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The purchasers of Cubbie Station have spent $20 million on a cotton ginnery in South Queensland.
The Chinese and Japanese group bought the Dirranbandi ginnery from Singaporean group Olam International, according to The Australian Financial Review.
CS Agriculture are backed by Shandong Ruyi and Australian wool trader Lempriere Group.
CS Agriculture say they do not plan to cut out local producers from sharing the ginnery’s capacity.
Olam obtained the ginnery as part of its 2007 purchase of the Queensland Cotton business for $166 million.
The CS Agriculture deal comes after discussions of a joint-venture between Olam and CS Agriculture stalled earlier this year. CS Agriculture obtained development approval to build its own ginnery at Cubbie Station before returning to negotiations.
Cotton gins separate cotton fibres from their seeds.
The purchase is part of the station’s vertical integrations strategy.
Cubbie station is Australia’s largest cotton farm which <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/rural/cubbie-station-officially-sold/2012101257136" target="_blank">sold in October last year.</a>
In April Qiu Yafu, who headed the Cubbie Station cotton acquisition, bought the Sydney waterfront property known as the <a href="/news">Bang &amp; Olufsen house for around $34 million.</a>
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Cubbie Station owners buy another Queensland cotton plant

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Westpac chief Bill Evans anticipates a continuing stop-start recovery for the housing market.
He says house prices have only just returned their 2010 peaks as income levels increased 10% and says further recovery will be uneven.
"We expect Australia's housing recovery to continue to be a 'stop-start' and uneven one," Evans says in a weekly update.
“There are headwinds that are yet to fully impact with some markets facing increases in new dwelling supply (VIC, WA) and the mining downturn to play through fully to housing (WA, QLD).” 
He says the housing market has experienced a diverse performance best illustrated by changes in six month annualised price increases compared to three months ago - Sydney prices are up by 14.7% compared to 8.2% in July, Melbourne is up 4.5% v 5.1% in July; Perth is up 6.8% v 10.5%; Brisbane is up 1.7% v 1.2%; and Adelaide is up 0.2% v 2.4%.
Westpac expects households will be more restrained with their balance sheets with a reluctance to increase debt.
And they will be more cautious about job security which would impact first home buyers and upgraders.
On Friday the RBA will release its monetary statement policy which will give an indication of its economic forecast.
Evans says if the RBA maintains its forecast of 2.5% GDP growth for the year to June 2014 it will effectively be confirming it expects growth in the first half of 2014 to be stuck at a below trend annual pace of 2.5%.
And if the RBA maintains its expectations of 2.5% to 3.5% growth for the year to December 2014 it will effectively be forecasting a lift in growth pace in the second half of 2014 to a 3.6% annualised pace.
“That is a big call – the growth pace lifting from a 2.5% annualised pace in the first half of 2014 to a 3.6% annualised pace in the second half,” Evans says.
“Our forecast is for a more reasonable 3% annualised pace in the second half of next year. Nevertheless we expect the Bank will maintain a somewhat upbeat outlook.”
Westpac expects the RBA to maintain its view that the economy is growing at sub-trend pace and will continue to do so to mid-2014.
“We expect that over the course of the next few months it will have to temper that bullish view on the second half of 2014 and see the need for more policy support to arrest the current sub trend growth momentum,” Evans says.
Westpac is more than confident the RBA will keep rates unchanged.
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Westpac's Bill Evans predicts stop-start housing recovery

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Buying in regional areas can allow investors with a lower budget to start building a property portfolio, according to Buyers agent Cate Bakos from Empower Wealth.
Bakos spoke to Property Observer as part of the How the Experts Buy series.
{qtube vid:=8nk6V7bXj_w&amp;feature=youtu.be}
Bakos says buying in the right areas of Ballarat can give buyers capital growth of 6% to 7%.
The key is understanding what the residents of regional towns are really after.
Whereas buyers in cities might look towards easy access to public transport as a prime indicator of value, those in regional areas put less of an emphasis on this.
Bakos tells buyers to look for established houses in the inner suburbs of Ballarat which are well insulated and on larger plots of land close to major employers.
Areas like Mount Clear and Mount Helen are close to the University of Ballarat, IBM, and goverment services like the Australian Tax Office and the emergency services.
Depending on the property some investors would do well to gear their property towards sharehouses for contractors.
She says many residents of Ballarat actually commute to Melbourne and are looking for larger more luxurious properties than they can afford in Melbourne.
She says yields in Ballarat are around 5.5% to 6.5%. Properties between $200,000 to $240,000 can have rental yields above 6% and properties between $240,000 to $280,000 yield around 5.8%.
Cate was recently awarded the Buyers Agent of the Year award by Your Property Investment magazine.
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Cate Bakos on investing in Ballarat and regional areas: How the experts buy 

