<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVATION
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>I would like to know to what extent regenerative agriculture practices could play a role in reducing carbon emissions and producing food, including meat, in the future. From what I have read it seems to offer much, but I am curious about how much difference it would make if all of our farmers moved to this kind of land management practice. Or even most of them. – a question from Virginia</li>
</ul>
To identify and quantify the potential of regenerative agriculture to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, we first have to define what it means. If regenerative practices maintain or improve production, and reduce wasteful losses on the farm, then the answer tends to be yes. But to what degree is it better, and can we verify this yet?
Let’s first define how regenerative farming differs from other ways of farming. For example, North Americans listening to <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2019/08/13/746576239/is-grass-fed-beef-really-better-for-the-planet-heres-the-science" target="_blank">environmentally conscious media</a> would be likely to define most of New Zealand pastoral agriculture systems as regenerative, when compared to the tilled fields of crops they see across most of their continent.
If milk and meat-producing animals are not farmed on pasture, farmers have to grow grains to feed them and transport the fodder to the animals, often over long distances. It’s hard to miss that the transport is inefficient, but easier to miss that nutrients excreted by the animals as manure or urine can’t go back to the land that fed them.
Healthy soils
Returning nutrients to the land really matters because these build up soil, and grow more plants. We can’t sequester carbon in soil without returning nutrients to the soil.
New Zealand’s style of pastoral agricultural <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://doi.org/10.1177/003231870806000107" target="_blank">does this well</a>, and we’re still improving as we focus on reducing nutrient losses to water.
Our pastoral soils tend to have <a href="https://doi.org/10.4141/S04-082" target="_blank">as much carbon</a> as they once did under forest, but concerns have been raised about <a href="http://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2013.11.012" target="_blank">carbon losses in some regions</a>. Yet, we do still have two big problems.
First, the animals that efficiently digest tough plants – including cows, sheep, and goats – all belch the greenhouse gas methane. This is a direct result of their special stomachs, and chewing their cud. Therefore, farms will continue to have high greenhouse gas emissions per unit of meat and milk they produce. The recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (<a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/" target="_blank">IPCC</a>) report <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-49238749" target="_blank">emphasised this</a>, noting <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2019/08/2f.-Chapter-5_FINAL.pdf" target="_blank">that changing diets can reduce emissions</a>.
The second problem is worst in <a href="https://www.dairynz.co.nz/environment/climate-change/greenhouse-gases-in-the-dairy-industry/">dairying</a>. When a cow lifts its tail to urinate, litres of urine saturate a small area. The nitrogen content in this patch exceeds what plants and soil can retain, and the excess is lost to water as nitrate and to the air, partly as the powerful, long-lived greenhouse gas nitrous oxide.
Defining regenerative
Regenerative agriculture lacks a clear definition, but there is an opportunity for innovation around its core concept, which is a more <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2017.07.269" target="_blank">circular economy</a>. This means taking steps to reduce or recover losses, including those of nutrients and greenhouse gases.
Organic agriculture, which prohibits the use of antibiotics and synthetic pesticides and fertilisers, could potentially include regenerative agriculture. Organics once had the same innovative status, but now has <a href="https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2019/07/11/673094/when-less-is-better" target="_blank">a clear business model and supply chain linked to a price premium</a> achieved through certification.
The price premium and regulation linked to certification can limit the <a href="https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00886434/document" target="_blank">redesign of the organic agricultural systems</a> to incremental improvements, limiting the inclusion of regenerative concepts. It also means that emission studies of organic agriculture may not reveal the potential benefits of regenerative agriculture.
Instead, the potential for a redesign of New Zealand’s style of pastoral dairy farming around regenerative principles provides a useful example of how progress might work. Pastures could shift from ryegrass and clover to a more diverse, more deeply rooted mix of alternate species such as chicory, plantains, lupins and other grasses. This system change would have three main benefits.
Win-win-win
The first big win in farming is always enhanced production, and this is possible by better matching the ideal diet for cows. High performance ryegrass-clover pastures contain too little energy and too much protein. Diverse pastures fix this, allowing <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2018.01.009" target="_blank">potential increases in production</a>.
A second benefit will result when protein content of pasture doesn’t exceed what cows need to produce milk, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-016-1442-1" target="_blank">reducing</a> or <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2017.04.023" target="_blank">diluting</a> the nitrogen concentrated in the urine patches that are a main source of nitrous oxide emissions and impacts on water.
A third set of gains can result if the new, more diverse pastures are better at capturing and storing nutrients in soil, usually through deeper and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-015-2463-z" target="_blank">more vigorous root growth</a>. These three gains interrelate and create options for redesign of the farm system. This is best done by farmers, although <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2017.03.015">models</a> may help put the three pieces together into a win-win-win.
Whether you’re interested in local beef in Virginia, or the future of New Zealand’s dairy industry, the principles that define regenerative agriculture look promising for redesigning farming to reduce emissions. They may prove simpler than <a href="https://www.noted.co.nz/currently/currently-science/climate-change-new-zealand-farms-low-emission-future" target="_blank">agriculture’s wider search</a> for new ways of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, including <a href="https://www.agresearch.co.nz/news/key-step-forward-for-game-changing-grass/" target="_blank">genetically engineering ryegrass</a>.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/123090/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;">
Troy Baisden, Professor and Chair in Lake and Freshwater Sciences, University of Waikato.
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/climate-explained-regenerative-farming-can-help-grow-food-with-less-impact-123090" target="_blank">original article</a>.
</body></html>

