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Prime Minister Julia Gillard has taken aim at the states' stamp duties on home purchases in her opening speech of the government's economic forum in Brisbane.
It was briefly raised in the context of how the nation improved its competitiveness through increased labour mobility.
She linked the issue of labour shortages in the mining sector to stamp duties on real estate transactions.
"We've got to talk about labour mobility… We've got to crack this nut. Workforce is one of the real nubs of the economic discussion in Australia.
"We've worked on national licensing of professions and trades and on incentives for welfare to work, and now we're turning attention to more improvements to jobs services, and to issues like state transaction taxes on property as well."
Stamp duties on conveyancing sits among the biggest sources of revenue for most state governments.
The ACT government has begun a 20-year stamp duty phasing out to be replaced by higher annual property rates.options to replace stamp duty are concerned, this really only leaves the one that was ignored: GST.
Enzo Raimondo, the CEO of the Real Estate Institute of Victoria, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/tax/increased-gst-is-the-only-real-alternative-to-stamp-duty-enzo-raimondo/2012061255068" target="_blank">suggested yesterday that the GST had to figure promintly in any considerastion of options to replace stamp duty.</a>
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Julia Gillard takes aim at state stamp duties at economic forum

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Despite the NSW government’s best intentions, sales of new houses and apartments to first time buyers might actually ease off 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.
The off-the-plan sales industry has been enjoying a sales fillip – compared with the rest of the Sydney market – in the lead-up to the initial June 30 deadline, which has now been rolled over until September 30.
They might just get an unexpected pause.
No doubt some buyers will seek to negotiate their way around the situation by seeking to put a red dot sticker on their desired abode and hope it doesn't get sold in the meantime. Getting an option to purchase is entering a legal minefield.
An eligible transaction is: (a) a contract made on or after October 1, 2012 for the purchase of a new home in New South Wales, or (b) a comprehensive home building contract made on or after October 1, 2012.
A contract for the sale or transfer is not eligible if it replaces an agreement made before October 1, 2012.
There are <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/the-11-things-you-need-to-secure-the-%2435240-saving-under-the-nsw-first-home-owners-grant-scheme/2012061255076">11 important rules relating to eligibility</a>.
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Budget's first-home buyer $8,000 bonus might actually pause NSW new home purchasing until October

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The Reserve Bank of Australia governor Glenn Stevens says the mining boom is not to blame for Australia's multi-speed economy.
Stevens suggested the economy was always a patchwork, "never a seamlessly woven garment."
"It's very rare that all sectors and all regions go at the same speed at the same time.
"Usually, if that's happening it's a recession or an unsustainable boom."
The major shift in household spending combined with saving patterns was now the overriding influence on the Australian economy, he told the federal government's economic forum in Brisbane.
"I actually think that a lot of the disquiet and dissatisfaction that we see isn't really related to the mining boom at all," Stevens said.
"I think it's got a lot to do with changes of household behaviour, which come after a very unusual period of strong spending, leveraging up and saving nothing out of current income.
"And that was bound to end sooner or later, and it has. In fact, it ended about five years ago," he said.
"And we are still, I think, coming to grips with the importance of that now, and I think it's a significant factor that is behind some of the disquiet we see."
Stevens noted productivity growth had fallen in the past six to eight years, and would take "unpopular decisions to turn it around," the ABC reported.
He was urging the Government to carry out the Productivity Commission's "long list" of reform ideas, although he warns that some of the changes will be very difficult to implement, and "politically hard" for governments to achieve.
There were 14 charts within Stevens's speech.
Property Observer publishes five of them that give an insight into the state of the economy for prospective property investors.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/rbajune131.gif">
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The RBA's glass-half-full chart presentation to the Prime Minister's global economy forum

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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 below) for $2.8 million – at under the commonly believed market value.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/bermer.jpg">
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.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/bermerflicker.jpg">
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.
Title Tattle understands the modern house was vacated by the family shortly after the theft last year of his $500,000 Ferrari California, which was stolen from his garage and later torched.
Tinkler, who built his fortune with three big coal deals, has an estimated $915 million wealth according to the latest BRW. According to Forbes magazine, Tinkler is Australia’s 26th-richest person, with a net worth of around $825 million in 2012.
His major NSW family home is at Coffs Harbour.
"His principal place of residence would now be described as Singapore," his spokesman, Tim Allerton, told Fairfax Media.
"He just wants to be closer to the markets, to Asia."
Allerton said Tinkler's wife, Rebecca, and their four school-age children were also preparing to leave for Singapore.
Allerton has advised the move was to be closer to some of his key investors, the operations of his investments would remain in Australia.
Singapore is “an essential part of Asia … and he’s got some financiers and investors in Singapore - he just feels it’s more comfortable, he enjoys the city and wants to base himself there,” Allerton said.
Singapore is known for its relatively low tax and pro-business environment, with wealthy foreigners drawn by its low crime rate and high privacy without local tabloid media excesses.
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Singapore-bound Nathan Tinkler sells Merewether property to his executive Troy Palmer for a friendly – and possibly underpriced – $2.8 million

