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The RBA has issued a series of charts that give insight into the Australian housing market.
The housing loans approvals chart indicates just how subdued the first-home buyers’ market has been ever since the end of the bonus boost that followed the global financial crisis.
<img src="/images/stories/rbaoct51.gif">
Investors don’t have much presence either.
The number of home upgraders didn’t slip as much as other market segments after the GFC, and appear to be keeping the listings ticking over with purchasers.
The next chart indicates how all the capital cities prices have eased over recent times, although Sydney and Canberra have been the most resilient.
<img src="/images/stories/rbaoct52.gif"> 
The next chart shows our net worth including dwellings, financial assets and liabilities.
 <img src="/images/stories/rbaoct53.gif">
The elephant in the room is household indebtedness.
<img src="/images/stories/rbaoct54.gif">
But we have been recently shown as capable of saving more. 
<img src="/images/stories/rbaoct55.gif">
Taking the five charts into account, overall you’d have to conclude we aren’t too badly off.
The full set of RBA charts is available on <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/chart-pack/household-sector" target="_blank">the RBA's website</a>.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

RBA charts show overall we're not too badly off

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{yoogallery src=[images/stories/october5parc]}
Corterre Park, the Provence-style house in the NSW Southern Highlands of the former Mariner Corporation boss Bill Ireland, has been sold.
The Mittagong property was the highest recorded Southern Highlands acreage house sale when it fetched $5.15 million in 2003.
It was initially tipped to fetch more than $8 million on its mid-2010 listing, but is understood to have sold through Drew Lindsay of Drew Lindsay Real Estate Bowral at closer to its recent $6.5 million asking price. It is likely to be the highest price achieved for the region this year.
It has views towards Sydney and the Blue Mountains from its 21-hectare Range Road position.
The sandstone walled and slate roofed mansion comes with seven spacious living rooms.
There are four bedroom suites and a two-bedroom guest apartment.
The grounds have a pool and tennis court.
<img src="/images/stories/fountain.jpg">
“It’s an unrivalled parkland estate with dramatic views to Sydney Centrepoint Tower and the Blue Mountains from its Range Road position,” Lindsay says.
Range Road’s highest recorded sale was $5.4 million in 2006.
The sale of<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/southern-highlands-buyer-found-after-four-year-pursuit/2011061450481"> The Chase at Sutton Forest by the retired computer company executive Ian Penman and his wife, Ayesha</a>, had been the year’s highest sale at $5.25 million plus to John Starr, a real estate franchise head in Sydney's western suburbs.
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Southern Highlands notches another prestige sale with Corterre Park deal

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Former NSW Government Architect Chris Johnson will take over as chief executive of the Urban Taskforce.
Johnson served as the NSW Government Architect for 10 years and subsequently became executive director in the NSW Department of Planning.
He was a former member of the Central Sydney Planning Committee.
“Chris has first-hand experience with the zoning and approval issues that our community needs to address,” Urban Taskforce secretary/treasurer David Tanevski says.
Johnson has written or edited 14 books on urban planning and architecture and for the last three years has run his own consultancy working for many private sector clients.
"I am keen to change the simplistic debate on density, from being either for or against, to an understanding that there are a range of at least a dozen types of density and each has a place in the city of the future,” Johnson says.
He succeeds<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/industry-news/urban-taskforce-ceo-aaron-gadiel-off-to-gadens/2011091351538" target="_blank"> Aaron Gadiel, who after four years is off to the legal firm Gadens</a>.
The Urban Taskforce is a property development industry group representing Australia’s most prominent property developers and equity financiers.
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Former NSW Government Architect Chris Johnson named CEO of Urban Taskforce

