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You can tantalize your tastebuds this weekend at the “great truck round up” at the grand opening of the new Mason Point display suite in South Morang.
Running on Saturday November 16 from 11am to 3pm, six of Melbourne’s most popular food trucks will be on site to serve you.
The variety of food ranges from Thai, Vietnames, Laotian, Mexican and Indian cuisine, as well as mini-burgers, frozen yoghurt and deep south US-style roasted and smoked meats.
There will be more than 100 food vouchers offering discounts for those who get in early.
The “<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/mason-point-releases-stage-two-as-part-of-south-morang-s-420m-residential-pipeline/2013101565727" target="_blank">Urbane</a>” Release Two, released in October, features 48 two- and three-bedroom apartments ranging from $323,000 upwards. There are also 16 two-bedroom townhouses from $409,000.
Construction will begin in early-2014, with completion for 2015.
Charles Gibson, director of GPC, said that the display will also include architectural plans and pricing, a full showcase of the kitchen, bathroom and timber flooring and a fully interactive touchscreen.
“Representatives from the award-winning Jackson Clements Burrows Architects – the design team behind Mason Point - will also be on hand to meet with buyers and discuss elements of the apartments and town homes’ functional yet stylish, modern design,” says Gibson.
Food Trucks there on the day are White Guy Cooks Thai, Dos Diablos, Sliders on Tyres, Dhaba, Smokin’ Barry’s and Yogurrdiction.
<a href="mailto:ntrotman@propertyobserver.com.au" target="_blank">ntrotman@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
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ntrotman-Et3xWpamVh

Tantalise your tastebuds at Mason Point this weekend

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A 2.96-hectare Cannington site adjacent to one of Western Australia’s largest shopping centre, Westfield Carousel, is on the market for over $16 million.
Located on the corner of Carousel Road and Grose Avenue, the site is advertised as being ideal for a mixed-use redevelopment.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/11/15/cannington-nov-15-one.jpg" width="470" height="177" alt="cannington-nov-15-one">
Australian-owned furniture manufacturer and wholesaler DIM Furniture currently leases 18,000-square-metre of older style office and warehouse space, returning approximately $1.3 million annual.
DIM hold a lease until June 2015, plus a five-year option.
“The site is zoned commercial but the Town of Cannington has indicated it would ultimately prefer a mixed use development on the site with a combination of commercial and residential components,” says John Corbett Knight Frank managing director.
“There is development potential to five levels based on council design guidelines and it has the potential for significant development density,” says Corbett.
Tom Shaffer of Knight Frank expects interest from a broad range of local and national investors and syndicators and well as overseas buyers.
<a target="_blank" href="mailto:ntrotman@propertyobserver.com.au">ntrotman@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
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Cannington site with development potential seeks $16m plus

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Negative gearing is a topic that brings out heightened emotions during discussions since opinions about it tend to be very polarized – either strongly critical or overly enthusiastic. However, there is very little academic research on the effects of negative gearing, hence there is lack of indisputable evidence in support of either point of view.
Commentators criticising negative gearing just assume that since there is a tax deduction involved, the whole scheme must be “a tax rort, benefiting rich and driving property prices to extreme levels”. The opposite side argues that without negative gearing “property investors would lose interest in buying properties for rental accommodation”, or even “sell what they currently own”, which will inevitably “lead to hikes in the cost of renting”.
Let’s explore a few basic but very little understood facts about negative gearing to put those views into perspective. These facts challenge common wisdom about negative gearing. The intention here is not to take sides but rather to highlight the need for proper research, so the impacts of negative gearing on the property market in Australia can be properly assessed - for long term tax and social policy purposes as well as for investment decisions by individuals. If that research is not undertaken, the risk is that, without the proper understanding of the implications, important and far reaching decisions will be made based on totally incorrect assumptions and therefore anticipated outcomes will not materialise.
Fact one: Negative gearing benefits investors with fewer economic resources more than the rich
One benefit of negative gearing is that it reduces the amount of accumulated losses in the initial years of the investment and therefore it lowers the costs of carrying those losses for the investor. It leads directly to the second benefit, a benefit with an important social dimension: negative gearing allows people with fewer economic resources to participate in this class of investment.
In particular, it is often overlooked that a property investor has to have a capacity to carry real cash losses for several years. That is, in the first few years of the investment those losses accumulate and then are gradually reduced by profits generated in subsequent years. Negative gearing reduces the total amount of accumulated loses by as much as 30-40% (equivalent to the taxpayer marginal tax rate). True, rich investors benefit from this reduction as well but they have a better capacity to fund such loses. Therefore, the benefit of negative gearing goes directly to those less fortunate, who may not have the financial resources to carry higher losses if negative gearing is not allowed.
Whether property investment by a wider community should be actively encouraged through lowering barriers to entry is a topic for a separate debate however, the fact is that negative gearing benefits investors with lower incomes more than the rich. One could even risk a thesis that removal of negative gearing could be to a great advantage of the rich because the pool of potential property investors would be reduced. However, it does not necessarily equate to falling prices – rather, that investment properties would be concentrated in fewer hands over time. This and similar not totally impossible scenarios should be given a serious consideration and should be research in depth before drawing hasty conclusions.
Next page: Negative gearing and tax payments 
 
