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2019 has seen vacancy rates continue to tighten for A-grade office stock in the nation’s capital, having fallen to 5% from 5.4% in the six months to July 2019 and having already decreased from 8.6% for the six months prior to that, according to the latest report from Herron Todd White.
The property valuation firm found, absorption of A-grade stock has continued to improve, primarily for property in close proximity to the CBD and predominantly by Commonwealth government departments.
While the supply level for premium office stock is currently tight, new stock coming on-line in 2020 and 2021 will relieve this pressure and potentially offset any significant rental growth experienced currently, especially in the premium sector.
Notable office development currently taking place within the CBD includes Amalgamated Property Group’s Civic Quarter, situated alongside the Northbourne Avenue development corridor with direct exposure to the light rail system. 
The report notes, "While there has been very strong interest in the above both government and corporate tenants alike, demand for office space certainly exists outside of the CBD."
"An example of a significant sale transaction is 16-18 Mort Street, Canberra City in June 2019 for $108.5 million. The property was constructed in 1992 and features a total of 14,506 square metre B-Grade office space."
"The continued popularity and growth of co-working spaces and buildings with shared facilities to satiate an ever growing mobile office population that demands more flexible spaces coupled with a move towards smarter more energy efficient buildings will see an increased proportion of current B-grade stock undergoing substantial refurbishment and modernization in order to stay competitive and garner local and offshore investment interest," it concluded.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Canberra vacancy rates tighten for A-grade office stock: HTW Commercial

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The office market in Rockhampton has stabilised, however remains relatively flat, according to the latest report from valuation firm Herron Todd White.
The property valuation firm found, there have been no major office developments in the CBD since the completion of the NAB building in 2012, however there is still a significant vacancy rate and until existing vacancies are absorbed across the CBD, it is unlikely we will see any other major office developments in the immediate term.
However the Council has recently let the contract for the construction of a new art gallery in the CBD on a 2,800 square metre site.
It will require the demolition of existing office buildings which provide about 3,000 to 4,000 square metres of office space.
The report noted, "rentals have been relatively stable over the past 12 to 24 months, however leases that were negotiated some five to ten years ago that are coming to an end are seeing some re-negotiations as the previous rentals are now considered above market."
"Generally speaking, office rentals within the Rockhampton CBD have been ranging from about $225 to $300 per square metre gross. Rentals above $300 per square metre gross are for prime office tenancies only."
"There have been no recent major transactions of office buildings."
"The most recent was the sale of the NAB building which transacted in 2016 for $9.35 million."
"Owner-occupiers remain fairly active in the market, with most activity in the sub- $1 million price bracket."
"Vacant office buildings have been very thinly traded above the $1 million price bracket in recent years."
"With multiple infrastructure projects commencing and in the pipeline, things are looking positive for the office market in Rockhampton in the short to medium term," the report concluded.
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Rockhampton office market left flat: HTW Commercial

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Bootmakers Cottage, a four bedroom historic cottage in Hunter Hill, NSW has recently been sold for $3.01 million. 
It was sold by Matthew Ward and Claire Ward of Ward Partners. 
The circa 1867 at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-hunters+hill-131648086" target="_blank">10 Figtree Road</a> was owned by French entrepreneur Didier Joubert, politician Francis Abigail and then a fruit grower's wife and a warder. 
<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/2019/9/16/hunters%20hill%202.jpg" alt="">
The cottage has been extended to a larger floor plan including four bedrooms, living and dining opening to the verandah, landscaped gardens and two car parking. 
Other features include central hallway, swimming pool, storage areas and brick facade.
<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/2019/9/16/hunters%20hill%203.jpg" alt="">
The property is situated within close proximity to schools, cafes, eateries and public transport. 
It had last sold for $1.85 million in 2007. 
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Hunters Hill historic Bootmakers Cottage trophy home sold 

