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<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="margin: 5px; float: left;">
The legendary Dire Straits bass guitarist John Illsley has listed his comfortably plush Point Piper apartment.
It cost $690,000 shortly after Dire Straits' 1986 tour of Australia.
It comes with $3 million-plus hopes.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2013/01/feb1illsley]}
The stylishly reinvented 241-square-metre apartment is atop a Wolseley Road block of seven called Harbour Gate.
It has an enormous wraparound balcony.
There's also a private boat shed on title with access to Seven Shillings Beach, according to the marketing through Sally Hampshire of Laing+Simmons Double Bay and McGrath agent Bethwyn Richards.
It was bought after Dire Straits' 1986 tour of Australia, with Title Tattle recalling reports by then  gossip columnists of Illseley's relationship with the former Penthouse Pet of the Year Tracey Wallace.
Illsley's marriage went on to the rocks when his wife, Paula, heard Tracey had moved into the <a target="_blank" href="/news">Point Piper</a> flat, according to a 1988 column by Dorian Wild.
"A stunning brunette with a willowy figure," Wild wrote. Wallace had been Australia's Penthouse Pet of the Year in 1980.
These days the English-born Illsley, who lives in Hampshire, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.johnillsley.com/">paints</a> having promised himself to pursue that passion when the time came in 1993 for Dire Straits to finish its touring. The band broke up in 1995.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Dire Straits guitarist John Illsley lists Australian bolthole as Point Piper loses some of its pop

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It was 1997 when actor Claudia Karvan bought at <a target="_blank" href="/news">Bondi Beach</a>, paying $285,000 for her apartment.
As she now resides at her <a target="_blank" href="/news">Redfern </a>warehouse with her husband and children, the Bondi pad has been listed for February 28 auction.
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.
<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.
It comes with one car space.
Title Tattle stumbled across the listing before its first Saturday open for inspection, but based on recent sales the agents are suggesting $800,000 plus, but will value your feedback.
The neighbour's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bresicwhitney.com.au/real-estate/id/property/6637/bondi-beach/4-42-beach-road/#top">sold for $985,000 in 2010 </a>through Seaton Jones at BresicWhitney.
It had previously sold at $650,000 in 2003 and at $387,000 in 1999 and at $182,000 in 1992.
The apartment size is 101 square metres including the deck.
The block's last sale was $805,000 last May on the ground floor.
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Actor Claudia Karvan lists her Bondi Beach apartment

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Melbourne and Adelaide will be "the worst-performing markets for house price growth in 2013," according to modelling by the National Australian Bank.
While not anticipated to be in negative territory, they are expected to continue to lag behind the capital city average, with state economic conditions and employment prospects in both these states also expected to remain tougher.
Click to enlarge
<a rel="shadowbox" href="/images/stories/2013/01/nabjan311.gif" title="Click to enlarge"><img src="/images/stories/2013/01/nabjan311thumb.gif"></a>
Source: NAB
Despite relatively subdued credit lending overall, NAB notes the Australian housing market had shown intermittent improvement as the effects of lower interest rates, an uptick in growth in real rents and sound underlying fundamentals had supported recent improvements in house prices.
"With very accommodative monetary policy now firmly in place, another 75 bps of rate cuts pencilled in by NAB this  year and a continuing shortage of dwellings, it is possible that we will see resumption in national house price growth in the years ahead," says NAB. 
"However, job insecurity may act as a constraint during 2013.
"Our modelling indicates that capital city average house prices will rise by around 1½% through the year to end-2013 and 3% in the year through to end-2014, which is slightly higher than <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/australian-house-prices-to-rise-21-over-next-two-years-nab/2013013059038">the average survey forecast</a>."
It notes house price divergence between the states is likely to persist, with the ‘multi-speed’ nature of the Australian economy also "very apparent" across state housing markets.
Perth is tipped to lead the nation in terms of house price growth with capital gains forecast to run at around 3.5% through the year to end-2013 and 5% in the year through to end-2014, underpinned by improved affordability, population growth and above average state economic growth. Sydney (2.1% and 3.7%) and Brisbane (1.7% and 3.5%) also out-perform the national average.
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Melbourne and Adelaide will be the 'worst' performing markets in 2013: NAB modelling

