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The 155 failed and or frozen funds over the past six years had the one common factor – they all paid a research house to rate their product - according to research by the Association of Independently Owned Financial Planners (AIOFP).
The list covered all the failed and temporarily frozen registered managed investment schemes in Australia from January 2006 to November 2012. 
They ranged in magnitude and in asset class from the the small to Great Southern Agribusiness which was valued at about $4 billion.
The AIOFP executive director Peter Johnston has suggested financial planners were in a position to stop the conflicted practise of using research houses that accept payments from product manufacturers.
“The ASIC can only do so much to intervene in commercial terms. Advisers are the only faction that should be paying research houses and must start refusing to use research houses who accept payments from product manufacturers,” he told the Wealth Professional website.
The association was established in 1998 to differentiate the independently owned practices from the institutionally owned practices.
Institutions owned around 60% of the advice market in 1998 and the figure is now approaching 80%.
In 2011 the AIOFP suggested every adviser should be levied a yearly fee, say $1,000, managed by ASIC to fund a panel of research houses who only supply information to advisers and are not permitted to accept any payments from product manufacturers.
The panel would then also scrutinise all PDS's, which are not currently being checked for commercial viability by ASIC before market release.
"Unfortunately we have all been under the illusion that ASIC assess the PDS’s before market – they don’t, they continually say they don’t but no one is listening," said Peter Johnston.
"[Research houses] are unofficially empowered with the decision making role on which manufacturer’s products are good, bad or exceptional and whether they commercially survive.
"They have unfortunately become the unofficial ‘gate keepers’ of the industry with far too much power in our view," the website, wealthprofessionals.com.au reported.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Failed and frozen funds all paid for research house ratings

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The Fair Work Ombudsman has secured $10,300 backpay for a Melbourne real estate salesman who was underpaid as part of an unlawful employment arrangement.
The salesman, a recent Sri Lankan immigrant in his 50s, was underpaid between October, 2010 and February, 2011 when employed at McDonald Real Estate Dandenong.
McDonald Real Estate directors John and Le Hoa Wysham of Aspendale also operate other real estate agencies in Melbourne.
After the salesman lodged a complaint, the Fair Work Ombudsman found that the salesman was initially unlawfully required to perform four weeks of unpaid work under a purported ‘training program’.
Over the next three months, he was paid $551 a week as an ‘advance against future commissions’, plus a car allowance of $115 a week.
However, the retainer was cancelled after about three months and the employee was paid only the $115 weekly car allowance for a month before his employment was then terminated.
Under the Real Estate Industry Award 2010, commission-only arrangements are applicable only when if it can be demonstrated that an employee has earned more than the minimum wage payable under the award selling real estate in any 12-month period over the preceding five years.
As the employee did not fit into this category, the employer should have paid wages of at least $557 a week throughout his employment.
Given the Wyshams admitted being involved in the underpayment, as an alternative to litigation they entered into an enforceable undertaking and agreed to:
<ul>
<li>Donate $1,000 to the Peninsula Community Legal Centre;</li>
<li>Make a formal written apology to the underpaid employee;</li>
<li>Develop processes for ensuring future compliance with workplace laws for all real estate agencies they are involved in - and provide evidence of the measures to the Fair Work Ombudsman;</li>
<li>Undertake a professional audit of all real estate agencies they are involved in and rectify any underpayments identified;</li>
<li>Conduct further compliance audits for the next three years;</li>
<li>Provide professional workplace relations training for all managerial, human resources, recruitment and payroll staff at real estate agencies they are involved in for the next three years;</li>
<li>Publish a public notice detailing the contraventions of workplace laws on the McDonald Real Estate website and in The Dandenong Leader and Melbourne Weekly newspapers; and </li>
<li>Display the notice at the premises of all real estate agencies they are involved in. </li>
</ul>
Fair Work Ombudsman Nicholas Wilson says that in cases of significant non-compliance, enforceable undertakings are being used as an effective alternative to litigation.
The Ombudsman has entered into more than 30 enforceable undertakings since July, 2009, while recovering $5.4 million for more than 6900 employees.
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Melbourne estate agent wins $10,300 backpay after unlawful employment arrangement

