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Baseline Constructions, another NSW builder, has gone into voluntary administration.
The company was founded in 1993 by civil engineer Nicholas Bettar from small Bankstown/Canterbury foundations. In peak construction years it has had $65 million-plus revenues, according to statement of financial position obtained by Property Observer.
Click to enlarge
<a rel="shadowbox" href="/images/stories/2012/07/baseline4.jpg" title="Click to enlarge"><img src="/images/stories/2012/07/baseline4thumb.jpg"></a>
(Source Bankstown Canterbury Torch) 
Its general manager is his brother Paul Bettar.
Andrew Cummins and Brian Silvia from BRI Ferrier will hold the first creditors meeting tomorrow, July 11.
Northern Rivers traders are owed hundreds of thousands of dollars for works undertaken on the $22 million renovation of Ballina Central shopping centre.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.northernstar.com.au/story/2012/07/09/hundreds-of-thousands-owed-as-company-goes-bust/">The Northern Star</a> reports the Sydney-based company Baseline Constructions contracted the tradespeople by letter to advise of the receivership last week.
They were renovating the Ballina building, which is owned by Melbourne-based Harbig Holdings.
“Unfortunately we are one of the contractors in Sydney that received one of these letters,” one contractor posted by email on the Star’s website.
“We found it hard enough to receive payments from Baseline last year for two separate projects completed early in late 2010 and then early 2011 – the only alternative was to sit and wait in their offices for a cheque to be cut.
“After chasing retention for the past 6 months and many emails going out to project managers and the accounts department at Baseline we find this letter sent to us when I only had contact with the company just two weeks ago confirming our payment was forth coming,” the contractor said.
Click to enlarge
<a rel="shadowbox" href="/images/stories/2012/07/baseline.jpg" title="Click to enlarge"><img src="/images/stories/2012/07/baselinethumb.jpg"></a>
ASIC documents indicate Ferrier was approached by Baseline in late April with a scoping meeting to discuss a possible insolvency appointment.
Ferrier then met with the major secured creditor.
NAB and St George were Baseline’s bankers. St George have held a first mortgage over a Chiswick residential family property.
Click to enlarge
<a rel="shadowbox" href="/images/stories/2012/07/baseline1.jpg" title="Click to enlarge"><img src="/images/stories/2012/07/baseline1thumb.jpg"></a>
Baseline Constructions moved into three levels of the Gloucester Street, The Rocks, building Science House last year.
Its projects through the years included the Clarence House, Belmore function centre, Campbelltown Plaza, FSU refurbishment, Blackfrairs offices, Chippendale, the Hotsprings, Minchinbery project and Belmore meat processing works.
Baseline Constructions specialised in the use of precast concrete, which allowed the design and construction to be delivered in efficient time.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

NSW builder Baseline Constructions in voluntary administration 

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Another of The Block 2011 Richmond cottages has been listed for rent – and its asking rental reflects around 4.7% rental growth over the past year.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/07/cameron41ad.jpg">
The Cameron Street cottage is for lease at a $995 asking rent a week through RT Edgar Boroondara agent Bianca Brooks.
It’s the three-bedroom cottage renovated by Katrina and Amie.
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/07/cameron41.jpg">
It sold post-auction last August for $860,000 and was then the cheapest rental in the row of cottages – listed at $950 a week through Hocking Stuart.
Its $950 a week asking rent reflected a 5.74% gross yield last September.
It’s available for rental from July 21.
In June another of the four Richmond properties on the hit Channel 9 renovation series The Block 2011 was available for rent.
It was at a lower rental asking price that its initial post-auction asking rent.
It was the dearest home sold at last year's auction – <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/victoria/take-two-auction-frenzy-as-only-one-offering-left-on-the-block/2011082351266">the three-bedroom 37 Cameron Street Edwardian cottage, which Josh and Jenna sold for $1 million.</a>
<img src="/images/stories/cameronimpression.jpg">
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/victoria/friday-form-guide-yields-of-up-to-7.5-on-the-block/2011081851199">Before last September's auction buyers were given guidance</a> that the property could be expected to fetch between $1,200 and $1,300 per week in rent and came with price hopes of $900,000 to $990,000.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/landlords/block-richmond-properties-hit-the-rental-market-with-yields-of-up-to-6.3/2011092851717">It was initially for lease</a> with a weekly $1,250 asking rent last September after the auction.
It was available for rent at $1,100 a week in June after being initially listed at $1,200 a week.
Its initial asking rent post-auction reflected a 6.3% gross yield.
<a target="_blank" href="http://propertyobserver.com.au/ebooks/free-ebook-lessons-from-the-block-and-other-property-reality-television-shows">For lessons property investors can learn from property reality TV, download our free eBook.</a>
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Katrina and Amie’s Block 2011 Richmond renovated cottage up for rent – reflecting 4.7% annual growth

