<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVER
Australia’s property market found itself caught in a perfect storm last year.
With RBA interest latest sitting at levels not seen since the 1950s, an Australian dollar sitting below 0.80 to the US dollar, and a low a level of inflation, both investors and owner-occupiers alike saw it as the perfect opportunity to claim their piece of Australia’s property market pie. Across the country, we saw new dwelling commencements increase for the third year running at 211,860 in conjunction to the boom in Melbourne and Sydney’s house prices. But after experiencing this seemingly perfect storm that helped us sail prosperously through 2015, as we propel further into the next leg of the race many are left wondering; will 2016 provide the same conditions to herald a consecutive year of property market success?
Much like the weather, our economy is far from static. The forces that once may have assisted us can very quickly take a turn. Some will find this will ultimately put them at an advantage; for others, it may make the voyage a little less linear. While RBA interest rates currently sit on 2 percent and are expected to hold, and the Australian dollar floats around 0.70 to the greenback, it is the banks that have changed their game. The rhetoric of global economic uncertainty currently prevailing among business experts means that banks have had to respond. More stringent stress testing standards to assess their capability to respond to a financial downturn mean this is also being applied to investors in 2016. As the cost of capital has increased for banks due to greater risk, investors will now find it harder to access loans. While there has always been a degree of stress testing, the margins are now higher. The Big Four Australian banks have a large amount of security tied to residential debt, so while you may put in an application at 4 percent it is likely to be tested at 6 percent. This creates an environment where being able to prove cashflow is prime, highlighting two major players: those who have assets but are cashflow poor and may struggle to liquidate, and those with strong balance sheets with a large amount of cash on hand who can prove mitigation of future risk. For those who are able, commercial property will likely be the investment pick, with better yields and stronger prospects for long-term tenants providing stronger foundations for capital growth and ultimately a more secure investment.
It is important for both large scale and individual investors alike that property is not a short-term venture, and disruptions in the market should not instantly prompt investors to sell. Those who panic will ultimately lose because they are selling in a softening market if having purchased recently. Given the nature of our globally-linked financial markets and the uncertainty surrounding them, it is likely interest rates will remain low for at least several years to come. If you are sensible with the amount you are borrowing, and gear yourself comfortably, you are likely to be in a winning position in the long run.
Our perfect storm may well be on the turn, but it’s still presenting a whirlwind of opportunity for property investment. This will be easier for some more than others, but with a prudent and logical financial approach, there’s still plenty of opportunity to capitalise.
 
Andrew Fawell is director, Beller, and can be contacted <a href="https://beller.com.au" target="_blank">here</a>. 
</body></html>

jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

The perfect storm continues for the Australian property market: Andrew Fawell

<html><body>
A pistachio farm in the Wimmera region, The Pistachio Farm has been listed for sale.
The pistachio orchards spread across 103 hectares of land over the 312 hectare property.
There are less than 50 pistachio growers across Australia.
<a href="https://rea.colliers.com.au/property-horticulture-vic-telopea+downs-7802814" target="_blank">The Pistachio Farm</a> accounts for more than 10 percent of total plantings, the fourth largest operation in the country.
The farm gate value of Australian pistachios is currently $9 million and is expected to rise to $30 million by 2025.
Receivers Matthew Caddy and Keith Crawford of McGrathNicol have appointed Colliers International’s Jesse Manuel and Tim Altschwager to sell the property.
The current vendors bought the farm in 2008.
Manuel told The Australian Financial Review that price levels hovered around $5 to $6 per kilogram for many years up to 2011 before there was a consistent rise every year up until 2015 when the price reached $13 per kilogram.
There are currently less than 50 pistachio growers across Australia, with a total of around 950ha of trees planted.
The property is located in Telopea Downs, about 350 kilometres south-east of Adelaide and 440 kilometres north-west of Melbourne.
</body></html>

