Land & CommunitiesKirsten CrazeMon 14 Sep 26
Abadeen, Mitsubishi Estate Asia Partner for 230-Lot Illawarra Scheme
Abadeen has revealed it will partner with Mitsubishi Estate Asia to develop a 41.7ha project at Shellharbour, about 100km south of Sydney.
The 230-home proposal, dubbed Riva Calderwood, comprises a mix of residential blocks and house-and-land packages for the Calderwood growth corridor.
Scheduled for public release later this month, the project is part of a notable shift for Abadeen, which has built a profile around premium apartment and mixed-use projects, particularly across Sydney’s Lower North Shore.
Abadeen executive chairman Justin Brown said the group focus on masterplanned communities was increasing.
“Australia needs more housing, but it also needs quality communities. We believe the two should go hand in hand,” Brown said.
In 2024, the developer established its Abadeen Communities division and currently has three other land developments in the pipeline; The Outlook, a 90ha masterplanned community at Calala near Tamworth in NSW, Gillieston Valley Estate in the Hunter Region, also in NSW, and a 500ha estate at North Ellenbrook in Western Australia.
Abadeen said it has a $3.5-billion national development pipeline with 20 projects under way across NSW, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia.
Brown said the joint venture with Mitsubishi Estate Asia (MEA) points to the growing appeal of Australia’s housing sector to international investors.
“MEA has an outstanding reputation internationally and continues to demonstrate its high conviction in Australia's residential market through its investment in high-quality communities,” he said.
The Japanese developer has previously collaborated with Abadeen, Perifa and Phoenix Property Investors on the $350-million, 67-unit Putney Wharf waterfront precinct. MEA also partnered with Lendlease on prominent luxury residential developments, One Sydney Harbour and One Circular Quay.
MEA head of Australia Yosuke Matsunaga said the Illawarra project was an opportunity to invest in one of NSW’s fastest-growing regions.
“We are pleased to partner with Abadeen on Riva Calderwood to deliver a community that will provide lasting value for future residents,” he said.
Civil works are under way at Riva Calderwood, which is being built around the Macquarie Rivulet, a 23km waterway running from the Illawarra Escarpment through the Calderwood Valley to Lake Illawarra.
