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The Lempriere family, one of Australia’s oldest wool processors, has teamed with the Chinese group Shandong Ruyi in<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/rural/larundel-for-its-ultrafine-wool-now-chinese-company-considering-cubbie-station-cotton-farm-acquistion/2012062655287"> an endeavour to buy Australia’s biggest cotton irrigator, Cubbie Station.</a>
Now in its fifth generation, the company led by William Lempriere has been the world’s largest wool merchant since 2009.
Over the 155 years since commencement it has sourced more than 1.8 billion kilograms of the finest sheep wool – some 12 million bales – from Australia, Argentina, South Africa and New Zealand as the supplier for the likes of Burberry, Austin Reed, Zegna, Cerruti and St. John Knits.
The Australian Financial Review says the consortium has been keen to make the acquistion for more than a year.
Cubbie, near Dirranbandi in Queensland’s southern inland, covers about 93,000 hectares, with water entitlements that may be the target of federal government buybacks.
With debts of $320 million owed to National Australia Bank and Suncorp, the station was placed into voluntary administration in 2009 with McGrath Nicol.
The bid has prompted concerns from political figures, including Liberal senator Bill Heffernan.
“The first thing I want to know about this is whether the consortium is a sovereign investor, whether it has sovereign guarantees, or whether there are sovereign linkages,” Heffernan said.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Lempriere teams with Shandong Ruyi in bid to buy Cubbie Station

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It’s been nine years since the four units on Roscoe Street, Bondi Beach, were auctioned in the madness of Channel 9's then brand-new reality TV show The Block.
But when the 2003 winner’s two-bedroom apartment (pictured below) was up for rent recently barely anyone acknowledged it. The Channel 9 logo with its nine dots still sits high on its front facade.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/bondi2003.jpg">
It was for rent at $720 a week, adjusted slightly downwards from its initial $750 asking rental.
It's seemingly been rented, althrough Allie Ward at Ray White Unlimited declined to comment.
At $720 a week it reflects a 4.99% rental yield.
The Roscoe Street apartment had been previously vacant in 2007 when $595 a week was sought, reflecting a 3.95% rental yield.
The neighbouring ground-floor flat (pictured below) – designed by "The Boys", Gavin Atkins and Waz Sonin, was available at $750 a week in 2010.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2012/06/june27block2003]}
The blockbuster auction in August 2003 had The Block's winning unit sold for $751,000 after its renovation by Adam Thorn and Fiona Mills.
It’s the only one in the block of four yet to sell a second time.
All the other buyers lost money for their investments, before or after costs were taken into account.
The contestants Fiona and Adam were $256,000 richer as they took the $100,000 winner's bonus – plus all the profits above the reserve of $595,000.
Fiona and Adam set up their new renovation business, Design and Everything, which they scrapped as it was too hard to work together and live together. Fiona now does laser hair removal and Adam works at Freedom Kitchens as a designer.
They continue to dream of one day owning a home on Sydney's seafront.
Gavin and Warren Sonin also went onto a career in design, with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.designerboys.com.au/home">DesignerBoys</a>. They have furnished and styled over 750 properties.
Then hosted by Jamie Durie, The Block was the brainchild of David Barbour and Julian Cress who are still running the show.
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Nine years after the TV cameras turned off, Bondi’s original Block units hit the rental market with hardly a credit