j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Climate explained: regenerative farming can help grow food with less impact

<html><body>
Caltex Australia has put 25 properties to market in the first tranche of a 50 property divestment strategy. 
The 25 service station/convenience store properties include 16 in New South Wales, seven in Victoria, one in WA, and one on the Gold Coast.
Caltex chief development officer, David Bridger, confirmed the strategic release of the first tranche of the sale of 50 freehold metropolitan sites was aimed at the apartment and mixed use market. 
The properties will be sold through CBRE and Stonebridge with purchasers having options to buy individual sites, sites in any combination or the offering as a whole. 
Locations include Surfers Paradise, Bondi, Mascot, Box Hill, and Perth.
CBRE Director Investments, Mark Wizel said the portfolio offered an opportunity for apartment, mixed use, retail, hotel and build-to-rent developers. 
"These sites are being offered at a time of strong ongoing demand for low to medium rise apartments which are now in short supply, due to the lack of development site opportunities within metro areas, particularly in Melbourne and Sydney," Wizel said. 
"The fact that the bulk of the sites are extremely well located to transport, schools and town centres make them ideal for apartments but for the same reasons they are also well suited to a range of other uses."
<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/2019/9/9/Caltex%20Brunswick%20East.jpg" alt="">
He said the offering had also come at a time when developers were looking to the suburbs for well-located low/medium rise opportunities. 
"Coincidentally those type of projects are ones which the banks are now much more amenable to providing funding for," Wizel said. 
He said market drivers such as the improving domestic residential clearance rate, low interest rates, and ongoing population growth would also be top of mind for prospective purchasers. 
<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/2019/9/9/Caltex%20Clayton-2.jpg" alt="">
Recent CBRE research revealed an almost 30% rise in Asian buyer’s total spending from $880 million in 2017/2018 to $1.135 billion over the 2018/2019 financial year in Melbourne alone with nearly 80% of investment sales since June 1/2019 involving Asia-based investors. 
</body></html>

Caltex puts 25 development sites on the market

<html><body>
Wollogorang and Wentworth Station, the renowned 705,000 hectare cattle station in North Territory, has hit the market. 
Bordering the Gulf of Carpentaria, it comprises 576,000 hectare Wollogorang Station and 129,000 hectare Wentworth Station. 
The property can be reached by air from Cloncurry or Mt Isa, as well as accessed via the road network.
The properties’ natural attributes include reliable and plentiful rainfall, with additional water sources including large creeks and seasonal lagoons.
 <img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/9/11/4%20Information%20Memorandum.JPG" alt="">
Over the last four years, there has been upgrades to the property's infrastructure, including the installation of Lorentz solar bore pumps
Additionally, the current owners have made inroads in the field of genetics with reference to the station’s stock of Brahman cattle.
Wollogorang and Wentworth cattle stations are being sold with an inventory of 30,000 head of cattle, though the land can take a higher load.
Already in place are new cattle yards and livestock management equipment found near the main homestead, capable of taking on 3000 head of cattle.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/9/11/5%20IM%202.JPG" alt=""> 
Accommodation for staff and management is well catered for, with the main homestead offering a two storey, five-bedroom home, with contemporary features such as a cinema room.
The property is being sold through Ray White Rural Queensland by expressions of interest, which closes September 25. 
</body></html>

