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Owners of units in Sydney’s beleaguered Opal Tower have lodged a class-action lawsuit against the Sydney Olympic Park Authority, which owns the land on which the complex was built.
The action was filed in the NSW Supreme Court on Friday led by owner Terry Williamson.
Lawyers for the owners have filed documents against the NSW government and Sydney Olympic Park Authority, claiming the building was not designed and constructed with due care and skill, and was not reasonably fit for occupation. 
The newly-built block in Sydney Olympic Park was evacuated on Christmas Eve after cracks were discovered in the building that briefly sparked fears it could collapse.
Owner investors are looking to claim lost rental income they can't claim from builder Icon due to a waiver that would forfeit their right to sue.
Dcuments lodged to the NSW Supreme Court by Corrs Chambers Westgarth seek access to designs and contracts relating to the design of Opal Tower.
Gladys Berejiklian has defended the right of owners to sue her government.
“I don’t blame anybody for taking legal action to defend their own rights,” Ms Berejiklian said.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian noted it was "an unfortunate set of circumstances."
"We inherited the system we have today and we’re aiming to fix it by the end of the year through legislation.”
Ms Berejiklian said the government will be announcing a new building commissioner “imminently” to oversee the problem-plagued construction industry.
“(The commissioner) will ensure moving forward that everybody in the industry not only is aware of their responsibilities, but delivers on those responsibilities to the nth degree,” she said.
In an update to residents in mid-July, the tower’s builder, Icon, said site works have been “progressing well” and structural works should be completed by the end of the month.
Residents of a further 40 apartments in Opal Tower are set to be allowed to return to their units on Friday after inspections are carried out.
The NSW government's reform plans for the state's building and construction industry are not enough to fix it, industry group, The Owners Corporation Network (OCN) submission to the government says.
"Good buildings are now going to be under suspicion until people satisfy themselves they are not defective. This is a GFC-style situation, where credit ratings and the risk for financial products came into question. In that case loss of confidence in the financial system became a contagion," the report states.
"The NSW government needs to step into the breach just as it did when HIH and FAI Insurance collapsed in March 2001."
 
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Opal Tower owners sue the NSW government