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There would be no great surprise to most that the sub-$500,000 market is still thin in the Northern Beaches, according to a recent Herron Todd White (HTW) residential report. 
The report notes there is currently a greater amount of stock, a wider variety and located in a number of additional suburbs than there has been for several years.
A Narrabeen sale in June for $450,000 with a 4.7% yield, a Balgowlah sale in April for $425,000 with a 4.8% yield, an Avalon sale in May for $450,000 with a 4.4% yield and a Dee Why sale in May for $450,000 with a five% yield, are all areas in which older style one-bedroom units have sold in 2019.
The report notes that the only suburb where a two-bedroom unit is available in this price range is Dee Why, with a unit at<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-apartment-nsw-dee+why-130777654" target="_blank"> 2/7 Ilikai Place</a> (pictured above) scraping in at $500,000 even, enjoying a 4.7% yield.
"The product types and price bracket obviously appeal primarily to first home buyers and investors.
"Interestingly, four of the five examples have been subsequently listed for rent immediately after the sale, which is a good indication of the target market," the valuation firm said. 
Yields between 4-5% are fairly consistent across the board, with rents ranging between $380 and $465 per week for the above mentioned properties.
"By looking at buying the ugly duckling in a desired location, there is opportunity to create value and it is much easier to renovate than relocate your unit.
"Whilst there should be no expectation of any significant capital growth over the next 12-month period, there are some early market indicators that the worst may be behind us," the valuation firm said.
<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/2019/8/15/beacon%20hill.jpg" alt="">
The cheapest house sale of 2019 currently goes to 2 Ellis Road, Beacon Hill (pictured above), the HTW report noted
The sale represents the absolute bottom end of the market, selling at auction for $850,000 in February, well below the Beacon Hill median house price of $1,421,000, according to CoreLogic.
"As you can imagine, the price discount comes at a cost to the location and the quality of the existing improvements," the valuation firm commented. 
The property comprises the original circa 1960s timber weatherboard dwelling, situated on 538 square metres of land and adversely located on the corner of a busy intersection to Warringah Road.
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Northern Beaches seeing wider variety of sub-$500,000 properties: HTW residential 

