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Treasurer Scott Morrison noted only yesterday that "the rate of unemployment has been under 6 now for some months."
Not any more, based on the January figures released today.
But trend employment has continued to show strong growth, according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today. 
"The trend shows that around 302,000 more people were employed in January 2016 than in January 2015 and full-time employment growth was a bit stronger than part-time growth over the year, increasing by 169,800 people," General Manager of ABS' Macroeconomic Statistics Division, Bruce Hockman said.
The increase in employment has contributed to the trend employment to population ratio rising over the year from 60.7 per cent to 61.4 per cent, while the unemployment rate decreased over the year from 6.2 percent to 5.8 percent.
Over the past month, trend employment increased by 19,800 persons to 11,909,900 persons, which equates to a monthly growth rate of 0.17 per cent. 
This growth rate was slightly above the monthly average over the past 20 years (0.15 per cent), and continues the recent trend in relatively strong employment growth.  
The trend series smooth the more volatile seasonally adjusted estimates and provide the best measure of the underlying behaviour of the labour market.
The seasonally adjusted number of persons employed decreased by 7,900 in January 2016, while the number of persons unemployed increased by 30,200. 
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for January 2016 was 6.0 percent (up 0.2 percentage points) and the seasonally adjusted labour force participation rate was unchanged at 65.2 percent.
The ABS seasonally adjusted monthly hours worked in all jobs series increased by 10.9 million hours (0.7 per cent) to 1,656.0 million hours.
Westpac noted the rise in the unemployment rate to 6% may give the RBA a reason to pause and consider their assessment of the labour market. 
"In the most recent Statement on Monetary Policy they stated that the unemployment rate had fallen below 6% and was likely to stay there. 
"While one month is not a trend we would suggest that today’s print would make them a little less confident in that assessment," Westpac noted.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Unemployment at 6 percent unexpectedly in early 2016

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There's whispers a heritage art deco factory in Port Melbourne will be the venue of the next series of Channel 9's popular reality show, The Block.
The Block's producers are believed to have snapped up the imposing, heritage protected building at 164 Ingles Street from the BRW rich-lister Harry Stamoulis.
The $5 million deal follows its marketing late last year. <a href="https://dawkinsocchiuto.com.au/property/auto-draft-32/" target="_blank">The listing website</a> suggests the property is under offer. 
There had been rumours the one 2016 Block may have found a former icecream factory for its setting.
<div class="cT-imageLandscape">
<img src="https://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/v/g/1/i/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gmv0u7.png/1455685072530.jpg" alt="The Block's contestants will have to cope with heritage-building related restrictions next time around." title=""> 
But the pinpointed Port Melbourne building is part of the former Velvet soap factory site of J Kitchen &amp; Co which became Unilever.
It was constructed in the 1920s as the factory's administration office.
The building, with a stepped-back main entrance, was among a larger holding purchased by Stamoulis for $25 million in 2013, with around 280 townhouses now under construction on the surrounding former Symex chemical factory site opposite the Port Melbourne Cricket Oval.
Estate agent Walter Occhiuto from Dawkins Occhiuto has the building as being under "contract" on its website.
The marketing campaign focused on the building's development potential for office or hotel accommodation. It was marketed as an outstanding building of 2355 sqm. It sits on a 1155 sqm block.
J Kitchen &amp; Sons commenced trading in Port Melbourne in the 1850s making such products as Velvet Soap and Electrine Candles from the tallow and other animal fats from the nearby slaughter yards. In the decades the company became Kitchen &amp; Lever then Unilever and most recently Unichema. 
But back in the second half of the 1920s, into the 1930s, the company produced a journal called Advance.
The Port Melbourne Historical &amp; Preservation Society (PMHPS) have several editions in their collection.
<a href="/images/2016/02/18/1925view-1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/02/18/1925view-1.jpg" alt=""> 
 
</div>
Advance Vol 2 No 7 from July 1925 featured their new Administration Offices saying '... the firm may well claim to have built one of the most up-to-date block of offices in the Commonwealth, combining loftiness, dignity and stability'.
Inside the main entrance the vestibule has a 'mosaic floor in a shining pattern, having the monogram of J Kitchen &amp; Sons worked into the centre".
 <a href="/images/2016/02/18/fourviews.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/02/18/fourviews.jpg" alt=""> 
Interior fittings were of the highest order with doors built of 'polished maple and plate glass'. The second floor contained a 'spacious hall for social purposes designed to accomodate 700 people' with a kauri dance floor.
The following edition of Advance in October 1925 included this photo of the opening of the Social Hall. <a href="/images/2016/02/18/opening.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/02/18/opening.jpg" alt="">
The company Social Club appears to have been very active with a library containing over 600 volumes, a tennis club, cricket club and football club who on the King's Birthday took on another great Port Melbourne company, the biscuit-makers Swallow and Ariel, at the Port Melbourne football ground.
The Block's last season saw contestants renovating the Hotel Saville, an octagonal building on the corner of busy Commercial and Punt roads in South Yarra.
The last series, won by Newcastle’s Dean and Shay, averaged 1.048 million viewers across its run.
Dean and Shay collected $755,000 when their penthouse apartment sold for $2.3 million.
Nine has revealed that the makers of The Block are yet to purchase a building for the next series.
The 2016 series of The Block won’t screen until the last quarter of this year. 
 
