DD Living on the boom in luxury Gold Coast living

Property veteran David Devine has been in the industry for four decades across the private and public sectors. As the Gold Coast experiences an influx of new buyers post-COVID-19, Devine is making waves and catering to the ultra-high-net-worths with two landmark luxury residential apartments: Royale and Burly.

When renowned property developer David Devine established DD Living in 2020, it marked a shift in his career towards high-quality high-rise projects in South-East Queensland. 

With more than 25,000 homes and 6,000 apartments under his belt across his four decades in the industry through Devine Limited and Metro Property Development, he identified that this product in this location would be a key opportunity for the changing demographic segment chasing a premium lifestyle. 

“Since COVID-19, people realised they can work and live away from the office, it’s acceptable now for people to have the lifestyle they want and still run their business. That shift has driven demand for the Gold Coast.”

David Devine

The data backs him up. Around 220,000 people are forecast to leave Sydney and Melbourne for Queensland over the next five years, with nearly 40% heading to the Gold Coast. Many are affluent downsizers and retirees seeking oceanfront living. 

“Fifty percent of our buyers are from either Melbourne or Sydney, and the other half from Queensland,” Devine says. 

The Gold Coast is changing as a result: the government has established the Oceanway walkway, a five-metre-wide boardwalk from Main Beach to Burleigh Heads, but eventually will span a 42-kilometre stretch. Then there’s the expansion of the light rail to Burleigh Heads. 

“There’s a great infrastructure initiative, so there are a lot of good things happening in the Gold Coast,” he says. 

Devine’s career trajectory is tightly intertwined with the broader story of Australian property. He cut his teeth at Devine Limited, his first property development firm, which he established in 1984, with his early projects being land development in the outer-Brisbane suburb of Eagleby. After floating Devine Limited on the ASX in 1993, the company grew into a top-500 listed developer with operations in every mainland state. 

By 2010, he’d exited Devine Limited and was back in private development with Metro Property Development, operating as executive chairman. Here, he oversaw Metro’s operations throughout Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and Perth, but with a particular focus on high-rise residential products in Brisbane, and house-and-land developments in other cities. In Brisbane, Metro Property Development was responsible for delivering 2,750 high-rise apartments across 14 projects in just 10 years. 

In 2019, David Devine launched DD Living to concentrate on luxury projects on the Gold Coast. DD Living is – so far – behind two luxury owner-occupier developments in premium Gold Coast locations: Royale Gold Coast, a $480 million development at Surfers Paradise, and Burly Residences, a $545 million project on North Burleigh Beach. Royale is already 90% sold, with completion scheduled for early 2026. Burly, currently at 50% sold, is slated to finish in late 2027. 

Devine has also backed his conviction personally, purchasing the penthouse at Royale. “When I get in the lift with other residents, I can look them in the eye and say, ‘You were very smart – I followed you’.” 

Devine says much of DD Living’s positioning comes from his ability to assemble teams with a shared vision. “My role is to make sure the team does its work,” he says. 

“When you’ve spent 40 years in the industry, you take people on the journey with you. They learn, and I learn new ideas.” 

That team now includes world-recognised architects like Koichi Takada and DKO, interior designer Miriam Fanning, Builders Hutchinson Builders & Gowdie Management Group. 

Another hallmark of DD Living’s success is the company’s ability to avoid passing on cost pressures to buyers mid-build. 

“A number of developers on the Gold Coast and elsewhere have faced challenges in relation to the cost of building and the building time, and they’ve had to ask buyers for a price increase.  

DD Living have never done that, and will never do that in the future.” How? “That’s what 40 years’ experience delivers. Ethics and honesty come before profit.” 

Beyond Royale and Burly, DD Living has other projects in the pipeline, including a potential development in Byron Bay, and the company now has more than $1 billion worth of projects underway. 

For Devine, the motivation is less about expansion for its own sake than about continuing to shape places that capture the evolving aspirations of buyers. “There’s always demand for the right product at the right time,” he says. 

“What’s changed is that people now see the Gold Coast as more than just a holiday spot — it’s where they want to live.” 

