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<p>A Brighton beachfront reserve weekend auction offering remains for sale after being passed in at $11.2 million.</p>
<p>The indicative selling price had been given as $11,500,000 to $12,650,000 for the 6 Cole Street offering.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-brighton-126520914" target="_blank">HockingStuart auctioneer Peter Kennett</a> placed vendor bids after the one bid came at $10,500,000.</p>
<p>The vendor bids were $11 million and $11.2 million.</p>
<p>The family estate of 1,400 square metres was offered for the first time offered in 51 years.</p>
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Beachfront Brighton trophy home remains unsold 

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<p>The grand Mornington Peninsula landmark, the 1875-built Continental Hotel is set to be listed for sale.</p>
<p>It is being marketed through CBRE and Sotheby's International with reputed $20 million hopes.</p>
<p>"‘The Continental Hotel - one of the Australia’s best mixed use development opportunities - is about to hit the market with all the hard work completed," Sotheby's agent <a href="https://ink361.com/app/users/1474484720/peninsulaproperties/photos/1634081677990916368_1474484720" target="_blank">Rob Curtain advised his Instagram followers</a>.</p>
<p>The hotel is being offered by the hotelier Julian Gerner, who acquired it for $15 million plus mid-last year.</p>
<p><span>Gerner had plans of adding a apartment building, a wellness centre and cafe, yoga deck, lap pool, along with 38 new hotel rooms, a modern public bar, an up-market restaurant, and two function rooms, aimed at the peninsula’s booming tourism, wedding, golf and winery tour markets.</span></p>
<p><span>He told the local paper earlier this year that </span>he would “absolutely see through” after approvals have been received.</p>
<p class="p2">“We took the case to VCAT and are pleased they found in our favour,” he said.</p>
<p class="p2">“I’ll have to start raising the money now but, mostly, my part is done for a while.</p>
<p class="p2">“The finance side is far too technical for me and will be done by others. Works will start when [the project] is fully funded.”</p>
<p class="p2">Gerner, who runs restaurants and a wine store opposite the Sorrento foreshore, <span>made a name at the Melbourne Pub Group before sea-changing to </span><span>Sorrento</span>.</p>
<p class="p2">The Continental Hotel closed in May for its redevelopment.</p>
<p>Prospective buyers have been advised the vendor of The Continental Hotel was interested to take up a long term lease over the hospitality and commercial components of the completed Continental development.</p>
<p>The operation would include the hotel, restaurant, cafe, car park, retail, bottle shop, wellness centre and pool facility.</p>
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<p>Its indicative commencement rent was $1,800,000 plus GST and outgoings. </p>
<p><span> </span></p>
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Sorrento's Continental Hotel makes quick return to market with VCAT approvals

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<p dir="ltr">Located on the shores of Victoria’s Gippsland Lakes, Bay House at Metung has sold for a record $2.8 million.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-metung-124869986" target="_blank">charming three bedroom residence</a> is on a 1888 sqm block on Bancroft Bay, at the upper end of the town's market.</p>
<p dir="ltr">It had been traded at $2.55 million in 2007, setting a record which was only bettered last year when another house on what's known as Shaving Point sold for $2.62 million.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The picturesque township, four hours east of Melbourne, comes with a $415,000 the median house price.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-0ca94b4e-c18d-9622-b462-206e74c6c1e0">Bay House offered a state of the art kitchen, open-plan living area, fireplace, timber floors, and a fully fitted self-contained studio.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr">With all bedrooms complete with ensuites and water views, the Metung Road retreat sold through Castran Real Estate agent, John Castran, in conjunction with King &amp; Heath First National. </p>
<p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-0ca94b4e-c18d-9622-b462-206e74c6c1e0">It came with landscaped gardens and lawn with 26 metres of bay frontage.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr">The property included a jetty and a private floating marina with deep water berthing for two boats up to 17m, plus additional berthing for smaller vessels. </p>
<p dir="ltr">This article was first published in The Weekend Australian.</p>
<p dir="ltr"> </p>
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Record waterfront Metung beach house sale

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<p>An ocean-view Coorabell house has been listed for sale with $3.6 million to $3.8 million price guidance.</p>
<p>Located at 600 Coolamon Scenic Drive, <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-coorabell-126427438" target="_blank">the 2.3 acre property</a> has a commanding position on the Coolamon Scenic ridgeline.</p>
<p>It last sold for $1.775 million in 2013.</p>
<p>It features an entry foyer with a Victorian Ash staircase just as you enter while two bedrooms, one with a walk-in robe, are also on this level.</p>
<p>Upstairs is the living area with fireplace and kitchen as well as dining area with views of the hinterland and ocean.</p>
<p><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/09/20/600%20Coolamon%20Scenic%20Drive-2.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>Master suite has views as well as its own walk-in robe while at the end of the hallway is either a home office or fourth bedroom.</p>
<p>Outside features gardens with established strees as well as stone walling and small spring fed dam and saltwater pool.</p>
<p>Mullumbimby township and Bangalow are all within a short drive of the property.</p>
<p>The property is offered through First National agents Paul Prior and Su Reynolds.</p>
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Ocean view Coorabell house listed for sale

