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The former Bank of Melbourne boss David Airey secured Melbourne's top weekend auction result when his renovated four bedroom South Yarra home sold for $3.8 million.
David Airey and his wife Sally acquired the two-storey home (pictured above) in 2011 for $1.83 million before extensive renovations.
The 710 square metre property had pre-auction expectations of between $3.3 and $3.5 million through Jeremy Fox and Sarah Sharp of RT Edgar Toorak when<a href="/news/former-bank-of-melbourne-chief-lists-in-south-yarra"> Property Observer wrote on </a><a href="/news/former-bank-of-melbourne-chief-lists-in-south-yarra">the</a><a href="/news/former-bank-of-melbourne-chief-lists-in-south-yarra"> listing last month</a>.
The former Templestowe home (pictured below) <a href="/news/architect-phillip-mannerheims-former-templestowe-house-listed">of Victorian architect, Phillip Mannerheim</a> fetched $3.35 million having been listed with $2.4 million hopes. It is not entirely original as the current owners have extended and renovated the original residence.
<img src="/images/2014/07/30/templestowe_0000_1.jpg.jpg" alt="Architect Phillip Mannerheim's former Templestowe house listed">
They are the third owners of the home purchased 11 years ago for $870,000. 
They doubled the internal size, keeping in style with Phillip’s original vision for <a href="https://raywhitemanningham.com.au/vic/templestowe/1163486/" target="_blank">4 Winifred Court, Templestowe</a>.
The four bedroom, five bathroom house on 3,986 square metres was sold by Carmen Stenta at Ray White Manningham.
Melbourne notched up a steady clearance rate of 72% on the weekend the same last weekend but slightly lower of the 74% on the same weekend last year.
There were 560 auctions reported to the REIV, with 402 selling and 158 being passed in, 73 of those on a vendor bid.
"So far this year, more than $10.8 billion worth of homes was sold at auction, which surpasses the $10 billion value achieved over the same period in 2010," Enzo Raimondo, the REIV chief said. 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

South Yarra then Templestowe top weekend Melbourne auctions

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Sydney's most expensive property sold at weekend auction was a three-bedroom Beauty Point home with Middle Harbour views.
The house at <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/property/for-sale/house/nsw/mosman/?adid=2011307063" target="_blank">12 Euryalus Street, Mosman</a> was sold by Simeon Manners Property for $3.23 million. 
"It was just above the reserve, though the reserve was ambitious," agent Michael Mahon told Fairfax Media.
However Property Observer notes it last sold at $3.1 million in June 2010, so not even 1% price growth during the past four years.
There were three bidders with it knocked down to a Mosman family.
RP Data indicated its pre-auction price guidance was $3 million to $3.5 million.
The <a href="https://www.onthehouse.com.au/reports/property_profile/10366737/12_Euryalus_Street_MOSMAN_NSW_2088/" target="_blank">onthehouse estimate for the property</a> was $3,466,400 to $3,908,400 in June and at $3,340,900 to $3,766,900 in August.
The bungalow property comes with approval to rebuild a three level family home on the elevated, north facing 773 square metre block.
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Mosman price shocker tops Sydney's weekend auctions

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Adelaide businessman Robert Gerard has listed the 47-hectare Bakers Gully Vineyard, his McLaren Vale winery.
It is planted with 29.5 hectares of mainly shiraz and cabernet sauvignon grapes, which are supplied to Gerard's winemaker <a href="https://www.tapestrywines.com.au" target="_blank">Tapestry Wines</a>.
With vines dating backing to the 1960s, Bakers Gully Vineyard comes with a stone residents’ cottage, shed and wine-storage facilities. It has a 50-megalitre dam with an annual 35-megalitre water allocation,
It is being <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-viticulture-sa-mclaren+vale-7664471" target="_blank">marketed by Tim Altschwager and Nick Dean of Colliers International</a> with expectations around $2 million.
Robert Gerard acquired the 49 Chapel Hill Road property in the late 1990s.
It is situated between Blewitt Springs and Kangarilla, 183 metres above sea level with loam to sandy soil profile.
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Robert Gerard lists Bakers Gully vineyard in McLaren Vale

