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Barford, one of Sydney's record setting inland trophy homes, is tipped to be shortly quietly listed for sale.
It is understood it will come with $60 million hopes reputedly through Ryan Watsford at Ballard Property Group who will promote it off-market to Chinese buying interests.
Its vendors are Ian and Maggie Joye, who spend a substantial amount of their time overseas, especially in Hawaii.
It was built by newspaper proprietor Sir Warwick Fairfax in 1931.
It comes with synthetic grass tennis court, gym, pool, terraces, separate three-bedroom house and two separate one-bedroom flats.
Inside is luxurious decor including hand painted wallpaper and dado panelling in a private dining room that seats 12.
I first wrote of the Georgian-style house in Bellevue Hill in early 1987 when it was believed to be Sydney's first $10 million home. But it emerged the multi-titled Victoria Road residence sold for $9,875,000.
The seven-bedroom mansion sits on 5527 square metres.
Its late 1986 sale had been sold to the then high-profile accountant Ian Joye by Barry and Wendy Loiterton who operated their tourist-marketing business, Leisuremark, from the property.
At the time of its last sale, the previous highest Sydney mansion price  was $9 million for the 42-room sandstone mansion, Swifts, in Darling Point in 1986. 
Barford, named after a village beside the River Leam in Warwickshire, England, was the home of Sir Warwick Fairfax from 1931 until the late 1960s.
It was bought by former Melbourne car salesman Emmanuel Margolin, who sold the property in 1980 for under $2 million to former Double Bay estate agent Maurice Bernhardt and plastic company head Max Franks.
Barford's pending listing coincides with today's international official launch of the marketing of the Fairfax family's Double Bay waterfront property, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/trophy-homes/elaine-john-b-fairfax-s-long-redundant-double-bay-harbourfront-listed-with-record-price-hopes/2013091765090" target="_blank">Elaine</a> (pictured below) through Christies International Real Estate agent Ken Jacobs. It too comes with ambitious price expectations.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/stories/2013/09/18/double_bay_sept_18__one.jpg" alt="double_bay_sept_18__one" width="470" height="374">
The 6,986-square-metre estate with the three-storey Victorian mansion, tennis court and gardens on Seven Shillings beach ranks as the largest privately held eastern suburbs estate on the harbour.
Elaine was built during the 1860s and has been in the Fairfax family since 1891 when it was purchased by Geoffrey Fairfax for £2,100.
<a href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au" target="_blank">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Bellevue Hill's Barford v Double Bay's Elaine in Fairfax trophy home listings battle

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The Melbourne Cup winning horse owner, Lloyd Williams has put Macedon Lodge, his champion horse facility at Mt Macedon on the market, given the pending move of the enterprise to Melbourne's Mornington Peninsula.
The marketing of the lavish <a href="https://www.macedonlodge.com.au" target="_blank">Mt Macedon horse training facility</a> will be aimed at overseas buyers, including Qatari and Dubai sheiks.
Williams owns a 1,200 acres outside of <a href="/news">Mornington</a> with plans to transition the shift over the next 18 months. Williams has five properties on the peninsula with his son Nick saying the new racing complex will be headquartered at a 120 hectare property in Boneo Road, <a href="/news">Cape Schanck</a>.
Williams bought Macedon Lodge from Kurt Stern in 2007 for $5.1 million then spending at least that amount again on refurbishments. It had previously sold at $8.5 million in 2004. Stern leased it as the private training complex for John Symons, who moved to <a href="/news">Seymour</a>.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2014/02/05/mac2]}
Macedon Lodge has training tracks, a horse pool, water walker along with some 75 stables. Over the years Williams has raced horses including Mahogany, What a Nuisance, Just a Dash, Reset, Efficient, Zipping, Gallic, Perlin, County and Plush.
Since being developed into Australia’s premier private training establishment in the early 2000s, Macedon Lodge has proved itself to be a very successful home to top quality horses with extremely fertile soil and environmental conditions.
The bloodstock company William Inglis and Sons has the listing of the property which is owned by Hudson Conway Racing, the private thoroughbred racing and breeding operation of Lloyd Williams, one of Australia’s largest and most successful owners for over four decades.
Inglis director Peter Heagney said there were few properties in the league of Macedon Lodge.
''Macedon Lodge is a $20 million-plus investment and this will be similar if not more,'' Nick Williams told the racing press.
<a href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au" target="_blank">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
 
