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Tim Mathieson, the Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s partner, has spent $115,000 on a Jamieson bush block on the banks of the Goulburn River that flows into Lake Eildon in north-east Victoria.
The riverfront block is located just off the Mansfield to Woods Point Road.
The 1150-square-metre block (pictured below) on which he plans to build a shack – his own ‘‘Men’s Shed’’ – had been listed in the $105,000 to $125,000 price range.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/05/mathiesonmay27two.jpg" alt="mathiesonmay27two" width="470" height="328">
It was initially listed at $129,000 in July last year.
There are seven neighbouring blocks at the location 120 kms from Melbourne.
The last also selling at $115,000 in late 2011, albeit with a one room fishing shack on its 1100 sqm.
Selling agent Jenny Ford of Mansfield Real Estate advertised it as "HOLIDAY ADVENTURE ON THE WATER."
"Camping, fishing, bike riding or bush walking this block offers it all," the ad said.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/05/mathiesonmay27one.jpg" alt="mathiesonmay27one" width="470" height="332">
Tim Mathieson's father was born in Mansfield and his parents had a holiday cabin.
Property Observer notes solicitors Williams Hunt lodged the transfer paperwork on May 21 without any registered mortgage financing.
It's only in Tim Mathieson's name.
Mr Mathieson has since placed a caravan on the partly forested block, Fairfax Media reports.
“I’ve always loved that part of the country, from my first ever visit when I was 10,’’ he told The Age national affairs editor Tony Wright.
“I saw it as a great opportunity to start a long-term project to build a shack just like my parents had done. It’s a great spot to be able to go bushwalking and fishing down on the water. It’s everything that’s great about the bush and that part of the world.”
Wright noted wags have already suggested Mathieson was emulating the character Darryl Kerrigan.
Kerrigan in The Castle visited his lakeside shack in Bonnie Doon at the other end of Lake Eildon for the serenity.
Mathieson might be getting away from the Lodge to enjoy the serenity.
The lake was created in several stages. The first dam was constructed between 1915 and 1929, creating what was then known as Sugarloaf Reservoir. The storage was enlarged to 377,000 megalitres in 1935, and then enlarged almost tenfold between 1951 and 1955.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

The first bloke Tim Mathieson buys $115,000 bush block on Lake Eildon to build a shack amid the serenity

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Channel Seven’s House Rules scored its first major ratings breakthrough in the battle between stressful home renovation shows on Thursday night when it beat Channel Nine’s The Block Sky High unlocked episode in the 8 pm timeslot.
House Rules rated 898,000 across metropolitan capitals. The Block Unlocked rated 821,000 according to OzTAM, after the earlier show was watched by 1,073,000.
It was the first time House Rules has fared better than The Block when both shows have been on air at once.
Seemingly the never ending antics about the steam room originality and the fluffy paint rollers - interspersed with three well-meaning but elitist interior decorators sitting around in designer chairs - wasn't engaging enough to hold the suburban audience especially in Brisbane and Perth.
Especially as tensions were rising for the set of the whole house renovation on House Rules on the Tasmanian building lot which hadn't been as evident on the first whole house renovation in Perth.
The Monday night <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/house-rules-the-new-addictive-reality-television-show-on-the-block-renovates-for-keeps/2013051261200" target="_blank">Johanna Griggs-hosted </a>Perth house reveal saw the episode rate over one million in audience for the first time since its premiere.
 
 
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House Rules knocks off The Block Sky High for first time

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The big Point Piper listing of the week has been the very occasionally used bolthole of the Texan billioniare Jim Clark and his wife, the model Kristy Hinze.
Title Tattle gathers it's for sale at $7 million plus.
Their 260 square metre apartment is one of eight whole-floor residences within the prestigious Sienna harbourfront block on Wolseley Road.
They paid $7.65 million through estate agent Jaime Upton in mid-2009 when the waterfront site was being developed by Michael Bezzina's Bezzina Group which subsequently went into administration.
It has 180-degree harbour, city and Bridge views.
Its LJ Hooker Double Bay listing agent Bill Malouf has launched marketing suggesting it offers the ultimate in contemporary luxury, privacy and security. Graced with the finest quality finishes, it features an expansive free-flowing floorplan, including a lounge or billiard area with a covered balcony.
There are generous living and dining spaces framed by retractable doors opening to a large terrace.
It  has three ensuite bedrooms including a "sumptuous" master suite with a spa bath and balcony access. It also comes with a gym access to a sandy beachfront.
Meanwhile the former wife of another billioniare, Jodhi Packer has listed her Point Piper pad (below) with David Bromley topless artwork on its wall.
The former swimsuit model is apparently seeking about $2 million  for the apartment in the converted Edwardian mansion Danmark. It cost $1.23 million in 2004 - part of her package after her two-year marriage to James Packer ended.
The apartment with separate living and dining rooms, two bathrooms and a sunroom and garden terrace has been scheduled for June 12 auction.
 
