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Gladstone's $455,000 median price put the reional Queensland coastal town among the more affordable of mining town investment options, according to Ray White Real Estate director Andrew Allen.
"Compared to the cost of housing in other mining and industry towns, such as Moranbah which is about $700,000-$800,000 for a home, it is certainly more affordable than that," Mr Allen suggested.
Andrew Allen told the Gladstone Observer there was an income gap within the district.
"Definitely there is (an imbalance). Anyone working in the construction industry or related industries, definitely they're the bigger wage earners," he said after some Gladstone residents voiced concerns at the affordability of new housing.
"For people on average incomes, anything up to $500,000 is definitely a battle," he said.
House prices in the Queensland’s mining town of Gladstone fell 4.2% over the September quarter, but are not indicative of a softening in the market, according to the Real Estate Institute of Queensland.
The 4.2% drop to a median $455,000 was recorded from just 19 sales.
Data for 12 months of sales show the median house price has risen by 13.1% to $475,000.
REIQ Gladstone zone chair Mark Spearing says Gladstone’s property market has been steady and well balanced over the last quarter.
He says the September figures are a reflection of new developments hitting the market and a more competitive selection process for buyers.
New projects include residential developer Devine Limited launching a new $1.4 billion master-planned community - Riverstone Rise - in Gladstone in April, which is expected to have 2,900 homes upon completion.
“When in an upward cycle such as Gladstone’s, there is always a percentage of vendors pricing their property above realistic market expectations,” Spearing says.
Spearing said marketed and negotiated properties are still selling.
And he says sales activity has been very strong over the past two weeks (in November).
Gladstone is located 100 kilometres south of Rockhampton and has a vast number of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and coal projects in development.
Property Observer <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/queensland/gladstone-s-mining-is-booming-but-property-market-far-from-unified-in-queensland-hotspot/2012080755742">reported in August</a> and noted a number of headwinds facing investors in the area.
PRDnationwide predicted property and land prices would begin to ease once new and more affordable housing projects were completed.
It seems that PRDnationwide’s prediction came true, but Spearing says the decline is nothing to be concerned about.
The residential area of Gladstone is made up of nine suburbs: Clinton, Glen Eden, Kin Kora, New Auckland, South Gladstone, Sun Valley, Telina, Toolooa and West Gladstone.
 For more on investing in Gladstone, download the free Property Observer eBook: <a target="_blank" href="http://propertyobserver.com.au/ebooks/free-ebook-gladstone-investment-keys-to-one-of-the-nations-most-talked-about-hotspots">Gladstone - Investment keys to one of the nation’s most talked-about hotspots.</a> 
 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Gladstone's comparable affordability - as quarterly house price dip not the start of a trend: REIQ

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Sam Dastyari, the state secretary of the NSW Labor machine, has upgraded homes.
He has paid $1.36 million for a four bedroom Russell Lea house.
Until recently the family lived at their Concord home – his wife, Helen, two large dogs (Sasha and Lulu), the three cats (named Lenin, Trotsky and Chairman Mao), and young daughter Hannah.
The 1920s two-bedroom John Street Concord house was sold <a target="_blank" href="https://exclusiveproperties.com.au/50john">for $900,000,</a> having been bought by the couple for $820,000 in 2009. It failed to sell <a target="_blank" href="https://raywhitedrummoyne.com.au/nsw/concord/353284/">last November</a>.
He reportedly runs an average of 70 kilometres a week – presumably now along the waterfront Henley Marine Drive – and works 12-hour days at Labor's Sussex Street headquarters.
Both addresses are in the Drummoyne state electorate and the Reid federal elecorate.
Dastyari courted Helen when she was working for then premier Morris Iemma in 2008. Her father is Peter Barron, the Labor guru who advised both Neville Wran and Bob Hawke.
His parents, Naser and Ella, were studying civil engineering in Tehran when they fell victim to an Islamist crackdown and were hounded from the northern Iranian village of Sari, where he was born.
The family migrated to Sydney when he was five.
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NSW Labor machine man Sam Dastyari upgrades inner west family abode