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<div class="cq-article-content-paras section">
<p>The longtime Melbourne apartment developer Michael Yates is seeking to sell his 55 Claremont Street project site after only getting buyers for 20 of the 37 apartments in the planned development.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-land+development-vic-south+yarra-502602942" target="_blank">boutique project</a> failed to get traction with buyers, he admitted to Fairfax Media.</p>
<p>"Sales were slow," Mr Yates candidly said. "We didn't reach the required numbers for finance. Building costs have also blown out."</p>
</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">It is reportedly the last site he owns, so he will be stepping out of the apartment industry.</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section"> </div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">His desperate sale pitch came with an offer<span> of a shared electric BMW i3 for residents of the 37 apartments,</span> but it wasn't enough to tempt buyers. </div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">The unsuccessful marketing campaign came from <a href="https://www.grenade.com.au/55-claremont/" target="_blank">Grenade</a>. It was marketed as the last of its kind to offer panoramic, never-to-be built out views of the Yarra River and Melbourne CBD.</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section"> </div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/10/30/Yates2.jpg" alt=""></div>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal">Ausin, the company that promotes Australian property to the Chinese foreigners, was engaged to find an overseas demand, that also failed to emerge.</p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal">The 50 year veteran, now 73, says he's not leaving development, but he has sub-leased his office.</p>
</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">He hopes to "take it easy for a year or so".</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section"> </div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">The Claremont Street site has joined with a neighbouring one owned by cleaning company AES Services boss George Haritos to make the current 969-square-metre site offering.</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section"> </div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">It is not just uncertainty about the apartment market - but his age and health - that had prompted him to take a break, noting "all cycles come to an end."</div>
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<p>Mr Yates's son Toby left the business last year after ten years as sales and marketing manager.</p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">On its 2015 launch, construction was due for completion by the end of 2017. When CBRE was engaged to sell the apartment, it was suggesting a late</span> 2018 completion, but again unable to find sufficiently boost buyer numbers.</p>
</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">Now Mark Wizel is selling the entire 49-55 Claremont Street site with its view towards the river and city skyline over the Melbourne High School oval.</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section"> </div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">He claims there had been "solid" interest in the "early 30 [million]s" for the site but that the expectations of Yates and Haritos "might be a little north of that".</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section"> </div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">Fairfax Media described the site as "spectacularly located" that "some sources are tipping could make way for the city's most exclusive apartment tower."</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section"> </div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/10/30/Yates1.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section"> </div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">It anticipated a tower of possibly more than 30 storeys.</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section"> </div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">The site is along from<span> his previously constructed Yarra House. </span>
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<div class="cq-article-content-media section"><span> </span></div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">
<span><span>The </span></span>Michael L Yates &amp; Co. project was set to continue their longstanding relationship with architects Bird de la Coeur and interior designers Hassell.</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section"> </div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">On its early 2016 launch The Urban Developer claimed Melbourne’s luxury apartment market was set to strengthen during 2016, driven predominantly by the baby-boomer cohort demanding high quality, spacious apartments in inner city pockets.</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section"> </div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">Yates, said on launch the past few years had seen the makings of the “boomer-boom”, with his nearby development Yarra House in South Yarra selling more than 70 percent of apartments to owner occupiers in the over-50 bracket.
<p class="p1">According to Mr Yates, the baby-boomer demand for Yarra House was a shift from previous projects in the area where at least 40 percent of stock was purchased by investors.</p>
<p class="p1">“We have ensured 55 Claremont ticked the boxes for baby-boomers – spacious and flexible floorplans, a boutique development in a prime location and a dress circle view of Melbourne,” he suggested at the time of launch.</p>
<p class="p1">Industry observers noted the ignominy of his retreat in 2017 is that the name and the <span lang="EN-US">Michael <span id="0.6253933730188266" class="highlight">Yates</span> brand was built around the fact that he "lives and breathes South Yarra."</span></p>
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<p><span>Known as the </span><span>Forrest Hill Precinct</span><span>, it is located between and includes the west side of Chapel Street through to Yarra Street, running north from Toorak Road through to Alexandra Avenue. </span></p>
<p><span>The precinct was brought to the attention of the market in 2005, when a large portion was acquired by Michael L Yates &amp; Co, with its subsequent re-zoning following and development commenced. From the outset, the Precinct had potential for </span>50 development sites, of which 30 have now been fully developed providing in total around 3000 apartments.</p>
<p>Last year it was suggested 15 sites remained suitable for development, with a potential to produce a further 2,500 apartments. </p>
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<p class="p1"><span lang="EN-US">Yates' devotion to the area over four decades resulted in numerous developments that have included award winning projects such as </span><span lang="NL">7 &amp; 9 Yarra Street, 50 <span id="0.3287032112429862" class="highlight">Claremont</span> Street, and One Yarra Lane.</span></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Previously Yates was proud of the high-end Georges Apartments on Little Collins Street in the Melbourne CBD.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Earlier in his career, Yates developed office buildings on Collin Street, including 400 Collins St, 414 Collins St and 454 Collins St.</p>
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Michael Yates quits South Yarra apartment site after failing to secure finance

