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Judith Neilson, the founder of the White Rabbit Collection, one of the world's most significant collections of Chinese contemporary art, has lodged a $6.78 million residential dwelling development application for her recently acquired $7,975,000 Chippendale warehouse.
The $14.75 million O’Connor Street warehouse project was formerly the Simona fashion headquarters now set directly opposite the upcoming Central Park precinct.
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The warehouse last sold in 1988 for $1.32 million when bought by the family company headed then by designer Inge Fonagy and her late husband, George, who founded Simona in 1963.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/neilson1.jpg">
The three-storey building has 1,375 square metres of warehouse space, plus the adjoining Dick Street 220-square-metre car park holding.
Neilson’s renovation seeks to replace the dowdy warehouse façade with a walled sculptural display “alive to the changes wrought by light, shade, sun and cloud”.
It seeks to add a “unique backdrop” to the Frasers-Sekusui House Central Park residential precinct under construction across the road.
The William Smart design – currently before Sydney City Council – has been dubbed Indigo Slam.
The application to Sydney City Council says the warehouse will be instilled with a sculptural quality of its public streetside facade to “actively participate in the reinvigoration of Chippendale as an urban environment”.
William Smart’s submission to the council says the intention was to provide the new urban park with a piece of interesting architecture on its southern flank, as a unique backdrop to public life.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/neilson2.jpg">
To be environmentally sustainable the building will have thick masonry walls and recessed windows to provide natural light without excessive heat gain.
Arrays of photovoltaic cells will be placed on the roof, allowing the building to generate much of its own power independently and sustainably.
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It comes with four bedrooms with ensuites, second-floor living and entertainment area, plus courtyard garden, lift, ground floor studio and guest quarters above the garage.
It’s currently mostly open plan with soaring high ceiling and minimal pillars with a glass façade across its 26-metre frontage.
Her White Rabbit Gallery is just 50 metres away, a converted former knitting factory on Balfour Street, which has four floors of exhibition space as well as a theatrette, a library and a teahouse. It cost her $4.6 million in 2007.
Now spanning three generations, Simona will continue the tradition of creating classic garments for women of all ages at a nearby Ultimo.
Shortly after Neilson bought the warehouse, her daughter Beau bought her own 310-square-metre warehouse nearby for $3.1?million.
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Judith Neilson unveils her sculptural $14.75 million residential warehouse wonderland to enliven Chippendale

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Brisbane’s gnome kitsch wonderland – at 281 The Esplanade at Wynnum – has been listed for July 7 auction.
It was apparently about three decades ago that the late sign painter Doug Wildermuth started rescuing broken gnomes from flea markets before patching them up, painting them, naming them and installing them in his front yard.
The foreshore reserve property comes with around 200 ornaments concreted with steel rods into its front yard.
The six Wildermuth family grandchildren naively hope it’s not all for the wrecker’s ball.
The 607-square-metre property is expected to go to auction on July 7 at 11am onsite through Belle agent Sharyn MacAuley.
“Renovate or remove, the choice is yours,” she says.
The block with 1952 three-bedroom house on the corner of Picton Parade was originally owned by the family, who subdivided the land having owned the holding for 60 years.
It comes with views to Moreton and Stradbroke islands.
The last sales on the foreshore strip was at $950,000 in 2006 for an 840-square-metre holding and $788,000 for a 600-square-metre holding in 2007. The gnome’s neighbouring property of 1,200 square metres fetched $1.15 million in 2004.
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Gnomes are where the heart is: Brisbane home looking for new statuette lover

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Aberfeldy, the Billabong Valley, Holbrook NSW Riverina rural property that has been owned by the Ross family for 147 years, was passed in at its recent Albury auction for $6.4 million through Meares &amp; Associates inconjunction with Elders Real Estate.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/aberfeldy.jpg" width="470">
It had been expected to sell for more than $7 million. It comes with a recently renovated 1926 Federation homestead.
Set 70 kilometres south of Wagga Wagga and 70 kilometres north of Albury-Wodonga, the 1,377-hectare property was originally part of the 28,300-hectare Kinross Station.
In recent years it has carried 70% livestock (sheep and cattle) and 30% crops.
Aberfeldy's Poll Hereford herd was introduced to the property by the late Dudley Ross, the father of the current owners, Ian and Douglas Ross.
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Billabong Valley property Aberfeldy passed in at auction for $6.4 million

