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The Caltex branded service station and truck stop at Bomaderry on the NSW south coast sold at recent Burgess Rawson auction at $3,925,000.
Its lease runs to March 2018 plus options to 2028.
There was a recent major rebuild and environmental upgrade with new tanks and pipework.
It is a large 4,047 sqm landholding with wide frontage at <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-retail-nsw-bomaderry-501621521" target="_blank">246 Princes Highway, Bomaderry</a>, just north of Nowra with high profile exposure to large volumes of traffic.
The Shoalhaven region has been benefiting substantially from government funded highway upgrades, Burgess Rawson listing agent Simon Staddon said.
There are annual CPI reviews with its current net income at $106,178 pa + GST.
Regional service stations sold in NSW over the past year have included $950,000 at Dubbo with an $80,000 net income and $4.26 million at Rutherford with $293,000 net income.
Burgess Rawson agent Simon Staddon also sold the Albion Park service station, closer to Sydney on the Princes Highway, for $2,001,000 in 2013 with a then $160,000 net income.
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Bomaderry service station sold through Burgess Rawson

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Eleuthera, the Exeter farm in NSW, now has a $5 million price guidance, $1.5 million less than when first advertised last September.
The <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/for-sale/ellsmore-road-exeter-nsw-2579-2011420587?sp=5" target="_blank">40 hectare estate</a> is inspired by the modernist architectural forms of the American architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
It has three bathrooms with stone, glass and masonry.
There are large picture windows with views over the gardens and beyond.
It comes with heated pool, tennis court, three bedroom manager’s cottage, and two bedroom barn style guest accommodation and stables.
Eleuthera is about one and a half hours from Sydney and an hour from Canberra.
The property has been listed through Drew Lindsay at Drew Lindsay Real Estate.
Last year, Drew Lindsay at Drew Lindsay Real Estate gave a $6.5 million price guidance for the redundant home of his<a href="/news/monaco-based-mining-entrepreneur-chris-kyriakou-lists-eleuthera-his-exeter-rural-property"> Monaco-based vendor, mining entrepreneur Chris Kyriakou</a>.
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Exeter's Eleuthera trophy home drops price guidance

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A trophy home in Cottesloe, WA, has been listed with $12 million hopes through Justin Davies at Space Real Estate.
The <a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/2-ozone-parade-cottesloe/Property-Details-buy-residential-8983286" target="_blank">2 Ozone Parade</a> property was designed by Tim Wright and offers Indian Ocean views from any vantage point within.
The home sits on a 1350sqm lot. This is the first time the property has been on the market.
The median price for a home in <a href="/news">Cottesloe is $1,762,500</a>, according to CoreLogic RP Data.
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Cottesloe trophy home listed with $12 million hopes

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GUEST OBSERVER
Australia’s A$22 billion National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) remains a key policy of the Coalition government. One of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s first major tasks was to sign agreements for statewide roll-outs of the NDIS in Victoria and New South Wales by 2019.
The agreements provide some insights into the interface of housing and the NDIS. They also document that the scheme will complement, but cannot replace, efforts of the housing sector, governments and families. A framework for funding NDIS participants and specialist disability housing providers is due to be released later this year.
NDIS still leaves a housing gap
The NDIS will provide “reasonable and necessary” equipment and supports for Australians with disability. However, the National Disability Insurance Agency has previously identified a significant housing gap for an anticipated <a href="https://chfa.com.au/sites/default/files/sites/default/files/docs/bonyhady_bruce_-_presentation_-_chfa_ndis_forum_-_27_march_2014.pdf">8</a>3,000 to 122,000 scheme participants.
The 2015 report from the Senate inquiry into affordable housing described this as an economic issue of national importance. Access to affordable housing, the report said, needs to be a “central and cross-cutting theme” within a whole-of-government approach.
One group that needs lifetime housing and support are people with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI). Australia has an estimated 1000 new cases of severe TBI and 136 new cases of high-level SCI or quadriplegia every year. Lifetime costs per case are estimated at $4.8 million to $9.5 million.
The Transport Accident Commission (TAC), Victoria’s no-fault road accident insurance scheme, has also identified a significant housing gap for its clients. Many live with TBI or SCI resulting from road accidents.
Opening doors to more independent living
The TAC has been developing new models of housing and support through Residential Independence Pty Ltd (RIPL). The aim is to provide options for more independent living.
RIPL Project One was a collaboration between the TAC and the Summer Foundation, a non-profit organisation focused on the issue of young people in nursing homes. The project delivered six smart-technology-enabled one-bedroom apartments within a 59-apartment private and social housing development in inner-city Melbourne. An on-site support staff hub provides outreach to tenants of the six apartments.
Tenants of RIPL Project One moved from living with family or friends, or traditional disability group home models. This was an exciting step on a pathway back to community living.
Continuously refining supported housing
In the past, investment in new supported housing (such as the $60 million federal Supported Accommodation Innovation Fund) has not included evaluation of the effectiveness of housing design and location. Investment in “learning from hindsight” can inform new projects if evaluation is carefully developed and effectively delivered.
The TAC has invested in a large-scale post-occupancy evaluation of RIPL Project One, through the Institute for Safety, Compensation and Recovery Research. This evaluation has been coupled with detailed actuarial cost-benefit analysis to guide future investment. This research was awarded an international Certificate of Research Excellence from the Environmental Design Research Association.
The post-occupancy evaluation findings have been documented in an interactive PDF report. This details key evaluation criteria and includes virtual panoramic tours. Viewers can explore the housing and technology design, the support delivered within these environments, and tenants' access to and use of spaces.
The research findings highlight the potential for an NDIS interface with housing provision. This has impacts on the quality of home life and social and economic participation for Australians with disability.
Creating better homes for people with disability
Key considerations include:
<ul>
<li>SITE LOCATION AND PLANNING: well-located housing close to accessible shops, public transport and other services builds community participation and inclusion.</li>
<li>DWELLING LAYOUT AND PLANNING: control of light, temperature and noise improves running costs of a home; layout builds tenant privacy; tailoring of joinery installation increases independence and reduces support needs.</li>
<li>HOUSING TRANSITION: site visits and familiarisation, and building links in the local community, with follow-up monitoring and support for effective routines, foster participation and independence.</li>
<li>SMART HOME TECHNOLOGY: training and consistent use of integrated technologies by tenants and support staff avoid technology abandonment and build autonomy and environmental control.</li>
<li>MODEL OF SUPPORT: exemplary built and technology design must be coupled with targeted disability supports to build skills for independent living.</li>
</ul>
As housing and support models are developed, iterative post-occupancy evaluation will build an evidence base of tenant experiences, outcomes, costs and benefits, and opportunities. This will inform well-designed, well-located housing using smart technology into the future.
Turnbull’s leadership of NDIS roll-outs must now be coupled with a co-ordinated whole-of-government approach to best-practice housing for people with disability. Strengthening NDIS implementation with a national housing strategy will reap both social and economic benefits for Australia.
Libby Callaway is researcher, Occupational Therapy Department, Monash University and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/libby-callaway-9011">here</a>.
Kate Tregloan is researcher, Design and Education in the Creative Disciplines, Monash University and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kate-tregloan-191853">here</a>.
Both are authors for The Conversation.
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Bringing the NDIS home: smarter housing design for people with a disability

