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Receivers have moved on the personal assets of Gold Coast developer Jim Raptis, placing a vacant block, one of his residential holdings at Paradise Waters, for December 8 auction through Michael Willems of Ray White Prestige Gold Coast.
The waterfront Commodore Drive property was seized by receivers after Raptis failed to find a buyer earlier this year. The waterfront site, which comprises three separate lots over 3,369 square metres, is the largest undeveloped residential lot in the upmarket waterfront enclave and features 141 metres of river frontage.
<img src="/images/stories/raptisauction.jpg">
Raptis told the Gold Coast Bulletin that the move was "part of the wash-up" of the Raptis Group's woes triggered by the receivership of Southport Central three years ago.
It is one of two held by the Raptis Group boss at Paradise Waters. He sold another Commodore Drive for $5.2 million in October 2008.
The December 8 auction property, which dates back to a 1999 purchase by Amaranthus Pty Ltd in 1999 for $1,112,500, has a site value of $6.8 million.
The charge over the company is held by Gibraltar-based Sevinhand Company Ltd, which is understood to have appointed receivers Graham Killer and Michael McCann, of Grant Thornton, to recover the debt.
Receivers were appointed in August this year.
 
 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Jim Raptis' Paradise Waters vacant block listed for receivership auction

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Home builder Peet Limited says trading conditions have continued to prove challenging.
“Consumer sentiment continues to be challenged by ongoing domestic and global economic uncertainty, and has deteriorated over the past couple of months,” the company says.
“While the underlying fundamentals for the residential market and Peet’s business remain sound, and the level of buyer enquiry remains relatively consistent with prior periods, Peet in common with the broad market is experiencing reluctance by consumers to make significant financial commitments in the current environment.”
Peet’s key projects include Craigieburn and Greenvale in Victoria and Gladstone in Queensland.
“We have temporarily cut back the development spend on certain projects until suitable levels of pre-sales are secured,” Peet chief executive officer Brendan Gore has told shareholders.
“This has the effect of delaying settlement revenue to future periods,” he notes.
Sales from Peet’s projects in Western Australia, Victoria and Queensland were below expectations with a total of 327 net contracted sales for the four months to October 31, compared with 668 in the previous corresponding period.
Sales contracts on hand as at October 31 totalled 1,090 for a value of $279 million, compared with 1,125 contracts on hand with a value of $289 million as at 30 June 2011.
“Consumer interest in our residential projects continues to be solid with consistent sales traffic and registrations of interest though there has been a slower rate of conversion into sales.”
Gore says that while the recent interest rate cut was a welcome first step, it had not been enough to return confidence to the residential property market.
The Perth headquartered Peet was established in 1895 and has been in the land development business for 116 years.
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Peet temporarily pauses development spend as it awaits pre-sales

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Lend Lease has been selected as the preferred Waterbank, East Perth redevelopment tender. The project will be staged over 10 years with an end development value of $1 billion, under a land management structure.
Waterbank is a key precinct in the state government’s Riverside project being overseen by the East Perth Redevelopment Authority.
The project is a<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/land/lend-lease-and-multiplex-vie-for-perth-waterbank-tender/2011092251649" target="_blank"> four-hectare mixed-use precinct on the banks of the Swan River </a>and is proposed to include more than 700 residential apartments, a hotel, commercial offices, retail and substantial public spaces for residents and visitors.
Lend Lease Group chief executive officer and managing director Steve McCann says the company’s selection reflects Lend Lease’s international experience and expertise in urban regeneration.
“This large-scale urban redevelopment plays to Lend Lease’s core strengths and enables us to leverage our integrated model, including development, construction and funds management,” McCann adds.
 
