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One of Western Australia’s most controversial developments, the 40.5-hectare Smiths Beach development site, is on the market. 
The oceanfront land, mired in red tape for the best part of a decade, is tipped for a large-scale Yallingup tourism and residential venture.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/10/smiths.jpg">
An expressions of interest campaign is being run by Jones Lang LaSalle closing in late November.
The property is owned by a syndicate of investors, and JLL WA director of sales Phil Fogliani says they are considering a full-sale or a joint venture, depending on the offers received.
Compared as in the same class as Byron Bay, Coffs Harbour, Lorne and Noosa Heads, the site is covered by the Leeuwin Naturaliste Ridge Statement of Planning Policy, says JLL, under which it is designated as a tourist node with a residential development ratio of 70% tourism and 30% residential.

The Smiths Beach project was the subject of a Corruption and Crime Commission investigation in 2007, which looked into the actions of former WA Premier Brian Burke, who lobbied the state government on behalf of developers. The CCC was told that Canal Rocks managing director and Perth real estate agent David McKenzie – a Noel Crichton-Browne friend – hired the Burke-Crichton-Browne-Grill lobbying team.
The CCC report concluded Canal Rocks secretly paid more than $47,000 to candidates sympathetic to their development in the Busselton Shire Council election and by-election in 2005 and attempted to delay a new town planning scheme so the development could be assessed under less strict conditions.
Burke was charged with five counts of lying to the CCC investigation and was acquitted on four charges.
He lost an appeal against his one conviction and $25,000 fine earlier this year.
Smiths Beach is about three hours’ drive south of Perth, at the northern end of the Margaret River wine region.
The project is still awaiting formal subdivision approval from the WA Planning Commission, but all other approvals have been secured.
The current plan includes up to 61 residential lots, seven separate tourism lots of up to 40 units each, and a 3.3-hectare resort site with about 250 units.
The net development area is 19.11 hectares, with the rest of the land reserved for recreation.
Elevation at the site is between 4 metres and 58 metres. The property was formerly owned by one-time British Conservative Party treasurer Lord Alistair McAlpine, who invested heavily in WA during the 1980s.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Smiths Beach in WA on the market after almost a decade mired in controversy

