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The new foreign owners of Australia's biggest beer company, Foster's, have pledged to keep the 108-year-old Abbotsford brewery open, dismissing suggestions the inner-Melbourne plant would be sold to property developers.
Foster's chief executive Ari Mervis says the brewery, which employs more than 200 workers, will be maintained as it represented a historic link for the company.
''We have no intention of moving it or closing it, certainly at Abbotsford there is an opportunity to improve the efficiencies, but there is no intention to close it down or need to close it down,'' he told an analyst conference in London earlier this week.
Ever since Foster's was bought by global brewing giant SABMiller late last year for $12 billion plus, there’s been speculation the Abbotsford brewery would be closed and the land sold off to help pay for the acquisition.
Carlton &amp; United Breweries began making beer on the banks of the Yarra in 1904 having commenced operations at the top end of Swanston Street 23 years after Melbourne was founded in 1835.
The 10-hectare site, set four kilometres east of the city centre, comes with an estimated value of $100 million plus. The suburb <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/developments/inner-melbourne-suburb-of-abbotsford-becoming-a-development-hotspot/2012031853839" target="_blank">has become a hive of residential development activity</a>.
The brewery and its buildings – old and small by modern standards, but not heritage listed – are constrained by heavy traffic as well as inefficient work practices, analysts maintain.
Foster's could save close to $4 in reduced electricity, water, labour, packaging and freight costs on each case of beer produced at the ''antiquated'' Abbotsford site if it moved to another location, according to Merrill Lynch.
In a briefing note to clients in June, analyst David Errington said, ''on 55 million cases produced at Abbotsford, this would lead to cost savings of between $150 million and $200 million''.
Five years ago Fosters sold 12 properties adjacent to the Abbotsford brewery for $49 million.
 
 
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Foster’s new foreign owners pledge to keep Abbotsford brewery open

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Channel 9 has been teasing audiences with brief insights into six of the contestant couples for the upcoming series The Block 2012.
Promos have gone been put up on the website.
<img src="/images/stories/blockposter.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 5px;">
Not all will get through into the final four who undertake the South Melbourne renovations.
<a target="_blank" href="https://video.au.msn.com/watch/video/the-block-2012-meet-larry-and-jessie-new-couple-for-2012/xgxdbx0">Larry and Jessie</a> are a father-daughter team. Jessie, a full-time student, originally planned to audition for The Block with her mother, Michelle. Tragically, Michelle died in a plane crash in March 2011. Through their grief they searched for ways to honour her memory and decided they would pursue one of her dreams together.
<a target="_blank" href="https://video.au.msn.com/watch/video/the-block-2012-meet-rana-and-brett-new-couple-for-2012/xwlxwc3">Rana and Brett</a> are a mother-son duo, the first time there’s been such a combination. Brett, a drainer and machine operator, is currently renovating the house that he bought three years ago, while Rana has renovated her last two homes, and on the loose after selling her homewares and fashion business.
<a target="_blank" href="https://video.au.msn.com/watch/video/the-block-2012-meet-dale-and-sophie-new-couple-for-2012/xm9ynwj">Dale and Sophie </a>are newlyweds. Sophie, a graphic designer turned primary school teacher, and Dale, a landscape gardener have had virtually no renovating experience.
<a target="_blank" href="https://video.au.msn.com/watch/video/the-block-2012-meet-brad-and-lara-new-couple-for-2012/xsk4ip7">Brad and Lara</a> are boyfriend/girlfriend from NSW having met five years ago in a pub near their home town of East Maitland.
<a target="_blank" href="https://video.au.msn.com/watch/video/the-block-2012-meet-dan-and-dani-new-couple-for-2012/xleq8kc">Dan and Dani </a>are boyfriend/girlfriend from Melbourne having met in the back of a Hummer. Dan, a carpenter, and Dani, a business analyst, recently purchased their own apartment in Richmond, just around the corner from the last top rating series of The Block.
<a target="_blank" href="https://video.au.msn.com/watch/video/the-block-2012-meet-brad-and-courtney-new-couple-for-2012/xw0m39w">Brad and Courtney</a> are boyfriend/girlfriend from WA. Courtney is a speech pathologist and Brad, a project manager for a commercial property company.
Brothers <a target="_blank" href="https://homes.ninemsn.com.au/theblock/video/?uuid=ee693e7e-af46-4c97-98e3-caf267413230">Andrew and Mike</a> have renovating experience, recently transforming two derelict homes in Sydney’s Bondi.
Newlyweds<a target="_blank" href="https://homes.ninemsn.com.au/theblock/couples/brendan-and-michelle/"> Brendan and Michelle</a>, both 22, are the youngest couple.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/renovating/its-back-to-bondi-for-the-block-home-renovation-realty-series-after-they-sell-south-melbourne/2012033054098">The next season of The Block is set to return to Bondi</a>.
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Father-daughter and mother-son teams in Channel 9's upcoming The Block 2012