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EXPERT OBSERVERS
In low-rent outer suburbs, almost one in six households could not afford to keep their house cool and went without meals.<a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/ashkelon-july-30a-poor-man-looks-116883439?src=pz36NnyfTHFCIB6ziBOFUg-1-1&amp;studio=1"> </a>
Private renting continues to expand at the expense of home ownership, newly released <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/4130.0%7E2017-18%7EMedia%20Release%7EMore%20households%20renting%20as%20home%20ownership%20falls%20(Media%20Release)%7E10" target="_blank">ABS statistics</a> show. More than one in four Australians (27%) are now tenants of a private landlord (2017-18). Only one in five lived in private rental housing in 1997-98.
<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14036096.2018.1467964" target="_blank">Our research</a> looked at private renters in middle and inner suburbs and low-rent outer suburbs (200 private renters in each area, 600 in total) in Sydney and Melbourne. Geographical differences in income sources and deprivation rates might be expected. However, the variations in <a href="https://www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/media/SPRCFile/Report12_07_Deprivation_and_exclusion_in_Australia.pdf" target="_blank">financial stress</a> revealed by our study were startling. In low-rent outer suburbs, much higher proportions, for example, went without meals or had to pawn or sell something to get by.
<h2>Household incomes</h2>
Not surprisingly, tenants in the inner/middle suburb areas and the (low-rent) outer areas had a very different profile of income sources, as Table 1 shows.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285969/original/file-20190729-43109-1yvajhm.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/285969/original/file-20190729-43109-1yvajhm.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a> Author provided
In areas with medium and high rents, wages or salaries were the main source of income for more than four out of five respondents (83%). In the outer suburban, low-rent areas, this was true for barely half (56%). A third relied mainly on state pensions or benefits.
In more than a quarter of tenant households (28%) in low-rent areas at least one member was an unemployed job-seeker. Only 8% of households in the medium/high-rent areas included an unemployed member.
Finally, once again indicating the typically more deprived situation of the outer suburb group, a much greater proportion of these tenants, 62%, received Commonwealth Rent Assistance compared to 21% in the other areas.
<h2>Signs of financial stress</h2>
Respondents were asked: “Over the past year, have any of the following happened to you/your household because of a shortage of money?”
We <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14036096.2018.1467964" target="_blank">found levels of financial stress</a> varied greatly between areas. Among low-rent (outer suburban) tenants almost two-thirds (63%) experienced at least one of the eight possible financial stress indicators listed in Table 2. That’s twice the proportion for the inner/middle-area cohort (32%).
Benchmarking both of these figures against the nationwide rate of 20% (based on the <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/subscriber.nsf/log?openagent&amp;HECS%20additional%20tables.xls&amp;4670.0&amp;Data%20Cubes&amp;4C08051315A91B1ACA257C6F000EC23C&amp;0&amp;2012&amp;24.02.2014&amp;Latest" target="_blank">all-tenure national comparator on the incidence of financial hardship</a>) illustrates the pervasiveness of economic stress among private renters in all areas of our major capital cities. But in outer suburban low-rent areas of Sydney and Melbourne the risk of financial hardship is more than three times the national norm among tenants. <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08111146.2016.1272449" target="_blank">Our earlier research</a> also noted this.
Comparing the two tenant groups revealed statistically significant differences on every financial hardship indicator – see Table 2.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285972/original/file-20190729-43114-iry4ai.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/285972/original/file-20190729-43114-iry4ai.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a> Author provided
Strikingly, almost one in six households living in low-rent areas went without meals. A similar proportion had to pawn or sell something to get by.
One in three tenants in these areas turned to family and friends for financial help. Almost one in four (23%) sought help from a welfare or community organisation.
Exposure to multiple forms of financial stress indicators was also much greater in low-rent areas. One in five (19%) tenants here reported enduring four or more financial stress indicators versus 6% in medium/high-rent areas. For households in this position, damaging impacts on their quality of life and probably <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02673037.2017.1344202" target="_blank">physical and mental health</a> are likely.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285974/original/file-20190729-43114-1cszm0t.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/285974/original/file-20190729-43114-1cszm0t.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a> Author provided
<h2>A common theme to financial stress</h2>
We found that being reliant on government benefits was associated with multiple indicators of financial stress, irrespective of area. More than one in three (37%) such households experienced four or more of the financial stress indicators. Alarmingly, poverty resulted in 26% of this grouping going without meals in the last year.
Employment status was a significant factor irrespective of area. In households where a household member was either looking for work, out of the workforce or retired, 27% of these households had four or more financial stress indicators. In households where at least one person was employed full-time, only 5% had four or more stress indicators.
The ongoing trend of increasing housing cost pressures on lower-income Australians over the past decade provides the context for the high incidence of financial stress, particularly among tenants in low-rent areas of Sydney and Melbourne. <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/4130.0%7E2017-18%7EMedia%20Release%7EMore%20households%20renting%20as%20home%20ownership%20falls%20(Media%20Release)%7E10" target="_blank">Latest ABS data</a> reveal that, for the least affluent fifth of households, typical spending on housing increased from 23% of income to 29% over that period. In contrast, typical spending on housing by the top fifth was unchanged at 10%.
<h2>The case for increasing benefits</h2>
Our study brings home that <a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/book/7269/" target="_blank">everyday life is an enormous battle</a> on various fronts for many benefit-reliant and other low-income tenants in Sydney and Melbourne. Even if they can find a tenancy in a low-rent area to keep housing costs down, their likelihood of after-housing poverty, including <a href="https://www.thefifthestate.com.au/columns/spinifex/energy-poverty-urgently-end-2/" target="_blank">energy poverty</a>, is high.
At the most extreme end of the scale are the one in five tenants in the outer low-rent areas (one in ten across all three areas) who experienced severe financial stress (four or more indicators of financial stress). After paying for their housing, many of them lack money for essentials.
Being located on the urban fringe, and therefore often remote from services and/or employment, compounds such hardship. Not surprisingly, the incidence of financial stress is highest among government benefit recipients. This finding highlights the urgent need to increase Commonwealth Rent Assistance to offset some of their housing costs, and also to increase key income support payments, such as <a href="https://www.acoss.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Raise-the-Rate-Explainer-1.pdf" target="_blank">Newstart and the Disability Support Pension</a>.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/120427/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/alan-morris-13337" target="_blank">Alan Morris</a>, Research Professor, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936" target="_blank">University of Technology Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hal-pawson-147969" target="_blank">Hal Pawson</a>, Associate Director - City Futures - Urban Policy and Strategy, City Futures Research Centre, Housing Policy and Practice, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-1414" target="_blank">UNSW</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kath-hulse-228874" target="_blank">Kath Hulse</a>, Research Professor, Centre for Urban Transitions, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767" target="_blank">Swinburne University of Technology</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/violet-xia-781289" target="_blank">Violet Xia</a>, Research Associate, <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/private-renters-are-doing-it-tough-in-outer-suburbs-of-sydney-and-melbourne-120427" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Private renters are doing it tough in outer suburbs of Sydney and Melbourne

