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GUEST OBSERVATION
Cold weather has arrived in eastern Australia, to the glee of those who enjoy skiing. But you don’t have to venture onto the slopes for cold to be a danger. With gas prices rising, many in the community are shivering while contemplating how big their next gas bill will be.
Eastern Australia’s gas market is rapidly changing, driven by the first exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Queensland. And this is affecting the whole supply chain, from gas producers, to the way we use gas in our homes.
Gas was cheap, for decades
In Victoria, South Australia, and through to New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania, gas has long been viewed as the preferred fuel for many applications - from industrial uses right down to warming our lounge rooms. Since the discovery of the massive Bass Strait oil and gas deposits off Victoria in the late 1960s, gas consumption across eastern Australia grew, decade after decade.
But despite these discoveries and growing production, the resource companies involved were often frustrated. While global crude oil prices went up and up, eastern Australian gas prices were stuck in the 1970s. Gas consumers enjoyed access to some of the cheapest gas in the developed world.
On the other hand, gas producers dared not complain too loudly. They often considered this gas nearly a waste product – interfering as it did with the speed at which the far more valuable crude oil and LPG could be drawn from the ground. If eastern Australia had been another jurisdiction such as Nigeria or North Dakota, this nuisance gas could have been quickly disposed of by flaring or venting. However, with some foresight, Australian industry regulators have generally discouraged such wasteful and environmentally damaging practices.
Faced with this constraint, what were the resource companies to do? Unlike crude oil, gas is costly to ship to the more lucrative markets in Japan and Korea, first requiring liquefaction at temperatures as low as minus 160C. Creating new demand “sinks” for gas in-country was one strategy. Pipelines were built to connect up all of the eastern states. Still, this “domestic” gas languished at a sales price far below that of crude oil.
Coal seam gas arrives
Then in the first decade of this century came the realisation that coal seam gas (CSG), located mostly in Queensland but also in New South Wales, could be produced in quantities far exceeding the demands of the staid domestic market, by a factor of three or more.
Following the examples of Western Australia and the Northern Territory, the only option for gas companies was to invest billions of dollars in, at last, building the first liquefaction and export facilities on Australia’s east coast.
For legacy gas producers, even those not directly involved in the LNG-export decisions, this was the dream come true. After decades, a buyers’ market rapidly shifted to become a sellers’ market. Where previously buyers would remind producers they would be happy to take that “waste product” off their hands, producers could now inject into supply contract negotiations the spectres of “world-parity pricing” and “high CSG production costs”.
Nowhere in the world had it ever occurred where an established, reasonably large domestic market, serving customers ranging from large industry to millions of homeowners, was suddenly eclipsed by the mammoth export-focused LNG industry.
Eastern Australia gas demand peaked - three years ago
Even before the launch of the first LNG export cargo from Queensland late last year, major gas buyers raised concerns about future gas costs and contractual availability. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is examining transparency and barriers to competition in the gas industry.
When the New South Wales upper house held an inquiry into gas supplies earlier this year, it gave us, at the University of Melbourne Energy Institute, the opportunity to present our analysis of declining future gas demand in that state. Now Victoria’s upper house is likewise having an inquiry where we will present aspects of our extended research into gas supply and demand across all of eastern Australia.
The eastern Australian gas market has experienced significant upheaval and will continue to change over the next ten years. Data from the Australian Energy Market Operator indicates that the volume of gas used in eastern Australia peaked three years ago.
Gas demand will continue to decline across all sectors. In the electricity-generation sector, with rising gas prices, the abolition of the carbon price, and a surplus of coal-fired generation, gas will only be sparingly used. The Australian Energy Market Operator is also forecasting a steep drop in the amount of gas used by industry.
Do try this at home: fuel-switching from gas to electricity
The amount of gas used in buildings will also decline. As we shiver here in Melbourne, how would you like to reduce your heating costs by up to, say, 70%? If interested, you have to do two things: (1) turn your gas heater to “off” and (2) turn your reverse cycle air conditioner to “on” – on heating mode of course!
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In my home we did that for the first time this winter. Our savings are remarkable, though not surprising nor different to what others in the community are reporting. As an example, during two particularly blustery days I found I could comfortably heat my house one day with gas at an energy-only cost of A$4.80 and then do it the next day with my air conditioner at a cost of just A$1.50. Our savings across the full heating season will add up to hundreds of dollars.
Results in other homes will depend on factors including what you pay for electricity and gas, the efficiencies of your gas heater and air conditioner, where your heat sources are located within your home, and individual comfort and convenience preferences. But it should not be long before word gets out to the 4.4 million Australian homes that already have at least one reverse-cycle air conditioner.
Previously I reported on the similarly large savings possible by using an efficient heat pump to heat water, especially if you have excess self-generated solar electricity. Add an induction cooktop and there is no economic need to connect gas to most Australian homes<a href="https://www.ata.org.au/news/are-we-still-cooking-with-gas">.</a> Businesses are springing up that offer “all-electric” home conversions” to people interested in making the switch.
Collectively, homes are large consumers of eastern Australian gas. This coming “second-era of Australian home electrification” will have a big impact on gas and electricity supply-demand dynamics over the next decade.
Tim Forcey is energy advisor for the Melbourne Energy Institute and also an author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tim-forcey-104740" target="_blank">here</a>.
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po-LsXgBTHBmX

It’s cold in my house and the price of gas is going up – what can I do?

