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The Town and Country Hotel at St Peter's Sydney, immortalised in the Duncan song by Slim Dusty <a href="https://www.mq.com.au/pol/property/search.asp?f_propertyID=1658313&amp;xsl=4468&amp;f_st=1&amp;f_ct=12&amp;f_ps=2">has been listed for May 24 Manenti Quinlan auction</a>. The hotel is on Unwin's Bridge Road.
Agent Gerry Quinlan expects $2.5 million plus for the property.
It comes with 15 poker machines and potential redevelopment possibilities. The song was actually written by Pat Alexander seven years before it topped the charts in 1981 for two weeks.
Alexander wrote the song had come out of an experience while selling life insurance.
"I love to have a beer with Duncan, I love to have a beer with Dunc. We drink in moderation, and we never, never ever get rolling drunk. We drink at the Town and Country, where the atmosphere is great. I love to have a beer with Duncan 'cause Duncan's me mate."
Alexander sent one of his discs to Slim Dusty's post office box address and it was his wife, Joy McKean, who happened to play Duncan, and liked it.
Soon it was pressed by EMI as a single, and in November 1980, Radio 2UE listeners heard John Laws play it eleven times on the first morning.
 
 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Town and Country Hotel of Slim Dusty song Duncan fame listed

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A Wategos Beach property on Byron Bay's outskirt has been sold for close to $10 million, five years after its initial listing.
It marks a return of the far north coast NSW location as one of the priciest beachfront residential locations on the east coast of Australia.
It's a Brisbane family who've bought Watermark at Wategos last week.
Watermark at Wategos consists of a residence, an apartment and two beach suites.
It sits on a 655-square-metre Marine Parade block directly opposite Wategos Beach.
The property last sold in late 2004 for $5.14 million and was listed in 2007 after its renovation.
On a small exclusive pocket beneath Cape Byron Lighthouse, the six-bedroom, six-bathroom contemporary house's modernisation was completed in early 2006. It was sold by publican Geoff Smith, whose tourism industry property portfolio includes Northey's at Cronulla and The Grand Hotel on the Gold Coast.
Watermark has four bedrooms upstairs and two self-contained one-bedroom suites on the ground floor that have been available for lease. It was listed with hopes of a sale in the double-digit millions.
The two-level property was bought in 2004 from the Stone family, who bought it in 1999 from the Dwyer family. Sydney property developer Danny Goldberg set a local record of $15.68 million in 2006 for what was a somewhat dated colonial-style house set back from the beach. The Watermark holding has a 37-metre beachfront reserve frontage.
Selling agent Graham Dunn from Byron Bay Property Sales told the local press that the luxury market in Byron Bay had picked up dramatically in the last six weeks.
"We have had six sales in this past week totalling $26 million, the cheapest of which was $1.5 million and the most expensive being Watermark at $10 million," he told the Northern Star.
Subsequent reports in the Gold Coast Bulletin cut the price range of the sales.
"The contracted deals, handled by Byron Bay Property Sales, range from $1.15 million to a $9 million-plus sum paid for Watermark at Wategos Beach, a premier residential address," it noted. of the sal
Sydney property developer Danny Goldberg set a local record a few doors along of $15.68 million in 2006 for what was a somewhat dated colonial-style house set back from the beach.
 
 
 
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Watermark at Wategos Beach sells five years after initial listing for just shy of $10 million

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Environmental scientist Professor Shelley Burgin has been appointed as the head of the Mirvac School of Sustainable Development at Bond University.
“I’m here to put the sustainability into sustainable development,” she has advised.
She has spent over three decades studying the environment, with particular emphasis on minimising the impact of urban development on native species.
Burgin joins Bond from the University of Western Sydney (UWS), where after 23 years, she was appointed as an emeritus professor on retirement.
While environmental science as a study area at Bond is relatively new, Burgin says she was attracted by the privilege of working in Australia’s first six-star green star-rated educational building, which was “huge for someone like me whose discipline area is the environment”.
As part of Bond’s Institute of Sustainable Development and Architecture, the Mirvac School of Sustainable Development sits alongside the Soheil Abedian School of Architecture, bringing architecture, development and environment under the one umbrella.
Burgin was formerly the president of the Royal Zoological Society of NSW.
 