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GUEST OBSERVER
Allowing first homebuyers to cash out their super to buy a home is a seductive idea with a long history. Like the nine-headed Hydra, which replaced each severed head with two more, each time the idea is cut down it seems to return even stronger.
Both sides of federal politics took proposals to the 1993 election to let Australians draw down their super. After re-election, then Prime Minister Paul Keating scrapped it amid widespread criticism. Former Treasurer Joe Hockey raised the idea again in March and was roundly criticised by academics and the media. This month the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) has again resurrected the idea.
House prices have skyrocketed again over the past two years, particularly in Sydney. So politicians are attracted to any policy that appears to help first homebuyers to build a deposit. Unlike the various first homebuyers’ grants that cost billions each year, letting first homebuyers cash out their super would not hurt the budget bottom line – at least, not in the short term. But the change would worsen housing affordability, leave many people with less to retire on, and cost taxpayers in the long run.
It is a bad idea for five reasons.
First, measures to boost demand for housing, without addressing the well-documented restrictions on supply, do not make housing more affordable. Giving prospective first homebuyers access to their superannuation will help them build a house deposit, but it would worsen affordability for buyers overall. Unless supply increases, more people with deposits would simply bid up the price of existing homes, and the biggest winners would be the people who own them already.
Second, the proposal fails the test of superannuation being used solely to fund an adequate living standard in retirement. The government puts tax concessions on super to help workers provide their own retirement incomes. In return, workers can’t access their superannuation until they reach a certain age without incurring tax penalties.
While paying down a home is an investment, owner-occupiers also benefit from having somewhere to live without paying rent. These benefits that a house provides to the owner-occupier – which economists call housing services – are big, accounting for a sixth of total household consumption in Australia. Using super to buy a home they live in would allow people to consume a significant portion of the value of their superannuation savings as housing services well before they reach retirement.
Third, most first homebuyers who cash out their super would end up with lower overall retirement savings, even after accounting for any extra housing assets. Owner-occupiers give up the rent on their investment. With average gross rental yields sitting between 3% and 5% across major Australian cities, the impact on end retirement savings can be very large. Consequently, owner-occupiers will tend to have lower overall lifetime retirement savings than if the funds were left to compound in a superannuation fund.
Frugal homebuyers might maintain the value of their retirement savings if they save all the income they no longer have to pay as rent. In reality, few will have such self-discipline. Compulsory savings through superannuation have led many people to save more than they would otherwise. A recent Reserve Bank study found that each dollar of compulsory super savings added between 70 and 90 cents to total household wealth. If first homebuyers can cash out their super savings early to buy a home that they would have saved for anyway, then many will save less overall.
Fourth, the proposal would hurt government budgets in the long run. Superannuation fund balances are included in the Age Pension assets test. The family home is not. If people funnel some of their super savings into the family home, gaining more home equity but reducing their super fund balance, the government will pay more in pensions in the long-term.
Government would be spared this cost if any home purchased using super were included in the Age Pension assets test, but that would be very hard to implement. For example, do you only include the proportion of the home financed by superannuation? Or would the whole home, including principal repayments made from post-tax income, be included in the assets test? The problems go away if all housing were included in the pension assets test, but this would be a very difficult political reform.
Fifth, early access to super for first homebuyers could make the superannuation system even more unequal than it is today. Many first homebuyers are high-income earners. Allowing them to fund home purchases from concessionally-taxed super would simply add to the many tax mitigation strategies that already abound.
Consider the case of a prospective homebuyer earning A$200,000. Their concessional super contributions are taxed at 15%, rather than at their marginal tax rate of 47%. Once they buy a home, any capital gains that accrue as it appreciates are tax-free, as are the stream of housing services that it provides. Such attractive tax treatment of an investment – more generous than the already highly concessional tax treatment of either superannuation or owner occupied housing – would be prone to massive rorting by high-income earners keen to lower their income tax bills.
What, then, should the federal government do to make housing more affordable?
<h2>Helping fix our cities</h2>
Above all, new federal Minister for Cities Jamie Briggs should support policies to boost housing supply, especially in the inner and middle ring suburbs of major cities where most people want to live, and which have much better access to the centre of cities where most of the new jobs are being created. The federal government has little control over planning rules, which are administered by state and local governments. But it can use transparent performance reporting, rewards and incentives to stimulate state government action, using the same model as the National Competition Policy reforms of the 1990s.
Other reforms, such as reducing the 50% discount on capital gains tax and tightening negative gearing, would also reduce pressure on house prices and could be implemented straight away. Such favourable tax treatment drives up house prices because it increases the after-tax returns to housing investors. The number of negatively geared individuals doubled in the 10 years after the capital gains tax discount was introduced in 1999. More than 1.2 million Australian taxpayers own a negatively geared property, and they claimed A$14 billion in net rental losses in 2011-12.
There are no quick fixes to housing affordability in Australia. Yet any government that can solve the problem by boosting housing supply in inner and middle suburbs, while refraining from further measures to boost demand, will almost certainly find itself rewarded, by voters and by history.
Brendan Coates is senior associate, Grattan Institute and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/brendan-coates-154644" target="_blank">here</a>.
John Daley<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/john-daley-1870" rel="author"> </a>is chief executive officer, Grattan Institute and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/john-daley-1870" target="_blank">here</a>.
Both are authors for The Conversation.
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Five reasons the Turnbull government shouldn’t let us spend super on a home

