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A four bedroom timber house sitting on three acres with a backdrop of mountains near Port Douglas is now on the market with the price of over $750,000.
It has been offered by Mark Flinn from Ray White.
Situated at<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-shannonvale-124649546" target="_blank"> 11 Chooks Ridge, Shannonvale</a>, the house features gallery-style master bedroom with sweeping forest views, three other bedrooms, office, four bathrooms and open-plan living area.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/10/16/shannonvale%202.jpg" alt="">
Other features include large wooden shutters, deck overlooking the gardens, rock pool, and two carport spaces plus one garage space. 
It is only minutes away from Mossman sugar cane town and the tropical town of Port Douglas.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Shannonvale trophy home still waiting on offer after two and a half years

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A north-facing residence set across a sprawling three level floorplan in Jan Juc has been on the market with a price guide from $3.9 million to $4.3 million for over a year.
It has been offered by Tim Carson and Geoff Bennett from McCartney Real Estate.
Sitting on a 1,673sqm block of land, the house at<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-jan+juc-126874606" target="_blank"> 7 Seahaven Place</a> comes with five bedrooms, kitchen with Corian island bench, main living within built-in, large dining area, home study and separate lounge or theatre room. 
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Additional features include 8 car remote garage with storage, gym, in-ground horizon swimming pool, landscaped north-facing gardens, and outdoor shower.
It is within a short drive to the RACV resort, golf course, vibrant cafes’ and restaurants, and surf beaches. 
<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/2018/10/16/jan%20juc%203.jpg" alt="">
The suburb's median house price sits at<a href="/developments/jan-juc-vic-3228"> $885,000</a>, according to CoreLogic. 
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Jan Juc trophy home with ocean views stuck on market for over a year

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McGrath is among a growing number of real estate agents using FLK IT OVER that enables Residential Tenancy Agreements to be signed on the phone and in a world first can now speak to you through smart speakers Google Home or google assistant.
“Since its launch earlier this year FLK IT OVER has been used to sign 5,500 property leases with over 400 property managers now using the technology,” said its Founder Andrew Colagiuri.  
FLK IT OVER is a digital platform enabling tenants to sign leases via their smartphone. The agent sends tenants a link via SMS then FLK IT OVER takes the tenant through the lease conditions, requiring tenant approval at various stages and a signature at the end on the screen of their phone.
“This technology, first available in NSW, has just launched in Queensland and is now compatible with Google Home so tenants can ask google when their lease ends, when rent is due and who the emergency plumber is without getting off the couch,” said Mr Colagiuri.
“You can also let google know you want to talk to your property manager and an email will be sent requesting them to call – gone are the frustrating days of the tenant having to chasing their agent.”
Mr Colagiuri said, “it’s even helping the environment, so far FLK IT OVER has saved 35 trees (275,000 sheets of paper) reducing costs for agents and freed up their time to concentrate on other work instead of chasing lease signatures.”  
FLK IT OVER was recently awarded best new Utility Product at the digital and technology AMY awards ahead of Qantas, Lendi, Unicef and Alexia.  
Rob Fearnley, Head of Property Management at McGrath said his company is embracing the innovative technology. 
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FLK IT OVER the world's first talking digital tenancy lease agreement

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The Agency has gained a 40-year industry veteran and respected coach in Joe Abboud. 
He has been working as an agent for McGrath Estate Agents for the past decade in the Eastern Suburbs along with being a hands-on coach in the industry, providing one-on-one coaching for more than 20 agents a week.
His coaching dates back to the 1980s when he was appointed education officer for the REINSW’s Inner West division.
Thomas McGlynn, national director of sales, said Joe Abboud will be working with agents nationally, both within The Agency and across the industry, building unique programs tailored to individual agent’s needs.
His program starts with a minimum of seven hours spent with each agent followed by regular video conferencing meetings. Ongoing support is then provided by email and phone.
Abboud’s traditional real estate training relies heavily on process and looking at new technologies for connection.
His focus is on helping agents find a deeper connection with buyers and sellers by understanding how they are feeling and what they need to move on.
“In my opinion the market never changes only price.
"In what’s called a ‘boom’ market, there is limited stock, we are heading into a period where there will be a large selection of homes available, which is what buyers have been waiting for,” Abboud says.
"In today’s market there are many buyers who may have been active, and are now passive, what they need is an agent who will work closely with them, to help them find the home they love. It’s about matching qualified buyers with listings.” “I wanted to work with a brand that genuinely cares about its agents, this is The Agency mantra that has been proven since it launched,” Joe Abboud said.
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The Agency gains real estate veteran and coach Joe Abboud