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Property prices within the Perth school catchment zones for Bicton Primary School and Kalamunda Senior High School are experiencing the highest median house price growth year on year, according to the Domain 2015 School Zones Report Card.
It found property within the catchment areas for Nedlands Primary School and Mandurah senior College had the lowest median house price increase of all government school catchment areas for Perth.
The Domain 2015 School Zones Report Card analysed the price growth rate between property within government school catchment zones across Australia and compared sale price date against the corresponding school catchment zone.
Primary
<a href="/images/2015/07/17/perth_primary.jpg">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/07/17/perth_primary.jpg" alt="" width="847" height="357">
 
High school
<a href="/images/2015/07/17/perth_high.jpg">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/07/17/perth_high.jpg" alt="" width="804" height="342">
Click <a href="/news/school-zones-capture-more-family-property-buying-interest-but-be-sure-when-paying-the-premium">here</a> to see the national list. 
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Perth median price increase in school catchment zones

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The Reserve Bank of Australia has noted lower deposit requirements may have only partly offset the increase in house prices relative to income in its recent submission to the House of Representatives standing Committee on Economics Inquiry into Home Ownership.
In the submission the RBA wrote the latest data from mortgage lenders suggest that around 15% of new lending to owner-occupiers involves LVRs above 90%, and most of these borrowers would be first home buyers.
"The deposit required of a first home buyer is no longer necessarily around 20% of the purchase price, but rather, more often in the 5–10% range. This shift would have eased the accessibility constraint imposed by the deposit requirement more than would be apparent from a simple comparison of a fixed percentage of the median purchase price over time," the submission noted.
"The rise in housing prices relative to income has also increased the size of a deposit of any given fraction of the purchase price. At first glance, this would seem to imply that housing ‘accessibility’ has declined; previous studies have found that the savings required for a deposit seems to be more important for the transition to home ownership than the ability to service a mortgage from current income thereafter (Bourassa 1995). However, financial deregulation and increased competition in the mortgage market has partly offset this effect, by reducing minimum down payment (deposit) requirements. 
"The maximum loan-to-valuation ratio (LVR) available in the Australian mortgage market has increased noticeably over recent decades, from the 80% typical in the pre-deregulation period to around 95% at present."
 
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RBA's owner-occupiers LVR breakdown

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Nina Kirby Aberdeen - from the Village Roadshow family - has emerged as the $12 million buyer of an imposing Toorak trophy home, Pin Oaks.
The Illawarra Crescent, Toorak home has a Georgian design, hidden from the street behind a screening hedge.
The home sits on a 2002 square metre block.
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<div class="image-frame"><img src="https://resources0.news.com.au/images/2014/06/19/1226960/383408-b978b73e-f787-11e3-ba3b-878da0800edb.jpg" alt="5 Illawarra Crescent, Toorak. Pool, tennis court, rose gardens and climbing plants are al" width="650" height="366"></div>
The Toorak home comes with pool, tennis court and rose gardens in Paul Bangay designed gardens
Its reception hall comes with parquetry floors and a void opening up to the roof of the second floor. 
Title Tattle recalls Marshall White offered it in early 2014 with Kay &amp; Delany then listing it in late 2014, with delayed settlement paperwork lodged just last month.
 
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$12 million Toorak purchase by Kirby Roadshow family

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Another group of higher education students have moved into new custom-designed student accommodation at Central Park in Chippendale.
The Steps Central Park is part of the accomodation mix at the $2 billion mixed-use masterplanned community.
Developed by joint venture partners, Frasers Property Australia and Sekisui House Australia and operated by UniLodge, The Steps Central Park building was designed by international architecture practice, Foster + Partners and local architects, Nettletontribe.
The Steps Central Park is the second stage of student housing to be delivered following the launch of UniLodge @ Kensington Street in February 2015.
Frasers Property Sales and Marketing Director, Paul Lowe noted the accomodation was located opposite two major universities, UTS and University of Notre Dame, and a short walk to The University of Sydney.
The Steps Central Park comprises 770 apartments within 14 levels, offering a combination of purpose-built self-contained studio suites, a mix of share apartments and student-focussed communal areas.
UniLodge general manager, Phil Shelley said UniLodge fully furnished rooms with air-conditioning and heating and exclusive use bathrooms, along with flexible living spaces which facilitate social and educational experiences. 
A defining design feature of The Steps Central Park is the central foyer atrium which incorporates a series of timber steps, conceived as the social learning hub of the building.
The first student to move into The Steps Central Park was 26 year old Charlie Wang, who is studying a PhD in Civil Engineering at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS).
“One of the most appealing things about living at The Steps is the convenience of being part of the Central Park precinct and having everything I need within walking distance. There is Woolworths, coffee shops, juice bars, a Commonwealth Bank and endless dining options right on my doorstop – between university and Central Park, I pretty much never need to leave the area!"
The opportunity to live at <a href="https://www.centralparksydney.com/live/thestepscentralpark" target="_blank">The Steps Central Park is still available with rooms starting from $340 weekly</a>.
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The Steps Central Park, Chippendale's student housing