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<div>Sportsbet chief executive Cormac Barry secured the sale of his three-bedroom South Yarra offering, amid Melbourne's record auction spree ahead of the Spring racing carnival interlude.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Barry's punt of putting it up for auction on Super Saturday paid off handsomely when <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-south+yarra-126560498" target="_blank">the double fronted Victorian-era home on Nicholson Street</a> (above) fetched $2.4 million.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>It was $175,000 over reserve after keen competition between three homebuyers.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Last traded at $1.48 million in 2011, it had come with a pre-auction price guide of $2.1 million to $2.3 million.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The listing had a celebrity connection too as fashion designer Bettina Liano had previously owned the charming Victorian home, selling it in 2007 at $1.35 million.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Melbourne had the nation's cheapest weekend offering when $237,000 secured a Brunswick West one bedroom apartment.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The top floor 38 sq m 1970s apartment at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property/17-558-moreland-rd-brunswick-west-vic-3055" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">17/558 Moreland Road</a> had been tipped to fetch $235,000.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The unit last sold at $235,500 in 2010. It had been listed for most of the past year with $265,000 hopes, having been rented at $285 a week. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>The top sale across the nation was a <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-waverton-126499226" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">$7,168,000 Waverton sale</a> in Sydney through McGrath Estate Agents.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The 30 Larkin Street five bedroom home was built on a 560 sq m block bought in 2006 for $2.2 million.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>A three-storey house in Strathfield, sold for $6.6 million, some $600,000 over the reserve.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Melbourne's dearest result was a $6.4 million pre-auction sale of an Edwardian home at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-toorak-126554194" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">659 Orrong Road, Toorak</a> followed by another five bedroom home at 33 Grant Street, Malvern East which fetched $6,125,000.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>It was a <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-malvern+east-126555914" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">three-year old Canny-built</a> home.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Canberra took the baton as the capital city with the strongest weekend auction clearance rate of 77.1 percent sold under the hammer.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Prices ranged between $330,000 at Belconnen and $2,235,000 at O'Connor.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property/3-syme-cres-oconnor-act-2602" target="_blank">Syme Crescent five bedroom house</a> (below) was a modern home with pool on its 960 sq m block.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/10/30/Canberra1.jpg" alt=""> </div>
<div> </div>
<div>The one bedroom cheapie at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-act-belconnen-126644962" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">231/41 Chandler Street</a> had been tipped to fetch $359,000 plus.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The 17th floor Altitude apartment enjoyed water and mountain views.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Canberra’s clearance rate was 77.1 per cent this week across 128 auctions, up from 68.2 per cent last week across 71 auctions.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Melbourne recorded its busiest auction week on record, securing a 71.7 percent success rate from 1,983 auctions. It was down on the prior preliminary 73.3 percent tally.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Melbourne's bumper auction volume surpassed the previous peak in late November 2015 when 1,876 auctions were held, Corelogic calculated amid nascent signs of Spring listings overload.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Sydney also saw a substantially higher volume of auctions with 1,196 homes taken to auction, though recording a weakening clearance rate of 64.1 per cent.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>"Sydney’s clearance rate has been consistently below 65 per cent since the first week of October," according to CoreLogic's auction commentator Kevin Brogan.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The Super Saturday saw zero auction commentary before or after from Domain's senior economist Dr Andrew Wilson, who has been with the soon to float group since October 2010.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The usually prolific Dr Wilson has not tweeted since the prior weekend when he was duly undertaking official duties at the Sydney Property Expo.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The Australian Financial Review coverage relied, unusually, just on CoreLogic. Domain's Sydney auction coverage came from a Melbourne correspondent, amid their gushing Block coverage.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>This week, the combined capital cities saw the number of auctions held reach a new year-to-date high according to CoreLogic, with a total of 3,690 held, surpassing the previous 2017 high recorded over the week prior to Easter when 3,517 auctions were held.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The higher volumes returned a national auction clearance rate of 67.8 per cent.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>"Historically auction volumes have peaked around late November/early December; so if this trend holds true this year, we could see new records being set for auction volumes as the Spring season concludes," Brogan suggested.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The other capital city auction markets were mixed with Brisbane recording the lowest clearance rate of just 47.1 percent.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>There were 188 Brisbane auctions, virtually unchanged from 47 percent last week across 174 auctions and similar to one year ago when there were 192 auctions with a success rate of 46.6 per cent.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Brisbane's unsuccessful auctions included a classic Queenslander which was passed in at $2.05 million in Paddington.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-paddington-125561114" target="_blank">The five bedroom Tooth Avenue home</a> (below) came with polished timber floors, high ceilings and VJ walls.</div>
<div> </div>
<div><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/10/30/BRISBANE1.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div> </div>
<div>A total of 143 Adelaide homes were taken to auction with a preliminary clearance rate of 70 per cent. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Adelaide's cheapest result was $246,000 at Para Hills.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-sa-para+hills-126532846" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The three bedroom 1962 brick home</a> had last sold at $180,000 in 2008.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>There were 46 Perth auctions, with 54.5 per cent clearing, rising from last week when 44 auctions were held and 40 per cent cleared.</div>
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Melbourne hands reins to Canberra as weekend auction success rate weakens in gallop to list

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<p>Musk Farm, the much-admired central Victorian cottage masterpiece, has found its next owner in pre-auction negotiations.</p>

<p>They paid $2.41 million.</p>

<p>The home was associated with the late interior designer Stuart Rattle when it came with a derelict garden overrun with blackberries on its 1.2 hectare parcel.</p>

<p><span style="font-size: 12.16px;"><img alt="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/10/30/Musk2.jpg"></span></p>

<p>Rattle transformed the home before his untimely death, in 2013, with it then sold through executors for $1.59 million in 2014.</p>

<p>This time round Paul Caine of Caine Real Estate had initially expected a sale of around $2 million.</p>

<p>Stuart Rattle had actually been reluctant to buy the property in the late 1990s when he and good mate, the landscape gardener Paul Bangay undertook their first inspection.</p>

<p>He thought it looked like a municipal park with too much asphalt, but returning at twilight Rattle sensed the potent opportunity.</p>

<p><img alt="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/10/30/Musk3.jpg"></p>

<p>He arrived at the later opinion that the home was at its best in late afternoons. </p>

<p>He created a compact cottage after installing lower ceilings and its paintwork created the rich, moody and broody feel that he had once seen at florist Kevin O'Neill's Mount Macedon retreat.  </p>

<h2><strong>Homes in VIC you may like:</strong></h2>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=2743]</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=3385]</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=3494]</p>
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Central Victoria's cutest cottage, Musk Farm sold pre-auction

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<p>Sydney has a record 350 cranes constructing mostly residential apartments around the city.</p>
<p>Melbourne sits a distant second with around 150 cranes on the skyline, according to the RLB Crane index, published bi-annually by Rider Levett Bucknall.</p>
<p>Some 109 suburbs in Sydney currently have residential cranes. </p>
<p data-removed-style="letter-spacing:0.001em;">“Every single crane in the sky is more evidence of another home, another school, another hospital, another business in our capital,” NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said.</p>
<p>Epping leads the Sydney residential count with 16, followed by Wolli Creek with 13, Parramatta with 10 and Burwood's nine. Mascot, Homebush, Lane Cove, Lewisham, Zetland, Leichhardt, Surry Hills, Ashfield, Auburn, Flemington, Meadowbank, Mosman, Ryde and Waterloo make up the top 18 construction localities. </p>
<p>Apartment buyers are going to be spoilt for choice across NSW as the number of units under construction hits all time highs.</p>
<p>The number of new units under construction sits at 64,470 in NSW, up on the 17,100 long term average.</p>
<p>Until five years ago, the most apartments being built in NSW at any one time was 25,000.</p>
<p>There are also 17,845 new houses currently under construction in NSW, slightly higher then the 13,500 long-term average.</p>
<p>The volume of new housing stock under construction sits at "dizzying heights," the CoreLogic analyst Cameron Kusher suggested, noting the surge in stock is clearly being driven by units. </p>
<p>"This is probably to do with the fact that many property purchasers in NSW can simply no longer afford houses particularly in Sydney so units become their only housing purchase option, Kusher added. </p>
<p>This current construction surge is not confined to NSW as the Australian Bureau of Statistics calculated around 215,000 dwellings are under construction nationally, against the 10 year average of 153,000.</p>
<p>The national figure sees around 63,000 houses and 152,000 units under construction nationally against the long-run average of 48,000 houses and 39,000 units.</p>
<p>The building activity data coincides with data showing the large increase in population fuelling housing demand.  </p>
<p>It has been calculated 1650 new people have been calling Sydney home every week since 2011.</p>
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<p>Over the past two years the Reserve Bank has regularly highlighted the potential risks posed by the large pipeline of apartment construction, but interestingly only in Melbourne and Brisbane where new apartments have represented a larger proportionate addition to supply.</p>
<p>Last week the RBA's latest Financial Stability Review did however note reports of small declines in prices in "a few" Sydney apartment development projects. </p>
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<p>Substantial additions to the stock of apartments in particular locations certainly raise the possibility of price falls or subdued growth as the new stock gets absorbed. </p>
<p>So off the plan buyers approaching settlement will need to realise that tighter financing conditions are sometimes seeing valuations below the purchase contract price.</p>
<p>They will need to look around for finance and come up with a bigger deposit, possibly as much as 30 percent.</p>
<p>There are going to be suburbs that fare better than others when it comes to holding their value.</p>
<p>It is important to note the surge in unit stock takes time to build and the delivery of more stock can be slowed considerably.</p>
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Epping leads Sydney crane count followed by Wolli Creek 

