<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVATION
You may mock the national anthem by singing “Our land abounds in nature strips” but what you might not know is how true that is.
In Melbourne, for example, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1618866719300718" target="_blank">more than a third of all public green space is nature strips</a>. (That figure includes roundabouts, medians and other green bits of the street.)
That’s a remarkable amount. The nature strip is everywhere. A million small patches combine into a giant park spanning the city, making it a significant player in our urban ecosystems.
A second remarkable thing is that the nature strip is <a href="https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2007/11/apo-nid60258-1105966.pdf" target="_blank">public land that private citizens are required by law to maintain</a>. Councils manage the trees, but we residents mow the lawn.
What are the rules on nature strips?
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/296146/original/file-20191009-3872-1i673y4.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/296146/original/file-20191009-3872-1i673y4.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Succulents, Agapanthus and Gazanias are the most common plantings on nature strips. Adrian Marshall CC BY 4.0, Author provided
Many residents go further and plant a street tree or some garden plants – succulents, Agapanthus and Gazanias are the most common. But the chances are that, whatever the garden on the nature strip, it’s against the rules.
The rules on nature strips vary from council to council. Some councils don’t allow any plantings. Others restrict plantings by height or allow only plants indigenous to the local area. In some areas, nature strips can only be planted to prevent erosion on steep slopes.
Some councils disallow food plants, for fear of historic lead contamination from leaded petrol. Others insist on no plants within a metre of the kerb and two metres of the footpath.
These bylaws are inconsistent and illogical. For instance, councils that insist on indigenous species nevertheless plant exotic street trees. Councils that say plants must be less than 30cm high to ensure they don’t block drivers’ sight lines still allow vehicles to park on the street, blocking sight lines.
Bylaws deny us many benefits
To have council bylaws restrict or disallow gardening in the nature strip flies in the face of common sense. Street greenery, whether it's trees, shrubs or lawn, provides many benefits. The science is in on this.
Urban wildlife uses street greenery for habitat and food and as green corridors for movement.
Even for those who mow, the lawns of nature strips are not just turf grass. They are home to over 150 species of plants, based on my yet-to-be-published survey data for nearly 50 neighbourhoods, confirming <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11252-009-0098-7" target="_blank">earlier studies</a>. Many of these, like the clovers, provide important resources for pollinators.
One <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/55816" target="_blank">US study</a> showed that changing from a weekly mow to every three weeks increased the number of flowers in a lawn by 250%. Less mowing is good news for bees and butterflies.
An unpublished recent survey by the author and colleagues found gardening in the nature strip adds native plants to the streetscape, increases biodiversity and add structural complexity (more layers of plants, more types of stuff), which is important for many species.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/296397/original/file-20191010-188823-3m94cd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/296397/original/file-20191010-188823-3m94cd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
The greater the diversity of plantings, the greater the benefits a nature strip can provide. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/tedxmelbourne/9642464172/in/photolist-hj8dyc-skaU1u-dREut-eJsU1F-ffLmZK-indYV3-cLiW2J-vB2sc-7NsaK4-4VkF3d-yGjbRF-beH7sn-6Y5uUZ-rxC4mN-6LgaCq-8uZkP8-fFMrYB-fFMzz6-959BCc-fFMqN6-9XyM3R-8uZkQZ-fG59Eh-fG55kj-MdakbU-zKkV6-9A3mjp-2hgzR2Y-2gLLfma-2gLM1dK-2gjDcaq-fG56q1-V4CxJS-2EepMw-AJYA3h-8PLEFM-2Nnv4q-3HCckP-8LfDb6-F9XHNG-fG5dib-9hzViT-d5L2G-fG57A5-7tQdTT-vh8B5S-2d9eEDd-2gtBYEp-fFMxhv-6tVDoj" target="_blank">TEDxMelbourne/Flickr</a>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">CC BY-NC-ND</a>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://pubag.nal.usda.gov/catalog/1135097" target="_blank">Street greenery helps</a> water <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27094440" target="_blank">soak into the ground</a>, filtering out pollutants, recharging aquifers and making rivers healthier. It <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26828172" target="_blank">cools streets</a> and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169204614002503" target="_blank">helps counter the urban heat island effect</a>. It also <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0277953613003742" target="_blank">promotes a sense of community</a>, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214140518303281" target="_blank">encourages walking</a> and lowers the incidence of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214140518303281" target="_blank">heart disease</a>, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2524191" target="_blank">diabetes</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/children-living-in-green-neighbourhoods-are-less-likely-to-develop-asthma-96190" target="_blank">asthma</a> and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169204614002941" target="_blank">depression</a>.
But councils tend to be risk-averse. They worry they will be sued if someone trips on groundcover or stubs their toe on an out-of-place garden gnome.
Fortunately, this risk aversion isn’t universal. For instance, the <a href="https://www.vincent.wa.gov.au/residents/environment/environmental-sustainability/news-events/adopt-a-verge.aspx" target="_blank">City of Vincent</a> in Western Australia is so keen for residents to convert lawn to waterwise plantings that it will remove turf and provide native plants.
But, as climate change looms, stubbed toes are not the main risk we should be worrying about. Rather, we must urgently remake our cities and our culture for sustainability and resilience.
Gardening becomes a neighbourly act
One of the great things about gardening in the nature strip is that people are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1618866719302535" target="_blank">more likely to do it if their neighbours do it</a>. It’s contagious, a positive-feedback loop creating a greener street.
Our recent survey found residents who garden in the nature strip have a greater <a href="http://www.communityscience.com/news-detail.php?news=114" target="_blank">sense of community</a> than those who don’t.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/296997/original/file-20191015-98653-wopjbq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/296997/original/file-20191015-98653-wopjbq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
A well-designed street garden, fully covering the nature strip, allowing pedestrian access to cars and using indigenous plants. Adrian Marshall CC BY 4.0, Author provided
Interestingly, the benefits nature strips provide are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1618866719302535" target="_blank">not equally distributed across the city</a>. For instance, newer neighbourhoods have more nature strip than older neighbourhoods (though their trees are younger). People garden the nature strip more on minor roads than major roads, and in more socially advantaged neighbourhoods.
Almost a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1618866719302535" target="_blank">quarter of residential properties</a> in Melbourne have some sort of nature strip gardening. If councils were to encourage this activity we might achieve more street greening with little cost to our cash-strapped councils. Such encouragement would also free many residents of their sense of frustration at being required to maintain the nature strip but forbidden to do anything more than mow.
Given that more than a third of our public green space is nature strip, the many small actions of residents can add up to substantial positive change.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/124781/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
Adrian Marshall, Lecturer, Landscape Architecture and Urban Ecology, University of Melbourne.
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/our-land-abounds-in-nature-strips-surely-we-can-do-more-than-mow-a-third-of-urban-green-space-124781" target="_blank">original article</a>.
</body></html>

j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Our land abounds in nature strips – surely we can do more than mow a third of urban green space

