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Sweetwater, a property consisting of two homes on one 40 acre title in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, has hit the market. 
It has been listed by David A. Perez and Linda Shore-Perez from Villa Prestige Properties Noosa Heads. 
The property at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-booroobin-131617550" target="_blank">1620 Maleny Stanley River Road, Booroobin</a> was purchased in 2006 by the owner and since then has undergone a complete regeneration and revegetation program.
The original house, The Cottage, was renovated and expanded in 2007 while the Manor House on top of the hill was built in 2012 by Storybook Cottages.
Perched on top of the Blackall Range with views, the Manor House is known by locals as The Castle House. 
It comprises master bedroom with ensuite, second bedroom, designer kitchen, open plan living room, media room, sitting room, and Tower Room on the third floor. 
<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/booroobin%203.jpg" alt="">
Additional features include built-in library, Italian designed residential lift, fireplace and wooden staircases. 
Surrounded by rainforest, the second dwelling, Sweetwater Cottage consists of five bedrooms, granite kitchen, undercover entertaining area and two fireplaces. 
<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/booroobin%205.jpg" alt="">
The cottage has hosted weddings and functions in recent years. 
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Sunshine Coast hinterland 40 acre property with two homes Sweetwater listed

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A Beaudesert mortgagee home has sold for $260,000.
The latest marketing campaign ran for over 500 days, off the back of an unsuccessful 180 day campaign in 2015 when the property wasn't marketed as a mortgagee.
Rob and Maree Richardson of Beaudesert Properties managed the latest campaign.
Situated at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-qld-beaudesert-130882494" target="_blank">32 Tina Street</a>, the abode comprises a three bedroom, two bathroom house.
Set on 890 square metres, the home was listed for $379,000 in March 2018.
The asking price was reduced eight times over the duration of the campaign down to $280,000.
According to the listing it has rental potential of $330 to $340 per week.
The home last sold for $340,000 in 2012. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/subscribe" target="_blank"><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/2019/1/Subscriber%20strip%20ad.jpg" alt=""></a>
The median sale price for an apartment in <a href="/news">Beaudesert</a> is $349,000 according to the latest CoreLogic data.
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Beaudesert mortgagee home sold for $80,000 loss

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The Melbourne Storm are set to launch their own branded home loan service.
It is set to pioneer sporting clubs offering its members access to financial products.
The Storm is launching Storm Money in partnership with the private My Local Broker.
My Local Broker will be the funder of the loans. My Local Broker is owned by Gerry Ryan, a part-owner and director of the Storm.
The Storm will share commissions. The members will be offered deals from about 40 or so different loan providers.
Storm chief executive Dave Donaghy said the concept arose from a survey of the club’s 25,000 members this year about their financial priorities.
“We looked at our sponsorship portfolio and found we had a gap in the banking sector,” Mr Donaghy told The Australian.
Almost 40 per cent of Storm members have home loans and close to 60 per cent told the club they were looking to refinance within a year, with 40 per cent saying they’d be likely or highly likely to change if offered an exclusive deal from a Storm sponsor.
 
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Melbourne Storm set to offer home loans to 25,000 members

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This Saturday Melbourne sees the highest volume of homes go under the hammer for the year so far.
There are 919 auctions listed for Saturday, beating the year’s previous high point of 900 auctions held on the last weekend of February 23, Domain figures show.
<div class="in-content-ad">It is the traditional busy weekend before the AFL Grand Final public holiday long weekend, which sees a big drop homes going under the hammer.</div>
<div class="in-content-ad"> </div>
<div class="in-content-ad">On the same weekend last year, 1029 auctions were scheduled. </div>
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Volumes down on 2019 pre-AFL grand final auction weekend  