 
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Lloyd Williams seeking $20 million for Macedon Lodge racehorse facility

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Kahala, the new Clareville waterfront four years in the making, has been sold with its undisclosed sale price likely to be close to $12 million.
The north facing 25 metre beachfront comes with tri-level home on its cascading 1,663 square metre Hudson Parade site.
<a href="https://avalon.ljhooker.com.au/BX3F58" target="_blank">There are views across the Pittwater to Lion and Scotland islands</a>. 
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2014/02/04/clare2]}
Much was made in the marketing of its kitchen, designed by Porcelanosa Studio and finished with Spanish granite benchtops, mother of pearl splashbacks and Miele appliances.
At the water's edge it boasts boatshed with the sale including a 6.1 metre amphibious sealegs boat thrown in.
There was also a glass mosaic infinity edge gas heated pool and spa.
It was listed last April through LJ Hooker Avalon agent David Watson with property columnist Margie Blok writing its grounds came with a meditation hut and a pizza oven.
The property on Sydney's northern beaches peninsula had been listed at more than $12.5 million by David Desmarchelier, chief executive at Boartes Consulting, a security company that had contracts for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
Its 2007 purchase was $9.15 million. It was bought by an Australia expatriate.
<a href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au" target="_blank">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
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Kahala, the $12 million Clareville home sale - with boat thrown in - bouys the Pittwater market

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The residential construction upturn is now underway - with the RBA's desired lift in non?mining construction confirmed in the ABS building approval figures issued Monday.
At the end of last year, 17,461 units were under construction in Melbourne and 21,546 had been approved.
Across Sydney, 14,595 units were under construction as at year end and 24,525 had been approved.
Charter Keck Cramer director Sam Nathan told the Australian Financial Review the market drivers in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane were complex and different.
He nominated Sydney’s pent-up demand, Melbourne’s population growth and attractiveness to Australian and foreign investors and Brisbane’s affordability.
The continued lift in approvals over 2013 was very much focussed in the mutli?unit sector, particularly in the four or more storey block buildings. 
House approvals have also been trending upwards but at a slower rate. House approvals are up 17.2% over the past year while apartments are up 27.6%.
CBA economist Diana Mousina says dwelling commencements totalled 165,000 in 2013 and will lift to 180,000 in 2014.
"Outcomes in line with our forecasts would represent a significant improvement on the 150,000 average of the previous seven years and would add significantly to GDP growth," Diana Mousina said.
<a href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au" target="_blank">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
 
 
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RBA's desired lift in non?mining construction emerging in building approvals

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The prospect of overseas non-citizens buying up newly built houses and apartments in bulk - all receiving multiple $5,000 grants under the NSW New Home Grant Scheme - was raised on the front page of today's Daily Telegraph.
It was wrapped within the suggestion that Chinese investors were keeping first home buyers out of the property market.
<img style="float: right;" src="/images/stories/2014/02/04/tele-front-page-feb-4.jpg" width="200" height="280" alt="tele-front-page-feb-4">Right: The front page of The Daily Telegraph, Tuesday, February 4, 2014
The article plucked from nowhere - but sure to become part of property folklore - the prospect of an overseas buyer <a target="_blank" href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/realestate/buying/foreign-buyers-are-cashing-in-on-nsws-new-home-grant-scheme/story-fni0cate-1226817098977?sv=1d09c082252370f1bb15df9c17f2540d">purchasing 20 off the plan apartments, allowing them to apply for 20 of the $5,000 grants.</a>
All they must do is apply through the foreign investment review board - no easy task, I'd suggest - before getting the grant which is paid as a discount on stamp duty for properties worth up to $650,000 and vacant land worth up to $450,000.
Yes under the first home owner scheme, a buyer had to be an Australian citizen and had to live in the home for at least six months to qualify.
But under the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-nsw-first-home-buyer-%2415000-grant-scheme/2013061762349">New Home Owner Scheme</a> which was introduced two years ago in the 2012 NSW state budget, buyers can own homes in their country of origin and still apply for the grant for the purchase of any NSW properties.
And because the grant is aimed at new construction investment stock, they don't have to live in it.
No doubt NSW Treasurer Mike Baird will tweak the eligibility a little under the weight of assuaging the Daily Telegraph readership. 
But while some pliable Sydneysiders get hot under the collar discussing Chinese property purchases, patterns of buyer demographic preferences continue to be confirmed.
Not quite a riot, but more than <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/sydneys-newest-waterfront-town-centre-wooloomare-bay-sees-100-million-of-sales-on-first-day/2014020267480">$100 million worth of units were sold on Saturday in a ­Cronulla apartment project</a>, ­with 95% to local buyers.
The 600-apartment Bluestone ­Capital Ventures project will be built on land owned by the Cronulla Sutherland Leagues Club, heartland Daily Telegraph readership.
There were 220 apartments released on Saturday with 177 sold.
The project will be released in stages.
Cronulla Sharks captain Paul Gallen is understood to have ­registered interest in the next release through selling agents Colliers International.
The $300 million Woolooware Bay project was officially launched after more than 2,000 initial expressions of interest were received to buy in the project designed by award winning Architects Turner.
Bluestone managing director Ben Fairfax had previously signalled the key market for Woolooware Bay were first home buyers and last home buyers - who'd grown up in the shire and didn't want to have to leave to find suitable affordable housing.
<a target="_blank" href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
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Stay calm: Local buyers dominate in Sydney's Sutherland Shire

