increasingly recognising the value of a genuine beachfront location that offers lower density, strong amenity and a more established sense of community," Cottam said.

"Kirra has a powerful combination of growing demand and genuine scarcity. Beachfront supply is inherently constrained, the area remains relatively low density, and buyers are increasingly placing a premium on locations that feel established, uncrowded and authentic rather than heavily developed."

Cottam said the proximity to Gold Coast Airport was also proving increasingly important for interstate and second-home buyers.

"Being minutes from Gold Coast Airport makes it particularly compelling for interstate buyers, frequent travellers and second-home purchasers who can access an authentic coastal lifestyle almost immediately after stepping off a flight."

The acquisition takes MAYD's active development portfolio to more than $500 million, with the North Kirra project representing one of its largest undertakings to date.

MAYD is targeting an early 2027 launch.

First look at MAYD's North Kirra mixed-use precinct

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Castle Hill, the longtime hub of the Hills District, has been one of the major beneficiaries of Sydney's Metro expansion, with improved connectivity helping drive continued population growth, development and buyer demand across the Hills District.

But despite that growth, the suburb has seen relatively few major new apartment projects brought to market over the past 18 months.

Hills District developer Reve Group is looking to fill that gap with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nova-r-ve-castle-hill-2-garthowen-crescent-castle-hill-nsw-2154">Nova Rêve</a>, a major new mixed-use precinct on the corner of Garthowen Crescent and Old Castle Hill Road, a short walk from Castle Hill Metro Station and Castle Towers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377679]

The project will comprise three residential towers alongside a hotel, restaurants, cafes and a skybar, more than 1,600 sqm of ground-floor retail and almost an acre of landscaped gardens.

It represents the largest project undertaken by Reve Group, the development arm of the Kassis family, which has been building across the Hills District for more than 30 years through Kassis Homes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377675]

Nova Rêve also represents a significant step up from the family's first apartment development, Grand Rêve, which was delivered nearby on Garthowen Crescent.

Grand Rêve introduced larger, house-like apartment layouts and premium inclusions including Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances to the Castle Hill market.

Nova Rêve takes that approach to a precinct scale, combining the residential component with hospitality, retail and substantial public and resident landscaping.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377685]

Reve Group Managing Director Sam Kassis said the project reflected the family's three decades of building in the Hills, which has evolved from trophy homes on quarter-acre blocks to larger-scale apartment development.

"Grand Rêve was our first apartment project here and it showed us what this pocket of Castle Hill could be. Nova Rêve is the refinement of that idea: not just apartments, but a place the whole suburb can use," Kassis said.

A key part of that approach is the hotel, which has been designed to operate as an amenity for the wider Castle Hill community rather than solely hotel guests.

It will include restaurants, cafes, skybars and all-day dining, alongside conference and event facilities catering to business functions, community groups and private events.

At ground level, more than 1,600 sqm of shops and cafes will open onto the surrounding streets and landscaped areas.

Almost an acre of gardens designed by Land and Form Studios will run through the precinct, incorporating pathways, seating, barbecue areas and children's play spaces.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377680]

Reve Group's Romio Georges said creating an active ground plane had been central to the planning of Nova Rêve.

"There are gardens with pathways, barbecues, seating and play areas, shops and cafes opening onto the street, and a hotel with restaurants and a skybar that anyone in Castle Hill can walk into," Georges said.

The project's elevated position on one of Sydney's highest ridgelines will also provide apartments with outlooks toward the Sydney skyline, surrounding parkland and the Blue Mountains.

More than 80 per cent of the apartments will occupy corner positions, with Turner responsible for both the architecture and interiors.

&nbsp;

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Nova Rêve arrives as Reve Group bets on Castle Hill's next growth phase

Unsw

Homophobia, bullying and harassment continues in the construction industry despite improving attitudes towards LGBTQ+ employees, according to new research from the Australian Human Rights Institute at UNSW released Tuesday.

The report, which looked into the experiences of LGBTQ+ people working in construction and the effectiveness of current diversity and inclusion strategies, was undertaken in conjunction with InterBuild&rsquo;s People Engagement working group and sponsored by the Lendlease Foundation.

