Build-to-RentLeon Della BoscaFri 04 Sep 26
Barings, Aware Super Open 433-Home Melbourne BtR Tower
Barings and Aware Super have opened WeAreLiving Queens, a $405-million build-to-rent development of 433 homes beside Albert Park in inner-city Melbourne.
The WeAreLiving platform is owned by Aware Super and managed by Barings. It is the brand’s third build-to-rent development to open in 2026.
Barings Real Estate Australia head of residential Warwick Dowler said the project was its largest build-to-rent development to date.
“Its location near the park and lake, as well as the tram line for a simple CBD connection, offers residents the true Melbourne lifestyle,” he said.
The project comprises studio, one, two and three-bedroom apartments across 14 levels, with capacity for more than 850 residents.
Designed by Bates Smart and built by Hickory, the development includes a 24-hour gym, pool, sauna, steam room, cold plunge, pet wash and dog run, rooftop terrace, co-working spaces, a podcast studio, private dining and cinema rooms.
Hickory managing director George Abraham said Queens “sets a new benchmark for build-to-rent living”.
“As demand for quality housing continues to grow, projects like WeAreLiving Queens demonstrate the important role our industry can play in delivering vibrant, connected communities for the future,” Abraham said.
With more than 2500sq m of landscaped courtyard gardens, the development also has 503 secure car spaces with electric vehicle charging.
Every apartment has a private balcony or terrace, and the all-electric building achieves an average NatHERS rating of 7.8 stars.
Essence Communities has been appointed as the property manager.
Queens qualified for the Victorian Government’s 50 per cent land tax concession, which halves the land tax bill for eligible build-to-rent developments for up to 30 years.
The concession applies to projects completed and operational before the end of 2031, and developers must maintain build-to-rent status for at least 15 years or face a clawback.
WeAreLiving’s pipeline now exceeds 2000 build-to-rent homes across New South Wales, Queensland, the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria.
Queens follows the opening of WeAreLiving Preston in Melbourne’s north and the 366-home WeAreLiving Brunswick project in Fortitude Valley. WeAreLiving Zetland in Sydney is due to complete in the third quarter of 2026.
In June this year, Aware Super and Barings secured approval for a 188-home build-to-rent project at St Leonards on Sydney’s North Shore, following earlier stalled attempts including a Land and Environment Court refusal.
The $167-million scheme, endorsed under the Housing Delivery Authority pathway, would comprise twin 15-storey towers with a childcare centre and community hall, including 36 affordable apartments.
