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Sydney’s 1 Bligh Street has secured tenant Oil Search, which is leasing two levels at Dexus’ flagship sustainable office tower. But the deal required higher leasing incentives than previous deals.
At its half-year results, Dexus said its incentives across its portfolio had fallen from 20% two years ago to 16 % but were unlikely to fall further.
Dexus’ <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/industry-news/no-changing-course-for-dexus-as-darren-steinberg-readies-to-step-in/2011112852577" target="_blank">new managing director, Darren Steinberg</a>, said the Sydney market, which has been adversely affected by white-collar job losses and economic uncertainty, was expected to improve next year.
Oil Search, which is Papua New Guinea’s biggest oil and gas producer, will occupy levels 22 and 23.
The 3,274-square-metre lease runs for 12 years.
One Bligh, completed last year, is owned by Dexus Property Group, Dexus Wholesale Property Fund and Cbus Property.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/office/dexus-yet-to-meet-leasing-target-at-1-bligh-street/2012021553391" target="_blank">Law firm Clayton Utz is the tower’s anchor tenant</a> and the Commonwealth government's Ministerial and Parliamentary Services recently leased three floors.
Dexus says a further two floors are under offer, leaving three vacant high-rise floors and a number of smaller part-floor tenancies.
Financial media group <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/office/bloomberg-considering-move-to-sydney-s-1-bligh-street/2011112452537" target="_blank">Bloomberg has been linked to the pending two-floor lease</a>.
The Australian Financial Review says the new deals are understood to have been struck at higher incentives than previous deals.
The two new leases would take the tower’s occupancy level to 82%.
Cadigal Office Leasing and Jones Lang LaSalle represented the One Bligh Street owners, and LPC was the tenant adviser to Oil Search.
 
 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Another tenant for Sydney’s 1 Bligh Street, but Dexus needed to grease the wheels

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Libbi Gorr, the former Melbourne comedian then television host, has returned to her hometown as an ABC radio broadcaster.
Her three-bedroom North Bondi house in Sydney’s east has been listed at $1,300 a week rental.
Gorr has returned to Melbourne with her partner, freelance film and television producer Stewart Burchmore, and their two children.
“I have to say, we were becoming deliciously shallow,” she told Melbourne Weekly. “We lived near the beach and that whole beautiful lifestyle, which I will miss terribly. But we realised we should come back to Melbourne to get some couture, get some mental culture.”
So when the opportunity came up to move south, Gorr grabbed the chance to host 774 ABC Melbourne’s new Sunday radio morning program. Gorr, who barracks for Collingwood, attended Methodist Ladies’ College in Kew before graduating in law from the University of Melbourne. Her big break came co-starring with Andrew Denton on the ABC’s sports comedy television program Live and Sweaty, where her satirical character Elle McFeast was born in 1991. She blogs on her website, libbigorr.com.au.
“I’d love to say I’ll be running around the Tan, but I think that’s beyond me. I might do the odd skip of joy, though. I’m looking forward to taking the children on Puffing Billy, again and again and again,” she told Melbourne Weekly.
Her Sydney house, available through Belinda Halliday at Ray White Unlimited North Bondi, cost $1,605,000 in 2007.
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Melbourne comedian Libbi Gorr returns home and rents out North Bondi: Title Tattle

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Illiac, the wainscoted Hamptons-like Somers residence on a 1,965-squaremetre beachfront estate, has been sold by the Koco family.
Set in sculptured coastal gardens, the secluded property is just minutes from Point Leo surf lifesaving club, Somers Yacht Club and all of the vineyard restaurants and golf courses that the Mornington Peninsula is noted for.
With Californian timber beams along with tongue-and-groove panelling, the four-bedroom house was Stephen Akehurst designed, complete with clifftop horizon pool and entertaining deck.
There are five fireplaces underneath the western red cedar shingled roof. There’s also a boathouse with kitchenette plus private jetty. It has views across bay to Phillip Island, Seal Rock and Nobbies.
Michael Phoenix of RT Edgar Flinders was seeking a $5.9 million Somers record, and he’s not saying what price was secured. The land last traded at $900,000 in 1999.
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Hamptons-like Somers beachfront estate Illiac sells 

