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One of Manly’s historic retail properties, the 1918 Manly Emporium, has been sold by Raine &amp; Horne Commercial Northern Beaches for $9 million plus.
It’s been purchased by the International College of Management Sydney (ICMS).
The deal included the rear-adjoining property 50 East Esplanade.
According to selling agent Vincent West, the sales manager at Raine &amp; Horne Commercial Northern Beaches, the sale had been long sought by the college.
The college recently made an offer that was accepted by the trustee Wadian Nominee, which has looked after the property for many years.
It builds on their current St Patrick’s Estate hospitality operations, where they have been located since 1995.
The International College of Management, Sydney offer business degrees in sports management, hospitality, event management, property management, international tourism and business management.
"It represents one of Manly’s most important commercial sites, with its sought-after position fronting the southern side of the famous Corso, where daily foot traffic in the thousands strolls between Manly Wharf and Manly Beach,” says West.
“Some older Manly residents may also know the site as the location of the iconic Manly Pool Halls, which previously occupied the upper levels of the building,” he adds.
The two properties are home to ground floor retail premises occupied by major tenant Harrison’s Pharmacy, as well as a souvenir store.
 
 
 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Manly emporium sells to International College of Management Sydney

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Realestate.com.au, the international property sales website company, has reported record revenue for six consecutive half-years, with its latest revenue up 23% to $238 million.
REA Group’s portfolio includes 13 property websites, with most ranked number one in their respective markets including Australia.
It ranks as Australia’s fifth largest digital display advertiser by revenue – and the 12th most popular website in Australia, according to Nielsen Online Ratings.
The group achieved 20% revenue growth in Australia in its latest financial year, despite the softening of the property market in the second half.
Shareholders were told the Australian website had 6.5 million unique browsers in September 2011, who made 596 million page impressions compared with domain.com.au, which had 3.5 million unique browsers and 236 million page impressions.
They were also told both the existing unique browsers measure and the new unique audience measure showed that realestate.com.au had maintained a significant lead in terms of both reach and engagement metrics. Nielsen Online Ratings is the new online audience measurement solution to measure the reach and frequency of online audiences.
The unique audience figure was 2.6 million for realestate.com.au and 1.6 million for domain.com.au.
People spent an average 43 minutes a month searching the realestate.com.au site.
In Italy, its site, casa.it, continued to strengthen despite Italy’s economic challenges with revenue up 113% to €12 million. Its Hong Kong online revenues grew 74%.
“As we learnt in Australia during the GFC, difficult economic conditions can deliver gains for online,” the chairman Richard Freudenstein noted in his annual general meeting address.
“According to the latest figures from IAB Australia, the Australian online advertising market is on track to surpass $3 billion in 2012 and REA Group is well positioned to benefit from the market’s continued growth,” he advised.
REA Group was added to the S&amp;P/ASX 300 Index in September 2010 and its market capitalisation has averaged around $1.5 billion since that time.
The REA Group was named in the 2011 Forbes Asia “Top 200 Best Under A Billion” list of high-performing Asia-Pacific companies with revenue under US$1 billion.
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Realestate.com.au continues to dominate the market

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Property development group Mirvac has been has awarded preferred tenderer status for the transformation of the Western Australian mining town Karratha, in the Pilbara, into a city of 50,000 residents.
The $1.5 billion project involves the development of 1.5 hectares in the town’s centre, plus a 168-hectare, 1500-lot residential estate that will link Karratha to the coast. There are currently fewer than 15,000 people in Karratha district.
<img src="/images/stories/karratha3.jpg">
The government will put about $130 million of Royalties for Regions cash into building new roads and infrastructure.
The first stage – expected to be completed in mid-2014 – will include a 150-room hotel, 10,000 square metres of commercial space, 50 service worker apartments and new public space.
The residential development, a new coastal suburb to be named Mulataga, will commence construction in early 2013, with the first land released early in 2014.
While it was easier to build a donga temporary camp than to build a community, WA Regional Development Minister Brendon Grylls says the government’s aim is to create genuine regional communities alongside the state’s huge resource developments
Premier Colin Barnett says the government wants to see fly-in, fly-out work practices fall over time and developments like this would help encourage people employed in the resources industry to choose to live where they worked.
The annual general meeting was told the predicted underlying demand for new dwellings in Karratha by 2016 was between 2,000 and 3,000 dwellings.
In order to meet this demand, Mirvac expect rabout 600 to 800 new dwellings will need to be provided over each of the next four years.
 
