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Sydney actor and producer Claudia Karvan has sold her Bondi Beach apartment for $908,000 through Raine &amp; Horne.
Karvan, who has lived for eight years in a warehouse at Redfern with her husband, Jeremy Sparks, and two children, bought the two-bedroom apartment for $285,000 in 1997 from former restaurateur Sue Burrows.
It's been described as "more like a semi in layout and ambiance" by its marketing agent Mary Anne Cronin and Sam Ryba at Raine &amp; Horne Bondi Beach.
"We sold the property for a fantastic result......for $58,000 over reserve," Sam Ryba said.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.domain.com.au/Property/For-Sale/Apartment-Unit-Flat/NSW/Bondi-Beach/?adid=2010249102">The two-bedroom Art Deco apartment </a>with decking is set on the top floor of a block of four on Beach Road.
Before Karvan's purchase the flat had previously traded at $235,000 in 1995; $165,000 in 1991 and $85,000 in 1987.
Some nine parties registered to bid for the first-floor 1925 unit, with bidding kicking off at $800,000.
It's in a block of four units in Beach Road.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Claudia Karvan sells Bondi Beach apartment

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Mirvac has spent four decades developing its client base and branding, as much as its impressive residential property portfolio.
Now it has launched a project-specific brand loyalty-royalty scheme for their returning or new clientele.
Their offering, Black Label by Mirvac, accompanies Mirvac’s Array apartment tower at Yarra’s Edge. The campaign comes complete with a one-off, Array-inspired couture garment; Reflection, created for Array by Bowie, with the gown aiming to reflect the architectural beauty of the tower, and to capture the movement and evolving moods of the Yarra, which spelt backwards is Array.
<img height="620" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/03/mirvacmarch4one.jpg" alt="mirvacmarch4one">
Mirvac launched its on-going loyalty program set for purchasers suggesting it presented a gateway to a "lifestyle of culture, fashion and luxury" through collaborations with premium brands.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.arraybymirvac.com/black-label">The </a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.arraybymirvac.com/black-label">Black Label by Mirvac</a> partners include furniture and design powerhouse, Coco Republic, which will deliver a range of bespoke interior design services for Array purchasers during March. The March buyer will received a $20,000 choice of fitout.
The other major partners include BMW, Bang &amp; Olufsen, Mont Blanc, Georg Jensen, De’Longhi, Moet Hennessy and Tag Heuer, which will offer Array purchasers access to style, design and VIP experiences extending well past the initial March offering.
<img height="268" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/03/mirvacmarch4three.jpg" alt="mirvacmarch4three">
The fusion of  fashion and architecture comes in an eight kilogram Swarovski crystal dress design collaboration with the Paris-bound couture fashion designer, Bowie Wong, who is known for his high-end couture aspirational signature garment designs.
"Mirvac has always been an aspirational developer," says Mirvac residential chief, John Carfi.
"It is through collaborating with leaders in culture and design that are synonymous with Mirvac’s reputation for elegance, style and luxury that we’re able to create a value offering that’s completely unique to Array."
<img height="430" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/03/mirvacmarch4four.jpg" alt="mirvacmarch4four">
The loyalty offering program, officially launched last week, runs throughout March with the current other, with later offers to be available for its participants. To date, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/developments/half-of-apartments-in-mirvacs-array-development-in-docklands-sold/2013021459351">50% of apartments at Array have sold</a>, with works on site now underway. Full settlement is expected in 2015. While more than half the sub-penthouses have been sold, its two $8 million penthouses remain on the market.
Buyers get to decide on their fitouts with the apartments labelled various aspirational cities including the Paris, London or New York options.
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Nothing backward about Mirvac's Black Label loyalty offering at Array

