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Foreign property investors in NSW will be hit with a 4 percent stamp duty surcharge when buying homes and apartments in next week's state budget.
The NSW State Government has forecast the move would raise more than $1 billion over four years, the Daily Telegraph reported today.
And it is tipped, despite suggestions to contrary, that overseas investors would also cop an extra 0.75 per cent land tax surcharge on residential property.
Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian said she was confident the extra costs would not deter foreign buyers given other states had similiar measure.
"It's been proven successful in Victoria, we also know that Queensland is moving in this direction and we also know that most foreign investors are likely to absorb this cost and proceed with their transaction anyway," she said.
"We do not feel that this will in any way compromise the property market at all.
“If you asked most economists, they would say people who are going to invest in these houses who are foreign investors are going to do it anyway,” News Ltd reported.
“We assume they’re going to invest anyway; we (want to) ensure (they are) paying tax revenue for our services. This is one way for us to ensure a strong revenue (stream) into the future,” she said.
“These new measures will ensure NSW’s property market continues to be an attractive destination for international investors while making sure that we are able to fund vital services into the future.
“The Victorian experience has demonstrated the measures have not had an adverse impact the property market,’’ she said.
The Government also said foreign investors would no longer be entitled to a 12-month deferral for the payment of stamp duty for off-the-plan purchases of residential property.
Also overseas buyers would not be given a tax-free threshold for the land tax surcharge in the 2017 tax year.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

NSW foreign property buyers to pay higher stamp duty and stamp duty

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The Bondi hoarders' property - withdrawn from sheriff's auction last week - is set to be rescheduled despite the family turning up to court with wads of hundred-dollar notes.
The family managed to stave off the forced auction of their home on Thursday night.
Then on Friday Mary Bobolas and her adult daughters Elena and Liana arrived in court carrying several bags each, desirious of paying their debt owed to Waverley Council.
They produced bags of $100 notes as a “show of good will that funds were available”.
But magistrate Joanne Keogh said the family had failed to demonstrate sufficient means to pay the money owed to the council.
There remains the prospect the family will lodge an appeal.
A $2 million sale had been anticipated due to its prime location and 550 sqm block size.
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-bondi-118903099" target="_blank">19 Boonara Avenue</a> offering was listed under instructions of the NSW Sheriff's Office.
It was the third time that the marketing failed to end in any under the hammer sale.
There was an unexpected delay last month.
Previously the owner Mary Bobolas dodged the sale of the property February last year by coming up with $180,000 to pay Waverley Council's cleaning and legal bills just hours before that scheduled auction.
The drawn out process has seen buyer interest wane as when it was first listed in 2015, 63 contracts had been handed out. Last month it was in the 30s. This time interest was down to around the expected 10 attendees.
They will need to pay a further $160,000 to meet the newest set of cleaning and legal bills.
The council's solicitors wrote to the Bobolas family in November asking for settlement of the outstanding money to avoid the sale but they received no funds.
Raine &amp; Horne agent Ric Serrao was commissioned by the NSW Sheriff's Office to sell the property so that clean-up costs can be recovered on behalf of the council.
Rubbish flowed out of the door and onto the property frontage on the latest listing images despite a 10 truck clear up in July last year.
There were no inspections possible for prospective buyers.
Ric Serrao couldn't even access the property so there were no internal photos or floor plan available.
 
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Bondi hoarders saga continues

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The top price at any auction across the long weekend was when Highbury sold at $2.86 million in Sydney's Roseville, to narrowly eclipse a $2.84 million post-auction sale in Melbourne's Alphington.
Highbury is a <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-roseville-122700522" target="_blank">five bedroom bungalow</a> (above) on 670 sqm at Roseville that last sold in 1995 at $530,000. It was briefly listed for sale in 2005 at $1.4 million but did not sell.
The Alphington result was a record suburb price bettering a $2.684 million result achieved by the <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-alphington-122684146" target="_blank">architect-designed 27 Keith St</a> last year.
The new record holder, completed 12 months ago, drew four bidders when 83 Fulham Road was offered through Nelson Alexander auctioneer Spiros Karagiannidis who'd passed it in at $2.83 million.
 
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Roseville and Alphington secure weekend top prices

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The cheapest price at any auction across the long weekend was $213,000 at Brisbane's fringe locality, Beenleigh.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-qld-beenleigh-122665278" target="_blank">The two bedroom Hawthorne Street unit l</a>ast sold at $300,000 in 2009, at the height of the first home buyers' frenzy in the Logan municipality.
The complex's most recent sale was another unit that sold at less than last time too. It sold to the latest fad buying type, a superannuation fund which paid $172,000 which had fetched $263,000 in 2009.
The latest offering was advised as a $280 a week rental. It sold to a local investor who was one of three registered bidders.
Keen interest came from an ACT investor.
<a href="https://harcourts.com.au/Property/657135/QMG2229/10-12-Hawthorne-street" target="_blank">The adjoining apartment </a>has been listed for sale through the Harcourt's selling agent Susan Foley. 
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Beenleigh secures weekend's cheapest sale