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<p>Peter Higgins, the entrepreneurial mortgage broker and his wife Rebecca, have sold a small part of their Richmond Lowlands polo estate.</p>
<p>The sale was finalised just before the World Polo Championships, which kicked off on the weekend  at spectacular riverfront location.</p>
<p>There's speculation the UK Royals could turn up as Higgins, has remained in touch since he played polo with the princes in the UK.</p>
<p>Teams from Argentina, United Kingdom, New Zealand, India, Chile and Spain, and Australia will be competing.</p>
<p>The recently sold home, dubbed <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property/7-ridges-lane-richmond-lowlands-nsw-2753" target="_blank">Hawkesbury House</a>, has been bought by champion polo player Hugh Parry-Okeden and his wife, Gendy, who are returning to the riverfront lane after about a decade's absence. </p>
<p>They paid $4.3 million for the 12.3 hectare estate.</p>
<p>Given the timber master craftsman Parry-Okeden established the hardwood building company, Giddiup and his wife, Gendy was co-founder of Hickory Hill Home, the sleepwear and lifestyle brand,gthey no doubt they will makeover the five bedroom homestead.</p>
<p>It looks over the park-like surroundings and grazing paddocks which come with an Argentinian inspired stable block of eight. </p>
<p><span>Higgins, who started playing polo in the early 1990s, starred 12 years ago on the entrepreneurial television investment show Dragons Den.</span></p>
<p class="first-para">Higgins, a co-founder of Mortgage Choice, began to buy in the Windsor district in 2002, consolidating arounds 50 hectares of alluvial land overlooking the Hawkesbury River during the following six years.</p>
<p>In 2010 he was seeking $20 million for much of the estate when it was offered by veteran agent Bill Bridges in conjunction with Ryan Watsford.</p>
<p><span>He subsequently endeavoured to hold weddings on the expansive holding but in 2015 <span>Hawkesbury City Council were taken to court by the nearby Marshall Rural Pty Ltd, aka as Kurri Burri Polo Club. </span></span></p>
<p>The country estate with polo fields at the base of the Blue Mountains were featured in the opening scenes of Australian made blockbuster, The Great Gatsby.</p>
<p>No doubt holding of the world championship on the estate would enhance its cache among Chinese trophy estate acquirers. </p>
<p>Cutcliffe Properties agent Paul Cutliffe sold Hawkesbury House which spent nearly 300 days on the market.</p>
<p>The Parry-Okedens had recently sold their heritage-listed home Ukamurra at Cattai on the Hawkesbury River.</p>
<p>The sandstone home, which was bought for $1.5 million run down in 2008, fetched $7.3 million last year when sold to a company headed up by a syndicate of Chinese buyers.</p>
<p>This article first appeared in The Daily Telegraph.</p>
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Polo offering in Richmond Lowlands sold by Peter Higgins