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Builder Tony Bittar has listed one of Cronulla’s most admired homes, after its eight month makeover.
The futuristic Apollo Gate, the Sutherland Shire's latest waterfront listing, comes with $3.5 million plus expectations having sold snappily for $3.2 million last May.
“If you want a home designed for the rich and famous that will make you feel like a movie star as you look out over the uninterrupted water views, at an affordable price, this is it,” the vendor, builder Tony Bittar, says.
Nicknamed the Cronulla spaceship house, or the White House, it has a reputation that dates back to its completion in the 1970s, with its Reuben Lane design motivated by spiritual and architectural links to Mediterranean villages and with whitewashed buildings clinging to the coastlines.
{qtube vid:=4XvRsyVu0uo}
It first changed hands for $185,000 in 1978 when sold by the Breen family who owned the Metropolitan Sand Company at <a href="/news">Cronulla</a>.
The house at <a href="https://www.raywhite.com/nsw/cronulla/1087356/" target="_blank">4-6 Cowra Place</a> has direct access to Salmon Haul Bay.
It featured in NSW Builder magazine, the official journal of the Master Builders' Association, in May 1975 (pictured below). It was built by CH &amp; CR Ellis with spiralling western red cedar ceiling.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/05/cronullamay3one.jpg" alt="cronullamay3one" width="470" height="391">
<img src="/images/stories/2013/05/cronullamay3two.jpg" alt="cronullamay3two" width="470" height="323">
<img src="/images/stories/2013/05/cronullamay3three.jpg" alt="cronullamay3three" width="470" height="343">
Reuben Lane, who died in 2012, was inspired by the work of his mentor Oscar Niemeyer, the architect of the capital city of Brazil, Brasilia.
The iconic home has views of the waters stretching across <a href="/news">Port Hacking</a> to <a href="/news">Bundeena</a> and Jibbon Beach in the Royal National Park.
“The property’s free form design makes it truly unique. There’s not a visible square angle in the home and its enviable location on the shores of the Esplanade earns the home’s incredible reputation,” said Ray White listing agent Con Economos.
“The property is what we call a one-off’: a truly spectacular home with an unbeatable location,” said Economos.
It’s a real entertainer’s house, according to the owner, who recently hosted a local artist’s exhibition on site.
The premise at 6 Cowra Place in Cronulla offers five bedrooms plus study, a double garage and two car spaces and guest quarters. There's an atrium lounge, an internal spa, and landscaped gardens. Its four bathrooms’ original tiles are sourced from the same suppliers as the Sydney Opera House.
<a href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au" target="_blank">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
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Apollo Gate, the 1970s Cronulla spaceship house listed after renovation

