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ISSUE NO.01 | 2026

REUBEN PACKER-HILL

LUXURY REPORT

LUXURY REPORT 2026

WELCOME to the inaugural edition of The Reuben Packer-Hill Luxury Report. Brisbane's prestige property market is entering one of the most exciting periods in its history. Once viewed as an emerging alternative to Sydney and Melbourne, our city is now firmly establishing itself as one of Australia's premier luxury destinations. Record transactions, increasing interstate migration, world-class infrastructure investment and growing international interest are reshaping the market, while the lead-up to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games continues to reinforce Brisbane's long-term outlook. Nowhere is this transformation more evident than throughout Brisbane's western suburbs. From grand Traditional homes and award-winning architectural residences to riverfront estates, prestige apartments and boutique acreage properties, the diversity and quality of luxury housing across our region continues to attract an increasingly sophisticated buyer pool. As demand grows and the supply of exceptional homes remains limited, new price benchmarks are continually being established across every segment of the prestige market. At Ray White Toowong and The Collective Luxury, we are privileged to work alongside many of Brisbane's most discerning buyers and sellers. Supported by the strength of the Ray White Group's market intelligence and our own firsthand experience negotiating high-value transactions, we witness these market movements every day. This report has been created to provide meaningful insight into the trends shaping Brisbane's luxury property market, while highlighting the people, places and properties driving its continued evolution. Inside this edition you'll find exclusive economic commentary from Ray White Group Chief Economist Nerida Conisbee, an analysis of Brisbane's highest-value residential sales, emerging buyer trends and detailed insights into the city's key luxury sectors, including river homes, architect-designed properties, traditional homes, prestige apartments and acreage estates. We also explore the broader lifestyle trends influencing today's affluent purchasers and look ahead to what may lie on the horizon for Brisbane's prestige market. Whether you are considering your next property move, building a long-term investment portfolio or simply sharing our passion for exceptional real estate, I hope this inaugural report provides valuable insight into one of Australia's fastest-evolving luxury markets. Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy the first edition of The Reuben Packer-Hill Luxury Report.

Prepared by

REUBEN PACKER-HILL Selling Principal & Director Ray White Toowong | The Collective Luxury

LUXURY REPORT 2026

CONTENTS

12 Stephenson Street, Bardon SOLD by Ray White

WHAT IS LUXURY?

NERIDA CONISBEE: ECONOMIC UPDATE

BRISBANE LUXURY

BRISBANE LUXURY TOP 30 SALES

WHO ARE THE BUYERS?

WESTERN LUXURY

WESTERN LUXURY TOP 30 SALES

INTELLIGENT HOMES

RIVERHOMES

LUXURY VEHICLES

PRESTIGE APARTMENTS

TRADITIONAL

KEY LOCAL DEVELOPMENTS

ARCHITECT DESIGNED

ACREAGE ESTATES

RAY WHITE COLLECTIVE LUXURY

CONCLUSION

WHAT IS LUXURY? ATOM GO TIAN RAY WHITE GROUP ECONOMIST

$1.53M

$1.16M

Median house $486K Median unit $481K

9 Ask ten people what makes a home luxurious and you will get ten different answers. For some, it’s the material: the stone bench, the spotted gum floor, or the ceiling height that signals nothing was compromised. For others, it’s location in its most absolute sense: the view that can’t be built out, the street that doesn’t need an introduction, the proximity to water. For a growing number of Australians, luxury has become less about status and more about how a place allows you to live.

LUXURY REPORT 2026

We measure luxury through the 95th percentile of property prices, which is the point at which only five per cent of homes in a given market trade higher. The national luxury house threshold now sits at $2.75M, which is 80 per cent higher than it was a decade ago. We start with this as a definition for simplicity, but what luxury is not, despite how it is often discussed, is simply expensive. Expense is a threshold, whereas luxury is what sits on the other side of it.

The clearest sign that luxury has shifted is where people are choosing to buy it. The Queensland coastal markets did not become Australia’s fastest-growing luxury markets because they suddenly acquired better architecture or more prestigious postcodes. What the data captures is partly a price story and partly a values story. When a buyer leaves a $45M Bellevue Hill house for a $26M Noosa property, they are not trading down. They are making a statement about what luxury means to them, and increasingly, it means time, ease, and the particular quality of life that comes from a home that fits how you actually want to live.

Luxury house $2.75M

Luxury unit $1.72M

Median house $978k

Median unit $749k

Median house Median unit

Sydney remains the country’s most expensive luxury market, with the top five per cent of houses trading above $4.79M, reflecting the enduring pull of harbour-adjacent land and a concentration of high-net-worth buyers no other city can match. The heritage streetscape, the school catchment with a century of social capital behind it; these still command a premium that no amount of lifestyle recalibration has eroded. But what Sydney no longer holds is a monopoly on price growth. Over the past decade, the Gold Coast grew its luxury price by 151 per cent, the Sunshine Coast by 159 per cent, and Brisbane by 133 per cent.

Melbourne, by contrast, grew just 42 per cent over the same period, from $1.82 million to $2.58M. The consequence is a near-total collapse of Melbourne’s historical premium over its northern rivals. In 2016, Melbourne’s luxury threshold was roughly 70 per cent above Brisbane’s and 46 per cent above Perth’s. Today, Brisbane sits at $2.49 million, Perth at $2.48M, and Melbourne at $2.58M — three cities separated by less than $100,000.

But what Sydney no longer holds is a monopoly on price growth.

Adelaide has also closed ground rapidly, reaching $2.08M after 123 per cent growth, now matching Canberra at the same level. Even Perth, long considered a cyclical and volatile market, has more than doubled its luxury threshold and now sits within striking distance of Melbourne for the first time.