 
 
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Professor Shelley Burgin appointed head of Mirvac School of Sustainable Development at Bond University

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Academy Award-nominated actor Toni Collette and her musician husband, David Galafassi, are next back in the NSW Supreme Court on June 6 after being sued over the failure to settle on an alleged $6 million Paddington terrace purchase.
The initial directions hearing into the matter was scheduled in mid-March.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/november8collette]}
Last October the couple were all set to buy a double-fronted Paddington terrace (pictured above) from Susie Kelly, the co-founder and owner of Industrie clothing with her husband Nick.
The Stewart Street house was snapped at an undisclosed price – but understood to be slightly more than $6 million.
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After struggling to find a buyer of their Bronte house (pictured above), <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/fickle-toni-collette-being-sued-over-property-change-of-heart-in-paddington/2012031353824">Collette and Galafassi are accused of changing their mind on the Paddington purchase</a> instead buying again at Bronte (pictured below) from the buyer of their own house.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/april24collettenew]}
Their <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/actor-toni-collette-and-muso-david-galafassi-fall-for-the-charms-of-contemporary-inner-city-paddington/2011110752250">1885 Bronte weatherboard cottage that cost $4.4 million in mid-2009</a> had been tipped to sell for around $3.5 million through its McGrath Estate Agents listing agent Bethwyn Richards. The recent transfer indicates it did finally sell for $3.5 million on its March settlement. Their new Bronte home cost a bullish $5.5 million when settled last month with a NAB mortgage.
Property lawyers say the Supreme Court could find the Paddington contract binding and the entertainment industry couple could be forced to pay any shortfall if the Paddington terrace sells again at less than its last sale price.
 
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Toni Collette back to court in June over Paddo property deal as she settles Bronte house swap: Title Tattle 

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The Block 2012’s first night in situ at Dorcas Street South Melbourne averaged a strong 1.43 million audience.
It was a nice fillip for the blockbuster reality series, whose ratings had trailed off a bit during its initial opening week when the contestants were chosen.
<img src="/images/stories/1point405m.gif">
The average audience of opening night of Channel 9’s reality property series – Monday, April 16.
 
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The average audience for Tuesday night, April 17.
 
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The average audience for Wednesday night, April 18.
 
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The average audience for Thursday night, April 19.
 
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The average audience for Friday night, April 20.
 
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The average audience for last night, Monday, April 23
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The Block audience numbers pick up as contestants move into South Melbourne 