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This week, inflation and the housing market have been in focus for Australia. Offshore, data for the US remained robust, but was less so in Europe and Emerging Asia.
Australian inflation has been an enduring disappointment for the market, with actual outcomes having come in below expectations quarter by quarter for close to two years. The September quarter continued this trend, with headline and the average of the core measures again sub-consensus at 0.4% (market 0.5%) and 0.3% (market 0.4%). More significant for policy, annual headline and core inflation again fell below the 2.0%yr lower bound of the RBA’s inflation range, now 1.9%yr and 1.7%yr.
Within the quarter, there were many opposing influences, but the main theme was the offsetting of petrol and tobacco inflation by disinflation across house purchase costs and rents and the continued absence of pricing power for the retail sector. Though petrol will remain inflationary in coming months, persistent weakness in housing costs will limit the net effect for headline inflation. As the core measure typically omits energy costs, the effect here will be lopsided and result in annual core inflation holding below the RBA’s 2-3%yr target range through the end of 2019. Together with GDP growth tending back to trend in 2019, this trend will see the RBA remain on hold through 2020.
The soft housing inflation pulse is a consequence of declining house prices and rising supply (restricting rental growth). This week, the October CoreLogic house price data showed that this national decline in house prices is continuing. The decline is led by Sydney (-7.4%yr) and the top end of the market (the top 25% of sales by price down 7.7%yr versus -0.9%yr for the bottom 25%). However, we continue to see evidence of the weakness broadening, with 80% of dwellings now having seen price declines over the past six months compared to 60% for the past year. By dwelling type, losses remain largest for houses. This is consistent with the relative outperformance of houses over apartments to the cycle peak, but is also evidence that increasing apartment supply is yet to affect the price trend materially.     
Dwelling approvals data for September was also released this week. While a bounce was seen in the month, approvals are still down 14% over the year. Further, if high-rise approvals in Victoria are omitted, we estimate approvals actually fell 7.5% in September, with the weakness broad-based by state and dwelling type. Given this trend decline in prices and approvals, it is unsurprising that housing credit growth continues to decelerate. In 3-month annualised terms, total housing credit has slowed from 6.8% in May 2017 to 4.7% currently. Though investor credit has been the primary driver of this softening, owner-occupier credit has also slowed, from 8.7% in July 2017 to 6.4% currently.     
Turning to the US, GDP was again strong in the September quarter at 3.5% annualised. Driving the result was a willing consumer, with growth in this sub-sector rising 4.0% annualised – well ahead of the average of the post-GFC period. Elsewhere however, there were a number of signs that higher interest rates are beginning to take effect. This was most obvious in residential construction, now down around 3% annualised over the past nine months. More important for the economy are glimpses of weakness in business investment following a strong start to the year. The latter deceleration fits well with regional business survey detail on investment intentions, hit by trade policy uncertainty, as well as core orders and shipments, which were flat through the September quarter.
For growth to persist at an above-trend pace, consumption must continue to fire. On this front, the upside surprise for the employment cost index in the third quarter, a 0.8% gain for total compensation, was promising. That said, annual income growth still remains relatively modest at 2.8%yr. To sustain the current pace of consumption, quarterly gains nearer 1.0% are consistently needed. We are not convinced this will occur. Instead, together with tighter financial conditions, we foresee a stabilisation in nominal household incomes around 3.5%yr in 2019. Absent dissaving, this would be consistent with real household consumption closer to 2.5-3.0% annualised than the current 4.0% pace. If consumption does slow, then together with a softening pulse for business investment and the loss of extraordinary support from fiscal policy (in late 2019), US growth will slow back to trend during 2019 and result in the FOMC going on hold after three more rate hikes to June 2019.
While debate over the US economy remains focused on whether growth will be at or above trend, for Europe the risk of sub-trend growth is building. From 2.7%yr in 2017, growth slowed to a 1.6% annualised pace in the first half of 2018. And now the first estimate for the September quarter has disappointed, coming in at just 0.8% annualised, below our estimate of trend growth, 1.2%yr. One-off factors were reportedly at play in the most recent three months, so more time is arguably needed to assess the trend. External demand has been the primary reason growth has slowed in 2018, but looking forward, domestic political risks are paramount. In addition to concerns over Italy, this week, the source of uncertainty was in Germany with Chancellor Angela Merkel announcing that she will not contest her CDU Party leadership this December. She intends to remain as Chancellor until the end of the Coalition Government’s term in 2021, but will not stand for re-election.
In the UK, the Brexit deadline grows nearer. With those clouds up ahead, the BoE left rates on hold this week while retaining their gradual tightening bias. The economy is described as “broadly in balance” with the domestic labour market tight and wages growth picking up more than expected. Indeed, if it were not for Brexit uncertainty, the Bank rate would be higher, with the BoE signalling that a smooth Brexit would see a steeper rate path.   
Finally to Asia, there we have seen moderating global growth and US trade policy continue to weigh on the manufacturing sector of China and other east Asian nations. For China in particular, domestic demand remains a positive, aided of late by stabilising business and infrastructure investment. However, going forward, the downtrend in employment growth poses a risk. This highlights why authorities are becoming more active in the management of the domestic economy and US’ tariffs effect on China’s external competitiveness.
Elliot Clarke is a Senior Economist for Westpac
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Housing is subduing inflation: Elliot Clarke

