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Prime Minister Julia Gillard has announced construction plans to connect 485,000 premises to the National Broadband Network over the next year.
In the biggest rollout so far, the high-speed fibre broadband network will be delivered to 49 sites around Australia in the next year. This includes 28 new locations.
The rollout adds to the 81,700 premises that are either already connected to the NBN or where connection work is currently underway.
NBN Co 12-month rollout plan to premises 
 <img src="/images/stories/locations1.gif"> <img src="/images/stories/locations2.gif">
 
 * = new location
<ol>
<li>List is subject to change </li>
<li>Commencement date marks the handover of the desktop design to the construction contractor for final design and construction. </li>
<li>NBN Co has only named the start date of the first module in a given locality in which construction is planned over the next year. The approximate number of premises covers only those areas in which construction is due to start in the next year. Most of the sites where construction will start involve multiple modules.  There may be further construction modules and homes passed in a locality in subsequent years.</li>
</ol>
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

NBN to connect 485,000 homes in next year

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The recently unveiled NSW state government reforms to the Home Building Act aimed at pumping some adrenalin in the industry will benefit builders, developers and insurers, but leave home buyers with less recourse to pursue faulty workmanship claims.
The legislation reduces warranties offered to home buyers from seven years to two for non-structural defects.
It’s been argued that the bill will assist builders, developers and insurers of new houses and apartments by taking away the unrealistic expectation that builders are perpetually liable for wear and tear in homes they have constructed.
NSW Fair Trading Minister Anthony Roberts is correct to argue it is inappropriate to have a seven-year warranty period for painting and possibly the plastering.
The minister notes a result of a 2008 Supreme Court ruling and subsequent amendments to the act in 2009 that there was potential for a claim against home warranty insurance to be made at any time.
“In effect, this means that insurers face the real risk of unending liability for home warranty insurance claims,” he advises.
Some insurers are not releasing bank guarantees provided by builders as security against their home warranty insurance policies, and this means that builders, many of whom are small business owners, are continuing to pay interest on securities being held. This was affecting the ability of these builders to take on new jobs, as their capital was tied up.
But the proposed changes could make some legitimate claims practically impossible to pursue through the courts.
Many defects do not emerge in the initial two years of a newly constructed building.
Not only is time against the home buyers. As strata lawyer David Bannerman suggests, strata flat buyers could be particularly without remedy given that to launch a claim an apartment owners’ meeting needs approval to engage costly professionals in resolutions approved by the owners’ corporation at a time when possibly unsold apartments mean the developer has effective control of the decision making of the owners’ committee.
The legislation reduces warranties developers must offer home buyers from seven years to six for the more serious structural defects. Some states offer up to a decade for claims to emerge.
The bill allows for the practical completion of each building in a multi-building project to be considered independently.
Even the legal definition as to what’s structural and non-structural is not clear-cut.
At present "structural defects" are defined in clause 71 of the Home Building Regulation 2004, which provides that a structural defect is one that causes physical damage or prevents, or is likely to prevent, the continued practical use of the building or any part of the building. Every component of the external walls or roof, including weatherproofing, is considered to be a structural element of the building.
"Non-structural defects" are, by default, anything that does not fall into the just-mentioned definition. The bill does not propose any change to the current definition of "structural defect".
But some industry groups have strong views that the current definition was too wide and requires urgent revision, which the Fair Trading Department is still considering.
Roberts says the bill will “pump some adrenalin in the industry".
"We want to remove the dead hand of government off as many small tradespeople and builders as possible," he says.
Roberts says since 2002 only 7% of claims and notifications relating to structural defects were lodged six years after the issue of the insurance certificate and that data collected by Fair Trading’s Home Building Service since 2007 shows that more than 82% of complaints about structural defects are made within six years.
Claims data produced by the Home Building Service dating back to July 2007 shows that more than 80% of non-structural defect complaints are made within the first two years.
But NSW opposition spokeswoman Linda Burney says the opposition will be seeking to amend the bill.
“Whatever the reason that the government has put forward for this change it cannot be argued that it will maintain the current level of consumer protection,” she says.
“The reduction of the time frame within which a consumer can collect on a warranty is something that the opposition cannot support.
“While we agree that burdensome regulation and red tape in the construction industry is inappropriate, improvements on this front should not come at the expense of consumers,” Burney says.
One likely outcome of the bill is that builders and developers will no longer be able to use proportionate liability laws to shift responsibility to their subcontractors for warranty breaches.
Until 2010 it was considered that the provisions of the Civil Liability Act did not apply to statutory warranty claims under the Home Building Act. However, in July 2010 the Supreme Court allowed a builder to use the rules of proportionate liability to defend himself in a statutory warranty claim.
A significant amendment raises the threshold for home warranty insurance from $12,000 to $20,000.
Industry stakeholders have expressed concern that the $12,000 does not represent the increases in building and labour costs that have occurred since 2004.
It is suggested the requirement has had a negative effect on small to medium builders and tradespeople as in order to be eligible for home warranty insurance, builders and tradespeople must meet stringent prudential requirements.
Builders and tradespeople had also raise concerns about the cost, time and effort required to obtain home warranty insurance for small-scale building works
The bill will increase the threshold at which written contracts are mandatory from $1,100 to $5,100.
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NSW builders better protected from indefinite insurance claims, but home owners lose some recourse

