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Adelaide’s highest residential building – dubbed the “leaning tower of Adelaide” – has been approved, with construction on the 22-storey project to start next year.
Datong Australia will construct the $120 million building on the corner of Flinders and Pulteney streets. It will be 75 metres high.
<img src="/images/stories/leaning2.jpg">
The pricing of the 149 apartments, which will range from 50 to 85 square metres, has yet to be released, but last year the developer gave indications they were expected to range between $300,000 and $1.2 million. Its off-the-plan marketing will begin mid-year. The approval process was lengthy, finally securing permission this week the state government's Development Assessment Commission, as it exceeded the area's 40-metre height limit.
<img style="float: left; margin: 5px;" src="/images/stories/leaning1.jpg">
The Pruszinski Architects-designed building will have 60% of units on building corners.
Director Paul Pruszinski has said the design resembled a pile of papers being picked up and fanning out from pinching fingers. The highest residential tower in Adelaide is currently credited as the 1970-built King William Tower, which is 20 floors and 70 metres high, followed by the more recent 62-metre-high Conservatory on Hindmarsh, which was completed in 2009.
Datong Australia’s parent company, Datong China, is based in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yunnan">Yunnan province</a>, located in the far south west of the country.
It has been developing since the 1980s. Datong is a combination of two Chinese words or concepts. “Da” means large or leading, while “tong” is a metaphor for a smoothened road.
Datong also had a seven-storey Adelaide apartment building on Gouger Street approved this week.
“Datong intends to become a leading player in the development and rejuvenation of the Adelaide CBD,” Datong Australia chairman Jin Liang told the Australian Financial Review last year.
 
 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

‘Leaning tower of Adelaide’ secures approval and set to be city’s tallest residential building

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Rowardennan, the 1913 Warrawee residence originally known as Maiala, has been listed for sale with $4.5 million-plus hopes.
Positioned at the end of a gravel driveway, the home was designed by architect BJ Waterhouse on 2,313 square metres of parklike gardens on Warrawee Avenue.
Its listing agent, Chana Scotcher at Chana Scotcher Realty, has sold the heritage listed house twice – firstly in 1996 when publisher Herbert Hillary sold and then again in 2000 when it was bought by the Mary Kay Pacific cosmetics boss, KK Chua. He then sold it on to the present vendors.
It was built along the principles of a French chateau for Joseph Beresford Grant. Beresford Grant is credited as being responsible for Warrawee being shop-free, as he bought the land earmarked for retail construction but preferred to keep it residential.
Designed in 1913, Rowardennan was initially set on 1.6 hectare. It came with rolling lawns, a vast garden that extended to Bangalla Avenue, and even a pony paddock. When the property was sold in 1936 Grant and his wife moved to the house they'd built on neighbouring land, and took the Maiala name with them to the Professor Leslie Wilkinson-designed residence.
 
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Warrawee 1913 residence Rowardennan listed with $4.5 million-plus hopes: Title Tattle

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A 71-storey tower with 592 apartments and 566 car parking spaces at the site of the Queensbridge Hotel, Southbank has been approved by Victorian Planning Minister Matthew Guy.
It’s a $275 million Bates Smart-designed high-rise tower that at 276 metres high will be Melbourne's second-tallest building – squeezed between Eureka at 297 metres and Rialto at 254 metres.
<img src="/images/stories/queensbridge1.jpg">
"The tower will be a stunning addition to Melbourne's skyline, with an innovative design to reflect its location at a key gateway linking Southbank and the CBD,” Guy says.
"Southbank is a natural extension of the Melbourne CBD and is an area that is constantly evolving, with architecturally inspiring development forging ahead," he adds.
The development will consist of three platinum and silver glass cylinders.
Bates Smart also designed the nearby Freshwater Place for Australand.
It was early 2010 when furniture magnate and property developer Tony Schiavello bought the property, once home to nightclub QBH, which abutted other property he had owned for several years.
Click to enlarge
<a href="/images/stories/queensbridge2.jpg" rel="shadowbox" title="Click to enlarge"><img src="/images/stories/queensbridge2thumb.jpg"></a>
The Schiavello Group is also building the 250-metre, 67-storey Prima Pearl Tower in the precinct.
The group, ranked as one of Australia’s top 200 private companies by BRW, was founded in 1966 by Tony and his younger brother Joe.
Locals claimed the proposal failed five key planning regulations.
 