Researchers Dr Natalie Galea and Dr Melissa Jardine found that while LGBTQ+ inclusion has improved, there is a &ldquo;significant variation across the industry&rdquo; and many people still don&rsquo;t feel safe bringing their authentic selves to work.

<img alt="" height="667" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/shutterstock_1396952330.jpg" width="1000" />

Participants in the study ranged from tradespeople to senior executives of multinational companies, and gave detailed accounts about coming out at work, the experience of transitioning gender in the workplace, and the effectiveness of existing diversity and inclusion strategies.

Another study published by <a href="https://www.pwc.com.au/publications/pdf/pwc-workplace-inclusion-report-sep17.pdf" target="_blank">PwC&rsquo;s GLEE team</a> showed that homophobia was more present within the construction industry than on average.

75 per cent of respondents from the construction sector, Australia&rsquo;s most male-dominated industry and the third-largest national employer, indicated&nbsp;they had observed homophobia, compared to 56 per cent in other sectors.&nbsp;

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Lead author of the UNSW report Dr Galea said that while most participants felt there was a positive trajectory in workplace attitudes, many noted the sector was coming off a very low base.

&ldquo;The research found it was particularly challenging for those in junior positions, apprentices and FIFO workers to navigate the construction sector as an LGBTQ+ worker due to a lack of power and a desire to &lsquo;fit in&rsquo; to avoid anticipated negative responses,&rdquo; Dr Galea said.

One of the participants, who is in their 40s and identifies as queer, said: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m going to wait until I finish my apprenticeship and get a permanent position [before being more open about my identity] even though my role is considered permanent... I feel like I need people to see that I do a good job and I&rsquo;m an okay person.&rdquo;

<img alt="" height="423" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/lgbtq_construction_thumb_0.jpeg" width="740" />

Co-author Dr Jardine said the research found that industry leaders often lacked awareness of inclusive LGBT+ practices and in some cases failed to act on homophobic or discriminatory behaviours.

&ldquo;Despite many examples of good leadership, participants expressed frustration that some leaders turned a blind eye and failed to act or challenge homophobic behaviour and attitudes, especially from &lsquo;old school&rsquo; men,&rdquo; Dr Jardine said.

The report, which included recommendations for government and businesses, noted that this&nbsp;risks entrenching current behaviours and may lead to the loss of new talent.

Other recommendations to recalibrate industry behaviours and value the engagement of all workers included sexism, homophobia and transphobia education, publicly available inclusion policies, and a mental health service for LGBTQ+ tradies with qualified counsellors who understand the construction sector.

The full report, titled Building an LGBTQ+ inclusive workplace: A blueprint for Australia&rsquo;s construction industry is available to read <a href="https://www.humanrights.unsw.edu.au/research/lgbtq-workers-australian-construction-sector" target="_blank">here</a>.

Australian Human Rights Institute at UNSW released a new report, 'Building an LGBTQ+ inclusive workplace: A blueprint for Australia’s construction industry', on Tuesday

max.kwok_55688

New UNSW research reveals barriers to LGBTQ+ inclusion in the construction industry

