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The founder of the collpased Equititrust Gold Coast funds manager, Mark McIvor, is facing a bankrupcy application. David Tucker and legal practice partner Richard Cowen from Tucker and Cowen Solicitors have lodged a creditor's petition with the Queensland Supreme Court after the parties were unable to agree on payment for legal costs. Tucker was McIvor's personal lawyer for more than a decade and provided services for Equititrust for many years through his firm, Tucker and Cowen Solicitors. Tucker yesterday declined to comment to the Gold Coast Bulletin on the recent court petition, but McIvor said he would fight to have the document set aside. The action was being taken because of the bad blood that existed between Tucker and himself, he suggested.
Mark McIvor has self-published a novella titled <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/equititrust-s-mark-mcivor-self-publishes-a-novella-to-set-the-record-straight/2012111457831" target="_blank">Strange Animals Come Down to Drink</a>.
 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Bid to bankrupt Mark McIvor over legal fees billing

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The founder of collapsed Gold Coast mortgage fund manager Equititrust, Mark McIvor, has self-published a novella in which he plays the hero ... to set the record straight.

The 62-page part allegory, part autobiographical work, is titled Strange Animals Come Down to Drink.
It was also intended to be anonymous, according to BRW magazine reporter Leo D'Angelo Fisher, who came into possession of a copy.
“To my surprise I have discovered a writer within,” said Mark McIvor in a letter to supporters.
He headed Equititrust whose two principal funds were wound up by the Queensland Supreme Court in November 2011 after the commercial property downturn that followed the global financial crisis. Leaving 1,400 investors, mainly retirees, in the ensuing legal maze, there was some $550 million in funds under management.
Just recently McIvor has attempted to launch a boutique bank, Mi Citizens Union, issuing <a target="_blank" href="https://www.miguardianfiduciary.com/Portals%5CGuardianPartners/071248-Mi-Guardian-Memorandum-FINAL.pdf">an information memorandum </a>offering shareholders a stake in a partner-owned mutual investment banking group under the Mi Guardian Fiduciary banner. 
 <img src="/images/stories/2012/11/macivor.jpg">
“I have purposefully written this story under a non [sic] de plume. It has been my historical preference to eschew public attention. However, these issues are so grave I am obliged to ‘shout from the rooftops’.”
The identities of the players in McIvor’s dramatic corporate saga are disguised with characters including Bully Raconteur, Mr Suntan Man, King Con, Deer in the Headlights, Mr Baklava, King Reptile, the Bumbling Bureaucrat and Grubby Journo.
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Equititrust's Mark McIvor self-publishes a novella to set the record straight

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Mirvac Group has appointed Jonathan Hannam to its new executive position of group executive, capital.
The creation of the capital role recognised the importance of accessing third-party capital for Mirvac’s growth strategy, Mirvac’s recently appointed chief Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz says.
Allowing Mirvac to retain its relationships and expertise in house, the new position will focus on cultivating wholesale equity relationships to ensure that Mirvac has a broad network from which to source capital.
During two decades in the sector Hannam has raised and invested over A$6 billion with executive positions including most recently the Stockholm-based Andersson Real Estate Investment Management, a Swedish real estate advisory and asset management firm, and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority where he was the head of Asia real estate. He'd also worked for the Swedish Catella real estate investment management group, and Hannam was also a managing director at ING Real Estate in Asia.
"Having had responsibility for both raising and investing capital all over the world, Jonathan has a clear understanding of how investors think and the key drivers behind their investment decisions," Lloyd-Hurwitz commented.
"Working alongside Bevan Towning, the CEO of platform, Jonathan’s strong relationships with key international investors will help build a focused network for Mirvac," she said.
Last month it was speculated that Mirvac Group was focusing on expanding its funds management business, with Lloyd-Hurwitz tipped to set up new ties with global players.
A $1.3 billion office fund has been touted along with selling some residential lots into funds.
The National Australia Bank analysts said the group’s shift further into this area formalised its moves to find capital partners.
Mirvac is expected to seek further mandates and set up more joint ventures and club deals.
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Mirvac appoint Jonathan Hannam as its in-house capital raiser