<html><body>
The Coogee residence, Smithfield Grange, found its next owner on the weekend after selling for $6.3 million.
They plan to restore the magnificent 1880s Italianate mansion as their home.
It is currently a rental premises with 12 bedrooms grossing $307,000 income, at $500 a week per room.
Gavin Rubinstein and Oliver Lavers of Ray White TRG secured the sale of the 1100 square metre holding which last sold for $705,000 in 1990.
It has been tenanted since the 1940s.
Randwick Council has indicated it intended to issue a fire safety order on the home which was built for John Starkey, who manufactured cordial, aerated water and ginger beer.
His wife Fanny died in 1893 and he passed away just five years later when The Daily Telegraph put the value of his estate at £101,137.
UK ex-pats, the Starkey brothers were producing 4200 dozen bottles each week by the mid-1870s — their ginger beer output was the largest in the Southern Hemisphere.
This article first appeared in The Daily Telegraph. 
</body></html>

Heritage Smithfield Grange, Coogee trophy sells for $6.3 million

<html><body>
The Perth market has continued to weaken over the past 12 months and the downward pressure on values has flowed into the South West market, according to a recent Herron Todd White (HTW) residential report. 
Financial institutions have tightened lending criteria in the wake of the Banking Royal Commission and investors remain cautious.
The report notes this has ultimately halted the recovery of the Perth property market which was showing some signs of resurgence through the middle of 2018.
This has also filtered down into the South West property market which had been resilient in recent years on the back of strong population growth.
Entry points into the lower end of the market range from $250,000 to $400,000 and for this amount you can purchase either a basic established residence or build a project home in one of the outlying new developments.
"In general, these established homes are located in closer proximity to the beach than the new developments and as such the established homes generally offer better capital growth potential while the new housing market offers better yields," the valuation firm said. 
"The lower market segment is generally being driven by first home buyers and investors."
The outer suburbs and new developments continue to experience low growth and a decline in values as reflected by low levels of demand and a low number of listings reported by local agents.
This is particularly evident in the greater Bunbury and Busselton urban areas.
A three bedroom family home in South Bunbury has recently been sold for $361,000 (pictured below). 
Situated at a 503 square metre corner block, the home at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-wa-bunbury-131425718" target="_blank">12 Gibson Street</a> comes with four bedrooms, timber kitchen, open plan living/meals and separate dining. 
Other features include enclosed garden, split system air conditioner and gas hot water system. 
<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/2019/9/25/bunbury%20.jpg" alt="">
"Values in well located population centres and coastal precincts had been stabilising up until recent times, but now we are seeing these localities also weakening in values," the valuation firm commented. 
The report suggests well located and well-presented properties between $500,000 and $900,000 have been stable up to recent months but now have also started to show a weakening in values as the tightening of credit takes hold.
It is generally the mums and dads who are active in this space as they are looking to upgrade the family home and currently this market segment is offering good value for money.
These homes are generally located in close proximity to the ocean, schools and town infrastructure.
"The upper end of the market continues to experience weak demand with limited numbers of transactions in excess of $1.5 million.
"That being said, the South West is considered to be a premium holiday destination and there is still demand from the wealthy to invest and holiday in the region," the valuation firm added. 
As such there is still adequate demand for high end and well-presented beachside property.
Prestigious properties scattered throughout the South West, such as at Naturaliste, Eagle Bay, Metricup and Yallingup, are still recording sale prices in excess of $1 million on a regular basis.
A current listing is an Eagle Bay beach house priced at $1.895 million (pictured below). 
Situated on a 1,682 square metre block, the single level house at<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-wa-eagle+bay-131336054" target="_blank"> 11 Eagle Bay-Meelup</a> house comprises five bedrooms, open living area, and kitchen.
Other features include Marri timber floors, verandah area, and garage/workshop. 
<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/2019/9/23/eagle%20bay.jpg" alt="">
</body></html>

South West WA market continues to weaken: HTW residential 

<html><body>
Young smart workers in Building, Design and Construction, Finance, Corporate and IT have been offered the biggest remuneration rises to September 2019, according to the latest Avdiev Remuneration Report.
Although stable business conditions continue for 63% of subscribers surveyed, 27%, mainly in the Consultants sector, report being worse off than last year, but 10% are doing better.
Business conditions vary from state to state, and are market sector and government stimulus related – infrastructure projects are attracting top talent with top pay.
“The Australian property industry is remaining stable and positive, but in an environment of mixed signals Avdiev Report subscribers are watching and waiting” said Rita Avdiev, managing director of The Avdiev Group, who are remuneration consultants.
“With the May 2019 Federal elections out of the way there is political stability but uncertainty about the global economy and its impact on Australia’s future. The mood is mixed," she added.
Property industry remuneration reflects the fluctuating business conditions in the sectors.
The median increases across all sectors continue at 2.5% for senior and mid-level staff and 3% for the juniors.
However pay rise ranges have increased, with salary rises in several strong market sectors ranging from 2.5% to 15% and 1.9% to 2.9% in sectors where activity has been more subdued. But top performers in those sectors continue to be well paid.
Employers know to ”keep the best people for the worst times” in case of a downturn in business. 75% of companies plan to pay the usual increase or a catch up component, 25% intend minimal or no increases.
These pay rises are in most cases still above the general workforce increases with the Wage Price Index and Consumer Price Index both increasing for the year to June 2019 at 2.3% and 1.6% respectively.
</body></html>

The biggest pay rises are amongst workers in building, design and construction: Avdiev