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EXPERT OBSERVATION
Reducing the emphasis on cars and making more room for people to walk and cycle are just some of the ways streets could change for the better in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. 
According to UNSW Built Environment lecturer Dr Mike Harris, the coronavirus is exposing problems with our vehicle-dominated street designs that existed long before the pandemic. 
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“It’s showing the disproportionate amount of street space dedicated to cars, because all that space set aside for cars is now sitting idle, while our footpaths aren’t wide enough for people walking, especially under social distancing guidelines,” the landscape architect and urban designer says.
“People are also using their local streets more because they’re working from home. So we’re living more locally, and recognising more the need for better quality streets for our quality of life.”
The need for wider footpaths
The pandemic is highlighting the importance of immediately accessible open space and walking and cycling facilities that many parts of Sydney lack. 
One of the arguments behind widening footpaths is so you can have space to pass people more easily, and with social distancing, it's really shown just how narrow common footpath widths are. Even in our densest areas, many are about one and half metres wide, next to an expanse of asphalt for cars. 
Footpaths should arguably be at least double that width, and that's before we add planting, trees, seating and bike lanes. 
There is so much that streets can do but are often so limited from all the space excised to move and store cars. It's remarkably short-sighted when you think about it. 
In addition to widening footpaths, separated bicycle lanes and closing streets to cars are some of the other short-term streetscape measures cities around the world have taken to adjust to increased street activity. 
Most cities were already installing separated bicycle lanes, better pedestrian amenity. Like many trends, COVID-19 is increasing the speed of how these things get implemented. 
Everyone is getting a forced test run to trial these pop-up things, so it means that all of a sudden, everyone's getting exposed to what our streets could be like. 
Cities around the world are readily adopting temporary measures, with local councils in Sydney like to follow suit. 
I'm surprised though that we haven't been as quick, there is such a clear demand, although Centennial Park has closed to cars on the weekend because it is much busier than usual. 
This 'forced experiment' could be the catalyst for transitioning towards pedestrian-friendly streets on a more permanent basis. 
I think people are showing that they're super keen to get out there and experience the public space in a much stronger way than what they did previously, so the public is ready to go. 
More cycleways, fewer cars 
Bike sales have also increased dramatically during the coronavirus pandemic. While overall transport usage in the City of Sydney is down to 13 per cent cycling is only down to 60 to 90 per cent of prior rates. 
Surveys are showing that the majority of people think things are better with fewer cars; less pollution, quieter and safer streets, for example. 
In the travel behaviour shifts too during the pandemic, most car commuters do not miss commuting at all, but the vast amount of walking and cycling commuters miss their commuting time. 
There will likely be a trend of more people using private forms of transportation in the immediate aftermath of the pandemic. But whether that leans towards the car or the bike is up to policymakers. 
A message that has explicitly come from governments in bigger cities overseas is that if you can do anything right now, ride a bike. If all those people who would usually take the New York or London subway decide to drive when they go back to work, the city will be gridlocked, similarly with Sydney. 
It’s an opportunity for a lot of people to consider riding a bike, at least for some trips or part of their trip, and a portion of them will want to keep doing it ... but as is the case now most of those people will claim they want to, but can’t because there are not enough facilities.
We should invest in a greater number of smaller, easily delivered projects like cycleways, which have more local job creation and less financial and environmental costs. 
It’s definitely time, as the Committee for Sydney is now urging. Less than $10 per person, per year, is spent on cycling infrastructure in Sydney, compared to $41 in London and $50 for Vancouver.
Investing for the next crisis
While reverting back to the vehicle-dominated streets would be easy, the rare opportunity to make our streets more liveable shouldn't be squandered. 
Just a few weeks ago, Beijing and Shenzhen reported heavier peak-hour congestion than the same period last year, and the images of blue skies without air pollution may become a memory. 
What will need to happen is for the government to take the opportunity, while it's there, to make some real changes. If nothing much happens, with the passing of time, and if structural changes haven't occurred in our streets, then slowly things will probably just go back to normal. 
In doing so will have lasting impacts that could better prepare the built environment to endure a future crisis. 
There's a long history of open space being used and transformed in response to public health crises. Planning for New York's Central Park began in the immediate aftermath of New York's second Cholera outbreak in the mid-1800s, along with wider urban boulevards. 
One of the reasons cities in the Netherlands or Denmark are so pedestrian-friendly, cycling-friendly cities today is because the government made concerted decisions to rely less on cars after the 1970s oil crisis. They recognised it was a vulnerable and costly transport mode and made a series of policy decisions and planning changes, that a couple of decades later, you see these profound results of very health, engaging, prosperous, people-friendly cities. 
What smart cities will do is make use of this opportunity and enact intelligent decisions that in 20 years will make their cities better-quality places to live and work. 
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