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The Block Port Melbourne - awash with soapy renovation series setting whispers

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Investing during times of market stress and volatility can be difficult. For this reason it’s useful for SMSF investors to keep a key set of things – call them rules – in mind.
The seven key rules, in my view, are: be aware that there is always a cycle; invest for the long term; turn down the noise; buy low and sell high; beware of the crowd; diversify and focus on investments offering a sustainable cash flow.
1. Be aware that there is always a cycle
The historical experience of investment markets – be they bonds, shares, property or infrastructure – constantly reminds us they go through cyclical phases of good times and bad. Some are short term, such as occasional corrections. Some are medium term, such as those that relate to the three to five year business cycle. Some are longer, such as the secular swings seen over 10 to 20 year periods in shares. But all eventually contain the seeds of their own reversal. The trouble with cycles is that they can throw investors out of a well thought out investment strategy that aims to take advantage of long term returns and can cause problems for investors when they are in or close to retirement. In saying this, cycles can also create opportunities.
2. Invest for the long term
The best way for most investors to avoid losing at investments is to invest for the long term. Get a long term plan that suits your level of wealth, age and tolerance of volatility and stick to it. This may involve a high exposure to shares and property when you are young or have plenty of funds to invest when you are in retirement and still have your day to day needs covered. Alternatively if you can’t afford to take a long term approach or can’t tolerate short term volatility then it is worth considering investing in funds that use strategies like dynamic asset allocation to target a particular goal – be that in relation to a return level or cash flow. Such approaches are also worth considering if you want to try and take advantage of the opportunities that volatility in investment markets through up.
3. Turn down the noise and focus on the right asset mix
The combination of too much information has turned investing into a daily soap opera – as we go from worrying about one thing after another. Once you have worked out a strategy that is right for you, it’s important to turn down the noise on the information flow surrounding investment markets. This also involves keeping your investment strategy relatively simple – lots of time can be wasted on fretting over individual shares or managed funds – which is just a distraction from making sure you have the right asset mix as it’s your asset allocation that will mainly drive the return you will get.
4. Buy low, sell high
One reality of investing is that the price you pay for an investment or asset matters a lot in terms of the return you will get. It stands to reason that the cheaper you buy an asset the higher its prospective return will be and vice versa, all other things being equal. If you do have to trade or move your investments around then remember to buy when markets are down and sell when they are up.
5. Beware the crowd and a herd mentality
The issue with crowds is that eventually everyone who wants to buy will do so and then the only way is down (and vice versa during periods of panic). As Warren Buffet once said the key is to "be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful".
6. Diversify
This is a no brainer. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket as the old saying goes. Unfortunately, plenty do. Through last decade many questioned the value of holding global shares in their investment portfolios as Australian shares were doing so well. Interestingly, for the last five or so years global shares have been far better performers and have proven their worth.
It appears that common approaches in SMSF funds are to have one or two high-yielding and popular shares and a term deposit. This could potentially leave an investor very exposed to either a very low return oif something goes wrong in the high -yield share that they’re invested in. By the same token, don’t over diversify with multiple – say greater than 30 – shares and/or managed funds as this may just add complexity without any real benefit.
7. Focus on investments offering sustainable cash flow
This is very important. There’s been lots of investments over the decades that have been sold on false promises of high returns or low risk (for example, many technological stocks in the 1990s, resources stocks periodically and the sub-prime asset-back securities of last decade). If it looks dodgy, hard to understand or has to be based on obscure valuation measures to stack up, then it’s best to stay away. There is no such thing as a free lunch in investing – if an investment looks too good to be true in terms of the return and risk on offer, then it probably is. By contrast, assets that generate sustainable cash flows (profits, rents, interest payments) and don't rely on excessive gearing or financial engineering are more likely to deliver.
Final thoughts
Investing is not easy and given the psychological traps that we are all susceptible to – in particular the tendency to over-react to the current state of investment markets – a good approach is to simply seek the advice of a coach such as a financial adviser.
 
