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The Block All Stars finally won a night with its 1.39 million Sunday night audience beating Downton Abbey's 1.33 million audience.
It was the Bondi bathroom renovations that was the big attraction in the reality television series third room reveal.
Not only being the most watched show on the evening, but it also easily won the 6.30pm timeslot over the current affair program, Sunday Night at 1.18 million.
The night added more than 200,000 viewers to its best previous result so far this series. 
But the night still went Seven’s way as Seven network secured a 31.0% sahren of audience, Nine was at 29.1%, TEN was 20.0%, ABC was 15.5% and SBS was 4.4.
The Block's marketing blitz centred around the (previously heralded) installation of a men's urinal within the bathroom renovation of the two tradies, Mark and Duncan.
But buyers are yet to see the bathroom on real estate listing sites as the appointed estate agency BresicWhitney have yet to post any marketing for 10 Tasman Street.
Viewers can win the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/TheBlock">Reece urinal in a facebook competition </a>being conducted by The Block.
    
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

The tradies' urinal on the Block All Stars yeilds winning Sunday night audience

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Number 35 St Vincent Place, Albert Park, a terrace that sits on 289 square metres, sold post-auction for an estimated $3.3 million plus after four bidders participated in the weekend auction.
Marshall White's John Bongiorno conducted the auction, which opened with a vendor bid of $2.9 million and was passed in at $3.28 million.
It comes with four bedrooms, formal sitting and dining rooms and is set opposite St Vincent Gardens within the iconic double storey row, Rochester Terrace.
<img height="312" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/02/stvincentfeb25one.jpg" alt="stvincentfeb25one">
It has a wide entrance hall with Baltic pine floors and ornate high ceilings.
Focused around an original kitchen fireplace, the casual dining room and well-equipped kitchen open out to a side deck and paved entertaining courtyard. Out the back is a two-storey self-contained apartment with entry from Bevan Street
It had been tipped to fetch in excess of $3 million - a bit under the strip's record $13,590 per square metre according to James Buyer Advocates - through <a target="_blank" href="https://www.35stvincentplacesthalbertpark.com/home">Marshall White agent Oliver Bruce</a>.
It had been last traded in 2008 when bought by the Kelly family from the gardener Clive Blazey at $3.005 million. Blazey, whose father founded Hortico, began the Digger's Seeds business in the 1970s putting seeds into envelopes with his wife Penny around the kitchen table of their then Albert Park home.
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St Vincent Place, Albert Park sells post-auction

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The iconic NSW Northern Tablelands property Jeogla Station, purchased by Roche Group in 1998, and nearby Wallamumbi which was acquired in 2001, have been listed for sale with offers due April 4.
In 2008 the two properties, together with a few smaller landholdings acquired over a number of years, were amalgamated covering a 13,340 hectare total with a carrying capacity of 16,000 head of cattle.
The cattle on <a href="https://www.rochegroup.com.au/retailcommercial/jeogla-and-wallamumbi" target="_blank">Jeogla and Wallamumbi Station </a>is primarily Shorthorn Beefmaker with some cattle cross-bred with Angus and Charolais.
<img alt="jeoglafeb25two" height="277" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/02/jeoglafeb25two.jpg">
The purchases by Bill and Imelda Roche came after the 1997 sale of the skin care company Nutri-Metics International to the United States food and consumer products giant Sara Lee.
The rural <a href="https://www.jeogla.com.au/index.php" target="_blank">New England cattle breeding properties </a>had been previously owned by members of the Wright family.
Wallamumbi was for many years the childhood home of the poet and environmentalist, Judith Wright.
The Wright family pastoral dynasties date back to around 1827 with the family among the first to import hereford cattle into Australia. The Jeogla and Wallamumbi herd has developed from a Hereford stud established in the 1830s.
<img alt="jeoglafeb25one" height="234" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/02/jeoglafeb25one.jpg">
The historic V1V brand of Jeogla and the V2V brand of Wallamumbi, one of the oldest brands in Australia, are still in use.
Bi-annual production sales established on both properties by the Wrights are still conducted, the first for 2013 scheduled for March 13 when 2500 head of EU-accredited steers and heifers  go under the hammer.
It was Charlotte and Albert Wright who moved into the Armidale area establishing the family homestead at Wallamumbi, about 45 kilometres east of the town. After the death of her husband, Charlotte ran the property alone and purchased the rich adjacent grazing property Jeogla.
Jeogla is an Aboriginal word meaning "warm crossing".
Wallamumbi is an Aboriginal word meaning "big waterfall".
Elders have the listing in conjunction with Philip Jarvis and Associates of Armidale.
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Bill and Imelda Roche list Jeogla Station