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Socrates Vasiliades, the international commodities trader, has relisted his house at 3 Towers Road, Toorak.
With 22 rooms, a lift, home theatre, gym, pool, basement parking and well-kept gardens, it came with record-setting $30 million hopes last May.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/stories/threetowers.jpg">
Kay &amp; Burton agent Ross Savas Savas advised several months later that he’d received two $25 million offers but Vasiliades was holding out for the full amount for the 2,140-square-metre property. It was then withdrawn from marketing until this week.
No new price indication has yet accompanied the latest marketing campaign, which began this week.
Vasiliades, who had had tradespeople flown in from around the world to work on the house during its six-year construction, now gives his address as London. The property was bought by his wife, Celeste, in 2002 for $4.6 million from Peter Thomas.
Vasiliades has been the chief executive of Core Mining since its 2003 establishment. The iron ore explorer is backed by Glencore International Plc and has Russian steelmaker OAO Severstal as an investor. He has over 23 years’ experience in the steel industry and prior to forming Core Mining he traded steel and bulk raw materials worldwide.
The Victorian price record remains with the 2010 Portsea sale of Ilyuka for $26 million.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/stories/onetowers.jpg">
One Towers Road, Toorak (pictured above), owned by former JPMorgan Australia chairman Brian Watson, remains listed for sale.
Set on 3,900 square metres, the six-bedroom house was once owned by businessman John Elliott.
Its Kay &amp; Burton listing agent Michael Gibson expected the house to attract more than $26 million when it was listed last October.
The empty-nester Watson family bought the Toorak property in 2001 for $11.1 million, a then record-setting price.
Toorak’s highest-priced sale was the reported $24 million sale in 2010 of the former Baillieu family estate on St Georges Road, Toorak when bought by soft-drink magnate Harry Stamoulis.
It was bought from the Inge family, which own the aged-healthcare and property development company Zig Inge Group.
The Inge family had paid $14.8 million for the St Georges Road property in February 2009. The seven-bedroom Federation house had been the home of Diana Baillieu, mother of Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu, until she died aged 93 in 2008.
Building will start this month in Melbourne's blue-chip suburb of Toorak on one of the state's largest and most expensive new homes.
Building was scheduled to start last month one the replacement Stamoulis house to a design by Bruce Henderson.
''The project could be considered one of the largest commissioned single residential projects in recent Victorian history,'' Wayne Krongold from builders Krongold Constructions told The Age.
 
 
 
 
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 Toorak behemoths resume battle for possible record price crown as 3 Towers Road relisted 

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Tongkah, the 1910 Arts and Crafts villa at Centennial Park, has been listed for April 3 auction with $5.75 million-plus hopes.
The five-bedroom Lang Road house sits on a 1,024-square-metre block. It’s been listed by Carol and James Beecher, who operated a family lighting company for many decades, through Di Jones agent Louise Snowden and Catherine Dixon. It last traded at $1.1 million in 1990.
<img src="/images/stories/centennial.jpg">
Centennial Park’s most recent sale price hasn’t been disclosed but it’s understood to be about $6.5 million on Robertson Road. The four-bedroom 1900 house (pictured above) on a 757-square-metre block was renovated in 2007. It had last sold for $5.75 million in 2006.
<img src="/images/stories/centennial2.jpg">
There was also the $4.815 million sale last September of Elouera (pictured above and below), set at the western end of Martin Road, one of Sydney's most prestigious non-waterfront addresses.  While the front section of the house  retains its original Art Deco architecture, the double-height glass-walled back section is modern and bold designed by architect Michael Heenan of Allen Jack + Cottier.
<img src="/images/stories/centennial3.jpg">
Both were sold through Di Jones.
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Arts and Crafts Centennial Park villa Tongkah listed with $5.75 million-plus hopes: Title Tattle

