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The second-night ratings of The Renovators won its time slot last night on Channel Ten with 978,000 viewers, picking up 100,000-plus viewers on its Sunday night debut.
It’s good news for Lachlan Murdoch, Ten's interim chief executive and his sister Elisabeth's production company Shine Limited – which is now owned  by Rupert Murdoch's News Limited – as anything too far below 1 million in the ratings would have been deemed a failure. The winner of Monday night was MasterChef with 1.67 million, followed by The Block on Channel 9 with a 1.48 million audience.
The Renovators is being produced by Shine Australia, which is also are responsible for the lucrative MasterChef franchise.
The genesis for The Renovators was a barbecue 18 months ago at the home of Ten's chief programming officer, David Mott, who was hosting Shine executives to toast the success of MasterChef. The idea was to cross MasterChef and Grand Designs. Channel Ten's six-nights-a-week reality show, is hosted by landscape architect Brendan Moar,<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/title-tattle-sussan-ceo-naomi-milgrom-spends-%246.2-million-to-buy-her-byron-bay-neighbour/2011070150674" title="Title Tattle" target="_blank"> who recently showed off his own style with an inner-city terrace sale</a>.
The judges include Peter Ho from Phooey Architects, who has appeared as a judge on The New Inventors, the builder Barry Du Bois, and Robyn Holt, who was the editor of Vogue Living for about a decade.
When applications closed last year about 12,000 had applied. The final 26 comprise real estate agents, interior designers, builders and tradesmen, and all need to have completed renovations to be considered.
The contestants will renovate six properties over the next three months.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

The Renovators rates better on second night, but The Block still has audience numbers nailed down

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Retail entrepreneur Brett Blundy’s investment company has spent $44.5 million buying a bulky goods centre on Melbourne’s Mornington Peninsula from Mirvac. The sale was just below its most recent $45 million valuation as at December 2010. The acquisition follows Blundy’s purchase in February of the Caringbah Homemaker Centre in Sydney for $49 million.
With 32,000 square metres of gross lettable area, the property at 29 Mornington Peninsula includes tenants Clive Peeters, Lincraft, BCF, Snooze, Officeworks, Repco, Early Settler, Bed Shed, Retravision, Betta Electrical and Fernwood.
It has been bought by BB Retail Capital, a private investment company with interests in a number of global retail brands, bulky good shopping centres and equity investments. Brett Blundy established BB Retail Capital in 1980 when he opened his first retail store.
The Peninsula Lifestyle Centre is located on the corner of Nepean Highway and Bungower Road in Mornington, about 15 minutes south of the Frankston CBD.
The group’s largest acquisition was $61.5 million in 2008 for the Kotara Homemaker Centre in the district of Newcastle, one of the largest homemaker centres in the country at more than 61,000 square metres. The group had previously spent $17 million at Kotara in 2007.
The Savills valuation for Mirvac reflected a 9.75% cap rate.
The BB Group has seven major centres with a total value of more than $400 million. Its chief executive officer is Darren Holland, who has been with the group since 2004. Previously Holland played a role in the development and management of 13 Christie Homemaker centres throughout Australia.
“BBRC also owns the Cranbourne Homemaker Centre 25 kilometres away, so there will be good synergies in managing and promoting the two centres together,” Holland says.
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Brett Blundy buys Mornington Peninsula bulky goods centre

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The two wings of the Grollo family are competing for the right to develop the last $1 billion Batman Hill construction site to be won in the Melbourne’s Docklands precinct.
It is believed to be the first time the third generation of the construction family have directly competed for the same development rights.
The bidding parties are headed by cousins Daniel Grollo and Lorenz Grollo, according to the Australian Financial Review.
Daniel’s Grocon has joined with Mirvac, and Lorenz's Equiset with Australand.
The other shortlisted bidders are Lend Lease and Leighton.
Victorian Planning Minister Matthew Guy says the four shortlisted bidders have until October 26 to finalise their development proposals.
Initial registrations closed in March for the two-hectare site, with a prestigious Collins Street address. It also includes a Flinders Street frontage and air rights above Wurundjeri Way.
Set adjacent to Southern Cross Station, and neighbouring Media House, the site will see the gap closed along Collins Street linking the CBD to Docklands.
Guy has said the successful bidder will be announced early next year.
At present about $1.57 billion worth of commercial and residential development, totalling more than 260,000 square meters of gross floor area comprising more than 1,140 dwellings, is under construction in Docklands.
It was 1928 when the Grollo family left Treviso, Italy to start a new life in Melbourne. In the 1940s Luigi started a business with a small team of men and one truck. Over the next 50 years, the business grew into one of Australia’s largest and most successful construction groups.
In 2000, Luigi’s sons Bruno and Rino divided the company to pursue their own goals.
The Batman Hill precinct was the proposed site of the Grollo Tower, with an original proposed height of 678 metres. The development concept was scrapped in 2001.
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Grollo cousins compete for Docklands tender