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{yoogallery src=[images/stories/october18updown]}
Updown Court, the United Kingdom country estate whose saga highlights the European banking credit over-indulgence, has fallen short of its ambitious expectations.
It has reportedly been snappily sold since listed by receivers in August.
It was initially priced at in excess of £70 million, but its undisclosed unconfirmed sale price was about £35 million, according to the London Sunday Times.
The London papers say the CB Richard Ellis listing agents have not made any public comment on the sale speculation.
The reputed sale comes at a time when sales of London’s expensive homes reached a record as foreign buyers dominated the city’s luxury residential market.
Savills reported the number of houses and apartments that sold for more than £5 million rose to 262 in the first nine months of 2011, a 31% rise on the same time last year.
Overseas buyers make up 65% of the buyers whose purchases remain concentrated in central London neighbourhoods such as Belgravia, Knightsbridge and Mayfair, says Lucian Cook, Savills’s director of residential research.
The international buyers are investing in London homes to protect wealth amid financial or political volatility at home, Savills says.
The sales of homes above the £5 million threshold totalled £3.2 billion in the nine-month period, compared with £2.1 billion a year earlier.
Updown Court was taken over by the Irish government’s National Asset Management Agency when owner Leslie Allen-Vercoe defaulted on the debt he had taken on to finance the property. Allen-Vercoe had paid about £20 million in 2002, and spent another £30 million on the property.
The private lender, Irish Nationwide Building Society, had provided funding totalling about £63 million at the heyday of the credit boom. At one stage the building society even held a board meeting at the mansion.
The building society hit the wall and was nationalised by the Irish government, with Updown Court listed as one of the assets of the newly created agency designed to get as much money as it could from investments unwisely taken on by banks.
After its completion, Updown Court was heralded in 2005 as the first 21st-century stately home in Britain, with grounds larger in area than both the royal residences of Buckingham Palace and Hampton Court.
The 23-hectare estate is located in the picturesque English village of Windlesham in the heart of Surrey.
Its overly sumptuous facilities include five swimming pools, a heated marble driveway, a private cinema, bowling alley, indoor squash court and stabling for five horses. There is also a helipad for private landings and underground garaging for eight limousines.
The accommodation is made up of four principal buildings – the main house, guest accommodation, gate lodge and an estate manager's office.
All up 22 bedroom/bathroom suites are provided as part of a total of 103 rooms. The sweeping double staircase at the entrance of the main house is a replica of the late Gianni Versace's home in Miami. The main house also contains a panic room in case of terrorist attacks.
Updown Court is 45 kilometres from London.
The estate was rebuilt after being bought in a half-complete state by property developer and entrepreneur Leslie Allen-Vercoe of Rhymer Investments.
The original Updown Court mansion was built in 1924 on 4.8 hectares of land. In 1977 His Highness Prince Sami Gayed, an Egyptian price who held several ministerial posts in Qatar, made Updown Court his home. Updown Court had been abandoned for more than a decade by the prince after fire damage in 1987.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/uk-s-most-expensive-home-rumoured-to-have-sold-for-%C2%A3140-million/2011081451149" title="UK's most expensive house sells for 140 million9" target="_blank">The current most expensive property in the UK is rumoured to have sold for £140 million.</a>
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Updown Court folly sold at deep discount as cautionary tale for European banking crisis