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The first Australian building designed by prize-winning American architect Frank Gehry has been approved with construction to start within months.
The 12-storey structure was designed for the University of Technology, Sydney.
Excavation of the Ultimo site near the ABC is under way.
<img src="/images/stories/gehry.jpg">
The $125 million tower for about 1,300 students and 300 academic staff is due for early 2014 completion.
The tower will be called the Dr Chau Chak Wing Building, named after the Hunters Hill Australian-Chinese businessman and philanthropist who has donated $20 million to help build it.
The crumpled-looking 15,470 square metre building will be the university's new business school. Only two public submissions were received against the project during the public exhibition period last June, although the initial design was changed slightly to improve privacy in nearby apartments.
The tower will be built on a site now occupied by the former Dairy Farmers Milk Co-op warehouse building.
It will include parking for 177 bicycles and 20 cars, with onsite showers and lockers.
The new building will generate its own electricity with a gas-fired tri-generation plant, an initiative backed by the City of Sydney.
The new buildings are part of a UTS campus master plan, estimated to cost a total of $1 billion.
 
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Frank Gehry’s first Australian building approved for University of Technology, Sydney

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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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Portsea’s Dundonald sells within a week of first-ever listing: Title Tattle

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The Coogee home 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 href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/model-jennifer-hawkins-coogee-pad-finally-hits-the-market/2011111452342" target="_blank">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.
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Jennifer Hawkins cuts profit hopes to slimmest margin: Title Tattle

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There are three fewer $1 million-plus suburbs in Western Australia, as the downturn continues to subdue prestige market turnover and pricing.
Some 22 localities across the state command the hefty price tag, compared with 37 in Victoria and 116 in NSW, according to RP Data-Rismark.
Dalkeith remains WA's most expensive suburb, with a median house price of $2.375 million, based on 57 sales.
Perth's western and coastal suburbs dominate the list, and Port Hedland was the only suburb in the northern WA mining region.
The new suburbs to make the list are Watermans Bay, North Fremantle, Yallingup, Port Hedland, Salter Point, Mariginiup and North Beach.
To make the cut onto the RP Data list, each suburb must have sold at least 10 properties, so pricey Peppermint Grove fell off the list due to inactivity.
Others to fall off were Mount Pleasant, Banjup, East Fremantle and Daglish, and falling values across the Stirling Council area caused four suburbs – Mount Lawley, Menora, Trigg and Coolbinia – to lose their places on the list.
The number of million-dollar localities in the state jumped during the property boom of 2006-07 from four in 2004 to 15 in 2006.
It peaked in 2010 of 25 suburbs.
<img src="/images/stories/wasuburbs.jpg" width="470">
Across the country there were 194 localities with a median sale price of at least $1 million last year.
The total number fell by 13% last year, reflecting the weak performance of the premium housing market in 2011.
RP Data forecasts it is likely that other Perth suburbs could lose their million-dollar status during 2012.
Picture courtesy of Nedlands MLA Bill Marmion
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Three fewer million-dollar suburbs in WA as downturn hurts prestige market