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GUEST OBSERVATION
In Western Australia <a href="https://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/McGowan/2019/09/Two-major-announcements-for-National-Child-Protection-Week.aspx" target="_blank">more than half the children placed in state care are Aboriginal</a>. The state government <a href="https://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/McGowan/2019/09/Two-major-announcements-for-National-Child-Protection-Week.aspx" target="_blank">committed</a> this month to reducing this over-representation, in a move that parallels the Closing the Gap Refresh <a href="https://www.coag.gov.au/sites/default/files/communique/coag-statement-closing-the-gap-refresh.pdf" target="_blank">draft target</a> nationally. Despite concerns about another <a href="https://bth.humanrights.gov.au/" target="_blank">stolen generation</a>, Australia has yet to act on a root cause – the difficulty Indigenous women escaping family violence face in finding safe housing.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/final-reports/320" target="_blank">Our research</a> shows domestic violence and housing are linked as a cause of child removal.
Every year governments <a href="https://indigenousx.com.au/debunking-33-billion/" target="_blank">spend millions</a> addressing <a href="https://healingfoundation.org.au/stolen-generations/stolengenerationsreport/" target="_blank">Indigenous intergenerational trauma</a>. Child removal is an important cause of this trauma.
Care for children is a cornerstone of Aboriginal cultures. Child removal often has severe mental and physical health <a href="https://www.telethonkids.org.au/globalassets/media/documents/aboriginal-health/measuring_social_and_emotional_wellbeing.pdf" target="_blank">effects</a>, with risks of substance use, homelessness and incarceration.
Consequences are similar for children, who also suffer from <a href="http://iaha.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/000214_cultureclosinggap.pdf" target="_blank">cultural dislocation</a>. Yet Indigenous children are admitted to out-of-home care at <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/child-protection/child-protection-australia-2017-18/contents/children-receiving-child-protection-services/indigenous-children" target="_blank">11 times the rate</a> for non-Indigenous children. Far from declining, <a href="https://nit.com.au/rising-rate-of-aboriginal-children-in-out-of-home-care/" target="_blank">rates are increasing</a> – by 21% between 2012 and 2017.
This issue is not primarily one of isolated remote communities. The rate of Indigenous children in out-of-home care is <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/child-protection/child-protection-australia-2017-18/contents/table-of-contents" target="_blank">highest in our major cities</a>.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/293101/original/file-20190919-187957-c97t1m.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/293101/original/file-20190919-187957-c97t1m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
<a class="source" href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/child-protection/child-protection-australia-2017-18/contents/table-of-contents" target="_blank">Child protection Australia 2017-18, AIHW (2019)</a>, Author provided.
Contrary to public discourse, sexual abuse accounts for only a tiny percentage of substantiated notifications. Proportions are <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/child-protection/child-protection-australia-2017-18/contents/table-of-contents" target="_blank">below those for non-Indigenous children</a> (see chart below).
Emotional abuse, which includes the child’s exposure to family violence, accounts for most notifications. The second-most-common type is neglect. This occurs at more than double the non-Indigenous rate and includes inadequate, insecure or unsafe housing.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/292769/original/file-20190917-19040-10xctnw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
<a class="source" href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/child-protection/child-protection-australia-2017-18/contents/table-of-contents">AIHW 2019</a>, Author provided
Mothers have nowhere to go
In situations of family violence many Aboriginal woman face an impossible situation when trying to protect their children. If they stay with the perpetrator they risk notification for emotional abuse. If they leave but cannot find suitable housing, they risk allegations of neglect.
This dilemma applies to <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/final-reports/311" target="_blank">all low-income women</a>, but it is most acute for Aboriginal women. The combination of discrimination and low income means few find private rental housing. <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/final-reports/320?utm_source=website&amp;utm_medium=homepage&amp;utm_campaign=slider" target="_blank">Crisis services are often full</a>. The bottlenecks in the homelessness system result in long waits for transitional accommodation.