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The NSW budget failed to respond to the real challenges facing the market, according to the Real Estate Institute of NSW president Christian Payne, as it left the bulk of the property market “out in the cold”.
“The absence of stamp duty reform, the lack of incentives for purchasers and sellers of existing property and the failure to kick start the investment sector are real failings of today’s budget,” Payne says.
“While the first-home buyer is an important part of the market, the fact is that the vast bulk of all residential property transactions are for existing dwellings.
“Purchasers and vendors of those [existing] properties have simply been left out in the cold,” he says noting the $7000 First Home Owner Grant - in operation since 2000 and available for both new and exisiting purchases - will soon cease to exist to be replaced by a $5000 grant for new homes only.
“The budget has failed to respond to the real challenges facing the market,” Payne says.
“What we needed to see today was the state government doing its part to back up the Reserve Bank’s heavy lifting in cutting interest rates to reinvigorate a flagging market.
“Unfortunately that did not occur,” he says.
“Given the growing storm clouds over the international economy and an already underperforming property sector, today’s budget was the opportunity for the government to take decisive steps to stimulate the market.”
"Think new," was the response of the Treasurer Mike Baird when asked what he would say to those who could soon miss out on any government assistance.
"This is a fantastic day for you - there is an opportunity to get into a housing market like never before," he told the post-budget press conference.
"The generosity we're providing in terms of the first home buyers grant together with the stamp duty concessions, says to the first home buyers 'Think new'," 7 News reported.
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Most NSW home buyers and sellers ‘out in the cold’ after budget: REINSW

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NSW investors have a deadline, which includes an interesting long-term punt on the price direction of property over the next year or two.
For the next 18 days they 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's for purchases up to $650,000 and also applies to buyers of vacant land up to $450,000.
Real Estate Institute of New South Wales president Christian Payne says the lack of incentives for investors after July 1, 2012 “will only translate into more bad news down the track for those struggling to find accommodation in the state’s already tight rental market".
“Investors after July 1st will be on average $17,490 worse off on a $600,000 purchase off the plan than if they bought the same property today,” he says.
Over the next 18 days Property Observer will publish forecasts by experts as to the merits of buying now, or delaying one's purchase.
 
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NSW property investors’ condundrum: take the $22,490 housing bonus now or just $5,000 after July 1

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The NSW government has ramped up its generous handouts for first-time buyers buying new homes, as the NSW Treasurer Mike Baird aims his second budget at kick-starting the state’s lacklustre home building industry.
But it comes at the expense of buyers of existing homes, who will lose thousands of dollars in incentives from October 1 this year.
From October, a first-home buyer who purchases a $550,000 new home will get $35,240 in assistance. But if it is not new, the first-home buyers will secure nothing.
First-home buyers of existing properties, about 90% of the market segment, will receive no government assistance with major ramifications for estate agents who sell existing properties in this market.
Property investors can also expect land tax bill increases in the next year. Land tax revenue is forecast to grow by 8.1%.
First-home buyers will receive up to $35,240 in government handouts when purchasing a new home from October 1, for a 15 month period before its drops back.
But the longstanding $7,000 first-home owners' grant, negotiated with the federal government when the GST was introduced in 2000, will no longer be given to buyers of existing homes, replaced by a scheme that gives $5000 for only new homes.
The $600,000 threshold for new home concession has been lifted to $650,000, Baird said as part of the 2012 state budget.
Baird said for first-home buyers of new homes, the scheme was "the most generous scheme in Australia," although the Daily Telegraph report the stamp duty changes will be revenue neutral, while aiming to boost housing supply.
"Think new," was the response of the Treasurer when asked what he would say to those who could soon miss out on any government assistance.
"This is a fantastic day for you - there is an opportunity to get into a housing market like never before," he told the post-budget press conference.
"The generosity we're providing in terms of the first home buyers grant together with the stamp duty concessions, says to the first home buyers 'Think new'," 7 News reported.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/the-25-things-investors-need-to-know-about-the-nsw-%245000-new-home-grant-scheme/2012061255077" target="_blank">New Home Grant Scheme</a>
From July 1, 2012, a new $5,000 grant will be provided to buyers of new homes, whether off the plan or newly built, with a value up to $650,000 and to buyers of vacant land that is intended to be the site of a new home valued up to $450,000.
The grant is targeted at all non-first home buyers and is available to investors as well as owner-occupiers. The grant will be administered through the transfer duty payment process.
The relevant form and factsheet will be made available prior to the commencement of the grant.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/the-11-things-you-need-to-secure-the-%2435240-saving-under-the-nsw-first-home-owners-grant-scheme/2012061255076" target="_blank">First Home Owner Grant (New Home) Scheme</a>
From October 1, 2012, the first-home owner grant scheme will be replaced by the first home owner grant (new home) scheme. The new scheme will only apply to first home owners who purchase or build a new home valued at up to $650,000.
The grant will increase from $7,000 to $15,000 from October 1, 2012 to December 31, 2013 and to $10,000 from January 1, 2014.
First Home – New Home
From July 1 2012:
<ul>
<li>the transfer duty exemption cap on new homes increases to $550,000 with duty concessions for new homes valued between $550,000 and $650,000</li>
<li>the transfer duty exemption cap on vacant land increases to $350,000 with duty concessions for vacant land valued between $350,000 and $450,000</li>
</ul>
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NSW doubles its first-home grant for new homes, at the expense of the established housing market