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Prominent Goldman Sachs Sydney stockbroker Richard Coppleson advised his clients last week he'd  heard stories that Mosman was in a "huge state of distress" as bankers bailed from the prestige property market.
He soundly suggests that many Mosman properties were not advertised for sale. It's true that there are many for sale that don't show up on in the agency windows, websites or brand-enabling print advertising.
But Coppleson then went on to suggest his estimate - that for every 10 properties publicly listed for sale, just one is advertised
Richardson &amp; Wrench Mosman Robert Simeon say Mosman presently has 144 houses on the market using the Domain website as his source.
Noting Mosman had 4,900 houses, Simeon deduces that represents 2.93%.
"If you apply the multiple factor (stated above) that would equate to approximately 1,444 houses being available for sale, which is 29% as against the current precise number of 2.93%."
Simeon suggests that during the GFC and beyond, Mosman posted one of the lowest delinquency rates in Australia – and no houses in Mosman sell for less than $1 million. No one would dispute prices are down, but there's been a significant uptick in prestige sales in the lead-up to Easter.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/feb27mandolong]}
Meanwhile Mandolong House (pictured above), one of Mosman's most coveted estates, has been sold for a bullish $18 million. Its reputed buyer is to Markus Kahlbetzer from the polo playing pastoralist family headed by John Dieter Kahlbetzer.
Despite the lack of significant Middle Harbour views, the Mandolong Road property sale set a suburb record price for a non-waterfront residential property. The previous record was $15.25 million for a Stanley Street residence that sold last year through Raine &amp; Horne Mosman agent Brendan Warner, who secured the latest sale.
Set high on the slopes of Balmoral, Mandolong House sits on 2,909 square metres of grounds that come with a north-south tennis court and pool. The 1885 residence was  transformed four years ago by architect William Smart of Smart Design Studio.
The five-bedroom, six-bathroom mansion features a grand entrance hall, formal reception rooms, a state-of-the-art kitchen and  entertainment areas that open to wide terraces. There's also a self-contained pavilion for guests.
Markus Kahlbetzer's current home is the penthouse in the 1970s Stuart Murray-designed Elizabeth Bay apartment block Deepdene.  Set on the Elizabeth Bay Road loop, Deepdene stands between the waterfront properties of Oceana and historic Tresco. The architecturally iconic apartment complex was constructed by the builders A.F Little as five separate apartments.
Pastoralist John Kahlbetzer acquired the penthouse in 1980, then finished his consolidation in 2006 with the purchase of two units costing $6.6 million from Fay Parker of Parker's Wines. The penthouse outdoor entertainment area was remodelled by landscaper William Dangar with a structure designed by architect Richard Goodwin.
Mandolong House was sold by Barry Roberts-Thomson, deputy chairman of Hutchison Telecommunications, and his wife, Victoria, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/mandalong-house-listing-set-to-test-mosman-market-after-banking-bonuses-dry-up/2012022753564" target="_blank">and had initial $20 million hopes last year</a>. It lasted traded for $3,375,000 in 1989 from the Damon family, who had owned it for about 50 years. The house has had only four owners. Of the five Mosman properties sold for double-digit millions during the past year, Warner's taking credit for three.
The top end market has achieved recent turnover, albeit at subdued levels and pricing. The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/chinese-buyers-playing-property-pick-a-box-but-record-mosman-price-unlikely/2012030653723" target="_blank">waterfront estate of car dealer Laurie Sutton sold earlier this year</a> to Ying Li for a reputed $20 million short of the property's price tag in 2009 when Sutton listed it with hopes of exceeding Mosman's $22.5 million price record. Sutton has owned the property since the late 1970s when he bought it from Bob and Dolly Dyer, hosts of the long-running television show BP Pick a Box. Measuring 5,154 square metres, the Bay Street property is Mosman's largest waterfront estate with views across Quakers Hat Bay. The four-bedroom, five-bathroom residence is set in gardens with a tennis court, pool and  boating facilities including a shed, slipway, jetty and floating deep-water marina.
Last November there was the $19 million sale of a <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/billioniare-oatley-wine-family-snaps-up-kahala-for-the-best-of-balmoral-s-boating-facilities/2011112852575" target="_blank">Hopetoun Avenue waterfront property to Ros Oatley</a> of the Oatley wine family. The house was now demolished, having sold in boomtime for $22.5 million.
The unsold listings include the stark white Mosman landmark called the George Williamson House but colloquially known as the igloo house has been listed for sale. Following its design by architect Harry Seidler in 1951, the Modernist Parriwi Road property caused traffic mayhem as Sydneysiders sought to get a glimpse. It was saved from demolition in the late 1990s and heritage listed in 2002. It now comes with approved extensions and a new harbourfront wing overseen by the Seidler architectural practice, which was commissioned by the current vendors, Ian and Tanya Oatley. Set on a 1,700 square-metre Chinamans Beach holding with 40 metres of beachfront, it's been listed by Sandie Dunne of Dunne Mosman with $20 million-plus hopes.
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Bankers are supposedly bailing, but Mosman’s Mandolong House reputedly sells for bullish $18 million