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The chairman of the Chris O'Brien Lifehouse cancer centre, company director Doug Snedden and his wife Belinda Clark have sold in Warrawee, seemingly securing their desire of more than $5 million.
The 1930s home designed in the stockbroker tudor style by architect John Brogan had been bought by the couple in 1999 for $2,325,000 from the ASX chairman Roderick Holliday-Smith and his wife Margaret.
Scott Chadwick, of Chadwicks Real Estate, sold the <a href="https://chadwickrealestate.com.au/5259657/5-Pibrac-Avenue-Warrawee" target="_blank">1800 sqm Pibrac Avenue property</a> that comes with tennis court and pool.
Professor Chris O'Brien was a surgeon who achieved national recognition as a compassionate surgeon in the reality television series RPA.
His vision and leadership built the foundation for the O'Brien Lifehouse institute specialising in the treatment of cancer.
O'Brien, diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2006, fought the illness until he passed away in 2009.
His wife Gail continues to play a key role in supporting her husband's vision for Australia to have its own world-class comprehensive cancer care facility.
Gail recently sold the family home in Hunters Hill through Narelle Scott at Bresic Whitney who offered the listing with $4.5 million price guidance. 
Paying $3.1 million in 2002, the couple had traded up to the north-facing 1177 square metre property overlooking the Lane Cove River from nearby Ernest Street.
 
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Stockbroker Tudor Warrawee trophy sale

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Lugano, one of Ashfield's finest period homes, has sold for $4.4 million through Harris Tripp First National.
The vendors, Anne and Howard Harrison are off to Redfern.
The successful auction marks the first time <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-ashfield-120564689" target="_blank">Lugano has traded</a> in almost 25 years. It sold at $725,000 in 1991.
The grand residence offers original 1910 period features with eight fireplaces, polished timber floors, high ceilings and huge attic storage area.
There are manicured gardens, heated swimming pool, and rear lane access to automatic garage on the 715sqm block.
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Ashfield trophy Lugano sells

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Watpac Group construction general manager Nicholas Saclley has bought the "Sydney Seidler," in Balmain for $5,725,000. 
The split-level house features a wave-shape roof, one of <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-balmain-119745571" target="_blank">Harry Seidler's signature designs</a>. 
The property includes a pool, boatshed and slipway into the harbour. 
Nicholas and Marina Saclley will be upgrading from nearby. It last traded in 2001 for $3.41 million.
This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph. 
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Balmain Seidler sold at $5,725,000

