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Sydney's fifth most expensive sale of the weekend was a four-bedroom house in Pymble.
The 1920s house at <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/property/for-sale/house/nsw/pymble/?adid=2011326005" target="_blank">1 Selwyn Street</a> sold for $2.62 million through Carole McCrea of McConnell Bourn Lindfield.
It came with a solar-heated pool on its 917 square metre block.
Auctioneer Vic Larouso secured $120,000 over reserve when the property sold under the hammer.
The agents had issued 10 contracts, with six registering to bid.
The bidding started at $2.2 million. It sold to a Roseville family.
Currawilla, a five-bedroom house in Mosman was the weekend's most expensive with the two block 1,230 square-metre block offering at 59 Moruben Road (pictured below), sold for $5.05 million through Kate Galetto of Galetto.
<img src="/images/2014/08/19/mosman%20aug%2019.jpg" alt="">
Listed with $4.95 million plus hopes, it was sold as a development opportunity with potential for a single freestanding dwelling or two semi-detached dwellings. Property Observer gathers the buyers will live in he existing home.
The most popular suburbs for auctions one the weekend in Sydney was <a href="/news">Strathfield</a> in the inner west with nine followed by <a href="/news">Mosman </a>on the lower north.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

$2.62 million Pymble sale at $120,000 over reserve

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iProperty Group has been forced to write down $4.6 million from its Singapore business after an intervention by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.
The ASX-listed company failed to account for a change in market conditions in its December 2013 financial accounts.
The business owns property listing websites throughout south-east Asia, including Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Singapore. 
The company has updated its accounts for June to reflect the impairment.
ASIC welcomed the announcement.  ASIC reviewed the iProperty Group financial report as part of its ongoing financial reporting surveillance program.
Following inquiries of the company to understand its impairment testing methodology, ASIC questioned the recoverable amount of the Singapore business, and in particular, the iProperty Group’s use of fair value as a basis for estimating the recoverable value. iProperty Group had applied AASB 13 Fair Value Measurement for the first time for the reporting period ended 31 December 2013.
By estimating fair value, iProperty Group was required to apply that standard’s definition of fair value which requires entities to maximise the use of market-based inputs and assumptions.
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iProperty write down $4.6 million after ASIC review

