<html><body>
A Prestons home in Sydney's south-west sold at weekend auction for $600,000.
The mortgagee sale of a three bedroom home in a quiet cul de sac had 11 registered bidders comprising of 50/50 split of first home buyers and investors. 
"The bidding opened at $400,000 seeing seven parties taking part in the bidding," Rocky Bartolotto from Auction Services said.
It was sold to a couple with two children outbid the investors in the listing through Vince Labbozzetta at Raine &amp; Horne Liverpool.
3 Huskisson Street, Prestons fetched $60,000 over reserve. The 1997 built brick home last sold in 2004 at $360,000.
</body></html>

jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Home owners beat out investors in Prestons, Sydney mortgagee auction

<html><body>
After the RBA dropped the official cash rate to 2.25%, at the first Tuesday board meeting of 2015, smart borrowers could now possibly more than triple their rate cut by refinancing.
Mozo, the comparison website, gave the<a href="https://mozo.com.au/family-finances/how-to-triple-your-rba-rate-cut?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=February+Moneyzone+-+Main+List&amp;utm_content=February+Moneyzone+-+Main+List+Version+B+CID_6cb09ef2db5c7c9d5913b8aee4595003&amp;utm_source=MoneyZone&amp;utm_term=How%20to%20Triple%20your%20RBA%20Rate%20Cut" target="_blank"> scenario</a> using a $500,000 home loan over 25 years of dropping the variable home loan from 5.25% to 5%, where typically monthly home loan repayments would be reduced by just $73.
By comparison, Mozo suggests that if borrowers switched to their <a href="https://mozo.com.au/mystery-bank-deal?placement=home-loans-tile" target="_blank" title="https://mozo.com.au/mystery-bank-deal?placement=home-loans-tile">Mystery Bank offer</a> at 4.34% (4.37% comparison rate), then the monthly home loan repayments would be reduced by $262.
Mozo suggest that means around $78,600 saved over the life of the loan.
It urged borrowers to refinance by comparing the home loan market especially because lenders are aggressively pricing.
They gave an example<a href="https://mozo.com.au/blog/2014/09/mozos-big-4-mystery-shop-much-haggle-home-loan/" target="_blank" title="https://mozo.com.au/blog/2014/09/mozos-big-4-mystery-shop-much-haggle-home-loan/"> last year </a>looking for a $500,000 home loan, where 1.16% off the standard variable rate loan was secured, by mentioning lower rates from other providers.
</body></html>

Maximising the RBA February rate cut: Mozo

<html><body>
CBRE Melbourne residential projects managing director Andrew Leoncelli told the Australia 108 launch last night that the sales scenario had been supremely successful during the soft pre-launch period.
There are whispers, published in the Herald Sun, that more than 300 sales have been secured at the Southbank project.
"This is the most exciting release of an apartment project in Melbourne's history," Andrew Leoncelli said as he opened the display suite set opposite the development site.
"To break the back of the sales is a very proud achievement," he said.
With its envisaged distinctive starburst feature, the 319 metre tall building, at 70 Southbank Boulevard, will be 25 metres higher than the neighbouring Eureka Tower, Melbourne’s highest building.
<img src="/images/2015/01/15/TPA8467_Australia_108_E01_Hero%20Elevated.jpg" alt="">
The tower is being developed by Singaporean company World Class Land, a subsidiary of Aspial Corporation headed by billionaire businessman Koh Wee Seng who sees the rewarding project as "iconic".
“Residents will experience living in the clouds,” Koh added.
It will have 1,105 apartments, including a 790 super penthouse on its 100th floor with a $20 million plus price tag.
Prices for apartments between the first habitable floor at level 14 up to the 68th floor range from $450,000 to $950,000.
Three bedroom and sub-penthouse apartments between the 72nd to 99th floors starting at $1.5 million.
The advance sales saw buyers snapping up 90 of the 165 three-bedroom penthouses and sub-penthouses above level 72.
There will be over $1 billion in revenue, Andrew Leoncelli advised.
Fears of an apartment glut in Melbourne have been rejected, as the project officially goes to public launch tomorrow.
City of Melbourne date shows more units are being built than at any time in the city’s history, with most construction driven by foreign investment.
One of the Australia 108 buyers is <a href="/expert-insights/buying/family-snaps-up-five-79th-floor-apartments-in-australia-108">one local family buying five apartments</a> with intentions of combining them, on the 79th level costing over $9 million.
It was not an entire floor, as Property Observer gleans the 79th floor has eight apartments.
World Class Land engaged <a href="https://infopub.sgx.com/FileOpen/PR_AUSTRALIA_108.ashx?App=Announcement&amp;FileID=319450" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">Fender Katsalidis Architects</a> as its building designer, and Carr Design, the firm behind the Triptych and Parque Melbourne developments, to design the interiors. 
Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA), designers of the St Regis Abu Dhabi, will design the concierge lobbies.
“Australia 108 will be the tallest building World Class Land has ever built and we are exceptionally proud for it to also be the tallest residence in the southern hemisphere,” Koh said.
Architect Karl Fender described it as a mega-project where "the reality was better than the fantasy."
"It is the place for a vertical village," he said, which in suburbs realms would occupy 300 acres.
"I can't wait... this is a game changer for Melbourne," Fender told the launch crowd.
Australia 108 was initially mooted in 2011 for late 2015 completion with slightly higher ambitions for the site set on the corner of City Road and Southbank Boulevard which was then <a href="/news">owned by Katsalidis and property developer Adrian Valmorbida </a>from the Valmorbida family.
Former Victorian planning minister Matthew Guy supported the project viewing such a project as underlining the confidence in Melbourne.
"Australia is coming of age, and our cities are growing upwards," Guy said in 2011. "Taller buildings... are a symbol of a growing nation, a strong economy, and they do have the ability to define a city," he said.
The display suite at 55 Southbank Boulevard, Southbank is open next week from noon to 4pm, Tuesday to Thursday as well as weekends.
</body></html>