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The fraud case against a former South Australian young BRW rich-lister, Cathy Jayne Pearce, has been thrown out by a Queensland Magistrate Court judge because prosecutors weren't ready to start her trial.
Cathy Pearce was there for what was expected to be a three-day trial over an alleged car insurance fraud.
The charge against the 43-year-old, valued at $30,000 or more, dated to 2008.
Judge Julie Ryrie refused a request by the prosecution to adjourn the case because it did not have all of the information required to proceed.
"There is an obligation upon the Crown to prosecute in a timely way," she said.
The former Adelaide real estate identity mentions on her LinkedIn page that she was "considered as the South Australian property princess during the 1990s.
She hit headlines when she was a buyer at The Block series in Manly.
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 Cathy Pearce fraud case thrown out by Queensland judge

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/57114/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
Australia’s housing stock is not meeting the demands of older Australians, according to a new report released by the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC).
The report features findings from a BCEC Housing Affordability Survey, which captures the housing experiences and affordability perceptions of more than 4,300 people across New South Wales, Western Australia and Queensland.
Older householders aged 55 years or over were asked a series of questions relating to downsizing, including motivations and barriers. Around 16 percent of those aged 55 to 64 and one-quarter of those aged 64 or over reported they had already downsized. The most commonly cited reasons for downsizing, as shown in the figure below, were to live in a smaller house that is easier to maintain and to reduce housing costs.
Older Australians want options that allow them to downsize in areas that suit their lifestyle. This includes being close to family and friends while having access to quality amenities.
Main reasons for downsizing
<h4><a href="/images/2016/06/14/image-20160606-26003-1j0d161.PNG" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></h4>
<img src="/images/2016/06/14/image-20160606-26003-1j0d161.PNG" alt="">
<h2>A growing mismatch between housing stock and demand</h2>
Among those aged 55 years or over who had not downsized, more than 80 percent said they would certainly do so in the future. However, around 40 percent of those who had not downsized felt there weren’t enough suitable or affordable housing options in the areas where they would choose to downsize.
Perceived barriers to downsizing
<h4><a href="/images/2016/06/14/image-20160606-26010-10q9jmn.PNG" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></h4>
<img src="/images/2016/06/14/image-20160606-26010-10q9jmn.PNG" alt="">
This identifies a mismatch between demand and existing housing stock. And it’s likely to get worse, with the proportion of older and lone-person households <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Latestproducts/3236.0Main%20Features42011%20to%202036?opendocument&amp;tabname=Summary&amp;prodno=3236.0&amp;issue=2011%20to%202036&amp;num=&amp;view=">set to increase significantly</a> over the next 20 years.
Most of Australia’s dwelling stock is made up of separate houses with at least three bedrooms. Small dwellings with one or two bedrooms are still relatively scarce.
According to the 2011 Census, three-quarters of the nation’s dwelling stock is made up of separate houses, compared to just 14 percent flats, units or apartments. There are, however, some stark differences across cities.
Census data show that more than 25 percent of Sydney’s housing stock is made up of flats, units and apartments. Other cities lag behind. In Melbourne, only 15 percent of the housing stock are flats, units and apartments, in Brisbane 12 percent and in Perth only 9 percent.
Semi-detached, row or terraced houses provide smaller alternatives to the detached house. Yet, with the exception of Perth, the proportion of such dwellings is even lower than flats, units and apartments.
The lack of housing diversity compels older Australians to continue living in larger dwellings than they would prefer, and often for longer than they would prefer.
In Western Australia, where four out of every five dwellings are separate houses, more than one-quarter of households aged 55 years or over live in dwellings with three or more spare bedrooms.
<h2>So, what housing solutions are possible?</h2>
As population ageing drives a long-run demand for smaller dwellings, the mismatch between preferences and housing supply will grow unless a significant shift in the diversity of dwellings happens across the country.
This does not simply mean delivering more one-bedroom apartments. Increasing dwelling diversity takes time, planning and commitment. Strategic planning documents across the country recognise the need for change, yet the housing market in its current form appears unable to deliver diverse, affordable housing options on anything close to a sufficient scale.
The lack of suitable homes is not the only factor that discourages older Australians from downsizing. The BCEC Housing Affordability Survey shows that 58% of would-be older downsizers thought the costs of downsizing – such as stamp duty and real estate agent fees – were simply too high to make downsizing worthwhile.
Making downsizing less costly is likely to be “doubly beneficial”. This is because it would free up existing housing stock for younger families, thus revitalising an ageing housing stock, while allowing older households to reduce their housing costs. Stamp duty reforms targeted at older Australians, such as those already implemented in Victoria and the ACT, would remove a significant barrier to downsizing and potentially deliver benefits to the economy.
However, tax reforms must be accompanied by flexible housing solutions. These need to increase the supply of diverse housing forms, not just in terms of house type but also tenure, in the locations where older people want to live.
Older Australians want innovative solutions that offer more than traditional retirement housing options. Vertical villages, which offer activated internal corridors, flexible living spaces and areas to entertain the grandchildren, are starting to appear.
Alternative tenure options such as the “land rent” model create housing solutions in which costs are reduced because the occupant does not need to buy the land. Such models represent forward thinking, but existing policy settings present major challenges to such innovation.
Governments need to work with industry to deliver solutions that meet the housing needs of older Australians. These solutions are required now more than ever.
 