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<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/flagtitletat.jpg" alt="flagtitletat" width="25" height="34" style="font-size: 14px; margin: 5px; float: left;">Bay Cottage, the simple 1940s beachfront cottage with an ambience reflecting the good old days of Palm Beach, has been sold for a good old day's sale price.
It's been snapped up by Origin Energy managing director Grant King and his wife Jennifer, according to company documentation created to hold the investment property for the Neutral Bay couple.
<a href="https://78ilukaroad.com" target="_blank">Bay Cottage</a> (pictured below) stands on a level 620-square-metre block of land at the corner of Iluka and Nabilla roads, adjacent to a park fronting Snapperman Beach.
<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/2013/02/titletattlefeb22one.jpg" alt="titletattlefeb22one" width="470" height="310">
Set in lush tropical gardens with a avocado tree, the main two-bedroom house has a sandstone facade. Its upstairs wide bi-fold windows allow sea breezes to float through, while providing views across the water to Coasters Retreat.
It comes with the one-bedder boatshed, credited as one of the most charming boatsheds on the Pittwater foreshores.
<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/2013/02/titletattlefeb22two.jpg" alt="titletattlefeb22two" width="470" height="312">
It last traded for $5.25 million in October 2006 with minor refurbishments undertaken in 2007. 
It was initially listed in April 2009 with $6.29 million hopes.
Title Tattle notes its been sold at $4.05 million, reflecting a 22% price fall. Its price represents $6,500 a square metre. While it would be pushing it to suggest that <a href="/news">Palm Beach</a> become a peninsula of paupers, there's no doubting beachfront property prices had come off by 20% or so by late 2009 due to the global financial crisis, and in many instances hovers still at those levels.
Bay Cottage sold through Noel Nicholson at LJ Hooker.
The price drop almost mirrors the official NSW Valuer-General land valuation which has dropped 32% from $5.88 million as at July 2010, to $5.1 million in July 2011 and to $4 million in July last year.
Based on the three-year averaging, its $4.99 million average will incur an $83,400 land tax bill. 
Since 2007 the taxable value of each parcel of land is determined by adding the land value for the current tax year and the land values that applied for the two preceding tax years then calculating the average.
<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/flagtitletat.jpg" alt="flagtitletat" width="25" height="34" style="margin: 5px; float: left;">Last year's top Palm Beach sale price was Kalua, the Joye family’s plantation-style Palm Beach trophy home, officially registered at $22 million.
It consisted of two amounts, the $19 million 4,615-square-metre front block on Ocean Road plus the rear Florida Road $3 million 888-square-metre block.
Another $1.42 million was paid in stamp duty for the property, which is a five-bedroom, six-bathroom house with three-bedroom guesthouse along with studio cabana, pool and tennis court on a 5,500-square-metre dress circle block overlooking Cabbage Tree Boat Harbour.
Breaking it up into two separate prices allowed a $60,000 stamp duty saving as stamp duty on a $22 million sale would have been $1.48 million.
Sutton and his wife will be the 1920s beach bungalow’s third owner. It was last sold by the Hordern retailing family to the more entrepreneurial Joye family, the current vendors, for $330,000 in 1978.
Palm Beach sales previously peaked with the $15 million sale in 2007 of Anakela, the beachfront retreat of the late grocery tycoon Jim Fleming and his widow, Angela.
It was bought by the Uncle Toby's founder Doug Shears.
The Flemings had paid $3.65 million in 1995 for the 1,947-square-metre Iluka Road property, which had sold in 1973 for $140,000.
The Flemings constructed an expansively lavish house that came with a second-floor see-through glass bathtub, which was suspended above the ground-floor living area.
It was 1981 when the late Kerry Packer broke through the suburb's million-dollar threshold with his $1 million purchase from the MacCormick family. But the pianola is the raciest accoutrement around at the Packer family bungalow.
