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Shareholders in Onthehouse Holdings Limited have been told annual revenue from continuing operations was steady compared to the previous corresponding period from $21.5m in FY2015 to $21.4m in FY2016.
Its EBITDA excluding transaction costs and other expenses from continuing operations were down 3 percent on pcp from $7.9m in FY2015 to $7.7m in FY2016. EBITDA margins from continuing operations decreased on pcp from 37 percent to 36 percent.
Its underlying Net Profit (After Tax) from continuing operations was down from $5.3m to $3.3m as a result of increased amortisation and a reduction in income tax benefits.
The Consumer Online division was sold during the year resulting in a total loss from discontinued operations of $6.1m in FY2016 improving from the pcp loss of $13.6m in FY2015.
In February 2016, the Group announced its decision to sell or close the Consumer Online division. The sale was completed in May 2016 for gross contract price of $3 million.
"The sale of the cash-burning COD business meant that Onthehouse could devote 100% of its strong cash flows and focus on growing the revenue and profitability of its Real Estate Software division," Tony Scotton,the chairman at Onthehouse Holdings said.
"Onthehouse is now well positioned and has access to funds to grow Console’s portfolio of software products’ market share and explore new revenue opportunities – including unlocking the value of the real estate agent, landlord, tradespeople and tenant relationships managed by the Console GatewayLive property management software."
The bid by the Macquarie-led Consortium to purchase the company will go to a meeting next month.
More than 3,900 real estate agents are customers of Onthehouse real estate software, which includes Console GatewayLive, a locally-installed property management software program, ClientManager a cloud-based sales customer relationship management software solution, and WebChoice, a cloud based platform to deliver websites for real estate agencies.
Onthehouse’s Console GatewayLive software delivers 84 percent of Onthehouse’s revenue.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

OTH profit announcement ahead of Macquarie takeover meeting

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Melbourne had the nation's cheapest auction when a one bedroom apartment fetched $185,000 at 10/117 Anderson Road, Albion through hockingstuart Point Cook.
It last sold at $177,000 in 2012 when it was rented at $180 a week.
It's last rental asking price was $210 in 2014. 
CoreLogic puts the median price of <a href="/news">Albion apartments at $251,500</a>. It was around $240,000 in 2012.
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Slow growth in Melbourne's Albion with $185,000 sale

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McGrath today announced the opening of a new company-owned office in Blacktown in Sydney’s west.
John McGrath, founder and joint chief executive of McGrath said Blacktown has all the hallmarks of continued growth with strong infrastructure development and good transport links.
“Improved transport connections via the M2 and M7 unlocked Blacktown and its surrounds to a wider range of buyers and provided growth stimulus for property prices. The area however remains very affordable for both families and first home buyers,” said Mr McGrath.
It is the company’s 91st office.
The new McGrath Blacktown office will be led by Katina Giannos having worked at the company’s Parramatta and Concord offices for the past nine years.
The Blacktown Local Environmental Plan 2015, which focuses on development hubs in Blacktown, Seven Hills, Rooty Hill and Mt Druitt, aims to revitalise the local area by bringing more employment opportunities and improved connections to transport, according to the NSW Government.
Blacktown has experienced robust price growth with houses growing in value by 61 percent over the past three years to $660,000 and apartments by 42 percent to $456,000. The suburb offers strong rental yields of 5 percent for apartments and 3 percent for houses, according to CoreLogic.
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McGrath open 91st office at Blacktown

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The Mohonga mansion in South Yarra has been listed for sale, fully renovated three years after purchase by the millionaire rag trader Peter Strover.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-south+yarra-123305670" target="_blank">Marshall White agent Marcus Chiminello</a> says it is expected to sell for at least $12 million.
The 268 Domain Road trophy home was previously the longtime home of the late Peter Rand, the eccentric millionaire son of the late Sir Thomas Rand.
The property's name is derived from pastoralist relative, Robert Rand's Mohonga station in regional NSW.
The five bedroom Domain Road trophy home built in the 1920s by architect Irwin Stephenson.
Living there quietly since the 1960s, Rand only made the news in 1993 when he paid around $700,000 for the adjacent property to cut down a tree that was blocking his view.
Mohonga was part of a $50 million property portfolio which also included the Sisters estate in Sorrento which sold to the Shelmerdine family for $19 million in 2008.
Mark "Chopper" Read in his autobiography wrote that if Melbourne ever had a true Mr Big of crime, of vice at any rate, then Peter Rand deserved the championship belt. He wrote somewhat colourfully that Mohonga was "fortress like."
This article was first published in the Weekend Australian Mansion Australia property section.
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Mohonga, South Yarra returns to the market after renovation

