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Normandie, a French-inspired castle estate at Dural, has been sold.
Offers of $3 million plus were most recently being sought by Sandy Ward at Ray White Dural, who posted its sale announcement on realestate.com.au yesterday. No sale price was given.
It was a mortgagee-in-possession sale, having been initially listed in September 2009 by its owners with $6.25 million-plus hopes.
The imposing sandstone residence was built in 1985 by Bronte Douglass – a founder of Douglass Pathology – and his wife, Darlene. The manor house was built after the couple bought the almost-bare block in the early 1980s for $130,000. They had studied books on French chateaux before finalising their concept for the house with the assistance of designer Darryl Lock, who drew the plans. Lock also created many of the interior finishes, such as the four chandeliers suspended from the 10-metre-high cathedral ceiling in the great hall at the centre of the residence.
The house has a slate roof imported from the Pyrenees, external walls made from Sydney sandstone and interior walls of rendered brick. Designed to maximise its north and easterly aspects, it has forest and rural vistas from every room.
At entry level is its great hall with a minstrel's gallery, a huge formal sitting room, banquet-sized dining room, large study panelled with American oak, family room, open-plan kitchen and breakfast area.
It comes with four bedroom suites.
Its 2.2-hectare grounds have sweeping lawns, ornamental trees, a tennis court and swimming pool.
A recent search of the property’s title revealed mortgages to St George Bank and the National Australia Bank.
Considered the most exclusive street in Dural, Jane Place has eight properties of 2.2 hectares each.
The most recent sale was sold by car dealer Phil Gilbert for $3.75 million.
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French-inspired Dural castle Normandie sells after owners failed to keep mortgagees at bay

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Former model Simone Callahan didn’t sell her clifftop Mornington Peninsula retreat, Clahane, when it went to weekend auction.

The former wife of cricketer Shane Warne, who wants $1.5 million plus for the four-bedroom, 332-square-metre Arthurs Seat house placed a $1.4 million vendor bid.

It was last traded in 2008 at $1,225,000. She’d initially sought $2 million in early 2010, which was subsequently revised to $1.59 million-plus hopes for the 4,700-square-metre property, which comes with self-contained guest accommodation, tennis court and swimming pool.

There are views towards the CBD and over the Mornington Peninsula from the renovated single-level Scenic Place house, which had its Fasham-Johnson-makeover done before its last sale.

It’s listed through Harcourts Rosebud agent Grant McConnell.

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Simone Callahan's Mornington Peninsula retreat fails to sell for third time: Title Tattle

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Lord Alistair McAlpine of West Green, the down-to-earth Broome visionary, was back in the Kimberley region for the first time in a decade.
And he liked what he saw, with one caveat.
“It’s important the planners stick to the ‘no higher than a palm tree’ height principle when it comes to new development,” he told Property Observer before departing Broome last Friday.
Describing the heat during his six-day visit as like a very gentle sauna, McAlpine, the treasurer of the British Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher, was there to be recognised by the shore for his contribution to putting the place on the tourism map.
Once dubbed by the eastern states press as "Lord Of The Bush", he was formally recognised at a ceremony last week given the presentation of the shire's highest honour, Freeman of the Municipality.
Coming to buy seashells, he first visited the former pearling town in 1979 and was taken with it – albeit describing it as a derelict town.
<img src="/images/stories/suncinemas.jpg">
Within hours of arriving in the Kimberley town he’d purchased a cottage, then the Sun Cinemas (pictured above), and within a few years he'd started a zoo and a luxury resort.
He had been building Perth property since the mid-1960s including construction of the Pamelia hotel through his family business.
His acquisitions of Broome properties – many of the best of the pearling master's cottages – got up into the 20s.
“Without its old houses, Broome was nothing,” the softly spoken McAlpine told Property Observer.
<img src="/images/stories/cablebeach.jpg">
His biggest acquisition was the Cable Beach property – then a caravan park and sewer – which is now the Cable Beach Resort (pictured above). It was bought quite informally – a beer mat contract – at the Roey pub.
“The Cable Beach Resort is far better than in the past,” McAlpine acknowledged.
Broome, set in one of Australia's great wilderness areas, is easily isolated.
McAlpine’s exit from the town came in the wake of the debilitating 1989 pilots’ strike, and he said he might still be there but for it.
“It’s greatly improved since my day,” he said, dressed dapperly in earthy colours that matched the geographical locality, but perhaps not suiying the temperature.
“The town has developed very well, but it’s not there yet.
“There’s a lot more buildings, but not much has changed.”
‘It’s a mature town, but I’ve been impressed by the restraint. They’ve stroked it terrifically,” he said.
He says there’s a need for more foliage in the town.
During a public gathering he was quizzed on the impact arising from the development of a gas project at James Price Point.
“Resources will be a short-term thing,” he suggested.
But he indicated he was more concerned at the prospect of eco-hotels opening up through the Kimberley and people arriving to them on buses and in gas-guzzling four-wheel drives.
He is keen for railway lines to be constructed in the region. He suggests a railway line from Meekatharra to Broome and onto Darwin and a narrow gauge rail line from Broome up to Cape Leveque on the Dampier Peninsula.
In 2010 he stepped down from his seat in the House of Lords.
<img src="/images/stories/mcalpine1.jpg">
Photographs by Jonathan Chancellor
He lives with his wife, Athena (pictured above), in southern Italy, which he says has a similar dry climate, owning a haute bed-and-breakfast, the 15th-century Il Convento di Santa Maria di Costantinopoli, in Apulia.
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Lord Alistair McAlpine returns to Broome and urges tourism development stay below the palm tree line