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Locksmithing is an art shrouded in secrecy for many investors. We spoke to Justin Fankhauser from TopLock to try and unlock the secrets of home security.
Property Observer is starting a weekly Day in the Life series to have a closer look at some of the people who deal with real estate every day and see what lessons there are for property investors.
{qtube vid:=1f3CHUJANaE&amp;feature=youtu.be} 
Most of his jobs are taken up by rekeying jobs – people want to change the key to the property but don’t want to switch the full locks out.
He says this is especially important when moving into a new property, you never know who else might have keys. It’s a quick job but it gives tenants and owners a sense of security.
Justin says a lot of private landlords don’t realise they should be doing this and most of those jobs come from professional property managers.
Even off-the-plan properties should be rekeyed before anyone moves in. In big apartment developments master keys are given to all contractors while they work on the building. That means when you move in any number of people could have a master key to your property so it’s important to rekey.
A lot of renovators are putting internal locks on bedroom and bathroom doors to give their tenants more privacy. It’s a simple thing that tenants really appreciate.
Insurance premiums go down when there are deadlocks installed on all external doors and window locks on all the windows.
They also go down further when alarm systems or camera systems are installed.
 
This is the day (and the night) in the life of a locksmith.
8am: Justin arrives at the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.toplock.net.au/">Toplock </a>factory in Northcote to start the day. He's on night shift as well today so he'll be working through the night. His dispatcher is already at work and has a full list of jobs ready for him and the growing team of locksmiths.
8.10am: Justin leaves for his first job. It’s a house in Coburg. It’s not too far and Justin makes good time.
8.40am: Justin arrives at the house and talks to the owner. The owner’s husband lost his wallet with a spare key hidden inside last week. His address was written on his drivers license and the owner thought she heard someone trying to open the back door last night. It’s a simple rekeying job.
9:00am: Rekeying is a quick job so he’s done in 20 minutes. He invoices the owner and heads back to the car to get his next job. It’s an industrial office out in Keilor East.
9:30am: Justin arrives at the office. He has a quick chat and gets started. The new tenants want to put locks on the three internal office doors. He switches out the old knobs with new keyed knobs. He boxes up the old ones so they can be reused if need be. Some of the doors weren’t quite latching properly but a quick bit of chisel work clears it up.
10:00am: He invoices the client and heads back to his office.
10:30am: Justin has a lot of administration to do. With the recent expansion of his business he spends more and more time running the administrative side of the business while his team of locksmiths run all around Melbourne.
2.30pm: He’s finished his administrative work and it’s time to hit the road again. He has a call out to a renovator in Brunswick who needs some work done.
2.45pm: It’s an old terrace being refurbished and the owners want internal locks put on all the bedroom and bathrooms. Tenants like it especially if they’re sharing a house. It gives them some extra privacy.
4.00pm: The whole house now has locks. It took a while to resit some of the doors and get them latching properly. He heads back to his car to get his next job. A nearby real estate agent wants the locks rekeyed for a new tenant.
4.20pm: He arrives at the Carlton house to rekey the front and back door. It’s a quick job for Justin.
4.40pm: He gives the new keys over to the agent and heads back to the office to prepare for the night shift.
7:00pm: Justin’s rested and eaten and ready to start the night shift. Once a week someone has to take the night shift and be prepared for all sorts of jobs.
9:00pm: The first night job comes early. It’s a call from Richmond where someone has locked themselves out. He heads over to let the tenants back in on a rainy night.
9.20pm: The traffic isn’t so bad at this time of night so Justin gets there quickly. He lets the tenant back in using a pick gun and heads back to the office.
11:00pm: Another call from someone locked out in Collingwood.
11:15pm: They’re drunk but nice. He lets them in with the pick gun again. All documentation is completed and ID is sighted to make sure it’s the right person.
2:00am: No one calls until 2am. He wakes up to take the call. Someone gets a quote, decides they don’t want the job and don’t take the job.
3:00am: He gets another call. The person is calling from a public phone box and needs to be let back in. They have bars on their windows so they couldn’t smash it.
3:00am: He lets them back in with the pick gun again and heads off.
7:30am: The night shift ends with no other call outs and Justin is free to go home and sleep.
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A day in the life of a locksmith - unlocking security secrets

