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Humphry + Edwards, the designers behind some of the country’s hottest restaurants, are now set to transform the western corner of the Grosvenor Place Piazza into an outdoor dining space.
It is as part of the building’s $20 million redevelopment.  
The Naked Duck’s new sister restaurant, called the Grand Dūk, moves into the new 125 square metre space next month -  the first of three new retail spaces for the Piazza.
Grand Dūk is designed by Humphry + Edwards (H&amp;E) – the architects and interior designers behind venues like The Winery, Chiswick, The Glenmore Hotel and Opera Bar.  
H&amp;E worked with Grosvenor Place’s architects, Harry Seidler &amp; Associates on a design that merges and extends the modern architectural features of the iconic office tower, using specific architectural devices to maintain a translucent perimeter and offer a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor zones. 
Inside Grand Dūk, a suspended bottle display attached to a glass wall will add definition to the space, allowing light to filter through the bottles to create a sculptural mosaic of colour and light.  
“This sculptural form will conjure a warm feeling of being inside a nest,” said Chris Grinham, H&amp;E Project architect who's ensured a fiddle leaf fig tree will sit in the outdoor area to complement the arboreal structure of the transparent glass rotunda.
There are still limited opportunities available within the North Plaza Piazza for lease, positioned at the gateway of what will be a rejuvenated George Street when the new light rail project is running in mid-2018.
Grosvenor Place has up to 5,000 workers on site, with an additional 3,000 joining the area when construction of 200 George Street is complete.  
City resident numbers are also growing rapidly with 35,000 residents proposed for the Circular Quay catchment by early 2016 – creating a new market for CBD dining outside of business hours, the co-owners of Grosvenor Place, DEXUS Property Group, Investa Office and Arcadia suggest.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Grand Dūk set for Grosvenor Place piazza

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Swiss fashion house Bally will open a new marketing and showroom space in Sydney's CBD after signing a five-year lease.
Located on level four, 99 Elizabeth Street, the 146sqm suite offers views of Hyde Park. 
The annual rental is $846 gross per square metre.
CBRE's Rosie Origlia negotiated the lease on behalf of landlord Tackelly No.8.
“The property is well suited to accommodate the retailer's showroom and marketing office, while the design elements of 99 Elizabeth Street are also in line with the Bally brand,” she said.
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Bally takes Sydney CBD office lease

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Mr Shiv Prakash Sahay, a former credit representative of AHL Investments Pty Ltd trading as Aussie Home Loans (Aussie) has been convicted and sentenced in Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court on charges relating to a home loan fraud.
Mr Sahay, of Lidcome, NSW, was sentenced to 350 hours of community service work on three charges of making false statements, making false documents and using false documents in home loan applications submitted by Mr Sahay for his clients to Bankwest (a division of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia) and Suncorp Metway Limited.
ASIC Commissioner Peter Kell said the lending industry depended on mortgage brokers and other credit representatives acting honestly and in compliance with the credit laws.
"ASIC will vigorously pursue offenders involved in falsifying loan documents and other statements for their own financial benefit.'"
ASIC continues to focus on misconduct involving loan fraud, which often involves mortgage brokers.
Since becoming the national regulator of consumer credit in 2010, ASIC has achieved significant loan fraud outcomes, with criminal proceedings being launched against 11 people, resulting in seven convictions for various offences and four defendants currently before the Courts.
Some 34 individuals or companies have also been banned from providing credit services or precluded from holding a credit licence (including 18 permanent bans or cancellations).
The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions prosecuted the matter.
ASIC's investigation found that between 14 November 2011 and 6 August 2013, Mr Sahay, whilst a credit representative of Aussie, made false statements in loan applications and created and used false bank statements for 17 of his clients to attempt to secure home loans totaling approximately $7 million.
Of the $7 million in loans for which Mr Sahay applied, $4.796 million were approved. Ask Consultancy Services Pty Ltd, a company controlled and owned by Mr Sahay, received over $5,500 in upfront commissions and then ongoing commissions as a result of Mr Sahay's offending.
On 26 May 2015, Mr Sahay pleaded guilty to three charges of:
a) making 13 false statements in loan applications submitted by him for his clients to Bankwest and Suncorp; and
b) making 23 false documents, namely bank statements; and then using 26 false documents in loan applications submitted by him for his clients to Bankwest and Suncorp (refer <a href="https://asic.gov.au/about-asic/media-centre/find-a-media-release/2015-releases/15-128mr-sydney-man-pleads-guilty-to-home-loan-fraud/" target="_blank" title="15-128MR">15-128MR</a>).
Mr Sahay was expelled from the Mortgage &amp; Finance Association of Australia on 1 February 2014.
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Shiv Prakash Sahay convicted and sentenced on home loan fraud

