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The Manly municipality recorded strong growth in land values over the past three years.
There was an $11.719 billion total land value across the Manly local government area as at July 2011.
This was 10% higher than the $10.631 billion total determined as at July 2008, according to NSW Valuer-General Philip Western.
There was a 3.2% change in the last year, with the median residential value up from $885,000 to $913,000.
The new values for the 9,752 properties were derived from analysis of 184 residential, 13 commercial and four industrial sales over the last year.
Over the three-year period residential land has shown a moderate increase.
“The value of commercial land has shown a slight increase, while industrial land values have remained steady,” Western says.
Business land median values rose 2% from $750,000 to $771,000 in the 2010 to 2011 valuation year.
The median industrial holding rose 2% in the past year from $1.02 million to $1.04 million. 
Typical residential land values were:
<ul>
<li>727 square metres at Castle Circuit, Seaforth valued at $1,100,000 </li>
<li>594 square metres at Curban Street, Balgowlah Heights valued at $958,000 </li>
<li>586 square metres at Grandview Grove, Seaforth valued at $935,000 </li>
<li>736 square metres at Jenner Street, Seaforth valued at $1,100,000 </li>
<li>550 square metres at Judith Street, Seaforth valued at $680,000 </li>
<li>1,271 square metres at Seaforth Crescent, Seaforth valued at $1,370,000 </li>
<li>627 square metres at Upper Beach Street, Balgowlah valued at $890,000 </li>
<li>542 square metres at Wanganella Street, Balgowlah valued at $710,000</li>
</ul>
Typical commercial land values were:
<ul>
<li>178 square metres at North Steyne , Manly valued at $1,130,000 </li>
<li>101 square metres at Pittwater Road, Manly valued at $450,000                     </li>
<li>196 square metres at Sydney Road, Fairlight valued at $347,000 </li>
<li>368 square metres at Sydney Road, Balgowlah valued at $661,000 </li>
<li>209 square metres at Sydney Road, Manly valued at $1,040,000 </li>
<li>220 square metres at The Corso, Manly valued at $2,100,000 </li>
</ul>
Typical industrial land value was:
<ul>
<li>974 square metres at Condamine Street, Balgowlah valued at $1,040,000</li>
</ul>
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Manly land values up 10% in three years

