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GUEST OBSERVER
The Reserve Bank Board minutes make it clear that policymakers are waiting on more timely economic data to gauge how the economy is tracking.
However the minutes have also set the scene for next week’s inflation data and the subsequent August 2 Board meeting – highlighting potential triggers for an interest rate cut.
What makes the prospect of another rate cut a possibility in coming months is not just the modest slowdown in the economy over the past six months, but also the discussion on the Australian dollar. Board members noted that “at the time of the present meeting, the Australian dollar (in trade-weighted terms) was around the levels assumed in the forecasts at the time of the May Statement on Monetary Policy.”
Interestingly since that meeting the Australian dollar is around US1 cent higher. There was still the usual jawboning on the need for a lower Aussie dollar, with Board members noting that “an appreciation in the exchange rate could complicate the necessary economic adjustments”
A super-low inflation result would pave the way for the Reserve Bank to cut rates again. However the RBA would need to feel confident that a rate cut would have the desired impact in driving the Aussie dollar lower. Most central banks that have eased monetary policy in the past have seen their  currencies continue to strengthen. However it is easier to justify another rate cut in light of slower employment growth and softer retail activity over the first half of 2016 – although it could be election related.
<a href="/images/2016/07/19/Screen%20Shot%202016-07-20%20at%207.58.23%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/07/19/Screen%20Shot%202016-07-20%20at%207.58.23%20AM.png" alt="">
Consumer confidence has drifted low for the past four weeks, but it is nothing to be worried about. Rather a post- election hangover. In fact Aussie households have a lot of reasons to be more chipper about life. Not only are interest rates at generational lows, but petrol prices are falling, and job security is strong – all important in improving household budgets. In addition the Federal election is out of the way and share markets are now holding near 11 month highs – all ingredients that should hopefully result in consumers spending a little bit more freely in coming months. 
What do the figures show?
 The key quotes from the Board minute:  Economic growth: “Overall, the available data for the June quarter were consistent with a moderation in GDP growth following the stronger-than-expected outcome in the March quarter, mainly because there appeared to have been a smaller contribution to growth from net exports in the June quarter”.
  Australian dollar: “Low interest rates were continuing to support household spending and the lower exchange rate since 2013 had continued to assist the traded sector of the economy. Members noted that an appreciating exchange rate could complicate the necessary economic adjustments”.
  Inflation: “Inflation was still expected to remain quite low for some time given very subdued growth in labour costs and very low cost pressures elsewhere in the world.”
Consumer spending: “The value of retail sales had increased only slightly in April and May but liaison indicated that growth in retail sales had picked up in June, partly because cold weather had boosted clothing and apparel sales. However, liaison had also pointed to ongoing pressure to discount prices in response to increased competition in some retail markets.”
 Summary: “Taking account of the available information, the Board judged that holding monetary policy steady would be the most prudent course of action at this meeting. The Board noted that further information on inflationary pressures, the labour market and housing market activity would be available over the following month and that the staff would provide an update of their forecasts ahead of the August Statement on Monetary Policy. This information would allow the Board to refine its assessment of the outlook for growth and inflation and to make any adjustment to the stance of policy that may be appropriate.”  Consumer confidence
The ANZ/Roy Morgan consumer confidence rating fell by 0.3 percent to 114.9 in the week to July 17. Confidence is up 2.8 percent over the year and well above the average of 112.1 since 2014. Three of the five components of the index fell in the latest week:
The estimate of family finances compared with a year ago was unchanged at +7;
The estimate of family finances over the next year was down from +30 to +28;
Economic conditions over the next 12 months was up from -4 to -1;
Economic conditions over the next 5 years was down from +9 to +7;
The measure of whether it was a good time to buy a major household item was down from +34 points to +33 points.  What is the importance of the economic data?
  The ANZ/Roy Morgan weekly survey of consumer confidence closely tracks the monthly Westpac/Melbourne Institute consumer sentiment index but the former measure is a timelier assessment of consumer attitudes and is now closely tracked by the Reserve Bank.
  The Reserve Bank releases minutes of its monthly Board meeting a fortnight after the event. The minutes give a guide to Reserve Bank thinking on interest rate settings.  What are the implications for interest rates and investors?
 Overall it is clear that the low inflation environment provides the central bank with scope to cut rates further if deemed necessary. The next round of inflation data is released next week and essentially means that the mostly likely scenario for another rate cut would be at the August Board meeting. 
Click to enlarge
<img src="/images/2016/07/19/Screen%20Shot%202016-07-20%20at%208.04.01%20AM.png" alt="">
Savanth Sebastian is an economist for <a href="https://www.commsec.com.au/" target="_blank">CommSec</a>
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Inflation to decide on rate cut: CommSec's Savanth Sebastian