<html><body>
The Reserve Bank has signalled that more cuts to the official interest rate could come although they advised of concerns of refuelling a property bubble in Sydney and Melbourne.
The October meeting saw the cash rate cut to a record low of 0.75 per cent.
The RBA board minutes noted "the housing market and other asset prices might be overly inflated by lower net interest rates".
"This assessment would need to be reviewed if rapidly increasing asset prices were accompanied by materially faster credit growth, weak lending standards and rising leverage," the minutes noted.
The members saw a limited risk of excessive borrowing.
Members acknowledged that asset prices were part of the transmission mechanism of policy, including by encouraging home building.
"By themselves, higher asset prices were considered unlikely to present a risk to macroeconomic and financial stability.
"This assessment would need to be reviewed if rapidly increasing asset prices were accompanied by materially faster credit growth, weak lending standards and rising leverage.
"Although household debt was still considered high, members saw only a limited risk of excessive borrowing at the current juncture: household disposable income growth (and thus borrowing capacity) is weak; the memory of recent housing price falls is still fresh; and banks are still quite cautious in their appetite to lend."
The RBA members assessed that close monitoring of this risk was warranted.
The RBA minutes warned that global asset prices being driven higher by record low rates were exposed to any potential global shock given high debt levels that had run up since the global financial crisis.
<div>
<div>
<h2>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-18/reserve-bank-must-consider-quantitative-easing,-economists-say/11218476" target="_self" title=""></a>"Any shock that caused markets to increase risk premiums or revise upwards expectations of future policy rates ... could see a broad range of asset prices fall," the minutes said.</h2>
</div>
</div>
"A fall in asset prices could result in financial stress for some businesses and households, which could spill over into financial institutions."
Members also discussed the possibility that policy stimulus might be less effective than past experience suggests.
They recognised that some transmission channels, such as a pick-up in borrowing or the effect on the home-building sector, may not be operating in the same way as in the past, and that the negative effect of low interest rates on the income and confidence of savers might be more significant.
</body></html>

Overly inflated Sydney and Melbourne housing prices concerns the RBA

<html><body>
A private owner-occupier in the medical field has snapped up the last remaining shed in Brisbane’s Newstead for $1.85 million. 
The property at <a href="http://ecomms.raywhite.com/collect/click.aspx?u=jRYOrR8N39R+6hBQZ7yXMtZbL8K1IrWjVUh45Aq1JPvZgRKLiO1yIdaTuGmyPY7RBzTjk87oMXyuFthyeL5QE+aqhgjQE5jCW/UMDpH6K1kp9xiqB1tH5vf6Yy2FK6kgVV4Ao2s9tObdzBgF59LHXpoFNEmZjwI4&amp;rh=ff0053388189a25f403cdaa3354dadf337507e34" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable">10 Masters Street</a> comes with a 460sqm site area and 310sqm building area, comprised an existing warehouse facility.    It also comes with a development approval for a residential tower.
The property was sold by Ray White Commercial Qld agents Aaron Aleckson and Paul Anderson.   Mr Aleckson said the expressions of interest campaign generated more than 100 enquiries and multiple offers.   “When the site was initially taken to market in late 2018, there was a large amount of enquiry from developers and owner-occupiers looking to capitalize on the value-add opportunity of the last remaining shed in Newstead,” he said. 
“The sale is the second in the last year for us on Masters Street, having sold number 15 last year for $1,450,000, and we've seen the streets that link Commercial Road to Gasworks as the most hotly contested precinct in the City Fringe.”   Mr Anderson said the team had already sold the site to the current owners back in 2016 for $1,600,000 plus GST.   The current sale represents 14 per cent growth in three years.    The site's mixed-use zoning provided a diversified exit strategy for the owners. 
Whilst there's an apartment DA in place, the buyer will be using the existing improvements for a medical use.  
</body></html>

Last remaining shed in Newstead's medical field sells for $1.85 million

<html><body>
Hitting the market for the first time the retail lots in the former Legion Cab headquarters in Surry Hills are being offered in one line by expressions of interest.
With over 50 meters of frontage to Foveaux Street, this mix of high profile and national tenancies is set fetch over $15 million.  
Miron Solomons, Matthew Meynell, Matt Pontey and Nick Lumley of Colliers International are marketing the retail investment.
It spans over 1,000 square metres and sits less than 300 metres from Central Station.   
All shops in this development have been leased to international and national tenants including Sushi Train, Zeus Street Greek, The Bunker gym and high-end culinary school SBTA.
Net rental income across the four tenancies is about $659,300.
<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/2019/10/15/LC%202-2.jpg" alt="">
“This is the first time that we’ve seen brand new prime retail of this calibre offered in Surry Hills. Assets with four quality tenants, strong covenant and full amenities including parking and loading are extremely hard to find in Sydney’s CBD Fringe markets,” said Miron Solomons, National Director, Investment Services at Colliers International.
“The ground floor retail captures 50 metres of frontage along Foveaux Street, perfectly positioned to take advantage to the huge amount of government investment and infrastructure being poured into the area.”
Nick Lumley, Executive, Investment Services at Colliers International said, “Sydney’s fringe retail markets are benefiting from close to $2 billion in infrastructure investment and increased demand from the rises in tourists, office workers, urban residents and international students.”
Expressions of Interest for the ground floor 81 Foveaux Street close November 13.
</body></html>