<a href="https://www.ampcapital.com.au/smsf-suite/product-suite">Dr Shane Oliver</a>, head of investment strategy and economics and chief economist at AMP Capital is responsible for AMP Capital's diversified investment funds. He also provides economic forecasts and analysis of key variables and issues affecting, or likely to affect, all asset markets.
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Property 101: Seven rules for SMSF investors

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Australia's newest billionaire Gretel Packer has seemingly secured the longtime Palm Beach retreat in the recent settlement that divvied up the assets from the family's vast fortune.
She is the sole director and secretary of the newly created company that now owns the prestige northern beaches estate.
The bungalow on its well-shaded 4000 sqm beachfront reserve holding was transferred recently with a notional $24 million value.
It was 1981 when her father, the late media tycoon Kerry Packer broke through the beachside suburb's million-dollar threshold with his $1 million purchase of the Ocean Road holding from the MacCormick family, who had paid 12,000 pounds in 1952.
The $24 million figure ranks as Palm Beach's priciest as the prior high was the $22 million paid nearby by car dealer Laurie Sutton in 2012 for the trophy home, Kalua.
Gretel and her brother, James reached a private settlement last September finalising the will of their father, Kerry who passed away of kidney failure in 2005, nine days after his 68th birthday. There has since been a further finalisation of the initial settlemement.
The paperwork on the property division only emerged last month at NSW Land Titles office.
The very private Gretel Packer, a 49-year-old mother, businesswoman, philanthropist and arts patron, has remained largely out of the headlines for most of her life.
But she will now be on the rich lists, as Australia’s newest billionaire after the deal with her younger brother. She was spotted having a coffee with valuer Paul Donovan from Pontons this week.
I recall reporting on the shyness of the young Gretel who got a $290,000 Cartier diamond choker and earings from her dad at her 21st birthday in 1987 when 350 guests partied at the Bellevue Hill.
Last year lunching a $200 million philanthropic fund for indigenous education and community welfare and the arts, the Packer Family Foundation’s chairwoman said philanthropy had always been a part of her life — "sometimes private, sometimes public, but always there."
She is a trustee of the Sydney Theatre Company Foundation, a patron of the Taronga Zoo Foundation and a board member of the Art Gallery of NSW.
Marrying twice, first to financier Nick Barham and then spiritualist, Shane Murray, she has been based at the 1919 Edwardian Bellevue Hill residence, Winston since paying for $11.25 million in 2000. 
The family matriarch, Ros, currently in India, was mostly in residence at the Palm Beach bungalow over summer and remains chatelaine of Cairnton, the longtime Packer family estate in Bellevue Hill.
“Gretel and James have always been very close and their love and respect after the settlement is as much if not more than before,” Rob Rankin, the chief executive of the Packers’ private company Consolidated Press Holdings told News Ltd last year. 
Rob ­Rankin said the settlement honoured their late father's wishes.
Gretel Packer had always known that, on her father's death, it would be her brother James Packer who would take the family business forward.
The LA-based casino tycoon has since dismantled most of the multibillion-dollar media empire built by his late father Kerry Packer and grandfather Frank Packer, which included the Nine television network and ACP Magazines.
James Packer's passionate project is the $2 billion luxury hotel-casino complex at Sydney’s Barangaroo, due to open in 2019, with plans to have wealthy gamblers visit his Ellerston golf course.
This article first appeared in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.
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Gretel Packer gets Palm Beach in family negotiations

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ASIC has disqualified Michael John Teys of Sydney from managing corporations for five years following his involvement in the failure of three companies. The disqualification commenced on 29 January 2016 and ceases 28 January 2021.
The disqualification follows an ASIC investigation which found that Mr Teys breached his duties as a director, including failing to comply with financial services laws.
Mr Teys was the director of:
<ul>
<li>ACN 127 707 671 Pty Ltd (formerly known as Teys Lawyers Pty Ltd) ACN 127 707 671 (Teys Lawyers),</li>
<li>TPFL Ltd ACN 105 164 047 (TPFL), and</li>
<li>TPL Holdings Pty Ltd ACN 010 892 243 (TPL).</li>
</ul>
Each of these companies was placed into liquidation between 20 April 2010 and 3 June 2014.
ASIC found that Mr Teys managed the affairs of Teys Lawyers, TPFL and TPL well short of the standards required of someone in his position as Mr Teys:
<ul>
<li>Managed Teys Lawyers and TPL such that each incurred a deficiency;</li>
<li>Managed Teys Lawyers such that it preferred trade creditors over the ATO and in so doing acted with a lack of commercial morality;</li>
<li>Used his position as a director of Teys Lawyers and TPL improperly to gain financial advantages for himself and other related parties;</li>
<li>Failed to exercise due care and diligence in the management of a number of loans made by TPFL through its registered managed investments schemes.</li>
<li>Failed to exercise due care and diligence to ensure that Teys Lawyers and TPFL lodged documents with both the ATO and ASIC.</li>
</ul>
Liquidators reported that the total deficiencies owed to creditors exceeded $5 million across all three companies.
ASIC Commissioner Greg Tanzer said, 'Directors have a responsibility to manage the financial affairs of their company in accordance with the law. As this case shows, directors who cause or permit their company to breach legal obligations can face significant consequences.'
Mr Teys has the right to appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal for a review of ASIC’s decision.
Background
The five year period for which Mr Teys was banned from managing corporations is the maximum period of disqualification that ASIC can impose under section 206F of the Corporations Act 2001.
Teys Lawyers traded as a legal services business specialising in strata law and was previously known as Michael Teys Strata Law Pty Ltd, Teys Lawyers Pty Ltd, and ACN 127 707 671 Pty Ltd.
TPFL held an Australian Financial Services License and as a responsible entity operated a number of registered managed investments schemes including:
<ul>
<li>Teys Strata Mortgage Trust ARSN 108 137 195;</li>
<li>Teys Strata Development Trust ARSN 1129 939 509;</li>
<li>The Teys Income Builder ARSN 110 052 429;</li>
<li>Dunsborough Hotel Property Syndicate ARSN 098 946 733;</li>
<li>Teys Strata Lifestyle Property Trust ARSN 096 588 108;</li>
<li>Sydney Apartments Trust ARSN 121 041 405;</li>
<li>Teys Fixed Income Trust ARSN 121 041 503;</li>
<li>Broadwater Bungalows ARSN 090 521 163;</li>
<li>Teys Retirement Property Trust No 1 ARSN 112 939 705; and</li>
<li>Settlers Lifestyle Property Trust ARSN 112 939 572</li>
</ul>
TPFL went into external administration on 5 March 2010.  ASIC cancelled TPFL's Australian Financial Services license on 22 March 2010.
This matter received funding from ASIC under the Assetless Administration Fund to fund the Liquidator of TPL to prepare a supplementary report for the purposes of ASIC to consider a banning Mr Teys pursuant to Section 206F of the Corporations Act 2001 (the Act).
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Michael Teys disqualifed by ASIC