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One of the Upper Hunter’s landmark properties, Cullingral at Merriwa, has been listed with offers expected in a range from $3.5 million to $4 million.
The vendors, Brice and Bronwyn Stokes have it listed with MacCallum Inglis.
The 208 hectare holding on the Merriwa River dates back to a land grant in 1839 to Charles Blaxland, a grandson of the explorer/pastoralist Gregory Blaxland, of Blue Mountains crossing fame. 
It was Gregory Blaxland who built the origins of the present homestead in the same year, using local sandstone. 
The cattle enterprise also comes with a three-shed poultry facility for hatching and growing of quail, operated under a five-year lease arrangement (recently renewed) to Game Farms Australia, which generates annual lease income of $125,400. 
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Cullingral, Merriwa listed for sale

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/63448/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
It was in the mid-20th century when the American agricultural scientist Norman Borlaug showed us how to make wheat and rice stems shorter, to increase their yield.
He’s often referred to as the Father of the Green Revolution and his breakthrough meant food was suddenly more abundant across much of the world.
For example, Mexico had a 300% increase in wheat production attributed in part to Borlaug’s work. Later, India and Pakistan had a 60% increase in their harvests, helping both countries to become agriculturally self-sufficient.
Thanks to other advances, such as vaccines, people started living longer and healthier lives.
The human population responded to this boon by catapulting from 2.6 billion to 7.3 billion in just 60 years. It continues to rise by about 80 million per year.
<h2>The heat is on</h2>
But things are warming up. Atmospheric carbon is at 400 parts per million, the highest it has been since the Pliocene era 5.3-million to 2.6-million years ago.
Despite the massive human population increase in the past 20 years, the amount of farmed land used to feed these people has not increased. In fact, it has decreased slightly to 1.4 billion hectares.
As towns, roads and factories take over established farming land, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find suitable land on which to develop new farms. Most of it has already been developed.
The rate of annual increase of the international cereal crop is falling, although the actual tonnage harvested is still rising.
<h2>Harsher weather</h2>
Future climate scenarios predict that many croplands will soon be subjected to less rainfall and higher temperatures. That means the area of prime farmland will shrink and the area of marginal farmland will grow.
The big four staple crops of the world – those that feed most people – are wheat, rice, soybean and maize.
These crops each have different relative tolerances to abiotic stress – those stresses not caused by pests and pathogens but by factors such as drought, heat, soil salt, frost and so on. But these crops are generally not well adapted to marginal farmlands.
Traditional crop breeding, which involves sexual crossing of different varieties and closely related species, has failed to deliver the quantum increases in abiotic stress hardiness in the big four crops.
Our research is exploring routes beyond traditional ones to deliver tougher crops for a hotter, drier world.
<h2>Learn from the desert plants</h2>
What can we do to future-proof our crops? How can crop production be increased by another 44% to feed the 9.3 billion people expected to be alive in 2050? How can it be done again by 2100 to feed 12 billion?
This must be done while using the same or even less farmland and under increasingly challenging climatic conditions. This is where a knowledge of desert plants may help.
<h2> </h2>
<div class="enlarge_hint"> </div>
Australia’s desert plants are the Bear Grylls of abiotic stress tolerance. They live under extremes of drought, heat and inhospitable soils. They also cope with the surprisingly frequent frosts that occur under clear desert night skies.
The plants that thrive in Australia’s ten named deserts today are those that have weathered every record-breaking drought and heatwave for the past 1.5 million years. Those that failed are dust or fossils.
Although quite a lot is known about how crop plants cope with periodic stress, far less is known about the suite of mechanisms that desert plants employ every day.
<h2>New research</h2>
Although the deserts would seem to be obvious places to look for novel strategies to protect crops living under hotter dryer conditions, this is not a well-researched area. This is because much of the Australian flora from those regions is not closely related to the exotic plant species we grow for food.
The best-case scenario is that stress-tolerance strategies that evolved in desert plants can be applied to crops; under climatic conditions that kill today’s crops, the new traits will maintain or increase grain yields. This is not likely to be a straightforward task.
Where beneficial traits are encoded in DNA, recombinant DNA technology will be used to transfer new genes into crops, after satisfying the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator and other regulatory bodies that they are as safe as other genetically modified (GM) and non-GM crop plants.
The flora and fauna of Australia are potentially an innovation goldmine. Plant scientists from other countries have already anticipated this. They are feverishly collecting large numbers of Australian desert plants and shipping them back home.
This research could be done anywhere in the world, but I think it should always be done in close collaboration with Australian universities and government research organisations. Positive outcomes of this research will benefit the world, as Borlaug’s dwarfing genes did.
Desert areas everywhere in the world face threats from destructive human exploitation. Many Australian people and governments still see deserts as barren wastes, but they are far from that.
Conservation of large parts of the remaining pristine desert areas in Australia must become a high priority. Preserving desert biodiversity is essential for the intrinsic values and ecosystem services they already provide, and because they may play a role in saving billions of people from starvation.
Steve Wylie senior research associate in molecular virology of wild and cultivated plants, virus ecology, metagenomics, host-pathogen evolution, symbiosis, Murdoch University and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/steve-wylie-27161" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Look to the Australian deserts to future-proof our crops from drought