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Rental prices across Melbourne and regional Victoria are expected to stabilise as rental vacancy rates across the state continue to ease.
The median rent for a house in Melbourne increased slightly to $381 during the month of December, while regional Victorian rents stabilised at $300 per week, according to REIV.
The vacancy rate in Melbourne over the month of December increased slightly from November's 2.2% to 2.3%. 
The highest level of vacancies was recorded in the middle suburbs at 2.9%, a continual easing from 2.3% during November and 1.2% a year ago.
The inner suburbs and Mornington Peninsula recorded a 2.5% vacancy rate, and the outer suburbs recorded 1.3% during the month of December.
The vacancy rate in regional Victoria eased in Geelong and Ballarat to 3% after Ballarat recorded 1.5% and Geelong recorded 2.1% in November.
Shepparton and Warrnambool had a vacancy rate just above 4%, and Bendigo and Wodonga recorded 0.8%.
Although the availability of rental homes is easing, it is yet to transfer into landlords reducing or stabilising rental prices.
Enzo Raimondo, the chief of the REIV, forecasts rents will either stabilise or reduce in nominal terms if the trend continues.
"The improved level of vacancies has not yet translated into lower rents being asked by landlords; however if the trend continues, as it is expected to, it will in time result in overall rents either stabilising or reducing in nominal terms," he says.
"REIV research indicates that they have generally fallen in real terms as the higher availability of rental homes has improved.
"It must be noted that there will be local areas and specific property types where there may still be a low level of vacancies,' he adds.
 
 
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Melbourne landlords face lower rental income: REIV

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Tanderra, one of Sydney’s few remaining houseboats, now comes with confirmed $1 million expectations.
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/mosman/mosman.jpg" alt="mosman">
It's one of the 32 houseboats that moored in Middle Harbour near The Spit at Pearl Bay before, and then through the 1930s Depression.
Now there are just four.
A Mosman heritage study said the houseboats were "rare examples of a now unconventional form of living still in use".
The 2012 auction campaign – which evoked Sleepless in Seattle and Chocolat houseboat portrayals – and for those with longer memories Sophia Loren and Cary Grant's romantic 1959 movie Houseboat - was interrupted after technical issues with the Roads and Maritime Services lease.
It has 38 years left in its 40 year lease.
The three-level houseboat is classified as a permanent residential structure with long-standing existing use rights.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/07/houseboat2.jpg">
Its use rights give the new owner the ability to resubmit architect-designed plans or submit their own plans to finish Tanderra’s 310-square metre redevelopment into a luxury residential dwelling.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/07/houseboat.jpg">
Property Observer reported on the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/tanderra-the-middle-harbour-house-boat-%E2%80%93-that-dates-back-to-the-1920s-%E2%80%93-has-been-listed-for-auction/2012070455433">earlier listing in July</a>. And a vendor bid of $700,000 was made at its December auction.
There was controversy last year, when the Mosman deputy mayor Simon Menzies suggested it should be "towed out to sea and sunk" given its was a visual eyesore.
“It is visual pollution in one of Sydney’s most picturesque bays,” he said.
<img height="313" width="470" src="/images/stories/mosman/more_mosman.jpg" alt="more_mosman">
Its vendor Maureen Young, now wanting to spend more time with her family in England, paid about $150,000 in 1983 to its then owner, adman John Singleton and then she rebuilt the 65-tonne pontoon.
Four years after Singleton sold Tanderra to Young, he bought another Pearl Bay houseboat for about $200,000. Named Spec, Singo's second houseboat had a two-storey residence designed and crafted by yachtsman Ian Kiernan. In 1989, Singleton sold Spec for $560,000 to a group of barristers.
The Tanderra houseboat is being sold by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-other-nsw-mosman-112300703">Sandie Dunne from Harcourts Dunne Mosman</a>. The renovation is mooted to cost about $600,000.
{module Houseboat}
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Sydney Harbour million-dollar houseboat yet to sell

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It's the Gold Coast listing that keeps giving – now into its third year.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/august16mcivor]}
The striking two-storey riverfront home, designed by Sydney-based architect Alex Popov, sits on Cronin Island with 50-metre frontage onto the Nerang River.
It has been on and off the market since 2011, with its latest auction on-sale now not proceeding to settlement.
It's the much-marketed "Mark McIvor house", which most recently was listed by Fulton Transport boss Gary Fulton, who paid $6.75 million.
The former luxury abode of the Equititrust founder Mark McIvor had gone to <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/queensland/former-equititrust-boss-mark-mcivor-lists-popov-designed-gold-coast-home/2011081651176" target="_blank">September 2011 auction</a>, but did not <a href="/news">sell until early January 2012</a> when the price was undisclosed.
At its September 2011 auction Stacey McIvor, the wife of merchant banker and property investor Mark McIvor, wept when the five-bedroom riverfront home drew a top bid of $4.55 million.
At the time a disappointed Mark McIvor said the home  had been valued at $6.5 million and that the auction was "a demonstration of a very hard market".
Observers were then highly surprised at the strength of the very bullish $6.75 million price stated in the official DERM land registry paperwork after its January 2012 sale by then marketing agent Michael Kollosche.
The 1,736-square-metre block initially cost $1 million when McIvor bought it in 1994.
McIvor had founded the Gold Coast's own merchant bank, Equititrust, in 1993.
Equititrust, which became known for using a Roman voussoir arch as its marketing logo to suggest structural stability, was among the many unlisted mortgage funds to take a battering following the 2008 financial crisis.
In April 2011 Equititrust confirmed it had stopped paying income distributions to unit holders in two funds housing more than $300 million worth of assets as it accelerated its debt repayments.
Gary Fulton is a freight-traffic operative based in Kemps Creek, NSW.
He tried to sell in in August 2012 after just six months ownership.
It failed to sell at August auction – passed in on a $5.5 million vendor bid by Coldwell Banker agent Alex Caraco – who then had it for November 3 auction.
After the August auction Alex Caraco suggested there had been genuine interest "from a gentleman from Melbourne, a lady in Hong Kong and a doctor in Sydney''. Caraco suggests some other interested parties are using the controversy attached to the property to try to get a bargain.
It sold conditionally in November to Sydney buyers at $5.5 million, with the finance condition being the trigger for the latest contract collapse.
So this week the Southern Cross Drive property is back on the market through Coldwell Banker at $5.5 million – "make an offer" is the owner's instructions.
 