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The Melbourne city centre has seen a continued substantial increase in the supply of high rise apartments, according to a recent Herron Todd White (HTW) residential report. 
The report suggests that lifestyle changes have led to people seeking a better work and life balance; as such properties located within half an hour of the CBD and close to public transport links continue to be highly desired by first home buyers.
Developers are encouraging buyers by including amenities such as rooftop gardens, creative common facilities such as virtual golf, private dining areas with industrial kitchen facilities allowing residents to bring in a private chef and meeting rooms for the home office operator.
"For an entry level price of $580,000, you will find a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment in the Prima Pearl located at 35 Queens Bridge Street, Southbank (pictured above) and access to the mentioned amenities," the valuation firm said. 
"Young professional couples or small families looking to upgrade their one-bedroom apartment for a bit more room do not have to go far.
"Suburbs on the city fringe such as Collingwood, Richmond, Prahran and South Melbourne still have access to public transport to the CBD, schools and close proximity to local restaurants and cafes." 
Property types vary from townhouses and single-fronted dwellings that can accommodate two-to-three bedrooms, two car spaces and a small courtyard.
<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/2019/9/11/richmond%20.jpg" alt="">
A three bedroom townhouse at<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-townhouse-vic-richmond-130425362" target="_blank"> 7 Palmer Street, Richmond </a>(pictured above) has been sold for $1.55 million.
Set on 150 square metre block, the home comprises three bedrooms, open plan living and dining area, kitchen with Miele appliances and second living area opening to balcony. 
It's situated moments from Bridge Road entertainment, amenities and public transport.
At the prestige end of the market, buyers are looking for properties with a period character or dwellings that can be easily renovated, extended or rebuilt and designed to suit their needs.
The report notes staple items within this category include basement car parking, en suite to each bedroom, a games room, swimming pool, tennis court and gym.
<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/2019/9/11/toorak.jpg" alt="">
A five bedroom house at 26 Linlithgow Road, Toorak (pictured above) was sold for $12.15 million in March.
Set on a 1,308 square metre block, the home comprises five bedrooms, four bathrooms, and four car spaces.
It features tennis court, home theatre, gym, swimming pool and covered outdoor entertaining areas. 
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Melbourne CBD sees increasing supply of high rise apartments: HTW residential 

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While early adulthood is traditionally seen as the period when young adults begin to live independently, new AHURI research reveals that many young Australians are putting their longer term housing aspirations on hold to meet other life goals such as completing education or gaining secure employment.
In 2015-16, only 17% of young adults aged 18-24 years lived independently, with most (66%) still living with their parents.
Furthermore, around a third of Australians aged 25–34 either remained or moved back with parents or lived in shared housing.
The research, Young Australians and the housing aspirations gap, undertaken for AHURI by researchers from Swinburne University and Curtin University, examined the short and longer term housing aspirations and the housing aspirations gap (i.e. where current housing is not meeting people’s requirements) among ‘emerging adults’ (aged 18–24 years) and ‘early adults’ (aged 25– 34 years).
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/8/15/emerging%20adults%201.jpg" target="_blank">Click here</a> to enlarge: 
<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/emerging%20adults%201.jpg" alt="">
"As house prices and rents have risen ahead of incomes, it is taking longer for young adults to create their own independent and secure households, and for some it is not attainable in the foreseeable future," says the report’s lead author, Dr Sharon Parkinson of Swinburne University.
"This has led many to staying or returning to the family home, or taking up informal living arrangements such as living in group households."
The ideal of home ownership is not as persistent as for past generations, varying with age, education and quality of current living arrangement. 60% of Australians aged 18–24 years and 70% of those aged 25–34 years identified owning and living in their own home as their ideal tenure. This compares to 80% of older Australians.
For emerging adults (18-24 years) sharing a house with a group typically met their short-term (82%) but not longer-term (25%) aspirations. While living with parents mostly met short-term (76%) but not longer-term (30%) aspirations.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/8/15/emerging%20adults%202.jpg" target="_blank">Click here</a> to enlarge: 
<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/emerging%20adults%202.jpg" alt="">
For early adults (25–34 years) the housing aspirations gap is greatest for individuals in the private rental sector. For interviewees renting privately, the requirement to move house was the one constant in their lives.
Short-term aspirations for this group were shaped around ‘horizontal’ moves or finding an arrangement slightly better than the previous move, but with no sense of moving upwards or being closer to achieving their longer term housing hopes.
Despite rising housing costs, most 18-24 year olds thought homeownership would be possible in the near future.
"We found that many emerging adults had a ‘blind optimism’ that they would be able to achieve their housing aspirations despite not actively planning for their housing future," says Dr Parkinson.
"Nearly a third of those we surveyed felt that they would be purchasing a home within the next five years with a further 36% believing they would buy in 5 to 10 years." 
By early adulthood there is a sharp divide in optimism influenced by education and income levels.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/8/15/emerging%20adults%203.jpg" target="_blank">Click here </a>to enlarge: 
<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/emerging%20adults%203.jpg" alt="">
Nearly two-thirds (61%) with a tertiary education and a higher income believe they would buy a property within five years, compared to just over a third (36%) for those with an education to year 12 or below, and less than a quarter (23%) for those with an education to year 11 or below.
<ul>
<li>More young Australians are not only being priced out of home ownership, but independent rental housing too. Only 17% of Australians aged 18-24 lived independently in 2015-16, and most (66%) lived with parents. Meanwhile, around a third of Australians aged 25–34 remained or moved back with parents, or lived in shared housing.</li>
<li>The ideal of home ownership is not as persistent as for past generations, varying with age, education and quality of current living arrangement. 60% of Australians aged 18–24 years and 70% of those aged 25–34 years identified owning and living in their own home as their ideal tenure. This compares to 80% of older Australians.</li>
<li>Despite house prices and rents rising ahead of incomes, 18–24 year olds held a ‘blind optimism’ for home ownership. 32% felt that purchasing a dwelling would be attainable within the next five years; and 36% considered it attainable in 5–10 years. This optimism decreases by early adulthood (25–34 years), influenced by education and income levels.</li>
</ul>
The report <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/final-reports/318" target="_blank">can be downloaded</a> from the AHURI website.
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Young Australians want a home to call their own, but work and study come first