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It appears Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban have joined the anti-coal mining movement in the NSW Southern Highlands.
The celebrity couple have hung a protest placard on the gates of their $6.5 million Southern Highlands retreat that condemns coal seam gas mining.
The protest sign was bought from a Shoo Cockatoo stall set up at the Moss Vale Farmers Market last month.
<img src="/images/stories/kidman.jpg">
A photo in News Ltd newspapers shows the sign on the gates at the front of the couple's property in Sutton Forest (pictured above).
The sign says "No coal or coal seam gas", similar to the one pictured, which is from elsewhere in the Southern Highlands.
Local landholders who have been  campaigning against plans to expand coal and gas mining operations in the farmlet region for two years <a href="/images/stories/flexicontent/s_coalseam.jpg" target="_blank">have been hoping Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban would join their battle</a>.
Southern Highlands Coal Action Group convener Peter Martin has said that Kidman and Urban had spoken about their concerns regarding the proposed mining activity in the area at the stall last month.
"We sold them the sign for $20 when they visited the Moss Vale Farmers Market one Saturday morning on their last visit here," he says.
Kidman  and Urban, who bought the 1878 Georgian mansion  in Sutton Forest in 2008, have never spoken publicly about their concerns.
They now <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/rural/alan-jones-and-michael-ball-get-behind-southern-highlands-cockatoo-coal-fight-but-still-no-sign-of-nicole-kidman/2011111752419" target="_blank">join radio broadcaster Alan Jones</a>, who also has a farm in the highlands, who has lent his voice to the campaign.
The Southern Highlands Coal Action Group is headed by Peter Martin, a former chief executive for Rothschild Australia Asset Management.
More than 460 properties are located within the area covered by the coal-seam gas and coal mining leases.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/coal-mine-anxiety-for-nicole-kidman-s-sutton-forest-property/2011062150555" target="_blank">Hume Coal, a joint venture between Korean steel-making giant POSCO and Cockatoo Coal</a>, holds a 115-square-metre exploration permit initially granted in 1967 and began the first stage of the exploration process last May.
The NSW state government has imposed tighter controls on mining and coal-seam gas drilling on or near high-value agricultural land, with applications to mine having to first gain the approval of an independent expert panel.
But landholders say the rules do not go far enough and want mining to be banned altogether on high-value land.
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Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban join anti-coal protesters in NSW Southern Highlands

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Australia needs to have a deeper debate on how to treat foreign state-owned buyers of farms and rural businesses, New England independent Tony Windsor has told The Australian Financial Review.
“We shouldn’t debate about stopping foreign investment – no one is going to do that – but should foreign governments have freehold ownership over our land?
“It’s something we should debate and look at the distinction between state-owned buyers and others.”
It follows a Coalition proposal to toughen foreign farm ownership rules to bolster food security, although the Nationals leader Warren Truss faced an angry backlash from some Liberal MPs, who warned that tougher regulation could deter investment and deprive farmers of opportunities.
Offshore investment in farmland and agribusiness of more than $20 million would face new scrutiny and be considered in the same “sensitive” category as media and defence.
“Anyone who says they will cut foreign ownership is just playing to an audience,” Windsor said.
“Australia was built on foreign investment and we do need it. But it’s hard when the big investor at the moment is such a key part of our economy.”
Trade Minister Craig Emerson, in the Financial Review in January, bluntly warned farmers that protectionist sentiments and fear of foreign invaders were as damaging to Australia’s long-term interests as industrial protectionism.
Emerson said increased investment, particularly from Asian neighbours, represented an “unsurpassed” opportunity for Australian farmers.
“People are wary of other governments owning our land, and I don’t think we fully comprehend what that means, and it is different from an individual,” Windsor said.
The Foreign Investment Review Board now only scrutinises non-government purchases of agricultural land and businesses below $244 million in value.
 
 
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Australia needs to talk about foreign ownership of rural land: MP

ASX-listed developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/stockland">Stockland</a>&nbsp;is continuing its push back into the new apartment market, filing plans for a prominent gateway site between Collingwood and East Melbourne.

The development giant, which moved back into the new apartment space when it announced Stanton Place in Sydney's Rosebery and have since filed plans for a 50-storey tower, are jumping into the off the plan Melbourne market.

They are hoping to create a mixed-use neighbourhood precinct for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/79-81-victoria-parade-collingwood-vic-3066">79-81 Victoria Parade</a>, replacing an existing commercial building with a scheme by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/john-wardle-architects">Wardle</a>&nbsp;for 478 apartments,&nbsp;ground-floor retail, new public open spaces and a publicly accessible pedestrian laneway.

<img alt="First look: Stockland plans new mixed-use neighbourhood precinct for Collingwood gateway site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="72dbbca9-3918-4073-afad-a0c0c35be8e7" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/stockland%20pers.png?VersionId=bzMVUKKxvwuNK1m0v_td126Rgct32uk_" />

The design report identifies the public realm as a central driver of the proposal.

