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A 2017 built Blackburn, Victoria house has sold for $1.18 million under the mortgagee auction hammer.
The vendors previously listed the property in 2017 seeking $1.55 million but were unable to find a buyer at that price and took the home off the market.
Rupa and Patrick Mane of Raine&amp;Horne marketed the property.
Situated at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-blackburn-131626434" target="_blank">1/7 Langtree Court</a>, the two level abode contains four bedrooms and three bathrooms.
Set on 350 sqm, the house features two kind sized bedrooms, timber flooring and fully landscaped gardens on both sides of the home.
Located in a quiet cul-de-sac, it is only a short walk to Blackburn North Shopping Centre and Whitehorse's Golden mile shopping strip and within a 5 minutes' drive to the Eastern Freeway or Blackburn Railway station among other amenities.
Last sold in 2015 the home previously residing on the holding sold for $1.36 million, $180,000 more than what it sold for in August 2019.
Before that the home sold for $1.153 million in 2014.
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The median price for an apartment in <a href="/developments/blackburn-vic-3130">Blackburn</a> is $1.17 million according to CoreLogic data.
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Near new Blackburn, Victoria mortgagee home sold for $200,000 loss

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A nine bedroom Applecross, West Australia manse has been sold for $2.33 million dollars after an unsuccessful 2016/2017 marketing campaign.
Originally the vendors sought $4.8 million when they put the home on the market in December 2016 but by the end of the campaign the asking price had been reduced to $3.95 million before being taken off market in October 2017.
The home was relisted as a mortgagee sale through Monica Yeoh and Jan Radley of Acton in March 2019.
Situated at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-wa-applecross-130686786" target="_blank">45 Matheson Road</a>, the home was unsuccessful at auction in April and the asking price was set at $2.6 million where it remained until the home sold in late August.
Set on 1,011 sqm, the nine bedroom, six bathroom home is just a block from Swan River.
The holding was previously purchased in 2004 for $890,000.
The home previously residing on the block was knocked down and rebuilt in 2014.
Featuring five separate living areas incorporating a tiered home theatre, the property has over 800 sqm of internal space.
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The median price for an apartment in <a href="/developments/applecross-wa-6153">Applecross</a> is $1,406,088 according to CoreLogic data.
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Applecross, WA mortgagee mansion sold for $2.5 million under original asking price

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A Clifton Beach, Queensland apartment has sold under the mortgagee auction hammer for $195,000.
The two bedroom, two bathroom apartment saw a $95,000 loss in value compared to when it last sold.
Paul Stirling and Matthew Pearce of Ray White marketed the property.
Situated at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-unit-qld-clifton+beach-131639110" target="_blank">206/53-57 Clifton Road</a>, the unit resides with the Clifton Waters complex.
Set on 137 sqm, the apartment has access to a 25 metre lap pool among other complex amenities.
Featuring an open plan living area and outdoor alfresco patio, the listing describes it as a match for "the Cairns Beaches lifestyle."
Last sold in 2009, the property transacted for $290,000.
Shortly after it was purchased in 2009, the home was listed as a rental seeking $240/pw.
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The median price for an apartment in <a href="/developments/clifton-beach-qld-4879">Clifton Beach, Queensland</a> is $258,000 according to CoreLogic data.
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Clifton Beach, Queensland mortgagee apartment sold for $100,000 loss