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The Victorian Supreme Court has jailed a lawyer for five years for selling a home that wasn’t his to fictitious identities to repeatedly claim the first home owners grant.
Anthony Robert Coleman, 47, pleaded guilty to theft, having a deficiency in a trust account and 12 charges of obtaining financial advantage by deception, Ninemsn reports.
When his client Eric Smith died in 2002 he pocketed $32,000 from the estate intended for charity and then sold Smith’s Brunswick West unit to the non-existent Pat Bateman, the name of the protagonist in American Psycho, played by Christian Bale in the 2000 film adaptation.
Coleman claimed the first home owners grant for Bateman. He then transferred the unit to a real client, Kaylene Nugent, without her knowledge.
He then transferred the unit to the fictitious Craig Young and then Max Power, a name used by Homer Simpson in in episode ‘Homer to the Max’.
In that episode, a television show called Police Cops also has a hero named Homer Simpson. Initially Homer is happy with coincidence until the character is changed from a hero to a bumbling idiot. After suffering taunts he changes his name to “Max Power”, gaining new friends.
Coleman finally sold the property to a genuine buyer for $214,000. He kept the money.
Coleman also avoided paying stamp duty on a Point Cook property after selling it to false identity Kylie Ann Moore.
A psychological report found Coleman admired some of his criminal clients for their lavish lifestyles and the attention they received from women, Ninemsn reports.
In total he earned $327,000 for his deceptions and was ordered to pay $309,000 in compensation to Smith’s estate.
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Homer Simpson lawyer jailed for five years for first home owners rort

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A Sydney dance teacher awaiting trial on 63 sex abuse charges is suing the landlord of his former dance school premises for the cost of the bond and legal fees.
Grant Davies, who is on remand on charges from 10 former students, is seeking $21,000 from Sasona Pty Ltd, which owned the Chiswick studio where he and his sister Rebecca Davies operated the school, The Sydney Morning Herald reports.
Davies says the landlord changed the locks and refused to return the rental bond after the siblings closed the school in the weeks following Davies’ May arrest.
But the landlord is reportedly countersuing for more than $50,000, saying they need $25,000 remove alterations made without permission and $30,000 in other costs.
The case goes to court next month. Davies will also be back in court to face allegations of a decade of abuse.
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Alleged sex abuser sues former landlord for bond

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Perth’s Fremantle Council has shortlisted three architects to design a $45 million development that forms part of its $220 million Kings Square Project.
The shortlisted architects are Fremantle based firms CODA and Kerry Hill Architects and Melbourne-based McBridge Charles Ryan.
The final winner will be announced in mid December.
“Quality sustainable development is what Fremantle needs and this competition, judged by an independent expert panel, will go a long way to ensuring the development we build today becomes the heritage that future generations can be extremely proud of,” Mayor Brad Pettitt says.
The three were picked from an initial list of 53 and will be given a $20,000 honorarium.
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Fremantle council shortlists three architects for $45m development

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Mackay investors may start a class action law suit against the council for levying higher rates against property investors.
A protest group headed by investors Ayril Paton and Peter Crossan have petitioned against the council’s move to increase rates by $200 to $500 a year for investor properties.
There is reportedly more than $20,000 in a trust fund ready to bankroll a possible law suit.
“We're waiting to try and raise enough funds before we take the (Mackay) council on,” Crossan told the Central Telegraph.
“We delivered about 1200 objections to the council about a month ago and they said they couldn't change the budget for this year and it was a fair chance they wouldn't change it for the next year.
“If we're successful I'm sure it will flow onto other councils. By doing this it will probably set a precedent.”
It reports 12 councils have adopted the new rates policy, including the Central Highlands council which raised $1.2 million from the levy in one year.
Crossan says any legal challenge would be based on Xstrata's win against the former Bowen council, in which a judge ruled the miner had been rated as a multi-billion dollar entity and not on its true land value.
Mackay council have imposed the new rates system on about 10,000 properties.
Harcourts principal and property owner Mandy Hall previously told the paper it would deter people from investing in the region.
“We should be trying to encourage people to buy in our region, not discourage them," she said. "Their timing is poor, with the market the way it is at the moment and landlords are achieving less rent than they have achieved in years.”
 