"Collingwood has limited access to high-quality parks and public open space, and the proposal delivers valuable new areas for respite, social interaction and fine-grain retail activity."

The development would deliver a diverse mix of housing, including studio, one, two and three-bedroom apartments alongside townhouse-style residences. Two basement levels are proposed beneath the development, providing resident and retail parking as well as extensive bicycle facilities.

Wardle's design draws heavily on Collingwood's industrial character, using articulated building forms, brickwork and robust materials inspired by the suburb's warehouse and manufacturing heritage. The built form has been broken into a series of smaller volumes to better respond to the surrounding streetscape while extensive communal gardens, rooftop amenities and shared resident spaces are integrated throughout the project.

<img alt="First look: Stockland plans new mixed-use neighbourhood precinct for Collingwood gateway site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7b2135ed-65df-4253-ad53-f216f06bd467" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/stockland%20podium.png?VersionId=l1B6Hqn8zs772VxH6L1fDPg0KHshan9v" />

The planning documents describe the existing office building as offering little engagement with the public realm, with the redevelopment intended to create a more permeable and active neighbourhood destination.

"The proposed scheme presents a significant opportunity to deliver a vibrant retail plaza and a local neighbourhood hub serving both existing and future Collingwood residents."

The 79–81 Victoria Parade site occupies a strategic location about 1.5 kilometres east of Melbourne's CBD, at the threshold between Collingwood and East Melbourne. It is well served by tram services along Victoria Parade and sits within walking distance of St Vincent's Hospital, Fitzroy Gardens, the Fitzroy activity centre and a broad range of employment, retail and hospitality destinations.

Joel Robinson

Stockland plans new mixed-use neighbourhood precinct for Collingwood gateway site

An 1880s timber cottage that has survived Kangaroo Point's transformation from riverside suburb to high-density apartment precinct is set to become the centrepiece of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/zephyr">Zephyr Group</a>'s proposed Banksia development.

Rather than see the locally heritage-listed Alpha Cottage as an obstacle to navigate, plans integrate the landmark home into a new 18-storey residential tower, giving one of the suburb's oldest surviving residences a new role as the project's communal hub.

The development application covers a 1,177 sqm amalgamated site at 127-133 Lambert Street and 30 Shafston Avenue, where Zephyr Group plans to deliver 64 apartments above three basement levels. Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/joe-adsett-architects">Joe Adsett Architects</a>, the proposal carefully weaves the retained heritage cottage into a contemporary residential scheme, with the tower elevated above the historic building to preserve its presence within the Lambert Street streetscape.

<img alt="First look: Zephyr Group's Banksia to wrap new Kangaroo Point tower around 1880s Alpha Cottage" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f9dc5bdb-d691-4c60-bf2b-c3ed405a3e75" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Banksia.png?VersionId=Jh4bjlewU.o8HXWt0V4KaFA_lPcF7KWM" />

Named after the native Australian Banksia flower, the project draws inspiration from its distinctive form through curved balconies, sculpted planter boxes and cascading subtropical landscaping that soften the building's profile.

As the design report explains: "The tower's identity is defined by its feature facade, drawing direct inspiration from the Banksia wildflower. The building departs from traditional rigidity through the use of elegant, GRC-moulded planter boxes that appear as if shaped by the breeze."

Plans propose 64 apartments, comprising 32 two-bedroom and 32 three-bedroom residences, across an 18-storey tower. Residents would have access to rooftop amenities including a swimming pool, spa, gym, sauna, private cinema, dining spaces and landscaped recreation areas, while more than half the site is dedicated to planting and open space.

<img alt="First look: Zephyr Group's Banksia to wrap new Kangaroo Point tower around 1880s Alpha Cottage" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="16041b5f-033e-47fa-8fbe-9886e072c1f2" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/pool.png?VersionId=kpx5w4EbLx0_TdWfDoD1vrSs0_cZ5Ao1" />

The heritage component is the defining feature of the proposal. Constructed in the early 1880s and occupied from at least 1883, Alpha Cottage is recognised by Brisbane City Council as an important surviving example of Kangaroo Point's nineteenth-century residential development and as a representative transverse-gable timber cottage. Despite extensive redevelopment across the peninsula, the building has retained a high degree of its original form and internal fabric.

