First look: $500m quarry revamp to create close to 500 homes

Almost 500 new homes are being cut out of quarry rock in Brisbane as part of a $500m new eight stage residential resort-style development, with first residents as soon as early next year.

Nick Kostellar, Development Director of Frasers Property Australia, during a first look at progress on the new $500m master planned community The Quarry, Keperra. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

Almost 500 new homes are being cut out of quarry rock in Brisbane as part of a $500m new eight stage residential resort-style development, with first residents as soon as early next year.

Frasers Property Australia opened up their master planned community in Keperra, known as The Quarry, to The Courier-Mail ahead of its sales launch this weekend of 29 lots that are part of stage one.

Fraser Property Australia development director Nick Kostellar said The Quarry’s over 40 hectares which would eventually be home to an estimated 1,500 to 1,800 people, within 10km of the Brisbane CBD.

Around 237 residential houses were expected to be built on landlots – which buyers can organise their own builder for – with Frasers to deliver about 250 townhomes.

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Nick Kostellar, Development Director of Frasers Property Australia, with a model of the land lots and stages across The Quarry. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

The 25m lap pool in the first stage of the recreational centre has been completed – a $5m effort that includes a community building for entertaining and events. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail.

Inside part of the $5m first stage community centre. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

“We’re aiming to have settlements achieved with stage one by September this year, and then ultimately people building straight after that,” Mr Kostellar said. “So we’re hoping that the first homebuyers are in here calling this place home within six to nine months after title in the first half of next year.”

Stage one’s 29 land lots range from 243sq m to 609sq m in size, with prices from $580,000 to $850,000.

He said typically a house and land package came in at a $1.4m starting price, with roughly $600,000 to $700,000 generally spent on the build.

The Quarry was being set up like a residential resort, a community recreational precinct complete with a designer 25m lap pool, and two additional pools proposed in an interactive kids rock pool area, as well as barbecue pavilion, kickaround area and a wellness gym.

There will also be an amphitheatre precinct, giving residents access to views from the hillside, and a place to hold community events and parties.

The Quarry will host the first public opening with first stage sales this Saturday on site. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

Stage three land lots already taking shape, with tiered levels expected to maximise views for every resident. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

Work underway on the amphitheatre and stage four land lots which will be built into the hill. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

“There’s also a future 2,500sq m neighbourhood centre that’s proposed, and a childcare centre which has been lodged with council as well. We don’t have definitive time frames on that.”

“We’re hoping to be finished in the next five to seven years across the site, and really our quarry operation will drive those time frames for us.”

Stage two of the land lot release – which is expected to have 23 home sites – is expected to see civil works in the last quarter of this calendar year and launch to market before Christmas.

Stage three will have 28 Lots with eastern views over the top of the Keperra Sanctuary. Stage four will have 37 lots and be the second highest part of the development behind stage eight – the final stage which will have views south.

A render of Frasers Property Australia’s resort style facilities for residents including kids play zone.

Artist’s impression of what The Quarry’s Samford Road entrance will eventually look like.

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A development application for the first 91 terrace homes has been lodged with council with a targeted release to market next year, Mr Kostellar said, with prices expected to be over $900,000.

“We’re trying to preference more four bedroom product given we’re in a suburban setting and it’ll be turnkey so it will be delivered by Frasers.”

The response so far, he said, has been positive from potential buyers. “A lot of people have been blown away. From afar is hard to visualise how it’s going to be transformed, but a lot of buyers are getting comfort in the way that we’ve approached it.”

The design includes making The Quarry walkable for residents and opening up views.

He said it was “definitely the most unique project I’ve ever worked on in terms of its setting, its complexity, the construction methodology. The most unique projects are also the most rewarding at the end of the day.”

Mr Kostellar said most of the materials being used on site were extracted from the site, including boulder walls, drainage gravels with even the fill for land lots made of decomposed granite from quarry operations.

“We haven’t been held up with material delays per se. It’s more just working through the complexity of the site. It’s taken longer than a traditional land subdivision.”

He said the unique setting would use the tiered hillside to make the most of stunning views across Brisbane’s west and northwest.

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Originally published as First look: $500m quarry revamp to create close to 500 homes