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Lawyers for Academy Award-nominated actor Toni Collette and her musician husband, David Galafassi, are next due back in court next month as the couple are being sued over their failure to settle on an alleged $6.35 million Paddington terrace purchase.
The next directions hearing into the matter has been scheduled for December 11 in the NSW Supreme Court equity division.
Last October the couple reputedly signed a contract to buy a double-fronted Paddington terrace from Susie Kelly, the co-founder and owner of Industrie clothing with her husband, Nick. The court registrar ruled this week that the plaintiff, the Kelly's serve any evidence in reply by December 10.
The Stewart Street house <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/actor-toni-collette-and-muso-david-galafassi-fall-for-the-charms-of-contemporary-inner-city-paddington/2011110752250">was snapped at an undisclosed price </a>– but understood to be about $6.35 million quite early in its October 2011 marketing campaign by McGrath agent Ben Collier.
The Paddington terrace over has since been been resold for $5.5 million, so the entertainment industry couple now know the $850,000 quantum of the claim against them, having been sued over their alleged failure to settle on their once intended $6.35 million purchase.
Designed by architect Anthony Gill and completed in 2009, the five-bedroom, four-bathroom house on a 360-square-metre block sold to the couple for a record for the southern side of Oxford Street, <a target="_blank" href="/news">Paddington</a>.
Consisting of two classic Victorian terraces combined into a palatial single residence, the contemporary tri-level family retreat had been reinvented after the merger of two terraces costing $2.15 million in 2003 and $1.865 million in 2005.
The entertainment industry couple's plans went awry after they struggled to find a buyer of their <a target="_blank" href="/news">Bronte </a>house.
Their 1885 Bronte weatherboard cottage that cost $4.4 million in mid-2009 had been tipped to sell for around $3.5 million through its McGrath Estate Agents listing agent Bethwyn Richards, but struggled to find a buyer.
Collette and Galafassi changed their minds on the Paddington purchase when they instead bought back at Bronte <a rel="nofollow" href="/news">from the buyer of their own house</a>.
The Kellys bought on Kutti Beach at <a target="_blank" href="/news">Vaucluse </a>last March for $15.5 million
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Toni Collette's Paddington property matter back in court December 11

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The Singapore-listed Hotel Grand Central has emerged as a contender to buy the Crest Hotel in Sydney’s Kings Cross.
The group owns and operates 11 four-star and 4 ½-star Hotel Grand Chancellor properties in Australia and New Zealand.
The vendor, Australand Property Group, has the hotel in its books at $70 million, but industry sources reportedly told The Australian Financial Review that bids are about $62 million.
Another hotel group reportedly showing interest in the hotel, now run as a Mercure hotel by Accor under a management agreement, has been pinpointed as Chinese group HP Leisure.
It has been listed through John Musca and Mark Durran of Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels.
Hotel Grand Central expanded its hotel property interests into Australia and New Zealand in the early 1990s.
In Australasia the hotel network is branded Hotel Grand Chancellor.
Australand paid $63 million in 2007 when bought from the owner of the Coogee Bay Hotel, Chris Cheung, who acquired the property at the corner of Victoria Street and Darlinghurst Road from developers Allen Linz and Eduard Litver.
Its among <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/leisure/mercure-hotel-d*lux-budget-hotel-and-diamant-hotel-listed-for-sale-in-kings-cross/2012101656915" target="_blank">three hotels straddling the glittering lights of Kings Cross </a>to have been listed for sale, including Mercure Hotel, the D*Lux and the Diamant Hotel.
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Asian interest eyes Crest Hotel Kings Cross listing

