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The prestigious Aria Restaurant premises – occupying the prized position overlooking Sydney Opera House – is for sale through Colliers agent Stephen Kovacs.
The information memorandum indicates the restaurateurs Matthew Moran and Peter Sullivan retain an ongoing 10-year lease, which was signed in 2009.
The vendors are well-known eastern suburbs property investors Greg Shand and Danny Goldberg.
It’s a two-level strata space in the Opera Quays precinct underneath the Bennelong Apartments on Macquarie Street.
<img src="/images/stories/aria1.jpg">
The current annual rental is put at $889,000, plus an envisaged $319,000 annual turnover rental given the estimated $14 million turnover.
The turnover rent is based on recent trading figures arising from an 8% turnover rental above $10.5 million turnover, and at 10% above $12.7 million turnover.
<img src="/images/stories/aria2.jpg">
After expenses its projected net income for the landlord is put at $1.01 million during 2012.
The main outgoings are $106,000 in strata levies, $42,000 in land tax and $39,000 in council rates.
<img src="/images/stories/aria3.jpg">
It comes with 694 square metres of space, with the bulk of it being its 577-square-metre mezzanine level.
Depreciation items have a written down value of $655,000.
Aria, which has a two coveted chef’s hats, has been trading since 1999.
Offers close March 6 with Stephen Kovac.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Landlord lists Aria Restaurant premises, but the two-hatted chefs are staying put in the kitchen

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The dispute between billionaire iron-ore tycoon Gina Rinehart and her daughter Hope Rinehart Welker has spilt over into real property.
Hope Rinehart Welker has lost her directorship of the company 150 Investments Pty Ltd, the family entity that owns the Sydney residential home of Hope and her husband, Ryan Welker.
The contemporary non-waterfront residence in Mosman with city skyline views <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/mosman-home-potentially-caught-in-gina-rinehart-dispute/2011090951485">was bought in 2007 for $5.4 million</a>.
Rinehart Welker became a co-director of the family company in September 2007, her first directorship within the Rinehart family companies, which run Hancock Prospecting.
It’s been reported that Rinehart Welker vacated her four-bedroom, four-bathroom Bradleys Head Road house after the dispute commenced between the Rinehart siblings and their mother. The Welkers are believed to have gone overseas in October 2011.
The Clarksville, American-born, London-educated mining executive Ryan Welker, who celebrated his 30th birthday last month, has yet to officially notify any change of address on ASIC documents regarding his private directorship.
Gina Rinehart remains a director of 150 Investment with her daughter Ginia appointed as the replacement director for Hope and sister Bianca, who both lost their directorships, according to paperwork lodged with the ASIC on January 27. The change of company directorship officially took place October 31.
The Australian speculates that daughter Ginia may take up residence in the Mosman house.
In September, three siblings, Bianca, Hope and John Hancock, launched proceedings against their mother in the New South Wales Supreme Court to remove her as head of the family trust, the Hope Margaret Hancock Trust.
The trust at the centre of the legal battle was set up by Lang Hancock for his four grandchildren.
It was nine years ago that Rinehart had a falling out with her son, John, who changed his name by deed poll to John Hancock. John was forced to vacate the family-owned apartment in Perth when  his mother put it on the market in 2003. He took legal action in an attempt to claim a share of the Hancock family trust, describing in a court affidavit his mother as "a very powerful and controlling person".
Rinehart’s total fortune estimated at $10.3 billion, and according to BRW’s valuation in May, is now put at closer to $20 billion.
Her <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/title-tattle-australian-columnist-janet-albrechtsen-downsizes-to-%245-million-bronte-semi/2011072250883">family’s most recent purchase was a neighbouring $7.85 million riverfront Dalkieth property</a>, which was bought in June through 156 Investments Pty Ltd.
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Rinehart dispute triggers Mosman mansion movement 