 
 
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Lend Lease wins Perth's Waterbank tender 

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Westpac believes the Reserve Bank of Australia board meeting minutes reveal that there is “ample scope to cut rates further”, with the timing determined by financial developments in Europe.
Westpac chief economist Bill Evans says the RBA’s commentary “clearly leaves the door open for further rate cuts”.
Westpac has been expecting a further 75-basis-point cut in this cycle, with its forecast that the next move would be February, rather than December.
Evans suggests one of Westpac’s reasons for expecting a delay to the next move had been around the RBA’s concern to confirm the sharp slowdown in underlying inflation.
Evans says given the huge emphasis that the RBA has placed on downside risks to the global economy as justifying the cut in November, December’s decision will hinge on global developments.
“We remain comfortable with our original view but can easily see circumstances which would bring the decision to cut rates by 0.25% forward from February to December,” Evans says.
“As the financial developments in Europe evolve over the next few weeks this picture will become quite clear,” Evans suggests.
  
 
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RBA minutes leave door open for future rate cuts: Westpac

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Westpac’s regional banks have made further cuts to their fixed-rate loans.
St George, BankSA and Bank of Melbourne have cut rates up to 26 basis points.
The cut takes the two-year fixed rate to 6.14%, and the three-year fixed rate to 6.24% for all three banks.
The new rates take effect from November 16.
St George's new general manager of mortgage broking, Clive Kirkpatrick, told Broker News Australia the bank had recorded strong demand for fixed-rate products.
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Westpac regionals cut fixed rates further

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The latest RBA board minutes indicate members’ view that the housing market is remaining subdued.
The minutes note growth in housing credit continued to run a little below growth in disposable income.
The Reserve Bank of Australia gives no direct sense on the future path for interest rates in the minutes for its November board meeting, although some commentators suggest diminishing odds of a December rate cut.
The RBA chose to cut the cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.5 per cent at its November board meeting, citing easing inflationary pressures and volatility on global financial markets for its decision.
The board notes preliminary estimates suggesting another small decline in nationwide house prices in September, to be about 3% to 4% lower over the year.
It says financial conditions have already been easing somewhat, with a range of lending rates edging down over the past couple of months.
“The household saving rate was forecast to remain around its current level and growth in public demand was expected to be subdued,” the minutes show.
It notes with overall credit growth remaining low, financial conditions on balance appear to remain somewhat tighter than normal, which was one of the factors that swayed board members to cut interest rates in November.
Although there had been a noticeable pick-up in building approvals in August owing to a large rise in the apartments category, the RBA deemed it was a volatile statistic from month to month.
The board members considered the significance of the inflation data that suggested that after a pick-up in underlying inflation in the first half of the year, there had been a moderation more recently, “notwithstanding ongoing large increases in utilities charges”.
CPI inflation remained above 3% on a year-ended basis, but is expected to decline significantly over the next few quarters, as prices fall for some key food products that had been affected by adverse weather earlier in the year.
The RBA notes economic activity suggests that the pace of growth in demand and output outside the resources and related sectors is a little lower than had been expected earlier in the year.
The revised staff forecasts pointed to the likelihood of overall GDP growth being close to trend over the next one to two years, and inflation being consistent with the 2% to 3% target.
The minutes note RBA staff had undertaken a review of the forecasts for domestic growth, which had been revised lower reflecting the weaker global outlook, the decline in confidence and asset prices since August, and a downward revision to the outlook for coal production.
“Over the forecast period, domestic demand was expected to grow at an annual rate of around 4%, with growth in imports substantially faster than this, owing to both the high exchange rate and the mining sector's relatively greater use of imported capital goods,” the minutes say.
“Overall GDP growth was expected to be around 3% to 3½% cent in 2012 and a little stronger in 2013.
“Correspondingly, the unemployment rate was expected to increase a little, before drifting lower again.”
The RBA notes the outlook for the resources sector remains very strong, with mining investment expected to increase to around 7% of GDP by 2013-14.
“In contrast, growth in the non-mining economy was expected to be below trend.
“The sovereign debt problems in the euro area posed the most significant risk to the growth outlook.”
The bank’s inflation forecasts have also been lowered, reflecting both the lower starting point and the modest downward revision to the forecast for output growth.
“Based on the current set of assumptions, inflation in underlying terms (excluding the effect of the carbon price) was expected to be around 2½% in 2012, and to pick up a little in 2013, but still be consistent with the inflation target.
“This general outlook for inflation was conditional on aggregate wages growth remaining at around its current pace and a pick-up in productivity growth.
“The year-ended rate of CPI inflation was expected to fall below underlying inflation in early 2012, as banana prices fell to more normal levels.
“It was then expected to increase to around 3¼% following the introduction of the price on carbon in mid-2012, before again declining,” the minutes say.
 
