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Actress Holly Brisley, best remembered for her role as a troublemaker on Home And Away, and her property investor husband, Paul, have listed their Bondi Beach abode.
The couple were among the 2006 buyers who snapped up an off-the-plan apartment in the Bondi complex, the apartment block on Campbell Parade that replaced the Bondi Beachside Inn.
They are now seeking $7 million plus for their opulently appointed half-floor residence through Steven Chen and Elizabeth Brunton at McGrath Estate Agents.
It has views that stretch across the beach and bay from North Bondi to Tamarama from the northern side of the building
It has three bedrooms all with ensuite bathrooms, and its luxurious appointments feature custom American oak joinery.
There’s also C-Bus 2 intelligence system with automated blinds and curtains. The couple are understood to have their eye on an off-market house-buying opportunity elsewhere on the coastal eastern suburbs strip.
A few floors down in the same block, Little Joe fashion salon owners Gail Elliott and Joe Coffey are also seeking buyers for their huge apartment overlooking Bondi Beach.
They paid $6.75 million for the 486-square-metre The Bondi apartment with a huge deck off the plan in 2006 and are now seeking more than $8 million for the property. It’s being sold through Steven Chen in conjunction with Barry Goldman of Raine &amp; Horne Double Bay.
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Home and Away actress Holly Brisley lists in Bondi Beach

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As we look back on 2011, Property Observer is republishing some of our most noteworthy stories of the year.
 
The now fire-damaged house at 42 Bartholdi Avenue, Jersey City, New Jersey sold for $114,000 in August this year to the Australian-listed US Masters Residential Property Fund headed by Alan Dixon.
<img src="/images/stories/bartholdi.jpg">
The colonial-style property (pictured above) had sold at $49,569 just three months earlier in a repossession sale.
“We’re comfortable that at $114,000 there was plenty of upside in it for us,” Alan Dixon told Property Observer after an analysis of the fund’s most recent acquisitions found 19 of the 34 identified in the fund’s prospectus were bought for a price substantially higher than the last, but recent, sale price.
“In simple terms, property that is being bought for $114,000 has around $250,000 to $280,000 worth of construction value within five kilometres of Manhattan,” Dixon suggests.
“The $49,569 price in a repossession was excellent buying for the party who vended the property to us,” Dixon concedes.
“But in addition to $49,569 they will likely have paid a variety of liens against the property of things such as municipal liens (water/sewerage, local tax), possibly federal tax, bank fees or so forth.”
"For every single property we buy, we do a very detailed inspection and analysis of properties in the area, including looking at comparable sales for equivalent properties in the area.  I’m very comfortable we are not paying above market, in some cases we’ve got incredible deals, in many cases we’ve simply met the appropriate market price," Dixon says.
Dixon acknowledges whatever the vendors spent they achieved “a good profit on the sale to us”.
"Many of the properties we have bought were recently owned by another party," he says. "There are two types of property that fit that category, ones with a small differential and ones with a large differential between the two prices.
"With a relatively small differential it reflects someone picking up a property at a depressed price, perhaps through a short sale or some other complex process where it didn’t enter the regular market and when the property is offered to us there is still enough differential between the price offered and the market price that we are comfortable to proceed," Dixon says.
"The fact that another party got involved and made a small profit doesn’t concern us if we are still buying at or below the market price and the price meets our return hurdles. Given we now have closed on approximately 80 properties and have over 100 tenants we are able to forecast / estimate returns very accurately given our in house market knowledge and data. In addition to assessing the property at a market level, we also place great emphasis on the property meeting our conservative financial hurdles, which ultimately is of significant importance to our investors."
The US Masters Residential Property Fund, managed by Dixon Advisory is in New Jersey to buy high-yielding property, but perhaps ominously in some questionable neighbourhoods, as less than four weeks after the Bartholdi Avenue purchase a two-alarm fire broke out at the house. The freelance news photographer Joe Shine was on the scene as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2011/09/photos_fire_breaks_out_on_bart">firefighters raced to fight the blaze shortly after midnight</a>. No one was hurt and the fire is still under investigation.
The insurer, Lloyds of London, has since paid a $200,000 settlement, and Dixon is comfortable the money will allow the fund to end up with a rental property that is completely renovated.
"The other situation is where there is a big differential between the two prices because they’ve had to do very substantial work to make the properties saleable and leaseable.  We’ve consciously done this because it has often lead to result in a finished, completely renovated property at or below the market price.  Whilst the renovator/developer will have made a profit, it will not come without the substantial risk of doing major renovations and building work," Dixon says.
"The concept that we should be the ‘first buyer’ of all these properties would basically turn the fund in to a construction company.  Yes, we are prepared to do work internally that is of the right size and costing to add value.  We have already completed 24 construction jobs and have another 15 in progress.  All these jobs have been up to $20,000 in value.  Whilst we have the skills internally, we have decided at this stage not to do major rehabs preferring to take them off developers.  However, we continue to assess each property on a case-by-case basis and from time to time will do some bigger jobs, however, we will not be making this our primary business."
Property investment commentator <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/overseas/aussie-fund-s-new-jersey-us-properties-cheap-and-nasty-monique-sasson-wakelin/2011121352822" target="_blank">Monique Sasson Wakelin has slammed the acquired rental properties after a recent trip</a>.
Without any reference to the sales history, she advises the purchases demonstrate a “worrying lack of understanding of what constitutes investment-grade property”, and “ongoing zeal for financial engineering and lack of property knowledge”.
She says many “unsuspecting Australian retail investors” have bought “some very speculative assets”.
“By going for high yield and low prices, the fund has chosen poor assets in highly compromised locations with no scarcity value,” she says in an article for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.eurekareport.com.au/">The Eureka Report</a>.
Dixon has responded saying in part: “We didn’t take a day off on our holidays – we spent months and months researching and talking to the US’s leading economists, property professionals, money managers and investment bankers to make our decision.” 
But the Property Observer analysis suggests the now-fire damaged Bartholdi Avenue property  was not the most dramatic price difference on last sale by the fund over recent months.
A single-family house at 89 Bostwick Avenue, Jersey City, NJ sold to the fund at $235,000 in September. The property previously sold for $62,000 in May.
There are 19 acquisitions among the 34 identified in the US Masters fund prospective where the latest purchase price sits substantially above the last sale price. All up the fund, which expects annualised net yields between 8% and 12%, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/overseas/dixon-advisory-attracts-815-more-aussies-to-take-a-punt-on-us-housing-investment/2011112952603">has bought 127 properties for a $24.5 million total as at October 31 this year.</a>
“We know the history on all of them and are very confident of our buying process,” Dixon says.
“I'd be able to show you scopes of work etc on all properties that more than cover the difference,” he says.
 