LUXURY HOUSE PRICE GROWTH BY MAJOR CITY House prices in the 95th percentile as of February 2026 v 2016

159% growing luxury market of the last decade. Southeast Queensland was the fastest

CITY

10Y GROWTH PERFORMANCE (2016-2026)

GROWTH

1. Sunshine Coast QLD

$1.13M

$2.93M

+159%

2. Gold Coast QLD

$1.30M

$3.29M

+151%

3. Brisbane QLD

$1.07M

$2.49M

+133%

4. Adelaide SA

$928K

$2.08M

+123%

5. Perth WA

$1.25M

$2.48M

+99%

6. Hobart TAS

$797K

$1.57M

+97%

7. Canberra ACT

$1.13M

$2.08M

+83%

National average

$1.53M

$2.75M

+80%

8. Sydney NSW

$2.68M

$4.79M

+78%

9. Melbourne VIC

$1.82M

$2.58M

+42%

10. Darwin NT

$1.01M

$1.35M

+33% Source: Ray White Luxury Report

The luxury unit market tells a compelling parallel story, with Queensland once again leading the nation over the past decade. The Sunshine Coast has emerged as Australia's most expensive luxury apartment market, with its 95th percentile threshold climbing 130 per cent to $2.27M. The Gold Coast follows closely at $2.13M after 125 per cent growth, while Brisbane has recorded an impressive 87 per cent increase, lifting its luxury unit threshold to $1.51M. Together, these results highlight the sustained strength of South East Queensland's prestige apartment market and the growing appeal of lifestyle-focused destinations.

LUXURY REPORT 2026

Melbourne sits at the opposite end of the table. Its luxury unit threshold has risen just 28 per cent over the past decade to $1.43M, the second-lowest growth of any major Australian market. Brisbane's luxury apartment market has now overtaken Melbourne's, with a $1.51M luxury threshold compared to Melbourne's $1.43M, reinforcing the same shift seen across the detached housing market. Darwin remains the clear outlier. Luxury apartment values have been virtually unchanged over the past ten years, increasing by just one per cent from $803,000 in 2016 to $810,000 in 2026.

The Sunshine Coast now sits above Sydney’s $2.23M luxury unit threshold, a reversal that would have seemed improbable a decade ago.

The cities that have grown fastest share a common thread: demand shifted before supply could respond. Buyers from interstate and overseas arrived with capital and a clear idea of what they were looking for: not just a property, but a pace of life. Lifestyle became a legitimate substitute for proximity to a CBD, and the premium that once attached almost exclusively to established city addresses began to migrate toward coastlines, open space, and the particular freedom that comes from living somewhere you actually chose.

Melbourne’s underperformance is not a collapse. Its luxury thresholds have still grown. But in a decade when almost every other major market doubled its luxury house price, growing 42 per cent is a different kind of result. It is also, perhaps, the most instructive one. It is a reminder that luxury markets respond to sentiment as much as supply, and that cities, like the homes within them, go through periods of reassessment before they find their next chapter.

The most interesting story in the Brisbane luxury market has been the performance of prestige apartments.

The Queensland coastal markets are the clearest expression of that shift, but Adelaide and Perth tell a version of the same story.

LUXURY UNIT PRICE GROWTH BY MAJOR CITY Unit prices in the 95th percentile as of February 2026 v 2016

$2.27 M luxury market, overtaking Sydney and Melbourne. Sunshine Coast is now the most expensive

CITY

10Y PERFORMANCE (2016 - 2026)

GROWTH

1. Sunshine Coast QLD

$989K

$2.27M

+130%

2. Gold Coast QLD

$949K

$2.13M

+125%

3. Brisbane QLD

$806K

$1.51M

+87%

4. Adelaide SA

$648K

$1.16M

+80%

5. Hobart TAS

$617K

$1.04M

+69%

6. Canberra ACT

$769K

$1.22M

+59%

7. Perth WA

$908K

$1.41M

+55%

National average

$1.16M

$1.72M

+49%

8. Sydney NSW

$1.51M

$2.23M

+48%

9. Melbourne VIC

$1.12M

$1.43M

+28%

10. Darwin NT

$803K

$810K

+1% Source: Ray White Luxury Report

LUXURY REPORT 2026

NERIDA CONISBEE: ECONOMIC UPDATE As Australia's property market navigates the post2025 economic landscape, the defining story is no longer a uniform national cycle, but a clear structural divergence between regions and asset classes. Brisbane has firmly established itself as a primary growth driver among capital cities. What began as a post-pandemic migration surge has matured into a sustained, long-term re-rating of the South East Queensland economy, underpinned by robust economic fundamentals, severe housing shortfalls, and shifting wealth demographics. At the top end of the market, the very definition of luxury has undergone a fundamental shift. Luxury is no longer dictated simply by a postcode or a price tag; it is defined by absolute scarcity and the "uncopyable" nature of a home. Whether it is a prime riverfront holding in Indooroopilly, a rare architectural masterpiece in Paddington, or a sprawling private compound in Brookfield, ultra-high-net-worth buyers are placing a massive premium on unique lifestyle assets that simply cannot be replicated in current construction environments. Demographic trends continue to provide an unyielding tailwind for Queensland. Net interstate migration remains exceptionally strong, with tens of thousands of residents relocating annually from New South Wales and Victoria. Crucially, the buyer profile has evolved: today’s high-end purchasers are increasingly self-made entrepreneurs, tech founders, and senior executives who are no longer tied to traditional southern CBDs. This mobile, high-equity capital is actively competing for Brisbane real estate, viewing the city as offering world-class liveability alongside compelling value. Compounding this demand is a chronic, structural supply deficit across the state. Feasibility challenges, elevated construction costs, and labor shortages mean new housing completions continue to lag far behind government targets.

In the prestige sector, building a luxury residence from the ground up now involves multi-year timelines and unpredictable cost escalations. Consequently, turnkey, premium-finished homes are commanding significant premiums, as buyers actively pay up to avoid development friction and delay. While sticky inflation and higher interest rates have introduced serviceability friction into the broader volume market, the luxury segment has proven remarkably insulated. High-net-worth transactions rely far less on high-leveraged debt and far more on substantial accumulated equity, business liquidity, or cash reserves. This creates a distinct two-speed market where blue-chip, premium properties continue to experience fierce competitive tension even during broader economic cooling periods. Looking ahead, the decade-long runway toward the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games represents a generational structural catalyst. Multibillion-dollar state and federal investments in transport infrastructure, health precincts, and urban renewals, such as Cross River Rail, are permanently enhancing the city’s connectivity and global standing. This ongoing public investment provides a reassuring floor for long-term capital preservation, attracting both domestic wealth and international capital. For homeowners and prospective purchasers across Brisbane’s Western Suburbs, these macroeconomic fundamentals offer deep confidence. Suburbs offering proximity to top-tier schooling, river access, established green space, and rapid CBD connectivity remain the ultimate beneficiaries of this flight to quality. As supply remains tightly constrained and demand from affluent households persists, welllocated prestige assets across the Western corridor are exceptionally well-positioned to maintain their upward trajectory throughout 2026 and beyond.