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GUEST OBSERVER
It doesn’t take much to comprehend how many residential apartments are being constructed across south-east Queensland. 
There are a huge number that will be crying out for buyers over the next couple of years and, despite the fact some of these buyers are sure to be investors from either interstate or offshore, the Palaszczuk Government has introduced a 3 percent stamp duty charge for foreign buyers looking to invest in the state.
New South Wales and Victoria have both introduced the same surcharge in recent months, which gave Queensland a fantastic opportunity to stand out in the crowded Australian property market.  Had Queensland bucked the trend, foreign investment in the Sunshine State would undoubtedly have increased.  
Attractiveness is key for Queensland. The number of residential apartments set to come online over the next 12 months means the state needs a point of difference. Currently, it still imposes duty on a number of things that other states do not, which, put simply, makes it a less desirable jurisdiction to set up business. 
Instead of imposing a foreign investor surcharge, Queensland could have presented itself as one of the few jurisdictions that does not impose a foreign investor surcharge and used that to attract foreign investment, leveraging its point of difference to other states.
New South Wales set a fantastic example in its June budget, proving there are ways to counteract the introduction of this surcharge. 
Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian announced a 4 percent foreign investor surcharge on purchases of residential properties; this is a greater charge than the Palaszczuk Government’s 3 percent. 
However, Ms Berejiklian also announced the duty on transfers of business assets will be abolished. The Palaszczuk Government chose not to abolish this duty.  
This decision makes the foreign investor surcharge in New South Wales far more palatable. Even if New South Wales does see a decline in foreign investment it will be countered by the new businesses setting up shop. 
Compare that with Queensland, which has kept both charges, and the state is becoming less attractive a jurisdiction for either business or foreign investment when pitted against a state like New South Wales. This demonstrates that for businesses and investors it is really about the overall tax mix, not just changes to individual taxes. Getting the mix right is crucial to ensuring ongoing investment to drive growth.
While ’foreign investment’ can be a scary term for some to digest, the reality is it’s a completely viable and logical way to handle any oversupply in the residential property market which, based on recent advice, appears to be a real possibility.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. Queensland can take solace that regardless of any other duties or charges, it still has a lower charge for foreign investors than New South Wales’s 4 percent and Victoria’s 7 percent. This, coupled with Queensland’s more competitive house prices, should hopefully minimise the impact of the surcharge on foreign investment in Queensland.
<div>
Hung Tran is private clients partner with BDO Brisbane and Leisa Rafter is tax partner. They can be contacted <a href="https://www.bdo.com.au/en-au/brisbane" target="_blank">here</a>.
</div>
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Property 101: QLD foreign buyers surcharge

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The Fox trucking family have secured Penola, one of Mount Macedon's historic 19th century garden estates.
Linfox executive chairman Peter Fox paid $2.85 million for the four hectare garden estate which William Guilfoyle, the creator of the Melbourne Botanic Gardens, helped establish for family.
The residence comes with <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-mount+macedon-116787287" target="_blank">20 rooms and a tower</a>. 
There's eight bedrooms, two grand living rooms, a rare original billiards room along with the requisite eight open fireplaces. The rooms were prefabricated in India using teak.
The terraced gardens have stone walls, ponds and a waterfall. There's also have a lawn tennis court where Norman Brookes played prior to becoming the first Australian to win Wimbledon in 1907. It was the retreat of his uncle, Herbert Brookes.
This article was first published in the Weekend Australian Mansion Australia property section.
 