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
Fact two: Negative gearing alters timing of tax payments but not the overall amount of tax paid by investors and received by the tax office.
In case you wonder, yes you read it correctly – negative gearing is tax neutral for investors and the tax office. There is a very simple explanation for this. You often hear "negative gearing" and "tax saving" mentioned in one sentence so it is easy to jump to a conclusion that one equals the other. However, the reality is that there is “no tax saving” for property investors or “cost to taxpayers” if property is held over many years – through loss making years until it starts generating profit in the later years.
Let’s consider a couple of scenarios, mind you very simplified, for the purpose of explaining this concept:
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/stories/2013/11/13/Table-one-nov-13.gif" alt="Table-one-nov-13" width="470" height="463">
In both scenarios, investor’s net after tax cash position at the end of year three equals $0 (then profit year after year from rent plus bonus from any capital gain - which is taxable on sale of the property). Similarly, net tax paid to the government is the same under both scenarios (ie. case one: -2.5+0+2.5=0; case two: 0+0+0=0). Thereafter, the same amount under both scenarios. The only thing that is different under each scenario is timing of tax payments. That is, under negative gearing scenario tax office takings are reduced by 2.5 in year one (as investor offsets loss against other income) then increased by 2.5 in year three. Under no negative gearing scenario, tax office will not receive any tax payments until year four.
The above example clearly demonstrates that negative gearing affects only cash flow of the investor and the tax office and not the overall amount of tax paid or received over time. It is simply because under the negative gearing scenario investors can claim rental losses against other income streams in early, loss making years but it also means they have to start paying tax on profits much earlier than would be the case under no negative gearing scenario, since there are no accumulated losses from previous years to claim against. Therefore, negative gearing is not a tax rort and it doesn’t mean that taxpayers “subsidise speculators”.
For the completeness of information, it has to be acknowledged that, under the negative gearing scenario, if marginal tax rate of an investor changes over time (that is, either increases due to career advancement or government increasing taxes, or decreases due to reduced income or government lowering taxes) there will be some discrepancy in the amounts of tax deductions claimed in the initial phase of the investment and tax paid in the future years. This simplified analysis also does not take into account the fact that “a thousand” dollars now is worth more than a thousand dollars in 10 years time. However, in aggregate, the differences will be relatively insignificant.
Another point worth mentioning is that there will be cases of investors liquidating their property holdings while still within the loss making period. This can happen for a variety of reasons but generally, there is no incentive for investors to "cash in" very often just to "save on tax" due to significant cost of transactions (buying and selling). There would have to be a very substantial capital appreciation of the property to cover from net sales proceeds all those expenses as well as net loses carried from previous years and capital gain tax. So, such cases are exceptions rather than the norm.
Next page: Looking at the financial benefit of negative gearing
 
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Fact 3: Financial benefit of negative gearing is minimal
As demonstrated in the previous section, negative gearing does not "save tax" for investors however, it is not to say that it does not deliver any tangible benefits. The primary benefit is that negative gearing reduces the amount of accumulated losses carried forward in the initial years of the investments.
Since there is a cost of carrying a loss from year to year (equal to interest payment on the cumulated amount), the financial benefit of negative gearing equals the value of savings in interest payments. That is, the cost that the investor does not have to incur. It will become obvious once we examine the following simple example:
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/stories/2013/11/13/table-two-nov-13.gif" alt="table-two-nov-13" width="470" height="320">
In this hypothetical scenario we start with a property generating $10,000 loss in year one of the investment (a typical loss reported to ATO) and that loss reduces by $1,000 a year. Break even on this investment is achieved in year 11 and property generates surplus income in subsequent years (increasing by $1,000 a year).
The key point to note is that in this scenario accumulated loses (that is, the real cash that the investor has to outlay in addition to the initial purchase price to hold the property) peak at $55,000 under no negative gearing scenario and only at $35,750 under the negative gearing scenario. A difference of $19,250 - which equates to real cash saving in non-tax deductible interest payments of $13,475 over 21 years (assuming prevailing interest rate on cash of 5%). Higher interest rates over the period will increase the amount of saving but overall, the amount is relatively insignificant in relation to the original purchase price of the investment property.
This conclusion has far reaching implications. Firstly, since there is no tax saving and the true financial benefit is relatively insignificant, it puts in question a common assumption that negative gearing encourages investors to bid higher prices for properties purchased for investment purposes. True, there may be psychological factors (e.g. based on a false belief that "saving on tax" is possible) that encourage some investors to bid higher prices but nobody really knows how much it is, if at all – is it 1%, 5%, 10%? More studies on this issue are required but clearly, there is not much incentive for informed investors to pay against the odds for the property.
The second important implication is that negative gearing has in effect very little impact on the returns. If this fact was widely known by current property investors there should be no panic-selling of investment properties if, at some stage, negative gearing comes under the threat of removal. And, as the result, there should be no impact on rental prices in the short term either.
This article presented three important but mostly unknown facts about negative gearing. These facts challenge common wisdom. They clearly demonstrate that negative gearing is not a cost to taxpayers, that its impact on property prices is mostly negligible, that negative gearing benefits lower income earners more than the rich and that, if it is abolished, there is no reason for panic-selling of investment properties or altering the approach to property investment.
The intention here is not to judge whether negative gearing is good or bad, or whether it should or should not be retained, but rather to highlight that there is more to negative gearing than just what attention grabbing headlines may imply. We need more academic research into the issue and better education about the true implications of negative gearing so any further debates and decisions (personal as well as those concerning social and economic policies) can be based on facts and not merely on possibly well intended but rather misguided opinions.
 
