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Cockatoo Island could become an active recreational-commercial maritime hub with the Sydney Harbour Trust looking to lease the 2.5-hectare docks precinct.
Its envisaged the new public maritime facilities could include short-stay berthing for small vessels.
The Harbour Trust executive director Geoff Bailey said the available space includes 15 buildings with 4500 sq m floor space and a 400m stretch of wharf frontage.
Bailey says the existing small cultural, accommodation and tourism businesses would be complemented by a maritime precinct that acknowledge the island’s maritime past.
The available space is about an eighth of the island which began its colonial settlement usage as a penal colony in the mid 1800s.
It is Sydney’s largest island.
"It would cost millions to get a business plan off the ground, with especially difficult access," one marina industry commentator said.
Previously one of the nation's biggest shipyards, Cockatoo Island has 160 years of maritime history following the construction of the Fitzroy Dock in 1857.
The larger Sutherland Dock was constructed in the 1880’s and by World War I the island had become the naval dockyard of the Royal Australian Navy.
For the next 78 years, Cockatoo Island was Australia’s most significant shipbuilding and marine repair facility with the HMAS Success, launched in 1984, being the last ship to be built on the island. The dockyard closed in 1992, lying dormant until control was vested in the Trust in 2001.
It was briefly on the late Kerry Packer's radar as a potential casino site in the mid-1980s.
It was opened to the public in 2007, and has since hosted festivals, art installations and tourists, including Cockatoo Island Film Festival, Biennale of Sydney, Project Outpost and Cockatoo Island Camping and Accommodation, with up to 300,000 people visiting annually.
Fitzroy Dock, the only remaining dry dock built using convict labour, is not included in the lease opportunity.
 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Maritime to return to long dormant Cockatoo Island

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The former Parramatta Eels chief executive Paul Osborne has now listed his Byron Bay property investment for May 5 auction.
The timing of the marketing campaign is aimed at snaring interest over Easter from tourists in the Northern NSW town. 

It failed to sell at its December 2011 auction when there were $1,499,000 hopes. It was subsequently listed at $1.395 million. It cost $1.9 million in January 2011 having previously sold at $1,475,000 in 2007.

Osborne claims to have been the victim of a <a target="_self" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/cash-strapped-parramatta-eels-ceo-paul-osborne-lists-in-byron-bay/2011111452351">Byron Bay property de</a><a target="_self" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/cash-strapped-parramatta-eels-ceo-paul-osborne-lists-in-byron-bay/2011111452351">al</a> that went sour.

Last year Osborne's financial situation was made public by SMH investigative reporter Kate McClymont after leaks that Osborne had borrowed money from the Parramatta chairman Roy Spagnolo.

The Massinger Street, Byron Bay property has been listed through Ray White Byron Bay agent Brett Connable.

Set opposite the Top Shop Cafe in Massinger Street, it comes with ocean views to the North over Byron Bay. It has three upstairs bedrooms plus downstairs is a one bedroom guest quarter.
 
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Former Parramatta Eels chief executive Paul Osborne lists Byron Bay property investment for May 5 auction

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Richmond star Trent Cotchin, the club’s 2011 best and fairest, bought and sold on Super Saturday.
His three bedroom Edwardian home at Ascot Vale – not far from the Puckle Street shops – sold for $790,000 through Joe Zucco at Paul McDonald Real Estate.
It last traded, as is, for $703,600 in late 2009, so a good counter-cyclical gain was secured by the rising star who wants to get into property development.
Cotchin and his partner Brooke Kennedy, who’s with the funky baby and childrens’ fashion website, kidsrevolution.com.au , bought back in the Moonee Ponds municipality later in the afternoon.
<img src="/images/stories/trent.jpg">
<img src="/images/stories/cotchin-front.jpg">
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Tigers' Trent Cotchin sells Ascot Vale cottage and upsizes: Title Tattle

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Housing starts are likely to come in at 139,360 during 2012, according to the Housing Industry Association.