Sky-high Australia 108 launches with 300 buyers reportedly already in the bag

<html><body>
Unemployment remains a concern, but perhaps not when it comes to house price growth, according to recent Macquarie Wealth Management research.
They note counter-intuitively that a rise in unemployment typically sees house prices move higher.
"Whilst unemployment is a key factor to be cognisant of for housing demand, the below table indicates that prior cycles exhibiting a strong rise in unemployment typically illicit a policy response from the RBA (i.e. rate cuts) which sees house prices actually increase as unemployment rises," the January report to clients noted.
<img src="/images/2015/02/13/housing-cycle-feb-13-one.jpg" alt="">
It looked at five recent cyclical employment downturns going back to the 1980s.
"In the 1990 recession the unemployment rate increased ~180bps to 10.7%, but house prices increased ~8% in the following 12 months factoring a ~200bps decline in the cash rate. 
A similar scenario was seen post the GFC," the report noted.
Rising unemployment is likely heighten risks of mortgage delinquencies, according to Genworth Mortgage Insurance Australia.
Ellie Comerford, chief executive of Genworth in Australia, expects expects its loss ratios to climb from its current 19 per cent to 25 to 30 per cent for the full 2015 financial year.
Ms Comerford's comments to the Australian Financial Review came after Genworth posted a $172.7 million statutory net profit for the six months to December, due primarily to lower than expected claims and a strong housing market. The result was a 52 per cent improvement to the prior corresponding period
Genworth's share price sits around $4.20, up 60 per cent since its public debut in May, compared with the 6 per cent gains of the benchmark S&amp;P/ASX200 Index.
</body></html>

Unemployment won't stop house price rises: Macquarie Wealth

<html><body>
The Australian housing market remains fairly valued relative to its long-run drivers of price: rents, incomes, and the user cost of capital, according to Moody's Analytics.
"There is, however, substantial divergence between the states," Glenn Levine, senior economist in the Sydney office of Moody’s Analytics said.
Levine expects an upwards push on residential prices this year following the latest rate cut.
And then another interest rate cut likely midyear would also prop up property market sentiment.
<img src="/images/2015/02/13/chzrt-feb-13-one.jpg" alt="">
New South Wales prices are among the highest in the country and properties are marginally overvalued, as rents and incomes remain elevated, it noted.
Income growth was weak in 2014, and if this continues in 2015 while house prices continue to rise, as expected, the New South Wales market could drift further into overvalued territory, it warned.
However Levine signalled the Victoria market was still the "biggest cause for concern".
A steady flow of new supply kept rents flat in 2014, while income and employment growth stalled.
It noted although Victoria’s population is 22% smaller, dwelling approvals have consistently outpaced those in New South Wales.
"Victoria’s housing market remains at risk," the report stated.
The weak Australian Capital Territory economy, including falling income and rents, is pushing housing steadily into overvalued territory even as prices fall.
It noted NSW was more sensitive to interest rate movement.
Levine noted the latest housing upturn being largely propelled by Australia’s major urban centres, Sydney and Melbourne, while remaining relatively flat in the rest of the country.
"One point to note is that this is a trend seen globally over the past three years," he said.
"Prices in major international cities have risen much faster than in the rest of the country.
"In the U.K., house prices have surged in Lon- don, but there is little happening outside the capital.
"In the U.S., prices in New York and Chicago, for example, have surged, while outside of the major centres activity has been relatively flat.
"This is not an explanation, per se, but may offer insight as to why Sydney prices have surged.
"It could be linked to global liquidity."
</body></html>

