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A trophy home in Queensland’s Gold Coast has sold for $4.6 million on the first inspection.
Located at 2 Charlton Street, the Southport home was located at on a 1,250 sqm block set against a parklike setting.
The seven-bedroom, eight-bathroom property offers two fireplaces, outdoor entertaining terraces and water views.
Other features of the residence is the home cinema, two studies and multiple formal living and dining areas.
The prestigious TSS Southport precinct property was marketed by Ray White’s Sam Guo and Julia Kuo.
A pool, cabana, sauna and external shower compliment the Hamptons-style feel of the home.
The vendor was Fiona Jackson who acquired the property in 2013, a mother and businesswoman who has worked for a royal family in the Middle East.
It has been on and off the market since 2015, according to CoreLogic.
The home is only a short distance from Gold Coast beaches, the Southport Marina and Brickworks Village.
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Southport mansion sells for $4.6 million

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A retreat surrounded by rainforests in Northern New South Wales has hit the market with $2.9 million hopes. 
It has been listed by Carol Carter from Queensland Sotheby’s International Realty Main Beach.  
Positioned on near 53 hectares of unspoiled environment, <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-acreage+semi-rural-nsw-urliup-134551258" target="_blank">1110 Urliup Road, Urliup</a> comprises a three-bedroom main residence and three self-contained villas. 
The main residence features expansive living areas, well-equipped kitchen, wooden ceilings and natural timber floors.  The trio of accompanying one-bedroom options, which currently serve as holiday rentals, is designed to incorporate distinct reflections of the natural environment.
<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/2020/10/10/urliup%202.jpg" alt=""> The Waterfall Villa is nestled in the heart of Urliup’s bush range and comes with an outdoor alfresco area.
The Fountain View Villa boasts a open-plan bedroom/living area, a rainfall shower and double chromotherapy spa bath.
The he Mountain View Villa is a bush paradise lined with decor from the hinterland surrounds.
<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/2020/10/10/urliup%203.jpg" alt=""> The retreat is a 30-minute drive from the Gold Coast International Airport, and is close to restaurants and cafes of Murwillumbah. Nearby coastal attractions include the renowned Husk Distillers and Tweed Regional Gallery.   The area also encompasses a range of culinary options, such as Paper Daisy at Halcyon House, Fins at Salt Village and the Greek-inspired Taverna at Kingscliff.  
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Northern NSW rainforest retreat hits the market

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A riverfront Yeronga, Queensland trophy home has been listed without a price guide.
The five bedroom, five bathroom abode is being marketed by Heath Williams and Nick Hurwood of Place.
Situated at 363 Brisbane Corso, the tri-level home fronts the Brisbane River.
Set on 916 sqm, it features two swimming pools and a private boat pontoon.
Other features include full-height stacked glass sliding doors opening out to a covered balcony which capture sweeping Brisbane River views as well as a ground-level rumpus or games room equipped with a bar, a projector and a linked balcony.
It is located seven kilometres from the CBD.
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Yeronga trophy home fronting the Brisbane River listed