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Sydney businessman Nick Politis has bought the historic Heckelmann's Building in the heart of Brisbane's CBD for $15.5 million.  
The building, at 171 Elizabeth Street opposite the Hilton Hotel, was sold through Knight Frank, according to the Australian Financial Review.
"Our formal marketing campaign for 171 Elizabeth Street resulted in a large number of offers from private investors and developers; mostly from interstate investors who have been priced out of the Sydney and Melbourne CBD markets," Knight Frank senior director for institutional sales Justin Bond said.
Mr Politis,whose wealth is estimated by the BRW Rich List at $594 million, invests in real estate across the country.
Heckelmann's Building is a heritage-listed building designed by Andrea Giovanni Stombuco and built from 1884 to 1891. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 1992.
Joseph Heckelmann, a tinsmith by trade, died in 1925. In 1951 the building was purchased by the Commercial Bank of Australia for £50,000, subdivided in 1963 and two years later one half of the building was bought by Ken Rosewall and Rod Laver, noted Australian tennis champions. Kern Corporation subsequently became the owner of the entire building.
It last sold at $2.4 million in 1991.
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Heckelmann's Brisbane building sold to Nick Politis

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The City of Sydney wants the law changed to allow short-term holiday services, such as Airbnb, so long as neighbouring properties and traditional visitor accommodation services are not adversely affected.
In its submission to the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into the laws on short-term holiday letting, the City said the ‘sharing economy’ was rapidly expanding around the world and local legislation had not kept up.
“Tech companies are providing increasingly efficient means for offering homes and spare rooms for short-term holiday letting but our laws have not kept pace,” Lord Mayor Clover Moore said.
“With the right rules, short-term holiday letting can support local communities and economies, while protecting amenity and the residential character of our villages.”
Under current planning controls:
<ul>
<li>Tourist and visitor accommodation is not permitted in residential zones; and</li>
<li>Residential accommodation and tourist accommodation in the same building must be on separate floors and have separate lifts.</li>
</ul>
The City does not support changing this long-term policy, which is in place to protect neighbourhood amenity and visitor safety.
Airbnb listings in metropolitan Sydney have almost doubled in the past year: from 5,692 in September last year to 10,473 listed properties in October this year. In the City of Sydney government area, there are 2,993 properties listed.
The record shows that short-term holiday letting is booming around the world, providing income for owners and local businesses, and providing a variety of accommodation experiences.  
But the desire of property owners to offer short-term rentals, using online services such as Airbnb, needs to be balanced against the reasonable expectations of neighbourhood amenity and visitor safety.
The City is recommending a new definition for this style of accommodation and a consistent state-wide approach.
Quick statistics on the City of Sydney local government area:
Number of Airbnb listings: 2,993 (Source: insideairbnb.com/sydney/)
Number of hotel rooms: 20,000
Number of serviced apartment rooms: 4,700
Number of pub rooms: 968
Number of backpacker hostel beds: 6,200
Source: City of Sydney.
Under this proposal, premises could be classified as ‘exempt’ development where they meet certain requirements, such as limiting the number of days they can be let in a year and the number of people staying. If short term letting does not meet the requirements it would not be permitted.
“The City also wants to ensure there is continued investment in traditional visitor accommodation, which makes an important contribution to Sydney’s economy, with approximately 31,868 rooms or beds currently available, and another 4,259 hotel keys and 197 serviced apartments in the pipeline,” the Lord Mayor said. 
“More than 10.5 million visitors came to Sydney in 2012, contributing over $5 billion to the city’s economy.  This supported over 10,000 businesses in the transport, accommodation, education, retail, cultural and recreation sectors. This equates to almost 27,000 jobs or seven per cent of the city’s workforce.”
The City’s Visitor Accommodation Action Plan, adopted this year, supports investment in new and existing visitor accommodation to meet the demand forecast by the national tourism strategy, Tourism 2020.
To encourage investment and increase the number of beds or rooms in the traditional accommodation sector, the plan is to implement regulatory reform, such as reducing compliance costs and removing barriers, as well as facilitating new tourism infrastructure projects.
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Airbnb needs the right rules Sydney Council tells NSW Parliament

