<html><body>
The pending move of federal cabinet offices to the sustainable development at 1 Bligh Street is set to cost $21 million, according to the Department of Finance and Deregulation.
The department has released details of the proposed fit-out of the new offices after Special Minister of State Gary Gray <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/office/government-aims-to-move-into-dexus-ultra-green-1-bligh-street/2011103052118">confirmed the move in October 2011</a>.
The DoFD plan to lease floors 19, 20 and 21 of the 30-level building – a total of 4,891 square metres.
The move still needs to be approved by the public works committee.
The new premises will serve as the offices for the Prime Minister, cabinet, ministers, office holders, Opposition Leader and visiting senators and members.
The building has been marketed as being environmentally friendly, featuring a 135-metre-high 16-metre diameter atrium, a double-skin climate-controlling glass façade, energy-efficient air-conditioning, its own energy generation mechanisms, solar panels and water recycling facilities. It has been awarded a six-star green star rating, the first high-rise building in Australia to get the rating.
The Sydney Commonwealth Parliament Offices are currently at 70 Phillip Street, but the building is said to be too old and of too poor condition to continue leasing. It was built 30 years ago and served the Hawke government.
“Due to the age and condition of the accommodation, as well as inherent faults that cannot be overcome by a refit, it was considered undesirable to sign a new long-term lease on the premises,” the DoFD report says.
“Other factors driving the decision to relocate include the safety, security, parking, access and amenity of the building, none of which are appropriate for the required use.”
It was suggested in March that terrorism-related parking restrictions caused headaches for parliamentarians.
“It is no longer possible for vehicles to wait kerbside for parliamentarians who are exiting from the building. This leads to situations where parliamentarians wait on the street while their COMCAR drives around the block,” the report says.
The building features a commercial childcare centre on the lower ground floor and has space for 270 bicycles.
The preliminary layouts were prepared by Davenport Campbell.
Works on the site are due to commence in September with a move-in date of December this year.
The Dexus-owned building <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/office/dexus-1-bligh-street-criticised-over-price-design-and-views/2011101952002">has been the subject of comment</a> over its office plate design, restricted harbour views and premium rents.
The building has been limited in finding tenants given the high cost of rent. It cost $629 million to build. As of March it was 82% tenanted.
The building provides 42,000 square metres of net lettable area over 27 levels.
It was officially opened in August 2011 by Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
Public submissions to the leasing inquiry closed April 24.
The committee will hold a public hearing on the proposed fit-out on May 3 in Sydney.
 
 
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awalsh-7Ub9EypybQ

Government expected to move into 1 Bligh Street by the end of the year

<html><body>
LJ Hooker has appointed a new chief executive officer. Georg Chmiel will take over from L. Janusz Hooker, who will take up the role of the group’s deputy chair.
Chmiel was the chief financial officer and general international manager at REA Group Ltd for almost six years before he resigned in 2010 to become chief operating officer at LJ Hooker.
Janusz Hooker, the grandson of the company's founder Leslie Hooker, acquired the business in an $82 million deal in 2009.
“It gives me great pleasure to appoint L. Janusz Hooker to the role of deputy chair of LJ Hooker in recognition of his role in leading the business and setting the foundation of future growth. He will continue to play a vital role in the future success of the LJ Hooker business,” says LJ Hooker chairman Greg Paramor.
“Georg has been a key member of the LJ Hooker executive team for more than two years.
“Together with myself and Janusz, Georg will oversee the next phase of growth for the company.”
Paramor says LJ Hooker’s top sales performers outperformed the market by 14% over the past year.
“We have added 36 new offices and 500 new sales people to our business in 2011, bringing the LJ Hooker network to a total of 690 offices,” says Paramor.
 