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GUEST OBSERVER
For 25 years, Woolworths told shoppers they were “the fresh food people”. It was a very clear point of difference and delivered the group a sustainable competitive advantage. Any attempt by a competitor to replicate it would have been dismissed as lacking credence; a simple market-follower strategy.
In contrast, Coles appeared lost and without direction, the result of an ever-changing senior leadership team, until Ian McLeod arrived in 2008. Prior to 2000, Coles was “serving us better”, then in 2002 shoppers were “saving everyday”. In 2004, Coles was “delighting their customer” and then things were getting a “little better … every day”. Finally, the more recent “down, down” campaign has aligned with its “quality food costs less at Coles” slogan, cutting through with shoppers.
Somewhere along the way Woolworths was blindsided. The group fell out of favour with suppliers and was distracted by its troubled Masters hardware chain. The turnaround plan suffered a further blow with the news chief executive Grant O'Brien would step down after less than four years in the job.
<h2>Lack of differentiation</h2>
At the same time Coles was closing underperforming stores, <a href="">cutting its range</a> to streamline supply chains, cutting overhead costs and investing heavily in store refurbishments.
The fastest, although not the smartest, way to compete with an aggressive competitor is to replicate; that’s exactly what Woolworths and more recently IGA did. A quick look at Coles', Woolworths' and IGA’s catalogues and stores today illustrates the same deep discounting strategy.
It was clearly an error of judgement for Woolworths to move away from its very successful “fresh food people” position. The “cheap, cheap” campaign confused loyal shoppers and played into the hands of Coles, which was better positioned to deliver on price. With both majors driving a message of “price”, more shoppers also started trailing the German discounter Aldi.
<h2>The lowest price doesn’t necessarily win</h2>
If you are not a discounter, move away from price. While most supermarkets will carry a range of low-priced, generic private-label products to service the discount-shopper segment, sending the message that you sell groceries “cheap, cheap” and “down, down” every day is risky.
Even Metcash-owned IGA has moved away from its “local” campaign to now promote itself as “the same” as the big two with a recently launched “price match” campaign. Price is easily comparable and replicated, and this has been played out across Australian supermarkets over the last few years.
Internationally, grocery discounters like Lidl and Aldi continue to take market share away from the major full-line supermarkets, while the supermarkets continue to discount heavily. The practice of deep, unsustainable and potentially unprofitable deep discounting has even begun to attract criticism for grocers.
However, while Australian supermarkets and independent grocers continue to focus on price, shoppers will continue to shop between all brands for the lowest; loyalty is lost. This is most evident with Aldi, which in Australia has the lowest customer loyalty at 7%, compared to the majors at 25% and IGA at 30%. Supermarket retailing in Australia has become a race to the bottom.
<h2>Fresh – the future fight</h2>
Discounters will always win on price. The smart approach to combating this threat is not to position yourself as the same, but different. A focus on what the discounters don’t offer – such as range, value, service and fresh foods – is a much smarter approach.
The price of a litre of milk or a loaf of bread is easily comparable, whereas “fresh” is not. The fresh food component of a supermarket also delivers more profit than dry groceries. Fresh is where the next battle will be fought and won.
Now that Coles has established its position as the provider of low-priced groceries, its next move will be to focus on the “fresh food” space now vacated by Woolworths, which still appears to be cutting prices.
<h2>The future of convenience</h2>
When shoppers have been conditioned to think about the price they pay each week for a basket of groceries, the franchised grocer model no longer works. Already, experts have suggested that within 10 years Metcash’s independent grocers will no longer feature in the Australian grocery market.
Yet overseas the convenience store model is growing faster than full-line supermarkets. While some of this growth comes from the ability to embed small store footprints into high streets and high-density areas, much of it is the result of major supermarkets moving into this space with their brands: Tesco Metro, Tesco Express, Sainsbury’s Local and Carrefour Metro.
With Roy Morgan’s latest shopper loyalty research illustrating IGA has the most committed shoppers, even with perceived higher prices, IGA would be best to walk away from a price war. If IGA is unable to defend against the growth of Aldi and a re-energised Coles and Woolworths, it is highly probable it will either exit the market or reposition itself upmarket as a premium grocer.
Either way, it is likely that both Woolworths and Coles will look favourably at moving into this space with a chain of Woolworths Metro or Coles Express convenience stores.
Gary Mortimer is senior lecturer, QUT Business School, Queensland University of Technology and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/gary-mortimer-1322" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Australian supermarkets in race to the bottom

