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Reservoir real estate agent Robert Marshall has had his licence suspended after failing to submit trust account records to Consumer Affairs Victoria.
The agent Robert James Marshall, who operated Partners Real Estate in Blake Street, Reservoir, had his licence suspended for failing to lodge trust account paperwork for six years.
It comes following repeated requests and warnings to the agent in Melbourne's northern suburbs.
“The rules on trust accounts exist to protect Victorians who are often making one of the biggest purchases of their lives – their homes,” the acting director of Consumer Affairs Victoria, Phil D’Adamo said.
The tribunal found Mr Marshall had contravened the Estate Agents Act 1980 by failing to:
<ul>
<li>have trust accounts audited within three months after 30 June each year </li>
<li>keep signed copies of audit reports and make them available upon demand </li>
<li>provide documents and answer questions as required. </li>
</ul>
The tribunal imposed a condition on Mr Marshall’s licence to stop him receiving trust money or opening, operating or maintaining a trust account.
He will also have his licence cancelled if he fails to lodge all outstanding audit reports and accounts with Consumer Affairs Victoria by 30 June 2013.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Reservoir agent Robert Marshall gets licence suspension

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Parkholme, an enchanting 1933 Tudor Revival home designed by Marcus Barlow in Balwyn has been listed for sale.
It has been listed by Graeme Henderson, a divisional managing director of WorleyParsons.
The 13-room residence comes with five bedrooms plus study, with formal and informal living rooms.
The house sits on 1550 square metres over two titles allowing for tennis court and 15-metre swimming pool.
The <place><city>Henderson</city></place>s are moving for lifestyle reasons.
<a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/11-chatfield-avenue-balwyn/Property-Details-buy-residential-5023333" target="_blank">It is being offered for private sale by Marshall White agent Doug McLauchan at $3.95 million</a>.
The Manchester Unity Building, Melbourne's tallest building at the time, is Barlow's best known work. It was built in the Commercial Gothic Modern style and was the first Victorian building to have escalators and the first multi-level car park in Victoria.
Marshall White commentary indicated that as the school holidays drew to a close, purchasers were turning out in numbers with multiple bidders contesting six of its most recent seven auctions.
"Confidence has been given another boost by the release of the REIV quarterly March figures the show a 5.1% growth in the median house price which is the strongest first quarter result in more than 10 years," Marshall White's John Bongiorno said.
"The market is now evenly balanced which provides excellent opportunities for people both downsizing and upscaling," he said.
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Marcus Barlow Balwyn Tudor Revival home listed

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Developer Harry Triguboff says Canadian pension funds and investors from the UK and China have shown interest in buying all or part of his tightly held company, Meriton.
Triguboff declined to name who specifically were proposing takeover bids but said the company receives offers all the time.
“There are Canadian super funds, English super funds, and Chinese of course,” Triguboff told Bloomberg this week.
He said he is looking to his grandchildren for a successor. “But I’m in good health and my grandchildren are growing up.”
But he said his granddaughter, Ella Lankry, marketing director at Meriton had no interest in management. A second grandchild, in their final year of university, may be a candidate, he said.
Triguboff, who celebrated his 80th birthday earlier this month, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/asian-buyers-covet-while-harry-triguboff-considers-one-day-handing-meriton-reins-to-grandkids/2013032260037" target="_blank">said in March </a>he has no intentions of retiring from a business that has propelled him from humble beginnings as a taxi driver to the seventh-richest person in Australia.
While Triguboff hasn’t ruled out listing Meriton, the company has generally steered clear of entering into business partnerships or joint ventures in the past and Triguboff dismisses recent speculation of a future partnership with property group, Stockland.
The Street Talk column of The Australian Financial Review speculated in March there were a number of Asian parties keen to pick up a "large Australian presence in one swoop."
It reported then the interested Asian bidders had contacted Australian banks to talk about the situation.
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Interest in Meriton from Canada, UK and China: Harry Triguboff