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 Arek Drozda is an independent analyst who has worked in the public and private sectors for over 20 years in business development, data analysis and in building geographic information systems.
 
 
 
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Negative gearing: The three facts that will challenge your assumptions

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Sydneysiders will soon be able to shop for homewares and gadgets within an apartment setting at the new Longton Lifestyle Hub in George Street, after its launch last night, on George Street, at 6pm.
The Longton Lifestyle Hub will showcase exclusive homewares, giftwares, accessories, artworks and gadgets from both national and around the world designers.
Scale models and floorplans of Longton’s developments will also be showcased.
“Longton Lifestyle Hub is a holistic way of bringing beauty and innovation to the people of Sydney,” says Mark Dennis director of retail and branding at Longton.
“Our aim is to inspire people to surround themselves with beautiful and innovative objects that will enhance their lifestyle.
“We will also introduce them to technology that will make their lives more secure and give them more leisure time,” says Dennis.
Longton is known for developing innovative technology such as the iButler app for ordering goods and services and iCommunity, an electronic noticeboard displayed in the lobby of Longton’s The Uptown development with neighbourhood information and residents messages.
The chief executive officer of Longton Steven Yu says the company slogan, ‘No respect to status quo’, summed up its desire to be trendsetters in the local market.
“We strive to set trends, not follow them, so we create Australia’s most advanced apartment buildings.
“The last thing we want is to offer a similar style of development to the run-of-the-mill, so we search the world to source the best technology, services and homewares. If we can’t find what we want then we create it ourselves.
"Our clientele is astute, so we have to give them top quality appointments and finishes, which we do at excellent value,” says Yu.
Collections on showcase in the Longton Lifestyle Hub include Lunares from Mexico, Fink from Australia, Eclectic by Tom Dixon, Nasonmoretti from Italy and Utility and Utopia by Pia Wüstenberg, among others.
Longton’s $200 million <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/sydney-s-leafy-suburb-of-roseville-welcomes-technology-smart-the-uptown-development/2013100365492">The Uptown</a> development (pictured below) will feature 213 apartments across six buildings.
With interiors by Archer + Wright, apartment features include marble, broadloom carpet and wide-plank timber floorboards.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2013/10/04/rose]}
Each apartment comes with its own iPad to control features from the lighting to the cinematic quality 3D theatre and surround sound system.
The toilets in the apartments include technology features found in a bidet and have been manufactured by Toto in Japan.
The Uptown has a scheduled completion date of 2016.
Longton’s other Sydney developments include Futra and Avantra.
<a href="mailto:ntrotman@propertyobserver.com.au" target="_blank">ntrotman@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
Images are artist impressions.
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Buy your apartment and homewares in one transaction 

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Frasers Property Group’s latest release at its masterplanned residential community in Ryde is following in the successful footsteps of previous releases with over 50% of apartments sold at its weekend launch.
Designed by Cox Richardson architects, The Garden will be a boutique seven-storey building with 63 apartments.
Landscape designer Environmental Partnership has designed the adjoining garden from which the development was named after.
The garden will feature timber-terraced platforms, stone paving, a large water feature, pond and a waterfall.
“The Gardens are designed for everyone who’ll enjoy a daily dose of serenity,” says Frasers Property project director Warwick Dowler.
“We imagine these apartments appealing to young families, empty nesters and professional couples looking for a peaceful home with an easy commute to the CBD,” says Dowler.
Two-bedroom apartments are still available ranging in size from approximately 92 square metres to 150 square metres and ranging in price from $645,000 to $795,000.
Three-bedroom apartments range in price from $1.03 million to $1.155 million and range in size from approximately 142 square metres to 150 square metres in total.
All one-bedroom apartments have been sold.
The Gardens has a scheduled completion date for 2015.
“In the past few months, we have experienced record-breaking sales at Putney Hill,” says Dowler.
“We have brought forward the sale of The Gardens to cater to exceptional demand, and already received strong interest from eager buyers awaiting this next release,” says Dowler.
The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/developments/jacara-apartment-putney-hill-sales-boosted-by-nsw-first-home-buyer-scheme/2013090364759" target="_blank">Jacara</a> development is two thirds sold and Palmera has secured over 90% in sales.
A community hall, childcare centre and medical centre are planned for the 13.9-hectare <a href="https://www.putneyhill.com.au/" target="_blank">Putney Hill</a> community on the cusp of Putney and Ryde.
<a target="_blank" href="mailto:ntrotman@propertyobserver.com.au">ntrotman@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
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Putney Hill releases The Gardens following buyer demand

