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A two bedroom one bathroom home on the western edge of Goombungee, QLD has been sold by mortgagees.
Located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-qld-goombungee-129145010" target="_blank">15 Nicholas Street, Goombungee</a>, the home sold for $92,000.
The small, low-set home is situated 20 km from Kingsthorpe and 40 km from Toowoomba.
Set on a 1,012 sqm block the home also features two car accommodation.
Last sold in 2009 the home went for $140,000.
The median sale price for the suburb of <a href="/developments/goombungee-qld-4354">Goombungee is $258,750</a> according to CoreLogic.
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Two bedroom Goombungee home sold by mortgagees

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A two bedroom one bathroom Wallendbeen, NSW home has been sold by mortgagees.
Located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-wallendbeen-128491338" target="_blank">23 Young Street, Wallenedbeen</a> the 'hardi-plank' home is set on a 2,040 sqm block.
The holding is situated 20 km from Harden; 20km from Cootamundra; 30 km to Young; and 140 km to Canberra.
Featuring front and rear verandah's the home contains established trees and gardens plus it is fully fenced.
The home was sold for $85,000 marking the first time the home has been sold since construction.
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Two bedroom $85,000 Wallendbeen, NSW home sold by mortgagees

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Don Stammer has suggested after the recent surge in house prices over recent years there has been "a reasonably orderly retreat".
However he noted a "deep gloom" has descended on the housing outlook.
"One interesting thing about being an Australian is we each are surrounded by 25 million housing experts," the adviser to Altius Asset Management and Stanford Brown Financial Advisers said.
"Google the phrase 'Australian house prices' and in 0.54 of a second you’ll have a billion items on that topic to consider."
Stammer says housing, and the economy generally, does not face the full fire of dire times now feared.
"But prospects are there’ll be a further, noticeable, fall in the median house price (5 to 10%), followed by an elongated slump in house prices.
"This will involve real pain for some home owners who purchased at the peak of the cycle, paid over-the-top prices or borrowed too heavily, especially where people lose their jobs or partnerships break up."
Writing in The Australian, he noted traditional concerns for housing — the high level of household debt and mortgage stress — are exaggerated.
"But newer worries, such as the impact on bank lending from the revelations of unfair practices by the royal commission and from the likely introduction of changes to negative gearing and capital gains taxes (if the ALP wins government) will push housing prices lower and constrain recovery."
He said it won’t be easy to maintain a balanced outlook.
"Each item of news on the housing market, including weekly auction clearance figures, will be dissected to see what unpleasant news it offers on the housing outlook."
He concluded by suggesting plucking a couple of numbers — gross household debt and mortgage debt — from the aggregated balance sheet of Australian households is not enough.
"These ratios do not include important “buffers” such as offset accounts, redraw facilities and prepayments making household finances more resilient."
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'Deep gloom' has descended over housing market: Don Stammer 

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Construction has begun on Melbourne Connect, located on the site of the former Royal Women’s Hospital.
The Woods Bagot-designed building is being developed by the University of Melbourne in partnership with a consortium led by Lendlease.
The building will be home to retail, cafes, accommodation for more than 500 students and visiting academics, a childcare centre, a co-working and commercial office space, a fabrication laboratory and Science Gallery Melbourne.
The design features a 3260 square metre ‘superfloor’ on the mezzanine level connecting the buildings that make up Melbourne Connect.
Woods Bagot principal and project architecture lead Hazel Porter says that working with CLT demonstrates the future-focused nature of the project.
"CLT stands out for its sustainability, versatility, strength and aesthetic. Long championed by Lendlease, its benefits translate to safer working environments, improved quality and faster construction time on site due to prefabrication," said Porter.
"It’s inspiring to use a technologically innovative product in an equally ground-breaking project."
The building will host to pitch nights, hackathons and masterclasses, workshops – providing opportunities to actively engage with government and industry. Childcare facilities will span the upper floors to the rooftop terrace.
Melbourne Connect is valued at $425 million and will open in late 2020.
<img src="https://meltwater-apps-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/images/5517a5284ffc3303314f6c3d/blobid0_1540882085792.jpg" width="497" height="522" data-imagetype="External">
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Construction begins on Melbourne Connect

