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Glenholme, the 1870s grand Victorian Ballarat residence, whose asking price was reduced from $2.5 million to $2.25 million, has been sold, possibly at a historic house record for the district.
It's been with the Cuthbert family since 1901, first occupied by accountant John Cuthbert, the son of Henry Cuthbert, who’d arrived in Australia in 1854 and lived in nearby Beaufort House.
Hidden behind a white paling fence within a meandering garden, the grand six-bedroom Victorian house at 111 Webster Street, <a target="_blank" href="/news">Lake Wendouree</a> is wrapped in wisteria.
There are three reception rooms comprising the salon with white marble fireplace and bay window, the sitting room, which features hand-made copper-plated bookshelves and a black marble fireplace, and the stately dining room with open fireplace and gas heating.
Exotic trees, shrubs and old-fashioned flowers create a romantic National Trust-classified garden – which is possibly one of Victoria's finest intact examples of a late Victorian suburban garden, according to the garden historian Peter Watts, who said in 1980 that it was of national significance.
It was <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/victoria/national-garden-treasure-glenholme-the-1870s-grand-victorian-ballarat-residence-listed-with-record-%2425-million-asking-price/2012062955347">listed through Tony Douglass and Tim Valpied of Hocking Stuart Ballarat</a>, who have kept the sale price undisclosed since its October 31 sale.
The suburban villa was built for the merchant John Joseph Goller, a convenient distance from his warehouse in Lydiard Street North. The family had Gollers Wholesale Wine &amp; Spirit Merchants, which was established in 1855.
Ballarat’s most expensive historic home sale is currently on Wendouree Parade, which fetched $2.23 million in 2010. Set back from the road and the banks of Lake Wendouree, the 1888 house had been altered moderately in the 1930s. With four-metre-high ceilings, detailed plaster and paint work, arched doorways and stone fireplaces, the 424-square-metre six-bedroom house had been listed with $2.7 million-plus hopes in 2009.
The $2.23 million purchase was bought from the Deam family by Ballarat estate agent and farmer Stewart Gull, who played for South Melbourne and Melbourne in the 1970s, and his wife, Sue.
Property Observer is aware of a $2.4 million sale in March this year of the Invermay mansion Whistlers Run. It was a five-bedroom modern mansion, previously home to local businessman Gavin James.
Whistlers Run was marketed as a semi-rural retreat, with a 10-car garage, saltwater swimming pool, six bathrooms, three living areas and floor-to-ceiling windows with views to Ararat and Mt Langi Ghiran. Its tallowwood floorboards are reclaimed from the seats at the Melbourne Cricket Club Members Stand.


<hr class="system-pagebreak">
Property Observer is also aware of a higher sale on Lake Wendouree when $2,825,000 was paid in late 2007 for a house with 53 square metres of living space, an indoor pool and a tennis court on a large block.
Earlier this week another <a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/alfred-street-lake-wendouree/Property-Details-sold-residential-4546673">contemporary Lake Wendouree </a> house (pictured below) sold at an undisclosed price. It had $1 million-plus hopes. It was marketed as coming with exclusive access to a neighbouring tennis court for $110 per annum.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/11/alfredst3.jpg">
The district's renowed Peter Coburn-designed 1927 residence, which was built for the mayor of Ballarat Alfred Pittard, is listed at $1.75 million through <a target="_blank" href="https://www.harcourts.com.au/Property/474613/VBT7349/303-Wendouree-Parade">Harcourts agent Gerald Cosgrave</a>. Set with 1700 square metres of established gardens, it has views over Lake Wendouree rowing course.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/11/wendouree.jpg">
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Glenholme, the Lake Wendouree 1870s house in Ballarat, sells

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The Queensland government has commissioned the auction of eight rural properties in the Mary Valley that were acquired for the Bligh government's abandoned Traveston Dam, Sunshine Coast, district project.
The government has appointed Ray White to conduct the Helmsman-style auction next month in Brisbane.
No price range estimates are being offered for the properties.
All of the properties have houses being offered with vacant possession.
Helmsman is a rarely used property auction format using time-sensitive publicly displayed written bidding.
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Traveston Dam, Sunshine Coast, rural offerings by state government 