Waiting times for scarce public housing are long. Many also face delays in being added to priority wait lists due to housing debt – even though this is often a result of their partner’s financial abuse.
These <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/final-reports/320?utm_source=website&amp;utm_medium=homepage&amp;utm_campaign=slider" target="_blank">women are often trapped</a> in a revolving door between crisis centres, homelessness and returning to an unsafe home. This is a factor in their <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/domestic-violence/family-domestic-sexual-violence-in-australia-2018/contents/summary" target="_blank">high rates of injury and early death</a>.
Delays in being appropriately housed can <a href="https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2018/09/apo-nid193271-1232351.pdf" target="_blank">prevent children</a> from ever being returned to their parents. Child protection timelines generally allow only 12 months before removal can become permanent.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/293097/original/file-20190919-187967-1wkbgzi.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/293097/original/file-20190919-187967-1wkbgzi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Data sourced from Child protection Australia 2017–18, AIHW (2019) <a class="source" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/final-reports/320">Cripps and Habibis (2019)</a>, Author provided
A policy blind spot
Housing’s critical role at the intersection of child protection and domestic violence has yet to be recognised in public policy. The national <a href="https://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/08_2019/fourth_action-plan.pdf" target="_blank">Fourth Action Plan</a> to reduce violence against women and their children refers to “inadequate housing and overcrowding” as a factor in Aboriginal family violence. Despite this, it offers no specific guidelines or strategies to overcome these problems.
The Closing the Gap policy focus on housing is limited to reducing <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.pc.gov.au/research/ongoing/overcoming-indigenous-disadvantage/2016" target="_blank">overcrowding</a>. While critical, this misses the relationship between housing shortages and family violence and its impact on mums being separated from their children. And the Refresh <a href="https://closingthegap.niaa.gov.au/draft-targets-for-discussion" target="_blank">targets</a> are uncertain and underdeveloped.
Without specific housing targets, it is hard to see how the other targets to reduce violence and overrepresentation in out-of-home care will be met.
As Indigenous policy is realigned under the <a href="https://closingthegap.niaa.gov.au/draft-targets-for-discussion" target="_blank">Closing The Gap Refresh</a> the Australian government must act on this missing link. It should increase the number of crisis beds and consider targets to reduce the numbers of Aboriginal women and children turned away from crisis accommodation.
Programs should support timely access to secure housing. This is especially important for women seeking to reunify with children in state care.
Within the <a href="https://www.anrows.org.au/news/safe-home-lessons-for-practitioners-and-policy-makers/" target="_blank">Safe at Home</a> program, special funds should be made available for housing safety upgrades so Aboriginal women can remain in their own homes.
Beyond this, what’s needed are holistic solutions that work with the whole family, including the perpetrator. These solutions need to be developed and delivered in partnership with Aboriginal people, communities and services, building on the strengths of individuals and communities to overcome the impacts of violence and intergenerational trauma.
The short-term nature of funding is also a problem. Investment needs to go beyond political cycles. Current short-term funding arrangements undermine trust in services and greatly reduce their capacity and potential effectiveness.
Given the long-term <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/e84b6721-7ea0-4688-8eac-59353cfb4452/aihw-australias-welfare-2017-chapter2-5.pdf.aspx" target="_blank">intergenerational costs</a> of child removal and domestic violence, such measures should prove cost-effective. More importantly, they would reduce violence against women and the over-representation of Aboriginal children in out-of-home care.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/123526/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
Kyllie Cripps, Scientia Felllow and Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law UNSW Sydney, UNSW.
Daphne Habibis, Associate Professor, University of Tasmania.
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/another-stolen-generation-looms-unless-indigenous-women-fleeing-violence-can-find-safe-housing-123526" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Another stolen generation looms unless Indigenous women fleeing violence can find safe housing