The HIA's autumn outlook confirms deteriorating conditions for the housing industry in the final quarter of 2011 and into 2012, and suggests subdued new home building levels for the remainder of the year.
Following a 12.8% fall in housing starts in 2011, HIA is forecasting a 5.9% decline in starts in 2012, to a level of 139,360. It anticipates a rise to 147,980 in 2013 and then to 158,290 in 2014. The recent peak was 169,860 in 2010. The recent low point was 138,790 in 2009, marginally weaker than this year's anticipated figure. The 2009 figure was the lowest since the GST-introduction affected 2001 year.
"New home building has been hampered by interest rates that have been too high for too long as well as a glacial pace of reform in terms of the supply-side of the Australian housing market," says HIA senior economist Andrew Harvey.
But the HIA pinpointed "excessive tax levied on new housing" as constraining supply and harming business conditions and therefore the wider domestic economy.
Harvey notes research that found that around 40% of the purchase price of a new home was due to taxation, and that the majority of this was in the form of highly inefficient taxes, including stamp duty.
"More is needed in terms of Commonwealth and state government reform to lift some of the tax burden from new housing – taxes on housing simply have to be substantially reduced," says Harvey.
"The economy is now posting zero employment growth, and the non-mining states are going backwards in terms of their labour markets - now is not the time to allow residential building to decline further," Harvey adds.
Click to enlarge
<a title="Click to enlarge" rel="shadowbox" href="/images/stories/hiaapril4.gif"><img src="/images/stories/hiaapril4thumb.gif"></a>
 
 
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Housing starts dip to continue, with 5.9% decline forecast during 2012: HIA

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There’s something about any holiday break.
It allows people with downtime to pause, reflect, seek feedback and then react.
Traditionally everyone returns from their summer Christmas break, sand no longer between their toes, brimming with new-found optimism.
Hence most years – like 2012 – begin with stronger auction success rates and firmer prices than those that had tailed off in the overburden exhaustion of December.
Easter is another pause, which allows the market – and most particularly potential buyers and sellers – time to reflect.
But that’s where Easter’s similarity to Christmas ends.
It tends to present itself as a rather more unwelcome interruption to marketing campaigns.
And when it comes to property’s forward progression, quite often the real estate market can take a turn for the poorer after Easter.
“It’s what happens after Easter that sets the tone for the year,” Melbourne buyers’ agent Mal James notes.
“When the Easter Bunny spins the roulette wheel where he (or she) stops on price nobody knows,” James opines.
So the big question is: what will happen after Easter?
We’ve seen the typical rush to have properties sold before Easter – on the surface <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/auctions/melbourne-passes-super-saturday-auction-acid-test-while-sydney-results-were-weaker/2012033054094">Melbourne seemed to hold up better than Sydney on super Saturday</a> – and now the school holidays mean many buyers will be otherwise preoccupied.
Over recent times estate agents regularly complaining of a shortage of stock, but what they really mean is new sellable listings.
The SQM data regularly shows capital cities overburdened with old unsold listings, but the consensus is that given that new listings remain a little light on, and noting the underlying demand, that there’s a good chance of the capital city auction clearance rates therefore remaining solid. But things are very very fragile.
Prices are of course down, especially for stale stock, and this pricing revision has finally seeped through to vendor consciousness.
It's probably fair to say the actual house and unit price falls for mum and dad vendors are far more that the overall subdued figures reflected in capital city median prices put out by the major property data providers such as RP Data Rismark's 4.3% national annual decline.
And so many would-be vendors have understandably decided not to list. Therefore buyers face limited fresh choices and accordingly auctions prices still quite often sell at higher that the pre-auction marketing campaign estimates.
Negative headline overload has dissipated the positive impact of the two recent rate cuts, but any belated May Day rate cut by the RBA might help things along.
Unfortunately then events surrounding the federal budget a week later might harm the prospects of recovery. Already the R word – recession – is creeping into economic chatter.
Bill Evans from Westpac says South Australia is in recession with given poor housing, manufacturing and population growth data.
Let’s hope the rest us of don’t follow.
 
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Easter is a time to reflect, and one of the big questions is: what happens to property prices when the buns and eggs are eaten?