 
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RBA sees housing market as subdued

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The South Korean-backed Cockatoo Coal mining company has emerged as the $8 million buyer of a beef cattle farm virtually on the doorstep of Nicole Kidman’s peaceful Sutton Forest retreat, Bunya Hill.
It was <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/title-tattle-whispers-that-coal-miners-boring-into-nicole-kidman-s-nsw-rural-neighbourhood/2011102052022" target="_blank">whispered last month in the Southern Highlands</a> that the coal mining consortium, claiming interest in pursuing farming, had bought the 425-hectare holding, Wongonbra, from unsuspecting vendors.
Kelly Lofberg, the coal company spokesperson, declined to return Property Observer’s phone calls and emails, but there’s now confirmation that it bought the land just a few kilometres from the rear of Bunya Hill through a shelf company, Aurelius Rural, to ensure the secrecy of its strategic purchase.
It gives Cockatoo an area from the Hume Highway through to the Illawarra Highway in which to carry out exploration and possibly install a mine head.
"It will directly affect their (Bunya Hill) property as coal-filled trucks would be passing all day long and maybe through the night on their way to Wollongong for export," local Greg Barnsley has suggested.
The coal company hasn’t yet decided where the underground mine will be located while it continues exploratory drilling, but has signalled it was not their intention to buy any further land in the immediate future, although it could not rule it out happening again.
The Korean steel-maker POSCO owns 70% of Aurelius Rural, with the remaining 30% owned by Cockatoo Coal, with the venture taking the name Hume Coal. 
The syndicate assumed the exploratory rights from Angelo Coal (Sutton Forrest) Pty Ltd, which had held the mostly formant lease since 1985.
Goulburn MP Pru Goward says she is “heartbroken” by the announcement, saying it would make opposing coal mining much harder.
The miner’s exploratory lease is due for renewal on November 23, with locals lobbying that Energy Minister Chris Hatcher not renew the lease.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/coal-mine-anxiety-for-nicole-kidman-s-sutton-forest-property/2011062150555" target="_blank">Kidman is among the 424 land owners in the 115-square-kilometre exploration area who were recently advised 120 test exploration holes would be drilled to check on the size of the coal offerings.</a>
Many locals fear that the potential mining will not only destroy the peace of the area but also contaminate underground water reserves.
In 2008 Kidman and her country music star husband, Keith Urban, snapped up Bunya Hill, a 45-hectare cattle stud with a magnificent 1878 Georgian mansion, thinking they would be allowed at enjoy the home in peace.
Southern Highland Coal Action Group’s Peter Martin says he cannot understand why the coal company could not buy the property under the Hume Coal name rather than “running around the neighbourhood in secret using Aurelius”.
“Our technical guys have said the property is an ideal location for a mine head with to run the conveyers into the mine seam,” he told the local Fairfax paper, The Southern Highlands News.
“We think they will use its direct access to the Hume Highway to truck coal up to the rail loop over near the Boral’s cement plant.
“People don’t spend that much money to punch a couple of holes in the ground.
“They have to punch 120 holes in the whole area to proof up the resource, and they can’t do it from one location.”
The land was sold by Michael Ball and his business partner, Peter “Talkie” Newton, with Ball saying he never suspected they were selling to the South Korean steel giant.
Ball told the Illawarra Mercury he would not have sold had he known the buyer was Hume shelf company Aurelius Rural.
Locals fear with ownership of such a large parcel of land, it will be easier for Hume Coal to be able to develop its planned mine.
The company is hoping to prove up underground reserves of more than 100 million tonnes, and is currently undertaking drilling and seismic survey work in the nearby Belangalo State Forest
The holding company that bought the farm has directors who work at law firm Blake Dawson, one of them Ian Williams, who lists among his clients as POSCO.
<img src="/images/stories/kidmancoaldoc.gif">
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Nicole Kidman now has Cockatoo Coal as her near neighbours after mining giant pays record price for Sutton Forest

