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A mortgagee home in Woodroffe, an inner-city Darwin suburb of Palmerston, has come onto the market at $399,000. 
Located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nt-woodroffe-133571298">62 Sibbald Crescent</a>, the single-level residence features three-bedrooms and two-bathrooms. 
Comprising of 898sqm, the home is set on a large block with a sizeable rear lawn and established gardens. 
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/Screen%20Shot%202020-05-14%20at%201.59.15%20pm.png" alt="">
The property is located close to the Palmerston town centre, schools and shops. 
Ray White’s Korgan Hucent has the listing. 
The median house price for Woodroffe is $332,500, according to CoreLogic data. 
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Woodroffe home set for mortgagee sale 

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A contemporary family home in Victoria’s Glen Iris has hit the market with hopes of $3,500,000 to $3,850,000. 
The four-bedroom, three-bathroom home is located in a tree lined street among other premium properties.
Glorious garden views are offered by expansive windows that also draw natural light. 
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/Screen%20Shot%202020-05-14%20at%203.13.35%20pm.png" alt="">
The award-winning Bayon garden features a fire-pit, plumbed barbecue and undercover alfresco domain. 
Jellis Craig’s Andrew Luke and Damien Davis hold the listing. 
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Glen Iris trophy home with award-winning garden listed

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A stylish trophy home in Melbourne’s inner-suburb Kew has been listed for sale with a guide between $3,500,000 and $3,750,000. 
The four-bedroom, four-bathroom home is located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-kew-133044450">1/12 Mountain Grove</a>, under the canopy of a tree-lined cul-de-sac in the prestigious Sackville Ward. 
This award winning design by Virgon offers a three-level layout with secluded front gardens and open plan kitchen and dining. 
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/Screen%20Shot%202020-05-14%20at%203.47.10%20pm.png" alt="">
Located with immediate access to Glenferrie Road and Kew Junction, this home is situated in the heart of Melbourne’s leading schools. 
Rachael Fabbro and Paul Walker of RT Edgar hold the listing. 
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Award-winning Kew residence listed

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A Balwyn home has hit the market with $5 million hopes. 
With 925 sqm, the property features an astounding five-bedrooms and six-bathrooms and a grand entrance. 
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/Screen%20Shot%202020-05-14%20at%204.07.37%20pm.png" alt="">
An abundance of natural light fills the gas-heated indoor pool and spa to provide year round entertaining. 
The lavish home also offers premium features such as the private sauna, cinema room and Putting Green. 
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/Screen%20Shot%202020-05-14%20at%204.07.24%20pm.png" alt="">
Located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-balwyn-133499586">306 Union Road</a>, this home is just minutes from East Balwyn villages and the 109 tram, as well as Melbourne’s leading private schools. 
The home is listed by Nicholas Scott’s Rob Caniglia with a price guide of $4,950,000 to $5,445,000. 
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Balwyn trophy home hit the market seeking $5 million

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The NSW Government has today released its plan to provide a COVID-safe transport network.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said as restrictions are eased and people travel more, we need to ensure physical distancing is maintained across our public transport network.
Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance said for the foreseeable future, the public transport system could not run as usual, and the current low patronage levels were already close to the safe capacity in the peak.
“Everyone will need to maintain physical distancing during this pandemic,” Mr Constance said.
“That means if you are not already using public transport during the peak times, please do not use public transport during peak periods.”
The NSW Government’s COVIDSafe Transport Plan includes:
1. Avoiding peak travel: If you are not already using public transport in the peak, please do NOT use public transport in the peak. Services are already close to capacity to allow for distancing at these times. Off peak times are between 10am and 2pm;
2. Deep cleaning and more hand sanitisers: Intense and ongoing cleaning will occur throughout the transport network and there will be a continued rollout of hand sanitiser at key transport hubs, including at high demand stations;
3. Boosting parking: Special event-style parking arrangements will be in place at Moore Park for people who are able to drive to work. Other locations will be rolled out soon. In addition car park operators will be offering special deals for all day parking;
4. More cycling and walking options: The Government is working with councils on establishing pop-up cycleways and enhancing pedestrian access to allow more people to find alternative routes to work;
5. Physical distancing - ‘No dot, no spot’: Distinctive green dots will be used on trains, buses and ferries to show passengers the safest places to sit and stand. A ‘No dot, no spot’ will see passengers asked to wait for the next service. School children will be given priority access;
6. More data: Customers to be given real time information through Apps, social media and Transport Info to see which services have space available to maintain physical distancing; and
7. More services: Changes will be considered to increase services eg; more ferries, water taxis and private vehicle passenger services on the water.
Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance said cleaning continues to be ramped up, with an extra 132,000 hours of cleaning since March.
“The network has never been cleaner, however to maintain physical distancing you will continue to see fewer people on our network and we want people to continue to drive, cycle and walk whenever they can,” Mr Constance said.
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NSW Government released plan for COVID-safe public transport

