Developer Mark Stevens reveals why he moved to Brisbane

Property developer Mark Stevens reveals why he has moved to inner Brisbane from Melbourne.

Mark Stevens at his Brisbane penthouse. When not working, he enjoys making the most out of Brisbane’s bikeways and trails along the river or Mt Coot-tha. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen / The Australian

Mark Stevens is just one of the thousands of Melburnians who have traded the city’s hustle and bustle for a change of pace in sunny Brisbane.

It wasn’t a sudden move for the Kokoda Property Group founder and managing director, who has been splitting his time between the two capitals for the better part of six years.

He had been living in an apartment in the waterfront Brisbane suburb of Tenerife, making the most of his time following the decision to launch two projects there after success in Melbourne.

It was only when the company’s latest twin-tower project, Chester & Ella, was under way in the inner-city Brisbane suburb of Newstead that he and his family decided to make a more permanent shift north.

“I get the feeling that people in Brisbane don’t appreciate how good they have it,” Mr Stevens said.

“Certainly, the weather is a drawcard; it’s phenomenal but that’s normal.

“Really, though, it was the lifestyle that was on offer, and I really felt that Newstead has a lot going on. I felt like it’s really hip, that younger demographic – it’s that cool.

“And the way Brisbane lives on the river is not the same as Melbourne. You actually engage with the river, building to the river. It’s very different to what we do with the Yarra (River in Melbourne).”

Inside Mark Stevens’ Brisbane place. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen / The Australian

Inside Mark Stevens’ Brisbane place. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen / The Australian

Inside Mark Stevens’ Brisbane place. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen / The Australian

Inside Mark Stevens’ Brisbane place. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen / The Australian

Owning the company behind your new home has its perks, allowing Mr Stevens to make bespoke changes to the penthouse, that overlooks the city and the eastern part of the river.

It is the largest apartment in the project, with four bedrooms and its own swimming pool.

Mr Stevens said the abnormally large entertaining space was perfect for barbecues and get-togethers with friends. A few changes are subtle, including the layout of the living space. In the bathroom, Elba stone wraps from the walls to the floor, replacing the tile that would normally be used.

The home is in what Mr Stevens has dubbed “the Bermuda Triangle of Brisbane”. It is within walking distance of trendy James St and the Emporium complex, both in Fortitude Valley, and Newstead’s Gasworks, where the Kokoda Property Group offices are.

“The proximity to amenity was really bizarre and there’d be only a couple places in Melbourne like that, even South Yarra, that would feel like that,” he said.

“Melbourne is cool, but it’s quite big, a metropolis, whereas this feels more boutique.

“Not that I’m a real big entertainer, but it’s good to be up this high and have outdoor space. It’s kind of an unusual thing to have.”

The sleek black and white modern stylings of Chester & Ella differ from Mr Stevens’ own personal style. He called his family home in Melbourne the “LA House”, a nod to the property’s light and airy L-shaped design which wrapped around the pool. True easy living, he said.

“Ten to 15 years ago, I was really enamoured with classicism, the modern sort of classic stuff, and we built a lot of homes and buildings like that,” Mr Stevens said.

“I’m not sure that Australia or the purchasers really necessarily understood that. So then we morphed into more of a modern architectural expression.”

When not working, Mr Stevens enjoys making the most out of Brisbane’s bikeways and trails along the river or Mt Coot-tha.

“What’s good here is how flat it is and the access. You can ride the river here a majority of the way,” he said. “You get more months out of the year to ride because of the weather and it’s not busy.”