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After more than five years on and off the market, Dalkeith House, the two-storey gabled Tudor-style mansion at Mount Martha, has been sold for about $2 million.
The four-hectare property at <a href="https://www.rtedgar.com.au/?pagecall=property&amp;propertyID=1973683" target="_blank">245 Nepean Highway</a> came with initial $5 million hopes in 2007 and then was relisted with $4 million hopes in 2009 by the Heber family, who fully restored the property since paying $1,725,000 in 2004. It was most recently listed at $2.65 million.
The five-bedroom Dalkeith House residence includes original half-timber wall finishes, stone chimneys and leadlight picture windows.
The grounds includes an orchard, horse paddock, tennis court and swimming pool.
Over the years Dalkeith House has been used as a wedding reception venue, bed-and-breakfast accommodation – even the site of Agatha Christie-type murder-mystery parties.
In 1974, the Dalkeith House estate, which was then around 34 hectares, was bequeathed to three hospitals – the Royal Melbourne, St Vincents and The Alfred.
The hospitals later onsold it as a private home.
It's been listed over time through Bennison Mackinnon, in conjunction with Aqua Real Estate and RT Edgar, which has its listed as sold.
It is believed to have been built around 1938, with parts of the home dating back to at least 1911.
There were reportedly 24 full-time staff at the property, which spread over more than 700 acres on the west side of <a href="/news">Mount Martha</a>.
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Dalkeith, the 1911 Mt Martha Mornington Peninsula Tudor estate, sells after five years

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Sydney's auction housing market regained its 60% plus success rate status at weekend auctions.
There was a preliminary 62.1% clearance rate, according to Australian Property Monitors.
The clearance rate in the prior weekend initially scraped in at 60.3% which ranked as the eighth consecutive result above 60% - and sat as the best sequence of results since autumn 2010.
However the revised APM tally was 58.6%.
Dr Andrew Wilson, the APM senior economist, notes although Sydney's auction clearance rates are higher than those recorded at the same time last year, the number of properties being offered each weekend remains consistently below last year's levels.
"While buyer momentum has gradually built during spring, sellers have remained relatively subdued," Dr Wilson said.
He says the prestige market was the main culprit, with the number of properties for sale in the eastern suburbs, lower north shore and northern beaches continuing to be "restrained."
"These are also the suburbs where weekend auction clearance rates continue to fluctuate."
The APM data shows the inner-west and Canterbury-Bankstown areas, however, remain hot spots both for listing numbers and auction clearance rates.
A clearance rate of 64% was recorded this weekend in Melbourne compared to 59% last weekend and 49% for the same weekend last year, according to the Real Estate Institute of Victoria.
"This time last year was the low point for the 2011 spring selling season and the result this weekend illustrates the improvement in the market this spring," said Enzo Raimondo, the chief of the REIV.
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Better than last year weekend auctions suggests buyers momentum

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The Victorian government is reviewing the way vendor’s statements (Section 32s) work.
It's part of a review into red tape for businesses and the community. 
The vendor’s statement, introduced in 1982, requires sellers to disclose certain information to prospective buyers. However, the amount of information required to be disclosed has grown, along with the size of vendor’s statements.
The review will examine:
<ul>
<li>the range of matters currently disclosed through vendor’s statements;</li>
<li>whether the range of matters required to be disclosed on a vendor’s statement is appropriate; and</li>
<li>if alternative methods are available for disclosing this information prior to sale. </li>
</ul>
The review will also examine the volume and complexity of the information being disclosed.
The first step in the review has been the release of a discussion paper – Review of section 32 of the Sale of Land Act 1962.
The discussion paper is open for consultation – the general public, estate agents, legal practitioners and conveyancers are encouraged to make submissions no later than December 20.
Section 32 of the Sale of Land Act 1962 requires the vendor to disclose certain information about the property for sale, by providing a vendor’s statement to prospective purchasers.
Examples of information provided in the vendor’s statement includes information about:
<ul>
<li>the property, including planning and land use controls (such as easements and covenants);</li>
<li>finance, such as undischarged mortgages and insurance requirements; and</li>
<li>the connection of essential services. </li>
</ul>
A property inspection alone may not necessarily reveal all the information a prospective buyer needs to make a decision. This gap in information can place the buyer at a disadvantage during negotiations.
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Victorian Section 32 sales contracts under review

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Peter Campbell's Lindsay Bennelong Developments has finalised an agreement to purchase the Clarendon Group, an acquisition that will return the residential building company to its founder.
In the interim Lindsay Bennelong Developments got its own major projects underway, including developing the $400 million Gore Hill business precinct and $390 million Advanx precinct at <a target="_blank" href="/news">Rushcutters Bay</a>, both in Sydney.
Clarendon Homes was founded by Peter Campbell in 1978, diversifying the business before selling it as an integrated residential building and development company to Investa Property Group in 2004.
In 2007 Investa Property Group was taken over by two Morgan Stanley real estate funds, with Clarendon Homes positioned under the direction of Morgan Stanley.
The company was separated from the Investa group of companies in 2009 so that it could operate as a stand-alone home building company. 
The transaction comprises the purchase of 100% of the shares in Clarendon Residential Holdings and its subsidiaries, including Clarendon Homes New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria for an undisclosed sum. Settlement of the transaction is scheduled to take place in late-November 2012.
Lindsay Bennelong will assume all past and present liabilities for Clarendon Homes, including the performance of all warranty works.
"While there is an element of sentimentality about the purchase, this was above all a prudent business decision," Campbell says.
"By acquiring a business with scale and an existing pipeline, we will be well placed to take advantage of improving economic conditions when they eventuate," he says.
Maurice Felizzi, the Clarendon Group chief executive, welcomed the change of ownership.
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Peter Campbell does a Packer and buys back the property empire