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The iconic 1961 ETA peanut butter industrial building at Braybrook has been sold to a developer for $4.1 million.
The Ballarat Road site was designed by Frederick Romberg of the 1950s architectural practice Grounds, Romberg and Boyd and is regarded as an important Modernist industrial building employing glass curtain wall design. The 16,000-square-metre Melbourne site has a heritage overlay.
It was included in the 1962 publication Industriebau, an international text on industrial design, published by the German Institute for Industry.
“Formerly the ETA Butter Factory, this building is of historical significance as part of the economic boom of the post-war period,” says selling agent Richard Hutton from Lemon Baxter.
The industrial site is zoned business 3 in the City of Maribyrnong, which is compatible with office, showroom and or warehouse usage.
Set a short distance from the flagship Masters Hardware site, the area is experiencing transformation from traditional industrial and manufacturing warehouse premises into modern high-tech office/warehouse and showroom/retail facilities, Hutton says.
The location, which was once mooted as a car dealership, is about 10 kilometres from the CBD.
Many of Braybrook’s factories have closed including metal perforators Richardson-Pacific, Rothmans cigarettes and Invicta carpets.
During its time on the Victorian Heritage Register the building was been allowed to fall into disrepair and has been vandalised, including the removal of all the glass panes in about 2008.
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Developer buys derelict iconic ETA peanut butter factory 

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Gold Coast property developer Sunland has ditched its trophy Dubai projects and swapped its equity in the troubled UAE projects for full ownership of the Gold Coast resort the Palazzo Versace.
The group had previously co-owned The Palazzo Versace on the Gold Coast, which was the world's first fashion branded hotel when it opened in 2000.
Sunland Group Limited told the stock exchange this afternoon it was “pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement to exchange its development projects in Dubai, Palazzo Versace Dubai and D1 residential tower, for 100% ownership of Palazzo Versace Gold Coast”.
The transaction has been concluded with the group's joint UAE venture partner, Enshaa PSC/Emirates Investment Holdings Limited.
The joint venture partners have agreed that Sunland will transfer to Enshaa all its interests and obligations in the Dubai joint venture projects, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/overseas/sunland-s-troubled-dubai-projects-progressing-slowly-amid-defaults/2011101051870">which includes 51% interest in Palazzo Versace Dubai and 50% interest in D1 Residential Tower Dubai</a>.
Enshaa, through its subsidiary Emirates Investment Group Australia Pty Limited, will transfer all its interests and obligations in its 49% interest in Palazzo Versace Gold Coast Hotel.
There is no corresponding cash amount required to settle the transaction.
“There will be no material impact on Sunland's financial position,” the shareholders were told.
The transaction will have no effect on Sunland's other Dubai interests, Nur, Waterfront 1 and Waterfront 2.
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Sunland swaps Palazzo Versace Dubai for Gold Coast counterpart

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Six mostly inner-ring Sydney suburbs – <a target="_blank" href="/news">Edgecliff</a>, <a target="_blank" href="/news">Randwick</a>, <a target="_blank" href="/news">Ryde</a>, <a target="_blank" href="/news">Newtown</a>, <a target="_blank" href="/news">Surry Hills</a> and <a target="_blank" href="/news">Neutral Bay</a> – recorded annual rent increases topping 10% for new tenancies during the September quarter.
The average rent increase for new tenancies in the RUN Property Sydney data base was 7.7%.
It took new rentals $38 higher a week to $540 a week.
The figures are the average rent for new tenancies, not existing tenants who renew their leases.
The figures come from the latest quarterly rent report by RUN Property, Australia’s largest metropolitan property manager, which manages properties valued at more than $10 billion.
The solid rental returns for property owners in the September quarter compared with the same period last year follow similar results in each quarter over the past year, RUN Property chief executive Rob Farmer notes.
“The smart money is starting to flow back into investment property, especially now that the sales market is off the boil and there are buying opportunities out there,” Farmer suggests.
“Past experience proves that investor confidence slowly grows in the wake of improving rental yields, so there is a small window of opportunity for good buying in the next few months before the world wakes up to what is starting to evolve.
Edgecliff recorded the highest percentage growth up 13% – or $46 a week – to $403 a week.
In Sydney’s Paddington the typical new rental was $62 a week higher at $764 a week.
Ryde was the biggest performer outside the inner-ring suburbs, with an 11% jump to $473 a week.
 
