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The professional matchmaker Yvonne Allen has sold her three-level inner city Melbourne pad for $1.3 million.
Allen, founder of Yvonne Allen &amp; Associates, and her partner Stephen Hopley, a former director of Macquarie who is now on the board of oil company MEO Australia, bought the three-level apartment at 10/130 Flinders Street in 2007 for $695,000.
The couple then commissioned architect Victoria Hamer to renovate <a href="https://www.melbourneboutiqueproperty.com/index.cfm?pagecall=property&amp;propertyID=2624823" target="_blank">the four bedroom apartment in the 1885 building</a>.
The Italian High Renaissance revival warehouse stood as the tallest in Flinders Street after being designed by W.H.Ellerker.
The converted warehouse has had nine residential apartments since 1993.
It sold through Gina Donazzan, of Melbourne Boutique Property, who was quoting $1.1 million-plus.
It features a private rooftop terrace with views towards Government House. Its open-plan living area comes with seven metre ceilings, exposed red brick walls, parquetry floors and original french doors.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Matchmaker Yvonne Allen sells Melbourne warehouse penthouse

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The Sydney house price growth momentum might have actually faded in the March quarter, but it still retains the mantle of highest price growth with weak performances among many of the other capital city housing markets.
Some 6196 properties were reported as sold at auction so far this year in Sydney totalling $6.78 billion with an average $1,094,000 sale price.
But Australian Property Monitors has Sydney house and unit prices recording their lowest rates of growth since March last year.
Sydney’s median house price increased by 3.1% over the March quarter and although this is a solid result, it is nonetheless well down from the December quarter rate of 5.1%. The Sydney unit market also faded over March with prices increasing by 2.6% - again short of the 3.7% recorded during the three months to December 2013. 
Dr Andrew Wilson, the senior economist at APM, noted despite the declining trend in prices growth, Sydney was the best performer of the state capitals over the March quarter. 
Sydney's record house price was up 16.9% over the past year to $782,973 with the median unit price also at a record of $547,053.
Melbourne's median house price increased by 2.8% over the quarter to be 11.7% higher annually, exceeding $600,000 for the first time at $604,110.
Melbourne unit median increased by just 0.2% in the March quarter to $419,702. 
Dr Wilson noted Brisbane's rate of growth was a modest 0.9%, with Brisbane house prices increasing now for the seven consecutive quarter, though its median house price remains just below its previous June 2010 price peak. Annuall Brisbane house prices increased by 6.0% while unit prices increased by just 0.5%.
Adelaide’s modest housing market revival continued with the median house price increasing by 1.3% over the quarter, contributing to an increase of 4.1% for the year. Adelaide unit prices, however, fell by 1.2% over the quarter.
At $611,410, Perth’s median house price remained flat over the March quarter but this was up 8.4% over the year. Perth unit prices were down by 1.4% over the quarter, though its median unit prices were up by 5.4% annually.
Dr Wilson said the Canberra housing market remained subdued with the median house price falling by 2.6%over the March quarter and its median unit price up by just 0.2%.
Hobart house prices weakened over the March quarter falling by 2.5% with prices however increasing by 3.2% over the year.
Darwin’s median house price fell by 1.6% over the March quarter - the city’s weakest quarterly performance since June 2012. Darwin unit prices, however, increased by 2.1%.  House prices are now 3.9% higher than a year ago with unit prices up by 2.7%.
APM March quarter data put the national median house price at $614,348, up 2% over the quarter, the lowest rate of quarterly growth recorded in the past year and nearly half of that recorded in the December quarter. 
Dr Andrew Wilson, the senior economist at APM, said the varying capital city results reflected the disparity of the multi-speed recovery profile of the current growth cycle.
The national median unit price increased by 1.3% over the three months to March, again the weakest quarterly result for a year. 
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Sydney March quarter price moderation, but still far stronger than every other capital city: APM

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<div class="story-intro">
The London-bound former foreign minister Alexander Downer and wife, Nicky have listed Brampton House, their Adelaide Hills ­family home for 17 May auction.
He is set to become Australia's high commissioner to Britain, a job his father did in the 1960s.
Brampton House is named after the Derbyshire town where Mrs Downer was born.
<a href="https://www.toop.com.au/details.asp?id=17367" target="_blank">Toop &amp; Toop agent Arabella Cooper</a> is expecting $1.2 million plus for the five-bedroom, ­two-bathroom home set on four hectares where six cross bred Dorper sheep kept the grass down.
 