As part of the redevelopment, the cottage will be carefully relocated a short distance within its original allotment to facilitate construction before being returned to a prominent position along Lambert Street. Original verandah elements will be dismantled, catalogued and reinstated, while significant internal features, including timber flooring, wall linings, joinery, doors, windows and hardware, will be retained. Later additions, including the enclosed rear verandah, will be removed to better reveal the building's original form.

Once restored, Alpha Cottage will accommodate the building manager's office, mail room and parcel facilities, providing an active everyday use that supports its long-term conservation rather than preserving it as a static display. The heritage strategy also maintains landscaped space around the building, allowing it to remain visually distinct beneath the new tower.

<img alt="First look: Zephyr Group's Banksia to wrap new Kangaroo Point tower around 1880s Alpha Cottage" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="43b027e1-576e-4624-a66c-7cc54ea8b7be" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/banksia%20tower.png?VersionId=2W6E2yfkj2AQlWlLeV986grA5zB9f817" />

The Heritage Impact Assessment concludes that "the proposal secures the ongoing occupation, maintenance and conservation of Alpha Cottage," finding the development would result in "no more than a minor impact on the cultural heritage significance" of the building while ensuring its long-term future.

Joe Adsett Architects have designed the tower to sit above the heritage building rather than overwhelm it, creating a clear visual separation between old and new. The development's flowing balconies, integrated planting and organic façade respond to Brisbane's subtropical climate while complementing the restored cottage below.

Banksia occupies a prominent corner in Kangaroo Point within walking distance of the Kangaroo Point Bridge, Brisbane River, ferry services, QUT, the CBD and the Woolloongabba precinct. The site also benefits from direct access to active transport infrastructure and sits within an area earmarked for continued higher-density residential growth.

Zephyr Group's Banksia to wrap new Kangaroo Point tower around 1880s Alpha Cottage

Buying into a masterplanned community often means committing to a vision still years from taking shape. At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a>, that vision is already visible.

Residents have moved into the completed first stage, landscaped spaces are established, and the next chapter is now underway. Stage 1 has been completed and settled, with Stage 2 now selling off-the-plan.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/pbd-architects">PBD Architects</a>, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> combines attainable apartment living with sustainability initiatives rarely seen at this price point, including rooftop solar, battery storage and a resident EV-sharing program.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6RNt3AvtBpI?si=JUhuCV2ZRXsYaoJZ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Located on Schofi​elds Road, just moments from Tal​lawong Metro Station and Schof​ields Train Station, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> has been designed to appeal to a broad mix of buyers, from first-home purchasers looking for a foothold in Sy​dney's property market to downsizers seeking a connected, low-maintenance lifestyle.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> has been conceived as a thoughtfully planned masterplanned community that will evolve over multiple stages, with buyers now able to secure one, two and three-bedroom apartments within a neighbourhood that is already beginning to establish its identity.

One of the project's defining features is its focus on sustainability. Solar energy systems, battery storage and future EV charging infrastructure have been incorporated throughout the development, reflecting a long-term approach to both environmental performance and everyday convenience.

Sustainability sits at the centre of the development's vision, with solar energy systems, battery storage and future EV charging infrastructure integrated throughout the community.

That emphasis on future-ready living extends beyond the technology. Landscaped communal gardens, outdoor gathering spaces and plans for a future retail precinct aim to create a neighbourhood where residents can access daily conveniences without travelling far from home.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149637 project_image_fid=351027]

The apartments themselves have been designed with liveability front of mind. Rather than chasing maximum density, the focus has been placed on creating practical homes with generous natural light, usable layouts and strong connections to outdoor space.

Importantly, these design principles have been applied consistently across the one, two and three-bedroom apartment offerings.

The appeal of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> is also closely linked to its location within Syd​ney's rapidly evolving north-west growth corridor. Over the past decade, major infrastructure investment has transformed the area, with new transport links, business precincts and community facilities reshaping suburbs like Talla​wong and Schofiel​ds.

The agent says buyers are increasingly recognising the area's long-term potential.

"Typical buyers that we're finding across <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> especially are your first-home buyers, your investors, your upsizers as well as your downsizers," Hawes says.