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This week's top 10 sales crown was tightly contested between Sydney and Melbourne, but a $4,906,000 Paddington contemporary abode just pipped a partially renovated Brighton mortgagee sale.

<p style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The new contemporary Goodhope Street dwelling initially went to market in October 2011 seeking $5.8 million plus. It was called on the market at $4.83 million with competition from phone bidders from start to finish. It was knocked down to a buyer being represented by the buyers’ agent Chris Koren.

<p style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Julian Hasemer from 1st City Hasemer + Caldwell.Eyles handled the sale in conjunction with McGrath agent Ben Collier. The 257-square-metre holding last traded at $3 million in 2009, with the warehouse replaced with a home designed over three levels behind the bold eight-metre facade. It came with a two-car garage, a courtyard light well, a huge living space that opens to a walled terrace with a rectangular pool and waterfall feature, and four bedrooms and bathrooms all luxurious in their finishes and size.

<p style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The five-bedroom Brighton house that fetched $4.9 million had a reported $4 million land value. David Hart, the Buxton Brighton selling agent, says it requires just a few finishing touches to take its place as one of Brighton's most sumptuous homes. Set on a prized Golden Mile court the St Nonians Court house came with five bedrooms.

 
1. 65 GOODHOPE STREET, PADDINGTON, NSW, 2021, four-bedroom house, sold at auction on March 24 by McGrath Estate Agents for $4,906,000
<img src="/images/stories/nintijan.jpg">
2. 8 ST NINIANS COURT, BRIGHTON, VIC, 3186, five-bedroom house (pictured above), sold at auction on March 24 by Buxton Brighton for $4.9 million
3. 8 BULKARA STREET, WAGSTAFFE, NSW, 2257, five-bedroom house, sold on March 23 by Belle Property Terrigal for $3.6
4. 18 ARTHUR STREET, BELLEVUE HILL, NSW, 2023, five-bedroom house, sold on March 21 by Richardson &amp; Wrench Double Bay for $3.4 million
5. 30 VISTA STREET, GREENWICH, NSW, 2065, four-bedroom house, sold before auction at March 24 by McGrath Estate Agents for $3 million
6. 4 WINBURN AVENUE, KINGSFORD, NSW, 2032, five-bedroom house, sold at auction on March 24 by N G Farah Real Estate for $2.83 million
7. 23 WINMALEE ROAD, BALWYN, VIC, 3103, five-bedroom house, sold on March 23 by Noel Jones Balwyn for $2.8 million
8. 9 FAIRBAIRN ROAD, TOORAK, VIC, 3142, three-bedroom house, sold at auction on March 24 by Kay &amp; Burton South Yarra for $2,505,000
9. 413 BRONTE ROAD, BRONTE, NSW, 2024, three-bedroom house, sold at auction on March 24 by Goodyer Donnelley Real Estate for $2,395,000
10. 3 SOUTH AVENUE, DOUBLE BAY, NSW, 2028, three-bedroom house, sold at auction on March 20 by Bradfield Cleary Real Estate for $2.3 million
 
Last week's list top 10 sales were:
 