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On Friday night Ray White Upper North Shore agent Lisa Davies broke the Lindfield suburb record with the sale of 9 Northcote Road to an overseas buyer in Hong Kong after an inspection via Facetime.
The five bedroom grand Federation property sold within two weeks of Ms Davies putting it online, having last traded for $4.45 million in 2008.
“There is such a limited amount of stock on the market but there’s definitely a lot of buyers looking. You simply cannot sell a secret,” Ms Davies said.
“You have to put it out there if you are selling. There’s huge demand from overseas buyers right now. This is the second property over $6 million that I have sold in the last three weeks to an overseas buyer. There’s a huge appetite for high end prestige homes."
The record breaking sale has now broken the top residential sale record in the suburb of Lindfield which stood at $6 million.
The Lindfield sale comes on the back of a similar successful campaign. Less than three weeks ago, Ms Davies sold a multi-million dollar house in nearby Killara, sight effectively unseen, to a buyer in Taipei via a Facetime inspection.
“After many hours on the phone over the Easter weekend I negotiated a sale price of $6.3 million for 23 Elva St Killara which was well above where the vendors thought the property may sell and reflective of prices we were seeing earlier in the year.”
The 1903 Lindfield home is set high in a prestigious east-side setting, which offers a spectacular lifestyle with proportions of living that are reserved for only the most remarkable of residences.
With its gated entry and substantial 1707 sqm block, pool and tennis court, the home is beautifully finished.
Bespoke interiors feature every luxury extra including a gym, wine cellar and decadent whole floor master retreat.
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Federation Lindfield trophy home sold over the phone at record breaking price

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This week, 400 capital city homes were scheduled for auction, with preliminary results returning a 64.0 per cent clearance rate, according to CoreLogic data.
Volumes were down as last week saw 480 homes scheduled for auction and a final clearance rate of 59.9 per cent while one year ago, there were 930 homes taken to auction and a 55.2 per cent clearance rate.
It is important to interpret clearance rates with caution given auction volumes remain substantially lower than usual due to the ongoing health pandemic.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2020/5/18/CL%20MAY%2018.JPG" target="_blank">Click here to enlarge</a>:
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2020/5/18/CL%20MAY%2018.JPG" alt="">
Sydney, one of Australia’s largest auction markets, returned a preliminary clearance rate of 73.4%, suggesting the relaxation in social distancing policies specific to housing are having an immediate and positive impact on home auctions, although the number of auctions remains well down on last year.
It saw 193 auctions scheduled this week compared to 2016 last week when Sydney saw a success rate of 66.3 per cent.
 
In Melbourne, 118 homes were scheduled to go under the hammer this week. So far 93 auctions have been reported, returning a preliminary success rate of 60.2 per cent.
The previous week saw a final clearance rate of 56.5 per cent across 163 auctions.
As mentioned over the previous week, with restrictions easing across many states and territories, we will likely see the number of homes taken to auction increase in the coming weeks.
The smaller auction markets saw little change with Canberra the busiest at 41 auctions followed by Brisbane with 28.
The highest confirmed residential auction sale in Sydney from yesterday was 68 Moruben Road, Mosman (pictured in title) which is reported to have sold for $7,500,000.
That five bedroom, four bathroom house sits on an 850 sqm block.
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Mid-May auction clearance rates rise while volumes shrink pre-COVID-19 winter hibernation