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A Main Beach, Gold Coast development site with approval for a 17-storey residential tower has been re-listed, this time by Colliers International. Offers are due by October 12.
Midwaters, a 1,232-square-metres property at 3496 Main Beach Parade, was to be the site of a $48 million tower by veteran development group Raptis.
Raptis is credited with changing the face of the Gold Coast skyline as we know it.
<img src="/images/stories/raptisgold.jpg">
Expressions of interest are being sought by Colliers agents Stephen Kidd and James Taylor, who are acting under instructions from the mortgagee Wellington Capital.
The 12 units in the 1970s block were consolidated in 2007 at a cost of $10 million.
Development approval has been in place since June 2008 for a 16-apartment tower with a ground-floor apartment, four half-floor apartments, 10-full floor apartments and a three-storey penthouse apartment.
Most apartments would have beach and river views along with the Surfers Paradise skyline.
“Raptis had spent a long time amalgamating this site knowing that it was special and could never be repeated due to its location and having water on both sides,” Kidd notes.
“Despite recent turmoil in the local market, demand for development sites is returning as the city remains one of the fastest-growing local government areas in Australia with a population of 515,000 and growing,” Kidd suggests.
“There currently are no other sites in Main Beach that are approved for a high rise.
“While the Gold Coast has experienced a recent influx of new high-end quality apartments with the completion of Oracle, the Hilton and Soul, the demand for such stock in a small boutique-style building is still relatively strong.”
The Raptis Group collapsed in late 2008 after its banks called in the receivers.</body></html>

Raptis boutique Gold Coast site in receivership listing

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The ACT housing market is stable but buyers remain in the box seat for property priced above $500,000, according to CBRE’s latest residential research.
Its stable employment outlook was a critical factor.
“This is a significant advantage that Canberra holds over its interstate rivals,” CBRE research analyst Sam Reilly says.
But reduced enquiry and the current availability of stock is limiting substantial increases in capital values.
Its entry-level house and unit market up to about $500,000 have been performing well in areas such as the inner north, inner south, Woden and Weston Creek districts, the report says.
“But there was an element of concern over future interest rate rises and what effect this might have given that supply levels in the ACT were currently exceeding demand, albeit slightly,” Reilly notes.
Canberra’s middle market from $500,000 to $1 million has been a buyer’s market since the end of 2010, with marketing periods for residential property now ranging between two and six months – but expected to shorten in the busier spring trading period.
“It will remain critical that vendors adapt to the generally subdued market conditions in order to make a sale,” says CBRE associate director of valuation and advisory services Marcus Hon, adding that realistic pricing remains crucial to achieving a sale in this price bracket.
Subdued conditions are also evident in the prestige market, for units and houses priced above $1 million.
“Levels of supply are exceeding demand and this has resulted in marketing periods extending, as vendors appear generally unwilling to meet the market,” Hon says.
Subdued conditions are also evident in the prestige market, for units and houses priced above $1 million with levels of supply exceeding demand which has resulted in marketing periods extending, as vendors appear generally unwilling to meet the market,” Hon notes.
Canberra’s investment market had reasonable levels of demand and good sales results for properties priced up to $600,000.
However, Hon warns that the longer-term outlook for investment stock is less positive, given the level of supply expected to enter the market in 2012-2013 in areas such as Woden, Belconnen and Bruce.
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Buyers in the box seat in prestige Canberra market: CBRE

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The iconic Dickens Manor estate in Elwood has been listed for sale.
The house was built for the architect T.J. Crouch, who established the Royal Victorian Institute of Architects in 1856.
It’s been a wedding reception venue for many decades.
Offers are due by October 28, with more than $3.5 million expected.
The 1,296-square-metre site has an older-style two-level mansion and comes with a planning permit to reconfigure the existing building into individual residential units with scope for additional development on the vacant land.
The Dickens Street property has been listed by CBRE city sales agents Mark Wizel and Josh Rutman.
“We anticipate the strongest interest to come from developers looking to construct a multi-unit project and also expect interest from buyers looking to add a modern extension to the current classically styled building,” Rutman says.
Wizel says the location of the property is likely to help drive interest in the site.
“This is an ideal offering in the current funding climate as we have observed significantly less barriers to entry for developments of 50 or less units.
“We understand this to be both the preference of the majority of developers, as well as the preference of Australia’s leading financial institutions,” Wizel says.
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Subdivision likely as Elwood's Dickens Manor put on the market