Kalua was sold by Ken Jacobs and Darren Curtis at Christies International in conjunction with LJ Hooker Palm Beach agents David Edwards and Peter Robinson. It represents a record price for the suburb, and a bullish price, but it didn't overflow into the bulk of the prestige market with any great impact following its April 2012 sale.
<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/flagtitletat.jpg" alt="flagtitletat" width="25" height="34" style="font-size: 14px; margin: 5px; float: left;">Neither did the April 2011 purchase by Steve Bellotti, ANZ’s managing director of global markets, of $8.4 million on a beachfront property in the pricey part of Sydney’s northern beaches peninsula.
The vendor, dentist Graham O’Neil, had wanted $9.95 million for the 558-square-metre holding with an architect-designed two-storey, five-bedroom beach house complete with boat and watercraft storage area with hydraulic floor lift.
It ranks among the few Iluka Road properties with title to the high-water mark, whereas the other properties are mostly reserve frontage.
It was a more-than-respectable final selling price of $15,000 per square metre which gave rise to suggestions the tide was rising.
There was a nearby $6 million sale nearby in 2010 with a tiny cottage that reflected $10,900 per square metre of land value. And another house slightly less comparable to the Bellotti purchase sold mid-2010 at $7.2 million, which reflected $13,400 per square metre.
The pre-global financial crisis beachfront record was $12,980 per square metre, also on Iluka Road, in 2007.
At one stage during the downturn there was a $4 million oceanfront reserve sale on Ocean Road – directly opposite the northern end of beach – reflecting $3,550 per square metre in 2009. Prices, however, eventually found their floor in the wash-up of the much-credited Lehman's effect.
The 558-square-metre Bellotti Palm Beach block comes with a current $4.6 million valuation, down on its $5 million valuation a year earlier and its $5.61 million unimproved land valuation in 2010. The 2008 land valuation was $5.28 million and $5.5 million in 2009. The current annual land tax bill will be $85,000, if the home is not the principle place of residence.
Its value in 1984 was $350,000, according to RP Data.
<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/flagtitletat.jpg" alt="flagtitletat" width="25" height="34" style="font-size: 14px; margin: 5px; float: left;">
The current priciest listing was listed last month by businessman Paul Nankervis and his wife, Rosie, on sought-after Sunrise Hill.
It was designed by architect Susan Rothwell on a 1,891-square-metre block with the uninterrupted full northerly panorama of the sand spit, golf course, ocean, Pittwater and Barrenjoey headland and its lighthouse.
<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/2013/02/titletattlefeb22four.jpg" alt="titletattlefeb22four" width="470" height="557">
After the Nankervises bought the property (pictured above and below) 11 years ago for $2.4 million, they built the three-level residence featuring six bedrooms, six bathrooms, and kitchen and expansive living areas flowing to entertainment terraces.
<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/2013/02/titletattlefeb22three.jpg" alt="titletattlefeb22three" width="470" height="348">
<a href="https://palmbeach.ljhooker.com.au/2MEF6Z" target="_blank">The property</a> is for sale with $14 million plus hopes through LJ Hooker agents David Edwards and Peter Robinson. 
<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/flagtitletat.jpg" alt="flagtitletat" width="25" height="34" style="font-size: 14px; margin: 5px; float: left;">
The ongoing twin challenges for Palm Beach are the strength of the Australian dollar – and the virtual absence of expatriate buyers – and perhaps the greater underlying inhibitor to any sustained recovery, the detrimental impact of land tax.
Looking at the rubbish trolleys still out on the narrow streets well after garbage night, it is possible to conclude about 80% of Palm Beach properties are holiday houses. So their holiday home purchase requires not only the initial outlay – with its inevitable NSW government premium property stamp duty – but also the annual land tax.
The best thing to do is make Palm Beach one’s principle place of residence and have a land tax-free apartment in town.
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Grant King, the Origin Energy boss, secures Palm Beach, Sydney, cottage cheapie