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It's a change in abodes, not job, that is on Brian Cook's agenda.
Last month Geelong AFL football club chief executive Brian Cook turned down an offer to join rival AFL club North Melbourne.
But his <a href="/news">Albert Park</a> home is listed for December 15 auction through John Holdsworth at Greg Hocking Holdworth, in conjunction with Vendormarketing.com.au, the recently established vendor marketing advocacy company.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/11/briancook.jpg">
It's a stylish <a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/48-moubray-street-albert-park/Property-Details-buy-residential-4705893" target="_blank">Brad Hooper-designed terrace home </a>with Jack Merlo-designed landscaped garden.
There are three upstairs bedroom plus a study, which has the give-away signs of the owner's AFL allegiance.
It was bought in 2001 for $750,000 when Cook moved from Highton.
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Geelong boss Brian Cook staying in job, but swapping Melbourne homes

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Toni Collette and David Galafassi have been hit with a demand for $1 million plus arising from their failure to proceed with a Paddington property acquisition. That's on top of the $900,000 loss incurred when they sold their own Bronte house in March this year. 
The vendors - Susan and Nick Kelly who own the hip menswear brand Industrie - wanted the Hollywood couple to proceed with the $6.35 million purchase signed on September 30 last year.
The couple are now suing Collette and Galafassi for $1million plus, mostly for the $850,000 fall in value of the property when they resold for $5.5 million.
But their damages suit includes a claim for $43,516 in state land tax and interest for four months.
Collette and Galafassi are arguing the vendor's resold the property under value.
They claim the price ought have been $6.25 million at auction, according to documents filed in the Supreme Court and obtained by News Ltd.
The $6.35 million sale of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/actor-toni-collette-and-muso-david-galafassi-fall-for-the-charms-of-contemporary-inner-city-paddington/2011110752250">the five-bedroom home </a>was allegedly due to be settled by December 2011, but the couple pulled out of the deal when they couldn't find a buyer for their own Bronte home.
Collette's lawyer, David Carr told the Kellys' lawyer in an email on New Year's Eve last year his clients intended "not to proceed" with the purchase, according to the News Ltd report.
Collette  also sent an email to Nick Kelly on February 24, telling him the couple had decided to <a target="_blank" href="/news">buy another house in Bronte</a>. They had sold their own house in Bronte for a $900,000 loss.
Two months later the Kellys sued in an attempt to force them to complete the sale.
The Hollywood entertainment industry couple claim they do not have to pay the land tax which the Kelly's were hit with given their move into a Vaucluse residence.
They also claim they dont have to pay the interest on the $6.35 million as there was no agreement to "complete the sale" by December 30.
They claim emails sent to the Kellys cannot be used because they were sent "without prejudice".
Property Observer reported last week <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/toni-collette-s-paddington-property-matter-back-in-court-december-11/2012111457822">the next directions hearing </a>into the matter has been scheduled for December 11 in the NSW Supreme Court equity division.
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Land tax claim in Toni Collette's Paddington property drama

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The 296-room Daydream Island resort in the Whitsundays has been listed by the tourism entrepreneur Vaughan Bullivant.
The businessman who sold the Nature’s Own vitamin company for $137 million in 1997 paid about $25 million for the island in 2000 and has spent nearly $50 million on it, according to the Australian Financial Review.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/11/daydream.jpg">
He hopes to capture emerging Chinese interest in the region displayed when Chinese advertising and media group White Horse <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/leisure/chinese-mining-tycoon-beats-clive-palmer-to-acquire-lindeman-island-with-plans-to-redevelop/2012042554429" target="_blank">snapped up Lindeman Island</a> on the Great Barrier Reef for about $12 million in April.
Daydream sits among many Queensland resorts that have suffered from the high Australian dollar and also the cheaper airfares to Asian holiday destinations.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/11/vaughan.jpg">
But Bullivant (pictured above) says his four-and-a-half-star resort is now profitable.
“Daydream has always been extremely important to me, and I’ve put many years of my life into making it the beautiful tropical island resort that it is today, as have many staff and my Daydream Island management team,” he told Fairfax Media.
“But I’m 65 now and looking to at some stage put my feet up and enjoy doing other things in life, including more travel and spending time with my family, which has long been my goal.”
International operators – particularly chains with Asian resorts – are expected to chase the opportunity as the island is offered vacant possession through CBRE Hotels Brisbane’s Wayne Bunz, whose expressions of interest campaign closes March 14 next year. No price estimate has been given.
It was Village Roadshow that sold the island in 1999.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/11/daydream2.jpg">
The purchasing syndicate reportedly included Keith Williams and Vaughan Bullivant. Williams was bought out some time ago.
Daydream Island is one of seven islands of the Molle Group, a sub-group of the Whitsunday Islands in Queensland, Australia. The island is small, measuring one kilometre in length and 400 metres at its widest point.
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Daydream Island resort listed for sale by Vaughan Bullivant 