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<img src="/images/stories/tamarama3.jpg">
The architect-designed Tamarama house (pictured above) owned by Dan White, the Bellevue Hill-bound great-grandson of the founder of the Ray White real estate empire, and his wife, Sam, has been sold.
At $6.6 million it was a little short of its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/title-tattle-bill-gates-rents-on-sydney-harbour/2011092351664">desired $7 million selling hopes </a>when initially listed through Ray White Double Bay's Elliott Placks.
The suburb’s record $11 million sale – and another at $10.5 million – were achieved in mid-2008 just before the global financial crisis and its ensuing prestige price re-adjustment.
While certainly no longer commanding ambitious boomtime prices, it’s the second prestige home to sell at Tamarama in the past month.
<img src="/images/stories/wolorai.jpg">
The Bellevue Hill-bound plastic surgeon<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/title-tattle-third-brighton-behemoth-joins-the-fray/2011091651583" target="_blank"> Robert Drielsma</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/title-tattle-third-brighton-behemoth-joins-the-fray/2011091651583"> has sold his Tony Masters-designed Tamarama house</a> (pictured above) for about $6.75 million.
The four-bedroom house last sold for $6.1 million in 2004 when it was bought from the Rubicon bigwig Gordon Fell and his wife, Pip.
The contemporary, three-level house in Wolaroi Crescent was built after the 501-square-metre block was bought for $1.45 million in 1997.
Bordering the gully reserve of Tamarama Park opposite the beach, the three-level house is set in landscaped gardens designed by William Dangar.
The house sold through Pauline Goodyer of GoodyerDonnelley Real Estate and Belle Property's David Vereker, who were aiming for $8 million.
Its initial hopes last year were $11 million.
It’s now been listed at $5,000 a week through Sydney Slice Executive Rentals by its new owner.
The White couple sold because they're upgrading to a 2,460-square-metre Victoria Road property in Bellevue Hill with tennis court.
The four-bedroom, four-bathroom Tamarama residence constructed three years ago has interiors by Briony Fitzgerald, the interior designer daughter of the acclaimed designer Ann Gyngell.
Drielsma and his wife, anaesthetist, Debbie Hong, have upgraded to a Bellevue Hill residence they bought for $9.85 million earlier this year. It had been listed in August last year with $14 million hopes.
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Tamarama loses some glamour as post-GFC prestige sales find their feet

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There are 40 suburbs across Melbourne that have $1 million-plus median house prices, according to RP Data.
This is four more than last year and 18 more than recorded over the year to June 30, 2009.
Toorak, with 111 house sales during the financial year, ranked as the most expensive suburb according to the RP Data list, with a $2.4 million median price.
Toorak was the founding member of Melbourne's million-dollar club, when 10 years ago it recorded 174 house sales resulting in a median price of $1.05 million.
Deepdene was second priciest at $2.02 million – but from just 11 sales ranging from $1.55 million to $3.7 million.
Tim Lawless, national head of research at RP Data, says 10 of the 40 suburbs fell within the prestigious Boroondara Council region.
There were six of the suburbs in the Bayside Council area nd five in each of the Port Phillip and Stonnington precincts.
The remainder were distributed across Glen Eira (four), Banyule (three), Whitehorse (two), Melbourne (two), Darebin (one), Mornington Peninsula (one) and Moonee Valley (one).
New entrants to the list were Alphington ($1.07 million from 31 sales), Caulfield South ($1.03 million from 87 sales), Ivanhoe ($1 million from 83 sales) and South Melbourne ($1.01 million from 101 sales).
Given the list’s requirement for at least 10 sales over the 12-month period, some suburbs such as Kooyong don't show enough activity.
“Over the year to June 30, Kooyong has recorded only nine transactions and all except two of them were over the million-dollar mark,” Lawless notes in The Age.
Lawless notes statistics from the RP Data-Rismark home value index had the premium sector of the market slowing at a more rapid rate than other price segments.
Throughout the year to July, values across Melbourne's top 20% of suburbs dropped 9.8% compared with much smaller falls across the more affordable price segments.
“Next year it will be interesting to see how the million-dollar-club is fairing,” Lawless notes.
Australian Property Monitors recently <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/sydney-now-has-106-suburbs-above-%241-million/2011092351661">indicated Sydney had 106 suburbs with median house prices of more than $1 million in the six months to July</a>.
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Melbourne's million-dollar-club continues to grow: RP Data