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A record $8.4 million has been paid on the Brisbane riverfront at auction last night.
<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/2019/9/27/bulimba%202.jpg" alt="">
The riverfront home at Bulimba ranks as the city’s most expensive property ever sold under the hammer.
 <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/2019/9/27/bulimba%203.jpg" alt="">
The five-bedroom European-style mansion at 95-99 McConnell Street saw two families compete after the initial $5.5 million offer.
The prized north-facing 1473 square metres of land comes with 32 metres of river frontage.
<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/2019/9/27/bulimba%204.jpg" alt="">
The 95-99 McConnell Street, Bulimba offering sold through Sarah Hackett of Place Estate Agents Bulimba.
<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/2019/9/27/bulimba%205.jpg" alt="">
Brisbane’s most expensive auction sales
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td>
Address
</td>
<td>
Brisbane Suburb
</td>
<td>
Year
</td>
<td>
Auction Price
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
95-99 McConnell Street
</td>
<td>
Bulimba
</td>
<td>
2019
</td>
<td>
$8.4 million
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
39 Griffith Street
</td>
<td>
New Farm
</td>
<td>
2019
</td>
<td>
$7.75 million
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
22 Sandford Street
</td>
<td>
St Lucia
</td>
<td>
2009
</td>
<td>
$7.75 million
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
29 Laurence Street
</td>
<td>
St Lucia
</td>
<td>
2010
</td>
<td>
$7 million
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
78 Jilba Street
</td>
<td>
Indooroopilly
</td>
<td>
2007
</td>
<td>
$6.1 million
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
20 Scott Street
</td>
<td>
Hawthorne
</td>
<td>
2017
</td>
<td>
$5.6 million
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
22 Langside Road
</td>
<td>
Hamilton
</td>
<td>
2016
</td>
<td>
$5,385,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
34 Quay Street
</td>
<td>
Bulimba
</td>
<td>
2016
</td>
<td>
$5.33 million
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
14 Otway Street
</td>
<td>
Holland Park
</td>
<td>
2016
</td>
<td>
$5,225,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
9 Griffith Street
</td>
<td>
New Farm
</td>
<td>
2013
</td>
<td>
$5.2 million
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
Source: Domain Group (results based on sales made on the auction day under the hammer only).
The previous record auction was $7.75 million, back in 2009 at Sandford Street, St Lucia, which was then equalled in March this year when 39 Griffith Street, New Farm sold under the hammer.
It was purchased by Ben Seymour, the grandson of Queensland rich-lister and developer Kevin Seymour.
 