 
 
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LJ Hooker appoints Georg Chmiel as new CEO

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A 20-hectare farm in Victoria’s Dandenong Ranges has been listed with hopes of more than $1.6 million.
Tivoli Farm, on the banks of Menzies Creek at Clematis, comes with a 1910-built homestead set amid English gardens and laurel hedged paddocks, suitable for horses or cattle.
The farm was once a gooseberry farm owned by the Australasian Jam Company (AJC) and originally belonged to one of the earliest selections in the district.
Former St Kilda publican Michael O’Connor established the farm when moved there in 1900 – the same year the region’s famous steam train, Puffing Billy, opened. He planted an orchard and raised cattle until his death in 1915, when the farm was sold to AJC.
The produce of the berry and laurel bushes were transported to Melbourne via Puffing Billy.
The train ran until a landslide forced its closure in 1953. It has since reopened as a weekend tourist attraction.
AJC have since been incorporated into IXL Jam.
The current owners, Tanina and Logan Connolly, have been unable to further investigate the history of their property after shire records were destroyed in the Sherbrooke and Ferntree Gully bushfires in the early 1900s.
“We're not sure when they stopped growing berries on the farm; we think they went well into the 1920s or '30s. The berries are gone, but all the hedges are still here," Tanina told the Weekly Times.
"We just fell in love with the building – it has the most magnificent return veranda – and it's a beautiful place to live."
The garden has 100 year-old trees including Irish strawberry trees, tulip trees, Cunningham pine, copper beech, chestnuts, black woods, maples and elms including a weeping elm.
The four-bedroom homestead has been renovated since the Connollys bought the property 28 years ago. They’ve retained the original period detail while installing a new kitchen and bathrooms. It comes with a granite benched kitchen, conservatory, a formal lounge, five open fireplaces and a banquet hall with French doors leading onto a large veranda.
The house is surrounded by numerous outhouses, which were once used as packing sheds. The agents are marketing these as potential offices or granny flats.
The couple planted 600 hazelnut trees with the intention of growing truffles, but instead focused on their gift card and information technology consulting business.
The land consists of pasture country with rich red mountain soils.
The property is being marketed as a possible base for a country retreat or a bed and breakfast.
Matt Childs from Pat Rice and Hawkins Melbourne has the listing, which goes to auction on May 12.
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Tivoli Farm in Victoria’s Dandenong Ranges listed with price hopes of $1.6 million plus

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The Victorian Department of Treasury and Finance has sold a 10,000-square-metre block in Melbourne’s outer east for $2.5 million.
The long triangular Wantirna South block sold to a local landowner after passing in at its March auction.
It was originally bought by the government to be part of the EastLink development.
As with all Crown land sales in Victoria, it is exempt from stamp duty.
<img src="/images/stories/wantirnasth.jpg" width="350" style="float: left; margin: 5px;">
The land is still road zoned but Knox City Council is expected to rezone it.
Prior to the auction, Colliers agents Ben Baines and Hamish Burgess said there had been significant interest from developers looking to build a medium density residential development.
There were 30 to 40 people at the auction, with “a couple of interested parties”, according to Baines.
The property comes with a 361-metre frontage on High Street Road and Cathies Lane and sits just next EastLink.
Baines was hoping to sell the property at a mid-$2 million price point.
“They have mentioned they are selling a bit more land, but I’m not aware if this being part of any bigger picture,” Baines says.
 
 
 
 
 
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Victorian Treasury Department sells surplus EastLink site at Wantirna South for $2.5 million