{qtube vid:=gABj61eVUrw}
The one-storey house, 20 minutes up the South Eastern Freeway from Adelaide, has a pool, tennis court and spring-fed dam.
There are views north-east over the Onkaparinga Valley.
</div>
The Downer's found the land at Mount George in 1988 while living in Macclesfield.
They are empty nesters as their four children no longer live at home. 
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London-bound Alexander Downer lists Adelaide Hills acreage home

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An unidentified cashed up Europe-based buyer - thwarting the nascent trend of Asian buyer interest in the Southern Highlands - has secured Chain of Ponds before this weekend's scheduled auction.
The property is the matrimonial farm of Sydney businessman farmer Peter Holmes à Court and his former wife, Divonne, who now lives in Saanen, Switzerland where the children are schooled.
It had been set for 26 April auction with $6.3 million plus hopes through <a href="https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/acreage-rural-mittagong-nsw-2575/194333/?searchID=38671885" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">McGrath Bowral agent Anne Stone</a> and <a href="https://www.mcmillanrealestate.com.au/property-details/property-details?id=2237" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">Howard McMillan from McMillan Real Estate Bowral</a>.
The sale price has not been revealed but Title Tattle is aware of $6 million plus offers.
APM reported Sydney vendors notched up a 78% Anzac Day weekend clearance rate, up on the 73% rate on the same weekend last year, with the highest recorded sale being 229 Prices Circuit, Woronora at $1,610,500.
With the wonderful autumn rains, Chain of Ponds presented picture perfect in the auction marketing, <a href="/news/gardens-mudrooms-grand-gates-private-lakes-and-fire-places-southern-highlands-trophy-home-requisites">as Property Observer columnist Margie Blok recently noted</a>.
The property is currently run as a beef breeding and fattening property on a large scale for the Southern Highlands but could easily be transformed into a high class horse stud. 
Occupying 145 hectares on Old South Road, the property has a six-bedroom residence renovated by Luigi Rosselli Architects.
It is set in extensive gardens designed by landscape luminary William Dangar.
At the western edge of the house paddock, Dangar planted acacias, hakeas and eucalypts all species endemic to the local area to form a screen for privacy and wind relief.
With potential for subdivision into three separate lots, Chain of Ponds is six kilometres from Mittagong and 11 kilometres from Bowral.
The Holmes à Courts oversaw the planting of 5,000 native trees linking the property with surrounding national parks. The property is well irrigated with 12 dams and the Chain of Ponds creek.
Title Tattle is aware of several trophy home sales over recent months, the most noteworthy being The Chase, on Oldbury Road at Sutton Forest through Bill Carpenter from W. McI Carpenter &amp; Associates at Bowral. The Chase, the historic trophy property, <a href="/news/malaysian-tycoon-teo-ah-khing-from-china-horse-club-snaps-up-historic-the-chase-at-sutton-forest">was bought for $5.8 million by the Malaysian horse racing tycoon Teo Ah Khing</a>.
It had been put to December 2013 auction through Bill Carpenter inconjunction with Campbell-Jones Property agent Angus Campbell-Jones. Last traded at $5.2 million in 2011, the 40 hectare property was offloaded by John Starr, a real estate franchise tsar of Sydney’s western suburbs.
Patchway on Ranelagh Road, Burradoo also sold in January to locals for about $4.2 million. It was the home of Lyn Wilson and her engineer husband Ken who Title Tattle recalls supplied steel fabrication for the Olympic Stadium at Homebush.
Still no settlement details on <a href="/news/gai-and-robbie-waterhouse-tipped-as-dunsinea-mittagong-cattle-farm-buyers">Dunsinea, the 40 hectare Mittagong, Southern Highlands NSW trophy property that has been sold for about $4.95 million</a>.
All the locals reckon that champion horse trainer Gai Waterhouse is their new neighbour, along with her extended family. Apparently the Waterhouses are thinking of selling their Clifton Gardens home and buying a Sydney apartment.
Dunsinea has views over the bushland of the Nepean State Conservation Forest. 
It was sold by Mark and Rosie Mitchell who developed the holding from the ground up after returning from the UK in 2002. They first tried to sell in late 2008 with $7 million plus hopes, then more recently with a $5.25 million asking price through Sam Triggs from Meares and Associates and Michael Maloney from Richardson and Wrench Bowral.
Set on the northern fringes of the Southern Highlands, Dunsinea comes with modern ‘rammed earth’ five bedroom sandstone home.
<a href="https://www.randw.com.au/1066175/" target="_blank">Dunsinea</a> is surrounded by 100 acres of rolling grazing land, some 15 kilometres from Bowral.
The house is srrounded by its green and white garden, complete with 10 metre heated pool and all weather tennis court. There is also a guest cottage.
The main residence boasts 300mm - 450mm thick walls and 10 foot high ceilings.
Title Tattle recalls Margie Blok, after inspecting the home in 2008, noted it had been meticulously built with classic architecture.
"The house has superb proportions, solid sandstone walls, stone verandas and custom-made Georgian-style windows with double glazing. Inside, the rooms have 3.6-metre-high ceilings and polished stone floors, which are heated for winter warmth," she wrote.
"The front door opens to a wide central hallway with two guest bedrooms, a bathroom, a guest toilet and a study on the left. Opposite are the formal sitting and dining rooms.
"At the end of the hall is a central pavilion with a television room and a large family living-dining area with an open-plan kitchen. Off this is another kitchen (for caterers or food preparation) with a coolroom and cellar," Margie Blok told her readers.
Its formal dining room was subsequently included in the ‘Best 50 Rooms’ by House and Garden magazine.
The pasture was marketed as ideal for cattle grazing with the property fattening 40 to 50 steers year round. Title Tattle gathers that would translate accomodating around 20 horses, as is.
It had been for sale on and off for several years, even attracting the fleeting attention of the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and his wife, Therese. 
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Peter and Divonne Holmes à Court sell Chain of Ponds, Mittagong for bullish $6 million plus