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GUEST OBSERVER
The appointment of a federal minister for cities and the built environment is a signal moment in urban policy in Australia. It is a much-needed portfolio for an overwhelmingly urban nation but will need new policy capacity if the government’s urban goals are to be realised.
Australian cities are among the fastest-growing in the developed world. They face problems of poor housing affordability, growing inequality, inadequate and inefficient infrastructure, unsustainable environmental demand and uneven employment distribution and productivity.
Long neglected federally, urban affairs is the gaping void in 21st-century public policy. Not since 1972 has Australia seen both the Labor and the Liberal parties commit to a cities portfolio within the Commonwealth ministry. That this has now occurred under a Coalition government is especially unusual.
Labor governments have been most engaged with urban questions. Curtin initiated a federal housing program and spurred states to better urban planning. Whitlam sewered neglected suburbs and stabilised fringe land markets, while Keating stimulated inner-city urban renewal. The Rudd-Gillard government boosted infrastructure and set national principles for metropolitan planning.
The short-lived McMahon government’s 1972 National Urban and Regional Development Authority is the only previous Coalition urban foray of note.
<h2>Creating the capacity to do urban policy</h2>
As the new minister, Jamie Briggs’s agenda is not yet detailed, although it looks set to focus on integration, infrastructure and greening. What could a new urban program look like, and what are the urban reform imperatives facing the Turnbull government?
The first task must surely be to develop permanent urban analytical and policy capacity in the federal public service. The Department of Environment, where the cities minister will be hosted, has almost no urban policy capability. The strongest federal urban capacity is in the Planning Analysis Branch of the Department of Infrastructure. The Turnbull government must build rapidly off this small but competent base.
A second task is to create federal capacity for cross-portfolio policy coordination. A cities agenda requires federal arrangements that can link across transport, infrastructure, environment, housing, finance, education, health and social services to build a multi-dimensional policy perspective on cities.
The third capacity-building task is to re-establish national coordination arrangements for urban policy. The federation gives almost all hands-on urban responsibility to the states but the Commonwealth has the revenue. The previous Labor government worked through the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) to establish consensus principles for major city planning and investment in a largely bipartisan way. That process could be revived and improved with relative ease.
A robust evidence base exists on which to ground policy directions but it is not well linked with policy. Capability development should thus also extend to Australia’s high-quality but under-resourced university research sector. The extensive network of scholars within the State of Australian Cities Research Network could assist with this task, as could the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute.
The final capacity need is for federal policy to establish its own analytical framework. The urban sector abounds with rent-seekers. A federal urban perspective must stand above such rent-seeking to develop a sophisticated conceptual stance on how our cities work and the levers of policy.
<h2>Directions for policy</h2>
The overturning of Tony Abbott’s aversion to public transport funding is a welcome sign of progress. Public transport is vital for future urban productivity and sustainability.
New arrangements are needed to make transparent the external urban costs of private car use, whether through road and parking user pricing or via enhanced environmental emissions charging. Such measures need to be progressive, however, so the burden does not fall unfairly on low-income, car-dependent households with the fewest alternatives.
Building infrastructure alone is unlikely to improve how our cities function. We need to make better use of existing assets. This includes dedicated multi-modal network coordination in public transport, as the 2009 Senate inquiry into public transport advocated, accompanied by optimisation of existing road space via conversion to high-frequency transit routes. 
Further areas in urgent need of intervention are Australia’s inflated and exclusionary urban housing markets. Negative gearing should be reformed as a tax credit scheme with transparency to ensure the value of the concession is targeted to the most needy urban renters.
We need an urban taxation regime that captures the value gains from federal investment. Land value uplift from infrastructure investment should not accrue to private interests but be recycled into the federal funding pool.
A national approach to replace stamp duty with broad-based land taxes is also needed. This would improve the flexibility and efficiency of urban housing markets while retaining a financing stream for urban investment. Land tax should be progressive, so it targets land value and housing wealth, not housing consumption.
A progressive capital gains tax on owner-occupied housing could also be applied to dampen price inflation and raise new public revenue. Similarly, a national approach to inclusionary zoning mechanisms for affordable housing would also help to ensure urban redevelopment creates new social housing supply.
As a suburban nation Australia faces serious gaps in how it plans new suburbs and renews existing areas. A national suburban policy is needed to improve the quality of fringe development and facilitate the renewal of ageing middle suburbs for new housing.
Employment distribution in Australian cities is highly uneven. Ready access to high-quality jobs is increasingly the preserve of inner-urban households. Federal support for expansion of suburban employment nodes linked to public transport could ensure more higher-quality jobs are closer to the places households live. Ensuring land-use zoning does not exclude workers from job-rich middle suburbs is a further task.
Reform of the planning arrangements for our cities is desperately needed. National principles for metropolitan planning, as COAG established in 2009, are not unhelpful. But we need governing entities that can plan and manage cities at the metropolitan level while providing a democratic accompaniment to the current dominance of state planning ministers.
Prime Minister Turnbull has previously argued that density is the solution to our urban woes but that poorly done density reduces amenity. High-amenity densification is possible but the urban science on very-high-density development shows its environmental performance is often poor.
Density can help to improve our cities but only as part of carefully crafted wider changes to spatial structure via infrastructure, housing and governance reform. Density is a means, not an end in itself. Plans to expand green space and provide for biodiversity in cities must be part of any densification strategy.
<h2>Putting policy to work</h2>
A sense of urgency is needed. The urban sphere is dominated by what Nicole Gurran and Peter Phibbs have called busy work in which policy discussion and review defer substantial change.
Moreover urban policy is often captive to property, infrastructure and financial interests that put their private gain over the public interest. The Turnbull urban agenda needs to be more than a talking point or vehicle for shoddy deals.
Urban policy is the key policy discipline of the 21st century. It needs to be placed at the core of Australia’s federal policy arrangements.
Jago Dodson is professor of Urban Policy and director, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University .
He is an author for The Conversation and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jago-dodson-2359" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Could the federal government finally ‘get’ cities?

The Gold Coast economy has grown by 25 per cent since 2020/21 to surpass $55 billion, but perhaps the more significant story is what sits behind the headline number.

For decades, the Gold Coast has been viewed through the lens of tourism, lifestyle and population growth. The latest State of the City Report suggests that perception is increasingly out of step with reality.

Released by Invest Gold Coast, the report ranks the Gold Coast as Australia's largest non-capital city economy and, perhaps more notably, second nationally behind Sydney for Economic Complexity, a measure that assesses the diversity and sophistication of an economy.

It's a result that places the Gold Coast ahead of Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, highlighting the extent to which the city's economic base has broadened beyond its traditional industries.

Today, the Gold Coast supports more than 350,000 jobs, is home to over 83,000 businesses and generates $19 billion in annual exports. Manufacturing now accounts for 62 per cent of international export growth, while sectors including health, education, advanced manufacturing, technology and professional services are becoming increasingly important contributors to the local economy.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=372547]

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said the report confirmed the city's evolution into one of Australia's most significant economies.

"The Gold Coast economy continues to grow at an incredible pace. This is no surprise to those of us who have watched the evolution up close," Mayor Tate said.

"As one of the most entrepreneurial, investment driven and opportunity focused economies in the country our ambition has been realised and possibilities are endless.

"The Gold Coast has built a reputation as the city that says yes. We say yes to investment, yes to opportunity and yes to people who want to build something.

"It's this mindset helping us drive major growth across health, advanced manufacturing, screen production, marine, technology and the knowledge economy."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360975]

While population growth has been one of the defining stories of the past decade, the report points to a broader economic transformation taking place.

The city's knowledge economy now contributes $7.9 billion annually and supports around 31,000 jobs, while the health and wellbeing sector contributes $5.2 billion and employs more than 42,000 people. Together, the six priority sectors identified in the report account for almost $24 billion in economic output and more than 145,000 jobs.

One of the strongest examples is the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct at Southport. The 200-hectare precinct now contains more than $5 billion worth of health, education, research and innovation infrastructure and supports over 16,000 jobs.

The report also highlights the growing role of advanced manufacturing, particularly in aerospace, defence and modular construction.