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Cushman &amp; Wakefield’s National Investment Sales Team has been appointed to sell a portfolio of alternative investment assets across New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, that are expected to sell for a total of approximately $60 million when they go under the hammer on 10 December in Sydney.
The portfolio comprises 15 freestanding investments across the popular sectors of fast food, fuel and convenience retail and childcare. The fast food assets, situated in suburban and regional locations across the east coast, offer long term leases to major brands including Hungry Jacks, McDonald’s and KFC.
Seven childcare centres are up for grabs in strategic New South Wales and Queensland locations. A NAB retail bank branch in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, and a Mitre 10 in Airlie Beach, Queensland complete the portfolio.
The auction is expected to be led by a fast food and convenience retail investment on the Gold Coast jointly leased by United Petroleum and ASX Listed Collins Foods (KFC) with a price guide upwards of $8.5 million. In addition, a Dee Why property occupied by KFC for the last 30 years is anticipated to be hotly contested and sell for in excess of $6 million.
A brand-new facility in Brisbane with a 20-year initial lease term as well as a centre in the Campbelltown region of Sydney will lead the childcare offerings.
Cushman &amp; Wakefield’s National Investment Sales team of Michael Collins, Tom Moreland, Aaron Dahl, Yosh Mendis, Geoff Sinclair, Ryan Cross and Billy Dent are managing the sales campaign with the auction of all 15 assets to be held on December 10 at Doltone House, Sydney, and live streamed via Auction Now with live bidding rooms in Brisbane and Melbourne.
The upcoming auction follows the sale of 12 assets for more than $60 million as part of Cushman &amp; Wakefield’s November portfolio auction.
Cushman &amp; Wakefield’s Head of National Investment Sales, Michael Collins, said: “We continue to see the market for private investment strengthen, given the sheer weight of capital targeting defensive assets and yield. The results of our recent portfolio auction show that the appetite among high net worth investors for properties with long term leases and blue-chip tenants continues to grow.”
Cushman &amp; Wakefield’s Associate Director, Tom Moreland, added: “We anticipate a huge level of interest in the upcoming auction, particularly as fast food properties have continued to be one of the best performing assets during the pandemic. Childcare centres also remain high on investor’s wish lists due to the strong Government support provided at the start of COVID-19, with many investors viewing the sector as highly resilient.”
Michael Collins added: “The portfolio coming to market in December is one of the most geographically diverse we’ve seen in 2020 with properties spanning metro, suburban and regional locations up and down the east coast of Australia.”
December 2020 portfolio: • United Petroleum and KFC – 195 Old Coach Road, Upper Coomera (Gold Coast) QLD • Mitre 10 – 2 Carlo Drive, Cannonvale (Airlie Beach) QLD • McDonald’s – 22 New England Highway (Kelly Street), Scone (Hunter Valley) NSW • KFC – 36 Fisher Road, Dee Why (Sydney) NSW • Hungry Jack’s – 15 Commercial Drive, Springfield (Brisbane) QLD • Mobil and Zambrero – 147-153 New England Highway (Bridge Street), Muswellbrook (Hunter Valley) NSW • Ampol Australia Petroleum and Smokin’ Joe’s Pizza &amp; Grill – 250 Epping Road, Wollert (Melbourne) VIC • CBD Restaurant Development Opportunity – Lot 1, 1 Kings Cross Road, Darlinghurst (Sydney) NSW • Paper Planes (Childcare)– 2 Avondale Drive, Thornton (Greater Newcastle) NSW • Play &amp; Learn (Childcare) – 57 Kinross Road, Thornlands (Brisbane) QLD • Open Arms (Childcare) – 122 Dickens Road, Campbelltown (Greater Sydney) NSW • Banora Point ELC (Childcare) – 38 Woodlands Drive, Banora Point (Tweed Heads) NSW • Paisley Park Early Education (Childcare) – 18 Woongool Road, Maryborough QLD • Evolve Education (Childcare) – 100 Callum Street, Cairns QLD • NAB – 72 Baylis Street, Wagga Wagga NSW
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Seven NSW & Queensland childcare centres listed for commercial auction

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Buyers in the prestige sector can probably choose to live in any of Australia’s major capitals, but those who select Brisbane are often pleased at the calibre received at that price point, according to the November report from valuation firm Herron Todd White.
HTW found that back toward the end of last year and heading into 2020, there were early signs the market was about to surge, particularly for detached housing in the inner-city. But the pandemic saw property markets slow from March through to July, with transaction numbers grinding to a crawl.
Owners who didn’t need to sell their homes were holding off listing and buyers, who were filled with uncertainty, were also scarce, however, this seems to have turned a corner in recent months.
David Notley, HTW's Brisbane Director said, "Queensland’s successful suppression of the virus coupled with our functioning economy has resulted in more action across the prestige sector from August through to present. And it looks to be sustainable, with our market sources saying current activity is similar in Queensland momentum to that experienced prior to the pandemic’s grip. It also appears that prices are holding… and even increasing in some instances. Many will be surprised by this result."
"Typically, an anxiety-inducing global event like COVID-19 would have severe impacts on the property market, and the prestige sector in particular given the discretionary nature of its buyers and sellers. Instead, Brisbane’s upper-price sector has remained resilient. There’s good demand from local owner-occupiers of course, but interest from interstate appears to be surging too. It seems the chance to relocate to our city, with its excellent lifestyle and relative freedoms (compared to Melbourne, for example) is a magnet for the moneyed up. In fact, once state borders open fully, there’s widespread expectation we’ll see an even stronger market in these upper price points with new Queenslanders looking to come on up and settle both in our capital and on the coasts."
"Digging down a little and a comparison of prestige property performance in 2020 to the 2019 calendar year reveals very similar numbers of sales in that upper price echelon. Our analysis shows that in Brisbane there were 15 detached dwelling sales above $5 million during 2019. In 2020 to date, there have been 10 confirmed sales with another seven under contract."
"It’s worth factoring in that 2019 wasn’t a standout year in the $5-million-plus bracket. This was the result of a number of macro financial changes instigated by Australian regulators which constrained available credit, the impact of the recent Royal Commission into the banking sector and the implementation of its findings, the unsure nature of the federal election in early 2019 and the negative media emerging from the southern states throughout this period."
"The outcome in 2019 was longer selling and marketing periods for properties and, in some instances, a softening in asking prices. But 2020 has proved resilient – even sparkling – and there is an optimism in the air about the coming year. Let’s hope it proves out," Mr Notley concluded.
Here are a few examples of $4 million-plus apartment sales in Brisbane this year.
350/1 Newstead Terrace, Newstead is under contract for $7.35 million. This fifth-level penthouse is in Pier South.
The property is a fourbedroom, four-bathroom, four-car apartment with a total area of 527 square metres. Apart from the usual high-end fitout and spectacular river views, the Pier South development comes with an onsite concierge service… as you do.
Another cracking sale was 3511/30 Hollins Crescent, New Farm which is under contract for $4.81 million. This is a fifth level apartment in the Mitchell building with views taking in the CBD, Story Bridge and the Brisbane River. The apartment is over 350 square metres in area and provides four-bed, threebath, four-car accommodation.
Also on the luxury apartment list is 3/81 Moray Street, New Farm which sold this year for $4.8 million. The property is on level three of the AQUILA development which has a total of ten one-per-floor residences. It has a prime location, luxe fitout and sweeping CBD views available.
The apartment provides for four-bed, three-bath, three-car accommodation all across 418 square metres of living area.
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Brisbane prestige market surge has arrived as forecast: HTW