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Bishopscourt, one of Sydney's grandest mansions – and the home of Anglican Archbishop Peter Jensen – is to be sold after a vote in favour of the sale at the 2012 synod.
The decision marks a reversal from when the proposal went before the 2010 synod. 
Despite opposition from the likes of the Rector of Naremburn, Rick Smith, its sale was approved with a reported 452 votes out of 579. But the motion allows a "sale window" of five years. The motion was moved by the diocesan registrar Dr Philip Selden and seconded by the Rector of Toongabbie, Raj Gupta.
Among their arguments was that it produced no income but cost at least $100,000 annually to keep in good repair. The Rector of Fairfield, Peter Lin, appealed for a yes vote advising $2 million dollars had been spent on the chimneys. He added some members of his congregation had been "scarred" by their visits there because the opulence contrasted with the way Christians lived in other countries, the Anglican press report of the debate noted.
Both something of exaggerations, as Property Observer understands maintenance and conservation work (excluding staff wages) undertaken at Bishopscourt in the last eight years has totalled approximately $2.94 million, averaging therefore $368,000 per year.
The picturesque 1850s Darling Point mansion has been with the church since it paid £6,750 in 1910. It's been home to seven archbishops, including Sir Marcus Loane, Donald Robinson, Harry Goodhew and its present occupant, the 11th archbishop of Sydney.
In the past the church has baulked at selling Bishopscourt, having contemplated it in 1963, 1982, 1991 2001, and most recently in 2010 when defeated by the narrowest of margins.
"The passing of time has allowed more work, research, prayer and thinking and the result is an in principle proposal to authorise the sale Bishopscourt when market circumstances permit," one church official suggested.
Eastern suburbs estate agents gave it a probable $25 million sale price, which reflects the 2010 estimates.
The decision falls against the backdrop of the synod's continued reduced financial capacity after stock losses following the 2008 global financial crisis.
In 2001 the then incoming Jensen let it be known that he was not keen on actually moving into the sprawling Greenoaks Avenue estate as he viewed the home as inappropriately grand for a servant of God and the sale proceeds could be better used.
"It's not really me, this house," he said recently in an interview with The Australian's Caroline Overington.
"I don't mean to complain. It's just that it's a bit like living in a wedding reception centre. And why does the church need such a residence? Every [financial] report that's ever been done says we should sell it, and I agree."
He wasn't the first to utter such words as in 1993 Bishop Goodhew, when he was Archbishop-elect, stated "I think the time has come for the diocese to build a new residence for the bishop; one which is functional but not opulent".
The support to sell was improved at the latest synod, the Anglican Church's own parliament with clergy and laypeople getting together to vote, because its nearing the end of Jensen's term as Archbishop as under church rules, he must retire before he turns 70 next year, and there is no successor yet.
The Swifts, another Gothic home for archbishops in Darling Point, was sold by Catholic Church in 1986 for $9 million.
Bishopscourt, which could revert to its earlier names of Percyville or Greenoaks, sits among the handful of pioneer homes to have survived from the 1850s.
Flowered in sandstone Gothic extravagances, it was built for the pioneer Thomas Sutcliffe Mort, who built an empire on wool, dairy, meat, mining and shipping.
The residence - mostly obscured by the fig trees on its 6216 square metre holding - was designed by architects John Hilly in the 1850s and Edmund Blacket in the 1860s. It was built around an original three-roomed 1835 cottage built for an ironmonger, Thomas Woolley.
Mort was a great supporter of the church, giving it the nearby land to build St Marks.
The church bought the estate from a land speculator in 1910, 32 years after Mort's death in 1878 and the departure of his family.
Prior to the purchase of Bishopscourt previous Bishops of Sydney had lived in a rented house in Darlinghurst (1837-1852), a rented house in Millers Point (1855-1857), and then a new house built in Randwick (on land exchanged for a site in Newtown) (1858-1911).
 
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Peter Jensen's home, Bishopscourt, Darling Point set for sale by Anglican Church

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The former television news presenter-turned-spin doctor Simone Semmens has yet to find a $9 million buyer for the riverfront building block within her historic 1890s Toorak riverfront estate, Edzell.
Semmens listed the 1,800-square-metre vacant block through RT Edgar agent David Colbran with $9 million hopes mid-year.
But she has recently secured Heritage Victoria permission for the subdivision of the historic St George Road estate into two allotments, with the government department noting its "recognition of the fact that the current proprietor’s specific financial circumstances were a factor in the determination of the permit as allowed for under section 73(1)(b) of the Heritage Act 1995."
The Semmens Edzell application followed the former news presenter-turned-spin doctor <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/victoria/former-tv-presenter-simone-semmens-seeks-to-offload-the-riverfront-block-at-her-grand-%2411-million-edzell-toorak-acquisition/2012062655278" target="_blank">paying $11 million for the house </a>built for the former lord mayor James Stewart shortly before his year in office.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/stories/2012/06/edzell3.jpg" title="Click to enlarge" rel="shadowbox"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/stories/2012/06/edzell3thumb.jpg"></a>
 
The subdivision permission is dependent on remedial works including repairs and various conservation works to the Edzell being carried out to a minimum value of $300,000 within two years.
Edzell was bought in late 2011 by Semmens with vendor finance from architect Michael Spivakovsky and his wife, Cheryl, who took security over another Semmens property, the recently sold Rosecraddock, the Caulfield North mansion.
After paying $7.8 million in 2007, Semmens secured Glen Eira City Council approval for six blocks of about 700 square metres within the curtilage of the 150-year-old Italianate mansion set on its then 8857-square-metre holding.
The Age has reported a Kmart executive has recently paid about $11 million for Rosecraddock. The James Market News website suggested last weekend it sold for $10 million plus.
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Former television news reader Simone Semmens yet to sell off historic 1890s Toorak riverfront Edzell waterfront block

