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Tony Macvean, managing partner at law firm Hall &amp; Wilcox and a Committee of Melbourne board member, didn't sell his three-bedroom warehouse conversion on Richmond Hill under the hammer at weekend auction.
It was passed in at $1.1 million. But elsewhere Richmond agents secured under the hammer sales sales in 12 of their 14 weekend offerings, while the suburb's star AFL forward Jack Riewoldt was in Sydney kicking his bag of 11 goals against the GWS team.
Macvean and Amy Carroll bought the then newly converted property at 6/10 Waltham Place (pictured above) as a family home in 2004 for $780,000. And after it was passed in at a reserve of $1,215,000, post auction negotiations actually took the selling price to $265,000 above the reserve, according to the buyers' agent Frank Valentic.
They have rented it out more recently, initially in 2008 at around $780 a week. They are selling it to purchase a beach shack at Wye River.
The three-level property comes with two living areas. The second terrace has city views taking in the famous Pelaco sign. There is basement parking for two cars.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.bigginscott.com.au/property/details/17129" target="_blank">Julie Taylor of Biggin &amp; Scott</a> expected $1.2 million-plus.
<a href="/news">Richmond</a>'s weekend sales ranged between $285,000 to $1.19 million. The cheapest had been tipped to fetched $270,000 plus.
The top sale was another warehouse apartment, this one sold by Marek Olech, of Nelson Alexander, who was quoting $980,000 to $1.05 million for <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-richmond-116833807" target="_blank">3 Stewart Place</a> (pictured below) which was bought as a shell about 12 years ago. It has three bedrooms and top-floor open-plan living-dining with a terrace featuring MCG and city views. It came with a home office, dumb waiter and tandem garage.
<img src="/images/2014/05/26/richmond%20may%2026%20two.jpg" alt="">
The most popular suburb for auction listings at the weekend in metro Melbourne was <a href="/news">Glen Iris</a> in the inner east with 25.
There were 19 auctions including <a href="/news">South Yarra</a>, <a href="/news">Brighton</a> and <a href="/news">Northcote</a> in the north east.
<a href="/news">Preston</a> in the north east had 17 auctions listed followed by <a href="/news">Bentleigh East</a> in the inner south with 16.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Better than Jack's 11, Richmond scores with 12 weekend residential sales

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Reserve Bank of Australia analysis recently put the national residential property market at just 1.9% off prior records set in the 2007 and 2010.
The RBA supplied the Australian Financial Review columnist Christopher Joye with its price-to-income ratio estimates after an information request.
The data was as at 31 March, with Joye noting that since March, home values across the capital cities have corrected modestly by 0.9%, according to RP Data-Rismark’s index.
"While this apparent improvement in affordability is welcome news, it does not necessarily mean alarm bells should stop ringing," Joye advised.
Some optimistic pundits claim that the softening in auction clearance rates and prices heralds a moderation in activity where capital gains will not exceed Australia’s 3% household income growth rate (to avoid heading into bona fide “bubble” territory)."
Joye says Australian household debt relative to incomes is 28% above the level that prevailed in December 2002 (based on the RBA’s numbers).
"And the dwelling price-to-income ratio is 15% more expensive than it was a decade ago."
Joye says there are some reasons to think that the current May slowdown is a "seasonal air pocket".
He says analysis shows that during the months of April through June, inclusive, house price growth is normally about 1% weaker than it is over the rest of the year.
"If there are no rate hikes this year and the marginal buyer supposes (irrationally) that the record low 4.8% mortgage rates they can get are here to stay, there is scope for them to bid up prices another 5 to 10%," he tipped.
"My own perspective is that we are unlikely to see any real correction in prices until borrowing rates normalise.
"That in turn requires hikes from the RBA, which is currently entrenched on the sidelines."
His concern is that when the RBA does recalibrate rates, home values could decline "sharply."
"Investors must therefore focus maniacally on getting value for money."
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RBA housing bubble alarm bells should be ringing despite May price correction: Christopher Joye