Wollogorang and Wentworth, NT cattle stations for sale 

<html><body>
The National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation (NHFIC) is starting detailed consultations with lenders regarding their potential participation the Federal Government’s new First Home Loan Deposit Scheme.
The Scheme is scheduled to commence on 1 January 2020.
It will be administered by NHFIC, subject to the passage of legislative amendments, which have been introduced into the Parliament today. 
It is known as the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation Amendment Bill. Michael Sukkar, the Minister for Housing, presented the bill.
It seeks to establish a First Home Loan Deposit Scheme to assist eligible first home buyers with a minimum 5 per cent deposit (rather than the industry standard of 20 per cent) to purchase a home.
NHFIC is seeking feedback from lenders on implementation of the Scheme via a market sounding consultation process.
This market sounding is the pre-cursor to a procurement process which will be used to establish a panel of lenders to participate in the Scheme.
It builds on initial stakeholder consultations undertaken to date. 
All residential mortgage lenders are welcome to participate in the market sounding process.
NHFIC is making a Scheme Features paper available to participants for the purposes of the market sounding process. 
Further information on the market sounding process, including how lenders can participate and obtain a copy of the Scheme Features paper, is available via the NHFIC website https://www.nhfic.gov.au/fhlds/ or by emailing Lenders@FHLDS.nhfic.gov.au 
Responses to the market sounding are required to be submitted before 5pm AEST on Thursday 3 October 2019. 
The introduction of legislation giving effect to the Commonwealth Government’s deposit gap scheme is the first step in easing the pathway to home ownership, according to the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA).
The UDIA’s National Executive Director Connie Kirk has welcomed introduction of the legislation and said the next critical step was getting design features right.
</body></html>

Lenders sought for the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme

<html><body>
EXPERT OBSERVER
Sydney’s Inner West Council has a new policy that it is reported means “residents will no longer need to seek council approval to prune or remove trees within three metres of an existing home or structure”.
Hold on, don’t reach for that chainsaw yet, because <a href="http://www.aecom.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Green-Infrastructure-vital-step-brilliant-Australian-cities.pdf" target="_blank">research shows</a> good green infrastructure – trees, green roofs and walls – can add value to your home.
 