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Some 70% of prospective Brisbane home buyers will not consider purchasing a house that was inundated during last year's floods, a report by the Australian Property Institute has found.
The report concluded that homes that were completely inundated last January have dropped more than 20% in value and took a month longer to sell than unaffected homes.
There was a decline in value of between 10% and 20% for properties where flood waters had partially affected living areas.
Homes that experienced only minor flooding of the garden dropped in price by between zero and 10%, the report found.
Even properties that remained dry in flood-affected areas have been affected, with the report noting national house prices have fallen by 3.4% and Brisbane house prices by 6.1%.
Tradesmen were the main buyers of flood-affected properties. Within the Brisbane region, flooding impacted upon parts or all of the following areas, among others: Milton, Toowong, Auchenflower, Rocklea, Goodna, Ipswich, Yeronga, Bellbowrie, Booval, Oxley and Jindalee.
The report found many investors had been the ones who decided to sell at discounted prices rather than carry out home repairs from a distance.
“Initially there was a steady turnover of flooded properties, generally for properties in the entry-level segment of the market.
“The owners of these properties were typically interstate or overseas investors who were unable to coordinate the required repairs and also felt that by the time they paid for repairs and factored in the lost rental income that it was easier for them to move the property on quickly,” the report says.
Brisbane valuer Gavin Hulcombe said the proximity of the flood to the November 2010 interest rate rise also helped to exacerbate any drop in value.
"There's no doubt that the two coincided. In a soft market negative attributes of a property are exaggerated.''
Hulcombe says insurance would play a role in how well the market recovered in flooded areas.
"One of the issues going forward will be availability and the cost of insurance to those properties,'' he says.
"If that becomes prohibitive then that's always going to be an issue that is going to impact buyers' minds,” he told The Courier Mail.
He notes the flood inundation of significant areas within Brisbane and further to the west, including Ipswich and the Lockyer Valley, has fundamentally impacted the Queensland residential property market.
At the peak of the flood, approximately 11,900 homes were completely flooded and a further 14,700 homes were partially flooded.
Hardest hit suburbs were West End, Rocklea, Graceville, Milton, St Lucia and Bellbowrie.
Almost 12 months on the clean?up continues, the report notes, along with limited stock coming onto the market.
“Many owner-occupiers of flood?affected properties have decided to carry out repairs to the dwelling and sit tight for the medium term until the market starts to recover,” the report says.
<img src="/images/stories/apiflood1.gif">
“There has been a limited amount of riverfront prestige properties in excess of $2 million coming onto the market in 2011.
“In the last couple of months some properties have come onto the market although there has been limited demand at present, despite the fact the properties are for sale often below replacement value,” says API president Philip Willington.
“As a result of the changes to the minimal habitable floor level by the Brisbane City Council it is possible that a sub-sector of the market in the under $1 million price bracket may develop.
“One sector of the market will comprise properties that were affected by flooding and carried out the necessary repairs, whilst the other sector of the market will comprise flood-affected properties where the owners have raised the dwelling to the new minimum habitable floor level as well as carrying out the necessary repairs," Willington says.
“The market may view more favourably the properties that have been raised to try and mitigate any future flooding events.”
But the overall market within the flood-affected properties was expected to remain subdued for the medium term.
<img src="/images/stories/apiflood2.gif">
Along with minimal demand in the general property market, the flood-affected suburbs were likely to have lower levels of supply and limited demand.
”As time goes by, and floods do not re?occur, as seems likely, history suggests that the discount will shrink, though not disappear entirely.
“The floods of 1974 provide a good indication of the pricing correction that is likely to now occur,” Willington says.
“Properties flooded in 1974 experienced an immediate fall in demand from purchasers and we have seen a similar trend in 2011.
“For owner-occupiers and investors looking to buy, the knowledge that Wivenhoe Dam (completed in 1984) cannot necessarily stop future flooding in Brisbane is likely to form a key factor in the due diligence process.
“The longer term influence of the 1974 floods on property prices diminished as buyers became less cautious about the likelihood of another significant flood event and perhaps more focused on issues such as the high population growth rate in south-east Queensland.”
As memories faded about the damage in 1974 to suburbs such as St Lucia, Indooroopilly, Graceville, Chelmer and West End, substantial price growth occurred in these suburbs.
“One could therefore expect that in the longer term, upwards of 10 years, if there are no further flood events, there may be a rebound of the flood affected areas as the memories of 2011 become more distant,” the report says.
The Australian Property Institute represents 8,600 property professionals. API members include residential and commercial valuers.
The report was compiled with the assistance of CBRE, Herron Todd White and Propell National Valuers.
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Brisbane buyers shun flood-affected properties: API