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Retired car dealer Laurie Sutton is the undoubted kingpin of Sydney property in 2012. No sooner had he secured a near-record $20 million Mosman price, than he’s reputedly gone and bought Kalua, the Joye family’s plantation-style Palm Beach trophy home.
It too has sold at a record price for the suburb, according to well-placed chatter, as the neighbourhood expressed keenness over the weekend to welcome Laurie Sutton and his wife, Di, to Sydney's northern beaches millionaires’ playground. Word had crept out after the venture capitalist underbidder with existing Palm Beach connections was advised a sale was iminent.
It's suggested the undisclosed sale price fell a tad short of its ambitious $25 million expectations set <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/hordern-family-s-hawaiian-hideaway-on-the-market-with-reconrd-setting-palm-beach-hopes/2011091651580" target="_blank">when Kalua was listed last September</a>, perhaps closer to $23 million or so.
But nonetheless, the Joyes’ sale realised a remarkable compound capital gain on the home of about 14% per annum over 33 years of ownership, which bettered the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/chinese-buyers-playing-property-pick-a-box-but-record-mosman-price-unlikely/2012030653723" target="_blank">Suttons’ 12% annual gain for their Mosman home</a>, which was owned for a similar lengthy period. Its the second highest price ever paid for a beachfront holiday home in Australia, the highest being the $26 million Ilyuka estate at Portsea in late 2010.
Kalua is the 1920s Ocean Road holiday home best known as having been the prestige Christmas holiday rental for international luminaries including Nicole Kidman, John Cleese and James Murdoch.
Sutton and his wife will be the 1920s beach bungalow’s third owner. It was last sold by the Hordern retailing family to the more entrepreneurial Joye family, the current vendors, for $330,000 in 1978.
It’s a five-bedroom, six-bathroom house with three-bedroom guesthouse along with studio cabana, pool and tennis court on its 5,500-square-metre dress circle block overlooking Cabbage Tree Boat Harbour.
It was listed by Ken Jacobs and Darren Curtis at Christies International in conjunction with LJ Hooker Palm Beach agents David Edwards and Peter Robinson, who are under instructions not to speak with the media about any detail of the sale. Its not yet marked as sold on their websites.
There’s no confirmation whether Sutton took up the offer of taking 60% vendor financing.
"Unquestionably the most significant and coveted landholding in exclusive Palm Beach, Kalua is a beachfront sanctuary of international stature beyond compare," Jacobs said on its marketing launch.
"It is secluded amid magnificent sprawling grounds … a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as one of the eastern seaboard’s most prestigious residential offerings," Edwards added.
Kalua was one of the first properties in Palm Beach, guaranteeing its historical significance. Folklore has it that the Hordern family sent their architect by sea to Oahu, Hawaii, to copy “stick by stick and stone by stone” the impressive Dillingham plantation residence.
It was subsequently named Kalua, meaning “double” in Hawaiian. At the time of construction there were no roads into Palm Beach so all materials, including soil, had to be barged in from Newport.
By coincidence the vendor, businessman Ian Joye and wife Maggie, now spend much of their time in Hawaii, where they are building <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/leisure/the-best-private-resort-in-the-world-with-prices-that-match-the-big-name-guests/2011092951737" target="_blank">a beach home at one of the most exclusive private beachside resorts</a> in the world, <a href="https://www.kukio.com/" target="_blank">Kukio</a>.
Palm Beach's top sale was $15 million, when businessman Doug Shears bought a beachfront on the Pittwater side of the peninsula.
Sales of prestige Palm Beach listings have ranged from $4,800 per square metre to $13,000 over recent years.
Sutton’s 5154-square-metre Bay Street Mosman holding – the suburb's largest harbourfront estate – was bought by Ying Li. The residence, which had been the Sutton’s home for almost 35 years, was bought from the Pick a Box presenters Bob and Dolly Dyer in 1977 for $376,960, when the Dyers headed to Queensland. Its price is now confirmed at $20 million.
The Bay Street tropical holding is like Hawaii meets Hamilton Island on Middle Harbour and despite renovations over the past three decades, there are still traces of the Dyers' day, including the imposing sandstone fireplace in its living room that overlooks Quakers Hat Bay.
For the past few years the Suttons have been based at Darling Point in a Katsura Imperial Villa-inspired Michael Dysart design house after buying from nightclub entrepreneur Barry Wain, who secured $18.5 million for his Lindsay Avenue house with eight-car garaging.
 
 
 
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Laurie Sutton the kingpin of Sydney property as he swaps Mosman for Kalua in Palm Beach in record-setting sales 

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Paperwork has been prepared for the sale of Eiger Chalet, consisting of 66 bedrooms and a 100-room restaurant at Perisher in the NSW ski fields, at a post-auction $2.2 million sale price.
<img src="/images/stories/eiger.jpg">
The new owner will reportedly be Lincoln Pike, a doctor who has worked at Casey Station in Antarctica, as well as the Perisher medical centre.
It will be the first time the ski lodge, along with its White Spider restaurant in Perisher, has been sold since its construction by its original owners and builders, the Fischer family. Established in 1961, Eiger Chalet sits 100 metres from the Perisher chairlifts and 250 metres from the Perisher ski tube terminal.
<img src="/images/stories/eiger2.jpg">
The property's lease with the National Parks and Wildlife Service runs until 2025, with the potential of a 30-year extension to 2055. It was briefly listed for sale back in 1989 with $3.5 million hopes.
It was auctioned by Ray White Hotels Australia agent Andrew Jolliffe. More than $2.5 million had been tipped for the 2,000-square-metre leasehold offering, given the recent sale of the nearby 70-bedroom St Moritz for $3.2 million.
<img src="/images/stories/eiger3.jpg">
The ski lodge is the subject of a recent commemorative book, Eiger Chalet Fifty Years: 1961-2011 by Gil Boehm.
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 Fischer family sells Eiger Chalet at Perisher after five decades of ownership: Title Tattle

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Kia Pajouhesh, the Melbourne dentist who established Smile Solutions, has bought the 39th whole-floor Royal Domain Tower sub-penthouse. With 557 square metres space its been sold by Joanne Cookes, the wife of former Venture Stores Group owner Colin Cookes.
More than $8 million is the reputed selling price of the St Kilda Road apartment through Kay &amp; Burton agent Andrew Baines. It has views across the Shrine, city, Botanic Gardens and the bay.
It comes with three bedrooms and a study plus a separate self-contained, one-bedroom apartment along with parking for eight cars. It was reportedly listed at $15 million last October, when it became the first sub-penthouse to come up for four years.
It was bought by the Cookes family in 2007 from Ross and Jennifer Palazzesi for $5.35 million. The Cookes had sold their Toorak mansion to Solomon Lew's daughter, Jacqueline, for about $8.6 million.
The Cookes family had an involvement in the retailing industry for more than nine decades. The 42-level apartment block is substantially higher than most other residential projects on St Kilda Road, which are restricted to about 15 levels.
 