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<form id="dateForm" action="https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buying/thisweek/" method="get" name="dateForm">
The most affordable Sydney property reported sold at the weekend was the two bedroom unit at 8/12 Palmerston Street, Kogarah (pictured above) at $415,000 through Raine and Horne.
It last sold at $120,000 in 1994, so over the two decades it went up 6.4% annually.
The agents had given buyer indications at $400,000 plus, so it was fractionally above estimate.
Property Observer checked the pre-spring guidance against 14 weekend sales results.
There was an average 11% difference above the pre-auction indication, with estimates ranging from 3% to 19% above.
The 11% weekend average was well below two weekends ago when <a href="/expert-insights/buying/paying-18-over-auction-estimates-sydneys-pre-spring-price-spurt">the 10 offerings under review averaged 18% above guidance</a>.
</form>
<table style="width: 460px;" border="1" cellpadding="0">
<thead><tr>
<td width="171">
Address
</td>
<td width="206">
Suburb
</td>
<td width="136">
State
</td>
<td width="199">
Price Guide
</td>
</tr></thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="171">
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house-petersham-nsw-2049/227011" target="_blank">9A Audley Street</a>
</td>
<td width="206">
PETERSHAM
</td>
<td width="136">
NSW
</td>
<td width="199">
Over $1,100,000 SOLD $1.236m
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="171">
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/apartment-randwick-nsw-2031/233458" target="_blank">1/37 Prince Street</a>
</td>
<td width="206">
RANDWICK
</td>
<td width="136">
NSW
</td>
<td width="199">
Over $1,150,000 SOLD $1.25m
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="171">
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house-surry-hills-nsw-2010/232445" target="_blank">129 Arthur Street</a>
</td>
<td width="206">
SURRY HILLS
</td>
<td width="136">
NSW
</td>
<td width="199">
Over $1,500,000 SOLD $1.67m
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="171">
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house-hurstville-grove-nsw-2220/232536" target="_blank">85 Waitara Parade</a>
</td>
<td width="206">
HURSTVILLE GROVE
</td>
<td width="136">
NSW
</td>
<td width="199">
Over $1,250,000 SOLD $1.4M
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="171">
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/apartment-bellevue-hill-nsw-2023/225270">9/10 Aston Gardens</a>
</td>
<td width="206">
BELLEVUE HILL
</td>
<td width="136">
NSW
</td>
<td width="199">
Over $725,000 SOLD $865,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="171">
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house-randwick-nsw-2031/232988">44 Howard Street</a>
</td>
<td width="206">
RANDWICK
</td>
<td width="136">
NSW
</td>
<td width="199">
Over $1,700,000 SOLD $1.765m
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="171">
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house-beverley-park-nsw-2217/125435">54 Battye Avenue</a>
</td>
<td width="206">
BEVERLEY PARK
</td>
<td width="136">
NSW
</td>
<td width="199">
Over $1,300,000 SOLD $1.5m
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="171">
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house-epping-nsw-2121/230260">106 Midson Road</a>
</td>
<td width="206">
EPPING
</td>
<td width="136">
NSW
</td>
<td width="199">
Over $1,400,000 SOLD $1.65m
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="171">
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house-north-curl-curl-nsw-2099/231760" target="_blank">5 Ian Avenue</a>
</td>
<td width="206">
NORTH CURL CURL
</td>
<td width="136">
NSW
</td>
<td width="199">
Over $1,700,000 SOLD $1.75m
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="171">
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house-woonona-nsw-2517/231444" target="_blank">33 Railway Parade</a>
</td>
<td width="206">
WOONONA
</td>
<td width="136">
NSW
</td>
<td width="199">
Over $700,000 SOLD $780,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="171">
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/apartment-balmain-nsw-2041/233342" target="_blank">8/3 Rosebery Place</a>
</td>
<td width="206">
BALMAIN
</td>
<td width="136">
NSW
</td>
<td width="199">
Over $800,000 SOLD $925,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="171">
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/apartment-cammeray-nsw-2062/232790" target="_blank">18/20 Warwick Avenue</a>
</td>
<td width="206">
CAMMERAY
</td>
<td width="136">
NSW
</td>
<td width="199">
Over $650,000 SOLD $690,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="171">
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house-hornsby-heights-nsw-2077/202677" target="_blank">14 Brett Avenue</a>
</td>
<td width="206">
HORNSBY HEIGHTS
</td>
<td width="136">
NSW
</td>
<td width="199">
Over $750,000 SOLD $815,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="171">
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house-marrickville-nsw-2204/233753" target="_blank">7 Park Road</a>
</td>
<td width="206">
MARRICKVILLE
</td>
<td width="136">
NSW
</td>
<td width="199">
Over $1,150,000 SOLD $1.361m
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
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Buyers needed to add 11% to weekend Sydney pre-auction price guidance

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The back-pain specialist Sarah Key, the wife of former Sydney solicitor Russell Keddie, has sold her Double Bay home for $3.81 million.
The 1904 Wistonville is one of the earlier Double Bay mansions at the end of the quietly exclusive harbourside cul-de-sac, Wiston Gardens.
It had a floor added by the architect Professor Leslie Wilkinson in the 1960s.
The house, with north facing courtyards, has a grand drawing room with open fireplace and Kauri floors.
It last traded in 1985 at $430,000.
The picturesque Wistonville, set in gardens by Harris Hobbs Landscape Architects, was briefly listed for sale in 2010.
It was relisted through Louise Snowden at Raine &amp; Horne, with more than $3.5 million tipped for the Elizabeth Bay bound couple.
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Wistonville, 1904 Double Bay trophy home fetches $3.81 million