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The latest edition of the international magazine Monocle has praised the upcoming “sophisticated” “uber-green” Frasers-Sekisui House Central Park complex.
“Central Park, a mixed-use district of vertical gardens, shopping and residential buildings in the heart of downtown,…  [is] lending credence to Sydney’s claim to be the southern hemisphere’s most cosmopolitan city."
Despite the selective praise Sydney eased from seventh to eighth place on Monocle’s list of the world's 25 most liveable cities.
It was 12th place in the 2010 list.
Click to enlarge
<a href="/images/stories/2012/06/citylife.jpg" rel="shadowbox" title="Click to enlarge"><img src="/images/stories/2012/06/citylifethumb.jpg"></a>
There was a critical comment of the inner city, with the magazine saying Sydney needed a convenient, safer cycling network linking central Sydney and surrounding suburbs that would make cycling a "viable alternative."
The Quality of Life Survey devised by Monocle magazine ranks cities on liveability and lovability – an index that gives more weight to creative and efficient solutions than other measures.
Finnish capital Helsinki come out on top last year, but this year it was Zurich as number one, then Helsinki, Copenhagen, Vienna and Munich.
Melbourne is still ranked above Sydney in sixth spot, because of its unique charm and vibrant arts community, albeit down one spot from fifth in 2011, as it “needs to sort out its traffic congestion.”
Lend Lease’s Convesso Concavo is pinpointed by the magazine as a key residential development.
For more on <a target="_blank" href="http://propertyobserver.com.au/ebooks/free-ebook-sydney-embracing-the-world-of-tomorrow">Sydney and the shape it will take in the future, download our free eBook.</a>
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Monocle magazine praises Frasers-Sekisui House Central Park, Sydney complex, although Sydney's global city status lags behind Melbourne

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Karratha in Western Australia’s Pilbara is getting a Hilton Hotel.
The $65 million hotel will be Australia's first under the DoubleTree branding, known for its warm welcome chocolate chip cookie, over its 40-year rollout of 300 hotels across 24 countries.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/stories/2012/06/cookies.jpg">
Hilton Worldwide and Ramtron Australia have signed an agreement, and the hotel is due to open in mid-2014.
Ramtron Australia Pty Ltd is a consortium led by local Western Australian developer Rothchester Hotel and Resorts Pty Ltd. The consortium also includes Karratha identity Kim Loxton, Tang Weng Fei of Singapore-based Ramtron Oil International Ltd, and Perth-based company AYR International Pty Ltd.
The eight-storey project features 144 guest rooms, 20 executive apartments, restaurant and bar, fitness centre and outdoor pool.
Brendon Grylls, WA Minister for Regional Development and Lands, says the growth of the resource sector needs to be accompanied by the growth of infrastructure and amenities.
The hotel will be located in the centre of the Karratha commercial area, 15 kilometres from Karratha airport and 20 kilometres from the port at Dampier.
“The DoubleTree by Hilton, Karratha will be our 16th property in Australasia and the first DoubleTree by Hilton in the region, joining the Parmelia Hilton Perth as the second Hilton Worldwide property in Western Australia," says Robert Scullin, vice president of development in Australasia for Hilton Worldwide.
Mirvac was named the preferred developer of a suburb of Karratha, the biggest town in the iron-ore rich Pilbara region, last November in a joint venture with the local land authority. The $1.5 billion project, which will create a new suburb, Mulataga, to accommodate 8,000 people.
To capitalise on the mining boom on the other side of the country, download our<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/ebooks/free-ebook-property-investing-in-queenslands-resources-boom" target="_blank"> free eBook on investing in Queensland's resources boom.</a>
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Hilton Hotel – complete with warm chocolate chip cookies – for Karratha mining town