Wimmera Pistachio farm listed

<html><body>
Melbourne high-rise developer Joe Russo has suggested finding new sites for development in Melbourne that stacked up was now a lot harder. 
He forecast a lot of smaller developers would run into trouble with banks tightening up their development lending criteria following changes enforced by APRA.
"To get a loan now you need a proven track record and you have to have more pre-sales," he said.
"So there will be a nice clean-out of development sites from these developers, who paid a lot of money, but who now can't make them work.
"They will try to offload them, but there aren't a lot of takers," he told The Australian Financial Review.
He said sites with permits had too-high price tags, while those without permits now came with too much planning risk, following new interim height controls last year by Victorian Planning Minister Richard Wynne.
Caydon has recently received approval for the first stage of its $700 million Moonee Ponds development in Melbourne's inner north-west.
Caydon has yet to secure a permit for the $1 billion Nylex site development in Cremorne.
Mr Russo paid over $42 million to buy the 13,400-square-metre Moonee Ponds site from Leighton Properties and Qualitas in April last year with plans for over 1200 apartments. 
Picture of Caydon's Margaret St Moonee Ponds development
</body></html>

Joe Russo forecasts "clean-out" of smaller Melbourne developers

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVER
Hard-pressed ratepayers in New South Wales and Queensland need no reminding of the perils of municipal amalgamation. 
NSW experienced a sharp dose of forced mergers in 2004. Queenslanders underwent draconian council consolidation under the Beattie government in 2008.
NSW is now on the cusp of a further round of mergers being inflicted on unwilling councils.
In all three cases, the architects of compulsory amalgamation have been under the sway of the dogma that “bigger is better” in local government. Ratepayers are told amalgamation will herald a new dawn of lower rates, cheaper services, improved service quality, enhanced financial viability and superior administration and planning.
In NSW, the Baird government has especially emphasised the financial advantages of municipal amalgamation. These claims are typically presented as the outcome of careful research and deliberation.
Mergers tested in a real-world experiment
Are these claims consistent with the empirical evidence? My colleagues Brian Bell and Joseph Drew and I investigated this question for NSW’s 2004 forced amalgamations.
We took advantage of being able to use 2014 data to compare the performance of merged councils with their unmerged counterparts over ten years.
We compared amalgamated “general purpose” councils with their un-amalgamated peer councils in the same local government classification. We thus had the benefit of a “natural experiment”, being able to compare the two groups of “like” councils against a common set of performance indicators.
Our peer-reviewed research paper will be published shortl<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://esa.snapdev.com.au/news/15991">y</a>.
The criteria we used for this comparison included four the Baird government is using under its “Fit for the Future” program – operating performance, own-source revenue, building and infrastructure renewal, and asset maintenance ratios – as well as council employees per capita.
We found no statistically significant differences in the performance of the two groups of councils against these criteria. This falsifies past claims by the Carr Labor government that its forced amalgamations would substantially improve NSW local government financial performance. It also undermines the Baird Coalition government’s claims for its proposed mergers.
Evidence mounts against ‘bigger is better’
Other research provides additional damning evidence. For example, Joseph Drew, Mike Kortt and I examined the outcomes of forced amalgamations in Queensland in 2008. These reduced the number of councils from 157 to just 73.
Our research demonstrated that this resulted in a greater proportion of councils exhibiting diseconomies of scale. That is, mergers created entities that were simply too large to be run efficiently.
Furthermore, of the 31 new councils the mergers created, 58% exhibit decreasing returns to scale. Comparing their efficiency through time, we found merged councils performed worse than unmerged councils.
Finally, Elizabeth Sinnewe, Mike Kortt and I recently tested the claim that “bigger is better” by examining the financial performance of Australia’s largest council by population, Brisbane City. In our recently published analysis, we compared Brisbane City Council to Sydney City Council, the average of six southeast Queensland councils and the average of ten metropolitan NSW councils.
We did so using four measures of financial performance – financial flexibility, liquidity, debt service capacity and asset management. Between 2008 and 2011, the three comparator groups outperformed Brisbane Council in financial flexibility, liquidity and debt-servicing ability.
Taken together, these three papers cast doubt over the continuing dogma that “bigger is better”. They also add to the empirical literature on municipal mergers by demonstrating that “biggest is not best” either.
In particular, the financial performance of local authorities does not improve as advocates of amalgamation contend. On the contrary, amalgamated municipalities often perform worse than their unmerged counterparts.
Amid the controversy over the Baird government’s compulsory council consolidation program, our findings underline the foolishness of making public policy in an “evidence-free” manner.
If forced amalgamations proceed, we may well see hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer and ratepayer funds squandered simply because policymakers preferred dogma to empirical evidence.
Brian Dollery is professor of economics and director of the Centre for Local Government, University of New England and author for The Conversation. He can be <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/brian-dollery-162945" target="_blank">contacted here</a>.
 