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The Cronin Island, Surfers Paradise mansion of Nicole Bricknell, the ex-wife of bankrupted Billabong founder Matthew Perrin, has been listed for January 28 auction.
The seven-bedroom property with 10-car garaging will be auctioned following a 27-month absence of south-east Queensland houses fetching more than $10 million.
The marketing decision to put it to auction appears to have been made during the Christmas period, as the vast living room has been photographed with Christmas decorations.
Other photographs show some 30 crates, mostly unopened, of Penfolds Grange in the wine cellar.
The Southern Cross Drive house with a lift between its basement and rooftop has previously been valued at $15 million.
Nicole Bricknell, who has reverted to her maiden name, the daughter of one of the country's top bookmakers, Laurie Bricknell, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/nicole-perrin-joyous-but-stacey-mcivor-distraught-in-cronin-island-home-dramas/2011092051617" target="_blank">won her battle last September against the Commonwealth Bank</a>, which was seeking to repossess her family home, which sits on a 2,218-square-metre block that cost $1.45 million in 1999.
The Queensland Supreme Court found the former Billabong chief repeatedly forged the signature of his wife to secure a $13.5 million loan from the Commonwealth Bank.
The ruling meant the Commonwealth Bank could not enforce its mortgage over the couple's Gold Coast riverfront mansion or enforce personal guarantees against Perrin's wife.
The lawyers for Bricknell returned to the courtroom last month to seek to determine the amount of costs to be paid.
After a trial spanning two weeks, Walter Sofronoff, QC applied for additional costs on the ground that the matter should never have gone to trial.
Kylie Downes, SC for the bank, said the bank had every right to test the veracity of the fraud allegations in court.
“Nicole trusted me with all financial matters and I have destroyed that faith and trust,'' Matthew Perrin confessed in a private gesture to his family.
“No one could comprehend what I have done to her – taken her husband, faith, trust, house, family and financial security to hell without her having any idea,” he wrote in a confession, handed for safe keeping to his then father-in-law, which made its way into the court documentation.
Michael Willems of Ray White Prestige Gold Coast Surfers Paradise has the listing. January is the key auction month on the Gold Coast, with millions of dollars’ worth of property to be sold at seven mega auctions over a four-week period.
The biggest is Ray White Surfers Paradise Group's annual two-day showcase The Event, to be held January 28-29.
It has 130-plus prestige, marine and commercial properties.
Ray White chief executive Andrew Bell says he expects strong buyer activity on the back of the two interest rate cuts at the end of last year and the 2018 Commonwealth Games announcement.
Bell says some sellers have waited six months or more to sell their properties, at his auction and he is hopeful of a good clearance rate.
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Nicole Perrin lists Surfers Paradise mansion four months after winning bank fraud case: Title Tattle

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The significance of superannuation for the wealth of individuals and as a national asset demands that super funds are transparent and well governed, according to John Brogden, chief of the Financial Services Council.
Superannuation is already larger than GDP, and he suggests in the years to come will dwarf it.
“Outside the family home, superannuation is the largest asset Australian individuals own,” Brogden says.
Australia has $1.8 trillion worth of funds under management, making it the fourth-largest pool of funds in the world, and $1.3 trillion of this is superannuation. The increase in compulsory superannuation contributions from 9% to 12% – passed through the House of Representatives last year and likely to pass the Senate early this year – will cause this to grow to $3 trillion by 2020 and $5.5 trillion by 2030.
Brogden says 75% of Australians have some superannuation assets and the average balance is $154,000.
“Despite the significance of superannuation to the Australian economy and to individual Australians, more than 50% of workers – particularly the young and those with low incomes – have at best little interest in superannuation, and in too many cases no interest or understanding of the savings on which they will rely for their long retirements,” he wrote in the Australian Financial Review.
“Much of the focus from the government’s Stronger Super reforms have centred on costs and efficiencies.
“Appropriately, the focus has turned to transparency and governance.
“Considering super’s mandatory nature, raising governance and transparency to adequate levels is overdue.
“The Australian Securities and Investments Commission and the funds management industry have begun a process to give fund members the ability to know more about where their personal superannuation is invested,” he says.
“Portfolio holdings disclosure allows individual members to contact their superannuation funds and, based on the investment strategy they have chosen – or in the case of MySuper members, the strategy applied to them – find out meaningful details about where the relevant fund managers have invested their savings.
“It is critical to acknowledge that the interest of fund members in the detail of their investment portfolios will vary. Some will be interested in the exact breakdown and value of their portfolios – not only the investment strategy, but the individual categories, or indeed the companies or properties in which they are invested. Some will want to have a day-to-day hands-on interest in their portfolio allocation. These people will continue to establish self-managed super funds.”
But Brogden advises that listing every investment in every company or asset would be so complex as to be meaningless to most fund members and the cost of implementing and maintaining systems to provide up-to-date or intricately detailed investment records for individual members would add real costs.
“We must get the right balance between disclosure, cost and complexity.
“The Financial Services Council has been buoyed by the pragmatic approach from ASIC chairman Greg Medcraft,” he says.
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Super must be well governed but not over-regulated: Financial Services Council chief John Brogden