<img src="/images/stories/2013/05/packermay24one.jpg" alt="packermay24one" width="470" height="310">
Another two Damark apartments are currently listed for sale. Karen Daly, the wife of bigband member,  Warren Daly is the vendor. One has $3 million hopes having cost $1.25 million in 1997.  The other cost $2.78 million in 2010 before a lavish renovation. The couple reside on the waterfront in the house they bought from the retailer John David for $7.75 million in 1997 which has <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/trophy-homes/curraghbeena-house-the-mosman-harbourfront-mansion-with-chinese-oriental-boatshed-listed-with-%247-million-hopes/2013041160324" target="_blank">a Chinese-style heritage listed boatshed </a>on the northern end of Seven Shillings Beach. Karen Daly, the successful author of the Fats &amp; Figures range of books.
And earlier this year it took just a fortnight for the legendary Dire Straits bass guitarist John Illsley to sell his Point Piper apartment.
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The three-bedroom Wolseley Road apartment came with $3 million-plus hopes, with its selling agents Sally Hampshire of Laing+Simmons Double Bay and McGrath agent Bethwyn Richards securing $3,375,000.
It was bought by the Horwath family who already own two of the seven apartments in the complex.
It had cost $690,000 shortly after Dire Straits' 1986 tour of Australia.
The stylishly reinvented 241-square-metre apartment is atop a Wolseley Road block called Harbour Gate.
<a href="/news">There's also a private boat shed on title with access to Seven Shillings Beach</a>.
These days the English-born Illsley, who lives in Hampshire, paints, having promised himself to pursue that passion when the time came in 1993 for Dire Straits to finish its touring. The band broke up in 1995.
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Texan billioniare Jim Clark and model Kristy Hinze list Point Piper harbourfront bolthole: Title Tattle

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The Macquarie Bank boss Nicholas Moore and wife Helen, who are upgrading to a $13.15 million contemporary harbourfront home on Middle Harbour, have sold their Federation Mosman house.
Costing just over $1 million in 1991, the property was initially advertised last November and sold earlier this month at an undisclosed price through LJ Hooker agents Mary Jane Hamer and Geoff Smith.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/10/ruby2.jpg">
The house (pictured above and below) was marketed as occupying a substantial sandstone footprint on its elevated 1,008-square-metre block.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2013/05/may24ruby23]}
The house with 365 square metres of internal space shows original craftsmanship.
It's marketed as a home - suitable for contemporary family life - wrapped in traditional Federation balconies with gorgeous decorative tiling.
Its formal living rooms have views towards Sydney Harbour, the Opera House and Centerpoint Tower. It has an imposing banquet dining hall with ornate picture window centrepiece.
The kitchen was rustic style with marble benchtops, Miele dishwasher and dual oven. There was scope for a pool, the marketing suggested.
The LJ Hooker office also sold the neighbouring Federation house (pictured below) this month, also for an undisclosed price.
<img height="345" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/05/21rubymay24one.jpg" alt="21rubymay24one">
Despite the Chinese whispers, apparently not to the same buyer.
There was also the $4.9 million sale on the street last December which fell short of its $5.25 million sale in 2009. The house (pictured below) had sold in 2004 at $2.85 million and at $2 million in 1991.
<img height="343" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/05/19rubymay24one.jpg" alt="19rubymay24one">
The Moores' spent $13.5 million on <a target="_blank" href="/news">their harbourfront acquistion</a> through Richardson &amp; Wrench Mosman.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2012/08/aug17shellbank]}
<img height="34" width="25" src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" alt="flagtitletat" style="font-size: 14px; margin: 5px; float: left;">
Meanwhile Mike Quigley, boss of the federal government's National Broadband Network, sold his Mosman mansion recently at a loss making $3,555,000.
Kallista, the Federation home, sold through Belle agent Sally Navra-Osborne, after being listed with $3.7 million plus hopes.
Not much of a return, as Quigley paid $3.6 million with his wife, Vicki, for the five-bedroom property in early 2007.
They then spent $300,000 plus in renovations.
Kallista comes with wide verandas and sandstone walls framed by picturesque gardens.
It has views across Sirius Cove towards the eastern suburbs from its 936-square-metre corner location.
The house comes with a custom-fitted study and cellar.
The Quigleys don't appear to have bought, but are said to be downsizing to a city apartment while keeping their south coast retreat, a 1.2-hectare Berry property that cost $2,095,000 in 2010.
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Macquarie's harbourfront-bound Nicholas Moore finally secures Federation Mosman sale

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Platinum, Salvo Property Group's striking 52-level apartment building set for construction in Melbourne's Southbank, has secured around 200 prior sales ahead of this week's official launch. 

Capped by platinum-coloured blades, Platinum comprises 435 apartments - predominantly in two-bedroom layouts.
The project's architect is Squillace Architects - a Sydney firm working on its first Melbourne high rise - and has already been awarded the best high-rise design in Australia prize in the this month's International Property Awards in Asia Pacific.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.platinumtower.com.au/">Platinum</a> will rise from the site at 245 City Road Southbank for a 2016 completion. 