How streets could become more liveable post-coronavirus: UNSW

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GUEST OBSERVATION
A total of 6718 electric vehicles were sold in Australia in 2019. That’s <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/sharp-jump-in-electric-vehicle-sales-underscores-untapped-potential-20200202-p53wx3" target="_blank">three times</a> as many as in 2018, but it’s still small beer. More than <a href="/news">a million</a> fossil-fueled light vehicles (including SUVs and utes) were sold in the same period.
The sales figures were published in the wake of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-51366123" target="_blank">announcement</a> that sales of petrol or diesel cars will be banned in the UK by 2035. The UK’s isn’t the only right-of-centre government to see the benefits of going electric — in 2016, New Zealand’s Conservative party introduced a wide-ranging program to encourage drivers to get off fossil fuels.
If Australia wants to head in the same direction, we can learn from what others have done.
Why should we go electric? And why don’t we?
The main argument for electric vehicles is often about cutting greenhouse gas emissions. But even leaving those aside, there are plenty of reasons to move away from oil as an energy source for transport, among them energy security, better health outcomes, and spending less money on petrol imports.
Australians have been slow to adopt electric cars, however. Our <a href="https://theconversation.com/australias-electric-car-revolution-wont-happen-automatically-90442" target="_blank">previous research</a> indicates the top two reasons are the fear of not being able to find a fast recharger on long trips (“range anxiety”), and the higher purchase price of electric cars.
Obstacles are clearing
Range anxiety should be on the decline. Fast rechargers are <a href="https://myelectriccar.com.au/charge-stations-in-australia/" target="_blank">beginning to be installed</a> on major routes and higher capacity batteries are increasing vehicle range. In any case, the average distance travelled by Australians is just <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/9208.0" target="_blank">34.5km per day</a>.
Prices for electric vehicles are also on the way down. Bloomberg has <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-04-12/electric-vehicle-battery-shrinks-and-so-does-the-total-cost" target="_blank">predicted</a> that larger electric and fossil-fueled cars will cost about the same in Europe as soon as 2022.
Even when upfront costs for electric vehicles are higher, ongoing costs are generally much lower. An average Australian car travels 12,600 kilometres in a year, consuming <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/9208.0" target="_blank">1360.8 litres of fuel</a> at a cost of about A$2,000 (assuming fuel costs $1.50 per litre). For a typical electric car, the same amount of travel would cost $250 if recharging using off-peak electricity (assuming it costs 11 cents per kilowatt hour), or $567 if recharging with more expensive electricity (at 25 cents per kilowatt hour).
Lessons from New Zealand
In 2016, New Zealand’s Conservative transport minister Simon Bridges introduced a <a href="https://www.transport.govt.nz/multi-modal/climatechange/electric-vehicles/" target="_blank">suite of policies</a> to encourage electric, especially for passenger vehicles. Since then, electric vehicle sales have been doubling every 12 months.
In 2019, <a href="https://www.transport.govt.nz/mot-resources/vehicle-fleet-statistics/monthly-electric-and-hybrid-light-vehicle-registrations/" target="_blank">6545 light electric vehicles</a> were brought into New Zealand and registered for the first time. That’s not far off Australia’s tally, but in a population of 5 million compared to Australia’s 25 million.
So what did the Conservatives do to encourage motorists to go electric? They took advice from the experts and introduced a <a href="https://www.transport.govt.nz/multi-modal/climatechange/electric-vehicles/" target="_blank">multi-faceted group of measures</a>.
These included: exemption from the Road User Charge, worth about $600 per year; government procurement programs; installing a public recharging network; investment in a five-year promotional campaign including TV ads, online information and “ride and drive” events. They also established a leadership group across business and government and a funding scheme to encourage organisations to go electric.
In NZ they have just about thought of everything, even ensuring there is a facility to <a href="https://www.transport.govt.nz/multi-modal/climatechange/electric-vehicles/" target="_blank">recycle old batteries</a>.
But possibly the most important factor has been that the government has enabled imports of high-quality secondhand electric cars from Japan. In 2019 they accounted for more than half of electric vehicle sales (4155 used compared to 2390 new).
This measure enables motorists with lower budgets to buy electric vehicles. Our unpublished research shows electric vehicles have been especially popular with multicar families who use their EVs as much as possible as it’s so much cheaper than using petrol or diesel. When those happy customers tell their friends and family about how much better it is to drive electric, it’s an important feedback loop that helps people overcome their fear of change.
Maybe it’s time Australia took a “Leaf” out of the Kiwi book and got on board with some sensible policies and legislation to speed up the transition to electric cars.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/131372/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/gail-broadbent-421704" target="_blank">Gail Broadbent</a>, PhD candidate Faculty of Science UNSW, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-1414" target="_blank">UNSW</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/graciela-metternicht-159393" target="_blank">Graciela Metternicht</a>, Professor of Environmental Geography, School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-1414" target="_blank">UNSW</a>
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/electric-car-sales-tripled-last-year-heres-what-we-can-do-to-keep-them-growing-131372" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Electric car sales tripled last year. Here's what we can do to keep them growing