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Hollywood actor Rebel Wilson turned up to a Sydney weekend auction.
She was there to help one of her two sisters, Annachi hopefully secure a Millers Point terrace.
But Annachi, a nurse, was outbid in the dying stages of the onsite McGrath auction with the heritage listed <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-millers+point-129500930" target="_blank">65 Lower Fort Street</a> (above and below) selling for $2.71 million.
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It sold to a local young family wanting to buy into the area. 
The comedian's siblings are named Liberty, aka Libby, Ryot and Annachi.
Rebel Wilson spent $3.76 million in 2015 for her occasional Sydney bolthole, a three bedroom harbourside home in Birchgrove.
The weekend Millers Point auction was the final terrace being sold off by the NSW State government-owned in Millers Point. 
Some 190 properties with a total value of over $600 million have been sold since the sales program of the low cost housing began in 2014.
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Given the demonstrations that met the relocation of tenants, the controversial sellout was accompanied by a rigorously enforced media attendance ban at all its auctions imposed by the NSW State Government, although Channel 7 were given exclusive access to the finale.
Property NSW, on behalf of Family and Community Services, has redirected the proceeds to other social housing developments across NSW including Bankstown, Liverpool, Fairfield, the Sutherland Shire, Coffs Harbour and North Richmond. 
Family and Community Services retained 28 Millers Point properties.
The highest price achieved to date was $26 million last year for 33 apartments across four historic workers dwellings block.
Sirius, the nearby famous Brutalist-style building, has yet to be sold having been listed with $120 million plus hopes.
There were 801 Sydney auctions over the past week, with a 47 percent preliminary clearance rate which is about 3% lower than last week.
Blacktown returned a preliminary clearance rate of 75 percent from its 12 listings.
But Parramatta had the lowest preliminary clearance rate at just 32 percent from 31 results.
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Rebel Wilson turns up to Millers Point auction

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NSW is set to index stamp duty brackets to the consumer price index.
The seven price bands that determine how much stamp duty by home buyers will be adjusted for inflation under the scheme to start in mid-2019, The Daily Telegraph reported today.
Stamp duty has been unchanged in NSW for 32 years while the median house price has risen by an estimated 1000 per cent.
When the rates were set in 1986 the median Sydney dwelling price, according to CoreLogic, was $80,000 compared with the current median house price of around $1 million.
Last financial year, NSW residential and commercial property buyers paid a total $9.8 billion in stamp duty after 228,000 sales.
Stamp duty accounts for 28 per cent of all state tax revenue.
A typical buyer in Sydney pays about $42,000 duty when purchasing a home. 
The move is tipped to save about $500 on the average property transaction within years, Treasurer Dominic Perrottet is expected to tell media today.
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“The indexation of Stamp Duty is a step forward in reducing the taxation imposts on housing,”stated Tim Reardon, HIA’s Principal Economist.
“This is the first adjustment to Stamp Duty rates since the average house in Sydney cost just$80,000.
“State governments have become increasingly reliant on Stamp Duty from housing as a mainsource of revenue.
“Around $1 in every $5 of state government revenue comes from Stamp Duty on houses.
“The announcement by the NSW Government to address bracket creep for the first time in over30 years is a meaningful contribution to ensuring that the impost of Stamp Duty does not continue to grow.
“Stamp duty is an inefficient tax and it has a disproportionately high impact on households that are vulnerable due to changes in their circumstances including employment, health or other family related matters.
“Stamp Duty is also a volatile source of tax revenue, as the NSW Government is currently experiencing. A small fall in house prices has had a disproportionate impact of state government revenue.
“A better long term solution would be to phase out Stamp Duty altogether and replace it with aform of revenue that doesn’t punish buyers for wishing to pursue their dream of owning a home,” concluded Mr Reardon.
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NSW to index stamp duty brackets to CPI

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‘Mini-warehouses’ are being developed to more affordable options in the industrial market, a new report says.  
The Colliers International report said developers were responding to demand from smaller industrial users looking for assets at lower costs, said Malcom Tyson, Managing Director, Industrial at Colliers International. 
“As the economy grows, the dynamics of the industrial market have been evolving and therefore requirements for industrial space have been diversifying,” said Tyson.
“In particular, it is the growth of small businesses which employ nearly half of Australia’s workforce and generate one fifth of Australia’s GDP, that has triggered a rising demand for strata spaces.”
Australia’s industrial property is in high demand from both domestic and international investors, said Alex Pham, Director of Research at Colliers International.
“Industrial land values have experienced, and will continue to see record growth rates being driven by fierce competition for developable sites and an unprecedented level of investment.”
“With a significant pipeline of infrastructure development yet to be delivered, we can expect industrial value uplifts to continue to be supported by major infrastructure projects, boosting the efficiency of industrial operations.”
<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/2018/10/12/colliers%201.jpg" alt="">
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The main summary findings of the report were:
Summary:
<ul>
<li>From both domestic and global contexts, demand for industrial property is being fuelled by Australia’s robust economic conditions, which continues to be underpinned by a confluence of fundamental factors, including; 
</li>
<li>Strong growth in the global economy on the back of increases in global industrial production and trade - particularly across the Asia Pacific region, 
</li>
<li>The positive spillover effects from increased investment in public infrastructure, 
</li>
<li>The improvement in business sentiment (both globally and domestically) and rising non-mining business investment, 
</li>
<li>A sustainably low interest rate environment, 
</li>
<li>A relatively low Australian dollar, boosting net exports, 
</li>
<li>Strong rates of population growth, with the five-year projection (estimated at 1.6% per annum) doubling the average of the world’s top 30 economies.</li>
</ul>
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'Mini-warehouses' adding affordabile alternative in industrial market: Colliers International 