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A 1962-built award winning architectural home designed by Russell Jack of Allen Jack + Cottier in Wahroonga has been listed for sale.
Built in the Sydney School style, with references to Frank Lloyd Wright, it was the 1963 winner of the Wilkinson Award for outstanding architecture.
Built to be at one with nature, it is set among landscaped gardens, with fragrant shrubbery, ornamental features, mature Japanese maples and sweeping lawns.
There are also internal courtyards at the house set on<a target="_blank" href="https://www.jenniferaaron.com.au/property/100211-'jacobs-house'-36-cleveland-street"> a 1,534-square-metre Cleveland Street block</a>.
It is for sale with a price expectations of $2 million plus through Jennifer Aaron Real Estate, with offers due by March 7.
'It's truly one of the North Shore's most remarkable residences," Jennifer Aaron said, adding it was in immaculate condition.
"This original Russell Jack home is an exceptional example of the renowned Sydney School," she said.
The north-facing, one-level pavilion-style home has a master bedroom with built in robes and an ensuite, with a separate shower opening to a private courtyard atrium.
Details throughout the four bedroom house include western red cedar cathedral ceiling in the formal living room, clerestory windows and skylights.
It last sold in 1988 for $710,000.
It was elsewhere in <a href="/news">Wahroonga </a>where the architect built in 1956 for himself, with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.architecture.com.au/emailnews/national/Heritage/NSW-Jack-House.pdf">the three-bedroom Boundary Road bungalow </a>that won the Sulman Medal a year later, remaining in his family until 2009 when sold for $1.06 million. 
In 2010 a proposed two storey pavilion at the neighbouring Boundary Road property was refused by planning authorities as likely to have an adverse impact on the heritage significance and setting of the adjoining heritage item.
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NSW Wilkinson-winning Russell Jack-designed Wahroonga home listed for sale

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The Industry Superannuation Property Trust's plans to build an $800 million, 2,994-apartment block on the former Age site in the city’s CBD have been approved.
It is Melbourne’s largest-ever residential development, with six Bates Smart-designed towers between 39 and 63 storeys.
The site comprises 11,755 square metres on the corner of Spencer and Lonsdale streets.
The Victorian  Planning Minister Matthew Guy gave his approval last week after the plans were first submitted in December 2011. The project will be staggered over eight to 12 years.
<img height="783" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/01/ISPT.jpg" alt="ISPT">
The eastern portion of the 250 Spencer Street mixed use site was sold in April 2010 to Central Equity.
"Optimum site utilisation is being worked up as well as the potential exit strategies available," ISPT's most recent annual report noted.
The site has been income producing with the office building leased to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, and the carpark leased to an independent operator.
It was in 2007 when ISPT and Axiom Properties Limited formed a joint venture to buy The Age newspaper’s Melbourne headquarters for $66.1 million. The site at the time comprised nearly a whole city block of 15,200 square metres.
At the time the executive director of Axiom, Ben Laurance, said the purchase and scheme for redevelopment were part of the long-term vision Axiom’s major shareholder, Pivot Group.
<img alt="age" height="235" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/01/age.jpg"> “We think this is an opportunity to accommodate major office tenants and apartment dwellers with environmentally sustainable space in a village atmosphere with all of the transport access and retail conveniences everybody wants,” Laurance said in 2007.
Axiom Properties cashed in its stake in 250 Spencer Street in 2010 when its 50% was bought by ISPT.
<img alt="age2" height="251" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/01/age2.jpg">
ISPT described it as an opportunistic purchase of their joint venture partner’s interest in the site at "a discount to book value driven by their desire to exit in a timely fashion".
The Age – sometimes referred to as the Spencer Street Soviets – relocated to their new premises in December 2009 and formally vacated the 250 Spencer Street property in February 2010.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.crikey.com.au/2010/02/09/lamenting-the-old-age-pies-not-ruccola-panini/?wpmp_switcher=mobile">Crikey columnist Michael Vaughan </a>wrote that the moniker Spencer Street Soviet came because of its left-leaning coverage as much as for the communistic-style brutalist architecture that was the old Age building. 
When the building is demolished, the industry super fund developer must complete an environmental audit of the site given fears of soil contamination from chemicals used in the newspaper's printing presses during its four decades of operation from 1969.
Sean Hogan from ISPT told The Age that few would miss the old Age building.
"The building doesn't have any fans ... this is probably the last industrial part of the Hoddle Grid," Hogan said.
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Six high-rise towers to replace former Age building on Spencer Street