 
 
 
 
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Smiles as dentist secures Royal Domain Tower whole-floor sub-penthouse

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The number of foreign investment purchases receiving approval more than doubled last year as a result of the government's increased scrutiny of house buying by temporary residents, according to the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) annual report.
Some 9,770 approvals were given to property acquisitions during 2010-11 year compared with the 3,897 approvals in 2009-10.
The increase is largely attributable to the reintroduction from April 2010 of the screening of temporary residents purchasing residential real estate.
The changes mean that all temporary residents and foreign non-residents seeking to invest in Australian real estate have been brought within the notification, screening and approval process.
Approved proposed residential investment totalled $41.5 billion in 2010-11, compared with $20 billion in 2009-10, a big jump because of the different approval requirements. More than 80% of the approvals involved property costing less than $1 million.
Chinese buyers dominated the list, with some 5,000 approvals which were mostly residential, along with some agricultural and mining acquisitions. Next on the list was the United Kingdom (1000), followed by Malaysia (896), then Singapore (536), South Africa (347) and India (320).
Across all sectors the United States was the largest source of proposed foreign investment in Australia, but mostly in the services industry and manufacturing.
The mineral exploration and mining development sector remained the largest industry sector by value of approvals, albeit with just 222 approvals.
Click to enlarge
<a href="/images/stories/firbapril23.jpg" rel="shadowbox" title="Click to enlarge"><img src="/images/stories/firbapril23thumb.jpg"></a>
Victoria’s residential approvals totalled 4,400, with NSW the next busiest sale for approvals at 2,600, then Queensland with 1,270 acquisitions, and WA with 812 acquisitions, South Australia with 432, the ACT's 129 and Tasmania on 44 and the NT with 16 acquisitions.
Real estate purchases made up around a quarter of the total $177 billion invested nationally during the last financial year, with real estate investments worth $41.5 billion approved in 2010-11.
The annual report suggests there might be an overstatement when it comes to off-the-plan approvals as the approved developers may fall short in the likely extent of actual foreign purchases. The value of investment reported against annual program approvals represents the maximum amount foreign persons may acquire under the program.
The report notes the year has been characterised by continued media and community interest in foreign investment, notably in agricultural land and businesses.
“This area has also been the subject of a number of parliamentary inquiries and hearings and proposals for legislative change.
“The board has closely monitored the policy issues in this area,” it notes.
But while a heated debate rages about foreign investors buying farms and agricultural assets, the latest report shows foreigners are actually more likely to be buying houses, off-the-plan units and commercial property.
And in 2010-11, just 43 proposals – and 42 were property proposals – were rejected.
About half the real estate purchases came with conditions which included the time during which development must commence, and also requiring temporary residents to reside in and then sell established dwellings when they cease to reside in them.
The new tightened approval and selling requirements came in April 2010 after television and the print tabloid media, especially reporting on Melbourne’s auction scene, had numerous stories about Australians being outbid by Chinese buyers.
The government tightened foreign investment rules relating to residential property even setting up a little-utilised 1800 hotline for locals to report suspicious property buyers.
The then assistant treasurer Senator Nick Sherry said at the time: “The Rudd government is acting to make sure that investment in Australian real estate by temporary residents and foreign non-residents, is within the law, meets community expectations and doesn’t place pressure on housing availability for Australians.”
Brian Wilson has been appointed as chair of the Foreign Investment Review Board for a five-year period, succeeding John Phillips, who retired after having served 15 years on the board earlier this month.
 