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Yamba, the idyllic Pittwater retreat, has been listed for sale.
Accessible only by boat, the 7,463-square-metre Scotland Island property has three separate waterfront titles, with two residences, a cute cabin and a vacant parcel of waterfront land.
It's one of Pittwater's most significant landholdings, set on the north-western side of the island.
It was built for the Robertson family of Angus &amp; Robertson bookstores, with later owners including the Moran healthcare family. 
<img src="/images/stories/2012/11/scotlandisland.jpg">
The first A&amp;R bookstore was opened in 110½ Market Street by David Angus in 1884, selling only secondhand books and then from 1886 in partnership with fellow Scot George Robertson.
The island retreat last sold when Kym Bermingham sold to the international art consultant Vivienne Sharpe and her partner, antiquarian bookseller Tim McCormick, in 2006.
Its been listed through David Watson of <a target="_blank" href="https://avalon.ljhooker.com.au/B3RF58">LJ Hooker Avalon </a>and Ken Jacobs of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kenjacobs.com.au/603580/">Christie's International</a>.
Yamba's 1915 renovated and extended five-bedroom house flows onto level lawns, a sandy beach where there are two boat sheds and two deepwater jetties.
The property is listed with $10 million plus price expectations. It's the largest holding on the 49-hectare island.
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Historic Pittwater retreat Yamba seeking new bibliophile owners – BYO boat

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Bill Bridges at Ballard Property has scored a coup in securing an editorial on the Wall Street Journal (Asia) website for his highly conjunctional Altona, Point Piper, listing.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/11/wsj.jpg">
The report says the owners, Deke Miskin and his wife, Eve, are a magazine publisher and bikini designer, respectively. It notes, other than the exterior, few of the original architectural features of the house remain. The interiors have oak parquet floors, French doors, high ceilings and five marble fireplaces.
Its amenities include a pool, a cabana, a private jetty and a rooftop deck with views that take in the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2012/09/sept12altona]}
The website says the <a href="/news">Point Piper</a> property came back on the market in late 2010, but the A$55 million (US$57.3 million) asking price was only revealed in September by agents in a renewed drive to achieve a sale.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/11/wsj2.jpg">
It reports its $35 million for the house and $20 million for the extra land.
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Point Piper's US$57.3 million Altona gets WSJ (Asia) house of the day status

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Le Chateau, a landmark manor house at Dural, remains for sale, having been listed last month with $6.5 million hopes. Mixing modern with medieval, the prestige listing in the semi-rural Hills District north-west of Sydney is best recognised as the location of the Channel 7 television show Beauty and the Geek. 
Owned by telco millionaire Colin Marland and his wife, Julie Anne, the vast French-inspired mansion is set on two hectares of manicured grounds. I<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kenjacobs.com.au/598825/">t is for sale through Christie's agents Ken Jacobs and Darren Curtis.</a>
The two-storey residence has five bedrooms, each with a travertine en suite 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, all designed by American architectural firm Design Traditions.
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, who sold Le Chateau for $4 million to the Marlands in 2000.
 