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A buyer has paid HK$68,083  per square foot (A$90,546 per square metre) for a luxury flat at Opus Hong Kong, the new Frank Gehry-designed residential building in Mid-Levels East.
It represents a record for an apartment in Hong Kong, and Asia, in terms of price per square foot.
The official data from the Hong Kong Lands Registry shows the flat, on the ninth floor of the building at 53 Stubbs Road, was sold for HK$455 million (A$56 million) on October 17.
The 6,683-square-foot flat offers a view of the city and Victoria Harbour.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/08/opus2.jpg">
The price beat the previous record, set by a duplex flat at 39 Conduit Road in Mid-Levels West, which sold for HK$360.7 million, or HK$63,999 per square foot in April last year, according to The South China Morning Post.
The price is almost 6% higher than that paid for <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/international/opus-hong-kong-record-apartment-sale-with-frank-gehry-design/2012082656235" target="_blank">the eighth floor Opus Hong Kong offering which sold for HK$430 million </a>or HK$63,657 per square foot in August.
The 12-storey Opus Hong Kong, developed by Swire Properties, has 10 flats and two double-level garden apartments with private swimming pools.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/08/opus.jpg">
The purchase came nine days before the government announced measures to curb residential property speculation.
Ricky Poon, executive director of Colliers International's residential sales department, says sales of luxury flats have dropped significantly since the end of October as the new stamp duty had kept many mainland buyers away.
"Transaction numbers will drop a further 30 to 40% in the coming three to six months and prices will fall 10 to 15% in the coming six months," he told the SCMP.
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Gehry's Opus secures second record Hong Kong apartment price in three months

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Women’s fashion identity Amanda Morgan has listed her Walter Burley Griffin-designed home in Toorak.
The property at <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.thehomepage.com.au/property/residential/16a-glyndebourne-avenue-toorak/637511?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=RealEstateNews+Tuesday+13+November+2012&amp;utm_content=RealEstateNews+Tuesday+13+November+2012+Version+A+CID_604a870d06001272bf917665c8b1700d&amp;utm_source=Email%20marketing%20software&amp;utm_term=The%20home%20will%20be%20auctioned%20at%201pm%20on%20Saturday%2024th%20November%20by%20R%20T%20Edgar%20Boroondara" target="_blank">16a Glyndebourne Avenue, Toorak</a>, is known as Salter house after Stanley Salter, who commissioned the property in 1922. It was featured in The Australian Home Beautiful in 1927.
It goes to November 24 auction<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.thehomepage.com.au/property/residential/16a-glyndebourne-avenue-toorak/637511?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=RealEstateNews+Tuesday+13+November+2012&amp;utm_content=RealEstateNews+Tuesday+13+November+2012+Version+A+CID_604a870d06001272bf917665c8b1700d&amp;utm_source=Email%20marketing%20software&amp;utm_term=The%20home%20will%20be%20auctioned%20at%201pm%20on%20Saturday%2024th%20November%20by%20R%20T%20Edgar%20Boroondara" target="_blank"> </a> through R T Edgar Boroondara agent Simon Derham. It last traded at $1,082,500 in 2006. It's now a three-bedroom, three-bathroom house with bluestone terraces with heated waterfall saltwater pool/spa and luxuriant garden deck.
Morgan has owned several fashion franchises, along with being involved with well-known women’s fashion establishments Melrose in Brighton and Dominex in Toorak.
The house on its 642-square-metre block is being marketed as showing Walter Burley Griffin’s <a href="https://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-vn3919897" target="_blank">architectural simplicity </a>while incorporating many of his subtle innovations to take advantage of the home’s natural surroundings.
The heart of the project was arguably its internal courtyard, which architecture commentators described as a gesture adapted from his Prairie House experiments 20 years prior.
It comes with his “knitlock” brick method of construction, which has made his commissions known around the world.
Knitlock was patented in 1917, with a company headquartered at Griffin's Melbourne office formed to market it.
Walter Burley Griffin first settled in Sydney, forming a brief partnership with J Burcham Clamp, who had sought out a friendship with the Griffins in Chicago in about 1913.
However, the partnership was dissolved in 1915 when it became necessary for Griffin to move to Melbourne, as the Federal Capital Office, of which he was director, was in Melbourne.
Griffin rented an office on the seventh floor of 395 Collins Street.
His initial plans to build his patented knitlock construction met resistance from Malvern Council, which was slow to be convinced as to the suitability of the material for a home in the wealthy suburb of Toorak.
The council's procrastination delayed construction, so the Griffin Society records reveal  instead the Griffins sold the land in Kooyong Road to William R. Paling, who in turn commissioned Griffin to design his two-storey house in knitlock.
The Palings' neighbour was a <a href="/news">Toorak </a>property investor who became one of Griffin's best Melbourne clients. Mary Williams commissioned the rental flats Langi at the corner of Toorak and Lansell roads, Toorak.
Griffin's design for Stanley Salter led to designs of knitlock houses for Stanley's brother, Foster Salter in <a href="/news">Brighton</a>, and his brother-in-law, Alfred Ewins in <a href="/news">Ballarat</a>, although neither was built.
Other knitlock houses were built in <a href="/news">Canterbury </a>(1921), <a href="/news">Black Rock</a> (1923), <a href="/news">Surrey Hills </a>(1923), <a href="/news">Heidelberg</a> (1924) and <a href="/news">Woodend </a>(1929).
Knitlock was based on cheap manufacture, lightness and compactness for minimising transport, and on standard units assembled without hand fitting, cutting, bedding or plastering for speedy erection.
Much of the renovation was undertaken by Barbara Hocking, who recollected on its listing once that Griffin's original cottage in the mid-196os was terribly dilapidated.
"In those days it was normal to just tear houses like that down," Hocking recollected.
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Salter House, Walter Burley Griffin's knitlock-designed Toorak home, listed