Connectivity remains one of the project's strongest drawcards. Residents have access to both Tallaw​ong Metro Station and Schofi​elds Train Station, providing links to the Sydn​ey CBD, Norw​est Business Park, Macquari​e Park and other major employment hubs. Retail centres including Rous​e Hill Town Centre and Sch​ofields Village are also nearby, alongside schools, parks and future healthcare infrastructure.

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For Stage 1 resident Roji, it is the balance between convenience and comfort that has defined the experience of living at Kew.

"For me, it's a balance of quality and convenience," she says. "Everything I need is right here."

"If I wanted to catch the train, Scho​fields Station is just around the corner. Tallaw​ong Metro connects me to the city."

More importantly, she says, the development has delivered something that cannot be measured in floorplans or specifications.

"<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> feels like home."

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As Stage 2 enters the market, that lived experience may be one of the project's strongest selling points. Buyers are not purchasing into an untested concept or a future promise. They are joining a community that is already taking shape.

Ongoing investment in transport, retail, healthcare and public open space continues to strengthen the appeal of Syd​ney's north-west growth corridor, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a>'s established first stage provides buyers with a tangible sense of the community's future direction.

For a limited time, buyer can secure a new home at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> with just a $10,000.

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Kew Tallawong: A growing community taking shape in Sydney's north-west

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

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

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/abadeen">Abadeen</a> and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/perifa">PERIFA</a> have celebrated the topping out of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf,</a> marking a significant milestone in the delivery of one of Syd​ney's most anticipated waterfront communities.

Located on Sydney's harbourfront at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/putney-nsw-2112">Putney</a>, the project has now reached its highest structural point, with construction progressing strongly towards completion in 2027. 
&nbsp; 
The milestone was celebrated on-site with project partners Phoenix Property Investors, Mitsubishi Estate Asia, Versatile Construction, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, consultants and stakeholders, to recognise the collective effort behind the transformation of the historic waterfront site into a vibrant new residential, marina and lifestyle destination.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=362240] 
&nbsp; 
<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> will deliver a mix of waterfront residences and terraces, complemented by a private 36-berth marina, waterfront dining opportunities and a revitalised foreshore designed to reconnect the community with the river's edge. 
&nbsp; 
Abadeen Executive Chairman and Founder Justin Brown said the project represented a rare opportunity to create the next chapter in Sydn​ey's long history of successful waterfront precincts. 
&nbsp; 
"Throughout Sydney, some of the city's most sought-after addresses have emerged from carefully considered waterfront precincts such as Woolloom​ooloo Wharf, Walsh Bay and Breakfast Point," Brown said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=362566] 
&nbsp; 
"What makes these places so successful is that they become much more than residential developments," Brown said.

"They bring together homes, hospitality, marina facilities, public spaces and a strong sense of community in locations where future supply is incredibly limited."

Brown has long described absolute waterfront land in Sy​dney as "finite."

"Once these opportunities are developed, they are rarely replicated. That's why Syd​ney's waterfront precincts have consistently demonstrated strong demand and long-term value growth over many decades. 
&nbsp; 
"<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> is one of the few remaining opportunities to secure a residence within a masterplanned waterfront community that combines direct water access, marina ownership opportunities and a genuine village lifestyle just moments from the Sy​dney CBD."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=362564] 
&nbsp; 
PERIFA Founder and Managing Director Fabrizio Perilli said the project reflected a shared commitment to delivering exceptional places that create long-term value for residents and the broader community. 
&nbsp; 
"The topping out milestone is a significant achievement for the Versatile Group and a testament to the collaboration between all project partners, consultants and contractors involved," Perilli said. 
&nbsp; 
"Beyond the residences themselves, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> will establish a new waterfront destination that celebrates the history, character and lifestyle of this unique location while creating a lasting legacy for future generations."

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&nbsp; 
Construction is being delivered by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/versatile">Versatile Construction</a>, with structural works now substantially complete across the precinct. Attention will progressively shift to the construction of the waterview terraces, apartment façades, services and interior fit-out works over the coming months. 
&nbsp; 
With limited residences and marina berths remaining, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> continues to attract strong interest from owner occupiers and downsizers seeking a premium waterfront lifestyle within close proximity to Putne​y Village, Rh​odes, Top Ry​de and the Syd​ney CBD. 
&nbsp; 
As one of the last opportunities to secure a residence within a new masterplanned waterfront community on Sy​dney Harbour, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> is expected to remain a highly sought-after address for years to come.

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Jonathan Chancellor

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