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The historic Lambruk estate in Fryerstown, 10 kilometres south of Castlemaine, has been listed for sale.
The gold-rush homestead on the 30-acre Taradale Road holding has been offered with $2.95 million hopes.
It boasts a coach house, conservatory and colonial-legacy gardens that surrounds the 1860s sandstone home built from the riches of the goldfields by Edward Rowe.
It last sold for more than $1.75 million when in 2005 Waller Realty sold to a Melbourne family who intended to use it as a weekender. It's been relisted this time through Rob Waller.
It has been transformed internally to house three bedrooms, formal dining and sitting rooms, an office, library with glassed conservatory.
There's a five-vehicle stone coach house, mezzanine storage and antique tower clock.
The grounds comes with pool, stone cottage with ensuite, tennis court with guest pavilion, along with grazing paddocks vegetable gardens, paths and fountains, stone walling, ornamental lake and a creek within the property.
Edward W.H.Rowe's family owned <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/13150568?src=nla.cs-pa&amp;q=%22HTTP%3A%2F%2FWWW.SLV.VIC.GOV.AU%2FJCOLLINS%2FGID%2FSLV-PIC-AAA91006%2F1%2FJC008368%22&amp;c=picture" target="_blank">Lambruk</a> for 75 years.
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Historic Lambruk estate in Fryerstown, south of Castlemaine listed at $2.95 million

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Breakfast radio star Jackie O and her husband, Lee Henderson, secured $2,425,000 for their cosy farmhouse with breathtaking views over Kangaroo Valley. Speculated previously as having sold for around $2.5 million, it was bought by Joanne Meikle, according to the recently lodged official documentation.
With wide wrap-around verandas, Glen Athan was marketed as being one of the NSW south coast's most stylish country properties.
It was built after Jackie O and Henderson bought the land for $825,000 in 2005.
Its sale accompanied their <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/2day-fm-s-jackie-o-buys-family-home-in-vaucluse-with-five-bedrooms/2012062255231">recent Vaucluse purchase, which is now revealed as at $2.7 million.</a>
The couple sold their <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/title-tattle-jackie-o-swaps-paddington-pad-for-highlands-hideaway/2011071450812">Paddington terrace </a>in mid-2011 as a prelude to finding a suitable prestige family home location.
It was marketed through Shaine Hilaire at Ray White Berry, who issued four contracts after 15 inspections in its first month of marketing.
Blending Australian homestead heritage design and contemporary luxuries, the six-year-old house comes with wide-board flooring, timber-lined walls and ceilings, South Australian slate hearths and 150-year-old convict-hewn sandstone. There are four bedrooms and three bathrooms – all with underfloor heating.
The master bedroom comes with open fire, ensuite bathroom and private wardrobe area.
It has a bespoke kitchen featuring marble benchtops and walk-in pantry, a scullery, and a laundry and mud room. There’s also a library with custom joinery and fireplace, a large open study area and a separate home office.
The 42-hectare retreat comes with a “world-class” resort-style swimming pool with district views. There’s an entertainment courtyard nearer the house with a pizza oven facility.
It was featured on the 2day fm<a href="https://www.2dayfm.com.au/shows/kyleandjackieo/galleries/inside-jackie-o-house?selectedImage=13"> radio station website</a>.
It's one of the 100 properties within the unspoilt Wattamolla Valley, where prices in recent times have ranged upwards of $3 million, albeit for Gladstone Estate, the district’s 203-hectare holding, which sold last year with development approval for nine small lifestyle blocks and four large parcels over 40 hectares.
The farm, through which Ryder’s Creek flows, comes with a fully irrigated kitchen herb garden along with a 90,000-litre underground rainwater tank plus 10,000-litre spring-fed tank for garden watering. There’s a fox-proofed chook shed and fully fenced paddocks.
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Jackie O secures $2.4 million for Wattamolla retreat