 
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Melbourne’s second-tallest residential tower receives approval for Southbank Queensbridge Hotel site

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Claremont, the 16-hectare Bellingen property with a Keith Cottier-designed house, has been sold for $2.2 million through Peter Stone at Real Estate of Distinction at Coffs Harbour.
With views over green fields and the Bellingen River towards the Dorrigo Mountains, the four-bedroom house won the Royal Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA) NSW Blacket Award for a country building of outstanding merit in 1986. It was built for the Berry family.
The international-style residence has interior living area of 100 square metres. The property comes with a timber guest house next to the pool. The house makes expansive use of glass and stone, along with high cathedral ceilings. The master bedroom faces east, separated from the living areas by a study and dressing room. All rooms in the house have been designed to take advantage of cross-ventilation from the cooling north-east breeze and warming winter sun.
Stone says the success of the architect’s design lay in “its marriage of traditional form, intelligent planning, effective environmental performance and careful siting within its landscape”.
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Award-winning Bellingen property Claremont with Keith Cottier-designed house sells for $2.2 million

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Lights, camera, action. Property is back on television. Not the overly earnest The Renovators, which has been dropped from the Channel 10 schedule, but the perennial favourite, The Block on Channel 9.
It’s on the air for the fifth time since 2003.
Monday night’s 1.4 million debut ratings wasn’t quite matched Tuesday when a still very attuned 1.3 million tuned in for the preliminary knockout shows, which have eight couples become the final four who take viewers through the remaining 10 or so weeks. Interestingly it was the Melbourne viewers who strayed away on the second night dropping from 508,000 to 466,000. The Sydneysiders tuned in in roughly equal numbers - 404,000 on debut and 390,000 on Tuesday night.
The Block’s 2011 airing – which was ramped up to a remarkable six nights a week footage – <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/victoria/the-block-auction-a-dose-of-reality-which-sydney-finally-loved/2011082251240">ended with a dose of reality at its auction finale</a>.
Three of the four houses in the Cameron Street, Richmond offering failed to sell under the bright lights of the auctioneer’s hammer.
There’s little doubt the producers of The Block 2011 paid above-market rates to get four houses in a row, given they are a rarity.
It could again face the same challenges of getting overly enthusiastic buyers to match the outlays incurred in The Block 2012, with the four South Melbourne cottages in the current series costing $3.8 million last June, plus subsequent ambitious renovation costs.
Not that there’s any stopping the production company, which <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/renovating/its-back-to-bondi-for-the-block-home-renovation-realty-series-after-they-sell-south-melbourne/2012033054098">has already spent about $4.4 million on four semis in Bondi for the next season</a>.
Of course, the criteria for success is the ratings, not necessarily the sale price return.
And the fact that so much effort by the zealous contestants can go unrewarded no doubt appeals to some viewers.
The Block could of course set artificially low reserves for the auction price hurdle, but there’s been no indication of a change of heart from the producers, Watercress Productions.
Last year’s Channel Ten series of The Renovators sold all six of its Sydney offerings on the night, but half of them lost money when you factor in stamp duty and renovation costs.
The prices paid by the producers of The Renovators 2011 series were not excessive, but they went awry in their allowances.
They took the purchase price and then the stamp duty costs into their calculations before adding the 20% renovation outlay.
The rule of thumb is to keep the reno spend to less than 10% of the purchase price of a home. So spending 20% of the expanded purchase costs was always going to be a hard ask to match.
And too much a challenge for such overcapitalised properties hitting a soft Sydney market in quick time.
Melbourne’s market is particularly to read, and when the South Melbourne auctions come winter, who’s to say how chilly the sale conditions will be.
I’ve yet to see the interiors, but two questions immediately spring to mind from a drive-by perusal.
Are the third-floor extensions a little over the top for the Dorcas Street locale? What buyer spending limit arises from the absence of car parking?
Of course there are other factors in determining buyer interest. Like energy usage saving initiatives. And no doubt investors will be seeking the depreciation reports for the four homes. They were a goldmine for investors seeking to maximise returns on last year’s Richmond offerings.
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The Block 2012 is a high-rating drama success already, but needs to entice property punters

