<html><body>
1
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/april17marsala]}
Marsala House, the fabulous 1970s Brutalist Iwan Iwanov-designed Dianella, Perth house that is the youngest property to be enshrined on the Western Australian heritage list, sold just two days after the Property Observer spotlight in April. The vendors Mark Etherton and Christopher Beer bought the then deteriorating house in 2005 for $725,000 and embarked on a massive restoration project. The result quickly re-established <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/western-australia/perths-iwan-iwanov-designed-brutalist-marsala-house-listed-for-sale/2012041654307" target="_blank">Marsala House </a>as one of Iwanov’s most idiosyncratic explorations of Australia’s late 20th-century Brutalist style, a movement that includes iconic Canberra buildings including the High Court of Australia and the Australian National Gallery. And so it sold for $2.2 million to the PR queen Melissa Lekias and partner, Jamie Mills. Built in 1976 for the Marsala family, the project pushed the boundaries of concrete block contemporary design, while the inside was heavily influenced by Las Vegas overstatement. It had been listed through Paul Tonich of Altitude Real Estate with $2 million-plus hopes. It first sold for $490,000 in 1992.
 
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
 
2.
<img alt="mosmanpark" src="/images/stories/2012/12/mosmanpark.jpg" width="400" height="225"> 
Anuket at Mosman Park in Perth has been sold in a partially gutted state for $11 million. It last sold in 2008 when property developer Luke Saraceni bought it from mining speculator David Rigoll, the former early-1990s Colonial Resources managing director, through the agent William Porteous for $16 million. It had previously also traded at $16 million in 2007 when offloaded by Firepower director Tim Johnston, who had bought it from property developer <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/warren-anderson-homeless-and-bankrupt/2011112552549" target="_blank">Warren Anderson</a>. The house was built for the Burswood Casino developer Dallas Dempster to a design by architect Louise St John Kennedy.
The house was gutted and ready to be finished to one's own standard. Set on a 1,425-square-metre block, it comes with five bedrooms, six bathrooms and four living areas. The Chidley Way property comes with a huge lap pool overlooking the Swan River <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/western-australia/perth-developer-luke-saraceni-s-partially-gutted-mosman-park-residence-listed-for-sale/2011120752734" target="_blank">Expressions of interest </a>were sought in March 2012, with the sale secured in November through Linda Sullivan at Space Real Estate Cottesloe to the McGeorge clan.
 
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
 
3
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2012/12/dec20farnley]}
The grand and glorious <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-wa-mount+lawley-107044500" target="_blank">Farnley Towers </a>at Mount Lawley sold for $3,025,000 mid-year. It's a 1913 home with dual signature fish-scaled towers, extensive wrap-around verandas, exquisite stained glass, wrought iron and distinctive fretwork. All in the Art Nouveau style from the front gate throughout. It was bought by a couple at ecologia Environment.
 
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
 
4
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2012/12/dec21fan]}
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-wa-attadale-110467225" target="_blank">Japanese fan-style </a>house, a landmark tri-level residence at Attadale, sold for $2.85 million, having been listed through Sam Fazio at Harcourts Realty Plus Hamilton Hill. It comes with amazing Marri timber spiral staircase. The  dining area has a custom made terrazzo table and lazy Susan. There's also 2.7-metre deep swimming pool with an 18-metre long curved infinity edge finish featuring three port hole windows that capture the guest room downstairs. There's a six seater state-of-the-art therapeutic jacuzzi, a sauna and outdoor cocktail bar and entertaining area. For a while the vendors tried to rent the Doongalla Road property at $2,500 a week.
 
 
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
 
5
<img src="/images/stories/2013/01/forrest2.jpg">
There were growing whispers that Denby Macgregor,  the only daughter of late Multiplex founder John Roberts, was abandoning plans to build on the $30 million superblock in Mosman Park ever since the local paper suggested Macgregor was looking at a heritage home in Cottesloe. Subsequently fetching $8.85 million in September, the Forrest Street, <a href="/news">Cottesloe</a>, house with a tennis court on its 1,772-square-metre holding (pictured above) was sold by Angela Nasuti, who bought it in 2006 for $4.8 million. Overlooking Sea View Golf Course, the home was built in 1924 for solicitor Joseph Barsden. Macgregor has now listed her recently renovated Mosman Park house on a 1,639-square-metre block through <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-wa-mosman+park-112183655" target="_blank">William Porteous Properties International</a> in conjunction with <a href="https://www.mackhall.com.au/for-sale/mosman-park/hill-10-terrace/274522.aspx" target="_blank">Mack Hall Real Estate</a>. It's a non-riverfront portion of the five-block site consolidation, which cost more than $30 million in 2009 and covered about 5,500 square metres.
 