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Metro Property Development launched the first high-rise residential tower in its $450 million project Central Village in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, amidst the weekend's stormy weather conditions.
The project has notched up 73 off-the-plan sales since launching worth around $30 million.
Metro, headed by David Devine and Ken Woodley, have the prime site earmarked for 1,000 apartments along with commercial, retail and green space.
The weekend offering was in the first of six towers, the Cambridge, which has 163 apartments in 18 storeys.
The prime 12,845-square-metre corner site – at Water and Brunswick streets – cost $30 million.
<img alt="centralvil" height="627" width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/11/centralvil.jpg">
It is close to the RNA Showgrounds, where Lend Lease is undertaking its $2.9 billion regeneration of the Ekka site. Lend Lease has sold about half of the apartments in its first tower, called The Green.
Investors were driving the current growth of Brisbane prices, according to Australian Property Monitors  senior economist Dr Andrew Wilson.
"Falling interest rates are a driver of increased investor activity," he said underpinned by the highest gross rental yield of all capital cities at 5,4%," Wilson says.
"Construction of new apartments continues to feed investor demand in Brisbane," he says, with 2350 units approved in the inner city over year ending June 2012.
Wilson says the most popular locations for new units are Hamilton,  Newstead Kelvin Grove, Fortitude Valley and South Brisbane.
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Cambridge weekend sales by Metro Property in Fortitude Valley

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The prominent car dealer Rick Damelian's bankruptcy has left him with reportedly just $73 cash in his bank account. 

The former Parramatta Road car salesman has declared he owes $3 million to his creditors – and can't even afford to own his own a car. The 62-year-old's bankruptcy comes after eight Sydney car yards bearing his name were foreclosed on by the National Australia Bank last year.
At his peak Damelian's empire turned over $200 million plus, with his dealerships selling Honda, Renault, Alfa, Citroen and Fiat.
Damelian Automobile had about $53 million in debts, mostly to NAB, and only an estimated $14 million worth of assets when receivers were appointed in September last year. Sales of the some of the former Damelian caryards by receiver Ferrier Hodgson have included 107 Parramatta Road, <a target="_blank" href="/news">Haberfield</a>, sold for $3 million to J L Management. The 2,020-square-metre block cost $1.1 million in 1989.
The 577 Parramatta Road, <a target="_blank" href="/news">Leichhardt</a>, premises of 1,562 square metres sold for $2.42 million to Georgina Investments.
One strata holding at 509 Parramatta Road, Leichhardt, sold for $1.72 million. 
The car dealer was forced into bankruptcy after failing to repay a $1.9 million loan to his company, Damelian Automobile Limited, according to news.com.au. He was chairman and sole shareholder of the company since about 2006. According to the Insolvency and Trustee Service Australia bankruptcy details completed on November 2, Damelian still owns two adjacent luxury townhouses worth $3.3 million in <a target="_blank" href="/news">McMahons Point</a> but he is heavily indebted to the bank. He lives in one with his wife and his mother lives next door. NAB holds a $6 million mortgage secured by the townhouses. One cost $950,000 in 1998 and the other was bought for $920,000 in 1997. He also has about $2 million in superannuation. 
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Rick Damelian bankrupted as his Parramatta Road caryards sell through receivers Ferrier Hodgson

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DEXUS Wholesale Property Fund (DWPF) has confirmed that it has secured a new major investor, through the receipt of $290 million of new equity from State Super Financial Services (SSFS).
DWPF fund manager Graham Pearson says the fund has over the past three years raised $1.7 billion from domestic and offshore investors.
The fund has applied the capital over the three years to $675 million of acquisitions and $125 million of developments along with facilitating unitholder liquidity requirements.
The capital secured from SSFS will be used to pay down existing debt facilities reducing the fund’s gearing to 11%, ahead of investing in further opportunities.
The fund’s most recent acquisition was a 50% interest in 12 Creek Street, Brisbane. It has also committed to the redevelopment at Westfield West Lakes Shopping Centre in Adelaide.
 