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GUEST OBSERVATION
You might think that being a state (or territory) treasurer is a boring job. The federal treasurer gets all the media attention and controls many of the big economic levers, including income and company tax, massive Australia-wide spending and trade and competition policy.
But you would be wrong.
Grattan Institute’s <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/state-orange-book-2018/" target="_blank">State Orange Book 2018</a> shows that if state treasurers relied less on taxes that hurt the economy and more on the ones that are the very best they could provide a huge boost to their economies.
The big prize
Almost every tax hurts economic growth, but some hurt more than others.
Our state treasurers know this, yet they continue to make poor choices.
Taxes on transactions, such as stamp duties on real estate purchases, are particularly inefficient.
They make it more expensive to move home to take a new job across town or in a different town, encouraging people to stay put. They make it more expensive to move into bigger or smaller homes, encouraging people to renovate instead.
With the typical stamp duty bill now above $40,000 in Sydney and Melbourne, this is more than just an idle theory.
In contrast, taxes on land are <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/property-taxes/" target="_blank">extraordinarily efficient</a>, and council rates equally so.
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<iframe src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/NpOip/2/" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" width="100%" height="284"></iframe>
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ACT is showing the way
The Australian Capital Territory has Australia’s most efficient tax base – every dollar of revenue raised costs the economy just 21.9 cents.
New South Wales has the least efficient – every dollar of revenue raised costs the economy 29.7 cents.
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/243371/original/file-20181101-78453-1gnjuck.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/243371/original/file-20181101-78453-1gnjuck.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
<a class="source" href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/state-orange-book-2018/" target="_blank">Grattan Institute Orange Book 2018</a>
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While most states are going backwards
Unfortunately, in most states taxes have became less efficient over the past five years.
Booming property prices in Sydney and Melbourne inflated stamp duties, giving them a growing share of the tax base in NSW and Victoria.
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/243367/original/file-20181101-78447-1pk0y6g.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/243367/original/file-20181101-78447-1pk0y6g.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Average excess burden of taxation cents per dollar of tax revenue collected in each state and territory (2006-2016) <a class="source" href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/state-orange-book-2018/" target="_blank">Grattan Institute Orange book 2008</a>
<hr>
They should copy the ACT
All state treasurers should <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/news/following-the-act-land-tax-approach-boosts-growth-and-state-budgets/" target="_blank">follow the lead</a> of the ACT and replace stamp duties with broad-based property taxes.
Our calculations suggest that doing so could make Australians up to $17 billion a year better off, while also <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/news/housing-tax-reform-what-difference-will-it-make/" target="_blank">making housing more affordable</a>.
And stamp duties are unfair. They make some families pay more tax than others simply because they move home more often.
An annual flat tax <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/SA-Federalism-and-Tax-Future-Directions-for-Property-Tax-Reform-for-web-28-August-2017.pdf" target="_blank">set at between A$5 and A$7</a> for every A$1,000 of unimproved land value would be enough to fund the abolition of property stamp duties.
Which won’t be easy
Proposals to make the switch have stalled <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/SA-Federalism-and-Tax-Future-Directions-for-Property-Tax-Reform-for-web-28-August-2017.pdf" target="_blank">because the politics is hard</a>.
Recent purchasers would be reluctant to pay an annual tax so soon after paying stamp duty. A property tax would pose difficulties for people who are asset-rich but income-poor, especially retirees.
And property taxes cause angst: quarterly property tax bills remind people that they are taxpayers more often than does a one-off stamp duty with each purchase.
So state treasurers should make the switch gradually, <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/news/following-the-act-land-tax-approach-boosts-growth-and-state-budgets/" target="_blank">as in the ACT</a>: slowly wind back stamp duty and ramp up broad-based property tax over time.
It would provide the states with an increasingly stable revenue stream while reducing the disparity between those who bought a home just before the change and just afterwards.
To ensure that asset-rich but income-poor households could stay in their homes, state treasurers would have to allow them to defer paying the levy (with interest) until they sell their properties.
And they should axe insurance tax
State treasurers should also replace state taxes on property, life, health and motor vehicle insurance with a broad-based property levy. Most states have already abolished insurance levies to fund fire and emergency services.
Insurance taxes <a href="http://taxreview.treasury.gov.au/content/FinalReport.aspx?doc=html/Publications/Papers/Final_Report_Part_2/chapter_e8.htm" target="_blank">deter</a> people and businesses from buying adequate insurance, leaving them <a href="https://theconversation.com/properties-under-fire-why-so-many-australians-are-inadequately-insured-against-disaster-50588" target="_blank">exposed to risks</a> such as flood or fire damage to their home, or motor vehicle theft.
And charge for rezoning
And state treasurers should <a href="http://www.planning.act.gov.au/topics/design-and-build/fees/change_of_use_charge_-_lease_variation_charge" target="_blank">follow another ACT lead</a> and introduce explicit “betterment taxes” to capture some of the windfall gains from rezoning of land.
Government permission to build higher-density housing, or convert farmland into greenfield housing land, generates large unearned windfall gains for landowners.
Taxing these windfall gains would be a particularly efficient form of taxation, would reduce the opportunities for <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/in-the-zone-insider-trading-rife-in-land-rezoning-racket-20150929-gjx8nh" target="_blank">corruption</a> in the planning system, and would enable state treasurers to reduce other more economically harmful and regressive taxes.
And apply payroll tax widely
Finally, state payroll taxes should be broadened by abolishing carve-outs for small businesses.
This would enable state treasurers to cut payroll tax rates across the board.
Generous thresholds and exemptions have weakened states’ payroll tax bases and <a href="https://www.murphyeconomics.com.au/Information/tax/ATF_Vol.33-1_2018_Murphy.pdf" target="_blank">increased</a> the economic costs of the tax.
Astoundingly, around 90% of NSW businesses <a href="http://taxreview.treasury.gov.au/content/FinalReport.aspx?doc=html/publications/Papers/Final_Report_Part_2/chapter_d3-2.htm" target="_blank">are exempt</a> from payroll tax.
We believe that, taken together, this set of reforms would make a big difference to economic growth.
Voters might even reward the treasurers and their premiers.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/105378/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
Brendan Coates, Fellow, Grattan Institute
John Daley, Chief Executive Officer, Grattan Institute
Tony Chen, Researcher, Grattan Institute
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/abolish-stamp-duty-the-act-shows-the-rest-of-us-how-to-tax-property-105378" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Abolish stamp duty: The ACT shows the rest of us how to tax property