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Crown International Holdings Group enters the Year of the Dragon with ongoing projects that will generate apartments with an end value of more than $2 billion.
<img src="/images/stories/topryde.jpg">
Crown has also announced plans to set up a display pavilion in the heart of Sydney’s Chinatown later this year to better meet the needs of the Chinese community and visitors to Sydney.
Crown International Holdings chief Iwan Sunito says prospective buyers or investors will be invited to relax in very comfortable surrounds while they have the opportunity to converse with one of Crown’s international and multi-lingual sales consultants, who are fluent in a variety of languages including Indonesian, Korean, Mandarin and Cantonese.
<img src="/images/stories/topryde2.jpg">
“The vibrant and dynamic display pavilion will provide locals and international visitors with detailed information about the various Crown projects, as well as being able to experience a display apartment,” Sunito says.
“Crown understands it’s important to provide all of our clients with detailed information for each of our developments and we believe it’s important to provide this service in a person’s first language wherever possible.”
Crown Group’s signature Asian-inspired designs, which create private sanctuaries for residents to call home, continue to attract buyers from all around the world.
<img src="/images/stories/topryde3.jpg">
“Our properties are designed to incorporate principles of feng shui and the architectural features display a fusion of Asian influences.
“At Top Ryde City Living for example, residents can get some quiet time at the meditation platform, sit and read a book in the beautifully landscaped gardens, swim a few laps of the pool or head to the gym for some exercise or yoga”, says Sunito.
Crown Group’s $500 million Top Ryde City Living project, one of Sydney’s largest residential property developments, is currently being pre-sold, and Crown has launched marketing initiatives in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2011, with further roll-outs in Shanghai, China and Singapore planned for 2012.
<img src="/images/stories/topryde4.jpg">
Top Ryde City Living has been pre-approved by the Australian Government’s Foreign Investment Review Board to accept non-Australian resident purchasers, so foreign investors are assured there is no approval process required or uncertainty in being allowed to purchase.
Crown offers foreign investors a 5% rental guarantee for one year.
“We have had a great response to the first release of Top Ryde Living City with approximately 90% already sold and only 26 apartments remaining for sale in stages 1 and 2, which range from $500,000 for a one-bedroom plus study with car space to $875,000 for a three-bedroom plus study and two car spaces,” Sunito says.
The next launch will be in March with the release another 135 apartments, says Kym Rogers, head of sales and marketing.
For more on Asian investment in Australian property, <a target="_blank" href="http://propertyobserver.com.au/ebooks/free-ebook-foreign-investment-in-australian-property-markets">download our free eBook</a>.
 
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Crown Group seeks out Asian buyers for Top Ryde project

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<img src="/images/stories/darwin.gif">
Median unit price of $395,000, reflecting a 6% rental yield
 
<hr>
  
<img style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;" src="/images/stories/brisbane.gif">
Median unit price of $375,000, reflecting a 5.6% rental yield
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<img src="/images/stories/canberra.gif">
Median unit price of $420,000, reflecting a 5.5% rental yield 
 
<hr>
 
<img style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;" src="/images/stories/sydney.gif"> 
Median unit price of $445,000, reflecting a 5.2% rental yield
 
<hr>
 
<img style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;" src="/images/stories/perth.gif">
Median unit price of $395,000, reflecting a 5.2% rental yield


 
<hr>
<img src="/images/stories/hobart.gif">Median unit price of $275,000, reflecting a 5% rental yield
 
<hr>
<img src="/images/stories/adelaide.gif"> 
 Median unit price of $320,000, reflecting a 4.7% rental yield 




 
<hr>
<img src="/images/stories/melbourne.gif"> 
Median unit price of $425,000, reflecting a 4.3% rental yield




 
<hr>
<img src="/images/stories/allcapitals.gif"> 
Median unit price of  $420,000, reflecting a 5.1% rental yield
 
The RP Data-Rismark median price is based on settled sales over the December 2011 quarter. Indicative rental yields are as at December 2011.