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Villa Palma, the NSW mid-north coast holiday house of interior designer Garth Barnett, has been listed for sale.
With views of Diamond Beach, a nature reserve and the hinterland, the Mediterranean-style Red Head house was designed for entertaining.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/02/redheadfeb22one.jpg" width="470" height="318" alt="redheadfeb22one">
It has large, open-plan living and dining areas that flow out to terraces, courtyards and the swimming pool.
Its been fitted out with massive carved antique doors from India and stone works from Java and Bali and inlaid cabinetry from Morocco.
Its been listed for sale at $1.85 million through Richard Cooper of Raine &amp; Horne Double Bay inconjunction with Bob Gould of Tallwoods Real Estate.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/02/redheadfeb22two.jpg" width="470" height="310" alt="redheadfeb22two">
The property is about a 15-minute drive north of Forster, three hours north of Sydney.
"Villa Palma has been created for those who appreciate style, luxury and privacy," <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.raineandhorne.com.au/doublebaybondibeach/properties/266522">the marketing says</a>.
<img alt="redheadfeb22map" height="260" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/02/feb19mclachlan/redheadfeb22map.jpg">
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Designer Garth Barnett's Red Head villa

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Angophora House, a newly completed Avalon house designed by Richard Leplastrier, has been listed by Andew Campbell, the builder who has worked on a number of Leplastrier's designs.
Its being marketed by the agency, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.modernhouse.co">Modern House Estate Agents</a>, as "a piece of fine cabinetry for humans."
They suggest the location of 33 Bellevue Avenue is equally beguiling being sited on the tip of the extended grove of Angophoras.
The recently completed house has six pavilions on an 808-square-metre site with good vantage lookouts towards Bangally Headland. No price guide has been yet given on the house set at Avalon, the northern beachside suburb of Sydney located 35 kilometres north of the Sydney CBD.
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The four bedroom, two bathroom house with 139 square metres of internal space has been worked on full-time for three years and three months until completion in February 2013. The design stems back to 2003.
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Some six months was spent in the ground with the help of master builder John Simpson with the timber, being recycled Jarrah coming from the Freemantle Wool Store, comprising some nine carriage loads delivered by Andrew Brodie of Australian Architectural Hardwoods, Kempsey.
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<img src="/images/stories/2013/02/angophorafeb22.jpg" width="470" height="313" alt="angophorafeb22">
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Image courtesy of Michael Nicholson Photography
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Builder lists Avalon's Angophora House by Richard Leplastrier

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Actor Madeleine West secured $500,000 for her redundant Richmond apartment which she bought towards the conclusion of her four year role as Dione Bliss on Neighbours.
It's the second successful property transaction in the month for West, who also sold the Kensington family home she shares with chef Shannon Bennett.
The two-bedroom, art deco-style apartment cost $297,000 in 2003. It had fetched $132,000 in 1994.  
Its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-richmond-112482639">Hocking Stuart Richmond agent Daniel Atsis </a>was quoting $450,000 to $490,000 during the recent marketing campaign.
The ground floor Lennox Street apartment features, thanks to Bennett's role as an ambassador for Miele, some impressive kitchen appliances.
Their <a target="_blank" href="/news">Kensington </a>property sold after being listed with price hopes of $1.5 million to $1.65 million was even more of  <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/victoria/chef-extraordinaire-shannon-bennett-lists-home-for-%2415-million-plus/2013013159077?utm_source=po&amp;utm_medium=aida&amp;utm_campaign=latestnews">a chef’s dream</a>.
The reason behind the listings came evident when it emerged the chef Shannon Bennett and his wife, Madeleine West, had snapped up <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/victoria/shannon-bennett-and-madeleine-west-buy-the-1881-south-yarra-mansion-barwon/2013021859417">an 1881 South Yarra property last December</a>.
 
 
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Actor Madeleine West secures $500,000 Richmond apartment sale

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Suite 2.06 in the art deco building at 65 York Street, Sydney has been sold for $815,000. 
Savills Australia sold the Icon House strata office space on behalf of Castle Partners Investment Bank.
“The strata market is popular with owner-occupiers as it allows purchasers to take advantage of the fall in interest rates, whilst offering the ability to own their own accommodation within the CBD without the worry of future rent increases,” Savills agent Ben Adler said.
Located on the corner of Barrack and York Streets, the 12 storey building was among the first art deco office buildings in Australia, Formerly known as James Hardie House, it was designed by Robertson and Marks in association with John Reid and Sons in 1927. It was planned in two parts; the first was completed in 1928-29, and the second in 1934-35 to a design by the same architects. The building was praised for its delicate colouring (external terracotta) and its harmonious design. The building is listed in the RAIA Registry of Significant 20th Century Buildings.
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Sydney art deco strata office sells at $6,626 per sq m through Savills 

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Frasers Property Australia has approval to develop a riverfront site at Parramatta, just east of the Parramatta CBD.
The five-hectare site, which is currently an industrial park tenanted by Toshiba, will have 774 apartments across 10 towers.
Ranging from two to 12 storeys, the contemporary Morton Street residential precinct has been designed by the architectural firm Smart Design Studio, following a design competition.
<img alt="frasersfeb21" src="/images/stories/2013/02/frasersfeb21.jpg" width="470" height="264">
The site includes 1.2 hectares of foreshore land which will be remediated and landscaped and then gifted to the city of Parramatta.
The site is close to the University of Western Sydney.
The area was re-zoned for residential, mixed-use, public open space and waterway uses in 2011 under the Parramatta local environment plan (LEP) 2011.
The recent planning consent for Frasers’ Morton Street masterplan and stage one works was given by the NSW Joint Regional Planning Panel following a period of <a href="https://mortonstreetconsultation.com.au/" target="_blank">community consultation</a> co-ordinated by Urbis.
Building heights are generally equal to or less than the heights permissible in the Parramatta City Council development control plan 2011 and the Parramatta local environmental plan.
The development will take place in three stages, with each stage assessed by council. Stage one works include three buildings with around 277 apartments, plus associated open space and landscaping.
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Approval for Frasers' riverfront project at Parramatta