There will be an opulent hotel-style lobby, ground level café and restaurant.
It will have its recreational facilities on its 52nd floor with views of Port Phillip Bay, Albert Park and the Melbourne CBD.
"We want to offer our buyers value, quality and a point of difference," Salvo chief Mario Salvo said this week.
"It's all done with love and passion," he said.
Asked about headlines suggesting an oversupply of Melbourne apartments, Mario Salvo noted "we are almost halfway in our sales and we haven't had a retail launch."
"Why should I feel there is oversupply?
"I don't see the gloom," he said saying the demand for inner city abodes made sense in this day and age.
Squillace Architect director Vince Squillace says the residential building has been designed to complement the Melbourne cityscape when viewed from a distance, with inspiration drawn from textures and forms found in some of Melbourne’s more remarkable towers. 

“Our design contributes to the street and will create social activity in the area, which together with the vertical garden, will soften what is currently a harsh urban environment,” Vince Squillace says.
With many apartments having a winter garden feature, Salvo Property Group sales and marketing director Christina Salvo says Platinum heralded the "greening of Southbank."
It's also a reference to the car park facade featuring one of Australia’s largest vertical gardens. 
Rising from its third level, the seven-storey vertical garden will both conceal and naturally ventilate parking for 265 cars and storage units. 

Salvo Property Group sales and marketing director Christina Salvo says Platinum would become an icon building for Melbourne. 

“We wanted the communal areas of Platinum to feel like you are walking into your own private hotel.
"Residents will enter a rich, warm lobby, addressed by a concierge and flanked on either side by a café or restaurant.” 

Residential lift lobbies on all floors will have wallpaper, bronze mirrors and designer lighting.
Its five star facilities include a sky lounge with function room and bar on its 52nd floor along with a winter garden, indoor pool, spa and gym.
While predominantly two-bedrooms around four per cent of the stock will be three-bedroom and several four-bedroom and penthouse apartments.

The two-bedroom apartments have an average internal area of 66 square metres with balconies of between eight and 10 square metres and a starting price of $438,000. 
The three-bedroom apartments have an average internal area of 97 square metres with penthouses up to 328 square metres. 
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Platinum at Southbank secures 200-odd sales ahead of official launch

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Roseville Anglican College for Girls has spent $3.7 million to expand its holdings in Sydney's upper North Shore.
It was described to Property Observer as "a very bullish $3.7 million" paid in Roseville.
They last bought on Bancroft Avenue property in 2011 paying $3.675 million suggesting they are intent on increasing their land holdings in the street for some future college expansion.
There were intending home buyers at the auction represented by Skeen Property Buyer's Robert Skeen who were anticipating renovating the Federation home back into a family home.
The vendors at the McGrath Estate Agents auction were the Shepherd Centre.
<div>Nestled on a vast 1,839 square metre parcel in one of Roseville’s finest streets, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house-roseville-nsw-2069/181066">the double brick Federation classic is a substantial free flowing single level home with timeless period detail interiors</a>. It last traded at $3.15 million in 2005.</div>
Members of the last family to reside in the house were present at the auction and keen for another family to secure its purchase as a residential home.
"Roseville College looked like they would have bought the property at any price," one attendee noted.
Roseville Anglican College for Girls was established in 1908.
It has followerd the trend of other expansionary schools.
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Roseville College buys another Bancroft Avenue residence

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There are nine exceptional property entrepreneurs who have featured on every BRW Rich list since its 1984 commencement.
They dominate the full list of 19 entrepreneurs who have made every BRW Rich 200 over the 30 editions. There are others like Solomon Lew with a strong property weighting too, but are categorised under the investment industry.
Frank L0wy's heads the list of the nine being currently  Australia’s second richest with a $6.87 billion fortune, according to the 2013 BRW Rich List. Out of the 36 billionaires on the 2013 list, 15 made their fortune partially or entirely thanks to our property boom.
Ranked sixth this year, Harry Triguboff was the second wealthiest property player with a jump from $4.85 billion to $4.95 billion.
BRW says last financial year, Meriton had $1.2 billion in revenue, most of which came from residential apartment sales and the management of serviced apartments.
The presence of the nine property veterans suggests that property is still a pathway to wealth although there are far fewer property investors in BRW’s Young Rich List than on the full Rich List.
Eight of the members of BRW’s 100 Young Rich List have made the bulk of their money from property.
In the Rich List 200 published in May 2012 it was some 55 of the members who made their money from property.
Proportionally that’s three times as many property investors on the older list than the younger list.
The veteran property players that are stayers are:
1) Frank Lowy
Prior peak net worth: $6.51 billion (2012)
Current net worth: $6.87 billion
Westfield Group founder who owns shopping centres around the world.
2) Harry Triguboff
Prior peak net worth: $4.85 billion (2012)
Current net work: $4.95 billion (2013)
Sydney’s apartment king.
3) John Gandel
Peak net worth: $4.10 billion (2004)
Current net worth: $3.7 billion
Owner of Australia’s biggest shopping centre, Chadstone.
4) Stan Perron
Prior peak net worth: $2.05 billion (2012)
Current net worth: $2.33 billion
Perth legend best known as a property investor and owner of Western Australia’s Toyota distributorship.
5) Maurice Alter
Prior peak net worth: $1.50 billion (2012)
Current net worth: $1.78 billion
Melbourne property developer who owns an extensive portfolio.
6) Alan Rydge
Prior peak net worth: $875 million (2012)
Current net worth: $1.19 billion
Well-known investor whose family established – and still controls – Amalgamated Holdings.
7) John Kahlbetzer
Peak net worth: $800 million (2012)
Current net worth: $780 million
Pastoralist who divides his time between Australia and Argentina.
8) Bruno &amp; Rino Grollo
Peak net worth: $1.10 billion (2011)
Current net worth: $740 million
Melbourne property developers behind Grocon and Equiset.
9) John Longhurst
Prior peak net worth: $456 million (2010)
Current net worth $470 million
Developer of Dreamworld theme park and property owner.
The peak net-worth figures represent the highest valuation attributed by BRW between 1984 and 2012.
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Australia's remarkable 9 property players and stayers on their 30th BRW Rich 200 List