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One of East Melbourne’s most elegant terraces houses dating back to the early 1860s has been listed for May 17 auction through Rob Vickers-Willis at Abercromby's Real Estate.
The terrace’s first owner was Thomas Greenwood, a partner in Oddy and Greenwood, fellmongers of Yarra Bank Road.
But the Gipps Street terrace, currently home to Delwyn Freestone’s  <a target="_blank" href="https://chrysalis.com.au/">Chrysalis Gallery</a>, comes with a striking all-white Classical Italianate Revival façade, the work of renovations in the 1880s by architects Terry and Oakden.
During its 150 years, it’s been the home to the Ormiston Girls School, Australia's first woman medical practitioner Constance Stokes, and to historian Winston Burchett.
In the 1870s it was home to Robert Ramsay, the chief secretary who authorised the trainload of police who went to Glenrowan in 1880 after Ned Kelly.
Ramsay died in 1882, but his widow, Isabelle, secured from the Lord Bishop of Melbourne the adjacent space on its western boundary from the Deanery Reservation, which gave a side entrance and space for a courtyard garden.
It was a rooming house in the 1930s Depression years under the name of Sujama Flats, with its restoration beginning in the 1950s, according to the <a target="_blank" href="https://emhs.org.au/history/buildings/east_melbourne_gipps_street_179">East Melbourne Historical Society records</a>.
It sold at $920,000 in 1999. Currently $4.5 million plus is expected. 
Chrysalis Gallery will continue to open during the sale of 179 Gipps Street. The gallery will relocate at a date to be confirmed.
The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/victoria/ned-kelly-hanging-witness-and-beechworth-gaol-governor-john-castieau-s-1864-home-on-the-market-for-first-time/2012041753947">Beechworth home of John Buckley Castieau</a>, the government representative at Ned Kelly's hanging, is also on the market. 
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Elegant 1800s East Melbourne art gallery terrace with rich history and Ned Kelly connection listed

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SQM Research managing director Louis Christopher has suggested the RBA has been misreading recent house price direction.
The claim comes after the Reserve Bank minutes from its April board meeting note that house prices had shown some signs of stabilising, with auction clearance rates in Sydney and Melbourne having picked up.
Christopher told Australian Broker Online that he was "deeply concerned" by the RBA's conclusions.
"Let me tell you now, house prices have not stabilised,” Christopher said.
“In many parts of the country, they are still falling. And auction clearance rates are weaker than recorded this time last year," he said.
Christopher said a recent uplift in clearance rates was seasonal.
"The RBA should typically know this, and yet are still suggesting that there is stabilisation in the market. Well, not for Melbourne, and not for Sydney, and not for Canberra, and not for Hobart, and there are still some question marks on Brisbane and there are still no signs of the Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast coming out of their property crash," he said.
Perth and Darwin, Christopher suggested, are the only cities to have experienced a "genuine bottoming out".
The RBA's April minutes followed very similiar acknowledgments in both its February and March announcements that it was of the view that housing prices had shown some signs of stabilising at the end of 2011, after having declined for most of 2011.
Tim Lawless, RP Data national research director, says at a macro level, housing market conditions have moved towards stability.
"And in fact, over the March quarter dwelling values showed absolutely no movement, which was the strongest result in a year.
"There are specific markets that do remain soft, however in most of these locations we have seen the rate of decline improving. 