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Retailing businessman Gerry Harvey has bought Ardgour at Bundella, 435km northwest of Sydney.
The 1750ha farm, Ardgour comes with about 500 Angus cattle across 18 paddocks - originally part of Bundella Station. 
Ardgour is a very well known and well respected grazing property, situated in the sought after foothills of the Liverpool ranges, west of the townships of Willow Tree and Quirindi, southwest of the regional city of Tamworth, and south of the township of Gunnedah.
<a href="https://www.meares.com.au/property/ardgour/gallery/ardgour.htm" target="_blank">Chris Meares of Meares &amp; Associates</a> marketed the farm as in the area renowned for its scenic and sheltered valleys, rich basalt soils and above average annual rainfall.
The property was last traded in the 1970’s.
A feature of Ardgour is the spacious four bedroom homestead.
The buinessman is seeking a tenant who will live in a four-bedroom 1900 stone and weather­board homestead built, but the farm will be run by Ardgour’s long-time manager Jim Kerr, who lives in a separate house on the property in the foothills of the Liverpool Range.
Gerry Harvey offered the homestead for just $100 a week, as long as they promise to keep the house in order and do some gardening.
“I’ve got this great big house and if nobody lives in it it’ll go under, and I can’t live in it, so I thought someone might want to rent their house in Sydney for $600 or $700 a week and come and look after it and do the ­garden,” Mr Harvey told The Australian.
Gerry Harvey fielded more than 80 inquiries after an ­exchange on radio with 2GB broadcaster Ray Hadley and John Singleton about the farm.
“Whoever gets this place, Katie has to interview them to make sure they are nice people, we want nice people.”
The property was sold by the executors of the estate Late John Hudson to Gerry Harvey on a ‘walk in walk out” basis, for an undisclosed price.
Chris Meares, for the marketing agents Meares and Associates commented that Harvey's interest in the beef industry had led to his purchase of Ardgour.
"Over the years he has been a key supplier of Wagyu beef in to the Japanese market," Chris Meares said.
"With its suitability for breeding quality cattle and its closeness to feedlots, Harvey sees Ardgour as an ideal property to produce Wagyu cross calves for this market.”
The property was purchased by the Hudson family in the 1970s.
Hugh Brownhill, for Meares and Associates, added Harvey had purchased the impressive Angus cow herd which has produced sale yard highs in recent weaner sales with its steer calves selling in excess of $900 per head.
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Gerry Harvey's Ardgour homestead for rent on the Liverpool Range

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Housing in the feeder areas of Sydney's Parramatta Public School and Strathfiled Girls High School had the greatest price growth rate of all Sydney government schools up to April 2015.
New research released by Domain.com.au compared the sale price date against the corresponding school catchment zone for and tracked the price growth rate between property within government school catchment zones across Australia
Housing with in the Cherrybrook Technology High School catchment zone and Cherrybrook Public School featured on both lists.
Primary<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2015/07/16/sydney_primary.jpg" target="_blank"></a>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2015/07/16/sydney_primary.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
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High school
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2015/07/16/sydney_high.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2015/07/16/sydney_high.jpg" alt="" width="1368" height="586">
Click <a href="/news/school-zones-capture-more-family-property-buying-interest-but-be-sure-when-paying-the-premium">here</a> to see the national list.
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School catchment drives Sydney property price growth