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Perhaps buoyed by a 67% increase in the sale of electric cars in Australia last year – albeit coming off a low base – the federal government this month announced a A$6 million funding injection for a network of ultra-fast electric vehicle recharging stations.
Eighteen stations will be located no more than 200km apart on the main highway linking Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide. A further three stations will be built near Perth. All will be powered by renewable energy.
The network will address the issue of “range anxiety” – the fear that your car will run out of puff before reaching its destination – that particularly concerns motorists in a country as big as Australia. If your electric vehicle needs charging every 200km or so, that’s a lot of stopping between Sydney and Melbourne – and what if you can’t find a charging station?
The newest electric vehicles can cover up to 594km on a single charge. That improvement, together with the new charging network, will do much to address range anxiety. But as is often the case, the devil may be in the detail.
We don’t yet know how many fast-charging ports will be available at each station, but the number of ports is often limited due to high infrastructure costs. Even a fast charge takes about 15 minutes, so queues are likely. If a 10-minute wait at your local petrol station irritates you, imagine waiting an hour or more at an electric recharge station.
But the new network is undoubtedly a step forward, and such progress is necessary to keep electric-curious prospective motorists in the game. Of that 67% increase in electric vehicles sales mentioned earlier, the vast majority are business fleet vehicles. Private car buyers are still slow to take the plunge.
Australia is in the midst of a classic chicken-and-egg situation when it comes to growing the electric vehicle market, with the result that we’re well behind where we should be. Buyers want to see more infrastructure and perhaps some government-funded incentives (just look what a A$2,000 subsidy scheme did for the LPG market). But governments need to be confident that people will definitely buy electric cars before taking the plunge.
The power you’re supplying… it’s electrifying
Now that there’s some movement afoot from both parties, there’s a third player to consider: the electricity utilities.
If most electric vehicle owners plug in their vehicle when they get home from work of an evening – just as many of us let our phone run down during the day and then throw it on the kitchen-bench charger when we walk in the door – this could pose significant problems for the electricity grid.
According to one British estimate, as few as six cars charging at the same time on a street at peak times could lead to local brownouts (a drop in voltage supply). That might sound extreme, but it’s fair to say that daily electric car charging collectively shortens the life of electricity infrastructure such as transformers.
For this reason, my colleagues and I have researched smart charging strategies aimed at preventing the peak load period for electric car charging from overlapping with the residential peak.
The issue is even more acute when using domestic renewable energy, because of the “duck curve” – which shows the timing imbalance between peak demand and peak renewable energy production. As the name suggests, the graph is shaped like a duck.
The duck curve can be smoothed out with the help of power storage technologies such as batteries, and by behavioural change on the part of consumers (such as temporal load shifting).
The right network
Our model can also help electric vehicle owners find a nearby charging station with the least estimated waiting time and cost, in real time. This also opens up a new avenue for the electric utilities, which can work with charging service providers to adjust the prices at different charging locations so as to to distribute the load evenly across the charging network, and reduce waiting times into the bargain.
Unfortunately the utility companies don’t seem particularly interested yet, perhaps because it’s not an immediate problem. But it soon will be if the take-up of electric vehicles continues on its current trajectory.
It’s unfortunate that Australia is lagging behind other developed countries when it comes to electric vehicle adoption. But this can work in our favour if we learn from other countries and take a more systematic approach. A lot can be achieved through proper planning.
In Australia we’ll need to see continued and better marketing of both the advantages of reducing emissions (electric vehicles are essential for the long-term decarbonisation of the electricity and transport sectors), as well as clearer cost-benefit analysis of the economic savings that can be made through personal and government investment in electric vehicles.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/105509/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;">
Iftekhar Ahmad, Associate Professor, Edith Cowan University
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/the-new-electric-vehicle-highway-is-a-welcome-gear-shift-but-other-countries-are-still-streets-ahead-105509" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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The new electric vehicle highway is a welcome gear shift, but other countries are still streets ahead