 
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
 
6
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2013/01/jan9donegal]}
Saved from the bulldozer 12 years ago and sensitively restored, the classic mid-1960s Modernist home with light-filled spaces and internal glass walls made it the perfect setting for the 2004 movie Thunderstruck, featuring Stephen Curry and Sam Worthington. It's had a major renovation since the film about five devoted AC/DC fans who made a pact to bury their best friend next to Bon Scott in Fremantle Cemetery. Listing agent Tim Tyler at Tyler &amp; Sons promoted what was <a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/4-donegal-road-floreat/Property-Details-buy-residential-4435561" target="_blank">an architect’s own three-bedroom, split-level home </a>as having a solar passive design with a north-facing entertaining area and garden on its 769-square-metre block. Its most recent asking price before going under contract was $1.5 million, having been listed at $1.75 million.
 
</body></html>

jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Thunderstruck: Six prestige Perth sales that snuck through when we weren't looking

<html><body>
Bartinon, the seven-bedroom waterside mansion in Sorrento, could enjoy the prospect of the slightly rising prestige price tide on Queensland’s Coast Coast.
It's back on the market through Lucy Cole, having been on and off the market since the highest bid of $7.25 million offered at 2011 auction fell short of the $8 million paid in April 2009.
Transport tycoon Douglas Kefford bought it from Cameron Davis, from the Samtay Group, and his wife, Lynette.
Prestige prices on the Gold Coast got a slight fillip last year with agents suggesting sales activity indicated the market was endeavouring to bounce off the bottom of previous lows.
The seven-bedroom early 1980s Bartinon was built by tycoon Sir Justin Hickey and his wife, Lady (Barbara) Hickey.
The name of the one-hectare Riviera estate incorporates the initials of their five children.
Hickey, the Marrickville-born insurance magnate who started his career cutting lawns, moved to the 250-squares house in the early 1980s after selling his Emerstan Drive, Castle Cove, house to businessman Phil Cave.
With 85 metres of frontage, it is one of the largest residential blocks on the Nerang River on the coast.
Davis paid $6,665,000 in 2006 to buy it from former Fraser Island tourism operators Sidney Melksham and Angela Burger.
The 6,500-square-metre riverfront Sorrento property previously sold for $4.25 million in 2001 when offloaded by Indonesian industrialist Alimin Soenario.
Soenario had set a $3,125,000 record in 1994 when he bought it on its then 9,000 square metres.
Kefford, who has spent only four or five weeks a year at the house on Marseille Court, has it listed with offers due by January 31.
Selling agent Lucy Cole of Lucy Cole Prestige Properties told the Australian Financial Review that it was hard to name a price in the current market but the vendors were "keen to negotiate."</body></html>