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The Greater Brisbane industrial market has performed strongly over the last 12 months with prime rents increasing by more than 5%, land rates up by as much as 21%, and yields continuing to tighten, according to independent valuer and advisor m3property’s latest industrial report. 
The Winter 2019 report found supply constraints and strong owner-occupier and design and construct activity, especially in the e-commerce logistics area, had driven land (2000 square metre to 5000 square metre) rates across Greater Brisbane up by as much as 46% over the past three years. 
It found that investment sales, currently at circa $540 million for the first six months of the year, were well-placed to surpass what had been a big year in 2018 with circa $970 million of industrial assets transacted.  
Director of Research (Qld), Casey Robinson, said population growth, e-commerce and infrastructure projects had been key market drivers with the latter potentially playing an even more significant role as the State and Federal Governments sought to fast track some projects. 
“Brisbane’s industrial sector is experiencing boom like conditions and all indications are that the market will continue to perform strongly over the next 12 months as population growth and infrastructure projects drive even greater demand for new buildings,’’ Robinson said. 
“There were 1092 industrial buildings approved in Queensland in the year to May which is up 7.3% year on year. 
“Food manufacturers, transport/logistics operators and consumer product operators, in particular, will be behind a considerable increase in supply completions over the remainder of 2019 with most of it in the Western and M1 Corridors.’’
Robinson said an estimated 300,000 square metres of new supply was mostly pre-committed including new buildings for Coles (66,000 square metres), Australia Post (49,000 square metres) and Rheinmetall (42,000 square metres), all of which are located in the Western Corridor.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/8/19/brisbane%20industrial%201.jpg" target="_blank">Click here </a>to enlarge: 
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Low yields here to stay 
Senior Valuer at m3property (Qld) Cameron Hicks said while purchaser demand continued to outweigh investment supply, downward pressure on yields would remain. 
“Demand for industrial assets has been very strong and with population growth and the mooted fast tracking of infrastructure projects, such as the strategically important inland freight rail project, continuing to drive tenant demand, the industrial investment market looks set to maintain its current trajectory,’’ Hicks said.
“That said, with the limited supply of modern buildings in the most sought after precincts, yields are likely to continue to tighten, but we should see some stabilisation towards the end of the year and into 2020.’’
He said the limited supply of land in those same precincts, especially the Australia TradeCoast both north and south of the Brisbane River, along with the trend to modern, efficient premises, would also drive further increases in land values.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/8/19/brisbane%20industrial%202.jpg" target="_blank">Click here</a> to enlarge: 
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Hicks said while prime rents were expected to continue to rise, the extent of any rental growth would depend on the ability of tenants to absorb it. 
“Further real rental growth will be tested in cases where recent increases in taxable land values are passed onto tenants, and that seems likely in the majority of cases. This could negatively affect the potential for further real rental growth in the near term,’’ Hicks said. 
Hicks said the importance of the circa $10 billion Melbourne to Brisbane inland freight rail project had been underscored by recent acquisitions along the route including Garda Capital’s purchase of four properties - three of them adjoining the Acacia Ride rail yards - and a prominent Sydney based investor’s acquisition of two large properties also with rail access.  
“The inland freight rail project has already had an impact on the market and will undoubtedly continue to be a catalyst for growth with the potential to impact the entire Brisbane industrial market, especially if the line is extended beyond the Acacia Ridge terminal to the Port of Brisbane. Such an extension would result in improved connection to the Western Corridor and Toowoomba,’’ Hicks said.
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Brisbane industrial market booming with yields tightening: m3property

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Hospitality operators have signed secure leases over two buildings on Chapel Street, South Yarra.
James Lockwood and Jordan Ceppi of Fitzroys brokered the respective leases of 585 Chapel Street (pictured above) and 589 Chapel Street (pictured below). 
Both deals are secure five year deals with additional five year options.
New operator Jumi’s Café will open up at the 50 square metres space at 589 Chapel Street and will pay $55,000 per annum net.
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At 585 Chapel Street, a reputable Chinese hospitality group has leased the 75 square metre space at a similar building rate.
“The tenants were attracted to the prime locations in one of Australia’s most famous shopping and lifestyle precincts,” Ceppi said.
According to Fitzroys’ newly released Walk the Strip, Chapel Street, South Yarra vacancies came down from 18.1% to 15.6% throughout 2018/19.
Fitzroys has also just leased 539 Chapel Street to children’s toys and clothing retailer, Things Adorable for their Melbourne flagship store, and 552 Chapel Street to Melbourne Laser Clinic on a long 10-year deal.
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Two hospitality groups take up Chapel Street, South Yarra leases