 
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Gold Coast listing that keeps giving

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It was John 'Strop' Cornell and his model wife, Delvene Delaney, who were Paul Hogan's sidekicks in their comedic heyday.
They all took a fancy to property around <a href="/news">Byron Bay</a>, and after almost three decade ownership the couple are putting some of their remarkable holdings on the market.
It's headlined by three building blocks within their large compound estate at Belongil.
They've been described as the three best beachfront blocks in Byron Bay, so each of the Border Street blocks is expected to fetch $2 million plus.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/01/belongil.jpg">
They are sizable holdings ranging between 2,022 square metres and 4,575 square metres.
The couple are keeping two Border Street blocks for their continued use.
The couple are also set to sell 41 housing sites at nearby Ewingsdale, which comes with frontage onto Parkway Drive, McGettigans Lane and St Helena Road.
"I'm 72 and I'm clearing the decks for my wife and girls to make everything easier," said Cornell in an accompanying statement through his selling agent Glen Irwin from LJ Hooker Byron Bay.
"The land for sale at Fig Tree Fields (Ewingsdale) was a subdivision which I bought 25 years ago, so if you want a large block where wallabies drop by and Mother Nature lives next door, get in quick.
"My wife is selling part of her beachfront holding at Belongil to realise her long-term investment, as long-term has arrived.
"Instead of 26 Paddington-size blocks, they've been amalgamated into five. Three are for sale.
"They are the best beach-front blocks in Byron Bay, according to the state government which charged $150,000 a year land tax."
Glen Irwin expects the blocks to be worth at least $2 million each.
The lots were bought in the early 1980s for around $325,000 from the then local abattoir. Title Tattle once calculated the entire holding totalled 18,000 square metres or so.
Delvene Delaney was a Sale of the Century television hostess and appeared with Paul Hogan and the John Cornell-devised character, the dopey Strop  in Channel 9 comedy shows.Cornell and Hogan went onto make the Crocodile Dundee movies, which earned both of them a fortune. Cornell also developed a close relationship with Kerry Packer, taking the World Series Cricket idea to Australia's richest person.
Much of their money went into buying extensive property around Byron Bay.
Paul Hogan had the most obvious of holdings, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/cedar-springs-the-paul-hogan-built-byron-bay-hinterland-house-listed-for-auction-by-duncan-and-sally-mount/2012073155795" target="_blank">Cedar Springs at Possum Creek in the Byron Bay hinterland estate.</a>
Paul Hogan and Linda Kozlowski sold it in 2006 to Duncan and Sally Mount.
The house had been built with a dash of Hollywood splendour as the Australian base for the California-based actors who met on the set of the 1986 international box office success Crocodile Dundee.
Built in the late 1980s, the vast home was completed in time for their 1990 wedding.
The Mounts sold it last October through <a href="https://www.uniqueestates.com.au/Recent-Sales-Detail.aspx?id=ue40&amp;wlid=98891b8f-fddd-4426-9a1b-d7e8115c3ace" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Nicollette van Wijngaarden of Unique Estates </a>, who was telling buyers that $6.5 million would secure the property pre-auction. It fetched $6.8 million.
It was bought through a nominee holding company with its occupants yet to become known. The holding company is based in a Perth accountancy office in Subiaco, Barringtons, suggesting the buyer to have been a Perth-based millionaire.
Back on Border Street at Belongil, the strip's last sale was in December when a lesser landholding with little privacy was offloaded by receivers. It was the<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/receivers-list-belongil-beach-property-of-ken-lacey-former-milk-and-bodello-industry-entreprenuer/2012110257590" target="_blank"> retreat of the former milk magnate Ken Lacey</a>and his wife, Madeleine, which fetched for $1.25 million.
It was in 2008 when the retired Potts Point stockbroker Chris Trumbull and his wife, Paddy, sold the Border Street, <a href="/news">Belongil Beach</a>, retreat for $3.6 million to the Lacey couple.
The Trumbulls had paid $3 million in 2005 for the 683-square-metre beachfront holding.
The marketing ads by Ray White agent Lloyd Lawton suggested the beach house may be subject to an upgrading or demolition order, i.e. land value.
Of course the year's biggest sale was the<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/rae-s-at-wategos-sold-in-the-hour-before-its-auction/2012102657462" target="_blank"> Rae's property around at Wategos Beach.</a>
It's sold in the hour before its scheduled auction on October 26. No official sale price or buyer details have been released, other than to say the accepted offer was consistent with the $20 million vendor expectations.
Property Observer gathers it was snapped up by interests associated by an offshore non-expatriate buyer, little-known London financier William Morris, although no official settlement has yet been registered with NSW Land Titles.
The London-based trader's LinkedIn website described himself as having "excellent relationships with some of the largest financial institutions around the world, from hedge funds, foundations, banks to top security houses."
It was on the market for the first time in 20 years, having been listed by the entrepreneur Vincent Rae.
Located on a prized 1,049-square-metre beachfront Marine Parade block, the property was set for auction through Ray White Hotels agents Tony Bargwanna and Andrew Jolliffe in conjunction with Gerald Delany of Kay &amp; Burton in Melbourne.
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Delvene Delaney and John 'Strop' Cornell sub-dividing off their Byron beachfront compound: Title Tattle