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Macquarie Group has taken a 19.84% stake in the listed mortgages company Homeloans Ltd.
It paid $20.1 million for the Homeloans stake in an off-market transfer last Friday, according to substantial notices lodged Tuesday.
The trade was done at 95¢ a share, or a 20¢ a share premium to Homeloans closing price. Homeloans shares were up 6¢ to 81¢ when trading resumed Tuesday.
Macquarie bought the stake off Challenger Group who ceased being a major shareholder. 
It listed on the Australian Stock Exchange in 2001.
Homeloans specialises in home loans with a wide range of products to meet the needs of customers from first home buyers to investors.
Macquarie's move into Homeloans, which was founded in 1985, comes as Macquarie seeks to boost its mortgages business which includes equity in Yellow Brick Road.  It took an 8.3% in Mark Bouris’s mortgage broker, Yellow Brick Road, last December.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/mortgages/macquarie-bank-doubles-loans-to-investors-in-first-nine-months-of-2012-apra-figures" target="_blank">Macquarie has been growing its residential home loan book sizably over recent times</a>.
Homeloans was founded by Perth entrepreneurs, the current chairman Tim Holmes and director Rob Salmon, who each own a 12% stake.
They are reportedly reluctant to sell, according to the Australian Financial Review who speculate Macquarie was likely to launch a full takeover bid for Homeloans.
NAB’s mortgage aggregator, Advantage, owns a significant 17% stake in Homeloans, after it bought the holding from Challenger in 2009.
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Macquarie takes Homeloans stake

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RBA board members noted at their April meeting that Australia's housing markets continued to improve.
Its April meeting minutes noted house prices increased again over March, to be 4¼ per cent above their mid-2012 trough.
The board also noted that auction clearance rates had moved higher and there were signs of somewhat stronger growth in housing loan approvals.
The Bank's liaison with home builders suggested that demand for new housing had been a little more positive of late, with a rise in activity reported in most capital cities.
"Over the past few months, housing loan approvals had picked up for both owner-occupiers and investors, and stronger conditions in the established housing market more generally were expected to support moderate growth of dwelling investment this year," the minutes said.
"Overall, recent data suggested that interest-sensitive parts of the economy were responding to the historically low levels of lending rates and it remained likely that this had further to run.
"At the same time, the factors weighing on the economy – including the high exchange rate, the waning growth of mining investment, and fiscal consolidation – were likely to persist.
"The key issues were what the balance of these factors would turn out to be.
"With growth forecast to be a little below trend in 2013, and inflation close to target, members judged that it was appropriate for the stance of policy to be accommodative.
"The outlook for inflation, as currently assessed, would provide scope for further easing should that be necessary to support demand.
"At this meeting, the board's judgement remained that, on the information currently to hand, the most prudent course was to hold rates steady and to continue to assess developments over the period ahead."
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.rba.gov.au/monetary-policy/rba-board-minutes/2013/02042013">The board decided to leave the cash rate unchanged at 3%</a>.
Members were also updated on the funding composition of Australian banks, with deposits rising further as a share of total funding, despite being more expensive than comparable wholesale funding sources.
"Average interest rates on outstanding housing and business loans had been largely unchanged since the end of February.
"In the money market, current pricing implied a very small expectation of an easing in monetary policy at the current meeting, and less than one 25 basis point easing priced in by the end of the year," the minutes noted.
 
 
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Australia's housing market - including new homes - show positive signs: RBA April meeting minutes

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The film makers Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin have $15 million-plus hopes for Iona, the 1880s Darlinghurst mansion.
The couple want to buy a family home with a garden in the eastern suburbs of Sydney rather than keep the inner city premises from where they have maintained their Bazmark film production offices.
The couple paid $10 million for the grand Victorian building (pictured below) in 2006 having previously rented the Italianate mansion, for almost the prior decade.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/04/bazapril15one.jpg" alt="bazapril15one" width="470" height="708">
The creative duo never made a secret of their desire to buy so the couple engaged a buyer's agent, Janne Sutcliffe, to secure it before the real estate agent, Peter Blacket, scheduled inspections in 2006. The initial weekly asking price rent for the property in 1995 was a hefty $6,400.
It sits on a 2700 square metre block reduced over the years since built in the late 1880s as the residence for the pastoralist Edward Chisholm.
It next sold in 1908 to Adela Taylor, wife of Sir Allen Taylor, the then timber merchant and former lord mayor of Sydney who'd been in office in 1905 and 1906 and again between 1909 and 1912.
The Taylor's sold in 1912 to Eliza Hyem, wife of Alexander Hyem who leased the site to Jessie Robertson, Elizabeth Robertson and Annie Ellie McAndrew, spinsters according to the NSW Heritage site, who converted the house to Wootten Private Hospital, a psychiatric facility.
Jessie Robertson became the owner of the property in 1918 and after leased the hospital to Florence Inglis, Elizabeth Fraser and Annie Paton, these nursing spinsters purchased the property in 1927.  With most mansions around Darlinghurst demolished between the 1920s and 1960s, the extended use of Iona as a hospital saved it from this fate.
However in 1973 the site was purchased by developers, Cascais, Westport Holdings and Inciti Developments, who also purchased many surrounding houses. They sought approval for three 60 storey tower block home units in the area. Consent was granted in 1977 which included a lesser scale development and the conversion of Iona into 13 strata apartments.
But the developers suffered financial problems and each property was sold off individually.
The National Trust and other conservationists fought to protect Iona before and after its purchase by Jesseme Pty Ltd, the company was owned by John Rutherford who prepared plans for the conversion of the building into 15 flats but the proposal did not proceed. John Rutherford acquired from Home Units of Australia for $700,000 in 1980.
Rutherford subsequently applied to the Heritage Council for funding assistance for restoration works to the property, and $20,000 was granted.
The Luhrmann couple's McGrath estate agent has told Fairfax Media that the News Ltd report that the listing arose to help cover a cost blowout in their upcoming blockbuster, The Great Gatsby, were inaccurate.
The 1880s oasis was sold for $2.04 million in 1993 by John Rutherford to Ian Gowrie-Smith, the London-based entreprenuer who sold to the Luhrmann-Martin couple.   
It has the best rose corniches Title Tattle has seen.
Image courtesy of <a href="https://mydarlingdarlinghurst.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">My Darling Darlinghurst</a>.
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Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin list Iona, the Italianate Darlinghurst record setter mansion