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The conversion of the historic 1888 Beaumaris Hotel into 58 apartments has received the green light from VCAT after a three-year planning battle.
Located at 472 Beach Road, some 60% of the original building is to be restored, including the restoration of the Mansard roof and ornate verandahs.
Developed by Brighton developer Cieran Kayes and designed by architects Ten23, <a href="https://www.kayburton.com.au/property/472-beach-road-beaumaris" target="_blank">the development</a> will feature two- and three-bedroom apartments as well as a café and two shops.
Apartments range in size from 54 square metres to 218 square metres and range in price from $399,000 to $2.4 million.
The Beaumaris Conservation Society was opposed to the development, saying that 75 car spaces with an “unsightly and very busy CBD-style ramp on such a small site would introduce a highly urbanized ambience more appropriate to the Melbourne CBD.”
Some 27 residents also objected to the plans, mainly over traffic and density concerns and the Bayside Council knocked back the plans in March this year.
The hotel has undergone numerous name changes over the last century from The Hotel Beaumaris to The Beaumaris Pavillions and most recently, The Beaumaris.
The development will launch to the public on November 16.
The median apartment price in <a target="_blank" href="/news">Beaumaris</a> is $731,250, a 21.9% change in the past five years, according to RP Data.
ntrotman@propertyobserver.com.au
Images are artist impressions
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Historic Beaumaris Hotel conversion gets green light

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Australian property owners will soon be able to have their listings viewed by Chinese consumers, with REA Group revealing plans for a Chinese language property site myfun.com. 
The term “my fun” translates to “buy property” in mandarin and will feature realestate.com.au’s property listings in Mandarin, from new apartments to house and land packages.
REA Group managing director and chief executive officer Greg Ellis says Australia is experiencing unprecedented levels of demand from Chinese consumers in the residential, commercial and new development property markets.
“We wanted to create a customised user experience for Chinese consumers to ensure they could access relevant information in a format that would suit their property search requirements,” says Ellis.
“All property listings are provided in Mandarin and property enquiries will be directed to a Chinese-based myfun.com representative who will connect potential buyers to the property’s real estate agent.
“Myfun.com will provide agents the opportunity to reach a new and engaged segment of prospective buyers,” says Ellis.
Ellis says the new property site is likely to reduce the number of days on the market and will generate higher sale prices due to competition.
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Chinese buyers to have access to Australian property listings through new website

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A four-bedroom unit in The Allen Interest’s The Point development is this week’s most expensive sale, selling at its November 9 auction for $5.4 million, according to RP Data.
Located in Cremorne Point, the apartment is one of four and occupies an entire 350-square-metre floor.
The interiors include parquetry, Roman blinds, a sauna and gym, three bathrooms and a lift from the garage.
The property last traded in November 2000 for $4.2 million.
Neil Allen of The Allen Interests bought the site at 41 Cremorne Road around 18 years ago and built a luxury apartment complex designed by Peter Mayoh.
Each of the four apartments occupies an entire floor.
The property was sold through Donna Fischer and Richard Corbett of <a href="https://www.firstnationalns.com.au/buy-residential-real-estate/apartment-3-41-cremorne-road-cremorne-point-nsw-11120100031" target="_blank">First National North Sydney</a>.
The median apartment price in <a href="/news">Cremorne Point</a> is $905,000, a 28.8% change in the past five years, according to RP Data.
Most expensive sales:
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.myrp.com.au/property/3/41_cremorne_road_cremorne_point_nsw_2090/2003732" target="_blank">3/41 Cremorne Road, Cremorne Point, NSW, 2090</a>, four-bedroom unit, sold at auction on November 9 by First National North Sydney for $5.4 million 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.myrp.com.au/property/21a_albany_road_toorak_vic_3142/16534212" target="_blank">21a Albany Road, Toorak, VIC, 3142,</a> three-bedroom house, sold at auction on November 9 by Kay &amp; Burton South Yarra for $4.55 million
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.myrp.com.au/property/13_weeroona_avenue_woollahra_nsw_2025/7743764" target="_blank">13 Weeroona Avenue, Woollahra, NSW, 2025</a>, four-bedroom house, sold prior to auction on November 6 by 1st City Hasemer &amp; Caldwell.Eyles for $3.7 million
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.myrp.com.au/property/401/20_alfred_street_south_milsons_point_nsw_2061/15445007" target="_blank">401/20 Alfred Street, Milsons Point, NSW, 2061,</a> three-bedroom unit, sold on November 6 by Milson Executive Milsons Point for $3.65 million
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.myrp.com.au/property/24_beatty_street_balgowlah_heights_nsw_2093/1229299" target="_blank">24 Beatty Street, Balgowlah Heights, NSW, 2093,</a> four-bedroom house, sold at auction on November 7 by L J Hooker Seaforth for $3.225 million
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.myrp.com.au/property/43_middle_harbour_road_lindfield_nsw_2070/3771265" target="_blank">43 Middle Harbour Road, Lindfield, NSW, 2070,</a> four-bedroom house, sold prior to auction on November 9 by Belle Property Killara for $3.16 million
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.myrp.com.au/property/3_rostill_court_toorak_vic_3142/13588432" target="_blank">3 Rostill Court, Toorak, VIC, 3142,</a> four-bedroom house, sold at auction on November 9 by Kay &amp; Burton South Yarra for $3.02 million
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.myrp.com.au/property/2_edward_street_woollahra_nsw_2025/7736827" target="_blank">2 Edward Street, Woollahra, NSW, 2025,</a> four-bedroom house, sold prior to auction on November 9 by GoodyerDonnelley Woollahra for $2.9 million
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.myrp.com.au/property/7_bromley_avenue_pymble_nsw_2073/5638919" target="_blank">7 Bromley Avenue, Pymble, NSW, 2073,</a> six-bedroom house, sold at auction on November 9 by Ray White Lindfield for $2.9 million
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.myrp.com.au/property/122_windsor_street_paddington_nsw_2021/5278137" target="_blank">122 Windsor Street, Paddington, NSW, 2021,</a> four-bedroom house, sold at auction on November 9 by Ballard Property for $2.8 million 
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Cremorne Point apartment sells for $5.4 million: RP Data

