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There is little doubt property will be a favoured asset class during 2014 especially among those with cash on deposit. 
The official cash rate sits at 2.5% and inflation is running at 2.7%.
Rather than see their banked cash nest egg decline in real terms, the inquiring investor will no doubt seek out other opportunities.
And possibly not on the share market given the rollercoaster ride its been offering of late. Wobbles in equities helps interest in property. 
Recent figures published by the Reserve Bank of Australia showed term deposits dropped on an annual basis last year for the first time in a decade.
Deposits at the nation’s banks fell 0.6 percent in December 2013 to $538 billion, the first annual decline since 2003, according to the data.
So despite all the sensible forecasts anticipating property price growth rate to perhaps cool a little in intensity, there will still be plenty of investors and SMSFs sizing up the competing asset class yields.
Hopefully working their way through the heat and the hype because there are risks.
<a target="_blank" href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Property will be a favoured 2014 asset class, especially among those with cash on deposit

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Redfern's median house price has surpassed $1 million for the first time.
Just last week the suburb was not on the list of Sydney's 163 million-dollar suburbs that included neighbouring Surry Hills and Darlinghurst.
"I've got news for the folks out there, with more sales data coming in. I've re-run the numbers and the median price for Redfern is $1.01 million," the APM senior economist Dr Andrew Wilson told Radio 2UE today.
"Redfern is now one of those million dollar suburbs of Sydney, with a top price last year of $2.45 million" he said. Redfern sales last year also include 111 Marriott Street (pictured below), traded in 1927 for 525 pounds, which sold at $1,207,500.
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There were 44 news suburbs in the Australian Property Monitors list over the past year.
That fresh Redfern median was mimiced by an onsite auction today when a near-knockdown Redfern was sold at $1.025 million before a crowd estimated by the agents as 200.
The Century 21 sale was $75,000 above reserve after nine registered to bid, the agency advised Property Observer.
It was a public trustee auction through Century 21 Parkins Gibson Surry Hills agents Warren Gibson and Peter Parkins.
Its weatherboard timber facade will need to be kept under City of Sydney council guidelines at the 108 square metre holding.
There were four bidders for the 48 Chelsea Street (pictured below) time capsule which was marketed on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-redfern-115740883">realestate.com.au</a> as "a rare find, a 1910 double-fronted residence ripe for renovation."
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The current 64 square metre floorplan offers two/three bedrooms with an opportunity for an attic extension. 
With some buyer's remorse, a mining company lawyer bought it. The buyer was sensibly from a family of builders will renovate it and then seek tenants.
It last traded at around 435 pounds in 1956.
"Boom! Just over $1 million for a 100-year pile that's unlivable. 2014 looks likes hot a hot market," The Daily Telegraph's property writer Kirsten Craze tweeted, getting in long before the SMH came up with their "auction madness" line.
Sydney first auction numbers for February tally 93 properties scheduled to go under the hammer, slightly higher than for the same weekend last year when 80 properties were listed for auction, the APM data indicates.
Sydney achieved its increasingly standard 80% weekend auction success rate, with Melbourne not far behind at 73%, according to APM. The REIV had 61 of the 81 selling across Melbourne, with the volume down on the 106 of the same Saturday last year.
<a target="_blank" href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
 
 
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Redfern's median house price hits $1.01 million as termites don't stop debut 2014 auction success

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Former restaurateur Stephanie Alexander has listed her Hawthorn home of two decades for March 1 auction.
The author of 14 books bought <a href="https://fletchers.net.au/3824206/20-Robinson-Road-Hawthorn" target="_blank">the 1890s house</a> on its 900 square metre block in 1989 for around $600,000.
Naturally its kitchen is a real feature with Carrara marble benchtops, St George double oven and mobile island bench. Plenty of open shelving and storage including a butler's pantry. 
It forms the heart of the three bedroom house on Robinson Road, marketed as a professional's kitchen, but with a warm and friendly environment.
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There's also an outdoor eating and entertaining area and a solar-heated swimming pool and an extensive edible garden of fruit, nuts, citrus and olive trees, an extensive range of vegetables and herbs. There's water tanks with a total 15,000 litre storage.
Belinda Anderson, of Fletchers, is quoting $2 million-plus in the days leading to its first open for inspection on February 8, marketing it as a "feast for the senses." 
Behind its front yard lemon tree, it comes with a beautifully maintained period facade with polychromatic brickwork, bay window and deep verandah.
Inside the original features include high decorative ceilings, Baltic pine flooring and an elegant hallway arch.
The Alexanders opened their own restaurant, Stephanie's, first in Fitzroy and then in 1980 in the grand Italianate mansion, Kawarau, aka Warrington in Hawthorn. The family had renovated downstairs as a restaurant, and lived upstairs of the property they bought for $174,000 in 1979. Kawarau, at 405 Tooronga Road, was built in the 1890s for Robert Robinson, a Melbourne grain merchant, but most remembered for the ownership by F. J. Cato, the co-founder of the grocery business of Moran and Cato, the first chain of stores of any kind in Australia.
Apparently Stephanie Alexander has her eyes on something, and won't be going far, though its means her lengthy association with Hawthorn will conclude following the March 1 auction. 
<a href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au" target="_blank">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
 
 
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Food style setter Stephanie Alexander lists in Hawthorn after 25 years