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Residential investment property: Capital city unit rental yields from best to worst

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<img src="/images/stories/darwin.gif">
Median house price of $490,000, reflecting a 5.6% rental yield
 
<hr>
 


<img src="/images/stories/canberra.gif">
Median house price of $535,000 reflecting a 5% rental yield
 
<hr>
<img src="/images/stories/hobart.gif"> 
Median house price of $340,000 reflecting a 5% rental yield 


 
<hr>
 
<img src="/images/stories/brisbane.gif">
Median house price of $435,000 reflecting a 4.8% rental yield


 
<hr>
<img src="/images/stories/sydney.gif"> 
Median house price of $535,000, reflecting a 4.5% rental yield


 
<hr>
 
<img src="/images/stories/perth.gif">
Median house price of $465,000, reflecting a 4.5% rental yield

 
<hr>
<img src="/images/stories/adelaide.gif"> 
 Median house price of $385,000, reflecting a 4.3% rental yield 


 
<hr>
<img src="/images/stories/melbourne.gif"> 
Median house price of $485,250, reflecting a 4% rental yield


 
<hr>
<img src="/images/stories/allcapitals.gif"> 
Median house price of  $470,000 reflecting a 4.4% rental yield
 
 
The RP Data-Rismark median price is based on settled sales over the December 2011 quarter. Indicative rental yields are as at December 2011.


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Residential investment property: Capital city house rental yields from best to worst

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The Australian Agricultural Company (AACo) has posted a $10.5 million net profit after tax – a 1,000% jump – but the company’s internal cashflow isn’t strong enough for any dividend payment.
The bumper seasonal cropping operations assisted revenue growth of 52% and a 40% lift in its earnings before interest tax, depreciation and amortisation to $58.1 million for 2011.
The company bounced back from last year's Queensland floods and the ban on live cattle exports to Indonesia.
Established in 1824, AACo is the oldest continuously operating company in Australia. It currently operates 19 cattle stations, two feedlots and three farms totalling 7.2 million hectares, about 1.1% of Australia’s land mass.
It became a publicly listed company in 2001.
Managing director David Farley says the 2011 result demonstrates the company's turnaround strategy is gaining momentum.
The current seasonal conditions indicate a six to eight month grass-load across AACo properties, mitigating short-term risk in case of a return to drought conditions, Farley says.
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Australian Agricultural Company posts 10-fold jump in profits

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Estate agent John McGrath has sold his redundant Walsh Bay apartment on Sydney Harbour for $5.5 million, falling slightly short of his purchase price and $6.45 million listing hopes.
The 243-square-metre Hickson Road apartment – renovated after its 2009 purchase – comes with a 17.5-metre boat berth.
It last traded at $5.5 million for the apartment and $450,000 for the boat berth in late 2009 when bought from Michael Hagerty. It represented a mild 7.5% drop on last sale price.
McGrath recently took the opportunity of subdued pricing at the prestige end of the property market to upgrade to a pricier $6.95 million apartment, his third upgrade within the landmark complex.
The $5.5 million sale was through McGrath agent Richard Shalhoub, whose prior Walsh Bay sales efforts had warranted McGrath to post a testimonial for the agent on the company’s website.
It’s still there, saying: “I have a company with what I think are the best sales agents in the country, but I chose Richard to sell my home because he sells Walsh Bay better than any other agent in Sydney.
“He loves Walsh Bay and focuses there exclusively which are two key factors, and his success rate at attracting and selling buyers from other areas into Walsh Bay is second to none.”
The apartment, with 50-square-metre terrace, first traded for $3.7 million off the plan in 2000 and the berth initially sold at $190,000. The new owners took occupancy in 2003 after the conversion by the Mirvac-Transfield syndicate.
There had only been seven apartment sales – including two off the plan – at more than $5.5 million before the latest sale.
They included the record when mortgage industry entrepreneur John Symond secured $16 million in 2006, having knocked two three-bedroom apartments into a super-pad. His Walsh Bay apartment had 520 square metres of living space plus a 140-square-metre balcony and two boat berths.
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John McGrath finds Walsh Bay prices have been watered down: Title Tattle

