Normally, if you want to properly case the joint on Block reveal day, you’re stuck watching Scott Cam walk the judges through a kitchen at the pace of a man who knows the ad break is coming. You get one camera angle, some dramatic music, and Marty Fox’s face doing most of the talking. That’s about to change.
Domain has announced it will bring Matterport-powered 3D tours to The Block 2026, letting viewers explore every completed room themselves in the Domain app once each space is revealed. It’s part of an expanded commercial partnership between Domain and Nine, and it kicks off when The Block premieres on Sunday 2 August on Channel 9 and 9Now.
The tech itself isn’t new, Matterport already powers interactive walkthroughs on eligible listings across Domain’s platform. What’s new is turning it on a house full of contestants who’ve been awake since 4am and a laundry someone definitely finished tiling twenty minutes before the reveal.
Aisling Finch, Domain’s chief marketing and communications officer, framed it as the natural extension of the partnership: “The Block provides a unique opportunity to combine Domain’s property expertise, insights and technology with one of Australia’s most recognised entertainment brands.” She added that viewers “won’t just watch the homes take shape, they’ll be able to step inside them through Matterport’s immersive 3D technology, exploring every space as if they were there in person.”
Which is a nice way of saying you’ll finally be able to zoom in on that skirting board.
The 3D tours are one piece of a bigger deal between the two companies. Domain’s property content will now appear across the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and the Australian Financial Review, and Domain has picked up platinum sponsorship of the AFR Property Summit on 7 to 8 September. The arrangement also touches Nine’s NRL coverage and Open for Inspection, which is a lot of real estate for one press release.
Nine’s chief sales officer Matt James called it a long time coming: “Domain has long been a valued long-term partner of The Block, and we’re delighted to see this expanded relationship coming to life across Nine’s platforms.” He said the combination of Domain’s property expertise and Nine’s audience scale would create “more engaging experiences for viewers and valuable opportunities for advertisers, agents and the broader property industry.”
Translation: you’ll be able to wander through the ensuite in 3D while the judges are still arguing about the grout. We’ll take it.
