<html><body>
Singer Natalie Imbruglia has sold her North Bondi townhouse for $1.22 million. 
The Blair Street property cost for $660,000 in 2000.
The London-based Imbruglia sold the three-bedroom investment through McGrath agent Damien Steele.
It was last available for rent in late 2010 at a $900 a week asking rent.
Photo courtesy of Flickr/<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0" target="_blank">Creative Commons</a>. 
</body></html>

jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Natalie Imbruglia sells North Bondi townhouse

<html><body>
NSW Premier Mike Baird has expressed concern about the lack of official information on foreign investment residential purchases in NSW.
His concerns were made to the House of Representative inquiry into foreign ownership of residential property.
His submission, made to the inquiry as NSW Treasurer, said the lack of detail made it difficult for the government to determine the effects of foreign investment on the housing market.
One of his concerns was whether temporary foreign investors actually sell their properties when they leave the country – a condition required by the poorly implemented law.
"What evidence is there that temporary residents sell their properties when they leave Australia?
"It appears difficult to determine the effects of the foreign investment due to a variety of data constraints," the submission said.
Mike Baird said it would be helpful to know if foreign investment was geographically concentrated.
</body></html>

NSW Treasury in the dark with FIRB foreign buyer data

<html><body>
Property Obserser noted recently that McGrath Estate Agents now expect more than $850,000 at Lara Bingle's Darling Point apartment auction.
The agency initially was quoting more than $825,000 for the stylish one-bedroom that is set for <a href="https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/apartment-darling-point-nsw-2027/225301/?searchID=39312079" target="_blank">14 June auction through Richard Bonouvrie</a>. 
The model bought it from interior designer Blainey North for $882,000 in 2010, soon after her break-up with Test cricket captain Michael Clarke.
Now <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/celebrity" target="_blank">Fairfax Media's Domain suggests $1 million</a> will be secured at auction tomorrow.
<img src="/images/2014/06/13/bingle-june-13-onw.jpg" alt="">
Source Domain.
Just not sure with what authority!
It is in their celebrity section so might be some wayward exuberance rather than an expose on bait pricing.
<a href="/expert-insights/buying/buyer-secures-slight-discount-on-fashionista-model-lara-bingles-darling-point-apartment">Post Script: The apartment was passed in at $855,000</a>, with a reported sale by Saturday evening.
</body></html>