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Thomas Muster, the former Austrian tennis champion, has spent $6.6 million on adjoining Noosa riverfront homes.
The dearer of the two cost $3.6 million on Weyba Creek which was less than its prior $3.75 million paid some 10 years ago. Both blocks were 620 square metres with early 1980s homes. 
Thomas Muster returns regularly to the Queensland town because his former wife, Jo Beth Taylor, the former Australia's Funniest Home Videos host, resides on the Sunshine Coast with their son.
The 35-hectare hinterland property, Cintamani, was Muster's first house in 1994 as a home away from his then Monte Carlo base, which was sold in 2002 for $7.6 million to Collection House founder Stephen Walker. 
It was in 2006 when Thomas Muster bought back into the Noosa property market spending $3.5 million on one of six luxury houses on the steep slopes of Noosa Hill. Set in the Viridian Noosa complex, overlooking Noosa Heads and Laguna Bay, the house is virtually wrapped around the trees.
Viridian Noosa was a joint venture between Leighton Properties and Ariadne Australia, designed by Noosa resident John Mainwaring. The long-time owner of the then 19.8-hectare banana plantation ended up in the High Court after a decade-long battle with Noosa Shire Council, which constrained the land's development potential.
His latest acquisition was a single level absolute waterfront residence on the sandy shoreline of the Noosa River with over twenty metres of sandy beach offered a $4.25 million by Eric Seetoo at Tom Offermann Real Estate.
The single level absolute waterfront residence enjoys a "dreamlike" position right on the Noosa River. Over twenty metre of sandy beach, a serene outlook to the wooded slopes of Noosa Hill and not a property in your line of sight across the water; this beautifully presented waterfront retreat will appeal to investors and families with an eye on future development in such a wonderful location.  Brightly flowering azalea, cycad, Poinciana and frangipani frame the security breezeway entry. 
The wide arc of sandy beach accommodates the paddle craft on the tide and a grove of Alexandra palm provide a perfect spot to string a hammock.
Property Observer gleans Muster first bought on the riverfront paying $2.8 million in 2013.
The former "King of Clay" beat career-threatening injuries at the age of 21 to become Austria's first grand slam tennis champion and its first world No. 1 player.  
Below is an external shot of the neighbouring property purchase on Mossman Court Noosa.
<img src="/images/2015/07/08/700_musterneighbour.jpg" alt="">
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Tennis ace Thomas Muster buys adjoining Noosa riverfronts

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Champion swimmer Geoff Huegill, and his wife Sara, have now listed their three-level, four-bedroom Darlinghurst terrace for August 6 auction.
<img src="https://i3.au.reastatic.net/800x600/2d6664d430e542a15b0394ed2f35acf7e646ad65ce49253486049849a52a4fd3/main.jpg" alt="453 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst" title="453 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst" data-index="0">
The 133 square metre offering cost $1.97 million in late 2011. They bought it and still own 60% percent of the terrace, after it<a href="/news/geoff-huegill-and-wife-sara-hills-list-darlinghurst-terrace"> was bought in partnership with Geoff Huegill’s in-laws</a>.
<img src="https://i2.au.reastatic.net/800x600/831635f6a9bb62fb96d84ff521055ebe2e2924bf1198cd1f5480dd6fe9601139/image3.jpg" alt="453 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst" title="453 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst" data-index="2">
Sara Huegill, nee Hills, was in the Sweaty Betty PR fashion firm prior to their 2011 marriage.
The couple reportedly want mid-$2 million.
<img src="https://i4.au.reastatic.net/800x600/ba6ebe95ec724a0407cf388666e13b4be6e2b8db929d3673318d29d2896c4571/image5.jpg" alt="453 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst" title="453 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst" data-index="4">
A $1,565,000 sale nearby at 473 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst was secured earlier this year with three bedrooms, two bathrooms. 
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August auction for Darlo's Geoff Huegill and Sara Hills