</body></html>

Do mergers make for better councils? The evidence is against ‘bigger is better’ for local government

<html><body>
The Australian columnist Alan Kohler says to a large extent the 2016 Federal will be all about house prices, which he suggests "is both good and bad."
He says the Reserve Bank is out of ideas as "cutting interest rates to lower the dollar just sends house prices higher."
Instead Kohler says its the politicians’ turn to do something. 
The Labor Party wants to limit negative gearing to new construction, the Coalition wants to reintroduce the Australian Building and Construction Commission.
The policies, he suggests are seeking to address high property prices and  high wages. 
"Workers have to be paid a lot to service their housing debt; without overpriced houses, Australian wages wouldn’t have to be so high," he notes.
"Labor has a tricky selling task selling its negative gearing policy because it is trying to argue that the change will make housing more affordable, but won’t result in house prices falling. 
"So Labor leader Bill Shorten has to assert that it will merely lower the rate of increase in house prices.
"Similarly, the Coalition’s policy of cracking down on the construction union and bringing back that ABCC, which is the potential trigger for the double dissolution election and therefore its key reason, is an attempt to reduce the cost of building apartments and thereby reduce Australia’s high cost structure."
Kohler suggests despite it being discussed politically as an ideological anti-union crusade, "which it is to some extent", at a practical level it’s just an attempt to bring down Australia’s high cost of housing. 
"The dividing point between union and non-union construction is three storeys: anything above that height must involve the CFMEU.
"Research commissioned by Master Builders Australia has found that the difference in labour cost between four storeys and two storeys is 24 percent."
</body></html>

Politicians time to take the reins with RBA out of ideas: Alan Kohler

<html><body>
The Yarraville home of the AFL player Jordan Roughead has sold for $815,000.
The Western Bulldogs player Jordan Roughead secured $65,000 over reserve through Terry Fitzpatrick of Jas Stephens.
It was a couple with two children from West Footscray who fought off three other bidders to secure the three-bedroom weatherboard on Urwin St.
Roughead paid $610,000 in early 2012.
</body></html>

Jordan Roughead sells in Yarraville

<html><body>
A one bedroom property in Main Ridge Victoria is on the market.
Set on 26 hectares of grazing bush and sprawling hills, the property offers views to Bass Strait, the Heads, Port Phillip and the Bellarine Peninsula.
A building permit to extend the original, architecturally designed stone dwelling to a four bedroom home exists. 
A stream meanders through the property and a dam supplies water for livestock.
A separate studio is nestled into the hillside further down the estate.
The property at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-main+ridge-121424642" target="_blank">32 Davos Street</a> is available through Meg Pell of Kay &amp; Burton Flinders.
The home has been on the market for 125 days.
</body></html>