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Caroonboon has been the NSW Western Riverina seat of the Dickson family since 1861.
John Dickson bought the property with the same fencelines as today from <a href="https://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/ricketson-henry-855" target="_blank">Henry Ricketson</a> for £11,500.
The local historian Brad Chalmers told The Land, the Dickson's built a log cabin and lived hand to mouth until their first woolclip of 40 bales, sold in England in 1865. Initially leasehold, the country was surveyed in the 1870s and 1880s.
The fourth and fifth generation Dicksons – John Dickson, his wife Jill, who took over the farm in 1976, and their son and daughter Jim and Susan – are now selling Caroonboon.
Situated near Wanganella 67 kilometres north-west of Deniliquin, Caroonboon fronts the Billabong Creek for 4 kilometres.
The 29,513 hectare (72,926 acres) Billabong Creek property has been<a href="https://www.landmarkharcourts.com.au/Property/573743/LDU2476/Caroonbon" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;"> listed for sale through Landmark Harcourts Deniliquin for 11 September auction</a> with interest expected from both the corporate investment sector, as well as family operators.
The property has been listed with James Sides who recently sold the nearby Booabula.
Bidding for Caroonboon is expected to exceed $11 million.
There is a six bedroom renovated homestead, a four bedroom manager's home and three cottages.
It comes with 10 stand 1982 wool shed with cover for 1,700 ewes.
Caroonboon has had an extensive S/D watering overhaul in the past two years with a $1 million investment delivering water to 100 watering points
There has been the consistent carrying capacity of over 15,000 grown sheep for the past 30 years and has recorded sheep sales of over $18,000 head per annum. 
It has also been home to one of the oldest Merino studs in Australia, flock 18, with the final decision on its future to be made after the property auction.
Its focus of commercial sheep production has been on meat lamb breeding following a decision to introduce Dorpers about 15 years ago.
The agents says the self-replacing Dorper flock of 12,000 ewes, joined to lamb every nine months, complements a commercial Merino flock of 2,700 ewes and the Merino stud numbering 850 head.
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Riverina farm Caroonboon listed for first time since 1861

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Businessman Charles Scarf and his wife Maria have secured the $30 million plus sale of their prized Professor Leslie Wilkinson designed Point Piper home.
The 1959 Wentworth Street property was the second-last of Wilkinson’s house designs.
The 19-21 Wentworth Street, Point Piper house (pictured above) was said to be loosely modelled on the Erechtheion, an Athens temple.
It last traded when bought from the then low-profile expatriate businessman Richard Wiesener for $8.25 million – which was 1992's highest sale. It included the neighbouring property that had been bought for $6.5 million for its tennis court in 1989, and it took the estate to 2,717 square metres.
The original house reportedly cost $350,000 in the 1970s.
No sale details have been released by the Ray White Double Bay agency so it is not known if it bettered the $32.4 million record hillside Point Piper record which stands with<a href="/news/goodbye-craig-y-mor-the-prof-wilkinson-point-piper-home"> the now demolished, Professor Leslie Wilkinson renovated mansion, Craig-y-Mor</a>, which was purchased by Chinese princeling Zeng Wei and his wife Jiang Mei, in 2008.
The house itself has 677 square metres of internal space.
It has been quietly on and off the market over several years, including during the boom years. 
Offers exceeding $30 million and even reputedly closer to $40 million had been previously made for the large estate.
Title Tattle has not been ever aware of the supposed $50 million rejected offer. 
It was relisted in February 2012.
It has been modernised by architect Michael Suttor.
Its home office in the former garage offers harbour views through to the Manly peninsula. The retired shirt maker-cum-property developer Charles Scarf was recently considering selling off the tennis court block separately, but appears to have decided to sell in one line.
News Ltd reports have subsequently suggested the buyers were Hunters Hill couple, Nick Langley, co-founder of Sydney fund manager Rare Infrastructure, and his partner, the arts patron, Lorraine Tarabay.
<a href="/news/bluestone-or-sandstone-the-bedrock-of-inspiring-homes-he-said-she-said">Their 1858 sandstone waterfront mansion, Windermere remains listed through McGrath agent Tracey Dixon</a>.
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$30 million Professor Leslie Wilkinson Point Piper trophy home sold under scarf of secrecy