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The alluvial Windsor district turf, dairy and polo farms - that total 282 hectares - of the failed corporate companies associated with Achilles "Big Al" Constantinidis have been listed for receivership sale.
It follows four court cases over recent years in which the receiver, David Clout sought to affirm the validity of the appointment of receivership, then who was entitled to exercise water licence rights and then more recently proceedings to secure vacant possession.
The farms are set to sell from $2.4 million upwards, starting with a 58-hectare holding comprising seven lots.
The latest holding, a 127-hectare Richmond lot, has $4 million-plus expectations.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/07/polo.jpg">
A 100-hectare turf farm (pictured above) at Windsor has $5 million-plus hopes.
Tender offers are due August 8 through David Nolan at Webster Nolan Rural Real Estate.
The land cost $21 million plus in 2007. Mark McIvor's Queensland-based lender, Equititrust, has a mortgage over the land and is believed to be owed $22 million plus, having been involved as  quasi joint venturers with Constantinidis.
The NSW Office of State Revenue had launched a criminal prosecution against Constantinidis, where he was convicted and fined in February 2011 for failing to pay more than $720,715 in stamp duty on the purchases, but the conviction was in early 2012 quashed and he was acquitted, with the state government department paying the costs of the solicitors for Constantinidis, Beazley Singleton Lawyers.
Much of the land, 63 kilometres from Sydney, is on the Richmond Lowlands overlooking the Hawkesbury River and includes some of the best areas for turf farms and agriculture.
The land is flood-affected, and the zoning prohibits construction on large parts of it. A request for rezoning was made in October 2009 with a view to parts of the land being rezoned “Housing Zone” pursuant to a new local environmental plan, but understood not to have been approved.
In the wider Windsor area there are 17 polo fields.
Constantinidis, a former accountant, was a consultant to the Bulldogs during the Liverpool rugby league Oasis development.
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Alluvial Windsor district turf, dairy and polo farms of Achilles 'Big Al' Constantinidis listed for receivership sale

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Melbourne’s weekend auction clearance rate eased to 55%, as winter school holidays accentuated the buyer disinterest.
It was down on the 58% of the previous weekend and 53% the same weekend last year.
The total number of auctions was down considerably compared with the same week last year, from 465?to 331.
The Real Estate Institute of Vicotria notes with the exception of January, the month of July historically has the lowest volume of residential auctions.
“This year the winter trend is exacerbated, with around 10% fewer auctions than this time last year,” REIV chief executive Enzo Raimondo says.
Dr Andrew Wilson of Australian Property Monitors says Melbourne’s auction culture, which is the strongest in Australia’s capital cities, is softening, with clearance rates “drifting downwards”.
“The steam is out of the Melbourne market,” Wilson told the Australian Financial Review.
He forecasts buyer wariness to continue and the auction clearance rate to remain low.
Melbourne’s top seller was a five-bedroom Mt Waverley house at $1,532,000.
“It was a relatively quiet weekend for auctions in Melbourne – the end of the financial year expected to have played a part,” WPB buyers’ agent Greville Pabst notes.
“However, consumer sentiment is considered the primary reason for the continued lull in activity among buyers and sellers.
“A softening in market activity means there are fewer properties available for purchase, but the lower competition is good news for astute buyers who are willing to go that extra mile in their search,” he says.
Wilson says the Sydney market was a “different story”.
Sydney secured a 56.2% auction clearance rate. It was 54.7% in the previous weekend, and 52.9% in the same weekend last July.
Wilson suggests Sydney is “holding its own and not suffering in health.
“It’s an encouraging result.”
Sydney’s highest recorded office was $3.02 million for a five-bedroom Burwood house.
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Melbourne weekend auction clearance eases in winter school holidays, but Sydney holding its own 