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Tourism chief Geoff Dixon’s apartment in The Rocks is now on the market. It has quintessential Sydney postcard view across Campbells Cove to the Opera House and up towards the Harbour Bridge. 
But the Tourism Australia chairman, who paid $7.75 million in 2010, had initial $6.5 million plus hopes, which have been amended to $7 million plus expectations in recent editorials.
It had previously traded at $10 million in 2007 when sold by the late McDonald's chief Charlie Bell, who was its first buyer, spending $8,525,000 in 2003 after its refurbishment by Nettleton Tribe Architects for Tjeerd la Grouw's Amstal Property Group.
Its a two-storey penthouse on Hickson Road.
<a href="https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/apartment-the-rocks-nsw-2000/200372/?searchID=36252133" target="_blank">The three-bedroom penthouse</a> sits atop the heritage 1912 Bond Metcalfe Bond building.
Posting the interior images online this week, McGrath agent James Dack has the listing of the apartment which has a total area of 328 square metres.
Its body corporate administration fee is $8,892 a quarter, or $35,568 annually, plus a quarterly sinking fund at $1,824 ($7,296 annually).
An annual total of $43,864, which would make any empty nester couple think twice about selling up their own home where they can just ignore the maintenance in their later years.
<a href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au" target="_blank">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
 
 
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Tourism boss Geoff Dixon lists in Sydney's iconic The Rocks precinct

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Golfer Adam Scott has listed his A$7 million Mediterranean-style villa on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi.
And to drum up interest he is offering to play a round of 18 holes with whoever  buys the Saadiyat Beach property.
His villa has direct frontage with views across two holes, a lake and beyond to the sea.
The house comes with 10,000 square feet internal space plus 2,210 square feet extenal space with swimming pool.
The property has entertaining areas, a downstairs guest suite, domestic and service kitchens and staff accommodation.
The Park Hyatt and St Regis hotel resorts along with the Monte Carlo Beach Club are all within a few minutes' drive of the island location which is 500 metres off shore.
Cranleigh, the English independent school, and the New York University will open in 2014 in the UAE with the first Louvre museum outside of Paris following a year later.
The golfer told the local UAE paper he was selling <a target="_blank" href="https://www.lljproperty.com/for-sale/saadiyat-beach-villas/saadiyat-island/abu-dhabi/l2856">the AED 22.9 million villa</a> (pictured below) next to Saadiyat golf course due to his busy schedule on the US and Australian PGA circuits, he was not be able to spend enough time in it.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2014/02/03/abu]}
He bought the villa off plan in 2008 for “around the same price”, when he thought he would use it as a base for playing on the European tour, but Adam Scott has never actually lived in the property.
It was completed six months ago on the island which is being developed by TDIC, the government of Abu Dhabi's development arm established in 2005, as decreed by HH Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler of Abu Dhabi and President of the UAE.
“Whether the round of golf takes place in Abu Dhabi or on one of the courses in America or Australia, Adam will definitely honour the commitment to play,” the Andrew Colvill, the head of investment sales at LLJ Property, which is marketing the property told <a target="_blank" href="https://abudhabiweek.ae/swing-by-a-stars-villa/#sthash.YeA0OQMX.dpbs">the local website.</a>
The Bayat website estimates its expected rental as AED 850,000, reflecting a 3.7% yield.
Recognised among the best golf courses in the Middle East, Abu Dhabi Golf Club is a 162-hectare golf course which features 27 championship holes. Designed by Peter Harradine, it is home to the PGA European Tour Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, and managed in partnership with Troon Golf.
Scott ranked runner up on the latest BRW professional sports earners list behind Andrew Bogut, the basketballer who earnt $16 million last year.
BRW put <a href="https://www.brw.com.au/p/top_sports_earners_for_in_full_Aq8HOtMH9SjuptLdDxCLiJ" target="_blank">Adam Scott</a> second at $15.5 million, describing it as a break-out year for Australia’s "best and most marketable" golfer.
Despite becoming the first Australian to win the US Masters in its 77-year history in 2013, about half of his salary was made off-course with sponsors including Mercedes Benz and Rolex.
Racing car driver Mark Webber ranked third with $10 million.
The Queensland golfing champion Adam Scott recently sold his <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/golfer-adam-scott-scores-reverse-bounce-back-on-jade-surfers-paradise-apartment-sales/2013121666956" target="_blank">redundant Surfers Paradise beachfront investment apartment in the Jade complex.</a>
<a target="_blank" href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
 
 
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Adam Scott lists $7 million Abu Dhabi golf course home - with round of golf thrown in