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The house at 50 Marchant Avenue in Hyannis Port – the backdrop of many famous Kennedy family moments captured on film and photographs – has been gifted to a political education institute.
The ownership of part of the famed compound has been transferred out of family ownership to the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate.
It brings the family’s 84-year ownership of the 21-room waterfront house to an end.
<img src="/images/stories/kennedy4.jpg">
The transfer fulfils a promise made by Senator Ted Kennedy, who died at the house in 2009, to his mother, Rose, that the home be preserved for charitable use. It has been given to the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate.
The house was where in 1956, John F. Kennedy, in consultation with his family, decided that he would seek the US Presidency and where the family celebrated on election night 1960.
"This world-famous house is a national treasure, the setting in which this great American political family made history, year after year, for nearly a century,” presidential historian Michael Beschloss says.
“Like Hyde Park for the Roosevelts or Quincy for the Adamses, if you want to really understand Joseph and Rose Kennedy, President Kennedy and his brothers and sisters, and their families, you will have to go to Hyannis Port," Beschloss says.
"The gift of the house to the EMK Institute is an exceptional act of generosity by the Kennedy family, which will have an impact on generations of visitors."
<img src="/images/stories/kennedy1.jpg">
The late senator left it to his widow, Vicki, but with the wish that it would someday be used as a centre where scholars and public figures could gather to ponder policy issues. 
The <a href="https://emkinstitute.org/" target="_blank">Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate website</a> says the EMK is “dedicated to educating the public about government, invigorating public discourse, encouraging participatory democracy, and inspiring the next generation of citizens and leaders to engage in the public square.”
Her friends and associates said the house evoked too many sad memories of her husband and she never wanted to use it much.
“This house was my family’s epicentre, where my grandparents, father, uncles and aunts would retreat to connect with one another through heated political debates in the dining room and rousing games on the front lawn,” Ted Kennedy Jr. said today.
“Over the generations, we have returned to Hyannis Port in times of both happiness and pain,” he said. “We have come to celebrate baptisms and marriages, await election results, and grieve the passing of our relatives.”
“Even though my family still considers Hyannis Port to be our home, we recognise that this house is a unique and historic place that should be preserved so that future students of history and politics will better understand how this house helped to develop, define and sustain my family,” the late senator’s eldest son told the Boston Globe.
<img src="/images/stories/kennedy2.jpg"> 
The $5.5 million property is the centrepiece of the compound, where some of the nation’s most dramatic modern political history took place.
The compound includes other Kennedy homes, including former President John F. Kennedy’s house, which will remain in the family.
The institute also said the Kennedy family would have “limited usage of the property”.
“There are long-standing easements on the property granting beach access to Kennedy family members who own adjacent properties, which will remain in effect as part of the deed transfer,” the statement said.
<img src="/images/stories/kennedy3.jpg">
Joseph P. Kennedy and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy purchased the property in 1928. The home was originally a 15-room white clapboard house on about a hectare, with a lawn running down to Nantucket Sound. The home today sits on 0.78 hectares acres and is 841 square metres. The history of the house dates back to 1904 built for Beulah A.B. Malcom. The Kennedys rented the house for the summer for several years before purchasing it themselves. At time of the purchase the house, the family included seven of the Kennedys' eventual nine children. Over the next two decades the house was remodeled and expanded to accommodate the growing family.
<img src="/images/stories/kennedymap.jpg">
John F. Kennedy purchased a nearby home in 1956, and shortly thereafter his brother Robert also purchased a neighbouring house. For a time Jean Kennedy Smith and her husband Stephen E. Smith owned a home in the neighbourhood as well. This cluster of family residences became known as "The Kennedy Compound". Eunice Kennedy Shriver and Sargent Shriver owned a home nearby as well.
The Kennedy family became an integral part of the local community.
Photos courtesy of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate.
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Kennedy home in Hyannis Point, Massachusetts, gifted by the family to political education institute 