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Building an extra 50,000 homes each year for a decade could make prices and rents 20% cheaper. 
Compared to the rest of the world, income inequality is not particularly high in Australia, nor is it getting much worse.
The real problem is housing inequality.
Rising house prices have increased <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-the-bureau-of-statistics-didnt-highlight-our-continuing-upward-redistribution-of-wealth-121731" target="_blank">wealth inequality</a>. Rising housing costs have dramatically widened the gap between high and low disposable incomes.
The gap between low-income and high-income households in Australia is <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/916-Commonwealth-Orange-Book-2019.pdf" target="_blank">close to the OECD average</a>. Income inequality – measured by the gini coefficient – <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/6523.0Main+Features12017-18?OpenDocument" target="_blank">has fallen</a> slightly over the past decade.
The <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/research/completed/rising-inequality/rising-inequality.pdf" target="_blank">Productivity Commission</a> says inequality has increased only slightly in the past three decades. Economists at the <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/rdp/2015/pdf/rdp2015-15.pdf" target="_blank">Reserve Bank</a> have come to similar conclusions.
But inequality is growing once housing costs are factored in, with the poor being hurt the most.
Incomes for the lowest 20% of households <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/901-Housing-affordability.pdf" target="_blank">increased</a> by about 27% between 2003-04 and 2015-16. But their incomes after housing costs increased by only about 16%. Low-income Australians are spending <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/901-Housing-affordability.pdf" target="_blank">much more</a> than they used to keep a roof over their heads.
In contrast, incomes for the highest 20% of households increased by 36%, and their after-housing incomes by 33%.
Leaving the young and poor behind
Home ownership is increasingly benefiting the already well-off. Since 2003-04, increasing property values have contributed to the wealth of high-income households increasing by more than 50%. Wealth for low-income households has grown by less than 10%
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289162/original/file-20190823-170922-dg3w9b.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/289162/original/file-20190823-170922-dg3w9b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
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As we’ve <a href="https://theconversation.com/retiree-home-ownership-is-about-to-plummet-soon-little-more-than-half-will-own-where-they-live-115255" target="_blank">noted previously</a> rising housing costs have widened the gap between renters and home owners. As property prices have escalated, the higher deposit hurdle has seen rates of home ownership falling fast among the young and the poor.
In 1981 more than 60% of those aged 25-34 had a mortgage; by 2016 it was 45%. The trends are similar among older groups. In the same period, home ownership among the poorest 20% of households has fallen from 63% to 23%.
The big winners of the property boom have typically been older Australians <a href="https://theconversation.com/for-the-first-time-in-a-long-time-were-setting-up-a-generation-to-be-worse-off-than-the-one-before-it-121983" target="_blank">lucky enough</a> to buy a house before prices took off. Housing has thus compounded <a href="https://theconversation.com/three-charts-on-the-great-australian-wealth-gap-84515" target="_blank">inequality between the young and old</a>.
This could lead to higher inequality in the future, because the children with wealthier parents can rely on the “bank of mum and dad” to break into the housing market, and then inherit their parents’ home as an investment property.
Many low-income Australians <a href="https://theconversation.com/rethink-inheritances-these-days-they-no-longer-help-the-young-they-go-to-the-already-middle-aged-122029" target="_blank">won’t be so lucky</a>, which is why the share of Australians who own their homes is expected to <a href="https://theconversation.com/retiree-home-ownership-is-about-to-plummet-soon-little-more-than-half-will-own-where-they-live-115255">fall sharply</a> in the decades ahead.
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/268787/original/file-20190411-44785-55hftp.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/268787/original/file-20190411-44785-55hftp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
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A clearer policy agenda
Despite the clear evidence housing is key to inequality in Australia, housing policy is thin on the ground.
In the dying days of the federal election campaign, the Coalition announced a <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-brutal-truth-on-housing-someone-has-to-lose-in-order-for-first-homebuyers-to-win-117010" target="_blank">plan</a> to help those struggling to save the 20% deposit normally required to buy a home.
The federal government has also made it easier for people to access their <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/super/withdrawing-and-using-your-super/first-home-super-saver-scheme/" target="_blank">super</a> to pay the deposit.
These policies might be popular but do little to improve housing affordability for low-income earners; they might even <a href="https://insidestory.org.au/another-lost-opportunity-for-housing-affordability/" target="_blank">do more harm than good</a>.
Labor, meanwhile, ran with a <a href="https://theconversation.com/shortens-subsidy-plan-to-boost-affordable-housing-108881" target="_blank">proposal</a> during the last election campaign to build 250,000 new affordable housing dwellings, using a mechanism similar to the earlier National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS). On our <a href="https://blog.grattan.edu.au/2019/09/learning-from-past-mistakes-lessons-from-the-national-rental-affordability-scheme/">analysis</a>, though, the original NRAS was poor value for money, and did not target those most in need.
Addressing inequality requires a clearer view on what to do about rising housing costs.
The priority should be to <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/commonwealth-orange-book-2019/" target="_blank">boost Rent Assistance</a> by 40% – an extra A$1,410 a year for singles and A$1,330 for couples – and benchmark it to rents paid by low-income renters.
The federal government should also give <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/commonwealth-orange-book-2019/" target="_blank">more funding</a> to the states for social housing carefully targeted to people at serious risk of homelessness.
Emulating the Rudd-era <a href="http://www.nwhn.net.au/admin/file/content101/c6/social_housing_initiative_review.pdf" target="_blank">Social Housing Initiative</a>, which resulted in 20,000 new social housing units being built and thousands more refurbished at a cost of A$5.6 billion, would provide a much-needed boost to housing construction when the pipeline is <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/smp/2019/may/pdf/statement-on-monetary-policy-2019-05.pdf" target="_blank">drying up</a>.
Supply-side economics
But redistribution alone won’t be enough. Housing is a A$6.6 trillion market. Subsidies can only paper over market failures arising from overly strict zoning rules that <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/housing-affordability-re-imagining-the-australian-dream/" target="_blank">prevent greater density</a> in our major cities.
Housing inequality will really only fall if housing costs fall. That requires building more houses. We <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/housing-affordability-re-imagining-the-australian-dream/" target="_blank">estimate</a> building an extra 50,000 homes a year for the next decade would make house prices and rents 10% to 20% lower than they would be otherwise.
This is primarily a challenge for state governments. They govern the local councils that set most planning rules and assess most development applications. But the federal government can and should <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/916-Commonwealth-Orange-Book-2019.pdf">encourage</a> the states to boost housing supply by reforming land-use planning and zoning laws.
If Scott Morrison really believes in “<a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/scott-morrison-pays-tribute-to-grandmother-in-mardigras-ritual/news-story/5af22d241145aae979e8d694d2f7dbe7" target="_blank">a fair go for Australians</a>”, he needs to tackle the housing crisis.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/119872/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
Brendan Coates, Program Director, Household Finances, Grattan Institute.
Carmela Chivers, Associate, Grattan Institute.
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/rising-inequality-in-australia-isnt-about-incomes-its-almost-all-about-housing-119872" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Rising inequality in Australia isn’t about incomes, it’s almost all about housing: Grattan Institute

