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The rental vacancy rate for Melbourne in March was 2.3%, a slight rise compared with the 2% recorded in December, according to the Real Estate Institute of Victoria.
It’s been sitting above 2% for 10 consecutive months, the first time since 2005.
REIV chief Enzo Raimondo says the level of vacant properties is “reasonably consentient” in the suburbs between zero and 20 kilometres from the CBD, with the inner-city vacancy rate at 2.3% compared with 2.4% in December.
The middle suburbs’ vacancy rate sits at 2.3%, compared to 1.2%.
“It is also clear that there is a higher level of vacancies in the suburbs within four kilometres of the CBD,” he says.
In regional Victoria the vacancy rate is 1.6%, continuing the trend of fewer vacant rental homes compared with Melbourne.
Of the three main regional centres, Ballarat now has the lowest level of vacancies, with 0.5% compared with 1.3% in December.
Bendigo, which has been below 1% for just under a year, has a vacancy rate of 0.9% compared with 0.5% in December.
“In both cases vacant rental homes are in short supply,” Raimondo says.
Geelong is more similar to Melbourne, with a vacancy rate of 2%, which has improved substantially for renters from the 0.9% recorded in December.
 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Melbourne rental vacancy rises slightly in March: REIV

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CUA, the customer-owned financial institution, will cut its variable home loan to 6.47% from Wednesday, May 9.
It represents a cut of just 25 basis points from its 6.72% rate, but is still a 50 basis point discount to the current average of the major banks after two of the big four (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/overseas/nab-first-of-big-four-banks-to-cut-rates-with-032-percentage-point-cut/2012050254522">NAB </a>and <a target="_blank" href="/news">Commonwealth Bank</a>) have made their announcements, CUA notes. 
The CUA claim will need to be adjusted after tomorrow's <a target="_blank" href="/news">Westpac announcement</a> and then again after ANZ makes its move next Friday.
CUA also announced it will cut its three-year fixed rate to 5.89%.
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CUA drops rates by 25 basis points but still much cheaper than the big banks

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The site of popular Fitzroy bar The Night Cat on Johnston Street has been listed for May 24 auction with $3.2 million plus expectations.
The bar has occupied the 670-square-metre building on the 842-square-metre Young Street corner location for nearly two decades.
Now the site is being marketed for its redevelopment potential.
<img src="/images/stories/nightcat1.jpg">
The Night Cat pays annual rent of $195,000, with a fixed 4% increase due February 2013 taking the passing rental to $202,772.48 per year net.
The lease expires January 2014, with no further options.
<img src="/images/stories/nightcat2.jpg">
Before opening as a bar in the early 1990s, The Night Cat site was a Greek reception room.
The receiver and manager PKF has appointed Colliers International's Jeremy Gruzewski and Andrew Ryan in conjunction with CBRE's Mark Wizel and Scott Callow.
<img src="/images/stories/nightcat3.jpg">
The receivership relates to an internal Deutsch family dispute. Their company bought the property in 1987 for $520,000.
Gruzewski says the Night Cat proprietor has indicated strong intentions to continue trading at the premises and is keen to talk directly with any interested buying party.
 
 
 
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Sun could be setting on Fitzroy bar The Night Cat as premises listed for auction  

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Rental increases on one-bedroom Sydney apartments – long considered the Cinderella of property investment – are now often exceeding rental growth increases on two-bedroom units.
And the one-bedroom units are no  longer confined to Sydney’s inner-city suburbs, with new developments in middle-ring council areas like Canterbury and Rockdale highlighting the trend, according to PRDnationwide research analyst Oded Reuveni-Etzioni.
Investors with one bedders are yielding strong gains in the median rental price, the study found.
Canterbury Council median one-bedroom rent increases have averaged 11.8% per annum over the five years to December 2011, according to PRDnationwide research analysis of government rental data across Sydney, the Hunter and Illawarra regions.
Strong gains in the median rent price of one-bedroom units were also recorded in the Rockdale municipality, along with the local government areas of Parramatta, Ashfield and Ryde.
The one-bedroom rental increases in Canterbury, Rockdale, Parramatta, Ashfield and Ryde easily exceeded the rental growth achieved with two-bedroom units over the past five years.
<img src="/images/stories/prdmay31.gif">
Source: PRDnationwide
Campbelltown was the strongest-performing local government area for two-bedroom units, with the median rent for a two-bedroom unit increasing by 12.6% per annum since December 2006.
<img src="/images/stories/prdmay32.gif">
Source: PRDnationwide
Fairfield, Liverpool and Canterbury also yielded strong rental rises during the period.
The City of Sydney recorded the highest rent price for both one- and two-bedroom units, with a median rent of $500 and $670 per week respectively.
Sydney City represented the largest unit rental market in NSW, with 30,139 government rental bonds held as of December 2011.
Sydney was closely followed by the Waverley local government area, with a weekly rent of $488 (one-bedroom unit) and $630 (two-bedroom unit).
Other municipalities to appear in top 10 highest rent price lists were Woollahra, Canada Bay and North Sydney, which represents the third largest unit rental market in the state, with 11,359 government-held bonds.
Maitland was the strongest performer outside of Sydney with 10% annual increases over the past five years for its two bedroom units.
PRD suggests the growth stemmed from large infrastructure projects that drew a transient population of construction workers, and from mining employees relocating to the Hunter and choosing to rent in the short term.
The highest regional rent price was paid in the Newcastle district, where a two-bedroom apartment recorded a median rent of $320 per week.
The City of Wollongong made up the largest rental market outside the metropolitan area, with 7,244 bonds held at December 2011.
“Savvy investors are attuned to the changing preferences of renters and recognise the growing rental markets in the middle and outer suburbs of the metropolitan area,” Reuveni-Etzioni says.
“Investment opportunities also exist in areas outside the metropolitan area, where strong demand and limited supply of units maintains the pressure on rent prices.”
Images courtesy of <a href="https://www.flickr.com/" target="_blank">Flickr</a>.
Apartment photo by<a href="https://www.allshotsimaging.com.au/" target="_blank"> Allshots Imaging</a>.
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One-bedroom apartments no longer property investment Cinderellas as rental growth spikes in NSW: PRDnationwide