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Dixon cites a single-family house at 73 Warner Avenue, Jersey City, NJ bought for $185,000 recently.
US land title records reveal Dixon’s spent $65,000 more than the property’s previous $120,000 sale in June this year.
“73 Warner Ave is one of the properties where we did a complete turn-key renovation deal with the vendor,” Dixon says.
“The property was in need of a major rehab when the vendor purchased it and they purchased looking for someone like us to take them out of a property that is fully renovated and ready to rent.
“Typically they make a decent development profit, but we’ll get the property in better condition but a little cheaper than the going market rate.”
He says on 73 Warner, the fund replaced one of the boilers; reinstalled and restored the hallway on the first floor; repaired and renovated the kitchen on the first floor; installed a built-in wardrobe and sheet rock for an extra bedroom on the first floor; installed a built-in wardrobe and sheet rock for an extra bedroom on the second floor; completely gutted and replaced a kitchen on the second floor; and fully carpet the entire house.
“On properties that have needed (substantial) work, we have determined what we think fair value would be with a full renovation and negotiated a turn-key as complete price,” he says.
“We have only done this with vendors with a good reputation in the marketplace for doing quality work and we inspect thoroughly before we finalise the purchase.”
Dixon points to two examples of properties that he says will reap high rewards:
<ul>
<li>  
<ul>
<li>Property number 1: 89 Bostwick Avenue, Jersey City.  This property is located in the Greenville section of Jersey City.  As you note it was sold for $62,000 in May 2011.  It is on a large block for the area and consists of four separate apartments all on the one title.  There is one  three-bedroom apartments and three two-bedroom apartments.  I.e., the property has nine bedrooms and four bathrooms.  Our estimate is that actual construction costs with no margin for development profit or risk would total around $120,000.  The property was offered to us both in its wrecked state or to agree on a fully renovated basis.  We chose to elect to purchase the property fully renovated for $235,000.  We got completely new kitchens, bathrooms, carpeting, heating, roofs, internals and so forth for four apartments for a total of $173,000.  I.e., about30 rooms fully renovated for $173,000.  I was there on the day we closed on the property and it was a very high-quality job inside.  We think it was a very good deal.  We will get net yields out of the property (before fund management fees) of over 12.5% per annum.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>  
<ul>
<li>Property number 2:  2A Dwight Street, Jersey City.  This is also located in the Greenville section of Jersey City and is one of only two single-family properties we have.  Again, this property at $30,000 was an unliveable wreck.  To give you some valuation indications, we now receive rent of $1,600 a month for the property or $19,200 a year.  Properties trading at $30,000 are unliveable in our target area. This was bought by a developer and we were not shown it when the first transaction occurred as it was prior to the commencement of the fund in May.  As such, we cannot estimate how much the developer will have spent on repairs, but it will have been substantial.  When we first inspected the property on 20 July 2011, the renovation was already about 90% complete but consisted of new bathrooms, new kitchens, full painting, new carpets and so forth.  A brick residence and single family it was quite unique on the rental market and leased within a week at $1,600 a month.  We think that $85,000 differential for a completed fully renovated house is a very good deal for the fund, as comparable transactions would suggest the property is worth $125,000 plus.  Yes, the developer will have made a profit on the deal but not so substantial that it is not a very good buy at the price.  We are getting net yields of around 10% from this property.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
 