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The total land value of the Hunters Hill municipality was $4.865 billion as at July 2011, according to NSW Valuer-General Philip Western, with the latest riverfront residential values showing a slight decrease over the three-year period.
But there was a 6% jump across the 3,720 properties, which had a combined $4.585 billion value as at July 2008.
“Residential land on the waterfront generally showed a slight decrease in value over the three-year period,” Western said.
The extent of the drop has not been revealed by the official data.
“The value of residential land west of Burns Bay Road in Gladesville and Hunters Hill generally showed a moderate increase, while residential land to the east of Burns Bay Road generally showed a slight increase.
“The value of small retail sites generally showed a slight increase, while the larger commercial and mixed use sites showed moderate to strong increases in value,” he said.
He said the real estate analysis in the Hunters Hill municipality included 94 residential and eight commercial sales.
In the 2008 analysis the Valuer-General had 74 residential sales and three commercial sales on which to base the 2008 valuations.
Over the past year until July 2011, the municipality’s residential median land value moved from $898,000 to $899,000.
Median business land values jumped from $506,000 to $530,000 in the period.
The municipality’s most recently sold prestige listing confirms the fall in values. <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/record-setting-woolwich-mansion-sold-for-loss-as-saga-winds-down/2011092551674" target="_blank">It’s the $9.2 million sale of an imposing house</a> on a 2,037-square-metre Angelo Street, Woolwich, riverfront block.
The property was given a $7.4 million land value in 2008, but in the past two years the Angelo Street property maintained a $7.03 million value as at July 2010 and July 2011.
Most houses in the municipality would be principal places of residence and therefore exempt from land tax, although if the home owner was to be posted overseas and renting the property out for a lengthy time, the tax could apply.
Typical residential land values were:
<ul>
<li>1,034 square metres at Campbell Street, Hunters Hill valued at $3,320,000 </li>
<li>418 square metres at Le Vesinet Drive, Hunters Hill valued at $1,840,000 </li>
<li>717 square metres at Lyndhurst Crescent, Hunters Hill valued at $2,640,000</li>
<li>835 square metres at The Close , Hunters Hill valued at $1,480,000 </li>
<li>487 square metres at Paul Street, Hunters Hill valued at $763,000 </li>
<li>621 square metres at Ryde Road, Hunters Hill valued at $530,000 </li>
<li>556 square metres at Toocooya Road, Hunters Hill valued at $1,270,000 </li>
<li>1331 square metres at Mark Street, Hunters Hill valued at $1,200,000</li>
</ul>
Typical commercial land values were:
<ul>
<li>342 square metres at Gladesville Road, Hunters Hill valued at $636,000 </li>
<li>202 square metres at Victoria Road, Gladesville valued at $462,000 </li>
<li>249 square metres at Woolwich Road, Woolwich valued at $520,000</li>
</ul>
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Riverfront land value down in Hunters Hill

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The NSW mid-north coast beachfront retreat of the quintessential Australian actor Jack Thompson – 10.6 hectares at Woolgoolga, some 20 minutes north of Coffs Harbour – has been listed for sale.
It comes with about 100 metres of beach frontage.
The private holding, which also comes with lake and creek frontage, has been listed with $2 million plus hopes.
The four-bedroom, 20-year-old house sit on land with the potential to be subdivided into eight blocks, subject to council approval.
<img src="/images/stories/thompson2.jpg">
Thompson purchased the property in 1995 for $390,000, according to RP Data.
The actor is retaining another property in the hinterland behind Woolgoolga, where he had his much-publicised 15-year ménage-a-trois relationship until the mid-1980s.
The then 440-hectare cattle farm was bought in 1969 – when he was just out of the army – for $8500. Over one 10-year period he planted 23,000 trees – blackbutt, tallowwood and hoop pine.
He also has a long-owned Woollahra terrace.
His family’s Blue Mountains pub, the Hotel Gearin in Katoomba sold last year for $1.925 million.
The Woolgoolga property been listed by <a href="https://www.nicolecardow.com.au/properties.php?id=5462412" target="_blank">Nicole Cardow Real from Nicole Cardow Real Estate</a>, in conjunction with Bill Bridges of Ballard Property Woollahra.
Actor Russell Crowe maintains a 420-hectare plus farm near the village of Nana Glen, which has cost $3 million plus between 1999 and 2008 as further land has been consolidated.
Crowe began his acting career as a six-year-old with Thompson in 1970 on the Spyforce series, and then more famously in The Sum of Us, the 1994 film.
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Actor Jack Thompson selling Coffs Harbour beachfront retreat but keeping hinterland getaway: Title Tattle

