Insights

But there's the awe-inspiring feeling of "how on earth is it humanly possible to build something that tall?"

If you've been to Dubai, you'll know that feeling well.

Dubai's Burj Khalifa stands at 828m, which giants anything here down under.

Nonetheless, Australia has some impressive feats of engineering.

Walk or drive through any city in Australia and you are bound to find a skyscraper or two. But have you ever wondered just how tall those buildings are and even perhaps what the tallest buildings in the country are?

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1. Q1 – 322.5 metres

‍​​Who would have thought that the Gold Coast would have the tallest building in Australia?

Since 2005, the title has stood with the Q1 in Surfers Paradise, standing at an impressive 322.5m when measured to the tip of the spire.

For 6 years it had a place as the tallest building in the world, only to be overtaken by The Marina Torch in Dubai in 2011.

The Q1 is home to Australia’s only beachside observation deck, with an express elevator taking you to SkyPoint in 43 seconds!

Visitors can also enjoy the views with the SkyPoint Climb – taking them 270 metres above sea level.

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2. Australia 108 – 316.7 metres

​Australia 108 is Melbourne’s highest tower and the second highest in Australia.

With some of the best views across the Melbourne skyline, including the Royal Botanic Gardens, the Yarra and Port Phillip Bay, this is one pretty stunning building.

​With a starburst inspired by the Commonwealth Star on the Australian flag at the level of the resident facilities, Australia 108 is luxury in the clouds.\

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3. Eureka Tower – 297.3 metres

​Another Melbourne local, Eureka Tower was completed in 2006 and is still within the top five of Australia’s tallest buildings.

It once held the place of the world’s tallest residential tower, and from 2006 to 2019 was the tallest building in Melbourne until the completion of Australia 108.

Named after the Eureka Stockade, the design incorporates the gold rush era – the gold crown represents the gold rush, a red stripe represents the blood spilt during the revolt while the blue cladding and white lines represent the Eureka Stockade flag.​

The Skydeck occupies the entire 88th floor, with great views over Melbourne’s CBD, Southbank, Docklands, Yarra River, and the Dandenong Ranges.

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4. Crown Sydney – 271.3 metres

​Located in Barangaroo, the Crown Sydney is yet another spectacular skyscraper.

Standing at a touch over 271 metres, there’s some pretty amazing views over the Harbour. It is Sydney’s tallest building, with construction finishing completely in December 2020.

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5. Aurora Melbourne Central – 270.5 metres
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Finished in 2019, Aurora Melbourne Central features residential apartments, residents-only facilities, serviced apartments, strata office suites and retail space. It also features direct underground access to Melbourne Central Station and to the largest shopping precinct in the city.With views across the city, parks, Dandenong Ranges and the bay, these premium apartments added a level of luxury to inner Melbourne.

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Tallest buildings under approval, construction or proposal

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Some of the buildings above will likely be knocked down the list in the years to come with some rather tall buildings on the horizon including:

• Southbank by Beulah Tower 1 (Green Spine,) Melbourne. Set to be 356m with development starting in 2021.
• Orion Towers, Gold Coast. Set to be 325m and built over a 10-year time period.
• 56 Pitt Street, Sydney. Set to be 305m and due to be finished within a 10-year time period.
• Cienna Square Tower 2, Gold Coast. Set to be 280m. Waiting approval.
• 25-35 Power Street (38 Freshwater Place), Melbourne. Set to be 273m

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