Why is non-mining business investment so weak and what is the outlook? CBA's Gareth Aird

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GUEST OBSERVER
The issue of negative gearing has roared to the centre of our national political debate.
Last weekend Labor leader Bill Shorten announced major changes to negative gearing and to capital gains tax. The Parliamentary Budget Office estimates that Labor’s policy could raise $32 billion over 10 years.
These are risky changes for our industry and for the economy given they come at a time when growth is so delicately poised.
Major changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax would have far-reaching effects throughout the economy. If enacted, Labor’s policy will distort the market, hit rents, hurt jobs and make it so much harder for families to plan their economic futures – all this without any modelling of its impact on rents, construction levels, jobs or state budgets.
However, it is not only the Opposition that is being tempted by the possibility of big new tax licks.
As yet, we do not have clarity over the Turnbull Government’s position on property taxes. While some frontbenchers and backbenchers have expressed support for the existing system of negative gearing, the Government’s position appears to be fluid.
That’s why the Property Council is putting the case to politicians of all political backgrounds not to damage an industry that supports 1.1 million jobs throughout the economy and generates one ninth of our national income.
Two million Australians own an investment property. Property has always been part of the ‘Australian dream’ and it has been a proven means for Australians on middle incomes to build their wealth.
Playing around with negative gearing policy doesn’t make sense and it’s sure not worth the economic risk.
 
Ken Morrison is the Chief Executive of the Property Council of Australia and can be contacted <a href="https://www.propertycouncil.com.au" target="_blank">here.</a>
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Negative gearing changes not worth the risk: PCA's Ken Morrison

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Vicinity Centres today reported a statutory net profit of $424.6 million for the six months ended 31 December 20151.
Underlying earnings were up 10.1% to $377.6 million with underlying earnings per security (EPS) up 9.3% to 9.5 cents, compared to the six months to 31 December 2014 on an aggregate basis.
"This reflects solid portfolio performance and the delivery of significant merger benefits," Angus McNaughton, CEO and managing director, said.
“We are pleased with the performance of the Group in the first six months post merger.
“Key operating metrics have improved across the board.
"Portfolio occupancy strengthened in the half by 30 basis points (bps) to 99.2%.
"We have seen comparable specialty store moving annual turnover (MAT) growth improve to 3.4% and specialty occupancy costs remain largely unchanged.
"Comparable net property income (NPI) growth6 of 3.7% is up from 2.5% at June 2015, supported by fixed rental increases, strong growth in ancillary income and flat expenses.
“The improvement in our sales performance is pleasing considering that two of our prime assets, Chadstone and Emporium Melbourne, are not in the comparable reporting basket.
"At Chadstone, which is in the midst of a significant development, same-store MAT growth for specialties was 5 per cent.
"At Emporium Melbourne, monthly same-store specialty sales growth has been averaging 18% compared to the previous year.
“We have enhanced the quality of our portfolio in the period with the acquisition of two high quality centres and the sale of five non-core assets.
“Following the completion of a comprehensive review of our portfolio, we reiterated our strategic focus to create value and drive sustainable growth from a quality portfolio of Australian assets across the retail spectrum.
"We also announced the Group’s through the cycle financial targets of a total return of greater than 9 per cent per annum and underlying earnings growth of greater than 3 per cent per annum.
“We have set clear investment criteria for benchmarking our existing assets and potential acquisitions.
"As a result, $750 million to $1 billion of asset disposal opportunities have been identified, with asset sale proceeds to be reinvested into value accretive development and acquisition opportunities over time."
Three current projects at Colonnades, Halls Head Central and Warriewood Square remain on track to open by June 2016. There are also a further two minor projects (DFO South Wharf and Rockingham) totalling $21 million, which are forecast to have a blended year one yield exceeding 12% and an IRR exceeding 19%, that will complete later in this calendar year.
Development plans are well advanced at Mandurah Forum, with the project expected to commence in mid-2016, while planning for major redevelopments at Roselands and Galleria remains on program. 
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Vicinity reports strong Emporium Melbourne sales growth

Buyers considering a residence at boutique Gordon townhouse development <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/lume-gordon-43-47-dumaresq-street-gordon-nsw-2072">Lume</a>&nbsp;now have another reason to bring forward their decision.