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One of Gold Coast's most exclusive residential offerings – the riverfront Southport mansion Alston – has been sold for $9.8 million.
The price benchmark was set two doors away last June, when $9.5 million was paid for the former Quinlivan home when sold to the semi-retired cotton farmer Ted Hadley.
Alston, an European-style house, went to weekend auction through John Natoli and James Ledgerwood of <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house-southport-qld-4215/168449">McGrath Broadbeach</a> under instructions by Grant Sparks and Craig Ticehurst of PPB Advisory.
"Buyers are now starting to see the opportunities and value and are therefore starting to shop again with some renewed confidence," John Natoli told Property Observer.
The 3,442 square metres of land Alston sits on was bought from split-cycle engine inventor Rick Mayne for $2.35 million in 1998.
Completed in 2010, Alston boats six bedrooms, seven bathrooms and seven fireplaces spaced over 2,225-square metres of floor area.
“The second you step into this property it is more than obvious that the quality of design, inclusions and meticulous attention to detail positions this very special home as one of world-class standing,” the McGrath marketing.
Alston is fenced with exclusive mansions of Riverina Marine founder Bill Barry-Cotter to the south and former V8 supercar executive chairman Tony Cochrane to the north.
“This dress circle riverfront address is one of the Gold Coast’s premier enclaves and has been tightly held and rarely available,” the marketing said.
Caught in the long downturn, it was in July 2011 that Spottiswood listed Alston without success with $20 million price expectations through Christies International.
In February this year Spottiswood was still holding out for a buyer.
Bidding opened at its weekend auction at $7.5 million with transport company owner Peter Smith the reported buyer, according to the Gold Coast Bulletin. But a subsequent report by the Australian Financial Review gave the buyer as the semi-retired cotton farmer Ted Hadley, but he was the official buyer of the Quinlivan property in June last year. The Bulletin reported the opening bidding and eventual under-bidder was reportedly David Baird, an entrepreneurial investor from Cronin Island.
There was a  third contender who made just the one bid of $8.5 million.
The Bulletin noted the successful $9.8 million bid was lodged by phone via lawyer Geoff Wockner. Mr Wockner would not reveal the name the buyer to the Gold Coast Bulletin and neither John Natoli or James Ledgerwood confirmed its buyer. John Natoli says the fact there were three bidders and all were prepared to pay at least $8.5 million was a great sign. "It's a very encouraging way for the top end of the market to start 2013."
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Graham Spottiswood's Alston at Southport sells for $9.8 million

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An iconic Robin Boyd creation, the McClune courtyard home at Frankston South has been listed for sale.
The sympathetically restored home is being marketed as an exceptional example of Boyd's ability to blend clean structural lines, huge expanses of glass windows and zoned living to integrate perfectly with nature.
It's set on a gently sloping 4,028-square-metre <a target="_blank" href="/news">Frankston South</a> block in a natural bush setting.
The marketing agent Janice Dunn at Eview Real Estate Partners Frankston is describing <a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-frankston+south-112796523">it as a number of connecting rooms sheltered beneath a suspended roof with a central open square landscaped courtyard</a>.
More than $1 million is being tipped for the Marcus Road family home.
Built in the late 1960s on land then abutting Sweetwater Creek for teacher Ian McClune, the property is one of 11 Robin Boyd-designed homes built on the Mornington Peninsula.
It was briefly owned by Melbourne lawyer –and Boyd fan – Peter Mitrakas, who sold it to the Stowe family in 2009.
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Robin Boyd-designed Frankston South home listed