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Mat Steinwede, the three time winner of the McGrath agent of the year award, has subsequently revealed that being number one in the network didn't mean much to him.
"For the first time, it's quite meaningless to me, and I don't quite know why" Steinwede said during his <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-rPZ-0fRpM" target="_blank">podcast</a>, adding that "in the beginning I liked to be number 1, but... when you get there, there's not much there."
He expressed that what drove him was the purpose of doing a great job, and being number one became a side effect. It was in a podcast with Geoff Jowett the high performance mindset coach.
"It's sort of like what's going to drive me now," Steinwede said.
The father of six said that it was important to remain grounded and that his family, friends and leisure time were just as important to be balanced and effective.
During the podcast Mat agreed, you've gotta strive coming from love, not fear and that you have to be grateful for every opportunity. 
He emotionally expressed his gratitude during the 2017 McGrath Award presentation when he was announced as the agency's top performer.
"25 years ago I sent a video tape to John McGrath asking if he would meet with me" and that two weeks later when McGrath called me back.
"That meeting changed my life," he said in 2017.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/7/30/McGrath%20Awards%20Night%202019.JPG" alt="">
Steinwede describes his goals and challenges when he began with a passion.
"I remember when I first joined Mcgrath, I saw the top ten agents on a slide, and I got a copy of that slide and put myself as number one in my vision book. Not for any reason, I just wanted to achieve that." 
He says he faced innumerable hardships "bumps" on his road to becoming number one but his "goal was bigger than the challenges."
Despite being based in Terrigal on the NSW Central Coast, he has remarkably consistently outperformed agents across the McGrath Network, including the pricier Sydney eastern suburbs and lower north shore.
"Its not an easy thing to do, especially in a place like Terrigal.
"It's like being in a country town basket ball team and beating Michael Jordan in a way," he added jovially.
As a follower of Esther Hicks, he is a big proponent of '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaNCrB2rMH8" target="_blank">The Law of Attraction</a>'.
"If you can continually make sure you are on the upscale, passionate happy etc, your life has to go on the upside."
"You are the one in control of what comes to you, the world matches what you put out."
"You have the absolute ability to put out the right energy and have it come back to you," he firmly stated.
John McGrath himself speaks highly of Mat, "He's the real deal." 
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Why Mat Steinwede says coming first at McGrath was meaningless to him 