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Around the world, new developments are increasingly framed as sustainable to both policymakers and prospective buyers. They are seen as a “win-win” for the environment and the economy. However, recent concerns suggest social inequality often results.
Barangaroo is one such green development on the harbourfront in Sydney, Australia. What was once a contaminated, dilapidated, post-industrial wharf is now home to a six-hectare park, three office towers and two residential complexes. More is to come, in the form of a 275-metre hotel-casino.
Beyond its immense scale, Barangaroo is significant for another reason: it has a commendable sustainability agenda.
Rooftop solar partially powers the buildings, which are constructed from carbon-neutral materials and even provide a supply of recycled water from a stormwater treatment plant underneath. Beyond the project’s economic advantages – an estimated $2 billion-a-year boost to the New South Wales economy – the environment benefits through increased green space and biodiversity, along with reduced carbon emissions and electricity and water use.
These are undeniably beneficial outcomes. Yet, worryingly, such developments may result in “green gentrification” as increases to environmental amenity in an area result in displacement and exclusion of the disadvantaged.
I examined this claim at Barangaroo, by breaking its outcomes into three parts:
<ul>
<li>who has access to the spaces it creates</li>
<li>what happens to the surrounding property market</li>
<li>how governance enables the outcome.</li>
</ul>
My findings suggest there is an urgent need to prioritise social outcomes in future sustainable development.
The spaces
Barangaroo has created many new spaces, but will people from all kinds of socio-economic backgrounds have access? Multiple hectares of public park and waterfront access, piers, laneways and bridges are accessible at the development. Retail spaces are scattered in between the office towers and residential complexes.
Around 900,000 people from the local Sydney region visited the public park in its first year alone. The commercial space, likewise, provides for 23,000 professionals.
To determine whether these statistics include the disadvantaged it is necessary to delve deeper. Who are those who live nearby? Who are employed in the offices? Who are the shops’ target market?
The price of floor space at Barangaroo is very high – around $20,000 per square metre for its apartments. Affordable housing has been moved offsite, so many will be priced out of living within Barangaroo.
Business giants, such as KPMG and Westpac, are among those that can afford to occupy the office space. Smaller, less professionally oriented businesses are unable to do so. The result is that retailers largely cater to office workers. David Jones, for instance, “has been carefully designed to appeal to Barangaroo’s big office community”.
Likewise, the new restaurants, owned by celebrity chefs and restaurateurs, appeal to those from high socio-economic backgrounds.
These trends provide little room for the disadvantaged to occupy the site’s residential, retail or commercial spaces. What about the public space, however? If those from low socio-economic backgrounds live around the development, they could enjoy these spaces.
The property market
Green gentrification studies suggest sustainable developments may raise the prices of property nearby. Using data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics between 2011 and 2016, I found the rent prices in areas northeast of Barangaroo increased drastically.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/241198/original/file-20181018-41153-4s11hp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Rental price increases as a percentage in the areas surrounding Barangaroo. Author provided
The main reason for this change was the selling of 214 public housing properties in Millers Point, Dawes Point and The Rocks in 2014. The NSW government announced the sales after Barangaroo’s effect on the surrounding areas began to take place, realising the increased profit to be made.
As a result, the development is not only exclusive on the inside, it has also contributed to the displacement of the disadvantaged from surrounding areas.
The governance
Could appropriate governance have prevented this? The political agenda that enabled this exclusion and displacement effectively ignored the disadvantaged. Counterclaims to the benefits of the development were ignored, as these did not match the win-win narrative of the development’s proponents.
For instance, the then NSW finance minister, Greg Pearce, dismissed the concerns of evicted residents by stating: 
"Millers Point is poorly suited for social housing … when considering its future, the government needs to consider it in the context of all of the surrounding areas, including the Barangaroo redevelopment area."
In a more extreme case, fast-tracked legislation made legally void a claim brought against the government for approving potentially unlawful elements of the development.
These actions minimise antagonistic voices, those that often act to promote social equality.
If future green developments are to minimise exclusion and displacement, they must allow participation from all sectors of society and recognise all the potential impacts in advance. The NSW government has not only enabled exclusion by failing to ensure affordable housing quotas, it has actively encouraged it by selling the nearby public housing.
Barangaroo is a missed opportunity: instead of promoting social equality, it has made inequality worse.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/104941/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;">
Rupert Legg, PhD Candidate, University of Technology Sydney
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/making-developments-green-doesnt-help-with-inequality-104941" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Making developments green doesn’t help with inequality: Rupert Legg

A who's who of Australian surfing, business and entertainment has emerged on title records following the completion of Esprit Rainbow Bay, the latest boutique beachfront apartment development by former professional surfer Paul Gedoun's S&amp;S Projects.