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There were mutiple possible buyers on many of the prestige Gold Coast offerings, but the gap between them and the vendor price expectations evidently remains deep.
Not one of the 12 prestige Gold Coast properties sold under the hammer at the auction held by Ray White last night.
There had been one pre-auction sale.
High hopes for Gold Coast property turnaround appear to be premature.
Yes, there were five bidders on one offering, and several had up to four bidders, but others were rapidly passed in with no bids.
An apartment at the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/golfer-adam-scott-scores-reverse-bounce-back-on-jade-surfers-paradise-apartment-sales/2013121666956" target="_blank">problematic Jade, Surfers Paradise complex</a> was withdrawn just hours out from the event and a heritage hinterland home at Guanaba was pulled from offer because the best buyer hope was from an interstate buyer whose flight plans had been delayed.
Ray White Surfers Paradise CEO Andrew Bell thinks the lack of under the hammer sales was due to sellers' growing belief that the market had significantly stepped up, when the prestige sector was still on the road to recovery.
"Sellers are hearing the market is jumping and they think it's as strong as Sydney," he told the local paper.
But that's only part of the situation. Getting vendors to sell at big losses is the other part of the impasse.
Retired car dealer Laurie Sutton was among the vendors last night. The highest offer was $1.55 million - with five bidders - when Sutton had paid $1.75 million in 2003 for the <a href="https://www.rwsp.net/qld/main-beach/1059780/" target="_blank">Beachside Tower, Main Beach penthouse</a> (pictured below). The entire top floor has 230 square metre space on the 17th floor at 3545 Main Beach Parade.
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A Sanctuary Cove home at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.rwsp.net/qld/sanctuary-cove/982570/">7309 Bayside Close</a> (pictured below) was passed in at $5.7 million having last sold for $7.22 million in June 2010. There had been an unsuccessful July 2013 auction campaign too.
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It attracted some Chinese buying attention last night, however given all the media hype, I was surprised at the sparseness of their attendance last night.
A vacant residential building block at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.rwsp.net/qld/surfers-paradise/1073707/">85 Commodore Drive, Surfers Paradise</a> (pictured below) was passed in at $2.77 million, with four bidders. Its last sale was $2.8 million in 2009, having traded as high as $4.25 million in 2008.
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Bidding on the Modena on Chevron penthouse stalled at $1.7 million having sold for $1.67 million in July 2013, barely covering costs.
No doubt a few sales will come the day after. And Andrew Bell noted some 18 sales had occured since <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/queensland/gold-coast-receiver-s-auction-sale-at-33-discount-on-last-sale/2014012867385" target="_blank">Monday's 108 auction gala, The Event</a>, taking the clearance rate close to 70 %.
<a href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au" target="_blank">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
 
 
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Overzealous headlines of hope hampering Gold Coast prestige property recovery

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Style setter Maggie Tabberer is downsizing. So her all white three bedroom, two bathroom Randwick home has been listed for sale.
It has been her home since 2006.
It is being marketed as an inspired freestanding sundrenched private oasis inventively built around a central courtyard - featuring a magnificent frangipani tree and a heated pool.
Title Tattle recalls when Maggie, the fashion and style guru, secured the then an all-white bijoux home in 2006.
The two-storey, north-facing residence had been custom built by property developer Mark Cooper with his wife, artist Marcella Kaspar, who have just been skiing in Europe.
Tabberer then sold her Rushcutters Bay garden apartment in the McLachlan Avenue block developed in the mid-1990s by James Packer and Theo Onisforou.
Before that Title Tattle recalls Tabberer had an Edgecliff abode - labelled the White House after its mid-1980s makeover.
Having bought a nearby garden apartment, there are $2.3 million plus hopes through <a href="https://www.dijones.com.au/1402639/" target="_blank">Victoria Morish at Di Jones Real Estate</a> in conjunction with Laing &amp; Simmons Double Bay agent D'Leanne Lewis.
It was 1960 when Maggie moved to Sydney with her daughters from Adelaide.
<a href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au" target="_blank">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
 
 
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Style setter Maggie Tabberer lists her all-white Randwick stunner

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I am not the only property commentator tipping Sydney's house price growth was likely to slow to around half the pace of last year.
After news today of Sydney house prices rising almost 6% in the last quarter of the year, Australian ­Property Monitors economist Andrew Wilson says prices just can’t keep growing at that "supercharged" level into the medium term.
The Sydney market will likely record around half the price growth of 2013, he has suggested.
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Sydney’s median house price increased by an "exceptional" 15.1% or over $100,000 in 2013 to a record $763,169.
"This was the strongest calendar year growth in house prices recorded since 2003," he said. Unit prices rose by 4.3% over the quarter, up by 10.9% annually.
Earlier this month I suggested <a href="/news">the likelihood of growth slowing in Sydney during 2014</a>.
Wilson reckons Melbourne will be lucky to get half the growth it had this year, with most of that with the first half of the year.
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Melbourne house prices rose solidly by 3.2% over the December quarter with unit prices up similarly by 3.1%. APM puts Melbourne house prices up 8.6% over the year with units increasing by 6.8%. The Melbourne median house price sits at $568,824, exceeding its previous June 2010 previous peak. The median unit price of $421,759 also reflects a new record.
APM had house prices around the country ending the year on a strong note, with prices in every capital city finishing the December quarter higher than the previous period for the first time since 2009.
The national median house price surged 4% to a record high of $597,556, up 9.8% annually given record low interest rates.
"The national house price growth reflects an extraordinary contribution from Sydney," Wilson said.
But a weaker economic forecast, a lower Australian dollar, combined with rising unemployment and inflation was likely to keep flatten the price growth momentum.
Although end of year buyer momentum in all markets will ensure a positive start to 2014, affordability constraints and waning economic activity will act to moderate prices growth through the year.
He forecasts the Perth market will remain "solid" this year while Brisbane house price growth is set to "accelerate."
"Adelaide, Canberra and Hobart, however, will continue to record modest prices growth over 2014 with most activity again likely to be over the first two quarters of the year."
Wilson also warned the prospect of an oversupplied local investment market in capital cities that had a surge in investor activity last year.
“The current level of price growth in Sydney is unsustainable - particularly given the likely continued deterioration of the local economy and the prospect of a flood of new rental properties overshooting underlying market fundamentals,” said Wilson.
<a href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au" target="_blank">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
 