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Bomera, the Italianate sandstone mansion at Potts Point, has been relisted, but this time without the $25 million-plus hopes.
The 1858 house, designed by architect J.F. Hilly, is on 2,000 square metres on the tip of the peninsula overlooking Woolloomooloo Bay. The meticulous 2003 restoration of the estate was overseen by heritage architects Graham Brooks &amp; Associates after the property was deemed surplus to Royal Australian Navy requirements. It comes with a five-bedroom house with regal formal rooms, a provincial-style kitchen and a grand ballroom. There is also a three-bedroom cottage in the gardens, which have a pool and a spa, and a six-car garage.
Bill Bridges from Ballard Property and Ken Jacobs at Christies International have the Wylde Street listing.
Bomera was originally on land that stretched from Wylde Street to Victoria Street along the harbour foreshore.
It was 2001 when historic Potts Point villas Bomera and Tarana were sold for about $6.55 million by the Defence Department, which acquired the 3,700-square-metre holding as fleet headquarters for the Royal Australian Navy in 1941.
<img src="/images/stories/bomerahist.jpg">
The 1858 Italianate-style Bomera, built for merchant William McQuade, who helped establish Randwick racecourse, became a single dwelling. The late Victorian-style Tarana, built for McQuade's son Arthur in 1888, was converted into three apartments overseen by the manufacturer-turned-property-developer Jorge Fernandez.
Fernandez knocked back a $15 million offer to sell Bomera within a couple of years of its purchase.
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Sandstone Potts Point 1858 Italianate trophy mansion Bomera relisted

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Actress Toni Collette and her musician husband, Dave Galafassi, have listed their Hollywood Los Angeles pied a terre, as they seek to unravel their Australian property holdings.
The 1924 Los Angeles house is on the market at $1,325,000. It cost the entertainment industry couple $1.33 million in late 2010, having been listed with $1,445,000 hopes. The walled, gated Spanish-styled house had been purchased as a fixer-upper in early 2008 for $650,000.
The residence sits on a 198-square metre block between Santa Monica Boulevard and Melrose Avenue.
It has three bedrooms and three bathrooms, along with a detached pool house. The Collette-Galafassi furnishings are a somewhat spare, according to the on-the-ball <a target="_blank" href="https://realestalker.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/toni-collettes-recent-real-estate-whirl">realestalker.blogspot.com</a> blogger, with a colorful pastiche of mid-century modern things that include a couple of Hans Wegner Papa Bear Chairs.
When the house was bought <a href="https://realestalker.blogspot.com.au/2010/10/aussie-actor-toni-collette-snags" target="_blank">Realestalker noted</a> it was in the downmarket 90038 zip code, not normally associated with celebrity residents.
The recent unfolding events in Sydney have been described as the couple catching a case of “the Celebrity Real Estate Fickle”.
Collette has appeared in numerous feature films over the years, getting huge billing for Muriel’s Wedding, then The Sixth Sense and Little Miss Sunshine. More recently she starred in Steven Spielberg’s Showtime series United States of Tara, in a lead role that won her Emmy Awards. The series finished last year.
The LA property is for sale through Steve Sanders at Coldwell Banker. The Zillow website says it’s been listed for 39 days. It had been briefly listed early 2011 at $1,445,000, according to Zillow.
 
 
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Toni Collette’s property fickleness spreads to Hollywood

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International chef Tetsuya Wakuda has emerged as the latest buyer in The Residence, the new College Street high rise overlooking Hyde Park.
<img src="/images/stories/theresidence.jpg">
Tetsuya reputedly paid about $3.2 million for the three-bedroom north-east corner unit, according to Fairfax Media video presenter Simon Johanson. The apartment had been sold off the plan, apparently at a similar price, to an offshore buyer who didn’t proceed with the eighth-floor purchase.
 