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The newly formed Australian Pastoral Group, set up by former Macquarie Pastoral Services managing director Alan Hayes, has bought Deltroit Station at Wagga Wagga, for $15.5 million million from the former Lumley Insurance chairman Anthony Crichton-Brown.
The 2,545 hectare station, with a capacity for 30,000 dry sheep, was passed in on a vendor bid at its December 2011 auction at $15 million, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/rural/prized-wagga-wagga-deltroit-station-hoped-to-round-off-spring-selling-season-bookending-with-billabong-sale/2011111352339" target="_blank">at the lower end of its $15 million to $18 million expectations</a>.
While the bush telegraph news of its sale since just before Christmas 2012, the official price has only just become known.
Set east of Wagga Wagga in Mundarlo, midway between Sydney (409 kilometres) and Melbourne (474 kilometres), it comes with a 1903 Federation brick homestead designed by Sydney architect William Nixon along with a stone-built, modernised four-bedroom Cobb and Co. coaching inn, The Junction Hotel.
Deltroit was listed by Anthony Crichton-Brown, a former chairman of Lumley Insurance, who also owns Tooronga in the Riverina and Humula Station near Yass. 
Three generations of the Richardson family developed Deltroit over 100 years, creating a commercial Shorthorn herd and fine wool Merino flock.
In 1963 Robert Kleberg, president of US company King Ranch, who had long coveted the Deltroit Shorthorn that had won worldwide acclaim, purchased Deltroit and its entire herd for internationally renowned King Ranch Group.  With the death of Kleberg, King Ranch sold all its Australian properties, including Deltroit, in the late 1970s.  The property last traded in 1990.
The Australian Financial Review has reported the new pastoral group has four major institutional investors backing it, including the Michigan-based Municipal Employees' Retirement System and a fund based in Switzerland.
Its board includes Washington H Soul Pattinson chairman Robert Millner. Its advisory committee includes the founder of valuation firm Herron Todd White, Kerry Heron, along with cattleman Alister McClymont and lamb producer John Fowler.
The Australian Financial Review reported its first purchase included the 353,000-hectare Neumayer Valley Station in far northern Queensland from ageing farmer Syd Faithful for about $30 million.
Alan Hayes was responsible for identifying, selecting, aggregating and operating properties for the Prudential/Colonial/Commonwealth Bank Pastoral Fund from 1989-2001, and for the Macquarie Pastoral Fund from 2006-2009.
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Deltroit Station sells to newly formed Australian Pastoral Group

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<div>
An expatriate Neighbours fanatic living in the UK paid $867,000 to secure his second 'Ramsay Street' house at weekend auction.
</div>
Andrew Whitney, who directs a private jet and helicopter charter flight company in the UK, outbid seven for the Pin Oak Court, Vermont South offering.
Also known as 30 Ramsay Street, the home of Jarrod 'Toadie' Rebecchi, it was offered through <a href="https://www.barryplant.com.au/property.cfm?propertyID=2272561" target="_blank">Barry Plant Real Estate</a>.
The former Blackburn North resident bought another Pin Oak Court house 16 years ago before moving to the UK.
Mr Whitney told the Herald Sun that he knows the street better than anyone.
"I record every episode of Neighbours," he said.
It was sold by the downsizing vendor Faye Pierce, with the buyer able to join the other court residents who are paid a substantial annual fee by the show's producers in agreeing to avoid changes to their facades without consultation and allowing external regular filming.
<a href="/news">The four-bedroom home was built with her husband in 1973</a> with its expansive covered rear deck having elevated views over Billabong Park.
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Neighbours fanatic buys second 'Ramsay Street' house

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The prominent Sydney estate agents Robert and Leonie Klaric have established an independent property advisory service.
The duo established Klaric Partners in 1997 and in 2011 undertook its successful merger with McGrath Estate Agents.
They hope their new independent property advisory service will offer “one to one” advice for their past clientele as well as expanding their professional property services throughout the world.
The Klarics expect to assist as both vendor advocates and negotiate for buyers, though not in the same transaction.
He will advise clients on finding the right agent, as well as assisting buyers who have seen a property they wish to buy but can't get a beneficially negotiated price.
"A bit like a property bodyguard," Mr Klaric told Property Observer.
"I am able to step in and negotiate when buyers or sellers fear being mishandled.
"We will be negotiating advocates under the moniker: The Property Expert International."
Robert Klaric commenced in real estate in 1987. 
He says choosing an agency to represent sellers can become a very long, stressful and drawn out process.
He says he will also negotiate "a fair and reasonable selling fee "with the selected agency .
He expects the selected agent will remunerate Klaric by way of an introduction fee on the settlement day on the sale of the property.
"It is now a common real estate industry practice for one real estate professional to pay another professional real estate agent a referral fee or share part of the commission when they are recommended for the sale of the property or to another client," he said.
Already <a href="https://www.thepropertyexpert.com.au" target="_blank">the agency</a> has secured acquisitions for high profile buyers.
Last month Richard Wilkins from the Channel 9 Today Show secured an investment property at Mosman. 
The Moruben Road property cost $600,000 using Klaric's advisory service through David Gillian of Ray White LNS, and then available for rent at $580 a week through Ray White's Nicholas Yates.
Wilkins has written a testimonial on Klaric's website saying the attention to detail, research and negotiation skills used to secure the property on my behalf was simply exceptional.
"I believe you saved me well over $20,000 on our first venture... the first of many I hope," said Wilkins, the network entertainment editor at Nine Network Australia.


