Following lacklustre sales at the 2025 auction, fears are mounting that The Block could be on its last legs.
However, New Idea can reveal that planning is already in the works for the 2027 series – and some big changes are coming.
Insiders have warned that the Channel Nine show could be rested by 2028, and producers hope a new location will freshen things up.
So, are applications open yet? Scroll down for everything you need to know.
Where will The Block 2027 be filmed?
Our sources say that Sunbury in Melbourne’s north-west is emerging as the favourite destination to take the renovation juggernaut back to its roots.
“Sunbury has been on the list for a while,” an industry source says.
“The thinking for next year is very much about getting The Block back to basics. They don’t need another gimmick. They need houses that viewers can look at and think, ‘I could live there.’”
While Channel Nine has yet to officially announce a location for 2027, insiders say Sunbury could be the perfect fit to hit back at “out of touch” backlash over The Block‘s mounting reserve prices.
The 2025 auction saw prices peak at $2.9million, and New Idea‘s property experts have already warned that the Mount Eliza sea views could see prices hit an all-time high in 2026.
But in Sunbury, current market figures put the median house price at around $735,000, with four-bedroom homes at the $780,000 mark – a much more attainable goal for the average viewer.
“The idea would be suburban homes, neighbours, fences and contestants living on top of each other again,” our insider says of the 2027 series.
“That is where a lot of the magic of The Block came from.”
Sunbury lies on the border of Gisborne South, where The Block: Tree Change was filmed in 2022, but our insiders insist producers don’t want to revisit that location.
The 2027 series won’t be about recreating that series, which saw five teams tackle properties on a whopping 10 acres, but will instead offer something different and more scaled back.
Lying roughly 40 minutes from central Melbourne, Sunbury combines an established suburban township with significant areas earmarked for new housing development.
This could take The Block back to its humble origins, where an entire apartment measures just 70 square meters on the original 2003 series, compared with 50 square metres for a bedroom alone in 2025.
Is The Block getting cancelled?
Insiders say there has been discussion about 2027 being the final season before The Block is rested, allowing Nine to pause the format and reconsider what the next incarnation of the franchise should look like.
Producers are looking for a reset to allow The Block to thrive for another 20 years, and Sunbury could provide exactly that.
“The show has spent years asking, ‘How do we make it bigger?’” an insider tells New Idea.
“The question now is whether making it smaller could actually make it better.”
Rather than continuing to make the houses bigger and the locations more extravagant, there is a feeling inside television circles that The Block may need to rediscover what audiences originally loved about it.
“Nothing lasts forever, and nobody is suggesting Nine doesn’t value The Block,” our source says.
“But sometimes you have to rest a format before audiences start missing it.
“If 2027 does become the last one for a while, there would be something quite fitting about bringing it back to where it all started conceptually. Ordinary houses, ordinary streets and extraordinary renovations.”
Are applications open for The Block 2027?
Applications are officially open for The Block 2027, so now’s your chance to prove you have what it takes to be a Blockhead.
If you’ve ever thought you have what it takes to win, you can apply in a team of two through the show’s official application portal.
“We are looking for enthusiastic, motivated, hardworking teams of two to participate in the twenty-third season of Australia’s biggest and best renovating challenge,” the page says.
Applicants must be available to shoot for 12 weeks from February 2027 without working, with submissions accepted from Australia-wide.
And the best part? While previous home renovation experience is “welcomed”, it’s not required from both partners!
Successful applicants are paid a nominal weekly fee to cover basic living expenses during filming.
Still interested? Apply here.
When is The Block 2026 auction?
The Block auction usually airs on the first weekend of November, so we are expecting it to hit TV on Sunday, November 1.
Our property experts have already shared their fears that the reserves could reach an all-time high, thanks to the sea views.
“The sea views will definitely add value to this season’s homes and are likely to push the reserve prices higher, especially being in the Mornington Peninsula,” Rebecca Cardamone, Property Developer and Owner of iSubdivide, tells us.
After last season’s criticism that reserve prices were set too high, I believe it’s really important The Block gets the pricing right.
“If the reserves are too high, later auctions could struggle, with fewer bidders left standing. Strong, realistic reserve prices will be key to ensuring every team has the best chance of selling and protecting The Block’s reputation – as we’d love to see all contestants benefit this season – not just a few.”
Meanwhile, Matt Jackson, the CEO of David Reid Homes, warned that the view could push prices up by as much as “20 to 25 per cent”.
With the reserves yet to be confirmed, we will have to wait and see.
Share this post