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The US retail giant Costco has secured planning approval for its next store in Australia.
A $40 million Costco outlet at Casula in the Sydney's southwest has been approved and will include a 14,000-square-metre Beech Road wholesale and retail warehouse.
Costco has three stores open in Australia: one in Melbourne’s Docklands, one in the Sydney suburb of Auburn and one alongside Canberra Airport.
The group plans further projects at Ringwood in Melbourne and at North Lakes in Brisbane.
Big-box retailing is in full swing in Australia, with Property Observer reporting in January that the local arm of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/retail/australian-costco-gets-%2450-million-boost-and-turns-its-first-profit/2013013059048">bulk buying group Costco received yet another $50 million</a> from its parent company in order to fund further expansion after reporting its first profit.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Casula in Sydney's south-west to get its Costco

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Pollster Gary Morgan doesn't need to take a poll. The Melbourne prestige market is bouncing back a bit. Earlier this month Gary Morgan was the highest bidder when $5.155 million was secured in an East Melbourne auction.
Contested by four bidders, in front of a crowd of 150, its Nelson Alexander listing agent Arch Staver opened with a vendor bid of $3,950,000 for the historic, Claverings.
The first bidder came at $4 million, then $4,050,000. The third bidder came with a bid of $4,125,000.
They were after the chance to become <a href="https://www.nelsonalexander.com.au/properties/buying/east-melbourne-120-powlett-street" target="_blank">the home's third owner </a>as just two families had the property over the past 139 years.
There were 14 rooms comprising up to five bedrooms, along with three formal rooms, a separate consulting/home office suite of three rooms, with reception and waiting room with separate side access.
Also an original cellar and garage and workshop with space for up to six cars on its 752 square metre allotment.
The James Buyer Advocates report on the auction action noted increments of just $5,000 came as the pace slowed at $4,325,000.
The vendors were back with a $4.4 million bid, but soon the final bidder came in at $4,710,000 with two then battling it out to its $5,155,000 hammer price.
"There was jubilation and commiseration offered to the two crowd champions before Mr Staver thanked the crowd for the lively competition and directed the successful bidder into his new home," buyers agent Josie Wagstaff noted.
The pollster Gary Morgan is now about to list his historic East Melbourne mansion in George Street.
The chairman of Roy Morgan Research has engaged Jock Langley of Abercromby on the marketing with The Age saying about $10 million is being sought for the two-storey Victorian designed by architect Charles Webb in 1864.
At that price its considered one of the best houses in East Melbourne.
<div>Meanwhile Mal James of James Buyer Advocates says Melbourne's $3 million plus segment is still something of a mixed story.  </div>
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 In a recent sale James pointed to "a very strong result" at Toorak Road West, South Yarra", which had four bidders and sold under the hammer for, $4,365,000. It was the Alannah Hill offering.
But James noted "some non-events."
He says there are a lot of homes in the price segment were still left unsold from last year, "so it could take a bit of time to clean up that overhang."
James noted, with very few truly trophy homes in the mix, that it won’t be known until Easter if the top end is on its merry wa?y.
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Pollster Gary Morgan to test bounce back in Melbourne's prestige residential market

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Waterloo Station, one of the earliest settled properties in the Glen Innes district, has been listed for April 5 tender.
Covering 1,520 hectares in the New England region, the property is currently carrying 600 Angus cows &amp; calves and also 1,400 First Cross ewes and lambs for prime lamb production. These numbers equate to approximately 12,000 dse (dry sheep equivalents) livestock only and not allowing for the cropping country.
About 400 hectares (1,000 acres) is regularly farmed and currently there are 400 acres sown to soya beans and 200 acres sown to corn. 
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Overall, more than 50% of the entire property is arable and suitable for direct drilling of pastures of cropping.
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The property was first settled in 1836. 
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The town of Glen Innes was named after Archibald Clunes Innes (1799 – 1857), who was one of the first squatters in the region, holding Waterloo Station in 1836 along with Furracabad Station, Beardy Plains Station and Dundee Station.
Peter McIntyre took up Waterloo Station in the late 1830’s and the McIntyre family held the property until it was sold in 1896 to John Sinclair. His son, Sir Colin Sinclair, was a State parliamentarian and later the president of the Royal Agricultural Show society. He was knighted for his service to the RAS and the pastoral industry.
Waterloo Station was sold in 1972 to the Mactaggart family from Queensland ending the Sinclair family ownership of 86 years. The Mactaggarts offered the property for sale, after twenty five years, in 1997 when the property was running 1,000 adult cattle and just over 3,000 sheep.
The current owners have held the property for ten years and have continued to improve the pastures, fencing and structural improvements.
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It was the Sinclair family who <a href="https://www.landmarkharcourts.com.au/Property/506007/LGN2496/Waterloo-Waterloo-Road-Matheson-via" target="_blank">built the present double brick and granite nine bedroom homestead in 1908</a> in the Arts &amp; Crafts style.
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The homestead is built of local brick and is set on a base foundation of New England granite. There are large granite corners, solid brick walls, tallowwood timber flooring and rendered internal walls. Pressed metal ceilings are a feature throughout.
The interior includes a large formal domed vestibule, drawing and dining rooms, library, large master bedroom with ensuite bathroom, a further eight bedrooms and two bathrooms. The extensive verandahs on three sides are a feature, together with a central courtyard. The residence is set in large established grounds, complete with tennis court.
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The original two room schoolhouse is set in the gardens along with an operational meat house.
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There is a historic 12 stand shearing shed.
Waterloo Station boasts double frontage to Wellingrove Creek, plus numerous dams, and seven equipped bores and pumps, to be one of the best watered properties in the district. The fact that the property has been held by just five owners in almost 180 years is a worthy attribute, says its Landmark Harcourts agent Jim Ritchie.
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Waterloo Station at Glen Innes listed