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="1" style="width: 470px;"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="121"></td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Sept 2010 Weekly Rent Average $ 
</td>
<td valign="top" width="123">
Sept 2011 Weekly Rent Average $
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="120">
Average Weekly Rent Difference 
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="120">
Average Weekly Rent Difference % 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="119">
NEW SOUTH WALES 
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="115">
$501.45 
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="124">
$540.28 
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="119">
$38.83 
</td>
<td valign="top" width="119">
7.7% 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="119">
EDGECLIFF
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="115">
$357.02
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="124">
$403.69
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="119">
$46.67
</td>
<td valign="top" width="119">
13.1%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="119">
RANDWICK
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="115">
$508.34
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="124">
$568.72
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="119">
$60.38
</td>
<td valign="top" width="119">
11.9%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="119">
RYDE
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="115">
$334.81
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="124">
$373.80
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="119">
$38.99
</td>
<td valign="top" width="119">
11.6%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="119">
NEWTOWN
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="115">
$526.78
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="124">
$587.78
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="119">
$61.00
</td>
<td valign="top" width="119">
11.6%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="119">
SURRY HILLS
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="115">
$507.61
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="124">
$562.48
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="119">
$54.86
</td>
<td valign="top" width="119">
10.8%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="119">
NEUTRAL BAY
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="115">
$446.11
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="124">
$492.51
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="119">
$46.40
</td>
<td valign="top" width="119">
10.4%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="119">
WOOLLOOMOOLOO
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="115">
$528.84
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="124">
$580.61
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="119">
$51.77
</td>
<td valign="top" width="119">
9.8%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="119">
WOLLSTONECRAFT
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="115">
$495.76
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="124">
$543.75
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="119">
$48.00
</td>
<td valign="top" width="119">
9.7%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="119">
GLEBE
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="115">
$495.41
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="124">
$541.99
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="119">
$46.59
</td>
<td valign="top" width="119">
9.4%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="119">
KOGARAH
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="115">
$330.48
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="124">
$360.00
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="119">
$29.53
</td>
<td valign="top" width="119">
8.9%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="119">
PADDINGTON
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="115">
$701.99
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="124">
$764.36
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="119">
$62.36
</td>
<td valign="top" width="119">
8.9%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="119">
DARLINGHURST
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="115">
$482.15
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="124">
$522.88
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="119">
$40.74
</td>
<td valign="top" width="119">
8.4%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="119">
CHIPPENDALE
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="115">
$513.43
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="124">
$556.13
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="119">
$42.70
</td>
<td valign="top" width="119">
8.3%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="119">
BONDI
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="115">
$523.67
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="124">
$567.13
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="119">
$43.46
</td>
<td valign="top" width="119">
8.3%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="119">
POTTS POINT
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="115">
$377.83
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="124">
$407.92
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="119">
$30.09
</td>
<td valign="top" width="119">
8.0%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="119">
CREMORNE
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="115">
$500.83
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="124">
$538.19
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="119">
$37.36
</td>
<td valign="top" width="119">
7.5%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="119">
BRONTE
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="115">
$518.10
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="124">
$555.49
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="119">
$37.38
</td>
<td valign="top" width="119">
7.2%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="119">
LEICHHARDT
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="115">
$583.11
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="124">
$624.99
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="119">
$41.88
</td>
<td valign="top" width="119">
7.2%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="119">
BONDI BEACH
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="115">
$509.13
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="124">
$545.57
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="119">
$36.44
</td>
<td valign="top" width="119">
7.2%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="119">
PYRMONT
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="115">
$578.14
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="124">
$618.86
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="119">
$40.72
</td>
<td valign="top" width="119">
7.0%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="119">
ARTARMON
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="115">
$494.98
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="124">
$529.68
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="119">
$34.70
</td>
<td valign="top" width="119">
7.0%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="119">
LANE COVE
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="115">
$418.33
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="124">
$446.33
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="119">
$28.00
</td>
<td valign="top" width="119">
6.7%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="119">
COOGEE
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="115">
$540.33
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="124">
$575.61
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="119">
$35.28
</td>
<td valign="top" width="119">
6.5%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="119">
ST LEONARDS
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="115">
$499.54
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="124">
$531.88
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="119">
$32.35
</td>
<td valign="top" width="119">
6.5%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="119">
HURSTVILLE
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="115">
$359.48
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="124">
$381.47
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="119">
$21.99
</td>
<td valign="top" width="119">
6.1%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="119">
NORTH BONDI
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="115">
$553.20
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="124">
$586.26
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="119">
$33.06
</td>
<td valign="top" width="119">
6.0%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="119">
ROSE BAY
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="115">
$442.79
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="124">
$468.73
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="119">
$25.94
</td>
<td valign="top" width="119">
5.9%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="119">
CHATSWOOD
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="115">
$593.33
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="124">
$627.42
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="119">
$34.09
</td>
<td valign="top" width="119">
5.7%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="119">
BONDI JUNCTION
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="115">
$601.62
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="124">
$634.95
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="119">
$33.33
</td>
<td valign="top" width="119">
5.5%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="119">
SYDNEY
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="115">
$616.08
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="124">
$648.78
</td>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" width="119">
$32.71
</td>
<td valign="top" width="119">
5.3%
</td>
</tr>
<tr height="0">
<td width="138"></td>
<td width="1"></td>
<td width="113"></td>
<td width="123"></td>
<td width="1"></td>
<td width="119"></td>
<td width="0"></td>
<td width="119"></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
 Source: RUN Property
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Sydney's six strong rental suburbs - mostly inner city, but Ryde gets aboard