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Bulimba riverfront takes Brisbane auction record mantle

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Construction at the apartment project, The Orchid at Arncliffe, has recommenced after non-bank lender Wingate secured funding to complete the development.
Construction was halted in August <a href="/news/william-odwyers-ralan-hits-voluntary-administration">after the Ralan Group collapsed</a> owing creditors $500 million.
The administrators Grant Thornton signalled $70 million to $80 million was needed to complete the project.
Almost two-thirds of the 318 apartments and 13 out of 36 commercial units at The Orchid were sold off-the-plan, according to Grant Thornton.
At the end of August, Ralan's secured lender Wingate appointed Deloitte as receivers and managers of the development having previously appointed Deloitte as receivers of six other Ralan companies that hold land and other assets tied to Ralan's now-scrapped Ruby and Sapphire high-rise development on the Gold Coast.
A spokeswoman for Wingate confirmed that construction recommenced at The Orchid in late August "with the current program tracking towards completion by mid-2020".
"The development is approximately 50 per cent complete," she said.
"Richard Crookes Constructions is continuing as the builder of the development with work on site progressing well with [on average] 165 workers on site each day in the past week," she said. "Details regarding the financing of the development are commercial in-confidence."
At the same time as construction restarted at The Orchid, Deloitte, as receivers, has appointed ResortBrokers to sell management rights to the only completed tower at Ralan's now mothballed four-tower Ruby Collection project on behalf of Wingate. The 30-level tower was completed last November and includes 230 apartments.
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The Orchid, Arncliffe resumes construction after Ralan collapse

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Cash donations above $100 will be banned in NSW as the Government acts to restore the public’s confidence in the integrity of political donations.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian made the announcement on Wednesday, making NSW the first jurisdiction to cap cash donations made to political parties.
“I have been shocked by what has been uncovered at the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) over the last two weeks,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“This Government has already introduced the strongest donations regime in the nation but it is clear that some will continue to defy the law.
“That is why I am taking strong action to further protect our political processes.
“This simple reform will mean an end to the poor accounting practices, untraceable donations and the anonymous cash that has the potential to mar our political system.
“Given the wide and easy availability of electronic funds transfer systems, there is no good reason for donations to hide behind the anonymity of cash.”
Currently, no single donor may exceed a cap of $6400 a year to a party or group, nor may a donor exceed a cap of $2900 a year to a member, candidate or third-party campaigner.
All political donations of $1000 or more must also be disclosed to the NSW Electoral Commission. These restrictions will remain in parallel with the new cash ban.
“This sends the strongest possible message that donation laws must not be flouted because the only legal donations will be traceable donations,” Ms Berejiklian said.
Legislation to enact the new restrictions will be introduced to Parliament by the end of the year.
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Cash political donations to be capped in NSW

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As announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison during the 2019 election campaign, from 1 January 2020 eligible first home buyers will be able to enter the housing market sooner.
Up to 10,000 guarantees per year will allow eligible first home buyers to purchase a home with a deposit of as little as five per cent.
Applicants will be subject to a range of eligibility criteria, including taxable incomes of up to $125,000 per annum for singles and up to $200,000 per annum for couples in the previous year, they must be Australian citizens purchasing property in Australia and they must be taking out owner-occupied loans on a principal and interest basis. 
Properties purchased under the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme will be subject to regional price caps. 
Regional price caps will be set with a view to ensuring equitable access to the scheme across Australia.
The coverage of the guarantee will be broadly consistent with parental guarantee products offered by some lenders. The guarantee will remain in place until a loan is refinanced or the outstanding loan balance falls below 80 per cent of the property purchase price—whichever comes first.
Access to the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme will occur as part of the normal home loan application process, with limited additional effort for first home buyers being required when seeking a guaranteed loan, the assistant Treasurer and Minister for Housing, Michael Sukkar said.
The bill introduces amendments to the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation Act 2018 to implement the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme and establish a new research function within the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation.
The bill expands the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation's functions to enable it to provide guarantees.
Sucker noted based on median household income and a 15 per cent saving rate (on before-tax income), it takes approximately eight years to save a 20 per cent deposit on a median priced home. 
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How the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme guarantee will work 

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> 
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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>

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