 
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After a $100,000 annual gain, "supercharged" Sydney set to lose half its price growth momentum: APM's Andrew Wilson

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Portsea's highest sale last year was when John Halstead, the Singapore based former partner of Simone Semmens, sold Noorah at 3688 Point Nepean Road Portsea to company director Neville Bertalli for $8.3 million.
There was not even 1% annual price growth for Noorah (pictured below) over the decade having previously traded at $7.51 million on Australia Day 2003 when Semmens bought it from the old Portsea family, the Dickinsons, who'd often entertain guests through the decades including Nettlefold and Lempriere family members.
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Oldtimers remember Jack Baillieu lived there before he moved to Colwyn, one of Portsea's premier properties now owned by developer, Becton's Max Beck. Colwyn was built in 1909 for Henry Bellingham Howard Smith.
The Age once rashly reported the nouveau riche arrived at Portsea with developer David Deague, son of a bricklayer and the first to pay more than $1 million when he bought Colwyn in 1980. For a Sydney comparison, it was 1981 when the late Kerry Packer bought his Palm Beach oceanfront, breaking the suburb's million-dollar threshold with his $1 million purchase from the MacCormick family.
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Not far behind, and last year's runner up, was Brighton socialite Coral Knowles' $8 million purchase of the old Ballantyne Chocolates house. The whisper is that the vendor, motorcycle enthusiast Steven Chiodo threw in some vendor finance to sweeten the deal. They say it was $1 million interest free for a year which would reduce its price by around $100,000.
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It's 33 years since <a href="https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/australiancrawl/hoochieguccifioruccimama" target="_blank">James Reyne's lyrics</a>, but it's still the Mount Buller ski lodge in winter and the Portsea backbeach in summer for many among monied Melbourne. Through the years, both (but Buller more so than Portsea), have been Title Tattle's infrequent playground too.
The Australia Day weekend offered the chance of a trip back to witness an overloaded dozen or more property auctions. Such was the volume of offerings over Saturday and Sunday, even Title Tattle found it impossible to be at the comepting auctions held at the same time. It seems prices too have turned the clock back, up to a decade in one case. Ilze Moran of RT Edgar says 2014 prices were consistent with 2013 sales.
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Barramunga, the classic two storied home set well back off Point Nepean Road at Sorrento with upstairs views of Camerons Bight, kicked off the weekend auctions with Liz Jensen, who has spearheaded Kay &amp; Burton’s Portsea office since its 1994 launch.
The auction of the six bedroom cottage on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kayburton.com.au/property/3023-point-nepean-road-sorrento">its 3,474 square metre holding </a>(pictured below) opened and closed on its $1.9 million vendor bid by the auctioneer Gerald Delany, who'd told the crowd that the site had been the choicest of selections in the 1920s by the stockbroker John Hindsen. The contract revealed it was being offered after three plus decades of ownership by Toorak dentist Geoffrey Wymond and his wife Diane, who Title Tattle recalls cut their wedding cake at the Menzies Hotel in 1960.
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It is the former publishing boss Robert Ungar who is selling the only clifftop mansion listing in Portsea this season. Perched above Fisherman's Beach, it comes with expectations of more than $10 million by Ungar who founded Hinkler Books with his son Stephen.
Ungar bought Mandurah, the then five-year-old Wayne Gillespie-designed house at 3820 Point Nepean Road (pictured below), about two decades ago with his wife Rosemary who are looking to downsize to a property they plan on building in Blairgowrie. Ilze Moran, of RT Edgar, opened the envelopes with the expressions of interest campaign mid-week, with no word yet to emerge on any sale.
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The former CEO of the International Cricket Council, Malcolm Speed and wife, Alison paid $1.2 million in 2008 for their Portsea offering that first came up for sale last October through Jellis Craig Bennison Mackinnon agent Emil Fowler.
The four bedroom, three bathroom <a target="_blank" href="https://www.jelliscraigbm.com.au/property/PORTSEA-1-Shelly-Court/6244173/">Shelly Court house </a>(pictured below) is set on a 1,369 square metre cul de sac block. Speed , who was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2012, has an office with plenty of sports memorabilia. There was no bid at the weekend auction with offers being sought apparently of around $1.8 million.
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Cruffel, high on Hemston Avenue was put to auction, but passed in at its RT Edgar auction on a $3.25 million vendor bid. It was listed by Neville Bertalli, the chief of the Patterson Cheney Automotive family owned car retailing firm, and his wife, Di. The couple bought it in 2001 from the former amateur golf champion, turned US-based Cobra golf-clubs boss Tom Crow for $2.25 million, having had previous Portsea property, as The Grange was their's until its $2.23 million sale in 2001 to Joseph Marne.
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David Horgan's offering on Tranquility Court, Portsea was passed in on a $3.45 million offer. But its subsequent sale was the highest price paid over the weekend.
The modern five-bedroom house opposite the 10th fairway on the Sorrento Golf Course was acquired post-auction by a Melbourne buyer for a tad over $3.5 million through Ilze Moran of RT Edgar Portsea. The house on 2,392 square metres last traded in 2006 for $2.95 million.
The RT Edgar auctioneer Warwick Anderson noted the subsequently extended home's original builder was present at the onsite auction. What he didn't say was that Dean Andary had sold it for $3.4 million in 2003 through Gerald Delany, indicating poor price direction over the past decade. The grounds came with heated pool and north/south tennis court. There were television cameras at the onsite auction. Apparently ABC News, and sadly not for the upcoming The Real Housewifes of Melbourne series on Foxtel Arena, although Andrea Moss, wife of the plastic surgeon, Christopher does have a weekender at Portsea, completely nanny and cleaner free. The Moss home actually looks deceptively ordinary on its laneway location, but apparently is terrific once inside. Another of the Housewifes, Janet Roach-Forshaw lives at Red Hill on the pensinsula where she is a novice truffle farmer. Her property development project is an over-55s lifestyle village in Mildura.
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Within the gated compound off Franklin Road, the Nairana Court offering was passed in no bid by Kay &amp; Burton. Lots of yapping from the neighbouring collie. It was designed by Wayne Gillespie on the cul-de-sac among moonah trees and manicured lawns. The single storey house will be bought by old money who will live their most of the year. The offering and location reminded Title Tattle of the data from the most recent census which found  81% of those at home in Portsea on census night were aged 55 or over. Portsea had an overall vacancy rate of 88% on census night. There was a RT Edgar post-auction sale of a five-bedroom house on Franklin Road for $2.5 million with the seller off to Point Leo acreage.