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Prue and Alasdair MacLeod have emerged as the $10.65 million buyers of the Woollahra home of Lynas Corporation rare earth mining magnate Nick Curtis and wife Angela.
It is a trophy Woollahra abode for the eldest daughter of media tycoon Rupert Murdoch and his first wife, Patricia. The MacLeod owns retail holdings on the prestige village strip. She and her husband of 25 years had been renting nearby from Rob Rankin, having sold in Vaucluse in 2012.
<a href="https://bradfieldcleary.com.au/4144844/133-Queen-Street-Woollahra" target="_blank">The Queen Street house </a>was initially marketed with hopes that it might go close to $12 million in February. There were then adjusted $10 million plus indications.
On its June sale, Property Observer speculated it sold at around $10.5 million given what was being told to other prospective buyers, but the slightly higher official figure emerged this week.
It last traded in 2004 when bought from the 2SM radio broadcaster John Laws and wife Caroline for $7.7 million.
Laws had purchased the 961 square metre Queen Street property in 1981 for $264,000 and then commissioned a two storey house, with separate staff quarters and garaging for six cars, behind its high fence.
There is also a separate two bedroom cottage.
All just footsteps from all the village amenities. 
Nick Curtis has been leading Lynas Corporation since mid-2001 with a career spanning more than three decades in the resources and finance industries.
The Queen Street trophy mansion sold through BradfieldCleary who marketed it as "a blue ribbon retreat with comfort and convenience".
Woollahra's record sits with a 2008 sale when engineer John Grill paid $16 million on Rush Street.
In 2010 the MacLeod's discretionary investment trust Wyelba Pty Ltd, spent $4.6 million on the then premises of Collette Dinnigan, now Zampatti
In 2011 the MacLeods also bought the then Howell and Howell antique premises at 84 Queens Street for $4.25 million, now with Anna Thomas as the tenant. The upper level is <a href="https://no84.com.au" target="_blank">operated as a boutique serviced apartment for tourists</a>.
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Prue and Alasdair MacLeod spend $10.65 million on Woollahra home of miner Nick Curtis

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The University of Melbourne has the largest number of international students studying on campus, according to latest figures released by <a href="https://aei.gov.au/research/Research-Snapshots/Documents/International%20students%20in%20Australian%20unis%202013.pdf" target="_blank">Australian Education International</a> (AEI).
The total international student enrolments in Australia in the higher education sector dropped by 0.8% in 2013 to 216,298, or 18.8% of the total student population.
The AEI research figures revealed the University of Melbourne had 14,165 onshore international students in 2013, accounting for 27.1%.
The University of New South Wales ranked second with 13,123 onshore international students.
Next followed by Monash University with 12,271 onshore international students.
There were 410,925 international students from 193 countries studying on a student visa in Australia in 2013. 
<img src="/images/2014/08/18/students-aug-18-one.jpg" alt="">
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International students head to University of Melbourne and UNSW

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Stockland Group has reported an underlying profit full year of $555 million, a 12% increase a year ago, with its residential business the standout.
The managing director Mark Steinert, said its core businesses performed solidly with year on year profit growth in retail, residential, logistics and business parks, and retirement living.
“Our new residential projects at Calleya in Perth, <a href="https://www.stockland.com.au/residential/nsw/willowdale-living-at-willowdale.aspx" target="_blank">Willowdale</a> in Sydney’s south-west, and Elara in Sydney’s north west, have all seen strong customer demand.” 
Stockland’s residential business grew strongly with operating profit up 57% on the prior year. The company achieved 5,219 lot settlements for the year and started FY15 with a record 3,185 contracts on hand. 
Stockland’s head of residential, Andrew Whitson said all states were experiencing generally positive housing market conditions.
“Demand in Sydney remains very strong with relatively low supply impacting affordability in the established housing market.
"In Victoria, the market is steady with good demand balanced by higher competition. 
"The outlook in Queensland is particularly strong, underpinned by positive economic indicators and a slower start to the housing market recovery,” Mr Whitson said.
Stockland agreed last Friday <a href="/expert-insights/investing/stockland-accepts-frasers-australand-offer">to sell its 19.9% stake in Australand Property Group</a> to property group Frasers Centrepoint, booking an $80 million profit.
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Stockland profit up 12% with strong Willowdale Sydney residential sales