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A Chinese company headlines a consortium considering buying Cubbie Station, Australia's largest privately owned irrigation property.
Shandong Ruyi has an application with the Foreign Investment Review Board to buy iconic Cubbie Station, the Weekly Times reported exclusively today.
It said the lobbyist Ian Smith, of lobbying group Bespoke, had been in Canberra to test political support for the consortium's intended purchase of Cubbie.
The Weekly Times report suggests Shandong Ruyi is a Chinese government-backed company, and, if correct, this is likely to reignite the debate over whether Australia ought to have restrictions on foreign governments acquiring land.
New Foreign Investment Review Board chairman Brian Wilson has pledged to make sure investments made by foreign governments are completed for "rational, commercial reasons".
Cubbie went into voluntary administration in 2009 with debts of $320 million.
Cubbie administrator McGrathNicol had previously visited China to find a buyer for the station.
The administrator spokesman advised the Weekly Times that Cubbie was subject to "an ongoing sale process involving a range of interested parties".
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2012/06/june27larundel]}
With agricultural and textile processing interest, Shandong Ruyi is one of China's top 500 companies. Its most recent Australian acquistion was one of Victoria's most prestigious country estates, Larundel (pictured above), last November for about $14 million. The Ballarat district property was bought from veterinary product millionaires Paul and Gay Preat. Shandong Ruyi plans to turn the former wealthy Victorian squattocracy farm into a research and development centre specialising in the genetics and breeding of ultrafine wool.
<div><img src="/images/stories/2012/06/larundel3.jpg"></div>
The 1,000-hectare Larundel farm, in Victoria's Western District, had been listed through Jock Langley at Abercromby's Real Estate Armadale with a revised $14 million asking price having initially been listed with $20 million hopes in late 2009.
The Larundel homestead is at Cargerie, near Meredith, set in Paul Bangay gardens.
Its interiors were by designer John Coote.
It was built by the Austin family, founders of the Larundel psychiatric and Austin hospitals.
<div>
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
</div>
Last September SMH reporter Paddy Manning noted speculation on potential buyers for Cubbie had centred on locally listed grain grower PrimeAg, potentially in partnership with US fund Perry Capital, or Chinese interests including textile producer Shandong Ruyi.
A subsequent Australian Financial Review report earlier this year noted that Shandong Ruyi was part of a delegation in December 2011 of private and state-owned companies that met in Sydney with Austrade representatives, corporate advisers and industry heads to discuss opportunities in rural Australia.
The Chinese delegation included three representatives from China’s Ministry of Commerce, which recently forecast that the country’s private companies and wealth funds would invest up to $560 billion overseas by 2015.
The Chinese company seeks to capitalise on the surge of affluence in China, creating luxury expensive clothes made from cashmere and exclusive ultrafine merino wool.
Its 100-year plan, detailed on its multilingual website, describes how Ruyi, now in its 55th-year phase, intends to become a global force that is "an international supplier of fine-quality textile products, a leader of the textile-related industry and a provider of top-class products in China".
Shandong Ruyi chairman Qiu Yafu suggested after its Larundel acquisition that company's philosophy was based on Confucius and he sees its role as collaborative, not competitive.
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Larundel for its ultrafine wool, now Chinese company considering Cubbie Station cotton farm acquistion

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The overseas retailer push continues with the British fashion retailer Topshop Topman to open its second Australian flagship store in Sydney’s historic Gowings building.

The Jam Factory on Melbourne’s Chapel Street was TT’s first Australian store opening late last year in space vacated by the collapsed bookseller Borders.

The retailer tweeted its announcement this afternoon. It will open in October.
“After the great response within the Melbourne market we are excited to announce our second Australian store opening,” Topman spokesperson said.
“The Topshop aesthetic will strike a cord with the effortlessly chic Sydney market and build on the phenomenal success of our Melbourne flagship store.”

 Topman will spend $1.85 million on the retail fitout of the Gowings building.
The George and Market streets corner will occupy 1800 square metres over four levels.

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Fashion retailer Topshop Topman to open in Sydney’s historic Gowings building

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The former television news presenter-turned-spin doctor Simone Semmens has paid $11 million to buy the historic 1890s Toorak riverfront Edzell and has quickly moved to sell off the waterfront block.
Semmens has listed an 1,800-square-metre vacant block through RT Edgar agent David Colbran with $9 million hopes.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/stories/2012/06/edzell4.jpg">
"It's Toorak's most amazing vacant riverfront land," the marketing suggests.
The grand St Georges Road mansion has been set on its elevated 6,045-square-metre four-block holding with city skyline views over Richmond.
The heritage-protected Elizabethan Revival house was sold by architect Michael Spivakovsky, who’d inherited it from his parents. Spivakovsky's father was the acclaimed pianist Jascha.
Dame Nellie Melba performed private concerts within the 30-plus room mansion in its heyday when it was located on 70 acres (28 hectares) with 1917 Walter Butler-designed gardens. It was built for the former lord mayor James Stewart shortly before his year in office.
Click to enlarge
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/stories/2012/06/edzell3.jpg" title="Click to enlarge" rel="shadowbox"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/stories/2012/06/edzell3thumb.jpg"></a>
 