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Buyers absented themselves from the Queens Birthday long weekend auctions in the major capital cities.

Clearance rates in both Melbourne and Sydney fell despite the reduced offerings. Sydney agents secured a 50% clearance rate, down from 55% previous weekend, according to Australian Property Monitors.

There were just the 195 Sydney listings against last weekend’s 359, and next weekend its jumps back to about 420.

With just the 130 listings, Melbourne buyers were equally absent as the clearance rate dropped from 58% to 50%, according to the Real Estate Institute of Victoria.

The REIV expects 600 auctions for the next two weekends.

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Sales volumes and clearance rates down in Melbourne and Sydney as auction buyers took Queen’s birthday weekend off

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The world’s housing market decline accelerated during the March quarter, with house price falls in 26 countries and house price gains in only 10.
Over the year house prices had fallen in 24 countries of the 36 countries for which house price statistics are available and rose in only 12 countries during the year to the first quarter of 2012, according to the Global Property Guide's latest house price indices survey.
It noted Australian house prices fell for the fifth straight quarter to be down 6.04% from a year earlier, the longest downturn for a decade.
It also noted the borrowing costs in Australia were the highest of major developed nations.
New Zealand house prices climbed by 0.82% over the year to quarter 2012, after falling 4.79% the previous year, the report noted, suggesting NZ sales activity had been strong for the last few months, with volumes at the highest levels since 2007.
The list of 36 countries was topped by the rapid rise of house prices in India (Delhi) and Brazil (Sao Paulo), although their momentum slowed during the latest quarter.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/houseprices.gif">
Over the year to quarter 1 2012, Delhi house prices skyrocketed by 24%, though during the last quarter, they fell 0.07%. House prices fell in some other Indian cities like Chennai and Kolkata year-on-year, according to NHB Residex.
In Sao Paulo house prices climbed by 18.7% in the year to the first quarter 2012. During the latest quarter there was a more moderate price rise of 2.57%.
The report recorded housing markets in Asia cooled over the year due to government measures implemented last year. House prices in Hong Kong were up 0.19% on the year, after a rise of 19.8% the previous year.
There were house price falls in Indonesia (-0.13%), Singapore (-1.36%), Tokyo, Japan (-2.64%) and Shanghai, China (-3.68%).
Europe has yet to emerge from the downturn, highlighted by Ireland’s price declines, which GPG described as catastrophic.
“It is disheartening to see more agony, yet the picture really is alarming,” GPG said.
“House prices fell 18.95% year-on-year, contrasting with a decline of 'only' 13.12% during the same period last year.
“Furthermore, house prices were down 5.19% during the latest quarter.
“Tough credit conditions, an oversupply of housing, and weak domestic demand have weighed down the Irish residential property market,” the report said.
The Global Property Guide's statistical presentation uses price changes after inflation, giving a more realistic picture than the more upbeat nominal figures usually preferred by real estate agents.
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House prices fall in 26 countries in March quarter, with Australia in longest downturn in a decade: Global Property Guide