BRISBANE LUXURY Brisbane’s luxury property market has entered a distinctly different phase. What was once a market where a $5M transaction represented the very top end has developed into a far deeper prestige market, supported by a growing pool of buyers capable of transacting well beyond $4M. That depth is perhaps the most important change. The $4M+ buyer is no longer confined to a small number of traditional prestige suburbs or a narrow category of property. Today, these buyers are active across riverfront homes, landmark residences, architect-designed properties, prestige apartments and acreage estates, with Brisbane’s western corridor increasingly forming an important part of that market. At the upper end, the shift is even more pronounced. Transactions above $10M have become an established part of Brisbane’s prestige landscape, while sales exceeding $15M are increasingly common rather than isolated events. Brisbane has now recorded multiple transactions above $20M, with its highest residential sales reaching $25M. Importantly, however, price alone does not define this market. The common thread among Brisbane’s most significant transactions is scarcity. Buyers at this level are increasingly seeking properties that are difficult, and in some cases impossible, to reproduce. Absolute river frontage, protected views, substantial land close to the city, exceptional architecture, significant Traditional homes and large-format prestige apartments all share one quality: there is a finite supply. This is creating an increasingly clear distinction between an expensive property and an irreplaceable property.

LUXURY REPORT 2026

Construction costs, planning constraints and the limited availability of premium sites only reinforce that distinction. For buyers with the capacity to transact at this level, the question is increasingly not simply what a property costs, but whether another comparable opportunity will become available. This scarcity is helping drive competition for Brisbane’s most exceptional residential assets. The report's economic commentary similarly identifies “absolute scarcity” and the “uncopyable” nature of a home as defining characteristics of contemporary luxury. Brisbane’s five major luxury categories, riverfront residences, prestige apartments, traditional homes, architect-designed residences and acreage estates, demonstrate how broadly this demand is now distributed. While each attracts a different purchaser, they are united by the same underlying principle: genuine quality combined with scarcity. The emergence of Brisbane’s western corridor is particularly significant. Toowong, Auchenflower, Paddington, Indooroopilly, St Lucia, Fig Tree Pocket, Brookfield and Pullenvale increasingly offer the attributes sought by high-net-worth purchasers: proximity to leading schools and the CBD, river frontage, substantial landholdings, established neighbourhoods and properties with genuine architectural or historical significance. As Brisbane continues to mature as a luxury market, the opportunity is becoming increasingly concentrated around these irreplaceable assets. The buyer pool has grown. The price ceiling has moved substantially higher. But the supply of truly exceptional property has not, and ultimately, that scarcity may prove to be the defining characteristics of Brisbane luxury.

BRISBANE LUXURY TOP 30 SALES RANK

ADDRESS

SUBURB

PRICE

BED

BATH

CAR

CATEGORY

ARC Penthouse

Toowong

$13,600,000

Prestige Apartment

9 Reading Street*

Paddington

$12,075,000

Architectural

49 Reading Street*

Paddington

$12,000,000

Traditional

45 Garfield Drive*

Paddington

$11,800,000

Architectural

36 Needham Street*

Fig Tree Pocket

$9,500,000

Riverhome

45 Glencairn Avenue*

Indooroopilly

$9,000,000

Architectural

41 Lisk Street

Pullenvale

$8,800,000

Architectural

15 Ningana Street

Fig Tree Pocket

$8,250,000

Riverhome

65 Grove Crescent

Toowong

$8,250,000

Traditional

ARC Sub-Penthouse

Toowong

$8,150,000

Prestige Apartment

22 Reading Street*

Paddington

$8,000,000

Architectural

59 Nestor Avenue

Bardon

$7,850,000

Architectural

24 Glen Road

Toowong

$7,300,000

Riverhome

684 Jesmond Road

Fig Tree Pocket

$7,300,000

Riverhome

37 Molonga Terrace*

Graceville

$7,000,000

Riverhome

46 Royston Avenue

Brookfield

$6,750,000

Acreage Estate

508 Jesmond Road

Fig Tree Pocket

$6,600,000

Acreage Estate

421 Grandview Road*

Pullenvale

$6,600,000

Acreage Estate

21 Garfield Drive

Paddington

$6,300,000

Traditional

32 Archer Street

Toowong

$6,000,000

Riverhome

12 Aminga Street

Fig Tree Pocket

$6,000,000

Riverhome

Monarch Residences

Toowong

$5,950,000

Prestige Apartment

77 Tooth Avenue*

Paddington

$5,700,000

Architectural

9 Ross Street

Paddington

$5,700,000

Architectural

91 Airlie Road

Pullenvale

$5,630,000

Acreage Estate

17 Ningana Street

Fig Tree Pocket

$5,100,000

Riverhome

29 Wienholt Street

Auchenflower

$5,000,000

Architectural

14 Jilba Street

Indooroopilly

$5,000,000

Architectural

500 Jesmond Road

Fig Tree Pocket

$5,000,000

Traditional

27 Sutton Street

Chelmer

$4,830,000

Riverhome

NB: Sales results are based on information available at the time of publication.

*sales negotiated by the Ray White Group.

LUXURY REPORT 2026

49 Reading Street, Paddington SOLD by Ray White

INTELLIGENT HOMES VANESSA RADER RAY WHITE GROUP HEAD OF RESEARCH

Australian luxury real estate has entered a new era where invisible technology trumps visible opulence. As the nation’s wellness economy reaches $141 billion, representing 7.8 per cent of GDP, the most significant transformation is happening behind the walls. Artificial intelligence, biometric sensors, and environmental monitoring systems are turning homes into responsive health ecosystems.

AI-POWERED ENVIRONMENTAL OPTIMISATION The most profound shift in wellness real estate isn’t what you can see: it’s what you can measure. Leading Australian developments now deploy AI-powered platforms that continuously monitor and optimise indoor environments. These systems track air quality, temperature, humidity, and light levels in real-time, making thousands of micro-adjustments daily to maintain optimal conditions for human health.