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<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="margin: 5px; float: left;">
The home at 3 Pin Oak Court, Vermont South, in Melbourne's east goes under the hammer shortly – the first time a Neighbours house has been offered for sale publicly since the late 1990s.
For much of the last three decades, the world over has known of it via its then television small screens, as 30 Ramsay Street, home to Toadfish "Toadie'' Rebecchi.
Its downsizing vendor Faye Pierce has the four-bedroom home she built with her husband in 1973 listed for March 2 auction.
<img alt="ramsay" width="470" height="338" src="/images/stories/2013/01/ramsay.jpg">
It was the third house in the nondescript cul-de-sac, but all that changed when in the mid-1980s when Faye Pierce noticed a man photographing her home, which was followed soon after by an approach the from television production powerhouse, Grundys, seeking to film at the location.
"We all thought it was a bit of fun,’’ she told the Leader Community Newspapers property reporter Melanie Gardiner this week of the initial six-month unpaid trial.
These days film crews take over the court about once a week, with all the interior scenes shot at Global Studios, Nunawading. But the $68 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.neighbourstour.com.au/">Neighbours tour bus </a>keeps daily appearances given the current generation of tourists who've grown up on the show across the world.
<img alt="neighbours" width="470" height="340" src="/images/stories/2013/01/neighbours.jpg">
<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="margin: 5px; float: left;">Of course Melbourne is home to the bogan home to beat all others, <a target="_blank" href="https://house.ksou.cn/house_img.php?t=0&amp;sta=vic&amp;id=138949&amp;seq=0">4 Lagoon Place, Patterson Lakes</a> (pictured below).
 
It was the home of Kath Day-Knight her husband butcher, Kel and her daughter, Kim. It last sold in 2011 at $1.23 million. Title Tattle doesn't know if the leasing arrangement continues with the Kath &amp; Kim production outfit, but hopefully the new owners have kept its custom valance curtains that co-ordinate nicely with the bed draping. The selling agent gushed the home was presented immaculately with its impressive interior.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2013/01/jan25kathkim]}
"This home is not for the renovator," it was stressed. The Kath &amp; Kim television program viewers wouldn't know it given the use of screening that blocks out the water, but the house is a waterfront."
"Spend endless days/nights enjoying the views from the outdoor entertaining area, while admiring your boat moored at your jetty allowing for direct access to Port Philip Bay," that same agent suggested.
Just why the buyer would need that parking spot for the caravan escapes Title Tattle. "Patterson Lakes is all about lifestyle and it doesn't get much better than this," the Mitchell Torre Real Estate Patterson Lakes spiel said.
<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="margin: 5px; float: left;">It took years, one agent once told Title Tattle, for Sylvania Waters to shed its reputation from the days of the real-life 1992 soap opera Sylvania Waters with the Donaher family. It was 2003 when Laurie and Noeline Donaher packed their stubbie holders and departed Sylvania Waters for another canal-front home at Paradise Point on the Gold Coast. The couple secured $2.1 million for their five-bedroom, two-storey brick waterfront residence on MacIntyre Crescent which has not been sold since. As reality TV pioneers, Laurie and Noeline or their offspring could not leave Sylvania Waters without the cameras rolling or occasionally ever since. The couple bought the property in 1988 less its second storey for $435,000.
<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="margin: 5px; float: left;">The Neighbours home owners are paid by producers FremantleMedia Australia, with the new buyer needing to sign a contract agreeing to keep up the garden, avoid changes to the facade without consultation, and provide access to the park at the back.
The significant fee is a closely guarded secret and will be blacked out in the Section 32 until buyers sign a confidentiality agreement, according to selling agent Mitch Palmer of Barry Plant Glen Waverley.
"Astute investors would be crazy not to have a look at it,’’ Palmer said. The court's last sale was in 2007 when Dural, NSW, couple Richard and Kathy Atkinson transferred the property into a family trust at a $630,000 valuation.
RP Data reports the year-to-date median house price in <a target="_blank" href="/news">Vermont South</a> is $650,000.
"When I wanted some trees chopped down on my front lawn, they wrote it into one of the scenes,’’ Faye Pierce, the vendor told Leader Newspapers this week.
And given the television scripts don't have Toadie moving anyway, the estate agency has plans for a portable ‘For Auction’ sign, so its not in any upcoming shots.
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Toadie stays put on Ramsay Street if 'noice' house on Neighbours sells to an investor: Title Tattle 