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More than half of Australia’s million-dollar suburbs are located within NSW, despite the softening of the market in recent times.
There are a total of 81 million-dollar suburbs in New South Wales, with a further 40 knocking on the door of this now not-so-exclusive club, according to the Real Estate Institute of New South Wales.
“NSW is the jewel in the Australian crown when it comes to million-dollar suburbs,” REINSW chief executive Tim McKibbin says.
There were 34 suburbs in New South Wales with a median house price of $1 million plus in 2006, which reflects a sharp 138% increase.
“Not only has the number of million-dollar suburbs increased, so too have the number of properties attracting million plus price tags,” McKibbin says.
“In the first quarter of 2006, a total of 1,525, million-dollar sales were recorded, while in 2011 this has grown by 52% to 2,322.”
At $4.35 million, Vaucluse’s median house price made the suburb most expensive in the country in March 2011.
Top 10 most expensive suburbs
<table width="312" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="83">
Rank
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="115">
Suburb
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="114">
March 2011 Median 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="83">
1
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="115">
Vaucluse
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="114">
$4,350,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="83">
2
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="115">
Bellevue Hill
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="114">
$3,650,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="83">
3
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="115">
Dover Heights
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="114">
$3,010,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="83">
4
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="115">
Church Point
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="114">
$2,725,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="83">
5
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="115">
Clovelly
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="114">
$2,300,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="83">
6
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="115">
Mosman
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="114">
$2,250,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="83">
7
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="115">
Bayview
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="114">
$2,060,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="83">
8
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="115">
Northbridge
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="114">
$1,997,500
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="83">
9
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="115">
East Lindfield
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="114">
$1,965,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="83">
10
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="115">
Haberfield
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="114">
$1,935,000
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
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More suburbs join the million-dollar club in NSW

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Adelaide’s tiniest inner-city development site – at just 90 square metres – has been sold for $205,000.
Marketed as Adelaide's smallest block, the Hamilton Place holding had been hoped to fetch $240,000 plus.
Its sale price represented 2.6% annual growth since last traded in 2007 at $184,000. It reflects 4.2% growth since it sold in 2004 for $155,000, based on RP Data’s sales history.
It was sold by Phillis Real Estate Adelaide agent Jim Phillis. The buyer intends to build on the land, Phillis says.
Hamilton Place is located between Whitmore Square and South Terrace. 
The official land value for the site in early 2010 was $125,000 and in 2006 at $89,000.
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Adelaide's smallest block sells for $205,000

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The Renovators got hammered last night, with the latest property reality show debuting with a mediocre 858,000 viewers nationally.
TV viewers preferred watching renovations earlier in the evening on Nine’s The Block, which was Sunday’s number one program, with a season best 1.828 million viewers, including 708,000 in its home city of Melbourne.
The Renovators, which screened at 8.40 pm, had less than half the audience of lead-in program MasterChef Australia, which averaged 1.734 million viewers.
The Renovators set last night in a Rosebery warehouse was beaten by the ABC’s Midsomer Murders (1.154 million) and Seven’s Bones (1.071 million).
The poor ratings for The Renovators is a big blow to Ten, which has reportedly spent more than $20 million on the show.
Ten is set to screen The Renovators six nights per week for the next three months.
The Renovators sits in a temporary timeslot, with the show set to move into Masterchef's 7.30pm timeslot once the cooking competition finishes next month.
A Channel 10 spokesperson says The Renovators achieved clear wins in its target demographics.
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The Renovators hammered on first night

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Victoria’s regional house market yielded a stronger result over the past year than Melbourne’s. 
Over the past 12 months the regional increase was 8.5%, according to the REIV June quarter survey.
In Melbourne the median house price increased by 5.7% over the year. The unit median increased by just 1% over the year.
Sales volume in Melbourne was about 22% down on the same period last year.
Of the three main regional centres, strong demand was recorded in Bendigo, with a 4.5% increase in the quarter to $287,500. 
This was followed by Ballarat, with a 1.3% increase to $288,500. 
Geelong’s median house price fell by 3.9% in the quarter to $370,000 but was stable over the year.
The City of Greater Shepparton recorded a 3.6% decline to $280,000. In the Hepburn Shire a 0.9% decrease to $353,000 was recorded.
Median house prices in the Surf Coast Shire dropped by 12.8% to $567,000.
Median house prices in Macedon Ranges Shire increased 17.1% to $575,000. Similarly, the median house price in Mount Alexander Shire increased by 16.5% to $405,000.
“These Melbourne type prices are a sign of increased demand for the entire corridor between Melbourne and Bendigo,” the REIV report noted.
“The result confirms that, following a few years of turbulent conditions in the residential market, the last 12 months have recorded moderate and sustainable price growth,” REIV chief executive Enzo Raimondo says.
“This result is reflective of a market that is now stable, following the GFC and corrective action taken in response.
“Over the medium term, local factors will continue to have an impact, in particular the health of the Victorian economy, population growth and the level of construction and supply,” he says.
The current Melbourne median is slightly below the peak of $601,500 reached in the December quarter 2010.
The report pinpointed a few suburbs that recorded very healthy increases as Prahran, Melton, Frankston South, Mount Martha, Sunbury and Berwick.
With the exception of Prahran, these suburbs all have house prices at or below the median, indicating that demand is still being driven by the housing needs of our growing population.
The strongest demand in the unit market was in Richmond, East Melbourne and Malvern East. 
The median price of a house in regional Victoria increased by 1.6% to $325,000 in the June quarter, up from $320,000 in the March quarter. 
Melbourne’s house median increased 5.4% to $590,000 over the quarter, and Melbourne units jumped by 3.2% to $474,500 over the quarter.
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Victorian regional centres outperforming Melbourne: REIV