"Our key vendor metrics are also showing some improvement with selling time and vendor discounting levels both showing an improving trend," Lawless notes.
 
 
 
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RBA misreading recent house price direction: SQM Research director Louis Christopher

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Westfield Group has sold eight shopping centres in the United States for $US1.54 billion ($1.49 billion).
A majority interest in seven of the centres were sold to Starwood Captial Group, which will manage and control the centres, with Westfield retaining a 10%  stake.
The eighth property, Eastland in California, was sold in a separate transaction for $US147 million.
The Westfield announcement said the transaction values were “approximately equal with the current book value”.
Proceeds will be used to pay down debt, then reinvested in the US, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/westfield-to-sign-deal-at-rebuilt-world-trade-center/2011072850959" target="_blank">including in the World Trade Center in New York</a>, Westfield says.
Westfield Group announced at its annual results in February that it would sell assets in the US and Britain and launch a $2 billion share buyback.
The divestments are expected to have an annualised dilutionary impact to the group’s funds from operations of about 2¢ per security, prior to the redeployment of capital and the impact of any buy-back of WDC securities.
The group’s forecast distribution for the 2012 year of 49.5¢ per security remains unchanged.
 
 
 
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Westfield sells eight US shopping centres for US$1.54 billion

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John Symond of Aussie Home Loans has given tentative support to the proposed scheme that would allow first-home buyers to pay off their stamp duty over three years rather than in one upfront lump sum.
The Real Estate Institute of NSW (REINSW) <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/tax/pay-as-you-go-stamp-duty-scheme-needed-for-first-home-buyers-reinsw/2012041654290" target="_blank">is urging the state government to allow first-home buyers to gradually pay off their stamp duty</a>.
But Symond says while the proposed scheme looked good on paper that young first-home buyers needed to vigilantly do their sums.
"I think you've got to be careful. Young, inexperienced buyers can easily get over their heads," he told News Limited.
"Australians have traditionally been better borrowers than savers. If first-home buyers have the possibility to repay it in time then great, but I wouldn't like to see it impede young people ... by just deferring the inevitable."
Australian Mortgage Options founder Robert Projeski<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/tax/stamp-duty-lay-by-scheme-could-help-first-time-buyers-get-into-the-market-robert-projeski/2012041754322" target="_blank"> has also backed the proposal</a>.
 
 
 
 
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John Symond tentatively backs REINSW stamp duty deferral proposal for first-home buyers

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Neighbours veteran Ryan "Toadie" Moloney has sold his Malvern East house. Its sale price has not been revealed, but it was listed with $1.2 million hopes. 

It's been the home of Moloney and his wife, Alison, since early 2008. <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/victoria/neighbours-veteran-ryan-toadie-maloney-lists-in-malvern-east-title-tattle/2012031453833" target="_blank">The four-bedroom house</a> sits on a 664-square-metre block that comes with jet pool, studio/workshop and space for four cars. 

It sold through Bennison Mackinnon agent Andrew Luke and Will Trenchard. 

Moloney became a regular on the show in 1996. The house was bought at late 2007 auction for $1.09 million.
 
 
 


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Actor Ryan ‘Toadie’ Moloney says goodbye to Malvern East neighbours as home sells: Title Tattle

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.

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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."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=291195] 
&nbsp; 
Construction is being delivered by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/versatile">Versatile Construction</a>, with structural works now substantially complete across the precinct. Attention will progressively shift to the construction of the waterview terraces, apartment façades, services and interior fit-out works over the coming months. 
&nbsp; 
With limited residences and marina berths remaining, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> continues to attract strong interest from owner occupiers and downsizers seeking a premium waterfront lifestyle within close proximity to Putne​y Village, Rh​odes, Top Ry​de and the Syd​ney CBD. 
&nbsp; 
As one of the last opportunities to secure a residence within a new masterplanned waterfront community on Sy​dney Harbour, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> is expected to remain a highly sought-after address for years to come.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=13962]

Jonathan Chancellor

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