Rents in <a href="/news">Mackay</a> have reportedly dropped between $50 and $100 over the past six months.
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Mackay investors gear up for council rates legal challenge

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There is not enough stock coming to market in Sydney and Melbourne, pushing prices up into what some are calling a possible bubble, according to Charles Tarbey, the chairman of Century 21 Australia and New Zealand.
Prices are being pushed up by low interest rates, higher buyer interest and strong foreign investment but there is 17% less stock on market than last year, Tarbey says.
“We’re not getting the amount of stock that we need to meet the demand which is pushing prices up in certain areas and some might say to a bubble status and there are areas where are people paying probably a little bit more than they should,” Tarbey told Property Observer.
“But if the market keeps riding along then they’re going to be covered.”
He says part of the reason stock is so low is because owner occupiers are hesitant to buy something to replace their sold property, given the lack of choice.
He says some people are paying well over the odds but that they’re not too worried about it.
“The word bubble has been used so many times over the last few years. There have been plenty of people screaming out about it. People are probably trying to sell books on the back of it.” Tarbey says.
“The reality is if you’re going to have some competition, and you are getting that in selected suburbs where there is the absolute minimum of stock for sale, you will get people bidding more.
“You will see people paying $100,000, $200,000 over the reserve price and it doesn’t seem to bother people too much.”
The high prices are pushing some buyers into regional areas, but Tarbey advises investors to try and buy something in metropolitan regions.
“The biggest mistake most people make is in their first investment is they look for something they like, rather than something they can afford.
“It’s not bad to go out into the suburbs, into some of the areas you think are not so great.
“There’s suburbs which you might not have even thought of investing in which have now become very strong owner occupier areas and people are modernising their homes. And those areas will increase in price.”    
Transcript  
We’ve been tracking the market place since January last year on four key areas – auctions stats, listing numbers coming into the market place, property in terms of the rental increases and movement and vacancy rates.
Both Sydney and Melbourne have been the star performers, more so Sydney. It’s had a high clearance rate for a number of weeks now, in the 70s and touching into the 80s. And the same with Melbourne. Melbourne hit 74% last week and Sydney hit 79.1%. The clearance rates are pretty strong when you look at them market and that happened before spring started.
There’s no definition in terms of what the market’s like in whether its spring or winter it’s whatever you can get on the market for sale now. If it’s good there are buyers there for it and that’ the real key issue. It’s the shortage of property for sale.
The number that we have on properties coming in. We’ve only had three weeks in a row now with increases going back. Three weeks ago it was plus 0.96% over the week before and the week after that was 2.15% and last week was only a mild increase of 0.48%. So we’re not getting the amount of stock that we need to meet the demand which is pushing prices up in certain areas and some might say to a bubble status and there are areas where are people paying probably a little bit more than they should. But if the market keeps riding along then they’re going to be covered.
Why aren’t more properties coming to market if it’s doing so well?
A lot of sellers have the same issue, when they sell they have to buy. And if there’s nothing on the market for you to buy you’re not going to list your property for sale. Over this time last year we’re now down something like 17% plus on the amount of stock on market from this time last year. So it’s even worse: you have lower interest rates, a higher buyer interest in the market, Chinese investment being very strong but we have 17% less stock.
The word bubble has been used so many times over the last few years. There have been plenty of people screaming out about it. People are probably trying to sell books on the back of it if you look at the conversation that is being had.
The reality is if you’re going to have some competition and you are getting that in selected suburbs where there is the absolute minimum of stock for sale you will get people bidding more. You will see people paying $100,000, $200,000 over the reserve price. And it doesn’t seem to bother people too much.
Mostly when you look at the market place out there now and particular in those selected suburbs of Sydney and Melbourne, many of the first home buyers which we would traditionally be sending out into the suburbs to buy their first home are $1.5 million on their first home. Because a lot of the younger couples are taking longer before they get married. They’re well established in their careers. They’re professional people, probably two incomes, so they’re able to buy their first home at probably a significantly higher price than what we I might have been buying a home for or the first home buyers of my generation would have been.
So you’ve seen first home buyers closer to the city?
Well they’d like to, but the struggle is they’re just competing. If you go to the auction arena now there are a lot of people out there. And you’re going to have to spend money to get into at least the ring to bid and a lot of people may not be able to afford to spend that money just to turn up on the day.
Some people don’t have a choice and often they’ll move out into regional areas and country towns because it’s cheaper and the rental returns are higher but they’ll sit there a much much longer period of time because the capital growth is so much longer.
A lot of people look to rental return but it’s not about that it’s about capital growth as well as rental return. The biggest mistake most people make is in their first investment is they look for something they like, rather than something they can afford. It’s not bad to go out into the suburbs, into some of the areas you think are not so great because the gentrification process that’s going in many of the suburbs across Melbourne and Sydney is quite interesting. There’s suburbs which you might not have even through of investing in which have now become very strong owner occupied areas and people are modernising their homes. And those areas will increase in price.
People talk about hot areas and that’s the worst place to buy because everyone else is already there. You have to look for the suburbs in between the hot suburbs and we could name a dozen of them without offending someone but the reality is there are good suburbs which you don’t hear about which have good services and they’re the ones you want to go in and look where it’s not hot where there aren’t people busting to get in and buy something. There is opportunity but you’ve got to be prepared to buy something that you may not want to live in.
Anything they are talking about you’ll probably find around it are good locations with good services that might not look active at first – they’re the ones to go to. At the end of the day what you can buy is what you can afford to purchase. And if that’s what it is then that’s what it is. But just keep in mind it’s important to look for capital growth.
Capital growth comes stronger in capital cities than in regional areas. There are some regional areas where of course that in past times suffered very strongly and there are coastal areas, discretional spending areas, that really suffered, 50% price drops. So there are some opportunities there but you are taking a bit of a risk. It’s not until the equity market starts flowing that the money really gets solid that people start buying holiday homes again that you’re going to get that capital growth.  
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Lack of stock behind price rises: Exclusive interview with Charles Tarbey