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Before Christmas the celebrity builder Scott Cam was seeking $3,100 a week tenants at his redundant Rosebery house following his $4.6 million Vaucluse mansion purchase.
Cam, who will thrown in a gardener and pool man for the new occupants who take up the rental, is now seeking $2,900 a week occupants.
Even with the price adjustment its the dearest rental by far in the fringe eastern Sydney suburb, where the next dearest rent is $1,200 a week.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-rosebery-409349331" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">It is, however, a remarkable contemporary, custom-built family residence</a>.
There's huge open-plan living, dining and family entertaining zones with soaring ceilings, glass walls and louvres, polished concrete floors and two Jetmaster fireplaces.
Its Caesarstone kitchen comes with Ilve appliances, five-burner gas hob, double oven, dishwasher and walk-in pantry.
The private master suite occupies the entire upper level features double walk-in-robes, sunroom, adjoining study/nursery and Japanese-inspired ensuite.
There are an additional four double bedrooms, all with built-ins.
The grounds have north-facing grassed garden with solar-heated saltwater pool complete with decking, sunbeds and a separate cabana with kitchen/wet bar, living room, home theatre, guest bedroom, bathroom and steam room.
It comes with "big workshop space" (pictured below) plus office.
<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/2012/12/camtoolroom.jpg">
The celebrity builder, who launched his TV career in 2000 alongside Jamie Durie on Backyard Blitz, also appears on Backyard Blitz, Domestic Blitz, Random Acts of Kindness and Renovation Rescue.
This year he headlines the highly anticipated The Block All Stars. 
 
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Scott Cam reduces Rosebery rental to $2,900 a week

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Queensland property spruiker veteran Dudley Quinlivan has shut down his Twitter account.
And he has closed<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/industry-news/queensland-property-veteran-dudley-quinlivan-begins-comeback-with-website-and-twitter-account/2012112658067"> his blog</a>, which portrayed himself as an educator and philanthropist, to the public, saying: "This blog is open to invited readers only."
His social media foray commenced last November, seeking to suggest Quinlivan was "a well-established businessman based in Queensland, Australia."
<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/dudleyquinlivan"><img src="/images/stories/2012/11/quinlaventweet.jpg"></a>
He first tweeted in mid-November, crediting himself as "Australian property planner and developer, international finance consultant".
He tweeted under the Twitter handle <a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/dudleyquinlivan" target="_blank">dudleyquinlivan</a>.
The social media outlets listed Quinlivan as the managing director of the Croftworth Group of Companies.
Property Observer understands he is now active seeking Asian clients in Malaysia who are keen to participate in the newly introduced high net-worth visa pathway offered since November 2012 through Australia's Business Innovation and Investment program.
Under the new permanent residency pathway, visa 888 migrants must indicate they have $5 million and intend to live in Australia 40 days a year for four years.
Last July the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/queensland/thrice-bankrupted-property-spruiker-dudley-quinlivans-southport-mansion-abode-sells-for-%2495-million/2012071255541">Southport, Queensland, riverfront abode</a> of the thrice-bankrupted property marketing spruiker sold for $9.5 million under receivers' instructions.
Quinlivan shot to national attention when accused in Queensland Parliament as being involved in the late 1990s property marketeering scam where fly-in, fly-out interstaters were lured into paying out of line prices for Queensland properties.
Property consumer advocate Neil Jenman has described Quinlivan as one of Australia's most infamous real estate characters.
“During the 1990s and early 2000s, Quinlivan was deeply involved in the notorious Queensland two-tier marketing rackets,” Jenman’s website notes.
He was once denounced in Queensland's Parliament as the "King Con" of property marketeering schemes.
In 2011 <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/queensland/former-property-spruiker-s-five-year-directorship-ban-upheld/2011082351264">Quinlivan was unsuccessful in applying to the High Court of Australia</a> to lower his five-year company directorship disqualification. The disqualification runs until December 2015.
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Dudley Quinlivan shuts his Twitter account as he seeks high net-worth 888 visa applicants from Malaysia