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Montrose, a circa 1918 Edwardian home situated close to the heart of Marrickville has been listed for sale with a price guide of $2.7 million.
The landmark property has been listed by Rhonda Yim and Blake Lowry from Belle Property Annadale. 
Set on a 1,249 square metre double block, Montrose at<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-marrickville-131639358" target="_blank"> 321 Marrickville Road</a> comprises six bedrooms, formal and casual living areas, separate study and attic storeroom. 
<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/2019/9/16/marrickville%202.jpg" alt="">
It also features marble floors, iron fireplaces, leadlight windows, level gardens, parking for up to six cars and extra-wide frontage. 
Prior to the vendors purchasing the property in 2017, Montrose had been held by the same family for more than 90 years.
<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/2019/9/16/marrickville%203.jpg" alt="">
It's within a level stroll to a host of cafe, entertainment and transport options. 
Last sold in 2017, the property was traded for $2.9 million. 
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Marrickville circa 1918 trophy home hits the market 

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Agents report that conditions within the Gold Coast office market have been slowing for a while now, according to the latest report from property valuation firm Herron Todd White.
The report found, that exacerbating this sentiment in 2019 to date was the Royal Commission into misconduct in the banking, superannuation and financial services industry and the federal government election campaign.
However after a marketplace hiatus over this period (February to May) the impact of these events seems to have well and truly passed and business appears to have moved back into normal mode once again.
The HTW valuers said, "continuation of the low interest rate environment, with rates reducing yet again, is certainly a positive for the market place in a general sense."
"To date in 2019, we have seen settlement of several sizeable office building transactions."
In January: 130 Bundall Road, Bundall. 3,682 square metre lettable area on a 2,226 square metre site at $11 million (source: CoreLogic). 70% occupied and reflecting a WALE of 2.16 years (by income). Passing yield circa 5.43%. Analysed yield 7.34% (with 7.5% PVA). $2,988 per square metre on floor area. Owner-occupier buyer.
In March: Lakeside 1, Bermuda Point, Lot 1101/1 Lake Orr Drive, Varsity Lakes. 6,114 square metres lettable area on a 7,916 square metre site at $25.1 million (source: CoreLogic). Reported as circa 96% occupied and returning a net passing income in the order of $2.285 million. Based on these metrics, passing yield would be in the order of 9% with a lettable floor area rate of circa $4,105 per square metre, although we consider the passing rental level full.
 In May: 169 Varsity Parade, Varsity Lakes. 3,364 square metres lettable area on a 13,000 square metre site at $14 million (source: CoreLogic). Fully leased and reflecting an estimated WALE of 1.38 years (by income). Passing yield circa 8.73%. Analysed yield 6.85% (with 5% PVA). $4,172 per square metre on floor area. Considered a future residential redevelopment site.
In August: Confidential. Circa 2,500 square metres lettable area U/C exceeding $8 million. 95% occupied and reflecting a WALE of 1.5 years (by income). Will reflect a passing yield of circa 7.6%.
HTW valuers said, "several other larger office buildings have also been put to the market place. All have drawn interest from prospective buyers."
"Based on bone fide offers received, interest in the Gold Coast office sector would appear to be holding firm, although our observation is that yields may be softening slightly, to analysed yields ranging from 7.25% to 8%."
"Supply of larger office floor space (1,000 square metres plus) has been hampered on the Gold Coast for some time now due in the main to no new office buildings being developed."
"The lack of new buildings has attracted entrepreneurial investors to older buildings in the Gold Coast’s older established office precincts such as Southport, Bundall and Surfers Paradise," stated the valuers.
The Property Council of Australia July 2019 Office Market Report indicates a total vacancy factor for the Gold Coast of 12.9%.
This is up from 11.6% in their January 2019 report. Leasing agents had noted a tougher first half for 2019, but expect the second half to be better.
The report authors said, "the negative net absorption of -6,850 square metres is attributed to businesses consolidating into smaller premises, etc.
"Overall, we consider the increased level in the Gold Coast vacancy factor may dampen some investors’ views of the Gold Coast office sector, with the result being solidification of slightly higher yields, but on the positive side of the ledger, rental rates appear to be achieving moderate gains."
"So all in all, the bottom line is likely to be retention of asset value levels over the remainder of 2019," they concluded.
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Gold Coast office market shrugs off slowdown: HTW Commercial

