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Its style has been described as Clockwork Orange-meets-Vogue Living – The QT Sydney hotel opens mid-September with $400-plus nightly weekend room rates.
Billed as Sydney's first true designer hotel, the 200 guest rooms come in 12 different styles set across the upper 12 levels of the Palazzo-style Gowings building and State Theatre in Sydney. Art curator Amanda Love has carriage of its art installations.
Hoping to bring a little pizazz to George Street, reviving its theatrical and retail past, it will come with two restaurants, Gowings Bar &amp; Grill and Parlour Lane Roasters cafe; spaQ with six treatment rooms; a men's barber shop; plus a Hammam-inspired steam room.
Amalgamated Holdings bought the Gowings building in April 2006 for $69 million and has spent close to that on demolition and redevelopment of the retail area.
It adjoins the historic State Theatre, which has also had a facelift.
The ground floor has been leased to the British Topshop fashion chain for its flagship Sydney store.
Amalgamated and QT Sydney managing director David Seargeant says great effort has been undertaken to retain the features of the Gowings building, including the mosaic and timber floors.
QT is Australia’s newest hotel brand.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Clockwork Orange-meets-Vogue Living: The QT Sydney

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An overnight report from the United Kingdom has suggested Shane Warne was preparing to relocate from Brighton in Melbourne to Britain and set up home with his soon-to-be new wife, Elizabeth Hurley.

The <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2194181/Shane-Warne-puts-Melbourne-home-market-amid-reports-Elizabeth-Hurley-investing-6million-mansion" target="_blank">Daily Mail report</a> suggested his Melbourne mansion was on the market, and that he and Hurley were off to Donnington Hall (pictured below), a 13-bedroom Georgian mansion on the Gloucestershire-Herefordshire border.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/08/donningtonhall.jpg">
She currently owns in Gloucestershire.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/08/donnington2.png" width="470">
The Donnington Hall purchase rumour has been around for months, without denial, although this week Hurley took to Twitter saying: "Contrary to recent reports: no plans to leave glorious Gloucestershire!"
<img src="/images/stories/2012/08/donnington3.png" width="470">
In November, the Ledbury Reporter revealed the house-hunting rumours when the couple strolled into Greggs the bakers on the High Street. 
"The town was buzzing with rumours the couple were looking for property as Liz ordered a <a href="https://www.malverngazette.co.uk/news/9895327.Liz_and_Shane_buy___6m_mansion_near_Ledbury/" target="_blank">custard slice and Shane, two sausage rolls</a>," the Malvern Gazette wrote yesterday.
Donnington Hall is an impressive property that boasts a tennis court, fishing lake, Edwardian stables and open field, housekeeper accommodation and 21 acres of woodland.
The latest Daily Mail story comes after Hurley was reportedly looking for a Melbourne school to send her son, leading to more media speculation she was the one about to relocate to Australia, which she quickly denied on Twitter.
Title Tattle has sought clarification from Shane Warne via Twitter before publication, without success.
In April Shane Warne took to <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/victoria/shane-warne-denies-buying-healesville-property/2012042354390">Twitter to deny a Fairfax Media report</a> that he and his fiancée Liz Hurley had spent $1.6 million on a Healesville retreat.
The Melbourne Age entered the speculative fray on mid-afternoon Tuesday reporting there was a $20 million asking price on the Brighton home, but also acknowledging Warne's manager, James Erskine, denial that the Brighton home was for sale.
The Age claimed local sources said prospective buyers have been seen touring the five-bedroom property.
 
<div>
 
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Ceaseless Shane Warne speculation – this time it's the Brighton mansion's reputed listing – amid custard slice rumour mill

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They often jest that St Georges Terrace Perth is paved in gold. But Credit Suisse has paid $55.3 million for the 10 storey Stockland office building on Perth’s premium office strip for less that it last sold.
The sale of 45 St Georges Terrace through Savills WA was the second sale in the Perth office market this month.
But it last traded at $57.3 million in 2006. It was originally headquarters for the Reserver Bank of Australia which sold the block in 2001 for $18.75 million, according to RPData.
Stockland advised the sale of 45 St Georges Terrace was part of the group’s long-term strategy of selling down office and industrial assets to re-invest in residential, retirement and retail.
There had been a recent $55.2 million valuation; although the Australian Financial Review noted it was valued at $73 million in pre-GFC 2007. It had a $48 million valuation in 2009.
Savills was the sales agent on the transaction and the buyer was represented by CBRE.
The 45 St Georges Terrace property, set on a site area of 1,827sq m, comes with a total net lettable area of 10,017sq m.
The property has a rental income of about $5,971,595 per annum with a significant upcoming lease expiry of over 60% of net lettable area in early 2014.
Earlier this month there was an $82 million sale of 66 St Georges Terrace by the listed Investa Office Fund by AMP.
 