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New home sales posted a second consecutive monthly improvement in November 2012 driven by an encouraging lift in sales of detached houses, according to the Housing Industry Association (HIA).
The HIA New Home Sales report, a survey of Australia's largest volume builders, showed a 4.7% lift in new home sales in November 2012.
It was underpinned by an increase of 7.7% in sales of detached houses following a run of five consecutive monthly declines.
However multi-unit sales declined by 6.9% after a spike in October.
In November, the number of seasonally adjusted new detached house sales increased by 15.8% in New South Wales, 15.6% in Victoria and 6.7% in South Australia.
Detached house sales were only just down by 0.1% in Queensland but declined by 6.8% in Western Australia.
“Against the back drop of late 2012 when we had lower borrowing rates combining with a number of states encouraging new home building through amendments to first home buyer assistance, it is promising to see new home sales moving in the right direction,” said HIA economist, Geordan Murray.
“The positive result in November was driven by the detached house segment of the market which experienced a trend decline in sales throughout most of 2012.
"This result should provide some welcome respite,” said Geordan Murray.
“While the increase in the month of November is encouraging, new home sales remain at quite low levels.
"If we consider the three months to November, the volume of sales is 15.7% lower than in the same period in 2011.
"This overall profile shows that we have a long way to go before we could consider sales volumes to be at satisfactory levels,” Geordan Murray said.
 
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New homes sales rose in November especially in NSW and Victoria: HIA

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Temperatures averaged 40 degrees Celsius across Australia on Tuesday – a new record – but that’s nothing for the 166 residents of the South Australian desert town of Oodnadatta, where 50 degrees is forecast for later this week.
Oodnadatta currently holds the all-time Australian record temperature of 50.7 degrees set on January 2, 1960.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/01/oondattamap.jpg">
Property Observer notes not much happens on the Oodnadatta property front. No residential listings among its 60 total properties are currently for sale or rent on the major websites, and the last RP Data sale was $20,000 in 2008.
But the Pink Roadhouse is for sale.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/01/pinkroadhouse1.jpg">
Both the business and the freehold is for sale through Steve Foreman at Dale Wood Business Sales Consultancy Kent Town.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/01/oodnatta.jpg">
The business is being priced at $300,000 plus stock. The land has been more difficult to price, with Steve Foreman currently calculating the two recent desert general store sales with a view to offering prospective buyers an indication later this month.
Described as a "world-famous icon of Australia's outback", the roadhouse is located 200 kilometres north east of Coober Pedy.
It's the only business in town and consists of a fuel outlet, post office, bottle shop, hardware store, and general store providing groceries, fruit and vegs.
And the all-important souvenirs as a traveller's oasis.
The licensed restaurant provides sit-down meals for breakfast, lunch and early evening meals.
The business also boasts a large onsite mechanical workshop and a contract to service aircraft with aviation fuel located at the airport.
The sale includes caravan park and motel-style accommodation. There is a private-use swimming pool.
The outback town has had temperatures soaring above 40 degrees every day this year.
"The ground, the building, everything is so hot, you walk outside and you feel it's going to burn you," Pink Roadhouse owner Lynnie Plate told the Adelaide Advertiser.
Earlier this week the roadhouse couldn't serve unleaded fuel after midday because it was vapourising.
Oodnadatta is surrounded by 7,800 square kilometres of mostly with cattle stations in arid pastoral rangelands close to the Simpson Deserte, 1,000 km north of Adelaide.
The name is derived from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrernte_language" title="Arrernte language" target="_blank">Arrernte</a> utnadata, meaning mulga blossom.
The population was 229 in 1976 and 160 in 1986. The 2006 census reported a population of 277 and it was 166 in 2011.
Briefly listed in 2010, the property has been held by the family for just short of four decades.
Making it possible for 4wd’s to travel into the Simpson Desert, it was the Plate family who pioneered The Oodnadatta Track branding around 1980 and overseeing it become consistent with the Birdsville and Strzelecki Tracks which link together forming a tourist route.
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Australia's truest hotspot of Oodnadatta has its pink roadhouse for sale

ASX-listed developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/stockland">Stockland</a>&nbsp;is continuing its push back into the new apartment market, filing plans for a prominent gateway site between Collingwood and East Melbourne.