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Australia's established housing market remained "strong overall", according to the Reserve Bank of Australia.
 The time taken to sell properties and the average size of vendor discounts are at low levels, and auction clearance rates are above average, albeit not as high as late last year, the bank's latest statement of monetary policy advised. 
Stock turnover appears to have increased a bit in the June quarter, though is still a little below average. 
The RBA noted the nationwide rental vacancy rate has been little changed over recent quarters at a relatively low level, but conditions in the rental market appear to have generally eased.
"Rent inflation has declined to its slowest pace since the mid 2000s."
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"Combined with strong growth of housing prices over the past year or so, rental yields have fallen to around their average of the past decade. 
"A strong recovery in dwelling investment is well under way, driven by low borrowing rates, growth of housing prices, significant population growth and a retargeting of government assistance for first home buyers to new homes. 
"Dwelling construction increased by almost 5% in the March quarter to be 8% higher over the year, as the substantial pick-up in residential building approvals over 2013 continued to flow through to activity.
"The increase was driven by a rise in new dwelling construction, particularly for higher- density dwellings. Alterations and additions activity also increased a little in the March quarter, after an extended period of weakness.
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More recently, residential building approvals have declined a little in trend terms, but remain at a high level consistent with further growth of dwelling investment (Graph 3.9 below). The recent trend decline owes mostly to a decline in higher-density approvals from the very high levels seen in late 2013. Approvals for detached houses have trended higher in all mainland states over the past couple of years, notwithstanding a recent decline in South Australia.
<img src="/images/2014/08/08/rba-graph-aug-8-one.jpg" alt="">
 
Other timely indicators of housing construction also point to a sustained recovery in dwelling investment. Loan approvals for new dwellings remained at a high level in May and first home owner grants for new dwellings have increased by 22% over the past year. Liaison reports indicate that demand for new dwellings remains firm, with ongoing strong demand by foreign buyers for inner- city apartments, particularly in Melbourne."
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The statement suggested household wealth has grown strongly over the past 18 months or so, buoyed by higher housing and equity prices and ongoing saving by households, although more recently growth has eased a little.
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 In most of the capital cities, housing price inflation was less rapid over the first half of 2014 than it was over the latter part of 2013.
 While prices appear to have levelled out in Perth and Adelaide, growth has remained relatively strong in Sydney and Melbourne. 
Surveys indicate that, compared with earlier in the year, fewer households expect housing prices to rise over the next 12 months, and households view buying conditions for dwellings as less favourable than they did a year ago," the latest RBA Statement on Monetary Policy suggested.
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It concluded that housing price inflation over 2014 to date has not been as rapid as it was over the second half of 2013, but prices continue to rise. 
"Loan approvals are higher than they were a year ago, but have been little changed since late last year.
"At this level, they are consistent with growth in housing credit stabilising at a rate that is a bit faster than income growth, although the growth of investor credit has continued to outpace that of owner-occupiers.
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"The high rate of housing price inflation has underpinned strong growth in standard measures of household wealth. 
"Along with the very low level of interest rates, this has seen consumption growing a little faster than household income, leading to a gradual decline in the saving rate over the past 18 months or so. 
"Nevertheless, after picking up through 2013, consumption growth looks to have slowed in the first half of this year, with weaker retail sales growth and consumer sentiment falling to below-average levels. 
"It remains to be seen whether this slower growth of consumption is temporary. 
"Indeed, a timely measure of consumer sentiment has rebounded recently to be back above average."
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Property investors advised rent inflation in decline, yields back to average: RBA