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Heytesbury Stud, the famous Western Australia stud property founded of the Holmes à Court family, is to cease operating as a commercial breeding enterprise.
The influential thoroughbred breeding operation - launched in 1971 - will sell its yearlings for the last time at this month's Perth Magic Millions sale.
Heytesbury Holdings director Paul Holmes à Court said the Keysbrook stud will shut down, but that the property will be retained by the family.
"It's obviously a difficult decision on a personal level, having watched my father, mother and grandmother develop Heytesbury Stud from scratch," the son of the late Robert Holmes à Court told the West Australian.
"I'm retaining our racing colours, an interest in a new stallion Ouqba and certainly won't be selling the farm, but 2013 was our last breeding season," Paul Holmes à Court told the local paper.
The late Robert Holmes à Court launched Heytesbury four decades ago with the dream of breeding his own Melbourne Cup winner. 
He bought Melbourne Cup winner Silver Knight as the stud's foundation sire and the mare Brenta was among his foundation broodmares.
The mating of Silver Knight and Brenta produced Black Knight, the Holmes à Court owned winner of the 1984 Melbourne Cup, trained by George Hanlon.
<a href="https://www.heytesburystud.com.au" target="_blank">The Keysbrook property</a> (pictured below), one hour south of Perth, has 900 acres.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2014/02/03/hey]}
“In some ways, Heytesbury Stud’s closure is the end of an era for the WA industry.  My father did things that had never been done before, and might never happen again,” Paul Holmes à Court added.
For a time, Robert's widow, Janet was Australia's richest woman following his sudden death in 1990. It was in the mid-1990s when Heytesbury Holdings closed its horse-breeding programs at <a target="_blank" href="/news">Wallan</a> in Victoria having received government approval for the subdivision of the 1000-hectare property, 50 kilometres north of Melbourne, into 700 rural residential lots of around 1.2 hectares to two hectares each.
At the time it was expected residential lots are expected to sell in the $80,000 to $90,000 range.
The estate sold in 1997 to developers the Far East Consortium who developed the estate into <a href="https://www.hiddenvalleyaustralia.com.au/home.aspx" target="_blank">Hidden Valley</a> (pictured below), where land is available for sale.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2014/02/03/hid]}
By 2008 with 950 broad-acre allotments, along with smaller blocks averaging 1,000 square metres, it was home to more than 400 families with a golf course redesigned by Australian Open golfer, Craig Parry and a modern equestrian centre.
Heytesbury also sold Trelawney Stud, Heytesbury's 172 hectare stud in the Waikato region on New Zealand's south island was sold.
news@propertyobserver.com.au
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Farm not for sale, but Heytesbury, the Holmes à Court Western Australia stud to cease operating

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The fashion giant Zara will open its multi-level store at Westfield Chatswood  on Thursday 13 February.

Zara's new Autumn/Winter collection will be on display.

Zara's new <a target="_blank" href="/news">Chatswood</a> home continues the international brand's strong Westfield presence with its only two other Sydney locations in Westfield Bondi Junction and Westfield Sydney.

European fashion giant Zara opened its first Australian stores in Melbourne and Sydney in 2011.
news@propertyobserver.com.au

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Zara set for February 13 Westfield Chatswood opening 

<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.

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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."

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The architecture draws on Kew's established character through the use of handmade Krause bricks, while landscaping by John Patrick introduces 23 plant species, including nine native varieties, creating an environment which focuses just as much on nature as it does the building.

Construction on Wimba Ave is well underway by renowned high-end builder Sinjen, with completion expected in late 2027. Prices start from $2.22 million.

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The enduring appeal of Kew's tree-lined streets and village lifestyle

"For me, it's the location." That was the first thing Chris pointed to when reflecting on why he and his wife Marita decided to purchase at Candela Ivanhoe, the under-construction new apartment development by Salter Brothers in the heart of the north-eastern M​elb​ourne​ suburb. ​

"We've lived here before… everything is here," Chris said.

"Our doctor is around the corner, there's dentists, pilates, everything we need, restaurants, fast food places, two train stations, Ivanhoe and Darebin, both in walking distance. You don't need anything else."