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Ramsay Pharmacy has decided to move to a bigger premises within the Tunstall Square shopping centre in Doncaster East.
Fitzroys Agency Manager, Jordan Ceppi negotiated the five-year lease with a five-year option for Shop 7, 41-63 Doncaster Road, Doncaster East at $215,000 per annum net.
The 186 sqm corner retail space is located amongst national tenants within the neighbourhood shopping centre that include Coles and Vintage Cellars, Chemist Warehouse, Baker’s Delight and Flight Centre.
Ramsay Pharmacy is part of Ramsay Health Care, Australia’s largest private hospital operator.
Ceppi said the versatile space attracted enquiry from a range of retailers looking to trade in a high exposure space within a convenience-based shopping centre, which have typically proven to be more resilient throughout retail headwinds.
“Much of Melbourne’s nation-leading population growth is being accommodated throughout the inner and middle-ring suburbs, and centred around the shopping and lifestyle precincts. People appreciate the convenience of medical and health care clinics, as well as fitness and personal services, being located nearby,” Ceppi said.
“Services have joined hospitality in increasing their presence throughout shopping centres across Melbourne in recent years, and it remains difficult for the online world to replicate those types of offerings.”
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Ramsay Pharmacy now leasing larger Tunstall Square premises

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Crown Group has secured ALDI as a tenant of its Eastlakes Live residential precinct which it is developing on the Eastlakes Shopping Centre site.
The supermarket will re-open with nearly 20% more retail space and a fresh new look when stage one nears completion.
The new Eastlakes Live lifestyle precinct will offer more than 500 luxury apartments and an array of new retail and dining offerings that will transform the area into a destination in itself.
Stage one of Eastlakes Live by Crown Group was launched in May 2018.
Construction is underway on stage one, which will comprise three buildings with a total 133 one, two and three-bedroom apartments and four penthouses.
It will also have a 2800 sqm retail area below offering 12 outlets including the new ALDI store, a second supermarket, bakery, butcher and chemist.
Residents will have access to sophisticated resort-style health and fitness facilities including a 25 m swimming pool and gym. They will also have a rooftop lounge, barbeque facilities, function room and landscaped gardens.
Crown Group Chief Operating Officer Pierre Abrahamse said having a new, bigger ALDI supermarket was a major milestone in creating the new town centre, which would become a drawcard attraction for residents.
Amended plans for Eastlakes Live stage two are pending council approval and include 399 new apartments across five buildings and a concept for a new town centre, with a retail and restaurant precinct that includes a full-line supermarket and eat street offering various restaurant and dining options.
Apartments are for sale from $680,000 to $1,755,000.
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Crown Group secure ALDI as Eastlakes Shopping Centre tenant

