Under-construction development projects in riverside and waterfront suburbs with luxury amenities remain firmly on their must-have list for buyers shopping in Brisbane’s property market.

According to REA Group, high-end apartment and townhouse projects in Brisbane have topped buyers’ wish lists from across the country as they shop for prestige property in unrepeatable locations.

Brisbane’s growth has been on the back of Covid-19 forcing Australians to rethink their work and lifestyle values as well as the announcement it would be the main host city of the 2032 Olympic Games.

It has meant the city has secured a spot as one of the top 20 global cities to record the strongest property price growth in residential prices over a 12-month period. 

The country’s largest real estate portal has revealed that across the year so far, buyers searching on their platform have been drawn to boutique developments in fringe CBD suburbs as well as established suburbs in Brisbane’s middle ring offering unique attributes.

One of China’s most active property developers, Poly Global, is pressing ahead with its Ascot Aura development alongside the prestigious Eagle Farm and Doomben Racecourses.

Meanwhile, developments in the bohemian suburb of West End, such as West Village and The Lanes, have continued to rank in popularity with buyers alongside some of the city’s biggest and boldest projects.

Buyers have also been drawn to outer ring projects such as Urbex Living’s collection of dwellings in Manly and have even looked as far afield as Banksia Beach, eyeing QM Properties’ house and land development in Bribie Island to Brisbane’s north.

Prospective buyers in Brisbane’s market have continued to search and enquire about apartment projects in “hotel-inspired” suburban developments offering “luxurious” amenities such as swimming pools, wine cellars, private cinemas, libraries and saunas.

High-rise and high-end developments such as Billbergia’s Skytower at 222 Margaret Street—the city’s tallest tower at 88-storeys—and the Far East Consortium’s $3.6 billion Queens Wharf development, which comprises 2000 riverside apartments, were among the most-viewed products online.

10. Wellington Street

Address: 7 Wellington Street, Manly, Qld 4179
Developer: Urbex Living

The Wellington Collection is a series of six apartments and two townhouses in the bayside suburb of Manly in Brisbane’s east. The $22-million high-end development will overlook the Manly boat harbour with views out to Moreton Bay. The project is being delivered by Urbex Living, a division of Urbex, and is expected to be completed in late 2023 with near half of sales secured off the plan, with prices starting from $2 million to $3.37 million. Urbex commenced construction last month.

9. Ellendale

Address: 324 Canvey Road, Upper Kedron, Qld 4055
Developer: Cedar Woods

Ellendale is a masterplanned community just 12km from the Brisbane CBD. The masterplan embraces 9ha of nature corridors and recreation space. Tree-lined streets blend with premium homesites, nestled amongst natural bush corridors. Cedar Woods has left close to 40 per cent of the site as green space. Late last year, a release of 14 lots, ranging from $399,000 and $643,000, sold out after a two-week expressions of interest campaign. Cedar Woods is now working to bring forward new stages of land shortly at the development.

8. Jade Apartments—Albion

Address: 235 Burdett Street, Albion, Qld 4010
Developer: Arden Group

Arden Property Group’s Jade development won approval in 2014 and was the first major residential development in Albion’s industrial precinct. Comprising four buildings and 369 apartments designed over a large 1.4ha site in a quiet node of Albion. The six-level residential apartment development in Brisbane’s desirable northern suburbs, being delivered by Hutchinson Builders, is just 4km from the Brisbane CBD offering one, two and three-bedroom apartments. 

7. Pacific Harbour

Address: Cnr Sylvan Beach Esplanade & Marina Boulevard, Banksia Beach, Qld 4507
Developer: QM Properties

QM Properties’ Pacific Harbour development in Bribie Island offers large house and land packages close to pristine surf beaches, boating, fishing, golf and wildlife. The development has access to both the open sea and the tranquil waters of Pumicestone Passage making this an unrivalled boating address. The project is 45 minutes from the Sunshine Coast and under an hour from Brisbane.

6. Queen's Wharf Tower

Address: 23 Margaret Street, Brisbane City, Qld 4000
Developer: Far East Consortium, Chow Tai Fook Enterprises

After launching the new Queen’s Wharf Tower to market back in March, sales have been strong, with buyers eager to secure an address along the Brisbane River in the unrepeatable $3.6-billion Queen’s Wharf Brisbane project. The project is on the corner of Margaret and William Street. Residences are divided into Emerald, Ruby and Diamond tiers, in addition to the Penthouse Collection. The towers are designed by Cottee Parker to take advantage of either city, Botanic Gardens, or river views. Sustainability has been prioritised within the projects’ towers, boasting a 6 Green Star Design and As-Built rating, as well as EV-compatible carparks for residents.

5. Akin South Brisbane

Address: 57 Coronation Drive, Milton, Qld 4064
Developer: Tallis Property Group 

Soon to be standing 30 storeys tall at 35 Merivale Street in South Brisbane, Tallis Property Group's $180 million is perfectly positioned within minutes from Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Brisbane Streets Beach, TAFE Queensland, and Musgrave Park. The development will feature 190 apartments, with the upper floor sky homes brand new to the market and selling now. The project will be completed in early 2024.

4. Ascot Aurora

Address: 104 Lamington Avenue, Ascot, Qld 4007
Developer: Poly Global

Chinese-backed developer Poly has secured approval for its first Queensland residential development in the Brisbane suburb of Ascot. Approval for the 234-dwelling development was granted in 2020. The Aurora Ascot project comprises 209 townhouses, 10 free-standing homes and 15 apartments on a 62,000sq m site, acquired by Poly for $36.5 million in 2019. The project marks the developer’s first foray into the Queensland market since arriving in Australia in 2014.

3. The Lanes

Address: 41 Tondara Lane, West End, Qld 4101
Developer: Pradella Developments

Known as The Lanes, Brisbane-based Pradella has launched the final stage of its $1.3-billion riverside West End masterplan next to the recently completed Montague Markets development in West End. Designed by Bureau Proberts, the three-tower development features a curved facade with landscaped sky-bridges every second level. The development will offer 4500sq m of resort-style amenities, a new community park, and a private dog park.

2. The Horizon Collection

Address: 222 Margaret, Brisbane City, Qld 4000
Developer: Billbergia, AMP Capital

Skytower, by developer Billbergia, is Brisbane’s tallest high-rise and the fourth-tallest in Australia. Between levels 82 and 89 is the exclusive Horizon Collection–46 penthouses and apartments where the views are the best the building has to offer. The building, completed in 2019, lays claim to the highest outdoor infinity edge pool in the southern hemisphere. The pool is on the 89th floor along with a large outdoor entertaining area with barbecue facilities exclusively for residents of the Horizon Collection.

1. West Village

Address: 25-27 Mollison Street, West End, Qld 4101
Developer: Sekisui House

West Village, a sprawling $1.1-billion mixed-use urban regeneration project over 2.6ha at inner-city West End—less than 1km from Brisbane’s CBD that, when completed, will have 800 residences, 14,00sq m of retail, and up to 20,00sq m of commercial, while half of the site will be dedicated back to parkland. The most recently delivered tower is Arcadia—a collaboration between Sekisui House, SJB, Plus Architecture and Akira Isogawa. The last stage of the masterplanned development is Callista on Park, comprising 74 apartments and a childcare centre.