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The six-bedroom Potts Point terrace of Fat Prophets boss Angus Geddes fetched $2.18 million at its recent auction, selling $180,000 above the quoted price.
But the triumphant result was actually emblematic of the growing misconception that is emerging from the 70% clearance rates of recent weekends.
As the stockbroker Angus Geddes, founder and chief executive of Fat Prophets, and his wife, Maryam, had paid $2 million for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house-potts-point-nsw-2011/174089/?searchID=27019105">their grand Victorian terrace residence</a> (pictured below) in 2008.
<img alt="pottsmarch11one" height="313" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/03/pottsmarch11one.jpg">
That represents 1.8% annualised growth over the past five years.
The Geddes had formed the view – no doubt with the guiding assistance of the listing agent who became the selling agent – that the price achieved was "at the top end of our range at auction."
<img alt="pottsmarch11three" height="313" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/03/pottsmarch11three.jpg">
But while Angus Geddes comes from an industry with no stamp duty and low commission fees, the $180,000 windfall was severely reduced by the $96,000 NSW stamp duty, and then several other selling costs and holding charges.
Hardly fat profits for the well-heeled professional classes.
And OK, so a bit over reserve but certainly nowhere near the requisites to warrant the recent headlines saying it's back to boom times. Ditto the weekend's top sale which was $2.9 million in Randwick. The Govett Street house had last traded at $2,705,000 in 2006, thereby reflecting 1.1% annualised growth.
In Melbourne, mimicking the same trend, fashion designer Alannah Hill’s South Yarra terrace recently sold for $4.365 million - $150,000 above the reserve price - but having traded at $4.31 million in 2010.
There's actually an acute price sensitivity that belies any boomtime enthusiasm traits.
Those recent headlines have been nothing short of reckless – arising from the one obvious characteristic of auction clearances in Melbourne and Sydney being around 15 percentage points higher than a year ago.
What has happened is that for the first time in years both vendors and buyers are on the same page pricewise, so auction successes have become the norm. Estate agents have needed to be patient and pursuasive to get the market to this juncture which began to emerge in spring last year when clearance rates didn't tail off as per normal.
What's interesting is that Sydney's 2013 APM auction volumes have, after a slow start, kicked along well up on the volumes of last year – possibly due to the late 2012 bouyancy along with the early Easter scheduling – but tellingly overall SQM listings are markedly down. Melbourne just has more and more listings.
True vendors must have a dose of reality that their desired prices are not at boomtime levels, and in some cases not even at pre-Global Financial Crisis levels. Buyers have to pay a little more than their initial hopes.
Thankfully, the senior property commentators at RP Data and Australian Property Monitors were out over the weekend to dampen things down.
“It is a run, not a boom,” Andrew Wilson, the Australian Property Monitors senior economist, told The Australian Financial Review.
“The best term is recovering,” says Tim Lawless, research director of property information provider RP Data.
Lawless predicts that, with the current modest gains in prices, values will regain the 2010 peak only by the end of the year.
And I'd suggest let's all see how the inevitably-hyped March 23 super Saturday results fare, with APM advising Property Observer to expect 670 auctions in Sydney and 1100 in Melbourne in the pre-Easter crescendo.
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Improved auction clearance rates the latest fashion, but no price boom and few fat profits