Fairfax's Domain tips Lara Bingle will secure $1 million plus

<html><body>
All the attention was on the art filled, stark white matrimonial home of Ron and Odetta Medich this week, given its eventual, but rather rapid sale this week.
<a href="/news/ron-medich-finally-sells-point-piper-harbourfront-trophy-home">It was sold for around $38 million</a> by the estranged couple.
But Title Tattle's antennae has been elsewhere too.
Back in the south of France where some of my recent sojourn was spent tracking down the retreat of Odetta Medich, the noted arts patron of Point Piper where Tasmanian tiger sculptures by Caroline Rothwell feature poolside on Sydney Harbour.
There'd been whispers ever since 2008 that she'd acquired a bolthole, though not much more than the suggestion it was somewhere between Monaco and St Tropez.
In mid-2010 provocatively Odetta tweeted: "st tropez is so much better than miami!!!!! love love love st tropez!!!!!!"
Earlier this year Title Tattle spotted <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=692598610784181&amp;set=a.404463676264344.94963.198495266861187&amp;type=1" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">The World Of Interiors magazine</a>, January edition. 
While the apartment was not the one featured on the cover, there was a small noteworthy mention; 'Chameleon on the Cote d'Azur: The French Salon that turns into a New York loft'.
<img src="/images/2014/06/12/worlds-of-interrior-june-12.jpg" alt="">
Inside, the article made no mention of the owner's name, but the art work was the clue, as it was Odetta through and through.
It was especially the Caroline Rothwell mantlepiece sculpture that piqued Title Tattle's attention, and then the mention of the expatriate Australian architect Carl Pickering of Lazzarini Pickering. He is best known as having done  Icebergs restaurant in 2003 overlooking Bondi Beach, but he has been Rome-based since forming the partnership in 1983.
The magazine revealed it was in the coastal Beaulieu-sur-Mer town which, when it comes to the French Riviera, Title Tattle happens to know like the back of one's hand, second only to St Jean Cap Ferrat.
<img src="/images/2014/06/13/Beaulieu-sur-Mer-june-13-map-tow.jpg" alt="">
Courtesy of Google Maps.
The apartment's location, with its distinctive gargoyles, was indeed within view from the much frequented 81 route bus-stop.
The magazine spiel suggested the apartment was "the riddle on the Riviera".
<img src="/images/2014/06/13/interior-june-12-three.jpg" alt="">
Photo: Matteo Piazza. Source: World of Interiors, January edition.
"How do you give a Belle Epoque apartment on the Cote d’Azur the party-ready functionality of a New York loft? 
"You knock down the walls, replace them with panels that are actually doors – and scatter liberally with reflective black surfaces leading to ‘secret’ spaces," the magazine's Lee Marshall suggested.
The interior photography by Matteo Piazza revealed the restored stucco work, marble fireplace and newly installed pointe de hongrie oak parquet flooring inside the apartment.
<img src="/images/2014/06/13/interior-june-12-one.jpg" alt="">
<img src="/images/2014/06/13/interior-june-12-two.jpg" alt="">
<img src="/images/2014/06/13/interior-june-12-four.jpg" alt="">
<img src="/images/2014/06/13/interior-june-12-five.jpg" alt="">
Photos: Matteo Piazza. Source: World of Interiors, January edition.
Set on the busy road midway between Monte Carlo and Nice, the four storey Royal Residence has around 20 occupant buzzers with Odetta Medich having the split-level patio balcony apartment. It appears to have valley views of the town, but nothing much of the Mediterranean sea in view.
<img src="/images/2014/06/13/odetta%20june%2013%20one.jpg" alt="">
<img src="/images/2014/06/13/odetta_0001_2.jpg.jpg" alt="">
<img src="/images/2014/06/13/odetta-june-13-four.jpg" alt="">
<img src="/images/2014/06/13/odetta-june-13-two.jpg" alt="">
<img src="/images/2014/06/13/odetta-june-13-five.jpg" alt="">
<img src="/images/2014/06/13/odetta_0003_4.jpg.jpg" alt="">
<a href="https://www.ideainterni.com/residential.php?d=1&amp;g=1071" target="_blank">The Idea Interni builder's website gives photographic details</a> on the 2010 project. Ditto the stoneworks company, <a href="https://www.italworks-usa.com" target="_blank">Italworks</a> as the project progressed.
<img src="/images/2014/06/13/france-june-12-one.jpg" alt="">
<img src="/images/2014/06/13/france-june-12-two.jpg" alt="">
<img src="/images/2014/06/13/france-june-12-three.jpg" alt="">
<img src="/images/2014/06/13/france-june-12-foor.jpg" width="533" height="450">
<img src="/images/2014/06/13/france-june-12-five.jpg" alt="">
<img src="/images/2014/06/13/france-june-12-six.jpg" alt="">
<img src="/images/2014/06/13/france-june-12-seven.jpg" alt="">
<img src="/images/2014/06/13/france-june-12-eight.jpg" alt="">
<img src="/images/2014/06/13/france-june-12-nine.jpg" alt="">
<img src="/images/2014/06/13/france-june-12-ten.jpg" alt="">
Source: Ideainterni
Odetta, is Ron's second wife, 20 years his junior. The SMH investigative editor Kate McClymont once suggested the Lithuanian-born Mrs Medich had spent $5 million on the then unidentified French Riviera bolt hole. 
And Title Tattle will have to defer to Kate's price advisory given the difficulties of navigating the French commune's title transfers. Estate agent shop windows had prices ranges from €135,000 (A$195,000) for studio apartments to the dearest on offer at €4.2 million (A$6.4 million). And of course then there's the extraordinary renovation which these interiors show unfold. Possibly an over capitalisation? 
It is within a 1900 townhouse, which the magazine describes as handsome without pretension, Belle Epoque without too many frills and furbelows. 
Some of the locals know of her as Mme Odetta Chtouikite.
Feature photo of Beaulieu-sur-Mer: Ramón Cutanda López. Source: Flickr/<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons</a>.
</body></html>