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Grange House, the 2,653 square metre Edwardian Kew property, has been sold by entrepreneurial former politician Evan Thornley and wife, Tracey Ellery.
There were initial $8 million plus hopes for the house during the marketing campaign, which were revised up to between $9 million and $10 million.
No sale price has been revealed, but Property Observer would suggest given it sold in the week before offers were formally due to close that it ought have broken through the $10 million barrier.
It was bought in 2007 for $6.6 million.
It comes with interiors by Hecker Phelan Guthrie.
Four of its six bedrooms have marble ensuite bathrooms.
There is a two-way open fire place between the informal living room and the dining room.
Kay &amp; Burton agent Gowan Stubbings recently advised in The Saturday Age he had more than 60 groups through an open for inspection. Stubbings had the offering with colleague Sam Wilkinson.
Marshall White Hawthorn’s Dave Oster and James Tostevin were the conjunctional agents on 19 Grange Road. 
Offers were <a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/19-grange-road-kew/Property-Details-sold-residential-7392943" target="_blank">officially due to close tomorrow</a>.
It was marketed as "arguably one of the finest homes in the area". It is set within what agents call "the Sackville ward" - the blue-ribbon pocket in the leafy eastern suburb.
It features a tessellated tile verandah leading to wide entrance hall with Oak floors flowing to the rear of the home where Italian travertine floors and glass walls highlight the contemporary living areas.
It comes with northern and western courtyards plus a huge garden with 25 metre lap pool and alfresco dining areas.
Thornley and Ellery founded the internet search company LookSmart in 1995.
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Kew's Grange House sold by Evan Thornley and Tracey Ellery

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The Commonwealth Bank has cut mortgage rates on its most popular home loan term, three-year fixed mortgage rates.
The country's biggest home loan lender cut its three-year rate by 15 basis points to 4.94%, equalling NAB and ANZ.
The CBA has also cut its less four-year rate by 50 basis points to 5.09% after <a href="/expert-insights/finance/nab-and-westpac-meet-cbas-rate-cut">cutting its five-year fixed rates to a record low</a> last month.
Since the bank rate cuts last month, the share of new mortgage customers taking out a fixed rate loan had increased from 13% to around 20%. 
The CBA has record numbers locking in the five-year fixed rate loan at 4.99%.
All big four - and smaller lenders - reduced their five-year fixed mortgage rates last month to record lows below 5%, with a high impact on the market as borrowers seek to lock in low rates.
Westpac's head of home ownership, Melanie Evans noted new loans with a fixed element had moved up to 30%, from 15%-20% prior.
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CBA cuts three-year fixed rates to 4.94%

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Swann House at 22 William Street, Melbourne, has been sold by Kliger Wood Real Estate for $21.6 million.
Chinese interests secured the property after 140 plus enquiries were received from Asian, Middle Eastern and local investors.
Kliger Wood director Eugene Wood says the purchaser was a Chinese group with other recently acquired holdings in the Melbourne CBD.
The 10 level commercial office building on the corner of William Street and Flinders Lane has a gross building area of 7,000 square metre with a net building area of 5,700 square metre.
The building, which is about 90% leased at present to show a net income of $1,328,000, was marketed with potential hotel or residential conversion.
Eugene Wood gave no indication on buyer intention.
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Swann House, Melbourne sold for $21.6 million to Chinese buyers

Kew has long been regarded as one of Melbourne's premier residential suburbs. It's a location defined by its grand period homes, leafy streets and some of the city's most prestigious schools, yet it has often sat just outside the spotlight cast on neighbouring Hawthorn and Camberwell.