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The Balmoral Boatshed, a residential and commercial leasehold property on the Middle Harbour foreshore at Mosman, has been listed for sale by accountant John Bennett.
More than $5 million is being sought with expressions of interest closing May 8 through Richardson &amp; Wrench Mosman agent Robert Simeon.
Bennett bought the leasehold of the property in 1995 when it was the rundown Walton's Boatshed. It had previously sold in boomtime 1987 at $1.1 million. It was rebuilt around 2005 with a beachside cafe downstairs and a 200-square-metre three-bedroom apartment upstairs.
The sale of the lease, which has 15 years left to run, includes the apartment, the cafe, a boat hire and tender service as well as management rights for 56 moorings.
In the 2010-11 financial year, the mooring business generated a gross income of $285,000, and the cafe business grossed about $900,000.
“It’s had a long history dating from the 1930s,” Simeon says.
 
 
 
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Balmoral Boatshed café and apartment listed with $5 million-plus hopes

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Nip/Tuck star Julian McMahon knocked back $5.9 million when the long-time home of his mother, the late Lady (Sonia) McMahon, went to weekend auction.
The Bellevue Hill property had been listed with $6 million-plus hopes by the executors of the estate, who included Julian’s two sisters.
The Australian actor and former fashion model has an older sister, Melinda, and a younger sister, Deborah.
Sonia McMahon, the widow of former prime minister Sir William McMahon, bought the building block for $3 million in 1991 and subsequently constructed a French Riviera-inspired residence on its 1252-square-metre holding.
The four-bedroom house has large entertainment areas plus lawn and lower-level pool, cabana and a sauna.
It has a northerly aspect and some harbour views from its hillside Victoria Road vantage point.
It’s understood there’s been a marginally higher offer since the auction from one of the three bidders.
It’s been listed through Sally Hampshire of Laing+Simmons Double Bay and Victoria Morish of Di Jones Real Estate.
Sonia McMahon was 77 years old when she died in April 2010. Her husband, who was prime minister between 1971 and the December 1972 election, died in 1988 aged 80. She’d held onto her previous nearby empty 1920s Drumalbyn Road, Bellevue Hill home. Last June <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/nip/tuck-star-julian-mcmahon-sells-childhood-home/2011062450590">Julian and his two sisters secured $9 million from the sale of their late mother’s earlier Sydney residence</a>.
 
 
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Lady (Sonia) McMahon’s Bellevue Hill home passed in at $5.9 million at weekend auction but not far from expectations: Title Tattle