<html><body>
<p class="x_description">Jockey Brad Rawiller’s trackside Ascot Vale townhouse was among the Melbourne weekend offerings that just got across the line.</p>
<p class="x_description">Rawiller and his wife Carolyn secured $980,000 post-auction for their <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-ascot+vale-126399910" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">three-bedroom riverside townhouse</a> (picture above) located just across the road from the Flemington Racecourse.</p>
<p class="x_description">It was sold by the upsizing couple shortly after being passed in at $970,000, having been their home for 17 years. It last traded at $380,000 in 2000, reflecting 5.6 percent annual price growth.</p>
<p class="x_description">Rawiller was at Caulfield where he rode Burning Front into second place in the Moonga Stakes.</p>
<p class="x_description">Next weekend Melbourne get's its traditional spike in pre-Derby Day-Cup Day Super Saturday listings.</p>
<p class="x_description"><span class="contextualExtensionHighlight ms-font-color-themePrimary ms-border-color-themePrimary ident_670_784">There are around 1700 homes set to go under the hammer, which will be an all-time record for a Melbourne Saturday.</span></p>
<p class="x_description">Saturday will present buyers with the biggest choice of homes since the pre-Easter 2016 Super Saturday when 1598 homes went under the hammer.</p>
<p><span class="contextualExtensionHighlight ms-font-color-themePrimary ms-border-color-themePrimary ident_929_1040">With more than 1000 homes up for auction next weekend, Sydney will have its second biggest weekend of the year.</span></p>
<p>"The market will be well and truly tested next weekend," Domain chief economist Dr Andrew Wilson said.</p>
<p>A total of $500 million worth of property was reported sold across Melbourne over the weekend, with Sydney buyers wagering around $300 million on their property outlays.</p>
<p>The national preliminary auction clearance rate sat below 70 percent, according to CoreLogic.</p>
<p>The combined capital cities returned a preliminary auction clearance rate of 69.4 per cent this weekend.</p>
<p>The trend towards softer auction market conditions has been led by the Sydney market, Kevin Brogan, the CoreLogic auction analyst said.</p>
<p>Auction volumes were similar week-on-week, with 2,471 properties taken to auction, compared to 2,525 last week.</p>
<p>This time last year a clearance rate of 78.1 per cent was recorded.</p>
<p>Melbourne had the priciest declared weekend sale across the nation when a Parkville terrace fetched $5.6 million.</p>
<p class="x_description">It was the grand two storey home of architect Roger Wood, the co-founder of Wood Marsh, and his wife Shelley Lasica.</p>
<p class="x_description">The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-parkville-126461554" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">108 Park Drive</a> property, an 1880s charmer had a $3.8 million reserve with Nelson Alexander Carlton North agent Peter Stephens who told the Herald Sun four bidders pursued the three-bedroom house.</p>
<p>The couple paid $965,000 in 2002 before the renovation which included putting in a 12m-long wine cellar.</p>
<p>There was also a $6.56 million undisclosed sale in Hawthorn. The 10 Riversdale Court offering had three bidders, with just the two after it was announced on the market at $5.8 million. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-hawthorn-126512186" target="_blank">Yarrayum</a>, was is a split-level contemporary brick family home with views of the Yarra and the city skylines through a beautiful rare Tulip tree on a 803sqm block.</p>
<p>There was also the undisclosed $6.4 million sale at 18 Coleridge Street, Kew. There were the five bidders after a $6,050,000 bid saw Marshall White auctioneer James Tostevin announce that the <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-kew-126484438" target="_blank">five bedroom, five bathroom property</a> was on the market.</p>
<p><span>The <span>private rear garden comes with solar heated in-ground pool designed by Dave Franklin from Franklin Design.</span></span></p>
<p>Melbourne's 73.3 per cent success rate across 1,030 results remained the mainland's strongest market.</p>
<p>There were 1,224 properties taken to auction across the city, up from 1,223 last week when the final clearance rate was recorded at 73.2 per cent.</p>
<p>Over the same week last year, 1,377 auctions were held and a clearance rate of 80.6 per cent was recorded.</p>
<p>Sydney was host to 806 auctions this week with a preliminary clearance rate of 68.8 per cent, up from the final 63.3 per cent tally last week across 928 auctions.</p>
<p>One year ago, 897 auctions were held across Sydney and 82.6 per cent were successful.</p>
<p>The strongest of the 15 sub-regions were the Northern Beaches (83.1 per cent), Eastern Suburbs (78.4 per cent), City and Inner South (78.2 per cent) and North Sydney and Hornsby (74.4 per cent) regions. </p>
<p>But the highest sale came from the Sutherland Shire when $5,020,000 <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-burraneer-126473982" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a Burraneer Bay waterfront</a> was sold.</p>
<p>It was a three bedroom home at 10 Wren Place.</p>
<p>Highlands Property Cronulla selling agent David Highland said there had been 80 inspections over the four week marketing campaign withy four contracts issued.</p>
<p>Canberra is closing in on Sydney's spot as the typically second strongest market.</p>
<p>Across Canberra, 72 homes were taken to auction this weekend. Preliminary results show a clearance rate of 68.3 per cent, down from 72.2 per cent the previous week. </p>
<p>Canberra prices ranged between $478,000 at Bonner and $1.399 million in Turner.</p>
<p>The $478,000 sale was a three bedroom townhouse in the Motown complex at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-act-bonner-126599102" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">15/29 Muriel Stewart Cct</a>.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-townhouse-act-turner-126524470" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">1/12 Gould Street, Turner</a> triplex four bedroom townhouse offering had sold at 41 million in 2008.</p>
<p>The preliminary clearance rate in Brisbane this week rose to 51.5 per cent, from 46.1 per cent last week. Auction volumes were unchanged week-on-week with 171 homes taken to auction.</p>
<p>Brisbane's outskirts had the cheapest house sale when a three bedroom at Woodridge in Logan City was sold for $225,000.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-woodridge-126498734" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">9 Claverton Street </a>offering had sold in 2014 at $229,000.</p>
<p>In Adelaide, a 66.1 per cent preliminary result was recorded this week across 147 auctions. Last week, 93 Adelaide auctions returned a clearance rate of 65.9 per cent for the city, while at the same time last year, 100 homes were taken to auction, with 71.3 per cent recording a successful result.</p>
<p>Adelaide sales included a sandstone and brick home that <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property/22-grant-ave-rose-park-sa-5067" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">fetched $1.146 million at Rose Park</a>.</p>
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Galloping to sell: Melbourne auction levels at all-time high

<p>One of North Sydney's best-known commercial buildings could become hundreds of new homes, with insurance giant Zurich Australia lodging a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) to transform 5 Blue Street into a mixed-use residential development above North Sydney Station.</p>

<p>Rather than demolishing the existing building and starting again, Zurich is proposing an adaptive reuse project that would convert the landmark office building into a 15-level residential development delivering 62 apartments, 86 affordable co-living dwellings, activated retail and significant upgrades to the Blue Street Plaza.</p>

<p>The proposal reflects a growing trend of commercial property owners repositioning ageing office assets into residential housing as Sydney grapples with housing supply shortages and changing workplace demand.</p>

<p><img alt="Zurich" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0bba7d12-06dc-4375-aad7-238c94b21ac5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%2010.42.05%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=NJl5oLAEBDGuPmY3RnyliKODjMc8lvRh" /></p>

<p>Located directly above North Sydney Metro and train station, the 3,051 sqm site occupies one of the most strategically positioned parcels of land on Sydney's Lower North Shore.</p>

<p>Designed by fjcstudio, the proposal seeks to retain and adapt much of the existing structure while creating a contemporary residential address that better connects with the public domain surrounding North Sydney Station.</p>

<p>The application proposes two basement levels, ground floor retail, affordable co-living accommodation across the podium levels, and apartments above, while preserving and enhancing the publicly accessible Blue Street Plaza.</p>

<p>Rather than pursuing maximum apartment numbers, Zurich has opted for a housing mix heavily weighted towards larger owner-occupier residences.</p>

<p>The proposal includes 62 build-to-sell apartments comprising 12 one-bedroom, 19 two-bedroom, 29 three-bedroom apartments and two premium penthouses. It also incorporates 86 affordable co-living dwellings, which would be managed in perpetuity by a Community Housing Provider.</p>

<p>That balance between traditional apartments and affordable housing reflects the NSW Government's push to increase housing diversity around major transport infrastructure.</p>

<p>The proposal has been lodged concurrently with a rezoning application, with Zurich arguing the site is ideally positioned to support additional housing given its immediate proximity to public transport, employment and services.</p>

<p>"The proposal aims to respond to the housing challenges facing Sydney through the delivery of diverse housing types in a highly accessible location," the design report by fjcstudio states. It also seeks to improve pedestrian amenity through upgrades to Blue Street Plaza while creating a high-performing residential building that responds to the surrounding context.</p>