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GUEST OBSERVER
Parents risk losing everything when helping children to buy a home through products such as guarantor loans.
Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Governor Glenn Stevens has said more parents may be forced to financially assist their children into home ownership because of the growing affordability crisis.
Mr Stevens added that in doing so, parents may find they don’t have the wealth in retirement that they had planned.
He also questioned why more wasn’t being done by State and Federal governments to implement proven models of home ownership, such as Government backed home finance models in place in South Australia (HomeStart) and Western Australia (Keystart), or allowing young people to access superannuation for a home deposit. 
Parents are risking their personal financial security by backing their children into home ownership.
If there is a change of circumstances and a child can’t make repayments, it is the parents’ assets that are on the line for the portion they have guaranteed. This could mean the lender will allocate some of the parent’s income to repaying the debt, or in the worst case scenario, the parents could lose the family home.
The credit rating of parents will also be affected which may cause problems if they need to apply for a loan themselves, and worse still, they may not be able to use their own home as security when taking another loan.
We know that most parents will do whatever they can to help their children into home ownership, but too many parents are doing so through guarantor loans and risking their future financial security.
Some mainstream lenders were now recognising the risks of guarantor loans, implementing measures which limit the leverage amount available in the family home so it doesn’t exceed 70 percent of the value of the property, capping the loan amount at 107 percent of the property price (including stamp duty and transaction fees) and reducing the maximum amount of the guarantee to 50 percent or less of the value of the property being provided security for.
I call on Federal or State governments to consider replicating successful government-owned home loan models already in operation in South Australia and Western Australia to ease the burden for young home buyers.
Recent figures released as part of the HILDA survey by the Melbourne Institute showed the two states where government backed home loan programs are in place – South Australia and Western Australia – have the highest owner occupier rates in the nation.
HomeStart Finance had assisted one in eight first home buyers into home ownership in South Australia through innovative home loans such as low deposit loans and shared equity products which enable home buyers to borrow more money. 
The housing affordability crisis shouldn’t be a burden that parents have to shoulder for their children, but instead, Governments should be looking to implement measures that directly address the issues home buyers are facing.
Since HomeStart was established in 1989, it has helped almost 70,000 South Australians into ownership
Many of these households wouldn’t have been in a position to obtain finance from a mainstream home loan provider at the time of buying a home. Whether through a lack of savings to put towards upfront costs such as the deposit, or not being able to borrow a sufficient amount of money, HomeStart has been able to offer solutions to these barriers. 
This ensures there is a healthy home buyer cycle that has a good balance of first home buyers and ‘upgraders’, who transition from their first home to their next home within a few years, clearing a pathway for first home buyers to enter the market. In many Australian markets, this home buyer cycle is broken.
HomeStart fills a space in the market that isn’t being addressed by mainstream lenders, who have in place lending criteria targeted at a very specific segment of the market.
I urge governments to consider other programs that have been successfully implemented overseas to help first home buyers, such as using superannuation to fund a home deposit, based on the successful Canadian Home Buyer’s Plan.
The idea was put forward by HomeStart in its submission to the Senate Inquiry into Affordable Housing in 2014, and later mooted by then Treasurer Joe Hockey.
HomeStart was invited to present to the Senate Committee to expand on its submission and also discuss the potential replication of the HomeStart model in other Australian States and Territories.
The Canadian Home Buyers’ Plan enables first homebuyers to withdraw up to $25,000 from their superannuation for the purpose of using it for a deposit on a house, which then has to be replenished over the next 15 years.
We believe there are some great models in place overseas that appear to be helping other countries overcome some of the issues confronting first home buyers - the Canadian Home Buyers’ Plan is one of them.
It is ironic that a household in difficulty with their mortgage has the option to access superannuation to clear arrears, whereas a first home buyer in an otherwise good financial condition cannot temporarily access their super for a deposit and then replenish those funds over an extended period as occurs in Canada.
John Oliver is chief executive officer of HomeStart Finance and can be contacted <a href="https://www.homestart.com.au/Home" target="_blank">here</a>.
 