Former Surry Hills Legion Cab HQ trophy retail investment listed 

<html><body>
The Canberra property market has been in a stable position from the end of 2018 to early 2019, according to a recent Herron Todd White (HTW) residential report. 
The report suggests most Canberra suburbs have maintained median price points for standard dwellings while medium density and unit stock has seen some small declines.
Active sections of the market include standard housing at the entry level price points in some of Canberra’s fringe and outer suburban locations.
"Generally, purchasers are looking for large blocks within established suburbs that provide access to good education and employment services," the valuation firm said. 
"Entry level price points for this style of housing range between $550,000 and $650,000."
Most homes within this section of the market provide three and four bedroom accommodation, generally 30 to 60 years old and in many cases the dwellings are ready for some renovation and upgrading.
A three bedroom house at<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-act-rivett-131793810" target="_blank"> 30 Marlock Street, Rivett</a> (pictured below) has recently been sold for $585,000.
The updated home comprises three bedrooms, separate lounge area, combined family/dining room, and kitchen overlooking the rear garden. 
It's within walking distance to shops, public transport and the local oval. 
<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/2019/9/25/rivett%20.jpg" alt="">
"Inner suburban locations in Canberra’s north and south set a higher price point, generally $1 million plus. This section of the market is also relatively stable with families looking to move on the property ladder with their second or third acquisition," the valuation firm added. 
"Again block size, location and proximity to schools and other services are the main drivers. This section of the market ranges from $1 million to around $3 million."
A recent over $1 million sale was a three bedroom townhouse in Turner. 
The north facing townhouse at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-townhouse-act-turner-131657854" target="_blank">2/13 Holder Street </a>(pictured below) has been sold for $1.2 million. 
It comes with four bedrooms, three full bathrooms, separate lounge, wine cellar, dual courtyards and double garage. 
<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/2019/9/25/turner%20.jpg" alt="">
Market activity for property in the $3 million plus price point is slower, with buyers generally more discerning.
The report notes location, block size, build quality and level of inclusions are major factors influencing this section of the market.
Price points in the medium density unit market range from $200,000 to $275,00 for a one bedroom unit recently constructed in a fringe Town Centre location to $400,000 to $500,000 for a centrally located unit in Canberra’s inner north or inner south.
"Both investors and owner- occupiers are active, however strong supply within the medium density market has had an impact on activity.
"Being in close proximity to or directly in Town Centres including Tuggeranong, Woden, Canberra City, Belconnen or Gungahlin is important for rental return, low vacancy and potential future growth." 
</body></html>

Most Canberra suburbs maintaining their median price points: HTW residential 

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVATION
Two-thirds of tenants in Australia rent through a real estate agent. A national shortage of private rental housing forces these tenants to impress the real estate agent to secure a property – their application needs to stand out from other applications.
An analysis of articles on leading online real estate sites www.realestate.com.au and www.domain.com.au identifies six aspects of interactions between the real estate agent and tenant that affect a tenant’s ability to secure a rental property. <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02673037.2019.1621271?journalCode=chos20" target="_blank">My research</a> reveals the power of the agent over the tenant. Agents strongly stigmatise certain tenant characteristics during the property search.
These real estate articles typically fail to recognise the systemic issues of housing shortages in Australia. As <a href="https://theconversation.com/affordable-housing-lessons-from-sydney-hong-kong-and-singapore-3-keys-to-getting-the-policy-mix-right-123443" target="_blank">owner-occupied housing becomes more unaffordable</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/focus-on-managing-social-housing-waiting-lists-is-failing-low-income-households-120675" target="_blank">public housing becomes less available</a>, a variety of household types are competing in a high-demand private rental market.
Households have differing economic, cultural and social capital. This puts some applicants for a rental property at a disadvantage. But real estate sites present the issue of secure rental housing as an individual problem that can easily be overcome once a tenant understands how to highlight their desirable characteristics when applying for a rental property.
How do agents assess tenants?
When assessing a rental application, the two most important qualities a real estate agent looks for are a tenant’s ability to pay the rent on time and their ability and/or willingness to care for the rental property.
In addition, a tenant’s ability to impress the real estate agent matters. My research identifies six aspects of interactions between agent and tenant that affect the ability to secure a rental property:
<ol>
<li>responsibility – positive reference/s from previous agents and/or landlords help demonstrate this</li>
<li>making an impression – dress appropriately and be on time for inspections, engage with the agent and present an easy-to-read, error-free application form</li>
<li>established relationships – a previously established relationship with the agent or landlord improves the tenant’s chances</li>
<li>honesty – tenants are encouraged to be honest with their agent about their lifestyle</li>
<li>flexibility – be flexible about lease length and the cost of rent</li>
<li>creative thinking – for example, bringing cupcakes to a rental inspection.</li>
</ol>
Through these interactions, tenants can highlight their desirable characteristics while downplaying their undesirable characteristics.
Selection process reinforces disadvantage
The ability to make a good impression on the agent, however, is largely based on a variety of factors that place some tenants at a disadvantage.
For example, tenants are advised that several lifestyle factors may hamper their ability to secure a property. These include pets, dependent children, age, a negative rental history and other potential housemates.
These findings match those of an <a href="http://shelter.org.au/site/wp-content/uploads/The-Australian-Rental-Market-Report-Final-Web.pdf" target="_blank">Australian survey of private renters</a>, commissioned by Choice, National Shelter and the National Association of Tenant Organisations. It found 50% of renters have experienced discrimination in the private rental sector. This includes discrimination on the basis of: pets (23%), receiving government payments (17%), age (14%), having young children (10%), being a single parent (7%), race (6%), needing to use a bond loan (5%), gender (5%), disability (5%) and sexuality (2%).
Further, when it comes to making an impression, some tenants are at a significant advantage. For example, factors such as English proficiency and the ability to “dress to impress” are often a reflection of economic and cultural capital.
The articles assume that presenting an application form with no spelling and grammatical errors is simply a matter of taking a little extra care. However, a newly arrived migrant may find this difficult, not because of laziness but because they may not yet be proficient in English.
The articles also highlight a tenant’s willingness to be flexible as important. Flexibility is presented in the following ways:
<ul>
<li>where demand for properties is high, tenants are advised to offer more rent</li>
<li>when a tenant has no rental history, they are advised to offer to pay rent in advance</li>
<li>tenants are also advised to cater to the needs of the real estate agent and landlord by being flexible about the length of the lease.</li>
</ul>
Tenants’ ability to be flexible in these ways varies greatly. For example, not all tenants have the means to offer more rent or pay rent in advance. The ability to be flexible about lease length also differs depending on individual circumstances.
My research shows the process of securing a rental property could reinforce the disadvantage of some tenants. This raises an important question. When private rental housing is the only option, what happens to those tenants who fail to impress the real estate agent?
Bronwyn Bate, PhD Candidate, Urban Research Program, Western Sydney University.
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/looking-to-rent-a-home-6-things-that-will-help-or-hinder-you-123753" target="_blank">original article</a>.
</body></html>