Melbourne property prices most at risk of correction: Moody's Analytics

<html><body>
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) started a global house price index last year. 
They recently released a set of charts detailing their findings on world housing prices.
They continue to track house prices around the world. Their chart with annual percent change is based at Q2, 2014. It puts Australia fourth highest given a 7.4% gain.
Click to open in new windows: 
<a href="/news"> </a><a href="https://www.imf.org/external/research/housing/images/globalhousepriceindex_lg.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.imf.org/external/research/housing/images/globalhousepriceindex_600px.jpg" alt="chart of house price index"></a><a href="https://www.imf.org/external/research/housing/images/housepricesaroundtheworld_lg.jpg" target="_blank" style="font-family: Tahoma, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.1599998474121px; line-height: 1.3em;"><img src="https://www.imf.org/external/research/housing/images/housepricesaroundtheworld_600px.jpg" alt="chart of house prices around the world"></a>
Credit growth Around the world:
<div>
<a href="/news"> </a><center><a href="https://www.imf.org/external/research/housing/images/creditgrowth_lg.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.imf.org/external/research/housing/images/creditgrowth.jpg" alt="chart of credit growth around the world"> </a></center>
</div>
House price-to-income ratio:
<div>
<a href="/news"> </a><center><a href="https://www.imf.org/external/research/housing/images/pricetoincome_lg.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.imf.org/external/research/housing/images/pricetoincome.jpg" alt="chart of house price-to-income ratio"> </a></center>
</div>
House price to rent ratio:
<div><center><a href="https://www.imf.org/external/research/housing/images/pricetorent_lg.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.imf.org/external/research/housing/images/pricetorent.jpg" alt="chart of house price-to-rent ratio"></a></center></div>
</body></html>

Australia ranks fourth in IMF's global house price index

<html><body>
John Symond, the founder of Aussie Home Loans, forecasts another two rate cuts, in part because of the political shenanigans and ensuing lack of confidence.
"I think the Reserve Bank realised what is going on in Canberra is going to cause further problems with confidence and I think it was probably one of the reasons to get them to drop interest rates," he told Ross Greenwood's Money News on 2GB.
"When you you talk to businessmen, taxi drivers and shop keepers, everyone is so sick of it."
He says the low rates, for those people who have jobs and can afford it, would assist to spur things along, "but not in a crazy sense".
"Why wouldn't you go and buy a property and rent it out rather than put your money in the bank and get 2.5% less tax," Symond said.
The turbulence on the political sphere for the next several months will hurt confidence even more, he bemoaned.
"That's why I'm now thinking the Reserve Bank will continue to drop rates.
"I think there's probably a couple more there."
{mijopolls 90}
</body></html>

John Symond sees another two rate cuts

<html><body>
The upgrading fashion designer Sarah-Jane Clarke and her landscape architect husband Dan Baffsky have snappily sold their Vaucluse home.
<a href="https://www.raywhite.com/nsw/vaucluse/1253869/" target="_blank">The four bedroom, three bathroom Derby Street home</a> was listed in mid-January with $6.5 million plus hopes through Ray White Double Bay.
<img class="cboxPhoto" src="https://cdn1.rwaws.com/s3/rw-media/propertyphotos/2015/2/2/S0559-1421887794-27547-WebRes18613991.jpg">
It was set for late February auction. The house sold at $3.5 million in 2005.
The couple are off to the harbourfront, paying around $12 million on Wharf Road for a home sold at $12 million in 2008.
Clarke, and business partner, Heidi Middleton quit the Sass &amp; Bide fashion brand last year.
The new six bedroom home has views over the Vaucluse Baths to The Gap.
</body></html>