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No makeover needed for Dural’s Beauty and the Geek location Le Chateau

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Noorinya sits at the top of the list of Nathan Tinkler's private property assets, should he seek funds to get himself out of his current business liquidity situation.
But having paid $11.5 million, it's in a league of its own when it comes to the prestigious second home coastal market.
The mining magnate smashed the mid north coast record in 2008 when he purchased Noorinya, on a Sapphire Beach headland, for $11.5 million from Microsoft pioneer Jaybe Ammons.
Noorinya, with 1.8 hectares of private headland, comes with lap pool and a secluded beach.
The following year Stockland’s David Pitman and ABN Amro’s Simon Perrott purchased oceanfront properties from developer Barry France on the next headland along at Sapphire Beach.
{qtube vid:=BYSuZ5PkBg8&amp;feature=plcp}
Ammons and his wife, Shelly, had spent about $2.75 million on the site amalgamation, including a $1.85 million purchase from hospital industry operator Paul Ramsay in 1999. Locals say the family used it regularly during the early years of ownership, but not much recently since the family relocated from their Newcastle base to Singapore.
Video source LJ Hooker 
Video prepared by HTM Digital
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Nathan Tinkler could fall back on record-setting Noorinya on mid-north coast if times get tougher 

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It's scheduled for mooted late 2015 completion and it doesn't actually have planning approval, but the developers of the Australia 108 tower in Melbourne's Southbank precinct are inviting buyer registrations.
It will cost $1,000. And registrants will get a pre-release briefing at a level 89 Eureka Tower event in February.
Prices start at $425,000 for one-bedroom apartments and from $575,000 for two-bedroom apartments. Its three bedrooms are priced from $775,000.
<a href="https://australia108.com.au/" target="_blank">The 108-storey project</a> was unveiled earlier this month as the southern hemisphere's tallest six-star hotel/apartment building – with its mooted mammoth 388-metre skyscraper high above Melbourne's Yarra River.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/11/australia108.jpg">
The site is set on the corner of City Road and Southbank Boulevard, and the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) gave approval for a 72-storey, 226-metre, 532-unit skyscraper in September 2010 after a battle with Melbourne City Council.
The new project, if approved, will feature 600 apartments, plus the nation's highest hotel and restaurants floating 84 stories above the city.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/11/australia1083.jpg">
The 108-storey tower, which will be the 18th-tallest building in the world, is planned to rise near the 297-metre Eureka Tower, with 91 storeys.
Architects Fender Katsalidis, which also built Eureka, gained planning approval for a 228-metre apartment building on the 70 Southbank Boulevard site in 2010, but architect Nonda Katsalidis has super-sized his plans, by adding a 288-room hotel and sky deck on top.
He says the economy has strengthened and Melbourne is more confident and ready for an iconic centrepiece.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/11/australia1081.jpg">
"Buildings like this change cities, they make the city more dynamic, more interesting, more exciting," he said.
One of Australia 108's most striking features will be a two-storey sky lobby, which is set to house two restaurants and two bars, extending nine metres out of the building, 84 storeys above Melbourne. The hotel check-in and swimming pool will also appear to hang over the city, with sections of glass floor enabling visitors to see all the way to the ground in a much larger version of Eureka's Sky Deck. In July Property Observer<a href="/news"> reported the site was owned by Katsalidis and property developer Adrian Valmorbida </a>from the Valmorbida family.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/11/australia1082.jpg">
Although the project is in its preliminary design stage and will be subjected to a fresh planning application process, Victorian Planning Minister Matthew Guy has already commented that such a project being proposed underlined the confidence in Melbourne. "Australia is coming of age, and our cities are growing upwards," Guy said. "Taller buildings ... are a symbol of a growing nation, a strong economy, and they do have the ability to define a city," he said.
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Fender Katsalidis' Australia 108 tower seeks $1,000 early buyer registrants 

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.

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For Stage 1 resident Roji, it is the balance between convenience and comfort that has defined the experience of living at Kew.

"For me, it's a balance of quality and convenience," she says. "Everything I need is right here."

"If I wanted to catch the train, Scho​fields Station is just around the corner. Tallaw​ong Metro connects me to the city."

More importantly, she says, the development has delivered something that cannot be measured in floorplans or specifications.

"<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> feels like home."

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As Stage 2 enters the market, that lived experience may be one of the project's strongest selling points. Buyers are not purchasing into an untested concept or a future promise. They are joining a community that is already taking shape.

Ongoing investment in transport, retail, healthcare and public open space continues to strengthen the appeal of Syd​ney's north-west growth corridor, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a>'s established first stage provides buyers with a tangible sense of the community's future direction.

For a limited time, buyer can secure a new home at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> with just a $10,000.

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Kew Tallawong: A growing community taking shape in Sydney's north-west

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

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

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

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