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<img src="/images/stories/thomasst.jpg">
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Sky News reporter Michael Willesee jnr and his journalist wife, Allison Langdon, who works on Channel Nine's 60 Minutes, have bought in Bronte after selling their Randwick apartment. The couple, who married in 2008, spent $2.05 million on the renovated two-storey house (pictured above) that boasts three separate living areas. There are four large double bedrooms plus one guest bedroom and three bathrooms, a study and a sunroom. Its Laing and Simmons Double Bay selling agent Stephen Zoellner described it as a flawless family home with magnificent period features including ornate ceilings, timber floorboards and picture rails.
Their Randwick apartment was sold for more than $1.7 million. It was a 251-square-metre three-bedroom apartment with views to Coogee that cost $1.65 million soon after the building was completed five years ago.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/march22miller]}
<img style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: left; margin: 5px;" src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg">Respected art advisor Justin Miller – best known for his lengthy stint at Sotheby's – has sold his parkside Sydney city apartment (pictured above) pre-auction through Vicki Laing and Simon Polito at Laing Real Estate. It had been tipped to sell for about $3.3 million. The buyer only inspected the three-bedroom 30th-floor north-facing apartment in The Hyde on Wednesday, and the confidential paperwork got signed Thursday. Set in a residential tower standing opposite Hyde Park on Liverpool Street on the former Stockland office site, Miller had paid $2,949,000 off the plan from Stockland in late 2006. The 186-square-metre apartment has views of the city skyline, park and harbour. The apartment comes with two car spaces and a storeroom, which adds another 29 square metres to its title.
<img src="/images/stories/ashdon.jpg">
<img style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: left; margin: 5px;" src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg">The 1890 Ashdon Farm (pictured above and below), one of the most vibrant farming properties in the Macedon Ranges, has been sold for about $2.4 million by Bob Talbot, the past president of the Australian Wagyu Association. It was snapped up after being offered for the first time in 33 years, shortly after Talbot and another adman Graeme Samuelson formed Samuelson Talbot in 1978. The 75-hectare farm comes with a modest homestead sets in mature parklands overlooking a lake, which has had the unmistakable influences of designer Paul Bangay.
<img src="/images/stories/ashdon2.jpg" style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;">
It seems the cattle were prized, as they have an architect-designed covered cattle yard. The farm was utilizing the very best Japanese full blood Wagyu genetics to produce big volume animals with the highest quality carcass qualifications for international markets. Tom May and Beverley Higgs at RT Edgar Real Estate Macedon Ranges aren’t saying who the buyer was, but Title Tattle gathers it was Mark and Melissa Duggan of Hawthorn.
 