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Peter Fox buys Mount Macedon's Penola estate

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/57114/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
As an urban rail activist, academic and commentator, including a spell on Infrastructure Australia, I can say from the start I was delighted that we have a consortium prepared to have a go at high-speed rail using value capture.
Consolidated Land and Rail Australia (CLARA) is the first group in Australia to suggest that a major rail option can be funded without government capital. This fits with what we have been saying for a number of years (for example, the entrepreneur rail model).
It is not just a way of bringing financing groups like superannuation funds into such major infrastructure projects where governments have no hope of finding the cash, but it is also a better way: it inherently integrates with land development opportunities to make less car-dependent cities.
High-speed rail is needed. We are the last major developed area without it.
It is now a well-established technology that can simultaneously reduce car use and plane use. It is a way to reduce our oil dependence and to help us meet our greenhouse emissions, as have Japan, China and Europe in recent decades.
<h2>Key issues to be overcome</h2>
However, some issues need to be resolved for this proposal and, indeed, the other three consortia that I have heard are also keen to build high-speed rail in Australia.
First, it’s not a project that should be an unsolicited bid with all its high commercial-in-confidence process. Such a project will have huge public significance and demands that we address the full implications – A$200 billion over 40 years is a lot of money for infrastructure and land development.
If this project goes ahead, many other infrastructure projects and land developments will not happen in the competitive marketplace of our cities and rural areas. This project will need to show great public benefit as well as enabling the private sector to take the risk and do the investing.
Second, what are we looking for from infrastructure like this? Surely we want it to build up our cities and the regional towns in between to have a more sustainable, productive and liveable future.
This project is very light on detail, understandably, about how it would come into the cities (it seems to just go from airport to airport on the urban fringes). It completely misses all the major regional centres like Canberra, Wagga Wagga and Albury-Wodonga in order to go much faster and cheaper through farmland.
The Canberra Times reported a CLARA spokesperson saying:
"The project would be privately funded on a value-uplift model. This needs new city development where maximum uplift in land values is available, which is not available in existing cities like Canberra, with elevated real estate prices. ‘They must be greenfield.’"
Value capture worldwide and in our model is done to facilitate urban regeneration, not to create new car-dependent greenfield suburbs. CLARA’s model is seeking cheap, easily obtainable land on the urban fringe and in rural areas rather than helping our cities and country towns. Not only is the value of this to Australia very debatable, it is not likely to be as successful in raising land values to achieve their goals.
There is a limit to how many wealthy, long-commute exurbs or retirement villages could be induced to invest in such places in the countryside. The strong economic demand is for urban regeneration inside the old parts of our cities and towns. This has been an important part of the rationale for high-speed rail in other places.
The CLARA model is an extension of the failed idea of building new towns in greenfield areas. It has failed in Australia and in the UK and US because urban development needs to be more organic, building on the historic processes, local communities and multiple services of the cities and towns built up over hundreds of years. The modernist new towns have all struggled as they are designed from the top down.
It may be appealing to take a fresh sheet and drop it from on high, and very messy to have to deal with so many land owners and local governments in the old cities and towns, but it should not be beyond us.
<h2>Principles to guide a successful project</h2>
To make high-speed rail and urban development happen in a way that benefits Australian cities and towns, I suggest we should try to follow the principles below.
<ol>
<li>
It is important to attract private capital for combined land development and transport, but this should be led by locational strategies where redevelopment is most needed, not by transport engineering simplicity.
</li>
<li>
Benefit-cost assessments should include long-term urban and sustainability goals.
</li>
<li>
Public-private partnerships (PPPs) should include core commitments to community engagement, integrated public transport delivery, equitable and time-of-travel-dependent fare structures, safety, consumer and environmental protection, and urban design quality.
</li>
<li>
The projects should not just be innovative in financing and PPP delivery but be agile enough to include disruptive innovations such as solar PV-based electric rail, new carbon fibre and other materials, very smart systems for control at high speed, and effective noise management.
</li>
</ol>
High-speed rail has been a long time coming for Australia. It’s a very big and beautiful opportunity, so let’s get it right.
Peter Newman is professor of sustainability, Curtin University and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/peter-newman-1858" target="_blank">here</a>.
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High-speed rail? At $200 billion we’d better get it right