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The Double Bay home of Michael Ullmer, who retired as deputy group chief executive at NAB last year, has been listed for sale.
It's scheduled for November 3 auction through <a href="https://www.sothebysrealty.com/eng/sales/detail/180-l-2507-4000035135/91-ocean-avenue-double-bay-other-new-south-wales-sw-2028">Sydney Sothebys International Realty </a> agent James McGowan.
There are $8 million-plus hopes.
It's a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-double+bay-111836235">contemporary four-bedroom, three-bathroom family home </a>opposite Steyne Park.
The near-harbourfront freestanding residence is marketed as having south of France influences.
There are views of the boat-filled bay north across the harbour towards Manly. <br style="widows: 2; text-transform: none; background-color: #e3e3e3; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: normal; font: 12px/17px arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; white-space: normal; orphans: 2; color: #333333; word-spacing: 0px;">
Wife Jennifer Ullmer paid $5.82 million in 2002 when Michael was the CBA's institutional head.
Michael Ullmer is currently on the boards of Lend Lease and Woolworths. He is also the chairman of the charity Business Working With Education Foundation.
They have lived mostly in Melbourne in recent years.
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Michael Ullmer lists Double Bay residence

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Kennebunkport, the longtime Western Australian beachfront retreat of the property developer Warren Anderson and his former wife, Cheryl, has been sold for $4.4 million.
It's been bought by mining engineer Alan Brierty and his wife, Kylie, after being listed earlier this year with revised $5.2 million-plus hopes.
Alan Brierty recently stepped back from the day to day running of Brierty, the civil construction and mining services company he founded in 1981.
The six-bedroom Eagle Bay home was put in the hands of receivers after the internecine collapse of the Anderson family trust, Owston Nominees No 2.
The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/australian-capital-territory/fund-manager-and-mortgage-lender-provident-capital-placed-in-receivership-following-court-order-to-protect-small-time-investors/2012070455428">troubled mortgage lender Provident Capital</a> – which went into receivership this week – had the first mortgage on the property dating back to 2004 refinancing. The finance was offered at a 17.5% interest rate.
Angas Securities took a second mortgage in 2008 along with Balanced Securities taking the third mortgage and Mortgage Funds Management taking the fourth mortgage on the 2,261-square-metre holding.
The house had $12 million initial hopes on its 2009 listing. The trust paid $420,000 in mid-1989 for the holding, which had traded just seven months earlier at $350,000.
The Fern Road property with views of Eagle Bay had been listed by Peter De Chiera of Stocker Preston. No sale price has been revealed of the transaction, which preceded the recent court case, and orders, before Justices Jacobson and Rares.
Anderson <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/property-developer-warren-anderson-goes-quietly-this-time-departing-fernhill-after-three-decades/2011112452520">vacated Fernhill</a>, his historic mansion at Mulgoa in Sydney's outer west, under court order after being <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/property-developer-warren-anderson-goes-quietly-this-time-departing-fernhill-after-three-decades/2011112452520">declared bankrupt</a>.
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Alan Brierty buys Kennebunkport, the coastal Western Australian retreat of Warren Anderson