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{yoogallery src=[images/stories/march15rathven]}
<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: left; margin: 5px;">Title Tattle normally leaves the political commentary to Laura Tingle at the AFR, but can't resist noting that Peter Garrett’s former Liberal opponent for the Kingsford Smith electorate, Michael Feneley, has bought back into the coastal Sydney electorate. But only by 250 metres from its border with the Wentworth electorate. Feneley, the director of cardiology and the Heart Lung Program at St Vincent's Hospital, got an 8% swing in the 2010 election and could be expected to seriously challenge if he runs next time. Seven years ago he and his wife, Marnie, built on a 247-square-metre Hewlett Street, Bronte property that sold earlier this month through McGrath agent Bethwyn Richards, who was apparently looking for $5 million plus.
The Feneleys are moving to St Marks Road, Randwick, where they bought Rathven from gastroenterologist Terry Bolin and his physio wife, Robin, for $6.3 million, a suburb record. The deal was negotiated through Bill Bridges of Ballard Property. Rathven, the rarely traded 1887 residence, is a six-bedroom, six-bathroom Italianate colonial villa that sits on a 2,117-square-metre block with an 18-metre pool, a spa and a tennis court. It was heritage listed in 1979 by then planning minister Paul Landa after 72 residential apartments were proposed for the site. It last traded, derelict, in 1982 for $410,000.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/march15elysian]}
<img style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: left; margin: 5px;" src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg">House lots are being subdivided off MFS founder Michael King's former Gold Coast hinterland polo estate Elysian Fields (pictured above) with prices starting at $720,000. King, who is selling the estate on behalf of his financiers, has subdivided a 59-hectare holding into five lots. The lots are pitched at the equestrian community. The lots in Elysian Fields range in size from 3.1 hectares to 40 hectares and range in price from $720,000 to $850,000. Four of five lots have houses. Canungra Realty agent Lawrie Phillips says the size is right for “tree change'' buyers and will particularly appeal to horse owners. The land sale by King began more than three years ago. Proceeds of the sale will repay the property's mortgagee, with any surplus going to creditors of King's private companies. 
King secured a personal insolvency agreement with creditors – mainly margin lenders – in 2009 after the $2 billion collapse of MFS in 2008. Part of the agreement, which has about six months to run, required him to manage the sell-off of the Elysian Fields estate. The Gold Coast Bulletin reports that following the latest lots, Elysian Fields would have shrunk to about 40 hectares from its 187-hectare peak. The district’s big buyer in recent times is mining magnate Nathan Tinkler, who bought 57 hectares of Elysian Fields for $4.55 million in 2010. Over the past two years Phillips says Tinkler has helped put Canungra on the map among the equestrian community. Phillips describes Tinkler as “a bit of a Pied Piper'' for the Canungra region after investing more than $20 million on a series of acquisitions around Wadham Park, which has since been renamed Patinack Farm.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/march15stawell]}
T<img style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: left; margin: 5px;" src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg">he Kew house dubbed "The Stawell House" (pictured above) has been sold. The internationally celebrated house graces the cover of new coffee-table book Australia's Best Houses. It’s been bought by George Sykiotis, one of the restaurateurs behind Made Establisment, who have seven restaurants in Melbourne – The Press Club, Little Press and Cellar, Maha, Hellenic Republic, P M 24 and St Katherine’s, with the seventh venue, Mama Baba, having opened in January in South Yarra. The property has its own website, <a href="https://26stawell.com">https://26stawell.com</a>, created by its recent seller David O'Donnell, who works in IT although at one stage he gave up his day job to concentrate on an emerging sideline enterprise as a developer. More than $3 million was tipped for the Stawell Street house listed through Kay &amp; Burton agent Sam Wilkinson and Scott Patterson.
The Minimalist house covering three levels sits in a quiet nook off Studley Park Road. Likened by the architect, Michael O'Sullivan, who is part of the Vibe Design Group, to a 1960s-style stereo cabinet speaker, the house won an early prize following its completion in January 2011 when it was awarded as best residential design for a new house with over $1 million construction costs – and most innovative use of glass – in the Building Design Association of Victoria awards.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/november14hawkins]}
<img style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: left; margin: 5px;" src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg">The Coogee home (pictured above) of Jennifer Hawkins, the former Miss Universe, television personality and swimwear designer, and her fiance, Jake Wall, has now been listed with a $2.3 million asking price.  It was passed in at December auction on a $2.5 million vendor bid through McGrath agent Adrian Bo and then listed with a $2.6 million asking price. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/model-jennifer-hawkins-coogee-pad-finally-hits-the-market/2011111452342">The 2003-built Coogee property</a>, with three bedrooms and three bathrooms, cost Hawkins $2.27 million in late 2008. The main bedroom comes with ensuite, dressing room and terrace. One of its ultra-modern bathrooms has a Japanese agape spoon bath. Its third bedroom could be a home theatre or home office. There’s a private rooftop terrace with ocean views as well as a cellar – all a stroll to Gordon’s Bay and Coogee and minutes to shops, cafes and transport. Much of the house, including a feature wall of Florence Broadhurst-style wallpaper, pre-dates Hawkins’ 2008 purchase. The couple moved out of the Moore Street townhouse several months before the December auction in anticipation of construction of their northern beaches home  in the Windy Dropdown gated estate.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/march1nepean]}
<img style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: left; margin: 5px;" src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg">And don't say Title Tattle told you, but it’s taken just a few days for the snappy sale of one of Portsea’s Easter auction listings. Dundonald, the five-bedroom, three-bathroom 1917 limestone residence opposite Fishermans Beach, has been sold. It’s been sold by the Boykett family within one week <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/victoria/portseas-limestone-charmer-dundonald-on-the-market-after-quiet-summer-selling-season/2012022953637" target="_blank">of its first-ever listing</a>. Set on 1,724 square metres of level lawns on the corner of Point Nepean Road and Relph Avenue, more than $2.75 million was being sought. James Buyer Advocates suggests it fetched about $3.2 million through Kay &amp; Burton Portsea agent Liz Jensen.
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Michael Willesee jnr and Allison Langdon move to Bronte: Title Tattle

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Art advisor Justin Miller – best known for his lengthy stint at Sotheby's – has listed his parkside Sydney city apartment for March 27 auction through Vicki Laing and Simon Polito at Laing Real Estate. It's tipped to sell for more than $3.3 million.
The three-bedroom 30th-floor north-facing apartment is in The Hyde, a residential tower standing opposite Hyde Park on Liverpool Street. It first traded for $2,949,000 when Miller bought off the plan from Stockland in late 2006. The 186-square-metre apartment has views of the city skyline, park and harbour.
The apartment comes with two car spaces and a storeroom, which adds another 29 square metres to its title.
 