Dixon says tenants pay a high premium for renovated properties in the area.
“Interestingly, because the property market has been falling for five years and is so depressed, a lot of owners are not keeping their rental properties up to the sort of standard you would normally expect.
“As such, when a renovated property becomes available on the rental market, it is very popular and you can get really high-quality tenants,” Dixon suggests.
Other properties in the fund’s portfolio include:
<ul>
<li>A $242,000 purchase at 198 Bergen Avenue Jersey City, NJ in August had previously traded hands for $67,000 in April.</li>
<li>A house at 278 Winfield Avenue, Jersey City, NJ was sold for $235,000 in September. It had previously sold for $173,000 in June 2011.</li>
<li>A single-family home at 16 Weldon Street, Jersey City, NJ was bought for $199,000 in October. The 1900 property previously sold for $85,000 in September.</li>
<li> A single-family house at 17 Bergen Avenue, Jersey City, NJ sold for $155,000 in October. The property previously sold for $80,000 in September.</li>
<li> A single-family house at 268 Bergen Avenue, Jersey City, NJ sold for $184,900 in October. The property previously sold for $75,000 in October 2010.</li>
<li> A single-family home at 73 Warner Avenue, Jersey City, NJ sold for $185,000 in September. The property previously sold for $120,000 in June.</li>
<li>A house at 136A Clendenny Avenue, Jersey City, NJ sold for $225,000 in September. The 1900 property previously sold for $180,000 in July last year and at $125,000 in January 2010.</li>
<li>A single-family home at 111 Winfield Avenue, Jersey City, NJ sold for $162,000 in September. The property previously sold for $110,000 in March 2009.</li>
<li>A property at 112.5 Orient Avenue, Jersey City NJ sold for $112,000 in September. The property previously sold for $100,000 in 2008 having sold at $255,000 in 2006.</li>
<li>A single-family home at 202 Delaware Avenue, Jersey City, NJ sold for $125,000 in September. The property previously sold for $75,000 in August.</li>
<li>A home located at 66 Gardner Avenue, Jersey City, NJ sold for $235,000 in August. The property previously sold for $175,000 in 2008.</li>
<li>A single-family home located at 146 Stevens Avenue, Jersey City, NJ cost $189,000 in August. The property previously sold for $100,000 in December 2010.</li>
<li>A home located at 120 Orient Avenue, Jersey City, NJ sold for $175,000 in July this year. The property previously sold for $50,400 in October last year.</li>
<li>A home at 69 Belmont Avenue, Jersey City, NJ sold for $205,000. It last sold in 2008 at $145,000.</li>
</ul>
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Dixon Advisory fund pays more than double recent sales prices for some high-yielding US property after quick refurb

