Australian developer Meriton Group is considering a A$3 billion ($2.8 billion) offer from a Chinese developer for half its apartment business, according to a media report, highlighting increasing Chinese interest in Australia's housing market.

Privately owned Meriton, Australia's biggest apartment developer, received an offer from a Chinese developer two weeks ago when founder and managing director Harry Triguboff visited China, the Australian Financial Review said on Thursday.

"I am thinking I could sell part of [Meriton]," Triguboff said. "It is very early stages, but I could be prepared to sell the development part of the business."

Triguboff did not name the Chinese developer, but said it was a company that builds 200,000 homes in China annually.

Triguboff, who ranked as the country's sixth-richest person last year according to Australia's BRW, said Meriton could be worth about A$6.3 billion, which includes a A$3.5 billion rental business.

Meriton has projects across Sydney, Brisbane and the Gold Coast and will make about $300 million in profit from apartment sales of about A$1.1 billion in the current financial year, according to the report.

China was the top foreign investor in Australia's real estate in the last financial year, according to the Foreign Investment Review Board, with Chinese investors buying A$5.9 billion worth of real estate, 11.4 percent of total foreign investment in the sector.

Chinese developers are particularly interested in apartment developments in Australian cities, with Greenland Group, Beijing Capital, Country Garden Holdings all opening shop in Sydney in recent years.