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Days on market is a strong indicator of how the private treaty sales market is performing.
<img src="/images/stories/stocknovember15.gif">
Source: APM
And the most recent statistics certainly show there has been a slowing in house sales intensity in most capital city markets in September.
The data has been provided by Australian Property Monitors.
Property Observer has put sunshine over the best-performing months of the past year and clouds over the slowest-performing months.
It will be interesting to see whether the dramatic Melbourne result continued into the mid-spring. Ditto the improved conditions in Brisbane and Canberra.
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Sunny days far behind as days on market for houses increases in all capitals except Brisbane

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{yoogallery src=[images/stories/november15barambah]}
The 150-year-old Barambah homestead – one of the oldest stations in Queensland – has been sold at a bullish $4.83 million by Brisbane stockbroker Steve Wilson and his wife, Jane. It’s been the Wilsons’ country abode for 11 years.
More than $4 million was being sought through Ray White Rural agents Lex Heinemann and Danny Bukowski. It’s been sold to a local family, the Mercers, who beat off five other bidders.
Established in 1843, Barambah Station was 66,368 hectares (164,000 acres) in the 1800s. After squatters Barambah, the traditional land of the Wakka Wakka, was held by the Sydney merchant Richard “China” Jones in 1850. His son, Thomas Jones, was joined for a few years in the 1870s by George Clapperton, and after them from 1876 Barambah was held by the Moore family for nearly a century.
By then the Barambah Hereford Stud was famous, as were the racehorses. After three generations the Moores sold to an English pastoral family, the Vesteys in 1967, then Val Crowe took over in 1973, keen to move his stock up as the new Wivenhoe Dam engulfed his historic Bellevue.
The neighbourhood – within a 90-minute drive inland from Noosa in the heart of the South Burnett region – now has other entrepreneurs, notably McCullough Robertson chief Brett Heading and mining magnate Nick Mather.
Barambah Station’s renovation was awarded the inaugural 2009 Gabriel Poole Award for Building of the Year, with the judges viewing it as an exemplar of how issues of heritage and sustainability align. It retains many of the original features including four-metre ceilings and ornate fretwork and a spectacular hexagon shaped turreted rotunda.
There is a restored Cobb and Co coach house and cattle yards.
Steve, until recently the head of the 115-year-old family stockbroking group Wilson HTM, will maintain their nearby award-winning vineyard.
 
 
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Barambah cattle station, inland from Sunshine Coast, gets bullish $4.83 million auction result

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{yoogallery src=[images/stories/november15osborne]}
Exiting Parramatta Eels chief executive Paul Osborne has officially listed his Byron Bay property investment.
It cost $1.9 million in January 2011.
He now claims to have been the victim of a Byron Bay property deal that went sour.
Osborne's financial situation was made public by SMH investigative reporter Kate McClymont after leaks that Osborne had borrowed money from the Parramatta chairman Roy Spagnolo.
The Massinger Street, Byron Bay property has been listed for December 3 auction through Ray White Byron Bay agents Brett Connable and Stuart Aitken.
"It's a great house but I can't afford it. It's up for sale,” he told Fairfax press recently.
"Clearly it's placed pressure on us (Osborne and wife, Sally) financially.
“I bought the property in Byron Bay when undertakings were taken on rent and other things that weren't met.”
It’s being marketed as “Owner MUST SELL - Make An Offer Today.”
“The vendor is very motivated to sell prior to auction, so all offers will be considered,” says the marketing.
Set opposite the Top Shop Cafe in Massinger Street, it comes with ocean views to the North over Byron Bay. It has three upstairs bedrooms plus downstairs is a one bedroom guest quarter.
It previously sold at $1,475,000 in 2007
An investigation has cleared him of misconduct, and Osborne is set to step down at Christmas.
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Cash-strapped exiting Parramatta Eels CEO Paul Osborne lists in Byron Bay

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

Joel Robinson

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

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

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

Buying into a masterplanned community often means committing to a vision still years from taking shape. At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a>, that vision is already visible.