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Over the past seven years more than 100 research projects at the <a href="http://www.lowcarbonlivingcrc.com.au" target="_blank">Co-operative Research Centre for Low Carbon Living</a>, in collaboration with industry across Australia, have pondered a very big question: How do we build future cities that are sustainable, liveable and affordable?
This is exactly what Australians want, as the recent Greater Sydney Commission report, <a href="https://www.greater.sydney/pulse-of-greater-sydney" target="_blank">The Pulse of Greater Sydney</a>, revealed. People want cities in which they live close to jobs and have reasonable commuting times. They want access to parks and green space, and relief from ever-increasing urban heat.
The good news is we already know what it will take to deliver on much of this wish list. Since 2012, I have headed the A$100 million Low Carbon Living CRC, which has brought together Australian businesses, industries, communities and many of our brightest researchers to work out how to steer change.
Our <a href="http://www.lowcarbonlivingcrc.com.au/resources/crc-publications/crclcl-project-reports/sp0012u3-cooling-sydney-strategy" target="_blank">Cooling Sydney Strategy</a>, for instance, is the result of years of research into how to combat urban heatwaves. The burden of this heat is unevenly spread across our cities.
For example, residents of Sydney’s western suburbs are <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/value-jobs-a-quick-commute-and-relief-from-urban-heat-avoid-these-parts-of-sydney-20190714-p5273e" target="_blank">exposed to many more days hotter than 35 degrees</a> than Sydneysiders living in the CBD and the city’s north. Last summer that meant over a month’s worth of intense heat in the suburb of Penrith, including <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/season/nsw/archive/201902.sydney.shtml" target="_blank">nine days in a row above 35°C</a>.
While the recent winter sun might feel welcome, the negative impacts of increasingly hot cities on our health, lifestyle and energy use greatly outweigh any winter comfort.
So what are the solutions?
Our researchers have already found how we can offset increasing heat. The <a href="http://www.lowcarbonlivingcrc.com.au/resources/crc-publications/crclcl-project-reports/cooling-western-sydney-0" target="_blank">strategies</a> includes cool and permeable pavements, water features and evaporative cooling, shade structures, vertical gardens, street trees and other plants – even special heat refuge stations.
Keeping cool inside, without huge power bills, is possible too. During last summer’s heatwave, our <a href="https://joshshouse.com.au/about-the-project/joshs-house-research/" target="_blank">pilot 10-star energy-efficient house in Perth</a> remained a comfortable 24°C inside, without air conditioning, when it was over 40°C outside. The exceptional thermal performance of the house was down to its evidence-based design.
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RqDezVOe9kw?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" width="440" height="260"></iframe>
Josh Byrne explains how his house keeps temperatures comfortable year-round with low energy use and no net emissions.
This work is just one part of our wider remit. Our UNSW-based centre is on track to deliver independently verified cuts of <a href="http://www.lowcarbonlivingcrc.com.au/news/news-archive/2018/11/crc-low-carbon-living-track-reduce-carbon-emissions-10mgts-2020" target="_blank">10 megatonnes of carbon emissions generated by Australia’s built environment by 2020</a>. By integrating renewable energy systems, smart technologies, low-carbon materials and people-centred design into buildings and urban precincts, we have developed a sustainable, liveable and affordable urban blueprint for Australia. A PwC study (yet to be released) estimated cumulative economic benefits totalling A$684 million by 2027.
To put this another way, we have identified and verified evidence-based pathways to cut emissions equivalent to taking some 2.1 million cars off the road.
Some of the progress to date is not immediately obvious to the casual observer. Take an otherwise unremarkable stretch of road along the back way to Sydney Airport. Recently, a <a href="http://www.lowcarbonlivingcrc.com.au/news/news-archive/2019/06/crclcl-drives-world-first-green-concrete-trial-sydney-road" target="_blank">30-metre section of concrete was installed</a>, which looks more like an ad hoc road repair than an important scientific pilot study.
Bu 15 metres is paved with a new geopolymer concrete that slashes greenhouse gas emissions by 50%. The other 15 metres is conventional concrete, the <a href="https://www.rsc.org/images/Construction_tcm18-114530.pdf" target="_blank">most widely used man-made material on the planet</a>. Concrete production, using cement as its binder, accounts for about <a href="https://reader.chathamhouse.org/making-concrete-change-innovation-low-carbon-cement-and-concrete">8% of all global emissions</a>.
The geopolymer concrete developed through our research centre is a similarly high-performance product but its binder safely incorporates otherwise noxious industrial waste streams, such as fly ash from coal-fired power stations and slag from blast furnaces. Australia has stockpiled about <a href="http://media.bze.org.au/ZCIndustry/bze-report-rethinking-cement-short.pdf" target="_blank">400 million tonnes of waste</a> from coal-fired power generation and steelmaking.
In Alexandria, in collaboration with the City of Sydney, we are testing this <a href="http://media.bze.org.au/ZCIndustry/bze-report-rethinking-cement-short.pdf" target="_blank">low-carbon concrete</a> as a road surface that could help clean up industrial waste while slashing emissions. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF5UzGtlav8&amp;t=12s" target="_blank">Working with NSW Ports</a>, we’ve also shaped it into low-carbon bollards to form a breakwater to protect the coastline at Port Kembla from extreme weather.
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Waste from coal-fired power stations has been used to make low-carbon bollards to protect the coastline at Port Kembla.
We now have the know-how to do better
There are many such success stories, but with 150 CRC Low Carbon Living projects the list is too long to detail. What’s more important, as our funding period comes to an end and Australia loses its only innovation hub committed to lowering carbon in the built environment, is to note how we got to where we are today.
The federal government’s Co-operative Research Centre program fosters co-operation and collaboration on a grand scale. Industries, businesses, government organisations and communities with a stake in solving big, complex challenges partner with researchers from a wide range of academic fields. This structure brings together sectors and people whose paths might otherwise rarely cross.
The cross-fertilisation of ideas, expertise and skills delivers innovative solutions. <a href="https://www.industry.gov.au/sites/default/files/competition_or_collaboration_-_from_which_well_does_innovation_spring_-_speech_may_2018.pdf" target="_blank">Research worldwide</a> has consistently shown that collaboration drives innovation, and that innovation drives economic growth. Our experience confirms that as we partnered with organisations such as Multiplex, AECOM, BlueScope Steel, Sydney Water, ISCA, CSIRO and the United Nations Environment Program.
Cities are complex, exciting beasts, but we have the knowledge and expertise to live better, more comfortable urban lives in Australia while reducing demand for energy, water and materials. That is, we have the blueprint for low-carbon urban living. We must now choose to use it.
Deo Prasad, Scientia Professor and CEO, Co-operative Research Centre for Low Carbon Living, UNSW.
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/we-have-the-blueprint-for-liveable-low-carbon-cities-we-just-need-to-use-it-121615" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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We have the blueprint for liveable, low-carbon cities. We just need to use it