Increasingly, however, buyers are recognising that Kew offers much of what draws people to those suburbs, with a quieter residential setting, exceptional amenity and long-term owner-occupier appeal.

Within a few minutes' walk, residents can access Kew Junction, one of Melbourne's most established village centres. Cafés, bakeries, restaurants, supermarkets, boutique retailers and everyday services are all on the doorstep, with local favourites including Centonove, Adeney Milk Bar Cafe, and Frank &amp; Harri creating the type of walkable lifestyle that has become increasingly difficult to find in Melbourne's inner east. Beyond the immediate neighbourhood, Glenferrie Road's renowned shopping and dining precinct in Hawthorn and the retail, dining and entertainment offerings of Camberwell Junction are both just a short drive or tram ride away.

The suburb is equally well connected. Tram routes 48 and 109 provide direct access to the CBD, while High Street and Cotham Road connect residents to the wider inner east.&nbsp;Nearby access to the Eastern Freeway also places the Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Melbourne Airport within easy reach, adding another layer of convenience for weekend travel.&nbsp;It's a rare combination of connectivity and tranquillity, where quiet residential streets sit just moments from some of Melbourne's most established shopping and lifestyle precincts.

For families, Kew remains one of Melbourne's most tightly held addresses. Carey Baptist Grammar School, Xavier College, Methodist Ladies' College, Trinity Grammar, Ruyton Girls' School and Genazzano FCJ College are all nearby, while the Yarra River parklands, walking trails and sporting clubs provide another layer of lifestyle appeal.

It's within this established pocket that developer Ricdanic is delivering <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/wimba-ave-kew-9-11-wimba-avenue-kew-vic-3101">Wimba Ave</a>, a boutique collection of just 13 residences across two buildings named after its location on the tree-lined Wimba Avenue,&nbsp;within one of Kew's most prestigious pockets where homes have been known to sell up to and above $8 million.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140755 project_image_fid=354809]

The residences prioritise the space that buyers are increasingly searching for but struggling to find in established suburbs. Living areas extend beyond five metres in width, ceiling heights range from three to five metres, and apartments open onto private gardens averaging around 125 sqm. Selected residences also feature balconies of approximately 60 sqm, while premium inclusions include Miele appliances, double-glazed windows, EV readiness, fully electric systems and a 7.2 NatHERS energy rating.

Architect Chris Idle says opportunities to deliver homes of this scale within established suburbs have become increasingly uncommon.

"There are very few opportunities to do these kinds of developments in leafy, established suburbs," he says. "To get this level of amenity, natural light, and architectural freedom in such a setting is extremely rare."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140755 project_image_fid=366267]

The architecture draws on Kew's established character through the use of handmade Krause bricks, while landscaping by John Patrick introduces 23 plant species, including nine native varieties, creating an environment which focuses just as much on nature as it does the building.

Construction on Wimba Ave is well underway by renowned high-end builder Sinjen, with completion expected in late 2027. Prices start from $2.22 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=140755]

Joel Robinson

The enduring appeal of Kew's tree-lined streets and village lifestyle

"For me, it's the location." That was the first thing Chris pointed to when reflecting on why he and his wife Marita decided to purchase at Candela Ivanhoe, the under-construction new apartment development by Salter Brothers in the heart of the north-eastern M​elb​ourne​ suburb. ​

"We've lived here before… everything is here," Chris said.

"Our doctor is around the corner, there's dentists, pilates, everything we need, restaurants, fast food places, two train stations, Ivanhoe and Darebin, both in walking distance. You don't need anything else."