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The Australian Institute of Architects has recognised the outstanding efforts of both architectural practitioners and advocates for the profession with the awarding of its 2020 National Prizes. 
Awarded annually since 1960, previous Gold Medal winners include some of Australia’s most recognisable architectural names including Robin Boyd, Jørn Utzon, Harry Seidler, Romaldo Giurgola and Glenn Murcutt.The Institute’s most prestigious honour, the Gold Medal, is this year being awarded to the man known as the ‘architect’s architect’, Mr John Wardle. The Jury described John as a most worthy candidate for this highest accolade, a man who, ‘across the nation he has restored faith in what architects do best – the design of buildings that function well and please hand and eye.’
John’s craft is recognisable right around the country on projects of varying scale, from single family homes such as the Kitamura house in Kew to large-scale institutional and commercial buildings such as the Queensland Brain Institute (2004-2007) in Brisbane, or the Jane Foss Russell Building in Sydney (2009). The Jury notes that these and John’s other projects ‘exemplify the national impact of Wardle’s personal project of raising the public status of architectural design.’
From his Melbourne-based studio founded in 1986, the Jury described John as having created a practice ‘of national stature and international repute; a practice where design excellence takes the prime position in every single project and at every scale.’ His practice has won numerous state Institute awards for architectural excellence in Victoria, South Australia, and Queensland as well as at the national level. This peer recognition ‘reinforces the view of John Wardle as an architect whose contribution to the development of Australian architecture has been distinguished and substantial.’  
The ongoing advocacy and achievements of the City of Sydney’s Lord Mayor Clover Moore have been celebrated with the awarding of the 2020 President's Prize. Applauded as a ‘vocal advocate of quality architecture, progressive policies and ambitious action on climate change’, National President Professor Helen Lochheadsaid Councillor Moore’s ‘vision and leadership over 30 years, has systematically transformed the City of Sydney into one of our most liveable cities.’ Councillor Moore is Sydney’s longest-serving Lord Mayor, who Professor Lochhead said understands, appreciates and champions the intrinsic value of architecture. ‘Under her leadership, the City of Sydney has developed a global reputation, delivering award-winning buildings, open spaces and transport infrastructure, instituting design excellence as public policy, supporting creative industries and initiating progressive solutions to complex social and environmental challenges,’ Professor Lochhead said.
As an educator, advocate, practising architect, executive director, media commentator and project manager this year’s 2020 Leadership in Sustainability Prize winner Stephen Choi wears many hats but his passion for sustainable design is the constant underpinning his diverse career. Recognised by the Jury for his ‘ability to take the principles to practice’, they commended Stephen for his long-term advocacy and engagement ‘to enable delivery of change within sustainability across multiple areas of the value chain.’ Stephen is currently Executive Director of Living Future Institute of Australia and the Living Building Challenge Manager for Fraser's Brickworks which is aiming to be the world's most sustainable shopping centre, and first to achieve the Living Building Challenge™.
Parlour – a driving force behind national, and increasingly international, change in policy, structure and attitudes towards women in architecture – is the recipient of this year’s Paula Whitman Leadership in Gender Equity Prize. Their work combines research, education, advocacy and engagement leading the Jury to describe Parlour as ‘synonymous with gender equity in architecture’. The Jury commended ‘Parlour’s compelling and wide-reaching projects work to transform architecture into a more equitable and robust profession demonstrating outstanding leadership.’
The 2020 Student Prize for the Advancement of Architecture has been awarded to University of Adelaide architecture student Chantelle Fry for her proven leadership and commitment to fostering student engagement, while showcasing their work to the wider architectural community. Described by the Jury as a ‘passionate advocate for her fellow students’ they commended her for her openness, integrity and genuineness. 
The 2020 Jury comprised:
<ul>
<li>Professor Helen Lochhead LFRAIA (Chair)– National President, Australian Institute of Architects | Dean, UNSW Built Environment </li>
<li>Clare Cousins FRAIA – Immediate Past President, Australian Institute of Architects | Director, Clare Cousins Architects </li>
<li>Geoffrey London LFRAIA – Professor of Architecture, University of Western Australia  </li>
<li>Peter Elliott AM LFRAIA – 2017 Gold Medallist | Principal, Peter Elliott Architecture and Urban Design </li>
<li>Wendy Lewin FRAIA – Principal, Wendy Lewin Architect</li>
</ul>
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Australian architects and advocates celebrated with awarding of 2020 National Prizes 