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Cedars Mount View, which has been in the same family ownership since the 1930s, has been listed for sale.
The original farmhouse sits on a 40 hectare Mount View holding.
The grounds have four luxury tourism villas, each privately positioned.
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It is located two hours from Sydney. 
Helicopters can land outside each villa for scenic flights.
Listing agent Dan Jurd says it is an easily operated business with strong cashflow. 
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It is being marketed as set within "ecologically unique, park like land, with spring fed Cedar Creek meandering through a blend of prime agricultural land".
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Cedars Mount View, Hunter Valley trophy farmhouse listed 

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A house in Queensland's Helensvale is set for auction with the proceeds going towards the Mater Little Miracles charity.
Damien Cooley's Gavel has the responsibility of auctioning off the home on Sunday September 8 at the live, no-reserve auction.
LJ Hooker Helensvale Pacific Pines agents Brad Clarke and Siarne Loeve are managing the auction campaign for The House for Life at 19 Laurel Drive.
"With 51sqm of living, it's one of the largest homes built in The Surrounds community at Helensvale," said Mr Clarke.
He said more than 300 people have come through the home during the auction campaign.
This House for Life marks the 8th year that Plantation Homes has built and auctioned a home with proceeds going to Mater Little Miracles, supporting seriously ill and premature babies at Mater. It’s the inaugural year that the house has been built on land donated by Villawood Properties.
Amanda Reilly, Plantation Homes Marketing Manager said, everything in the house, from the rugs and cushions to the bed linen, will be handed over to the new home owners.
 