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The Balmoral Boatshed, a residential and commercial leasehold property on the Middle Harbour foreshore at Mosman, has been sold by the accountant John Bennett.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/balmoral-boatshed-cafe-and-apartment-listed-with-%245-million-plus-hopes/2012032554000">More than $5 million was being sought </a>through its Richardson &amp; Wrench Mosman selling agent Robert Simeon.
The leasehold will be transferred to another local Mosman family.
Bennett bought the leasehold of the property in 1995 when it was the rundown Walton's Boatshed. It had previously sold in boomtime 1987 at $1.1 million. It was rebuilt around 2005 with a beachside café downstairs and a 200-square-metre three-bedroom apartment upstairs.
The sale of the lease, which has 15 years left to run, includes the apartment, the cafe, a boat hire and tender service as well as management rights for 56 moorings.
In the 2010-11 financial year, the mooring business generated a gross income of $285,000, and the cafe business grossed about $900,000.
“It’s had a long history dating from the 1930s,” Simeon says.
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Balmoral Boatshed sells to another Mosman family

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Clive Palmer is becoming the prince of Paradise Point on the Gold Coast.
The Brisbane-based mining tycoon now owns seven residential properties – five of which have been picked up very cheaply this year.
His 2012 purchases have cost $5.95 million, ranging between $840,000 and $1.35 million.
His purchases have been on streets including King Arthurs Court, Queen Guineveres Place and King Charles Drive.
His first canalfront holiday home acquisition on the estate was his priciest, costing $2.3 million in 2007.
Last year he spent $1.75 million on a house sold by Fred Taplin, who headed Gold Coast Galaxy's tilt at an A-League franchise, which lost out to Palmer's Gold Coast United. Taplin had wanted $4.5 million in 2009.
His $1.31 million purchase had previously traded at $2 million in 2009.
His recent $840,000 acquisition had last traded at $1.06 million in 2006.
His $1.3 million purchase had last traded in 2007 at $1.4 million.
Another acquisition, which cost $1.15 million, had come with a $1.495 million asking price.
Goldcoast.com.au describes Paradise Point as a "sweet suburb" at the northern end of the Gold Coast, with its size and position helping maintain a village feel.
The suburb lies on the Broadwater and has direct access to the Coomera River and is protected from the ocean by South Stradbroke Island, which lies off the coast.
Goldcoast.com.au suggests Paradise Point was made up mainly of houses, with many older houses being being bought for their land value as land is scarce in the area.
Houses in Paradise Point range from moderately priced to tipping into the millions.
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Clive Palmer becoming the prince of Paradise Point with cheap royal acquisitions