Sorrento mansion Bartinon back on the market

<html><body>
<div class="page" title="Page 1">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
Over the past three-year period the value of residential land in the Gosford local government area has generally showed a slight to moderate decrease, according to the NSW Valuer-General Philip Western.
It follows the release of fresh valuations for 63,292 properties in the Gosford local government area.
<div title="Page 1" class="page">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
The total land value of the Gosford municipality as at July 1, 2012, was $19.66 billion, a decrease from the total land value of $20.88 billion determined as at July 1, 2009.
</div>
</div>
</div>
Residential land in areas such as <a target="_blank" href="/news">Avoca Beach</a>, <a target="_blank" href="/news">Copacabana</a>, <a target="_blank" href="/news">Gosford</a>, <a target="_blank" href="/news">MacMasters Beach</a>, <a target="_blank" href="/news">Koolewong </a>and <a target="_blank" href="/news">Davistown</a> showed a slight to moderate increase in value.
Beach front properties in <a target="_blank" href="/news">North Avoca</a> also showed a slight increase in value, but beach front properties at <a target="_blank" href="/news">Avoca Beach</a> showed a slight decrease.
The value of coastal rural residential land varied with some properties showing a moderate increase and others showing a moderate decrease. Rural residential land in the hinterland has generally shown a slight to moderate decrease, with the more rugged and less cleared sites showing a stronger than average decrease. Hinterland properties in the more prime locations showed a slight increase in value.
The value of commercial land generally showed a slight decrease, with the exception of the prime suburb of <a target="_blank" href="/news">Erina</a>, which showed slight to strong decreases in value, and commercial land values in <a target="_blank" href="/news">Terrigal</a>, which showed a slight increase.
Commercial land values in <a target="_blank" href="/news">Gosford</a> and <a target="_blank" href="/news">Woy Woy</a> showed a range of changes, from slight increase to slight decrease, while most of the commercial land in <a target="_blank" href="/news">Ettalong Beach</a> showed a moderate increase.
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="page" title="Page 2">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
Industrial land in the Gosford LGA also generally showed a slight decrease in value, with the exception of land in North Gosford, which remained steady or showed a slight increase in value.
Typical residential land values as at 1 July 2012 were: • 670 square metres at Amethyst Avenue, Pearl Beach valued at $513,000 • 727 square metres at Avoca Drive, Avoca Beach valued at $2,730,000 • 613 square metres at Dale Close, Terrigal valued at $350,000 • 556 square metres at North Avoca Parade, North Avoca valued at $2,720,000
• 696 square metres at Paton Street, Woy Woy valued at $235,000 • 613 square metres at Patrick Crescent, Saratoga valued at $247,000 • 664 square metres at Salacia Close, St Huberts Island valued at $490,000 • 683 square metres at Webb Street, East Gosford valued at $290,000.
Typical commercial land values as at 1 July 2012 were: • 479 square metres at Blackwall Road, Woy Woy valued at $399,000 • 234 square metres at T errigal Esplanade, Terrigal valued at $1,280,000
• 259 square metres at Victoria Street, East Gosford valued at $240,000
• 526 square metres at Watt Street, Gosford valued at $415,000
• 266 square metres at West Street, Umina Beach valued at $400,000.
Typical industrial land values as at 1 July 2012 were: • 481 square metres at Alma Avenue, Woy Woy valued at $223,000 • 2,149 square metres at Bonnal Road, Erina valued at $547,000 • 4,204 square metres at Bowen Crescent, West Gosford valued at $455,000 • 2,639 square metres at Brooks Avenue, Wyoming valued at $371,000 • 4,000 square metres at Somersby Falls Road, Somersby valued at $526,000.
Typical rural residential land values as at 1 July 2012 were: • 4,047 square metres at Avoca Drive, Green Point valued at $190,000 • 1.1 hectares at Doyle Street, Macmasters Beach valued at $400,000 • 2 hectares at Fagans Road, Lisarow valued at $400,000 • 1 hectare at Matcham Road, Matcham valued at $560,000 • 1 hectare at Nursery Street, Narara valued at $308,000 • 1 hectare at Scenic Highway, Terrigal valued at $900,000 • 1 hectare at Tumbi Road, Wamberal valued at $430,000 • 4,047 square metres at Yugari Crescent, Daleys Point valued at $275,000.
Typical hobby farm land values as at 1 July 2012 were: • 8.7 hectares at Hayden Road, Wamberal valued at $620,000 • 19 hectares at Pacific Highway, Mount White valued at $680,000 • 48 hectares at Peats Ridge Road, Peats Ridge valued at $1,470,000
• 8.1 hectares at Wisemans Ferry Road, Mangrove Mountain valued at $550,000.
The last valuations have been compiled during the 2012 valuation program from the analysis of 720 residential, 50 commercial, 30 industrial and 120 rural sales.
<div title="Page 1" class="page">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
Landowners in Gosford LGA were last issued with a notice of valuation showing their property’s land value as at July 1, 2009.
</div>
</div>
</div>
 