Green infrastructure offers significant, economic, social and environmental benefits. Urban greening is particularly important in dense urban areas like Sydney’s Inner West. Among its benefits, green infrastructure:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://theconversation.com/how-urban-bushland-improves-our-health-and-why-planners-need-to-listen-72876" target="_blank">improves air quality</a></li>
<li>provides <a href="https://theconversation.com/many-people-feel-lonely-in-the-city-but-perhaps-third-places-can-help-with-that-92847" target="_blank">space for social interaction</a>
</li>
<li><a href="https://theconversation.com/more-than-just-drains-recreating-living-streams-through-the-suburbs-83345" target="_blank">manages stormwater</a></li>
<li><a href="https://theconversation.com/why-are-cities-warmer-than-the-countryside-53160" target="_blank">reduces the urban heat island effect</a></li>
<li>provides space for <a href="https://theconversation.com/three-ways-cities-can-help-feed-the-world-without-costing-the-earth-112186" target="_blank">urban food production</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-small-patch-of-bush-over-your-back-fence-might-be-key-to-a-species-survival-108672" target="_blank">improves biodiversity</a>.</li>
</ul>
Some of these benefits accrue to owners/occupiers, whereas others provide wider societal benefits.
A <a href="http://www.aecom.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Green-Infrastructure-vital-step-brilliant-Australian-cities.pdf" target="_blank">2017 study</a> focusing on three Sydney suburbs found a 10% increase in street tree canopy could increase property values by A$50,000 on average. And the shading effect of trees can <a href="http://www.gallagherstudio.com.au/blacktown-cool-streets-pilot-project" target="_blank">reduce energy bills by up to A$800 a year in Sydney</a>. So retaining your green infrastructure – your trees, that is – can deliver direct financial gains.
On a larger scale, a <a href="https://opus.lib.uts.edu.au/bitstream/10453/121458/1/Ghosh_Yung-Full-paper-Ecocity-Summit-2017-Final.pdf" target="_blank">collaborative project</a> with Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited compared carbon and economic benefits from urban trees considering different landuses along sections of two roads in Sydney. Higher benefits were recorded for the Pacific Highway, with 106 trees per hectare and 58.6% residential land use, compared to Parramatta Road, with 70 trees per hectare and 15.8% residential.
For the Pacific Highway section, total carbon storage and the structural value of trees (the cost of replacing a tree with a similar tree) were estimated at A$1.64 million and A$640 million respectively. Trees were also valuable for carbon sequestration and removing air pollution.
Tree species, age, health and density, as well as land use, are key indicators for financial and wider ecosystem benefits. Specifically, urban trees in private yards in residential areas are vital in providing individual landowner and collective government/non-government benefits.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/290832/original/file-20190904-175710-thqcje.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/290832/original/file-20190904-175710-thqcje.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Take away the trees close to these houses in Marrickville, in Sydney’s Inner West, and how much would be left? <a class="source" href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henson_Park" target="_blank">Graeme Bartlett/Wikipedia</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" target="_blank">CC BY-SA</a>
<h2>Challenges of growth</h2>
As populations grow, cities increase density, with less green infrastructure. The loss of greenery affects the natural environment and both human and non-human well-being.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/290809/original/file-20190904-175682-j6pcza.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/290809/original/file-20190904-175682-j6pcza.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Tree canopy cover across Greater Sydney plummets closer to the city centre. <a class="source" href="https://www.greater.sydney/metropolis-of-three-cities/sustainability/city-its-landscape/urban-tree-canopy-cover-increased" target="_blank">© State of New South Wales through the Greater Sydney Commission. Data: SPOT5 Woody Extent and Foliage Projective Cover (FPH) 5-10m, 2011, NSW Office of Environment and Heritage</a>