The landmark 1891 Reed Smart &amp; Tappin-designed Queen Anne home, with 1895 ballroom extension, was marketed last year with plans for possible subdivision, including a MGS Architecture-designed five-bedroom riverfront abode with copper roof, the <a href="https://radicalterrace.com/" target="_blank">radicalterrace website</a> noted.
Last traded in 1934 in a 25-lot subdivision to the Spivakovsky family, Edzell was converted into two maisonettes in 1935.
Edzell was offered for sale as six internal apartments when marketed last year through Jellis Craig agent Richard James and Jennifer Gillies.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/stories/2012/06/edzell5.jpg">
Semmens did much the same thing at Rosecraddock, the Caulfield North mansion with its subdivided housing lots, after paying $7.8 million in 2007.
Glen Eira City Council approved six blocks of about 700 square metres within the curtilage of the 150-year-old Italianate mansion set on its then 8857-square-metre holding.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/stories/2012/06/edzell6.jpg">
Semmens, an avid buyer and seller of pricey property, <a href="https://radicalterrace.com/post/21881204281/15-mil-for-caulfield-north-estate" target="_blank">with Rosecraddock listed last year with $15 million hopes</a>, also made headlines in 2004 when she paid $7.5 million for the historic Noorah property in Portsea.
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Former TV presenter Simone Semmens seeks to offload the Yarra riverfront block at her grand $11 million Edzell, Toorak acquisition

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The Carss Park mansion of the champion boxer Kostya Tszyu and his wife, Natasha, has been listed with just over $3 million hopes.
It is set for auction next weekend through Mark Kourouche of First National Real Estate Greenacre. Tszyu, who won his first world title in 1995, was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame alongside fellow greats Mike Tyson and Julio Cesar Chavez last year.
The highest price paid in Carss Park was $2.45 million in late 2008 for a five-bedroom, seven-bathroom house on a 1,865-square-metre Gnarbo Avenue block.
The Russian-born Tsyzu has never officially retired, although he hasn't fought since 2005.
His six-bedroom, eight-bathroom residence has been renovated and extended since the couple bought it for $785,000 in 2000. He had previously lived at Sans Souci.
The 2,400-square-metre Benwerrin Avenue property has resort-style facilities including a tennis court and heated saltwater pool.
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Boxer Kostya Tszyu seeks to knock out Carss Park record

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The Tomic tennis family have listed their Southport, Gold Coast abodes.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/tomic.jpg">
Bernard Tomic's Gold Coast bachelor pad is on the market for $700,000, listed alongside the adjoining family home at $800,000. The entire Tomic family compound is set on a 405-square-metre block.
They are both three-bedroom townhouses, the most recent costing $500,000 in 2009. It’s available for lease at $600 a week, although it was initially listed at $750 a week earlier this year.
The rear townhouse cost $340,000 in 2004. Both are listed through LJ Hooker Southport.
Tomic's father, John, owns both townhouses.
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Bernard Tomic’s Southport, Gold Coast bachelor pad and adjoining family home listed

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The historic gothic 1914 Mount Martha mansion Glynt Manor, briefly known as Demetri’s Castle, has been relisted by the prominent Zampelis restaurateur family.
It comes with $4 million-plus hopes through LJ Hooker Frankston agent Geoff Smith.
The family, who’ve operated more than 70 hospitality venues in Victoria since the late 1980s, snapped up the Greenslade Court property for $3,399,000 only late last year.
They then had plans to find a long-term tenant.
Its sale <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/demetri-s-castle-sells-for-%24900000-loss-not-including-televised-labour-of-love/2011111352335" target="_blank">represented a $900,000 loss</a> as the nine-bedroom, eight-bathroom mansion had been bought in 2008 for $4.3 million by the Sideropoulos family.
It featured on the 2009 SBS documentary Demetri’s Castle, which covered the roller-coaster ride of emotions in its extensive renovations.
It sits on about 8,000 square metres, with views of Port Phillip Bay and the Melbourne lights in the distance.
It was designed by Harold Desbrowe Annear as a single-storey farmhouse for the Henty family, descendants of Victoria's first European settlers.
It bears a similarity to another of his designs, Delgany at Portsea.
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The historic gothic 1914 Mount Martha mansion Glynt Manor back on the market

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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