 
 
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Chef Tetsuya Wakuda bites off a piece of The Residence: Title Tattle

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Our newly sworn in Foreign Minister Bob Carr has indicated he intends keeping his long-held New Zealand investment property following his recent appointment.
It’s a three-hectare lifestyle block in the Gibbston Valley pinot noir wine district, which cost $365,000 in 2003. He and his wife, Helena, remain the registered owners and ratepayers according to the Queenstown Lakes District Council rates office.
The building block adjoins the Mt Rosa Vineyard near Queenstown on the South Island and was bought by the Carrs towards the end of his term as the NSW premier.
"It can't be a conflict of interest provided it's been declared," his spokesman told Property Observer, dismissing the likelihood that being a ratepayer of NZ might trigger any such awkwardness either way across the ditch.
<img src="/images/stories/mtrosa.jpg">
The latest official land valuation of the 3.3446-hectare lifestyle block shows up as $415,000, indicating it barely covers the costs.
Its land value peaked at $510,000 in boomtime 2007.
<img src="/images/stories/carr2.jpg">
The couple’s annual rates began at $1,242 and now stand at $1,425.
While he paid no stamp duty on the property because – unlike NSW – New Zealand had no stamp duty regime, Carr paid $37,202 in GST to the New Zealand government on his property purchase. The GST rate in New Zealand at the time of the purchase was 12.5%.
Given its still without any house, the property has been only rarely visited by Bob Carr, whose first semi-official overseas trip happened co-incidently to be New Zealand.
It’s only a short drive from the old gold-mining town of Arrowtown and the bustling town of Queenstown.
Estate agents say it’s blessed with a semi-continental climate and locked in with deep valleys, luscious green hills and snow covered mountains, Gibbston Valley is one of the most idyllic areas in New Zealand.
<img src="/images/stories/carr3.jpg">
World-famous vineyards in the region include Waitiri Creek, Nevis Bluff, Chard Farm, Peregrine and tucked away around the back road, Two Paddocks, Valli Vineyards, Mount Edward, and Sleeping Dogs.
The bigger property - which includes a sandstone shepherd's cottage - was formerly the original ram paddock for Kawarua Station, which totalled 86,365 hectares acres and ran 40,000 sheep. There are about 25 blocks that share the same dusty road (pictured above and below) were sold off in 2003 with international buyers coming from Hong Kong, the United Kingdom and the United States. Most appear to remain as building blocks, with those who've built being given $1 million plus council valuations.
<img src="/images/stories/carr4.jpg">
The protocol for foreign government officials wishing to purchase Australian property in their own names involves notifying the Australian Foreign Investment Review Board of any proposed acquisitions prior to entering into contracts to purchase the property.
The case of Foreign Ministers owning foreign soil seemingly isn’t spelt out anywhere officially.
 
 
 
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Foreign Minister Bob Carr to keep his New Zealand property

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The former champion swimmer Ian Thorpe has sold his Sutherland Shire waterfront home to another sporting legend, the NSW State of Origin coach Ricky Stuart, for $2.65 million.
But its sale reflects the shire’s tough selling conditions, as it has been sold at $250,000 less than the $2.9 million paid in 2003 for the Port Hacking waterfront.
<img src="/images/stories/thorpe2.jpg">
Stuart's purchase marks his return to the sporty shire, having previously owned at Burraneer Bay.
In 2010 the glamour couple Shane Watson and Lee Furlong joined the wave of Australian sports royalty owning in the shire when they paid $3.99 million for a waterfront property at Burraneer Bay.
Test captain Ricky Ponting and fast bowling great Glenn McGrath, who tried to sell last year but couldn’t, all call the district home.
Stuart’s also been on the receiving end of the weaker property market in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, as he sold his former Vaucluse house for $2.3 million last year having paid $2.75 in 2006 while coaching the Sydney Roosters.
<img src="/images/stories/thorpe.jpg">
Thorpe’s used his middle name, James, to secure the property in 2003 to protect his identity and presumably so no seller took advantage of his known wealth.
He also bought a $710,000 Thirroul investment apartment in the name of James Thorpe. Set in the seaside pocket south of Wollongong, it was sold for $655,000 in 2010.
Land Tittle Office records suggest neither Thorpe has not bought any replacement Sydney home. But he still remains loyal to the shire as last weekend when asked by Sun Herald columnist Kate Waterhouse what he thought about the new Jersey Shores-style Channel 10 series on the shire he said: "I think it's terrible (laughs)." And asked if he'd make a comeo: "Hell no."
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Thorpie underwater in sale to Ricky Stuart: 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."

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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."

[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.

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Jonathan Chancellor

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