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Geelong’s property market is diverse and consists of a variety of property types appealing to all sorts of buyers, according to the November report from valuation firm Herron Todd White.
HTW found that residential property in Geelong has continued to exceed expectations as it becomes an increasingly desirable place to live. This has become evident with suburbs across the region breaking sales records throughout the year.
Lorne has recorded a new residential sales record with 1 Roadknight Street selling for $7.25 million earlier this year. Three bidders competed for the property in a private auction. Set on a north-facing 1,800 square metre block, the architectural home designed by Spaces Design Group and built by GD Constructions offers a private, resort-like compound with five-bedrooms and five-living spaces.
Lorne has proven to be one of the most sought-after locations, recording its second highest ever residential sale when 77-79 Smith Street sold for $5.75 million in March. The suburb has seen six properties exceed the $2 million mark across the year.
Opportunities to buy in Lorne are present in a number of off the plan residential developments including...
There are xxx developments available or soon to be across Lorne.
One property in Jan Juc recently hit the open market, 7 Seahaven Place. It is architect-designed and offers panoramic ocean views.
Tipped to sell for roughly $4 million, it features a U-shaped design.
Closer to the city centre, the highest current listing is 27 The Esplanade. Known as Carmyle, the property sits on Geelong’s front row, with uninterrupted waterfront views, situated on a 1,500 square metre block.
Built in 1929, the art deco influence is prevalent with period details throughout and is currently listed at $4.5 million.
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Geelong prestige property continues to break records: HTW

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Victoria’s 711ha master-planned community, Woodlea, has recorded a sell-out of its four townhouse releases.
Despite Melbourne lockdown, Porter Davis and Mirvac sold out each of the 35 townhomes over the four releases within weeks of their launch.
A total of 200 townhouses within the development have sold to date.
Woodlea’s success can be attributed to its $65,000 initiative that combines government incentives for first home buyers with a $20,000 Visa gift card.
Hoping to follow this trend, Mirvac has announced the launch of its Central Quarter project within the master-planned community’s new town centre precinct, home to a $45 million town centre opening in March 2021.
A total of nine three- and four-bedroom townhouses will be available in the release.
Its features include a double garage, private backyards and a flexi-home office study as developers cater to the increased desire for working from home space.
Woodlea’s Central Quarter will commence ROI on November 9 and will follow a first-come, first-served basis.
The turn-key homes are central to Woodlea’s array of transport, shopping and education facilities, and is located a 29 minute commute from Melbourne CBD.
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Master-planned community, Woodlea has sold out 4 releases

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90 per cent of stage one sell-out at newly completed Erskineville’s Park Sydney as residents move in.
Stage one of the joint venture by Greenland Australia and GH Australia launched last week with the developers confirming that over 297 residences in the 330-apartment project have sold to date.
A limited mix of apartments remain available in Botany and Cascade, two eight-storey buildings at on the corner of Mitchell Road and Ashmore Street.
<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/2020/NOV/23/Park%20Sydney%204.jpg" alt="">
Designed by WMK Architecture and Alexander &amp; CO, residences in Botany and Cascade offer large sliding doors, natural timber finishes and high ceilings.
The timber composite panels express verticality, the project’s marketing reads, with angled feature balconies and concrete slabs offering exteriors with a strong sense of character.
Upon completion of the project’s additional stages, Park Sydney is expected to comprise approximately 1,400 apartments.
<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/2020/NOV/23/Park%202.jpg" alt="">
Park Sydney is one of Sydney’s largest urban renewal projects, with stage one including the development of 5,000sqm of retail, including 1,600sqm Woolworths Metro, plus future food, beverage and lifestyle retail.
“Park Sydney’s first stage is an indicator of what is to come for this new community, which will revitalise this part of Erskineville and eventually provide homes for nearly 3,000 people”, said Greenland’s managing director, Sherwood Luo.
Once the project’s future stages have been completed, Park Sydney will offer 10,000sqm of retail amenities.
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90 per cent of stage one sold at the newly completed Erskineville’s Park Sydney