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A Chinese investor has spent about $2.7 million on the Hunter Valley vineyard Windsor’s Edge. The 48-hectare property sold through Cain Beckett at Jurd’s Real Estate. The buyers were keen to shore up supplies of wine for bottle shop or liquor distribution in China.
Windsor's Edge is a small family-operated resort with cellar door at Pokolbin in the centre of the Hunter Valley vineyards.
Windsor's Edge vineyard was planted in 1995 by Tim and Jessie Windsor with five acres of shiraz. It was followed by five acres of semillon and five acres of chardonnay in 1997.
Since then more plantings of shiraz and the rarer varieties of tinta cao and tempranillo have been planted.
The first grapes were produced in 1999. Tim Windsor, a graduate of Charles Sturt, and Jessie, an industrial chemist, recently won gold and silver medals for their Solera fortified wine.
The land is adjacent to the Vintage Resort golf development, on the corner of a major tourist route.
It has the main homestead and three cottages for hire.
Agents note the trend of Chinese vineyard buying has continued in recent times despite the currency exchange rate between the two countries not necessarily favouring the investment.
But the acquistions are typically at a 20% discount on their boom-time asking price.
China is Australia's largest export market for wine over $10 a litre.
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Hunter Valley vineyard bought by Chinese investor

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Perth has experienced its fifth consecutive quarter of falls in its median house price.
Prices fell by about 2% in the June quarter, notching up 15 months of successive decline.
The average number of selling days has increased to 82, more than double the 36 days in 2006 in the midst of the 2004 to 2007 boom.
"Buyers must be patient and realistic about price,” Real Estate Institute of Western Australia president Alan Bourke says.
The price retraction was longer than during the 2008 downturn, when prices pulled back for one year only.
“The big difference is that in 2008 the median fell by 12%, whereas the last 12 months of decline has been half that rate at 6%,” Bourke says.
“So, although the fall in median price has been over a longer period the actual fall in price has been more gradual since the median peaked at $505,000 in March 2010.”
Bourke says he expects the median to settle around $475,000, which places Perth’s median at December 2007 levels, before the big market correction and following GFC.
“Our preliminary data and that of Landgate, which together represents around 80% of the market, suggest there has been an increased proportion of sales in the $350,000 to $500,000 range, whereas sales in other price segments have decline,” Bourke says.
"It’s notable, though, that sales over $1 million remain quite stable and that premium property is holding up.”
REIWA data show that property listings in Perth have been running at around 17,000 for much of the June quarter after peaking at 18,200 during April.
In the rental market the overall median rent is steady at $380 per week, although the vacancy rate has lifted by 9% from 3.2% in March to 3.5% in the June quarter.
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Perth median house price in gradual fall for 15 months