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X8K0Bozug7A?si=Puwc6vx_ZO0qQZF8" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Just 10 kilometres from Melbo​urn​e's CBD, Ivanhoe combines direct city connectivity with the amenity of an established village community. Residents have access to highly regarded schools, expansive parklands, public transport, and a thriving retail and hospitality precinct centred around Upper Heidelberg Road, all within a neighbourhood that has retained its leafy character despite its proximity to the city.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/candela-ivanhoe-40-upper-heidelberg-road-ivanhoe-vic-3079">Candela Ivanhoe</a> sits within the heart of this established landscape, positioned just moments from Ivanhoe Village and within walking distance of many of the suburb's most sought-after amenities.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=342 project_image_fid=364553]

From Candela, residents can access cafés, grocers, wine bars, restaurants and essential services on foot, while Ivanhoe Station and Darebin Station provide direct connectivity across Mel​bour​ne. The development is also surrounded by some of the suburb's best-known lifestyle destinations, including Pinkie, Laurent, Enni, Docasa and Woodfire Pizza e Cucina, alongside Ivanhoe Plaza, Woolworths, pharmacies and specialty retailers.

Green space is another defining feature of the suburb. Darebin Parklands, Ivanhoe Park, Nellie Ibbot Park and the Yarra River trail network provide extensive opportunities for recreation, while Ivanhoe Golf Course and Ivanhoe Tennis Club continue to underpin the area's long-established lifestyle appeal.

The suburb's education offering further strengthens demand. Ivanhoe Grammar School, Ivanhoe Girls' Grammar School, Mary Immaculate Primary School and Ivanhoe Primary School have helped establish the area as one of Melbou​​rne's most sought-after schooling precincts, attracting families and downsizers alike who want to remain connected to the area.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=342 project_image_fid=357510]

While location was the priority for Marita and Chris, the project itself also needed to meet their expectations.

"Whilst location was paramount, I was also looking at design of the environment and Candela ticked every box," Marita said.

"We're just thrilled with our choice."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=342 project_image_fid=336455]

Developed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/salter-brothers">Salter Brothers</a>, Candela Ivanhoe has been designed to complement its village setting, with an emphasis on generous floorplans, natural light and practical everyday living.

Residents will have access to a range of shared amenities, including a communal rooftop garden and dedicated residential lounge, complemented by a ground-floor café and lifestyle wellbeing centre, helping foster the sense of community already emerging among future owners.

That approach has resonated strongly with the market. More than 90 per cent of purchasers at Candela Ivanhoe are owner-occupiers, with buyers ranging from downsizers and second-home buyers to young families and first home buyers, creating a genuinely multi-generational community of grandparents, parents and children. It reflects a broader shift across Melbo​​urne's apartment market, where buyers are increasingly prioritising neighbourhood quality, lifestyle amenity and long-term liveability.

Currently under construction by Ironside, Candela Ivanhoe comprises 58 apartments. Candela Ivanhoe is scheduled for completion in the coming months, and residents can move in from September. One to four bedroom residences, prices from $649,000 and limited opportunities remaining.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=342]

Location and lifestyle drive demand at Candela Ivanhoe

As apartment buyers increasingly look beyond the four walls of their residence, the quality and depth of shared amenity has become a defining factor in how developments are designed and experienced, particularly in the high-rise, new apartment development space.

In Southbank, where high-density living continues to evolve, developers are placing greater emphasis on creating environments that support wellbeing, connection, and convenience as part of everyday life.

That approach sits at the heart of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/aura-at-melbourne-square-7-hoff-boulevard-southbank-vic-3006">AURA</a>, the latest residential tower in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/osk-property">OSK Property</a>’s $3.5 billion Melbourne Square precinct. Rising 67 storeys above Hoff Boulevard, the 673-apartment development has been conceived around what OSK describes as a “vertical wellness ecosystem”, a layered collection of amenities that extends throughout the building rather than being confined to a single podium level.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=370263]

The amenity offering begins on the seventh level within the AURA Club, a dedicated resident hub focused on health, relaxation, and daily convenience. Here, residents will have access to an indoor swimming pool, cold plunge, spa, sauna, and steam room, alongside a fully equipped gym, reformer Pilates studio, and yoga room.