 
 
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Mirvac hopes to transform fly-in, fly-out Karratha, in the Pilbara, into a city

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{yoogallery src=[images/stories/november17curtin]}
The former home of one of Australia's greatest prime ministers, John Curtin, has been listed for sale.
The 1906 Brunswick weatherboard is priced at $600,000 plus.
It was the home Curtin returned to after spending a few days in jail in 1914 for protesting against conscription during World War I.
Curtin lived in the double-fronted Fallon Street from 1912 to 1915, when in his late 20s he was the secretary of the Victorian Timber Workers Union and an organiser for the Australian Workers Union.
He stood unsuccessfully for his first parliamentary election, a state seat, in 1914.
He was elected to Federal Parliament in 1928, became prime minister in 1941 and steered the country through the World War II years until his death in 1945 of a heart attack shortly before peace was declared.
The unrenovated house – which is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register – has been owned by the same family since 1921 so many of its original period features remain.
It’s of aesthetic significance given the timber ashlar villa comes with fine detailing including the central pediment to the veranda, intact cast iron lacework and paired elongated double-hung sash windows.
It has a hipped painted corrugated iron roof return and a bullnose veranda.
It has red brick chimneys with rendered caps and plinths and paired brackets under the eave line.
The veranda has turned timber veranda posts.
It was a six-room house during Curtin’s rental.
It sits on a 463-square-metre block.
W.B. Simpson &amp; Son's Tim Maher has it scheduled for November 26 auction.
The Creswick-born politician subsequently moved to Brunswick Road and in 1917 left Victoria for a new home with his wife, Elsie, in Western Australia.
 
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John Curtin's Melbourne home on the market for first time since 1921 

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A three-level Darlinghurst building that suited retail, office, restaurant, artistic or residential uses has been sold for $4.39 million.
The 900-square-metre Crown Street property with historic façade was sold with vacant possession having been most recently tenanted and renovated by contemporary office design company Zenith Interiors.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/commercial/philip-mason-to-discard-his-darlo-property-plaything/2011091551550" target="_blank">It was Australian Playboy’s headquarters from 1982 to around 1990</a> given the owner and vendor is Philip Mason, who was the publisher of Australian Playboy for 16 years, and his wife, Alexandra Joel. Both attended the auction.
It sold through Cushman &amp; Wakefield agents Tony Anderson and Lindsay Sturrock.
Set between Liverpool and Stanley streets, it attracted strong interest from owner-occupiers, residential converters and investors, seemingly selling to a syndicate headed by Oscar Done.
It last traded for $375,000 in 1981.
Cushman &amp; Wakefield has earlier success last year when the 500-square-metre Luxe Studios property around the corner, at 279-283 Liverpool Street, for $4.93 million.
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Philip Mason discards his Darlo property in a Done deal