CoreLogic data showed Helensvale was the second-most popular suburb across the Gold Coast in the last 12 months. 
House for Life is an initiative of Plantation Homes, Villawood Properties and Mater Foundation. All proceeds raised from the auction will go toward Mater Little Miracles. Visit www.plantationhomes.com.au and www.villawoodproperties.com.au
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House for Life in Helensvale set for charity auction

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The Midnight Hotel is set to open in Canberra in September following a Marriot International signing with Iconic Hotels.
Midnight Hotel will be a part of Geocon’s $200 million residential and commercial development in Braddon, central Canberra, open in September as an Autograph Collection hotel.
It will be the second hotel for the brand to open in Australia, following the recently renovated Pier One Sydney Harbour, Autograph Collection.
“This deal marks a significant milestone for us since it will be our first in the capital of Australia,” said Richard Crawford, Senior Director, Hotel Development, Australia, New Zealand and Pacific, Marriott International. “We look forward to working closely with Iconic Hotels to bring this hotel to this market.”
Each guest room will feature a bespoke commissioned piece of artwork by international artist and architectural designer, Thomas Bucich.
The hotel will also include facilities such as a restaurant, bar, indoor swimming pool, wellness centre, conference and event spaces and a guest lounge.
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Marriott International to open first Canberra hotel

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The Federal Court of Australia has found an AFSL holder and its former director made misleading and deceptive statements about an investment strategy targeting retired investors and investors approaching retirement, said to mimic the performance of the Australian Government’s Future Fund.
Port Phillip Publishing Pty Ltd (PPP) and its former director, Kristan Sayce, reached agreement with ASIC on the facts to be considered by the Court and the resulting contraventions of the law and the parties made joint submissions on those matters and on the declarations that should be made and penalties imposed as a result. The Court then ordered the following penalties for PPP and Mr Sayce as were proposed by the parties in that joint submission: 
<ul>
<li>$600,000 penalty for PPP; and</li>
<li>$50,000 penalty for Mr Sayce.</li>
</ul>
The two documents in which the misleading statements were made were published in September 2017 and entitled ‘Everyday Australians Now Legally ‘Piggybacking’ ‘the Future Fund’…and collecting extra monthly income injections of $540 right up to $6,667’ (Promo Letter) and ‘Your Quick Start Guide to Piggybacking the Future Fund’ (Guide). 
PPP published the Promo Letter, promoting the Guide, on two of its websites and emailed copies of the Promo Letter to approximately 200,000 subscribers. The Promo Letter and Guide promoted investing in a portfolio of specific listed investment companies and exchange traded funds which was said could mimic the performance of the Australian Government’s Future Fund. The Future Fund is Australia’s sovereign wealth fund. It is not open to direct public investment.
PPP’s Guide could only be accessed if a person subscribed to a service called Total Income and paid a subscription fee ($49). 823 people paid for a copy of the Guide. The parties also submitted that representations contained in testimonials about the Promo Letter were false and misleading.
‘If investors had adopted the investment strategy in PPP’s Guide, they were likely to have generated lower returns than the returns promoted in the Promo Letter and exposed investors to a greater level of risk than that adopted by the Future Fund in September 2017. ASIC seeks to promote confident and informed participation of investors and in this case, investors were misled,’ said ASIC Deputy Chair Daniel Crennan QC.
Background
ASIC commenced proceedings against PPP and Mr Sayce on 20 December 2018.
PPP and Mr Sayce admitted that various statements contained in the Promo Letter and Guide, which related to the identity and expertise of the author, the extent of research conducted in relation to the investment strategy and the income that could be generated from adopting the investment strategy were misleading, deceptive and false. They further admitted that the Promo Letter and the Guide failed to disclose facts about the frequency of dividend returns and risks to which an investor might be exposed from adopting the investment strategy.
PPP and Mr Sayce also relied on and misused client testimonials in the Promo Letter in that they failed to disclose that each client had never adopted the investment strategy.
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Port Phillip Publishing and Kris Sayce found liable for deception mimicking the future fund: ASIC

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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