1. 68 LORD STREET, ROSEVILLE, NSW, 2069, five-bedroom house, sold at auction on March 17 by Belle Property Killara for $3.25 million
2. 38 REDNAL STREET, MONA VALE, NSW, 2103, five-bedroom house, sold after auction on March 17 by RE/MAX Property Specialists for $2.9 million
3. 200 WHALE BEACH ROAD, WHALE BEACH, NSW, 2107, four-bedroom house, sold at auction on March 17 by McGrath Estate Agents for $2.8 million
4. 146A WOOLOOWARE ROAD, CRONULLA, NSW, 2230, five-bedroom house sold on March 16 by Sean Egan Property Burraneer for $2.7 million
5. 45 NEWTON ROAD, STRATHFIELD, NSW, 2135, four-bedroom house, sold at auction on March 17 by Devine Real Estate for $2.4 million
6. 13 BRANDON STREET, CLOVELLY, NSW, 2031, four-bedroom house, sold at auction on March 17 by Belle Property Bondi Junction for $2,205,000
7. 8 TUNKS STREET, WAVERTON, NSW, 2060, four-bedroom house, sold at auction on March 17 by McGrath Estate Agents for $2,107,500
8. 1/142 BRIGHTON BOULEVARD, NORTH BONDI, NSW, 2026, four-bedroom unit, sold on March 13 by Raine &amp; Horne Bondi Beach for $2.1 million
9. 29 ORRONG ROAD, ELSTERNWICK, VIC, 3185, four-bedroom house, sold at auction on March 17 by Biggin &amp; Scott Elsternwick for $2.1 million
10. 25 CAMPBELL STREET, ABBOTSFORD, NSW, 2046, five-bedroom house, sold at auction on March 17 by Ray White Five Dock for $2 million
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Paddington pips Brighton for most expensive sale of the week: RP Data

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The most disconcerting trend to come out of the Stockland downgrade announcement was Matthew Quinn’s observation that banks were not offering financing to their buyers.
He said house-and-land buyers assessed as qualified for financing by Stockland were often getting knocked back by banks.
"A lot of these leads are still in the system, with conversion taking longer and finance approvals taking longer," Quinn said.
''Often this is due to buyers going through the finance process and getting knocked back even where we assessed them as being able to get finance,'' he said.
Perhaps the key reason for the bank hesitation came elsewhere in the briefing, when Quinn noted Stockland residential lot sales were being affected by competitors cutting their prices.
Quinn <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/industry-news/stockland-downgrades-earnings-as-wet-weather-delays-illawarra-residential-projects/2012032754023">said the cuts were between by between $50,000 and $70,000</a>.
Quinn told analysts that while there was some price pressure in areas where direct local competitors had aggressively discounted prices, Stockland did not usually match price cuts and preferred to “ride out” the discounts.
But in a recent survey of 40 of the top 100 home builders, 72% of respondents said house-and-land buyers were having trouble obtaining finance.
Some 62% advised that it was getting worse or showing no change, according to the survey released by RBS Equities this month.
Buyers’ difficulties in obtaining finance were resulting in lost sales for 79% of the home builders that responded, and in delays for buying for 21%.
Consumer caution – which has been around since the GFC –  is now meeting resistance by way of financing challenges in the most affordable sector of housing.
It should, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/federal-government-must-decide-if-housing-industry-warrants-a-handout-in-may-budget/2012032053937">as I pointed out last week</a>, be of increasing concern to state and federal government policymakers.
Have we heard much from the opposition on the issue?
But surely the lengthening absence of data indicating any housing construction recovery – and accompanying credit growth – must be weighing on Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan during his May budget preparations.
Bendigo and Adelaide Bank chairman Robert Johanson says the housing market succeeds because of economic prosperity rather than government intervention.
So while we await the prosperity sentiment, and any government intervention, it seems home builders are going to have to offer more than free air-conditioners or $5,000 barbecues to secure sales.
Maybe the astronomical price of land has to come back to earth a bit.
 
