Longboat Development Group

What Longboat Development Group does

Longboat Development Group P/L is a privately-held, boutique residential property developer founded by architect Theodore (Theo) Kerlidis and headquartered at 124 Bank Street, South Melbourne, Australia. The company develops small-volume, site-specific multi-residential apartment and townhouse projects across greater Melbourne, with a portfolio to date comprising Trinity Life (24 apartments, West Footscray, completed 2015), Eternity Life (61 apartments, West Footscray, under construction), and Bowerbird Life (24 homes, Ormond, registration-of-interest stage as of 2018). Its core technology stack is centered on passive solar design, thermally efficient building fabric, sustainably sourced timber construction, hydronic heating, solar power, rainwater harvesting, and integration of consulting ecologist input at project inception. Trinity achieved a NatHERS 9.1-star sustainability rating and a reported 33% reduction in energy consumption versus Australian standards, and the company holds both Land For Wildlife and Land For Gardens certifications from the Victorian government.

The company operates a direct-to-consumer go-to-market model, selling individual units to end buyers through its website, project-specific microsites, on-site project showrooms, and contact-driven enquiries, with no third-party sales channel or distribution partners. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated on a per-project, per-unit basis. Architectural design is delivered through a tightly integrated core partnership with k20 Architecture, which is co-founded by the same principal, enabling in-house design control rather than outsourced architect relationships. Revenue is realized through one-time unit sales at settlement, which makes annual recognized revenue lumpy and tied to construction and settlement milestones of individual projects.

Longboat serves two primary buyer personas: mindful home buyers who prioritize craftsmanship, sustainability, and design integrity over mass-produced apartments, and affordability-conscious buyers seeking sustainable housing that does not compromise on cost, exemplified by Trinity's design aspirations of sustainability, affordability, and connection. Marketing is restrained and content-led, relying on the company website, project microsites, a project Facebook page, and earned third-party credibility through the Architizer A+ Awards and Melbourne Design Awards. The firm runs with 1-10 employees, takes a deliberately conservative financial approach, and has not raised external capital.

Name

Longboat Development Group

Legal name

Longboat Development Group P/L

Website

https://longboat.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Longboat Development Group is a privately-held boutique residential developer in Melbourne, Australia, building small-volume, eco-centric apartment and townhouse projects with passive solar design for individual home buyers who value craftsmanship and sustainability over mass-produced housing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

South Melbourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Residential Property Development and Sales: Longboat generates revenue through the development and sale of residential apartments and homes. The company is described as a small volume developer focused on unique, one-off projects rather than mass production. Revenue is realized through individual unit sales to end buyers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Longboat Development Group is a boutique, eco-centric residential property developer based in South Melbourne, Australia. The company designs, develops and sells small-volume, architect-designed apartment and townhouse projects in Melbourne, working in close partnership with k20 Architecture. Each project is a unique, one-off development emphasizing sustainable materials, passive solar design, energy efficiency and integration with local ecology rather than mass production.

Product overview

Longboat Development Group is an eco-centric property developer creating unique, one-off residential apartment projects in Melbourne. Their portfolio consists of three named developments: Trinity Life (completed 2015, 24 apartments in West Footscray), Eternity Life (under construction, 61 apartments in West Footscray), and Bowerbird Life (registration of interest, 24 homes in Ormond). Each project features sustainable timber construction, passive environmental design principles, environmental certifications (Land for Wildlife, Land for Gardens), and is designed by associated architect k20 Architecture. The company focuses on craftsmanship over volume, creating architect-designed homes that balance ecology and human wellbeing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Trinity Life: Multi-residential apartment project completed in 2015, located at 432 Geelong Road, West Footscray. Features 24 apartments with sustainability, affordability, and connection as core design principles.
• Eternity Life
• Bowerbird Life

Products and services

• Trinity Life Completed 24-apartment eco-centric residential development at 432 Geelong Road, West Footscray, designed around three aspirations: sustainability, affordability and connection. Features timber construction, passive solar design, NatHERS 9.1-star sustainability rating and 33% reduction in energy consumption.
• Eternity Life Apartment development under construction at 110 Roberts Street, West Footscray, comprising 61 spacious apartments across five stylised timber warehouses. Incorporates passive environmental design, solar power, hot water systems, rainwater harvesting, individual metering and sustainably sourced timber finishes echoing the area's industrial heritage.
• Bowerbird Life Contemporary residential development at 44 Lillimur Road, Ormond, comprising 24 one, two and three-bedroom homes nestled within natural surroundings. Features a timber battening facade, substantial sustainability features, robust natural materials and a hand-crafted aesthetic inspired by the bowerbird's nest.

Quantifiable outcome

• 33% reduction in energy consumption at Trinity, well above Australian standards
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• k20 ArchitecturecoreStrategic or Co-development Partnerk20 Architecture is co-founded by Theo Kerlidis, Longboat's founder. The firm serves as the architectural partner for all Longboat projects including Trinity, Eternity, and Bowerbird. The integration enables uncompromised design decisions, with k20 Architecture providing the technical expertise while Longboat handles development. This close relationship ensures projects are designed and built according to Longboat's eco-centric philosophy without compromise.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Lendlease: Global Australian-headquartered developer with major residential masterplans in Melbourne. Comparable in residential product category but operates at vastly greater scale with institutional capital.
• Mirvac: Large Australian property developer with a residential portfolio that increasingly emphasizes sustainability and design quality. Comparable in apartment product category, though orders of magnitude larger than Longboat.
• Frasers Property Australia: Major Australian residential developer with sustainability commitments and a portfolio of medium-to-high density apartment projects. Differentiated by scale, but comparable in product category (residential apartments) and increasingly adopting sustainability positioning.

Emerging players

• Kennedy Nolan: Award-winning Melbourne architecture practice with a portfolio of residential projects emphasizing craftsmanship and contextual design. Comparable to Longboat in design pedigree and Melbourne focus.
• Techne Architects: Design-focused Melbourne practice that has developed its own residential projects. Comparable to Longboat in its integration of architecture and development, and small boutique scale.
• Breathe Architecture: Melbourne-based architecture and development practice with strong sustainability credentials (including the award-winning Melbourne hills house). Comparable to Longboat's eco-centric design philosophy, though more architecture than developer.
• Grimm Projects: Small Melbourne architecture and development practice with a focus on sustainable residential projects. Comparable to Longboat in its integrated design/develop model and boutique scale.

Direct peers

• HIP V. HYPE: Melbourne-based property developer focused on sustainable, design-led residential and mixed-use projects. Highly comparable to Longboat in eco-centric philosophy, boutique scale, and Melbourne market focus.
• Milieu Property: Boutique Melbourne developer focused on design-led, sustainability-oriented apartments and townhouses. Comparable to Longboat in its boutique scale, design-forward approach, and eco-conscious positioning.
• Neometro: Melbourne-based boutique residential developer with a strong design and sustainability focus, building small-volume, architect-designed projects. Closely comparable to Longboat in scale, philosophy, and Melbourne market focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/eternityapartments
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/longboat-development-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Longboat Development Group