For a limited time, purchasers of a residence at Lume will receive a BMW iX3 50 electric SUV, valued at more than $120,000, as part of their purchase. The offer is designed to add value for buyers while complementing the lifestyle envisioned for the architecturally designed Upper North Shore development.

Scott Timmins, Development Manager at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/winim">WINIM</a>, said the partnership was created to provide buyers with a compelling reason to act.

"In today's market, buyers need a compelling reason to act now, and the BMW partnership was designed to create that catalyst. We wanted to add genuine value for our future purchasers. Choosing the all-electric BMW iX3 50 also reflects the values behind LUME, forward-thinking design, innovation and a more sustainable way of living. It's a premium incentive that complements the lifestyle our buyers aspire to and rewards those who commit early."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7354 project_image_fid=374893]

Delivered by WINIM in partnership with Burtonwood Investment Partners, Lume comprises 14 architecturally designed two, three and four-bedroom townhomes created for families seeking the space of a freestanding house with the ease of modern, low-maintenance living.

The three-storey residences, designed by award-winning architecture practice <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a>, have been tailored for families and multi-generational living, featuring private internal lifts, flexible lower-level spaces, generous open-plan living and entertaining areas, media rooms, and landscaped outdoor spaces with custom outdoor kitchens.&nbsp;

Inside, engineered oak flooring, bespoke dining joinery with integrated wine fridges and backlit bars, sculptural porcelain bathrooms, Parisi freestanding baths and Astra Walker tapware create interiors that balance functionality with refined finishes.

Each townhome has been designed to combine generous internal spaces with sustainability initiatives such as EV charging infrastructure, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/arcadia-landscape-architecture">Arcadia</a>'s landscaped communal areas, centred around a restored creek line and native planting, encourage residents to connect with nature and spend more time outdoors.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7354 project_image_fid=269527]

Rothelowman's Gary Tsui said the architecture was conceived to respond carefully to its Upper North Shore setting.

"Our vision was to create elegant, uplifting homes that draw on and positively contribute to the local character through meticulously considered design and an interaction with the surroundings."

The communal landscape has been designed as more than an open space between homes. Arcadia's Ben Newell and Kate Phillips said the adjoining reserve provided an opportunity to create a distinctive natural retreat for residents.

"Just as waterways carve their way through Ku-ring-gai's landscape, a raised boardwalk weaves through the reserve, connecting the homes to this tranquil oasis."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7354 project_image_fid=374892]

Located just 300 metres from <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/gordon-nsw-2072">Gordon</a> Village and Gordon railway station, Lume offers convenient access to Sydney's CBD while placing residents close to some of the North Shore's leading schools, including Ravenswood, Pymble Ladies' College and Knox Grammar. Lane Cove National Park, Gordon Golf Club and a range of cafés and restaurants further reinforce the family-focused lifestyle on offer, with the BMW iX3 50 complementing everything from local trips around Gordon to weekend drives and city commutes.

Construction is underway with completion expected in mid-2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=7354]

Joel Robinson

Boutique Gordon townhomes now come with a BMW iX3 50

Two apartments have sold for more than $10 million at EADE Byron Bay, setting some of the highest apartment prices ever achieved in the coastal town and underlining the growing appetite for luxury beachfront apartments in Australia's most popular coastal locations.

The $210 million project by Vitale Property Group has now secured more than $70 million in sales, led by residences that changed hands for $12.75 million and $11.75 million.

The record-breaking transactions reinforce the shift occurring in Byron Bay's premium property market, where affluent downsizers and lifestyle buyers are increasingly opting for high-end apartments over large beachfront homes.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/eade-byron-bay-29-shirley-street-byron-bay-nsw-2481">EADE Byron Bay</a> occupies a rare 6,000 sqm absolute beachfront site on the corner of Shirley and Milton Streets overlooking Main Beach and The Wreck surf break, just 350 metres from Byron Bay's town centre.

The 25-residence development is the first beachfront apartment project approved in Byron Bay in more than a decade and is currently under construction, with completion expected in May 2027.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145590 project_image_fid=359521]

The project has attracted a mix of local Byron Shire residents downsizing from larger homes, alongside interstate buyers from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane seeking a permanent coastal lifestyle without compromising on space.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hayball">Hayball</a> and with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/alexander-co">Alexander &amp; Co</a>, EADE comprises&nbsp;10 garden apartments ranging from 284 sqm to 622 sqm, nine with private pools, five full-floor apartments and 10 rooftop residences with private plunge pools, expansive outdoor entertaining areas and uninterrupted ocean views.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145590 project_image_fid=359527]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/vitale-property-group">Vitale Property Group</a> Managing Partner Chris Vitale said the project's combination of scale, location and limited future supply was driving buyer demand.

"There isn't another beachfront holding in Byron Bay of this size and position that could be developed again," Vitale said.