Looking to rent a home? Six things that will help or hinder you

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVATION
Two seemingly unrelated but important things happened in Melbourne last week. One was a memorial service for David Yencken AO; the other was the exhibition opening of the Future Park Design Ideas Competition. The connection between the two is that both gave us radical ideas for Melbourne’s open space.
David Yencken was a visionary man who had a profound impact on Victoria and Melbourne. He was responsible, among many things, for the transformation of <a href="https://www.travelvictoria.com.au/southbank/" target="_blank">Southbank</a> and co-founding <a href="https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/merchant-builders-celebrating-a-fifty-year-legacy" target="_blank">Merchant Builders</a>. But one of his wildest ideas was the 1985 <a href="https://www.killyourdarlings.com.au/2016/09/imagine-a-city-swanston-st-party/" target="_blank">Greening of Swanston Street</a>, when vehicle traffic was closed and a weekend street party was held right in the middle of Melbourne.
As the secretary (chief executive) of the Ministry for Planning and Environment, Yencken had been charged with changing perceptions of the city by rethinking its public spaces. At a time before <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-day-for-turning-parking-spaces-into-pop-up-parks-65164" target="_blank">pop-up parks</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/look-out-behind-the-bus-stop-here-come-guerrilla-gardeners-digging-up-an-urban-revolution-29225" target="_blank">guerrilla gardening</a>, his radical idea demonstrated what was possible for the inner city and sowed the seed of the <a href="https://www.mup.com.au/blog/melbourne-urban-transformation" target="_blank">idea of closing Swanston Street to traffic</a>.
The project was <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/the-man-who-helped-re-imagine-melbourne-20190705-p524mc" target="_blank">not without controversy</a> – it was costly and came in for political criticism as a stunt. But looking back to a time when inner Melbourne was underutilised and dominated by traffic, we can see how that radical idea sparked the imagination about what was possible for the city centre.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/207418/original/file-20180222-132674-1247hnf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/207418/original/file-20180222-132674-1247hnf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
The Greening of Swanston Street in 1985. Victorian Ministry of Planning
Future Park fires imaginations and debate
This is just what the <a href="https://msd.unimelb.edu.au/be150/competitions/futurepark" target="_blank">Future Park competition</a> needs to achieve. The open competition held by the University of Melbourne and the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects has attracted global interest, with 123 entries from 20 countries.
The brief was simple but provocative. Designers were to find space within 10 kilometres of the city centre and design a future park that responds to the challenges of Melbourne today. The design responses from the 31 shortlisted entries ranged from manufactured lagoons to urban wildlife corridors and street transformation parks that Yencken would be proud of.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/296120/original/file-20191009-3935-24915r.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/296120/original/file-20191009-3935-24915r.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Melbourne from Past to Last, a vision of a city street park. Future Park Design Ideas Competition, Author provided
The first wave of media coverage on the competition inspired a range of public comments about Melbourne’s open space. For example, from the <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/visions-of-utopia-lagoons-floating-pods-among-future-park-entries-20190929-p52vzc" target="_blank">online comments in The Age</a>:
"Royal Park is a massive area of underutilised space. Driving down Elliott Av it’s just an open wasteland. Grassland and scattered gum trees does not make a welcoming “park”.
"How about bulldozing the eyesore known as Federation Square and putting a park in its place?
"These designs forget to include the things that make it a Melbourne park, graffiti, vandalism, weeds and the homeless.
"Architects and landscapers rarely, if ever, have a grasp on what will work for people … they are too busy trying to be creative, and not busy enough trying to make people happy."
What the public comments show us is that there is no single or obvious solution to our parks and public spaces. Some people like it busy, some people like the quiet. Some want European trees and others desire native plantings. It’s complicated, and each of these opinions make valid points.
Just like Yencken’s Greening of Swanston, there will always be debate about what makes good public space. And that is exactly why we need more radical ideas – some might call them “crazy” – for our cities.
We know the future of our cities will be complicated. Like it or not, there will be more people, a changing climate and increasing pressure on infrastructure and services.
Wicked problems call for radical thinking
These messy issues are often described as <a href="https://theconversation.com/too-many-wicked-problems-how-science-policy-and-politics-can-work-together-8990" target="_blank">wicked problems</a>. Popular in public policy and management, the term is used to explain problems with debatable cause and effect. Critically, the lack of agreement about wicked problems produces conflicting goals towards resolution.
Obviously, we need science, governance and planning, but finding solutions to wicked problems will also require creativity and collaboration. We need debate and we need ideas that can expand our imagination about what our cities can be. This is why it is so important that the competition entries for the Future Park explore new and outrageous possibilities.
Ideas throughout the shortlisted entries include plans for a new NBN: the National Biodiversity Network, which creates ecological corridors across the country. Others propose transforming schools into parkland; parks designed for bees; designs that return darkness to our urban landscapes; and sculpting new islands as rising sea levels engulf our coastline.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/296122/original/file-20191009-3910-wjyu19.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/296122/original/file-20191009-3910-wjyu19.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Multi-deck parks: as cities grow and space becomes ever more precious, urban parks replace car parks. Future Park Design Ideas Competition, Author provided
As design solutions, these ideas reflect the challenges of our world today. While many of these schemes are technically, socially or economically unfeasible, they remind us of the power of thinking outside of the box. Importantly, the competition format puts all of these ideas together in one place for us to think about and discuss.
In Australia, we have a <a href="https://theconversation.com/architecture-competitions-are-risky-but-we-can-build-on-that-29476" target="_blank">limited culture of “open design competitions”</a> for either built projects or speculative solutions. But design competitions provide opportunities for new voices and discovering unexpected solutions within these wild ideas.
Radical ideas are important and so is having the freedom to voice them. Especially as a way of expanding the discussions we need to have about the challenging future.
The Future Park competition winners will be announced on Friday, October 11, at the <a href="https://www.aila.org.au/imis_prod/TSATP/Home/TSATP/Default.aspx?hkey=39717070-b978-492a-b2d6-c59aab8cd866" target="_blank">2019 International Festival of Landscape Architecture</a> in Melbourne. The <a href="https://msd.unimelb.edu.au/be150/events/the-future-park-design-ideas-competition-the-square-and-the-park-exhibition" target="_blank">Future Park exhibition</a> is at Dulux Gallery, Melbourne School of Design, University of Melbourne, from October 4 to November 1.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/124772/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
Wendy Walls, Lecturer in Landscape Architecture, University of Melbourne.
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-we-need-crazy-ideas-for-new-city-parks-124772" target="_blank">original article</a>.
</body></html>

Why we need ‘crazy’ ideas for new city parks: Wendy Walls

One of North Sydney's best-known commercial buildings could become hundreds of new homes, with insurance giant Zurich Australia lodging a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) to transform 5 Blue Street into a mixed-use residential development above North Sydney Station.