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The auction clearance rate in Sydney across 2011 was 53%.
It was down from 61% in 2010 and 65% in 2009 but up 47% in 2008, according to Clinton McNabb, research analyst at Australian Property Monitors.
The clearance rate fell gradually across the year from 59% in February to a low of 49% in December.
The highest auction clearance rate was in the week ending February 12 at 63%, and the lowest week was the week ending December 10 at 47%.
There were 25,435 auction listings in 2011, down 5.4% compared with 2010.
The total value sold in 2011 was $11.26 billion, down a considerable 20% compared with 2010.
There were 12,701 properties sold at auction in 2011, some 18% fewer than the year before.
APM advised the median price for houses sold at auction was $845,000, down 2.9% year on year.
The median price for units sold at auction was $580,000, down 0.9% year on year.
Alexandria headed the suburbs with the highest auction clearance rates at 77%, followed by Ashfield 74% and Dulwich Hill.
The suburbs with the weakest auction clearance rate were Avalon 30%, Kellyville 30% and Collaroy 36%.
The inner west, inner Sydney and south west had the best-performing auction markets, while the central coast, outer-western Sydney and northern beaches were the worst performing, McNabb says.
 
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Sydney early bird vendors got the auction buyers in 2011: APM

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The clearance rate for Melbourne auctions in 2011 was 56%.
It compared with 71% in 2010, 81% in 2009 and 63% in 2008, according to the Real Estate Institute of Victoria.
The highest clearance rate in any week was 65% in the week ending March 13 and the lowest was 49% in the week ending November 20, says REIV chief executive Enzo Raimondo.
There were about 28,800 auctions throughout the year. The number exceeded the number held in both 2009 and 2008 but was fewer than 2010, when there were 32,497 residential auctions across Melbourne.
The total value of auction sales was $11.6 billion compared with $16.8 billion in 2010, $12.1 billion in 2009 and $10.2 billion in 2008.
The highest clearance rate was recorded in Wantirna South, where 82% of homes sold. It was followed by Abbotsford, Balaclava, Gladstone Park and Warrandyte as the top five suburbs when ranked by clearance rate.
However Richmond had the most auction activity, with 336 sales at auction and a strong clearance rate of 73%. It was followed by Melbourne, Bentleigh East, Hawthorn and Reservoir as the top five busiest suburbs when ranked by numbers sold.
Four of the properties that went up for auction in Richmond in 2011 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/victoria/the-block-auction-a-dose-of-reality-which-sydney-finally-loved/2011082251240">were the cottages featured on the reality TV show The Block</a>. 
 
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Richmond the busiest Melbourne auction suburb in 2011: REIV

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<img src="/images/stories/misfortunequote.gif"> – RSL chief executive Chris McHugh, who notes the Gold Coast prestige property slump meant the charity had been able to get near beachfront bargains to then raffle off in fundraisers.
The latest offering from the RSL Art Union is a four-storey house with four bedrooms, a study, four-car garaging and a lift for all levels. It sold at $5 million in boomtime 2006 – and the RSL Art Union has valued the house at $3.4 million.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/jan13broadbeach]}
But the RSL Art Union only paid $2.2 million for the Broadbeach property two weeks after its Ray White auction last January.
The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.rslartunion.com.au/home.aspx">RSL Art Union</a> is licensed to sell 1.9 million tickets at $5 before the March 14 raffle draw, potentially recouping $8.5 million if all tickets were sold. Tickets are on sale at its open for inspections.
The raffling of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.surroundpix.com.au/real-estate/qld/broadbeach/4218/340334/virtual-tours/">Broadbeach Boulevarde mansion</a> that sits within the Vogue compound built by Mark Howard's Howard Group in 2003 beats the record for the most expensive prize home set last month.
It was a Gold Coast oceanfront penthouse valued at $3 million raffled by Boystown.
Some 80% of the art union prize winners sold their homes immediately.
 