<html><body>
Residex boss John Edwards has given a relatively upbeat assessment of the national property market – with the notable exception of Melbourne.
The major worry is in Melbourne, where Edwards says there is an overhang of stock.
“I’m worried about Victoria,” he says.
“When I look at the Victorian economy, I can’t see anything that’s actually going to do it any good.
“It’s on the wrong side of the ledger,” he <a href="https://www.skynews.com.au/video/?vId=3196049&amp;cId=Programs&amp;play=true" target="_blank">told Peter Switzer on Sky Business</a>, noting what he called a 70% overhang of stock in Melbourne, the largest stock overhang of any capital in Australia.
“It happened because you had a government that was interested in propping up an economy that was failing because of a failing manufacturing industry by increasing immigration.
“It thought if it just brought people to the state then the problem would be solved, and it borrowed to do that.”
Edwards says that many of the new jobs were in the spurt that built more housing, but as “always developers fail to recognise when the turning point is, and they’ve failed”.
The industry, he says “still hasn’t recognised the overhang in stock”.
Nationally he says there is a slight oversupply in stock but foresees a national shortage soon, with Perth leading the way.
“There is potentially a slight oversupply of stock nationally. Slight. But we will have a shortage of stock coming into the future,” he says.
“Perth is just going gangbusters. [With] the pickup in activity, it’s got a very clear shortage of stock.
“The population is increasing, jobs are increasing.  It’s the only state in Australia where you’ve had this quite dramatic increase in full-time job activity.”
He says New South Wales and Queensland would benefit from a Reserve Bank interest rate cut but Melbourne has the most desperate need.
“New South Wales has clearly turned the corner. It’s tentative, however. It needs this interest rate reduction to really push it forward. Queensland has turned the corner as well. It looks like it’s about to do quite well. The interest rate cut is needed there.”
“The only state that really badly needs this interest rate cut is the manufacturing state of Victoria.”
Nationally he says the investor market is improving in most cities and will continue to go up.
“You’re not seeing the investors ploughing into Victoria but you are seeing them come back into Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia.”
“And they’re staying away from Darwin, but they should be moving back shortly.”
He says affordability and investor activity is driving activity in the unit market. He says the increasing growth rate in most capital cities is in the unit market.
National property prices are due to keep rising with exception of the Gold Coast, he says.
“I’m not worried about falls. All of the markets are turning back up. Gold coast is still a worry. It’s difficult on the Gold Coast.”
“Brisbane is clearly showing a trend now out of its correction phase.”
 
 
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Melbourne housing market on the ‘wrong side of the ledger’: Residex boss John Edwards

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Properties in just one locality in the City of Ipswich have changed in value since last year, according to the Queensland Valuer-General’s annual valuation.
Medium prices in the rural locality of Deebing Heights increased 1.3% from $197,500 in 2010 to $200,000 in 2011, according to Valuer-General Neil Bray.
Bray found medium prices in Ipswich’s 66 other localities stayed the same from October 2010 to October 2011.
Over the whole region prices increased 0.1%, reflecting the static market in the area.
Bray says allowances made in 2010 for flood-affected properties had been carried for into the new valuations.
“Apart from isolated changes to reflect environmental changes or local sales evidence residential valuations are predominantly unchanged,” Bray says.
“Minor changes were recorded in commercial values with some neighbourhood shopping centre values increasing slightly.”
The City of Ipswich recently topped an RBA list of the regions with the highest rates of mortgage arrears.
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="460"><tbody>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Residential localities
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
Previous median value ($)
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
New median value ($)
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
Change in median value (%)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Deebing Heights
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
197,500
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
200,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
1.3
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Amberley
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
86,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
86,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Ashwell
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
97,500
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
97,500
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Augustine Heights
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
207,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
 
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Barellan Point
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
202,500
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
202,500
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Basin Pocket
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
131,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
131,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Bellbird Park
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
148,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
148,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Blackstone
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
140,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
140,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Booval
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
132,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
132,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Brassall
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
152,500
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
152,500
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Bundamba
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
128,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
128,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Calvert
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
67,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
67,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Camira
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
182,500
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
182,500
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Churchill
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
136,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
136,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Chuwar
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
165,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
165,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Coalfalls
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
144,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
144,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Collingwood Park
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
127,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
127,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Dinmore
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
115,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
115,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
East Ipswich
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
126,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
126,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Eastern Heights
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
149,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
149,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Ebbw Vale
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
123,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
123,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Ebenezer
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
93,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
93,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Flinders View
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
155,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
155,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Gailes
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
115,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
115,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Goodna
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
124,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
124,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Grandchester
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
68,500
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
68,500
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Haigslea
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
130 750
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
130 750
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Ipswich
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
150,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
150,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Ironbark
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
108,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
108,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Karalee
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
172,500
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
172,500
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Karrabin
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
124,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
124,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Lanefield
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
93,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
93,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Leichhardt
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
125,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
125,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Lower Mount Walker
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
100,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
100,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Marburg
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
94,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
94,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Moores Pocket
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
107,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
107,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Mount Forbes
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
70,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
70,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Mount Marrow
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
156,250
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
156,250
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Muirlea
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
141,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
141,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Newtown
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
150,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
150,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
North Booval
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
120,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
120,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
North Ipswich
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
125,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
125,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
North Tivoli
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
87,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
87,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
One Mile
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
125,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
125,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Peak Crossing
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
93,500
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
93,500
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Pine Mountain
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
183,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
183,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Purga
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
132,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
132,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Raceview
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
138,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
138,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Redbank
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
130,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
130,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Redbank Plains
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
142,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
142,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Ripley
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
136,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
136,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Riverview
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
110,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
110,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Rosewood
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
119,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
119,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Sadliers Crossing
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
155,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
155,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Silkstone
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
134,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
134,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
South Ripley
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
80,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
80,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Springfield
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
165,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
165,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Springfield Lakes
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
160,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
160,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Tallegalla
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
117,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
117,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Thagoona
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
108,500
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
108,500
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Tivoli
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
107,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
107,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Walloon
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
150,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
150,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
West Ipswich
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
120,500
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
120,500
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Willowbank
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
134,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
134,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Woodend
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
142,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
142,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Wulkuraka
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
139,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
139,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
Yamanto
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
157,500
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
157,500
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="91" valign="top">
All residential localities
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
139,000
</td>
<td width="120" valign="top">
139,000
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
0
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</body></html>