Odetta Medich's French Riviera glamorous bolt hole: Title Tattle 

<html><body>
The Terrey Hills-bound rugby league coach Brad Fittler and his partner Marie Liarris have listed their Rushcutters Bay apartment with $2.5 million hopes.
The north-facing apartment, four bedroom apartment in the Marina One building has 197 square metres space outlooking over Rushcutters Bay park.
They are reputedly moving to an acreage in <a href="/news">Terrey Hills</a>.
<a href="/news/brad-fittler-sells-rose-bay-investment-with-14-annual-gain">Last month they sold a Rose Bay investment semi</a> for about $1.925 million.
The <a href="/news">Rushcutters Bay</a> apartment, bought in 2010 for $2.12 million, has been listed for forthcoming auction <a href="https://www.rwebay.com.au/1593550/" target="_blank">through Jason Boon of Richardson &amp; Wrench Elizabeth Bay</a>, and Shane Vincent of Belle Property Randwick.
</body></html>

Acreage-bound Brad Fittler lists Rushcutters Bay apartment home

<html><body>
Model and actress Liz Hurley is selling one of her luxury Midland homes – for £6 million. 
The six bedroom Ampney Knowle (pictured above), near Cirencester, Gloucestershire has been listed so she can concentrate on decorating and furnishing Donnington Hall at Ledbury, Herefordshire.
Liz is planning to live at Donnington Hall, which is 40 miles away.
The larger 13 bedroom property was bought in 2012 with her ex, former Australian cricketer Shane Warne, so Title Tattle suggests it appears she will now buy out his half share interest.
“It’s no secret that I bought Donnington Hall with my former fiancé and it was a tough decision to choose which house to keep as I love them both," Liz told the The Sunday Times Home supplement after her recent decision.
“But I’m looking forward to decorating and furnishing Donnington.
“I’ll be sorry to leave Ampney Knowle because every inch of the house and garden holds a happy memory for me.”
The swimwear designer bought stone-built <a href="https://www.countrylife.co.uk/property/uk/properties/7392945/sales" target="_blank">Ampney Knowle</a> for £3.3 million in 2003.
It is set in 450 acres of Cotswolds countryside, has six bedrooms, a guest annexe, cottages in the grounds and outbuildings.
The Cotswold estate, that comprises more than 144 acres, <a href="https://search.knightfrank.com/cho140193" target="_blank">has been listed by </a><a href="https://search.knightfrank.com/cho140193" target="_blank">Knight Frank</a>.
</body></html>

Liz Hurley lists Ampney Knowle, to keep Donnington Hall

<html><body>
Scott Penn, the part owner and chairman of the Manly Sea Eagles, and wife, Nicola secured $4.28 million for their Manly beachfront apartment.
The sub-penthouse in the Waillea building was bought in 2010 for $4.38 million as a weekender but because they are so busy they haven’t used it very much and have decided to sell it.
The third floor apartment in in the Susan Rothwell-designed block on North Steyne.
It had been <a href="https://www.belleproperty.com/buying/NSW/Northern-Beaches/Manly/Apartment/12P4327-12-133-137-north-steyne--manly-nsw-2095" target="_blank">listed through Belle Property </a><a href="https://www.belleproperty.com/buying/NSW/Northern-Beaches/Manly/Apartment/12P4327-12-133-137-north-steyne--manly-nsw-2095" target="_blank">agent Anthony Calacoci</a>.
</body></html>