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The RBA's cash rate was left unchanged at 2.00%, as expected. The post-meeting statement repeated much of the mantra of recent months, noting that a lower AUD was both 'likely and necessary' and that there are on-going concerns about Sydney's strong dwelling price rises. China and Greece barely rated a mention.
 The tone of the description of the local economy was slightly more positive, as they noted that the unemployment rate remained 'little changed recently'. There was no explicit guidance about the future path of monetary policy, with the RBA seemingly content to wait and watch and hope for a lower AUD. We expect the cash rate to be on hold in coming quarters.
Facts 
- The cash rate was held steady at 2.00% (as expected by all 27 economists in the Bloomberg survey). The market was pricing a 10% chance of cut just prior to the announcement. 
Implications 
The RBA announcement and statement had few surprises with the statement providing no explicit guidance about the future path of monetary policy. The central bank was content to, once again, end its comments by stating the obvious, that: 'information on economic and financial conditions to be received over the period ahead will inform the Board's assessment of the outlook and hence whether the current stance of policy'. 
Developments in Greece and the Chinese stock market barely rated a mention. Although the board is likely to have received a full briefing on both, the significant uncertainty about how the situations will play out and what they might mean for the macro-economy mean they are still part of the RBA's distribution of risks rather than part of any central forecast. 
Having delivered 50bp of cuts in the first half, we expect the RBA to be quite patient as they wait and watch to see the impact of these cuts on the economy. It is also clear that the RBA is hoping that the AUD will fall further and that this will be mechanism which loosens financial conditions, rather than them needing to cut rates and potentially push Sydney housing prices even higher. 
Recent falls in the AUD will no doubt be welcome, although today's statement suggests more falls are desired. Our own assessment is that the RBA would be more comfortable with the AUD around 68-70 US cents (currently 75 US cents). 
Paul Bloxham is chief economist Australia and New Zealand for HSBC. 
 
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On hold, waiting for the AUD to fall more: HSBC's Paul Bloxham

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Kirsty Lamont from <a href="https://mozo.com.au/home-loans" target="_blank">Mozo.com.au</a> tells us the five numbers that you need to know following Tuesday’s cash rate announcement.
8
How many lenders are offering variable home loan rates under 4% at the moment $44
How much the average monthly home loan repayment would rise by if the RBA increases rates by another 0.25% this year.  11
The number of lenders who have increased interest rates for new investor loans.   15
The number of basis points, on average, that lenders increased 3 year fixed rates by in June  3.60%
This is the best rate you can earn on your savings right now by making a minimum $200 deposit and no withdrawals in the month.  
Source <a href="https://mozo.com.au/home-loans" target="_blank">Mozo.com.au</a>
 
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The five need-to-know numbers following July's RBA decision: Mozo's interest rate watch

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Headingley House, the Woollahra home of John Spender QC, has been sold, price undisclosed.

It was his diplomat father, Sir Percy Spender, who bought it from the Kater pastoralist family in 1949 for £11,676.

The dapper Queen's Counsel, who now does commercial arbitration, moved into <a href="https://doublebay.ljhooker.com.au/MMZF93/11-wellington-street-woollahra" target="_blank">the stunning Georgian-style Wellington Street residence</a> in 1985.

While he was the Member of the House of Representatives for the seat of North Sydney - before Joe Hockey's election - he would occasionally take the trip from his eastern suburbs home to the lower North Shore electorate in his late father's white Rolls Royce.

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His politician father, an eminent jurist, had left his bar practice in 1949 and entered, as member for Warringah, the federal political arena when the Liberals took office and Sir Percy Spender became minister for external affairs, during which he negotiated the ANZUS Treaty.

He then was posted to Washington in 1951 as Australian ambassador and in 1958 was appointed Australia's first judge of the International Court of Justice. In 1964 he became its president.

The Spenders' overseas posting spanned 16 years.

The Kater pastoral dynasty headed by Sir Norman was centred around the 1900 Federation Cudal property Nyrang. Sir Norman, who was trained as a doctor, then took over the Egelabra Stud at Warren in 1910. He died in 1965.