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<img src="/images/stories/janetabronte.jpg">
<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 5px;">John O'Sullivan, the head of investment banking at Credit Suisse, and his estranged wife, the Australian newspaper columnist Janet Albrechtsen, have spent $5,125,000 on a four-bedroom Bronte semi (pictured above). It was bought several days after its recent auction through the Shabat development group, which had Brian Meyerson undertake the design. With panoramic ocean and beach views, it comes with rear pool. It had been initially listed in May 2010, but without success.
<img src="/images/stories/garage1.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 5px;">The new neighbouring semi remains listed at $5 million plus after its June auction through Elliott Placks and Michael Krimotat at Ray White Double Bay, in conjunction with Barry and Mark Goldman at Raine &amp; Horne Double Bay. The former power couple have lived at Bronte – slightly lower on the hill closer to the retail strip – since paying $207,500 in 1985. They’ve watched some 1,200 of their 1,500 neighbours come and go over the ensuing 26 years. No sign yet of any listing of the matrimonial house, and O'Sullivan's abode, which Title Tattle presumes won't be listed, and certainly not before the graffiti removalists are sighted repainting the garage (pictured at left).
<img src="/images/stories/keposstredfern2.jpg">
<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 5px;">Peter Everett, who was the ebullient host of Ready Steady Cook, the Channel Ten afternoon cooking show, has listed his East Redfern residence (pictured above). The Kepos Street terrace comes with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. More than $1.6 million is tipped, given the house underwent a substantial renovation in 2008.
It has been listed for forthcoming auction through Pauline Goodyer and Brighid Fitzsimons at GoodyerDonnelley. The stately Victorian terrace retains its original façade, but the interior of the house has been completely rebuilt by a master builder. Everett has been responsible for its interior décor (pictured below).
<img src="/images/stories/keposstredfern.jpg">
The house is set on a deep dual access block with rear off-street parking. The three-level residence is perfect for entertaining and family living with a double living room and open-plan kitchen that flows into a large dining zone with french doors opening to a courtyard garden.
<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 5px;">Offers close today on the East Circular Quay penthouse being sold by the founder and owner of BB Retail Capital Brett Blundy and his wife, Vanessa. Its McGrath agent Hamish Robertson has been seeking more than $13 million. The Blundys have lived in the two-level Bennelong apartment since buying it in July 2007 for $12 million from businessman Warren Johns and his wife, Joan, who now live at Pyrmont in a Sydney Wharf apartment.
The interiors of the Blundy apartment were refurbished by designers Hare + Klein in 2008. It comes with more than 600 square metres of entertainment areas with views of Circular Quay, the Harbour Bridge, Opera House and Botanic Gardens. The Blundys are off to Vaucluse, where they have spent about $25 million consolidating two adjacent properties, one with a frontage to Kutti beach. It’s a Ken Woolley-designed house built for the media entrepreneur Michael Willesee in the early 1990s.
The adjoining non-harbourfront property was bought for $7.95 million from the entrepreneur Howard Woolcott. It was first listed in 2008 at $12 million. The five-bedroom Ergo Achitecture-designed house was built after the block was bought for $4 million in 2003 by Woolcott and his wife, Susan. Woolcott is known for his work at the property spruiking firm Property Fox, and before that he was with the merchant bank Ansbacher &amp; Co in London.
<img src="/images/stories/coralcrescentbrettblundy.jpg">
Blundy, the bulky-goods entrepreneur, is still trying to sell his redundant Pearl Beach weekender (pictured above). The NSW central coast beachfront has now been advertised through Stuart Gan of PRDnationwide Ettalong Beach with $3 million hopes. The Coral Crescent house last sold for $3.8 million in 2007. It is redundant to the Blundys’ needs, as they spent $5.8 million to upgrade to another beachfront property six doors away.
 
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
<img src="/images/stories/victoriast.jpg">
<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 5px;">New Zealanders Tim Wood and his wife, Sasha, have yet to sell Dalrye (pictured above), their Victorian mansion in Waverley, NSW, after it was withdrawn from auction last weekend through McGrath agent Bethwyn Richards. It was only last year that the couple were living in France when they spotted the Victoria Street property on the internet. The grand 1890 Italianate residence was bought sight unseen for $4.76 million after bidding by telephone from France. Since the couple bought the 679-square-metre property, they have renovated the residence, but recently decided to move to Udaipur in Rajasthan, northern India, where they intend to build a lakeside eco-resort.
Tim and his brother, Nick Wood, are co-founders of the pioneering internet service provider ihug, which was New Zealand's third-largest internet service provider before the company was bought and then absorbed by Vodafone New Zealand. The sons of an Air New Zealand pilot and a real estate agent, the Wood brothers started ihug with an $8000 loan from their father.
The underbidders at Dalrye’s 2010 auction have since bought on Tipper Avenue, Bronte for $4,925,000, so they weren’t around this time. Dalyre had previously sold in 1991 for $900,000, after its renovation by merchant banker Mark Burrows. The record Waverley record subsequently hit $6.3 million last September when the architect Michael Suttor and his wife, Georgie, sold their 1890s abode through Bradfield &amp; Prichard Double Bay agent Georgia Cleary to the Thompson family. It had previously traded as a derelict boarding house for $500,000 in 1987.
<img src="/images/stories/crownroad.jpg">
<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 5px;">It hasn’t taken long for the latest raft of real estate reality television show contestants to cash in on their fleeting fame. The Pymble mother of three Jodie Bursill – a contestant on the new Jamie Durie renovation show Top Design – and husband Andrew have listed their Pymble, NSW, residence (pictured above) for sale. The Bursill family’s five-bedroom renovated 1950s Crown Road property is on the market with $2 million hopes through McGrath agent Carol McCrea. It cost $475,000 in 1998.
The former neo-natal nurse moved to the North Shore with Andrew when she was pregnant with their first child, Maddie, now 12. She launched her business, ColourMore Interiors, five years ago. Out of 3,500 applicants, Bursill was whittled down to one of 10 contestants on the Channel 9 show, where the contestants are given rooms to make liveable from shipping containers to caravans.
<img src="/images/stories/dalkeithblock.jpg">
<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 5px;">Title Tattle aims to tell you as soon as we know – often before it happens – so that rumoured $7.85 million Dalkeith, WA, riverfront block (pictured above) has now been registered. It did sell to a neighbour – none other than mining billionaire Gina Rinehart. It last sold at $4.5 million in 2006 and $3.5 million in 2004. It takes her holding from 9,350 square metres to 10,950 square metres. Given the price she paid per square metre, it takes the land value of her compound to $53 million. That's almost the same as the $57.5 million price that Angela Bennett, that other mining heiress, got in 2009 for her compound at Mosman Park when Willie Porteous of William Porteous Properties International smashed the Australian sales record for the 7,567-square-metre Swan River estate.
<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 5px;">And don’t say that Title Tattle told you, but that Gold Coast real estate agency that used a sexy stripping model to market a prestigious property last year is back seeking viral headlines using a gangster.
The latest video ad from Neo Property Surfers Paradise shows the Gold Coast as a gangster's paradise. A mob boss character with busty women draped across his arm is shown around a Paradise Point luxury home by a dwarf. Little wonder the ads haven't gone down well with the REIQ or other agents. And more to the point, the initial marketing ploy hasn't paid, off as the 600,000 You Tube viewings haven’t elicited a single buyer. And for the Gold Coast to be depicted as a gangster's paradise won't do much for the latest listing. It's a little too close to reality.
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Australian columnist Janet Albrechtsen downsizes to $5 million Bronte semi: Title Tattle 