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Sydney rental vacancies remained unchanged for the third consecutive month in November.
In the major regional cities, Newcastle vacancies declined, but increased in Wollongong, according to the Real Estate Institute of NSW.
November’s rental vacancy rate for the Sydney metropolitan area remained steady at 1.4%.
Decreases were recorded in Sydney’s inner and outer suburbs, while middle suburbs recorded a slight increase.
•             Inner suburbs (0-10km from CBD) fell 0.1% to 1.2%
•             Middle suburbs (10-25km from CBD), rose 0.1% to 1.7%
•             Outer suburbs (more than 25 km from CBD) fell 0.1% to 1.3%
Newcastle recorded a sharp decline last month, down 0.3% to 1.6% although in contrast, Wollongong recorded a 0.4% increase to 2.2%.
Across the Hunter region vacancy rates fell 0.3 to 1.4% and in the Illawarra region they rose 0.1 to 1.8%.
Vacancy rates fell on the Central Coast for the fourth consecutive month, down 0.2 to 1.5%.
The new president of the REINSW, Christian Payne, has called on government at all levels to work together to address the chronic shortage of rental accommodation.
“As 2011 comes to a close we are in exactly the same desperate straits as last year,” he says.
“In the last 12 months the percentage of available properties for rental has not even come close to breaking through the 2% barrier; that is an appalling outcome given our claim to being the ‘premier state’.
“It is incumbent upon government to act in a constructive and decisive way to tackle the rental crisis that is an entrenched part of New South Wales.”
 
 
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Rental vacancies fall in Sydney's inner and outer suburbs but rise in middle ring

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The Rose Bay harbourfront home of the late tourism industry entrepreneur Bill Bursill has been bought by a family member.
More than $16 million had been initially sought by Wayne Yates from Laing + Simmons Double Bay, but this was revised to $14 million hopes after a nearby $15 million Bayview Hill Road, Rose Bay sale provided contemporaneous comparative pricing during the marketing campaign.
The Bursill holding had a $13 million unimproved capital land value.
The family purchased the waterfront land in 1950 when it was being used as tennis courts. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/leisure-entrepreneur-bill-bursill-s-rose-bay-house-up-for-auction/2011091651576">The 1950s house </a>was built over two blocks, capitalising on its views down the harbour to the Harbour Bridge.
Having been predeceased by his wife, Valerie, Bill died in February this year, the day before his 96th birthday.
The house had been listed by his four children.
In the 1950s Bursill was instrumental in determining the site for a ski village at Thredbo, where his first Bursill Lodge was built out of a giant refrigerator cabinet bought at an Army disposal store. He also had another tourism lodge Rainbow Beach in Queensland, where his lodge, The Mikado, was established when nearby Noosa Heads was just a sleepy hamlet.
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Bill Bursill's Rose Bay harbourfront house sells to a relative

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The penthouse on top of the Ritz at Cremorne Point has been sold.
Its price has not been disclosed, but a $7 million offer was recently rejected, with those buyers instead securing a $5.5 million house nearby.
It sold through LJ Hooker Mosman agents Geoff Smith and Richard Harding.
The Milson Road penthouse, with four bedrooms and six bathrooms, spreads over 400 square metres.
It includes a rooftop terrace and garden with space to entertain 300 guests.
The property was purchased by a local retired couple who will undertake internal renovations and redecorating before taking up residence.
The penthouse has been two apartments joined together, while retaining two kitchens.
The new owners intend to reconfigure the space so it becomes one purpose-built penthouse reflecting their own taste and style.
The building’s recreation area is resort like with limestone walls and extensive facilities, including pools, gyms, squash court, sauna, spa and steam room.
The entire building has just completed a major restoration to the tune of $1.5 million.
“The incoming purchasers saw the current world economic turmoil and the fact that the property  was in the hands of Taylor Woodings as receivers and managers, as providing an extraordinary opportunity to secure a unique and dramatic penthouse of enormous proportions at a very attractive price,” Smith says.
“When finished the new owners will have arguably created the biggest and best penthouse in  Sydney in a prestigious and completely restored building,” Harding adds.
It was listed through the receivers after the developer, Simon Symond, who was weighed down by a stalled shopping centre project at Toongabbie, lost control of it during the global financial crisis.
The penthouse, which took Symond a decade to develop, was completed in 1996.
Symond bought The Ritz site for $3 million in 1986 when it was a rundown boarding house accommodating 90 tenants paying about $50 a week.
It sold through LJ Hooker Mosman, who had its listing in conjunction with Colliers International Hong Kong agent James Hall in case there was any offshore interest.
It’s understood the sale fell short of $9 million, which was the aim its 2010 marketing campaign, and a north shore apartment record.
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Ritz Cremorne Point penthouse to get renovation after sale to retirees