Tide retreats a bit, but Waillea, Manly sub-penthouse sold

<html><body>
Channel 7 have officially announced its Sunday night period drama, A Place to Call Home will not be returning for a third season.
Starring Marta Dusseldorp and Noni Hazlehurst, the period series is set in rural Australia in the 1950s.
It's romantic saga based in the fictional town of Inverness – home to the Bligh family estate Ash Park – with a landscape as vast and dramatic as the people who live there.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/trophy-homes/camelot-at-camden-is-captivating-as-a-place-to-call-home-location-on-channel-7-s-new-1950s-drama-series/2013042860795" target="_blank">Camelot, the grandest house near Camden on Sydney's outskirts</a>, was the location for much of the filming.
Set among rolling green pastures with well-established cottage-style gardens, and a winding, tree-lined drive from gates originally from Yaralla, Concord, the historic Narellan mansion was built in 1888 for the White pastoralist family.
The 55-room fairytale-like, Camelot (pictured below) and its gardens have clearly been stunningly restored by the owners, Brendan and Rachel Powers. 
Whispers of the show's demise began when options to keep actors on the show past season two had lapsed last month.
The popular Sunday night television show, A Place to Call Home secured its second season last July.
The Channel 7 drama averaged around 1.2 million viewers nationally per episode since its premiere season.
The second series began with a 865,000, well down on the first series launch of 1.78 million, and last Sunday managed just 855,000 viewers. <a href="https://mumbrella.com.au/a-place-to-call-home-keeps-solid-audience-for-second-outing-153804" target="_blank" title="A Place To Call Home keeps solid audience for second outing"> </a>
A Place to Call Home is the brainchild of Packed to the Rafters and Winners and Losers creator Bevan Lee.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/05/placetocallhomemay9one.jpg" alt="placetocallhomemay9one" width="470" height="307">
</body></html>