For more than three decades, Hyecorp has been delivering residential projects across Sydney's Lower North Shore, building a portfolio centred on design-led apartment living in some of the city's most established neighbourhoods.

Hyecorp recently launched the latest in its long line of apartment developments, Celine, a 29-storey tower on Archer Street in Chatswood. Like the majority of the developer's projects, Celine caters to a broad buyer demographic, offering a mix of one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments, all designed with owner-occupiers in mind.

Functionality and flexibility are often buzzwords in the new apartment market, but they sit at the core of Hyecorp's design philosophy.

Hyecorp Joint Managing Director Stephen Abolakian says the developer understands it isn't designing apartments for today's needs alone, but for how buyers will live several years into the future.

"When we launch our projects we need to be aware that these developments aren't finished for several years," Abolakian says.

"That home office in the here and now might be a nursery by the time the project completes for a prospective buyer, so we need to think about how the apartment spaces function for future uses so there's longevity in the ownership."

Celine's architects, Fuse, followed the same philosophy, saying the design extends well beyond aesthetics.

"Celine focuses on timeless architectural form and functionality, with a strong emphasis on light, proportion and materiality. The design responds to the urban context of Chatswood while delivering calm, highly liveable interiors that feel both contemporary and enduring. The floorplans have been carefully resolved to maximise usability and outperform typical market offerings in terms of efficiency and liveability."

Most apartments incorporate multipurpose rooms designed for flexibility. Each includes an integrated desk and a standard Murphy pull-down single bed, allowing the space to transition from a home office or study to guest accommodation as needs change. The layouts have also been designed to maximise natural light, storage and overall functionality.

One and two-bedroom apartments feature Miele appliances, while three and four-bedroom residences are appointed with integrated Gaggenau appliances and Taj Mahal stone benchtops.

Buyers who purchase early in the construction process can also take advantage of Hyecorp's "Live Your Way" interior design service, allowing them to personalise finishes and tailor elements of their home to suit their own lifestyle. It's a feature designed to appeal to owner-occupiers who want their apartment to feel uniquely theirs from the day they move in.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149594 project_image_fid=362614]

While flexible floorplans have become a hallmark of Hyecorp's apartment design, the developer has also continued to place significant emphasis on resident amenity.

As buyers increasingly expect more from apartment living, shared spaces have evolved beyond a gym and barbecue area. They are now an extension of the home, providing spaces to relax, exercise, entertain and connect with neighbours.

At Celine, the resident amenity has been designed with a focus on wellness, centred on the level six podium. An infinity-edge swimming pool, spa, sauna and fully equipped gym are complemented by barbecue facilities and a residents' lounge, creating a range of spaces for relaxation, recreation and social connection above the streets of Chatswood.

Practical conveniences have also been integrated throughout the building, including EV charging provisions, smart parcel lockers, bicycle storage, a pet wash station and dedicated car wash bays, reflecting the project's focus on making everyday living as seamless as possible.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149594 project_image_fid=362633]

"Celine has been designed to deliver a refined residential experience that reflects the evolution of Chatswood into a premium urban centre,"&nbsp;Abolakian says.