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Land prices coming back to earth as developers start discounting

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The Brisbane home that no one wanted to buy finally got sold last month.
The house that was Australia's most heavily discounted property for much of 2011 – 1350 Wynnum Road, Tingalpa – fetched $315,000.
The modest post-war home on an 1,158-square-metre block started its listing in November 2010 with $700,000 hopes, thereby reflecting a 55% price adjustment.
The deceased estate was under contract in August last year, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/bank-stop-overlooked-ugly-duckling-from-selling-in-deteriorating-brisbane-market/2011090251401">but the buyers were unable to get finance</a>. It has recently sold to an investor.
Property analyst Louis Christopher of SQM Research has said that discounting remains rife across the country, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/queensland/treasure-island-avenue-home-heads-list-of-most-discounted-properties-in-queensland-sqm-research/2012032754036">with many vendors being forced to accept offers far lower than they hoped</a>.
<img src="/images/stories/wynnum3.jpg">
“Properties from certain pockets within Queensland have definitely undergone harsher discounting in comparison to other states and regions across the country and as we can see from these homes' individual advertisements, there some desperate vendors trying to sell within the area,” he says.
“Although these homes do generally only show the extremities of the market place, it has become evident in recent times that real estate in particular locations within this state has genuinely decreased in value over the last 12 months.”
There had been multiple offers during 2011 for the house but being on an industrial main road, it had its challenges.
“And it was probably listed too high in the beginning,” one of its former listing agents noted.
RP Data says the median house price in Tingalpa is currently about $426,000, which is up on the $425,000 median last August.
The original asking price was at the owner's directive.
The latest selling agent was Scott Watson at Ray White Birkdale.
<img src="/images/stories/wynnum4.jpg">
He marketed the property is being a “prime position 1,158-square-metre block is ready to be split into two with a massive 22-metre frontage, rent out or live in until you’re ready to cash in.
“The three-bedroom, one-bath, one-car home is very solid and surprisingly very quiet, when inside you will think you are in the suburbs.
“Never being sold before, this a chance of a life time and the owner is coast-bound and want this sold now,” he said.
“So if you like making money then you will need to be quick as this will make the phone run hot,” Watson advised potential buyers.
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Long overlooked ugly duckling Brisbane house finally finds buyer

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She might be solar powered, but even the iconic Skipping Girl Vinegar mascot, Little Audrey, is set to be switched off during Earth Hour 2012.
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/audrey1.jpg">
The Abbotsford icon was the first animated neon sign in Australia, designed in 1936, and on Saturday night will be tokenistically turned off by its owners corporation at 651 Victoria Street.
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/audrey2.jpg">
Jeanette Ward, Colliers International associate director, real estate management, says its among the 75 Victorian properties managed by Colliers International that have signed up to switch off their lights from 8.30 to 9.30pm this Saturday, March 31.
“Colliers International has been a key supporter of Earth Hour since 2007 and has again arranged for buildings within our real estate management portfolio nationally to have non-essential lighting turned off during this hour,” Ward says.
Earth Hour is an international cause, and people all over the world turn off their lights between 8.30pm and 9.30pm for one hour. The campaign aims to send a global message that is possible to take action on climate change and make a difference.
The historic skipping girl sign is powered by 27 rooftop solar panels with its power currently being paid for by AGL Energy using their 100% GreenPower energy plan until 2014.
Constructed in 1936 by Neon Electric Signs, which later built the Nylex Clock in 1961, she was originally rented to the Nycander factory in Victoria Street and advertised vinegar, being a part of the suburb's landscape until 1968 when the factory changed hands.
A replica of the original sign was made in 1970, after the factory was taken over by the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, which sold the sign.
By 1970, the new Audrey was erected, but in 1986 her lights went out again when that business, the Crusader Plate factory, closed.
Community lobby group Friends of Audrey, backed by energy supplier AGL, campaigned for and won heritage registration in 2007, and in 2009 she was fully restored after the group rallied community support and raised the necessary funds.
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Little Audrey, of Skipping Girl Vinegar, to take a well-deserved 60-minute break for Earth Hour

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Sydney northern beach weekenders continue to show weakness. Bank of Queensland chief executive Stuart Grimshaw and Susanne Grimshaw have sold their hillside Whale Beach weekender for $2.8 million. But the Grimshaws had paid $3.1 million in 2009 for the four-bedroom 1970s Whale Beach Road house, which sold through McGrath agent Andrew Mappin.
Their Killara house, which cost $3.5 million in 2003, has been listed with $4 million-plus hopes through Scott Farquhar at McGrath Lindfield.
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Even bankers not immune to Sydney northern beaches weakness as Stuart Grimshaw sells Whale Beach weekender at a loss: Title Tattle 