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A Cremorne Point, NSW garden apartment has been sold for $7.4 million.
The three-bedroom, two-bathroom trophy apartment was sold in early November.
Situated at G01/26 Cremorne Road, Belle Property agents Matthew Smythe and Mark Ryan marketed the abode.
Set on 687 sqm, this ground floor residence is a part of PBD architects latest St Ives project.
The home was a UDIA NSW Crown Group Awards for Excellence 2020 Finalist and despite being on the ground floor still holds strong Mosman Bay and harbour views.
Resting a stroll from foreshore walks and the ferry, it features a private and expansive master wing with superb views, full laundry and an enormous basement level wine cellar and/or storage with automatic hatch door, among other amenities
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Cremorne garden apartment sold for $7.4 million

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<div>Quarter 1 of 2020 saw an atypical level of transactions (compared to the 2019 calendar year) within the prestige sector of the Southern Highlands, with sale prices remaining relatively static and no signs of major change in the high end residential and rural lifestyle segment, according to the November report from valuation firm Herron Todd White.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>They found that Quarter 2 of 2020 saw the ripple effects of COVID-19 when the start of the lockdown in late March brought with it an unexpectedly positive impact on the prestige market for the Southern Highlands as the area was discovered predominantly by Sydney purchasers seeking a family home, secondary residence or weekender style of accommodation and lifestyle buyers seeking relief from the urban and inner city living environment. 
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>HTW Property valuer, Tim Stevens said, "we had reasonably foreseen this upward trend over the medium term (six months) for the region as working from home became more common due to technological advancements and many employees being unable to attend their normal Sydney offices."</div>
<div> </div>
<div>"What we didn’t foresee, but makes sense, is buyers flocking to the Southern Highlands region to take advantage of the lifestyle NOW given that overseas travel and family holidays are off the agenda for most of 2021 at this point. The impact of this upward trend became very evident early on in the COVID-19 pandemic and is showing no signs of abatement up to the present time."</div>
<div> </div>
<div>"Quarter 2 and Quarter 3 of 2020 have seen multiple sales above $3 million and days on market for this segment have continued to contract to a matter of weeks now for well-located properties. This has been clearly evidenced by a number of older listings which had been on the market for over six months gaining traction and finally selling during this period."</div>
<div> </div>
<div>By way of example, notable sales included two prestige properties in Burradoo which sold for in excess of $4.75 million dollars each after languishing on the market for the better part of a year.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>HTW speculate that a large reason for the surge in activity in the $3 million plus sector is due to families in Sydney seeing extremely good value for money in the Southern Highlands. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Typically, $3 million wouldn’t be considered the prestige end of the market in Sydney, so when home owners from the Lower North Shore and Eastern Suburbs sell up and realise the scale of improvements and land size they can obtain for relatively similar money.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Another recent example was a $4 million plus rural residential purchase in Berrima by an eastern suburbs family which saw an agreed contract price with one prospective purchaser and an additional two families waiting in line to snap up the property in the event the sales agreement failed to close. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Mr Stevens said, "the question for our prestige market as we move into Quarter 4 of 2020 and beyond is about continued demand and buyer depth and whether the current move to regional hubs will be sustained, thereby driving continued price growth."</div>
<div> </div>
<div>"For now, we can certainly see it continuing and it could well be that this push has been a long time coming, with recent events being the final straw for a number of urban dwellers to discover or rediscover the Southern Highlands and the benefits accruing from a rural and regional lifestyle," he concluded.</div>
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Southern Highlands prestige market sees COVID-19 induced surge: HTW

&nbsp;

Developer GURNER™ Group has revealed $1.65 billion in residential sales nationally across the 12 months to December 2025, driven largely by the continued momentum of its Docklands wellness-focused precinct, Elysium Fields.

The sales result was generated across seven projects in Victoria and New South Wales, headlined by Elysium Fields, GURNER™’s $2.75 billion mixed-use precinct planned for Harbour Esplanade in Docklands.

The project has recorded more than $500 million in sales across the first three towers, equating to around 580 apartments sold.

The first tower, Helios, has now sold out of its 240 private residences, with GURNER™ preparing to release a premium penthouse collection comprising 15 three-bedroom penthouses in coming weeks.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370975]

Elysium Fields is being developed on the long-held 20,000 sqm Docklands site at 208-226 Harbour Esplanade, which had remained undeveloped for more than two decades prior to GURNER™ taking over the project around four years ago.

Construction has now commenced across four towers ranging between 18 and 30 storeys, with Hamilton Marino and Maxcon appointed as builders.

Once complete, the precinct is expected to comprise around 1,100 residences, alongside retail, hospitality and public realm uses integrated throughout the site.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370981]

Designed by Fraser &amp; Partners in collaboration with GURNER™ Design House, the project has been positioned around the developer’s broader focus on wellness-led residential living.

“We don’t sell apartments. We create a true luxury lifestyle that simply doesn’t exist elsewhere in the market today,” Founder and Executive Chairman Tim Gurner said.

“To deliver that requires an extraordinary level of detail, coordination and discipline across multiple verticals, from design and hospitality through to wellness and service.”