<img style="float: left;" src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" width="25" height="34" alt="flagtitletat"> There was a time when big sales occured on the big day - be it Australia Day or the Easter weekend. Indeed Title Tattle recalls attending the 1995 auction of the $5.15 million Matear family's 10,660 square metre clifftop mansion, Ilyuka to developer David Deague. 
The 1927 Moorish-style mansion - something like Elizabeth Bay's Boomerang though then without heritage listing - edged out the prior summer's $4.5 million top sale when Rupert Murdoch's sister Janet Calvert-Jones and her husband, John, bought Harrodene, the classic 1920s clifftop house. 
Ilukya sits on Port King Road, which takes its name from Governor King, who granted the locality's lime-burning licence in 1839. Deague almost bulldozed it, but for the vigilance of near neighbour Kate Baillieu. Built for oil executive Harry Conforth, it last sold for the record Victorian price of $26 million in 2010 when Computershare director Michele O'Halloran sold to businessman John Higgins.
Title Tattle also recalls the 2008 Easter auction of The Anchorage, built with limestone on the Sorrento hillside in 1873 for pioneer thespian and entrepreneur George Coppin, when it fetched $8.06 million. Coppin was a seaside spruiker who shipped wealthy Melburnians to the Mornington Peninsula on his paddle steamers, and then put them on his tramway to stay at his Hotel Continental. It has been on the toss of a coin - a choice between Australia and America - that Coppin sailed from Sussex on the Templar, arriving in Sydney in 1843 with his partner, Maria Watkins Burroughs, where he was to perform at the Royal Victoria Theatre on Pitt Street. Coppin briefly owned the Clown Hotel, directly opposite the theatre, which failed as Sydney's first permanent musical entertainment venue, before he moved south. The Anchorage, a classic Italianate residence, was held by the Coppin family until 1959, 53 years after George's death. 
The leading local agent Gerald Delany, chairman of Kay &amp; Burton, is already rethinking the Australia Day auction weekend tradition that dates back several decades. Gerald Delany told Title Tattle the now overloaded auction schedule would be best spread well into February.
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For many summers estate agent Jonno Edgar held his traditional Australia Day weekend Battlers Cup tennis comp. No where to be seen amid the auction attendees this year, though Title Tattle gathers he's soon to have his 70th birthday. Edgar's former clifftop house, Corsair, had been willed to him by his parents, who had bought one of the eight subdivided Weroona building blocks in 1961 for 4,000 from carnation grower Winton Gillespie and his wife, Marjorie, nee Matear. Harold and Zara Holt were also neighbours.
Indeed Edgar had fished for crayfish with Holt the weekend before that fateful 1967 day on Cheviot Beach. That morning, Jonno, then a 23-year-old estate agent, had made a 4pm spearfishing appointment with the Prime Minister who drowned. Title Tattle recalls the safe at Holt's house had a combination incorporating January 26, 1788, but despite the conspiracy theories there was nothing in there when it was opened. The Holt's sold on Weeroona Avenue in 1991 with the stockbroker Simon Fraser paying $1 million.
<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" width="25" height="34" alt="flagtitletat" style="font-size: 14px; margin: 5px; float: left;"> Lucient, the Blair Court house designed by architect, Peter Carmichael of Cocks Carmichael, was passed in on a $3.5 million vendor bid. Comprising, four bedrooms, three bathrooms, study, gym, cellar, and four car garage, it was a very modern home with CBus, Sonos music system and zoned ducted heating and cooling. And the 1960s peace sign built into the ceiling above the bed in the master bedroom. The grounds has a suspended glass mosaic tiled pool and spa with infinite edge, self cleaning system and waterfall. The home was built in 2008. Title Tattle recalls Richard and Alison Bouris, the former owners of JB Hi-FI, owned it briefly a decade or so ago.
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Dreamweaver, the Portsea back beach holiday home of management consultant Chris Livitsanis was passed in at weekend auction on a $3.5 million vendor bid. Its been on and off the market over the past two years with an asking price of $3.5 million. The two-storey house at 14 Cheviot Road (pictured below) is a sleek, contemporary design that has living areas on the ground floor and bedrooms upstairs. The grounds comes with gas and solar-heated lap pool and spa plus championship Modgrass tennis court. Much of the Cheviot Road was part of the old Brockhoff estate where the Mantello family undertook the subdivision.
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Liz Jensen, of Kay &amp; Burton, had the listing which auctioneer Gerald Delany suggested couldn't be put back for its $3.5 million vendor bid. Livitsanis was back on his pushbike Sunday morning, regardless of the result. He'd previously had a home close by on Back Beach Road.
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Even the cheapies didn't necessarily sell. The Portsea village's old fishermans cottage - and cheapest price buying opportunity if you don't count bathing boxes - failed to attract any bidders. On Back Beach Road, there was a $750,000 vendor bid when the <a href="https://www.rtedgar.com.au/?pagecall=property&amp;propertyID=2543747&amp;agentID=948&amp;realestate=57_Back_Beach_Road_PORTSEA_VIC_3944&amp;showGoBack=true" target="_blank">Sterling fishing family's former home</a> (pictured below) went to auction through Lloyd Robinson of RT Edgar. 
The Gaynor family had paid $600,000 for the 724 square metre property with three bedroom cottage in 2007, and they want $850,000 plus. Title Tattle noted the sales contract have its official bi-annual 2012 land value as $873,000 and its capital improved value given as $885,000. It's a popular rental on the recently sold <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.stayz.com.au/accommodation/vic/bays-peninsulas/portsea/31367">Stayz</a> website which would assist with the $2300 annual land tax.
Strong bidding was evident however at 3037 Point Nepean Road, Sorrento located opposite Camerons Bight beach which was a knockdown brick veneer on its elevated private 943 square metre block, with potential two storey replacement for views towards Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron. It didn't really deserve a name, but let's still call it Willunga. After a dozen section 32s had been issued by Fletchers agent John Callaghan, bidding opened at $800,000, it was called on the market at $852,500, and finally knocked down at $981,000.
Remarkably another of the weekend's most sought-after offerings was the house diagonally opposite the Portsea Pub at 3737 Point Nepean Road. There were five bidders, the underbidders a Chinese couple who'd been staying at the pub, with it called on the market at $1.44 million and sold at $1.585 million through RT Edgar. Apparently the buyer's daughters were very keen on mum and dad's purchase.
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<a href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au" target="_blank">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
 