The completed project has attracted an enviable collection of owners, many with long-standing ties to the southern Gold Coast and the surf culture that has helped define Rainbow Bay and neighbouring Kirra for generations.

Given Gedoun's own background in surfing, it perhaps comes as little surprise that some of Australia's most recognisable surfers have chosen to buy into the development overlooking one of the country's most celebrated stretches of coastline.

Pezet Matheson directors Jayde Pezet and Todd Matheson launched the project in late 2021, and have managed the sales campaign all the way through to its sell-out and recent completion.

<img alt="Esprit" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="08fc6261-b84e-4b09-8a44-66d3067fd0d1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-29%20at%208.51.05%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4AOcb6ETZwNUnMPdTtz1B3pZAIB_jgZ2" />

Former world champion Mick Fanning, who grew up in Coolangatta, secured an apartment in 2023. He paid&nbsp;$2.07 million. Last year he sold his Bilinga home for over $16 million.

Three-time world champion Joel Parkinson also purchased in the development, alongside big wave surfer Mark Mathews. Mathews bought the most expensive apartment in the building, spending just over $4 million.

Joining them is Rip Curl founder Doug Warbrick, whose company helped shape Australia's global surfing industry over the past five decades.

The appeal of Rainbow Bay has extended well beyond the surfing community.

International DJ Paul Fisher purchased an apartment through his investment vehicle, YLB Developments, an abbreviation of his trademark phrase "You Little Beauty".

The purchase comes as Fisher and his wife Chloe are developing their own luxury apartment project further north in Palm Beach. Their boutique beachfront development, Pescado, comprises just seven apartments on Jefferson Lane, which start from just shy of $6 million. The couple intend to retain the two-level penthouse as their Australian base between international touring commitments.

Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy and his wife Wendy have also invested in Esprit, purchasing two apartments after spending decades holidaying on the southern Gold Coast. They also have a luxury apartment in Joe Adsett's Rockpool, less than 400m away from Esprit.

<h2>Boutique project draws owner-occupiers</h2>

Esprit launched in 2021 and sold strongly, with buyers drawn to its boutique scale, beachfront position and contemporary design.

The completed development comprises 94 apartments across 11 levels, offering expansive floorplans designed primarily for owner-occupiers rather than the investor market.

Crowning the building is Club Esprit, pitched as being the Gold Coast's first residential rooftop wellness centre. The roof features a&nbsp;25 metre magnesium lap pool, which is surrounded by wet daybeds and poolside cabanas,&nbsp;multiple barbecue areas,&nbsp;a yoga and relaxation play lawn, and a private dining room with a kitchen scullery, bar, lounges, and an outdoor terrace.

The wellness centre is&nbsp;fully equipped with a Technogym, ice bath, infra-red sauna, steam room, thermal room, and treatment room. The roof has views spanning&nbsp;Rainbow Bay, Snapper Rocks and the Pacific Ocean.

<h2>S&amp;S Projects continues to shape Rainbow Bay</h2>

S&amp;S Projects founder Paul Gedoun has become one of the key figures behind Rainbow Bay's evolution over the past several years.

After establishing S&amp;S Projects, Gedoun has focused on delivering lifestyle-driven apartment developments designed primarily for owner-occupiers seeking a permanent coastal home.

Esprit is Gedoun's third completed project in Rainbow Bay, following Flow and Awaken, both of which achieved record prices for the suburb.

He is now delivering <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/radia-rainbow-bay-271-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Radia Rainbow Bay</a>, a 38-apartment development on Boundary Street that is currently selling, and has no plans to leave the precinct anytime soon. S&amp;S Projects has also lodged plans for its fifth Rainbow Bay development, an 88-apartment project on Boundary Street featuring a strong wellness focus.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/first-look-s-s-projects-proposes-88-apartment-wellness-tower-at-coolangattas-boundary-street">First look: S&amp;S Projects proposes 88-apartment wellness tower at Coolangatta's Boundary Street</a>

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Joel Robinson

Who's who of buyers revealed as Esprit Rainbow Bay settles

Nature Based Cities (NBC), the not-for-profit organisation focused on improving biodiversity and nature outcomes in urban development, has launched its latest industry design guidelines and accreditation framework, this time targeting precinct-scale residential communities.

The move extends NBC’s influence beyond its initial focus on medium and high-density residential developments. Several projects have already achieved NBC accreditation since the launch of its Medium &amp; High-Density Residential Guidelines in early 2025.

The expansion into masterplanned communities and new residential precincts reflects the growing need for stronger nature-positive benchmarks as Australia’s outer suburban growth corridors continue to expand at pace.

Paul Hameister OAM, NBC Founder and the Executive Chairman of Melbourne developer Hamton who itself leans heavily into nature and biodiversity in its developments, says the&nbsp;nature-first approach to mitigate the effects of climate change has become standard in other parts of the world such as the UK, but Australia is lagging.&nbsp;Australia’s environmentally sustainable design (ESD) rating tools have no minimum mandatory requirements for living landscapes.

“We’ve always wanted to do more, and we know other developers who want to do more, but the ESD rating tools just aren’t there,” Hameister says. “In Australia, you can have a five-green-star rated building that’s concrete and glass with not a blade of grass. 
 