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A striking Alex Popov-designed Hunters Hill riverfront house last traded in 2007 for $3.55 million has been listed for sale.
The split-level home was built for then Vogue chief financial officer Aye-Ling Koh set on its 1,114 square metre holding.
There is floor-to-ceiling glass and wrap-around decking.
It was built in 2000 after the block was bought in 1995 for $550,000 with the home designed based around a central pavilion with a wing on each side.
Popov had the main pavilion with the kitchen and a dining area overlooking the living room.
In the eastern wing Popov placed the main bedroom with ensuite, walk-in dressing room and northerly views across the river. The level below had another bedroom with an ensuite.
The western wing had two bedrooms, a bathroom, laundry and sauna.
With expansive Lane Cove River views, the contemporary, three-level Bonnefin Road residence comes with plunge pool and sauna.
The five-bedroom, four-bathroom property, to be auctioned 31 May through <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-hunters+hill-116789471" target="_blank">Savills agents Adam Ross and Shayne Harris </a>in conjunction with BresicWhitney, sits in landscaped native gardens.
The last known Alex Popov-designed waterfront house sale was last August when $3.75 million was secured in North Sydney, having passed in at its March auction.
It originally had price hopes of $4.5 million.
Located at 6 Adderstone Avenue, the property is a sequence of inter-connected pavilions down to the water.
The home features three bedrooms, three bathrooms and an internal courtyard and pond.
The home boasts French limestone floors throughout and a separate guest pavilion with a wet bar.
<a href="https://www.raywhite.com/nsw/north-sydney/1058724/" target="_blank">The property also includes a jetty, deepwater moorning and it’s own private beach</a>.
The Sydney Morning Herald once featured it as one of Sydney’s top 100 houses.
It last traded for $950,000 in 1995 before the house was built.
Megan Thomas and Kingsley Yates of Ray White Lower North Shore had the listing.
Popov is a Wilkinson and Robin Boyd awards winner for the early 1990s Griffin house at Castlecrag.
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Alex Popov-designed Hunters Hill house listing