Rachel Ong is deputy director, Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre, Curtin University and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rachel-ong-113482" target="_blank">here.</a>
Alan Duncan is director, Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre and Bankwest Research Chair in Economic Policy, Curtin University and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alan-duncan-100759" target="_blank">here</a>.
Steven Rowley is director - Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute - Curtin Research Centre, Curtin University and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/steven-rowley-201914" target="_blank">here</a>.
All are authors for The Conversation. 
The authors would like to thank Amity James, of Curtin University, for her contributions to the administration and analysis of the BCEC Housing Affordability Survey.
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Lack of housing choice frustrates would-be downsizers

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The residence 1, at 284 Dorcas Street, South Melbourne fetched $1.505 million at weekend auction.
Marshall White Albert Park agent Kaine Lanyon said two downsizers competed for the three-bedroom townhouse.
The sale price was over its $1.28 million reserve.
The residence is one of 28 in a striking former 1880s primary school that closed in 1996.
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1880s South Melbourne state school townhouse sale

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In Sydney's Rose Bay, the beachfront home of the Dupree family fetched $14,875,000 at its 40 minute long auction when sold mid-last week to the Fuller family.
Its Ray White Double Bay listing agents Michael Finger and Diane Wilson had four bidders, with one only entering after it was <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-rose+bay-122681226" target="_blank">called on the market at $14.5 million</a> by auctioneer James Keenan.
The property previously traded four decades ago when bought by the late arts patron Annette Dupree with the family undertaking a $1 million redesign by Misho and Associates around 10 years ago.
Annette Dupree, nee Fielding-Jones, was a journalism cadet on the Sydney Morning Herald in the 1950s, and wrote the first architectural features in the paper.
Her home was a Pettit &amp; Sevitt-built home on the Collins Avenue, Rose Bay foreshore.
 
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Misho and Associates trophy home on Rose Bay sells at $14,875,000

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Melbourne businessman Max Twigg has listed one of Australia's most iconic pubs, the Byron Bay Beach hotel.
It comes with market expectations of between $75 million and $80 million.
Mr Twigg, who made his money in waste management, bought the hotel in mid-2007 from its developer, John Cornell.
Mr Twigg paid $44 million for the pub's land component in 2007 with the total business purchase price taking the outlay closer to $65 million.
Daniel Dragicevich of CBRE Hotels and Tony Bargwanna and Jared Hodge of Ray White Hotels have the 4585 sqm listing.
The hotel is leased to Melbourne pub industry identity John van Haandel until mid-2017 with a further two, 10-year lease options and currently brings in annual income of around $4.2 million. 
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Byron Bay Beach Hotel listed

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Adelaide's strong 78 percent weekend auction clearance rate was at year high - and the top result around the nation.
With subdued long weekend offerings, capital city auction volumes sat at 1,053, down significantly given most states and territories have a Monday public holiday.
The national 67 percent success rate compared to 68 per cent last week when there were 2,008 auctions, CoreLogic advised.
It was 75 percent one year ago.
Sydney vendors sustained their success rate in the 70s on the weekend.
With around 280 Sydney homes auctioned, Sydney didn't quite see the same fall in weekend activity that occurred in Melbourne where there were only 265 auctions.
Melbourne secured a 65 percent weekend success rate, a fall from 71 per cent last week. 
Prior to the lower volumes this week, over the past month, Melbourne has maintained a clearance rate in the low 70 percent range, representing stable conditions across the market.
The REIV reported the top clearance rate suburbs in May were Yarraville, Caulfield South and Pascoe Vale, each with more than nine in 10 homes sold at auction last month in these suburbs.
The best performing weekend sub-region was in Sydney, where the weather-battered Northern Beaches secured a stellar 95 percent success followed by the Mornington Peninsula, outside Melbourne, with a strong clearance rate of 93 percent, based on 15 results.
Melbourne will see one of its busiest June auction weekends next Saturday when more than 980 auctions are scheduled.
Next weekend's offerings include <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-hawthorn-122744242" target="_blank">14 Lyndhurst Crescent, Hawthorn</a> (above) with $3 million plus hopes given its modern Drew Cole extension behind its quaint cottage facade.
The Saturday Age even got the great Hawks full forward Peter Hudson to pose for a photo outfront of the pale grey facade because it was where he boarded in his early days of his football career.
The 1900s Hawthorn cottage, last traded for $1,511,000 in 2010, was where some 100 of the Hawks’ country and interstate recruits lived with Hawthorn supporter Percy Cavell, his wife Miriam and their four children during a two decade period from the 1960s.
Sydney will have around 650 listings next weekend.
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Long weekend auctions subdued ahead of June boost

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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