Sarah-Jane Clarke and David Baffsky snappily sell Vaucluse home

<html><body>
Property investor Richard Moseley’s Bonnie Doon holiday fibro near Lake Eildon in Victoria – which featured in the 1997 comedy The Castle as the serene holiday home of the Kerrigan family – has been finally sold.
It followed its recent asking price being lowered in the new year.
<a href="/expert-insights/buying/the-kerrigans-the-castle-bonnie-doon-holiday-shack-back-for-sale">It was listed last November at $240,000</a>, but came with an adjusted $225,000 asking price.
The shack sale price has not been disclosed, News Ltd reported.
Moseley proudly secured the property for $169,950 in 2006 but then first wanted out, unsuccessfully, in 2011.
The two-bedroom cottage – located 165 kilometres from Melbourne <a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/3491-maintongoon-road-bonnie-doon/Property-Details-buy-residential-7906790" target="_blank">at 3491 Maintongoon Road</a> – was listed then at $195,000 in 2011. 
The cast only spent one day there.
The shack sold at $50,000 in 1995, two years before its getting its enduring celebrity status.
</body></html>

Kerrigan's piece of celluloid history at Bonnie Doon sells after price adjustment 

<html><body>
Stars Wars operative Rick McCallum, the right-hand man of George Lucas during its Sydney production, is having a second shot at selling his Darling Point apartment.
It has been listed for 9 March auction through Julian Hasemer at 1st City - Hasemer + Caldwell.Eyles with $6.5 million plus hopes.
It failed to sell in 2011 when listed with $7.5 million-plus hopes.
T<a href="https://www.1stcity.com.au/Buying/Search/Detail.aspx?id=HCES488&amp;wlid=583d9cd3-b095-498f-a856-ec48e7d7539f" target="_blank">he 370 square metres New Beach Road apartment</a> cost $5.4 million in 2002, a then record price for the possibly Sydney's finest promenade given the Morton Bay fig trees that line the foreshore.
The whole-floor unit was designed by Iain Halliday in the L'amarre complex, developed by Barry and Christine Elsbury in partnership with the late Ron White and his widow, Robin.
It has three bedrooms, three bathrooms and an office, all with direct lift access from double garaging. There's also a pretty loggia overlooking Rushcutters Bay.
McCallum's Radioland Murders in 1994 was the first time he and Lucas worked.
It was during its production, Lucas confided to McCallum of the plans for three new Star Wars movies: Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (released in 1999), Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002) and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005).
Following Lucasfilm's announced acquisition by the Walt Disney Company in 2012 McCallum retired from Lucasfilm.
This year is he working on a movie drama set in present-day Jerusalem about three young boys who transform the heart and mind of an American war correspondent until fate changes all their lives forever, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1739293/?ref_=nm_flmg_prd_2" target="_blank">according to IMDb</a>.
There's whispers Robin White's L'amarre penthouse has sold for more than its $6 million guide to businessman Stephen Johns.
</body></html>

Return of the Star Wars Darling Point trophy listing

A trio of Queensland property groups have unveiled plans for a $300 million mixed-use redevelopment of the former Noosa Bowls Club site, a proposal that would deliver more than 200 new homes in one of the Sunshine Coast's most supply-constrained markets.

Kilter Property, Frank Developments and Calile Malouf Investments are behind the plans for the 1.8-hectare site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/99-noosa-drive-noosa-heads-qld-4567">99 Noosa Drive</a>, which would transform the long-vacant site into a new residential precinct featuring 208 apartments, retail, hospitality and public space.

The proposal comes as Noosa continues to grapple with housing affordability and a shortage of permanent accommodation, particularly for key workers. The site's location in Noosa Junction, close to shops, public transport and employment, aligns with the direction of Noosa Council's Housing Strategy, which encourages higher-density housing within established activity centres rather than continued urban expansion.

The draft plans include 48 affordable-by-design apartments and 48 rooming accommodation units aimed at key workers. Around 2,000 sqm of ground-floor retail and food and beverage space would activate the street frontage, alongside a new public town square and landscaped open space.

<img alt="Noosa" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2dd02f53-1360-4e51-801e-bfd61a6c980e" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-26%20at%208.44.34%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=x1iNs3BSMN6Jy7YUwaBZMHRrrKX2hMpy" />

&nbsp;

Frank Developments Founder and Director Frank Licastro said the development would continue the company's focus on architecturally-led residential projects while addressing one of the region's biggest challenges.