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Just 10 kilometres from Melbo​urn​e's CBD, Ivanhoe combines direct city connectivity with the amenity of an established village community. Residents have access to highly regarded schools, expansive parklands, public transport, and a thriving retail and hospitality precinct centred around Upper Heidelberg Road, all within a neighbourhood that has retained its leafy character despite its proximity to the city.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/candela-ivanhoe-40-upper-heidelberg-road-ivanhoe-vic-3079">Candela Ivanhoe</a> sits within the heart of this established landscape, positioned just moments from Ivanhoe Village and within walking distance of many of the suburb's most sought-after amenities.

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From Candela, residents can access cafés, grocers, wine bars, restaurants and essential services on foot, while Ivanhoe Station and Darebin Station provide direct connectivity across Mel​bour​ne. The development is also surrounded by some of the suburb's best-known lifestyle destinations, including Pinkie, Laurent, Enni, Docasa and Woodfire Pizza e Cucina, alongside Ivanhoe Plaza, Woolworths, pharmacies and specialty retailers.

Green space is another defining feature of the suburb. Darebin Parklands, Ivanhoe Park, Nellie Ibbot Park and the Yarra River trail network provide extensive opportunities for recreation, while Ivanhoe Golf Course and Ivanhoe Tennis Club continue to underpin the area's long-established lifestyle appeal.

The suburb's education offering further strengthens demand. Ivanhoe Grammar School, Ivanhoe Girls' Grammar School, Mary Immaculate Primary School and Ivanhoe Primary School have helped establish the area as one of Melbou​​rne's most sought-after schooling precincts, attracting families and downsizers alike who want to remain connected to the area.

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While location was the priority for Marita and Chris, the project itself also needed to meet their expectations.

"Whilst location was paramount, I was also looking at design of the environment and Candela ticked every box," Marita said.

"We're just thrilled with our choice."

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Developed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/salter-brothers">Salter Brothers</a>, Candela Ivanhoe has been designed to complement its village setting, with an emphasis on generous floorplans, natural light and practical everyday living.

Residents will have access to a range of shared amenities, including a communal rooftop garden and dedicated residential lounge, complemented by a ground-floor café and lifestyle wellbeing centre, helping foster the sense of community already emerging among future owners.

That approach has resonated strongly with the market. More than 90 per cent of purchasers at Candela Ivanhoe are owner-occupiers, with buyers ranging from downsizers and second-home buyers to young families and first home buyers, creating a genuinely multi-generational community of grandparents, parents and children. It reflects a broader shift across Melbo​​urne's apartment market, where buyers are increasingly prioritising neighbourhood quality, lifestyle amenity and long-term liveability.

Currently under construction by Ironside, Candela Ivanhoe comprises 58 apartments. Candela Ivanhoe is scheduled for completion in the coming months, and residents can move in from September. One to four bedroom residences, prices from $649,000 and limited opportunities remaining.

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Location and lifestyle drive demand at Candela Ivanhoe

As apartment buyers increasingly look beyond the four walls of their residence, the quality and depth of shared amenity has become a defining factor in how developments are designed and experienced, particularly in the high-rise, new apartment development space.

In Southbank, where high-density living continues to evolve, developers are placing greater emphasis on creating environments that support wellbeing, connection, and convenience as part of everyday life.

That approach sits at the heart of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/aura-at-melbourne-square-7-hoff-boulevard-southbank-vic-3006">AURA</a>, the latest residential tower in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/osk-property">OSK Property</a>’s $3.5 billion Melbourne Square precinct. Rising 67 storeys above Hoff Boulevard, the 673-apartment development has been conceived around what OSK describes as a “vertical wellness ecosystem”, a layered collection of amenities that extends throughout the building rather than being confined to a single podium level.

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The amenity offering begins on the seventh level within the AURA Club, a dedicated resident hub focused on health, relaxation, and daily convenience. Here, residents will have access to an indoor swimming pool, cold plunge, spa, sauna, and steam room, alongside a fully equipped gym, reformer Pilates studio, and yoga room.

The wellness facilities are complemented by a range of spaces that acknowledge the changing ways people live and work. Work-from-home lounges and co-working areas sit alongside a library, music room, games room, cinema facilities, and open-air terrace spaces, providing residents with flexible environments that can adapt throughout the day.

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Beyond the internal amenity, AURA introduces a series of Japanese-inspired gardens that form a quieter counterpoint to the tower’s social spaces.

