When Max and Laura McConchie moved to Whitlam in 2023 the western suburb was mostly empty lots, with a couple of houses.
Whitlam was a new suburb, and the couple had bought a block of land through the Suburban Land Agency with plans to build their dream home.
It was while they were building that they came to meet their new neighbours, and start a street-wide friendship circle, with a group chat, events and yearly Halloween walk.
"There's this community vibe which is really good, and I don't think you'd get that in an established suburb if you've just moved in," Mr McConchie said.
Named after former prime minister Gough Whitlam, the suburb is situated about 15 minutes' drive west of Civic, and overlooks the Kama nature reserve.
It was first gazetted in 2017, and in 2021, the first residents moved in.
Since then, Whitlam's population has exploded: before COVID-19, there were just seven residents. Now, 1632 people call it home.
According to research done by Primara on behalf of OurTop10.com.au, Whitlam is the fastest-growing suburb in the country on a percentage basis. Another land release is under way, with a final one planned in the next few years.
For the McConchies, however, civil infrastructure in the suburb has not met the needs of the growing population.
"The biggest thing is that there has been a bit of a lag in the amenities," Ms McConchie said.
"The population has grown a lot since we moved in, and they're only building the school now.
"The bridge - that's also lagged a little bit, it's hugely inconvenienced a lot of the community here and surrounding communities too."
The opening of the Whitlam primary school had been pushed back at least twice, but construction is under way and enrolments for next year's preschool, year one and year two classes are now open.
Construction on Coppins Crossing has also experienced delays.
In 2022, a tender process was run for the 1.8-hectare group centre site, but was ultimately unsuccessful.
Suburban Land Agency chief executive Adam Davey said several of the requirements for the site were removed when it was released again earlier this year, but that it was a commercial decision which the Suburban Land Agency could not force.
"We don't want to move away from ensuring that you get a local centre that meets the community's wants and needs, so we still do have requirements in there," he said.
"What we won't do is just say, 'OK, fine, do what you want'. It's just getting the conditions of the offering right for the market at the time."
Mr Davey said a group centre in Whitlam was non-negotiable, and the agency would reconsider the requirements again if the site had not sold before the end of the year.
Real estate agent Alvin Nappilly from Confidence Real Estate, has been selling property in Whitlam since it was "just a block of barren land".
He said interest in the suburb had dropped off since the post-COVID highs, but that the area was still popular, especially among downsizers.
Mr Nappilly currently has six properties listed for sale in Whitlam, at least five of which are listed for more than $1 million. Three of those properties were held by investors, he said, who were getting out of the market ahead of the changes to the capital gains tax and negative gearing announced at last month's federal budget.
Mr Nappilly, who is also building his own home in the new suburb, said that while it was exciting for existing owners to see the value of the blocks doubling since the first residents moved in, the increasing land values were restricting the type of people who could afford to move to Whitlam.
"On one side, the government says we need to bring in more affordable houses, but how can housing get affordable if the block prices are ridiculously high?" he said.
There are currently 38 blocks being sold over the counter by the Suburban Land Agency for between $586,500 and $785,000.
With construction costs still soaring, Mr Nappilly said anyone looking to move to Whitlam was looking at spending about $1.2 million. Sloping blocks could add further to construction costs.
"It's not really affordable for common people. It mostly works with people who are upgrading or on the higher side of the tax bracket," he said.
Mr Davey said the Suburban Land Agency was always looking for new ways to make affordable housing available in the ACT, but that the price of land blocks was set by at least two independent valuers.
"Whitlam's been very popular because of its location. The market drives the premium on location, that's very typical of real estate," he said.