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Rat Island, a 10,117-square-metre rocky outcrop off the Bronx, New York, has been sold for US$160,000.
Ozzie Crisalli, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.lyonauction.com/pdfs/10-2%20brochure.pdf">Syracuse Realty selling agent</a>, says it was a rare chance to own a unique piece of real estate with a history dating back over 350 years. Originally part of Thomas Pell’s land purchase from the Siwanoy Indians in 1654, the island did not become part of the city until the 1880s.
It was used in the mid-17th century as a typhoid quarantine hospital and was called the Pelham Pesthouse.
It was a writers’ and artists’ colony in the early 1900s.
It was sold by Red Brennen, a retired marine contractor who bought it for about $5,000 in 1972 and used it to store equipment and salvage barges.
It comes with no jetty, no electricity and no power. Much of it is underwater during high tide. Located on City Island Harbor, part of Long Island Sound, the island is zoned residential.
Its buyer can see it from his back garden on nearby City Island.
The land was most recently officially valued by the city at $426,000.
The New York Times suggests the name was related to prisoners, called rats, escaping from Hart Island, swimming with cardboard boxes over their heads to look like bobbing trash, but it is not clear if that is true.
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New York's deserted Rat Island sells for US$160,000

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The average house price across 59 UK cities rose by 65% or £68,236 over the past decade, moving from £104,681 in August 2001 to £172,917 in August 2011, according to research by Halifax, part of the Lloyds banking group.
It’s equivalent to a weekly increase of £131. House prices across the UK as a whole increased by 56% over the same period.
The data indicated house prices in city locations fell less than those in regional areas during the downturn.
City property prices fell, on average, by 17% between 2007 and 2009, compared with an overall fall of 24% across the UK.
Over the past year, city house prices have declined by 2.5%, lower than the 4.3% drop in the average UK house price.
Westminster was named as the most expensive UK city, with the average house price of £570,964, research from Halifax shows.
All 10 of the most expensive cities in England are in the south. Edinburgh is the most expensive UK city outside southern England, with an average house price of £206,303.
Salford in Manchester is the least expensive UK city, with an average house price of £105,833, followed by Derry at £106,299.
The Halifax Cities Review tracks house price movements in 59 of the 66 cities in the UK. A city is typically defined as a large town or any town in the UK that has a cathedral.
Affordability in cities has declined over the last 10 years. The typical city home is 5.2 times average gross annual earnings in 2011, up from an average multiple of 4.8 in 2001. There was peak of 7.4 in 2007.
“With the housing demand and supply imbalance that characterises the UK property market often more acute within our major urban conurbations, homes in cities across the country are typically trading at a marked premium over neighbouring areas,” Suren Thiru, housing economist at Halifax, says.
“City house prices are generally supported by demand from those looking to gain from the economic and lifestyle benefits often associated with residing in major urban areas, as well as by the pressures on the housing supply that often typify such locations.”
The Halifax House Price Index is the UK's longest-running monthly house price series, with data covering the whole country going back to January 1983.
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UK cities fared better than regional areas in housing price slump 

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."

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As Stage 2 enters the market, that lived experience may be one of the project's strongest selling points. Buyers are not purchasing into an untested concept or a future promise. They are joining a community that is already taking shape.

Ongoing investment in transport, retail, healthcare and public open space continues to strengthen the appeal of Syd​ney's north-west growth corridor, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a>'s established first stage provides buyers with a tangible sense of the community's future direction.

For a limited time, buyer can secure a new home at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> with just a $10,000.

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Kew Tallawong: A growing community taking shape in Sydney's north-west

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

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

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/abadeen">Abadeen</a> and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/perifa">PERIFA</a> have celebrated the topping out of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf,</a> marking a significant milestone in the delivery of one of Syd​ney's most anticipated waterfront communities.

Located on Sydney's harbourfront at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/putney-nsw-2112">Putney</a>, the project has now reached its highest structural point, with construction progressing strongly towards completion in 2027. 
&nbsp; 
The milestone was celebrated on-site with project partners Phoenix Property Investors, Mitsubishi Estate Asia, Versatile Construction, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, consultants and stakeholders, to recognise the collective effort behind the transformation of the historic waterfront site into a vibrant new residential, marina and lifestyle destination.

[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.

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Jonathan Chancellor

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