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The low-key Huang family were hosting guests at Altona, their prized $52 million Point Piper home, yesterday.
It was an outdoor lunch on the alfresco terrace they've installed on the previously neglected tennis court block.<img src="/images/2014/05/27/alotna%20may%2027%20threee.jpg" alt="" style="line-height: 1.3em;">
Leeuwin Estate and Penfolds shiraz were available along with the BBQ prawns.
The family and guests had earlier popped down to the harbourfront jetty to take photographs with the trophy home, Altona as the backdrop.Title Tattle was cruising Sunday morning spotting the obviously proud family as they posed and then pointed out the classic features of their iconic Victorian Italianate home to their international guests. 
Possibly they were all oblivious to the silly speculation in the Fairfax Media Sunday tabloid that had suggested Altona was the "next" trophy home set for demolition. "Altona likely to be demolished," said the headline without any subsequent proof.
<img src="/images/2014/05/26/SMH-may-26-one.jpg" alt="">
Source: Sydney Morning Herald
Title Tattle gathers neighbours have been merely advised to expect bathroom renovations at the Wunulla Road property, not the wrecking ball. 
Indeed the mere absence of the property from the forthcoming 1995 Woollahra Council local environment plan update doesn't make it the next to be bulldozed. There has been no application by the Huang family, just an overdue consideration by council of what homes across the municipality should and should not be included in the updated local environment plan.
Title Tattle suggests <a href="/news/goodbye-craig-y-mor-the-prof-wilkinson-point-piper-home">t</a><a href="/news/goodbye-craig-y-mor-the-prof-wilkinson-point-piper-home">he recent demolition of nearby Craig-y-mor,</a> anticipated for five years, ought not have been extrapolated into the reckless weekend report that Altona too faces the same outcome.
However the depiction of reality further faded by mid-morning when the international Daily Mail website managed to completely mangle the earlier Sun Herald report to its worldwide audience.
<img src="/images/2014/05/26/daily-mail-may-26-one.jpg" alt="">
Source: Daily Mail
It wrote:
"A $54 million waterfront mansion located in an exclusive Sydney suburb is set to become the most expensive Australian property to be knocked down.
"The Altona residence in Point Piper, located just metres back from Sydney Harbour, will smash the current record for a demolition property by more than $20 million if a decision to move the wrecking ball in get's approved next month.
"The fate of the 1960s estate is in the hands of Sydney's Woolhara (sic) Council, which will need to assess whether the benefits of building a more contemporary estate on the site outweighs the current property's heritage listed significance. A heritage assessment report compiled for the council recommends against the knockdown of the Victorian Italianate residence, but the report only lists the original features of the two-storey residence as being a parapet, two chimneys and a tower."
The entire Daily Mail report was wrong, jumping to conclusions based on the misleading intent within the originating Sun Herald article. The Australian Financial Review has also republished the piece under the heading, Sydney mansion Altona faces demolition. 
Last June, after <a href="/news/altona-reigns-in-title-tattles-subdued-top-20-house-sales-list-of-2013">its $52 million sale</a>, Woollahra councillors moved a motion that a report be prepared considering the heritage significance and possible heritage listing of the property at 54-56 Wunulla Road, Point Piper, known as Altona including its curtilage.
It concluded renovations and extensions over the decades meant there was little origin heritage within the estate.
That's a pity, but it hardly warrants the hysterically misleading weekend reports.  
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Point Piper's Altona stands proud amid tabloid media demolition hysterics

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Positioned opposite Victoria Park on a substantial 3,718 square metre block, Mimosa, the 1894 heritage listed Victorian Italianate mansion at St Marys has been sold.
The western Sydney home fetched $2 million mid-week. The suburb's median house price is at a record $377,500, <a href="/news">according to RP Data</a>.
Retaining original grandeur, it was the first <a href="https://www.dukesestateagents.com.au/Property.aspx?Property=702&amp;s=St%20Marys%20&amp;=mi&amp;=ma&amp;=t&amp;=be&amp;=ba&amp;=c" target="_blank">time offered in over 60 years</a>.
"It presented an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to secure a local landmark," the Dukes Real Estate Penrith marketing said.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-st+marys-116045467" target="_blank">It was sold through Craig Caughlan </a>who listed it last November with $1.95 million plus hopes.
Caughlan, noting that many house sales have been for consolidation and residential redevelopment, estimated the sale at least doubled the previous record.
It was built for master tanner Andrew Thompson, in the early Penrith district days.
The local St Marys historical society notes it was built in 1894 by local builder Joseph Sainsbury.
Mimosa was considered to be the most expensive home built in the district at that time. 
Apparently Andrew Thompson preferred to light the house with acetylene gas in preference to electricity and the home wasn’t switched to electricity until the 1950s.
He has started his first tannery with the help of an Irishman named John Briggs and he was the first Australian tanner to import the South African "<a href="https://www.stmaryshistoricalsociety.org/tributewi2004.htm" target="_blank">Mimosa</a>" bark which he found superior to the local product - this "Mimosa" emblem was used as his trade mark on his products and his family home in Pages Road. 
Andrew married John’s daughter Lydia in 1873. 
He died on his property “Lenore” on 30th October, 1918 and willed the family home to his spinster daughter Mary Thompson.
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Mimosa, the 1894 mansion sells at five times St Marys median