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Mintaro, the 1882 Monegeetta, Sunbury district mansion, has been sold at its $3 million reserve price.
It had been passed in shortly before at $2.85 million at its November 15 onsite auction. It's been bought by Brian and Cheryl Glassel of Toolern Vale who intend to restore the house as a residence.
The new owners plan their own "Country House Rescue'' with tours and dining experience set to make the "property pay for itself". Country House Rescue is an observational documentary series on the British television channel, Channel 4, where an expert visits a struggling country house to turn its fortunes around with advice on making more usage of the estates.
More than 500 attended the onsite auction, with three bidders.
The 9.9-hectare estate was an executor's sale, concluding 78 years of family ownership by the Rae family.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2012/10/oct15mintaroout]}
"A once undeniably grand and gracious country residence is now in need of total restoration with outstanding future use potential," its selling agent John Keating of Keatings Real Estate says.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2012/10/oct15mintaroin]}
It's a smaller replica of Melbourne's Government House, which was built by a Captain Robert Gardiner to a design by architect James Gall. The auction crowd included Gardiner family descendants.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/mintaro3.jpg">
The property is 56 kilometres from the Melbourne GPO at Monegeetta on the Melbourne Lancefield Road.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.keatings.com.au/view-property/?OID=4545899">John Keating </a>advised potential buyers of its $3 million reserve price in the advertising material for the Victorian Period Italiante-style mansion.
"Buyers love the transparency of declared reserve auctions and if the reserve is set at a realistic amount, the publication of the reserve price acts like a buyer-enquiry magnet," he said.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/mintaro2.jpg">
It was listed by the executors of the estate of musician Derek Rea.
When the house was entered on the register of the National Estate in 1978, the accompanying notes indicated that it was in a "superb state of intactness and is being meticulously restored".
It's close to land owned by the Department of Defence for its Land Engineering Agency (LEA).
Photos of the house in 2007 on <a href="https://www.walkingmelbourne.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&amp;t=4419&amp;start=20">Walking Melbourne </a>show it surrounded by dozens of derelict cars prior to its yard clearance sale.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/mintaro.jpg">
Picture courtesy of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.walkingmelbourne.com/">Walking Melbourne</a>
Robert Gardiner was born in Scotland in 1812. He and his first wife, Susan Foley, had five children. He first came to Tasmania, where he was involved in the whaling industry. He was one of the earliest European settlers in the Berwick area, having taken up a pastoral lease in 1837.
The front room of the property is painted with his initials on the ceiling.
The walls are painted with friezes of whaling, pastoral and gold mining, which is reputedly how he made his money.
Robert Gardiner, who was the great grandfather of ballet dancer Sir Robert Helpmann, died in South Yarra in 1889.
"I wish we had another couple of Mintaro's we could offer to the unsuccessful bidders, but unfortunately they just don't exist," Mr Keating said. 
There were 230 purchaser enquiries and some 85 inspections during the market campaign.
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Country House Rescue envisaged for Mintaro, the sold $3 million 1882 Monegeetta, Sunbury district mansion