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<a href="https://exclusiveproperties.com.au/11wellington/home" target="_blank">The LJ Hooker marketing</a> noted the Woollahra house was built in the 1880s and then redesigned by acclaimed architect Professor Leslie Wilkinson in the 1930s.

On listing, selling agent Bill Malouf said he was not indicating a public price guidance, pointing to several recent Woollahra trophy home sales that all were in double digit millions instead.

The street talk is $13 million plus. 

 
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Headingley House, Woollahra trophy home sold by John Spender

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The RBA kept rates on hold at its July 2015 meeting.
Economists and banking experts unanimously agreed the Reserve Bank would hold the current cash rate ahead of the RBA's monthly meeting.
Many believe May rate cuts have yet to filter down into the economy, with others citing an improved employment rate, increased housing costs and overseas financial conditions as other reasons to hold the cash rate.
All 33 experts surveyed for the <a href="https://www.finder.com.au/rba-cash-rate" target="_blank">finder.com.au Reserve Bank Survey</a> believed the RBA will continue to hold the cash rate for some period. The majority of experts (56% or 18 experts) are expecting the cash rate to start rising next year, possibly the last quarter of 2016.
HSBC's chief economist Paul Bloxham said he is still watching and waiting to see the impact of the 50 basis points of cuts delivered in the first half of this year, with the Commonwealth Bank's chief economist Michael Blythe adding the Reserve Bank is in "wait and see" mode while they assess incoming data, such as the next Consumer Price Index due at the end of July.
 
 
 
 
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RBA keeps rates unchanged at July meeting

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The Productivity Commission has found no evidence of Australians exploiting superannuation - blowing their hard earned life savings when they retire and then moving onto a taxpayer funded pension.
The commission has also found raising the age at which people access their super to 65 years would boost federal government coffers mid-century by about $7 billion a year in today's money.
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Delaying by two years the age at which people dip into their superannuation would also leave them with a balance at least 10% larger when they get to retire.
Around 30% of people currently opt to take their benefits early as a lump sum.
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<div>More than 70% take as an income stream.</div>
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<div>The commission found almost no evidence that retirees and their financial planners were aggressively restructuring their affairs to tap into the pension.</div>
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<div>But the finding comes as age pension reforms, set for January 2017 introduction, creates perverse incentives for retirees to reduce their assets to maintain or secure CentreLink payments, as the Australian Financial Review personal finance and superannuation editor Sally Patten has noted.</div>
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Super maze - lump sum or income stream?

ALAND has taken the next major step in delivering its vision for Leppington Town Centre, lodging State Significant Development plans for a $549 million residential precinct that would bring more than 1,200 new homes within walking distance of Leppington Station.

The proposal, now on public exhibition, forms the Residential Core Precinct of the broader Leppington Town Centre masterplan and would transform a 4.3-hectare site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/156-166-rickard-road-leppington-nsw-2179">156-166 Rickard Road</a> into a high-density mixed-use neighbourhood comprising nine residential buildings rising between six and 25 storeys.

<img alt="ALAND" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fc20982d-a0a9-4989-8fb3-680ca9fdcd10" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-22%20at%209.12.44%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=l5EEyS6Dkf_SLDQkwDeyAU2nXkSZP2RW" />

The development has been designed by Rothelowman and is being pursued through a State Significant Development Application alongside a concurrent rezoning request under the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

If approved, the project would deliver 1,206 dwellings, including 784 build-to-sell apartments, 208 build-to-rent apartments, 189 affordable housing units and a nine-storey serviced apartment building containing 112 rooms. The proposal also includes around 7,400 sqm of non-residential floor space, new public open space, communal recreation areas and a new internal street network.

<img alt="ALAND" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c4f80d3b-cb05-4068-8a87-808317807a99" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-22%20at%209.12.36%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=KfPqh1JBuxc53IWntEzGHAeBaCLmRmum" />

<h2 data-end="1990" data-section-id="s6350" data-start="1941">A key piece of Leppington's future town centre</h2>

The site sits around 250 metres from Leppington Station, which opened in 2015 as the terminus of the South West Rail Link and has long been earmarked as the catalyst for the suburb's transformation from a rural fringe location into a major strategic centre for Western Sydney.

Leppington has become increasingly important following the announcement of the Western Sydney International Airport and the emergence of Bradfield City Centre, with government planning identifying the precinct as a significant location for future housing and employment growth.