 
 
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Gold Coast property raffles hitting the big time during slump: Quote of the week

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Land values of properties in the Goulburn Mulwaree local government area have dropped over the past three years.
<img src="/images/stories/goulburnmalw.jpg">
The total land value of the Goulburn Mulwaree area was $2.466 billion, a decrease from the total land value of $2.517 billion determined as at July 2008.
The NSW Valuer-General has advised the value of residential land had generally shown a slight increase, the value of commercial land generally remained steady, and industrial land values have shown a decrease.
The value of rural and rural residential land has generally shown a slight decrease, while the value of village land has generally shown a strong increase.
The median rural value also eased over the past year to July 2011 from $187,000 to $185,000.
The median industrial vale eased 3% over the past year from $159,000 to $148,000.
During the past year the residential median in the municipality rose 1.2% from $91,200 to $92,300.
New values are being sent by NSW Valuer-General Philip Western to landowners of 14,236 properties.
"Real estate analysis in the Goulburn Mulwaree LGA has been comprehensive during the course of the 2011 valuation program, with 139 residential, 26 commercial, 9 industrial and 69 rural sales analysed," he said.
There were some exceptions to the norm as while the value of commercial land had generally remained steady, peripheral commercial land in the southern areas had shown a slight decrease in value.
Also industrial land values at Bradfordville and near the Goulburn Correctional Centre had generally remained steady or experienced a slight increase. Typical residential land values were:
<ul>
<li>639 square metres at Chisholm Street, Goulburn valued at $83,700 </li>
<li> 734 square metres at Fitzroy Street, Goulburn valued at $130,000 </li>
<li>613 square metres at Gibson Street, Goulburn valued at $75,100 </li>
<li>792 square metres at Meyer Street, Goulburn valued at $98,600 </li>
<li>564 square metres at Robinson Street, Goulburn valued at $97,900 </li>
<li>753 square metres at Wilmot Street, Goulburn valued at $82,700 </li>
<li>740 square metres at McGuire Drive, Goulburn valued at $92,700. </li>
</ul>
Typical commercial land values were:
<ul>
<li>702 square metres at Auburn Street, Goulburn valued at $185,000 </li>
<li>543 square metres at Clifford Street, Goulburn valued at $141,000 </li>
<li>3,766 square metres at Knox Street, Goulburn valued at $234,000 </li>
<li>1,808 square metres at George Street, Marulan valued at $91,000 </li>
<li>1,295 square metres at Lanigan Lane, Goulburn valued at $142,000</li>
</ul>
Typical industrial land values were:
<ul>
<li>809 square metres at Wayo Street, Goulburn valued at $112,000 </li>
<li>5,705 square metres at Wilson Drive, Marulan valued at $275,000 </li>
<li>3,000 square metres at Ross Street, Goulburn valued at $186,000 </li>
<li>4.6 hectares at Finlay Road, Goulburn valued at $180,000</li>
</ul>
Typical rural land values were:
<ul>
<li>155 hectares at Breadalbane Road, Parkesbourne valued at $542,000 </li>
<li>152 hectares at Bungendore Road, Tarago valued at $379,000 </li>
<li>323 hectares at Hume Highway, Marulan valued at $1,040,000 </li>
<li>144 hectares at Middle Arm Road, Middle Arm valued at $575,000 </li>
<li>259 hectares at Annies Lane, Woodhouselee valued at $974,000</li>
</ul>
Typical rural residential land values were:
<ul>
<li>10.3 hectares at Range Road, Mummel valued at $194,000 </li>
<li>10.3 hectares at Currawang Road, Tirrannaville valued at $168,000</li>
</ul>
Typical hobby farm land values were:
<ul>
<li>51.2 hectares at The Lookdown Road, Bungonia valued at $238,000 </li>
<li>10.1 hectares at Hume Highway, Marulan valued at $140,000 </li>
<li>45.7 hectares at Braidwood Road, Tarago valued at $289,000 </li>
<li>40.6 hectares at Steins Road, Middle Arm valued at $231,000 </li>
<li>23.8 hectares at Hume Highway, Marulan valued at $173,000 </li>
<li>37 hectares at Hume Highway, Yarra valued at $185,000 </li>
<li>40.1 hectares at Trappers Way, Mount Wayo valued at $210,000 </li>
</ul>
Typical village land values were:
<ul>
<li>2,049 square metres at Stewart Street, Tarago valued at $83,900 </li>
<li>1,993 square metres at Gold Field Road, Tallong valued at $61,900</li>
</ul>
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Land values fell in Goulburn Mulwaree municipality, NSW, in past three years