"With over 30 years of experience delivering projects across Sydney's Lower North Shore, Hyecorp brings a deep understanding of what local buyers value. Every detail has been considered to balance luxury, functionality and long-term liveability. This is not just about apartments, but about creating a lasting residential address for discerning buyers."

Hyecorp, vertically-integrated builder-developer, is anticipating construction commencement later this year.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=149594]

Joel Robinson

Hyecorp brings 30 years of Lower North Shore experience to Celine in Chatswood

Burgeoning South East Queensland developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/frank-developments">Frank Developments</a> is continuing to pad out its capital city development pipeline.

The developer, led by Frank Licastro, has its sights set on Kingsford Smith Drive in Hamilton, where it is planning <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/avela-60-kingsford-smith-drive-albion-qld-4010">AVELA</a>, a 166-apartment development across three towers that tier down from 28 storeys to 19 and 17.

The towers will rise above the iconic Breakfast Creek Hotel.

Frank has brought on Melbourne architecture practice <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rob-kennon-architects">Kennon</a> to design the building, conceived as a “defining architectural marker where the airport corridor meets the inner city.”

<img alt="First look: Frank Developments plans sculptural AVELA for Brisbane's Breakfast Creek gateway" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e787c64e-f0a4-4725-891e-e86b40ee5c5c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/AVELA.png?VersionId=1ulwuZ9w2vQ2td7v.J2zUI7Ih_DT4Kwz" />

Kennon describes the project as a once-in-a-generation opportunity.

"Positioned at the northern gateway of Brisbane's primary CBD corridor, this project represents a singular moment in the city's urban evolution, one that will not come again," the architecture practice said in the documents submitted to the Brisbane City Council.

"Where the airport and world beyond meets the city, the building will rise as a sculptural landmark, a defining piece of architecture that signals arrival into Brisbane and anchors the connection between the city and the communities to its north."

<img alt="First look: Frank Developments plans sculptural AVELA for Brisbane's Breakfast Creek gateway" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d572bf62-a98d-4847-95d0-889e3d3283e1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/AVELA%20podium.png?VersionId=6.Ax4jBzTbY5ahm55iaMWNR03ODhDQSm" />

The development is centred around owner-occupier apartments, with a mix of two, three and four-bedroom residences designed to capitalise on city and river views.

Four basement levels accommodate resident parking, allowing the podium to prioritise pedestrian activity and public-facing uses like ground-floor retail, a cafe, a&nbsp;neighbourhood grocer, and a public accessible indoor pickleball court and event space.&nbsp;

There will be nearly 2,000 sqm of communal wellness and recreation facilities across three levels.

<img alt="First look: Frank Developments plans sculptural AVELA for Brisbane's Breakfast Creek gateway" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c5ac3cbf-3c11-4219-89f3-e12d9e0f9ffd" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/AVELA%20podium%20A.png?VersionId=_.4zd1HLCKa1s6I_oxkY4NNqX6o3Yevn" />

&nbsp;

Frank Developments has increasingly focused on design-led residential projects across South East Queensland.

AVELA is Licastro's second on Kingsford Smith Drive following <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/alba-92-kingsford-smith-drive-hamilton-qld-4007">Alba</a>, 85 apartments just down the road. The developer has <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/mira-61-garfield-terrace-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">MIRA</a> and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/myst-burleigh-heads-270-the-esplanade-miami-qld-4220">MYST</a> on the Gold Coast, as well as <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/murano-teneriffe-37-wyandra-street-new-farm-qld-4005">Murano</a> coming up in Teneriffe and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bel-air-33-oxlade-drive-new-farm-qld-4005">Bel Air in New Farm</a>.

Frank Developments plans sculptural AVELA for Brisbane's Breakfast Creek gateway

ASX-listed developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/stockland">Stockland</a>&nbsp;is continuing its push back into the new apartment market, filing plans for a prominent gateway site between Collingwood and East Melbourne.

The development giant, which moved back into the new apartment space when it announced Stanton Place in Sydney's Rosebery and have since filed plans for a 50-storey tower, are jumping into the off the plan Melbourne market.

They are hoping to create a mixed-use neighbourhood precinct for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/79-81-victoria-parade-collingwood-vic-3066">79-81 Victoria Parade</a>, replacing an existing commercial building with a scheme by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/john-wardle-architects">Wardle</a>&nbsp;for 478 apartments,&nbsp;ground-floor retail, new public open spaces and a publicly accessible pedestrian laneway.

<img alt="First look: Stockland plans new mixed-use neighbourhood precinct for Collingwood gateway site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="72dbbca9-3918-4073-afad-a0c0c35be8e7" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/stockland%20pers.png?VersionId=bzMVUKKxvwuNK1m0v_td126Rgct32uk_" />

The design report identifies the public realm as a central driver of the proposal.