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A retail strip property located in Boroondara’s Camberwell shopping precinct has been offered for sale with price expectations exceeding $11 million.
CBRE Melbourne’s Retail Strip Investments team of Rorey James, JJ Heng, Sandro Peluso and Lewis Tong were appointed to market the property for sale in conjunction with Phillip Almeida of Performance Property Advisory.
Located at <a href="https://www.commercialrealestate.com.au/property/620-624-burke-road-camberwell-vic-3124-2015493828" target="_blank">620-624 Burke Road</a>, the two-storey property was once occupied by Australian Unity and has since been a medical associated building for more than two decades.
CBRE’s Mr James said, "the property’s current tenant has no further lease options, opening up the opportunity for developers, owner-occupiers and investors to compete for it.
Featuring a ten-metre frontage to Burke Street with rear access to a large council car park, it's also one of the largest landholdings within the retail strip.
CBRE’s Mr Heng noted that three of CBRE’s four recent Camberwell transactions have involved international Asian purchasers, suggesting the trend is likely to continue with the sale of 620-624 Burke Road.
The 828 sqm property is currently leased to PharmaSave, generating annual net rental revenue of $617,733 (after land tax) with potential to generate additional income from 262 sqm of unused space.
620-624 Burke Road was offered to market via an international expressions of interest campaign which closed August 28, 2019.
Offers are currently under review.
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Camberwell retail property tipped for $11 million plus sale

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The Indooroopilly Bowls Club has finally sold for $1.3 million, four years on from it's closure following an ongoing strata struggle.
The buyers, two local families, purchased the 4,507 sqm property and it will become known as Indooroopilly Greens designed to be a "destination hub nown for quality, passion and community when it comes to health, movement, fitness and food."
Situated at 101 Clarence Road the anchor tenant is Fitter Futures a kid and teen focused movement training facility which is expanding to include adult programmes.
The sale of the property was negotiated by Adam Willmore of Knight Frank, who was appointed by liquidators Morgan Lane and Michael Griffin from Worrells Solvency and Forensic Accountants.
Mr Willmore said he had received well over 100 enquiries from buyers with wide-ranging uses for the property over the four years he had been marketing it.
He said, "it has been a long and difficult process to get to this point where the property will be sold,” the site is essentially one strata unit that is part of the Body Corporate that also governs the 134 residential apartments on the Clarence Road property."
"As such, any incoming buyer needed to obtain body corporate approvals if they wanted to operate anything other than a bowls club."
“Unfortunately there were no club operators interested in the property at an acceptable price level and the majority of the interest in the property was from buyers with alternate uses in mind.”
Mr Willmore said the bowling greens were also zoned Sports and Recreation and sit above basement carparking so there was no development potential in the site.
“We previously had it under contract a number of times to buyers wanting to purchase it for other uses including childcare but the body corporate did not support these buyers’ use for the property,” he added.
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Indooroopilly Bowls Club sold after lengthy strata struggle

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.

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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.

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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> 
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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

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