One bedroom retreat at Main Ridge listed

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVER
Former Bank of England Governor Sir Mervyn King famously wrote that, “a successful central bank should be boring”.
The recent consensus in monetary policy, given the absence of major news about the Australian and overseas economies to inform policy makers, appears to be just that.
The unemployment rate, according to the latest ABS figures, fell to 5.8 percent, and inflation, at 1.7 percent, remains below the RBA’s target band of 2-3 percent. 
Economic growth came in at an annual 3.0 percent at the end of 2015, fuelled by stronger household spending and government expenditure, while investment declined by 0.6 percent in the fourth quarter, subtracting from GDP growth. Yet real domestic income increased by only 0.1 percent in the fourth quarter, reflecting a decrease in Australia’s terms of trade.
Overall, the outlook for the Australian economy looks much the same as the previous month. The CAMA RBA Shadow Board’s policy preferences remain virtually unchanged from last month. It continues to have a strong preference for keeping the cash rate on hold, attaching a 69% probability to this being the appropriate policy setting. The confidence attached to a required rate cut equals 23%, while the confidence in a required rate hike only equals 8 percent.
The fall in Australia’s unemployment rate can be almost entirely attributed to a fall in the participation rate from 65.1 percent to 64.9 percent. There has been no new data on real wage growth, which remains worryingly subdued.
The weakening of the US dollar has seen the Aussie dollar rebound to above 77 US¢. The trade balance remains firmly in deficit, equalling $2.9 billion in January (down from $3.5 billion in December 2015). Yields on Australian 10-year government bonds have inched up to 2.53 percent. The yield curve thus remains relatively flat.
Global stocks have rebounded spectacularly since the rout at the beginning of this year, while commodity prices have also gained some ground. Conversely, volatility, as measured by the VIX volatility index, has been declining steadily since its peak in early February. The last month has brought little in the way of news about the health of the world economy. The US economy still looks to be the pacemaker, with Europe, Japan, the BRICS countries and other developing economies expanding only modestly. High indebtedness in many countries remains a concern, even at historically low interest rates.
The Shadow Board’s confidence measures are virtually unchanged from the previous month. It attaches a 69 percent probability that “no change” is the appropriate policy, a 23% probability that rate cut is appropriate and an 8% probability that a rate rise, to 2.25 percent or higher, is appropriate.
The probabilities at longer horizons are as follows: 6 months out, the estimated probability that the cash rate should remain at 2 percent remains at 30 percent. The estimated need for an interest rate decrease has risen to 25 percent (23 percent in March), while the need for a rate increase has fallen to 45 percent (47 percent in March). A year out, the Shadow Board members’ confidence that the cash rate should be held steady dropped three percentage points, from 22 percent to 19 percent, while the confidence in a required cash rate decrease equals 18 percent (16 percent in March) and in a required cash rate increase 62 percent (63 percent in March).
To access the comments made by the RBA Shadow board <a href="https://cama.crawford.anu.edu.au/sites/default/files/outcome/attachments/2016-04/shadow_board_comments_april2016.pdf" target="_blank">click here</a>.
</body></html>

Steady is the word, again: RBA Shadow Board

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVER
One of the effects of urbanisation is an increasing number of people choosing to live in the inner city, particularly in high density neighbourhoods. 
Re-zoning has allowed many residential areas to become mixed use zones whereby apartment high rises, houses and restaurant strips exist all on the same street. 
In Victoria, these zones are often centred around transport hubs, nearby either tram lines or train stations. All these elements make the hustle and bustle of the city, but one might argue it's getting a little too noisy. External noise has become a modern day pollutant that is difficult to escape, and has captured Secret Agent’s attention.
In Secret Agent’s Healthy Environment report, we recommended buying property that is not located on a main road or nearby train stations to avoid high levels of external noise while at home. It has been found that noise can have detrimental health effects such as cardiovascular disease, even if you think you’ve become accustomed to the low grumblings of traffic and passing trains.
Secret Agent recently discovered that, in addition to poor health outcomes, external noise can have a negative impact on the value of property. The following points summarise what we have discovered about noise throughout our ongoing investigations:
• Houses located on a noisy street in inner Melbourne are worth 7 percent less than the average house on a quiet street.
• Properties directly opposite a train line might have good accessibility but they are approximately 6 percent lower in value than those located a street back from a train line.
• Noise can impact how you feel at home. Studies have suggested that impulsive noise such as loud chatter from your neighbours or pedestrians is more annoying than     constant traffic noise. (Kennedy and Buys, 2010)
• Noise can affect you physiologically with statistical relationships established between noise such as railway and road traffic with cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment and tinnitus. (WHO, 2011)
• Even low frequency sound waves that you cannot hear can still be felt by the body and cause damage to the inner ear.
Out of all the senses, hearing is probably the most overlooked when it comes to creating spaces. In order to house the rapidly growing population in modern cities, without sacrificing quality of life, there is a greater need to control the increasing sources of noise and the design of spaces that contain them.
For more information, <a href="https://secretagent.com.au/" target="_blank">click here</a>.
</body></html>