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Media personality Deborah Hutton has bought two off-the-plan apartments in Mirvac's new development at Harold Park, Glebe.
Hutton has made two purchases – a one-bedroom apartment plus a two-bedroom apartment.
Harold Park is being developed on a 10-hectare site previously owned by NSW Harness Racing Club.
Last month Mirvac released the first stage – 296 apartments – of the development to its client database.
The development, set 2.5 kilometres from Sydney's central business district, abuts the suburbs of Glebe, Forest Lodge and Annandale.
Mirvac has indicated pricing in the master-planned community will start from $499,000 for studios (average internal area, excluding balconies, courtyards and parking, 45 square metres).
One-bedders (average internal 55 square metres) will be priced from $550,000; two-bedroom apartments (average internal 90 square metres) start from $775,000; and three-bedroom units (average internal 125 square metres) are priced from $1,245,000.
The terraces (average internal 161 square metres) are priced from $1,395,000. Construction is scheduled to start in the first quarter of 2012 and to be completed in 2014.
For advice on buying off the plan, <a target="_blank" href="http://propertyobserver.com.au/ebooks/free-ebook-10-tips-for-investing-off-the-plan">download our free eBook</a>.
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Deborah Hutton buys two off-the-plan units in Mirvac's Glebe Harold Park project

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Professional golfer Fred Couples has listed his home in La Quinta, California, at US$4,195,000.
The Spanish-style villa with courtyard with a fountain sits on nearly a half-acre site with mountain views.
Its interior features include limestone and wood floors, arched windows, a great room with an oversized stone fireplace, a wine room and two master suites with stone fireplaces and terraces. There are four bedrooms and four bathrooms in the 483-square-metre house, which is being sold furnished.
Among community amenities are two fitness centres, a swimming pool and a private golf course designed by Tom Fazio.
Couples uses the house as a place to relax at the end of the golf season. He is selling because he plans to build a custom home in the same development. Public records show Couples bought the property in 2009 for $3,047,500.
<a href="https://www.janinestevens.com/" target="_blank">La Quinta Real Estate and Luxury Homes </a>agent Janine Stevens<a href="https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/81670-De-Soto-Ave-La-Quinta-CA-92253/89236443_zpid/" target="_blank"> is marketing the property.</a>
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Golfer Fred Couples lists in California for US$4,195,000

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Barton MP Robert McClelland has been appointed the new Minister for Housing and Homelessness in the Gillard government.
The combined postings were previously held by the Federal Minister for Social Housing and Homelessness, Senator Mark Arbib, and Jenny Macklin as Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.
According to lobby group Australians for Affordable Housing campaign manager Sarah Toohey, the “inclusion of a single housing minister in the federal cabinet, responsible for all Commonwealth housing policies and programs, is something we have been advocating for and we’re hopeful that this demonstrates that the Gillard government is making housing affordability in Australia one of its top priorities”.
The Housing Industry Association has welcomed the appointment.
“The Gillard government has today noted the challenge that housing affordability (or the lack thereof) presents and has highlighted its commitment to focussing on this issue,” says HIA managing director Shane Goodwin.
“Creating a ministry which includes ‘under one roof’ all facets of housing supply across the spectrum of public and social housing, together with private owner-occupier and rental stock is a crucial step towards delivering a successful package of housing supply policy reform and implementation is achieved,” Goodwin says.
 
