<html><body>
<div id="baseInfo">
<div id="listing_header">
Wirraway, the stunning mansion on 1,550 acres in the Biddaddaba Valley, only 30 minutes from the Gold Coast, has been listed for sale with a $20 million asking price.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-tabragalba-116934359" target="_blank">The rural retreat</a> comes with four bedroom colonial-style main residence with a ballroom that can host 200 guests.
There are two guest houses amid improved pastures and 16 dams.
It has aircraft and helicopter facilities. 
The wine cellar under the house comes with adjoining tasting room. It doubles as a panic room with bullet-proof glass.
With 1,550 acres over six titles, some 70% of property is fully improved pastures.
The highlight of the 16 dams, is the nine acre dam stocked with thousands of Australian Bass.
There are aircraft hangars plus helicopter pad and 1000 metre registered airfield runway.
</div>
</div>
<div id="description">
"This property, the residences and improvements have to be seen to be believed," Harcourts Coastal Luxury agent Shaun Kaddatz said.
It has been listed by Preston and Miranda Richardson.
 
</div>
</body></html>

jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Wirraway, the $20 million Tabragalba, Gold Coast hinterland mansion

<html><body>
Cloyne, the landmark Toorak residence, has been listed for sale through Sotheby's International agents Greg Herman and Robert Curtain.
The <a href="https://www.sothebysrealty.com/eng/sales/detail/180-l-2980-3nzhpe/cloyne-611-toorak-road-toorak-toorak-melbourne-vi-3142" target="_blank">five bedroom, five bathroom Harold Desbrowe-Annear-designed house</a>, with prominent port corchere, last sold in 2011 at around $3.5 million.
It now comes with a $4.8 million asking price.
Cloyne is one of the few substantially intact homes designed in the 1920s by Harold Desbrowe Annear.
It was built at 611 Toorak Road, Toorak in 1926 for Louis Nelken, reputedly a former Royal family butler, who married into the establishment Baillieu family. He was a director of Australian Knitting Mills.
Louis Nelken married Lesley Chrystal Madden, the daughter of chief justice Sir John Madden, in 1921 dressed "in girlish frocking of white satin with georgette over-scallops and a bodice strewn with pearls."
Brother Guy Madden did the giving away, and a handful of relatives saw the knot tied in the Madden dame's Cliveden flat parlour. The party then motored to the Alexandra Club.
There were ads in 1930s suggesting they were off to <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/4213119" target="_blank">Upper Macedon with the furniture up for sale</a>.
<a href="https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1300&amp;dat=19551103&amp;id=GBsRAAAAIBAJ&amp;sjid=FpUDAAAAIBAJ&amp;pg=5690,331692" target="_blank">They finally left Cloyne with a swell party in 1955</a> attended by members of the Victorian establishment families, Baillieu, Hordern, Myer, Manifold, Chirnside and also the Dekyvere's from Sydney.
The couple moved to Amesbury on Domain Road, South Yarra and he moved after her 1963 death to Marne Street, South Yarra.
In the 1960s Coyne was owned by the then flamboyant playboy Don Busch, who commissioned an extensive refurbishment which was carried out over eight years. The tycoon, but inexperienced polite, died in early 1970 in a Mustang plane crash at Bendigo in country Victoria.
It sold in 1971 for $145,000 to Toorak hotelier William Drever at an auction by Ernest Trebilcock. Drever, who was accompanied by his lawyer Rodney Davidson, sold in 1992 to the Dutton family for $1.11 million. They resold in 1999 for $1.47 million. It was 
Long describe as one of the most architecturally significant buildings in Melbourne, Sothebys agent Greg Herman it was "truly a Melbourne landmark".
 Comprising grand entrance, formal sitting room, informal sitting/dining room and kitchen, they open north via French doors to the swimming pool and cabana.
There is a paneled study, ballroom and private guest quarters.
Other owners of the historic home were the luxury car dealer Jeff Dutton and his wife, Gay, who sold in 1999 for $1.47 million.
The Australian Dictionary of Biography write that after World War I, Annear prepared several fine, simple designs which freely used the classical vocabulary. 
"Notable among these are the graceful Church Street bridge, Richmond (1924), and Cloyne at 609 Toorak Road (1929), which has a jewel-like quality and is unified by the judicious repetition of a Venetian window motif.
"Such excellent buildings as Cloyne have unjustly been presented as an embarrassment by some of Annear's later admirers, but he believed those who argued for a utilitarian architecture were asking for a non-architecture: they 'did not know definitely what architecture consists of'. 
"In fact he pursued throughout a tempered eclecticism," <a href="https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/annear-harold-desbrowe-5036" target="_blank">it suggested</a>.
</body></html>