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Ailu, the 1885 Camberwell mansion, became the suburb's record price holder at auction this weekend. It fetched $6.8 million at its Marshall White auction with three strong bidders.
Property Observer gathers the landmark Italianate, slate roofed Victorian residence on a 1,580 square metre block, last sold for $1.1 back in 1996.
It was bought in 1996 from the Jolly family that had owned it since the mid-1930s, when the property was known as Toowomba.
Showcasing the impressive proportions of its era, it has been faithfully renovated to preserve its traditional period features.
But Marshall White selling agent James Tostevin stressed the interiors also delivered luxurious living spaces geared to today's contemporary family lifestyles.
Located in one of Melbourne's finest residential precincts, the Tara Estate, the home features a wide double arched hallway with parquetry floors.
There is a sweeping staircase leading to the tower which has two bedrooms and an upper terrace with 360 degree views all around the Melbourne skyline.
Marshall White marketing utilised drone imagery, a new technology allowing buyers to view properties from perspectives that would previously have been inaccessible. There were 1900 pre-auction views of the youtube offering.
{qtube vid:=CmLisGpZngE}
With a $5.4 million opening bid, James Buyer Advocates indicated Ailu was announced on the market at $6 million with all three bidders back in the race. After the day's auctioning, Marshall White director John Bongiorno told Fairfax Media the prestige Melbourne market was finely balanced and not as strong as some people thought.
Locals advise that the earlier Camberwell record was set when lawyers Peter Gordon and partner Kerri O'Toole secured $6.275 million in 2012 for 69 Broadway. It was a five bedroom 1901 home on a 3300 square metre holding sold through Kay &amp; Burton which had likewise sold in the mid-1990s, selling at $1.25 million in 1998.
RP Data puts <a href="/news">Camberwell</a>'s median at a near record $1.38 million. 
Melbourne's fourth and seventh dearest house sales this weekend were also in Camberwell with the REIV reporting a 73% and APM a 74% clearance rate across Melbourne.
The other top house sales that Property Observer was aware of this weekend:
2. 15 Avondale Road, Armadale $4,900,000
3. 4 Riversdale Court, Hawthorn $4,350,000
4. 49 Cookson Street, Camberwell $3,190,000
5. 1 Laburnum Court, Brighton $2,925,000
6. 9 Tiffany Grove, Templestowe $2,656,000
7. 119 Wattle Valley Road, Camberwell $2,650,000
8. 39 Hannan Street, Williamstown $2,500,000 
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Ailu, the 1885 Italianate Camberwell mansion, fetches $6.8 million record price

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Sydney’s inner west clearance rate has been cooling but a dilapidated, rotting Leichhardt shack, in desperate need of renovation, or more likely demolition, sold at Saturday morning McGrath auction for $980,000. 
The home at 80 Edith Street, which attracted an $800,000 opening bid from the eventual buyer, hasn't even got a floor in the timber rooms.
The sale was effectively for the 278 square metre block with development approval for a new home.
The home, empty for 20 years. still had its rooftop television antenna. 
Just three of the eight registered parties put in bids on the property for which there were  <a href="https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/land-leichhardt-nsw-2040/224717/?searchID=39430462" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">initial expectations of more than $850,000</a>.
McGrath agent Shad Hassen, who spoke right through the noise of the overhead Tiger jet departure from Sydney airport, predicts $1.6 million plus after any rebuild at 80 Edith Street.
<img src="/images/2014/05/26/leichhardt%20may%2026%20seven.jpg" alt="">
Leichhardt’s median house price is $927,500, <a href="/news">according to RP Data</a>. 
As such it is not among the 170 suburbs with a $1 million median house price, according to Australian Property Monitors.The figure comes from sales data over the six months to March.
Sydney's upper north shore region recently became the fifth of eight regions that now sat within the $1 million plus median house price range.
The other regions already with $1 million medians include the city and east, the lower north shore, the northern beaches, and the inner west which was included only last year.
The Leichhardt offering was among the 800 properties listed for auction in Sydney on the weekend, which APM suggest is nearly double the 422 homes auctioned over the same weekend last year. 
Sydney’s inner west hosted the most auctions with 124 followed by the city and east with 116, the south with 110, the upper north shore with 90, the lower north shore with 74 and the west with 71 homes listed to go under the hammer.
 