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Parents shouldn't shoulder housing affordability burden

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Sydney's Saturday auction colosseum, Strathfield again produced the nation's top seller.
It was a $6.8 million <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-strathfield-123168366" target="_blank">Tudor style four bedroom home</a> (above) on 2000 sqm with tennis court and pool.
The home had last traded at $3.35 million in 2008. It took the sales tally from 12 offerings along Newton Road to $45 million plus since early 2015.
Sydney had around 650 weekend auctions, with a preliminary clearance rate of 86 per cent, representing a significant rise from last week’s 78 percent, and again higher than one year ago when it was 76 percent. 
"The preliminary clearance rate is the highest Sydney has reported since the first week in June 2015 of 88 percent," CoreLogic's Kevin Brogan advised. 
There were 930 auctions held in Sydney one year ago.
Some 1,747 capital city auctions were held and preliminary results reflected a national 76 percent success rate, rising from the 75 percent the prior week across 1,471 auctions.
Auction volumes remain significantly lower, as one year ago CoreLogic tallied 2,248 homes taken to auction across the combined capitals.
Melbourne also maintain its place as the second strongest performing city. 
This week there were 785 auctions in Melbourne, up from 605 last week, and still below the auction activity recorded at the same time last year with 964 offrings.
The weekend’s 76 percent clearance rate is higher than one year ago, when 74.3 percent of reported results were successful.
Melbourne’s strongest performing sub-region was the outer East, with an 83 percent success across 49 auction results.
Kew had Melbourne's top sale when six bidders competed for <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-kew-123171118" target="_blank">83 Mount Street</a> (below) which fetched $3.66 million.
<img src="/images/2016/08/22/Screen%20Shot%202016-08-22%20at%208.14.14%20AM.png" alt="">
It was a finalist by Englehart Homes in the 1996 Housing Industry Association awards.
Another Kew offering at 61 Molesworth Street passed in at $3.65 million with no bidders. 
Melbourne had the nation's cheapest auction when a one bedroom apartment fetched $185,000 at <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/10-117-anderson-road-albion-vic-3020-2012957351" target="_blank">10/117 Anderson Road</a>, Albion through hockingstuart Point Cook. It last sold at $177,000 in 2012 when it was rented at $180 a week. It's last rental asking price was $210 in 2014. 
<img src="/images/2016/08/22/Screen%20Shot%202016-08-22%20at%208.15.23%20AM.png" alt="">
There were 124 Brisbane auctions held, jumping from 87 last week, but not quite reaching the same 143 offerings last year.
Brisbane prices ranged from $299,000 at Forest Lake to $1,514,500 million at Corinda for a <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-corinda-123193778" target="_blank">renovated 1920s Queenslander</a> (below).
<img src="/images/2016/08/22/400_QLDR.jpg" alt="">
Brisbane agents secured a 56 percent success compared to a one year ago at 54 per cent.
With 93 offerings, Adelaide’s clearance rate this week was 66 percent, falling from 68 percent, and lower than one year ago when it was 72 percent.
There were 44 auctions held in Canberra with its 72 percent clearance rate up from 59.6 per cent last week and higher than the 71 percent one year ago.
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Strathfield tops weekend results with $6.8 million sale

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The enthusiastic arts patron Sophie Landa has sold the longtime family home in for a 2016 Woollahra price record.
It was an off-market sale mid-way through its renovation, with the 1400 sqm holding fetching $9.75 million.
Landa, the daughter of the late NSW attorney-general Paul Landa and his arts patron wife Anne, prefers Bondi Beach these days.
Last year the former publicist and mother of two paid $4.82 million for the Bondi Beach home of the music mogul Stephen Pavlovic.
Paul Landa, who was a minister in Neville Wran's government, died in 1984, aged 43, a year after buying the Wallaroy Road house.
 