The development giant, which moved back into the new apartment space when it announced Stanton Place in Sydney's Rosebery and have since filed plans for a 50-storey tower, are jumping into the off the plan Melbourne market.

They are hoping to create a mixed-use neighbourhood precinct for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/79-81-victoria-parade-collingwood-vic-3066">79-81 Victoria Parade</a>, replacing an existing commercial building with a scheme by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/john-wardle-architects">Wardle</a>&nbsp;for 478 apartments,&nbsp;ground-floor retail, new public open spaces and a publicly accessible pedestrian laneway.

<img alt="First look: Stockland plans new mixed-use neighbourhood precinct for Collingwood gateway site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="72dbbca9-3918-4073-afad-a0c0c35be8e7" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/stockland%20pers.png?VersionId=bzMVUKKxvwuNK1m0v_td126Rgct32uk_" />

The design report identifies the public realm as a central driver of the proposal.

"Collingwood has limited access to high-quality parks and public open space, and the proposal delivers valuable new areas for respite, social interaction and fine-grain retail activity."

The development would deliver a diverse mix of housing, including studio, one, two and three-bedroom apartments alongside townhouse-style residences. Two basement levels are proposed beneath the development, providing resident and retail parking as well as extensive bicycle facilities.

Wardle's design draws heavily on Collingwood's industrial character, using articulated building forms, brickwork and robust materials inspired by the suburb's warehouse and manufacturing heritage. The built form has been broken into a series of smaller volumes to better respond to the surrounding streetscape while extensive communal gardens, rooftop amenities and shared resident spaces are integrated throughout the project.

<img alt="First look: Stockland plans new mixed-use neighbourhood precinct for Collingwood gateway site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7b2135ed-65df-4253-ad53-f216f06bd467" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/stockland%20podium.png?VersionId=l1B6Hqn8zs772VxH6L1fDPg0KHshan9v" />

The planning documents describe the existing office building as offering little engagement with the public realm, with the redevelopment intended to create a more permeable and active neighbourhood destination.

"The proposed scheme presents a significant opportunity to deliver a vibrant retail plaza and a local neighbourhood hub serving both existing and future Collingwood residents."

The 79–81 Victoria Parade site occupies a strategic location about 1.5 kilometres east of Melbourne's CBD, at the threshold between Collingwood and East Melbourne. It is well served by tram services along Victoria Parade and sits within walking distance of St Vincent's Hospital, Fitzroy Gardens, the Fitzroy activity centre and a broad range of employment, retail and hospitality destinations.

Joel Robinson

Stockland plans new mixed-use neighbourhood precinct for Collingwood gateway site

An 1880s timber cottage that has survived Kangaroo Point's transformation from riverside suburb to high-density apartment precinct is set to become the centrepiece of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/zephyr">Zephyr Group</a>'s proposed Banksia development.

Rather than see the locally heritage-listed Alpha Cottage as an obstacle to navigate, plans integrate the landmark home into a new 18-storey residential tower, giving one of the suburb's oldest surviving residences a new role as the project's communal hub.

The development application covers a 1,177 sqm amalgamated site at 127-133 Lambert Street and 30 Shafston Avenue, where Zephyr Group plans to deliver 64 apartments above three basement levels. Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/joe-adsett-architects">Joe Adsett Architects</a>, the proposal carefully weaves the retained heritage cottage into a contemporary residential scheme, with the tower elevated above the historic building to preserve its presence within the Lambert Street streetscape.

<img alt="First look: Zephyr Group's Banksia to wrap new Kangaroo Point tower around 1880s Alpha Cottage" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f9dc5bdb-d691-4c60-bf2b-c3ed405a3e75" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Banksia.png?VersionId=Jh4bjlewU.o8HXWt0V4KaFA_lPcF7KWM" />

Named after the native Australian Banksia flower, the project draws inspiration from its distinctive form through curved balconies, sculpted planter boxes and cascading subtropical landscaping that soften the building's profile.

As the design report explains: "The tower's identity is defined by its feature facade, drawing direct inspiration from the Banksia wildflower. The building departs from traditional rigidity through the use of elegant, GRC-moulded planter boxes that appear as if shaped by the breeze."