<p><img alt="Zurich" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="36082e15-c636-4481-bb68-5a5f6443fe39" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%2010.41.36%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=5P6VD.fvmqjQfIG3TWWMRXxQWiQBjeFB" /></p>

<p>Rather than replacing the commercial building, fjcstudio has developed a design that works with the existing structural framework above the rail corridor, an approach that significantly reduces demolition while allowing the site to be repositioned as a mixed-use residential precinct.</p>

<p>The existing structural constraints have informed much of the building's design, including its relationship with Blue Street and surrounding public spaces.</p>

<p>The building has been designed as a slender tower rising above a clearly defined podium, with vertically expressed façades intended to reduce the perceived bulk while reinforcing North Sydney's emerging skyline.</p>

<p>According to fjcstudio, the architectural language responds directly to the surrounding commercial towers while maintaining a finer grain expression more closely aligned with the neighbouring Lavender Bay streetscape.</p>

<p>The tower incorporates articulated façade elements, landscaped podium edges and recessed upper levels to soften its appearance and improve pedestrian amenity below.</p>

<p>A significant component of the proposal is the revitalisation of Blue Street Plaza.</p>

<p>The existing public space has long served as one of the primary pedestrian connections between North Sydney Station, Greenwood Plaza and Blue Street, yet its role is expected to become even more important following the opening of Sydney Metro.</p>

<p>Zurich's proposal seeks to strengthen that role by improving landscaping, introducing new retail frontages, enhancing pedestrian permeability and creating more active edges throughout the day and evening.</p>

<p>Ground floor retail would wrap the plaza, while separate residential and co-living entries have been designed to improve wayfinding without reducing street activation.</p>

<p>Landscape design has been integrated throughout the podium and public realm, softening what is currently one of the most heavily urbanised parts of North Sydney.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>fjcstudio has carefully oriented apartments towards Sydney Harbour and the CBD while using privacy blades and articulated façades to minimise overlooking between neighbouring buildings.</p>

<p>Large framed openings along the western elevation maximise harbour outlooks, while the eastern apartments have been angled towards the south-east to improve privacy from neighbouring development.</p>

<p>The project forms part of the continuing transformation of North Sydney from a predominantly commercial CBD into a genuine mixed-use city centre.</p>

<p>Since the completion of Victoria Cross Metro Station, developers have increasingly shifted their attention towards residential projects capable of leveraging the area's unparalleled transport connectivity.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>FiveX recently lodged plans for a 61-storey, 490-apartment tower that would become one of the tallest residential buildings in North Sydney if approved.</p>

<p>Aqualand continues to expand its Lower North Shore presence following the completion of AURA on Walker Street and its recent St Leonards and Roseville proposals.</p>

<p>Developers are also progressing projects throughout Walker Street, Miller Street and the Victoria Cross precinct as demand for well-located owner-occupier apartments continues to strengthen.</p>


Joel Robinson

First look: Zurich targets North Sydney office conversion with 148-unit proposal above Metro station

<p>Busy developer Aqualand Prestige has formally taken the next step in its expansion across Sydney's Lower North Shore, lodging a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for its long-held Archer Street site in Chatswood.</p>

<p>The application covers <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/51-55-archer-street-chatswood-nsw-2067">51-55 Archer Street</a>, a 1,767 sqm amalgamated site on the eastern edge of the Chatswood CBD, where the developer is seeking approval for a 45-level mixed-use tower delivering 114 apartments, including a significant affordable housing component, alongside retail, commercial space and six basement levels of parking.</p>

<p>The SSDA marks the latest milestone for a project Aqualand has been quietly progressing over the past two years. The developer first secured the site for its Aqualand Prestige platform before undertaking an alternative design excellence process with PTW Architects, ultimately avoiding a formal design competition through the Housing Delivery Authority pathway.</p>

<p>The proposal has evolved considerably from Aqualand's original concept. The revised scheme has been designed around larger owner-occupier product, with an unusually high proportion of three and four-bedroom apartments, targeting the more affluent buyer profile, and downsizer, emerging across the North Shore.</p>

<p><img alt="Archer St" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0171204c-5811-41b5-9b09-2335d1b7c3d0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%208.52.48%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=6YTuxfq.puZo7k2wbfgemcO5K3QfXYGQ" /></p>

<p>The 114-apartment mix comprises six studios, 27 one-bedroom apartments, 18 two-bedroom apartments, 50 three-bedroom residences and 13 four-bedroom homes. A quarter of the building will be dedicated to affordable housing, well above the mandated 15 per cent&nbsp;</p>

<p>PTW has structured the building vertically, with affordable housing across levels one to six, premium apartments through levels seven to 31, duplex skyhomes on klevels 32 to 43, a penthouse on level 44, and a rooftop plant level above. Six basement levels will provide resident parking and servicing.</p>

<p>The tower is proposed to reach approximately 154 metres, placing it among a growing collection of residential high-rises transforming Chatswood's skyline.</p>

<p>Rather than competing purely on height, PTW says the design has been driven by creating a slimmer tower capable of delivering significantly larger apartments.</p>

<p>"The primary objective of this project was to create a distinctive building that stands out from the recently approved or built structures in the Chatswood area," the design report states, noting the structural efficiency allows greater investment into apartment quality and resident amenity.</p>

<p>Residents would have access to more than 450 sqm of communal open space including landscaped gardens, swimming pool, rooftop entertaining areas, fitness spaces, community gardens, children's play areas and barbecue facilities.</p>

<p>A major focus of the design has been the public domain.</p>

<p>The ground plane has been opened up through landscaped terraces inspired by Willoughby's sandstone ridges, with native planting, public seating, artwork, retail activation and a series of gathering spaces intended to soften what has traditionally been a hard commercial streetscape.</p>

<p>The landscape strategy references Blue Gum forests once common throughout the area, while incorporating Indigenous storytelling, public art and lighting installations to strengthen the connection to Country.</p>

<p data-end="239" data-start="66">Chatswood has been one of Sydney's busiest apartment markets over the past 12 months, with a steady pipeline of both new project launches and fresh development applications.</p>

<p data-end="442" data-start="241">Hyecorp recently launched Celine, a 122-apartment development just along Archer Street, while Changfa and Huirong Group are progressing The Anderson, an 84-apartment project on Anderson Street.</p>