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The Hillside, Melbourne home once owned by gangland wife Roberta Williams, the widow of convicted drug dealer Carl, has been sold.
Williams paid $280,000 for the two-storey house in 2000, selling it three years later for $450,000 to the vendors who listed it in May quoting $590,000-plus.
It was passed in at auction last month for $610,000, with Barry Plant Taylors Lakes selling 20 St John Paul Drive this month for $690,000.
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Roberta Williams' former Hillside house sold at $690,000

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The weekend auction offering at 23A Aitchander Road, West Ryde fetched $1,380,000 which was $150,000 over reserve.
The battle axe block did little to deter buyers interested in the 950sqm of land on offer.
The house was in original condition and requiring total renovation or a knock down and re-build.
During the campaign, 70 inspections and 14 contracts were issued, nine buyers registered on auction day of which four took part in the bidding which opened at $1.1 million through auctioneer, Rocky Bartolotto from Auction Services.
Robert Younis from First National West Ryde secured his third bidder - the eventual buyer - at $1,280,000 with another new bidder then joining in the bidding.
The top bidders were a young couple who plan to renovate.
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West Ryde re-build sold for $1.38 million

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A caveat is blocking the sale of the $100 million Gold Coast Sheraton Mirage resort.
The Queensland government has issued a caveat temporarily blocking the sale to help class action lawyers seeking to take control of it in the interests of Indian investors.
In 2009, before its collapse, India’s $10 billion failed Pearls Ponzi scheme brought more than $100 million of the scheme’s money to Australia, buying the Sheraton Mirage
Barrister Niall Coburn, a former investigator with the Australian Securities &amp; Investments Commission who is running the class action with Shine Lawyers, told The Australian the Queensland government registrar of titles had lodged a cav­eat.
The Federal Court in Brisbane will decide this week whether to grant a longer-term caveat over the properties.
A 92-page originating applic­ation filed by the class action lawyers details some of the devastation wrought by the Pearls scheme and its founder, Nirmal Singh Bhangoo, now in an Indian jail.
Pearls, was spruiked in India by Australian cricketer Brett Lee, who was paid $300,000 for his services.
It promised investors huge ­returns if they invested in land parcels across India.
In 2014 Pearls Group, the New Delhi based property group was accused of allegedly duping Indian investors by promising agriculture land in a so-called $10 billion ponzi scheme.
The India CBI registered a case of criminal conspiracy and cheating under Sections 120B and 420 of IPC against Pearls Group managing director Nirmal Singh Bhangoo, his two companies Pearls Agrotech Corporation Limited (PACL) and Pearls Golden Forest Limited (PGFL) and their director Sukhdev Singh.
The CBI claimed the documents recovered by it during searches at the premises of Delhi-based business groups PACL and PGF show they allegedly used ponzi scheme to cheat nearly five crore investors of Rs 45,0000 crore.
It is an associated New Delhi-based Pearls Group that paid $62 million for the Sheraton Mirage in 2009. It was the Christopher Skase-built resort on Queensland's Gold Coast. 
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Gold Coast Sheraton Mirage caveat stops Pearls Group sale

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One of South Australia's most luxurious mansions, Villa D'Este, has been listed by the Budini family with $2.495 million hopes.
It's named after the Hotel Villa D'Este in Italy's Lake Como where George Clooney lives.
Set on 5745 sqm, the Stirling home was originally designed by Berriman and Milliken Architects and built by H F. Sarah in 1976 .
Even the smallest of details were considered in the creation, with the grand entrance door handles being commissioned by Sydney artist Lucy Boyd.
The <a href="https://harcourts.com.au/Property/658600/SAD24634/42-Birch-Road" target="_blank">four bedroom bespoke home</a> sits in large designer gardens which were originally established in 1890.
There's also numerous terraces which overlook the all weather tennis court.
The property is available through Harcourts Williams agents Stephanie and John Williams.
 