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Residential development sites in south east Queensland are being snapped up, according to Ray White Special Projects.
It reports there is a shortage of good quality residential sites  given strong demand.
“Sites attracting the most interest include in-fill sites, particularly those with development approvals in place, and sites which can demonstrate demand for the completed product and generate a reasonable rate of sale,” Ray White’s Mark Creevey says.
He says high profile developers including public companies as well as interstate and overseas developers are becoming more aggressive.
“Since the middle of the year we have seen more confidence in the market as a result of lower interest rates, more favourable lending conditions, improved take up of completed residential stock and the end of political uncertainty,” Creevey says.
"There is now a shortage of good quality residential development sites in SEQ due to the depth of demand for the product.”
But development sites with uncertain development approval futures or delivery timelines are still struggling to attract interest.
"There are still challenges in securing funding to purchase properties without approvals in place but banks do have a growing appetite to lend for qualified sites," Ray White’s Tony Williams says.
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South east Queensland development sites being snapped up

Perth’s new apartment market recorded its strongest quarter of sales since Q4 2021, with 412 apartments sold in Q1 2026 and a record quarterly sold value of $537 million, according to Urbis’ latest Apartment Essentials results.

Urbis said the March quarter result reflects strong, highly product‑specific demand across both ends of the market, from more attainable projects delivering at scale, through to premium stock being absorbed by equity‑rich downsizers.&nbsp;

David Cresp, Partner at Urbis, said the key story in Perth is not demand, it is the market’s ability to convert demand into delivered housing.&nbsp;

“This is the strongest sales quarter since Q4 2021, and it reinforces that demand in Perth is real and it’s local,” David Cresp said. “But the task now is delivery, turning that demand into projects that can actually be built and completed.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110291 project_image_fid=302785]

<h2>Affordable product leads, premium demand remains resilient</h2>

Sales in Q1 were led by more affordable projects, with The Boulevard (SKS Group) recording 115 sales in the quarter, the presentation noting this is only the second time a single project has surpassed 100 quarterly sales. The project was able to offer more affordable housing product right next to a train station.&nbsp;

Palmyra West (Finbar) also delivered strong results with 28 sales in Q1, following 84 sales in Q4, with an average price of under $800,000, underscoring depth of demand for well‑located, attainable new stock.&nbsp;

At the premium end, Urbis said downsizer demand is continuing, with the results highlighting Romeo (Applecross, Finbar) recording 75 sales and reaching almost 50% sold in one quarter.