LUXURY REPORT 2026

Advanced circadian lighting systems represent a quantum leap beyond simple dimming controls. These networks analyse individual sleep patterns, activity levels, and even seasonal variations to deliver precisely calibrated light throughout the day. Morning systems simulate natural sunrise with gradually intensifying blue-spectrum light to support cortisol production and alertness. Evening protocols shift toward amber wavelengths that promote melatonin secretion, preparing occupants for restorative sleep.

Some premium Sydney and Melbourne properties now integrate voice-activated wellness assistants that control entire environmental systems. Residents can request specific wellness protocols: “activate focus mode” triggers lighting optimised for concentration, air ionisation for alertness, and background acoustic frequencies supporting cognitive performance. “Recovery mode” initiates opposite settings: soft lighting, enhanced air purification, and bioacoustic soundscapes promoting parasympathetic nervous system activation.

AUSTRALIA SHOWS LEADERSHIP IN THE WELLNESS ECONOMY

6.2X

Australia spends 6.2 times more than the global average on wellness.

Switzerland United States Austria Australia United Kingdom France Japan Global average Mexico

China Thailand Brazil Indonesia

Source: Global Wellness Institute (2026)

CONTINUOUS HEALTH MONITORING WITHOUT WEARABLES The next frontier eliminates the need for fitness trackers and smartwatches entirely. Emerging Australian developments incorporate non-invasive monitoring technology directly into home infrastructure. Pressure-sensitive flooring tracks gait patterns and balance metrics. Bathroom mirrors with integrated sensors analyse skin condition, hydration levels, and even subtle cardiovascular indicators through facial scanning technology. Sleep monitoring has evolved beyond wearable devices to sophisticated bed systems that track respiratory patterns, heart rate variability, and movement throughout the night, all without physical contact. These systems feed data into central AI platforms that identify patterns and suggest environmental modifications to improve sleep quality. Detected irregularities can trigger automated responses: poor sleep metrics might prompt the system to reduce bedroom electromagnetic field exposure or adjust mattress temperature for the following night.

ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD MANAGEMENT

ADVANCED AIR AND WATER INTELLIGENCE

HYDROTHERAPY TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION

As concerns about EMF exposure grow, Australian luxury properties are pioneering sophisticated mitigation strategies. Wholehome EMF reduction infrastructure isolates sleeping zones from electrical interference, using specialised wiring configurations and shielding materials that maintain modern convenience while minimising electromagnetic exposure during rest periods.

Medical-grade air purification has become baseline in premium Australian properties, but the technology has evolved dramatically. Contemporary systems don’t just filter: they actively optimise. Sensors detect specific pollutants, allergens, and pathogens, triggering targeted filtration responses. Some systems incorporate ionisation technology that replicates the beneficial electrical properties of pristine natural environments, creating indoor air quality that exceeds outdoor ambient conditions even in urban settings.

The bathroom has become a high-tech wellness hub. Multi-function shower systems combine chromotherapy (coloured light therapy), aromatherapy, and acoustic therapy with precision temperature control and varied water pressure patterns. Users can select specific protocols: “morning energise” delivers cool water, invigorating scents, and bright blue light; “evening decompress” provides warm water, calming lavender, and soft amber illumination.

Smart home systems now include EMF monitoring that displays real-time exposure levels throughout the property. Automated protocols can power down non-essential electrical systems in occupied spaces, particularly in bedrooms during sleep hours. This represents a significant evolution from the “smart home” concept: instead of maximum connectivity everywhere, intelligent systems now balance technology benefits against potential health impacts.

LUXURY REPORT 2026

Water systems have similarly advanced beyond simple filtration. Smart water technology now analyses incoming municipal supply, automatically adjusting treatment to remove detected contaminants while adding beneficial minerals for optimal hydration. Some systems can even customise water composition for different uses: slightly alkaline for drinking, demineralised for bathing.

Hot and cold plunge therapy installations now feature medical-grade temperature precision and automated cycling protocols. Integrated timers and temperature controls allow users to follow specific therapeutic regimens, with systems that can preprogram contrast therapy sequences for optimal recovery benefits.

THE AUSTRALIAN MARKET RESPONSE With Australians spending $5,184 per capita annually on wellness (7th globally) and the wellness economy growing at 7.6 per cent annually versus 4.5 per cent GDP growth, the market validation is undeniable. Properties incorporating comprehensive wellness technology command 15 to 30 per cent premiums over conventional luxury stock, with the gap widening as buyer awareness increases.

This premium reflects fundamental market transformation. Where previous generations allocated budgets to entertaining capacity and status signalling, contemporary luxury buyers invest in personal health optimisation systems. The home has evolved from passive shelter to active health partner: an intelligent environment designed to support human flourishing through continuous environmental optimisation.

LOOKING FORWARD As Australia’s wellness real estate sector accelerates toward 2028 projections, expect further technology integration. Upcoming innovations include AI nutrition systems that analyse personal health data to provide automated meal planning, grounding systems with conductive flooring materials based on emerging electrical connection research, and predictive health monitoring that identifies potential wellness issues before symptoms emerge. The intelligent wellness home isn’t coming, it’s already arrived in Australia’s premium property market, redefining luxury for a generation that values optimisation over pure showiness.

RIVERHOMES

Few residential assets command the prestige, scarcity, and long-term capital resilience of Brisbane's river homes. With a finite supply of absolute waterfront land stretching through New Farm, Teneriffe, Hamilton, Bulimba, Hawthorne, Chelmer, Graceville, St Lucia, Fig Tree Pocket and the western river corridor, these properties continue to represent the pinnacle of Brisbane's luxury market. Regardless of changing economic conditions, genuine riverfront residences remain among the city's most tightly held assets, with many passing between generations before ever reaching the open market.