The wellness facilities are complemented by a range of spaces that acknowledge the changing ways people live and work. Work-from-home lounges and co-working areas sit alongside a library, music room, games room, cinema facilities, and open-air terrace spaces, providing residents with flexible environments that can adapt throughout the day.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=367468]

Beyond the internal amenity, AURA introduces a series of Japanese-inspired gardens that form a quieter counterpoint to the tower’s social spaces.

Landscaped retreats feature curated outdoor dining, tranquil courtyard seating, fire pit, and a tea house pavilion. Rather than functioning as simple recreational areas, the gardens have been designed as places for reflection and informal gathering, drawing on principles of balance, nature, and calm that underpin the project's broader design philosophy.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=367810]

The social amenity continues to evolve as residents move higher through the building. Levels 49 and 50 house the Meridian Club, where a lounge bar, conservatory spaces, and private dining rooms take advantage of elevated city views. At the summit of the tower, the exclusive Cumulus Club spans Levels 66 and 67, offering additional lounges, private dining, and meditation and treatment rooms positioned above Melbourne’s skyline.

For OSK Property, the extensive amenity offering reflects a broader focus on wellbeing as a core component of apartment living rather than an added feature.

“Aura stands tall as an exemplar of holistic wellness – its focus on social, physical and mental health culminate in a building that is calming, restorative and relaxing, where residents will have their own sanctuary within the well-connected and sought-after Southbank,” says OSK Property CEO Chong Boon Woon.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=367796]

AURA’s amenity strategy extends beyond the tower itself through its integration with the wider Melbourne Square precinct.

Residents will have direct access to Kennedy Park, Southbank’s 3,745 sqm landscaped public park, alongside a full-line Woolworths supermarket, childcare centre, hospitality venues, and approximately 1,600 sqm of additional retail planned within AURA’s lower levels. Together, these elements create a highly connected residential environment where daily needs, recreation, and wellness are woven into the fabric of the community.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=370253]

As Melbourne’s apartment market continues to mature, developments are increasingly judged by the lifestyle they provide beyond individual residences.

Through its combination of wellness facilities, landscaped retreats, social clubs, and precinct-wide amenity, AURA represents a shift toward a more comprehensive model of vertical living, one where shared spaces play as significant a role as the homes themselves.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=151921]

AURA elevates amenity living at Melbourne Square

Builder-developer Scion is the latest to target Sydney's booming Hills Showground Metro precinct, filing plans for more than 100 apartments within walking distance of the station.

Scion has lodged a concurrent rezoning and State Significant Development Application for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/27-33-middleton-avenue-castle-hill-nsw-2154">27–33 Middleton Avenue</a>, where it plans to replace four existing homes with an 11 and 14-storey mixed-use development comprising 109 apartments, six affordable housing dwellings, and a ground-floor café.

Designed by BHK Architects, the proposal includes three levels of basement parking with 174 spaces, more than 1,200 sqm of communal open space, and extensive landscaping across the 3,791 sqm site.

The development has been designed as two buildings connected by a recessed wintergarden spine, with the 14-storey building positioned to the south and the 11-storey building to the north.

<img alt="Scion" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="64dc359d-736b-43b8-87a8-70a8285cab47" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-25%20at%208.47.01%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=PXh.m8id_aevBPHEckPf88wQ2RQThPos" />

The apartment mix has been weighted towards owner-occupiers, with 13 one-bedroom apartments, 55 two-bedroom residences, 31 three-bedroom apartments, six three-bedroom lofts, and four four-bedroom homes. Six apartments will be dedicated as affordable housing in line with the NSW Housing SEPP.

According to the Architectural Design Report by BKH, the proposal seeks to create "a place-responsive architecture" inspired by the natural landscape surrounding Cattai Creek, while strengthening the public domain through landscaping, active frontages and a neighbourhood café.

Atlas Urban, in its Urban Design Report, says the proposal takes a different approach to increasing density around Hills Showground Station by favouring a more slender, vertically articulated built form over a conventional mid-rise outcome. The report argues this allows for greater deep soil planting, improved solar access and a better public domain outcome, while still delivering additional housing close to rapid public transport.