Land values on hold in past year in Ipswich, mortgage arrears capital of Australia

<html><body>
Queensland Premier Campbell Newman has vowed to reduce real estate red tape by scrapping the controversial sustainability declaration forms as well as reinstating state stamp duty concessions.
Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney says it will be the Queensland government’s first legislative move when Parliament resumes in mid-May.
The mandatory forms were introduced in 2010 as a way for buyers to determine green credentials but were criticised by the real estate industry as an inefficient inconvenience in an already difficult market.
Seeney says the bureaucratic forms added little benefit to buyers.
"It was just about feel-good green preferences rather than any sort of outcome at all,'' he told The Courier Mail.
Originally proposed in 2008, the sustainability declarations were pitched as a way for buyers to compare the energy efficiency credentials of competing properties.
With fines of up to $2,000 for sellers who failed to complete the forms, the former Bligh government was forced to drop some of the more confusing questions after an outcry from sellers and the real estate industry.
The initial two-page form asked sellers to detail items including the star rating of appliances and the width of hallways before the property could go to market.
Many questions were later dropped, including one that asked sellers to detail "at least one entry from outside to inside the dwelling is provided by either a level entrance, no more than three steps, a ramp or a lift''.
Despite these revisions the document continued to attract criticism over questions including asking about the number of east- and west-facing windows, the colour of the roof and the star rating of toilets.
Seeney says helping the property sector will aid the recovery of the Queensland economy.
He says more efficient decision-making would also help the sluggish industry.
"What the industry wants is timely decisions.”
"If it is 'yes' let them get on with it, and if it is a `no' then let them know so they can get on with something else.''
The government will also reintroduce stamp duty concessions.
"Cabinet also formally approved the reinstatement of the principal place of residence stamp duty concession from 1 July 2012, which will save Queenslanders up to $7,000 when they purchase an average family home,'' Newman says.
The concession was dropped in June 2011 by then Queensland treasurer Andrew Fraser in a bid to raise an estimated $161 million for the state government.
 
 
 
</body></html>

Queensland government vows to cut real estate red tape and reinstate stamp duty concessions