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GUEST OBSERVATION
The average weekly commuting time in Australia has increased considerably since 2002. According to the latest Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) <a href="https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/hilda" target="_blank">Survey released today</a>, workers averaged 3.7 hours’ commuting time per week in 2002, but this had increased to 4.5 hours by 2017.
In 2017, workers in mainland state capitals (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth) had consistently longer commute times than those living elsewhere. These city workers typically spent more than an hour travelling to and from work each day. The average was about 66 minutes. This is a 20% increase from the average of around 55 minutes in 2002.
As in past surveys, Sydney had the longest average daily commutes (71 minutes). In 2017, it was followed by Brisbane (67 minutes), Melbourne (65 minutes), Perth (59 minutes) and Adelaide (56 minutes). Reasons for the increasing commute time vary among different cities but may include increased road congestion, urban expansion and poor public transport services.
Average daily commuting times across Australia also increased from about 49 minutes in 2002 to almost one hour in 2017.
<img src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/static_files/files/666/Mean.gif?1564036035" width="100%">
Workers in the Northern Territory had the shortest commutes in 2017, averaging close to 35 minutes per day.
The HILDA analysis covers all workers aged 15 years and older. This includes those with commuting times of zero (that is, who work from home).
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285781/original/file-20190726-136744-124z3od.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Daily commuting times are calculated by dividing the time spent travelling to and from work in a typical week by the usual number of days worked per week. Data source: HILDA
The survey, based on interviews with about 17,000 Australians yearly, also reveals that the share of people commuting two or more hours a day is increasing, from 12% in 2002 to 18% in 2017. Men are more likely than women to be long-distance commuters. And middle-aged workers (aged 25-54) are more likely to have long commutes than younger and older workers.
Interestingly, fathers of two children had the highest likelihood (27%) of having long commutes, while mothers with two children were the least likely (less than 13%). On the one hand, households with dependent children are more likely to live in suburban locations for the larger houses, potentially increasing commuting distance for workers in these households. On the other hand, female workers’ relatively lower wage rate and more household responsibilities, such as child rearing, may restrict them to choosing jobs closer to home.
Impacts on job satisfaction
According to the HILDA Survey, long-distance commuters (two hours or more a day) are less likely than short-distance commuters (less than one hour) to be satisfied with their working hours, work-life balance and even pay. Therefore, they have lower levels of overall job satisfaction. These long-distance commuters are more likely to quit or lose their jobs within the next year.
These results from the HILDA Survey align well with the findings of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0966692318307269" target="_blank">our research</a>. Our findings suggest longer commutes not only impose physical and mental strains on workers but may also affect their work participation, engagement and productivity.
Negative impacts go beyond work
A growing number of studies have found long-duration commuting can <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965856410000960" target="_blank">reduce the time a person has for other activities</a>. These other activities, such as physical exercise, time with family, social activities and so on, are important for psychological well-being.
Lengthy commuting also potentially increases <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-9442.2008.00542.x" target="_blank">exposure to nuisances and hazards</a> such as traffic noise, crowds, congestion, pollution and uncomfortably hot or cold conditions. These can cause physical or emotional distress and have a direct influence on people’s physical and mental health.
What can policymakers do about this?
A better balance of jobs and housing within a smaller geographic area could help to shorten commuting distances and time. Planning policy such as polycentric cities – with multiple activity centres – have been proposed in Sydney and Melbourne, and could help achieve this.
Most Australians still rely on their cars for daily commuting. Aside from long travel distance, traffic congestion is another important factor in increasing commuting times. Encouraging alternative travel modes for commuting could potentially relieve congestion.
The HILDA Survey reveals that close to 28% of workers live and work in the same postcode. About 55% of workers live within 10 kilometres of their place of work. This suggests there is huge potential to promote active travel – cycling and walking – for daily commuting trips. Only for a minority (11%) are the postcodes of the home and place of work 30 or more kilometres apart.
High-frequency and reliable rapid public transport networks linking major residential and employment centres could encourage more medium and long-distance commuters to use public transport for daily commuting.
Finally, emerging transport technology, such as autonomous vehicles, is also promising to curb traffic congestion and reduce the “perceived” commuting time, if these vehicles are shared rather than owned by individuals.
Companies also have a role to play in helping to reduce commuting times and their impact on workers’ well-being. Flexible working times, which allow employees to avoid peak-hour travel, and a supportive company culture for working from home can help reduce weekly commuting time. In return, companies potentially benefit from improving employee job satisfaction and retention rates.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/runing-ye-646743" target="_blank">Runing Ye</a>, Research Fellow, Melbourne School of Design, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-melbourne-722" target="_blank">University of Melbourne</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/liang-ma-746823">Liang Ma</a>, Vice-Chancellor's Postdoctoral Research Fellow, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063" target="_blank">RMIT University</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/australian-city-workers-average-commute-has-blown-out-to-66-minutes-a-day-how-does-yours-compare-120598" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Australian city workers' average commute has blown out to 66 minutes a day: Runing Ye & Liang Ma