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They effectively acknowledged they'd been waiting five decades. And finally Cranbrook School got the adjoining Bellevue Hill property.
Albeit at a considerable cost - $15,501,000 - some $6080 a square metre.
"This unique property is not ready for our immediate use, but is rich in potential and will provide us with the scope and opportunity to enrich the teaching and learning experiences, and improve the school environment for, present and future generations of Cranbrook students," the school council president,<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/cranbrook-school-secures-the-%24155-million-bellevue-hill-former-home-of-sir-peter-abeles-cranbrook/2013052261595?utm_source=po&amp;utm_medium=aida&amp;utm_campaign=news"> Helen Nugent said</a> in an email to parents today.
And despite being long established, they now they face the likelihood of resistance from remaining residents who don't like the expansionary ways despite their own looming potential windfall gains.
Scots College bought two Bellevue Hill properties on Kambala Road over recent years - $4.1 million in 2008 and $4.9 million in 2009 - and has faced a hostile neighbourhood seeking to influence the generally sympathetic Woollahra Council.
The existing local residents action group, Concerned Scots Neighbours Incorporated have quickly deemed the Cranbrook purchase "cause for concern."
“I’ve had members emailing me about it,” member Paul Blanket told The Australian Financial Review this afternoon. They claim a membership of about 150 residents, but presumably not Helen Nugent, whose own Bellevue Hill home is closer to Scots than Cranbrook, where she is the school council president.
Scots has suggested its expansion involved no increase in numbers of students or staff of The Scots College as a result of its acquisitions.
But there's no stopping the schools expanding their holdings across Sydney.
Property Observer is aware of another, almost as intense auction, earlier this month on the upper North Shore when a very bullish $3.7 million was paid in Roseville.
The successful purchasers were Roseville Anglican College for Girls which was established in 1908.
They'd bought another Bancroft Avenue property in 2011 for $3.675 million suggesting they are intent on increasing their land holdings in the street for some future college expansion.
There were intending home buyers represented by Skeen Property Buyer's Robert Skeen who were intending to renovate the old Federation home back into a family home.
The vendors at the McGrath Estate Agents auction were the Shepherd Centre.
<div>Nestled on a vast 1,839 square metre parcel in one of Roseville’s finest streets, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house-roseville-nsw-2069/181066">the double brick Federation classic is a substantial free flowing single level home with timeless period detail interiors</a>. It last traded at $3.15 million in 2005.</div>
Members of the last family to reside in the house were present at the auction and keen for another family to secure its purchase as a residential home.
"Roseville College looked like they would have bought the property at any price," one attendee noted.
Earlier this month the Wenona School purchased the Independent Theatre, at 269 Miller Street, North Sydney, from the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust for $4.97 million.
"This beautiful heritage building, adjacent to our school, has served as a venue for many Wenona drama performances, HSC music recitals, presentations and other functions, throughout its long history," said the Wenona principal Dr Briony Scott.
"Some of our independent school’s first students in 1886 may well have trod parts of the current building which date from the same year, when it was built as a cable tram terminus and depot," she said of the building used as a boxing hall, a vaudeville hall, car service depot and even an ammunition store over the years.
Its not quite like the other recent sales as this sale actually followed an approach by the AETT to Wenona, the AETT chairman, Lloyd Waddy confirmed. Waddy thanked the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation and previous donors to the Seaborn Broughton and Walford Foundation, and The Friends of the Independent.
The building will provide much-needed presentation and performance spaces for Wenona’s students. Wenona has been an independent, non-denominational day and boarding school since 1886.
In 2009 Sydney Church of England Grammar School (Shore), made the biggest known acquisition spending $35.2 million for the historic Graythwaite estate. It took its portfolio to 86 properties at its 5.65-hectare campus near North Sydney's business district along with nine hectares of playing fields in Northbridge.  
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The schools that ate Sydney: no stopping prestige school expansion as they buy up the neighbourhoods