 
 
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Art advisor Justin Miller lists 30th-floor Hyde apartment: Title Tattle

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Boothville House, the stately six-bedroom mansion in the Brisbane suburb of Windsor, remains listed for sale. It has a $4.5 million asking price.
It was built in 1887 for the Queensland National Bank to provide residential accommodation for managers, starting with Henry Wallis Glenny. It took its name after its purchase by William Booth, the son of the founder of the Salvation Army, in 1923. It was The Salvation Army-run Boothville Maternity Hospital for 70 years before it was closed in 1994. Some 80,000 babies were born at Boothville.
It was the transformed into a large family home after its restoration by Carbone Developments, which built villas in its then extended grounds. It has sweeping views across Brisbane, plus glass chandeliers, bay windows, fireplaces and crafted timberwork, and its listing agent Gabrielle Trickey of Ray White Paddington says there’s been much buyer interest. Boothville boasts 29 rooms including six bedrooms and seven bathrooms, a gym and a home theatre.
It retains many historical features, from the servants’ bell in the formal dining area to the oxygen panel in the gym, formerly the hospital operating theatre. It was bought by Melita and Drew Mattsson for $2.05 million in 2004. It sold in 2008 for $3.65 million and again in late 2008 to the current vendor, Queensland gas mining magnate Richard Cottee and his wife, Shauna, who paid $4.1 million. The couple divide their time between the UK and a farm outside Lorne on Victoria’s surf coast, where Shauna raises llamas and sheep.
 
 
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Stately Brisbane mansion Boothville House, formerly Boothville Maternity Hospital, listed for sale

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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.
I suspect the deliberations will possibly come down to whether the federal government throws some money at the problem so that it takes effect this year or saves any announcement until the 2013 election year.
But the treasurer ought to be asking: does it necessitate anything being done, and what outcomes are desired?
Should it go directly into the pockets of the buyer, or indirectly to the seller? Or maybe into infrastructure.
Or does the housing construction industry simply need to realise that cycles are cycles, and no reason for a handout from government?
When presenting floral bouquets for effective lobbying the housing construction industry stands up there on the podium, albeit overshadowed by the car industry.
Indeed Philip Soos says in his latest column on The Conversation, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/real-estate-agents-conflict-of-interest-creating-australias-housing-price-bubble-philip-soos/2012032053925">and on Property Observer today</a>, that the real estate lobby is immensely powerful, representing the $4 trillion landowning class.
Take the long-running first-home buyer’s grant, which has been around since its 2000 introduction by John Howard as part of GST compensation.
Soldier settlement assistance ran for about eight years following the return of soldiers from World War 1.
Bob Hawke's housing assistance lasted seven years in the 1980s.
New South Wales first-home buyer grants:
Click to enlarge
<a title="Click to enlarge" rel="shadowbox" href="/images/stories/fhbg.gif"><img src="/images/stories/fhbgthumb.gif" style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;"></a>
Source: NSW OSR
The current 12-year-long assistance package has periodically undergone a boost that triggers an even greater market distortion of the herd mentality among young buyers. It was Aussie Home Loans founder John Symond who first signalled the possibility that events might unfold this year. 
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/first-home-owner-s-boost-could-return-this-year-john-symond/2012010552968">Property Observer reported in January</a> that Symond noted it was generally true that “in any run-up to an election the government throws money around”.
“Probably my cynical self says six to 12 months ahead of the next election, it would not surprise me that the government might stimulate housing by helping first-home buyers and they may possibly introduce a bonus or a boost to the first-home owner’s grant,” Symond said.
The earliest date for the next federal election is August 2013 (unless the government calls an early election) and an election must be held by November 30, 2013, meaning if Symond’s prediction proves accurate the boost to the first-home owner’s scheme could return in the latter half of the year.
The original boost scheme ran from October 2008 to December 2009 with the aim of cushioning the Australian economy from the worst impacts of the GFC.
Up until September 30, 2009, it provided first-time buyers with an extra $7,000 to purchase an existing home and $14,000 if they purchased a newly constructed home or built a new home.
The scheme operated in tandem with the $7,000 already on offer as part of the first-home owner’s grant, which is still in effect.
Between October 2009 and December 2009, the first-home owner’s boost was halved, with $3,500 available for the purchase of established homes and $7,000 for the purchase of new homes.
Symond says while no one can be certain of the boost returning, he tipped that “come federal election time there might be some handout for first-home buyers”.
But there was interesting debate this week about the effect of the grant for first-home buyers.
Bendigo and Adelaide Bank chairman Robert Johanson who said that first-home buyer grants were only serving to unnaturally drive up the cost of housing.
"The government were just giving people money to get into new houses, which transferred the value to the sellers. It just puts costs up," Johanson said.
"I think it's a waste and a distraction," he said.
Johanson said the grants were "bad policy", and that the housing market had succeeded because of economic prosperity rather than government intervention.
While we all wait for prosperity, the home builders are offering varied incentives to attract buyers.
Free air-conditioners, they pay your rent while you build, even $5,000 barbecues.
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Federal government must decide if housing industry warrants a handout in May budget