Royale gold coast 

With two price records for sales under its belt, Royale Gold Coast has made headlines in the Sunshine State – and it’s not even finished. The $480 million development by DD Living is not only 90% sold, but two of its three penthouses sold for more than $19 million each, making them the highest off-the-plan sales ever recorded in Surfers Paradise. 

For Adrian Parsons of Total Property Group, who is marketing the project, the sales reflect the “powerful impression” the building is making as a premium beachfront residence. “You can tell from 300 metres away,” he says. 

“I want to walk past that building because it really is so unique. It’s the number one trophy beachfront building on the Gold Coast. Once you’ve seen it, you won’t forget it. I love the idea that all of our owners are going to feel very proud about being an owner in that building.” 

What’s more validating to the team is that its penthouse buyers are not overseas investors, but Australian buyers who are purchasing with the intention of living at the residence. “That’s a powerful vote of confidence in both the product and the Gold Coast market,” Parsons says. 

“It also validates the developer, DD Living’s vision brought to life at Royale, a truly ultra-premium development created for discerning buyers who value quality, location and long-term lifestyle.” And, DD Living founder David Devine himself liked the work so much, he’s also purchased a penthouse. 

Located on the exclusive Northcliffe Terrace beachfront in Surfers Paradise and designed by DKO Architecture, Royale draws inspiration from the Pandanus tree, twisting skyward in a form that, according to Parsons and Devine, serves two purposes: to shelter apartments from wind and to create a lasting visual impression. 

For buyers, Parsons says the attraction lies in the combination of oversized floor plans, premium interiors, and its amenities. “We go back to the little 1% details that have been considered everywhere.” 

Devine, who has four decades of development experience behind him, credits both early buyers and his team for Royale’s momentum. “When you’re working on something that you recognise is very special, it brings out the best in everyone,” he says. “Success comes from passion, and that’s what has driven this project.” 

He says his brief to the team was, “I want people walking along the beach to look up at Royale and say, ‘That’s where I want to live’”. 

With Hutchinson Builders on track to complete the tower by mid-2026, Devine and his team are positioning Royale not just as a residence, but as a landmark development in the evolution of Surfers Paradise. 

Burly residences 

Royale may have announced DD Living’s arrival in the luxury beachfront market. Still, Burly Residences reflects the company’s commitment to investing in the Gold Coast and developing residences to support coastal living. The $545 million, 25-level tower is currently being built on The Esplanade at North Burleigh, with 101 oversized apartments designed to reflect the area’s natural and cultural character. 

“Burleigh is a different location than Royale,” says DD Living founder David Devine. “The beach at Burleigh is protected by two headlands, and it’s really a world-famous beach. It has its own character and a quieter charm.” To underscore that character, Devine chose to name the project “Burly”, reverting to the spelling first given by government surveyors in the 1850s. 

But the property, which went through a significant research and development phase, has changed much since Devine first got his hands on the land. 

“Originally, I purchased 1,000-square metres, did the design, sold it out,” he says. “Then I bought the plot next door. I had to throw all those plans and contracts in the bin and start again,” he recalls. “That gave us 2,000 square metres and 40 metres of ocean frontage. With the larger site, the council increased the height limit by 50%, which meant we could design larger apartments with big balconies – up to 70 square metres and include extensive amenities across two levels Koichi Takada Architects brought that vision into form, designing balconies that ripple like Burleigh’s famous barrel waves. The entrance itself echoes the swell of the surf, anchoring the building in its setting. 

Parsons, who has long worked in the area, describes Burleigh as “a little like Manly in Sydney — an incredibly popular area with natural beauty and a thriving food and café culture.” With the new Oceanway walkway, the Mondrian Hotel and a vibrant James Street retail strip, he says Burleigh has become one of the Gold Coast’s most desirable addresses. 

Apartments at Burly range from $2.4 million to almost $14 million, but even with a top-tier price tag, Devine says the attraction is simple. “You can spend your time sitting on the balcony watching the world go by, with views to the south, north and out to the ocean. It’s a lovely area, and we’ve designed something that does justice to it.” 

Completion is expected in late 2027, with sales already surpassing 50%. 

For more information, visit ddliving.com.au