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Richard Wilkins $600,000 Mosman investment acquisition triggers high praise for Robert Klaric

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The philanthropic former newspaperman James Fairfax intends to subdivide, then gift his historic Retford Park estate in the NSW Southern Highlands.
Its envisaged the Italianate 1887 residence will sit within a protected 32-hectare heritage curtilage.
It will be preserved in perpetuity for the community with some funds from the neighbouring prestige residential development being directed into a trust which will pay for the long-term upkeep of the home and gardens.
The gifting won't take place until all approvals are given and development sales take place, the project director Allen Robinson told Title Tattle.
The Australian Financial Review estimates the subdivision could have a gross realisation of $50 million as the planning proposal changes the zoning from mostly rural to urban.
The Old South Road property, which sits on the southern edge of Bowral’s rapidly suburban expansion, comes with about 100 hectares including land zoned for subdivision.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/stories/2013/03/retfordmarch1one.jpg" alt="retfordmarch1one" width="470" height="468">
Under the proposal before <a href="https://www.wsc.nsw.gov.au/uploads/1721/council-report-and-resolution-retford-park.pdf" target="_blank">Wingecarribee Shire Council</a>, the 29-hectare eastern part of the estate will be subdivided into rural-inspired lots ranging from 8000 square metres to four hectares lots.
The 27-hectare western portion will have a 150-lot residential estate with three parks.
The project director, Allen Robinson told The AFR Mr Fairfax was determined to maintain the integrity of Retford Park with plans that were sympathetic to the heritage property and surrounding areas.
The philanthropic former chairman of the ailing publishing company that bears his family name had previously advised he would bequeath Retford Park for the benefit of the public.
The story was written by me in 2009 in the Sydney Morning Herald. It was his idea for at least three decades.
Retford Park has been the country home of the arts patron, who turns 80 this month, since he paid £15,000 in 1964 for it on a then four-hectare holding.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/stories/2013/03/retfordmarch1two.jpg" alt="retfordmarch1two" width="470" height="468">
In 2009 estate agents suggested its value was about $35 million, but substantially higher with any housing subdivision.
The Southern Highlands' highest-priced property sale was in 2007, when Reg Grundy bought Comfort Hill, a 200-hectare Sutton Forest property, for $15 million.
Retford Park, with an Italianate revival-style mansion, dates back to the 1880s when it was the summer retreat of the <a href="https://www.wsc.nsw.gov.au/uploads/1721/w_appendix-7-sue-rosen-final-retford-park-report_resize.pdf" target="_blank">retailing Hordern family</a>. The history of the property has been researched by Sue Rosen &amp; Associates.
In December 1957, Jack Hickson took a series of black and white photographs of Retford Park, some of which are shown in the gallery below.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2013/03/march1retford]}
It sits in well maintained gardens that include three Wollemi pines and a Guilford Bell swimming pool pavillion.
"I think Retford Park is an important part of the heritage of the Wingecarribee Shire area and provision has been made in my will for the house and the immediate surrounding land, including the garden, to be left in trust to be viewed by future generations," Mr Fairfax told me in 2009.
Listed on the register of the national estate since 1980, Retford Park takes its name from the village in Nottinghamshire, the northern England town from where Anthony and Ann Hordern immigrated in 1825.
The grounds have many heritage oaks, an enduring association with the Hordern's retailing business, whose emblem was an oak tree under which were the words "While I live, I'll grow".
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/stories/2013/03/retfordmarch1three.jpg" alt="retfordmarch1three" width="470" height="310" style="font-size: 0.8em;">
It was first sold after Anthony's great-grandson, Sir Samuel Hordern, died in 1956, leaving an estate of $279,000. It was briefly owned by the cattle stud operator King Ranch (Australia), of which Edwina Hordern's husband, Peter Baillieu, was managing director.
In his 1991 book, Regards to Broadway, Mr Fairfax recollected he'd had no plans to buy a country house. "But chatting to Peter Baillieu at a cocktail party in December 1963, I learned that Retford Park and 10 acres [four hectares] of land were to be sold." 
It occurred to James that it might be a suitable place for his mother to stay on her annual six month visits from England.
Mr Fairfax, the eldest son of the late Sir Warwick Fairfax and his first wife, Betty Wilson, then set about regularly buying adjoining rural land.
He also set about enlivening the house. 
"When my offer of £15,000 for the house and 10 acres with an option to buy another 10 in three years was accepted, I went into the usual ‘What on earth have I taken on?’ syndrome, but soon
recovered as I got involved in the redecoration which was being done by Leslie Walford," he recalled to Sue Rosen in 2011.
"Some six months later, in the winter of 1964, I commissioned Donald Friend to paint a mural in the dining room," he said.
Leslie Walford, who died earlier this year, recalled in a 2011 interview with Rosen that he recalled flying up to Mittagong with James to inspect the house.
His first impressions of it was "the garden choking the house."
"The house was a sort of cow-pat colour, a very unappealing colour. It had thick walls and narrow long slit windows and a tower, a rectangular piece of work with lots of frilly balconies, cast-iron lace and a pretty porte cochere. It had some delicate prettiness added to the strength of the architecture … it was a wonderful looking house."
It all made Retford Park one of the highland's prized properties on the edge of the expanding town.
Mr Fairfax also maintains a home in Woollahra, along with Ginahgulla, his house at Bilgola and Stanbridge Mill at Dorset, England.
The planning proposal contemplates the handing over Retford Park to the public via possibly either the National Trust or Historic Houses Trust NSW.
Colour photos courtesy of <a href="https://www.highlifemagazine.com.au/" target="_blank">Highlife Magazine</a>, which reports on life in the Southern Highlands of Australia
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James Fairfax plans to subdivide, then gift historic Retford Park