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GUEST OBSERVER
Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey’s call for a proper debate on state taxes and the state governments’ over-reliance on inefficient state taxes including stamp duty is welcome and completely in line with community attitudes. The Treasurer’s speech comes just days after polling revealed widespread public acceptance of future GST changes.
Joe Hockey has said what everyone knows – stamp duty is a harmful, distortive tax which needs to be abolished and this will require broader tax reform to be achieved.
Abolishing stamp duty and replacing it with a more efficient revenue base would address housing affordability, boost the economy, be supported by the community, and bolster fragile state budgets.
Obviously the removal of stamp duty needs to occur in conjunction with a broader series of tax changes so that states and territories have the revenue they need to deliver services, and it is essential that GST reform is on the table.
A report from Newgate Research Community attitudes towards tax reform, commissioned by the Property Council, found that nine out of ten Australians surveyed supported tax reform which made the system simpler and fairer.
Far from being political poison, people see the GST as our fairest tax.
Our research shows that a reformed GST would pass the fairness test set by our political leaders.
Some 65% of respondents believed the GST to be fair or very fair, and only 35% as unfair, with most citing its benefit as a tax that cannot be dodged.
While there was some variation, this fairness rating was the majority view regardless of the respondent's gender, age, state, voting intention or property tenure.
The research also shows that people think it is inevitable that the GST will go up. When asked what they believed would happen over the next decade, almost three quarters (72%) said the GST will increase.
Strikingly, only 2% believed it would definitely not go up and just 6% that it would probably not go up. For the public, this is almost a done deal.
Getting rid of stamp duty needs to be a top priority of every government in the country. It has the highest costs to economic growth and living standards.
Treasury’s own modelling shows that Australia’s economic welfare is reduced by 73 cents for every dollar of stamp duty raised, which is 50% worse than company tax and three and a half times worse than income tax or the GST.
The Treasurer’s call today coincides with a release of the Grattan Institute’s Property Taxes working paper which moots the introduction of a new property tax on owner occupied housing.
We welcome the Grattan’s Institute acknowledgement that stamp duty needs to be abolished, but the idea of introducing yet another new property tax without retiring existing inefficient taxes is unfair and will unacceptable to the community.
The Grattan report conveniently leaves out stamp duty in its attempts to argue that property is undertaxed in Australia.
The industry currently pays $77 billion of taxes to all three levels of government. Treasury estimates that property specific taxes make up 9% of Australia's total tax take compared to an OECD average of just 5%. We're surprised Grattan would get this so wrong.
Furthermore the Grattan Institute report admits that they would need an extra new property tax at double the rate they proposed to fund the replacement of stamp duty.
The Property Council is happy to explore the option of a broad based low rate land tax, but the reality is that it won’t raise enough money to abolish stamp duty, it will be politically unpopular and it doesn’t do anything to fix the high land taxes on commercial and investment property.
There is absolutely no justification for a new property tax that does not offset other punitive taxes.
Changes to the GST is a practical solution to enable stamp duties to be retired to boost the economy in a way that is fair.
Ken Morrison is chief executive of Property Council of Australia. He can be contacted <a href="https://www.propertyoz.com.au/Profiles/ProfileDetail.aspx?pid=76" target="_blank">here</a>. 
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Hockey’s call for proper debate on state taxes welcome

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Chinese billionaire Xingfa Ma has bought Wollogorang and Wentworth cattle stations on the Gulf of Carpentaria for $47 million.
Listed as one of the top 400 wealthiest men in China, according to Forbes, he already has agricultural WA land including Balfour Downs and Wandanya stations along with Ferngrove Wine Group and Emu Downs Station.
The newly acquired 705,700 hectare station comes with 40,000 head of cattle, the Australian Financial Review reported.
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Wollogorang and Wentworth cattle stations sell for $47 million

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GUEST OBSERVER
The Urban Development Institute of Australia NSW welcomes the release of the state government’s Strata reform Bills following more than three years of stakeholder consultation.
The Bills introduce a number of measures that reflect the complexity of modern strata developments, and have the capacity to continue to change as more home buyers prefer to live in apartments. The strata laws under which we operate are the oldest in the world so the system is in desperate need of an upgrade.
Under current strata schemes it is difficult to renew dilapidated buildings because of outdated processes and procedures.
These Bills pave the way for Strata schemes to opt to modernise buildings that have reached the end of their economic life. 
The Bills do not apply to existing strata schemes, only future strata schemes with current strata schemes having the option to opt in, so it will take time to see material change in the NSW system. The introduction of the legislation will also be telling. 
We won’t see an impact from the draft Bills overnight, the true impact will be realised when the legislation is introduced, and we see the effect on existing strata schemes.
Numerous protections have been introduced for owners under the new schemes including a 2% bond to guard against building defects and major protections for elderly and disadvantaged residents through just-terms compensation and legal assistance. 
The UDIA NSW has minor concerns with aspects of the draft bills, particularly the proposal to include a non-voting tenant representative on strata executive committees – which may not be effective for a number of reasons including the often transient nature of tenants.  
While we will be working through the details over the coming weeks, we can’t lose site of the fact that the reforms are an improvement on the antiquated system that presently exists.
The Institute will be making a submission to the draft Bills and it looks forward to continuing to work with government on strata reform.
Stephen Albin is chief executive of the Urban Development Institute of Australia NSW. He can be contacted <a href="https://www.udiansw.com.au/pages/contact">here</a>.
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Minor concerns surround NSW Strata reform bills

IN BRIEF

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	Just three double-storey Sky Homes sit at the top of The Waterline, each with its own private marina berth and rooftop terrace.
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	Construction on The Waterline is complete, with the first residents expected to move in from mid-October.
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	Sky Homes range from 282 sqm to 367 sqm and are priced from $3.65 million.
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Lewis Land has opened the first completed sky home for inspection at Harbour Shores, giving buyers their first opportunity to step inside one of just three double-storey residences crowning The Waterline.

Each sky home comes with its own private marina berth, rooftop terrace and Broadwater views, combining the scale of a larger home with direct access to the boating lifestyle that underpins the wider <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/harbour-shores-biggera-waters-564-oxley-drive-biggera-waters-qld-4216">Harbour Shores</a> masterplan.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=113271 project_image_fid=366708]

Lewis Land Head of Development Michael Long said the inclusion of a berth with every Sky Home had become increasingly valuable as marina access across the Gold Coast tightened.