Over the past financial year, Brisbane's highest-value transactions have been dominated by riverfront property. Landmark sales across New Farm, Hawthorne and Hamilton have redefined pricing benchmarks, led by the $25M sale of 17 Julius Street, New Farm, together with a series of transactions exceeding $18M throughout the city's premier waterfront addresses. These results reinforce a clear trend: when exceptional riverfront opportunities become available, competition among high-net-worth buyers remains exceptionally strong. The appeal of Brisbane's river home market extends well beyond the water itself. Buyers are increasingly seeking properties that combine uninterrupted river outlooks with architectural excellence, private moorings, expansive entertaining spaces and seamless indoor-outdoor living. Whether a meticulously restored Queenslander overlooking the river, a newly completed architectural residence or a fullfloor luxury apartment, premium waterfront homes continue to attract significant interest from local, interstate and international purchasers seeking an irreplaceable lifestyle offering. Brisbane's western river corridor has also emerged as one of the city's most tightly contested prestige markets. River homes throughout St Lucia, Fig Tree Pocket, Chelmer and Graceville continue to command increasingly strong buyer interest, underpinned by proximity to leading schools, the University of Queensland, established lifestyle precincts and comparatively limited opportunities for future development. As premium buyers continue to migrate north in search of greater value and lifestyle, these suburbs are increasingly competing alongside Brisbane's traditional blue-chip river home locations.

LUXURY REPORT 2026

Importantly, Brisbane continues to offer compelling relative value on a national scale. While comparable absolute waterfront properties in Sydney regularly transact for many multiples of Brisbane's highest residential sales, Brisbane provides an increasingly rare opportunity to acquire worldclass riverfront real estate within a growing global city at comparatively accessible price points. Combined with significant infrastructure investment ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, this relative value proposition continues to attract sophisticated domestic and international capital into Brisbane's prestige market. Looking ahead, the outlook for Brisbane's river home market remains exceptionally positive. There will never be more absolute river frontage than exists today, and opportunities to secure these properties continue to diminish as ownership periods lengthen and generational wealth transfer becomes increasingly common. As Brisbane matures on the global stage, riverfront residences are expected to remain the city's ultimate luxury asset, defined not only by architectural excellence or location, but by an enduring level of scarcity that simply cannot be recreated.

31 Needham Street, Fig Tree Pocket SOLD by Ray White

LUXURY VEHICLES

TOP LUXURY VEHICLE BRAND SALES AND ANNUAL CHANGE

BMW 26,842 sales

Mercedes-Benz 22,850 sales

2025 SALES

AUDI 16,014 sales

YOY CHANGE

BMW LEADER

26,842

-141

MERCEDES-BENZ

22,850

−223

AUDI

16,014

−190

LEXUS

14,561

−207

LAND ROVER

8,339

−116

VOLVO

7,239

−1,659

MINI

5,485

−113

PORSCHE

5,133

−1,896

POLESTAR

2,373

−425

ZEEKR NEW ENTRY

1,994

NEW ENTRY

GENESIS

1,602

+178

JAGUAR

520

−233

LAMBORGHINI

272

+112

FERRARI

220

+63

ASTON MARTIN

191

+31

11 12 13 14 15

Fastest growth

LUXURY REPORT 2026

VANESSA RADER RAY WHITE GROUP HEAD OF RESEARCH

German engineering prestige still commands the market.

Australia’s luxury vehicle market captures a sophisticated convergence of traditional prestige and technological disruption. For high-net-worth individuals investing in premium properties, their automotive choices increasingly mirror the same values driving residential decisions: quality, performance and environmental consciousness. Just as wellness features and sustainability credentials have become expected in luxury homes, electric powertrains are rapidly transitioning from novelty to necessity.

THE SUV SUPREMACY CONTINUES The most striking trend across luxury brands remains the dominance of SUVs over traditional sedans. BMW’s X1 and X3 models, Mercedes-Benz’s GLC Wagon, Audi’s Q3 and Q5, and Lexus’s NX collectively represent the core of luxury sales in 2025. This preference reflects practical Australian realities: versatility for urban driving and weekend escapes, commanding road presence, and perceived safety. Just as buyers increasingly demand homes that serve multiple purposes, luxury SUVs have become Swiss Army knives on wheels. They’re sophisticated enough for business meetings, practical enough for school runs, and capable enough for weekend adventures. This versatility explains why traditional luxury sedans continue to lose market share.

BMW’s leadership with 26,842 sales, followed by Mercedes-Benz at 22,850 and Audi at 16,014, confirms that German engineering prestige still commands the market. These three brands collectively represent over 65,000 vehicles sold, demonstrating that established brand equity matters immensely to luxury buyers. However, not all luxury brands weathered 2025 equally. Porsche experienced the steepest decline among premium marques, down 1,896 units, while Volvo dropped 1,659 units. These drops contrast sharply with the relative stability of BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi, highlighting how even established luxury brands can quickly lose momentum if product cadence or positioning falters.

Electric vehicles now command 13.1 per cent of new car sales, a 38 per cent yearon-year surge. THE ELECTRIC REVOLUTION The most significant narrative in 2025 isn’t which traditional brand sold most but how rapidly electrification has moved from experimental to essential. Battery electric vehicle sales exceeded 100,000 units for the first time, reaching 103,300 vehicles, while plug-in hybrids almost doubled to 53,484 units. Electric vehicles now command 13.1 per cent of new car sales, a 38 per cent year-on-year surge. Tesla’s Model Y remained Australia’s bestselling vehicle overall, proving that luxury buyers are embracing electric vehicles enthusiastically when the product delivers on performance and technology. New entrants like Polestar (2,373 sales) and Zeekr (1,994 sales) signal how electrification creates opportunities for challengers.

LUXURY REPORT 2026

Zeekr’s entry demonstrates Australian buyers’ growing willingness to consider Chinese luxury brands, provided the product proposition is compelling and focused on advanced electric powertrains. For buyers not yet ready to commit entirely to electric motoring, plug-in hybrids have become the pragmatic middle ground. The near-doubling of PHEV sales reveals a market segment seeking electric efficiency for daily commutes while retaining combustion backup for longer trips. This mirrors property buyers who adopt sustainability features while maintaining connections to traditional utilities as backup.

ULTRA-LUXURY: WHERE EXCLUSIVITY REIGNS Beyond established luxury brands, Australia’s ultra-luxury marques tell a different story. While Ferrari (220 sales) and Lamborghini (272 sales) represent a fraction of overall volumes, their importance extends far beyond numbers. These vehicles serve as rolling statements of achievement, often complementing harbour-side mansions and penthouse apartments. What’s fascinating is how even these bastions of combustion theatre are cautiously embracing electrification. Ferrari has announced hybrid models, Lamborghini is developing plug-in powertrains, and Rolls-Royce has introduced its first fully electric model, the Spectre. Not even ultraluxury brands with V12 heritage can ignore the electric transition.