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A <a href=""></a>58% clearance rate was secured from the 145 offerings at the weekend’s Ray White Gold Coast auctions.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/gold-coast-prestige-sales-marked-by-stubbies-not-champagne-as-market-struggles/2012013053168" target="_blank">Some 55% of the listings were sold</a> in early estimates. It was reportedly a record clearance rate.
The joint chief executive of Ray White Queensland Peter Camphin described the investor market interest as strong.
“There were a significant number of Victorians, for instance, who purchased,” Mr Camphin said.
“It’s clear there was a lot of interest as well as caution on price," he added.
Mr Camphin said a number of units were sold to people who hadn’t seen them.
The listings included a presumed record of 35 mortgagee offerings.
It was the Ray White Surfers Paradise group’s 19th annual event.
Michael Willems sold 21 of his 25 listings.
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Sight unseen purchases assists Ray White's weekend Gold Coast auction 58% clearance rate

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The sales were small beer, rather than champagne cork popping, at the Gold Coast's weekend prestige auctions.
Just two of the 10 prestige listings listed for Main Event, Ray White Surfers Paradise auction found buyers.
The two were sold prior, but none of the remaining seven properties put under the hammer were sold.
Another was postponed and another withdrawn. There are reports that deals on another two are close to exchange.
The multimillion-dollar mansions that didn't sell included the Cronin Island property owned by Nicole Perrin, wife of former Billabong surfwear entrepreneur Matthew Perrin, which was passed in at $5.9 million.
It was therefore well below <a target="_blank" href="/news">its onetime $15 million valuation</a>.
No bids were taken for the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/queensland/gold-coast-%249-million-offering-might-benefit-from-nerang-river-rising-tide/2011081851212">Bartinon mansion  at 26 Marseille Court in Sorrento</a>.
<img src="/images/stories/sanctcove.jpg">
The properties that did sell before auction were in Sanctuary Cove, including <a target="_blank" href="https://surfers-pardise.rwoffice1.com/qld/sanctuary-cove/723156/">a four-bedroom house sold by Ted Kunkel</a> (pictured above), the former Fosters boss turned Billabong chairman for an undisclosed figure.
Set on Bay Hill Terrace, the expansive house was built after the 804-square-metre lakefront reserve block had cost $500,000 in 2002 when bought from Mulpha. It comes with a Florida room with conservatory-style pool overlooking the sixth, seventh and eighth holes of the Palms Golf Course.
Another Hope Island property at Anchorage Terrace sold for $3 million to an overseas buyer.
Ray White Surfers Paradise boss Andrew Bell says the crowd suggested there may be renewed interest in real estate.
The auctioning of the mid-range priced properties saw some demand.
By late Sunday more than $30 million worth of properties had sold.
The clearance rate had jumped to more than 55%, well up on last year’s level of around 30%.
“It’s a big jump,” Bell says.
“We knew something was brewing.”
While the cooling in prices on the Gold Coast had played its role, Bell told the Australian Financial Review that “a couple of interest rate drops and the belief there will be more” had stimulated the market. “We’ve got five or six bidders on most properties [and] we’re going over reserve on most properties,” he said.
About 1,000 people packed the main auction watching numerous properties sell for much less than they sold before the global financial crisis.
There was an average sale of $485,000.
The Gold Coast Bulletin reported sales included a five-bedroom Dirk Hartog Place, Hollywell house with boat ramp that sold for $1.125 million, $415,000 less than when it last sold in 2006.
A mortgagee sale of a luxury apartment in the Q1 building in Surfers Paradise that sold for $2 million in October 2006 fetched $970,000 at the auction.
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Gold Coast sales marked by stubbies, not champagne as market struggles to find its price footing

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

Joel Robinson

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

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

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

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