Trees and other green infrastructure reduce some impacts of urban density. However, policies, government incentives and national priorities can produce progress in urban greening or lead to setbacks. In the case of the Inner West Council, for instance, the inability to fund monitoring of changes in tree cover could lead to reductions at the very time when we <a href="https://www.greater.sydney/metropolis-of-three-cities/sustainability/city-its-landscape/urban-tree-canopy-cover-increased" target="_blank">need more canopy cover</a>.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/if-planners-understand-its-cool-to-green-cities-whats-stopping-them-55753" target="_blank">Key concerns</a> include installation and maintenance costs of green infrastructure (trees, green roofs and walls) in property development, and tree root damage. Knowledge and skills are needed to maintain green infrastructure. As a result, developers often consider other options more feasible.
In the short and long term, multiple performance benefits and economic and environmental values are needed to establish the viability of green infrastructure.
<h2>Learning from Stockholm</h2>
Stockholm shares many issues found in Australian cities. Stockholm houses over 20% of Sweden’s inhabitants, is increasing in density and redeveloping land to house a growing population. Aiming to be fossil-free by 2050, Stockholm acknowledges the built environment’s role in limiting climate change and its impacts.
In a research project we intend to use <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/virtual-reality-5439" target="_blank">virtual reality</a> (VR) and <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/electroencephalogram-eeg" target="_blank">electroencephalogram</a> (EEG) technology to assess perceptions of green infrastructure and reactions to it in various spaces.
Our project combines VR with EEG hardware, which measures human reactions to stimuli, to learn how people perceive and value green infrastructure in residential development.
<h2>Identifying all the value of green infrastructure</h2>
The many benefits of green infrastructure are both tangible and non-tangible. Economic benefits include:
<ul>
<li>those that directly benefit owners, occupants or investors – stormwater, increased property values and energy savings</li>
<li>other financial impacts – greenhouse gas savings, market-based savings and community benefits.</li>
</ul>
The various approaches to evaluating net value present a challenge in quantifying the value of green infrastructure. The most common – cost-benefit analysis, triple bottom line, life cycle assessment and life cycle costing – are all inadequate for evaluating trade-offs between economic and environmental performance. Conventional cost-benefit analysis is insufficient for investment analysis, as it doesn’t include environmental costs and benefits.
This is salient for green infrastructure, as owners/investors incur substantial direct costs, whereas various shareholders share the value. Perhaps, in recognition of the shared value, a range of subsidies could be adopted to compensate investors. Discounted rates anyone?
Recent efforts to evaluate the business case for green infrastructure include attempts to identify and quantify the creation of economic, environment and community/social value. However, an approach that includes a more comprehensive set of value drivers is needed to do this. This is the gap we aim to fill.
The results of experiments using VR and EEG technology and semi-structured interviews will provide a comprehensive understanding of green infrastructure. This will be correlated with capital and rental values to determine various degrees of willingness to pay.
With this knowledge, property developers in Sweden and Australia will be able to make a more informed and holistic business case for increasing green infrastructure for more liveable, healthy cities.
Maybe we can then persuade more people, including those in the Inner West, to hang onto their trees and leave the chainsaws in the garage.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/122710/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sara-wilkinson-14186">Sara Wilkinson</a>, Associate Professor, School of the Built Environment, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936" target="_blank">University of Technology Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/agnieszka-zalejska-jonsson-823679" target="_blank">Agnieszka Zalejska-Jonsson</a>, Researcher, Division of Building and Real Estate Economics, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/kth-royal-institute-of-technology-3258" target="_blank">KTH Royal Institute of Technology</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sumita-ghosh-485400" target="_blank">Sumita Ghosh</a>, Senior Lecturer, School of the Built Environment, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936" target="_blank">University of Technology Sydney</a>
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/trees-can-add-50-000-value-to-a-sydney-house-so-you-might-want-to-put-down-that-chainsaw-122710" target="_blank">original article</a>.
</body></html>