Urbanisation, quality of life and noise: Secret Agent 

<html><body>
Elwood apartments topped and tailed REIV weekly auction and private treaty results.
The $235,000 Elwood flat at 6/6 Cyril Street (above) had last sold in 2008 at $195,000 and $220,000 in 2001.
It had been a $230 weekly rental when advertised earlier this year, reflecting a five percent rental yield.
Woodards Real Estate had been quoting $195,000 to $210,000 for the 1970s one bedder.
<a href="/images/2016/04/4/Screen%20Shot%202016-04-04%20at%2012.57.47%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/04/4/Screen%20Shot%202016-04-04%20at%2012.57.47%20PM.png" alt="">
</body></html>

Elwood apartments top and tail REIV results

A who's who of Australian surfing, business and entertainment has emerged on title records following the completion of Esprit Rainbow Bay, the latest boutique beachfront apartment development by former professional surfer Paul Gedoun's S&amp;S Projects.

The completed project has attracted an enviable collection of owners, many with long-standing ties to the southern Gold Coast and the surf culture that has helped define Rainbow Bay and neighbouring Kirra for generations.

Given Gedoun's own background in surfing, it perhaps comes as little surprise that some of Australia's most recognisable surfers have chosen to buy into the development overlooking one of the country's most celebrated stretches of coastline.

Pezet Matheson directors Jayde Pezet and Todd Matheson launched the project in late 2021, and have managed the sales campaign all the way through to its sell-out and recent completion.

<img alt="Esprit" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="08fc6261-b84e-4b09-8a44-66d3067fd0d1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-29%20at%208.51.05%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4AOcb6ETZwNUnMPdTtz1B3pZAIB_jgZ2" />

Former world champion Mick Fanning, who grew up in Coolangatta, secured an apartment in 2023. He paid&nbsp;$2.07 million. Last year he sold his Bilinga home for over $16 million.

Three-time world champion Joel Parkinson also purchased in the development, alongside big wave surfer Mark Mathews. Mathews bought the most expensive apartment in the building, spending just over $4 million.

Joining them is Rip Curl founder Doug Warbrick, whose company helped shape Australia's global surfing industry over the past five decades.

The appeal of Rainbow Bay has extended well beyond the surfing community.

International DJ Paul Fisher purchased an apartment through his investment vehicle, YLB Developments, an abbreviation of his trademark phrase "You Little Beauty".

The purchase comes as Fisher and his wife Chloe are developing their own luxury apartment project further north in Palm Beach. Their boutique beachfront development, Pescado, comprises just seven apartments on Jefferson Lane, which start from just shy of $6 million. The couple intend to retain the two-level penthouse as their Australian base between international touring commitments.

Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy and his wife Wendy have also invested in Esprit, purchasing two apartments after spending decades holidaying on the southern Gold Coast. They also have a luxury apartment in Joe Adsett's Rockpool, less than 400m away from Esprit.

<h2>Boutique project draws owner-occupiers</h2>

Esprit launched in 2021 and sold strongly, with buyers drawn to its boutique scale, beachfront position and contemporary design.

The completed development comprises 94 apartments across 11 levels, offering expansive floorplans designed primarily for owner-occupiers rather than the investor market.

Crowning the building is Club Esprit, pitched as being the Gold Coast's first residential rooftop wellness centre. The roof features a&nbsp;25 metre magnesium lap pool, which is surrounded by wet daybeds and poolside cabanas,&nbsp;multiple barbecue areas,&nbsp;a yoga and relaxation play lawn, and a private dining room with a kitchen scullery, bar, lounges, and an outdoor terrace.

The wellness centre is&nbsp;fully equipped with a Technogym, ice bath, infra-red sauna, steam room, thermal room, and treatment room. The roof has views spanning&nbsp;Rainbow Bay, Snapper Rocks and the Pacific Ocean.

<h2>S&amp;S Projects continues to shape Rainbow Bay</h2>

S&amp;S Projects founder Paul Gedoun has become one of the key figures behind Rainbow Bay's evolution over the past several years.