Rather than demolishing the existing building and starting again, Zurich is proposing an adaptive reuse project that would convert the landmark office building into a 15-level residential development delivering 62 apartments, 86 affordable co-living dwellings, activated retail and significant upgrades to the Blue Street Plaza.

The proposal reflects a growing trend of commercial property owners repositioning ageing office assets into residential housing as Sydney grapples with housing supply shortages and changing workplace demand.

<img alt="Zurich" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0bba7d12-06dc-4375-aad7-238c94b21ac5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%2010.42.05%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=NJl5oLAEBDGuPmY3RnyliKODjMc8lvRh" />

Located directly above North Sydney Metro and train station, the 3,051 sqm site occupies one of the most strategically positioned parcels of land on Sydney's Lower North Shore.

Designed by fjcstudio, the proposal seeks to retain and adapt much of the existing structure while creating a contemporary residential address that better connects with the public domain surrounding North Sydney Station.

The application proposes two basement levels, ground floor retail, affordable co-living accommodation across the podium levels, and apartments above, while preserving and enhancing the publicly accessible Blue Street Plaza.

Rather than pursuing maximum apartment numbers, Zurich has opted for a housing mix heavily weighted towards larger owner-occupier residences.

The proposal includes 62 build-to-sell apartments comprising 12 one-bedroom, 19 two-bedroom, 29 three-bedroom apartments and two premium penthouses. It also incorporates 86 affordable co-living dwellings, which would be managed in perpetuity by a Community Housing Provider.

That balance between traditional apartments and affordable housing reflects the NSW Government's push to increase housing diversity around major transport infrastructure.

The proposal has been lodged concurrently with a rezoning application, with Zurich arguing the site is ideally positioned to support additional housing given its immediate proximity to public transport, employment and services.

"The proposal aims to respond to the housing challenges facing Sydney through the delivery of diverse housing types in a highly accessible location," the design report by fjcstudio states. It also seeks to improve pedestrian amenity through upgrades to Blue Street Plaza while creating a high-performing residential building that responds to the surrounding context.

<img alt="Zurich" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="36082e15-c636-4481-bb68-5a5f6443fe39" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%2010.41.36%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=5P6VD.fvmqjQfIG3TWWMRXxQWiQBjeFB" />

Rather than replacing the commercial building, fjcstudio has developed a design that works with the existing structural framework above the rail corridor, an approach that significantly reduces demolition while allowing the site to be repositioned as a mixed-use residential precinct.

The existing structural constraints have informed much of the building's design, including its relationship with Blue Street and surrounding public spaces.

The building has been designed as a slender tower rising above a clearly defined podium, with vertically expressed façades intended to reduce the perceived bulk while reinforcing North Sydney's emerging skyline.

According to fjcstudio, the architectural language responds directly to the surrounding commercial towers while maintaining a finer grain expression more closely aligned with the neighbouring Lavender Bay streetscape.

The tower incorporates articulated façade elements, landscaped podium edges and recessed upper levels to soften its appearance and improve pedestrian amenity below.

A significant component of the proposal is the revitalisation of Blue Street Plaza.

The existing public space has long served as one of the primary pedestrian connections between North Sydney Station, Greenwood Plaza and Blue Street, yet its role is expected to become even more important following the opening of Sydney Metro.

Zurich's proposal seeks to strengthen that role by improving landscaping, introducing new retail frontages, enhancing pedestrian permeability and creating more active edges throughout the day and evening.

Ground floor retail would wrap the plaza, while separate residential and co-living entries have been designed to improve wayfinding without reducing street activation.

Landscape design has been integrated throughout the podium and public realm, softening what is currently one of the most heavily urbanised parts of North Sydney.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

fjcstudio has carefully oriented apartments towards Sydney Harbour and the CBD while using privacy blades and articulated façades to minimise overlooking between neighbouring buildings.

Large framed openings along the western elevation maximise harbour outlooks, while the eastern apartments have been angled towards the south-east to improve privacy from neighbouring development.

The project forms part of the continuing transformation of North Sydney from a predominantly commercial CBD into a genuine mixed-use city centre.

Since the completion of Victoria Cross Metro Station, developers have increasingly shifted their attention towards residential projects capable of leveraging the area's unparalleled transport connectivity.

&nbsp;

FiveX recently lodged plans for a 61-storey, 490-apartment tower that would become one of the tallest residential buildings in North Sydney if approved.

Aqualand continues to expand its Lower North Shore presence following the completion of AURA on Walker Street and its recent St Leonards and Roseville proposals.

Developers are also progressing projects throughout Walker Street, Miller Street and the Victoria Cross precinct as demand for well-located owner-occupier apartments continues to strengthen.

Joel Robinson

First look: Zurich targets North Sydney office conversion with 148-unit proposal above Metro station

Busy developer Aqualand Prestige has formally taken the next step in its expansion across Sydney's Lower North Shore, lodging a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for its long-held Archer Street site in Chatswood.

The application covers <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/51-55-archer-street-chatswood-nsw-2067">51-55 Archer Street</a>, a 1,767 sqm amalgamated site on the eastern edge of the Chatswood CBD, where the developer is seeking approval for a 45-level mixed-use tower delivering 114 apartments, including a significant affordable housing component, alongside retail, commercial space and six basement levels of parking.

The SSDA marks the latest milestone for a project Aqualand has been quietly progressing over the past two years. The developer first secured the site for its Aqualand Prestige platform before undertaking an alternative design excellence process with PTW Architects, ultimately avoiding a formal design competition through the Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

The proposal has evolved considerably from Aqualand's original concept. The revised scheme has been designed around larger owner-occupier product, with an unusually high proportion of three and four-bedroom apartments, targeting the more affluent buyer profile, and downsizer, emerging across the North Shore.