For these brands, electrification presents unique challenges. Their customers aren’t buying transportation but emotion, sound and exclusivity. Yet even these buyers are accepting that electric powertrains can deliver extraordinary performance, providing that exclusivity and craftsmanship remain uncompromised.

THE LIFESTYLE PARALLEL For Australia’s luxury property buyers, the automotive market’s evolution provides a telling mirror. The same demographic investing in wellness-focused homes with sustainability credentials and smart technology also expects their vehicles to reflect these values.

The shift toward electric powertrains isn’t driven by budget constraints but by environmental consciousness and appreciation for cutting-edge technology. This parallels premium property buyers who choose solar panels and advanced home automation because these features align with their expectations of what luxury means in 2025. From the practical luxury of BMW and Mercedes-Benz SUVs to the ultra-exclusive realm of Ferrari and Lamborghini, Australia’s luxury vehicle landscape demonstrates that sustainability and performance are no longer opposing forces but complementary expectations of what premium truly means. The wealthy Australians buying prestige homes are the same ones driving luxury vehicle adoption toward zero emissions, smart technology integration, and brands that align with their values.

PRESTIGE APARTMENTS

Over the past 18 months, Brisbane's prestige apartment market has undergone one of the most significant transformations in its history. Once viewed as a secondary option to large family homes, luxury apartments have emerged as one of the city's most sought-after asset classes, attracting established business owners, downsizers, interstate migrants and ultra-high-net-worth buyers seeking uncompromising lifestyle without the maintenance of traditional estates.

This shift is particularly evident throughout Brisbane's western river corridor, where absolute riverfront developments have redefined buyer expectations. Premium purchasers are increasingly prioritising expansive internal living areas, private multi-car garaging, large outdoor entertaining spaces and fivestar resident amenities over sheer land size. The result has been unprecedented demand for boutique developments offering genuine scarcity, architectural excellence and irreplaceable riverfront positions. Pricing has responded accordingly. Where Brisbane's premium apartment market once achieved approximately $12,000 to $15,000 per square metre, new benchmark riverfront residences across the inner west are now regularly commanding between $20,000 and $28,000 per square metre, with trophy penthouses pushing beyond $30,000 per square metre. This rapid uplift reflects not only increasing buyer confidence, but also the escalating cost of construction and the limited supply of new riverfront opportunities. Leading this evolution has been Consolidated Properties Group's Monarch Residences in Toowong. The Penthouse Collection achieved remarkable market acceptance, with eight of the eleven penthouses selling in rapid succession and generating almost $50M in transactions at an average purchase price of approximately $5.85M. Ray White has been directly involved in several landmark sales within the development, including Penthouse 11504 together with premium riverfront residences on Levels 13 and 4, highlighting the strong appetite for luxury apartment living throughout Brisbane's western suburbs.

LUXURY REPORT 2026

Neighbouring Arc Residences has further reinforced the strength of the sector. Developed by Spyre Group and constructed by GRAYA, the boutique collection of just 24 riverfront residences has achieved exceptional off-the-plan demand, with the landmark penthouse selling for $13.6M and premium full-floor residences commanding prices in excess of $8.5M. These transactions have firmly established Coronation Drive as one of Brisbane's premier apartment addresses. Likewise, One Earle Lane continues to demonstrate the depth of owner-occupier demand for boutique luxury living, with large-format three-bedroom residences regularly transacting between $4M and $6M. Looking ahead, the pipeline suggests this momentum is only beginning. Proposed developments such as GRAYA's Silk at St Lucia signal growing developer confidence in Brisbane's prestige apartment market, with increasingly ambitious design, limited apartment numbers and price expectations that continue to challenge previous benchmarks. As Brisbane matures into a truly global lifestyle city, prestige apartments are evolving from an alternative housing choice into a cornerstone of the city's luxury residential market.

10201/600 Coronation Drive, Toowong FOR SALE with Ray White

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Expense is a threshold, whereas luxury is what sits on the other side of it. ATOM GO TIAN RAY WHITE GROUP ECONOMIST

563 Lower Bowen Terrace, New Farm FOR SALE with Ray White

11 Norwood Street, Toowong FOR SALE with Ray White

LUXURY REPORT 2026

TRADITIONAL

Brisbane's finest traditional homes continue to occupy a unique position within the city's luxury market. Unlike newly constructed residences, these properties offer something that simply cannot be recreated, rich architectural heritage, tightly held blue-chip locations and the enduring charm of traditional Queensland design, thoughtfully reimagined for contemporary family living. Throughout the Inner West, buyers continue to pay significant premiums for homes that successfully balance period Traditional with modern luxury.

Paddington, Ascot, Hamilton, New Farm and Auchenflower remain among Brisbane's strongest-performing traditional markets, where landmark residences are increasingly being transformed through world-class renovations rather than replaced. Original VJ walls, soaring ceilings, ornate detailing and expansive verandahs are now being complemented by resortstyle pools, wine cellars, wellness spaces, integrated smarthome technology and architecturally designed rear extensions. The result is a new generation of luxury homes that honour Brisbane's architectural history while delivering every expectation of modern prestige living.

Importantly, these homes appeal to a buyer profile that extends well beyond Brisbane. Interstate families relocating from Sydney and Melbourne increasingly recognise the exceptional value offered by Brisbane's grand Traditional residences, where generous landholdings, established gardens and prestigious school catchments can still be secured at a substantial discount to equivalent homes in Australia's southern capitals. This combination of lifestyle, architectural significance and relative value continues to underpin strong competition for the city's finest heritage properties.

Few sales better illustrate this evolution than 9 Reading Street, Paddington, which established a suburb record after a meticulous restoration and contemporary extension transformed the historic residence into one of Brisbane's premier family homes. Likewise, 32 Sutherland Avenue, Ascot achieved more than $23M, reaffirming the enduring appeal of grand Queensland estates occupying some of Brisbane's most prestigious addresses. Across Hamilton, 39 Eldernell Terrace demonstrated continued buyer demand for beautifully restored Traditional homes, while a number of significant off-market transactions across New Farm and Ascot reinforced the depth of demand for exceptional heritage properties.