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Property owners fighting coal seam gas mining exploration around precious aquifers of the Southern Highlands have been hoping – to no avail so far – that local rural estate owners Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban will soon join their battle.
<img src="/images/stories/kidman.jpg">
Kidman and Urban <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/coal-mine-anxiety-for-nicole-kidman-s-sutton-forest-property/2011062150555" target="_blank">own the historic Bunya Hill homestead at Sutton Forest</a> (pictured), which is now in the heart of prime exploration country. Hume Coal, which headlines the syndicate made up of Korean Steelmaker POSCO and junior partner Cockatoo Coal, has recently completed aerial survey work in the highlands to plan its exploration activities. The aerial gradiometry, magnetics and digital terrain model survey will help Hume Coal focus its future exploration drilling activities on key areas of its extensive lease.
The industry is on Kidman and Urban’s doorstep, with a nearby 425-hectare Sutton Forest farm sold to the coal company.
"We have a protest group and have delivered plenty of flyers and information to landowners but we've never heard a word from Nicole or Keith," a local source told the Sydney press recently.
"We don't even know if they're aware how big the issue is, but next time they're here they'll see the exploration plant over their fence."
Alan Lindsay and Gordon Windeyer of the Southern Highlands Coal Action Group appeared before the Senate Enquiry into Coal Seam Gas in Canberra in September.
“We believe that the Southern Highlands should be ‘ring fenced’ from these types of developments due to the unique character of the area, its dependence on groundwater resources and its location in the heart of the Sydney Water Catchment Area.
“Mining is also incompatible with the development planned by local government and desired by the community,” they say.
The Southern Highlands is set 100 to 135 kilometres south of Sydney, a vital part of the Sydney Water Catchment.
The highlands are known for its many historic hamlets, towns and villages, physical beauty and the relatively untouched nature of its environment.
The area has a flourishing tourism industry.
The highlands sits in an area denoted the Southern Coalfields.
Coal seams run under almost the entire area in close proximity to extensive above- and below-ground water systems.
For the first half of the 20th century, mining played a key role in the area’s economy.
Apart from Boral’s small coal mining operation near Berrima, no extensive mining operations now exist in the highlands.
“However, given the extraordinary rise in coal prices and the demand for natural gas as an alternative to coal for power generation, the area is now under threat from both coal mining and coal seam gas exploitation,” SHCAG says.
 
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Coal protesters await Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban joining their fight

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<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="415"><tbody>
<tr>
<td width="85" nowrap valign="bottom">
Postcode
</td>
<td width="163" nowrap valign="bottom">
Suburb
</td>
<td width="167" valign="bottom">
Indicative gross rental yield for houses
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="85" nowrap valign="bottom">
4106
</td>
<td width="163" nowrap valign="bottom">
ROCKLEA
</td>
<td width="167" valign="bottom">
6.4%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="85" nowrap valign="bottom">
4110
</td>
<td width="163" nowrap valign="bottom">
ACACIA RIDGE
</td>
<td width="167" valign="bottom">
5.5%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="85" nowrap valign="bottom">
4077
</td>
<td width="163" nowrap valign="bottom">
INALA
</td>
<td width="167" valign="bottom">
5.4%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="85" nowrap valign="bottom">
4017
</td>
<td width="163" nowrap valign="bottom">
BRACKEN RIDGE
</td>
<td width="167" valign="bottom">
5.2%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="85" nowrap valign="bottom">
4074
</td>
<td width="163" nowrap valign="bottom">
JAMBOREE HEIGHTS
</td>
<td width="167" valign="bottom">
5.1%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="85" nowrap valign="bottom">
4036
</td>
<td width="163" nowrap valign="bottom">
BALD HILLS
</td>
<td width="167" valign="bottom">
5.1%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="85" nowrap valign="bottom">
4077
</td>
<td width="163" nowrap valign="bottom">
DURACK
</td>
<td width="167" valign="bottom">
5.1%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="85" nowrap valign="bottom">
4078
</td>
<td width="163" nowrap valign="bottom">
FOREST LAKE
</td>
<td width="167" valign="bottom">
5%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="85" nowrap valign="bottom">
4018
</td>
<td width="163" nowrap valign="bottom">
FITZGIBBON
</td>
<td width="167" valign="bottom">
5%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="85" nowrap valign="bottom">
4174
</td>
<td width="163" nowrap valign="bottom">
HEMMANT
</td>
<td width="167" valign="bottom">
5%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
Source: RP Data
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Brisbane's top 10 suburbs for house rental yields