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Television property expert Andrew Winter, from the Lifestyle Channel’s award-winning show Selling Houses Australia, is seeking vendor participants for the upcoming sixth series.
His brutal honesty can be confronting at first, but Winter’s property knowledge can yield results for those languishing listings with the help of high-profile interior designer Shaynna Blaze and landscape designer Charlie Albone.
Whether it’s a home with an enormous power pylon in the front yard, a flood-ravaged house, or just bursting with clutter, Winter always has a plan to lure the buyers.
Some are the tried and tested real estate fundamentals plus a few new ones thrown in when dealing with homes with termites or damp, dodgy renovations, or historic homes under strict regulations.
Covering houses plagued by difficult neighbours, tough divorces that add pressure to the sale, or just a tricky easement, the Selling Houses Australia team has transformed 50 of Australia’s hardest to sell properties.
It is now seeking 10 more to add to that list.
“This season we will be seeking diversity, whether that is evident in the house, the location, or the situation of the seller,” Winter told Property Observer.
“We know we live in a complex housing market, right now some places are booming, others are barely ticking along or at a complete standstill,” he adds.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/07/sellinghouseslogog.jpg">
Selling Houses began on Britain's Channel 4 amid the property boom in 2002 when Winter, then a London real estate agent, was plucked from obscurity finding a receptive audience as far away as in Australia on Foxtel.
After six seasons in Britain, Winter, his wife, Caroline, and their three daughters emigrated to Australia, settling in the Gold Coast hinterland.
Selling Houses Australia made its debut in 2008.
Submissions are welcome from home owners – singles, couples or families – experiencing difficulties selling their homes, which have been stuck on the market for months with little interest. Vendors are typically asked to make a financial contribution towards the revamp in its presentation.
Selling Houses Australia can be contacted through <a target="_self" href="mailto:bec_pullman@beyond.com.au">Bec Pullman</a> at Beyond Productions on 02 9437 2000.
For lessons <a href="http://propertyobserver.com.au/ebooks/free-ebook-lessons-from-the-block-and-other-property-reality-television-shows" target="_blank">property investors can learn from property reality TV, download our free eBook.</a>
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Andrew Winter seeking more difficult houses to sell for forthcoming season of Selling Houses Australia

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Melbourne’s outer suburbs continued to have the lowest rental vacancy rate in Victoria, standing at just 1% in June, compared with 1.1% in May, according to the Real Estate Institute of Victoria.
In the middle and inner suburbs, the vacancy rate was 1.9%.
“If this trend continues, there might be upward pressure on rents following the stabilisation that occurred last year,” REIV chief executive Enzo Raimondo forecasts.
The overall vacancy rate for Melbourne is 1.8%, down from 2.1% in May.
“The metropolitan rate also showed a slight decrease throughout the first six months of the year, with the average vacancy rate at 2.1%, compared with 2.8% in the last six months of last year,” Raimondo says.
“Using the most recent data on the number of rental properties in Melbourne, the vacancy rate last month equated to about 4,600 vacant properties.”
The vacancy rate for all of Victoria was 2% last month, having averaged 2.1% during the first six months of the year.
It compares with the 2.6% in the last six months of 2011, according to the REIV.
The vacancy rate is based on properties managed by REIV member agencies.
The state's regional vacancy rate eased from 1.8% to 2.7% – a significant shift that reflected increasing vacancy rates in Geelong, Bendigo and Mildura.
The vacancy rate is based on properties managed by REIV member agencies.
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Melbourne’s outer suburbs have Victoria’s tightest rental vacancy rate: REIV 