“We’ve always believed that living extends far beyond the physical residence. It’s about how you feel the moment you arrive, how you live day-to-day, and the ecosystem that supports that.” 
[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370977]

The project’s design places a heavy focus on landscaping, wellness amenities and biophilic design principles.

Plans include around 3,700 sqm of landscaped gardens and open space throughout the precinct, alongside a retail and dining offering spanning approximately 5,000 sqm.

The broader public realm strategy centres around what GURNER™ describes as the “Path of Life”, an urban forest and landscaped pedestrian environment intended to connect the various buildings and wellness spaces across the precinct.

The apartments themselves will incorporate a range of wellness-focused inclusions, including purified air and water systems, circadian lighting, antimicrobial surfaces, and optional in-home wellness upgrades.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370980]

Gurner said the company’s experience through its Saint Haven wellness clubs had directly informed the residential offering now being incorporated into Elysium Fields.

“We’re seeing a clear global shift toward longevity, performance and proactive health,” Gurner said.

“Our role is to deliver that in a way that feels seamless, highly private and beautifully resolved within the environments we create.”

A large component of the wellness offering is planned through the resident amenity and health facilities proposed within the precinct.

That includes plans for bathing and recovery facilities spread throughout the towers, incorporating mineral pools, saunas, steam rooms, flotation therapy, red light therapy and wellness lounges.

The developer is also seeking approvals for what it describes as a “reverse ageing medical clinic” within the precinct.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370978]

According to project information released by the group, the proposed facility would include cryotherapy, IV infusion therapy, infrared and dry saunas, PEMF beds, MRIs, DEXA scans, brain scans and blood analysis services.

Within the first tower, Helios, residents will also have access to a dedicated amenity offering known as the Sky Private Club.

The upper 15 levels of the building will include private lounges, dining spaces, rooftop amenities and optional private wellness studios integrated within residences.

The Helios tower itself comprises 260 apartments ranging between 60 sqm and 300 sqm, including a collection of penthouses.

That includes a planned two-storey penthouse spanning around 600 sqm with uninterrupted bay views.

The Elysium Fields precinct is being delivered in partnership with Digital Harbour Holdings, a consortium that includes the Liberman family, which controls the development rights across the Docklands site.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370979]

The sales result comes as GURNER™ continues expanding its national development pipeline beyond Victoria.

“We have a strong pipeline across Australia and are now focused on scaling into key markets including New South Wales and Queensland, while continuing to build on our Melbourne base,” Gurner said.

“We currently have more than $3 billion in the market, growing to over $5 billion by October, and expect to materially outperform last year in the 2026 calendar year.”

The result also reflects the continued strength of the upper-end apartment market in Melbourne, particularly for owner-occupier-focused product with large-scale amenity and lifestyle offerings.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=144441]

Record result anchored by the Group’s “utopian” Elysium Fields precinct – defying market headwinds in Docklands.

Joel Robinson

Elysium Fields drive Gurner to $1.65 billion in apartment sales over 2025

National Australia Bank (NAB) will fund <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/palmera-residences-gold-coast-18-garfield-terrace-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Palmera</a>, a $1 billion, 52-level luxury residential tower being developed by Central Equity in one of the Gold Coast’s most tightly held coastal locations at Northcliffe.

The project, launched recently by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/central-equity">Central Equity</a>, one of Victoria’s largest private residential developers, comes at a time when construction funding for large residential developments has become increasingly competitive as lenders tighten exposure to the sector.

Multiplex has been appointed the builder, and construction is now underway.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365784]

Since its first project, Central Equity has delivered more than 85 residential developments with a combined end value exceeding $8 billion.

Palmera reflects Central Equity’s growing focus on the Gold Coast luxury apartment market and continues a relationship between Central Equity and NAB that dates back to the late 1980s, when the bank funded one of Melbourne’s earliest inner-city residential towers at a time when high-rise apartment living in the CBD was largely unproven.

“NAB’s funding of Central Equity’s $36 million CBD development in the late 1980’s to the financing of the billion-dollar tower today highlights the long-term relationship between the two organisations in delivering major residential projects” said Central Equity Founder and Chairman Eddie Kutner.

He said NAB’s early support was instrumental in helping establish the company’s development model.

“When we commenced our first residential tower in the late 1980s the concept of funding off-the-plan apartments was still largely untested in Australia,” Kutner said.

“NAB recognised the opportunity early and supported the project when others were uncertain. That relationship has now continued for more than 37 years across many developments.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365771]

Central Equity was established in 1987 when Melbourne’s CBD and Southbank precinct were still dominated by warehouses and commercial buildings. Fewer than 100 residents lived in Southbank at the time, and large-scale residential development in the inner city was not widely considered.

Recognising changing demographics and lifestyle preferences, the company began developing high-rise residential projects designed to bring permanent residents into the city centre.