Gold Coast-based Gilmour Space Technologies recently became the first Australian commercial company to attempt an orbital launch, while companies including Modscape and ModnPods are helping establish the Yatala-Stapylton corridor as one of Australia's fastest-growing advanced manufacturing hubs.

The city's entrepreneurial culture is also translating into business growth.

Since 2019/20, the number of businesses operating on the Gold Coast has increased by 22 per cent, while firms employing more than 200 people have grown by 80 per cent. The report suggests the next challenge is converting more local start-ups and medium-sized businesses into nationally significant companies.

Development activity remains another key indicator of confidence.

There are currently more than $23 billion worth of major projects underway across the Gold Coast, supported by a record 75 active cranes, a figure that now exceeds Brisbane and represents a 150 per cent increase since 2016.

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Importantly, the report notes the next phase of investment will need to extend beyond residential development.

While 93 per cent of crane activity is currently tied to housing, Invest Gold Coast argues future investment will increasingly need to focus on cultural, civic, infrastructure and industry-enabling projects that strengthen the city's long-term economic resilience.

Invest Gold Coast Chair Will Hodgman said the city was now benefiting from years of economic diversification.

"What is happening on the Gold Coast is the result of the city's economic base broadening, fuelled by industries with long-term, high-growth potential," Mr Hodgman said.

"This is no longer a secondary Australian economy, the Gold Coast is becoming a globally connected city with deeper capability across health, knowledge and creative industries, advanced manufacturing, technology and exports."

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Looking ahead, the Gold Coast's population is projected to exceed one million residents by 2046.

For a city that was once largely defined by tourism and lifestyle, the latest figures suggest the Gold Coast is becoming something more significant, one of Australia's most diverse and economically sophisticated urban economies, and increasingly one that national and international investors can no longer afford to overlook.

Joel Robinson

75 cranes, $23 billion pipeline and a $55 billion economy: Inside the Gold Coast economic boom

Ron Bakir's Homecorp has sold more than 75 per cent of the apartments in its wellness-driven Florence Residences in Surfers Paradise following its first weekend release.

The <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/florence-residences-24-monte-carlo-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">26-storey project on Monte Carlo Avenue</a>, which commenced construction earlier this year, has seen a flurry of buyers secure their slice of the Gold Coast's latest wellbeing-focused offering in one of the nation's most competitive property markets.

Since the pandemic, the Gold Coast's population has grown by more than 11 per cent, a rate approximately four times faster than Sydney's, driven largely by lifestyle changes and interstate migration. While buyer activity has moderated in some markets nationally, demand for newly built dwellings on the Gold Coast continues to gain momentum as purchasers increasingly prioritise lifestyle, amenity, wellbeing, liveability and long-term investment potential.

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Homecorp CEO Ron Bakir says buyers today are looking for more than just a home.

"What we are seeing is a shift in how people define value in property," Bakir says.

"What attracts residents to new developments is a desire for more than just a residence. They are looking for a place that complements their lifestyle, supports their wellbeing and reflects the way they want to live into the future.

"Lifestyle, longevity, proactive health, wellbeing, connection and a sense of community are increasingly shaping purchasing decisions, particularly on the Gold Coast, where these factors continue to be a major drawcard."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150414 project_image_fid=372744]

Bakir says Homecorp is responding to this shift through an approach that places greater emphasis on design, amenity and experience working together to create places that feel considered, connected and enduring in value.

Inspired by Eastern European design, Florence Residences will comprise 120 apartments alongside a private residents-only wellness club featuring a resort-style rooftop pool, hot and cold plunge pools, a spa retreat, contemporary gymnasium, and a spacious yoga and Pilates studio.

The development will also feature a residents-only lounge with private dining facilities and a rooftop bar, premium outdoor entertaining areas, a hotel-style lobby lounge, generous bike parking, and pet-friendly amenities including a heated dog wash.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150414 project_image_fid=372742]

A limited number of apartments remain available, with an exclusive collection of four-bedroom sub-penthouses set to be released in the coming months.

Florence is one of the latest additions to Homecorp's expanding multi-billion-dollar property portfolio, which also includes plans for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/homecorp-lodges-plans-for-260-million-moroccan-bathhouse-inspired-tower-in-budds-beach">$260 million development in Budds Beach</a> tailored to the growing wellness market.

A development application has been lodged for a 27-storey, 156-residence tower at 8–10 Acacia Avenue and 25–27 Oak Avenue, featuring a residents-only Moroccan spa-inspired sanctuary.

Apartments at Florence Residences are priced from $1,249,000, with construction expected to be completed by late 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150414]

Buyers rush to Homecorp's Florence Residences as Gold Coast wellness trend gains momentum

The NSW Government has expanded its $1 billion Pre-sale Finance Guarantee program, broadening access for affordable housing providers and smaller residential developments as it seeks to accelerate housing delivery across the state.

The Minns Government says the program has already helped bring forward more than 600 homes across Sydney and regional NSW since launching in September 2025, with similar models now adopted in South Australia and Western Australia.

The latest changes, announced by Treasurer Daniel Mookhey and Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully, are designed to improve access to finance for projects that have planning approval but are struggling to secure funding.

Among the key changes is an expansion of support for community housing providers. The program will now support up to 100 per cent affordable housing projects valued at up to $30 million when delivered by not-for-profit providers, while support for larger affordable housing developments will increase for projects worth up to $80 million.

The government says the changes will help accelerate the delivery of housing for low-income workers, older people, people living with disability, and those at risk of homelessness, while reducing reliance on direct grants or subsidised loans to bridge funding gaps.