After establishing S&amp;S Projects, Gedoun has focused on delivering lifestyle-driven apartment developments designed primarily for owner-occupiers seeking a permanent coastal home.

Esprit is Gedoun's third completed project in Rainbow Bay, following Flow and Awaken, both of which achieved record prices for the suburb.

He is now delivering <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/radia-rainbow-bay-271-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Radia Rainbow Bay</a>, a 38-apartment development on Boundary Street that is currently selling, and has no plans to leave the precinct anytime soon. S&amp;S Projects has also lodged plans for its fifth Rainbow Bay development, an 88-apartment project on Boundary Street featuring a strong wellness focus.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/first-look-s-s-projects-proposes-88-apartment-wellness-tower-at-coolangattas-boundary-street">First look: S&amp;S Projects proposes 88-apartment wellness tower at Coolangatta's Boundary Street</a>

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Joel Robinson

Who's who of buyers revealed as Esprit Rainbow Bay settles

Nature Based Cities (NBC), the not-for-profit organisation focused on improving biodiversity and nature outcomes in urban development, has launched its latest industry design guidelines and accreditation framework, this time targeting precinct-scale residential communities.

The move extends NBC’s influence beyond its initial focus on medium and high-density residential developments. Several projects have already achieved NBC accreditation since the launch of its Medium &amp; High-Density Residential Guidelines in early 2025.

The expansion into masterplanned communities and new residential precincts reflects the growing need for stronger nature-positive benchmarks as Australia’s outer suburban growth corridors continue to expand at pace.

Paul Hameister OAM, NBC Founder and the Executive Chairman of Melbourne developer Hamton who itself leans heavily into nature and biodiversity in its developments, says the&nbsp;nature-first approach to mitigate the effects of climate change has become standard in other parts of the world such as the UK, but Australia is lagging.&nbsp;Australia’s environmentally sustainable design (ESD) rating tools have no minimum mandatory requirements for living landscapes.

“We’ve always wanted to do more, and we know other developers who want to do more, but the ESD rating tools just aren’t there,” Hameister says. “In Australia, you can have a five-green-star rated building that’s concrete and glass with not a blade of grass. 
 
“The focus is on reducing emissions, which is laudable, but there hasn’t been enough attention paid to protecting and re-establishing nature. We need both for the health of the environment and for communities.”

He says that having now&nbsp;made good progress in supporting developers of medium and high-density residential projects, NBC is now looking to bolster better nature-based decision-making and recognise developers of greenfield projects in the outer ring and large inner-ring brownfield precincts, who want to champion nature and living landscape as a defining feature.

Since 2022, the not-for-profit has sought to remove the roadblocks preventing developers from incorporating nature and living landscapes into their projects, shifting the conversation from the reduction of emissions and grey infrastructure, toward recognising nature as an essential infrastructure.

The New Communities Design Guidelines and Scorecard arm developers with the tools needed to deliver a nature positive outcome for their new communities. Intended to be adopted at the outset of the planning process, the guidelines are designed to help create communities that are cooler, healthier and more resilient while also enhancing social wellbeing and long-term economic value.&nbsp;

New Communities developers seeking accreditation will be independently assessed across a range of key criteria including ecology, tree canopy, biodiversity, and walkability. Once the masterplan is complete and submitted for approval, the scorecard is formalised based on proposed outcomes. Projects that meet the NBC criteria will receive either Commended or Exemplary accreditation outcomes, creating a clear benchmark for nature-positive new communities in Australia.&nbsp;

Janis Fischer, Director at Tract and NBC Advisory Council member, said the development of new communities in our suburbs can have a substantial impact on nature and biodiversity.

"By incorporating nature-based design principles at the inception of a project, developers and their design teams can achieve nature positive outcomes that are good for both people and the planet.’’&nbsp;

NBC accredited New Community projects will gain access to NBC branding and marketing tools to help communicate their nature-based credentials to purchasers and the broader market.&nbsp;

Nature Based Cities: A new Australian benchmark for developing nature-positive new communities

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.

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.

Jonathan Chancellor

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News