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A historic gold mine tourism attraction 140 kilometres west of Cairns has been listed for auction.
The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tyrconnell.com.au/">Tyrconnell gold mine</a> (pictured below) commenced operation in 1876 producing large quantities of gold.
<img height="349" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/04/goldmineapril15one.jpg" alt="goldmineapril15one">
The mine helped launch the development of Far North Queensland with the establishment of port towns Cairns and Port Douglas.
It was only 16 years ago that the owner shifted their focus from mining to developing a tourist attraction. Andrew Bell and Cate Harley and their family mined for gold at Tyrconnell since the 1980s, but the focus has been on restoring the heritage assets on site and sharing it with visitors since 1997.
<img height="303" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/04/goldmineapril15two.jpg" alt="goldmineapril15two">
Tyrconnell mine is held under mining leases covering 40 hectares with campsite and four heritage style cottages. Some 120 years ago Tyrconnell was the most famous mine on the Hodgkinson goldfield with several original buildings and machines remnants from the bustling era.
<img height="354" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/04/goldmineapril15three.jpg" alt="goldmineapril15three">
Colliers International marketing agent, Dan Brown says that rarely do opportunities like this come along.
Its up for May 2 auction.
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Tyrconnell historic gold mine tourism attraction in FNQ listed for auction

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KordaMentha and its affiliate firm Calibre Capital have been appointed joint trustees of the $350 million Gold Coast-based LM Managed Performance Fund (LMPF).
The Supreme Court of Queensland made the appointment.
The LMPF raised about $350 million from unit holders and is the second largest mortgage investment fund in the LM Group, once one of Australia’s biggest mortgage fund operators. 
Most of the $350 million invested in LMPF came from overseas investors. The principal asset of the fund is an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/developments/irregularities-suspected-in-lmim-s-maddison-estate-mortgage-fund-reports/2013040160117">investment in Maddison Estate</a> (pictured below), a large proposed residential development on the Gold Coast which has recently been the subject of debate about its value.
<img alt="maddisonapril15one" height="327" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/04/maddisonapril15one.jpg">
The LMPF was previously under the control of administrators of LM Investment Management Limited (LMIM), which was also the trustee.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/jamie-durie-s-garden-designs-wilt-as-gold-coast-mortgage-fund-manager-lm-investment-management-placed-in-voluntary-administration/2013032459976">John Park and Ginette Muller were appointed voluntary administrators of LMIM on March 19</a>.
They then applied to the Supreme Court to be appointed receivers however on Friday last week the court made an order appointing KordaMentha and Calibre Capital as joint trustees, replacing LMIM.
KordaMentha partners David Winterbottom and Simon Vertullo will handle the trusteeship for KordaMentha.
"The court was concerned to ensure that someone was in place actively and independently managing the fund in the best interests of unitholders," Mr Winterbottom said.
"Our urgent priority is to determine the financial position of the managed performance fund and implement strategies to protect and enhance the value of the loans in the Fund.
"We will also be immediately investigating past transactions relating to the fund and vigorously pursuing any claims coming out of those transactions."
The law firm Piper Alderman, which represents a group of LM investors, said in a statement at the weekend that it was confident KordaMentha will be able to represent their interests free from any conflicts that may be associated with having the administrators of LMIM fulfil the role of trustee.
The LMPF is not to be confused with the other large LM fund, the LM First Mortgage Income Fund, which remains under the control of its responsible entity, LMIM.
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Trustees appointed to Gold Coast-based LM Managed Performance Fund

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A Bilgola Beach property, bought 12 years ago by Rich List tycoon John Kinghorn for $3.7 million, has been sold for $5.35 million to an expatriate buyer.