The eligibility criteria for smaller residential developments have also been broadened. The previous $5 million minimum project value threshold has been removed and replaced with a requirement that projects deliver at least four homes.

Support has also increased for projects delivering fewer than 20 homes, with the guarantee now able to cover up to 75 per cent of dwellings in a development, capped at $30 million per project.

The changes are expected to particularly benefit smaller-scale and regional developments, which often face greater challenges meeting pre-sale requirements imposed by lenders.

Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said the scheme demonstrates how government can use its balance sheet to stimulate housing supply without relying solely on taxpayer-funded grants.

"The Pre-sale Finance Guarantee shows how this Government is using its balance sheet to reduce risk and unlock private investment, enabling new homes to move from design to construction faster," Mookhey said.

"This landmark reform allows us to deliver homes for working families at a lower cost to taxpayers, while also maintaining strong financial discipline."

Planning Minister Paul Scully said the program had already proven effective in bringing stalled projects to market.

"The Pre-sale Finance Guarantee has already proven it can unlock stalled projects and accelerate housing delivery by giving lenders the confidence they need to back good developments," Scully said.

"These changes will allow more affordable housing and smaller developments to access support so more homes can be built faster where communities need them most."

Housing Minister Rose Jackson said the expansion would help community housing providers overcome financing barriers that often delay projects.

"We know community housing providers are ready to build more homes, too often they're held back by barriers to finance," Jackson said.

"Expanding the Pre-sale Finance Guarantee helps remove those barriers so more affordable homes can get off the ground sooner."

The announcement was welcomed by the Property Council of Australia, which has long advocated for measures aimed at improving project feasibility and access to finance.

Property Council NSW Executive Director Katie Stevenson described the expansion as a practical intervention that addresses one of the most immediate constraints on housing delivery.

"This is exactly the kind of practical intervention we need right now, focused on getting projects out of the ground, not just approved," Stevenson said.

"It builds on a model the Property Council has worked closely with government to develop following calls for such a scheme ahead of last year's NSW Budget, so it's great to see it being expanded."

Stevenson said the reforms would help unlock projects that are ready to proceed but have been delayed by financing challenges. However, she noted that broader feasibility issues remain a significant barrier to increasing housing supply.

"The biggest challenge in NSW housing today is delivery. Too many projects have planning approval but are simply not financially viable to proceed under current settings," she said.

Speaking at the Property Council's NSW Housing Summit, Housing Minister Rose Jackson acknowledged that feasibility and financing pressures continue to constrain housing delivery, while reaffirming the government's commitment to work with industry on solutions.

Stevenson said the government's recognition of those challenges was encouraging ahead of next week's state budget.

"It's positive to see the government clearly recognising that feasibility pressures are now a binding constraint on supply," she said.

"With the Budget just days away, the focus must be on backing delivery, making sure projects stack up, finance can flow, and more homes can move from approval to construction."

The expanded Pre-sale Finance Guarantee forms part of the NSW Government's broader housing agenda, which also includes planning reforms, the NSW Housing Pattern Book, and a series of rezonings intended to increase housing capacity across the state.

NSW expands Pre-sale Finance Guarantee to unlock more affordable and regional housing

Design-led developer-builder Lowe Living has unveiled its latest residential development, Jardin House, marking its first foray into Melbourne's blue-chip City of Boroondara.

Located a short walk from Camberwell Junction, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/jardin-house-by-lowe-living-camberwell-335-camberwell-road-camberwell-vic-3124">Jardin House</a> has been designed to appeal to affluent local downsizers and established families seeking a low-maintenance alternative to the large homes that have long defined Camberwell and surrounding suburbs.

The project will comprise a collection of two and three-bedroom apartments ranging from 92 sqm to 280 sqm, alongside a limited number of penthouse residences featuring rooftop terraces spanning more than 100 sqm, with optional private pools.

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Lowe Living Co-Founder and Managing Director Tim Lowe said Camberwell represented a natural next step for the developer as it expands into some of Melbourne's most tightly held residential markets.

"Jardin House is an important project for our team as it marks the next evolution of our portfolio into different well-established blue-chip pockets of Melbourne," Lowe said.

"Camberwell, with its incredible walkability, family-led neighbourhood feel and superb access to education and transport, makes it a natural choice for us."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146717 project_image_fid=372227]

Designed by Tristan Wong Architects, with interiors by Hecker Guthrie and landscaping by Acre, the development takes inspiration from the Art Deco architecture that remains a defining feature of many of Camberwell's established streets.

A curved facade, arched openings, textured brickwork and sculpted forms reference the suburb's architectural heritage, while extensive landscaping softens the building's presence and creates a strong connection to the surrounding tree-lined streetscape.

The project will be set behind a secure gated entrance, with residents arriving through landscaped gardens designed to create a transition between the public realm and private residences.

Inside, the residences feature natural stone and timber finishes, full-height glazing, Miele appliances and generous open-plan living areas designed for long-term owner occupation.

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While the apartments themselves have been designed to attract discerning owner-occupiers, it is the amenity offering that sets Jardin House apart from many other boutique projects currently launching across Melbourne.

The centrepiece is a 350 sqm private bathhouse curated in partnership with Aurora Spa &amp; Bathhouse founder Lyndall Mitchell.

The wellness precinct includes mineral pools, hydrotherapy experiences, a Himalayan salt room, sauna, steam room, cold plunge pools and dedicated relaxation spaces, creating what Lowe Living describes as a private wellness retreat exclusively for residents.