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The Palm Beach retreat of the bankrupted Tony Morris, the former GP Noble entrepreneur acquitted recently in a UK trial over fraud allegations, has been relisted for sale.
Morris had been charged with stealing from GP Noble and its pension funds  and was extradited from Sydney to face the charges.
<img src="/images/stories/aman.jpg">
He left behind his former wife, Vanessa, in their $7.45 million <a target="_blank" href="/news">Palm Beach</a> clifftop property they named Aman.
There was a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/mrs-morris-stops-palm-beach-clifftop-sale-of-ex-gp-noble-boss-tony-morris-former-australian-home/2012051154666">rejected application last May to the Australian Federal Magistrates Court by Morris’s bankruptcy trustee Andrew Wily to sell it</a> – for reputedly about $4.6 million.
But Magistrate Rolf Driver ruled against Wily’s application, which required Vanessa’s refused consent to any sale of the northern beaches clifftop house.
It had been passed in on a $5 million vendor bid at its March Raine &amp; Horne auction and has now been set for sale through LJ Hooker Palm Beach with offers due November 29.
LJ Hooker Palm Beach has advised <a target="_blank" href="https://palmbeach.ljhooker.com.au/2HYF6Z">319 Whale Beach Road</a> is currently being marketed for Vanessa Morris with a price guide of over $5 million. Valuations for the property mentioned in the court in October 2011 ranged from $6.2 million to $6.5 million, hence the hesitation to accept the highest $4.6 million offer, which didn't cover the bank debt.</body></html>

Aman, luxury Palm Beach retreat of Tony Morris, relisted

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Mirvac sold out its popular terraces home offerings in Eden, in its latest release at Harold Park, Glebe, just hours after launching sales to customers at the weekend.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/11/eden.jpg">
More than $66.5 million worth of real estate was transacted in the weekend launch, in which the majority of the second marketing stage dwellings sold.
Prices ranged from $499,000 for a one-bedroom open-plan apartment to over $1.8 million for a three-bedroom terrace.
Harold Park's Victorian terrace homes were completely sold within hours of their release.
Eden's public launch will be this Saturday (November 17).
"There has been an extraordinary level of interest in Eden, which we anticipated given its premium location on the parkland," said John Carfi, Mirvac's development apartments chief.
"To have sold out of terraces with an average price of over $1.7 million in a single day is remarkable and characterises the exceptional attributes of Harold Park."
Since the November 2011 launch of the first precinct, Locarno, more than 300 apartments and terraces have sold at Harold Park.
It is just with the past year that Harold Park has gained development approval from the City of Sydney for its master-plan of 1,250 dwellings.  
<img src="/images/stories/2012/11/eden3.jpg">
In September site wide infrastructure works commenced with construction of the first stage Locarno underway.
Carfi says the strong pre-sales of Eden could allow both buildings to be constructed simultaneously.
Eden is named after the 1971 Miracle Mile winner Mount Eden, which sprinted to a remarkable finish after two false starts!
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No false start as Mirvac secures Eden, Harold Park terrace sellout 

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."

[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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