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Further sales were secured in the Parramatta apartment project Promenade through Savills Residential Projects.
It has sold 115 of the 153 apartments in building three at Promenade, a five hectare site which is being developed by Starryland Australia, the local arm of the giant Chinese property group, Fuxing Huiyu Real Estate Company Ltd.
Prices ranged from $440,000, for a one-bedroom apartment. 
The apartments in building three comprised: 
<ul>
<li>(6)  one-bedrooms (44 – 49 square metres) from $440,000</li>
<li>(17) one-bedrooms plus study (46 – 69 square metre) from $465,000 </li>
<li>(125) two-bedrooms (63 – 98 square metres) from $585,000, and</li>
<li>(5) three-bedrooms (83 – 112 square metres) from $850,000</li>
</ul>
Fewer than 40 apartments remain for sale.
Buyers, who registered their interest with a $3,000 refundable deposit, were invited to attend the launch last Saturday morning.
Irene Lau, from Savills Residential Projects, said more than 70% of purchasers were owner-occupiers.  Promenade‘s initial two buildings of 124 apartments sold out over one weekend in May. 
 Both buildings are currently under construction with completion in late 2016.
Located in Morton Street just 1.2 kilometres east of the city centre, Promenade will have 1.2 hectares of landscaped foreshore open space, a proposed pedestrian bridge across the river and an extensive walking and cycling network.  James Swete, the sales and marketing director of Starryland Australia, said Promenade would provide resort-style living. 
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Starryland secure further Promenade, Parramatta apartment sales

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Buxton estate agent Karl Gillon is set to take on his third sales televised Block auction marketing campaign in the latest The Block Glasshouse series.
He will be marketing the sale of contestants Maxine and Karstan’s Prahan apartment at 3/121-127 High Street.
He's previously auctioned Brad and Dale’s property on last year’s Fans Vs Faves series in the O'Grady Street, Albert Park warehouse.
<a href="/news/at-506-000-above-reserve-brad-and-laras-1-62-million-south-melbourne-sale-secures-the-block-2012-prize-result">He also sold contestants Brad and Lara’s property in 2012</a>, achieving a winning price of $1.62 million in the South Melbourne terraces series.
In recent series contestants have taken to include their estate agent in the design planning stages to ensure the apartment matches the locality demographics.
Estate agent Anton Wongtrakun of Dingle Partners is also returning. Last year he handled twins Alisa and Lysandra’s Albert Park sale.
This time it is Chris and Jenna’s apartment at number 2.
The agent newbies are Matt White of Ray White Port Phillip selling Michael and Carlene’s property at number 3 and Andrew McCann of Jellis Craig Bennison Mackinnon with Simon and Shannon’s apartment at number 4.
The AFL premiership player Darren Jolly and his wife Deanne, who <a href="/news/off-field-top-marks-for-retired-ruck-man-darren-jolly-in-renovated-surrey-hills-cottage">sold their self-renovated Edwardian era Surrey Hills</a> home through Paul Richards from Bekdon Richards on delayed settlement terms, have gone with Biggin &amp; Scott Richmond.
The High Street Block auctions are likely to take place in October.
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Karl Gillon takes on his third televised The Block sales campaign