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Businessman Greg Jones and his wife, Kim, who now live in Hong Kong and rent in Potts Point, Sydney had hoped their Vaucluse mansion would fetch $14 million.
Official records lodged this week show it fetched $12 million when bought by the Hasson Lederer family.
The mansion on a 1448-square-metre Wentworth Road block traded at $12.5 million in late 2008.
<img height="350" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/03/jonesmarch1one.jpg" alt="jonesmarch1one">
The SMH investigative reporter Kate McClymont wrote that Jones, who has been featured in the Obeid ICAC inquiry, told friends in an email that he was off to pursue the "increasingly sophisticated Hong Kong and Chinese wine markets and the expansion of our tertiary education investment into Hong Kong and Beijing".
<img height="349" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/03/jonesmarch1two.jpg" alt="jonesmarch1two">
The property website <a target="_blank" href="https://radicalterrace.com/post/19783036862/21-wentworth-road-vaucluse-lists-with-12m-hopes">Radical Terrace considered the property </a>was likely to sell at a loss when it was written up last May.  It was listed in March, and sold last August on extended settlement terms.
It sold through Alain Waitsman at LJ Hooker.
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Businessman Greg Jones secures $12 million in small Vaucluse loss

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Kubba Roonga, the Blue Mountains guest house where Sir Donald Bradman took Jesse for their 1932 honeymoon, has been sold for $695,000.
It’s a rambling 1915 Blackheath guest house now with seven ensuited bedrooms. It last sold at $585,000 in 2006.
<img height="351" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/03/kubbamarch1one.jpg" alt="kubbamarch1one">
Normally associated with Bowral, Australia's most famous sportsman had a soft spot for Blackheath, having knocked up his fastest century – off 22 deliveries – at the local cricket oval shortly before his 1932 stay.
Property Observer gathers Kubba Roonga, which has a AAA four-star rating, will continue trading as a guesthouse..
Set about 120 kilometres from Sydney, Kubba Roonga sits on 1,315 square metres of English-style gardens on Brentwood Avenue close to the spectacular Grose Valley.
The house has open fireplaces, polished timber floors, and stained glass windows. There’s a commercial kitchen and restaurant dining space for house guests.
Ray White Blackheath agent Peter Torok had it for July 2012 auction, along with the adjoining 695-square-metre Arcadia Road property, which after its 1915 construction served as the manager’s cottage.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/leisure/kubba-roonga-sir-donald-bradmans-blue-mountains-honeymoon-destination-listed/2012051154660">The guest house was initally tipped to fetch more than $800,000</a>. It’s asking price was reduced post-auction to $750,000 plus. The former manager's cottage fetched $410,000.
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Kubba Roonga, the Donald Bradman Blue Mountains honeymoon cottage, sells