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Widden Stud, a 3,000-hectare Widden Valley property in the western region of the Hunter Valley of New South Wales, is the oldest continually owned horse stud in the world.
Ranked among the leader in the Australian thoroughbred industry, Widden Stud has been owned by the Thompson family since 1867 after John Thompson first acquired land in 1855.
Widden Stud is now owned by Antony Thompson, who is the seventh generation member of the family to own the property.
Anthony Thompson fears the encroach of coal seam gas mining.
“The impact of CSG mining on the farm would destroy our tradition, heritage and image of our business,” he says.
“We find it very difficult to understand the concept that the Thompson family have owned the land at Widden Stud for nearly 150 years and now the New South Wales government allows a gas exploration company to come onto our land.
“They have permission to build roads, sheds, use water from the underground reserves and leave leaky gas wells and pollution yet the landholders do not have the authority to refuse entry,” he says.
“This is not a democratic process.
“We are not in favour of coal mining in this region but at least the coal companies purchase the land for more than market value whereas the CSG mining uses the land, makes a mess and leaves the farmer with an asset that not only has greatly depreciated through no fault of his own but potentially causing the loss of valuable agricultural land.
“The small compensation the CSG companies propose to pay has no bearing on the harm, inconvenience to the business and change of lifestyle for the property owners.
“Land values in Chinchilla have fallen dramatically since CSG mining has commenced,” he noted in his submission to the NSW Parliament Inquiry into Coal Seam Gas.
He advised Widden Stud was located in the northern area of the Wollemi National Park and was surrounded by steep sandstone mountains and rugged gorges.
“In summer we are prone to thunderstorms and in particular, lightning strikes which inevitably strike the higher mountain peaks in the area.
“The combination of the rugged mountains, lightning strikes, inaccessibility and dry conditions make it an explosive situation with the eucalypt forests.
“Combine these attributes with CSG mining and it has the potential for a devastating event.
“Methane gas is an odourless, colourless, asphyxiant gas that is extremely flammable.
“The process of drilling and extracting gas involves heavy machinery and people and there is also the possibility of fires starting on site.
“We are amazed that CSG gining is exempt from fire regulations.”
 
 
 
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Iconic Widden Stud fears encroach of coal seam gas

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It’s been quite some time between reports. But perhaps a clue of the strategy within the upcoming third National Housing Supply Council report came when its long-time chairman Dr Owen Donald told a housing conference to look to smaller blocks to help resolve home affordability supply issues.
Donald told the Darwin audience that there was a need to increase the diversity of dwelling types – a richer mix of medium- and high-density housing, including detached housing on smaller lots.
"Let people divide their 800-square-metre lots in half," he suggested.
The council was established in 2008 as an independent body to provide forecasts, analysis and advice on land supply and construction activity to meet housing demand and improve affordability over a 20-year forecast period.
It was set up by the Rudd government as a yearly report card of housing supply.
Its last report was in April 2010, when the National Housing Supply Council issued its second state of supply report.
The delay in its third report, due any day now, stems partly from the fact that in May the federal government added new members to the council. The council now includes Sue Holliday, Professor Graeme Hugo, Nigel Satterley, Dr Judy Yates and Saul Eslake, people from academia and the finance, economics, building, planning and urban development sectors.
"We need to see that [smaller lots] happening so housing affordability for young people is not impossible," Donald said.
The territory suffered a housing shortfall of 10,000 last year – and the situation is getting worse.
Donald noted that Darwin’s small size and reputation as a boom-bust town made developers wary of investing in residential developments.
The last report by the National Housing Supply Council estimated a national shortfall of 178,400 properties, a gap projected to grow to 308,000 within five years and 640,600 by 2028.
Reducing land sizes are a sensible start to the complex issues involved, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/houses-leap-in-size-in-top-end/2011082151237">the trend towards small is on the rise perhaps everywhere other than the top end.</a>
The substantive issue remains the cost of infrastructure in development charges resulting in higher prices for buyers.
The first state of supply report was released in March 2009 highlighting the considerable gap that exists between housing supply and demand. 
Current economic conditions and headlines are certainly having an effect, with the tightening of credit for the housing industry meaning stalled projects while developers get pre-sales to meet stricter pre-sale requirements being imposed by banks.
Other issues noted by the initial report were planning, zoning, subdivision and development approval processes that are often lengthy, and are a major continuing constraint on supply. To overcome these issues, a co-ordinated approach by federal, state and local government is required.
And as one developer suggested to me last weekend, dropping the GST on new housing could make a world of difference.
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Smaller blocks could be one key to affordability