"Collingwood has limited access to high-quality parks and public open space, and the proposal delivers valuable new areas for respite, social interaction and fine-grain retail activity."

The development would deliver a diverse mix of housing, including studio, one, two and three-bedroom apartments alongside townhouse-style residences. Two basement levels are proposed beneath the development, providing resident and retail parking as well as extensive bicycle facilities.

Wardle's design draws heavily on Collingwood's industrial character, using articulated building forms, brickwork and robust materials inspired by the suburb's warehouse and manufacturing heritage. The built form has been broken into a series of smaller volumes to better respond to the surrounding streetscape while extensive communal gardens, rooftop amenities and shared resident spaces are integrated throughout the project.

<img alt="First look: Stockland plans new mixed-use neighbourhood precinct for Collingwood gateway site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7b2135ed-65df-4253-ad53-f216f06bd467" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/stockland%20podium.png?VersionId=l1B6Hqn8zs772VxH6L1fDPg0KHshan9v" />

The planning documents describe the existing office building as offering little engagement with the public realm, with the redevelopment intended to create a more permeable and active neighbourhood destination.

"The proposed scheme presents a significant opportunity to deliver a vibrant retail plaza and a local neighbourhood hub serving both existing and future Collingwood residents."

The 79–81 Victoria Parade site occupies a strategic location about 1.5 kilometres east of Melbourne's CBD, at the threshold between Collingwood and East Melbourne. It is well served by tram services along Victoria Parade and sits within walking distance of St Vincent's Hospital, Fitzroy Gardens, the Fitzroy activity centre and a broad range of employment, retail and hospitality destinations.

Stockland plans new mixed-use neighbourhood precinct for Collingwood gateway site

An 1880s timber cottage that has survived Kangaroo Point's transformation from riverside suburb to high-density apartment precinct is set to become the centrepiece of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/zephyr">Zephyr Group</a>'s proposed Banksia development.

Rather than see the locally heritage-listed Alpha Cottage as an obstacle to navigate, plans integrate the landmark home into a new 18-storey residential tower, giving one of the suburb's oldest surviving residences a new role as the project's communal hub.

The development application covers a 1,177 sqm amalgamated site at 127-133 Lambert Street and 30 Shafston Avenue, where Zephyr Group plans to deliver 64 apartments above three basement levels. Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/joe-adsett-architects">Joe Adsett Architects</a>, the proposal carefully weaves the retained heritage cottage into a contemporary residential scheme, with the tower elevated above the historic building to preserve its presence within the Lambert Street streetscape.

<img alt="First look: Zephyr Group's Banksia to wrap new Kangaroo Point tower around 1880s Alpha Cottage" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f9dc5bdb-d691-4c60-bf2b-c3ed405a3e75" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Banksia.png?VersionId=Jh4bjlewU.o8HXWt0V4KaFA_lPcF7KWM" />

Named after the native Australian Banksia flower, the project draws inspiration from its distinctive form through curved balconies, sculpted planter boxes and cascading subtropical landscaping that soften the building's profile.

As the design report explains: "The tower's identity is defined by its feature facade, drawing direct inspiration from the Banksia wildflower. The building departs from traditional rigidity through the use of elegant, GRC-moulded planter boxes that appear as if shaped by the breeze."

Plans propose 64 apartments, comprising 32 two-bedroom and 32 three-bedroom residences, across an 18-storey tower. Residents would have access to rooftop amenities including a swimming pool, spa, gym, sauna, private cinema, dining spaces and landscaped recreation areas, while more than half the site is dedicated to planting and open space.

<img alt="First look: Zephyr Group's Banksia to wrap new Kangaroo Point tower around 1880s Alpha Cottage" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="16041b5f-033e-47fa-8fbe-9886e072c1f2" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/pool.png?VersionId=kpx5w4EbLx0_TdWfDoD1vrSs0_cZ5Ao1" />

The heritage component is the defining feature of the proposal. Constructed in the early 1880s and occupied from at least 1883, Alpha Cottage is recognised by Brisbane City Council as an important surviving example of Kangaroo Point's nineteenth-century residential development and as a representative transverse-gable timber cottage. Despite extensive redevelopment across the peninsula, the building has retained a high degree of its original form and internal fabric.

As part of the redevelopment, the cottage will be carefully relocated a short distance within its original allotment to facilitate construction before being returned to a prominent position along Lambert Street. Original verandah elements will be dismantled, catalogued and reinstated, while significant internal features, including timber flooring, wall linings, joinery, doors, windows and hardware, will be retained. Later additions, including the enclosed rear verandah, will be removed to better reveal the building's original form.

Once restored, Alpha Cottage will accommodate the building manager's office, mail room and parcel facilities, providing an active everyday use that supports its long-term conservation rather than preserving it as a static display. The heritage strategy also maintains landscaped space around the building, allowing it to remain visually distinct beneath the new tower.