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

Joel Robinson

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

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

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

Buying into a masterplanned community often means committing to a vision still years from taking shape. At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a>, that vision is already visible.

Residents have moved into the completed first stage, landscaped spaces are established, and the next chapter is now underway. Stage 1 has been completed and settled, with Stage 2 now selling off-the-plan.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/pbd-architects">PBD Architects</a>, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> combines attainable apartment living with sustainability initiatives rarely seen at this price point, including rooftop solar, battery storage and a resident EV-sharing program.

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Located on Schofi​elds Road, just moments from Tal​lawong Metro Station and Schof​ields Train Station, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> has been designed to appeal to a broad mix of buyers, from first-home purchasers looking for a foothold in Sy​dney's property market to downsizers seeking a connected, low-maintenance lifestyle.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> has been conceived as a thoughtfully planned masterplanned community that will evolve over multiple stages, with buyers now able to secure one, two and three-bedroom apartments within a neighbourhood that is already beginning to establish its identity.

One of the project's defining features is its focus on sustainability. Solar energy systems, battery storage and future EV charging infrastructure have been incorporated throughout the development, reflecting a long-term approach to both environmental performance and everyday convenience.

Sustainability sits at the centre of the development's vision, with solar energy systems, battery storage and future EV charging infrastructure integrated throughout the community.

That emphasis on future-ready living extends beyond the technology. Landscaped communal gardens, outdoor gathering spaces and plans for a future retail precinct aim to create a neighbourhood where residents can access daily conveniences without travelling far from home.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149637 project_image_fid=351027]

The apartments themselves have been designed with liveability front of mind. Rather than chasing maximum density, the focus has been placed on creating practical homes with generous natural light, usable layouts and strong connections to outdoor space.

Importantly, these design principles have been applied consistently across the one, two and three-bedroom apartment offerings.

The appeal of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> is also closely linked to its location within Syd​ney's rapidly evolving north-west growth corridor. Over the past decade, major infrastructure investment has transformed the area, with new transport links, business precincts and community facilities reshaping suburbs like Talla​wong and Schofiel​ds.

The agent says buyers are increasingly recognising the area's long-term potential.

"Typical buyers that we're finding across <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> especially are your first-home buyers, your investors, your upsizers as well as your downsizers," Hawes says.

Connectivity remains one of the project's strongest drawcards. Residents have access to both Tallaw​ong Metro Station and Schofi​elds Train Station, providing links to the Sydn​ey CBD, Norw​est Business Park, Macquari​e Park and other major employment hubs. Retail centres including Rous​e Hill Town Centre and Sch​ofields Village are also nearby, alongside schools, parks and future healthcare infrastructure.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149637 project_image_fid=351031]

For Stage 1 resident Roji, it is the balance between convenience and comfort that has defined the experience of living at Kew.