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The neighbouring Cranbrook School was the undisclosed $15.5 million buyer of the former Bellevue Hill matrimonial home of the late transport tycoon Sir Peter Abeles. 
The 2549 square metre land was originally part of the Cranbrook estate -- now home to the private school for boys -- which was subdivided in 1917.
As it rained down <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/sir-peter-abeles-former-bellevue-hill-mansion-fetches-%2415501000/2013052261579" target="_blank">Sundorne, the 1925 house </a>(pictured below) sold at $15,501,000 when offered at its onsite auction after being listed with $11 million-plus hopes. There was only competition from a North Shore family after the 2A zoned property was announced on the market at around $11.5 million.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/05/abelesmay23four.jpg" alt="abelesmay23four" width="470" height="283">
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2013/05/may23abelesauction]}
The school council president Dr Helen Nugent and treasurer Geoff Kimpton were in attendance at the very damp invitation only auction, accompanied by Sydney lawyer, Bruce McWilliam. They seemed to adopt the school motto, Esse Quam Videri which translates from Latin to "to be rather than to seem to be".
The acquisition (see red below) with crown land portion (green triangle) is across the road from the school (large green space below) on the corner of Victoria Road and Rose Bay Avenue, which was known as Gallipoli Avenue until 1926.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/05/abelesmapmay23three.jpg" alt="abelesmapmay23three" width="470" height="302">
Cranbrook School (pictured below) was founded in 1918 through the generous benefaction of a small number of supporters. On 1 December 1917, the former private home and vice-regal residence, Cranbrook, was listed by the NSW Government and bought at auction by an agent for Samuel Hordern, the main financial benefactor of a group of businessmen and churchmen aiming to establish an Anglican boys' school in the Eastern Suburbs.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/05/abelesmay23five.jpg" alt="abelesmay23five" width="470" height="357">
The 1859 sandstone <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cranbrook,_Bellevue_Hill" target="_blank">Cranbrook</a> residence built for the Tooth brewery family and then owned by the White pastoralist family from 1873.
It served as the abode of the NSW Governor between 1900 and 1917.
The first headmaster, Rev. F T Perkins opened the school in July 1918.
The property presented a rare opportunity as it last sold 45 years ago, had also been sold in the 1917 government subdivision sell-off.
Sundorne, the well-hidden Tudor style six-bedroom Victoria Road mansion, was bought from the well-connected establishment Simpson lawyer family in 1958 through Sir Peter's company P.A. Holdings Pty Ltd for about £60,000.
The block was purchased in 1917 by Edward Percy Simpson, who commissioned architect CA Millyard to build Sundorne in 1925 as a wedding present for his son, Edward Telford Simpson.
The school council president Helen Nugent confirmed the acqusition in an email today (pictured below) to parents noting "the significant investment offers us the chance to accelerate the realisation of our plans for the revitalisation of the senior school campus, with our aim being to bring it into line with the world-class standard set by our new Junior School." It said the school enjoyed "the advantages of a magnificent setting at Bellevue Hill, but space is at a premium: the acquisition of this expansive property will allow us to advance our vision more efficiently and effectively."
<img src="/images/stories/2013/05/cranbrookmay23one.jpg" alt="cranbrookmay23one" width="470" height="471">
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Cranbrook School secures the $15.5 million Bellevue Hill former home of Sir Peter Abeles

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Hui Wing Mau is the Chinese billionaire founder and the chairman of Shimao Property, who has made a surprise debut in the BRW Rich 200  list with an estimated $4.8 billion wealth.
He is described as one of the largest property developers in Shanghai.
His inclusion comes after BRW noted the Australian citizenship of the high profile developer, formally known as Xu Rongmao. It has actually been on the public record since 2004 that he holds a Australian passport.
Forbes Rich List has previously noted his Hong Kong citizenship, so he presumably has dual nationality. He also retains high Chinese mainland links given his participation in the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
The long time Forbes and Chinese rich member, Hui Wing Mau, as known in Cantonese translation, has a Master of Business Administration from the University of South Australia secured in 2003.
He undertook several property ventures in Australia in the 1990s. In 2005, The New York Times reported he had moved his family to Australia and invested in real estate in the early 1990s.
In 2004 the masterful Sydney Morning Herald China correspondent, Hamish McDonald reported during the 2002-03 financial year Xu Rongmao was one of the biggest individual donors to the NSW branch of the Australian Labor Party of $100,000.
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McDonald further noted Shimao's $100,000 donation to the ALP, made a month before the state election, came about as a result of a visit to Shanghai by the then Premier, Bob Carr.
"All the Xu family hold Australian passports, resulting from their time as business migrants to Darwin starting in 1990, when Xu decided to move from Hong Kong, where he had been in stockbroking and then a smallish garment-manufacturing business," it was reported in 2004.
Xu Rongmao used his several years in Australia to build up his capital from real estate deals and augment his entrepreneurial skills with a distance-learning MBA from Adelaide University, before returning to China to join the boom.
His son Jason went on from school in Darwin to a bachelor of business degree at the University of Technology, Sydney, and has also done a distance MBA from Adelaide.
The 62-year-old is now one of China's largest real estate developers with more than 70 projects in progress, none known to be currently in Australia.
He has rocketed into seventh on BRW's list with an estimated wealth of $4.8 billion.
He is one of 16 list members to be based overseas, up from 14 last year.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/commercial/westfields-frank-lowy-rises-above-ivan-glasenberg-as-second-richest-australian-with-meritons-harry-triguboff-up-to-sixth-richest-on-2013-brw-rich-list-brwrich200-rich200/2013052261586?utm_source=po&amp;utm_medium=aida&amp;utm_campaign=news" target="_blank">His $4.8 billion was not enough to knock Frank Lowy and Harry Triguboff of their higher property perches.</a>
The Hong Kong-listed Shimao Property Holdings, one of China's largest real estate developers, has  more than 70 projects under way, including colorful projects such as Ningbo Shimao Sea Dawn and Kunshan Shimao Butterfly Bay.
Young Jason Xu told Hamish McDonald in 2004 that his Australian education had helped create a more stable, well-planned company than most Chinese counterparts.
"We have 10-year planning on how our company is going to grow," he said.
"If you have a formal education your company will be more formal. Local companies go from step one to step five and then step 10.
"They miss a lot of details and find a lot of mistakes late."
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Hui Wing Mau, Chinese property billionaire the highest BRW Rich List debutant