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St Georges Terrace Perth paved with bronze as office block sells, but for less than last time

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Just the one $3.3 million bid secured Hartland, the Hawthorn home listed with $3.3 million-plus Marshall White weekend auction hopes.
It was sold by the former newspaperman-turned-adman Stuart Simson and his wife, Anne. Stuart Simson has 39 years' experience in the Australian media spanning both the “old” and the “new.”
James Buyer Advocate attendee Joshua Bong noted that the listing agent Marcus Chiminello opened with a $3.25 million vendor bid after a short preamble, as the vendors believed that the property had already been covered extensively through the various media outlets.
Its marketing campaign editorial coverage included <a href="/news">Property Observer</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://news.domain.com.au/domain/real-estate-news/home-is-where-the-highprofile-hartland-is-20120803-23j0c">The Age</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://radicalterrace.com/post/28062894734/hartland-11a-elmie-street-hawthorn-lists-for-3-5m">The Radical Terrace</a>.
The grand residence features impressive period detail through a formal sitting room, formal dining, study and five bedrooms. There’s also a well-equipped country-style kitchen.
The Simsons have undertaken the extensive renovation after they bought it almost 20 years ago. The Simson couple reportedly intend to downsize to an East Melbourne apartment. 
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The Simsons sell Hawthorn's Hartland

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The Alex Povov-designed Gold Coast mansion recently sold by Queensland fund manager Mark McIvor to the NSW truckie Gary Fulton failed to sell at weekend auction, with its $2 million top offer almost $5 million below its sale price earlier this year.
It was officially passed in on a $5.5 million vendor bid by Coldwell Banker agent Alex Caraco.
Mr McIvor, founder of failed fund manager Equititrust, lost the property to receivers, who sold it in January this year for $6.75 million.
The sale, to New South Wales truckie Gary Fulton, raised eyebrows in the Gold Coast's depressed real estate market, as it was a sizable rise on the $4.55 million top bid at its unsuccessful 2011 auction.
In recent months <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/mark-mcivor-s-former-cronin-island-gold-coast-back-up-for-auction/2012072955758">the Commonwealth Bank sought to repossess the home,</a> launching Supreme Court action against Fulton company Vitago.
Agent Alex Caraco advised the local Gold Coast Bulletin that the court action against Vitago was "in abeyance'' and the truckie's company – not the bank – was currently selling the mansion.
He says there was a $5.95 million asking price, with genuine interest "from a gentleman from Melbourne, a lady in Hong Kong and a doctor in Sydney''.
Caraco suggests some other interested parties are using the controversy attached to the property to try to get a bargain.
"It's a landmark property – the land value alone is $2.6 million – and it's worth something with a five (million) in front of it,'' he says.
The Gold Coast prestige property market was starting to make a "slow recovery'', Caraco told The Bulletin.
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Property sharks circling Cronin Island's controversial listing