Central Equity has provided accommodation for approximately 40,000 residents across Melbourne’s CBD and Southbank, while also incorporating supporting infrastructure including essential lifestyle facilities like retail spaces, childcare facilities and neighbourhood activity centres.

Central Equity has spent many years assembling the Palmera development site on the corner of Garfield Terrace and Frederick Street in Northcliffe, creating a supersite of around 3,300 sqm.

The developer said the Palmera apartment tower reflects its long-term view of the Gold Coast as a growing and increasingly diversified economy.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365768]

Supported by infrastructure including the light rail network, major road upgrades expanded education, hospital and medical facilities and continued expansion at the Gold Coast Airport with more internation and domestic flights.

Positioned in the tightly held Northcliffe precinct, the 52-level tower will deliver 347 apartments, targeting buyers seeking a high-end coastal lifestyle, from downsizers to interstate investors.

Designed by Marchese Partners with interiors by DBI, Palmera has been conceived as a next-generation residential offering, featuring a collection of oversized apartments, with premium three-bedroom residences offering sweeping northern views stretching from Surfers Paradise through to Burleigh Heads.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=108274]

NAB funds $1 billion Surfers Paradise apartment development, Palmera

Two years after completing one of the newest developments in North Sydney, developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/aqualand-australia">Aqualand</a> is turning its attention to the rapidly evolving St Leonards apartment market.

The developer, which completed AURA by Aqualand on North Sydney's Walker Street, has lodged plans for a 5,918 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/33-37-herbert-street-st-leonards-nsw-2065">33-37 Herbert Street, St Leonards,</a> seeking approval for a pair of residential towers rising above a shared podium opposite Royal North Shore Hospital.

The proposal forms part of the broader transformation underway across the St Leonards-Crows Nest precinct, where former industrial and commercial sites are increasingly being redeveloped into high-density mixed-use projects tied to major transport infrastructure.

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2cc428cf-fe70-4cac-9cd5-264ad53af62c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.56%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=otKSnHtbjAvAddOnovyXQMgcAwE6DMe1" />

According to the planning documents, the site sits “within the St Leonards–Crows Nest Strategic Centre, identified by the NSW Government as a key area for accommodating future jobs and housing across Sydney.”

The proposal has been designed by fjcstudio, formerly FJMT Studio, and is being progressed through the State Significant Development pathway due to its scale and affordable housing provision.

The scheme would comprise 413 apartments, including 46 affordable housing units, alongside retail and commercial uses fronting Herbert Street. The project would also include communal open space, landscaping, a swimming pool, gymnasium, children’s play areas and podium-level resident amenities.

Planning documents show the development would consist of a part-13, part-39 storey tower form positioned above a four-storey podium.

“The development comprises a unified podium that activates the street interface, and two setback towers to accommodate new housing supply while maintaining an appropriate human scale at ground level,” fjcstudio noted in its Design Report.

The northern and southern towers have been shaped to respond to the surrounding skyline while also limiting overshadowing impacts to nearby public open space, particularly Talus Reserve.

The design report said the differing tower heights were intended to “contribute to a varied skyline while responding to the surrounding built form context and solar access considerations.”

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="36da62dc-ff9e-41f2-a7e3-7be38373751c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.45%E2%80%AFAM_0.png?VersionId=Mo6Rp2r.XRLTzIfg_PEEpw8NepDH8UBs" />

The site sits directly opposite Royal North Shore Hospital and within walking distance of both St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

While the site itself sits just outside the formal Crows Nest Transport Oriented Development boundary, the planning documents repeatedly reference its alignment with the broader TOD objectives reshaping the Lower North Shore.

“The site is located adjacent to St Leonards Station and in close proximity to Crows Nest Metro which is within the Crows Nest Transit Orientated Development Accelerated Precinct which has been identified by the NSW Government to support housing delivery,” the Design Verification Statement noted.

According to fjcstudio, the project has been designed to respond to the broader transition occurring across St Leonards, where increasing residential density is being concentrated around transport infrastructure and employment hubs.

“The broader precinct is undergoing significant change, with a mix of existing mid-rise buildings and newer high-density developments,” the report stated.

“Recent and approved projects indicate a consistent shift toward taller built form, typically organised as tower-and-podium typologies with more active ground levels.”

The proposal includes close to 6,000 sqm of retail and commercial space across the ground floor and podium levels, designed to create a more activated street edge along Herbert Street.

Aqualand’s plans would also introduce a landscaped podium shared between the two towers, with communal open space in the form of a podium rooftop designed to support resident interaction and improve urban greening outcomes. The scheme would also introduce pocket parks at the northern and southern ends of the site, including a landscaped area at the corner of Herbert and Ella streets designed to improve pedestrian amenity and soften the streetscape.

&nbsp;

The proposal is being progressed through the NSW Government’s Housing Delivery Authority pathway, which was introduced to accelerate housing supply across the state. The application was declared State Significant Development in April 2025 following an expression of interest process.