ASX-listed developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/stockland">Stockland</a>&nbsp;is continuing its push back into the new apartment market, filing plans for a prominent gateway site between Collingwood and East Melbourne.

The development giant, which moved back into the new apartment space when it announced Stanton Place in Sydney's Rosebery and have since filed plans for a 50-storey tower, are jumping into the off the plan Melbourne market.

They are hoping to create a mixed-use neighbourhood precinct for 79-81 Victoria Parade, replacing an existing commercial building with 478 apartments,&nbsp;ground-floor retail, new public open spaces and a publicly accessible pedestrian laneway.

The scheme by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/john-wardle-architects">Wardle</a>, has been planned around a series of publicly accessible spaces. A landscaped pedestrian laneway would cut diagonally through the site from Victoria Parade, connecting two new public plazas lined with retail tenancies and creating a finer-grain pedestrian network through the block.

<img alt="First look: Stockland plans new mixed-use neighbourhood precinct for Collingwood gateway site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="72dbbca9-3918-4073-afad-a0c0c35be8e7" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/stockland%20pers.png?VersionId=bzMVUKKxvwuNK1m0v_td126Rgct32uk_" />

The design report identifies the public realm as a central driver of the proposal.

"Collingwood has limited access to high-quality parks and public open space, and the proposal delivers valuable new areas for respite, social interaction and fine-grain retail activity."

The development would deliver a diverse mix of housing, including studio, one, two and three-bedroom apartments alongside townhouse-style residences. Two basement levels are proposed beneath the development, providing resident and retail parking as well as extensive bicycle facilities.

Wardle's design draws heavily on Collingwood's industrial character, using articulated building forms, brickwork and robust materials inspired by the suburb's warehouse and manufacturing heritage. The built form has been broken into a series of smaller volumes to better respond to the surrounding streetscape while extensive communal gardens, rooftop amenities and shared resident spaces are integrated throughout the project.

<img alt="First look: Stockland plans new mixed-use neighbourhood precinct for Collingwood gateway site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7b2135ed-65df-4253-ad53-f216f06bd467" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/stockland%20podium.png?VersionId=l1B6Hqn8zs772VxH6L1fDPg0KHshan9v" />

The planning documents describe the existing office building as offering little engagement with the public realm, with the redevelopment intended to create a more permeable and active neighbourhood destination.

"The proposed scheme presents a significant opportunity to deliver a vibrant retail plaza and a local neighbourhood hub serving both existing and future Collingwood residents."

The 79–81 Victoria Parade site occupies a strategic location about 1.5 kilometres east of Melbourne's CBD, at the threshold between Collingwood and East Melbourne. It is well served by tram services along Victoria Parade and sits within walking distance of St Vincent's Hospital, Fitzroy Gardens, the Fitzroy activity centre and a broad range of employment, retail and hospitality destinations.

Joel Robinson

Stockland plans new mixed-use neighbourhood precinct for Collingwood gateway site

An 1880s timber cottage that has survived Kangaroo Point's transformation from riverside suburb to high-density apartment precinct is set to become the centrepiece of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/zephyr">Zephyr Group</a>'s proposed Banksia development.

Rather than see the locally heritage-listed Alpha Cottage as an obstacle to navigate, plans integrate the landmark home into a new 18-storey residential tower, giving one of the suburb's oldest surviving residences a new role as the project's communal hub.

The development application covers a 1,177 sqm amalgamated site at 127-133 Lambert Street and 30 Shafston Avenue, where Zephyr Group plans to deliver 64 apartments above three basement levels. Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/joe-adsett-architects">Joe Adsett Architects</a>, the proposal carefully weaves the retained heritage cottage into a contemporary residential scheme, with the tower elevated above the historic building to preserve its presence within the Lambert Street streetscape.