“Marina berths are becoming increasingly difficult to secure across the Gold Coast, so including one with every Sky Home makes this a genuinely rare offering,” Long said.

“The private 70-berth marina will accommodate boats up to 12 metres in length and is positioned just 2.5 kilometres from the Broadwater, placing the open ocean only 15 minutes away.

“Being able to step out of your home onto your boat is a rare luxury, and it’s something residents here can look forward to when it opens later this year.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=113271 project_image_fid=366709]

The display opening comes as construction completes on The Waterline, with the first residents expected to move in from mid-October.

The three Sky Homes range from 282 sqm to 367 sqm and each feature three bedrooms, three bathrooms, multiple living zones, expansive kitchens with butler's pantries and large balconies taking in the Broadwater outlook.

Each residence also has three secure basement car spaces and additional storage.

“This is the first opportunity the Gold Coast has had to step into Harbour Shores and see, touch and feel what we’re bringing to life here,” Long said.

“There are only three Sky Homes within The Waterline, ranging in size from 282sqm to 367sqm, with each residence featuring three large bedrooms, three bathrooms, multiple living zones, expansive custom-built kitchens with butler’s pantry, and large balconies capturing Broadwater views.”

<img alt="Harbour Shores" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bab65e10-4fab-45e1-92d8-fc56e2ab98ff" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-25%20at%202.00.16%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=XT8q76LsPkw3cYTsvN3JfFDaPLud90PN" />

Residents of The Waterline will have access to a private pool, along with Harbour Shores' wider collection of amenity including a lagoon pool, social clubhouse, tennis court, gym, yoga facilities and sauna.

Lewis Land partnered with Studio Collective to furnish the completed display, with the interiors designed to demonstrate how the residences could function as permanent homes rather than simply as show apartments.

Studio Collective Director Melissa Park said the surrounding waterways informed the interiors, but in a more restrained way than a traditional coastal scheme.

“We drew inspiration from the canals and coastal surrounds, but our approach was to interpret that subtly through layered materials and a grounded palette of earthy tones, rather than literal coastal references,” Park said.

“We introduced hero moments of green and teal to reference the surrounding waterways, while mirrored elements help reflect natural light.

“The result is a residence that feels elevated yet comfortable, somewhere buyers can genuinely imagine themselves living, entertaining and unwinding.”

Sky Homes are priced from $3.65 million.

Lewis Land is also offering private marina berths with The Residences, its limited collection of three and four-bedroom villas positioned directly along the Harbour Shores waterfront boardwalk.

Three-bedroom villas are priced from $2.99 million, while four-bedroom residences start from $3.19 million.

Harbour Shores is being marketed by Colliers International.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=113271]

Joel Robinson

Lewis Land opens sky home display as The Waterline completes at Harbour Shores

St Vincent de Paul Society Housing Australia has filed plans for a major mixed-use housing precinct on the southern edge of the North Sydney CBD, adding another significant proposal to a pocket around North Sydn​ey Station that is quickly becoming one of the LGA's busiest development zones.

The State Significant Development Application covers a 5,990 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/1-19-mackenzie-street-lavender-bay-nsw-2060">1-19 MacKenzie Street and 211 Blues Point Road in Lavender Bay</a>, immediately south of Nor​th Sydney Station and between the commercial core and the lower-rise Lavender Bay Heritage Conservation Area.

Designed by Wardle, the proposal would deliver a new residential tower comprising 88 build-to-sell apartments and 19 affordable apartments, alongside a separate co-living building with 57 rooms and a building manager's studio.

It would also see the significant restoration and upgrade of St Francis Xavier Catholic Church, the adaptive reuse of the former school building, new parish facilities, retail, a new public square and around 1,000 sqm of publicly accessible open space.

<img alt="Vinnies North Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d5dd7f87-a617-463e-b577-17541e01f0e9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.10.13%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4R8TsFN3P_LrrXO2HswTOIrx2blil8lh" />

The project is seeking a concurrent rezoning of the site to R4 High Density Residential and an increase in the maximum building height to allow a tower reaching RL120, or up to 20 storeys. The proposal was progressed through the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

The build-to-sell component will be weighted toward larger apartments, with just six one-bedroom apartments compared with 31 two-beds, 43 three-beds and eight four-bedroom residences.

The 19 affordable apartments will comprise two studios, 15 one-bedroom apartments and two two-bedroom apartments, taking the total apartment component to 107 residences before the 58 co-living rooms are included.

<img alt="Vnnies" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7d568ca5-cb90-4e18-96c6-d9795dba0c56" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.10.05%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=GY2R5M9VtQh0EKy1vajaea19PSLOPuRD" />

Wardle's design for the Vinnies site has sought to negotiate that emerging high-rise context while retaining the lower-scale character of MacKenzie Street and the adjoining heritage conservation area.

The main building adopts a three-storey podium and tower arrangement, with the podium aligned to the ridgeline and front setback of St Francis Xavier Church.&nbsp;Wardle has designed the podium with colonnades, seating, recessed entries and active ground-floor frontages, with sandstone-toned precast concrete and face brick referencing the materiality of the existing church.