<table style="width: 470px;" dir="ltr" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="7"><tbody>
<tr>
<td height="8" valign="top" width="33%">

DWPF acquisitions and developments over the past three years Date
</td>
<td height="8" valign="top" width="33%">

Property
</td>
<td height="8" valign="top" width="33%">

Cost1
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="7" valign="top" width="33%">
Sep 2010
</td>
<td height="7" valign="top" width="33%">
93 Williamson Road, Ingleburn
</td>
<td height="7" valign="top" width="33%">
$24m
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="7" valign="top" width="33%">
Nov 2010
</td>
<td height="7" valign="top" width="33%">
Portfolio of 13 industrial properties
</td>
<td height="7" valign="top" width="33%">
$232m
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="8" valign="top" width="33%">
Jul 2011
</td>
<td height="8" valign="top" width="33%">
1 Bligh Street, Sydney development (33.3% interest)
</td>
<td height="8" valign="top" width="33%">
$125m2
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="7" valign="top" width="33%">
Nov 2011
</td>
<td height="7" valign="top" width="33%">
Sir Joseph Banks Corporate Park, Botany
</td>
<td height="7" valign="top" width="33%">
$77m
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="7" valign="top" width="33%">
Nov 2011
</td>
<td height="7" valign="top" width="33%">
452 Flinders Street, Melbourne
</td>
<td height="7" valign="top" width="33%">
$201m
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="7" valign="top" width="33%">
Dec 2011
</td>
<td height="7" valign="top" width="33%">
34 Manton Street, Morningside
</td>
<td height="7" valign="top" width="33%">
$20m
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="7" valign="top" width="33%">
Oct 2012
</td>
<td height="7" valign="top" width="33%">
12 Creek Street, Brisbane (50% interest)
</td>
<td height="7" valign="top" width="33%">
$121m
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
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Dexus Wholesale secures $290 million new equity from State Super Financial Services

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<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="margin: 5px; float: left;">
The soon to retire original yellow Wiggles member Greg Page has sold his three-hectare Dural home for $5.2 million.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2012/11/nov15wiggle]}
The land cost $2.75 million in 2004, and he built the vast 2,600-square-metre house, which was initially listed with a $7.5 million asking price.
Page retired from The Wiggles in 2006 due to ill health, reportedly receiving $20 million to hand over his yellow skivvy, but returned to the group.
During the interim his venture as a property developer didn't work out brilliantly. Indeed, earlier this year Page finished up the endeavour selling a building site in Dural, in Sydney's north-west, for $1 million. The two-hectare property at 13 Langford Road, Dural, cost for $1.47 million in 2008 with unrealised plans to build a salubrious home on the vacant site. It had traded even higher at $1.77 million in 2004.
On Davey Road, <a href="/news">Dural</a>, Page secured $3.41 million in 2010 for a building block property picked up at $1,575,000 in 2008. In between Page built a home offering "living on a grand scale" with five queen-sized bedrooms all with ensuites and walk-in robes.  It came with separate children's play room or billiard room, and movie lovers' theatre with built-in nine-speaker sound system, 100-inch ceiling retractable screen and Ti projector. There was an oversized home office, five-car lock-up garage, porte-cochere and entry foyer with 14-foot tiled feature wall and double entry doors.
The orginal asking price for the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.thehomepage.com.au/property/residential/8-davey-road-dural/92111" target="_blank">8 Davey Road, Dural </a>property was $5.45 million on its initial late 2009 listing.
In 2009 Page sold the five-bedroom mansion at 9 Hoop Pine Place, <a href="/news">West Pennant Hills</a>, for $2.45 million. It cost $2.1 million in 2008, but Page initially endeavoured to secure $3.2 million after his touches were added to the property, which was marketed as have the grace and style of a  modern masterpiece. <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/Grace%20and%20style%20are%20hallmarks%20of%20this%20modern%20masterpiece%20set%20in%20arguably%20one%20of%20the%20areas%20finest%20streets.%20Set%20on%20over%202000sqm%20this%20executive%20style%20residence%20boasts%20massive%20living%20areas,%20home%20theatre,%20gourmet%20kitchen,%20ballroom,%20indoor%20pool%20and%20tennis%20court." target="_blank">Set on over 2,000 square metres</a>, the executive style residence boasts massive living areas, home theatre, gourmet kitchen, ballroom, indoor pool and tennis court.
Page lost money on a Long Jetty project, which was bought for $400,000 in 2008 and sold at $260,000 in 2010. It was a vacant 1,124-square-metre medium-density site that suited townhouse development.
Another 2008 purchase - $570,000 at Beaumont Hills - was sold in 2010 for $625,000.
The Wiggles, one of Australia's most successful and highest earning acts, appointed Emma Watkins, a  20-year-old back-up dancer for the Wiggles, as the group's first female member, as part of a major line-up change. Only the blue Wiggle, Anthony Field, will remain as from next year.
Reportedly at the peak of their success, when the Wiggles were named Australia's top-earning entertainers for four years running, their earnings were up to $45 million per year.
Pictures by Nuance Photography
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Greg Page wiggles out of Dural estate for $5.2 million: Title Tattle

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

Joel Robinson

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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