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Westpac chief executive Gail Kelly says she will announce the bank's response to Tuesday's surprise supersized RBA rate cut tomorrow. And <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/interest-rates-to-fall-to-3.25-over-2012-shock-prediction-from-westpac-economist-bill-evans/2012050154508">backing her senior economist Bill Evans</a>, the Westpac boss says she believes there is room for another 50-basis-point cut by RBA in the future.
Australia’s second-biggest bank today reported a 25% fall in net profit to $2.967 billion for the first half of fiscal 2012, given tax consolidation from its St George acquisition had boosted last year's profits. Its net income matched analysts’ estimates.
Cash earnings in the six months ended March 31 gained 1% to $3.2 billion.
 
 
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Gail Kelly says Westpac interest rate decision coming tomorrow after RBA rate cut

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The Oxley family has listed a portion of its Darling Point harbourfront estate for May 15 auction.
The two-storey house comes with four bedrooms, an office and three Art Deco bathrooms. It sits on a 1,087-square-metre Sutherland Crescent block, having been built in the 1930s. It retains terrazzo finishes, curved feature windows and solid-timber joinery. Its lounge, dining and family areas take advantage of the harbour views. There is also an interior courtyard.
Its garaging once made the headlines given its distinctive Glenn Murcutt style. Murcutt also undertook some alterations to the house during the late 1980s.
More than $11 million is being sought by Brad Pillinger at Pillinger Property. It last traded in the 1970s, the last of three houses bought around their historic holding, Carthona. It’s been the home of Christopher Oxley and his wife, Tracey Anne, of the Bushells Tea family, who are moving into a new house on the estate.
 
 
 
 
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Darling Point 1930s Art Deco harbourfront offering: Title Tattle 

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Purrumbete, the 10-bedroom bluestone homestead in Victoria's Western District, has been relisted with a $6 million asking price.
Set on Lake Purrumbete, the house comes with a 1902 great hall lined with six Walter Withers murals telling how the Manifold family settled the area in the 1830s. The Manifolds replaced the original slab hut with a bluestone and weatherboard house in the 1840s, which was incorporated into a larger residence in the 1850s and then in 1901 the architect Guyon Purchas undertook extensions and renovations for it to become a striking example of Art Nouveau architecture.
It's been listed by B&amp;B operators Max and Ann Magilton, who've occasionally quipped that they bought six paintings with a house and farm attached. They paid $2 million in 2000 to the Haldane family, the cheese making family who pioneered the importation of South American alpacas.
Earlier in Purrembete's ownership the late Sydney stockbroker Rene Rivkin, attracted by the Withers murals, bought the 170-hectare property for $1.5 million from David Marriner in 1987 and then followed it up with his purchase of the Walter Withers painting Allegory to Spring, which the Manifolds had commissioned to hang in the adjoining Purrembete room. Against a background of blossom-laden wattle and peach trees, it depicts a young girl clad in blue and white gossamer garments stirred by the winds of spring, who is moving with swift step past two shorn lambs to the destiny of love, which inevitably awaits her, according to Fanny Withers’ short biography of Walter. The painting cost $190,000 at a 1987 auction at Joel's.
The murals had gained public attention in the late 1980s and again in the early '90s when the two consecutive high-profile owners, David Marriner and Rene Rivkin, tried to strip them from the house.
With its Withers murals still intact, the bluestone homestead was resold by Rivkin in May 1991 for $950,000 and then later during the same recession Rivkin sold the painting at Sotheby's for $66,000. The property sale represented a 36% net loss; the painting, 60%.
The existing estate on 170 hectares, some 75 minutes from Geeling, is being marketed by Charles Stewart Geelong agent Andrew Wright. It initially hit the market in late 2010 with $5 million-plus hopes which seemingly meant $6 million.
 