Plans propose 64 apartments, comprising 32 two-bedroom and 32 three-bedroom residences, across an 18-storey tower. Residents would have access to rooftop amenities including a swimming pool, spa, gym, sauna, private cinema, dining spaces and landscaped recreation areas, while more than half the site is dedicated to planting and open space.

<img alt="First look: Zephyr Group's Banksia to wrap new Kangaroo Point tower around 1880s Alpha Cottage" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="16041b5f-033e-47fa-8fbe-9886e072c1f2" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/pool.png?VersionId=kpx5w4EbLx0_TdWfDoD1vrSs0_cZ5Ao1" />

The heritage component is the defining feature of the proposal. Constructed in the early 1880s and occupied from at least 1883, Alpha Cottage is recognised by Brisbane City Council as an important surviving example of Kangaroo Point's nineteenth-century residential development and as a representative transverse-gable timber cottage. Despite extensive redevelopment across the peninsula, the building has retained a high degree of its original form and internal fabric.

As part of the redevelopment, the cottage will be carefully relocated a short distance within its original allotment to facilitate construction before being returned to a prominent position along Lambert Street. Original verandah elements will be dismantled, catalogued and reinstated, while significant internal features, including timber flooring, wall linings, joinery, doors, windows and hardware, will be retained. Later additions, including the enclosed rear verandah, will be removed to better reveal the building's original form.

Once restored, Alpha Cottage will accommodate the building manager's office, mail room and parcel facilities, providing an active everyday use that supports its long-term conservation rather than preserving it as a static display. The heritage strategy also maintains landscaped space around the building, allowing it to remain visually distinct beneath the new tower.

<img alt="First look: Zephyr Group's Banksia to wrap new Kangaroo Point tower around 1880s Alpha Cottage" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="43b027e1-576e-4624-a66c-7cc54ea8b7be" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/banksia%20tower.png?VersionId=2W6E2yfkj2AQlWlLeV986grA5zB9f817" />

The Heritage Impact Assessment concludes that "the proposal secures the ongoing occupation, maintenance and conservation of Alpha Cottage," finding the development would result in "no more than a minor impact on the cultural heritage significance" of the building while ensuring its long-term future.

Joe Adsett Architects have designed the tower to sit above the heritage building rather than overwhelm it, creating a clear visual separation between old and new. The development's flowing balconies, integrated planting and organic façade respond to Brisbane's subtropical climate while complementing the restored cottage below.

Banksia occupies a prominent corner in Kangaroo Point within walking distance of the Kangaroo Point Bridge, Brisbane River, ferry services, QUT, the CBD and the Woolloongabba precinct. The site also benefits from direct access to active transport infrastructure and sits within an area earmarked for continued higher-density residential growth.

Zephyr Group's Banksia to wrap new Kangaroo Point tower around 1880s Alpha Cottage

Buying into a masterplanned community often means committing to a vision still years from taking shape. At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a>, that vision is already visible.

Residents have moved into the completed first stage, landscaped spaces are established, and the next chapter is now underway. Stage 1 has been completed and settled, with Stage 2 now selling off-the-plan.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/pbd-architects">PBD Architects</a>, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> combines attainable apartment living with sustainability initiatives rarely seen at this price point, including rooftop solar, battery storage and a resident EV-sharing program.

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Located on Schofi​elds Road, just moments from Tal​lawong Metro Station and Schof​ields Train Station, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> has been designed to appeal to a broad mix of buyers, from first-home purchasers looking for a foothold in Sy​dney's property market to downsizers seeking a connected, low-maintenance lifestyle.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> has been conceived as a thoughtfully planned masterplanned community that will evolve over multiple stages, with buyers now able to secure one, two and three-bedroom apartments within a neighbourhood that is already beginning to establish its identity.

One of the project's defining features is its focus on sustainability. Solar energy systems, battery storage and future EV charging infrastructure have been incorporated throughout the development, reflecting a long-term approach to both environmental performance and everyday convenience.

Sustainability sits at the centre of the development's vision, with solar energy systems, battery storage and future EV charging infrastructure integrated throughout the community.

That emphasis on future-ready living extends beyond the technology. Landscaped communal gardens, outdoor gathering spaces and plans for a future retail precinct aim to create a neighbourhood where residents can access daily conveniences without travelling far from home.

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The apartments themselves have been designed with liveability front of mind. Rather than chasing maximum density, the focus has been placed on creating practical homes with generous natural light, usable layouts and strong connections to outdoor space.

Importantly, these design principles have been applied consistently across the one, two and three-bedroom apartment offerings.

The appeal of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> is also closely linked to its location within Syd​ney's rapidly evolving north-west growth corridor. Over the past decade, major infrastructure investment has transformed the area, with new transport links, business precincts and community facilities reshaping suburbs like Talla​wong and Schofiel​ds.