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When taking photos of your home for sale, be sure they are from the best angle and in the best light.
Tell the professional photographer from the estate agency when is the best time/times to attend to show the property at its best.
If you can, take your own photos during the summer, or at any time of year when the garden looks terrific. These can always be added to the marketing material whenever you list throughout the year.
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Tip of the week: 52 enlightening property investment gems

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One of Brisbane’s most prominent heritage riverfront homes has sold.
Listed in April 2011, <a href="https://cbmb.com.au/selling/QLD/Brisbane-City/NEW-FARM/House/2P0793" target="_blank">The Moorings </a>– a Tudor-style mansion at <a target="_parent" href="/news">New Farm</a> – has been sold for around an unconfirmed $4.5 million.
Its vendors paid $575,000 in 1993 and it had sold at $35,550, in 1973.
Its most recent official land value was $3 million for the 524-square-metre holding.
The five-bedroom home boasts timber finishes, including red mahogany floors and cast iron features.
Its grassed terraces fronting the river have protected the home during the past great floods in 1974 and 2011.
Legend has it the house was built by an English doctor whose wife cherished a dinner plate embossed with a picture of a grand Tudor house.
The house was built in the image of the picture.
It had been listed most recently through Gold Coast agent Carol Carter of Coldwell Banker.
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Brisbane’s The Moorings, a Tudor-style New Farm mansion, sold 

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.

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&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.

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&nbsp; 
"What makes these places so successful is that they become much more than residential developments," Brown said.

"They bring together homes, hospitality, marina facilities, public spaces and a strong sense of community in locations where future supply is incredibly limited."

Brown has long described absolute waterfront land in Sy​dney as "finite."

"Once these opportunities are developed, they are rarely replicated. That's why Syd​ney's waterfront precincts have consistently demonstrated strong demand and long-term value growth over many decades. 
&nbsp; 
"<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> is one of the few remaining opportunities to secure a residence within a masterplanned waterfront community that combines direct water access, marina ownership opportunities and a genuine village lifestyle just moments from the Sy​dney CBD."

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&nbsp; 
PERIFA Founder and Managing Director Fabrizio Perilli said the project reflected a shared commitment to delivering exceptional places that create long-term value for residents and the broader community. 
&nbsp; 
"The topping out milestone is a significant achievement for the Versatile Group and a testament to the collaboration between all project partners, consultants and contractors involved," Perilli said. 
&nbsp; 
"Beyond the residences themselves, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> will establish a new waterfront destination that celebrates the history, character and lifestyle of this unique location while creating a lasting legacy for future generations."

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&nbsp; 
Construction is being delivered by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/versatile">Versatile Construction</a>, with structural works now substantially complete across the precinct. Attention will progressively shift to the construction of the waterview terraces, apartment façades, services and interior fit-out works over the coming months. 
&nbsp; 
With limited residences and marina berths remaining, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> continues to attract strong interest from owner occupiers and downsizers seeking a premium waterfront lifestyle within close proximity to Putne​y Village, Rh​odes, Top Ry​de and the Syd​ney CBD. 
&nbsp; 
As one of the last opportunities to secure a residence within a new masterplanned waterfront community on Sy​dney Harbour, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> is expected to remain a highly sought-after address for years to come.

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Jonathan Chancellor

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