Cloyne, the jewelled Toorak trophy residence, returns to market

<html><body>
The Turramurra property Linwood, designed in 1929 by architect Hugh Venables Vernon, has been sold.
It sold pre-auction for an undisclosed price having had $2.5 million hopes through Belle Property Pymble's Lesley Bassam.
<a href="https://www.belleproperty.com/selling/NSW/North-Shore-~-Upper/Turramurra/House/17P2914-23-womerah-street-turramurra-nsw-2074" target="_blank">The 1,739 square metre property Womerah Street property</a> last traded in 1996 for $910,000 when it was bought by Lissa and Nicholas Swan, the former director of Peppers Hotel Group and now company secretary of mining services company AJ Lucas Group.
It was renovated in 2012 enhancing its original features that include rich mahogany and cedar timber features, with polished floorboards and original fireplaces.
The grounds come with a pool and gazebo amid landscaped gardens with century-old trees. 
</body></html>

Linwood, the Hugh Venables Vernon Turramurra house sells

<html><body>
Prime residential prices in key cities worldwide rose by 0.8% on average in the first quarter of 2014, the slowest rate of growth since Q3 2012.
The Knight Frank Prime Global Cities Index tracks the price performance of 32 luxury residential markets.
Closer analysis shows the first quarter of the year has been the index’s weakest performing quarter in two years.
The first quarter, for many European and US cities, corresponds to the winter months where sales activity is sluggish and price movements slower.
The report noted in much of Asia it also marks a traditional low season as Chinese New Year sees sales activity decline.
In addition, tax changes (CGT, VAT etc) often take effect at the end of December leading to a spike in sales in the fourth quarter as buyers and vendors look to take advantage of lower rates e.g. fiscal cliff in New York in 2012.
Despite the slower quarterly rate of growth, the Prime Global Cities Index rose by 6.1% on an annual basis, up from 4.8% a year ago suggesting the overall trend for luxury prices continues to follow an upward trajectory.
Jakarta tops the rankings but Dublin saw the second highest rate of quarterly growth, with prime prices ending the first quarter 5.6% higher.
Last year marked a turning point for Dublin’s upmarket residential areas such as Dalkey and Ballsbridge. Since then luxury prices have risen around 24% but prices remain 35-45% below their pre-crisis peak.
<a href="https://www.knightfrankblog.com/global-briefing/files/2014/05/Prime-Price-By-City-to-Q1-2014.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-3309" src="https://www.knightfrankblog.com/global-briefing/files/2014/05/Prime-Price-By-City-to-Q1-2014.jpg" alt="" width="285" height="413"></a>
The full rankings and analysis is at <a href="https://my.knightfrank.com/research-reports/prime-global-cities-index.aspx" target="_blank" title="Prime Global Cities Index" style="line-height: 1.3em;">The Prime Global Cities Index</a>.
</body></html>

Sydney squeezed in-between London and Vancouver price growth: Knight Frank global cities index

<html><body><div class="page" title="Page 1">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
Australand Property Group and joint venture partner LaSalle Investment Management have won the right to buy a residential site owned by UrbanGrowth NSW in North Ryde, Sydney.
The price of the 1.3 hectare site is understood to be about $50 million.
Located adjacent to the newly completed North Ryde train station, it is expected to yield up to 400 apartments 
It forms part of the North Ryde Urban Activation Precinct.
The site is well serviced with close access to education facilities, including Macquarie University; a major regional shopping centre; and employment precincts.
The site’s zoning permits a mixed used development so will include as a small retail component.
“Following the success of existing projects in Wolli Creek and Clemton Park, we look forward to expanding our partnering relationship with LaSalle Investment Management," Australand’s Managing director, Bob Johnston, said
“Securing this project further strengthens our position in the Sydney market and provides greater visibility of our medium term residential pipeline with the project expected to deliver earnings from 2016,” Mr Johnston said. 
</div>
</div>
</div></body></html>