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Kristina Keneally, Labor’s home affairs spokesperson, is calling for a <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/do-we-want-migrants-to-return-in-the-same-numbers-the-answer-is-no-20200501-p54p2q" target="_blank" style="font-family: Tahoma, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.15999984741211px;">reset on migration</a> as we emerge from the coronavirus crisis.
She noted in an article over the weekend that migration had been responsible for “over half of Australia’s economic growth” since 2005.
However, she argued that in a post-COVID environment with a sluggish economy, we need to focus instead on skilling up Australian workers to perform the jobs in the health, hospitality and other industries that have been the focus of skilled migration in recent times.
Many economists <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/migrants-don-t-actually-threaten-australian-workers-jobs-new-analysis-reveals" target="_blank">disagree</a> with Keneally’s connection between migration and the availability of local jobs. They point out that migrant workers contribute to overall economic growth, leading to a net increase in new jobs available for local workers.
There is also a risk that, despite her best intentions, Keneally’s rhetoric of “Australians first” will feed nationalist, anti-immigration sentiments that have no relationship to the economy and job opportunities.
<h2>A review of our migration intake is overdue</h2>
Keneally is right to call for a review of “the shape and size” of our migration intake, although not in the way she was suggesting.
At the top of this review should be a consideration of the balance between the two major streams of our migration program – skilled migrants and family migrants.
Current immigration policy favours skilled over family migrants, significantly underestimating the importance of family for the well-being and potentially the productivity of new migrants, as well as Australia’s long-term national interests.
In <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/BriefingBook45p/MigrationFlows" target="_blank">1995-96</a>, permanent migration was comprised of 58% family, 25% skilled and 17% humanitarian migrants. A decade later, the overall migrant make-up had changed dramatically: 62% skilled, 29% family and 9% humanitarian.
These proportions have remained about the same ever since. In <a href="https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/research-and-stats/files/report-migration-program-2018-19.pdf" target="_blank">2018-19</a>, there were 109,713 migrants (62%) in the skilled stream, 47,247 (27%) in the family stream and 18,762 (11%) in the humanitarian stream.
At the same time, <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/language/english/all-work-no-stay-australia-s-shift-towards-temporary-migration" target="_blank">temporary migration</a> of short-term skilled workers, working holiday makers, international students and New Zealanders on temporary special category visas has risen dramatically to over 1.2 million in <a href="https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/research-and-stats/files/temp-entrants-aust-31-dec-2016.pdf" target="_blank">December 2016</a>.
If all temporary migrants with work rights had a job, they would constitute over <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-27/fact-check-one-in-ten-workers-temporary-visas/9572062?nw=0" target="_blank">10% of the Australian workforce</a>.
<h2>Immigration is about relationships</h2>
Preferencing skilled migrants over family migrants is the inverse of the US, where most migrants come via <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/05/17/key-facts-about-u-s-immigration-policies-and-proposed-changes/" target="_blank">family connections</a>. Unlike Australia, this also includes the potential for migrants to <a href="https://www.uscis.gov/family/family-us-citizens/bringing-siblings-live-united-states-permanent-residents" target="_blank">sponsor siblings</a>.
What is sometimes lost in Australia, with a single-minded focus on migration to boost the economy, is that immigration is not only about economic growth. It is also about relationships.
Permanent migrants are future citizens. Migration builds community, and the ability of migrants to sponsor their broader family will deepen their connections and commitment to Australia.
The family migration program enables Australians to sponsor parents and children living overseas, partners, and in some cases their remaining relatives.
One of the effects of our focus on skilled migration has been the increase of new migrants with no extended family in Australia.
Although skilled worker visas allow for partners and children to accompany them, there is no provision for extended family. This makes these migrants potentially more vulnerable and isolated, less committed to Australia and, <a href="https://www.iom.int/sites/default/files/our_work/ICP/IDM/RB24ENGWEB.PDF" target="_blank">some have suggested</a>, less productive as workers.
If they were allowed to enter Australia, these extended family members could offer emotional support and practical assistance to their loved ones working here, such as child care.
Most temporary migrant workers, meanwhile, have no entitlement to be accompanied by any family at all. Only some international students can have family accompany them as a support person while they <a href="https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-finder/study">study</a>.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/332277/original/file-20200504-83779-o1m3c3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Kristina Keneally says Australia needs ‘a migration program that puts Australian workers first’. Lukas Coch/AAP
<h2>A growing waiting list for partners and parents</h2>
The difficulty skilled migrants have sponsoring their parents to migrate to Australia provides a dramatic example of just how restrictive current family migration options are.
In 2018-19, just 1,218 non-contributory parent visas were granted out of tens of thousands of applicants. The waiting period is <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/language/english/new-twist-to-parent-visa-waiting-periods-will-get-longer_1" target="_blank">at least 30 years</a>, longer than many of these parents have left to live.
The <a href="https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/parent-103#About" target="_blank">home affairs website</a> no longer provides waiting times, stating only
family migration visas are in high demand. It might take many years for this visa to be granted.
The waiting time for partner visas for all Australian citizens and permanent residents has also grown as the number of allocated placements has been cut. The home affairs <a href="https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/partner-onshore/permanent-801" target="_blank">website</a> currently says 90% of applicants will be processed in 21 months.
Migration numbers are destined to drop dramatically as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-21. When the economy and our borders open up, there is an opportunity to reflect on what is the best balance of skilled and family migration.
Attracting the most accomplished skilled migrants will undoubtedly continue to be a driver of migration policy.
However, in choosing numbers in the skilled and family streams, it is also vital the government factor in the role of extended family for the well-being and productivity of migrant workers, as well as the importance of family for community cohesion and a migrant’s sense of connection and commitment to Australia.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/137783/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alex-reilly-99355" target="_blank">Alex Reilly</a>, Professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-adelaide-1119" target="_blank">University of Adelaide</a>
This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/yes-it-is-time-to-rethink-our-immigration-intake-to-put-more-focus-on-families-137783" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Yes, it is time to rethink our immigration intake – to put more focus on families