The tower then steps back eight metres to the south and six metres to the north before rising in a sculpted form comprising four interlocking quadrants. Wardle has also introduced rounded forms and chamfered corners to reduce the tower's perceived bulk and improve view sharing with neighbouring development sites.

Resident facilities and outdoor areas are planned at the separation between the podium and tower at Level 3, oriented toward Sydney Harbour and the CBD skyline.

The tower itself will feature a glass reinforced concrete facade, with recessed balconies and deep reveals used both to provide shading and privacy and frame views toward the harbour and city. The lower levels take a different architectural approach, using brick and sandstone-toned finishes intended to establish a stronger relationship with St Francis Xavier Church. The Church itself will be conserved and upgraded for its continued use, while the former school building will be adaptively reused as part of the co-living component.

<img alt="Lavendar Bay" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2d4418ad-90aa-4d49-af93-c80b140aea80" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.09.47%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=Kv4gzbsACaGvZSRuaqcfGC54jEJRXIDJ" />

&nbsp;

The proposal adds to an increasingly concentrated pipeline of residential development around Blue Street, MacKenzie Street and Lavender Bay.

Just west of the site, Central Element lodged plans earlier this year for one of the most significant residential developments proposed in Lavender Bay in recent years.

Central Element's SJB-designed scheme at 64-66 Lavender Street and 3-7 Middlemiss Street would deliver 163 apartments across two towers rising 23 and 32 storeys, replacing five existing apartment buildings containing 32 homes. The project also forms part of the Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-central-element-reveals-lavender-bay-apartment-plans?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">First look: Central Element reveals Lavender Bay apartment plans</a>

Immediately around North Sy​dney Station, another two significant proposals have emerged at 5 and 15 Blue Street.

Zurich Australian Insurance Properties is seeking to adaptively reuse its longstanding commercial building at 5 Blue Street, directly above North Sydney Station, rather than demolishing the structure.

Its SSDA proposes converting the building into a 14-storey mixed-use development with 62 apartments and 86 co-living rooms, together with ground-floor retail and a major refurbishment of Blue Street Plaza. The application is currently at the Response to Submissions stage.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-zurich-targets-north-sydney-office-conversion-with-148-unit-proposal-above-metro-station">First look: Zurich targets North Sydney office conversion with 148-unit proposal above Metro station</a>

&nbsp;

First look: Vinnies files for 20-storey Lavender Bay apartment tower as North Sydney housing pocket heats up

When the opportunity arose for South Australian developer Palumbo to return to Kent Town, where it had previously delivered East Park Apartments and the East 
Rundle Apartments, it wasn't one the longstanding developer-builder was going to pass up.

The decision was quickly vindicated, with more than 30 apartments sold within the first month of launching <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/royal-apartments-kent-town-2-8-north-terrace-kent-town-sa-5067">Royal Apartments</a> to the market.

The 206-apartment development, which will bring significant new supply to Adelaide's tightly held eastern city fringe, also gives <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/palumbo">Palumbo</a> the opportunity to bring new life to one of Kent Town's most recognisable watering holes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376073]

Royal Apartments incorporates the historic Royal Hotel, a venue Palumbo Managing Director Daniel Palumbo said has a longstanding connection with the local community.

"Everyone in the area has history with the Royal Hotel," Palumbo told Apartments.com.au.

"It was quite an active pub and social gathering place for locals. We want to bring it back to its former glory."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376072]

The wider development will comprise two residential towers alongside the restored hotel, sitting on North Terrace opposite the Adelaide Park Lands.

For Palumbo, the project also marks a return to familiar territory.

The developer completed East Park Apartments next door more than a decade ago and jumped at the opportunity to develop in Kent Town again when the Royal Hotel site became available.

"The opportunity emerged, and we moved to secure the site," Palumbo said.

"We were approached by the previous landowner, who said they had extensive commitments in Sydney and weren't in a position to deliver the project.

"We took over the site and within six months recut the design scheme to be more in keeping with the type of development we want to bring to Adelaide.

"Now we're on the market and those changes have really resonated with local buyers."

That has translated into a strong start to sales, with 33 apartments transacting in the project's first 35 days.

Palumbo said the early purchaser profile had been consistent with the group's traditional focus on owner-occupiers rather than investor-led apartment stock.

"Local owner-occupiers have always been our market," he said.

"There are always some investors, but we've never developed what would be called traditional development stock. Owner-occupiers are very much our market."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376068]

The buyer mix has been diverse so far, with downsizers and younger professionals both accounting for a significant portion of early sales.

South Australia's current stamp duty settings, which allow&nbsp;eligible homeowners in South Australia aged 60 savings of up to $103,830 on stamp duty when they downsize to a new property valued at up to $2 million,&nbsp;have helped encourage downsizer activity, while younger buyers in their late 20s and early 30s have been attracted to the opportunity to live immediately outside the CBD while still being able to walk into the city.