The Sydney auction market bounced back at the weekend recording its highest clearance rate for eight weeks. The preliminary Sydney rate of 79.3 percent was helped by the inner west with 83.0 percent.
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Rotting Leichhardt shack sells for just shy of $1 million

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The veteran ABC sports commentator Peter Wilkins, best known as "Wilko" has sold his Elanora Heights home.
It has been his two storey, five bedroom Sydney home since paying $835,000 in 2003 with wife, Susie. They have two children.
Some $1.3 million plus was sought for the 1975-built Kalang Road house on a 703 square metre block.
Its<a href="https://www.ljhooker.com.au/HCSF6Q/5-bedroom-house-for-sale-elanora-heights" target="_blank"> LJ Hooker Collaroy selling agent Gordon Spring</a> has declined to give a price result.
Apparently the couple are seeking a South Coast sea-change.
RP Data puts the median house price at <a href="/news">Elanora Heights</a> at around $975,000.
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Peter "Wilko" Wilkins, ABC sports veteran, sells Elanora Heights home

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Foxlow, the Bungendore farm on the Molonglo River, outside Canberra has been sold today for $15 million.
The single storey 1920s Howard Joseland-designed homestead in landscaped gardens sits on 7500 hectares, 20 minutes from Queanbeyan.
The seven bedroom homestead featured in Some Southern Homes of NSW by G Nesta Griffiths who mentioned that one year the Osborne's horse, Vixen won the Sydney Cup. In her 1976 book she recalled that she stayed there in 1928 remembering the stud of Percherson horses. There is also a converted stone barn designed by architect Cyril Ruwald offering separate self-contained accommodation.
It sold through Ray White Rural agents Terry Brennan and Bruce Gunning with potential residential subdivision prospects, but will be retained as a grazing operation by its Australian buyer, one of the 10 parties who inspected the property.
Already 16 eight hectare blocks had been previously subdivided and sold.
Agents had estimated the carrying capacity of Foxlow as about 30,000 dry sheep equivalents.
The initial pre-auction guidance had been $15 million plus. There was a vendor’s bid at $14.5 million before the one knockdown bid of $15 million.
Brett Falkiner has owned the property since the early 1960s after his grandfather F.B.S Falkiner (the son of F.S. Falkiner) had purchased the property in 1920 as drought relief pasture.
Before the Falkiner's it was the Osborne family, and the before that the Rutledge family.
<img src="/images/2014/05/26/foxlow-may-26-two.jpg" alt="">
John Hosking, the first mayor of Sydney, and had given the property its name, after his wife, Martha Foxlow Terry, daughter of Samuel Terry, in the 1830s.
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John Hosking, whose legacy lives on in the form of Hoskinstown which was named after him, became insolvent in 1843 and much of his property was sold. 
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The Falkiner's history dates back to sheep-farming in Tipperary, Ireland. 
Foxlow was also known for its Red Poll cattle and a Percheron horse breeding operation.
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Foxlow at Bungendore fetches $15 million for Falkiner family

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The Country Women's Association of NSW (CWA) annual state conference has voted to sell its Potts Point property.
Some 397 of the 547 delegates voted to sell after the issue was debated behind closed doors earlier this week.
The Greenknowe Avenue building houses the head office and auditorium and provides $50 a night accommodation.
It was secured in the early 1950s, and opened in 1954 by Lady Slim.
Despite the benefits, the costs required to bring the building up to standard were extensive.
Developers will seek the 1347 square metre site with the CWA set to purchase modern office space.
The association’s state executive recommended the sale to its members before the Griffith conference advising the building required replacement or a $1.7 million upgrade, with long-term expenditure potentially costing $3 million.
The CWA was formed in 1922 when country women were fighting isolation and a lack of health facilities. 
It has been incorporated by an Act of NSW Parliament since 1931.
The CWA retains property at Wagga Wagga and Bermagui.
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Country Women's Association of NSW to sell Potts Point headquarters