</div>
</div>
</div>
</body></html>

Gosford land values dip or rise marginally in past three years

<html><body>
The artist David Bromley and his partner, Yuge Yu, have adjusted price expectations on their current Byron Bay abode on the the NSW north coast.
Bromley, one of Australia's most prolific artists, and Yu, a fashion designer, have cut the asking price on the Jonson Street property from $1.55 million to $1.4 million.
The couple's home and studio is on the market, with the couple planning to move to semi-rural acreage just outside Byron Bay.
It's a 1,012-square-metre Jonson Street property, a five-minute walk from the beach, designed for indoor/outdoor living, with shaded timber decking, a courtyard and leafy gardens.
The original three-bedroom cottage comes with outbuildings that allow for, all up, five bedrooms. There is commercial zoning.
It's been listed by Jamie Marshall and Mary O'Connor of Bangalow Real Estate, in conjunction with Ray White agent Lloyd Lawton.
The property is being offer with painted murals in the courtyard, on the side of the house, in two bedrooms and in the living area.
In its backyard, there’s a vintage AirStream caravan with a deck and Japanese hot tub, and a Studebaker ute decked out with tropical plants.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.bangalowrealestate.com.au/property/details/445" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">It’s priced at $1.4 million</a>.
The property was bought by Bromley's former partner of 17 years,  Tori Dixon-Whittle, who paid $1.15 million in 2007. Dixon-Whittle and their three children now live in Vietnam.
</body></html>

Artist David Bromley knocks $150,000 off his Byron Bay asking price

<html><body>
Entrepreneur Christian Ainsworth has listed his seven-bedroom, nine-bathroom home at The Sovereign Islands on the Gold Coast.
The Brittanic Crescent house on a 1,950-sqare-metre block cost $7.2 million about two years ago.
It's been listed for auction on January 29.
Ainsworth, son of Aristocrat gaming machine founder Len Ainsworth, has been trying to sell the property since October.
Its most recent price tag was $5.2 million.
Ray White Runaway Bay Ali Mian has the listing.
</body></html>

Tourism entrepreneur Christian Ainsworth lists on the Gold Coast

<html><body>
Le Chateau, a landmark manor house at Dural, has been sold, having been listed last October with $6.5 million hopes. It represents a relatively snappy sale, as RP Data note the average time on market before sale as 106 days in Dural, and even longer for prestige listings.

Mixing modern with medieval, the prestige listing in the semi-rural Hills District north-west of Sydney was the location of the Channel 7 recent television series Beauty and the Geek.

The marketing was previously put on hold while the owners enjoyed the income from the television production. No word yet but having pai close to the asking price, its probable the series will need a new accomodation base.

Owned by telco millionaire Colin Marland and his wife, Julie Anne, the vast<a href="/news"> Dural</a> French-inspired mansion is set on two hectares of manicured grounds. <a href="https://www.kenjacobs.com.au/598825/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> It was sold through Christie's agents Ken Jacobs and Darren Curtis</a> to offshore buyers.

The two-storey residence has five bedrooms, each with a travertine ensuite and walk-in wardrobe.

There is a grand entry foyer leading to formal and informal living, dining and entertainment areas, including a family room with an eight-metre-high ceiling.

The vast 1,770-square-metre Vineys Lane residence was built in 1997 for Ian Beilby, who made his money from hair-care products, electrical appliances and property development, and his wife, Jill.

Le Chateau last sold for $4 million to the Marlands in 2000. No sale price has yet been revealed.

The last Dural castle listing took three years to sell when in March last year Myriam Borg, founder of Cre8 Australia,<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/french-inspired-dural-castle-normandie-sells-after-owners-failed-to-keep-mortgagees-at-bay/2012032654022" target="_blank"> bought the Dural French-inspired castle Normandie</a>. The mortgagees-in-possession sold it off at $2.95 million. The vendors had wanted more than $6.25 million ever since listing it in 2009. Built in 1985 by Bronte Douglass, the founder of Douglass Pathology, and his wife, Darlene, the imposing sandstone residence had four bedroom suites, a grand reception hall and a billiard room. In the 2.2-hectare grounds are sweeping lawns, ornamental trees, a tennis court and swimming pool.

<h2>NSW properties selling now:</h2>

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6284]

[smartcode_project:default project_id=8669]