Jual (Shenton Park, Celsius Property) also posted a strong quarter with 28 sales, reaching 39% sold in one quarter.

Urbis noted that Perth apartment demand is not speculative, not investor‑led, and not uniform, describing it as localised, often equity‑driven and highly product‑specific, a pattern reflected in the polarisation between strong “attainable” performers and premium downsizer product.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=148957 project_image_fid=364102]

<h2>Prices underpinned by costs, and the delivery risk is growing</h2>

Urbis said pricing pressure is cost not demand‑driven: construction costs and delivery risk are now a central constraint, with the results noting build costs remain elevated and volatile, and that energy, fuel and labour uncertainty weigh on feasibility.

David Cresp said a growing challenge for private Build‑to‑Sell developers is simply securing a builder in the current environment.

“Developers are really feeling the pressure from a building market that was operating at capacity and securing a builder is challenging,” David Cresp said, adding that even where a builder can be secured, “trying to get to the price that makes the development financially viable is incredibly challenging in the current market.”&nbsp;

Urbis’ broader WA commentary also notes that industry remains at or above capacity with lot and housing creation, and that many builders are limiting new sales to manage stretched workforces and fixed‑price contract pressures, conditions that flow directly into apartment feasibility and delivery timing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108869 project_image_fid=317905]

<h2>Supply: improving later, but still constrained, and Perth lags eastern benchmarks</h2>

While near‑term supply remains constrained, Urbis’ forecast shows completions lifting “Supply is forecast to be back above 1,500 apartments per annum for the first time since 2019”, with 1,775 completions forecast for 2026, and volumes remaining above that level over the following years.&nbsp;

Looking further ahead, completions are forecast to reach 2,500 in 2028, with the report noting 32% of that total is social/affordable, reflecting the role of government‑supported delivery in rebuilding the pipeline.&nbsp;

However, Urbis said Perth remains behind comparable markets on pipeline scale. In a national comparison of projects under construction, the report shows under construction Perth Build‑to‑Sell (BTS) at 3,446 apartments versus the Gold Coast at 7,922. Mr Cresp said “The challenge for Perth is how to we grow the delivery pipeline”.

Urbis’ conclusion is that Perth’s market is increasingly defined by product discipline and delivery certainty, with the research identifying “delivery certainty is key” and calling out builder risk and procurement models as core success factors, alongside “timing and staging”.&nbsp;

Joel Robinson

Perth apartment sales hit strongest pace since late 2021 as builder capacity tightens

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sammut-developments">Sammut Group</a> has secured development approval for its latest Brisbane apartment project, marking the Sydney developer’s next step in expanding its Queensland pipeline following the success of its debut Gold Coast development, Coast.

The approved project at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/44-glen-road-toowong-qld-4066">44 Glen Road, </a><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/toowong-qld-4066">Toowong</a> will deliver a 15-storey riverfront apartment building with 42 residences, significantly increasing the scale of the site’s previous approval for a smaller luxury scheme. Designed by Bureau^proberts, the development will comprise a mix of predominantly four-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments positioned to maximise Brisbane River and city views.

Sammut Director Julian Sammut said the group had been actively searching Brisbane for several years before identifying Toowong as the right fit.

“Brisbane was the right step for Sammut,” Sammut said.

“With the success of Coast we thought we should definitely look to do more in Queensland alone. We then pushed up to look at Brisbane. We've been looking for I'd say two to three years actually and it was hard to find the right location.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_75/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.14%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=dYAVIL7qdcGA8ojvkslSrLjczXFejSSx" />

Sammut said suburbs including New Farm and Teneriffe were considered before the group ultimately focused on Toowong due to its strong downsizer demographic and limited supply of developable riverfront land.

The site was acquired off-market after what Sammut described as a lengthy negotiation and planning process, with the developer pursuing an uplift to the original approval.

“We are DA approved now which is very exciting,” Sammut said.

“We've had our change approval come through and we've obviously doubled the height, 15 storeys plus rooftop. We've got 42 amazing apartments that are going to be coming to market soon.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.26%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=ohkRkY0dIZlqdfME2EZePsCQavRiBadE" />

Bureau^proberts said the design responds to Toowong’s evolving urban character, balancing contemporary apartment living with the area’s established residential identity.