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The latest mixed-use development to hit Docklands - and possibly one of the last - is the 18-storey $100 million M Docklands designed by award-winning architects Elenberg Fraser.
Located at 677 La Trobe Street, M Docklands will feature 186 apartments, two floors of hotel accommodation and ground floor retail space.
Developed by Capital Alliance Investment Group, some 30% of apartments have sold pre-launch to a mix of investors and owner-occupiers.
Two penthouses have already been snapped up, with two top-floor penthouses still on offer from $1.65 million.
Buyers will be able to design their penthouse from scratch, with the developer footing all the design and consultation costs with Elenberg Fraser.
The four penthouses will have access to an exclusive rooftop terrace on level 19.
One-bedroom apartments range in size from 42 square metres to 52 squares and start from $355,000.
Two-bedroom apartments range in size from 62 square metres to 74 square metres and are priced from $490,000.
Residents will have access to resort style facilities in the Lacrosse development next door, including a pool and gym accessed via and undercover walkway.
Levels two to four of the development will include a 68-room apartment hotel known as Peppers Docklands Melbourne.
Mantra Group is to manage the five star hotel, choosing to operate under the group’s luxury Peppers brand.
“We are very particular about using the Peppers brand on the right property, and this development presents us with an excellent opportunity to secure a presence of appropriate scale and quality for Peppers in a prominent location and we are confident it will be embraced by both locals and visitors to Melbourne,” says Mantra Group chief executive officer Bob East.
The hotel will be part of stage two of the development and will be the first Peppers property in the Melbourne CBD but will accompany four properties in regional Victoria.
Mantra Group will manage an onsite restaurant, pool and gym, with residents of M Docklands having some access to the hotel’s facilities.
Construction on M Docklands is scheduled to commence in June 2014 and has an expected completion date of mid 2016.
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Elenberg Fraser-designed Docklands development to host first Peppers hotel

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We all know that holiday rentals are often in steep competition with each other and that it can be tricky to get tenants in, but some owners have let their creative flare lead the way. Here are some of the most unique (and strange) holiday accommodation ideas from around Australia. 
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.downtoerth.com.au/">Down to Erth Bed and Breakfast</a> is a self-contained underground apartment in Coober Pedy.
This kooky accommodation can host up to five people from $160 per night.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/11/12/4.jpg" width="470" height="313" alt="4">
Photo of Down to Erth Bed and Breakfast courtesy of <a href="https://www.wotif.com/hotels/down-to-erth-b-b" target="_blank">Wotif</a>
 
Or have you ever considered staying in a train carriage? <a target="_blank" href="https://www.laststop.com.au/Last_Stop/Welcome">The Last Stop Ambledown Brooke</a> self-contained train carriages are much more appealing than your average work commute.
Located in Canberra, each train carriage sleeps two guests and is priced from $180 a night.
 <img src="/images/stories/2013/11/12/5.jpg" width="470" height="300" alt="5">
Photo courtesy of Last Stop
 