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South Hedland has the highest rental yield in Australia, according to the latest Investar suburb performance report.
The report suggests its median unit rent sits at $295 a week, with 23% yield.
This is followed by Moe with 13% and Kambalda East with 12%.
Yorkeys Knob ranked as the best rental yield in Queensland, with 12% yield. 
The valuation firm notes that a total of 16 localities across the country have seen over 10% rental yields over the past year. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/7/11/rental%20yields.jpg" target="_blank">Click here</a> to enlarge: 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/7/11/rental%20yields.jpg" alt="">
Source: Investar
A new listing in South Hedland is a fully furnished two bedroom apartment priced at $57,000.
Located in the Lawson apartment complex, the apartment at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-wa-south+hedland-131539302" target="_blank">403/17-21 Welsh Street</a> (pictured above) include two bedrooms, open plan lounge area kitchen with ample storage and undercover car space.
Other features include separate laundry area, air conditioning, and access to ground pool within the complex. 
<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/2019/7/11/south%20hedland%20rental.jpg" alt="">
A partly furnished two bedroom apartment in South Hedland has been listed for rent with a price of $250 per week.
Located on five minutes' walk from South Hedland CBD, the apartment at<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-wa-south+hedland-426907858" target="_blank"> 9/2 Scadden Road</a> (pictured above) comes with two bedrooms, functional kitchen, living areas, and front veranda area.
Additional features include wood look vinyl, linen cupboard for storage and single car space. 
<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/2019/7/11/ultimo%20sold.jpg" alt="">
A 45 square metre self-contained apartment in Ultimo was sold for $280,000 earlier this year. 
Located opposite Broadway Shopping Centre, the furnished apartment at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-unit-nsw-ultimo-129638958" target="_blank">2102/185 Broadway</a> (pictured above) features indoor spa, gym, and swimming pool.
Within footsteps to four popular universities, the Unilodge apartment is strata titled and managed by specialist student Accommodation Company.
 <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/2019/7/11/ultimo.jpg" alt="">
An Ultimo one bedroom apartment has recently been listed for rent with a price guide of $560 per week. 
Situated in a heritage listed building, the open plan apartment at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-nsw-ultimo-418168006" target="_blank">99 Jone Street</a> (pictured above) comprises one bedroom, modern kitchen, full bathroom and internal laundry.
It is within walking distance to the CBD, Darling Harbour, Chinatown, the Fish Market, UTS and Broadway Shopping Centre.
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From Ultimo to Yorkeys Knob: where can you find 10%-plus rental yields?

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Morisset, a commercial centre and suburb of the City of Lake Macquarie, has seen the biggest stock increase in New South Wales over the last 12 months, according to the latest Investar report.
Investar says its sales stock has grown by 209%, from 22 houses this time a year ago to its current 68 offerings.
It is followed by Miranda with 208.7% growth and Edgeworth with 203.9% growth.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/3/15/NSW%20STOCK%20INCREASE.jpg" target="_blank">Click here </a>to enlarge.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/3/15/NSW%20STOCK%20INCREASE.jpg" alt="">
Source: Investar
A recently renovated four bedroom house in Merriest was priced at $545,000 (pictured below) and sold late last month at $505,000.
Set on a 450 square metre block, the<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-morisset-130768762" target="_blank"> 80 Awaba Street</a> house features new carpet, timber vinyl flooring throughout and family friendly floorplan.
It is within walking distance to schools, local shopping precinct and public transport.
<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/2019/3/26/morisset%201.jpg" alt="">
Another four bedroom house situated on a 570 square mettre allotment has been listed for $555,000 (pictured below).
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-morisset-129689146" target="_blank">11 Kelowna Avenue house </a>comes with open plan living, media room, four bedrooms with built-ins, alfresco dining area and double car garage.
The family home is within walking distance to Morriset 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/2019/3/26/morriset%202.jpg" alt="">
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Morisset and Edgeworth stock triples year on year: Investar