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Comedian Des Dowling’s Albert Park residence sold after negotiations following its weekend auction for an undisclosed price. It had been passed in at $1.36 million.
The double-storey Moubray Street terrace house has three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a gourmet kitchen, plus a north-facing landscaped courtyard.
The renovated property, close to the beach, was initially marketed by Marshall White with $1.35 million-plus hopes. Selling agent Kaine Lanyon was advising about $1.4 million. Dowling, who hosts the Melbourne Property TV program on TV4ME at 7.30pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays, spent $505,000 in 1998 on the corner terrace. Another Moubray Street terrace also sold on the weekend, also at an undisclosed price, understood to be around $40,000 less than Dowling's renovated terrace through Greg Hocking Real Estate. 
RP Data has the <a target="_blank" href="/news">Albert Park</a> median sale price at $1.4 million, up 14.6% over the past year.
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Comedian Des Dowling cracks a smile after selling Albert Park home in post-auction negotiations 

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Melbourne businessman Steve Vizard and wife Sarah are having another go at selling their St Kilda mansion, Clendore, sticking with their $8 million-plus hopes.
The three-storey Italianate Victorian terrace, with an infinity pool on the roof, was bought for $3.96 million in 2004 by Vizard's company, Fitzroy Holdings. There is a rooftop Paul Bangay-designed garden above the grand colonnaded building, which sits on a 782-square-metre Fitzroy Street block.
The seven-bedroom, 10-bathroom property with a 15-person Schindler commercial double-door lift that connects all four floors was initially listed last November. It comes with a 12-seat home cinema.
One of the original three adjoining terraces was the home of Sir Graham Berry, the distinguished radical politician, for several years.
The Vizard family sold their Orrong Road, Toorak, mansion for about $17.75 million in 2007 to The Good Guys boss Andrew Muir.
It's been listed through Gross Waddell Melbourne commercial agents Andrew Waddell and Jonathan McCormack, given its potential as offices, hotel/leisure or medical consulting rooms. Jock Langley and Tim Derham of Abercromby’s are the conjunctional agents.
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Melbourne businessman Steve Vizard sticks with $8 million-plus hopes for St Kilda mansion Clendore

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Onthehouse.com.au has appointed Gail Pemberton as its interim chairperson following the resignation of Jim McKerlie.
With over 30 years’ experience in the financial services industry, Pemberton was formerly at BNP Paribas Securities Services in both the UK and Australia.
Before that from the late 1980s at Macquarie Bank she was chief information officer for 12 years and subsequently chief operating officer for the Financial Services Group.
Her other directorships include Paypal Australia and Baycorp.
Onthehouse also announced that Diana Eilert has joined its board as a non-executive director.
Eilert was most recently the head of strategy and corporate development at News Ltd, where she was responsible for identifying, analysing, and implementing strategic growth opportunities.
She had been the News Ltd nominee on the REA Group board.
Onthehouse provides data on residential real estate in Australia via three services: consumer online (free sales data), real estate agency solutions (back office trust accounting and front office management systems) and analysis and consulting on real estate industry trends.
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Gail Pemberton appointed interim chairperson of onthehouse.com.au