Located in New South Wale’s Gundagai, Church House Bed and Breakfast offers accommodation in exactly that; a historic church.
Featuring three bedrooms, this historic church can sleep up to six people with rooms starting from $175 a night.
<a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/LocationPhotos-g528959-d1757901-Church_House_B_B-Gundagai_New_South_Wales"><img alt="Photos of Church House B&amp;B, Gundagai" src="https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/03/73/cf/05/front-of-church-house.jpg" width="470"></a>
<a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/LocationPhotos-g528959-d1757901-Church_House_B_B-Gundagai_New_South_Wales"></a>Photo of <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Hotel_Review-g528959-d1757901-Reviews-Church_House_B_B-Gundagai_New_South_Wales" target="_blank">Church House B&amp;B</a> is courtesy of TripAdvisor
 
Last but not least, you can accommodate your inner child with this fairytale-like cottage in Coonabarabran, known as <a href="https://www.barkalafarm.com.au/the-old-schoolhouse/" target="_blank">The Old Schoolhouse</a>. 
This octagonal cottage can sleep up to eight and is priced from $130 for two people.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/11/12/coonabarabran-nov-12-two.jpg" width="470" height="594" alt="coonabarabran-nov-12-two">
Photo of The Old Schoolhouse courtesy of Barkala Farm.
<img alt="rp-data-nov-13" height="237" width="403" src="/images/stories/2013/11/13/rp-data-nov-13.gif">
 
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Quirky holiday rentals from train carriages to underground hobbit-style

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/broadbeach-qld-4218">Broadbeach</a> offers plenty of reasons to live vertically, but moving from a substantial family home into an apartment can expose the compromises of high-density living. Privacy, room for guests and usable living space tend to matter more when an apartment is intended as a permanent home rather than an occasional coastal base.

A typical residential floor at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-eveleigh-broadbeach-7-9-surf-parade-broadbeach-qld-4218">The Eveleigh</a>, on Surf Parade,&nbsp;contains just four apartments. The 94-residence development by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hirsch-faigen">Hirsch &amp; Faigen</a> is predominantly made up of expansive three-bedroom homes, with a limited collection of half-floor penthouses above.

Across the apartment floors, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> has used the relatively limited number of residences to give each home greater access to natural light and outlook. Living spaces extend towards full-height glazing, while a series of bay windows frame selected views across the Pacific Ocean, city and hinterland rather than treating the building edge as a continuous wall of glass.

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“The apartment floors deliver a collection of homes that embrace controlled outlook via a series of bay windows deliberately framing moments of view,” Rothelowman Director Kim Lowman said.

From outside, those projecting forms contribute to the tower’s faceted profile. Strong horizontal and vertical elements establish its proportions, while the changing position of the sun alters the light, shadow and reflection across the façade throughout the day.

The same attention moves inside the apartments, where the material palette combines warm timber, natural stone, metallic detailing and softer curved forms. Kitchens sit within the main living zone, with stone island benches, integrated joinery and European appliances, before the living areas extend towards the glazing and the outlook.

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Three genuine bedrooms provide room to accommodate family and guests, while two secure car spaces and storage address some of the practical considerations that can become more noticeable when moving from a larger home. Feedback from the display suite has centred on the warmth and restraint of the interiors, with buyers commenting that the residences feel like homes rather than conventional coastal apartments.

A limited collection of half-floor penthouses occupies the upper levels, increasing the scale of the living spaces and adding private balconies and elevated finishes. From this position, the outlook extends between the ocean and hinterland.

Outside the private residences, The Eveleigh separates its shared spaces between the podium and rooftop. The podium is centred on wellness, with subtropical landscaping surrounding a swimming pool and pool terrace, yoga garden, private gymnasium, sauna and hot and cold plunge facilities. Landscaped retreats and pavilions provide additional places to sit away from the main recreation areas.

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Higher in the building, a rooftop pavilion and private dining suite sit alongside resident lounge, barbecue and outdoor dining areas, opening towards panoramic views across the ocean, city and hinterland.

“Buyers are no longer just looking for an apartment, but a lifestyle where they can relax, reset, and enjoy a balanced way of living,” Hirsch &amp; Faigen Director of Sales Matt George said.

Interest to date has come from established owner-occupiers and interstate lifestyle purchasers, including buyers planning a future move to the Gold Coast. Many are coming from larger homes and want to reduce ongoing maintenance without giving up space for family and guests, privacy, two car spaces or the ability to entertain at home.

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Much of that daily life can also take place beyond the building without requiring a drive. Kurrawa Beach and Pratten Park are an easy walk from Surf Parade, while Pacific Fair, Oracle Boulevard, The Oasis, restaurants, cafés, entertainment and public transport are also within walking distance.

The Eveleigh is Hirsch &amp; Faigen's fourth Gold Coast development since entering the market in 2021, following The Hemingway at Palm Beach, The Emerson at Kirra and Yves at Mermaid Beach. Each of the preceding projects sold out before completion.