 
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Tough prising bids - let alone sales - amid overloaded old and nouveau Portsea Australia Day auctions

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If Australia Day was any guide amid the slightly smokey inner city haze, it appears the high rise housing trend comes accompanied by socialising around the balcony barbecue; whether it's kids in from the far flung suburbs, or their empty nester parents who've downsized.
But should BBQs be allowed apartment balconies? Our commentators Jonathan Chancellor and Margie Blok throw some thoughts into the fiery argument.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/09/06/jc-silhouette-5.jpg" alt="jc-silhouette-5" width="150" height="225" style="float: right;">HE SAID: NO
Definitely not – I think barbecues should be confined to backyards and public parks which have barbecues with 20 cent operational coin slots. Perhaps, at most, balcony barbecuing could be a privilege limited to penthouse dwellers, but even then only on strong windy days.
If you live in an apartment and hanker for a barbecue, then go to a public park, such as Sydney’s Centennial Park or beachside Bronte Park, and use the public barbecues provided. Or buy a house and install one in the backyard. 
Call me a wowser, but I think using barbecues on apartment balconies is unacceptable and asking for trouble in more ways than one.
For starters, there’s the issue of smoke blowing inside neighbouring apartments and disturbing their enjoyment. Of course, this smoke often is accompanied by pungent cooking odours of sizzling sausages, charred steak, garlicky marinades and burnt bacon.
It's not on for blow-in apartment dwellers to inflict barbecue smoke and cooking smells on other residents who are possibly dieting at the time; or simly prefer their interiors to be odourless; or indeed have apartments gently scented with perfumed candles.
Aside from smoke and smell issues, barbecues pose a potential fire hazard in apartment complexes where balconies are typically not fitted with a water tap or fire sprinklers. Naked flames and gas cylinders on balconies of multi-storey buildings are a danger.  
While some people may purport barbecues are safe, if you don’t clean barbecues properly, then piled up grease can cause a fire to start quite easily. The van Haandel restaurateurs who recently took over Guillaume’s premises in the Opera House saw their heritage Melbourne outlet, The Stokehouse, burn to the ground earlier this month.
In other parts of the world, including many cities in the US, barbecues are not allowed on apartment balconies. It makes sense to ban them here in Australia as well.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/09/06/mb-silhouette-4.jpg" alt="mb-silhouette-4" width="150" height="225" style="float: left;">SHE SAID: PERHAPS
I’m not as hardline as Jonathan on this issue. When it comes to barbecues and apartments, the size of a balcony is a consideration, as is the design of a building. Some buildings have balconies suited to barbecues, others don’t.
On a recent visit to Attica, a new boutique complex at Erskineville in Sydney’s inner west, I was impressed with the design of a large 92 square metre one-bedder with a spacious timber-decked terrace with plenty of space for outdoor furniture, a garden tap and a gas bayonet for a barbecue. In this case, the apartment was designed specifically to accommodate an outdoor barbecue.
But with older style or cheap apartment buildings, balconies can be small balconies and not suited to barbecues. Many of these buildings have by-laws prohibiting the use of barbecues on balconies, though enforcement appears to be an issue.
Some modern buildings have by-laws banning the use of barbecues including The Hyde, the Stockland developed 35-storey luxury residential 2010 tower overlooking Sydney’s Hyde Park. At The Hyde, occupants are not allowed barbecues on their balconies (or wintergardens), but they can use the building’s communal barbecue facilities, providing a time is reserved and a cleaning fee is paid in advance.
In high density Sydney and Melbourne, barbecues are popular with residents living in luxury modern buildings, where many balconies are large and airy. To maintain barbecue harmony within such buildings, respect for other residents is essential. Be mindful that smoke and smells can affect your neighbours, and when cooking on a barbecue, keep the lid closed.
I agree with Jonathan about safety issues surrounding barbecues on balconies, for barbecues can cause hazardous fires.
Last July at Vancouver in Canada, a barbecue on the balcony of a second floor apartment started a fire which spread along the outside of the building and collapsed the entire roof onto the fourth floor causing extensive damage to the structure and damage to 52 units.