“A place where traditional Queensland living has taken place for centuries; Toowong is seeing a shift of contemporary influence, commercial and retail hubs mixed with well-considered residential offerings – all the while maintaining its character and charm,” the architect noted in planning documents submitted to Brisbane City Council.

The architecture practice said the project’s form was shaped by its riverfront setting, flood considerations, neighbouring building scales, and view corridors.

“They said the mix of four and two-bedroom apartments capture the ‘fundamental qualities of Queenslander living,’ translated into the context of a contemporary subtropical building.”

The development sits just off Coronation Drive within walking distance of Toowong’s retail precinct and the upgraded Regatta ferry terminal, while also benefiting from proximity to the incoming green bridge connection to West End. Sammut said the accessibility and amenity offering were central to the site’s appeal.

The approval adds to growing residential activity along the Toowong riverfront, joining nearby projects including Consolidated Properties’ Monarch Residences and Spyre Group’s ARC Residences.

Sammut secures approval for debut Brisbane apartment development in Toowong

Developer Lanevick is heading back into Sydney’s apartment market after focusing more heavily on the luxury townhouse and terrace sector in recent years.

Lanevick, founded and directed by Steve Maroun, is expecting to receive approval in the coming months for a new apartment development in Gladesville, with the aim to launch it to the market later this year.

The 51-apartment project, designed by Studio Johnston, will comprise a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments positioned toward the Hunters Hill downsizer market.

“Traditionally it’s been difficult for people in that market to downsize because there just hasn’t been the right product available,” Maroun said.

“We’re targeting buyers who might have 30 to 40 per cent of their house value sitting in the bank after downsizing.

“They still want good spacious entertaining areas, they still want quality design, but they also want flexibility and the ability to enjoy life a bit more after working hard for a long time.”

The project sits near Boronia Park and within close proximity to the Parramatta River foreshore, an area Maroun says offers more of a Hunters Hill lifestyle than a traditional apartment precinct.

“From a lifestyle perspective, it’s really more Hunters Hill than Gladesville,” Maroun said. “You’re close to the foreshore, close to parklands, and still connected back into the village precinct.”

From level four and above, apartments will capture water views&nbsp;toward Sydney Harbour. Communal amenity will include rooftop entertaining areas, wellness spaces, and a gym tailored toward owner-occupier buyers.

“We’ve really designed these apartments around that buyer coming from the Hunters Hill LGA and what they’re actually looking for in their next chapter.”

The proposed development has also been designed to respond to the changing character of the broader Gladesville town centre, where a growing number of mixed-use and residential proposals are expected to emerge over the coming years.

“Gladesville presented a rare opportunity to deliver a genuinely design-led residential project within an evolving lifestyle precinct, just moments from the growing Gladesville town centre, and we’ve approached the project with a strong focus on architecture, liveability and long-term community value,” Maroun said.

Maroun said Lanevick saw a first-mover advantage within the precinct as planning controls continue to evolve to accommodate greater housing density.

“We think there’s a real opportunity there that hasn’t really been serviced properly yet,” he said.

“There’s going to be a broader evolution of the whole Gladesville village precinct over time, particularly with more activation and mixed-use outcomes.”

The Venus Street proposal will include a commercial and retail component at ground level designed to contribute to that evolving streetscape activation.

“A big part of the thinking was how do you activate that area properly and create more vibrancy and amenity, which is what Hunters Hill has been looking for,” Maroun said.

Lanevick’s focus since 2020 has largely been on smaller-scale luxury townhouse and terrace developments. The developer recently completed Royale Randwick, also designed by Studio Johnston, where prices reached $3.65 million. The project was featured in the UDIA NSW 2026 Professional Development Prospectus and was also named a finalist for Development of the Year.

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Lanevick to cater for Hunters Hill downsizers with new Gladesville apartment development

Property developer One Living, backed by former Macquarie banker turned investment manager Chris Green’s investment firm, has unveiled plans to bring more institutional capital into housing to help address the national supply crisis.

The New York-based investor has focused his firm, GreenPoint Partners, on addressing the supply shortage hitting middle market housing in Australia.

It is backing the new One Living business to develop more than 1000 units along the eastern seaboard. The new firm is starting with a development on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, with around 140 apartments planned. They are eyeing off more sites across the city.

With cost pressures rising in the industry, One Living’s model is to be a vertically integrated developer-builder, so it can respond directly to the housing gap by removing the cost inefficiencies embedded in traditional residential delivery.