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Celebrity angler Andrew Ettingshausen and his wife Monique have their Port Hacking home listed with $4 million plus hopes for 24 May through McGrath agent Bernadette Berlyn.
The five-bedroom, three bathroom waterfront property with views to Maianbar and of the Royal National Park comes with a wet-edged pool.
The former Cronulla Sharks player, known as ET, retired after the 2000 NRL season.
He then hosted the fishing show, Escape with ET. 
<a href="https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house-port-hacking-nsw-2229/196944/?searchID=38645262" target="_blank">The 1,130-square-metre property</a> with a boathouse, jetty and pontoon was bought more than two decades ago for $575,000 in 1990 when it was a modest two bedroom cottage.
The marketing now describes it as a "grandly scaled home occupies a prized peninsula position with dynamic river views."
In the early 1990s Andrew Ettingshausen, was described as being "the face, body and image" of rugby league and a list Australia's richest sportsmen and women suggested Ettingshausen earned through football and endorsements, approximately $500,000 in 1991. 
He was presumed to be in the $150,000 plus bracket with Cronulla-Sutherland; also working for the NSW Rugby League in their schools program; had a contract with Coca-Cola and paid appearances on Channel Seven and 2DAYFM and other endorsements.
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Andrew Ettingshausen, ET, lists Port Hacking waterfront house

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A South Melbourne property has been sold by the University of Melbourne for $10.78 million to the Victorian state government with the settlement last month.
It is set to become a primary school after the then Baillieu state government responded to the perceived looming crisis of rising enrolments and overcrowded inner city state schools. 
The 129-161 Ferrars Street property was identified in a 2012 report that signalled its as the preferred location for a new primary school due to its access to the 96 tram route and proximity to the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre.
The report by Ernst &amp; Young acknowledged the 5,136 square metre site's closeness to City Road could pose a congestion problem.
The number of five to 12-year-olds in Southbank and Docklands is forecast to jump from 285 in 2011 to 1,366 in 2021.
The primary school is expected to open in about 2017, and could be expanded to take students up to year nine.
The site, variously owned by James Hardie, Rocke Tompsitt &amp; Co, and Elders through the decades, has been owned by the university since its 1977 purchase of the then Nathan Blight building.
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University of Melbourne secures $10.78 million in future South Melbourne state school site sale

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It's something of musical chairs amid the mansions of East Melbourne, though they allow in outsiders from Mont Albert. Pollster Gary Morgan's East Melbourne mansion, Sunnyside, has been sold through Jock Langley, of Abercromby's Real Estate, but the details remain sketchy.
It is likely to sold for close to $7 million. Title Tattle gleans it has been bought by Sheree Robinson from Mont Albert who lodged a caveat over the property title sat month pursuant to its upcoming settlement.
The 1864 property on George Street, had been listed for sale by international tender in March last year with expectations of more than $10 million.
The Victorian residence, designed by Charles Webb with its striking façade, has eighteen principle rooms. 
It includes large, north facing reception rooms, a romantic drawing room, library and study, inviting informal living areas and a well equipped kitchen.
There is a private lawn, swimming pool and stables that offer pavilion entertaining and a self-contained apartment.
Last September the London style Georgian mansion Amberley, set just across the road, was sold for $10.2 million. Set on 902 square metres, it was built in 1886 offering a lifestyle reminiscent of inner London.
The George Street six bedroom offering was marketed as arguably "the finest home, in the finest street, in the most sought after suburb in Melbourne."
The technology millionaires Evan Thornley and Tracey Ellery sold Amberley through Kay &amp; Burton for the $10.2 million to the McKeon family who are longtime locals.
It last traded at $7.1 million in 2002 when sold by Krystyna Campbell-Pretty and her husband, Harold, chairman of market research group, Amberley Corporation after their 20 year ownership.
Peter and Maureen McKeon's prior nearby house was designed by the architect Leonard Terry, responsible other fine buildings such as the Melbourne Club. It sold for $6.35 million last year. Braemar, the 1865 grand Victorian mansion, with hints of Georgian influence, was marketed an imposing bluestone home built for William Bowen on 1,018 square metres. It was bought by Wayne Sidwell.
The Morgan's aren't going far either having bullishly purchased Claverings, the $5,155,000 Victorian villa in March last year.
Meanwhile another house with the same name, Sunnyside, one of the grandest homes to line Sydney Harbour, Sunnyside remains listed for sale. The 1857 sandstone home is set on 1,250 square metres of gardens.
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Pollster Gary Morgan sells Sunnyside in East Melbourne