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{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2012/07/july6jimbeam]}
<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="margin: 5px; float: left;">Lomalagi (pictured above), the absolute Narrabeen beachfront residence of Philip Baldock, the president of the Asia Pacific/South America section of the Jim Beam group, and his wife, Tracy, remains listed for sale on the Max Walls International website. It’s a luxury five-bedroom, five-bathroom contemporary house that takes its Fijian name meaning Heaven. It’s been marketed as a four-year-old home with a six-star resort feel. It was built with feng shui principles in mind from the entrance with koi pond.  It comes with an award-winning gas-heated pool. The 835-square-metre block cost $2.08 million in 2002. It was initially listed in mid-2010 with $6 million-plus hopes, then withdrawn from major websites, but remarketed last month after a $7.8 million Mona Vale sale. Baldock has responsibility for Beam's business in Australia, New Zealand and Asia, as well as two of the company's largest developing markets, India and Brazil.
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/07/buxton.jpg">
<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="margin: 5px; float: left;">Steve Buxton, the joint managing director of the Melbourne developer Hamton, has listed his resort-style Mt Eliza (pictured above) abode of five years. It’s been where since 2007 he and his wife Liz have raised their four young children. It’s been listed having recently purchased a new block overlooking Canadian Bay, where they plan to build a new house. The Orchard Lane house was originally designed by architects McGlashan Everist with extensive recent renovations and additions designed by Jackson Clements Burrows and Ten23. Set behind security gates, the house has five or six bedrooms, plus four bathrooms. Its mezzanine level has glimpses of the bay. The outdoor spaces come with a horizon-edge pool, stone-paved terracing, lawns, vegetable gardens and cubbyhouse. Even a netted mod-grass sports area for cricket and basketball.  More than $2.5 million is sought through Stewart Lardner from Century 21 Elite RealEstate Mornington.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2012/07/july6norma1]}
<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="margin: 5px; float: left;">
Norma House (pictured above and below), one of the first sandstone homes on Sydney’s Palm Beach peninsula, has been listed for sale by the Goldsmith family. It’s been modernised but retains its classic Palm Beach style. It’s a popular holiday rental ensuring substantial rental returns all year round. It has a northerly aspect towards the Barrenjoey Headland and across the Pacific Ocean to the horizon. It’s for sale through Peter Robinson at LJ Hooker Palm Beach with $3 million-plus hopes. The Norma Road house last sold in 2006 to Hong Kong-based futures trader Rob Goldsmith and his diamond-dealer wife, Jane for $2,525,000.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2012/07/july6norma2]}
 
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
 
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/07/wyong.jpg">
<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="margin: 5px; float: left;">A Bauhaus-inspired Mosman residence (pictured above), built in the 1940s on a 1,600-square-metre Wyong Road double block, has been listed for sale. Reflecting the German modernist style, architect Peter Downes overhauled the property with interiors inspired by the Mediterranean about two decades ago. The property has views across Long Bay, Quakers Hat Bay and Middle Harbour. Around $8 million is being sought by Colin Craig of Belle Property Mosman for the Tanner family, who bought it from the original owners, the Korner family.
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/07/roseberry.jpg">
<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="margin: 5px; float: left;">Hotelier Chris Crawley has listed his Killara residence (pictured above). Set on 2,367 square metres, the Federation-style residence comes with $4.5 million-plus hopes for its July 28 auction. Crawley has been responsible for the recently completed Macleay Street, Potts Point apartment complex, where he’s retained the penthouse in the Georgian. Interested parties in the Rosebery Road, Killara property are also being offered an adjoining 1,220-square-metre block.
 