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Two contestant couples on The Block Allstars have built designated third bedrooms. The other two contestant couples stuck with the two-bedroom plan and offer a study.
The contestants Phil and Amity along with Mark and Duncan  have the three bedroom options which are set for March 19 auction. 
The young Melbourne contestant couples Josh and Jenna and Dan and Dani have the two bedroom options, although Dan and Dani reckon they might find a way to turn their attic space into a bedroom rather than a storage option.
Price estimates start at a cautious $1.4 million plus, with another offered since marketing at $1.5 million plus.
Phil and Amity who appeared in the initial 2003 series at Bondi Beach taking home a $60,000 profit despite coming last, have suggested their third bedroom could boost the selling price by $100,000. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.1stcity.com.au/Sales-Detail.aspx?id=HCES280&amp;wlid=b059dba1-f68f-41c9-a078-0e6e7e4922ed">They have 12 Tasman Street</a> (floorplan below).
<img height="1133" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/02/block1.gif" alt="block1">
Mark and Duncan, who came to be known as the Two Fat Tradies, struggled with styling in the 2010 series. Like Phil and Amity, they also finished fourth, splitting $47,000 between them after the Vaucluse renovation. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bresicwhitney.com.au/real-estate/Buy/Property-Search">They have 10 Tasman Street</a> (floorplans below).
<img height="1991" width="469" src="/images/stories/2013/02/block3.gif" alt="block3">
<img height="1095" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/02/attic2.gif" alt="attic2">
Josh and Jenna, when they appeared in the Richmond cottage series in 2011, were the youngest couple to ever appear in the series. They still hold the record for the most Room Reveal wins in The Block's 10-year history. <a target="_blank" href="https://rwre.com.au/nsw/bondi/927853/">They have 8 Tasman Street</a> (floorplans below). They have a smaller attic offering of about 4 metres by 2.6 metres.
<img height="2139" width="469" src="/images/stories/2013/02/block2.gif" alt="block2">
<img height="393" width="250" src="/images/stories/2013/02/attuc.gif" alt="attuc">
Dan and Dani are fresh from their appearance in the 2012 South Melbourne terrace house renovation series. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house-bondi-nsw-2026/176408">They have 6 Tasman Street</a> (pictured below). Its attic roof spaces are given as 3.2 metres by 4.8 metres plus 4.3 metres by 2.4 metres.
<img height="2287" width="469" src="/images/stories/2013/02/block4.gif" alt="block4">
<img height="1093" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/02/attic3.gif" alt="attic3">
{module Will a third bedroom prove the winning edge at auction?}
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Three bedders versus two bedders set The Block All Stars auction battle scenario

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The Coles merchandise director John Durkan and his wife Bernadette have bought Greystones, the 1914 Brighton house.
It was bought from the shoulder and elbow orthopaedic surgeon Simon Bell and his wife Jennifer Coghlan-Bell.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/victoria/greystones-the-1914-brighton-house-listed/2012100356935">Listed with a price guide of $7.3 million plus</a>, it is understood Kay &amp; Burton agents Ian Jackson and Stewart Lopez secured around $7.5 million for the Park Street offering.
Set amid established English gardens, the 1914 six-bedroom, five-bathroom house sits on 2,219 square metres.
It has been home to the Bells for the past 20 years.
The house comes with a large cellar, sauna, studio with a gymnasium and a rooftop retreat that offers views across the bay to the city skyline.
John Durkan was at Safeway before the British shopping industry expert was recruited to Coles by Coles's chief executive, Ian McLeod.
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Greystones at Brighton sells to Coles merchandising boss John Durkan 

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.

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Located on Schofi​elds Road, just moments from Tal​lawong Metro Station and Schof​ields Train Station, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> has been designed to appeal to a broad mix of buyers, from first-home purchasers looking for a foothold in Sy​dney's property market to downsizers seeking a connected, low-maintenance lifestyle.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> has been conceived as a thoughtfully planned masterplanned community that will evolve over multiple stages, with buyers now able to secure one, two and three-bedroom apartments within a neighbourhood that is already beginning to establish its identity.

One of the project's defining features is its focus on sustainability. Solar energy systems, battery storage and future EV charging infrastructure have been incorporated throughout the development, reflecting a long-term approach to both environmental performance and everyday convenience.

Sustainability sits at the centre of the development's vision, with solar energy systems, battery storage and future EV charging infrastructure integrated throughout the community.

That emphasis on future-ready living extends beyond the technology. Landscaped communal gardens, outdoor gathering spaces and plans for a future retail precinct aim to create a neighbourhood where residents can access daily conveniences without travelling far from home.

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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."

[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.

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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."

[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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