 
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Sophie Landa sells in Woollahra

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The newest advertising partner on The Block, holiday rental site Stayz will offer viewers a prize.
It is one night’s accommodation for two at The Block in their apartment of choice, along with a $20,000 giveaway to spend on Stayz escapes all over Australia.
The Block returns to Nine and 9Now on Sunday, August 21, at 7.00pm. The auction is scheduled for November.
Nine has announced ALDI, Domain, McCafé, Mitre10, Suzuki and Telstra as other commercial partners of season 12 ofThe Block.
The teams of renovators go head-to-head to modernise the derelict office headquarters of a historic Australian soap and candle factory in Melbourne.
Content integration highlights for The Block season twelve include Mitre 10, returning for their ninth season.
The new partner, Telstra will showcase the latest product innovation when it comes to smart home technology.
Domain are set to blitz its website with articles. Some will be written by hesitant Fairfax Media journalists who are privately concerned that the website was overrun during the last series with content by newbie Domain colleagues, all former Block contestants.
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Stayz offers night at The New Block Port Melbourne

The long-awaited redevelopment of the former Eastlakes Shopping Centre site has reached a major milestone, with Conquest's plans for a new mixed-use precinct officially placed on public exhibition.

The State Significant Development Application would transform the 1.7-hectare site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/19a-evans-avenue-eastlakes-nsw-2018">19A Evans Avenue</a> into one of Sydney's largest urban renewal projects, delivering 736 apartments above a new shopping centre anchored by Woolworths, alongside specialty retail, dining, commercial space and new public open spaces.

The public exhibition marks the next chapter for the project after <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/conquest">Conquest</a> acquired the stalled Stage Two development from Crown Group, who completed the first stage across the road prior to their voluntary liquidation.

<img alt="First look: Conquest unveils plans for 736-home Eastlakes Shopping Centre redevelopment" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5fca22c5-d1ed-4e2c-8801-03f7df1eafc8" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/eastland%20podium.png?VersionId=uomwr41nF8CmLUZRDcu3mHQechlbxucS" />

&nbsp;

Designed by DKO Architecture, the proposal comprises four residential buildings ranging from 14 to 18 storeys above a two-level retail podium. The development would deliver 736 apartments, including 74 affordable homes, 215 Build-to-Rent apartments and 521 market residences. Provision has also been made for dual-key apartments, which could increase the total number of dwellings to 877.

At ground level, the shopping centre has been designed as the suburb's new meeting place, anchored by a full-line Woolworths and complemented by a curated mix of fresh food retailers, cafés, restaurants, health services and everyday convenience shopping. Generous pedestrian links and landscaped public spaces will connect the retail precinct through to Jack Mundey Reserve, creating a more walkable and connected neighbourhood.

Conquest CEO Michael Akkawi said the redevelopment was about far more than replacing a shopping centre.

"Eastlakes has been overlooked for too long, and this is the community’s moment. We are building a shopping centre and homes, a genuine heart for the suburb, and we genuinely want locals to help shape it."

"We enrich communities through the creation of homes, places, and experiences designed for life, built to last, and owner for generations. That starts with listening, so we warmly encourage everyone with a connection to Eastlakes to view the plans and share their thoughts."

<img alt="First look: Conquest unveils plans for 736-home Eastlakes Shopping Centre redevelopment" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="22f6fb20-54fb-4bd7-8a92-48fafdd00608" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/eastland.png?VersionId=cugp7s9hrMHGJJdYzkeAkrFoQgnF4GXf" />

DKO said the design had been shaped by the site's landscape setting and surrounding open space.

"Our vision for the site embraces its unique Bidjigal identity by blending the residential living with generous landscaping and a material palette inspired by the Bidjigal locality, and celebrating the panoramic views to Botany Bay and the wetlands reserves."

"Taking cues from Country, we seek to harmonise built form with the landscape and lightly touch the earth. By reconnecting, retaining and regenerating existing ecology, and weaving in natural elements, we can deepen our connection to Country."

The landscape strategy extends across the podium and rooftops, incorporating communal gardens, children's play areas, lawns, community gardens, family gathering spaces and extensive tree planting. New landscaped links will also strengthen the connection between the precinct and Jack Mundey Reserve, while publicly accessible open spaces have been integrated throughout the development.