<html><body>
Only Darwin and Hobart went against the national trend of static or falling rents over the March quarter according to the latest APM rental report.
The report found rents remained stable or fell during the March quarter in most capital cities, giving temporary relief to renters.
But senior economist at APM Dr Andrew Wilson says flat or falling rental growth for both units and houses in most capital cities has not resulted in falling gross rental yields.
The median weekly asking rent for houses in Australia was $409 for the March quarter, while median asking rent for units declined 1.1% to $401 over the same period.
Darwin had the greatest quarterly and yearly rent increase for houses but was the only capital where yields went down for houses. House rents rose 3.6% over the quarter and 11.8% over the year to $570 a week. House yields went up 9.6% over the year to 4.94%. Unit rents are down 2.1% over the quarter but up 2.2% over the year, while unit yields went up 11.2% over the year to 5.58%.
Hobart house rents increased, but the Tasmanian capital had the greatest yearly fall for unit rents. It was the only capital where unit yields went down over the year. It had the greatest yearly fall in yields for houses. House rents rose 3.1% over the quarter to $330 a week, up 1.5% over the year. House yields are down 1.4% over the year to 5.23%. Unit rents are unchanged over the quarter and down 3.7% over the year. Unit yields are down 1.3% for the year to 5.13%.
<img src="/images/stories/apmapril13.gif">
Sydney had the greatest quarterly fall for unit rents over the quarter. House rents remain unchanged over the quarter at $500 a week, up 2% over the year. House yields are up 5.8% for the year to 4.71%. Unit rents are down 2.2% over the quarter to $450 a week and unchanged over the year. Unit yields are up 3.7% over the year to 5.18%.
<img src="/images/stories/apmapril134.gif">
Melbourne had the greatest yearly fall for house rents. It had the greatest yearly increase in yields for houses. House rents remain unchanged over the quarter at $360 a week, down 1.4% over the year. House yields are up 11% over the year to 4.12%. Unit rents are unchanged over the quarter and over the year at $350 a week. Unit yields are up 4.6% over the year to 4.63%.
Brisbane had the greatest yearly increase for units. House rents are unchanged over the quarter at $380 a week, up 2.7% over the year. House yields are up 7.7% over the year to 5.08%. Unit rents are unchanged over the quarter at $365 a week up 4.3% over the year. Unit yields are up 6.6% over the year to 5.29%.
<img src="/images/stories/apmapril132.gif">
In Adelaide house rents are down 0.6% over the quarter and over the year at $338 a week. Yields for houses went up 6% over the year to 4.69%. Unit rents are unchanged over the quarter and over the year at $280 a week. Unit yields are up 4.2% over the year to 4.98%.
Perth had the greatest yearly increase in yields for units. House rents are unchanged over the quarter at $400 a week, up 3.9% over the year. House yields went up 10.8% over the year to 4.92%. Unit rents are unchanged over the quarter at $350 a week, up 2.9% over the year. Unit yields increased 16.6% over the quarter to 5.5%.
over the year to 5.29%.
 
<img src="/images/stories/apmapril133.gif">
In Canberra hose rents are down 2% over the quarter at $490 a week, up 2.1% over the year. House yields increased 3.9% over the year to 4.97%. Unit rents are down 1.1% over the quarter to $435 a week up 1.2% over the year. Unit yields are up 3.7% over the year to 5.65%.
Wilson says increased buyer activity over the March quarter has taken some pressure off rental markets, but the reprieve won’t last long.
“Improved housing affordability with the bottoming of the price cycle, falling interest rates and an improved economic outlook has facilitated increased buyer activity in most capital cities particularly from first homeowners,” says Wilson.
“This has taken some demand pressure off rental markets with flat rental growth recorded over the March quarter as a consequence.
“However with ongoing shortages of accommodation, low levels of new supply and continued inactivity by investors, upward pressure on rentals can be expected to resume in most centres over 2012.”
He says this is particularly evident in Sydney where ABS figures show a 60% state-wide surge in first homebuyer loans over the last quarter of 2011 which has reduced demand for rental properties, particularly units.
“Units continue to provide higher gross rental returns compared to houses in all the mainland capitals,” says Wilson.
“Gross investment yield growth should track sideways from mid-2012 as prices and rental increases emerge concurrently.”
He says Melbourne continues to be most tenant-friendly capital.
Photograph courtesy of <a href="https://www.flickr.com/" target="_blank">Flickr</a>.
 
 
 
 
</body></html>

Rents stable or falling in all capitals bar Darwin and Hobart in March quarter: APM