“We are building a platform designed to operate at scale and starting in a market where there’s a clear need for quality, attainable housing,” One Living joint managing director Joseph Scuderi said.

“It’s that missing middle – it’s that attainable end of housing… that’s what most Australians invest into and what Australians can actually afford.”

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="798dfa93-4941-4db6-a696-31e9dc18e81c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.31.50%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=mKBqi5C_DmeiXS.AtJkcR8LQIxqCqmFi" />

GreenPoint Partners brings years of experience assembling and scaling real estate operating businesses across major markets. And Green sees a big opportunity in Australia.

“For its size, sophistication and importance to the community, Australia’s living sector has remained largely under-institutionalised, which represents significant opportunity,” Green said. “GreenPoint identified that gap, assembled the right team, and is backing One Living to build a platform that is aligned to market needs.”

Green said being a builder-developer would give the company the capacity and flexibility it required to deliver reasonably-priced homes.

“We want it to be at that attainable level; not super high end luxury but at that attainable level,” he said.

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="74a5344a-4b26-4d4a-ada3-056b1220be77" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.32.15%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=vY8hXHO4reBMdO8ZXMWCNtGZJofUPQ3j" />

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One Living will undertake a component of affordable housing in its schemes, which it will own and operate, and it could also run build-to-rent on some sites.

Green praised local policy settings.

“The NSW government is being very supportive, strategic and pragmatic in terms of how do we generate more supply of housing,” he said. “We think it’s actually positive for development and the bit that’s been lacking at that attainable level is that it’s lots of relatively small private developers, whereas we want to create an institutional platform.”

One Living is also&nbsp;looking at high-density projects and could take on more institutional funding in the future.

“The way we will be able to achieve economies of scale is through size,” Green added.

One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition

It's been several years since there's been an opportunity to buy a brand new townhome in Melbourne's coastal suburb of Mordialloc. Even apartment developments in recent times have been few and far between in the area.

Local developer LDS Property identified the gap in new housing, securing a site on White Street, directly opposite&nbsp;Woodlands Golf Club Mordialloc. They've recently launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/wm-residences-mordialloc-102-white-street-mordialloc-vic-3195">WM Residences</a>, just 13 townhouses which they have already started building.

Projects by Buxton Director Heath Thompson, who is selling WM Residences, says the townhouses x that perfect middle ground be

"Mordialloc residents have had limited options to downsize within the suburb, often forcing them to look elsewhere despite long-standing ties to the area," Thompson says.

"With very little comparable new supply coming to market, projects like WM Residences are well placed, particularly as buyers look to capitalise on current conditions amid constrained supply."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6109]

The development, designed by regarded architecture firm&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ewert-leaf">Ewert Leaf</a>,&nbsp;adopts a deliberately restrained architectural approach, focusing on simplicity, durability and liveability rather than overt design gestures.

The boutique scale is central to the offering. With only 13 three-bedroom residences, each home is configured to prioritise functional layouts and everyday use, supported by private terraces and secure two-car garages.

Ewert Leaf’s design response leans into a calm, neutral material palette. Interiors are defined by oak flooring, white walls and soft finishes, creating a consistent and understated backdrop. The approach avoids trend-driven detailing in favour of longevity, with an emphasis on natural light and spatial clarity.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6110]

Beyond aesthetics, the homes are designed to meet contemporary performance expectations. Each residence targets a minimum 6-star energy rating, incorporating double glazing, comprehensive insulation and all-electric Bosch appliances.

The project’s location supports a walkable coastal lifestyle, sitting within close proximity to Mordialloc’s foreshore, Main Street retail strip and the train station. Local cafés and dining venues, including Suburbia Deli and Hendriks Café, are within a short walk, reinforcing the area’s established neighbourhood character.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6116]

While <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/mordialloc-vic-3195">Mordialloc</a> is often defined by its beach and pier, the project taps into other areas of day to day living, offering easy access to local food, casual dining and transport, rather than positioning itself purely as a lifestyle retreat.

WM Residences reflects a continued trend across Melbourne’s coastal suburbs towards smaller-scale, design-led townhouse developments, particularly on infill sites where proximity to amenity is already established.

With construction commenced prior to its market entry, the project aligns with a growing preference among buyers for developments with visible progress and defined delivery timeframes.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134646]

Alistair Walsh

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