Landscaped retreats feature curated outdoor dining, tranquil courtyard seating, fire pit, and a tea house pavilion. Rather than functioning as simple recreational areas, the gardens have been designed as places for reflection and informal gathering, drawing on principles of balance, nature, and calm that underpin the project's broader design philosophy.

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The social amenity continues to evolve as residents move higher through the building. Levels 49 and 50 house the Meridian Club, where a lounge bar, conservatory spaces, and private dining rooms take advantage of elevated city views. At the summit of the tower, the exclusive Cumulus Club spans Levels 66 and 67, offering additional lounges, private dining, and meditation and treatment rooms positioned above Melbourne’s skyline.

For OSK Property, the extensive amenity offering reflects a broader focus on wellbeing as a core component of apartment living rather than an added feature.

“Aura stands tall as an exemplar of holistic wellness – its focus on social, physical and mental health culminate in a building that is calming, restorative and relaxing, where residents will have their own sanctuary within the well-connected and sought-after Southbank,” says OSK Property CEO Chong Boon Woon.

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AURA’s amenity strategy extends beyond the tower itself through its integration with the wider Melbourne Square precinct.

Residents will have direct access to Kennedy Park, Southbank’s 3,745 sqm landscaped public park, alongside a full-line Woolworths supermarket, childcare centre, hospitality venues, and approximately 1,600 sqm of additional retail planned within AURA’s lower levels. Together, these elements create a highly connected residential environment where daily needs, recreation, and wellness are woven into the fabric of the community.

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As Melbourne’s apartment market continues to mature, developments are increasingly judged by the lifestyle they provide beyond individual residences.

Through its combination of wellness facilities, landscaped retreats, social clubs, and precinct-wide amenity, AURA represents a shift toward a more comprehensive model of vertical living, one where shared spaces play as significant a role as the homes themselves.

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AURA elevates amenity living at Melbourne Square

Builder-developer Scion is the latest to target Sydney's booming Hills Showground Metro precinct, filing plans for more than 100 apartments within walking distance of the station.

Scion has lodged a concurrent rezoning and State Significant Development Application for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/27-33-middleton-avenue-castle-hill-nsw-2154">27–33 Middleton Avenue</a>, where it plans to replace four existing homes with an 11 and 14-storey mixed-use development comprising 109 apartments, six affordable housing dwellings, and a ground-floor café.

Designed by BHK Architects, the proposal includes three levels of basement parking with 174 spaces, more than 1,200 sqm of communal open space, and extensive landscaping across the 3,791 sqm site.

The development has been designed as two buildings connected by a recessed wintergarden spine, with the 14-storey building positioned to the south and the 11-storey building to the north.

<img alt="Scion" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="64dc359d-736b-43b8-87a8-70a8285cab47" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-25%20at%208.47.01%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=PXh.m8id_aevBPHEckPf88wQ2RQThPos" />

The apartment mix has been weighted towards owner-occupiers, with 13 one-bedroom apartments, 55 two-bedroom residences, 31 three-bedroom apartments, six three-bedroom lofts, and four four-bedroom homes. Six apartments will be dedicated as affordable housing in line with the NSW Housing SEPP.

According to the Architectural Design Report by BKH, the proposal seeks to create "a place-responsive architecture" inspired by the natural landscape surrounding Cattai Creek, while strengthening the public domain through landscaping, active frontages and a neighbourhood café.

Atlas Urban, in its Urban Design Report, says the proposal takes a different approach to increasing density around Hills Showground Station by favouring a more slender, vertically articulated built form over a conventional mid-rise outcome. The report argues this allows for greater deep soil planting, improved solar access and a better public domain outcome, while still delivering additional housing close to rapid public transport.

The site sits around 500 metres from Hills Showground Metro Station, within a precinct earmarked for significant residential intensification following the opening of the Sydney Metro Northwest line. Planning documents accompanying the application note that Greater Sydney's population has grown by more than one million people since planning for the precinct first began, reinforcing the need to accelerate housing delivery around existing transport infrastructure.

Scion is expanding its development pipeline which also includes <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/chatham-west-ryde-2-6-chatham-road-west-ryde-nsw-2114">Chatham in West Ryde</a>, 62 apartments which are approaching completion. They also have a State Significant Development Application with the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/96-anzac-avenue-west-ryde-nsw-2114">145 apartments on Anzac Avenue</a>, also in West Ryde.

Jonathan Chancellor

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