From sleepy village to the cultural hub of Surfers Paradise: Inside the growth of Chevron Island

Before the onset of COVID-19, Chevron Island's newest apartment development would have been at least two decades old.

Fast forward four years, and some reputable apartment developers later, the small island just a bridge away from Surfers Paradise, is absolutely booming.

The island broke headlines in 2017 when Melbourne-based developer Bensons Property announced it was going to develop Chevron One, a 40-level tower on Stanhill Drive. The under-construction tower will be the only skyscraper on the island, following a change in planning laws shortly after the approval.

But the island didn't truly boom until a few years later, around the opening of the Home of The Arts (HOTA) Gallery, located just across the green bridge from Chevron Island and the cultural hub of the Gold Coast. With the new gallery came The Exhibitionist Bar on the Gallery Rooftop, Palette Restaurant, and a new HOTA Shop.

Further investment by the Gold Coast City Council will bring a new 1800-seat lyric theatre to the precinct, as well as a refurbishment of the current 800-seat theatre.

Apartment developers took note of the activity on the island and the surrounding area, and buyers have responded in a big way.

Brent Thompson's Siera Group made Chevron Island home for their first Gold Coast apartment development.

Thompson, who had been scoping out the Gold Coast market for 18 months before purchasing a prime 1500 sqm site on Darrambal Street, had a string of boutique townhouse and apartment developments in Brisbane's inner-ring suburbs to his name before moving Siera south.

"We have always built in-house, so it was really more about building a team of experienced high-rise staff to deliver Tapestry as we always have as builder/ developer," Thompson says.

On submitting plans for Tapestry in 2021, Thompson said Chevron Island has a "great local community".

"It's a tight-knit community, while being ideally located just a five-minute walk from the international tourist hub of Surfers Paradise."

Thompson kept everything local when he submitted plans for Tapestry, a 22-level arts-inspired apartmet project designed to be in keeping with Chevron Island’s growing standing at the cultural arts hub of the Gold Coast. He had the local BDA Architecture team undertake the design, while also commissioning a piece from local artist Tania Blanchard that will hang in the lobby when the building is completed.

Tapestry will home 113 two and three-bedroom apartments with an impressive rooftop comprising a swimming pool, barbecue and alfresco space, a private dining room with a terrace and fire pit, an edible garden, a private gym with a sauna and steam room and landscaped gardens.

“After all the research and understanding Chevron Island as a whole, it really felt like it was the perfect place to deliver a project like Tapestry, where we’ve created this phenomenal amount of amenity and beautiful residences that locals will be able to move into and downsize," Thompson said.

Siera Group recently brought construction in-house and kicked off the build at Tapestry, which is expected to complete in late 2025.

Another reputable builder developer on the island is Aniko Group, who has a strong track record of delivering qualiy on a Gold Coast island before. They've previously developed over $400 million worth of apartments and townhouses on Hope Island.

Aniko's construction arm will be completing their Chevron Island apartment development, Orama, in late 2025. A similarly impressive rooftop to Tapestry, Orama will have 102 two and three-bedroom apartments designed by Plus Architecture. The project is currently over 80 per cent sold.

When Aniko secured the Weemala Street site, Aniko Founder George Mastocrastas said they wanted to create something that was "in keeping with the community fabric of the island suburb."

“Chevron is just a short walk to Surfers Paradise, the beach, the Gold Coast’s cultural heart and all the amenities the central Gold Coast has to offer. It’s both laid back and sophisticated at the same time."

Another local developer Sherpa Property Group, also recently launched Perspective Helm, the most boutique apartment development on the island.

The waterfront building on Stanhill Drive comprises just 10 three and four-bedroom residences, a mix of apartments and villas, that start from $4 million. Some of the residences have their own private marina berth.

Chevron Island's boom has been reflected in enquiry data collected by MatterFact, the data product from Urban.com.au. The data shows that the average price per square metre has skyrocketed over the last three years, increasing between 35 to 50 percent in most cases.

In 2022, the average price per square metre for two-bedroom apartments was $8,200. This figure jumped to $9,900 in 2023 and currently sits closer to $11,000 in 2024.

Three-bedroom apartments saw a similar increase, rising from $8,900 in 2022 to $11,200 in 2023, and further to $13,200 in 2024.