“The focus is on reducing emissions, which is laudable, but there hasn’t been enough attention paid to protecting and re-establishing nature. We need both for the health of the environment and for communities.”

He says that having now&nbsp;made good progress in supporting developers of medium and high-density residential projects, NBC is now looking to bolster better nature-based decision-making and recognise developers of greenfield projects in the outer ring and large inner-ring brownfield precincts, who want to champion nature and living landscape as a defining feature.

Since 2022, the not-for-profit has sought to remove the roadblocks preventing developers from incorporating nature and living landscapes into their projects, shifting the conversation from the reduction of emissions and grey infrastructure, toward recognising nature as an essential infrastructure.

The New Communities Design Guidelines and Scorecard arm developers with the tools needed to deliver a nature positive outcome for their new communities. Intended to be adopted at the outset of the planning process, the guidelines are designed to help create communities that are cooler, healthier and more resilient while also enhancing social wellbeing and long-term economic value.&nbsp;

New Communities developers seeking accreditation will be independently assessed across a range of key criteria including ecology, tree canopy, biodiversity, and walkability. Once the masterplan is complete and submitted for approval, the scorecard is formalised based on proposed outcomes. Projects that meet the NBC criteria will receive either Commended or Exemplary accreditation outcomes, creating a clear benchmark for nature-positive new communities in Australia.&nbsp;

Janis Fischer, Director at Tract and NBC Advisory Council member, said the development of new communities in our suburbs can have a substantial impact on nature and biodiversity.

"By incorporating nature-based design principles at the inception of a project, developers and their design teams can achieve nature positive outcomes that are good for both people and the planet.’’&nbsp;

NBC accredited New Community projects will gain access to NBC branding and marketing tools to help communicate their nature-based credentials to purchasers and the broader market.&nbsp;

Nature Based Cities: A new Australian benchmark for developing nature-positive new communities

Apartment buildings are increasingly being designed around how people actually live day to day, not just how they want a building to look.

For buyers, that shift is showing up in practical inclusions that respond to changing habits. Work-from-home spaces, EV charging, wellness amenities, secure bike storage and parcel management are becoming part of the broader apartment conversation, reflecting a move toward buildings that reduce friction in everyday life.

Online shopping has become one of the clearest examples of that change.

Australians spent a record $82.6 billion online in 2025, with nearly one in four retail dollars now spent online. That has made parcel delivery a regular part of apartment living, rather than an occasional inconvenience.

For apartment residents, however, the delivery process can be less straightforward than it is for detached homes. Parcels may be left in lobbies, redirected to Post Offices, missed entirely, or placed under the responsibility of building managers and concierge teams.

That is why secure parcel infrastructure is increasingly being considered alongside more familiar apartment amenities.

<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/-VjjLwoViX0?si=A3k7ws9NX35Uac7_" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Australia Post Parcel Lockers offer one way to address the issue. When a parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS, then collect it using a QR code or one-time PIN. The parcel is kept secure, accessible and removed from common areas.

The broader Parcel Locker network now includes more than 1,500 locations across Australia, positioned at Post Offices, shopping centres, supermarkets, transport hubs and other accessible locations.

For new apartment projects, the relevance is clear. A building’s amenity offering is no longer only about lifestyle spaces, but also about convenience, security and functionality.

As buyer expectations evolve, secure parcel delivery is becoming part of the same design conversation as flexible working, sustainable transport and resident wellbeing.

It is one less thing for residents to worry about, and another example of apartment design adapting to the way Australians now live.

Apartment design is adapting to the way Australians shop

While school holidays and trips to Europe tend to define the winter property market, there's been no cold snap at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-walden-north-sydney-177-walker-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">The Walden</a> in North Sydney.

Developer-builder&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/aland">ALAND</a> sold more than $35 million worth of apartments throughout June, including a $6.8 million apartment that now ranks among the highest apartment sales ever recorded in North Sydney.

SRM Residential agent Ben Stewart said buyer demand throughout June reflected a mix of improving market confidence and longer-term thinking from owner-occupiers.

"We're seeing strong demand from owner-occupiers who are taking a longer-term view," Stewart said.

"Many recognise the opportunity to secure an apartment in an iconic building and premium location while values remain attractive. They may initially lease the property, but the intention is to eventually move in themselves, rather than purchasing purely as an investment."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=367129]

Located at 177 Walker Street, The Walden will deliver 161 one, two, three and four-bedroom residences across a 30-storey tower designed by Rothelowman. Every apartment occupies a corner position, maximising natural light, cross ventilation and views across Sydney Harbour, the Opera House, Sydney Heads and the northern districts.

Rather than a traditional balcony, the residences feature winter gardens that seamlessly extend the open plan living areas, creating versatile spaces for relaxing or entertaining throughout the year. Floor-to-ceiling glazing draws in natural light while showcasing sweeping views from the building's elevated Walker Street position.

Every apartment features high-end Calacatta marble, bespoke joinery, and fully integrated appliances.

The larger residences have been planned with distinct entertaining and private zones, with many master suites positioned on corners to capture natural light and harbour views. Walk-in dressing rooms, freestanding baths and refined stone finishes reinforce the house-like feel that has resonated with downsizers and owner-occupiers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6393]

Rothelowman Principal Ben Pomroy said the project was designed to make the most of its unique position overlooking the harbour.