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Steve Keen has recently noted there was no end of commentary about China's real estate bubble, with an even split between those who sense it may pop at any moment and others who argue it never will.
"The alternative ploy -- that it doesn’t exist -- doesn’t get [the] same airing that it did in the US before the subprime crash," he suggested.
"Instead, the “it’s a bubble, but it won’t burst” case is that the bubble is too important to China’s continued growth to be allowed to burst, and -- unlike the US -- China has the wherewithal to keep it going, at least for a while. 
Keen said he had deliberately refrained from the China discussion, preferring to work from data he trusted.
"Until recently there was no publicly available data on China’s debt levels, which is a key metric for me; fortunately that has been remedied recently by the Bank of International Settlements.
"But I also wanted to see the phenomena first hand before I commented," <a href="https://www.debtdeflation.com/blogs/2014/04/21/a-china-bubble/" target="_blank">he told readers on his Debtwatch website</a>.
"Anecdotal and eyewitness evidence counts for something."
Keen reported with photos that many apartment blocks were uninhabited, and uninhabitable as the concrete shells existed, but nothing had been finished internally -- pipes existed but no taps; electrical wiring but no fittings; and so on.
So he has uploaded photos of a typical apartment in a complex of a dozen or so 30-plus storey buildings in a fourth-tier town in Sichuan. It has been in this state for a year, and the owner of this flat -- who intends on living there ultimately -- is in no hurry. On its own that apartment isn’t so remarkable. But all the flats in the building were in the same state, as were the facilities: to catch a lift, you have to bang on the doors to let the operator know you want to be picked up.
Figure 1: Finished building, empty apartments <img class="field-wysiwyg-media" src="https://1.static.australianindependentbusinessmedia.com.au/sites/default/files/styles/full_width/public/Keen1.png?itok=hrlFsgvP" alt="Graph for The trouble with China's hot property " title="The trouble with China's hot property ">
"This is where the “uh-oh” bells began to chime: there was a clear disconnect between the speed with which this particular development had obviously gone up -- see the brickwork in Figure 2 -- and the snail’s pace at which the entire complex was now being finished," he noted.
Figure 2: A not so finished finish <img class="field-wysiwyg-media" src="https://2.static.australianindependentbusinessmedia.com.au/sites/default/files/styles/full_width/public/Keen2_1.png?itok=69MAOZdJ" alt="Graph for The trouble with China's hot property " title="The trouble with China's hot property ">
"This was a set of about a dozen high-rises, and yet the workforce that was doing the finishing was miniscule -- I think I captured about 20% of it in Figure 3."
Figure 3: Industrious… not! <img class="field-wysiwyg-media" src="https://1.static.australianindependentbusinessmedia.com.au/sites/default/files/styles/full_width/public/Keen3_2.png?itok=YbONJfer" alt="Graph for The trouble with China's hot property " title="The trouble with China's hot property ">
He suggested the paradox between the rapid sprouting of buildings and the snail’s pace of their completion in the explanation by an expat Australian as while prices were rising -- since the longer the project took to finish, the more it would be worth. 
"It can be very misleading to apply Western thinking to the Chinese situation, because some things that happen in China have no parallel in the West."
Pointing to one such Chinese idiosyncrasy - the link between property development and industrial expansion that comes from enterprises established by local councils.
"And where do the councils get the money to build these factories?
"From selling land on the periphery of the council’s domain to developers.
"And where do the developers get the money to buy the land?
"From the formal and shadow banking systems.
"All is well as long as the property prices keep rising, but a downturn will mean that the councils can’t continue papering over the cracks."
He concluded that he had more faith in China’s capacity to respond to bursting property and credit bubbles than he had in the US prior to its bubble bursting.
But after the blog was posted on the <a href="https://www.businessspectator.com.au/article/2014/4/21/china/trouble-chinas-hot-property" target="_blank">Chinese Spectator </a>website readers have quickly advised that much of what Keen alluded to was actually long the cultural norm in China.
"As an investor you would not decorate as the culture is the new owner would rip it all out," one comment said. 
Lance Deegan, another reader, also said it was "normal practice in China for apartments to be sold as empty shells."
"It's true there was still a lot of unoccupied apartments but the buildings were certainly not empty - they were filling up.
<div>
<div>"Unfortunately, Steve, I have to say that it sounds like you have succumbed to the same "China is full of empty cities" meme whereas the reality is a bit more nuanced," the comment concluded.</div>
</div>
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Steve Keen's China property bubble postcard snaps