Camden's Camelot concludes starring role as A Place to Call Home axed

<html><body>
There has been a surge in applications by foreign buyers to buy Australian housing, especially new dwellings.
Treasury reported that 10,244 applications had been approved in the nine months to March, compared with 6,567 in the entire 2012-13 year.
While not all approvals result in purchases, the investment approvals are up 55%.
The preliminary data also indicate significant increased investment in Victoria and New South Wales.
Established home purchases by temporary residents has increased but not to the same degree.
The Federal Treasury department suggests while foreign demand has recently risen, the increase in domestic investor and owner-occupier demand across both established and new dwellings in response to low interest rates has likely been much more significant.
But Treasury admits they can not systematically identify non-compliant property acquisitions within the latest surge.
"There are no information sources that can be used to systematically identify non-compliant property acquisitions, nor are there any mechanisms to prevent such transactions from proceeding. 
"In this context, a compliance framework is used that places emphasis on information and education initiatives, supported where necessary by more active measures to encourage foreign investor compliance."
The updated details were in the Federal Treasury submission to the House of Representative inquiry into foreign ownership of residential property which Liberal MP chairperson Kelly O’Dwyer has tried to make her high-profile cause.
"Despite the limitations, preliminary approvals data for 2013-14 show that, consistent with the overall housing market, there has been strong growth in foreign investment approvals over the previous year, especially in new dwellings," the submission indicated.
The preliminary 2013-14 data show that, consistent with the overall housing market, there has been strong growth in foreign investment approvals over the previous year.
 Of note:
<ul>
<li>Approved proposed investment for the first nine months of 2013-14 was around $24.8 billion, 44% higher than the $17.2 billion approved during all of 2012-13. The total number of residential real estate proposals increased by 4,331 proposals to 15,999 approvals in the first nine months of 2013-14.</li>
<li>The majority of the increase is attributable to proposed investment in new property, which at $19.3 billion for the first nine months of 2013-14 is 79% higher than the $10.8 billion in 2012-13. Approvals for proposed investment in new property also represent the majority of the overall increase, with 10,244 approvals in the first nine months of 2013-14 compared to 6,567 approvals in 2012-13. </li>
<li>The total number of established property approvals for the first nine months of 2013-14 is 5,755 compared to 5,101 for 2012-13.</li>
</ul>
The latest 2013-14 data also indicate that a large proportion of the growth in residential real estate approvals has been from non-resident Chinese investors.
"Some of the potential drivers could include: the depreciation in the Australian dollar, which has fallen against the renminbi during the period of investment growth; China’s domestic housing market conditions — such as deteriorating housing affordability and Chinese government restrictions on domestic house purchases brought in to curb real estate speculation; and continued growth in the size of China’s upper and middle classes."
The submission noted "Australia has not been the only destination for increased outward real estate investment from China, with Malaysia, Singapore, the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom all recipients of increased Chinese investment in recent years."
It also indicated, based on historical data, the average size of an advanced-off-the-plan development was around 170 dwellings.
"On average, around 35% of dwellings in a development have been sold to foreign persons."
The submission said data limitations made it difficult to measure the benefits of foreign investment in the real estate sector.
"Despite these difficulties, there are some general observations that can be made on the overall economic impacts of foreign investment in residential real estate.
"Foreign investment from non-residents increases the demand for, and supply of, housing stock; In the short-term, any increase in demand, is likely to put upward pressure on dwelling prices and the cost of services related to the construction sector (including, at the margin, higher wage levels).
"The extent of the price rise attributable to foreign demand is difficult to isolate from other factors. 
"This increased demand for housing stock should encourage higher levels of housing supply, albeit with a lag, with benefits for the construction industry, employment and growth.
"As dwelling completions catch up to demand, the addition of new supply would be expected to have a moderating influence on dwelling prices.
"In the medium-term, there is a likelihood of downward pressure on housing rental costs from the increase in properties available for rent, which may help address tightness in the rental market (the rental vacancy rate is very low and has averaged 2.3% over the last decade).
"Foreign purchases also increase government revenues, in the form of stamp duties and other taxes, and from the overall higher economic growth that flows from the additional investment."
Previously, Meriton's Harry Triguboff said in his submission to the inquiry that <a href="/news/meritons-harry-triguboff-says-firb-regulations-should-be-liberalised-not-further-restricted">FIRB regulations should be liberalised, not further restricted</a>.
Click to open tables in new window:
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<a href="/images/2014/06/12/firb-june-12-one.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="/images/2014/06/12/firb-june-12-one.jpg" alt=""></a>
<a href="/images/2014/06/12/firb-june-12-two.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="/images/2014/06/12/firb-june-12-two.jpg" alt=""></a>
Source: Treasury submission to Parliamentary <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Economics/Foreign_investment_in_real_estate" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">Foreign investment in residential real estate</a> inquiry.
</div>
</div>
</body></html>

FIRB powerless to identify or stop illegal residential purchases, as Chinese investment surges

The tennis champion Pat Rafter has yet to sell his Woollahra terrace.

It was listed initially for 24 May auction with $2.6 million plus hopes then again for 7 June auction&nbsp;through Paul Ephron of Run Property.

<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-woollahra-116801671" target="_blank">The contemporary Wallis Street three-bedroom terrace</a>&nbsp;cost $2.35 million in 2007.

The price&nbsp;guidance is now $2.5 million plus.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=9187 project_image_fid=164848]

The Noosa-based&nbsp;sportsman previously had&nbsp;his Sydney home on Hopetoun Avenue, Mosman which was sold in 2007 for $7.75 million.

Former tennis ace Pat Rafter is selling his stylish Woollahra terrace for more than $2.6 million.

The two-time US Open winner and Bonds underwear model bought the contemporary three-bedroom terrace in Wallis Street in 2007 for $2.35 million to use as his Sydney base after he sold his Mosman home in Hopetoun Avenue that year for $7.75 million.

Nowadays the Rafters are based in Noosa, where they set a record in 2006 when they bought their double block for $9.5 million.

Pat Rafter Woollahra terrace remains listed for sale

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

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News