 
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Robert McClelland appointed Minister for Housing and Homelessness

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Former NSW lands minister Tony Kelly faces the prospect of criminal charges after the Independent Commission Against Corruption found he acted corruptly over the purchase of the Pittwater property, Currawong.
The NSW corruption watchdog has found Kelly "engaged in corrupt conduct" earlier this year involving the $12.2 million purchase.
ICAC commissioner David Ipp has advised the state government to consider launching criminal charges.
The former workers’ retreat at Currawong had a troubled planning history, having been sold by Unions NSW to a private developer, Eco Villages, in controversial circumstances in 2009.
Less than a fortnight before this year's state election, and despite lacking authority from the former NSW premier Kristina Keneally, the former chief of the Land and Property Management Authority Warwick Watkins bought the land for public use in March much to the joy of conservationists.
The report tabled in Parliament found Watkins engaged in corrupt activity when he asked Kelly to sign a backdated letter that gave him permission to buy a property, Currawong, without the government’s consent.
The nostalgic 20-hectare Pittwater beachfront site is where union workers have holidayed since 1949.
There was wild talk of its $20 million value in boomtime 1988 when the Labour Council was under the control of John MacBean.
In 1990 the NSW Trades and Labour Council overturned its decision to sell its Currawong Beach site to the property developer CRI for $3.87 million.
It was relisted in 1991 by Michael Easson's Labour Council of with private residential potential or small leisure resort possibilities, and spruiked by Macquarie Bank's Rob Lee.
In 1999 Michael Costa, who was then the Labour Council secretary, tried unsuccessfully to negotiate a 99-year lease with the transcendental meditation group Maharishi TM Incorporated.
In 2006, three days before Christmas, Allen Linz and Eduard Litver lodged documents with the Land Titles Office for the Currawong beach cottages, which are surrounded by national park, under the company name Echo Villages Pty Ltd.
A spokeswoman for the Friends of Currawong, Jo Holder, accused the then secretary of Unions NSW, John Robertson, of deliberately putting the land in private hands after a long campaign to retain it for public use.
 
 
 
 
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Former NSW lands minister Tony Kelly faces criminal corruption charges over government's Pittwater land purchase

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A Fitzroy North house that has links to Helen Garner’s late 1970s novel Monkey Grip sold at weekend auction for $3,185,000.
More than $2.85 million had been tipped by its Nelson Alexander selling agent Arch Staver.
It ranks as the suburb's third residential sale above $3 million.
Located opposite Edwardes Reserve parklands, the restored early 1900s residence contains elements of Victorian, Art Nouveau and Federation design features.
“Helen Garner wrote the iconic Australian novel Monkey Grip while abiding under this roof,” Staver says.
The style of the Scotchmer Street property is best described as "post-Victorian eclectic", according to the vendor, who bought it in 1972 and rented it out to Garner in the mid-1970s.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/fitzroy-north-house-featured-in-late-70s-helen-garner-novel-monkey-grip-listed-for-sale/2011112152450">The renovated and extended six-bedroom house</a> showcases a mixture of Victorian, Art Nouveau and Federation period features, including a tessellated tile veranda, leadlight windows, ornate lacework, archways and ceiling cornices.
“The original owner was a pattern maker, and his fondness for artistic flourish is immediately evident,” Staver says.
“More recent occupation testifies to the creative atmosphere, with musicians and writers among the long-term residents.”
Garner’s seminal Australian novel Monkey Grip starts with the line, "In the old brown house on the corner, a mile from the middle of the city, we ate bacon every morning of our lives."
It referred to a Victorian residence at 27 Falconer Street.
"It took me a couple of years to write that book, and I moved house a lot back in those days," Garner recently said.
Garner was credited by Good Weekend writer David Laser as being the strongest post-1960s feminist voice in Australian writing following her account of communal living, drug use and single mothers caught in the chemical reactions of their own love affairs in inner-urban Melbourne.
Garner may be famous in Melbourne for her portrayal of Fitzroy, but her most recently reported home was in Flemington in the inner west.
 
 
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Fitzroy North house where Helen Garner wrote '70s novel Monkey Grip sells in suburb's third residential sale above $3 million

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

Joel Robinson

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jonathan Chancellor

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