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A luxury apartment in Hong Kong has reputedly sold for a record HK$470 million ($58.2 million), the priciest condominium in the Chinese city and possibly the second most expensive in the world after London's One Hyde Park.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/08/opus.jpg">
An unidentified buyer paid the HK$81,597 ($10,112) per-square-metre price for the 576-square-metre unit at <a href="https://www.opushongkong.com/en/The_Building">Opus Hong Kong</a> in the upmarket Peak residential area, the Hong Kong Economic Journal and Sing Tao Daily reported over the weekend.
It occupies the entire eighth floor of the 12-storey building designed with <a href="https://www.swireproperties.com/en/our-portfolios/hong-kong-residential/Pages/OPUS_HONG_KONG.aspx">helical structure spirals </a>by the Pritzker Prize-winning architect Frank Gehry. Its developer Swire Properties declined to confirm the deal.  Situated amid in leafy surrounds on Stubbs Road, the site has been owned by Swire since 1940s, for a long time it was home to its taipans.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/08/opus2.jpg">
“We have no information to share at this point,” Swire spokeswoman May Lam-Kobayashi told Agence France-Presse.
She added, however, that tenants recently leased another unit at the <a href="https://www.swireproperties.com/en/media-resources/press-releases/2011/Pages/FrankGehryExhibition_HK.aspx">property</a> for HK$850,000 ($105,331) a month.
Earlier this year on its April completion, Bloomberg reported the structure cost HK$27,000 per square foot $36,013 per square metre) to construct, including land premium.
A standard high-rise apartment in the city can cost as little as $HK4,000 per square foot $5,328 per square metre) to build, according to Swire Properties chief executive officer Martin Cubbon.
“Of course, it’s going to be enormously expensive by any standards,” says Cubbon. “In rental values and capital values, it’s going to command the highest numbers that Hong Kong has ever seen.”
The local media reported the sale beat the city's previous record price of HK$360 million ($44.6 million) paid last year.
While the property market in Hong Kong, famous for its super-rich tycoons, had slowed this year, its surged over the past few years has been credited to record low interest rates and wealthy buyers from mainland China.
The 83-year-old Los Angeles-based architect is known for his sculptural elements including the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.
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Opus Hong Kong record apartment sale with Frank Gehry design

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Peter Hall, from Hunter Hall, is having another attempt at selling his Double Bay property.
Hall has decided he’s staying in London for the time being, and his 1860 Customs House property didn't sell when listed late last year.
It's now set for auction on September 8 through McGrath agent Hamish Robertson in conjunction with Ray White Double Bay agent Ashley Bierman <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-double+bay-111274219">with $4.5 million-plus hopes</a>.
Hall bought the intended home from the director of Trent Nathan, Shane Barr, and his wife, Catherine.
Nearby on the Double Bay water's edge is the trophy listing of the Pockley family's harbourside estate.
It's been held by the family since the 1940s.
The property sits on a 1,091-square-metre level cul-de-sac Bay Street block.
It comes with a private boatshed.
It's listed for sale by expressions of interest through Michael Dunn of Richardson &amp; Wrench Double Bay.
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Ethical investor Peter Hall relists Customs House, Double Bay 

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Investa Office Fund has bought 66 St George’s Terrace, Perth, for $82.375 million. The purchase came ahead of Investa Office Fund’s (IOF) annual net profit announcement - a slump of 29% to $101.9 million on the back of a series of asset sales in the US and a dismal performance from its European property portfolio.
Its Perth acquistion - 11,447 square metre A-grade CBD office space - reflected an initial yield of 8.1% after acquisition costs.
Investa maintains the 11-storey building is currently let at a low average rent of $550 per square metre.
With a 1.8-year weighted average lease expiry, the short lease expiry profile is tipped to allow crystallising an estimated rental reversion of 15%. Toby Phelps, the IOF fund manager, says it is an opportune time in the buying cycle.
"IOF is underweight in Perth, which is currently the strongest office market in Australia," he says.
Located on the north side of St Georges Terrace, 66 St Georges Terrace is a 1990 building between William Street and Barrack Street.
It comes with floor plates of approximately 1,000 square metres.
The property also includes two ground-floor retail tenancies totalling 180 square metres and 66 car bays.
The biggest four of its 11 tenants – comprising 74% of the building by income – are  Manpower; ASIC; Subsea 7 and Suncorp.
Its lease expiries by rental income are 54% in financial year 2013, 4% in fy 2014 and 37% in the 2015 financial year.
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Investa spends $82 million on St Georges Terrace Perth acquisition