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As the initial advertising of the four Bondi cottage offerings gets further underway, The Block All Stars ratings have picked up a tick, with four consecutive nights above one million viewers.
But it  still can't get close to the Channel 7 juggernaut, My Kitchen Rules.
Wednesday night's Block audience was 1.041 million to MKR's 1.75 million. The Block was the night's third most popular show, excluding news and current affairs.
Estate agents have been limited in rolling out all the internal images as just two rooms have been revealed, although the floor plans give more than a hint of what's to come with the $1.4  million plus inspection by appointment listings.
In a demure strategy, McGrath agent Chris Volpatti has been marketing <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house-bondi-nsw-2026/176408/?searchID=26595604">6 Tasman Street</a>, but without any reference to The Block what-so-ever. It's the cottage renovated by his clients, the Melbourne couple, Dan and Dani. The ad does say its been renovated in a "signature style."
<img height="333" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/02/theblockfeb21two.jpg" alt="theblockfeb21two">
By contrast, Phil and Amity kicked off their marketing with fanfare last week for 12 Tasman Street through <a target="_blank" href="https://www.1stcity.com.au/Sales-Detail.aspx?id=HCES280&amp;wlid=b059dba1-f68f-41c9-a078-0e6e7e4922ed">1st City - Hasemer + Caldwell.Eyles</a>.
<img height="451" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/02/theblockfeb21one.jpg" alt="theblockfeb21one">
Ray White agent Cameron Airlie has begun marketing <a target="_blank" href="https://rwre.com.au/nsw/bondi/927853/">8 Tasman Street</a>, the Josh and Jenna renovation set for March 19 auction. He plays down the Block association, with just the one pic of the renovation couple.
<img height="453" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/02/theblockfeb21three.jpg" alt="theblockfeb21three">
BresicWhitney have yet to post any marketing for 10 Tasman, which was renovated by the tradies, Mark and Duncan.
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The Block All Stars audience builds, but Sydney listing agent overlooks Dan and Dani

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."

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As Stage 2 enters the market, that lived experience may be one of the project's strongest selling points. Buyers are not purchasing into an untested concept or a future promise. They are joining a community that is already taking shape.

Ongoing investment in transport, retail, healthcare and public open space continues to strengthen the appeal of Syd​ney's north-west growth corridor, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a>'s established first stage provides buyers with a tangible sense of the community's future direction.

For a limited time, buyer can secure a new home at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> with just a $10,000.

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Kew Tallawong: A growing community taking shape in Sydney's north-west

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

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

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/abadeen">Abadeen</a> and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/perifa">PERIFA</a> have celebrated the topping out of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf,</a> marking a significant milestone in the delivery of one of Syd​ney's most anticipated waterfront communities.

Located on Sydney's harbourfront at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/putney-nsw-2112">Putney</a>, the project has now reached its highest structural point, with construction progressing strongly towards completion in 2027. 
&nbsp; 
The milestone was celebrated on-site with project partners Phoenix Property Investors, Mitsubishi Estate Asia, Versatile Construction, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, consultants and stakeholders, to recognise the collective effort behind the transformation of the historic waterfront site into a vibrant new residential, marina and lifestyle destination.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=362240] 
&nbsp; 
<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> will deliver a mix of waterfront residences and terraces, complemented by a private 36-berth marina, waterfront dining opportunities and a revitalised foreshore designed to reconnect the community with the river's edge. 
&nbsp; 
Abadeen Executive Chairman and Founder Justin Brown said the project represented a rare opportunity to create the next chapter in Sydn​ey's long history of successful waterfront precincts. 
&nbsp; 
"Throughout Sydney, some of the city's most sought-after addresses have emerged from carefully considered waterfront precincts such as Woolloom​ooloo Wharf, Walsh Bay and Breakfast Point," Brown said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=362566] 
&nbsp; 
"What makes these places so successful is that they become much more than residential developments," Brown said.

"They bring together homes, hospitality, marina facilities, public spaces and a strong sense of community in locations where future supply is incredibly limited."

Brown has long described absolute waterfront land in Sy​dney as "finite."

"Once these opportunities are developed, they are rarely replicated. That's why Syd​ney's waterfront precincts have consistently demonstrated strong demand and long-term value growth over many decades. 
&nbsp; 
"<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> is one of the few remaining opportunities to secure a residence within a masterplanned waterfront community that combines direct water access, marina ownership opportunities and a genuine village lifestyle just moments from the Sy​dney CBD."

[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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