"Not only will this project exude a sense of luxury, it will also enhance not only the built environment but also the surrounding community," Licastro said.

"Noosa's success relies on the people who live and work here. Providing well-designed accommodation for key workers is critical to supporting the local economy and ensuring the Shire can continue to thrive."

Kilter Property Co-Founder Huw Williams said the focus was on delivering additional permanent housing while creating a mixed-use destination that benefits both residents and the wider community.

"Our focus is on delivering a well-considered mixed-use project that provides more permanent housing options, supports local workers and businesses, and delivers an exceptional product for the local market," Williams said.

"The redevelopment vision aligns with the long-term evolution of Noosa Junction as a vibrant activity centre, creating a destination that enhances the area's character while delivering significant economic and community benefits."

Calile Malouf Investments, best known for its role in Brisbane's James Street precinct and The Calile Hotel, will bring its place-making experience to the project. The company recently commenced construction on The Calile Noosa hotel and says the residential development will complement its growing investment in the region.

CMI Director Cal Malouf said the aim was to create a walkable precinct combining housing, retail and hospitality while remaining true to Noosa's character.

"We see a similar opportunity in Noosa to deliver a vibrant, walkable destination that combines exceptional housing, hospitality and retail in one integrated project," Malouf said.

Brisbane-based Cavill Architects has been appointed to design the project.

Joel Robinson

Noosa Bowls Club to be redeveloped into mixed-use apartment precinct

One of Brisbane's last major riverfront redevelopment opportunities has taken a significant step forward, with Lendlease selected as the Queensland Government's preferred development partner for the former Visy site in South Brisbane.

The seven-hectare industrial site, positioned between South Bank and West End and 1.3 kilometres from the Brisbane CBD, will be transformed into a mixed-use precinct expected to deliver more than 4,000 new homes alongside extensive public open space and riverfront parkland.

The project is one of the largest urban renewal opportunities currently planned in Brisbane and is expected to play a key role in accommodating the city's growing population ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Plans for the precinct include a network of riverfront promenades and boardwalks, new public plazas, parkland, amphitheatre-style gathering spaces and shared pedestrian and cycling links designed to reconnect the long-isolated site with the Brisbane River.

The Queensland Government is targeting delivery of the first homes and key public spaces before the 2032 Games, allowing the precinct to begin contributing new housing and public amenity well before the broader masterplan is complete.

The redevelopment is also expected to support more than 3,000 jobs across planning, construction and ongoing operations.

For Lendlease, the appointment adds another major urban regeneration project to its Queensland portfolio. The developer has operated in the state for more than 70 years and has delivered a number of large-scale mixed-use precincts in partnership with government.

Lendlease Development CEO Claire Johnston said the project represented one of Brisbane's most significant redevelopment opportunities.

"The transformation of the former Visy site represents a rare opportunity to reimagine one of Brisbane's most significant riverfront locations, deliver thousands of much-needed homes, and create long-term legacy," Johnston said.

"In partnership with the Queensland Government, we have the opportunity to create a new riverside destination that will help shape Brisbane's growth and how people experience the city for decades to come.

"This is exactly the type of large-scale, city-shaping development that will provide lasting benefits for Queensland, bringing together housing, jobs and world-class public spaces."

Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jarrod Bleijie said the riverfront transformation would deliver a thriving new community precinct.

“The Crisafulli Government is delivering this golden opportunity to unlock a riverfront jewel for all Queenslanders,” Deputy Premier Bleijie said.

“This is a once-in-a-generation moment to reshape a significant slice of Brisbane and deliver lasting benefits – thousands of new homes, and public spaces for all Queenslanders to enjoy well beyond the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games – unlike Labor’s plan which would have delivered zero benefits and zero new homes.

“Queensland is well and truly open for business and through partnership with the private sector, we are accelerating delivery while ensuring strong housing, community and economic outcomes."

Early works on the precinct are expected to commence in April 2027.

Lendlease selected to deliver transformative South Brisbane riverfront precinct

Eddy Haddad's <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/level-33">Level 33</a> is levelling up its approved Wollongong development, as the coastal city south of Sydney continues to prove popular in the high-density development space.

Level 33, a longtime developer in the Wollongong area, has gone through the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority to upsize its approved two-tower development on the corner of Crown Street and Gladstone Avenue, just 100 metres from Wollongong Station.