<img alt="First look: Zephyr Group's Banksia to wrap new Kangaroo Point tower around 1880s Alpha Cottage" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="43b027e1-576e-4624-a66c-7cc54ea8b7be" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/banksia%20tower.png?VersionId=2W6E2yfkj2AQlWlLeV986grA5zB9f817" />

The Heritage Impact Assessment concludes that "the proposal secures the ongoing occupation, maintenance and conservation of Alpha Cottage," finding the development would result in "no more than a minor impact on the cultural heritage significance" of the building while ensuring its long-term future.

Joe Adsett Architects have designed the tower to sit above the heritage building rather than overwhelm it, creating a clear visual separation between old and new. The development's flowing balconies, integrated planting and organic façade respond to Brisbane's subtropical climate while complementing the restored cottage below.

Banksia occupies a prominent corner in Kangaroo Point within walking distance of the Kangaroo Point Bridge, Brisbane River, ferry services, QUT, the CBD and the Woolloongabba precinct. The site also benefits from direct access to active transport infrastructure and sits within an area earmarked for continued higher-density residential growth.

Zephyr Group's Banksia to wrap new Kangaroo Point tower around 1880s Alpha Cottage

Buying into a masterplanned community often means committing to a vision still years from taking shape. At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a>, that vision is already visible.

Residents have moved into the completed first stage, landscaped spaces are established, and the next chapter is now underway. Stage 1 has been completed and settled, with Stage 2 now selling off-the-plan.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/pbd-architects">PBD Architects</a>, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> combines attainable apartment living with sustainability initiatives rarely seen at this price point, including rooftop solar, battery storage and a resident EV-sharing program.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6RNt3AvtBpI?si=JUhuCV2ZRXsYaoJZ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Located on Schofi​elds Road, just moments from Tal​lawong Metro Station and Schof​ields Train Station, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> has been designed to appeal to a broad mix of buyers, from first-home purchasers looking for a foothold in Sy​dney's property market to downsizers seeking a connected, low-maintenance lifestyle.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> has been conceived as a thoughtfully planned masterplanned community that will evolve over multiple stages, with buyers now able to secure one, two and three-bedroom apartments within a neighbourhood that is already beginning to establish its identity.

One of the project's defining features is its focus on sustainability. Solar energy systems, battery storage and future EV charging infrastructure have been incorporated throughout the development, reflecting a long-term approach to both environmental performance and everyday convenience.

Sustainability sits at the centre of the development's vision, with solar energy systems, battery storage and future EV charging infrastructure integrated throughout the community.

That emphasis on future-ready living extends beyond the technology. Landscaped communal gardens, outdoor gathering spaces and plans for a future retail precinct aim to create a neighbourhood where residents can access daily conveniences without travelling far from home.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149637 project_image_fid=351027]

The apartments themselves have been designed with liveability front of mind. Rather than chasing maximum density, the focus has been placed on creating practical homes with generous natural light, usable layouts and strong connections to outdoor space.

Importantly, these design principles have been applied consistently across the one, two and three-bedroom apartment offerings.

The appeal of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> is also closely linked to its location within Syd​ney's rapidly evolving north-west growth corridor. Over the past decade, major infrastructure investment has transformed the area, with new transport links, business precincts and community facilities reshaping suburbs like Talla​wong and Schofiel​ds.

The agent says buyers are increasingly recognising the area's long-term potential.

"Typical buyers that we're finding across <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> especially are your first-home buyers, your investors, your upsizers as well as your downsizers," Hawes says.

Connectivity remains one of the project's strongest drawcards. Residents have access to both Tallaw​ong Metro Station and Schofi​elds Train Station, providing links to the Sydn​ey CBD, Norw​est Business Park, Macquari​e Park and other major employment hubs. Retail centres including Rous​e Hill Town Centre and Sch​ofields Village are also nearby, alongside schools, parks and future healthcare infrastructure.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149637 project_image_fid=351031]

For Stage 1 resident Roji, it is the balance between convenience and comfort that has defined the experience of living at Kew.

"For me, it's a balance of quality and convenience," she says. "Everything I need is right here."

"If I wanted to catch the train, Scho​fields Station is just around the corner. Tallaw​ong Metro connects me to the city."

More importantly, she says, the development has delivered something that cannot be measured in floorplans or specifications.

"<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> feels like home."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149637 project_image_fid=351024]

As Stage 2 enters the market, that lived experience may be one of the project's strongest selling points. Buyers are not purchasing into an untested concept or a future promise. They are joining a community that is already taking shape.

Ongoing investment in transport, retail, healthcare and public open space continues to strengthen the appeal of Syd​ney's north-west growth corridor, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a>'s established first stage provides buyers with a tangible sense of the community's future direction.

For a limited time, buyer can secure a new home at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> with just a $10,000.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=149637]

Jonathan Chancellor

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