The proposal builds on Conquest's broader placemaking strategy for the site. Through an ongoing partnership, local artist Joe Rashbrook has been appointed Urban Art Curator, working alongside young residents to transform the project's site hoardings into a public art gallery that allows the community to engage with the redevelopment before construction is complete.

Conquest has rapidly expanded its development pipeline since acquiring the Eastlakes site, with more than $6 billion worth of mixed-use projects now in planning across Sydney, including Stanmore, Castlecrag and Waterloo.

Conquest CEO Michael Akkawi said the redevelopment was about far more than replacing a shopping centre.

Joel Robinson

First look: ‘Far more than replacing a shopping centre’ as Conquest unveils 736-home Eastlakes redevelopment

Abadeen has lodged a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for one of Mosman's largest apartment developments in recent years, seeking approval to transform the former Honeysuckle Garden and Midas site on Military Road into a 100-apartment mixed-use development.

The SSDA, lodged with investment partner Phoenix Property Investors, proposes around $230 million worth of new housing on the prominent <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/494-516-military-road-mosman-nsw-2088">494-516 Military Road</a> site.

The proposal comes as Mosman Council continues to progress its recently endorsed Masterplan, which identifies the precinct for increased housing density while maintaining the suburb's established character.

Designed by DKO Architecture, the development would comprise 100 apartments above ground-floor retail, with a rooftop wellness precinct including a gym, sauna, entertaining areas and landscaped communal spaces.

Rather than pushing to the full 12-storey height identified in Council's Masterplan, the proposal ranges between five and nine storeys, stepping down towards Hale Road. A tenth level would accommodate resident amenities rather than additional apartments.

The project has been designed to appeal to a broad range of buyers, from first home buyers and young professionals through to families and local downsizers looking to remain on the Lower North Shore.

<img alt="Mosman" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5dada03f-5b4c-43ba-ba62-2868add31440" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-27%20at%209.57.55%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=7LBy0B.Jo8_iWAFJsClcV7Q3UnXrv49r" />

Abadeen Executive Chairman Justin Brown said the apartments had been designed as genuine long-term homes rather than investor-focused stock.

"The apartments have been designed as genuine long-term homes, with efficient floorplans that maximise usable living areas, generous storage, natural light and strong connections between indoor and outdoor spaces," Brown says."

"We've focused on creating homes for a broad range of buyers, from first home buyers and growing families through to downsizers who want to remain in Mosman."

The rooftop wellness offering forms a key part of the proposal, with residents set to have access to a gym, sauna, outdoor entertaining spaces, communal dining areas, landscaped gardens and a multi-use recreation court overlooking Sydney Harbour.

<img alt="Mosman" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d37c2d6b-583a-4a0f-b7a9-9f46b893d2f4" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-27%20at%209.58.06%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=FPoa5FCm2RtzjhAh2w5FTWJbV6GHfY8D" />

DKO drew heavily on the site's natural and cultural history, undertaking a Connecting with Country process with local Aboriginal Elders to inform the architectural and landscape design.

Senior Associate Matthew Ritchard said the design sought to create a building that responded to both the site's landscape and its cultural significance.

"The architectural language of the project is a deep expression of Connecting with Country, where the materiality and colour palette serve as a bridge between the site's geological history and its future as a residential sanctuary."

The proposal also retains the site's established blue gum tree as the centrepiece of the communal landscaped gardens, while introducing activated retail fronting Military Road to strengthen the connection between Mosman and Cremorne villages.

If approved, the project would deliver 100 new homes within walking distance of shops, public transport, schools and local amenities, adding to the limited pipeline of new apartments on the Lower North Shore.

<h2>Project Snapshot</h2>

Project: Honeysuckle Garden Redevelopment

Address: 494-516 Military Road, Mosman

Developer: Abadeen and Phoenix Property Investors

Architect: DKO Architecture

Lead Architect: Matthew Ritchard

Value: $230 million

Residences: 100 apartments

Key features:

<ul>
	<li>
	Ground-floor retail
	</li>
	<li>
	Rooftop wellness precinct
	</li>
	<li>
	Gym and sauna
	</li>
	<li>
	Outdoor entertaining and BBQ areas
	</li>
	<li>
	Landscaped communal gardens
	</li>
	<li>
	Multi-use recreation court
	</li>
	<li>
	Retained mature blue gum tree
	</li>
	<li>
	Connecting with Country design process
	</li>
	<li>
	Harbour, CBD and Balmoral views from upper-level apartments
	</li>
</ul>

Abadeen Executive Chairman Justin Brown said the apartments had been designed as genuine long-term homes rather than investor-focused stock

First look: Abadeen plans 100 apartments on former Honeysuckle Garden site in Mosman

The wave of apartment proposals sweeping through Mosman shows no signs of slowing, with another major residential development lodged through the NSW Government's State Significant Development pathway.