<p data-end="661" data-start="444">Develotek recently secured approval for a 101-apartment tower on Pacific Highway, while Tian An LFD received the green light for Hammond Greens, its apartment development on the edge of the Chatswood Bowling Club.</p>

<p data-end="909" data-start="663">Commercial property developer FiveX is also making its move into the residential market. Last month it lodged plans for a 61-storey tower with 490 apartments, which, if approved, would become one of the tallest residential buildings in Chatswood.</p>

<p><em>Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-fivex-targets-chatswood-skyline-with-61-storey-tower-after-north-sydney-plans">First look: FiveX targets Chatswood skyline with 61-storey tower after North Sydney plans</a></em></p>

<p data-end="1339" data-start="1019">Aqualand is also expanding its development pipeline following the launch of its luxury residential brand, Aqualand Prestige. The developer has delivered a string of high-end apartment projects across Sydney's affluent suburbs over the past decade, most recently AURA by Aqualand on Walker Street in North Sydney.</p>

<p data-end="1339" data-start="1019">[smartcode_project:default project_id=30959 project_image_fid=292863]</p>

<p data-end="1398" data-start="1341">It has since quietly assembled its next wave of projects.</p>

<p data-end="1805" data-start="1400">Earlier this year Aqualand launched Boronia in Roseville, a boutique 111-apartment development on Larkin Street. The project is one of the first significant apartment developments to launch in the suburb ahead of what is expected to become one of Sydney's most active new housing precincts under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing reforms, which allow greater density around train stations.</p>

<p data-end="1805" data-start="1400">[smartcode_project:default project_id=152095 project_image_fid=373685]</p>

<p data-end="1991" data-start="1807">The developer has also lodged plans for a two-tower, 413-apartment development on Herbert Street in nearby St Leonards, further strengthening its presence across the Lower North Shore.</p>

<p data-end="2303" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="" data-start="1993">Beyond that, Aqualand remains behind the final stage of Barangaroo, where plans will deliver a five-hectare mixed-use precinct comprising new homes, retail, hospitality and community facilities, alongside a new Metro entrance and more than two hectares of public open space, completing the Barangaroo precinct.</p>

<p><em>Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/central-barangaroo-development-takes-big-step-with-concept-proposal-approval">Central Barangaroo development takes big step with concept proposal approval</a></em></p>

<p><em>Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-aqualand-joins-st-leonards-apartment-party">First look: Aqualand joins St Leonards apartment party</a></em><br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


First look: Aqualand pushes ahead with Chatswood apartment tower as SSDA lodged for Archer Street

<p data-end="492" data-start="327">Mass timber is becoming an increasingly popular construction material in apartment developments, but Adelaide developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/otello">Otello</a> is taking the approach a step further.</p>

<p data-end="843" data-start="497">At its new <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flowe-bowden-18-gibson-street-bowden-sa-5007">Flowe Bowden</a> development, the exposed cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure isn't just about reducing the building's environmental footprint. It also forms the foundation of a broader wellness strategy, influencing everything from indoor air quality and natural materials to the way residents move through and experience the building.</p>

<p data-end="1109" data-start="848">The 115-apartment mixed-use development, designed by Melbourne-based architecture practice Fieldwork, will occupy a prominent island site opposite Bowden Village Reserve, combining one, two and three-bedroom apartments with retail and a dedicated wellness destination.</p>

<p data-end="1109" data-start="848">[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375528]</p>

<p>Wellness isn't confined to a gym or shared resident facility at Flowe. Instead, Fieldwork embedded the concept into the building itself.</p>

<p>The development has been split into two residential wings connected by a naturally ventilated central breezeway, replacing traditional enclosed corridors with open-air walkways that improve natural light, encourage cross ventilation and create more opportunities for neighbourly interaction.</p>

<p>"Rather than treating wellness as something that only happens on the ground floor, our response integrates it throughout the building, which led us to ask what it really means to design a healthy building," Fieldwork Director Quino Holland said.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375531]</p>

<p>The building's architecture also reflects Bowden's industrial heritage. The lower podium references the area's historic brick and sandstone buildings, while the upper levels transition to exposed CLT, allowing the timber structure to become a defining feature throughout the apartments and shared spaces.</p>

<p>The use of mass timber sits alongside a range of sustainability initiatives, including a fully electric, gas-free design, rooftop solar and a targeted 5 Star Green Star rating.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375524]</p>

<p>Inside the residences, the focus remains on natural, durable materials. Blackbutt engineered timber flooring, exposed CLT ceilings, porcelain surfaces and warm timber joinery create a calming interior palette, while low-VOC finishes and responsibly sourced materials have been selected to improve indoor air quality.</p>

<p>Kitchens have been designed as the centrepiece of each apartment, featuring porcelain island benchtops, timber-look cabinetry and brushed steel tapware, with layouts that maximise natural light and ventilation.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375530]</p>

<p>The more traditional interpretation of wellness comes in the form of Level Eleven, a two-storey wellness club spanning the ground floor, mezzanine and first floor.</p>

<p>The facility will include a gym, yoga and reformer Pilates studios, Finnish and infrared saunas, magnesium hot and cold plunge pools, and dedicated recovery spaces. Unlike many residential wellness facilities, Level Eleven will also operate commercially, allowing the broader Bowden community to access the venue while giving residents exclusive membership benefits.</p>

<p>The ground floor has also been designed around everyday living. A café overlooking Bowden Village Reserve will activate the street frontage, while a bike workshop with tool storage, co-working space and dog wash has been incorporated to support daily routines and encourage interaction between residents.</p>

<p>"Flowe brings together my two biggest passions, creating places and creating healthier lives," Otello founder Daniel Harris said.</p>

<p>"We wanted to create something Adelaide hasn't seen before, a genuinely healthy building, where the way you live is lifted without even trying."</p>

<p>Flowe is positioned directly opposite Bowden Village Reserve and within walking distance of Bowden Railway Station and the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, placing future residents just minutes from the Adelaide CBD while remaining connected to one of the city's most established urban renewal precincts.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152022]</p>


Otello launches wellness-focused Flowe Bowden with Adelaide-first mass timber apartment design