<html><body>
Zuccoli, a relatively new suburb in the City of Palmerston, has experienced the biggest stock increase in the Northern Territory over the past 12 months, according to Investar.
Investar says its sales stock has grown by 80%, from 60 houses this time a year ago to its current 108 offerings.
It is followed by Muirhead with 49% growth and Gunn with 37% growth. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/3/28/zuccoli.jpg" target="_blank">Click here </a>to enlarge:
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/3/28/zuccoli.jpg" alt="">
Source: Investar
A three bedroom Zuccoli home currently on the market is priced at $499,000 (pictured above).
Set on a 570 square metres, the nearly new house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nt-zuccoli-130765978" target="_blank">35 Myrtlewood Crescent </a>comes with three bedrooms, two living areas, well-appointed kitchen, and established gardens. 
It also features air conditioning throughout, solar power system and double lock up 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/2019/3/28/zuccoli%202.jpg" alt="">
Another example is a four bedroom Zuccoli house priced at $475,000 (pictured above).
Built in 2015, the house at<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nt-zuccoli-130597222" target="_blank"> 41 Brook Circuit</a> comprises four bedrooms, separate media room, living room, and large back verandah.
It's within close proximity to new schools and the local IGA.
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Zuccoli experiencing NT's biggest jump in stock: Investar

<html><body>
South Gladstone ranks as the cheapest rental in Queensland, according to the latest Investar suburb performance report. 
The report suggests the median unit rent in this mining locality sits at $120 per week. 
It is followed by West Gladstone and Blackall with $150 per week median rents. 
The median rent of other locations within the mining area listed below: 
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
Suburb
</td>
<td valign="top">
State
</td>
<td valign="top">
Postcode
</td>
<td valign="top">
Dwelling Type
</td>
<td valign="top">
Bedrooms 
</td>
<td valign="top">
Median rent 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
South Gladstone 
</td>
<td valign="top">
QLD
</td>
<td valign="top">
4680
</td>
<td valign="top">
Unit
</td>
<td valign="top">
2
</td>
<td valign="top">
$120
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
West Gladstone 
</td>
<td valign="top">
QLD
</td>
<td valign="top">
4680
</td>
<td valign="top">
Unit
</td>
<td valign="top">
2
</td>
<td valign="top">
$150
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
Blackall 
</td>
<td valign="top">
QLD
</td>
<td valign="top">
4472
</td>
<td valign="top">
House
</td>
<td valign="top">
3
</td>
<td valign="top">
$150
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
Mount Morgan
</td>
<td valign="top">
QLD
</td>
<td valign="top">
4714
</td>
<td valign="top">
House
</td>
<td valign="top">
2
</td>
<td valign="top">
$170
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
Charleville
</td>
<td valign="top">
QLD
</td>
<td valign="top">
4470
</td>
<td valign="top">
House
</td>
<td valign="top">
2
</td>
<td valign="top">
$175
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
Chinchilla 
</td>
<td valign="top">
QLD
</td>
<td valign="top">
4413
</td>
<td valign="top">
Unit
</td>
<td valign="top">
2
</td>
<td valign="top">
$180
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
Dysart 
</td>
<td valign="top">
QLD
</td>
<td valign="top">
4745
</td>
<td valign="top">
House
</td>
<td valign="top">
3
</td>
<td valign="top">
$180
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
Source: Investar 
A current listing is a two bedroom ground floor unit in South Gladstone priced at $115 per week. 
Located in a quiet complex, the unit at 2/32 Elizabeth Street (pictured above) comes with two carpeted bedrooms, functional kitchen, open plan living and dining area, and renovated bathroom.
Other features include the deck, security screens throughout and undercover car park plus roadside parking.
<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/2019/7/11/blackall%20.jpg" alt="">
A fully fenced three bedroom house at Blackall has been listed for rent with a price of $150 per week. 
Located at<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-blackall-412143571" target="_blank"> 24 Daisy Street</a> (pictured above), the air-conditioned home comprises three bedrooms, one bathroom and carport. 
</body></html>

What rentals do Queensland mining town landlords get? Investar 

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

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