Developer First Quadrant Properties, which recently completed Willoughby Grounds and has several projects in planning across the North Shore, has unveiled plans for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/cove-on-ourimbah-40-56-ourimbah-road-mosman-nsw-2088">Cove on Ourimbah</a>, a 63-apartment development on Ourimbah Road, adding to the growing pipeline of projects reshaping one of Sydney's most tightly held harbour suburbs.

The proposal would consolidate nine properties at 40-56 Ourimbah Road into a part eight, part nine-storey apartment building, continuing the momentum created by the NSW Government's accelerated planning pathways that have seen several significant developments emerge across Mosman over the past 12 months.

Designed by Doroch Architects, the project would deliver 63 apartments, resident wellness facilities including a gym, pool and sauna, landscaped communal spaces and basement parking, while using recessed upper levels, generous setbacks and extensive planting to reduce the perceived scale of the building.

<img alt="First look: First Quadrant Properties eyes nine-storey Mosman apartment project under State Significant pathway" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="32ee68e4-141e-4a10-8f83-48e961a5e71e" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Ourimbah%20Road%2C%20Mosman%20a.png?VersionId=CUeILFc6APlwXPc.iplElbxHvREKwjig" />

Doroch Architects said the building had been designed to reinforce Mosman's established character.

"The building's aesthetic is grounded in the existing residential character of Ourimbah Road and the broader Mosman context," the architect noted in the planning documents submitted to the NSW Government.

The design adopts a contemporary material palette of natural stone, textured concrete and brown concave metal cladding, complemented by integrated planters and deep balconies. The podium incorporates softened curved concrete forms, while increased setbacks have been provided adjacent to the heritage-listed property at 60 Ourimbah Road to create a more sympathetic transition.

The site sits around 330 metres from Mosman Town Centre, placing it within the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy area, where increased residential density is being encouraged close to shops, transport and services.

The proposal follows a string of major apartment projects lodged or declared State Significant in Mosman in recent months, including Abadeen's 100-apartment Honeysuckle Garden redevelopment on Military Road and several other developments across Awaba Street, Redan Street and Muston Street from the likes of Time &amp; Place, HELM and Prosker Property.

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Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/time-place-to-take-on-mosman-apartment-market">Time &amp; Place to take on Mosman apartment market</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/first-look-abadeen-plans-100-apartments-on-former-honeysuckle-garden-site-in-mosman">First look: Abadeen plans 100 apartments on former Honeysuckle Garden site in Mosman</a>

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First look: Another major apartment proposal signals Mosman's development boom

A new State Significant Development Application (SSDA) could reshape a prominent vacant site in Gosford's CBD, with Ming Tian Real Property proposing a mixed-use precinct that combines affordable housing, retail activation and a new public plaza.

The proposal for 43-45 Beane Street and 2 Keevers Lane would deliver a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/43-45-beane-street-gosford-nsw-2250">two-building development</a> comprising a 26-storey residential tower and a five-storey affordable housing building above ground-floor commercial space. A key focus of the project is the delivery of dedicated affordable housing alongside new public domain improvements designed to transform Keevers Lane into a more active urban destination.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/tony-owen-partners">Tony Owen Partners</a>, the development would provide 130 apartments, including 20 affordable housing dwellings managed by a registered community housing provider for at least 15 years. The market housing component comprises 110 apartments across a mix of one, two and three-bedroom residences, while the affordable housing includes six one-bedroom, 13 two-bedroom and one three-bedroom apartment. The proposal also incorporates 416 sqm of ground-floor retail, three basement levels accommodating 140 car spaces, 42 bicycle spaces, communal open space and extensive landscaping.

<img alt="First look: Ming Tian Real Property plans landmark affordable housing tower for Gosford city centre" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9b858791-9060-4ee7-9178-44cb9e640a85" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Beane%20Street%20b_0.png?VersionId=_jbY0mqPEs7.jBZxozR7d6T4u85FoPmb" />

The affordable housing component has been distributed across both buildings, with four apartments located within the main tower and a dedicated five-storey building delivering a further 16 affordable homes. The project also includes 12 adaptable apartments and 24 dwellings designed to Silver Level Liveable Housing Guidelines.