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Astiden Springs, the recently completed Crookwell residence, is a current day version of the shed from our rural history.
It also represents the best of environmentally friendly, sustainable living. Well insulated, no need for air conditioning given the air flow from cross-ventilation.
Hydronic heating, solar hot water and low-wattage power-saving controls are other key design features of this possibly iconic 21st Century Australian home in rural NSW.
It's a split-level architect designed house offering lightness and space.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2013/03/march8tattle]}
The northern wing has its lounge, dining and living areas with a double-sided wood fireplace separating the space. There's also a very big, north-facing deck with automatically closing Vergola roof. The other wing has the bedrooms.
And it's built of corrugated iron.
Designed by architect Ian Bailey, it has been recently <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tronnalstergren.com/index/astidenspringscrookwell">listed with a $1.5 million asking price</a> through Tronn Alstergren at Tronn Alstergren Real Estate.
The vendors are Steve and Kellie Shepher who are selling to move closer to Steve’s business in the Southern Highands.
Astiden Springs is a five-minute drive into Crookwell and thirty-five minutes to Goulburn, set on thirty well cared for acres with ample water, including natural, permanent springs.
The home is built from corrugated iron on a steel frame, with Lysaght Long-Line 305 steel roofing.
Internally, frames are wood and walls gyprock. The internal flooring is polished concrete while the decks are Le Mesurier Modwood made from recycled material which never needs oiling and won't crack or splinter.
<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" width="25" height="34" alt="flagtitletat" style="font-size: 14px; margin: 5px; float: left;">Speaking of splinters, Ross Brewin reckons Australians have a love affair with sheds, stemming from their utility, compositional quirks and oddities and rustic charm.
<a href="https://www.rossbrewin.com/" target="_blank">49 Sheds</a> is an ongoing series of photographic images (one of which is pictured below) – now on exhibition at the <a href="https://mprg.mornpen.vic.gov.au/Exhibitions.htm" target="_blank">Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery</a> – in which Brewin documents rural sheds he's found dotted across the vast landscape of Australia. 
<img src="/images/stories/2013/03/tattlemarch8one.jpg" width="470" height="348" alt="tattlemarch8one">
A Monash University lecturer and architect, Ross Brewin has the aim of capturing the various odd formal and material qualities of these humble structures.
Recalling the work of the German photographers Bernd and Hilla Becher, each shed is captured as a single frontal elevation in order to abstract its formal and material composition and to create a consistent method of documentation.
He suggests their display in the state of weathered ruin prompts consideration of what may have led to their abandonment and a sense that the natural elements will eventually reclaim the human-made.
Brewin's shed images are being exhibited at Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery until April 21.
Accompanying the exhibition is a small catalogue which includes an essay by  Australian architect John Wardle.
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Our love affair with rural sheds continues as Ross Brewin’s 49 Sheds photographic exhibition reminisces: Title Tattle

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Soccer star Mark Schwarzer and his wife, Paloma, have leased Boongarre, their Watsons Bay property, but there's also unconfirmed whispers it has been sold.
It became available for rent at $3500 a week last year when the couple, who are staying in Britain, tried unsuccessfully to find a buyer for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/socceroos-goalkeeper-mark-schwarzer-passes-watsons-bay-home-to-rental-market-after-buyers-play-hard-ball/2012070655451">the 1870s Watsons Bay harbourfront house</a>. It has been leased at around $3000 a week for a year apparently through Laing &amp; Simmons.
The five-bedroom Victorian weatherboard is best known for its association with the Stead family.
It was bought for £400 in 1917 by naturalist David Stead, when his daughter, the novelist Christina, was 14 years old. Christina, who left for London in 1928, used the locality in her books For Love Alone, The Man Who Loved Children and Seven Poor Men Of Sydney. It was built for John Harmer, a clerk in the water police office at Watsons Bay, by his father, William, a builder and ferry boat owner.
During the Stead ownership the property was known as Boongarre, derived from the name of an Aborigine, Bungaree, whom Governor Lachlan Macquarie described as the chief of the Broken Bay tribe.
Set on a 1,132-square-metre block, the five-bedroom house Schwarzer did the hard yards securing development approval for Tobias Partners alterations and extensions where he met some resistance when the likes of the US author Jonathan Franzen asked that the house be preserved insitu as a national heritage item.
No development works has been yet undertaken by Schwarzer, who bought it from the Pavlik family for $10.2 million in 2009.
The Pavlik family bought it from the National Trust in 1991 as it had been bequeathed by Stead's third wife, botanist Thistle Harris, best known as the author of Wild Flowers Of Australia.
The listing agent Brad Pillinger of Pillinger Property had been quoting $12 million-plus, but did not provide Property Observer with any update on any sale, which is presumably a delayed settlement sale given the 12-month lease arrangement.
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Soccer star Mark Schwarzer leases out Boongarre at Watsons Bay, with whispers it has been sold