The developer currently has approval for 252 apartments across two buildings rising to 19 storeys. It is now seeking approval for 33 and 38-storey towers that would deliver 467 apartments, including 67 affordable homes.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bka-architecture">BKA Architecture</a>, the development would comprise apartments above a three-level podium with around 1,100 sqm of retail space, along with basement parking for 448 vehicles.

According to the Urban Design Report by BKA, the proposal has the capacity to "reinforce the precinct's identity by strengthening links between health, education, and transport services, while also contributing to Wollongong's ongoing evolution as a key regional centre."

Wollongong is somewhat in vogue. Between Level 33 and Urban Property Group, the two developers have several thousand apartments planned across the city.

Level 33 is currently delivering Easterly Wollongong, one of its most boutique projects to date with just 21 high-end apartments, as well as Atchison &amp; Kenny, a 329-apartment development due for completion later this year.

The developer plans to redevelop the 13,088 sqm WIN Grand megasite into <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/crown-square-216-238-keira-street-wollongong-nsw-2500">Crown Square</a>, a new $500 million precinct with nearly 600 apartments. It also has more than 900 apartments planned for the former Bunnings Warehouse site at the intersection of Gipps and Flinders streets.

Urban Property Group is also playing a major role in the city's transformation. Its five-tower Keira Place precinct will deliver more than 800 homes, and it has recently lodged plans for a further 300 apartments near Wollongong Station.

First look: Level 33 upsizes Wollongong apartment towers

Just a week after filing plans for the final stage of its major Keira Place masterplan, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> has unveiled another significant housing proposal in Wollongong, this time targeting a prominent site opposite North Wollongong Station.

The developer has lodged a State Significant Development Application for a 38-storey mixed-use tower at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/4-4a-flinders-street-north-wollongong-nsw-2500">4-4A Flinders Street</a>, around one kilometre north of the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/keira-place-wollongong-120-122-smith-street-wollongong-nsw-2500">Keira Place precinct</a> currently taking shape on the edge of the CBD.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group plans 38-storey North Wollongong tower as Keira Place expansion gathers pace" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2b6428f1-6405-4038-8476-897de440e90d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/flinders%20podium.png?VersionId=QLqEvK0OuCEwRC47oHNftrw2B1YqaHF8" />

Designed by Studio.SC, the proposal comprises a 38-storey mixed-use development containing 303 apartments, including 45 affordable housing units, alongside 174 co-living residences. The scheme also includes ground-floor retail space, extensive landscaping and public domain improvements.

Studio.SC noted in the proposal it "outlines a vision for a landmark transit-oriented mixed-use development centred around North Wollongong Station, designed to support the city’s future growth while responding to the NSW Government’s housing and planning reforms."

The architecture firm said the proposal responds to the opportunities and constraints shaping future growth within the 400-metre catchment of the station and represents "a coordinated and future-focused approach to urban intensification, contributing to the long-term evolution of North Wollongong as a connected, walkable and high-density station precinct."

The site occupies a strategic corner bounded by Flinders Street, Station Street, Stafford Street and the Princes Highway, directly opposite North Wollongong Station.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group plans 38-storey North Wollongong tower as Keira Place expansion gathers pace" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7863adad-1f71-4022-b850-f44b252738fd" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/flinders%20podium%20a.png?VersionId=WsU7av0g8_8R2tGHWxgHeFSlhu7yeY1V" />

The proposal follows Urban Property Group's recent submission for the second and final stage of Keira Place, which would deliver a further three buildings comprising 657 homes opposite Beaton Park. It builds on the first stage, which features 150 apartments across two towers and recently commenced construction.

Urban Property Group CEO Patrick Elias said breaking ground on the first stage marked a significant milestone for Wollongong and reflected the developer's long-term commitment to regional cities.

"Today's groundbreaking is about turning approvals into homes and moving quickly to deliver much-needed housing in Wollongong's city centre," Elias said.

"Keira Place will provide a diverse mix of homes close to jobs, transport and services, while setting a high benchmark for quality, durability and consumer protection."

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/urban-property-group-unveils-trio-of-towers-for-next-stage-of-new-wollongong-precinct-keira-place">Urban Property Group unveils trio of towers for next stage of new Wollongong precinct, Keira Place</a>

First look: Urban Property Group plans next major Wollongong tower

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/arada">Arada Australia</a> has wasted little time expanding its ambitions in Campsie, lodging plans for a second major project in the rapidly transforming town centre just months after unveiling its three-tower One Campsie proposal on Beamish Street.