Australand secures North Ryde residential infill site

<html><body><div class="page" title="Page 2">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
Australia sits firmly in the property overvalued basket, according to the latest Knight Frank international residential property report.
Not as overpriced as Norway and Canada.
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<a href="/images/2014/05/21/kf-may-21-one.gif" target="_blank"><img src="/images/2014/05/21/kf-may-21-one.gif" alt=""></a>
</div>
</div>
<a href="https://my.knightfrank.com/research-reports/global-opportunites-report.aspx" target="_blank">The Knight Frank Global Opportunities report</a> compared mainstream housing markets across 27 countries, assessing how prices are performing in relation to rents and incomes.
Australian homes ranked fifth among the world's most ''overvalued'' housing markets.
Knight Frank suggest a property market was correctly valued when local incomes are enough to buy or rent an average property.
The axis at 0 represents a position where a market is valued in line with its long-term average. 
A column above the line shows there is an imbalance with house prices surging ahead of rents or incomes.
A column close to the line suggests the market is balanced, and displaying a sustainable level of growth.
<div title="Page 3">
<div>
<div>
<div>
A column below the line signals the market is undervalued with rental and/or income growth outpacing house prices.
At present, 15 of the 27 countries Knight Frank tracked are above their long-term average both in terms of price-to-rent as well as price-to-income ratios, the Knight Frank international residential researcher Kate Everett-Allen said.
"Interestingly, if the same exercise had been carried out at the height of the financial crisis in 2008 more than 20 countries would have been in this bracket," she noted.
Those markets in which prices and rents look to be balanced include the United States, Italy, Austria, Iceland and Luxembourg.
Countries such as Greece, Spain, and Portugal where prices are still falling are likely to end up on the right of the chart as the gaps between the respective indicators narrow.
Germany and Japan, having missed out on the double-digit price growth observed in many developed economies in the early 2000’s remain firmly in the ‘undervalued’ camp.
Belgium, Norway and Canada, where prices are still rising, represent those countries most at risk of a price correction, particularly if mortgage rates increase or incomes start 
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
"With the global economy displaying green shoots, buyers – both in mainstream housing markets and second home hotspots – are looking closely at which markets offer real value," the Knight Frank international residential researcher Kate Everett-Allen said.
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
“The upturn in the global economy, albeit gradual, has meant for some home ownership, or even the acquisition of a second home, is back on the agenda again for the first time since 2008.”
</div>
<div>
Already in 2014 there has been a steady stream of positive indicators for global housing markets, she noted.
Lending criteria is being relaxed, interest rates in Europe, the US and the UK look set to remain at historical lows at least until 2015, employment is picking up and buyer confidence is strengthening.
"This upturn in the global economy, albeit gradual, has meant for some home ownership, or even the acquisition of a second home, is back on the agenda again for the first time since 2008 across Europe and the Caribbean. 
"From currency fluctuations to purchase costs, from tax hikes to oversupplied markets; we look at the potential risks (upside and downside) that deserve close consideration," she added. 
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div></body></html>

Australian residential housing overpriced: Knight Frank

<html><body>
Jordan Belfort, whose memoir The Wolf of Wall Street was turned into a film by Martin Scorsese, is turning up to AREC 2014, the conference billed as allowing Australian estate agents to "meet the best real estate and business minds on the planet".
"20 world class agents and presenters who will change your life," it's suggested.
But Belfort - who this week advised he expects to earn more this year than he made at his peak as a stockbroker, allowing him to finally repay the victims of his fraud - is triggering an estate agent boycott of the 1 June conference.
"Usually this conference is a fantastic (although expensive) conference to attend," the Ray White Cheltenham, Melbourne agent Peter Konidaris blogged. "A great investment for a real estate agent (new or experienced) looking for additional inspiration from inspirational speakers and leaders in our industry. But upon realising Jordan Belfort was the 'headline act', in my strong opinion, AREC has taken a huge backward step."
"I’m disappointed with this year’s AREC conference, having a convicted con man as one of their 'motivational speakers'."
He suggested other speakers have integrity, especially Aron Ralston (the mountain climber who lost his arm, depicted in the film 127 Hours) along with a bunch of other successful Aussie business people and real estate agents.
"I don’t want our industry to be set back by this bloke teaching some gullible attendees his sleazy scripts, dialogues, persuasive techniques and tricks," Peter Konidaris urged. 
He is not alone with a number of agents having significant concerns with him, especially after his walk-out interview with 60 Minutes interview Liz Hayes and his subsequent personal attack on Kyle Sandilands and Jacki O's radio program against the respected Australian correspondent.
Industry veteran, from Harcourts Frankston director Brent Pullar said the conference was brazenly promoting a fraudster whose actions had devastated many lives.
“For AREC to market a convicted con artist’s sales techniques and powers of persuasion is not something I want for the industry,” he told News Ltd papers.
Belfort, who earns up to $30,000 an hour to explain his selling strategies, claims he will make more this year than he ever made in his best year as a broker.
Belfort told a conference in Dubai that his goal was to make US$100 million plus from a 45-city speaking tour in the US.
The Securities and Exchange Commission shut down his firm in 1998, and in 2003 Belfort was convicted and sentenced to four years in jail.
He is scheduled to speak for an hour each day at the June 1/2Gold Coast AREC conference, with his speeches titled, The Art of Prospecting and From Prison to Hollywood. 
Photo courtesy of Facebook.
</body></html>

The Wolf of Wall Street Jordan Belfort's upcoming AREC 2014 attendance "a huge backward step"