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6201]
</body></html>

Beauty and the Geek locale Le Chateau in Dural sells

<html><body>
<h1></h1>
The Bank of Scotland International has offloaded $240 million worth of corporate and project debt in the listed property company Becton Group. 
But the deal still awaits Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) approval.
It also requires approval of another Becton financier, Westpac, pursuant to its Bonnyrigg loan arrangement. 
The debt buyers are a consortium made up of Goldman Sachs and the United States hedge fund Fortress Investment Group.
<a target="_blank" href="/news">Becton has a market capitalisation of just $3.4 million</a> and has been looking for a way to stabilise its longer-term structure.
BOSI intends assigning its $126 million corporate debt facility along with its $116 debt facility for the Waterloo Divercity project.
The latest scenario suggests a likely tussle between Becton's incoming lenders and the company's major shareholders including Telopea Capital, Mariner Corporation and Titanium Property Investment.
The Becton loans are held by the local subsidiary of Lloyds Banking Group, known as BOSI.
Following the global financial crisis, Lloyds has been reducing its non-core exposures in Australasia in the past few years.
</body></html>

Goldman Sachs Becton debt deal requires FIRB approval

<html><body>
The Bank of Scotland International has offloaded $200 million worth of corporate and project debt in the listed property company Becton Group.
The buyers are understood to be a consortium of Goldman Sachs and the United States hedge fund Fortress Investment Group.
Becton has a market capitalisation of just $3.4 million and has been looking for a way to stabilise its longer-term structure.
But the latest scenario suggests a likely tussle between Becton's incoming lenders and the company's major shareholders including Telopea Capital, Mariner Corporation and Titanium Property Investment.
“We have sold our holdings in Becton,” a spokeswoman for BOS International told the Austraian Financial Review on Friday, noting that settlement of the transaction was imminent.
But Becton is still not in a position to be expansive on what had happened or what the consequences could following its securing a trading halt on Friday January 4, 2013, noting it would update investors in “due course”.
“The trading halt is being sought in relation to incomplete information which has come to Becton’s attention regarding the possible sale by Becton’s corporate debt provider of the debt owned by Becton to that debt provider,” the company said in a statement to the Australian Securities Exchange on Friday.
The Becton loans are held by the local subsidiary of Lloyds Banking Group, known as BOSI.
The debt parcel being sold includes secured debt, and a separate tranche relating to the Divercity property development in Sydney’s Waterloo.
The AFR speculated the corporate debt was likely to be sold at a substantial discount to its face value.
The sale of the debt may also trigger further restructuring at Becton, including possible privatisation.
“We embrace the change because it means the company can have a robust discussion about the future,” Mariner boss Darren Olney-Fraser told the AFR.
He has previously called BOSI as a intransigent debt holder. 
Following the global financial crisis, Lloyds has been reducing its non-core exposures in Australasia in the past few years. 
</body></html>

Becton remains in ASX trading halt

<html><body>
Corio Villa, the landmark 14-room Geelong home, has been sold.
Its sale price has not been disclosed, but its most recent declared asking price was $5.85 million.
It was listed in August with $5 million-plus hopes through Wilsons listing agents Guyon and James Wilson.
Set above Corio Bay at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wilsonsre.com.au/property/geelong/889/" rel="nofollow">56 Eastern Beach Road</a>, it's one of Australia's only surviving buildings to be made from pre-fabricated cast iron.
Manufactured in Scotland, the home was shipped to <a target="_blank" href="/news">Geelong</a> in boxes. Corio Villa was manufactured in 1855 by iron founder Charles D Young and Co. from designs by Bell and Miller, architects and engineers.
William Gray, colonial land commissioner, ordered the villa, but he died prior to arrival of the portable house shipment.
The crates with the ornate, sprawling design pieces sat unclaimed on Geelong's docks for six months before wool merchant (and later owner of The Geelong Advertiser) Alfred Douglass bought it, carted it up the hill and assembled it like a jigsaw above Corio Bay.
The house remained in his family until it was sold to Dr Keith Ross of Ballarat in 1938 and then to Arthur and Alice McAllister in 1945.
Their son, Glenn, and wife, Rosslyn, live in the house today.
Most of the decorative work echoes the pattern of the rose, and the thistle of Scotland.
Corio Villa is considered by heritage authorities as of paramount international significance not just in Geelong but to the history of industrial technology and the 19th-century British aesthetic movement.
Prefabricated residences were often imported in the 1850s to satisfy housing demand during the gold rush boom, Heritage Victoria notes.
It has its many original character features including intricate leadlight windows, plaster roses and cornices, detailed timber ceiling and wall panelling, plus ornate marble fire places.
The McAllister family have hired out the property for weddings and functions.  The house sits on 375 square metres of the 2,885-square-metre block.
</body></html>