"Buyers are responding to the scarcity and the irreplaceability of a site of this calibre and to floorplans they can't find elsewhere in the market.

"We are seeing buyers place significant value on quality, space, design, resort-style amenities and the rarity of the location. The sales achieved to date demonstrate that discerning purchasers recognise the long-term significance of what is being created at EADE Byron Bay.

"Many are coming from larger homes in the Byron region, or from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and are after the space, security and convenience, without the upkeep of a house."

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[smartcode_project:default project_id=145590 project_image_fid=359523]

The Byron Bay project follows Vitale Property Group's delivery of the Mondrian Hotel and Private Residences at Burleigh Heads, with EADE continuing the developer's focus on luxury coastal developments.

Residents will have access to a resort-style swimming pool, gymnasium, sauna, cold plunge pool, concierge services and dedicated workspaces, while the project is targeting an 8-Star Green Star rating.

EADE Byron Bay is being exclusively marketed by Projx Australia in conjunction with WHITEFOX Projects.

WHITEFOX National Projects Director Phillip Rand said demand had been driven predominantly by owner-occupiers.

"We are seeing buyers at EADE place significant value on quality, space, design, resort-style amenities and the rarity of this location," Rand says.

"The sales achieved to date demonstrate that purchasers at this level recognise the long-term significance of what is being created at EADE Byron Bay."

Residences at EADE Byron Bay are currently priced between $4.75 million and $15.95 million.

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[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145590]

Vitale breaks Byron Bay records with EADE sales flurry 

When buying an apartment, most people compare the big-ticket items first. Floorplans. Kitchens. Balcony size. Natural light. The view.

But there's one everyday consideration that often doesn't come up until after moving in: how parcels are delivered.

As online shopping has become part of everyday life, parcel deliveries have shifted from an occasional event to a regular occurrence. Australians spent a record $82.6 billion shopping online in 2025, with almost one in every four retail dollars now spent digitally.

For apartment residents, that can present a challenge.

If nobody is home to accept a delivery, parcels may be redirected to a nearby Post Office, left in a building lobby or common area, or require building management to step in. In higher-density buildings, where dozens or even hundreds of residents may receive deliveries each day, parcel management has become an increasingly important part of everyday living.

That can create a range of frustrations. A missed delivery often means making time to collect a parcel elsewhere, while packages left unattended in foyers or mail areas can create clutter and increase the risk of theft. What seems like a minor inconvenience can quickly become a recurring issue for residents who shop online regularly.

It's one of those details that rarely features in a display suite but can have a noticeable impact once residents move in.

As a result, buyers are beginning to look beyond traditional apartment features and consider how a building supports day-to-day convenience, including whether there are secure options for receiving deliveries.

Australia Post's Parcel Lockers provide one solution.

<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/CkF2oKmlACg?si=C50sDaoUUn2nuLmq" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Rather than having a parcel delivered directly to an apartment, eligible deliveries can be sent to a nominated Parcel Locker. Once the parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS and can collect it using a QR code or one-time PIN at a time that suits them.

The Parcel Locker network now includes more than 1,500 locations nationwide, with installations at Post Offices, shopping centres, transport hubs and an increasing number of residential developments. By providing a secure collection point, Parcel Lockers help reduce missed deliveries and avoid parcels being left unattended in common areas.

For developers, parcel infrastructure is becoming another way to improve the resident experience. Rather than relying on concierge staff or leaving parcels in communal spaces, secure collection points help streamline deliveries while preserving the presentation and functionality of shared areas.

For buyers, it's a reminder that the best apartment features aren't always the most obvious.

A generous floorplan or quality finishes might help narrow the shortlist, but the conveniences that simplify everyday life, whether that's EV charging, secure bike storage or reliable parcel delivery, often become the features residents appreciate most once they're living there.

The apartment feature many buyers don't think about, until their first missed delivery

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hg-developments">HG Developments</a> is doubling down on Maud Street in Newstead, filing plans for a new apartment tower just a few doors down from its under-construction Aire Newstead development.

Recently submitted to Brisbane City Council, the proposal is for an 18-storey building designed by bureau^proberts, which has drawn heavily on Brisbane's subtropical design principles while referencing the suburb's industrial heritage.

A total of 64 apartments are planned for the amalgamated 1,518 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/17-21-maud-street-newstead-qld-4006">17–21 Maud Street</a>, a short walk from the Brisbane River and Newstead Riverwalk.

<img alt="First look: HG Developments plans 18-storey subtropical apartment tower for Newstead" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a400c7fd-bd15-48f8-a63b-10ede92efe00" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Maud%20st%20bldg.png?VersionId=.0vPmjpbC7CNP7kqGWa6L7rGIwsNExaw" />

"The building is defined by a series of vaulted motifs that reinterpret the arches, colonnades and layered facades evident throughout Newstead's historic built fabric," the Urban Design Report states.