The agent says buyers are increasingly recognising the area's long-term potential.

"Typical buyers that we're finding across <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> especially are your first-home buyers, your investors, your upsizers as well as your downsizers," Hawes says.

Connectivity remains one of the project's strongest drawcards. Residents have access to both Tallaw​ong Metro Station and Schofi​elds Train Station, providing links to the Sydn​ey CBD, Norw​est Business Park, Macquari​e Park and other major employment hubs. Retail centres including Rous​e Hill Town Centre and Sch​ofields Village are also nearby, alongside schools, parks and future healthcare infrastructure.

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For Stage 1 resident Roji, it is the balance between convenience and comfort that has defined the experience of living at Kew.

"For me, it's a balance of quality and convenience," she says. "Everything I need is right here."

"If I wanted to catch the train, Scho​fields Station is just around the corner. Tallaw​ong Metro connects me to the city."

More importantly, she says, the development has delivered something that cannot be measured in floorplans or specifications.

"<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> feels like home."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149637 project_image_fid=351024]

As Stage 2 enters the market, that lived experience may be one of the project's strongest selling points. Buyers are not purchasing into an untested concept or a future promise. They are joining a community that is already taking shape.

Ongoing investment in transport, retail, healthcare and public open space continues to strengthen the appeal of Syd​ney's north-west growth corridor, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a>'s established first stage provides buyers with a tangible sense of the community's future direction.

For a limited time, buyer can secure a new home at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> with just a $10,000.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=149637]

Kew Tallawong: A growing community taking shape in Sydney's north-west

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

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

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/abadeen">Abadeen</a> and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/perifa">PERIFA</a> have celebrated the topping out of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf,</a> marking a significant milestone in the delivery of one of Syd​ney's most anticipated waterfront communities.

Located on Sydney's harbourfront at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/putney-nsw-2112">Putney</a>, the project has now reached its highest structural point, with construction progressing strongly towards completion in 2027. 
&nbsp; 
The milestone was celebrated on-site with project partners Phoenix Property Investors, Mitsubishi Estate Asia, Versatile Construction, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, consultants and stakeholders, to recognise the collective effort behind the transformation of the historic waterfront site into a vibrant new residential, marina and lifestyle destination.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=362240] 
&nbsp; 
<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> will deliver a mix of waterfront residences and terraces, complemented by a private 36-berth marina, waterfront dining opportunities and a revitalised foreshore designed to reconnect the community with the river's edge. 
&nbsp; 
Abadeen Executive Chairman and Founder Justin Brown said the project represented a rare opportunity to create the next chapter in Sydn​ey's long history of successful waterfront precincts. 
&nbsp; 
"Throughout Sydney, some of the city's most sought-after addresses have emerged from carefully considered waterfront precincts such as Woolloom​ooloo Wharf, Walsh Bay and Breakfast Point," Brown said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=362566] 
&nbsp; 
"What makes these places so successful is that they become much more than residential developments," Brown said.

"They bring together homes, hospitality, marina facilities, public spaces and a strong sense of community in locations where future supply is incredibly limited."

Brown has long described absolute waterfront land in Sy​dney as "finite."

"Once these opportunities are developed, they are rarely replicated. That's why Syd​ney's waterfront precincts have consistently demonstrated strong demand and long-term value growth over many decades. 
&nbsp; 
"<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> is one of the few remaining opportunities to secure a residence within a masterplanned waterfront community that combines direct water access, marina ownership opportunities and a genuine village lifestyle just moments from the Sy​dney CBD."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=362564] 
&nbsp; 
PERIFA Founder and Managing Director Fabrizio Perilli said the project reflected a shared commitment to delivering exceptional places that create long-term value for residents and the broader community. 
&nbsp; 
"The topping out milestone is a significant achievement for the Versatile Group and a testament to the collaboration between all project partners, consultants and contractors involved," Perilli said. 
&nbsp; 
"Beyond the residences themselves, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> will establish a new waterfront destination that celebrates the history, character and lifestyle of this unique location while creating a lasting legacy for future generations."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=291195] 
&nbsp; 
Construction is being delivered by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/versatile">Versatile Construction</a>, with structural works now substantially complete across the precinct. Attention will progressively shift to the construction of the waterview terraces, apartment façades, services and interior fit-out works over the coming months. 
&nbsp; 
With limited residences and marina berths remaining, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> continues to attract strong interest from owner occupiers and downsizers seeking a premium waterfront lifestyle within close proximity to Putne​y Village, Rh​odes, Top Ry​de and the Syd​ney CBD. 
&nbsp; 
As one of the last opportunities to secure a residence within a new masterplanned waterfront community on Sy​dney Harbour, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> is expected to remain a highly sought-after address for years to come.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=13962]

Jonathan Chancellor

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