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The Peter Stutchbury designed retreat, Invisible House, at Hampton near Lithgow in the western foothills of the NSW Blue Mountains, was crowned 2014 House of the Year, the awards presented by Houses magazine, affiliated with the Australian Institute of Architects.
It was designed several years ago as a bush retreat for a filmmaker and painter in rugged bushland overlooking the Megalong Valley, some four hours west of Sydney. 
The jury gave the top prize saying it was “absolutely Australian”.
“The form, materials and details are mastered in this house, running from inside to out and then into the landscape as one,” said the jury.
“From both inside and out, changes in nature are apparent, in wet and dry, hot and cold and through the seasons of the year.”
It said it came with “modesty, clarity, resourcefulness and consequential delight”.
<a href="https://www.peterstutchbury.com.au/invisible-house_f" target="_blank">New house over 200 square metres: Invisible House, near Lithgow, NSW</a>
Judges’ comments: There is something absolutely Australian about this project, pictured above, not just its connection to an undeniably spectacular setting but also its modesty, clarity, resourcefulness and consequential delight. Its magic is created through balance, such as the griddled rigour of the plan balanced with the bloated curve of the long section, or the transparency of the simple exterior balanced with the solid, albeit sliced, nature of the interior rooms. This elegant building, looking out from its position nestled into the hilltop, has left us drawn to see more.
HE SAID:<img src="/images/2014/03/28/jc-silhouette-7.jpg" style="float: right;">
It appears to be made largely of concrete just below the brow of the escarpment on the 75 hectare estate, apparently all but invisible on approach hence its name. Of course those rusting Ned Kelly helmut-like rooms are the first hint of its construction. Could almost be an abandoned rusty John Deere grader left in the former sheep paddock.
 One critic Joe Rollo rightly likened the home to Hugh Buhrich’s 1972 Castlecrag, Sydney home with its waving sinusoidal roof of copper sitting lightly over a band of glass over a concrete beam.
The curved ceiling looks stunning, but not sure about the overall internal harshness, but I guess it reflects the texture.
I love that it can be rented, known as Angel Wing on the <a href="https://www.contemporaryhotels.com.au/blue-mountains/angel" target="_blank">contemporaryhotels.com.au</a> website, though its $1,000 a night minimum so you'd need deep pockets or as many friends as Margie Blok has.
<img src="/images/2014/03/28/mb-silhouette-6.jpg" style="float: left;">
SHE SAID:
As an unabashed fan of the creative genius of architect Peter Stutchbury, I am mad about this house.
For starters I love its unmistakably Australian stamp with a raw palette of materials – stone, wood, concrete – working in connection with the landscape. 
Also, I love its balance, its elongated form stretching across the site, its curved internal ceilings reflecting shapes of neighbouring hills, and its vast expanses of glass capturing magnificent views of rugged bushland across the vast expanse of Megalong Valley.
Having spent much time in the Blue Mountains during each of the four seasons, I think this house has an interesting collection of spaces providing a calming and peaceful retreat at any time of the year – and not only inside. 
The outdoor areas are well designed for rest and relaxation too. I particularly like the central outdoor firepit, with its exposure to the sky and sawn log stools - an ideal spot to perch with a sundowner and watch the distant cliffs change colour in evening light. 
I see the house is named Angel Wing – presumably after the 9-metre limestone formation shawl dominating the Temple of Baal Cave discovered in 1904 at nearby Jenolan Caves.
Listed as a holiday house on the Contemporary Hotels website, the house, if you have eight staying, could work out at $175 a night each or $125 per night with discounted summer rates.
It is listed at $1,400 per night for two to four nights (with a minimum stay of two nights) or $1,200 per night for stays of five or more nights – and discounted summer rates (December to February) of $1,100 per night for two to four nights and $1,000 per night for stays of five or more nights.
Perched high on a hillside in the isolated hamlet of Hampton on Jenolean Caves Road, this house is a wonderful piece of architecture.
In my view, it is a well deserved winner of the Australian House of the Year in this year’s Houses Awards, organised by Architecture Media, publisher of Houses magazine. 
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Invisible Angel with wings in harsh Hampton hamlet : He Said/She Said

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Widford Mews, the former stables and coach-house of the Hawthorn East property Widford, sold at auction last weekend for $2,156,000.  
Widford Mews, at <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/property/for-sale/house/vic/hawthorn-east/?adid=2011295696" target="_blank">1A Wiseman Street</a>, had a reserve of $1.7 million with Danielle Waterton and Chloe Quinn of Jellis Craig initially quoting $1.5 million plus. It sold to a Sydney departee.
Widford Mews was built in 1883 as an outbuilding for the nearby property of Widford.
Now a two-storey, four-bedroom home, it features views of the city from a rooftop deck.
<a href="/expert-insights/buying/yowie-bay-waterfront-tops-the-10-most-expensive-sales-of-the-week-rp-data">It snuck into the RP Data top 10 sales of the week</a>.
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Widford Mews, Hawthorn East sells at auction to Sydney departee

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.

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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."

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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.

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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.

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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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