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UNIVERSITY of NSW economics professors Bill Schworm and Denise Doiron sold their Annandale at weekend auction with price expectations of $1.85 million.
The result ended up at $2.1 million after flying past the $1.9 million reserve.
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-annandale-127998578" target="_blank">three-bedroom, one-bathroom Pritchard St house</a> on 252sqm was renovated in 2003. They had paid $325,000 in 1993. The couple are selling the two-level house to downsize with plans to live offshore for part of the year.
Belle Property Annandale agents Robert Clarke and Michael Hallit had the listing, which was pitched just above the suburb’s $1.76 million median price for three-bedroom houses.
The March quarter Annandale auction clearance rate was 74 per cent from 28 auctions, which was higher than the inner west’s 65 per cent success rate, according to CoreLogic.
This article was first published in the Sunday Telegraph.
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University of NSW economics professors sell in Annandale

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The global contractor Multiplex has completed the University of New South Wales’ (UNSW) new $125 million Bioscience Building.
Located at the Kensington campus in Botany Street, Randwick, the project comprises a total of 21,339 square metres.
It includes the new nine level Bioscience Building designed by Woods Bagot.
It represents the third stage of the regeneration and expansion of the Biomedical Precinct at UNSW, addressing the long-term accommodation needs of the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences and the School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/06/08/b.jpg" width="700" height="450">
The new Bioscience Building was completed on time and on budget.
David Ghannoum, New South Wales Regional Managing Director at Multiplex said the firm had delivered several new facilities at UNSW in recent years, including the University Terraces student accommodation, the Materials Science and Engineering Building (now known as the Hilmer Building) and the Tyree Energy Technologies Building.
The new Bioscience Building provides students and researchers with a contemporary research and teaching environment including new mixed use wet and dry laboratories.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/06/08/c.jpg" width="700" height="450">
UNSW Faculty of Science research projects set to benefit from the new facility include understanding the origin and evolution of life on Earth; determining the effects of microplastics on the marine environment; tracing past environmental change using limestone deposits in caves and Antarctic ice cores; protecting Australian ecosystems that support our iconic wildlife; examining the evolutionary costs and benefits of sex; discovering the secrets of life at a molecular level; and using molecular biosciences to understand cancer, infectious, metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases.
Teaching areas are provided on the Ground floor and Level 1 of the new building, with rooms fitted with floor-to-ceiling glass windows to enable viewing into labs and ‘Science On Display’ opportunities. Upper floors are dedicated to Generic Open Lab and workplace facilities designed to maximise collaboration between researchers.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/06/08/d.jpg" width="700" height="450">
Challenges faced during construction include the footprint of the building being wedged between three operating buildings, with minimal storage areas and difficult access for deliveries. The team also carried out extensive enabling works including diversion of inground services, construction of a new electrical substation and decommissioning of two substations.
Works commenced in September 2015 and spanned an 18 month period.
Construction saw some 9,350 cubic metres of concrete poured with 120 tonnes of posttensioning used as well as 980 tonnes of reinforcing steel.
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