Veteran Developer Plots $3bn Glitter Strip Wellness Megasite

Nobody can accuse veteran developer John Fitzgerald of having a herd mentality. His new $3-billion vision for the Gold Coast’s “cow corner”—a wellness-led transformation of what is regarded as one of Australia’s most valuable urban grazing paddocks—leaves no doubt about that. The previous high‑density scheme approved back in 2017 has been scrapped in favour of a lower-density, albeit still ambitious, masterplan dubbed Clear Island. Gone are the 1550 apartments across 11 to 13 towers up to 19 storeys—the yield dramatically slashed by more than 50 per cent. Under the revised plans, 730 apartments would be spread across eight towers rising from 12 to 24 storeys—as well as seven lakeside midrise buildings of between five and seven storeys. In addition, the 25ha island precinct is slated to include a 113-room, 20-storey boutqiue wellness hotel. Newly filed documents part of the change application describe the redesign as “a restorative landscape sanctuary…guided by Zen principles of calm, harmony and circular unity…and deeply connected to nature”. Fitzgerald said the bold development rethink had been triggered by the pandemic and a subsequent shift in how people want to live. “We were pretty much set to start…then Covid hit,” he told The Urban Developer . “And I could feel somethig was changing—so we just tore up everything. “We just stopped and said, look, we don’t think this is appropriate to build such a dense sort of thing, where everyone’s living on top of each other...[and so] we decided to dial it back.” ▲ A rendering of an aerial view of the new Clear Island development vision. Envisioned as a private island community, the new scheme features a 7ha lake and more than 13ha of waterfront parkland. Fitzgerald’s JLF Corporation is driving the project pivot, alongside local consortium Orient Central Development Corporation and delivery partner Core Property Partners. Key to the reworked scheme is its pitch as Australia’s first advanced wellness living community—aimed at positioning the city at the forefront of the rapidly expanding global longevity and preventative health economy. “I do development in five states of Australia, but this is the most special block of land I’ve ever had, and I asked myself what is it calling me to do?” Fitzgerald said. “And then health and wellness just sort of jumped out at me … it’s the fastest growing sector in real estate and it’s really motivating to see what’s going on around the world.” By the Global Wellness Institute’s calculations, the sector is projected to hit a value of $1.8 trillion by 2030 and Australia is ranked as the fourth biggest wellness real estate market in the world . ▲ Nine towers rising up to 24 storeys and seven midrise buildings would accommodate 730 units and a 113-room hotel under the new scheme. Fitzgerald put his foot on the bucolic landmark site at the intersection of Gooding Drive and Robina Parkway/Nernag-Broadbeach Road at Clear Island Waters—about 4km west of Broadbeach—in the late 1990s. Affectionately known by locals as “cow corner”—due to the resident herd of Charolais that for years have grazed its prominent pastures—it sits next to one of the city’s busiest and largest roundabouts. “It’s the perfect site in Australia for health and wellness…it’s an urban site but you can create your own private little island, a secured estate in a living environment on the waterfront,” Fitzgerald said. Integrated into the new plans are extensive forest walks and grounding zones, a 2km running track, outdoor sport and water-based activity amenities, organic gardens, as well as a dedicated sanctuary designed by a Japanese Zen architect. “You can literally walk barefoot around the whole place,” Fitzgerald said. A state-of-the-art longevity hub led by a prominent cardiologist is also planned, incorporating diagnostics, radiology, preventative medicine, metabolic and longevity testing, and personalised wellness programs. “This is not simply luxury real estate with wellness amenities attached…it has been conceived as a fully integrated daily wellness and longevity ecosystem designed to support physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing,” Fitzgerald said. The masterplan concept with its barefoot, nature-first wellness ethos has been designed by BVN Architecture and landscape studio Field Operations. “We’ll have about 7000 to 8000sq m of of longevity amenity but, most importantly, residents will be buying into a lifestyle,” Fitzgerald said. “And that lifestyle is not just about getting an IV drip or getting your biomarkers done—it’s actually also about nature, grounding, organic living, and getting out-and-about and moving,” Fitzgerald said. ▲ Renderings of the Clear Island scheme featuring a 7ha lake, 13ha of parkland, forest walks, a running track, outdoor sport and water-based activity amenities. In his view, the project’s wellness-focused recalibration is a reflection of a broader evolving repositioning of the Gold Coast’s identity. “I think what the Gold Coast has been asking itself for some time now is ‘What are we?’... and what we are is the best longevity, health and wellness lifestyle in the world. “This [project] is a first for the Gold Coast but it’s also significant for Queensland and significant for Australia. There’s no one else that would be doing this like this in the world in an urban environment.” The proposal is targeting the baby-boomer and luxury downsizer market, with an intergenerational living lens. “They’re buying 40 per cent of all property around Australia,” Fitzgerald said. “On the Gold Coast, sales have gone from five sales a week over $2 million in 2016 to now 70 sales a week over $2 million. That’s nearly double the rest of Australia…it’s become the mecca for that demand.” About 25 per cent of the new scheme’s residential component is expected to be in the $1 million to $2 million range—considered “affordable” in the context of Clear Island Waters’ $2.5-million median house price. Long viewed as flood-prone, one of the major provisions of the original approval for the high density scheme was that a helipad and lifeboats be included to help evacuate residents in the event of floods. But according to Fitzgerald, the site has undergone extensive re‑modelling following severe weather events in 2021–22 and the new masterplan proposal lifts the residential pads to a one‑in‑1000‑year flood level—significantly above many surrounding established suburbs. A planning report prepared by Zone Planning Group said the new scheme “to establish a world-class wellness precinct…is considered to better align the future development outcomes with the various constraints of the site, particularly its location within a defined flood plain”. Civil works, including creation of the substantial man‑made lake and development pads, are slated to start next year, subject to council approval. ▲ The new scheme is conceived as a fully integrated daily wellness and longevity ecosystem. The project has been structured for flexible delivery, Fitzgerald said. “Top developers with their own building companies” he said had already approached him about taking individual towers or stages, on condition they align with the overarching health and wellness framework. “The question will be, do we press the button and bring in those other builder-developers and just knock it over in three years, or do we take the seven, eight years and do it ourselves.” That no doubt will depend on construction capacity and market conditions heading into the 2032 Olympics. But after almost three decades, Fitzgerald is adamant the “cow corner” site is finally on the cusp of transformation. “Everything gets developed—the whole Gold Coast is getting developed,” he said. “And I’m telling you now, this plan will go ahead. We’ve put millions into it and the consortium we’ve got behind it has a lot more firepower than we’re letting on right now.” The cows, he concedes, will eventually be moved on—but they will remain part of the area’s floodplain grazing landscape. “I love the cows—everybody does,” Fitzgerald said, adding that as much as he wanted to make room for them in the new scheme “the one thing we couldn’t have was farm animals”. “But they’ve got a place down the road where they’ll be very happy,” he said.

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Phil Bartsch
Fri 05 Jun 26

Veteran Developer Plots $3bn Glitter Strip Wellness Megasite

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