“Broadbeach had been on our radar throughout our time operating on the Gold Coast,” the developer said. “Following our projects in Palm Beach, Kirra and Mermaid Beach, Broadbeach represented the natural next step for the business.”

The Surf Parade site brought together proximity to the beach, protected coastal outlooks and walkability to dining, shopping and recreation. Hirsch &amp; Faigen also identified the street as an emerging premium residential address, with enough separation from Broadbeach's busier destinations to retain a quieter environment at home.

The Eveleigh is now under construction by Maxcon, with completion forecast for mid-2028. Three-bedroom residences are currently available from $2.87 million.

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Joel Robinson

The Eveleigh brings house-like apartments to Broadbeach

A long-stalled Campbelltown development site is back in play, with new plans for 139 apartments set to supersede a mixed-use scheme approved almost a decade ago but never built.

The new proposal for 28 Cordeaux Street would deliver 116 market and 23 affordable apartments in a part 14-storey building, bringing a substantial new project into a Campbelltown market where new apartment supply remains limited.

Plans have been filed over the 3,092 sqm corner site at Moore-Oxley Street, around 600 metres from Campbelltown Railway Station and the city-centre retail core.

The site already carries a mixed-use residential approval dating to 2016. Doroch Architects has now been engaged on a larger replacement scheme, which is progressing as a State Significant Development Application following a Housing Delivery Authority determination in August 2025.

The apartment mix comprises 39 one-bedroom, 72 two-bedroom and 28 three-bedroom residences. Two-bedroom apartments make up just over half of the project, while three-bedroom homes account for 20 per cent.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="136dd5b9-3791-4da6-9e31-76f533f5b4de" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da2.png?VersionId=LgOSy9nwf5u.MGswBBwaGGxuX8QpHSl_" />

Of the 139 apartments, 23 will be delivered as affordable housing under the in-fill affordable housing provisions of the Housing SEPP. The affordable component represents 15 per cent of the residential gross floor area and will be managed by a registered Community Housing Provider.

Doroch has sought to break the scale of the building into two distinct elements, with a masonry podium of around four storeys establishing the street edge before the residential tower steps back above.

The corner position has shaped that approach. Cordeaux Street faces toward the commercial and civic centre, while Moore-Oxley Street leads into the lower-scale residential neighbourhood to the south, and the design verification report describes the site as "bridging the commercial core to the north and established residential areas to the south."

The podium will be expressed predominantly in face brick, while the upper levels shift to brushed and grooved concrete cladding with darker metal detailing. Recessed sections, deep balcony edges and landscaping break down the upper form, with an approximately 11.8-metre setback to the northern boundary addressing the adjoining St Peters Anglican School.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c8b3d2d3-c561-4bfc-a5d9-a68c0c10dac1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da1.png?VersionId=AeAEyJU02Gk2k5noUj2StziCvdQ7fW4B" />

Campbelltown has been starved of new residential developments in the last decade.

The only other notable development set to come to market this year is ALAND's Queen Square, a mixed-use precinct on over two hectares that will comprise apartments above a vibrant ground-level retail and hospitality dining precinct.

First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site

First Look: Sherlock Construction pitches apartments for low-rise Deception Bay

Queensland builder-developer MAYD has revealed the first look at its major North Kirra beachfront development, lodging amended plans that reduce the number of apartments and increase the proportion of larger residences.

The project is planned across a substantial 4,742 sqm amalgamated site spanning seven lots at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/2-6-pacific-parade-bilinga-qld-4225">2-6 Pacific Parade</a> and 27-33 Golden Four Drive in Bilin​ga, directly opposite Nor​th Kirra Beach.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mayd-group">MAYD</a> secured the site for $32.5 million in 2025, in what was one of the Gold Coast's largest property transactions of the year.

The development will be delivered across two stages, with the first stage carrying an estimated gross realisation value of around $360 million.

The latest amendments seek to reduce the overall apartment count and shift the project further toward the owner-occupier market, with larger residences designed for buyers wanting considerably more space than traditionally offered in a beachfront apartment.

The residential mix will include townhomes, oversized two-bedroom apartments, substantial three-bedroom residences and four-bedroom homes.

MAYD has appointed Cera Stribley to lead the architecture and interiors, with the Melbourne-based design practice drawing on the beachfront setting through a series of ocean-facing terraces and heavily landscaped balconies.

Strong horizontal forms and curved balconies will define the exterior, with subtropical landscaping integrated throughout the building to soften the built form and increase the connection between the residences and the beachfront.

The project will also include an extensive collection of resident wellness and lifestyle facilities, continuing the broader shift across the Gold Coast's luxury apartment market toward larger homes supported by resort-style amenity.

<img alt="MAYD" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d1bcbb05-e659-4b47-8bd4-1e595315e2ad" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%202.05.03%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=jj0XEud1X1DuLt7_KyElhjMdZGOXmLHP" />

MAYD Founder Todd Mould said North Kirra was increasingly appealing to buyers attracted to the more established, lower-density character of the southern Gold Coast.