The site sits around 500 metres from Hills Showground Metro Station, within a precinct earmarked for significant residential intensification following the opening of the Sydney Metro Northwest line. Planning documents accompanying the application note that Greater Sydney's population has grown by more than one million people since planning for the precinct first began, reinforcing the need to accelerate housing delivery around existing transport infrastructure.

Scion is expanding its development pipeline which also includes <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/chatham-west-ryde-2-6-chatham-road-west-ryde-nsw-2114">Chatham in West Ryde</a>, 62 apartments which are approaching completion. They also have a State Significant Development Application with the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/96-anzac-avenue-west-ryde-nsw-2114">145 apartments on Anzac Avenue</a>, also in West Ryde.

First look: Scion plots Castle Hill apartment development near Hills Showground Metro Station

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a>&nbsp;has unveiled its scaled-back plans for a pair of towers rising up to 49 storeys directly opposite Bella Vista Metro Station.

The builder-developer will deliver 674 apartments and a new mixed-use hub at the gateway to the station precinct.

The State Significant Development Application has been lodged under the Housing Delivery Authority pathway for the 6,979 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/9-11-mawson-avenue-bella-vista-nsw-2153">9-11 Mawson Avenue</a>, with the apartments sitting above a mixed-use podium. Initial plans were for closer to 900 apartments across two 40-storey towers.

Located around 30 metres from the Bella Vista Metro Station entrance, the development is intended to act as a catalyst for the long-planned Bella Vista Station Precinct, transforming a vacant site into a transit-oriented residential and commercial destination.

Planning documents describe the project as delivering "a high-density mixed use destination that combines housing, retail and community-serving uses in a highly accessible setting."

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group plans 674-apartment Bella Vista towers opposite Metro station" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="21c08216-589e-490d-ad08-2d88b6fa62d9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/bella%20vista%20podium.png?VersionId=3TnwjjQCNwTsmyQRaWnFrLTSAF0CJeka" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/turner-studio">Turner</a>, with landscape architecture by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/arcadia-landscape-architecture">Arcadia</a>, the project comprises 674 apartments, including 102 affordable housing dwellings representing 15 per cent of the residential floor space. The housing mix spans studios, one, two and three-bedroom apartments, alongside a collection of townhouse-style residences integrated into the podium levels. The development also includes specialist disability accommodation and an elevated provision of adaptable and liveable housing.

The mixed-use podium has been designed to create an active urban centre around the Metro station, incorporating a 1,423 sqm supermarket, a 3,029 sqm gym, specialty retail spaces, a 100-place childcare centre and a publicly accessible "city room" community space. A secondary laneway, active frontages and landscaped public areas are intended to improve pedestrian connectivity through the site and strengthen links between the station precinct and surrounding neighbourhood.

In the project's design report, Turner said the proposal responds to Bella Vista's emerging role as a higher-density centre within Sydney's north-west growth corridor.

"The project transforms a strategically located site into a high-density mixed use destination that combines housing, retail and community-serving uses in a highly accessible setting," the report states.

"Active frontages, a publicly accessible city room, a secondary laneway and a mix of uses including a local supermarket, child care centre and gym create a more complete and socially useful urban environment for residents, workers and the wider community."

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group plans 674-apartment Bella Vista towers opposite Metro station" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0fde6220-82de-4f6a-9b63-d0fd8157acc9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/bella%20vista%20da.png?VersionId=7hEmuSutH8plTd_RqqdmPu055F6qe554" />

Urban Property Group has been one of the busiest developers across Greater Sydney this year.

The developer is progressing around 1,000 apartments across <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-urban-property-group-plans-next-major-wollongong-tower">two projects in Wollongong</a>, with several thousand more homes in the pipeline across Newcastle, Castle Hill, Little Bay and Penrith.

Jonathan Chancellor

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