Its listing agent David Watson of LJ Hooker Avalon had suggested the property would sell for more than $5 million. There were three registered bidders who competed when auctioneer David Scholes put the listing to recent auction.
The four-bedroom house on its 637-square-metre block is just one one of seven Allen Avenue properties with direct access to the beach.
It was a record price when the $3.7 million was paid for the Warren family's 1937 weatherboard shack through L.J. Hooker selling agent David Watson in 2001.
The billionaire Blair Parry-Okeden bought for $3.35 million in 1999, and the expat banker Tim Throsby was the most recent buyer paying $5.6 million in 2010.
Bilgola Beach ranks as one of the priciest surfside enclaves on the Northern Beaches peninsula with around 100 houses in the three streets between "the Barrenjoey Road bends" and the sea.
The Kinghorn family's patriach, John made around $500 million from the float of his company Rams Home Loans in 2007. The house sale represented around 3.3% annual price growth. 
On its sale last week, the beneficiaries were Douglas Kinghorn and Jack Thomas as last December John and Jill Kinghorn's family company had transferred the property without monetary consideration to the 70-year-old Jack Thomas of Kirribilli, who subsequently offloaded a 10% stake to Douglas Kinghorn for $450,000 also last December.
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Bilgola Beach house sells for $5.35 million

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Home loans jumped in February by the highest level in 14 months, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said with lending activity slowly moving higher.
Adding to the signals that near-record low interest rates are underpinning the property market, the number of dwelling loans rose 2% from January.
It concluded a four-month run of declining approvals. 
Fixed rate loans rose from 12.2 per cent of all loans to 13.5% in February and the average home loan across Australia stood at $298,500 in February, up 3.6% on a year ago.
Loans to owner?occupiers rose by 2.0% in February which was slightly above market expectations of a 1.5% increase.
Housing Industry Association chief economist Harley Dale said housing finance outcomes presented a mixed bag of results in the month of February 2013, but overall the changes had been in the right direction.
“We’re still not firmly on the path back to the healthy levels of new home lending which would be consistent with the strong residential construction recovery the economy and population requires,” he said.
Click to enlarge
<a rel="shadowbox" href="/images/stories/2013/04/hiaapril15one.gif" title="Click to enlarge"><img src="/images/stories/2013/04/hiaapril15onethumb.gif"></a>
Source: HIA
Westpac noted that after a patchy fourth quarter and a weak start to 2013, finance approvals posted a better result in February.
It also noted January's 1.5% decline was revised to just a 0.3% dip.
"The detail was mostly positive as well, the main exception being around first home buyers," it noted with changes in state government support for first home buyers and the end of an associated pull forward in demand still having a marked impact.
"The main weak spot was still around first home buyers with the number of loans to this segment slipping a further 1.5% in February to a new cycle low.
"We estimate it is the lowest seasonally adjusted read since March 2004," Westpac noted. It said that overall the data concurred with recent auction and price data suggesting the housing market recovery quickened in early 2013.
But Westpac warned the gains were being driven by upgraders and investors with first home buyer activity very subdued.
"If this pattern continues, overall momentum may fade particularly for upgraders," Westpac suggested.
The state by state detail showed a broad-based rise across the big states: NSW +2.2%, Victoria +1.7%, Qld +4%mth, and WA +2.1%. But SA was down 2.9%. CBA noted while overall lending activity was moving upwards, FHB activity has "collapsed" over recent months.
"FHB’s made up only around 14.4% of the market which is the lowest level since June 2004," CBA noted. 

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Housing finance on the rise excepting for first home buyers

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 <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/79-81-victoria-parade-collingwood-vic-3066">79-81 Victoria Parade</a>, replacing an existing commercial building with a scheme by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/john-wardle-architects">Wardle</a>&nbsp;for 478 apartments,&nbsp;ground-floor retail, new public open spaces and a publicly accessible pedestrian laneway.

<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.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6RNt3AvtBpI?si=JUhuCV2ZRXsYaoJZ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

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.

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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.

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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."

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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.

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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."

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&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."

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&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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Jonathan Chancellor

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