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CB Richard Ellis won five awards, including the Commercial Agency of the Year title, at the Real Estate Institute of NSW awards night.
In a clean sweep of the commercial categories, CBRE senior director of office services Jenine Cranston was named commercial salesperson of the year.
CBRE director of asset services Craig Lambert was named commercial property manager of the year.
CBRE associate director of valuation and advisory services Mark Willers was named valuer of the year.
CBRE managing director of residential projects David Milton took out the project marketing award.
The Real Estate Institute of New South Wales awards recognise achievements and innovation in all fields of real estate practice.
Former institute president Steve Martin was awarded the 2011 Woodrow Weight Award, which recognises outstanding service to the institute as well as the real estate profession.
“The Woodrow Weight Award is the highest accolade which we can give to one of our peers, and I am honoured to award it this year to Steve Martin,” says REINSW president Wayne Stewart.
“Steve’s real estate journey began in Melbourne as a young property manager learning the ropes on the job with 300 rentals on the books.
“It was the start of a career which has so many highlights, not least of which will be the 25th anniversary in 2013 of his purchase of his own agency in Albury, which now boasts a team of 15.”
2011 REINSW AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE - WINNERS 
AUCTIONEERS 
Peter Matthews – Ray White Lower North Shore 
AUCTION MARKETING 
Danny Grant – Ray White Lower North Shore 
BUSINESS AGENT 
Con Tastzidis – CST Properties 
BUYERS’ AGENT 
Jacqueline Parker – House Search Australia 
COMMERCIAL AGENCY – LARGE 
Sponsored by INCORPORATE Design
CB Richard Ellis
 
COMMERCIAL AGENCY – SMALL
Sponsored by INCORPORATE Design
Gunning Commercial 
COMMERCIAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
Craig Lambert – CB Richard Ellis 
COMMERCIAL SALES &amp; LEASING
Sponsored by INCORPORATE Design
Jenine Cranston – CB Richard Ellis 
CORPORATE SUPPORT
Sponsored by Real Estate Career Developers
Danielle Dingwall – Morton &amp; Morton 
DELIVERY OF ELECTRONIC PROPERTY DATA
Sponsored by NSW Land &amp; Property Information
Colliers International (NSW) Pty Ltd 
 
HOLIDAY &amp; SHORT-TERM RENTALS
Raine &amp; Horne Terrigal-Avoca Beach
 
INNOVATION
Sponsored by Blayney Potential Plus
Real Estate Partners 
JOHN GREIG OAM COMMUNITY SERVICE
Sponsored by Westpac
Leighton Walters – True Property 
PROJECT MARKETING
David Milton – CB Richard Ellis 
RESIDENTIAL AGENCY – LARGE
Sponsored by realestateVIEW.com.au
Morton &amp; Morton 
RESIDENTIAL AGENCY – MEDIUM  
Sponsored by Total Real Estate Training
John Flood Estate Agents
True Property
 
RESIDENTIAL AGENCY – SMALL
Sponsored by PoolWerx
Breakfast Point Realty 
RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
Sponsored by Direct Connect
Katherine Gaitanos – McGrath Estate Agents 
 
RESIDENTIAL SALES
Sponsored by Realcover
Kingsley Looker – Cunninghams Property 
RURAL MARKETING 
Philip Rourke – Landmark Operations Ltd
 