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<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 5px;">The Block 2012 presenter Scott Cam, the celebrity builder who started his television career in 2000 alongside Jamie Durie on Channel 9's Backyard Blitz, has spent $670,000 on a Mollymook retreat on the NSW south coast (pictured above). It was listed at $795,000 through Mollymook Narrawallee Real Estate a year before the purchase earlier this year, when it came with a $749,000 asking price. It last traded at $680,000 in 2004. Set only 175 metres to the sands of Narrawallee Beach, it was marketed as a family resort like no other. The level 1,182-square-metre block accommodates a fully renovated trend-setting home with ensuite along with separate guest accommodation attached to garage and workshop area. The grounds come with oasis-style saltwater pool enjoying full sun and privacy. It's been his work as host on The Block over the last three years that has made Cam a household name all over Australia. He recently said when he is not working, Cam spends most of his time on his family farm in Mudgee with his wife, Ann, in whose name the purchase was made, and their three children: Charlie, 15, and twins Sarah and Bill, 12. But last weekend he was spotted enjoying the NSW south coast town in the midst of its Milton Scarecrow Festival. He credits his television career to being discovered by a producer him in his local pub, he recently told News Ltd papers.</div>
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<div>A double oceanfront block on Collaroy Beach (pictured above) – complete with a rare tennis court offering – has been listed for the first time in five decades. It was the home of the late lawyer William Michie, of the law firm Michie and Shahadie. The five-bedroom, four-bathroom house that sits on a 1,365-square-metre Seaview Parade holding comes with $10 million expectations at its June 23 auction. Title Tattle reckons it's among less than a handful of beachfront tennis courts across Sydney.</div>
<div><img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/stjames.jpg"></div>
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<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 5px;">Interior designer Nellie Tilley has listed her Bondi Junction home (pictured above) with $2.5 million-plus hopes. The four-bedroom, three-bathroom property featured in the March/April issue of Vogue Living. The house, only recently renovated with bespoke finishes, is close to Centennial Park in its St James Road cul-de-sac location. It cost $1.65 million in May 2010.</div>
<div><img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/newbeach.jpg"></div>
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<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 5px;">The financial consultant Michael Cannon-Brookes and his wife, Helen, are returning to Darling Point, having paid $4.85 million for a garden apartment (pictured above). It’s on the dress circle New Beach Road strip, in the triplex complex developed by the late Ron White and his business partner, Barrie Elsbury. The 499-square-metre, three-bedroom, three-bathroom apartment has a garden terrace with harbour views. It was sold by Lorna and Quentin Wallace, the Melbourne-based owners of International Racehorse Transport, who bought the property for $3.6 million in 2002 Lorna through its latest selling agent Gary Sands of Di Jones Real Estate. Title Tattle recalls in 1999 Toowong, their Italianate-style 1902 terrace on Darling Point Road, secured $1.725 million. The four-bedroom 1902 residence had been bought in 1991 from Lady (Susan) Renouf for $1.23 million. The Cannon-Brookes couple have maintained an apartment in the Renzo Paino building on Macquarie Street since paying $2.4 million in 2006.</div>
<div><img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/erskinedr.jpg"></div>
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<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 5px;">From overseas comes word Australian-born actress Poppy Montgomery is seeking $3.29 million for her Californian home (pictured above). It was at the age of 18 that Montgomery migrated to the United States to pursue her acting career. She is best known for her role as Samantha Spade on Without a Trace, and as her current role as Carrie Wells on the recently cancelled television series Unforgettable. Her Pacific Palisades Mediterranean-style property cost $3.1 million in 2005, the <a href="https://realestalker.blogspot.com.au/">realestalker.com.au</a> blog reports.</div>