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Casa Casuarina, the ornately decorated South Beach Miami mansion built for the late fashion designer Gianni Versace, has been listed with US$125 million (A$126.5 million) hopes.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/casa1.jpg">
The iconic Mediterranean-style estate has 10 bedrooms and 11 bathrooms – all Versace’s design – with the style kept by its current vendor, the telecommunications entrepreneur Peter Loftin.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/casa2.jpg">
The mansion was built in 1930 by architect Alden Freeman, an heir to the Standard Oil fortune, in tribute to the Alcazar de Colon, Christopher Columbus's family home in the Dominican Republic.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/casa3.jpg">
The Italian designer was gunned down on the steps of his home in 1997 by Andrew Cunanan.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/casa4.jpg">
He’d purchased the 1930s property in 1992 for US$2.05 million and spent around US$33 million to renovated and extend it into a residence of over 2,140 square metres after his 1993 purchase of the now-demolished Revere Hotel for $3.7 million.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/casa5.jpg">


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The mansion at 1116 Ocean Drive was sold to Peter Loftin for $19 million shortly after Versace’s death in 2000, making it his private residence until 2009 when he transformed it into a boutique hotel and restaurant. Loftin is fighting a foreclosure action.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/casa6.jpg">
It’s been reported the foreclosure action on the property was filed last December by VM South Beach LLC, which bought a $25 million mortgage on the property from a German bank, WestLB.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/casa7.jpg">
VM South Beach is affiliated with the Nakash family of New York, which controls Jordache Enterprises. Jordache is involved in assorted ventures from denim jeans to various hotels, including several on Miami Beach.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/casa8.jpg">
Ralph Bekkevold, an attorney with Greenberg Traurig, who represents VM South Beach in the foreclosure action, confirmed that the mortgage holder "purchased the promissory note from the German bank and is seeking to foreclose”.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/casa9.jpg">
It’s been listed by the luxury property superbrokers Jill Hertzberg and Jill Eber of Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate, who operate as The Jills.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/casa19.jpg">
Its hotel operators the Villa by Barton G have an eight-year lease. Barton G. Weiss, the proprietor of the Miami Beach hotel business, says a 10-year lease was signed in 2010 with an option to extend for 10 additional years.
Photographs copyright <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thejills.com/blog/2012/6/coldwell-banker-residential-real-estate's-the-jills-list-the-casa-casuarina-for-%24125-million.htm">TheJills</a>
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Miami mansion Casa Casuarina, built for Gianni Versace, listed with US$125 million hopes as owner fights foreclosure

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.

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The apartments themselves have been designed with liveability front of mind. Rather than chasing maximum density, the focus has been placed on creating practical homes with generous natural light, usable layouts and strong connections to outdoor space.

Importantly, these design principles have been applied consistently across the one, two and three-bedroom apartment offerings.

The appeal of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> is also closely linked to its location within Syd​ney's rapidly evolving north-west growth corridor. Over the past decade, major infrastructure investment has transformed the area, with new transport links, business precincts and community facilities reshaping suburbs like Talla​wong and Schofiel​ds.

The agent says buyers are increasingly recognising the area's long-term potential.

"Typical buyers that we're finding across <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> especially are your first-home buyers, your investors, your upsizers as well as your downsizers," Hawes says.

Connectivity remains one of the project's strongest drawcards. Residents have access to both Tallaw​ong Metro Station and Schofi​elds Train Station, providing links to the Sydn​ey CBD, Norw​est Business Park, Macquari​e Park and other major employment hubs. Retail centres including Rous​e Hill Town Centre and Sch​ofields Village are also nearby, alongside schools, parks and future healthcare infrastructure.

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For Stage 1 resident Roji, it is the balance between convenience and comfort that has defined the experience of living at Kew.

"For me, it's a balance of quality and convenience," she says. "Everything I need is right here."

"If I wanted to catch the train, Scho​fields Station is just around the corner. Tallaw​ong Metro connects me to the city."

More importantly, she says, the development has delivered something that cannot be measured in floorplans or specifications.

"<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> feels like home."

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As Stage 2 enters the market, that lived experience may be one of the project's strongest selling points. Buyers are not purchasing into an untested concept or a future promise. They are joining a community that is already taking shape.

Ongoing investment in transport, retail, healthcare and public open space continues to strengthen the appeal of Syd​ney's north-west growth corridor, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a>'s established first stage provides buyers with a tangible sense of the community's future direction.

For a limited time, buyer can secure a new home at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> with just a $10,000.

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Kew Tallawong: A growing community taking shape in Sydney's north-west

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

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

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

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