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Until a trans-Tasman travel bubble is <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-04/trans-tasman-bubble-coronavirus-what-might-happen-next/12212580" target="_blank">established</a>, there is little doubt the New Zealand tourism industry will <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/413845/covid-19-domestic-travellers-eyed-to-keep-tourism-sector-viable-after-lockdown" target="_blank">rely entirely</a> on domestic travel post-COVID-19.
Without underplaying the impact the pandemic will have on discretionary spending in both countries, however, there may be a silver lining to the crisis.
New Zealand is in the fortunate position of having an <a href="https://tia.org.nz/about-the-industry/quick-facts-and-figures/" target="_blank">already strong</a> domestic tourism sector. Domestic tourists spent NZ$23.7 billion annually (or NZ$65 million a day) pre-COVID-19, compared to a total spend of NZ$12.7 billion (or NZ$47 million a day) by international visitors. <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://openrepository.aut.ac.nz/handle/10292/11857" target="_blank">Research</a> pre-COVID-19 showed 65% of New Zealanders wanted to explore more of their country, a figure expected to increase.
True, New Zealanders generally don’t have the deep pockets international tourists have. Their higher overall spend is a reflection of their numbers, not their bank balances. But with the big ticket tourist attractions now missing the bigger spenders, the market will rule.
Regional tourism organisations, attractions and operators may need to rethink their offerings and their pricing. While tramping the <a href="https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/things-to-do/walking-and-tramping/great-walks/" target="_blank">great walks</a> may be perfectly affordable for a family of four, taking the family on a whale watch, a bungy jump or a cruise on Milford Sound may not be – especially as parts of one big holiday. Indeed, it has been found that <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://openrepository.aut.ac.nz/handle/10292/11857" target="_blank">price</a> is the major decision-making factor for 30% of New Zealanders when it comes to holidays.
So this is also an opportunity to give New Zealanders back a piece of the summer pie – not only for the COVID-19 recovery but in the longer term. Summers have tended to be characterised by a large influx of international tourists, with Kiwis settling for shoulder seasons (and unfavourable weather) to tramp the famous tracks when they are <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/99088942/tourists-outnumber-new-zealanders-on-the-great-walks--and-the-gaps-growing" target="_blank">less crowded</a>.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/331898/original/file-20200501-42929-8lze50.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Attractions such as the famous Shotover Jet near Queenstown may have to adjust costs to suit Kiwi pockets. www.shutterstock.com
But domestic tourists who have grown accustomed to off-peak holidays away from high-cost destinations will soon tip the scales. Now is the time for operators to win back their hearts.
With New Zealand’s gradual easing of its strict lockdown (possibly to the stage of allowing non-essential travel by mid-May), tourism can clearly support the economic revival of local communities. The challenge is how to reinvent New Zealand tourism as an initially purely domestic industry.
Overall, only a handful of New Zealand destinations have depended entirely on international tourists. These also happen to be the places most heavily associated with overtourism in the past. Given that the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14616688.2020.1759131" target="_blank">growth model</a> driven by short-term, dollars-first business thinking has led to an <a href="https://www.noted.co.nz/money/money-economy/nz-tourists-should-we-limit-number-visitors" target="_blank">unsustainable</a> tourism market, might this also be a chance to restore some equilibrium?