VALUATION
Mark Willers – CB Richard Ellis 
WEBSITE – CORPORATE 
Sponsored by RealSatisfied
Morton &amp; Morton 
WEBSITE – INDEPENDENT
Place Double Bay 
YOUNG AGENTS – COMMERCIAL SALES &amp; LEASING ACHIEVEMENT
Sponsored by REI Super
Pamela Medich – Colliers International (NSW) Pty Ltd
 
YOUNG AGENTS – RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT ACHIEVEMENT
Sponsored by M2 Telecom
Elizabeth Henderson – McGrath Hunters Hill
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CBRE sweeps commercial category at REINSW awards

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<img src="/images/stories/philpottflicker.jpg">
A redundant electricity substation on a 77-square-metre block at Marrickville<a href="/news"> </a>suitable for conversion into residential use has been sold for $515,000. 
It’s one of the 1,000 substations that were built across Sydney from the late 1870s as the demand for electricity grew throughout the city.
There are approved plans by Tanner Architects to convert the <a href="/news">Marrickville </a>property into a 159-square-metre, three-bedroom, two-bathroom abode with roof terrace with louvered pergola. It sold to a family who plan to build.
Its BresicWhitney listing agent Matt Carvalho had expected $500,000 plus for the Philpott Street listing. There were six registered parties and four bidders after bidding began at $400,000. 
It’s been subdivided off the neighbouring Globe Mills apartment development.
While many are simple designs, the Marrickville substation was built to fit into the architecture of its factory surroundings. It comes with three high steel roller shutter doors.
Substations were camouflaged as everything from Federation homes and Californian bungalows to castle-like structures.
<img src="/images/stories/philpottplans.gif">
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No shocks as redundant Sydney substation fetches $515,000

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{yoogallery src=[images/stories/october17sammitchell]}
The West Hawthorn home of former Hawthorn AFL premiership captain Sam Mitchell was passed in at its weekend auction.
The onsite Jellis Craig auction opened with a $1.05 million vendor bid.
There was then a $1.1 million vendor bid.
It concluded with a $1.15 vendor bid.
”Three or four of you have been through three or four times,” said the auctioneer Steve Abbott as he tried to get a bid.
The renovated, single-fronted, three-bedroom house features open fireplaces, baltic pine floorboards, a CaesarStone bathroom, north-facing courtyard and rear off-street parking.
Jellis Craig agent Peter Vigano had been quoting $1.1 million plus. The house is now advertised as for sale for $1.25 million.
Mitchell paid $920,000 in early 2007 a year before his engagement to long-time girlfriend Lyndall Degenhardt. The couple now have three children.
Mitchell did not attend the auction.
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Former Hawthorn captain Sam Mitchell's house passed in at auction

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<img src="/images/stories/billabong1.jpg">
Billabong Station, the 1,875-hectare Wagga Wagga district cropping and pastoral property, was passed in at recent auction at $8.8 million but sold the next day.
It was listed by the Sydney lawyer and property group director David Baffsky after 31 years as the family's farming enterprise.
There were three bidding parties for the property, which had been listed with $9 million plus hopes. There were seven registered bidders.
The Eastern Riverina property had previously been in the Beveridge family for 76 years.
The listing reflected a change in emphasis for Baffsky and his wife, Helen, who spent $6 million late last year on Runnymede, an 18-hectare property at Glenquarry in the NSW Southern Highlands through Bowral agent Drew Lindsay.
<img src="/images/stories/billabong2.jpg">
The Wagga Wagga district property, which is 90% arable, has a diversified production including cattle breeding, fat lamb production and soft commodities including cereals, lupins and canola.
<img src="/images/stories/billabong3.jpg">
“It is arguably one of the best developed agricultural holdings in the region,” its listing agent Chris Meares of Meares and Associates says. It has been listed in conjunction with Bill Schulz at Landmark Harcourts Wagga Wagga.
Billabong is rated at 25,000 dry sheep equivalents with up to 1,417 hectare sown to cash and fodder crops each year.
Some 500 hectares of crop was given in with the sale.
<img src="/images/stories/billabong4.jpg">
The property, with Billabong Creek frontage, comes with a five-bedroom homestead plus additional houses. The homestead was renovated in 1979 and extended in 2007 with additional accommodation.
It has a six-stand woolshed, four sets of sheep yards, and two sets of cattle yards.
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Billabong Station fetches $8.8 million plus in strong start to spring sales

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.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=149637]

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

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

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

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

Jonathan Chancellor

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