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<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 5px;">Title Tattle aims to tell you as soon as it happens – if not before – but some deals are tricky to track down. Details are ever so slowly emerging on the whisper quiet sale of the 1870s Woollahra house Eltham. It’s the suburb's former record setter when $9 million was paid in 2006 for the Victorian Regency-style house with tennis court on its 1,520-square-metre holding. It’s been resold at a still undisclosed presumed lower price through McGrath agent Ben Collier. The exchange on delayed settlement terms was late December 2012 and settlement is still pending. Title Tattle has gleaned that its buyer is Louise Glen, the wife of David Glen, the managing director of the ATM company Banktech.</div>
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<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 5px;">Babies Galore founders Gary and Debbie Trakman have their Warriewood Beach abode (pictured above) listed with $5.5 million hopes through Michael King of Domain Residential. It has a 22-metre beach frontage. The Bruce Street Mona Vale offering is a state-of-the-art architecturally designed ultra-contemporary residence. Its layout flows over two levels with vast walls of glass. It was completed less than a year ago by Blue Label Construction Pty Limited. It comes with a swimming pool. Babies Galore opened in 1996.</div>
<div><img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/caralup.jpg"></div>
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<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 5px;">The pianist composer Dr Allan Zavod has listed his Avoca property (pictured above). It provided inspirational views of the Pyrenees Ranges in Victoria's central highlands for the musician's piece The Environmental Symphony. Zavod was discovered by jazz legend Duke Ellington, who arranged for him to further his jazz studies at the prestigious Berklee School of Music in Boston, where he later became a professor. As a film composer Allan has scored over 30 films including a movie with the legendary Eric Clapton. The eight-hectare holding has been listed at $348,500 through Elders Ballarat agent Josh Todd. It comes with a mudbrick and cedar house with two bedrooms, plus guesthouse studio. The buyer will have the option to buy a neighbouring eight-hectare block for $75,000.</div>
<div><img src="/images/stories/2012/06/bermer.jpg"></div>
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<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 5px;">The Hunter Sports Group boss Troy Palmer is the immediate direct beneficiary of his boss Nathan Tinkler’s decision to quit Newcastle for Singapore. Palmer has bought one of Tinkler’s redundant beachside Merewether properties (pictured above) for $2.8 million – at under the commonly believed market value. Tinkler bought the four-bedroom, three-bathroom 2006-built Merewether house for a then bullish record-setting $4.3 million in 2008 from the rugby league legend Andrew Johns. Palmer’s same-day exchange settlement was in wife Emma’s name last month. The 34% price drop shocked several estate agents. “It turns out Nathan Tinkler's sale was a 'friendly deal', so should be seen as out of line by valuers,” one agent has tweeted.</div>
Prior to working at the Tinkler Group, the Newcastle-born and raised Troy Palmer was the chief financial officer of Bluetongue Brewery, another well-known Newcastle organization. Palmer was responsible for the acquisition of the Newcastle Knights and Newcastle Jets. Tinkler retains his other Merewether holding, a two-block 1,587-square-metre amalgamation overlooking Bar and Dixon Park beaches, which cost an $8.8 million total in 2008. Locals reports it’s been in limbo since a development application for a six-bedroom Rosie Stollery-designed compound was approved in June last year.
<div>
<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 5px;">And it seems that another high flyer has relocated overseas. It's the talk of the betting industry that the reclusive Zeljko Ranogajec – reputed to be one of the world's biggest gamblers – has departed our shores. Title Tattle gathers his Balmoral Slopes abode has been vacated. And another pricier holding lies relatively dormant despite its mega-mansion potential. The only property in his name got sold for $2.4 million earlier this month, although Title Tattle has gleaned its into a company directed by Ranogajec who also goes by the name John Wilson. The paperwork was signed in London, giving a clue to his possible current location. SMH investigative reporter Kate McClymont recently wrote that Ranogajec told associates last year the ATO was demanding about $900 million for 10 years of back taxes, penalties and interest. Not that his audit has apparently formally concluded. McClymont suggests Ranogajec's gambling operation represented an estimated 8% of Tabcorp's $10 billion annual revenue. His wagers with Betfair's Australian outfit are believed to be a third of the total revenue.</div>
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The Block 2012 presenter Scott Cam spends $670,000 on a Mollymook retreat: Title Tattle 