That will mean no more killing the goose that lays the <a href="https://www.pce.parliament.nz/publications/pristine-popular-imperilled-the-environmental-consequences-of-projected-tourism-growth" target="_blank">golden egg</a>. Some hotspots, such as the <a href="https://www.tongarirocrossing.org.nz/" target="_blank">Tongariro Alpine Crossing</a> and <a href="https://www.thecoromandel.com/activities/must-do/hot-water-beach/" target="_blank">Coromandel’s Hot Water Beach</a> may be managed by restricting visitor numbers.
Such strategies have long been in place in other places, such as the <a href="https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/fiordland/places/fiordland-national-park/things-to-do/tracks/milford-track/" target="_blank">booking requirement</a> for the Milford Track. We have also seen tremendous problems associated with too many cruise ships in too small places. Akaroa is a prime example, and limiting both the number of visits and the size of vessels may be a feasible <a href="https://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=2018685520" target="_blank">future strategy</a>.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/331899/original/file-20200501-42929-1nm13fy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
A cruise liner arrives at tiny Akaroa in the South Island: limiting the number of visits to small centres has already been proposed. www.shutterstock.com
As part of our own research (yet to be published) into the pressing issues of overtourism we conducted interviews with various tourism stakeholders around New Zealand, including city and regional councils, the Department of Conservation, residents and operators. This took place just before New Zealand’s strictest lockdown level was imposed, without any real foreknowledge of the eventual economic impact of COVID-19.
Nonetheless, our interviewees shared very similar sentiments when it came to how the industry can evolve sustainably only if New Zealanders themselves embrace the behaviours they expect (and sometimes demand) of foreign tourists. According to our subjects, too many Kiwis still hold on to a past when the country’s population was half its current size and SUVs and large motorhomes didn’t crowd the roads and parking lots.
Initiatives such as the <a href="https://tiakinewzealand.com/" target="_blank">Tiaki Promise</a>, which promote environmental and cultural sensitivity to tourists, have largely targeted international visitors. These now need to turn the lens inwards so that Kiwis become better ambassadors within their own backyard.
Kiwis love their country, but they will now need to truly discover what it has to offer, not only for a weekend of tramping or a quick getaway, but for their main summer holiday. And they will have to become better kaitiaki (or guardians) of their homeland in the process.
The absence of international tourists will be a huge challenge, but also an opportunity. If we get it right, when those foreign visitors are allowed to return (most likely at first from Australia) we will have found ways to grow – or limit – their numbers and their expectations so that our tourism industry can thrive as well as survive.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/137256/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sabrina-seeler-744896" target="_blank">Sabrina Seeler</a>, Postdoctoral Researcher, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/nord-university-3607" target="_blank">Nord University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-lueck-804450" target="_blank">Michael Lueck</a>, Professor of Tourism, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/auckland-university-of-technology-1137" target="_blank">Auckland University of Technology</a>
This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-coronavirus-survival-challenge-for-nz-tourism-affordability-and-sustainability-137256" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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The coronavirus survival challenge for NZ tourism: affordability and sustainability

<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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[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360981]

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377680]

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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