<html><body>
McGrath Estate Agents expects more than $825,000 for the Darling Point apartment that Lara Bingle bought from interior designer Blainey North for $882,000 in 2010, soon after her break-up with Test cricket captain Michael Clarke.
It's a stylish one-bedroom that is <a href="https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/apartment-darling-point-nsw-2027/225301/?searchID=39312079" target="_blank">set for </a><a href="https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/apartment-darling-point-nsw-2027/225301/?searchID=39312079" target="_blank">June 14 auction</a>.
It is a Goomerah Court company title art deco apartment apartment with city and harbour views from most of its 65 square metre space. It was not the apartment that Lara lived in while filming her reality television series, which was based on Notts Avenue, Bondi Beach.
It has American oak parquetry floors. It had been traded at $700,000 when bought by Blainey North.
There have been two other McGrath sales in the block when $925,000 was secured for <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/apartment-darling-point-nsw-2027/76865" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">a two bedroom unrenovated listing</a> and then a <a href="https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/apartment-darling-point-nsw-2027/193910/?searchID=38820498" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">renovated two bedroom sale last October</a> at around $800,000 which Title Tattle suggests would explain the latest pricing estimate.
RP Data puts the current apartment median in <a href="/news">Darling Point</a> at around $1.2 million, which has eased over the past month from $1.3 million.
</body></html>

Lara Bingle looks set to lose on Darling Point apartment listing

<html><body>
The coal baron Nathan Tinkler has relisted his mega-mansion on a four hectare acreage outside Brisbane. 
Rebecca Tinkler bought the property in 2007 for $5.2 million from Brad Sugars. It's among several trophy homes owned by the Tinkler family.
"All serious offers considered," the <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-pullenvale-116314759" target="_blank">advertising by First National Bayside agent Peter McDonald</a> says.
It hit the market in May 2013, but withdrawn from marketing around September last year.
Offers have been made at $3 million plus, but not yet at $4 million plus.
The seven-bedroom, five-bathroom Pullenvale home is nestled in the hills 15 kilometres west of Brisbane.
It has a resort-style spa and pool with two waterslides and a poolside bar. 
There is a floodlit champion size tennis court and a private golf green at the front of the four hectare block.
There are also stables and paddocks  for a number of horses.Tinkler has spread his collection of sports memorabilia and Hollywood minutia around the timber-floored house.
Tinkler currently retains homes at Merewether in the Newcastle beachside precinct and his $11.5 million oceanfront mansion on Sapphire Beach, Noorinya. 
Noorinya sits at the top of the list of Nathan Tinkler's private property assets.
The mining magnate smashed the mid north coast record in 2008 when he purchased Noorinya, on a Sapphire Beach headland, for $11.5 million from Microsoft pioneer Jaybe Ammons.
Noorinya, with 1.8 hectares of private headland, comes with lap pool and a secluded beach.
The following year Stockland’s David Pitman and ABN Amro’s Simon Perrott purchased oceanfront properties from developer Barry France on the next headland along at Sapphire Beach.
{qtube vid:=BYSuZ5PkBg8&amp;feature=plcp}
Video source LJ Hooker, 2008 marketing campaign
Video prepared by HTM Digital
Ammons and his wife, Shelly, had spent about $2.75 million on the site amalgamation, including a $1.85 million purchase from the late hospital industry operator Paul Ramsay in 1999. Locals say the family used it regularly during the early years of ownership, but not much recently since the family relocated from their Newcastle base to Singapore.
Tinkler retains his Merewether holding, a two-block 1,587-square-metre amalgamation overlooking Bar and Dixon Park beaches, which cost an $8.8 million total in 2008. It’s been in limbo since a development application for a six-bedroom Rosie Stollery-designed compound overlooking Dixon Park Beach was approved in June 2011.
And there's suggestions there's actually been an off market sale of the Merewether holding, although that will need to first dispense with the March 2014 caveat by the Office of State Revenue before any settlement.
The properties have been mortgaged to New York-based investment bank Jefferies.
</body></html>

Nathan Tinkler relists Pullenvale acreage  

<html><body>
Shares of Genworth Mortgage Insurance Australia closed at a 13% premium after Australia’s biggest lenders mortgage insurer (LMI) made its public debut on the Australian Securities Exchange on Tuesday.
Genworth shares were priced at $2.65 but quicky rose to be at $2.96 in the first half-hour of trade yesterday.
Genworth’s $496 million float was the second-largest listing by value since 1 January, trailing last month’s $657 million Genesis Energy initial public offering.
Its prospectus reported Genworth Australia had been profitable for 46 of the past 48 years. 
The company is chaired by Richard Grellman.
</body></html>

Genworth floats with 13% premium

<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] 
&nbsp; 
<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] 
&nbsp; 
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."

<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.

Jonathan Chancellor

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News