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A couple who bought an off-the-plan Gold Coast apartment have been able to set aside a $1,595,000 Bella Vue, Emerald Lakes purchase contract as a result of misrepresentations made by the developer’s sales representative regarding unrestricted views.
Nifsan, the developer, had lodged an application to develop the area in front of the Bella Vue apartment building with an 11-storey block that would have impeded the lake views at the time the representations were made to the buyers, Marcus Buskey and Raakel Tuominen.
<img src="/images/stories/emeraldlakes1.jpg">
The buyers had seen a newspaper advertisement offering “exclusive penthouse apartments with views from Surfers Paradise to Burleigh” within the French Quarter at Emerald Lakes.
The buyers claim they were induced to enter into the contract by a misrepresentation about the views from the eighth floor and were entitled to terminate the $1,595,000 contract entered into between the plaintiff and the defendants in February 2008.
Notice of termination was given and the buyers requested the return of the initial deposit of $1,000 and the balance deposit of $78,750.
However Nifsan commenced proceedings against the buyers for specific performance.
The buyers sought a declaration pursuant to then s87 of the Trade Practices Act 1974 (now s237, 238 of the Australian Consumer Law) that the contract was void or was set aside.
The court found that the representations were misleading, triggering then s51A of the Act (the equivalent provision is now found at s4 of the Australian Consumer Law).
Section 51A provided that representations as to future matters would be deemed to be misleading if there were no reasonable grounds for making the representation.
<img src="/images/stories/emeraldlakes2.jpg">
Salesman Guy Joris says he was not aware of a substantial application that his employer,  Nifsan, had made in October 2007 to Gold Coast City Council that sought approval increasing building heights in the waterfront precinct from five storeys as shown on approved plans to a height of up to 12 storeys. Joris’s evidence – and  Nifsan  accepts his evidence as correct in this regard – was that   Nifsan had a policy not to tell its sales staff of such matters.
But Judge Peter Applegarth did note the sales manager, Joris's superior, knew of the important application, as did its management team.
The judge noted it was improbable that Joris would not tell the buyers what he knew about the height of buildings proposed to be built and their effect on views from the apartment in Bella Vue that the buyers proposed to acquire.
The court ultimately found in favour of the buyers determining that the buyers did suffer damage as a result of the developer’s misrepresentations regarding the view.
The buyers also successfully argued that they would suffer loss if compelled to complete the contract as a result of the large differences between the then current market value of the apartment and the agreed price. In August 2010  Nifsan prepared a valuation report that gave a value of $1,000,020. The buying couple’s expert evidence was the apartment had a current market value of $820,000.
Nifsan chief executive Sean Wardrop has said the company reserves its right to appeal the court decision.
Nifsan is a privately owned property developer operating in southeast Queensland owned by the Japanese billionaire Toshiaki Ogasawara.
Since 1991 Nifsan has won some 30 state and national awards for their property developments from industry groups including the Urban Development Institute of Australia, the Housing Industry Association and the Queensland Master Builders Association.
<img src="/images/stories/emeraldlakes3.jpg">
Its European-inspired village – with buildings including Le Parisien, Maison and the nine-level Bella Vue, sit on a 201-hectare Carrara site that includes a golf course and a lake.
 
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Would-be Emerald Lakes Gold Coast buyers win court case over loss of views

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

Joel Robinson

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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