Trees can add $50,000 value to a Sydney house, so you might want to put down that chainsaw

<html><body><div class="page" title="Page 7">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
Many first home buyers feel a sense of optimism about commencing their journey into the property market, according to the latest Herron Todd White (HTW) residential report. 
The report notes that obtaining real value for money, affordability (repayments) and wariness of making a mistake are their key concerns.
Many first home buyers can be categorised into two groups:
1. Those who are over the rental roller coaster and the high costs of renting even a modest property in their preferred location
2. Those who want the perceived stability of owning their own home and are intent on building a nest for their existing or imminent family.
"Within the Lismore locality, the affordable end of the market that provides an entry into the property market for let’s say less than $350,000 offers a wider range of choice not available in the beach side or coastal areas," the valuation firm said. 
A three bedroom home at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-east+lismore-130399394" target="_blank">103 Nielson Street, East Lismore</a> (pictured above) sold for $335,000 earlier this year.
The property is flood free according to Lismore City Council records, is within 50 metres of sporting fields, three kilometres by road from the Lismore CBD and within one kilometre of the Southern Cross University.
<div class="page" title="Page 7">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
Built in the 1950s and recently internally renovated, this three-bedroom, one-bathroom dwelling is set on a 506 square metre, near-level lot with a single garage and room for a shed at the rear or a carport in front of the single garage.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/8/27/goonellabah.jpg" alt="">
<div class="page" title="Page 7">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-unit-nsw-goonellabah-130861762" target="_blank">3/25 Cambridge Drive, Goonellabah </a>(pictured above) sold for $320,000 in April this year.
The property is flood free according to Lismore City Council records, backs on to a bushland reserve and is within one kilometre of schools, parks and Goonellabah shopping centre and aquatic centre.
<div class="page" title="Page 8">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
Built in 1994 and recently internally renovated, this three-bedroom, one-bathroom unit has a single garage and has been well maintained. 
A paved outdoor area at the rear overlooks bushland. There is scope to further improve this unit and add value by adding a rear pergola and updating the kitchen to suit.
Upgrader home buyers
"Upgraders feel the need to expand their living to cater for growing families, create more comfort and move on up the property ladder.
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="page" title="Page 8">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
"Within the Lismore locality, upgraders from the entry level end of the property market with a budget between $350,000 and $600,000 have a wide range of choice that again is not available in the beach side or coastal areas," the valuation firm noted. 
<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/2019/8/27/east%20lismore%202.jpg" alt="">
</div>
<div class="column">
A renovated three bedroom home at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-east+lismore-131185078" target="_blank">45 Barham Street, East Lismore</a> (pictured above) sold for $450,000 in May this year.
The property is well elevated with district views and is within 2.5 kilometres of schools, Lismore golf course, sporting parks and Lismore Square shopping centre.
Built in 1985, it’s a two storey, three-bedroom, one-bathroom, renovated, detached modern dwelling with a two-car detached garage and two-car attached carport. 
The dwelling has room to remodel the lower level rumpus room into more bedrooms or a home theatre room.
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="page" title="Page 8">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
Rendering the external brick skin, expanding the rear pergola to a large deck and adding an infinity edge pool could take this property to the next level and add significant value, but watch the budget!
Prestige-end buyers
"Prestige property in the Lismore area is to be taken in context. This is property that offers features, dwelling size or views that are not available to the upgrade market or first home buyer price levels.
"Whether it be from a win, windfall or just plain hard work, people in this market expect that their property is a cut above the rest and they deserve to be there," the valuation firm said. 
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="page" title="Page 8">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
At a price point above $600,000, local prestige property is available but sells less frequently and sometimes the best properties sell by word of mouth or by an unsolicited approach.
<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/2019/8/27/11%20sophie%20st.jpg" alt="">
A 2004-built home at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-goonellabah-130722654" target="_blank">11 Sophie Street, Goonellabah</a> (pictured above) sold for $618,000 in May this year.
The property is well elevated in a modern estate with local views and is within three kilometres of schools, sporting parks and Goonellabah shopping centre.
Built in 2004, this two storey, four-bedroom, two- bathroom, detached two-level modern dwelling has 213 square metres of living area, large rear deck, a double lock up garage, extensive landscaping and a below ground pool all on a 788 square metre allotment. 
Features include:
<div class="page" title="Page 8">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<ul>
<li>Stone bench tops and gas cooking</li>
<li>Raised ceilings in the lounge</li>
<li>Air conditioning</li>
<li>Polished hardwood timber flooring in the living areas</li>
</ul>
<div class="page" title="Page 9">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
Additional storage area under the dwelling could be used to further expand the living area, but all that really needs doing to this property is just to keep it well maintained and tidy.
<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/2019/8/27/richmond%20hill.jpg" alt="">
A four bedroom home at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-richmond+hill-130232890" target="_blank">4 Quail Place, Richmond Hill </a>(pictured above) sold for $840,000 in April this year.
The property is well elevated with good rural and distant hinterland views, and is within a ten minute drive of schools and Goonellabah shopping centre.
Built in the 1980s and renovated in 2012, this part two level, four-bedroom, three-bathroom, detached semi-modern dwelling has 278 square metres of living, outdoor areas of 94 square metres and is on a 1.54 hectare allotment.
</div>
<div class="column">
The property has room to be improved with a shed, pool, stable or tennis court.
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
 
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
 
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
 
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div></body></html>

Lismore first home buyers feel optimistic: HTW Residential 

<html><body>
Blackwater, a country town in the Central Highlands region of Queensland, took out the top spot in the latest CoreLogic Top 100 rental performance analysis.
CoreLogic's data to July found that the typical house in the town has a rental yield of 11.7%, and a median value of $122,165.
The CoreLogic Top Rental Performers Report lists 100 suburbs where houses or units have an estimated gross rental yield of 5% or more per annum.
Median house values in the report ranged from $89,483 to $521,597, with units ranged between $133,205 and $395,577.
A three bedroom home at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-qld-blackwater-130413426" target="_blank">14 Bean Street, Blackwater</a> (below) recently sold for $125,000 and is seeking tenants at $300 a week which would reflect a yield of 12.5%.
<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/2019/9/11/14%20Bean%20Street%20Blackwater%20Qld%204717%20%20.jpg" alt="">
Another three bedroom home at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-qld-blackwater-129836234" target="_blank">29 Boronia Street, Blackwater</a> recently secured a yield of more than 12%. The home, sold for $83,000, found tenants after asking $200 a week.
According to CoreLogic research analyst Cameron Kusher, the areas to make the grade as the 'best for rents' demonstrated solid rental yields, consistent rental growth and vacancy rates of less than 3%.
CoreLogic's report includes 63 suburbs where houses represent good rental opportunities and 37 suburbs where units offer the highest yields, while also demonstrating positive rental growth.
Key Findings:
<ul>
<li>42 Queensland suburbs made up the top 100 rental performers list</li>
<li>17 in New South Wales</li>
<li>15 in South Australia</li>
<li>15 in Victoria</li>
<li>8 in Tasmania</li>
<li>1 in Western Australia</li>
<li>1 in both Northern Territory and the Australia Capital Territory</li>
</ul>
 