Residents have moved into the completed first stage, landscaped spaces are established, and the next chapter is now underway. Stage 1 has been completed and settled, with Stage 2 now selling off-the-plan.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/pbd-architects">PBD Architects</a>, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> combines attainable apartment living with sustainability initiatives rarely seen at this price point, including rooftop solar, battery storage and a resident EV-sharing program.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6RNt3AvtBpI?si=JUhuCV2ZRXsYaoJZ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Located on Schofi​elds Road, just moments from Tal​lawong Metro Station and Schof​ields Train Station, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> has been designed to appeal to a broad mix of buyers, from first-home purchasers looking for a foothold in Sy​dney's property market to downsizers seeking a connected, low-maintenance lifestyle.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> has been conceived as a thoughtfully planned masterplanned community that will evolve over multiple stages, with buyers now able to secure one, two and three-bedroom apartments within a neighbourhood that is already beginning to establish its identity.

One of the project's defining features is its focus on sustainability. Solar energy systems, battery storage and future EV charging infrastructure have been incorporated throughout the development, reflecting a long-term approach to both environmental performance and everyday convenience.

Sustainability sits at the centre of the development's vision, with solar energy systems, battery storage and future EV charging infrastructure integrated throughout the community.

That emphasis on future-ready living extends beyond the technology. Landscaped communal gardens, outdoor gathering spaces and plans for a future retail precinct aim to create a neighbourhood where residents can access daily conveniences without travelling far from home.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149637 project_image_fid=351027]

The apartments themselves have been designed with liveability front of mind. Rather than chasing maximum density, the focus has been placed on creating practical homes with generous natural light, usable layouts and strong connections to outdoor space.

Importantly, these design principles have been applied consistently across the one, two and three-bedroom apartment offerings.

The appeal of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> is also closely linked to its location within Syd​ney's rapidly evolving north-west growth corridor. Over the past decade, major infrastructure investment has transformed the area, with new transport links, business precincts and community facilities reshaping suburbs like Talla​wong and Schofiel​ds.

The agent says buyers are increasingly recognising the area's long-term potential.

"Typical buyers that we're finding across <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> especially are your first-home buyers, your investors, your upsizers as well as your downsizers," Hawes says.

Connectivity remains one of the project's strongest drawcards. Residents have access to both Tallaw​ong Metro Station and Schofi​elds Train Station, providing links to the Sydn​ey CBD, Norw​est Business Park, Macquari​e Park and other major employment hubs. Retail centres including Rous​e Hill Town Centre and Sch​ofields Village are also nearby, alongside schools, parks and future healthcare infrastructure.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149637 project_image_fid=351031]

For Stage 1 resident Roji, it is the balance between convenience and comfort that has defined the experience of living at Kew.

"For me, it's a balance of quality and convenience," she says. "Everything I need is right here."

"If I wanted to catch the train, Scho​fields Station is just around the corner. Tallaw​ong Metro connects me to the city."

More importantly, she says, the development has delivered something that cannot be measured in floorplans or specifications.

"<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> feels like home."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149637 project_image_fid=351024]

As Stage 2 enters the market, that lived experience may be one of the project's strongest selling points. Buyers are not purchasing into an untested concept or a future promise. They are joining a community that is already taking shape.

Ongoing investment in transport, retail, healthcare and public open space continues to strengthen the appeal of Syd​ney's north-west growth corridor, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a>'s established first stage provides buyers with a tangible sense of the community's future direction.

For a limited time, buyer can secure a new home at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> with just a $10,000.

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Kew Tallawong: A growing community taking shape in Sydney's north-west

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

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

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

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