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The Basement club at Circular Quay is on the market after its owners have decided to conclude their 13-year tenure.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/basement1.jpg">
There are 10 years left on the lease, according to the Spencer-Carr Property listing agents.
Since opening in 1973 the premises have had the likes of Neil Diamond through to Prince grace its stage.
It’s being marketed as suitable for alternate licensed food and beverage concepts.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/basement2.jpg">
“It will obviously appeal to quality music industry professionals, but can also be evolved into a variety of successful licensed food and beverage concepts,” Adam Spencer-Carr suggests.
The venue holds a 24-hour hotel licence and a 550-person capacity located at Circular Quay over two levels.
Licensees Tim Read and Jane Burridge are selling to pursue other priorities.
In a statement published by Fairfax Media, they said they had spruced the place up, but resisted pressure to install poker machines.
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Basement club at Circular Quay looking for another owner

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It's taken a few days for the immediate impact of the NSW budget housing initiatives to sink in.
The initial headlines exulted Treasurer Mike Baird’s decisions.
But there are emerging short-term humps – through the creation of needlessly complex artificial deadlines – for the NSW housing and property industries to overcome.
And then some serious long-term consequences that could potentially effect residential property across Australia.
After all, NSW has broken from the 12-year-long pact that has given established home sellers the potential benefit of buyers with the first home buyers’ grant.
Now established home sellers in NSW will not get any benefit from the grant that derives from Howard government GST introduction negotiations with the states in 2000.
The short-term issues are timetabling issues for buyers and property developers.
It was pointed out by Property Observer shortly after Tuesday's midday budget that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/landlords/nsw-property-investors-condundrum-take-the-%2422490-housing-bonus-now-or-just-%245000-after-july-1/2012061255081">NSW investors faced an immediate conundrum.</a>
It’s actually a NSW government-induced “money or the box” scenario.
And the government really should know better than create a situation where property investment is an even bigger lottery than normal.
For the next 16 days investors have a zero stamp duty option – and the potential saving of $22,490 through the NSW home builders' bonus.
It’s available if investor buyers put a deposit down for an off-the-plan purchase or new house costing less than $600,000.
But from July 1, 2012, the best deal for government grants will be a fixed $5,000 offering in a new scheme for investors of new homes, whether off the plan or newly built.
It then became apparent from the budget papers minutiae that first-home buyers face a timetabling scenario too – as they might best hold off their buying to await the full bonus until October.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/budget-s-first-home-buyer-%248000-bonus-might-actually-pause-nsw-new-home-purchasing-until-october/2012061355094">Property Observer advised its readers on the day after the budge</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/budget-s-first-home-buyer-%248000-bonus-might-actually-pause-nsw-new-home-purchasing-until-october/2012061355094">t</a> that despite the NSW government’s best intentions, sales of new houses and apartments to first-time buyers could possibly ease off temporarily until October 1.
Savvy first-home buyers might delay their new home acquisitions to secure an $8,000 bonus based on a $550,000 new dwelling.
The entitlement of first-home buyers who sign a purchase contract for a new home between yesterday's state budget and September 30 is $20,240 + $7,000 totalling $27,240.
But wait until October 1 and it’s $20,240 + $15,000, or a maximum total of $35,240.
Those immediate glowing headlines didn't quite contain the requisite consequential details required by the welcoming property development industry hardheads.
In some sense the drilling down into the details doesn't reveal anything too serious in the short term for the property development industry, which it has to be said retains its repeated podium placing when it comes to awards for getting government handouts.
But both deadline issues are the by-product of governments that nowadays regularly delay the introduction of special initiatives, presumably so that they get two lots of favourable headlines – on announcement and then on implementation.
Government by press release.
Recall the Queensland Treasurer Andrew Fraser unveiled his $10,000 new home building boost grant in his June 2011 budget. And the home building industry immediately went dead because its introduction date wasn’t until August 1.
Accordingly, Queensland led a national fall in dwelling approvals in June, with an 18.6% fall compared with May highlighting the naïve, and often cruel, hand of government intervention.
Veteran NSW unit builder Harry Triguboff has cottoned on that changes announced by the NSW government to home buyer incentives are set to create short-term distortions especially between July 1 and October 1.
“Nothing will happen,” he told the Australian Financial Review.
“The government will have killed the investors and still not given birth to the first-home buyers.”
But between now and July 1 when it comes to investors Triguboff says: “we have to go hell-for-leather to sell before July 1 to investors, because they’ll still get something.”
Three months then elapses before the October 1 start of the full $32,450 generosity of the new first-home owners’ grant and stamp duty concessions.
“For the [interim] months, it’s going to be hopeless,” Triguboff says.
“I cannot enter into an agreement and say we’ll exchange it after October; it’s illegal. I would defeat the purpose of what the government is doing.”
The new package excludes the buyers of existing homes altogether. And industry chief are optimistically suggesting little impact on the first-home buyer market when it comes to established unit and house sales.
Real Estate Institute of NSW Tim McKibbin didn’t like the decision but says he did not expect any significant changes to the second-hand market. And Raine &amp; Horne chief Angus Raine also says the second-hand market would experience little impact.
But that's not what's emerged from January 1, 2012 after the NSW government's initial decision to shift first-home buyer interest towards new homes and away from established homes. It was in last year's NSW budget.
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The latest numbers show a dramatic downturn in first home buying as indicated in the latest report on NSW housing by CBRE. Following the initial removal of concessions for existing homes from January 1, 2012, the data indicates first home buyers constituted 15.1% of the market in early 2012, down from the over-representative 26.3% in December 2011, when there was a rush by first-home buyers to get the then bigger government handout.
First-home buyer activity is now sitting at 2005 levels, CBRE notes, in the wake of the first stage of the phasing out of the concessions for existing home purchases. It will be interesting to see the renewed consequences of the further narrowing of buying options which ofcourse comes accompanied by a generous increase in government handout for first time buyers of new homes. But will it get to new house buyers or just new unit buyers?
B<a href=""></a>oosting housing on the city fringe takes time and will require a quantum shift in Gen Y buying location preferences. So surely most of the short-term buyers will use their grant on new apartments in the inner and middle ring suburbs, an industry which is not doing too badly at the moment.
"This budget is meant for cottages, and nobody wants cottages,” Triguboff says.
“They all want apartments.”
Escalation in the off the plan prices of trendy new inner city studios will be worth watching during 2012.
An interesting tip from Ted Hoskin, the CBRE NSW residential mortgage valuations senior director, is that down the track the main buying activity, and therefore beneficiaries, arising from the state budget decisions will be seen in the new home sector in the north and south-west growth centres.
The golden era of government grants assisting the established housing market is ending.
Not so much because governments ever viewed it as the disparagingly dubbed "first home sellers' grant" but rather because the emphasis is understandably fixed on poor construction numbers and housing shortages. So standby for the other state governments proposing their initiatives to also seek to turn around housing supply shortages.
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NSW budget’s needlessly complex artificial deadlines and decisions have short-term and long-term consequences for residential property