This article was first published in the Weekend Australian Mansion Australia property section.
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Stirling SA trophy home Villa D'Este listed

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The weekend sale of a former The Block project offering at a loss highlighted the risk of buying under the gaze of the television bright lights.
The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.jelliscraig.com.au/property-details-2-1a-Affleck-Street-South-Yarra/383097" target="_blank">2/1a Affleck St, South Yarra</a> apartment was among 626 homes put to weekend auction in Melbourne, now the adopted home of the soon to return Channel 9 renovation stress series that began in Sydney in 2003.
The whole floor former Hotel Saville apartment — transformed on the Blocktagon last year by Caro and Kingi - sold to owner-occupiers for $1.722 million.
Despite three bidders, the sale price through the Jellis Craig agency was $13,000 less than its $1.735 million price as last November’s televised auction.
Selling agent Nathan Waterson noted it was was sold without its furniture, which he estimated to be worth $150,000.
The vendors had won the apartment in a $2 ticket purchase in the Mater Prize Home lottery.
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The Block South Yarra apartment falls short of prior auction price

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The Sydney Swans captain Kieren Jack, has kept himself busy amid his much publicised family feud, to list his redundant former Randwick home.
Jack bought the 1920s home in 2012 for $1.295 million.
But the AFL star has no need for it following his now completed renovation in Paddington.
The recently vacated Canberra Street, Randwick property has just seen a one year rental expire last month having been up for rent in June last year at $1,000 a week.
Set on 234 sqm, the dual level family home combines original Federation features and contemporary appointments.
It has two bedrooms, a recently renovated bathroom, modern kitchen and home office.
There's a low maintenance rear garden with barbecue area and treelined courtyard.
Carl Wilson at Home Estate Agents is taking it to August 13 auction, after Courtney Giles from Advantage Property Styling furnished the home.
Given two nearby sales at $1.8 million plus, Wilsn is suggesting $1.7 million to $1.8 million price guidance ahead of this weekend's first open for inspection.
Jack calls Paddington home, having bought a two bedroom terrace in 2014 for $1.34 million. His is the only name on the title, not girlfriend Charlotte Goodlet.
He had former Swans player David Willis undertake the project in Paddington.
He climbed onto the property ladder aged 22 just two years into his Sydney Swans career, buying a two bedroom Randwick apartment in 2009.
Set in a renovated block of nine units, Jack paid $570,000 for the apartment which was listed for rent at $560 a week in 2014. He retains the apartment on Mulwarree Avenue.
The Swans star has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons as the Sydney side still look set for a top eight finish despite a demoralising late defeat to the Hawks on Thursday night.
He's been embroiled in a media battle after mum Donna took to social media at her annoyance that Jack gave free tickets for his 200th game to the parents of his girlfriend, Charlotte Goodlet.
She tweeted "So sad. Dad 200 RL you 200 AFL &amp; you dont want us there, your parents. No appreciation for all the yrs helping you get there."
It's well broadcasted that Donna and Kieren's father, rugby league legend Garry Jack, haven't embraced the relationship with the model who was a finalist in the 2013 Miss Universe Australia pageant.
Jack has been dating Charlotte, who is also the Nine News producer, for over three years.  
This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.
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Kieren Jack lists redundant Randwick semi

Apartment buildings are increasingly being designed around how people actually live day to day, not just how they want a building to look.

For buyers, that shift is showing up in practical inclusions that respond to changing habits. Work-from-home spaces, EV charging, wellness amenities, secure bike storage and parcel management are becoming part of the broader apartment conversation, reflecting a move toward buildings that reduce friction in everyday life.

Online shopping has become one of the clearest examples of that change.

Australians spent a record $82.6 billion online in 2025, with nearly one in four retail dollars now spent online. That has made parcel delivery a regular part of apartment living, rather than an occasional inconvenience.

For apartment residents, however, the delivery process can be less straightforward than it is for detached homes. Parcels may be left in lobbies, redirected to Post Offices, missed entirely, or placed under the responsibility of building managers and concierge teams.

That is why secure parcel infrastructure is increasingly being considered alongside more familiar apartment amenities.