 
 
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Number of foreign investment residential approvals more than doubles as government scrutinises more transactions

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The Soul Penthouse on the Gold Coast – purchased off the plan in late 2006 for $16.85 million – is on the market again as its nears completion and initial settlement.
It is a four-level penthouse with six bedrooms on the 70th floor of the Cavill Avenue building. There’s a private internal Italian glass lift and staircase.
It’s being marketed by Karyn O’Dea of Ray White Robina Varsity, who says there’s nothing like it in Australia.
“From every angle you are greeted with breathtakingly beautiful uninterrupted views of Surfers Paradise’s golden beaches and the Pacific Ocean,” O’Dea, who is advertising the property worldwide, says.
Set 240 metre above Surfers Paradise beach, the penthouse has 1,040 square metres of space.
“The current owner, who is involved in one of the largest equipment hire businesses in Australia, now has a young family so he’s putting it on the market,” O’Dea says, indicating it is more likely suited a bachelor.
“It’s really the world’s best bachelor pad,” she says.
No price guide has yet been given, and the identity of the seller has not been splashed around in the press.
Offers are due mid-June on the penthouse with Ray White. The pictures below show the Soul lower-level facilities.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/april23penthouse2]}
Initially due for completion in 2010, the Juniper Group's Soul development is running behind schedule, with its staggered settlement set to continue until mid-year.
Securing settlements of some of the lower 288 apartments has been a challenge for the developer, given the Gold Coast downturn.
The initial sales of the Soul apartments were undertaken in late 2004, when in a coup of timing some $200 million was secured from 126 sales following its Boxing Day 2004 release.
<img src="/images/stories/soulpenthouse.jpg">
Prices started at $1.05 million, with the penthouse coming with a $16.75 million asking price. By October 2006 some 150 units worth $300 million had been exchanged, including the penthouse.
The penthouse is listed by Ray White in conjunction with John Ashmore from Knobel &amp; Davis Property Services.
Its specifications are:
Level 70 Indoor Living Area: 119m2 Outdoor Living Area: 47m2 Level 71 Indoor Living Area: 205m2 Outdoor Living Area: 164m2 Level 72 Indoor Living Area: 190m2 Outdoor Living Area: 135m2 Level 73 Outdoor Living Area: 180m2 
Penthouse apartment photos are a montage which come with envisaged overlayed interior design impressions
 
 
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Gold Coast Soul Penthouse on market as it nears overdue completion

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=362240] 
&nbsp; 
<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> will deliver a mix of waterfront residences and terraces, complemented by a private 36-berth marina, waterfront dining opportunities and a revitalised foreshore designed to reconnect the community with the river's edge. 
&nbsp; 
Abadeen Executive Chairman and Founder Justin Brown said the project represented a rare opportunity to create the next chapter in Sydn​ey's long history of successful waterfront precincts. 
&nbsp; 
"Throughout Sydney, some of the city's most sought-after addresses have emerged from carefully considered waterfront precincts such as Woolloom​ooloo Wharf, Walsh Bay and Breakfast Point," Brown said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=362566] 
&nbsp; 
"What makes these places so successful is that they become much more than residential developments," Brown said.

"They bring together homes, hospitality, marina facilities, public spaces and a strong sense of community in locations where future supply is incredibly limited."

Brown has long described absolute waterfront land in Sy​dney as "finite."

"Once these opportunities are developed, they are rarely replicated. That's why Syd​ney's waterfront precincts have consistently demonstrated strong demand and long-term value growth over many decades. 
&nbsp; 
"<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> is one of the few remaining opportunities to secure a residence within a masterplanned waterfront community that combines direct water access, marina ownership opportunities and a genuine village lifestyle just moments from the Sy​dney CBD."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=362564] 
&nbsp; 
PERIFA Founder and Managing Director Fabrizio Perilli said the project reflected a shared commitment to delivering exceptional places that create long-term value for residents and the broader community. 
&nbsp; 
"The topping out milestone is a significant achievement for the Versatile Group and a testament to the collaboration between all project partners, consultants and contractors involved," Perilli said. 
&nbsp; 
"Beyond the residences themselves, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> will establish a new waterfront destination that celebrates the history, character and lifestyle of this unique location while creating a lasting legacy for future generations."

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&nbsp; 
Construction is being delivered by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/versatile">Versatile Construction</a>, with structural works now substantially complete across the precinct. Attention will progressively shift to the construction of the waterview terraces, apartment façades, services and interior fit-out works over the coming months. 
&nbsp; 
With limited residences and marina berths remaining, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> continues to attract strong interest from owner occupiers and downsizers seeking a premium waterfront lifestyle within close proximity to Putne​y Village, Rh​odes, Top Ry​de and the Syd​ney CBD. 
&nbsp; 
As one of the last opportunities to secure a residence within a new masterplanned waterfront community on Sy​dney Harbour, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> is expected to remain a highly sought-after address for years to come.

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Jonathan Chancellor

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