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<div>
During World War 1, many German-sounding place names in Australia were changed due to anti-German sentiment.
The new names were often Anglicised, given Aboriginal names, names of famous people, or even battlefields like Verdun.
This was done through an Act of Parliament, as well as by petition. 
In South Australia, the 1935 Nomenclature Act restored the former German names to a number of towns.
The ABS issued a list in 1926 of German place and district names in Australia that were changed during the Great War.
</div>
New South Wales 
Germanton to Holbrook, 
German's Hill to Lidster, 
German Creek to Empire Vale; 
Victoria 
Germantown to Grovedale, 
Hochkirch to Tarrington, 
Mt. Bismarck to Mt. Kitchener;
Queensland
Bergen to Murra Murra, 
Bergenside to Neuve, 
Bismarck to Maclagan, 
Engelsburg to Kalbar, 
Gehrkevale to Mount Mort, 
Gramzow to Carbrook, 
Hapsburg to Kowbi, 
Hessenburg to Ingoldsby, 
Kirchheim to Haigslea, 
Murden to Frenchton, 
Roessler to Applethorpe, 
Stegeht to Woongoolba, 
Teutelburg to Willa, 
Fahley to Kilbirni; 
South Australia 
Bartsch's Creek to Yedlakoo Creek, 
Basedow - Hundred of to Hundred of French, 
Bauer Cape to Wondoma Cape, 
Berlin Rock to Panpandie Rock, 
Bethanien to Bethany,
 Bismarck to Weeroopa, 
Blumberg to Birdwood, 
Blumenthal to Lakkari, 
Buchfelde to Loos, 
Carlsruhe to Kunden, 
Ehrenbreitstein to Mount Yerila, 
Ferdinand Creek to Ernaballa Creek, 
Mount Ferdinand to Mount Warrabillinna, 
Friedrichstadt to Tangari, 
Friedrichawalde to Tarnuma, 
Gebhardt's Hills to Polygon Ridge, 
German Creek to Benara Creek, 
German Pass to Tappa Pass, 
Germantown Hill to Vimy Ridge, 
Gottlieb's Well to Parnggi Well, 
Grunberg to Karalta, 
Grunthal to Verdun, 
Hahndorf to Ambleside, 
Hasse's Mound to Larelar Mound, 
Heidelberg to Kobandilla, 
Hergott Springs to Marree, 
Hildesheim to Punthari, 
Hoffnungsthal to Karawirra, 
Homburg Hundred of to Hundred of Haig,
 Jaenschtown to Kerkanya, 
Kaiserstuhl to Mount Kitchener, 
Klaebes to Kilto, 
Klemzig to Gaza, 
Krause Rock to Marti Rock, 
Krichauff Hundred of to Hundred of Beatty, 
Krichauff to Beatty,
 Kronsdorf to Kabminye,
 Langdorf to Kaldukee, 
Langmeil to Bilyara, 
Lobethal to Tweedvale, 
Meyer Mount to Mount Kauto, 
Muller's Hill to Yandina Hill,
Neudorf to Mamburdi, 
Neukirch to Dimchurch, 
New Hamburg to Willyaroo, 
New Mecklenburg to Gomersal, 
Oliventhal to Olivedale, 
Paech Hundred of to Hundred of Cannawigara, 
Petersburg to Peterborough, 
Pfaum Hundred of to Hundred of Geegeeia, 
Rhine Park to Kongolia, 
Rhine Hill to Mons, 
Rhine River N. to The Somme, 
Rhino River S. to The Marne, 
Rhino Villa to Cambrai, 
Rhine (North) Hundred of to Hundred of Jellicoe, 
Rhine (South) Hundred of to Hundred of Jutland, 
Rosenthal to Rosedale, 
Scherk Hundred of to Hundred of Sturdee, 
Schoenthal to Boongala, 
Schomburgk Hundred of to Hundred of Maude, 
Seppelts to Dorrien, 
Schreiberhau to Warre, 
Siegersdorf to Bultawilta, 
Steinfeld to Stonefield, 
Summerfeldt to Summerfield, 
Vogelsang's Corner to Teerkoore, 
Von Doussa Hundred of to Hundred of Allenby, 
Wusser's Nob to Karun Nob; 
Western Australia 
Mueller Park to Kitchener Park;
Tasmania
Bismarck to Collins Vale.
 
PS Apparently they/we missed German Gardens the bayside suburb of Townsville which changed to "Belgian Gardens" on 11th January 1915.
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German place names changed across Australia during World War 1

<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.

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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."

[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.

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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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