</body></html>

Australia’s highest rental yields found in Blackwater, Queensland

<html><body>
A former Wollongong real estate agent has been charged with multiple forgery, fraud and misappropriating offences.
Detectives from Lake Illawarra Police District, with the assistance of the Office of Fair Trading, commenced an investigation into the 53-year-old man following a complaint received in relation to the theft of funds.
Police allege between December 2017 and June 2018 the man made and submitted false documents to a business that provides real estate agents their entitled commissions up front.
The false documents included photoshopped emails and letterheads from solicitors and conveyancers located in the Illawarra, fabricated contracts of sales and agency agreements, false bank deposits and false signatures.
The documents were allegedly submitted on more than 12 occasions over the seven-month period, resulting in a financial advantage of $263,755.
The investigation revealed the man had also allegedly misappropriated more than $200,000 in funds from a sales trust account.
The 53-year-old man was arrested at Lake Illawarra Police Station last week.
He was charged with 12 counts of forgery, 12 counts of fraud and three counts of fraudulent conversion of money.
He was granted strict conditional bail and is due to face Wollongong Local Court on 5 November 2019.
</body></html>

Wollongong real estate agent charged over alleged fabricated contract sales

<html><body>
A Hamptons-style home set on almost half an acre of land in the heart of Hunter Valley Wine Country has hit the market.
It has been listed via expressions of interest by Cain Beckett from Jurd's Real Estate Cessnock. 
<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/2019/9/9/pokolbin%202.jpg" alt="">
Set in the precinct of the Vintage, the home at<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-pokolbin-131921722" target="_blank"> 25 Paperbark Drive, Pokolbin</a> features Hamptons architecture including soaring rooflines, Dorma windows, Monier shingles and heavy cast-iron front doors. 
The northern wing comprises open living and dining space, kitchen with butler's pantry, and master suite opening out to in-ground pool.
<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/2019/9/30/pokolbin%201.jpg" alt="">
Connected by outdoor kitchen and whisky room to the other wing, the southern wing comes with three bedrooms, another living space, laundry and four car garage.
There is a self-contained bed-sit at the front of the home with its own kitchen and bathroom. 
<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/2019/9/9/pokolbin%203.jpg" alt="">
Other features of the home include reverse-cycle air conditioning, polished marble floors, tall ceilings and power room. 
The property is close to concert venues, vineyard and restaurant, less than an hour from the beaches of Newcastle and two hours from Sydney CBD. 
</body></html>

Hamptons-style mansion in the Hunter Valley listed 

<html><body>
A four bedroom family home overlooking the Royal Hobart Golf Course in Seven Mile Beach, Tasmania has been sold.
It was sold by Debbie Heron from Charlotte Peterswald for Property Sales Battery Point.
Located at<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-tas-seven+mile+beach-131695346" target="_blank"> 42 Woodhurst Road</a>, the home features a flow of common areas with double glazed windows and doors opening to entertaining deck and barbeque area.
<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/2019/9/2/seven%20mile%20beach%202.jpg" alt="">
It comprises master room with designed walk through robe, three additional bedrooms, kitchen adjoining to dining and living areas, and double garage.
Located a short stroll to Seven Mile Beach and local store, the home is just a few minutes drive to Hobart Airport and Hobart CBD. 
<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/2019/9/2/seven%20mile%20beach%203.jpg" alt="">
It was last sold for $720,000 in 2014. 
</body></html>

Beachside home in Seven Mile Beach, Tasmania sold 

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

Joel Robinson

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

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

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

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

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

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

Parcel delivery is joining the apartment amenity checklist

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

Staff reporter

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News