Since that fire, the use of barbecues on balconies of apartment buildings has come under scrutiny, and the local Fire &amp; Emergency Services <a href="https://www.vancouversun.com/news/Building+code+changes+suggested+prevent+serious+condo+barbecue+fires/8683960/story" target="_blank">recommends use of propane barbeques or other such appliances be restricted from balconies</a> that do not have sprinklers or where combustible exterior construction exists. 
Preventative measures, responsibility, common sense and cleanliness are essential when using barbecues, be these on a balcony or in a backyard. It’s essential to keep a barbecue’s drip tray clean and not let excess oil build up which could result in a fat fire.
Barbecue gas bottles can be hazardous too. When not stored or maintained correctly, gas bottles can explode. On Christmas Day, at Shell Cove near Wollongong, a 62-year-old man was burned after <a href="https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/1991577/shell-cove-man-suffers-serious-burns-cooking-christmas-lunch/" target="_blank">a horror explosion</a>. Police were told the man had been making preparations for his family’s Christmas lunch when the explosion occurred in a gas bottle connected to a barbecue.
And a word of warning to committed balcony barbecuers who are looking buy an apartment. Be mindful many buildings have strict rules regarding the use and storage of gas barbecues on balconies, so be sure to check the by-laws of a complex before signing a contract or investing in a new BBQ.
 If you’re time poor or can’t be bothered cleaning and maintaining your barbecue, then employ someone else to do it. A range of services are available including The <a href="https://www.bbqman.com.au" target="_blank">BBQ Man</a> in Perth and Melbourne and <a href="https://%20www.bbqrescue.com.au" target="_blank">BBQ Rescue</a> in Sydney.
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Photo: BBQ smoke wafts from a Sydney apartment balcony.
<a href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au" target="_blank">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
 
 
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Should BBQs be allowed on apartment balconies? He Said/She Said

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The family behind the Moran healthcare network have always been regarded as savvy property players.
And their quiet addition to their already extensive holdings within Sydney’s landmark Bennelong complex is further proof.
The $24.6 million acquisition was the former 13th floor Cadmus restaurant premises which has taken their expenditure within the so-called Toaster complex to some $47 million over the past seven years years.
Significantly they saw a prized residential conversion opportunity. They are now proposing a $2.62 million Allen Jack + Cottier conversion with plans lodged with Sydney City Council for two luxury apartments in the space directly opposite the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.
The residential conversion plans are for two apartments totalling 837 square metres on the top floor of 1 Macquarie Street. The plans are currently on public exhibition.
<img height="380" width="470" src="/images/stories/2014/01/29/insights-jan-29-three.jpg" alt="insights-jan-29-three">
<img height="378" width="470" src="/images/stories/2014/01/29/insights-jan-29-two.jpg" alt="insights-jan-29-two">
Their total lot size acquisition was around 1000 square metres so reflecting around $24,000 a square metre.
But the Moran's had previously paid up to $64,000 a square metre for a prime northern tip apartment in 2008 on the 12th floor in 2008 when they bought from the neighbours, the Lintott car dealership family. It was a 260 square metre unit, with four car spaces.
<img height="353" width="470" src="/images/stories/2014/01/24/syndey_jan_24_one.jpg" alt="syndey_jan_24_one">
The Moran's own most of the 12th floor, with just the one gap which is owned by the late hotelier Cyril Maloney and his widow, ­Margaret.
The Moran's latest plans will see the 12th floor and 13th floor connected by staircase and lift.
The Maloney's own the entire 11th floor having purchased all four apartments in 2009 for $13.9 million.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/11th-floor-bennelong-trophy-apartment-set-to-test-the-2014-prestige-market/2014012367356">The 715-square-metre 11th floor Maloney holding is expected to hit the market this year.</a>
The Moran's could be expected to compete for the 12th floor apartment to consolidate that floor.
<a target="_blank" href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
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Bennelong's Cadmus restaurant space set for residential conversion by Moran healthcare family