<img alt="Archer St" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0171204c-5811-41b5-9b09-2335d1b7c3d0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%208.52.48%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=6YTuxfq.puZo7k2wbfgemcO5K3QfXYGQ" />

The 114-apartment mix comprises six studios, 27 one-bedroom apartments, 18 two-bedroom apartments, 50 three-bedroom residences and 13 four-bedroom homes. A quarter of the building will be dedicated to affordable housing, well above the mandated 15 per cent&nbsp;

PTW has structured the building vertically, with affordable housing across levels one to six, premium apartments through levels seven to 31, duplex skyhomes on klevels 32 to 43, a penthouse on level 44, and a rooftop plant level above. Six basement levels will provide resident parking and servicing.

The tower is proposed to reach approximately 154 metres, placing it among a growing collection of residential high-rises transforming Chatswood's skyline.

Rather than competing purely on height, PTW says the design has been driven by creating a slimmer tower capable of delivering significantly larger apartments.

"The primary objective of this project was to create a distinctive building that stands out from the recently approved or built structures in the Chatswood area," the design report states, noting the structural efficiency allows greater investment into apartment quality and resident amenity.

Residents would have access to more than 450 sqm of communal open space including landscaped gardens, swimming pool, rooftop entertaining areas, fitness spaces, community gardens, children's play areas and barbecue facilities.

A major focus of the design has been the public domain.

The ground plane has been opened up through landscaped terraces inspired by Willoughby's sandstone ridges, with native planting, public seating, artwork, retail activation and a series of gathering spaces intended to soften what has traditionally been a hard commercial streetscape.

The landscape strategy references Blue Gum forests once common throughout the area, while incorporating Indigenous storytelling, public art and lighting installations to strengthen the connection to Country.

Chatswood has been one of Sydney's busiest apartment markets over the past 12 months, with a steady pipeline of both new project launches and fresh development applications.

Hyecorp recently launched Celine, a 122-apartment development just along Archer Street, while Changfa and Huirong Group are progressing The Anderson, an 84-apartment project on Anderson Street.

Develotek recently secured approval for a 101-apartment tower on Pacific Highway, while Tian An LFD received the green light for Hammond Greens, its apartment development on the edge of the Chatswood Bowling Club.

Commercial property developer FiveX is also making its move into the residential market. Last month it lodged plans for a 61-storey tower with 490 apartments, which, if approved, would become one of the tallest residential buildings in Chatswood.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-fivex-targets-chatswood-skyline-with-61-storey-tower-after-north-sydney-plans">First look: FiveX targets Chatswood skyline with 61-storey tower after North Sydney plans</a>

Aqualand is also expanding its development pipeline following the launch of its luxury residential brand, Aqualand Prestige. The developer has delivered a string of high-end apartment projects across Sydney's affluent suburbs over the past decade, most recently AURA by Aqualand on Walker Street in North Sydney.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=30959 project_image_fid=292863]

It has since quietly assembled its next wave of projects.

Earlier this year Aqualand launched Boronia in Roseville, a boutique 111-apartment development on Larkin Street. The project is one of the first significant apartment developments to launch in the suburb ahead of what is expected to become one of Sydney's most active new housing precincts under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing reforms, which allow greater density around train stations.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152095 project_image_fid=373685]

The developer has also lodged plans for a two-tower, 413-apartment development on Herbert Street in nearby St Leonards, further strengthening its presence across the Lower North Shore.

Beyond that, Aqualand remains behind the final stage of Barangaroo, where plans will deliver a five-hectare mixed-use precinct comprising new homes, retail, hospitality and community facilities, alongside a new Metro entrance and more than two hectares of public open space, completing the Barangaroo precinct.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/central-barangaroo-development-takes-big-step-with-concept-proposal-approval">Central Barangaroo development takes big step with concept proposal approval</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-aqualand-joins-st-leonards-apartment-party">First look: Aqualand joins St Leonards apartment party</a> 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

First look: Aqualand pushes ahead with Chatswood apartment tower as SSDA lodged for Archer Street

Mass timber is becoming an increasingly popular construction material in apartment developments, but Adelaide developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/otello">Otello</a> is taking the approach a step further.

At its new <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flowe-bowden-18-gibson-street-bowden-sa-5007">Flowe Bowden</a> development, the exposed cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure isn't just about reducing the building's environmental footprint. It also forms the foundation of a broader wellness strategy, influencing everything from indoor air quality and natural materials to the way residents move through and experience the building.

The 115-apartment mixed-use development, designed by Melbourne-based architecture practice Fieldwork, will occupy a prominent island site opposite Bowden Village Reserve, combining one, two and three-bedroom apartments with retail and a dedicated wellness destination.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375528]

Wellness isn't confined to a gym or shared resident facility at Flowe. Instead, Fieldwork embedded the concept into the building itself.

The development has been split into two residential wings connected by a naturally ventilated central breezeway, replacing traditional enclosed corridors with open-air walkways that improve natural light, encourage cross ventilation and create more opportunities for neighbourly interaction.

"Rather than treating wellness as something that only happens on the ground floor, our response integrates it throughout the building, which led us to ask what it really means to design a healthy building," Fieldwork Director Quino Holland said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375531]

The building's architecture also reflects Bowden's industrial heritage. The lower podium references the area's historic brick and sandstone buildings, while the upper levels transition to exposed CLT, allowing the timber structure to become a defining feature throughout the apartments and shared spaces.

The use of mass timber sits alongside a range of sustainability initiatives, including a fully electric, gas-free design, rooftop solar and a targeted 5 Star Green Star rating.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375524]

Inside the residences, the focus remains on natural, durable materials. Blackbutt engineered timber flooring, exposed CLT ceilings, porcelain surfaces and warm timber joinery create a calming interior palette, while low-VOC finishes and responsibly sourced materials have been selected to improve indoor air quality.

Kitchens have been designed as the centrepiece of each apartment, featuring porcelain island benchtops, timber-look cabinetry and brushed steel tapware, with layouts that maximise natural light and ventilation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375530]

The more traditional interpretation of wellness comes in the form of Level Eleven, a two-storey wellness club spanning the ground floor, mezzanine and first floor.