The UAE-backed developer has now taken aim at one of the suburb’s most strategically positioned sites, filing a State Significant Development Application for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/10-north-parade-campsie-nsw-2194">33-storey mixed-use tower</a> at 10 London Street and 43 North Parade, directly opposite the future Campsie Metro Station. The proposal is currently on public exhibition and represents another significant vote of confidence in Campsie's emergence as one of Sydney’s key transit-oriented growth centres.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a>, the development would deliver 156 apartments above a podium containing retail and commercial space, creating a new residential and commercial gateway to the town centre. The scheme also includes a four-level above-ground parking podium and a dedicated residential amenity floor featuring wellness and recreation facilities. At least 10 per cent of the apartments would be allocated as affordable housing for a period of 10 years.

The proposal occupies a 1,631 sqm site bounded by London Street, North Parade and Dispensary Lane, immediately adjoining the future Metro station precinct and just metres from Beamish Street’s retail and dining strip. According to the Urban Design Report, the project seeks to deliver "a great place that prioritises human-scaled experience and provides spatial improvements to the area."

<img alt="First look: Arada doubles down in Campsie with 33-storey Metro-front tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="175a8324-015b-4856-abe3-ce6f23199fa7" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/podium%20campsie.png?VersionId=742UGwXFhFBX4GEl6wX4PYIWREAgn6il" />

Woods Bagot describes the tower as a key marker within Campsie's next phase of growth.

"Located directly opposite the new Campsie Metro Station on North Parade, 10 London Street is a thoughtfully composed 33-storey mixed-use tower that contributes to the ongoing transformation of the town centre," the Architectural Design Report states. The report says the project is intended to provide "high-quality homes within a vibrant, connected urban environment, while helping define Campsie's future skyline."

A strong emphasis has been placed on the public realm. The ground floor incorporates over 500 sqm of retail space and active frontages along both London Street and North Parade, while the podium is wrapped by extensive landscaped planting intended to soften the building's scale and strengthen the pedestrian experience. The development would also widen surrounding footpaths and improve connections between the Metro station and the broader town centre.

Above the podium, residents would have access to more than 1,400 sqm of communal amenities, including a pool, gym and landscaped recreation spaces. A distinctive green-wall treatment extending across four podium levels forms a major architectural feature, helping differentiate the project within the emerging high-density precinct.

The tower's design is closely tied to the broader Campsie Town Centre Master Plan and the arrival of Sydney Metro. The Urban Design Report notes the proposal "directly supports the Campsie Town Centre Master Plan by delivering new homes in a location explicitly identified for growth, improved accessibility, and high-quality urban renewal." It adds that the project contributes to the master plan's vision for a strengthened town centre supported by thousands of new homes around the future Metro station.

<img alt="First look: Arada doubles down in Campsie with 33-storey Metro-front tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bfd17654-253e-489a-bade-6278d63db412" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/base%20campsie.png?VersionId=3roJPMQGs36dazpkhvpvbDDP73Ld.Ica" />

The application follows Arada Australia's recently lodged One Campsie project at 124–142 Beamish Street and 16–18 Ninth Avenue, where the developer is seeking approval for 346 apartments across three towers rising 24, 32 and 39 storeys. Together, the two proposals would cement Arada Australia as one of the most influential developers shaping Campsie's future urban form.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-arada-files-for-trio-of-apartment-towers-in-campsie-town-centre">First Look: Arada Australia files for trio of apartment towers in Campsie town centre</a>

Arada Australia entered the Australian market in 2024 and has rapidly assembled a significant development pipeline across Sydney. Alongside its Campsie holdings, the developer is soon to launch <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/wattle-green-2-fishburn-crescent-castle-hill-nsw-2154">Wattle Green</a> in Castle Hill, and has expanded its local operations following its acquisition of construction firm Roberts &amp; Co.

Located around 14 kilometres south-west of the Sydney CBD, the site sits at the centre of one of Sydney's fastest-changing middle-ring precincts. The Metro conversion of Campsie Station, combined with Canterbury-Bankstown Council's master planning framework, is driving significant residential intensification around Beamish Street and North Parade, with thousands of new homes expected over coming decades.

Jonathan Chancellor

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News