The architectural design draws inspiration from Indigenous storytelling.

"The design is based on the indigenous motif of the Rainbow Serpent," Tony Owen Partners said in the Design Verification Statement.

"The Rainbow Serpent is a traditional totem of coastal eastern Australia. It represents natural forces, creation, change, and rebirth and is often associated with bodies of water. This motif can be seen in the undulation of the balconies rising on the building," Tony Owen Partners said in the Design Verification Statement.

Beyond the residential offering, the proposal seeks to revitalise the surrounding public realm, particularly Keevers Lane.

"The ground floor streetscape includes a commercial and dining precinct which will significantly improve the amenity of the area. This strategy transforms a currently inhospitable laneway into a thriving centre of urban renewal and day and night time activation to compliment the new adjoining UNC facilities," the architects said.

<img alt="First look: Ming Tian Real Property plans landmark affordable housing tower for Gosford city centre" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="36b0ca6b-af15-424c-81db-9f3049c07b0c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Beane%20Street%20podium.png?VersionId=QCAv7bCitrg3zIGZUHI2z_HR8qVfKbp1" />

The Environmental Impact Statement notes that the project aims to "improve the provision of diverse housing options within Gosford City Centre, enhancing the mixed-use precinct by delivering high quality residential development, whilst concurrently providing a diverse range of housing choices through the provision of affordable housing, which is in growing need within the Gosford City Centre."

The site occupies approximately 2,070 sqm in the Gosford city centre, around 250 metres from Gosford Railway Station and within walking distance of Gosford Hospital, Mann Street's retail precinct and the University of Newcastle's Gosford campus currently under construction. The currently vacant site previously received approval for a lower-scale residential development, with the new proposal leveraging the NSW Government's in-fill affordable housing pathway to increase density while introducing dedicated affordable housing.

First look: Rainbow Serpent inspires bold new Gosford apartment tower

Developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/bottega-property-group">Bottega House</a> has secured council approval for its first Brisbane project - a $270 million luxury residential development on an absolute riverfront site in leafy St Lucia.&nbsp;

The 15-storey project, known as <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/st-lucia-by-bottega-house-180-macquarie-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">St Lucia by Bottega House</a> , will occupy a prime north-facing site at 178-180 Macquarie Street, directly fronting the Brisbane River in the established inner-west suburb known for its rowing clubs, golf courses and sprawling University of Queensland campus.&nbsp;

St Lucia by Bottega House will feature a suite of amenities including dedicated wellness spaces, a mineral pool and cold plunge. The project has been positioned to attract affluent owner-occupiers seeking high-quality, house-sized apartments.&nbsp;

Bottega House has been set up by co-directors Nick Malloch, Louis Mennes and Craig Marsh.

Malloch said the project drew inspiration from its Brisbane River setting and leafy inner-west surrounds, while responding to the demands of discerning locals looking to transition from freestanding homes into apartment living.&nbsp;

"With an expansive river frontage and lush green surrounds, we knew we had to create something special that reflects the natural beauty of the location while offering residents masterfully crafted homes," said Malloch.&nbsp;

"Our intent was to complement the project's quiet, private setting by introducing residences that offer a calm retreat and sanctuary from the everyday. The result is a harmonious blend of architecture, interiors and amenity that emphasises wellbeing, comfort and beauty without excess."&nbsp;

Malloch added that project consultants had been carefully selected in alignment with Bottega House's commitment to care, quality and attention to detail. The design team includes architects <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a>, interiors practice <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/mim-design">Mim Design</a> and landscaping by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/urbis">Urbis</a>.&nbsp;

Three-bedroom apartments are expected to start around $5 millio. Selling agents Keenan &amp; Byrne said the pricing strategy for the project was anticipated to achieve upwards of $25,500 per square metre.&nbsp;

The project's development approval this week follows the success of Bottega House's inaugural Queensland project - a 22-storey collection of full-floor sky homes at Broadbeach on the Gold Coast which included the sale of a two-storey penthouse at a record price for a beachside residence.&nbsp;

St Lucia by Bottega House is expected to launch to market in November, with construction anticipated to be completed mid 2029.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=151826]

Jonathan Chancellor

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