"The Walden is a celebration of all things beautiful, curated for those who expect nothing less than exceptional," Pomroy says.

"Meticulously designed entertaining spaces and light-filled living areas that capitalise on capturing the natural beauty of Sydney's iconic harbour."

Residents will also have exclusive access to The Pavilion, a dedicated amenity building featuring a rooftop pool, wellness studio, gymnasium, sauna, concierge service, residents' lounge, private dining spaces and work-from-home facilities.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6402]

The project marks ALAND's first major luxury apartment development in Sydney's inner-city market after more than two decades delivering residential communities across Greater Sydney.

Founder and CEO Andrew Hrsto previously said the rarity of the Walker Street site made it an opportunity the company could not overlook.

"This is a rare opportunity to bring a truly exceptional project to life in one of Sydney's most iconic locations, and to showcase our craftsmanship and design expertise at a world-class level," Hrsto said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6383]

The Walden has been introduced to the market at a time when demand for living in North Sydney is at an all-time high. Billions of dollars have been invested in infrastructure, including the recently opened Victoria Cross Metro station, located just 300 metres from The Walden, providing residents with direct access to the Sydney CBD in just minutes.

Private investment has also transformed the area through the arrival of new retail and dining destinations, elevating the lifestyle offering in what was once considered primarily a commercial precinct rather than an aspirational residential address.

The Walden is currently under construction and is scheduled for completion in 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134323]

ALAND records $35 million in sales in North Sydney as The Walden bucks quiet winter selling season

The long-awaited redevelopment of the former Eastlakes Shopping Centre site has reached a major milestone, with Conquest's plans for a new mixed-use precinct officially placed on public exhibition.

The State Significant Development Application would transform the 1.7-hectare site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/19a-evans-avenue-eastlakes-nsw-2018">19A Evans Avenue</a> into one of Sydney's largest urban renewal projects, delivering 736 apartments above a new shopping centre anchored by Woolworths, alongside specialty retail, dining, commercial space and new public open spaces.

The public exhibition marks the next chapter for the project after <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/conquest">Conquest</a> acquired the stalled Stage Two development from Crown Group, who completed the first stage across the road prior to their voluntary liquidation.

<img alt="First look: Conquest unveils plans for 736-home Eastlakes Shopping Centre redevelopment" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5fca22c5-d1ed-4e2c-8801-03f7df1eafc8" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/eastland%20podium.png?VersionId=uomwr41nF8CmLUZRDcu3mHQechlbxucS" />

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Designed by DKO Architecture, the proposal comprises four residential buildings ranging from 14 to 18 storeys above a two-level retail podium. The development would deliver 736 apartments, including 74 affordable homes, 215 Build-to-Rent apartments and 521 market residences. Provision has also been made for dual-key apartments, which could increase the total number of dwellings to 877.

At ground level, the shopping centre has been designed as the suburb's new meeting place, anchored by a full-line Woolworths and complemented by a curated mix of fresh food retailers, cafés, restaurants, health services and everyday convenience shopping. Generous pedestrian links and landscaped public spaces will connect the retail precinct through to Jack Mundey Reserve, creating a more walkable and connected neighbourhood.

Conquest CEO Michael Akkawi said the redevelopment was about far more than replacing a shopping centre.

"Eastlakes has been overlooked for too long, and this is the community’s moment. We are building a shopping centre and homes, a genuine heart for the suburb, and we genuinely want locals to help shape it."

"We enrich communities through the creation of homes, places, and experiences designed for life, built to last, and owner for generations. That starts with listening, so we warmly encourage everyone with a connection to Eastlakes to view the plans and share their thoughts."

<img alt="First look: Conquest unveils plans for 736-home Eastlakes Shopping Centre redevelopment" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="22f6fb20-54fb-4bd7-8a92-48fafdd00608" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/eastland.png?VersionId=cugp7s9hrMHGJJdYzkeAkrFoQgnF4GXf" />

DKO said the design had been shaped by the site's landscape setting and surrounding open space.

"Our vision for the site embraces its unique Bidjigal identity by blending the residential living with generous landscaping and a material palette inspired by the Bidjigal locality, and celebrating the panoramic views to Botany Bay and the wetlands reserves."

"Taking cues from Country, we seek to harmonise built form with the landscape and lightly touch the earth. By reconnecting, retaining and regenerating existing ecology, and weaving in natural elements, we can deepen our connection to Country."

The landscape strategy extends across the podium and rooftops, incorporating communal gardens, children's play areas, lawns, community gardens, family gathering spaces and extensive tree planting. New landscaped links will also strengthen the connection between the precinct and Jack Mundey Reserve, while publicly accessible open spaces have been integrated throughout the development.

The proposal builds on Conquest's broader placemaking strategy for the site. Through an ongoing partnership, local artist Joe Rashbrook has been appointed Urban Art Curator, working alongside young residents to transform the project's site hoardings into a public art gallery that allows the community to engage with the redevelopment before construction is complete.

Conquest has rapidly expanded its development pipeline since acquiring the Eastlakes site, with more than $6 billion worth of mixed-use projects now in planning across Sydney, including Stanmore, Castlecrag and Waterloo.

Conquest CEO Michael Akkawi said the redevelopment was about far more than replacing a shopping centre.

Staff reporter

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