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The Block 2011 contestants Rod and Tania Walsh, have bought a $570,000 renovator’s delight in Port Melbourne with the assistance of their prize money.
Last traded six decades ago, the cottage was described as a “premium opportunity that astute developers, renovators and investors will find too good to refuse”.
It was offered as an ultra-modern townhouse site but the couple are set to utilise the home's period-inspired charm by restoring the home to its former glory.
It was sold by Buxton agent Rowan Lee.
The two-bedroom cottage, with high ceilings and baltic timber floors, comes with potential city views, subject to council-approved plans.
“We don't plan on renovating our new property for a year or so,” Tania says <a href="https://www.rodandtania.com.au/index.php/blog" target="_blank">on the couple's blog</a>, as the Gippsland-based couple are actually about to start a major renovations on their Warragul home first.
The couple tweeted they’d undertaken a mini-makeover this week to ensure the Port Melbourne cottage was habitable by a family member in the meantime.
It’s within walking distance of bustling Port Melbourne’s main street and foreshore, set between Bay Street and Pickles Street.
“Rod and I have been looking for a reno property in Melbourne since after we finished at The Block last year,” Tania says.
“We loved living in Melbourne, so it made our mind up that we should try to find a bargain to do up.
“The only suburbs we were looking at were Richmond, South Melbourne, the site of the new Block series, and Port Melbourne,” she says.
She says she expects to do the “most amazing” renovation.
“And of course we will be doing the majority of it ourselves,” she says.
Rod and Tania Walsh's property at 43 Cameron Street was bought at $922,000 by a Melbourne couple as an investment through Jellis Craig agent Clayton Smith last August. It was $72,000 over reserve, but not officially counted as the winning renovation as it was several days after the auction night. The couple got to keep the $72,000 above reserve amount.
Only one house – 39 Cameron Street, Richmond, renovated by Polly Porter and Waz Jones – actually sold under the hammer, at $855,000, which was $15,000 above the reserve. They kept the $15,000, along with the $100,000 overall prize.
Amie and Katrina – the sisters from rural NSW – sold subsequent to auction at its $860,000 reserve.
The Block's Richmond dearest offering, with a $950,000 reserve, was Josh and Jenna's double-fronted property, which the couple sold for $1 million.
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Having pocketed $72,000 in Richmond, The Block 2011 contestants Rod and Tania take their DIY skills to Port Melbourne

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A new Monopoly board featuring Sydney landmarks and streets is to be launched in November.
The public is being encouraged to nominate the city's entries via Facebook.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/monopoly.jpg">
The first to “like” the Sydney Monopoly Facebook page was lord mayor Clover Moore, who nominated King Street, Newtown, Glebe Point Road and Oxford Street as her suggestions. The lord mayor said a global city like Sydney deserved to be immortalised in the world’s most famous game.
“I’d encourage everyone to have their say about which Sydney streets should replace those famous London names like Fleet Street and Pall Mall.”
Woollahra mayor Susan Wynne wants Queens Street, Woollahra.
“I love Monopoly, and I think it’s fantastic that it going to be updated with a local feel,” she told the Wentworth Courier.
“Wolseley Road Point Piper, without a doubt, has to take the position of Mayfair,” says James McCowan from Raine &amp; Horne Double Bay.
Even the Swans AFL could get a guernsey on the board.
The naming continues until Sunday, June 24, to nominate a location via the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sydneymonopoly" target="_blank">Sydney Monopoly Facebook page</a> or <a href="mailto:info@winningmoves.com.au">email Winning Moves, </a> which is the manufacturers of the official Monopoly Sydney version, under licence from Hasbro.
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Soon you can buy the Harbour Bridge, as Sydney Monopoly board game to launch in November

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.

[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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149637 project_image_fid=351031]

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.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=149637]

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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