<html><body>
Perth rents are expected to keep rising as vacancy rates remain low and tenants face increased competition for houses, according to the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia.
Median rents have increased to $420 a week during the March quarter, up 10% from the same time last year, REIWA figures show, but there are reports of many potential tenants offering $50 to $100 more a week to secure a lease.
Earlier this year callers to ABC radio's 720 morning program told of 30 to 40 people turning up to open homes only to find out later the successful applicant had offered significantly more than the advertised price.
REIWA President David Airey told the ABC that while it's not illegal and landlords are unlikely to reject the extra money, it's not a practice he encourages.
Managing director of Stockland Matthew Quinn says suburban Perth had once been one of the softer rental markets in Australia but vacancy rates in Stockland projects there have fallen to less than 1%.
"Rents are going through the roof, just ask anybody who's tried to rent a house in Perth in the last six months – it is a nightmare," says Quinn.
Quinn predicts the housing shortage will lead to a rental crisis. He says massive queues of house-hunters at rental inspections will drive rental prices up.
"It's already happening and it's going to happen in greater and greater numbers because housing is undersupplied, it's unaffordable and rents are now going up."
Properties for sale outnumber those for rent by more than three to one in many Perth suburbs, recent RP Data figures show.
Rental vacancies reached a four-year low during February – dropping from 2.3% to just 1.6% according to REIWA, a drop of 700 houses.
The institute's data show the metropolitan vacancy rate at 1.9% for the first three months of the year, but during the months of February and March alone it dropped to 1.6%. Airey says a vacancy rate of 3% indicates a balanced market.
"The overall median rent for Perth is now $420 per week, which breaks down to $425 for a house or $400 for a unit, villa or townhouse," Airey says.
"REIWA data show that the stock level for rental accommodation has improved by 12% since the start of March, in sharp contrast to the 28% fall during January and February.
"The good news for tenants is that the vacancy rate does not appear to be dropping any further and seasonal demand is levelling off."
Airey says while there is strong demand for accommodation Perth will avoid the rental crisis of March 2007.
</body></html>

Perth rents rise to $420 weekly median but no rental crisis looming: REIWA

<html><body>
Melbourne pub mogul John van Haandel has listed Quicksilver’s new flagship retail store in Byron Bay this week, with hopes of $6 million.
Quicksilver signed a 10-year lease for the property with 618 square metres of floorspace in March this year after it was custom built for the company.
Van Haandel also runs the neighbouring Beach Hotel.
<img src="/images/stories/quicksilver.jpg">
The purpose-built property includes two apartments above the shop, which Quicksilver says will ?offer tourists and surfing fans the chance to live, breathe and sleep the Quiksilver brand.
Jones Lang LaSalle is selling the property, which earns a net income of $393,300 per annum with 3.5% annual reviews.
The property lies on the northern end of Jonson Street near Bay Street and has significant frontage to the Jonson Street retail precinct and council car park which services Byron’s main beach.
There is parking for eight cars at the rear of the property.
Sam Hatcher and Stuart Taylor have the listing with expressions of interest closing on May 16.
 
</body></html>

Melbourne publican John van Haandel lists Quicksilver's flagship Byron Bay store 

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/consolidated-properties">Consolidated Properties Group</a> (CPG) is approaching the launch of its latest Brisbane riverfront development, Castile, on the dress circle Skyring Terrace in Newstead.

VIP buyers are now being engaged, with a full public sales launch coming later this year.

Positioned as the final opportunity to secure a new absolute riverfront residence on the East bank of Newstead, Teneriffe or New Farm, Castile at 47 Skyring Terrace has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a> as a timeless addition to the Brisbane skyline.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=371113]

The name Castile draws on themes of permanence, sophistication and legacy, reflecting a broader vision centred on enduring architecture and timelessness in the rarest of riverfront positions.&nbsp;

CPG Chairman and CEO Don O’Rorke said the project had been envisioned as a future Brisbane icon.&nbsp;

“With 47 metres of direct river frontage and never to be built out views, 47 Skyring Terrace is the definitive address on the Brisbane River,” O’Rorke said.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=371114]

“Rather than following trend-based apartment design, Castile draws inspiration from Brisbane’s great heritage buildings, reinterpreting classical architecture into a contemporary riverfront landmark designed to stand proudly for the next 100 years,” he said.&nbsp;

The approved development will comprise 227 apartments across a 25-storey tower alongside a boutique six-storey riverfront building of just 12 residences.&nbsp;

Construction is scheduled to commence in September 2026.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150489]

Joel Robinson

CPG unveils Castile Newstead ahead of upcoming sales launch

Australia’s online shopping habits have shifted dramatically over the last decade. As eCommerce volumes surged, so too did the frustrations that came with traditional parcel delivery: missed deliveries, long Post Office queues, parcel theft and the challenge of being home during business hours.

Australia Post’s Parcel Lockers emerged as one of the more practical responses to that changing consumer behaviour.