<img alt="First look: Zephyr Group's Banksia to wrap new Kangaroo Point tower around 1880s Alpha Cottage" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f9dc5bdb-d691-4c60-bf2b-c3ed405a3e75" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Banksia.png?VersionId=Jh4bjlewU.o8HXWt0V4KaFA_lPcF7KWM" />

Named after the native Australian Banksia flower, the project draws inspiration from its distinctive form through curved balconies, sculpted planter boxes and cascading subtropical landscaping that soften the building's profile.

As the design report explains: "The tower's identity is defined by its feature facade, drawing direct inspiration from the Banksia wildflower. The building departs from traditional rigidity through the use of elegant, GRC-moulded planter boxes that appear as if shaped by the breeze."

Plans propose 64 apartments, comprising 32 two-bedroom and 32 three-bedroom residences, across an 18-storey tower. Residents would have access to rooftop amenities including a swimming pool, spa, gym, sauna, private cinema, dining spaces and landscaped recreation areas, while more than half the site is dedicated to planting and open space.

<img alt="First look: Zephyr Group's Banksia to wrap new Kangaroo Point tower around 1880s Alpha Cottage" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="16041b5f-033e-47fa-8fbe-9886e072c1f2" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/pool.png?VersionId=kpx5w4EbLx0_TdWfDoD1vrSs0_cZ5Ao1" />

The heritage component is the defining feature of the proposal. Constructed in the early 1880s and occupied from at least 1883, Alpha Cottage is recognised by Brisbane City Council as an important surviving example of Kangaroo Point's nineteenth-century residential development and as a representative transverse-gable timber cottage. Despite extensive redevelopment across the peninsula, the building has retained a high degree of its original form and internal fabric.

As part of the redevelopment, the cottage will be carefully relocated a short distance within its original allotment to facilitate construction before being returned to a prominent position along Lambert Street. Original verandah elements will be dismantled, catalogued and reinstated, while significant internal features, including timber flooring, wall linings, joinery, doors, windows and hardware, will be retained. Later additions, including the enclosed rear verandah, will be removed to better reveal the building's original form.

Once restored, Alpha Cottage will accommodate the building manager's office, mail room and parcel facilities, providing an active everyday use that supports its long-term conservation rather than preserving it as a static display. The heritage strategy also maintains landscaped space around the building, allowing it to remain visually distinct beneath the new tower.

<img alt="First look: Zephyr Group's Banksia to wrap new Kangaroo Point tower around 1880s Alpha Cottage" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="43b027e1-576e-4624-a66c-7cc54ea8b7be" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/banksia%20tower.png?VersionId=2W6E2yfkj2AQlWlLeV986grA5zB9f817" />

The Heritage Impact Assessment concludes that "the proposal secures the ongoing occupation, maintenance and conservation of Alpha Cottage," finding the development would result in "no more than a minor impact on the cultural heritage significance" of the building while ensuring its long-term future.

Joe Adsett Architects have designed the tower to sit above the heritage building rather than overwhelm it, creating a clear visual separation between old and new. The development's flowing balconies, integrated planting and organic façade respond to Brisbane's subtropical climate while complementing the restored cottage below.

Banksia occupies a prominent corner in Kangaroo Point within walking distance of the Kangaroo Point Bridge, Brisbane River, ferry services, QUT, the CBD and the Woolloongabba precinct. The site also benefits from direct access to active transport infrastructure and sits within an area earmarked for continued higher-density residential growth.

Zephyr Group's Banksia to wrap new Kangaroo Point tower around 1880s Alpha Cottage

Buying into a masterplanned community often means committing to a vision still years from taking shape. At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a>, that vision is already visible.

Residents have moved into the completed first stage, landscaped spaces are established, and the next chapter is now underway. Stage 1 has been completed and settled, with Stage 2 now selling off-the-plan.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/pbd-architects">PBD Architects</a>, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> combines attainable apartment living with sustainability initiatives rarely seen at this price point, including rooftop solar, battery storage and a resident EV-sharing program.

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Located on Schofi​elds Road, just moments from Tal​lawong Metro Station and Schof​ields Train Station, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> has been designed to appeal to a broad mix of buyers, from first-home purchasers looking for a foothold in Sy​dney's property market to downsizers seeking a connected, low-maintenance lifestyle.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> has been conceived as a thoughtfully planned masterplanned community that will evolve over multiple stages, with buyers now able to secure one, two and three-bedroom apartments within a neighbourhood that is already beginning to establish its identity.

One of the project's defining features is its focus on sustainability. Solar energy systems, battery storage and future EV charging infrastructure have been incorporated throughout the development, reflecting a long-term approach to both environmental performance and everyday convenience.

Sustainability sits at the centre of the development's vision, with solar energy systems, battery storage and future EV charging infrastructure integrated throughout the community.

That emphasis on future-ready living extends beyond the technology. Landscaped communal gardens, outdoor gathering spaces and plans for a future retail precinct aim to create a neighbourhood where residents can access daily conveniences without travelling far from home.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149637 project_image_fid=351027]

The apartments themselves have been designed with liveability front of mind. Rather than chasing maximum density, the focus has been placed on creating practical homes with generous natural light, usable layouts and strong connections to outdoor space.