Looking ahead, the outlook for Brisbane's luxury traditional market remains exceptionally strong. Strict planning controls, heritage protections and the finite supply of genuine Queensland estates ensure that these homes remain among the city's rarest residential assets. As Brisbane continues to mature as a global lifestyle destination, premium Traditional residences are increasingly being recognised not only for their architectural beauty, but also for their long-term scarcity, resilience and enduring investment appeal.

KEY LOCAL DEVELOPMENTS

TOOWONG CENTRAL Toowong Central is a major mixed-use redevelopment at the corner of High Street and Sherwood Road in Toowong. Developed by Verso, the revised proposal features a fourtower configuration, with the tallest reaching 39 storeys. The precinct offers diverse housing including build-to-rent, student accommodation, and strata apartments alongside a new retail hub, dedicating nearly 30% of the site to public open space and heritage preservation.

THE FOXTON The Foxton is a boutique mid-rise residential development located at 96 Goldieslie Road in the heart of Indooroopilly. Developed by Pitman Properties, this luxury garden oasis features an exclusive configuration of just 15 impeccably designed three-bedroom residences across four levels, offering spacious layouts, premium finishes, and spectacular river views.

THE ADLER The Adler is a boutique, 13-level residential tower located at 133 Eagle Terrace in the highly sought-after riverside suburb of Auchenflower, just a few kilometres west of the Brisbane CBD. Developed by Lantona, the building features an exclusive configuration of only 36 residences, designed with just three to four spacious 3 and 4 bedroom apartments per floor to maximise privacy and uninterrupted city and river views.

LUXURY REPORT 2026

SILK GRAYA’s new riverfront development in St Lucia is Silk, a 15storey, $150M luxury residential tower located at 16–18 Sandford Street. Designed for owner-occupiers and downsizers, it features just 22 large-format, half- and fullfloor "sky homes", including a lavish double-level penthouse. Silk stands out with its curved, fluid architectural design inspired by the natural curves of the Brisbane River.

AMARI The Adsett building in Toowong is Amari, an underconstruction, 15-storey luxury riverfront tower located at 2125 Glen Road, Toowong. Designed and built by Joe Adsett Architects, the boutique sculptural building comprises 28 premium three-bedroom residences and is slated for completion in June 2028.

EAVE EAVE is a $450M, 15-storey boutique riverfront apartment development located at 44 Glen Road in Toowong. Developed by Sydney’s Sammut Group and designed by Bureau^Proberts, the project features 42 luxury residences, including 2 and 3 bedroom homes, a penthouse, and private "River Suites".

9 Reading Street, Paddington SOLD by Ray White

LUXURY REPORT 2026

ARCHITECT-DESIGNED

Over the past 12 months, Brisbane’s western suburbs have continued to strengthen their position within the city’s prestige architectural market. Across Paddington, Bardon, Auchenflower, Toowong, St Lucia, Indooroopilly and Fig Tree Pocket, buyers at the upper end are placing an increasing premium on homes that combine exceptional design, substantial land, privacy and practical family liveability.

At the $5M-plus level, scarcity becomes increasingly important. The strongest results are generally associated with residences that offer more than contemporary finishes alone. Buyers are seeking genuine architectural distinction, elevated or riveroriented positions, significant proportions, resort-style amenities and a level of craftsmanship that would be increasingly difficult and expensive to recreate. That shift can increasingly be seen in the sales occurring throughout Brisbane’s west. Architectural residences have now transacted well beyond $5M across Paddington, Indooroopilly, Toowong and the broader western corridor, with several results reaching between $8M and $12M. These transactions demonstrate that Brisbane’s traditional prestige hierarchy is changing, with buyers increasingly prepared to pay significant premiums for exceptional contemporary architecture outside the city’s historically dominant luxury suburbs. Paddington remains one of Brisbane’s most established architectural prestige markets. The $6.3M sale of 21 Garfield Drive demonstrated the depth of demand for highly resolved contemporary residences offering city views, an internal lift, wellness facilities, wine cellar, media room and extensive entertaining spaces. At the very top end, Paddington has now recorded multiple transactions above $8M, including architectural residences at 9 Reading Street and 45 Garfield Drive, reinforcing the suburb’s emergence as one of Brisbane’s most important contemporary luxury addresses. The same evolution is occurring further west. Indooroopilly, Toowong, St Lucia and Fig Tree Pocket offer something particularly difficult to reproduce: significant landholdings close to the CBD, established streetscapes, mature landscaping and, in many cases, elevated or river-oriented positions. When these attributes are combined with exceptional architecture, the result is a category of property capable of competing directly with Brisbane’s finest riverfront and traditional prestige homes.

This is particularly relevant throughout Brisbane’s western suburbs, where the underlying land can be as important as the residence itself. Larger inner-city allotments are increasingly scarce, with planning controls and limited opportunities for consolidation making comparable sites difficult to recreate. Exceptional architectural homes therefore carry two layers of scarcity: the residence and the land itself. Rising construction costs and lengthy custom-build timelines further support this market. Recreating a substantial architectural residence can involve years of design, approvals, construction and landscaping. For buyers above $5M, acquiring an exceptional completed home can offer considerable appeal over undertaking a complex new build. Architectural provenance is also becoming more important. Buyers increasingly recognise the difference between a high-specification new home and one with genuine architectural merit. Residences designed specifically around their site, orientation, views and landscape are increasingly regarded as unique assets rather than simply premium housing. Together, scarcity, replacement costs and a deeper affluent buyer pool are establishing architect-designed residences as a distinct luxury category capable of setting their own price benchmarks. This is particularly significant in Brisbane’s west, where proximity to the CBD and leading schools combines with substantial landholdings, elevated positions and river settings. As the $5M-plus market matures, the finest homes will increasingly be defined by the combination of site, architecture, scale and scarcity that makes them genuinely difficult to reproduce.

The $9M sale of 45 Glencairn Avenue in Indooroopilly is a clear example of this emerging market. It demonstrates that buyers at this level are increasingly looking beyond suburb alone and placing considerable value on the complete proposition, the quality of the site, architectural integrity, privacy, scale, landscaping and the way a residence responds to its surroundings. 41

LUXURY REPORT 2026

22 Prospect Street, Wilston FOR SALE with Ray White

ACREAGE ESTATES

Brisbane's acreage market has quietly become one of the city's most exclusive and tightly held luxury sectors. Offering a rare combination of absolute privacy, expansive landholdings and close proximity to the CBD, suburbs including Brookfield, Pullenvale, Fig Tree Pocket, Kenmore Hills and Moggill continue to attract affluent families seeking a lifestyle that simply cannot be replicated elsewhere in Australia's major capital cities. Within approximately 20 kilometres of Brisbane's CBD, opportunities to secure five acres or more are exceptionally limited, creating an enduring imbalance between supply and demand.