<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="margin: 5px; float: left;">The founder of Downstream Marketing, Steve Knowles, and his wife, Kaye, have spent $6.3 million on a Vaucluse abode. It was sold by the Awford family through Doreen Wilson at Di Jones Real Estate and Morgan Carr at Ray White Double Bay. It had previously traded at $4.4 million in 2002. Steve founded Downstream Marketing in 2005 after five years at eBay.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2012/07/july3jackieo]}
<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="margin: 5px; float: left;">Breakfast radio star Jackie O and her husband Lee Henderson have listed their cosy farmhouse (pictured above) with breathtaking views over Kangaroo Valley. With wide wrap-around verandas, Glen Athan is marketed as being one of the NSW South Coast's most stylish country properties. It's been their retreat since the land was bought in 2005 and<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"> its listing follows their recent Vaucluse purchase.</a> It's been marketed through Shaine Hilaire at Ray White Berry, who has issued four contracts after 15 inspections over the past month. 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.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/may9anderson]}
<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="margin: 5px; float: left;">Kennebunkport (pictured above), the longtime Western Australian beachfront retreat of the property developer Warren Anderson and his former wife, Cheryl, has been sold after being listed with revised $5.2 million-plus hopes. 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 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 1989 for the block. 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 Peter Jacobson and Steven 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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Jim Beam boss takes another shot at the luxury Narrabeen property market: Title Tattle

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

Joel Robinson

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

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

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

Buying into a masterplanned community often means committing to a vision still years from taking shape. At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a>, that vision is already visible.

Residents have moved into the completed first stage, landscaped spaces are established, and the next chapter is now underway. Stage 1 has been completed and settled, with Stage 2 now selling off-the-plan.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/pbd-architects">PBD Architects</a>, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> combines attainable apartment living with sustainability initiatives rarely seen at this price point, including rooftop solar, battery storage and a resident EV-sharing program.

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Located on Schofi​elds Road, just moments from Tal​lawong Metro Station and Schof​ields Train Station, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> has been designed to appeal to a broad mix of buyers, from first-home purchasers looking for a foothold in Sy​dney's property market to downsizers seeking a connected, low-maintenance lifestyle.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> has been conceived as a thoughtfully planned masterplanned community that will evolve over multiple stages, with buyers now able to secure one, two and three-bedroom apartments within a neighbourhood that is already beginning to establish its identity.

One of the project's defining features is its focus on sustainability. Solar energy systems, battery storage and future EV charging infrastructure have been incorporated throughout the development, reflecting a long-term approach to both environmental performance and everyday convenience.

Sustainability sits at the centre of the development's vision, with solar energy systems, battery storage and future EV charging infrastructure integrated throughout the community.

That emphasis on future-ready living extends beyond the technology. Landscaped communal gardens, outdoor gathering spaces and plans for a future retail precinct aim to create a neighbourhood where residents can access daily conveniences without travelling far from home.

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The apartments themselves have been designed with liveability front of mind. Rather than chasing maximum density, the focus has been placed on creating practical homes with generous natural light, usable layouts and strong connections to outdoor space.

Importantly, these design principles have been applied consistently across the one, two and three-bedroom apartment offerings.

The appeal of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> is also closely linked to its location within Syd​ney's rapidly evolving north-west growth corridor. Over the past decade, major infrastructure investment has transformed the area, with new transport links, business precincts and community facilities reshaping suburbs like Talla​wong and Schofiel​ds.

The agent says buyers are increasingly recognising the area's long-term potential.

"Typical buyers that we're finding across <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> especially are your first-home buyers, your investors, your upsizers as well as your downsizers," Hawes says.

Connectivity remains one of the project's strongest drawcards. Residents have access to both Tallaw​ong Metro Station and Schofi​elds Train Station, providing links to the Sydn​ey CBD, Norw​est Business Park, Macquari​e Park and other major employment hubs. Retail centres including Rous​e Hill Town Centre and Sch​ofields Village are also nearby, alongside schools, parks and future healthcare infrastructure.

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For Stage 1 resident Roji, it is the balance between convenience and comfort that has defined the experience of living at Kew.

"For me, it's a balance of quality and convenience," she says. "Everything I need is right here."

"If I wanted to catch the train, Scho​fields Station is just around the corner. Tallaw​ong Metro connects me to the city."

More importantly, she says, the development has delivered something that cannot be measured in floorplans or specifications.

"<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> feels like home."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149637 project_image_fid=351024]

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."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=291195] 
&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.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=13962]

Jonathan Chancellor

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