"North Kirra presents one of the most compelling luxury residential opportunities currently emerging in Australia, combining absolute beachfront with the character and authenticity that buyers are increasingly seeking, and the same sense of tight-knit community that defined Burleigh and Currumbin perhaps 10 or 15 years ago," Mould said.

"With Gold Coast Airport on its doorstep, it also offers a level of accessibility that broadens its appeal across almost every market demographic."

The project comes as the southern Gold Coast continues to attract an increasing share of high-end apartment development and buyer activity.

Kirra in particular has emerged as one of the region's more tightly held beachfront markets, with its relatively low-density character, established surf and hospitality scene and proximity to Gold Coast Airport differentiating it from the higher-density markets further north.

Mould said those characteristics had informed the approach MAYD and Cera Stribley had taken to the project.

"We've worked closely with Cera Stribley to create a vision that is deeply connected to its surroundings," he said.

"Inspired by the coastline itself, the architecture has been shaped around space, privacy and resort-style living, creating a collection of homes that reflects the next generation of luxury on the southern Gold Coast."

MOTIV Managing Director Carly Cottam, who has been appointed to market the project, said buyer attention had continued to move south along the Gold Coast.

"Purchasers who may once have defaulted to Broadbeach, Main Beach or Surfers Paradise are increasingly recognising the value of a genuine beachfront location that offers lower density, strong amenity and a more established sense of community," Cottam said.

"Kirra has a powerful combination of growing demand and genuine scarcity. Beachfront supply is inherently constrained, the area remains relatively low density, and buyers are increasingly placing a premium on locations that feel established, uncrowded and authentic rather than heavily developed."

Cottam said the proximity to Gold Coast Airport was also proving increasingly important for interstate and second-home buyers.

"Being minutes from Gold Coast Airport makes it particularly compelling for interstate buyers, frequent travellers and second-home purchasers who can access an authentic coastal lifestyle almost immediately after stepping off a flight."

The acquisition takes MAYD's active development portfolio to more than $500 million, with the North Kirra project representing one of its largest undertakings to date.

MAYD is targeting an early 2027 launch.

First look at MAYD's North Kirra mixed-use precinct

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Castle Hill, the longtime hub of the Hills District, has been one of the major beneficiaries of Sydney's Metro expansion, with improved connectivity helping drive continued population growth, development and buyer demand across the Hills District.

But despite that growth, the suburb has seen relatively few major new apartment projects brought to market over the past 18 months.

Hills District developer Reve Group is looking to fill that gap with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nova-r-ve-castle-hill-2-garthowen-crescent-castle-hill-nsw-2154">Nova Rêve</a>, a major new mixed-use precinct on the corner of Garthowen Crescent and Old Castle Hill Road, a short walk from Castle Hill Metro Station and Castle Towers.

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The project will comprise three residential towers alongside a hotel, restaurants, cafes and a skybar, more than 1,600 sqm of ground-floor retail and almost an acre of landscaped gardens.

It represents the largest project undertaken by Reve Group, the development arm of the Kassis family, which has been building across the Hills District for more than 30 years through Kassis Homes.

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Nova Rêve also represents a significant step up from the family's first apartment development, Grand Rêve, which was delivered nearby on Garthowen Crescent.

Grand Rêve introduced larger, house-like apartment layouts and premium inclusions including Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances to the Castle Hill market.

Nova Rêve takes that approach to a precinct scale, combining the residential component with hospitality, retail and substantial public and resident landscaping.

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Reve Group Managing Director Sam Kassis said the project reflected the family's three decades of building in the Hills, which has evolved from trophy homes on quarter-acre blocks to larger-scale apartment development.

"Grand Rêve was our first apartment project here and it showed us what this pocket of Castle Hill could be. Nova Rêve is the refinement of that idea: not just apartments, but a place the whole suburb can use," Kassis said.

A key part of that approach is the hotel, which has been designed to operate as an amenity for the wider Castle Hill community rather than solely hotel guests.

It will include restaurants, cafes, skybars and all-day dining, alongside conference and event facilities catering to business functions, community groups and private events.

At ground level, more than 1,600 sqm of shops and cafes will open onto the surrounding streets and landscaped areas.

Almost an acre of gardens designed by Land and Form Studios will run through the precinct, incorporating pathways, seating, barbecue areas and children's play spaces.

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Reve Group's Romio Georges said creating an active ground plane had been central to the planning of Nova Rêve.

"There are gardens with pathways, barbecues, seating and play areas, shops and cafes opening onto the street, and a hotel with restaurants and a skybar that anyone in Castle Hill can walk into," Georges said.

The project's elevated position on one of Sydney's highest ridgelines will also provide apartments with outlooks toward the Sydney skyline, surrounding parkland and the Blue Mountains.

More than 80 per cent of the apartments will occupy corner positions, with Turner responsible for both the architecture and interiors.

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Nicola Trotman

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