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The merchant bankers’ Mosman merry-go-round is back in motion after its virtual paralysis following the global financial crisis and its aftershocks.
And it's the Macquarie Bank boss Nicholas Moore and wife Helen who've signalled the prestigious suburb still has some internal movement. They are soon to upgrade to a $13 million contemporary harbourfront home on MiddleHarbour, having lived elsewhere in a Federation Mosman house that cost just over $1 million in 1991.
Their new home had been <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/after-three-years-on-market-mosman-house-sets-shellbank-avenue-price-record/2012081756092">on the market</a> for three years. The seller was Shane Smyth, CEO of Cover More Insurance, who renovated after paying $9.2 million in 2007, and then listed it with $14 million-plus hopes.
The ongoing decline in bonuses among merchant bankers and financial sector executives, and share options that are lapsing due to the weak sharemarket have all seriously impacted on the prestige property market.
Until the global financial crisis, Mosman vendors enjoyed the home-buying spree that followed, like clockwork, the cash-dominated bonuses.
But the bonus-inspired property purchases disappeared during the depths of the 2008 and 2009 financial crisis, and the after-effects lingered until recently.
Getting a competitive buying interest for the top-end listings has proved a challenge for Mosman's double-digit-million market, although the Moore purchase and another sale involved keen underbidding from separate Chinese buying interests.
Property Observer revealed earlier this year <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/chinese-buyers-playing-property-pick-a-box-but-record-mosman-price-unlikely/2012030653723">it was a Chinese buyer who topped recent Mosman sales</a>, spending $20 million on retired car dealer Laurie Sutton’s 5154-square-metre Bay Street Mosman holding – the suburb's largest harbourfront estate. It was bought by Ying Li.
The residence, which had been the Suttons' home for almost 35 years, was bought from the Pick a Box presenters Bob and Dolly Dyer in 1977 for $376,960, when the Dyers headed to Queensland. Its price is now confirmed at $20 million.
The Bay Street tropical holding is like Hawaii meets Hamilton Island on Middle Harbour, and despite renovations over the past three decades, there are still traces of the Dyers' day, including the imposing sandstone fireplace in its living room that overlooks Quakers Hat Bay.
Mosman’s first big test in 2012 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/bankers-are-supposedly-bailing-but-mosmans-mandolong-house-reputedly-sells-for-bullish-%2418-million/2012031853893">came with the sale of the 1885 Mandolong House</a>, the renovated hillside residence listed with $17 million reported hopes – which sold for $18 million and represented a suburb-record price for a non-waterfront residential property.
The Mandolong Road property situated in a 2,909-square-metre location high on the slopes of Balmoral with a north-south tennis court and swimming pool was sold by the Woollahra-bound businessman Barry Roberts-Thomson and his wife, Victoria to the Kahlbetzer pastoralist family.
Last year’s top Mosman sale was the $19 million sale of a Hopetoun Avenue waterfront property to neighbour <a href="/news">Ros Oatley of the Oatley wine family</a>. Its price reflected a serious price weakness, since it had traded at $22.5 million in pre-global financial crisis 2007.
Earlier this year Nigel Smyth, an executive director at Macquarie, and his wife, Diane, upgraded from Clifton Gardens to Balmoral’s golden mile and its premium Sydney Head views, but pocketed $1.7 million in the process.
They spent $4.8 million on a five-bedroom, three-bathroom Hopetoun Avenue house initially listed with $6 million hopes in early 2011 and more recently at $5.2 million.
The contemporary-style house built in 1994 comes with pool, four-car garaging and a 1,500-bottle temperature-controlled cellar.
The Smyths sold at Clifton Gardens in Mosman for $6.5 million. The five-bedroom Kardinia Road property sits on an 823-square-metre block. It had views across the harbour to Rose Bay and Point Piper.
It was bought for $5.12 million in 2005.
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Macquarie's Nicholas Moore gives momentum to the Mosman mansion merry-go-round  

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Nathan Tinkler must complete a multimillion-dollar property purchase at Steel River this week.

The purchase became known after the development company Mirvac took the Tinkler company to court after it failed to complete its promised purchase of the land in a contractual dispute.
Tinkler had wanted the land parcel with Mayfield’s Steel River industrial park as part of a rail corridor associated with an export coal terminal the entrepeneur had been planning for the former BHP steelworks site, which the NSW rejected in January.
The NSW Supreme Court ordered that Nathan Tinkler’s companies, Buildev Group Pty Ltd (Buildev) and Ocean Street Holdings Pty Ltd as trustee for Ocean Street Holdings Trust (Ocean Street), must complete a purchase of the block in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.steelriver.com.au/about">the Steel River Industrial Estate</a> on or before 1 September 2012.
‘‘Buildev and Ocean Street consented to the orders entered by Justice Sackar, which brought about the end of Tinkler’s defence to the claim brought by Domaine Steel River Pty Limited,’’ the court said.
The sale price is reputedly$14 million plus.
Tinkler, the mining magnate who's estimated to be worth $915 million, moved from Newcastle to Singapore earlier this year.
His cashflow has come under media scrutiny after he failed to raise $28.4 million earlierthis month to buy a one-third stake of coal junior Blackwood.
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Nathan Tinkler must buy Mirvac Steel River land this week

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

Joel Robinson

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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