<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/-VjjLwoViX0?si=A3k7ws9NX35Uac7_" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Australia Post Parcel Lockers offer one way to address the issue. When a parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS, then collect it using a QR code or one-time PIN. The parcel is kept secure, accessible and removed from common areas.

The broader Parcel Locker network now includes more than 1,500 locations across Australia, positioned at Post Offices, shopping centres, supermarkets, transport hubs and other accessible locations.

For new apartment projects, the relevance is clear. A building’s amenity offering is no longer only about lifestyle spaces, but also about convenience, security and functionality.

As buyer expectations evolve, secure parcel delivery is becoming part of the same design conversation as flexible working, sustainable transport and resident wellbeing.

It is one less thing for residents to worry about, and another example of apartment design adapting to the way Australians now live.

Joel Robinson

Apartment design is adapting to the way Australians shop

While school holidays and trips to Europe tend to define the winter property market, there's been no cold snap at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-walden-north-sydney-177-walker-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">The Walden</a> in North Sydney.

Developer-builder&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/aland">ALAND</a> sold more than $35 million worth of apartments throughout June, including a $6.8 million apartment that now ranks among the highest apartment sales ever recorded in North Sydney.

SRM Residential agent Ben Stewart said buyer demand throughout June reflected a mix of improving market confidence and longer-term thinking from owner-occupiers.

"We're seeing strong demand from owner-occupiers who are taking a longer-term view," Stewart said.

"Many recognise the opportunity to secure an apartment in an iconic building and premium location while values remain attractive. They may initially lease the property, but the intention is to eventually move in themselves, rather than purchasing purely as an investment."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=367129]

Located at 177 Walker Street, The Walden will deliver 161 one, two, three and four-bedroom residences across a 30-storey tower designed by Rothelowman. Every apartment occupies a corner position, maximising natural light, cross ventilation and views across Sydney Harbour, the Opera House, Sydney Heads and the northern districts.

Rather than a traditional balcony, the residences feature winter gardens that seamlessly extend the open plan living areas, creating versatile spaces for relaxing or entertaining throughout the year. Floor-to-ceiling glazing draws in natural light while showcasing sweeping views from the building's elevated Walker Street position.

Every apartment features high-end Calacatta marble, bespoke joinery, and fully integrated appliances.

The larger residences have been planned with distinct entertaining and private zones, with many master suites positioned on corners to capture natural light and harbour views. Walk-in dressing rooms, freestanding baths and refined stone finishes reinforce the house-like feel that has resonated with downsizers and owner-occupiers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6393]

Rothelowman Principal Ben Pomroy said the project was designed to make the most of its unique position overlooking the harbour.

"The Walden is a celebration of all things beautiful, curated for those who expect nothing less than exceptional," Pomroy says.

"Meticulously designed entertaining spaces and light-filled living areas that capitalise on capturing the natural beauty of Sydney's iconic harbour."

Residents will also have exclusive access to The Pavilion, a dedicated amenity building featuring a rooftop pool, wellness studio, gymnasium, sauna, concierge service, residents' lounge, private dining spaces and work-from-home facilities.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6402]

The project marks ALAND's first major luxury apartment development in Sydney's inner-city market after more than two decades delivering residential communities across Greater Sydney.

Founder and CEO Andrew Hrsto previously said the rarity of the Walker Street site made it an opportunity the company could not overlook.

"This is a rare opportunity to bring a truly exceptional project to life in one of Sydney's most iconic locations, and to showcase our craftsmanship and design expertise at a world-class level," Hrsto said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6383]

The Walden has been introduced to the market at a time when demand for living in North Sydney is at an all-time high. Billions of dollars have been invested in infrastructure, including the recently opened Victoria Cross Metro station, located just 300 metres from The Walden, providing residents with direct access to the Sydney CBD in just minutes.

Private investment has also transformed the area through the arrival of new retail and dining destinations, elevating the lifestyle offering in what was once considered primarily a commercial precinct rather than an aspirational residential address.

The Walden is currently under construction and is scheduled for completion in 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134323]

ALAND records $35 million in sales in North Sydney as The Walden bucks quiet winter selling season

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.

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.

&nbsp;

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>

&nbsp;

Jonathan Chancellor

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