"For me, it's a balance of quality and convenience," she says. "Everything I need is right here."

"If I wanted to catch the train, Scho​fields Station is just around the corner. Tallaw​ong Metro connects me to the city."

More importantly, she says, the development has delivered something that cannot be measured in floorplans or specifications.

"<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> feels like home."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149637 project_image_fid=351024]

As Stage 2 enters the market, that lived experience may be one of the project's strongest selling points. Buyers are not purchasing into an untested concept or a future promise. They are joining a community that is already taking shape.

Ongoing investment in transport, retail, healthcare and public open space continues to strengthen the appeal of Syd​ney's north-west growth corridor, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a>'s established first stage provides buyers with a tangible sense of the community's future direction.

For a limited time, buyer can secure a new home at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> with just a $10,000.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=149637]

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

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

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

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/abadeen">Abadeen</a> and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/perifa">PERIFA</a> have celebrated the topping out of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf,</a> marking a significant milestone in the delivery of one of Syd​ney's most anticipated waterfront communities.

Located on Sydney's harbourfront at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/putney-nsw-2112">Putney</a>, the project has now reached its highest structural point, with construction progressing strongly towards completion in 2027. 
&nbsp; 
The milestone was celebrated on-site with project partners Phoenix Property Investors, Mitsubishi Estate Asia, Versatile Construction, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, consultants and stakeholders, to recognise the collective effort behind the transformation of the historic waterfront site into a vibrant new residential, marina and lifestyle destination.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=362240] 
&nbsp; 
<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> will deliver a mix of waterfront residences and terraces, complemented by a private 36-berth marina, waterfront dining opportunities and a revitalised foreshore designed to reconnect the community with the river's edge. 
&nbsp; 
Abadeen Executive Chairman and Founder Justin Brown said the project represented a rare opportunity to create the next chapter in Sydn​ey's long history of successful waterfront precincts. 
&nbsp; 
"Throughout Sydney, some of the city's most sought-after addresses have emerged from carefully considered waterfront precincts such as Woolloom​ooloo Wharf, Walsh Bay and Breakfast Point," Brown said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=362566] 
&nbsp; 
"What makes these places so successful is that they become much more than residential developments," Brown said.

"They bring together homes, hospitality, marina facilities, public spaces and a strong sense of community in locations where future supply is incredibly limited."

Brown has long described absolute waterfront land in Sy​dney as "finite."

"Once these opportunities are developed, they are rarely replicated. That's why Syd​ney's waterfront precincts have consistently demonstrated strong demand and long-term value growth over many decades. 
&nbsp; 
"<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> is one of the few remaining opportunities to secure a residence within a masterplanned waterfront community that combines direct water access, marina ownership opportunities and a genuine village lifestyle just moments from the Sy​dney CBD."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=362564] 
&nbsp; 
PERIFA Founder and Managing Director Fabrizio Perilli said the project reflected a shared commitment to delivering exceptional places that create long-term value for residents and the broader community. 
&nbsp; 
"The topping out milestone is a significant achievement for the Versatile Group and a testament to the collaboration between all project partners, consultants and contractors involved," Perilli said. 
&nbsp; 
"Beyond the residences themselves, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> will establish a new waterfront destination that celebrates the history, character and lifestyle of this unique location while creating a lasting legacy for future generations."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=291195] 
&nbsp; 
Construction is being delivered by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/versatile">Versatile Construction</a>, with structural works now substantially complete across the precinct. Attention will progressively shift to the construction of the waterview terraces, apartment façades, services and interior fit-out works over the coming months. 
&nbsp; 
With limited residences and marina berths remaining, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> continues to attract strong interest from owner occupiers and downsizers seeking a premium waterfront lifestyle within close proximity to Putne​y Village, Rh​odes, Top Ry​de and the Syd​ney CBD. 
&nbsp; 
As one of the last opportunities to secure a residence within a new masterplanned waterfront community on Sy​dney Harbour, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> is expected to remain a highly sought-after address for years to come.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=13962]

Jonathan Chancellor

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