 
 
 
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Six Walter Withers murals – with a 10-bedroom Victoria Western District homestead thrown in – listed for $6 million

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The Commonwealth Bank Group will reduce interest rates by 0.4 percentage points per annum from May 11. The bank’s new standard variable rate is 7.01%.
“In making this decision, the group has continued to balance the interests of its 1.8 million home loan borrowers with those of its 11 million depositors, and those of its shareholders, who include 800,000 Australians who own its shares directly, and millions more Australians who own shares through pension funds,” the bank advised.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/overseas/nab-first-of-big-four-banks-to-cut-rates-with-032-percentage-point-cut/2012050254522" target="_blank">NAB cut its rate by 0.35 percentage points to 6.99% yesterday, with the cut to take effect May 4.</a>
 
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Commonwealth Bank to cut rates by 40 basis points after RBA rate cut

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An industrial property at Clayton in Melbourne’s south-east industrial zone has been listed for sale with appeal to owner-occupiers, developers or investors. The property is expected to fetch about $7 million through Savills Notting Hill agent Lynton Williams.
<img src="/images/stories/whiteside.jpg">
“It has a large site of over three hectares, substantial buildings, acres of hardstand, and extensive street frontages providing excellent subdivision and/or redevelopment potential, subject to council approval,” Williams says.
"It is also superbly located within the heart of Clayton with easy access to the M1 Freeway via Blackburn Road and within close proximity of the Princes Highway.’’
Entry into and out of the site was ideal for articulated vehicles. The property comprises an office (881 square metres) and warehouse (7,860 square metres) and hardstand areas. The 3.073-hectare site has frontages to both Whiteside and Fairbank roads.
 
 
 
 
 
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Clayton industrial property seeking $7 million buyer

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NAB has become the first of the big four banks to announce its standard variable home loan interest rate reduction after yesterday's RBA interest rate cut of 50 basis points.
The bank will cut its standard variable home loan rate by 0.32 percentage points to 6.99% pa. The new NAB standard variable home loan rate will be effective from Friday, May 4. ANZ won't be making its announcement on its rates until Friday, May 11.
<img src="/images/stories/nabtweet.gif">
The bank tweeted its announcement at 3.45pm on Wednesday.
In its subsequent press relaase NAB Personal Banking executive Lisa Gray said NAB had offered the lowest standard variable home loan rate of the major banks for 34 months and was committed to staying the lowest of the majors for 2012.
“Decisions on lending rates are not taken lightly, but we are determined to provide our customers with certainty through our commitment to stay the lowest of the major banks for the rest of 2012."

 
 

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NAB first of big four banks to cut rates with 0.32 percentage point cut - and it's from Friday

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

Joel Robinson

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

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

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

Buying into a masterplanned community often means committing to a vision still years from taking shape. At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a>, that vision is already visible.

Residents have moved into the completed first stage, landscaped spaces are established, and the next chapter is now underway. Stage 1 has been completed and settled, with Stage 2 now selling off-the-plan.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/pbd-architects">PBD Architects</a>, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> combines attainable apartment living with sustainability initiatives rarely seen at this price point, including rooftop solar, battery storage and a resident EV-sharing program.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6RNt3AvtBpI?si=JUhuCV2ZRXsYaoJZ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Located on Schofi​elds Road, just moments from Tal​lawong Metro Station and Schof​ields Train Station, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> has been designed to appeal to a broad mix of buyers, from first-home purchasers looking for a foothold in Sy​dney's property market to downsizers seeking a connected, low-maintenance lifestyle.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> has been conceived as a thoughtfully planned masterplanned community that will evolve over multiple stages, with buyers now able to secure one, two and three-bedroom apartments within a neighbourhood that is already beginning to establish its identity.

One of the project's defining features is its focus on sustainability. Solar energy systems, battery storage and future EV charging infrastructure have been incorporated throughout the development, reflecting a long-term approach to both environmental performance and everyday convenience.

Sustainability sits at the centre of the development's vision, with solar energy systems, battery storage and future EV charging infrastructure integrated throughout the community.

That emphasis on future-ready living extends beyond the technology. Landscaped communal gardens, outdoor gathering spaces and plans for a future retail precinct aim to create a neighbourhood where residents can access daily conveniences without travelling far from home.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149637 project_image_fid=351027]

The apartments themselves have been designed with liveability front of mind. Rather than chasing maximum density, the focus has been placed on creating practical homes with generous natural light, usable layouts and strong connections to outdoor space.

Importantly, these design principles have been applied consistently across the one, two and three-bedroom apartment offerings.

The appeal of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> is also closely linked to its location within Syd​ney's rapidly evolving north-west growth corridor. Over the past decade, major infrastructure investment has transformed the area, with new transport links, business precincts and community facilities reshaping suburbs like Talla​wong and Schofiel​ds.

The agent says buyers are increasingly recognising the area's long-term potential.

"Typical buyers that we're finding across <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> especially are your first-home buyers, your investors, your upsizers as well as your downsizers," Hawes says.

Connectivity remains one of the project's strongest drawcards. Residents have access to both Tallaw​ong Metro Station and Schofi​elds Train Station, providing links to the Sydn​ey CBD, Norw​est Business Park, Macquari​e Park and other major employment hubs. Retail centres including Rous​e Hill Town Centre and Sch​ofields Village are also nearby, alongside schools, parks and future healthcare infrastructure.

[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] 
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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.

[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] 
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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] 
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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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