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Celebrating its 50th year, Meriton Apartments' origins can be traced back to 1963 when clerk Harry Triguboff built his first block of units in the Sydney suburb of Tempe.
It was a two-storey walk-up block of eight on Smith Street.
<img alt="triguboffmarch8one1" height="351" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/03/triguboffmarch8one1.jpg">
Triguboff, in partnership with Thomas Gluck, paid £3400 for the land holding just close to the Ikea store that dominates the precinct.
Within eight months, the block of flats had sold for £25,500.
<img alt="triguboffmarch8two2" height="351" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/03/triguboffmarch8two2.jpg">
His second development followed in Gladesville in 1968 where on Meriton Street, he built a block of 18 units which gave rise to the name of the company he registered in 1968. It's not known when he was first dubbed "Highrise Harry."
It arose because Triguboff has evolved into one of Australia's most successful property developers completing an estimated 50,000 residential dwellings.
Triguboff has concentrated on the Sydney market with the occasional foray into the Gold Coast and, more recently, Brisbane.
In 2004, Meriton completed the construction of World Tower, Sydney's tallest residential apartment building.
The Smith Street block sold again in 1969 for $59,500 and was turned into a strata block in the 1980s after being traded at $240,000 in 1982.
<img alt="triguboffmarch8three3" height="351" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/03/triguboffmarch8three3.jpg">
The last unit sale in the Smith Street block was a one bedroom $245,500 last year. The 31-square-metre unit had first sold in 1988 at $55,000, reflecting 6.4% annual growth. It was then available for rent at $320 a week, reflecting a 6.7% gross yield.
The block's highest sale was $352,500 in 2010. It was a 52-square-metre two bedroom unit first sold in 1985 for $50,000, thereby reflecting 8.1% annual growth over the 25-year period.
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The Tempe apartment block that got Australia's biggest builder Harry Triguboff started in 1963

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Yarroma, the 1872 Hawthorn garden estate, has been subdivided with the tennis court building block sold.
The garden block with coach house covered 3,082 square metres.
The Coppin Grove riverfront mansion remains on 2,930 square metres which has been retained by the O’Brien family, and remains for sale.
<img alt="yarromamarch7one" height="708" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/03/yarromamarch7one.jpg">
The historic Victorian mansion in the renowned St James Park Estate precinct came with $10 million plus hopes when <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/title-tattle-john-symond-buys-in-elizabeth-bay/2011101351930">Title Tattle reported on its October 2011 offering</a> through Marcus Chiminello at Marshall White Armadale. The entire estate had reported $18 million total value estimates.
Chiminello was recently named Australian Agent of the Year for the third consecutive year and inducted into the AREA Hall of Fame.
No price indication has been given for the building block sale.
With elevated city skyline views, the house was built in 1872 to a design by James T. Conlan in a Romanesque revival style.
Gracing one of Melbourne's finest positions featuring absolute river frontage, it has superb botanical environs and city skyline views.
It is understood the vacant block with tennis court has been bought by a boat loving Southbank mortgage broker executive. So presumably he might take the opportunity to construct a home with cantilevered boatshed and mooring.
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Yarroma, Hawthorn garden block sells