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="faf6d97d-2671-454f-b85a-fe1c6a7be608" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.49%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=diVd28OBVr5.YV.7prrOz.uAanwwwm7a" />

St Leonards has been particularly active with new developments in recent weeks. Developer SP Setia’s <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-sp-setia-targets-st-leonards-skyline-with-40-storey-tod-tower">plans for a new 42-storey tower</a> recently went on exhibition through the same pathway, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">Stockland’s 52-storey tower proposal</a> was also recently unveiled.

Aside from the St Leonards project, which is expected to take around nine months to move through the approvals process ahead of a potential 2027 launch, Aqualand is also preparing to launch Boronia, a new apartment project in Roseville comprising around 111 apartments on Larkin Street.

The developer also has approvals in place for the next stage of the Barangaroo precinct, which will feature new residential, retail, hospitality and community uses, alongside a new metro entry across the five-hectare site.

More than 50 new retail destinations are planned for Central Barangaroo, alongside a 270-metre-long boulevard connecting Hickson Park to Nawi Cove. Together with Harbour Park, more than 50 per cent of the precinct will comprise public open space and parkland.

First look: Aqualand joins St Leonards apartment party

<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-5" data-turn="user" data-turn-id="e65dbe94-e3b6-47f7-b62a-9cbb30c9bf79" data-turn-id-container="e65dbe94-e3b6-47f7-b62a-9cbb30c9bf79" dir="auto">Time &amp; Place’s plans to transform the former David Jones factory building in Surry Hills into a mixed-use residential precinct have gone on exhibition through the NSW Government’s In-fill Affordable Housing pathway.</section>

<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-6" data-turn="assistant" data-turn-id="request-WEB:f4d533b7-64a5-413d-86fd-5c99649c2b73-2" data-turn-id-container="request-WEB:f4d533b7-64a5-413d-86fd-5c99649c2b73-2" dir="auto">
The Marlborough House proposal, lodged for the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/marlborough-house-47-97-marlborough-street-surry-hills-nsw-2010">47-97 Marlborough Street</a> site, would see the adaptive reuse of the heritage-listed warehouse building alongside the construction of new residential additions and a separate apartment building on the northern portion of the site.

The proposal seeks approval for 172 apartments across three buildings, including 15 per cent affordable housing managed by a community housing provider for at least 15 years from occupation.

<img alt="Marlborough" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5d1d3c2a-bf13-47d6-a335-7c01102cdee1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.29.36%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=cjMYrbR.BLUlWH4dar0RVDDo0bG.u2YT" />

Interior view from the Northern Building Penthouse overlooking the park

&nbsp;

The redevelopment is planned for the prominent 3,413 sqm site bounded by Marlborough Street, Goodlet Street and Lansdowne Street, directly opposite Eddie Ward Park and around 200 metres from the Surry Hills light rail stop.

Time &amp; Place acquired the former David Jones building in 2024, marking the first time the property had changed hands in around 50 years.

Designed by Wardle, the proposal centres around the adaptive reuse of the former David Jones factory, originally constructed between 1913 and 1935 in the Inter-War Chicagoesque architectural style.

Wardle noted in its Architectural Design Report that the building “occupies a significant place in the industrial and cultural history of Surry Hills” and at its peak was “the largest department store manufacturing facility in Australia, employing over 800 people and fuelling the growth of Sydney’s fashion and retail industries.”

The practice said the project positions itself “not as an isolated intervention, but as a contributor to the civic, social, and architectural grain of the precinct.”

The proposal would deliver 75 apartments within the retained southern heritage building, 59 apartments within the central addition, and a further 38 apartments within the new northern building fronting Lansdowne Street.

Planning documents show the scheme would comprise a mix of heritage apartments, new-build apartments, townhouses and penthouses.

<img alt="Marlborough" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="57758518-40a3-4b83-958c-d06e96a2cffa" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.29.42%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=VerlX9ST5xgBi8.1_YRsqdWTJeT6ygjs" />Interior View of the Heritage Building Apartment

The development would also include a ground-floor retail tenancy on the corner of Marlborough and Lansdowne streets, rooftop communal open space, a landscaped pedestrian link along the western edge of the site, and basement parking accessed from Lansdowne Street via a car stacker system.

&nbsp;

The scheme emerged from a competitive design process run by Urbis, with Wardle ultimately selected as the winning architect ahead of FJC Studio, TZG, Architectus and Wilkinson Eyre.

The Design Integrity Panel later described several aspects of the Wardle scheme as fundamental to the project, including “the stepped character of the new addition to the north of the site”, the landscaped western pedestrian link, and the “garden arrival” experience separating the original Marlborough House from the heritage addition.

Wardle’s design heavily references the site’s industrial and heritage history, while also responding to the surrounding Surry Hills streetscape.

The Architectural Design Report describes Surry Hills as “a finely grained neighbourhood with beautiful and expressive brickworks throughout the suburb,” with the proposal introducing a material palette intended to sit comfortably alongside the existing warehouse fabric and neighbouring terraces.