"Combined with recessed glazing and generous balconies, these elements create a layered building envelope that provides shade, weather protection and opportunities for natural ventilation whilst establishing a distinctive architectural identity."

The proposal comprises 64 two, three and four-bedroom apartments across 18 residential levels, positioning it alongside a growing number of taller residential projects transforming Newstead's northern precinct. The tower incorporates extensive subtropical landscaping, with cascading planter boxes, deep planting at street level and a landscaped rooftop recreation area.

<img alt="First look: HG Developments plans 18-storey subtropical apartment tower for Newstead" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1d8140f4-8b98-45cd-b1b8-1efe8c8e266b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Maud%20st%20podium.png?VersionId=VAZtbCoD44YCJ57N99fQCAKeSJx7ldZs" />

Bureau Proberts has prioritised passive environmental design throughout the project, with generous balconies, recessed glazing and operable façades helping reduce solar heat gain while maximising natural ventilation. River views become available from the upper levels, while the building has been orientated to capture prevailing breezes from both the Brisbane River and the west.

The architects say landscape is intended to be integral to the building rather than an applied element.

"Vertical greenery, cascading planter boxes and elevated gardens are woven throughout the architecture, softening the built form and strengthening the connection between residents and the subtropical environment."

"Through the integration of landscape, high-quality materials and passive design principles, the development delivers a refined residential address that celebrates Newstead's heritage character while contributing positively to Brisbane's evolving subtropical identity."

Newstead has remained one of Brisbane's most active apartment markets in recent years, with a number of developers continuing to back the inner-city suburb.

HG Developments is currently delivering the 40-apartment Aire Newstead at 25 Maud Street. Fortis recently launched the 65-apartment <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/crest-walker-newstead-12-kyabra-street-newstead-qld-4006">Crest &amp; Walker</a> on Kyabra Street, while builder-developer BPG and Don O'Rorke's Consolidated Properties are both expected to launch their respective Newstead projects before the end of the year.

HG Developments doubles down in Newstead with second Maud Street apartment development

Walk past a new apartment development promoting its sustainability credentials and it's easy to picture rooftop gardens, mature trees, landscaped courtyards and residents surrounded by nature.

But in many cases, that's not actually what those sustainability ratings guarantee.

Australia's leading environmental rating tools have played a significant role in improving the energy efficiency and environmental performance of buildings. Yet despite their focus on reducing emissions, many don't require developers to include trees, biodiversity or meaningful green space.

In other words, a building can achieve one of the country's highest sustainability ratings while containing little more than concrete, glass and hard landscaping.

That disconnect has led to the emergence of a new movement across Australia's property industry: nature-based cities.

The concept goes beyond designing buildings that consume less energy. Instead, it encourages developers to treat nature as essential infrastructure, integrating biodiversity, tree canopy, living landscapes and green spaces into projects from the earliest stages of planning.

Research has consistently linked access to nature with better physical and mental health, cooler neighbourhoods, improved biodiversity, stronger climate resilience and more connected communities. As Australia's cities continue to become denser, advocates say those outcomes should be considered just as important as energy efficiency.

Nature Based Cities (NBC) was established in 2022 to help accelerate that shift.

Founded by Hamton Executive Chairman Paul Hameister OAM, the not-for-profit was created after research highlighted a significant gap in Australia's sustainability framework. While existing environmental rating tools rewarded energy performance and emissions reductions, they placed little emphasis on the inclusion of 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."

Since its launch, NBC has developed independent design guidelines and accreditation frameworks that encourage developers to prioritise ecology, biodiversity, tree canopy, walkability and living landscapes alongside traditional sustainability measures. The organisation first focused on medium and high-density residential developments before recently expanding into precinct-scale communities and masterplanned neighbourhoods.

Jan Talacko, founder of sustainability consultancy Ark Resources and a member of the Nature Based Cities Advisory Council, says the initiative addresses an area that has largely been overlooked by the property industry.

"Throughout my 25 years of working collaboratively with all stakeholders in the property sector, I've always favoured a pragmatic approach to sustainable design which encourages initiatives that not only meet environmental expectations but also improve amenity," Talacko says.

"Whilst we are making steady progress in relation to energy and carbon emissions from buildings, there has been much less emphasis on encouraging biodiversity and tackling the urban heat island effect.

"The Nature Based Cities initiative responds to a gap in the suite of tools currently used by the property development sector, which don't provide sufficient incentive, or recognition, for the integration of landscaping and greenery."

For apartment buyers, the shift is also changing the questions worth asking.

Rather than assuming a sustainable building will naturally include abundant green space, buyers are increasingly being encouraged to look beyond environmental ratings and ask what nature is actually being delivered. How much tree canopy will the development create? Has biodiversity been considered? Are landscaped spaces designed for people as well as appearance?

As Australia's cities continue to grow upwards and outwards, the next generation of sustainability may not simply be measured by lower emissions, but by how successfully developments bring nature back into everyday urban life.

Jonathan Chancellor

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