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The collaboration follows Lowe Living's recent partnership with Aurora at Maison Savoy in Brighton, although Jardin House is the first project to incorporate both indoor and outdoor wellness experiences.

Emma Lowe, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Lowe Living, said wellness was becoming an increasingly important consideration for apartment buyers.

"Collaborating with Lyndall Mitchell from Aurora Spa &amp; Bathhouse for a second time is an intentional nod to creating residences that are more than just homes, but a way to enrich the lives of our residents through wellness and longevity," Lowe said.

The amenity offering is complemented by a Technogym fitness studio, residents' lounge, private dining spaces and concierge services.

The launch comes as developers increasingly target Melbourne's established eastern suburbs, where rising land values, ageing housing stock and growing downsizer demand are creating opportunities for boutique apartment projects.

Lowe said the company expects significant generational wealth transfer across suburbs such as Camberwell in coming years, creating further demand for luxury apartment living.

"Camberwell is a blue-chip suburb where homes regularly transact for multiple millions of dollars," he said.

"The generational change of wealth in these locations expected in the coming years is significant, so we see an opportunity to create exclusive residences that appeal to older families and downsizers in order to meet this demand."

Apartments at Jardin house start from $1,195,000. The project forms part of Lowe Living's near-$1 billion portfolio of new developments across Melbourne.

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Lowe Living launches Jardin House in Camberwell

As <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/north-sydney-nsw-2060">North Sydney</a> continues its transition from a commercial centre into a more layered residential and lifestyle precinct, a new generation of apartment developments is reshaping expectations around scale, amenity, and long-term liveability.

Improved transport connections through the Victoria Cross Metro, continued investment in dining and public spaces, and a constrained supply of new luxury apartments have sharpened demand for homes that combine proximity to the CBD with the privacy and outlook traditionally associated with harbourside houses.

At 177 Walker Street, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/aland">ALAND</a>’s new apartment development <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-walden-north-sydney-177-walker-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">The Walden</a> enters the market with a distinctly residential approach to high-rise living. The 30-level tower will deliver 161 residences, ranging from one-bedroom apartments through to sub-penthouses and a full-floor penthouse, all oriented to capture uninterrupted views across Sydney Harbour, the Opera House, and out toward the Pacific Ocean.

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Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a>, the project takes advantage of the site’s natural topography and elevated position above the harbour. Rather than relying on density alone, the architecture focuses on outlook, orientation, and spatial flow, with every apartment occupying a corner position to maximise natural light and cross ventilation.

Rothelowman says the site itself shaped much of the architectural response.

“The site has a long history in terms of its inevitable transformation and when we came in, we took inspiration from the idea of reestablishing a sense of the site’s natural terrain and fall. Our scheme aims to integrate with the terrain and the landscape, using the undulating site to slowly reveal glimpses and views of the harbour. The rotation of the tower off grid means every apartment has a view and is naturally cross ventilated. The building's colour palette is quintessentially Sydney, with bronze and sandstone and a luminescent green colour in the glass, making it very earthy and grounded in its location.”

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Inside the residences, the emphasis moves toward larger-format living typically associated with standalone homes. Kitchens sit at the centre of the apartments, connecting directly to open-plan dining and living areas before extending outward into expansive winter gardens and balconies. Calacatta marble, bespoke joinery, integrated appliances, and custom metal detailing are used throughout, while three distinct interior palettes, Terrace, Opera, and Harbour, allow buyers to personalise the spaces without compromising the architectural consistency of the project.

The larger residences place particular attention on separation between entertaining and private zones. In many apartments, master suites occupy the outer corners of the floorplates, allowing bedrooms to benefit from floor-to-ceiling glazing and harbour outlooks independent of the living spaces. Dressing rooms and ensuites continue the material palette through fluted detailing, freestanding baths, and layered stone finishes.

Rothelowman says the design intent centred on creating homes that feel enduring rather than transient.

“Our philosophy is all about the way people live in these spaces, and we wanted to create homes that reflect the quality of life in this unique Sydney location. The apartments showcase expansive living spaces that are generous, sophisticated, and bold, with the ability to connect with views throughout each apartment.”

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A separate four-storey amenity building known as The Pavilion expands the residential offering beyond the apartments themselves. Positioned alongside the tower, the building consolidates wellness, recreation, and social spaces into a dedicated resident retreat. Facilities include a 20-metre rooftop pool and sundeck, sauna, spa, ice bath, wellness studio, gymnasium, concierge service, wine cellar, residents’ lounge, private dining spaces, and dedicated co-working areas with meeting rooms and boardroom facilities.

The amenity mix reflects the buyer profile emerging in North Sydney, where owner-occupiers and downsizers are increasingly prioritising convenience, apartment scale, and long-term usability over purely investment-driven decisions.

The Walden also represents a significant milestone for ALAND, marking the company’s first major move into Sydney’s inner-city luxury apartment market after more than two decades delivering large-scale residential communities across Greater Sydney. Founder Andrew Hrsto says the Walker Street site stood apart because of both its positioning and its rarity.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6390]

“As a company, we had been searching for a site in one of Sydney’s blue-chip locations, spanning the Eastern Suburbs, the Sydney CBD and the North Shore, and when we had the opportunity to purchase this site, we immediately recognised that it could be something iconic.”

At launch, The Walden recorded more than $103 million in sales, with buyers drawn to the project’s harbour positioning, apartment scale, and proximity to the Metro, which now connects North Sydney to Barangaroo in three minutes and Martin Place in five.

ALAND has commenced construction, and is expecting a completion date in 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134323]

Jonathan Chancellor

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