Seven Hills: The garden suburb where new housing is a rarity

The lack of population growth shows there's been little to no opportunity to buy into the already established suburb, with very little new housing options in the owner-occupier-centric market
Seven Hills: The garden suburb where new housing is a rarity
Render of Vivace
Alison Warters March 9, 2023

Seven Hills in Brisbane's inner east offers buyers both convenience to the city and an escape to nature.

It's managed to keep its quaint, suburban feel, with little to no population growth over the last decade. Just over 2,000 people call Seven Hills home, according to the latest census data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Most if its development came post World War II, when it was designed as a "garden estate", given almost half of the suburb occupied by the Seven Hills Bushland Reserve.

The lack of population growth shows there's been little to no opportunity to buy into the already established suburb, with very little new housing options in the owner-occupier-centric market.

Developer Heran Building Group is offering a rare opportunity to buy into the tightly held suburb, in their Clearview Urban Village masterplan of townhomes and apartments.

All townhomes have been snapped up, but there's still opportunity to buy into their apartment development, Vivace Apartments.

There's just 30 units in the Tallowwood Street building, a mix of two, three and four-bedroom apartments. Prices start from $685,000 for a two-bedder, which features two-bathrooms and two car spaces. 

The three-bedroom apartments are priced from $815,000, while the four-bedders come in at $1.45 million. 

Designed by Heran's internal architect, the Vivace Apartments offer a contemporary design, with a natural colour palette and timber features juxtaposed to stone.

The spacious site provides large balconies and vertical screens for privacy and shading, and contrasts with the high density solutions of the inner city.

Communal spaces are dotted around the site, including a swimming pool, barbecue facilities, a fully-equipped gym, sauna, steam room and communal lounge.

The apartments will also feature secure underground parking and ample visitor parking as well, which only helps to bolster the community feel. 

Residents will be just steps away from the sprawling 50-hectare Seven Hills Bushland Reserve, which offers a number of bush walks with scenic views along the way. 

Multiple access points to the walking track network can be found in streets adjoining the reserve, including Latina Avenue, Darcy Road, and Richmond Road.

For those who prefer to cycle, bicycle paths are readily available by the Brisbane River. The ferry to Brisbane CBD is also an option, as is taking the train, with Clearview conveniently close to Morningside and Norman Park train stations.

The apartments are within close proximity to the Brisbane CBD, South Bank, West End, and Fortitude Valley, which are well known for their abundance of shopping precincts and dining options, whether it be local or international cuisine, fine dining, or street markets.

Brisbane is also a mecca for cultural activities, with Southbank offering performances at the Riverstage or the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, as well as exhibitions at museums or art galleries. For sports fans, Clearview is also close to both Suncorp Stadium and the Gabba.

The majority of the suburb's population is made up of families, with the suburb close in proximity to numerous private schools and universities, including Anglican Church Grammar School, Saint Thomas Catholic Primary School, Somerville House, Queensland University of Technology, and University of Queensland.

Alison Warters

Alison Warters is a property journalist for Urban, based in Sydney. Alison is especially interested in the evolution of the New Build/Development space, when it comes to design innovation and sustainability.

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