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Dunsinea, the 40 hectare Mittagong, Southern Highlands NSW trophy property has been sold for about $4.95 million.

And all the locals reckon that champion horse trainer Gai Waterhouse will be their new neighbour, along with her extended family. Apparently the Waterhouses are thinking of selling their Clifton Gardens home and buying a Sydney apartment.

Last year the Melbourne Cup winning trainer and her husband, Robbie Waterhouse bought in Melbourne buying <a href="/news">a whole floor Spring Street apartment for $4.3 million</a>.

Dunsinea has views over the bushland of the Nepean State Conservation Forest.  

It was secured after being given a $5.25 million asking price following its November 2013 auction through Sam Triggs from Meares and Associates and Michael Maloney from Richardson and Wrench Bowral.

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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.

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 surrounded 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 property reporter 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.

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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. 

Businessman Peter Holmes à Court has listed his nearby Mittagong farm with $6.8 million plus hopes.

The 145-hectare property (pictured below), Chain of Ponds comes with six-bedroom homestead. It is listed through <a href="https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/acreage-rural-mittagong-nsw-2575/194333/?searchID=36077970" target="_blank">McGrath Bowral </a> agent Anne Stone and Howard McMillan from <a href="https://www.mcmillanrealestate.com.au/property-details/property-details?id=2237" target="_blank">McMillan Real Estate Bowral</a>.

{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2014/01/30/bow]}

The homestead was redesigned by Luigi Rosselli Architects to sit within gardens designed by William Dangar.

It was developed as a low-maintenance, sustainable cattle property with horse paddocks surround the main dwelling.

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=89614]

Title Tattle is aware of several trophy home sales over summer, the most recent being The Chase, on Oldbury Road at Sutton Forest. The unconfirmed price was around $5.8 million through Bill Carpenter from W. McI Carpenter &amp; Associates at Bowral, apparently to offshore interests. 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.

Likewise Luggybank, on Range Road at Mittagong sold during January through Bill Carpenter and Drew Lindsay RE apparently for just under $4 million. It had been for sale for more than four years – initially with ambitious $7 milion price hopes.

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.

<a href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au" target="_blank">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>

 

 
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Gai and Robbie Waterhouse tipped as Dunsinea, Mittagong cattle farm buyers

<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.

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Joel Robinson

Abadeen, PERIFA, top out Putney Wharf harbourfront precinct

Kew has long been regarded as one of Melbourne's premier residential suburbs. It's a location defined by its grand period homes, leafy streets and some of the city's most prestigious schools, yet it has often sat just outside the spotlight cast on neighbouring Hawthorn and Camberwell.

Increasingly, however, buyers are recognising that Kew offers much of what draws people to those suburbs, with a quieter residential setting, exceptional amenity and long-term owner-occupier appeal.

Within a few minutes' walk, residents can access Kew Junction, one of Melbourne's most established village centres. Cafés, bakeries, restaurants, supermarkets, boutique retailers and everyday services are all on the doorstep, with local favourites including Centonove, Adeney Milk Bar Cafe, and Frank &amp; Harri creating the type of walkable lifestyle that has become increasingly difficult to find in Melbourne's inner east. Beyond the immediate neighbourhood, Glenferrie Road's renowned shopping and dining precinct in Hawthorn and the retail, dining and entertainment offerings of Camberwell Junction are both just a short drive or tram ride away.

The suburb is equally well connected. Tram routes 48 and 109 provide direct access to the CBD, while High Street and Cotham Road connect residents to the wider inner east.&nbsp;Nearby access to the Eastern Freeway also places the Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Melbourne Airport within easy reach, adding another layer of convenience for weekend travel.&nbsp;It's a rare combination of connectivity and tranquillity, where quiet residential streets sit just moments from some of Melbourne's most established shopping and lifestyle precincts.

For families, Kew remains one of Melbourne's most tightly held addresses. Carey Baptist Grammar School, Xavier College, Methodist Ladies' College, Trinity Grammar, Ruyton Girls' School and Genazzano FCJ College are all nearby, while the Yarra River parklands, walking trails and sporting clubs provide another layer of lifestyle appeal.