Location has been a major part of the proposition for both buyer cohorts.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376075]

Royal Apartments sits on North Terrace directly opposite the Adelaide Park Lands, with residents able to walk through the parklands toward the East End, Rundle Street and Rundle Mall.

Apartments have been positioned to capture views across the parklands, Adelaide skyline, Botanic Gardens and Adelaide Hills.

Palumbo believes the scarcity of developable land along this section of the Park Lands makes the site particularly difficult to replicate.

"There's very few allotments on that side that can be developed," he said.

"If this location was in New York and you were sitting on Central Park, you'd be talking about a $60 million apartments."

Royal Apartments will offer a broad mix of residences, ranging from one-bedroom apartments through to four-bedroom sub-penthouses and penthouses.

Current listings include one-bedroom apartments from $680,000, while larger three and four-bedroom residences are priced around $2.5 million.

Residents will have access to a swimming pool, gym, barbecue and recreation areas, residents' lounge and dining space, and a communal deck.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376067]

The apartments will feature generous balconies, while secure parking, bicycle storage and storage cages will also be provided.

A porte-cochère-style arrival and drop-off area has also resonated with buyers, particularly those attracted to being able to walk into the CBD during the day while retaining secure vehicle access at home.

Palumbo is acting as developer, architect and builder on Royal Apartments, continuing the vertically integrated model it has used across its South Australian portfolio.

The group was also behind the $150 million Sofitel Adelaide, the 251-room five-star hotel and residential tower which opened in 2021.

Palumbo said Royal's launch had come at an interesting time for the broader Adelaide apartment market.

Buyer confidence had initially been impacted by uncertainty surrounding the Federal Budget and broader economic conditions, but Palumbo believes sentiment is beginning to improve against a backdrop of significant investment flowing into South Australia.

He pointed to increased activity across defence and resources, including Olympic Dam, as potential long-term drivers of the state's economy and housing market.

"Money is starting to flow into Adeliade, significant amounts as Adelaide bucks the trend of the rest of the country.," Palumbo said.

"There's a lot of activity in the economy over the next decade. I think more investment will come into this market."

Early works on Royal Apartments are expected to commence this year, with major construction activity and cranes anticipated on site from early next year.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=6109]

Palumbo's return to Kent Town strikes early chord with buyers

Go-to builder-developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/graya">GRAYA</a> is continuing to bulk out its already impressive and diverse apartment portfolio across South East Queensland. Their latest milestone is securing development approval for Silk, its boutique riverfront apartment development in St Lucia.

The approval clears&nbsp;the way for the team to begin construction planning for the 22-residence project.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/silk-st-lucia-16-18-sandford-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">Silk</a> will rise 15 levels from an 810 sqm site at 16-18 Sandford Street, occupying a prominent bend of the Brisbane River with a prized northern aspect across Orleigh Park toward the Brisbane CBD.

The approved scheme will comprise 16 split-floor and six full-floor residences, continuing GRAYA's move into larger-format apartment developments targeting Brisbane's prestige owner-occupier market.

The project has been designed around the site's broad river frontage and dual-direction views, with GRAYA prioritising larger residences, privacy and outlook over apartment yield.

<img alt="Silk St Lucia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="aa5c2349-f96c-4914-a812-1f2cd6827af8" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%208.25.44%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=WY0vEU_7vYjeRJKQHiCwFdMxu8PvFh52" />

GRAYA Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Rob Gray said the project had been shaped around local homeowners wanting to remain in St Lucia without maintaining a traditional family home.

"St Lucia is one of those suburbs people do not want to leave," Gray said.

"They know the river, the trees, UQ, the golf course, Toowong and Indooroopilly, and that familiarity is hard to replace.

"True riverfront opportunities here are exceptionally scarce. What we have designed at Silk is a way to stay in the suburb people love, with the scale and privacy of a private home and far less to maintain.

"This is not typical apartment product. It is a proper home on the river, and that is exactly what this market has been missing."

The approval comes as new apartment development continues to increase across the St Lucia and neighbouring Toowong corridor, although direct riverfront sites remain considerably more tightly held.

GRAYA Co-founder and Managing Director Andrew Gray said securing the approval had removed a significant element of development risk from Silk.

"Genuine riverfront sites of this quality in St Lucia are not something that comes up regularly," Gray said.

"The approval removes a substantial layer of execution risk, and the location underwrites demand in a way very few inner-city sites can.

"The fundamentals here are as strong as anything we have assessed in Brisbane."

<img alt="Silk St Lucia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d0f3d734-65e1-48e8-8ed3-2e0715ffcdd9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%208.25.56%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=sOLSs_jdHkXLWbBKzRyayf5BfTb2vPsD" />

Silk will see GRAYA return to a stretch of the Brisbane River where it already has recent construction experience. The vertically integrated group recently completed ARC in neighbouring Toowong as builder for developer Spyre, delivering the riverfront project on a constrained site.

GRAYA will take a different role at Silk, controlling the project from design and development through construction and aftercare under its vertically integrated model.

The development will include a gym and resident leisure areas at ground level, integrated with the river's edge.