The report also outlines the project’s relationship with Eddie Ward Park and the broader landscape context of the area.

“Marlborough House occupies a site of deep cultural memory and the neighbouring Eddie Ward Park is of local ecological significance, where natural systems, topography, and stories have long shaped human experience,” Wardle noted in the report.

The architects said the proposal sought to “rebind built form to Country” through landscape, materiality and the adaptive reuse of the heritage structure.

<img alt="Marlborough House" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9ae3f2f9-c85f-477a-a6f8-b43f6cb97c41" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.29.53%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=B.qUCLqRvJOR.n9CvYcTpaknIX9LuqKZ" />

The project is also being progressed under the NSW Government’s in-fill affordable housing provisions, allowing developments that include affordable housing to access additional height and floor space incentives.

Under the plans, 2,593 sqm of the project’s floor space would be dedicated to affordable housing, slightly exceeding the required 15 per cent threshold.

In its Design Excellence Strategy, Urbis said the project aimed to “sensitively adapt and enhance the heritage-listed building on site through alterations and additions that preserve its historical significance” while delivering “high-quality market and infill affordable housing development in Surry Hills.”

Time &amp; Place has been one of the most active developers nationally in the last 12 to 24 months. Late last year they completed&nbsp;The Queensbridge in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/southbank-vic-3006">Southbank</a>, a mixed-use tower with 353 apartments and a hotel. They are currently selling Park Modern, 246 apartments near the famous Botanic Gardens in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/south-melbourne-vic-3205">South Melbourne</a>, and have future projects, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-wilmot-173-burke-road-28-hope-street-glen-iris-vic-3146">The Wilmot</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/glen-iris-vic-3146">Glen Iris</a>, the redevelopment of the Northcote Plaza, and another tower in South Melbourne.

The developer broke into Sydney just a few years ago with Two Tides in Manly. They have another project nearby, which is at the ultra-luxury end of the market on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/shoreline-manly-beach-89-90-north-steyne-manly">North Steyne</a>, fronting the beach.

It is also continuing to work through the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-time-place-settles-on-design-for-the-chimes-potts-point-redevelopment">redevelopment of The Chimes building</a> on Macleay Street in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/potts-point-nsw-2011">Potts Point</a>, as well as a project on <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/time-place-to-take-on-mosman-apartment-market">Mosman's Redan Street</a>.
</section>

First look: Time & Place unveils Marlborough House redevelopment designs for former David Jones warehouse in Surry Hills

The residential transformation of St Kilda Road is set to continue into with more new apartment plans for the sought-after boulevard.

Wing Tai Asia has lodged plans for a major residential tower at 464-466 St Kilda Road, replacing the former VACC House with an 18-storey mixed-use development designed around a retained heritage podium and a sculpted contemporary tower.

The proposal, prepared under Victoria’s Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway, would deliver 325 apartments and ground-floor retail across the prominent 4,653 sqm boulevard site in Melbourne’s St Kilda Road North Precinct.

The project centres on the adaptive reuse of the site’s heritage-listed VACC Building, an eight-storey office designed by Bernard Evans that has occupied the address for decades. Planning documents state the development would involve “carefully dismantling and conserving off-site the original metal fabric of the podium visible from St Kilda Road,” before reinstating it as the defining frontage of the new scheme.

Above the restored podium, Wing Tai is proposing a curvilinear residential tower. The scheme includes 172 one-bedroom apartments, 63 two-bedroom apartments, 66 three-bedroom apartments, and 24 four-bedroom apartments, alongside two ground-floor food and beverage tenancies fronting St Kilda Road.

The tower has been designed with substantial articulation and variable setbacks to minimise perceived bulk and maintain view corridors along the boulevard. Urbis, which prepared the planning report, said the design “has been significantly articulated through a curvilinear design” with “an interplay with materials, façade expression and depth” to create visual separation and visual interest.

The proposal also includes 254 basement car spaces, landscaped pedestrian links connecting St Kilda Road and Queens Lane, and a biophilic landscape strategy featuring canopy trees, raised planters, cascading greenery and a glass oculus pool overlooking the eastern frontage.

Planning documents confirm the $270.1 million development will contribute 3 per cent of project costs to the Social Housing Growth Fund as part of the application process.

Wing Tai acquired the St Kilda Road property in 2018 alongside Abacus Property Group for $95.38 million, before later consolidating ownership of the site. The property previously served as the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce headquarters for around 60 years.

The transformation of the St Kilda Rd boulevard is already beginning to materialise, with a number of high-profile projects recently completed, launched, or approaching launch as developers continue to back the long-term appeal of the precinct.

Among the most notable recent completions is Louise by Samuel Property Group, just off the strip on Queens Lane, the same pocket Hirsch &amp; Faigen recently launched The Queensbury. Mirvac is too on the same street with The Albertine, which is approaching completion.

Dexus recently secured approval for its slice of St Kilda Road, while Gurner also has approved plans for the precinct.

Staff reporter

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