<img alt="ALAND" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8ca0f098-affc-48c0-80d3-468ea090a20c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-22%20at%209.12.26%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=o3mwgBFT6H9YUllI0JR.JfLsUYQy1CTa" />

According to Rothelowman, the proposal responds directly to Leppington's unique position between its agricultural past and its urban future.

"The site offers an opportunity to weave together multiple layers of history, from its ancient connections to Country along the ridgeline between two waterways and its origins as part of the Cumberland woodland, to its more recent agricultural uses, and its future as a new residential community," the architects said in the design report.

The architects said the project aims to establish a high-density residential typology that combines apartment living with extensive landscaping and public open space.

"The design responds by establishing a high-density typology that combines the convenience and amenity of contemporary apartment living with a renewed native landscape."

<h2 data-end="3541" data-section-id="1ko88s2" data-start="3485">Nine buildings arranged around parks and public space</h2>

The proposal has been designed around a landscape-led framework rather than a traditional podium-and-tower approach.

Across the site, approximately 7,500 sqm of public open space would be delivered through a network of north-south and east-west linear parks, connecting into the wider Leppington Town Centre open space network. A further 8,000 sqm of communal open space would be provided for residents.

<img alt="ALAND" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f5113abf-5440-4610-9cdc-60a0d41a407e" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-22%20at%209.12.55%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=k8zLMj4yZS4hStmGzZJfosjj5iArwIek" />

Rothelowman said the design seeks to maximise landscaping at ground level by concentrating development into compact tower footprints.

"Buildings are carefully lifted and distributed to minimise disturbance to the natural terrain, allowing the ground plane to remain open, permeable, and led by landscape," the design report states.

Rather than creating a continuous podium edge, the design team has focused on allowing landscaping to extend beneath and around the buildings.

"The ground plane is conceived as an extension of the surrounding environment, allowing landscape to flow up to and beneath the built forms."

The architectural language also draws on the area's natural landscape, with Rothelowman describing a material palette influenced by local gum trees, bark textures, creek systems and sandstone tones.

<h2 data-end="4971" data-section-id="s69utu" data-start="4922">Affordable housing and build-to-rent component</h2>

One of the more significant aspects of the proposal is the diversity of housing typologies.

In addition to traditional apartments for sale, the scheme includes a dedicated 25-storey build-to-rent building with 208 apartments and a 22-storey affordable housing building containing 189 homes.

The affordable housing component represents almost 16 per cent of the total dwellings proposed within the Residential Core Precinct.

<img alt="ALAND" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f87e6808-e462-44c6-bfa8-a3de1816f2e3" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-22%20at%209.33.36%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=WTsRKiUAyWw18S5S98yQB5oVuDcnJTxB" />

Community consultation undertaken ahead of the lodgement found support for additional housing in the area, particularly given ongoing affordability challenges across South West Sydney. Survey work conducted with local residents found housing affordability was one of the poorest-rated aspects of living in Leppington, while a majority of respondents were open to additional housing within the local government area.

The site's proximity to Leppington Station was identified as the most positively viewed aspect of the proposal, while public open space and affordable housing provisions also received majority support.

<h2 data-end="6184" data-section-id="1ngkie4" data-start="6140">Part of Leppington's broader expansion</h2>

ALAND will be a significant contributor to the broader vision for Leppington Town Centre, which is expected to accommodate more than 25,000 residents as the precinct evolves over the coming decades.

Located within Sydney's South West Growth Area, the 440-hectare Leppington Town Centre has been identified by the NSW Government as a strategic centre spanning both the Liverpool and Camden local government areas.

In 2023, Liverpool City Council and Camden Council, supported by the NSW Department of Planning and Environment, prepared a draft planning proposal to rezone land and amend development controls across a number of sites within the town centre.

The proposal outlines a new vision for Leppington Town Centre, reducing the amount of land allocated for business park uses while increasing land zoned for commercial development, housing and open space. The changes are designed to optimise land use across the precinct and support the delivery of a more walkable, transit-oriented centre anchored by Leppington Station.

&nbsp;

Joel Robinson

ALAND plots 1,200-home Leppington masterplan

Brisbane-based developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/trk-property-group">TRK Property Group</a>&nbsp;has enlisted renowned architecture firm Koichi Takada Architects to design its latest new apartment development.