The facility will include a gym, yoga and reformer Pilates studios, Finnish and infrared saunas, magnesium hot and cold plunge pools, and dedicated recovery spaces. Unlike many residential wellness facilities, Level Eleven will also operate commercially, allowing the broader Bowden community to access the venue while giving residents exclusive membership benefits.

The ground floor has also been designed around everyday living. A café overlooking Bowden Village Reserve will activate the street frontage, while a bike workshop with tool storage, co-working space and dog wash has been incorporated to support daily routines and encourage interaction between residents.

"Flowe brings together my two biggest passions, creating places and creating healthier lives," Otello founder Daniel Harris said.

"We wanted to create something Adelaide hasn't seen before, a genuinely healthy building, where the way you live is lifted without even trying."

Flowe is positioned directly opposite Bowden Village Reserve and within walking distance of Bowden Railway Station and the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, placing future residents just minutes from the Adelaide CBD while remaining connected to one of the city's most established urban renewal precincts.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152022]

Otello launches wellness-focused Flowe Bowden with Adelaide-first mass timber apartment design

Not all apartment amenities are immediately visible.

Swimming pools, gyms, rooftop terraces and residents' lounges have long featured on buyers' wishlists, but as the way Australians live has changed, so too have the features that make apartment living more convenient.

Increasingly, buyers are placing value on the practical aspects of day-to-day life. Fast internet, EV charging, secure bike storage, flexible workspaces and parcel management are becoming just as relevant as lifestyle amenities, reflecting changing habits and expectations.

Online shopping has been one of the biggest drivers of that shift.

Australians spent a record $82.6 billion shopping online in 2025, with almost one in every four retail dollars now spent digitally, making parcel deliveries a routine part of everyday life rather than an occasional convenience.

For apartment residents, however, receiving those deliveries isn't always straightforward.

Without someone home to accept a parcel, deliveries can be redirected to a nearby Post Office, left in building foyers or common areas, or require building management to temporarily store packages. As apartment living continues to grow across Australia's cities, parcel management has become an increasingly important consideration for both residents and developers.

Australia Post's Parcel Locker network is one response to that shift.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KPZ9j5FRdsQ?si=Qztc1dNP3ZvEIUhb" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Rather than relying on home delivery, eligible parcels can be directed to a nominated Parcel Locker, where they're securely stored until collected. Once a parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS and can retrieve it using a one-time code or QR code at a time that suits them.

The network has expanded to more than 1,500 locations nationwide, with Parcel Lockers positioned at Post Offices, shopping centres, supermarkets, transport hubs and, increasingly, within or alongside residential developments.

That growing presence reflects a broader change in how apartment buildings are being planned.

Developers are increasingly considering the operational side of apartment living alongside traditional lifestyle amenities. Just as secure mailrooms, bicycle storage and EV charging have become more common inclusions, parcel management is emerging as another feature that supports everyday convenience.

It also helps preserve the arrival experience within a building. Carefully designed lobbies and communal spaces can quickly become cluttered when deliveries accumulate, while secure parcel solutions reduce the likelihood of missed deliveries or parcels being left unattended.

For buyers comparing apartments, these everyday details are becoming part of the decision-making process.

Location, floorplans and finishes remain fundamental, but the features that simplify daily life are carrying greater weight than they once did. As online shopping continues to shape consumer behaviour, secure parcel delivery is increasingly becoming another amenity worth looking for.

Parcel delivery is joining the apartment amenity checklist

Inca Property Group has lodged a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for Dawn, a 53-apartment oceanfront development overlooking Mona Vale Beach.

The proposal, at 35-39 Darley Street East, would replace an existing 18-apartment strata building with a new owner-occupier-focused development comprising 53 two and three-bedroom apartments, including nine affordable built-to-rent residences delivered under the State's infill affordable housing scheme.

Positioned on a 2,679 sqm elevated site around 280 metres from Mona Vale Beach, the development has been designed to maximise panoramic ocean views while responding to the site's sloping topography.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/inca-property-group">Inca Property Group</a> Managing Director Josh Thompson said the State Significant pathway provided greater certainty for projects of this scale.

"This State Significant pathway gives the team real certainty to progress <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/dawn-35-39-darley-street-east-mona-vale-nsw-2103">Dawn</a> through to completion," Thompson said.

"It allows us to acquire a one-off site, design it carefully and deliver the right offering for the suburb, assessed by the NSW Government's planning department."

The project is one of the first developments in the area to be assessed under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy, with the site sitting on the edge of the policy's designated inner area.

The proposal includes three basement levels providing 124 car spaces, alongside a range of resident amenities including a swimming pool, gym, sauna, wellness facilities and private plunge pools for selected ground-floor and penthouse apartments.

<img alt="Dawn" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fc1a1daf-0ce4-4f12-9076-b1fa553c7a91" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-21%20at%208.42.11%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4GZ9h.gpNkTljbxyAET8Jfhv51XUamDm" />

Thompson said Dawn had been designed specifically for owner-occupiers and downsizers, a buyer profile that has driven demand across Inca's recent Upper North Shore developments.

"The majority of buyers in our recent North Shore projects have been downsizers, and we are learning exactly what this market is looking for. Beyond the location itself, we have included resort-style amenities to deliver a genuine lifestyle offering," Thompson said.

Located within walking distance of Mona Vale Beach, the town centre, Mona Vale Golf Club and the Royal Motor Yacht Club, Dawn represents Inca's first Northern Beaches project following the sell-out of Tara on Park in Waitara and Ellis Residences, currently under construction in St Ives.

Construction will be undertaken by Inca's in-house construction arm, GOP Constructions.

Dawn is the latest major apartment proposal for Mona Vale, with the suburb emerging as one of the key beneficiaries of the NSW Government's new Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy.

New developer One Living, led by industry veteran Joseph Scuderi, recently secured a site on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, where it is planning around 140 apartments.

IPM is also planning its third project in Mona Vale, significantly increasing the scale of its previous developments with an 82-apartment proposal at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/159-167-darley-street-west-mona-vale-nsw-2103">159-167 Darley Street West</a>, opposite Bayview Golf Course and less than 800 metres from Mona Vale town centre.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/one-living-enters-sydneys-new-apartment-market-with-northern-beaches-site-acquisition">One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-ipm-plans-third-mona-vale-project">First look: IPM plans third Mona Vale project</a>

Staff reporter

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News