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The James, New York based, investment banking family have listed their Rose Bay Avenue, Bellevue Hill, home through Alison Coopes.
<a href="https://www.alisoncoopes.com/resources" target="_blank">The marketing</a> describes the home as a thoroughbred, but gives no price indication though Title Tattle gathers expectations are close to $25 million.
It is likely to sell to a Professor Leslie Wilkinson devotee.
It last sold in 2002 when the Dawson Damer family sold for $9.03 million, swapping its for another Wilkinson-designed house, Greenway in <a href="/news">Vaucluse</a>.
The property, 1 Rose Bay Avenue was Wilkinson's first residential commission in 1923.
The seven bedroom, five bathroom house comes with heated pool, pool house and floodlit lawn tennis court on 2,415 square metre.
Sydney University's founding dean of architecture, Professor Leslie Wilkinson, designed the grand heritage-listed Georgian-style home for the Laidley-Dowling family, in collaboration with architect, John D Moore.
The Dawson-Damers bought for $6.15 million in 1991 from the Perth-based Alan Bond family who'd paid $675,000 in 1979.
Wilkinson undertook just 40 house designs, finishing in 1968 with Anthony Coote's $80,000 Vaucluse waterfront, once briefly owned by Paul Hogan, who sold it for $11 million in 2004 to Precision Group's Shaun Bonett, the young property tycoon from Adelaide.
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Prof Wilkinson-designed Rose Bay Avenue, Bellevue Hill trophy home listing

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/abadeen">Abadeen</a> and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/perifa">PERIFA</a> have celebrated the topping out of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf,</a> marking a significant milestone in the delivery of one of Syd​ney's most anticipated waterfront communities.

Located on Sydney's harbourfront at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/putney-nsw-2112">Putney</a>, the project has now reached its highest structural point, with construction progressing strongly towards completion in 2027. 
&nbsp; 
The milestone was celebrated on-site with project partners Phoenix Property Investors, Mitsubishi Estate Asia, Versatile Construction, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, consultants and stakeholders, to recognise the collective effort behind the transformation of the historic waterfront site into a vibrant new residential, marina and lifestyle destination.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=362240] 
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<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> will deliver a mix of waterfront residences and terraces, complemented by a private 36-berth marina, waterfront dining opportunities and a revitalised foreshore designed to reconnect the community with the river's edge. 
&nbsp; 
Abadeen Executive Chairman and Founder Justin Brown said the project represented a rare opportunity to create the next chapter in Sydn​ey's long history of successful waterfront precincts. 
&nbsp; 
"Throughout Sydney, some of the city's most sought-after addresses have emerged from carefully considered waterfront precincts such as Woolloom​ooloo Wharf, Walsh Bay and Breakfast Point," Brown said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=362566] 
&nbsp; 
"What makes these places so successful is that they become much more than residential developments," Brown said.

"They bring together homes, hospitality, marina facilities, public spaces and a strong sense of community in locations where future supply is incredibly limited."

Brown has long described absolute waterfront land in Sy​dney as "finite."

"Once these opportunities are developed, they are rarely replicated. That's why Syd​ney's waterfront precincts have consistently demonstrated strong demand and long-term value growth over many decades. 
&nbsp; 
"<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> is one of the few remaining opportunities to secure a residence within a masterplanned waterfront community that combines direct water access, marina ownership opportunities and a genuine village lifestyle just moments from the Sy​dney CBD."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=362564] 
&nbsp; 
PERIFA Founder and Managing Director Fabrizio Perilli said the project reflected a shared commitment to delivering exceptional places that create long-term value for residents and the broader community. 
&nbsp; 
"The topping out milestone is a significant achievement for the Versatile Group and a testament to the collaboration between all project partners, consultants and contractors involved," Perilli said. 
&nbsp; 
"Beyond the residences themselves, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> will establish a new waterfront destination that celebrates the history, character and lifestyle of this unique location while creating a lasting legacy for future generations."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=291195] 
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Construction is being delivered by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/versatile">Versatile Construction</a>, with structural works now substantially complete across the precinct. Attention will progressively shift to the construction of the waterview terraces, apartment façades, services and interior fit-out works over the coming months. 
&nbsp; 
With limited residences and marina berths remaining, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> continues to attract strong interest from owner occupiers and downsizers seeking a premium waterfront lifestyle within close proximity to Putne​y Village, Rh​odes, Top Ry​de and the Syd​ney CBD. 
&nbsp; 
As one of the last opportunities to secure a residence within a new masterplanned waterfront community on Sy​dney Harbour, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> is expected to remain a highly sought-after address for years to come.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=13962]

Joel Robinson

Abadeen, PERIFA, top out Putney Wharf harbourfront precinct

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]

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.

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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."

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Jonathan Chancellor

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