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The number of homes with mortgages worth more than the property's estimated value increased late last year as house prices fell.
Recent home buyers incurred the biggest jump in so-called negative equity.
RP Data says 6.4% of homes were valued at less than their purchase price in the December 2011 quarter, rising from 4.9% in the September quarter.
Since late 2010, capital city home values have fallen by 5.5%, RP Data suggests. The analysis does not look at debt levels by owners, only the price paid for properties and their estimated current value.
While the trend has potentially pushed more owners into negative equity, only 1% of owners who have held their properties for 10 years faced the prospect of negative equity on their homes.
Since late 2010, the Australian housing market has been quite weak, with home values falling by 5.5% across the combined capital cities since the market peaked, research analyst Cameron Kusher says.
"Buyers who purchased a home since this time have in many instances seen the value of their home move below their contract price," Kusher says.
RP Data notes prices tracked lower through 2011 as interest rate uncertainty, economic jitters and the unwillingness by many households to take on more debt sapped demand.
Far north Queensland had the highest proportion of mortgages in negative equity, at 22%, followed by the Gold Coast, with 19%.
The Sunshine Coast was in the third spot at 15%.
The area with the lowest amount of negative equity was Loddon, Victoria, with 1.9%, followed by Canberra with 2%.
Brisbane fared the worst among capital cities, with 9.2% of property deemed to be "underwater" in financial terms, followed by Perth at 7.4%
Sydney had 3.6% of properties in negative equity, pipping Melbourne with a 3.5% rate. In Hobart, 6.2% of properties were in negative equity, compared with 5.5% for Adelaide.
But 42% of Australian home owners find their properties are now worth more than twice the purchase price.
Kusher says it highlights the long-term nature of the housing market and investment.
"The first few years of owning a property are always the toughest because you don’t have much equity and aren’t paying off much of the principal,” he says.
Victoria had the highest incidence of homes worth double their purchase price, as half of all homes in the state are in this category.
 
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Number of homes in negative equity rising, particularly for recent buyers: RP Data

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149637 project_image_fid=351027]

The apartments themselves have been designed with liveability front of mind. Rather than chasing maximum density, the focus has been placed on creating practical homes with generous natural light, usable layouts and strong connections to outdoor space.

Importantly, these design principles have been applied consistently across the one, two and three-bedroom apartment offerings.

The appeal of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> is also closely linked to its location within Syd​ney's rapidly evolving north-west growth corridor. Over the past decade, major infrastructure investment has transformed the area, with new transport links, business precincts and community facilities reshaping suburbs like Talla​wong and Schofiel​ds.

The agent says buyers are increasingly recognising the area's long-term potential.

"Typical buyers that we're finding across <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> especially are your first-home buyers, your investors, your upsizers as well as your downsizers," Hawes says.

Connectivity remains one of the project's strongest drawcards. Residents have access to both Tallaw​ong Metro Station and Schofi​elds Train Station, providing links to the Sydn​ey CBD, Norw​est Business Park, Macquari​e Park and other major employment hubs. Retail centres including Rous​e Hill Town Centre and Sch​ofields Village are also nearby, alongside schools, parks and future healthcare infrastructure.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149637 project_image_fid=351031]

For Stage 1 resident Roji, it is the balance between convenience and comfort that has defined the experience of living at Kew.

"For me, it's a balance of quality and convenience," she says. "Everything I need is right here."

"If I wanted to catch the train, Scho​fields Station is just around the corner. Tallaw​ong Metro connects me to the city."

More importantly, she says, the development has delivered something that cannot be measured in floorplans or specifications.

"<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> feels like home."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149637 project_image_fid=351024]

As Stage 2 enters the market, that lived experience may be one of the project's strongest selling points. Buyers are not purchasing into an untested concept or a future promise. They are joining a community that is already taking shape.

Ongoing investment in transport, retail, healthcare and public open space continues to strengthen the appeal of Syd​ney's north-west growth corridor, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a>'s established first stage provides buyers with a tangible sense of the community's future direction.

For a limited time, buyer can secure a new home at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> with just a $10,000.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=149637]

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

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

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

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