The new 34-storey tower at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/57-berwick-street-fortitude-valley-qld-4006">57 Berwick Street, Fortitude Valley</a>,&nbsp;will have 189 apartments, complete with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/byculprit">byCULPRIT</a>. The upper levels&nbsp;capturing views across the Story Bridge, city skyline, ranges, bay and river.

Residents will have access to a rooftop amenity floor with facilities including a pool, spa, sauna, hot and cold treatment, meditation garden, gym, yoga studio, private dining, BBQ, games lounge, wine display wall, work library, meeting rooms and outdoor work areas.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/trk-property-group">TRK</a> Founder and Managing Director, Arpan Kohli, said it will be a project "Brisbane hasn't seen before."

&nbsp;

"To deliver a project of this calibre, you need the right people involved," Kohli said.

"Koichi Takada Architects and byCULPRIT set the benchmarks for design excellence, and this project reflects that - a building of genuine architectural significance in one of Brisbane's most coveted locations, sitting between Howard Smith Wharves and the James Street precinct."

TRK recently launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/laya-residences-taigum-203-beams-road-taigum-qld-4018">LAYA Residences in Taigum</a>, 88 three-bedroom townhouses starting from $1,495,000. They have another apartment site in Indooroopilly, at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/140-central-avenue-indooroopilly-qld-4068">140 Central Avenue</a>. That will have 131 apartments.&nbsp;

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TRK proposes Koichi Takada-designed apartment development in Fortitude Valley

Perth development giant Finbar Group has completed its acquisition of the prominent 236 Railway Parade site in West Leederville, a year after first flagging plans for the transit-oriented development that will become its next major apartment project in Perth's inner west.

The ASX-listed apartment developer has secured the 4,997 sqm mixed use-zoned landholding opposite West Leederville Train Station for around $15 million, paving the way for the proposed Rosslyn Quarter development. The project is expected to deliver <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/236-railway-parade-west-leederville-wa-6007">around 240 apartments across two towers</a>, alongside ground-floor commercial space.

The acquisition effectively concludes a process that began in mid-2025 when Finbar announced it had entered into a contract to purchase the site, subject to development approval and the finalisation of planning settings under the West Leederville Precinct Structure Plan. At that time, the company outlined plans for a pair of 18-storey towers with an estimated end value of around $200 million.

The site sits within the emerging Rosslyn Quarter precinct, approximately two kilometres from the Perth CBD and directly opposite the West Leederville Train Station. The location also places future residents within walking distance of the West Leederville Shopping Centre, Leederville's hospitality strip, and the neighbouring Subiaco activity centre.

Finbar CEO Ronald Chan said the acquisition builds on the developer's previous experience in the suburb, where it delivered the Motive Apartments project in 2017.

"We have previously enjoyed great success in developing in the West Leederville area given its excellent existing amenity and close proximity to the CBD, Leederville, Subiaco, and the West Leederville train station," Chan said.

He said the scale of the site would allow Finbar to deliver a well-located apartment project while strengthening its long-term development pipeline.

"The substantial scale of this site, with proposed potential for two eighteen-storey towers, will allow the Company to obtain scale benefits which will underpin the delivery of a medium-cost, well-located project," Chan said. "Importantly, this acquisition diversifies and strengthens our long-term development pipeline across metropolitan Perth, enabling us to time our product delivery strategically in line with market conditions."

According to Sterling Property, which brokered the transaction, the site was one of the most significant development opportunities to come to market in Perth's western suburbs in recent years.

Sterling Property Managing Director Brian Neo said opportunities of this scale in established inner-city locations remain tightly held.

"Sites of this scale and calibre, directly opposite a train station and within two kilometres of the CBD, are rarely offered to the market. When they are, they attract serious capital," Neo said.

The acquisition comes as Perth's apartment market continues to contend with limited development-ready sites in established suburbs, particularly those benefiting from both existing transport infrastructure and supportive planning frameworks.

With the West Leederville Precinct Structure Plan now adopted, Finbar can move forward with design development and the development approval process for what is expected to become one of the largest new apartment projects proposed in the suburb.

Finbar completes West Leederville site acquisition for Rosslyn Quarter project

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."

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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.

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."

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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.

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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.

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Jonathan Chancellor

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