<p>Not all apartment amenities are immediately visible.</p>

<p>Swimming pools, gyms, rooftop terraces and residents' lounges have long featured on buyers' wishlists, but as the way Australians live has changed, so too have the features that make apartment living more convenient.</p>

<p>Increasingly, buyers are placing value on the practical aspects of day-to-day life. Fast internet, EV charging, secure bike storage, flexible workspaces and parcel management are becoming just as relevant as lifestyle amenities, reflecting changing habits and expectations.</p>

<p>Online shopping has been one of the biggest drivers of that shift.</p>

<p>Australians spent a record $82.6 billion shopping online in 2025, with almost one in every four retail dollars now spent digitally, making parcel deliveries a routine part of everyday life rather than an occasional convenience.</p>

<p>For apartment residents, however, receiving those deliveries isn't always straightforward.</p>

<p>Without someone home to accept a parcel, deliveries can be redirected to a nearby Post Office, left in building foyers or common areas, or require building management to temporarily store packages. As apartment living continues to grow across Australia's cities, parcel management has become an increasingly important consideration for both residents and developers.</p>

<p>Australia Post's Parcel Locker network is one response to that shift.</p>

<p><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/KPZ9j5FRdsQ?si=Qztc1dNP3ZvEIUhb" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>Rather than relying on home delivery, eligible parcels can be directed to a nominated Parcel Locker, where they're securely stored until collected. Once a parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS and can retrieve it using a one-time code or QR code at a time that suits them.</p>

<p>The network has expanded to more than 1,500 locations nationwide, with Parcel Lockers positioned at Post Offices, shopping centres, supermarkets, transport hubs and, increasingly, within or alongside residential developments.</p>

<p>That growing presence reflects a broader change in how apartment buildings are being planned.</p>

<p>Developers are increasingly considering the operational side of apartment living alongside traditional lifestyle amenities. Just as secure mailrooms, bicycle storage and EV charging have become more common inclusions, parcel management is emerging as another feature that supports everyday convenience.</p>

<p>It also helps preserve the arrival experience within a building. Carefully designed lobbies and communal spaces can quickly become cluttered when deliveries accumulate, while secure parcel solutions reduce the likelihood of missed deliveries or parcels being left unattended.</p>

<p>For buyers comparing apartments, these everyday details are becoming part of the decision-making process.</p>

<p>Location, floorplans and finishes remain fundamental, but the features that simplify daily life are carrying greater weight than they once did. As online shopping continues to shape consumer behaviour, secure parcel delivery is increasingly becoming another amenity worth looking for.</p>


Parcel delivery is joining the apartment amenity checklist

<p data-end="471" data-start="164">Inca Property Group has lodged a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for Dawn, a 53-apartment oceanfront development overlooking Mona Vale Beach.</p>

<p data-end="777" data-start="473">The proposal, at 35-39 Darley Street East, would replace an existing 18-apartment strata building with a new owner-occupier-focused development comprising 53 two and three-bedroom apartments, including nine affordable built-to-rent residences delivered under the State's infill affordable housing scheme.</p>

<p data-end="976" data-start="779">Positioned on a 2,679 sqm elevated site around 280 metres from Mona Vale Beach, the development has been designed to maximise panoramic ocean views while responding to the site's sloping topography.</p>

<p data-end="1119" data-start="978"><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/inca-property-group">Inca Property Group</a> Managing Director Josh Thompson said the State Significant pathway provided greater certainty for projects of this scale.</p>

<p data-end="1399" data-start="1121">"This State Significant pathway gives the team real certainty to progress <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/dawn-35-39-darley-street-east-mona-vale-nsw-2103">Dawn</a> through to completion," Thompson said.</p>

<p data-end="1399" data-start="1121">"It allows us to acquire a one-off site, design it carefully and deliver the right offering for the suburb, assessed by the NSW Government's planning department."</p>

<p data-end="1605" data-start="1401">The project is one of the first developments in the area to be assessed under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy, with the site sitting on the edge of the policy's designated inner area.</p>

<p data-end="1852" data-start="1607">The proposal includes three basement levels providing 124 car spaces, alongside a range of resident amenities including a swimming pool, gym, sauna, wellness facilities and private plunge pools for selected ground-floor and penthouse apartments.</p>

<p data-end="1852" data-start="1607"><img alt="Dawn" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fc1a1daf-0ce4-4f12-9076-b1fa553c7a91" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-21%20at%208.42.11%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4GZ9h.gpNkTljbxyAET8Jfhv51XUamDm" /></p>

<p data-end="2031" data-start="1854">Thompson said Dawn had been designed specifically for owner-occupiers and downsizers, a buyer profile that has driven demand across Inca's recent Upper North Shore developments.</p>

<p data-end="2299" data-start="2033">"The majority of buyers in our recent North Shore projects have been downsizers, and we are learning exactly what this market is looking for. Beyond the location itself, we have included resort-style amenities to deliver a genuine lifestyle offering," Thompson said.</p>

<p data-end="2588" data-start="2301">Located within walking distance of Mona Vale Beach, the town centre, Mona Vale Golf Club and the Royal Motor Yacht Club, Dawn represents Inca's first Northern Beaches project following the sell-out of Tara on Park in Waitara and Ellis Residences, currently under construction in St Ives.</p>

<p data-end="4143" data-start="3991">Construction will be undertaken by Inca's in-house construction arm, GOP Constructions.</p>

<p data-end="593" data-start="417">Dawn is the latest major apartment proposal for Mona Vale, with the suburb emerging as one of the key beneficiaries of the NSW Government's new Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy.</p>

<p data-end="789" data-start="598">New developer One Living, led by industry veteran Joseph Scuderi, recently secured a site on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, where it is planning around 140 apartments.</p>

<p data-end="1053" data-start="794">IPM is also planning its third project in Mona Vale, significantly increasing the scale of its previous developments with an 82-apartment proposal at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/159-167-darley-street-west-mona-vale-nsw-2103">159-167 Darley Street West</a>, opposite Bayview Golf Course and less than 800 metres from Mona Vale town centre.</p>

<p data-end="4143" data-start="3991"><em>Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/one-living-enters-sydneys-new-apartment-market-with-northern-beaches-site-acquisition">One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition</a></em></p>

<p data-end="4143" data-start="3991"><em>Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-ipm-plans-third-mona-vale-project">First look: IPM plans third Mona Vale project</a></em></p>


Jonathan Chancellor

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