It's within this established pocket that developer Ricdanic is delivering <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/wimba-ave-kew-9-11-wimba-avenue-kew-vic-3101">Wimba Ave</a>, a boutique collection of just 13 residences across two buildings named after its location on the tree-lined Wimba Avenue,&nbsp;within one of Kew's most prestigious pockets where homes have been known to sell up to and above $8 million.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140755 project_image_fid=354809]

The residences prioritise the space that buyers are increasingly searching for but struggling to find in established suburbs. Living areas extend beyond five metres in width, ceiling heights range from three to five metres, and apartments open onto private gardens averaging around 125 sqm. Selected residences also feature balconies of approximately 60 sqm, while premium inclusions include Miele appliances, double-glazed windows, EV readiness, fully electric systems and a 7.2 NatHERS energy rating.

Architect Chris Idle says opportunities to deliver homes of this scale within established suburbs have become increasingly uncommon.

"There are very few opportunities to do these kinds of developments in leafy, established suburbs," he says. "To get this level of amenity, natural light, and architectural freedom in such a setting is extremely rare."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140755 project_image_fid=366267]

The architecture draws on Kew's established character through the use of handmade Krause bricks, while landscaping by John Patrick introduces 23 plant species, including nine native varieties, creating an environment which focuses just as much on nature as it does the building.

Construction on Wimba Ave is well underway by renowned high-end builder Sinjen, with completion expected in late 2027. Prices start from $2.22 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=140755]

The enduring appeal of Kew's tree-lined streets and village lifestyle

"For me, it's the location." That was the first thing Chris pointed to when reflecting on why he and his wife Marita decided to purchase at Candela Ivanhoe, the under-construction new apartment development by Salter Brothers in the heart of the north-eastern M​elb​ourne​ suburb. ​

"We've lived here before… everything is here," Chris said.

"Our doctor is around the corner, there's dentists, pilates, everything we need, restaurants, fast food places, two train stations, Ivanhoe and Darebin, both in walking distance. You don't need anything else."

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Just 10 kilometres from Melbo​urn​e's CBD, Ivanhoe combines direct city connectivity with the amenity of an established village community. Residents have access to highly regarded schools, expansive parklands, public transport, and a thriving retail and hospitality precinct centred around Upper Heidelberg Road, all within a neighbourhood that has retained its leafy character despite its proximity to the city.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/candela-ivanhoe-40-upper-heidelberg-road-ivanhoe-vic-3079">Candela Ivanhoe</a> sits within the heart of this established landscape, positioned just moments from Ivanhoe Village and within walking distance of many of the suburb's most sought-after amenities.

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From Candela, residents can access cafés, grocers, wine bars, restaurants and essential services on foot, while Ivanhoe Station and Darebin Station provide direct connectivity across Mel​bour​ne. The development is also surrounded by some of the suburb's best-known lifestyle destinations, including Pinkie, Laurent, Enni, Docasa and Woodfire Pizza e Cucina, alongside Ivanhoe Plaza, Woolworths, pharmacies and specialty retailers.

Green space is another defining feature of the suburb. Darebin Parklands, Ivanhoe Park, Nellie Ibbot Park and the Yarra River trail network provide extensive opportunities for recreation, while Ivanhoe Golf Course and Ivanhoe Tennis Club continue to underpin the area's long-established lifestyle appeal.

The suburb's education offering further strengthens demand. Ivanhoe Grammar School, Ivanhoe Girls' Grammar School, Mary Immaculate Primary School and Ivanhoe Primary School have helped establish the area as one of Melbou​​rne's most sought-after schooling precincts, attracting families and downsizers alike who want to remain connected to the area.

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While location was the priority for Marita and Chris, the project itself also needed to meet their expectations.

"Whilst location was paramount, I was also looking at design of the environment and Candela ticked every box," Marita said.

"We're just thrilled with our choice."

[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.

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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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=367810]

The social amenity continues to evolve as residents move higher through the building. Levels 49 and 50 house the Meridian Club, where a lounge bar, conservatory spaces, and private dining rooms take advantage of elevated city views. At the summit of the tower, the exclusive Cumulus Club spans Levels 66 and 67, offering additional lounges, private dining, and meditation and treatment rooms positioned above Melbourne’s skyline.

For OSK Property, the extensive amenity offering reflects a broader focus on wellbeing as a core component of apartment living rather than an added feature.

“Aura stands tall as an exemplar of holistic wellness – its focus on social, physical and mental health culminate in a building that is calming, restorative and relaxing, where residents will have their own sanctuary within the well-connected and sought-after Southbank,” says OSK Property CEO Chong Boon Woon.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=367796]

AURA’s amenity strategy extends beyond the tower itself through its integration with the wider Melbourne Square precinct.

Residents will have direct access to Kennedy Park, Southbank’s 3,745 sqm landscaped public park, alongside a full-line Woolworths supermarket, childcare centre, hospitality venues, and approximately 1,600 sqm of additional retail planned within AURA’s lower levels. Together, these elements create a highly connected residential environment where daily needs, recreation, and wellness are woven into the fabric of the community.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=370253]

As Melbourne’s apartment market continues to mature, developments are increasingly judged by the lifestyle they provide beyond individual residences.

Through its combination of wellness facilities, landscaped retreats, social clubs, and precinct-wide amenity, AURA represents a shift toward a more comprehensive model of vertical living, one where shared spaces play as significant a role as the homes themselves.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=151921]

AURA elevates amenity living at Melbourne Square

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

Jonathan Chancellor

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