Importantly, these design principles have been applied consistently across the one, two and three-bedroom apartment offerings.

The appeal of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> is also closely linked to its location within Syd​ney's rapidly evolving north-west growth corridor. Over the past decade, major infrastructure investment has transformed the area, with new transport links, business precincts and community facilities reshaping suburbs like Talla​wong and Schofiel​ds.

The agent says buyers are increasingly recognising the area's long-term potential.

"Typical buyers that we're finding across <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> especially are your first-home buyers, your investors, your upsizers as well as your downsizers," Hawes says.

Connectivity remains one of the project's strongest drawcards. Residents have access to both Tallaw​ong Metro Station and Schofi​elds Train Station, providing links to the Sydn​ey CBD, Norw​est Business Park, Macquari​e Park and other major employment hubs. Retail centres including Rous​e Hill Town Centre and Sch​ofields Village are also nearby, alongside schools, parks and future healthcare infrastructure.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149637 project_image_fid=351031]

For Stage 1 resident Roji, it is the balance between convenience and comfort that has defined the experience of living at Kew.

"For me, it's a balance of quality and convenience," she says. "Everything I need is right here."

"If I wanted to catch the train, Scho​fields Station is just around the corner. Tallaw​ong Metro connects me to the city."

More importantly, she says, the development has delivered something that cannot be measured in floorplans or specifications.

"<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> feels like home."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149637 project_image_fid=351024]

As Stage 2 enters the market, that lived experience may be one of the project's strongest selling points. Buyers are not purchasing into an untested concept or a future promise. They are joining a community that is already taking shape.

Ongoing investment in transport, retail, healthcare and public open space continues to strengthen the appeal of Syd​ney's north-west growth corridor, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a>'s established first stage provides buyers with a tangible sense of the community's future direction.

For a limited time, buyer can secure a new home at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> with just a $10,000.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=149637]

Kew Tallawong: A growing community taking shape in Sydney's north-west

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/freecity">Freecity</a> has received development approval for its 51-storey mixed-use tower at 153-157 Walker Street, North Sydney, set to be one of the tallest mixed-use residential-led buildings in one of Sydney’s most sought-after commercial and residential addresses.

Lodged as a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) through the Housing Delivery Authority (HDA) pathway and approved by the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure following a comprehensive public exhibition and submissions process, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/153-walker-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">the project</a> will deliver 296 apartments, alongside a 170-room, luxury hotel, activated retail and significant public domain improvements.

Situated just 200 metres from Victoria Cross Metro Station, on one of the largest developable sites in North Sydney, the development will rise to 234 metres, making it one of the tallest buildings in the suburb. With an end value of approximately $1.5 billion, the project responds directly to the NSW Government’s mandate to accelerate housing delivery in well-located, transit-connected areas.

<img alt="Freecity gets green light for mixed-use residential and hotel tower in North Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="192ec455-94bf-4e01-83ef-922b1b269d67" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Freecity%20-%20Walker%20Street%20North%20Sydney%201%20RESIZED%20.jpg?VersionId=Bzqp0SBHCDvLAHjA4QXkjuGoOEIh73Jl" />

The apartment mix will cater to a broad range of buyers, with 65 studio and one-bedroom apartments, 139 two-bedroom residences, 35 three-bedroom apartments, 48 four-bedroom homes, and nine penthouses. Residents will have access to a dedicated amenity level on Level 33, featuring a swimming pool with views towards the Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House and North Sydney CBD, as well as a gym, library, shared kitchen, lounge and outdoor entertaining areas.

The hotel will occupy the lower six levels of the building and include meeting and function spaces, a wellness centre with gym, yoga studio, swimming pool and sauna, further strengthening North Sydney's growing hospitality offering.

At ground level, the development has been designed to improve pedestrian connections through the precinct. More than 700 sqm of retail space will activate the street frontage, while a landscaped through-site link connecting Walker Street, Little Walker Street and Doris Fitton Park will provide new public open space with seating, paving and extensive native landscaping.

Freecity Group Co-Founder and Joint CEO Tony Sun said the project represents one of the most significant development opportunities currently available in North Sydney.

"This is one of the most significant development sites in North Sydney and it comes at a pivotal moment for the precinct," Sun said.

"North Sydney is undergoing a genuine transformation, and this project will contribute housing the city urgently needs while creating a landmark destination."

Executive Director of Development Michael Romano said demand for both residential and hotel accommodation would continue to strengthen as the Metro precinct matures.

"The structural demand for high-quality housing and hotel accommodation in North Sydney is compelling, and will only grow as the precinct continues to evolve around the new Metro station," Romano said.

Architectus has designed the tower, orientating the apartments to maximise views towards Sydney Harbour while introducing a sculpted façade intended to respond to light, wind and the surrounding skyline.

Architectus Principal Marko Damic said the design sought to create a tower that contributes to the public realm as much as the skyline.

"We wanted to design a tower that doesn't just sit in the skyline but actively participates and contributes to city life," Damic said.

First look: Freecity gets green light for mixed-use apartment and hotel tower in North Sydney

<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]

Jonathan Chancellor

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