Silk joins a growing pipeline for GRAYA across Brisbane and the Gold Coast, which includes Enclave, The Gallery, Coral and Ripple.

The developer-builder has also recently lodged plans for its largest project to date, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-silo-19-chester-street-newstead-qld-4006">The Silo</a>, a proposed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/graya-buys-frasers-newstead-site-plans-the-silo-between-james-street-and-gasworks-precincts">$700 million mixed-use development</a> in Brisbane's James Street precinct.

Silk is expected to predominantly target local owner-occupiers and prestige buyers seeking a permanent riverfront home in Brisbane's inner west.

Registrations of interest are now open, with further details on the project and construction program to be released as it progresses.

<hr />
<h2>SILK PROJECT FACTS</h2>

Developer-builder: GRAYA

Project: Silk

Location: 16-18 Sandford Street, St Lucia

Apartments: 22

Built form: 15 levels

Site: 810 sqm riverfront holding

Mix: 16 split-floor and six full-floor residences

Status: Development approved

Next step: Construction planning underway

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152168]

GRAYA greenlit for riverfront St Lucia apartment development, Silk

Abadeen has released the whole-floor penthouse crowning its recently completed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/park-residences-cremorne-2-sutherland-street-cremorne-nsw-2090">Park Residences</a> development in Cremorne, bringing the near-300 sqm residence to market for the first time.

Occupying the entire top floor of the boutique Lower North Shore development, the penthouse includes 221 sqm of internal living and a 74 sqm wraparound terrace, with a prized north-facing aspect taking in views across Middle Harbour.

The residence has been completed and fully furnished following a collaboration between Abadeen Executive Chairman Justin Brown and internationally recognised interior designer Jack Freeman, Founder and Managing Director of FREEMAN &amp; CO.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/abadeen">Abadeen</a> and Freeman approached the penthouse as a finished home, sourcing furniture, artwork, lighting and objects from Australia and overseas.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=114246 project_image_fid=378718]

Pieces from Parisian design house Pierre Augustin Rose sit alongside contemporary artworks and bespoke lighting, with Freeman drawing on recent visits to PAD Paris and Salone del Mobile Milano for the final collection.

Brown said the aim was to create a penthouse that felt more like a large-scale private home than a traditional apartment.

"The experience begins the moment the lift doors open. You're welcomed into an elegant dining room before the home opens into an extraordinary living space framed by sun-drenched harbour views.

"Every time someone walks through the front door they pause. It's not just the view, it's the incredible sense of space, the warmth created by the northern sunlight that fills the interiors, and the way every room connects so effortlessly.

"It has all the proportions of a luxury home, while delivering the effortless lifestyle and personalised experience of living in a world-class six-star hotel, combined with the simplicity and convenience of apartment living."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=114246 project_image_fid=378713]

A secure lift provides exclusive access to the penthouse level, opening to a dedicated arrival foyer and dining area before the residence expands into its main living and entertaining spaces.

Floor-to-ceiling glazing runs across the northern side of the home, connecting the interiors with the terrace and Middle Harbour outlook.

The penthouse also features a fireplace and substantial chef's kitchen, while the wraparound terrace has been designed to accommodate both everyday outdoor living and larger-scale entertaining.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=114246 project_image_fid=378720]

Freeman said the interiors had been deliberately kept restrained to complement the scale, natural light and outlook already established by the architecture.

"The penthouse is a serene study in quiet luxury," Freeman said.

"The interior pairs soft, sculptural forms with warm timber, pale stone and a restrained neutral palette. Curated artwork and metallic accents add depth, while abundant natural light creates a calm, effortlessly refined atmosphere. In my world, less is always more."

Freeman said the approach was centred around collecting individual pieces rather than simply decorating the apartment.

"Every material, every object and every piece of furniture has been curated with intention. I am a true believer in collecting versus decorating.

"The architecture already provided extraordinary natural light, remarkable volume and an uninterrupted connection to Middle Harbour. Our role was to complement those qualities with unique one-of-a-kind pieces of fine art and collectible design sourced from recent travels around the world."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=114246 project_image_fid=378694]

Among the collection are solid bronze sculptures by Lorenzo Quinn, alongside a curated crystalware collection and pieces sourced from international design fairs.

Park Residences sits opposite Cammeray Golf Club, Cammeray Croquet Club and Grand Slam Tennis Cammeray, around 300 metres from Neutral Bay Village and its established collection of restaurants, cafés and retail.

Brown said the combination of a whole-floor floorplan, northern aspect and proximity to Neutral Bay was becoming increasingly difficult to find on the Lower North Shore.

"Completed whole-floor penthouses with a sun-drenched north-facing aspect and sweeping Middle Harbour views are exceptionally rare," Brown said.

"Add a quiet position opposite golf, croquet and tennis facilities, a level walk to Neutral Bay Village and only minutes to the CBD, and you have a lifestyle that's incredibly difficult to replicate.

"This is a home that offers the privacy and generosity of a luxury residence together with the convenience of one of Sydney's best-connected harbourside locations."

The penthouse will be exclusively marketed by SRM Residential.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=114246]

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