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Sydney ranks 24th in the global cities measured by the number of high net worth individuals, according to the latest Knight Frank Wealth Report. Melbourne was just a few places lower in 28th place.
And Sydney secured a top 10 international cities rating that matters most in the thinking of all HNWIs, coming in at seventh and Melbourne 22nd.
There will be a 37% increase in their number over the next decade. The high net worth individual (HNWIs) is defined as someone with US$30 million or more in net assets.
Their number is set to increase by 50% internationally in the coming decade, with the fastest growth in wealth creation in Asia and Latin America. London and New York are the top locations in the world for wealthy individuals and will remain so until 2023, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.knightfrankblog.com/wealthreport/">according to Knight Frank's survey</a> of wealth advisors, whose 15,000 clients have assets worth US $1 trillion.
Price-wise, Sydney came in as the world’s 9th most expensive prime residential property market, with prices averaging $US21,700-$US24,000 per square metre in the 2012 fourth quarter, according to Knight Frank.
Sydney is tipped to continue to attract interest from Asian HNWIs, which Sudhir Vadaketh, senior editor at the Economist Intelligence Unit in Asia, says are more than just voracious consumers.
"They are also savvy investors who see huge potential in prime global property.
"Asians love property," he said, adding there are two reasons to believe that over the next decade Asian HNWIs will become relatively more interested in overseas properties.
"First, portfolio diversification.
"Asian investors are increasingly concerned with macro risks to their domestic economies, after several years of stellar growth.
"These include political issues – such as the standoff between China and Japan over the Diaoyu/Senkaku islands – and policy risks, like further cooling measures triggering a property price correction in cities suchas Hong Kong and Singapore.
"The second reason is growing comfort levels.
"As more Asian companies expand abroad, so owners and senior managers are becoming more familiar with foreign cultures and business practices, moderating the risk premium hitherto attached to these markets and asset classes."
He suggests the nationalities most likely to venture abroad, in addition to Chinese investors, are from emerging markets such as India, Indonesia, Mongolia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
"Expect HNWIs from frontier markets like Myanmar and Sri Lanka to become more prominent as they seek safe havens for their newfound wealth to mitigate the risk of renewed political tensions at home.
Asian HNWIs will invest in destinations with adequate liquidity, transparency, and an existing Asian population, such as London, Melbourne, New York, San Francisco, Sydney and Vancouver, Sudhir Vadaketh said.
The international Knight Frank property commentator Liam Bailey says in the Knight Frank report that Australian cities do well when it comes to the most contentious indicator within the survey - that of quality of life.
Sydney and Melbourne ranked along predictable northern European and Canadian "cities with an international reputation for providing the ultimate urban utopia."
Zurich comes first, followed by Melbourne, Sydney and Toronto.
"Residents of New York and London might bridle at the thought that such locations can push their own cities into sixth and eighth places respectively, but these towns do have the data to back up their claims to urban bliss, even if they wouldn’t necessarily get the vote of the fashionista or sybarite.
Melbourne is a case in point; the city topped the Economist Intelligence Unit’s most recent global liveability report on the best and worst living conditions around the globe.
"The city scored a near-perfect 97.5%, making it the most liveable of the 140 cities surveyed, only losing points for climate, culture and petty crime.
However, rising temperatures and sea levels are expected to drive up the cost of living in Melbourne over the next few years.
"In fact, a recent report released by the Melbourne Community Foundation identified climate change as one factor that has the potential to have a dramatic negative impact on quality of life in the city by 2030," Bailey noted.
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<div>Knight Frank Australia executive chairman Stephen Ellis noted the latest findings from the Wealth Report showed Sydney and Melbourne ranked as "investment hotspots" for many Chinese buyers.</div>
<img src="/images/stories/2013/03/knightfrankmarch7.jpg" width="400" height="832" alt="knightfrankmarch7">
Source: <a href="https://my.knightfrank.com/research-reports/the-wealth-report.aspx" target="_blank">Knight Frank Wealth Report 2013</a>
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Sydney ranks 24th in the global high net worth cities as Chinese continue to acquire property: Knight Frank Wealth Report

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A local Chinese buyer secured the weekend's highest Sydney auction offering when a Lavender Bay property sold in negotiations for $5.6 million within an hour of being passed in.
The McGrath agents Michael Coombs and Nigel Mukhi had marketed the<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/apartment-lavender-bay-nsw-2060/175279"> four-bedroom, three-bathroom home</a> with more than 80 groups inspecting the home.
It contributed the weekend's 75% cleareance rate based on initial results from Australian Property Monitors.
There had reportedly been nine contracts issued with four bidders competing for the house with agent Michael Coombs confirming it was bought by a local Chinese buyer. 
The McGrath agents said the property attracted inquiries from local downsizers from eastern suburbs and upper north rather than overseas Asian buyers in this instance.
Sydney's second highest sale was on John Dykes Avenue in <a target="_blank" href="/news">Vaucluse</a> at $3.35 million.
It followed last month's auction as six Chinese buyers battled for a Vaucluse mansion that sold for $5.15 million.
Several private treaty sales have occured in the interim including about $15 million on Vaucluse Road, Vaucluse which had been around two years in negotiations with its Chinese buyer.
Set in Annie Wilkes designed formal gardens, complete with a pool, sculpted hedges and level lawns, the Spanish Mission home had been designed by F. Glynn Gilling for the Arnott family in the 1920s.
A Seaforth Crescent, <a target="_blank" href="/news">Seaforth</a>, property sold to Chinese buyers at around $6.5 million.
Coombs says he usually has strong interest from overseas Asian buyers in properties like the Lavender Bay one. He says there has been a recovery in the luxury apartment market above $5 million.
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Local Chinese buyer snaps up Sydney's highest weekend auction offering

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.

[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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