Unlike prestige markets driven primarily by architectural design or riverfront positioning, Brisbane's acreage estates derive much of their value from scarcity. Large landholdings, mature landscaping, private recreational facilities and the flexibility to create true lifestyle compounds have become increasingly desirable among business owners, entrepreneurs and interstate buyers relocating from Sydney and Melbourne. These purchasers are often seeking space for extended families, equestrian facilities, wellness amenities or simply the privacy that larger estates provide without sacrificing access to elite schools, business districts and Brisbane Airport.

The western acreage corridor also benefits from exceptional connectivity. Despite its peaceful, semi-rural Traditional, residents remain within easy reach of Brisbane's CBD, Indooroopilly Shopping Centre, leading private schools including Brisbane Boys' College, St Peters Lutheran College, Brigidine College and Stuartholme School, together with major transport infrastructure. This accessibility continues to distinguish Brisbane's acreage market from comparable lifestyle regions elsewhere in Australia, where similar landholdings often require substantially longer commuting times.

Recent benchmark transactions continue to demonstrate the strength of the sector. Brookfield has recorded a number of exceptional sales exceeding $5M, reflecting growing demand for architecturally designed residences set across substantial acreage. Nearby Pullenvale continues to establish new suburb benchmarks, with premium estates commanding prices approaching $9M, while Fig Tree Pocket has reinforced its position as one of Brisbane's premier lifestyle addresses, combining generous landholdings with close proximity to the Brisbane River and the city's leading educational precincts. These transactions confirm that buyers are increasingly willing to pay significant premiums for irreplaceable land and lifestyle.

Looking ahead, the outlook for Brisbane's prestige acreage market remains exceptionally positive. Opportunities to create new acreage estates within the metropolitan boundary are becoming increasingly scarce, while ongoing population growth, interstate migration and Brisbane's emergence as a global lifestyle city continue to expand the pool of qualified purchasers. As a result, the city's finest acreage properties are increasingly being recognised as some of Brisbane's most irreplaceable residential assets, combining privacy, scale and long-term capital preservation in a way that few other property types can offer.

LUXURY REPORT 2026

666 Upper Brookfield Road, Upper Brookfield

29 Laidlaw Parade, East Brisbane SOLD by Ray White LUXURY REPORT 2026

Ray White Collective Luxury represents the pinnacle of highend real estate representation in Queensland. Purpose-built to serve the distinct needs of the prestige sector, Collective Luxury operates as a dedicated, white-glove agency model specialising exclusively in Brisbane’s premier residential holdings, typically priced from $4M through to $10M and beyond. Co-founded by renowned luxury specialist Matt Lancashire alongside long-time business partner Haesley Cush, the brand provides ultra-high-net-worth clients with a bespoke, concierge-driven experience designed to elevate property marketing into an art form. Reuben Packer-Hill helps spearhead this business through Brisbane’s western suburbs.

At the heart of the Collective Luxury model is an unwavering commitment to discretion, strategic positioning, and tailored client care. High-profile vendors and trophy-home owners often require completely confidential sales channels away from public portals. Powered by a private database of over 4,000 active buyers searching specifically in the multimillion-dollar tier, Collective Luxury seamlessly matches offmarket riverfront estates, grand heritage homesteads, and world-class architectural builds with qualified domestic, interstate, and international capital before a public campaign ever reaches the market.

36 Broseley Road, Toowong SOLD by Ray White

LUXURY REPORT 2026

CONCLUSION

Amid heightening global uncertainties and softer conditions across traditional southern capitals like Sydney and Melbourne, Brisbane’s Western Suburbs luxury market continues to stand out as a fortress of structural stability. While broader national momentum has naturally tempered, prime residential values across the western river ring and prestige acreage corridors remain remarkably insulated, underscoring the deep resilience and enduring demand for blue-chip real estate in the west.

Brisbane’s prestige property sector (particularly across our coveted Inner West corridors) continues to demonstrate remarkable insulation against broader global uncertainties and macroeconomic pressures. While we remain attentive to shifting fiscal conditions and broader cost-of-living dynamics, the sheer depth of localised wealth and high-net-worth buyer activity continues to underpin resilient valuations across the region.

As part of Ray White Collective Luxury, specialising in prestige homes across Brisbane and the Inner West, our team is looking forward to an exceptionally strong second half of 2026. By combining deep local expertise with direct access to an unmatched database of high-net-worth individuals, backed by Australasia’s largest real estate network, we offer our clients an elevated, highly confidential, and completely tailored service.

As long as luxury stock remains tightly held against a growing pool of affluent local, interstate, and overseas buyers, Brisbane’s finest homes will continue to command benchmark outcomes. Compounding this structural demand is the city's multi-billion-dollar transformation heading toward the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which provides an enduring floor for long-term capital preservation.

If you are considering a property move in the Inner West or would simply like a private discussion regarding the value of your home, please don't hesitate to get in touch. Warm regards,

REUBEN PACKER-HILL Ray White Toowong & Collective Luxury

WE LOVE FEEDBACK Your input means the world to us. If you have any thoughts on how we can make your experience even better, we’d love to hear from you. Thank you for following along and for continuing to support our team! For a confidential discussion about Brisbane's luxury property market, or to request a complimentary appraisal of your home, please contact Reuben Packer-Hill.

REUBEN PACKER-HILL SELLING PRINCIPAL & DIRECTOR MOBILE:

0401 840 361

EMAIL:

reubenph@raywhite.com

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© 2026 Reuben Packer-Hill / Ray White Toowong. All rights reserved. This publication has been prepared for general information purposes only. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained within this report, no representation or warranty is made as to its accuracy or completeness. Readers should undertake their own enquiries before making property, financial or investment decisions. Market data, sales information and economic commentary have been compiled from publicly available information, Ray White Group data and other sources believed to be reliable. Third-party material remains the property of its respective copyright owners and is reproduced with permission or attribution where applicable.

REUBEN PACKER-HILL

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