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Declining house prices are the major threat to Australian mortgage performance, according to Fitch Ratings.
The forecast comes as delinquencies in the Australian prime mortgage sector unexpectedly increased partly as new borrowers faced affordability constraints.
"It is too early to judge which factors contributed to the increase in arrears during the December quarter, but to a measurable extent, declining house prices were the only key driver of mortgage performance to show a negative trend," says James Zanesi, director in Fitch's structured finance team.
Fitch notes house price stagnation tends to keep 90-plus-day arrears high, as it can lead to longer periods between the initiation of the legal enforcement and the final sale of properties.
Any prolonged period of house price decline might also indirectly lead to an increase in 30- to 59-day arrears with additional financing scarce, leaving the borrower more vulnerable to external events such as unemployment.
The deterioration was forecast to temporarily deteriorate in the March quarter given seasonal Christmas spending, in combination with minor increases in bank standard variable rates.
Click to enlarge
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The Fitch report noted that the housing market deterioration during 2011 – when median house prices fell nationally by 4.8% – had limited the refinance and sale options for borrowers in financial distress.
“When the borrower exhausts the available funds the arrears will materialise, as the loan that might otherwise have been refinanced or repaid will fall into delinquency,” report co-author Natasha Vojvodic notes.
Fitch notes the change comes despite the macro-economic environment including interest rates, consumer spending and unemployment either remaining unchanged or improving during the quarter.
Fitch notes although delinquency rates are increasing and are above the historical Australian average, they remain low relative to other countries and well within the expectations used to derive Fitch's ratings for Australian RMBS transactions.
Delinquencies in the Australian prime residential mortgage sector increased to 1.57% in the final quarter of 2011, up from 1.52% as new borrowers faced affordability constraints.
Click to enlarge
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The increase in 30-plus-day arrears was mainly driven by a rise in the 30- to 59-day arrears, which is usually associated with a temporary shock in affordability.
Fitch expects 30- to 59-day delinquencies to remain stable in the absence of temporary adverse events such as interest rate rises, excessive spending, significant changes in employment markets or catastrophic events.
But the more susceptible borrowers such as self-employed households still face challenges in meeting their mortgage obligations, which recorded an increase in 30-plus-day arrears to 6.62% in the December quarter up from the 6.26% rate in the September quarter.
“Low-doc loans are experiencing considerable deterioration, as Fitch expected,” Zanesi says.
“The agency continues to believe that low-doc borrowers are likely to take longer than historically to cure their delinquency status.”
 
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Falling housing prices could lead to even higher mortgage delinquency rates: Fitch Ratings

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.

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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."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149637 project_image_fid=351024]

As Stage 2 enters the market, that lived experience may be one of the project's strongest selling points. Buyers are not purchasing into an untested concept or a future promise. They are joining a community that is already taking shape.

Ongoing investment in transport, retail, healthcare and public open space continues to strengthen the appeal of Syd​ney's north-west growth corridor, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a>'s established first stage provides buyers with a tangible sense of the community's future direction.

For a limited time, buyer can secure a new home at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> with just a $10,000.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=149637]

Kew Tallawong: A growing community taking shape in Sydney's north-west

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

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

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/abadeen">Abadeen</a> and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/perifa">PERIFA</a> have celebrated the topping out of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf,</a> marking a significant milestone in the delivery of one of Syd​ney's most anticipated waterfront communities.

Located on Sydney's harbourfront at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/putney-nsw-2112">Putney</a>, the project has now reached its highest structural point, with construction progressing strongly towards completion in 2027. 
&nbsp; 
The milestone was celebrated on-site with project partners Phoenix Property Investors, Mitsubishi Estate Asia, Versatile Construction, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, consultants and stakeholders, to recognise the collective effort behind the transformation of the historic waterfront site into a vibrant new residential, marina and lifestyle destination.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=362240] 
&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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