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The NSW Southern Highlands median house price dipped 10.5% over the past year, accompanied by home sales activity retreating considerably, according to PRDnationwide research.
The latest median house price in the Wingecarribee local government area eased to $425,000 over the 12 month period to May.
The PRDnationwide Moss Vale agent David Stranger noted despite the 10.5% dip in home values the current median was 12.6% above the lows recorded during the 2008 global financial crisis.
“The growth in sales below $400,000 and the decline in sales toward the top end of the market led to the softer median price,” said Mr Stranger.
He suggested here had been a reduction in the number of first home buyers.
Upgraders, downsizers, and the occasional bargain-seeking investor accounted for most new enquiries.
Figures published in PRDnationwide’s Southern Highlands Property Watch show the number of house sales decreased 8 per cent in the six months to May 2012.
Last month Mr Stranger said prices were expected to remain stable over the next few months.
“With spring commencing and the lead up to Christmas there is some renewed interest in the market with a good choice of listings available.”
The report noted that sales of vacant land in the Southern Highlands followed the same trend as the house market, with a noticeable decline since 2009.
Some 79 lots transacted during the May period, representing a 44% drop from the May period in 2011.
Most of the vacant lots transacted in Renwick, a Landcom subdivision located east of the Mittagong town centre.
Typical blocks were selling at Renwick for around $195,000. When completed, the master-planned community will comprise 600 lots.
The report noted medium density dwellings (units, townhouses) were in demand from the region’s retiree and ‘tree change’ population with volumes for medium density dwellings significantly higher than during the trough of the financial crisis.
“The supply of ‘over 55’ developments has increased over the past five years, offering greater choices to those nearing retirement age,” he said especially south of the Bowral town centre.</body></html>

Southern Highlands' 10% median house price dip 

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The National Australia Bank  broke its silence yesterday, confirming it was “continuing to work with Buildev”, Nathan Tinkler’s property company, which is at the centre of a court action over unsettled property acquistions.
The Australian Financial Review then noted NAB declined to comment on its exposure to Buildev.
Tinkler has been in seeming financial difficulty since he failed to finance a $5.25 billion deal to privatise Whitehaven Coal in August. Since then several creditors have been pursuing his companies for payment.
Last Friday he staved off the potential winding-up of three private companies after reaching a last-minute agreement with mining contractor Sedgman concerning a $2 million debt.
Queensland coal developer Blackwood Corp is also pushing to have another of Tinkler’s private companies wound up after he failed to follow through with a $28.4 million equity placement.
His latest fiscal brushfire involves late payments of wages and superannuation for the Newcastle Knight players with The Daily Telegraph Phil Rothfield report today putting it down to tardiness.
 
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NAB working with mining tycoon Nathan Tinkler 

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Another attempted Nigerian fraud involving an absentee Perth owner has been fortuitously foiled by estate agency vigilance.
Scammers contacted Peard Real Estate North Beach to change a contact email address of the owner who was living in South Africa.
Police tracked the emails to Ghana, and the major fraud squad confirmed the scam was Nigerian.
The West Australian reports the scammers contacted the agency initially thanking it for a condition report the agent provided and to ask for a valuation on the Edgewater home.
There were phone calls that followed the initial email contact which created the suspicion, The West Australian reported.
A similar scam made headlines in 2010 when landlord Roger Mildenhall returned from South Africa to find his Karrinyup investment property had been sold.
Mildenhall lost his $485,000 home when it was sold by scammers in Nigeria.
A Ballajura family fell victim to a similar scam while living overseas about 11 months later. 
It was a brick Ballajura house located 14 kilometres north of Perth.
The owners discovered they had become victims of identity fraud perpetrated by scammers in Nigeria when they returned to Perth to inspect the property that had been sold and settled months before without their knowledge or consent.
The proceeds from the sale, almost $400,000, had been sent to a bank account in China.
In both Nigerian property scams that occurred in Perth, con artists were able to convince the agent, the settlement agent, the banks and Landgate that they were the title holders and could sell the property.
Once the transfers had occurred and the sales settled it became apparent that everyone had been duped, including the legitimate owners of the houses.
Those crimes led to fraud squad seminars to teach real estate and settlement agents how to detect and prevent similar scams, with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/real-estate-institutes-to-tackle-nigerian-property-scams/2011112152451">national plans </a>to combat the issue.
Consumer Protection Commissioner Anne Driscoll says the recent attempt was a reminder for all real estate and settlement agents to be meticulous with new procedures to prevent real estate fraud.
Real estate and settlement agents are now asked to follow the client identity verification and real estate fraud identification guidance notes introduced last year that involve confirming a vendor's identity and any change of contact and banking details.
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Another Nigerian Perth scam house sale averted

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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