Geelong's 1856 Corio Villa sells to its fourth owner

<html><body>
Shoe designer Gary Castles has finally sold his radiant Whale Beach property.
It was posted as sold on the weekend with its price undisclosed.
He’s had the Malo Road property for three decades, and it was initially listed in March last year.
It’s a four-bedroom house on a hillside 1,160-square-metre block that has an approved dual occupancy. 
There’s also approval for another level to the main residence that includes the addition of a three-car garage.
David Edwards and Peter Robinson from LJ Hooker Palm Beach had revised the price expectations of $5 million plus for its October auction, having initially had $7 million-plus hopes in March.
</body></html>

Shoeman Gary Castles sells on Whale Beach

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

Joel Robinson

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

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

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

Buying into a masterplanned community often means committing to a vision still years from taking shape. At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a>, that vision is already visible.

Residents have moved into the completed first stage, landscaped spaces are established, and the next chapter is now underway. Stage 1 has been completed and settled, with Stage 2 now selling off-the-plan.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/pbd-architects">PBD Architects</a>, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> combines attainable apartment living with sustainability initiatives rarely seen at this price point, including rooftop solar, battery storage and a resident EV-sharing program.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6RNt3AvtBpI?si=JUhuCV2ZRXsYaoJZ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Located on Schofi​elds Road, just moments from Tal​lawong Metro Station and Schof​ields Train Station, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> has been designed to appeal to a broad mix of buyers, from first-home purchasers looking for a foothold in Sy​dney's property market to downsizers seeking a connected, low-maintenance lifestyle.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> has been conceived as a thoughtfully planned masterplanned community that will evolve over multiple stages, with buyers now able to secure one, two and three-bedroom apartments within a neighbourhood that is already beginning to establish its identity.

One of the project's defining features is its focus on sustainability. Solar energy systems, battery storage and future EV charging infrastructure have been incorporated throughout the development, reflecting a long-term approach to both environmental performance and everyday convenience.

Sustainability sits at the centre of the development's vision, with solar energy systems, battery storage and future EV charging infrastructure integrated throughout the community.

That emphasis on future-ready living extends beyond the technology. Landscaped communal gardens, outdoor gathering spaces and plans for a future retail precinct aim to create a neighbourhood where residents can access daily conveniences without travelling far from home.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149637 project_image_fid=351027]

The apartments themselves have been designed with liveability front of mind. Rather than chasing maximum density, the focus has been placed on creating practical homes with generous natural light, usable layouts and strong connections to outdoor space.

Importantly, these design principles have been applied consistently across the one, two and three-bedroom apartment offerings.

The appeal of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> is also closely linked to its location within Syd​ney's rapidly evolving north-west growth corridor. Over the past decade, major infrastructure investment has transformed the area, with new transport links, business precincts and community facilities reshaping suburbs like Talla​wong and Schofiel​ds.

The agent says buyers are increasingly recognising the area's long-term potential.

"Typical buyers that we're finding across <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> especially are your first-home buyers, your investors, your upsizers as well as your downsizers," Hawes says.

Connectivity remains one of the project's strongest drawcards. Residents have access to both Tallaw​ong Metro Station and Schofi​elds Train Station, providing links to the Sydn​ey CBD, Norw​est Business Park, Macquari​e Park and other major employment hubs. Retail centres including Rous​e Hill Town Centre and Sch​ofields Village are also nearby, alongside schools, parks and future healthcare infrastructure.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149637 project_image_fid=351031]

For Stage 1 resident Roji, it is the balance between convenience and comfort that has defined the experience of living at Kew.

"For me, it's a balance of quality and convenience," she says. "Everything I need is right here."

"If I wanted to catch the train, Scho​fields Station is just around the corner. Tallaw​ong Metro connects me to the city."

More importantly, she says, the development has delivered something that cannot be measured in floorplans or specifications.

"<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> feels like home."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149637 project_image_fid=351024]

As Stage 2 enters the market, that lived experience may be one of the project's strongest selling points. Buyers are not purchasing into an untested concept or a future promise. They are joining a community that is already taking shape.

Ongoing investment in transport, retail, healthcare and public open space continues to strengthen the appeal of Syd​ney's north-west growth corridor, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a>'s established first stage provides buyers with a tangible sense of the community's future direction.

For a limited time, buyer can secure a new home at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> with just a $10,000.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=149637]

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

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

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

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

Jonathan Chancellor

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News