What started as a relatively niche delivery option has evolved into a nationwide network of more than 1,400 self-service Parcel Lockers positioned at train stations, shopping centres, supermarkets and Post Offices across the country. The system allows Australians to send, collect and return parcels 24 hours a day, fundamentally changing how many people interact with deliveries.

The appeal is relatively straightforward: flexibility.

Instead of waiting at home for a delivery driver or rushing to a Post Office before closing time, users can direct eligible parcels to a Parcel Locker location of their choice. Once the parcel arrives, Australia Post sends a notification with a collection code or QR access through the AusPost app, allowing customers to retrieve their package at any time within the collection window.

For apartment residents in particular, the system has become increasingly valuable.

Higher-density living has created logistical challenges around deliveries, especially in buildings without concierge services or secure parcel rooms. Missed deliveries are common, while parcel theft has become an increasing concern as online shopping volumes continue to rise.

Australia Post itself has repeatedly highlighted the growing issue of “porch pirates” during peak shopping periods, encouraging customers to use Parcel Lockers as a safer alternative to unattended home deliveries.

That security aspect is one of the key reasons the Australia Post Parcel Locker network has grown so rapidly.

Parcel Lockers are positioned as secure, monitored collection points that reduce the risk of theft while also improving delivery efficiency for Australia Post. Instead of multiple redelivery attempts, parcels can be consolidated into a single secure destination.

The Parcel Lockers themselves are free to use through a MyPost account and support a range of parcel sizes up to 16 kilograms and dimensions of approximately 35 x 44 x 61 centimetres.

Beyond receiving parcels, the system has increasingly become integrated into the broader eCommerce ecosystem.

Customers can now use Parcel Lockers to return online purchases, while retailers have embraced the model as a way to improve delivery success rates and reduce friction in the shopping process. Australia Post has actively expanded partnerships with major retailers and promoted Parcel Lockers as part of a broader out-of-home strategy.

The timing of that expansion aligns with broader changes in Australian shopping behaviour.

The acceleration of online retail during and after the pandemic placed enormous pressure on delivery infrastructure. Parcel volumes reached record highs, particularly during Black Friday and Christmas periods, with Australia Post delivering more than 100 million parcels during peak festive seasons.

That growth forced logistics providers to rethink the “last mile” of delivery, widely regarded as the most expensive and operationally difficult stage of the process.

Parcel Locker systems have increasingly been viewed as part of the long-term solution.

The concept itself is not unique to Australia. Parcel Locker networks have become common globally, particularly across Europe and Asia, where dense urban environments and apartment living create similar logistical challenges. But Australia’s geography and suburban sprawl made adoption slower initially.

Now, however, the convenience factor is driving mainstream usage.

For commuters, Parcel Lockers near train stations allow parcels to be collected on the way home from work. For apartment dwellers, they remove the uncertainty around access and missed deliveries.

The rise of the AusPost app has also streamlined the experience, centralising notifications, tracking and Parcel Locker access into a single platform. Australia Post has increasingly pushed customers toward app-based delivery management, partly as a way to combat phishing scams and fake delivery notifications, which have become more sophisticated in recent years.

The Parcel Locker model is also beginning to influence property development itself.

Parcel management has become a growing consideration in apartment building design, particularly as online shopping becomes embedded in everyday life. Many new residential developments are now incorporating dedicated parcel rooms or Parcel Locker systems into foyers and communal spaces.

For developers, parcel management is increasingly viewed as part of the broader resident amenity offering, alongside gyms, wellness spaces and communal work areas.

That reflects a wider evolution in how residential buildings are designed.

Apartment buyers are placing greater emphasis on convenience, security and operational functionality, particularly in higher-density urban environments. Parcel delivery, once considered a minor operational detail, has become an increasingly important part of that equation.

Australia Post’s Parcel Locker network sits at the centre of that behavioural shift.

What began as a simple alternative delivery option has evolved into a key piece of infrastructure supporting Australia’s growing eCommerce economy and changing urban lifestyles.

And as online shopping continues to expand, the role of Parcel Lockers is likely to become even more embedded in how Australians live, shop and receive goods.

How Australia Post Parcel Lockers changed parcel delivery convenience in Australia

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;

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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Alistair Walsh

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