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The ANZ chief executive Shayne Elliott predicts the pace of home loan growth will slow by roughly half to an all-time low.
He says the "extraordinary" boom in mortgage debt over the past three decades will come to an end.
But Elliott forecast the rate of housing credit growth would "trend towards" 2 to 3%, compared with the 5 to 6% of recent times.
"We’ve had 30 years where home lending has grown, for most of that, double-digit every year, and more recently at 5-6%," he said.
"That’s an extraordinary market growth over a period of time, and we’ve all become used to it, we just don’t think that’s sustainable. We think that that will be much more subdued.
“The reasons are house prices are already high, households already carry reasonable levels of debt, so it’s hard for people to borrow even more. And remember what fuelled a lot of the ability of people to borrow has been lower interest rates.
<p data-gtm-vis-recent-on-screen-6236702_632="1540981245653" data-gtm-vis-first-on-screen-6236702_632="1540981245653" data-gtm-vis-total-visible-time-6236702_632="4000" data-gtm-vis-has-fired-6236702_632="1">“All of those things kind of conspire to say the outlook will be softer.”
<p data-gtm-vis-recent-on-screen-6236702_632="1540981245653" data-gtm-vis-first-on-screen-6236702_632="1540981245653" data-gtm-vis-total-visible-time-6236702_632="4000" data-gtm-vis-has-fired-6236702_632="1">Elliott said an average Australian household with an income of $110,000 could theoretically borrow up to about $550,000 three years ago, but this maximum had now fallen to $440,000 for the same household.
"The reason for that is all of the myriad of changes that banks and regulators have made around borrowing capacity," he said.
ANZ has cut its interest-only loans by close to two-fifths over the past 18 months.
But it faces a crunch over the next two years as the volume of expiring interest only (IO) loans peaks.
The third-largest home lender on Wednesday said it had cut interest only loans to 22% of its home loan mix in the September quarter.
It was 36% in the March quarter last year.
Loans to investors slipped to 32% from 34%.
WA, the mining-dependent state, represents the worst part of ANZ's home loan portfolio.
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ANZ faces crunch with property borrowers on interest only loans

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Moody's Investors Service says that mortgage delinquency rates in Australia will increase moderately through 2019.
It has been broadly stable over the past 12 months. Within the 20 postcodes with the lowest mortgage delinquencies in Australia, eight were in Sydney and seven in Melbourne.
"Softening housing market conditions — particularly in the key states of New South Wales and Victoria — combined with high household leverage, higher interest rates and the conversion of interest-only mortgages to principal and interest repayments, will push up delinquency rates," says Jacqui Dredge, a Moody's Analyst.
"Nevertheless, macroeconomic conditions will remain supportive, such that the increase in delinquencies will prove moderate."
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/10/29/moodys%201.jpg" target="_blank">Click here</a> to enlarge
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Moody's analysis is contained in its report on the RMBS mortgage delinquency market,
The proportion of Australian residential mortgages that were more than 30 days in arrears registered 1.58% in May 2018 compared with 1.62% in May 2017.<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/10/29/moodys%202.jpg" target="_blank"> </a>
Delinquencies fell moderately in all states except New South Wales (NSW) and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) over the year to May 2018.
Moody's report also says that Western Australia and Queensland dominate the list of worst performing regions.
Specifically, seven of the 10 regions with the highest 30-plus delinquency rates in May 2018 were in either Western Australia or Queensland, impacted by the after-effects of the mining boom unwinding.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/10/29/moodys%203.jpg" target="_blank">Click here </a>to enlarge
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Home loan arrears to rise moderately in 2019: Moody's

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Robert Gottliebsen has said that Australia is going through a credit squeeze without precedent following a period when bank credit standards have been too low.
"The banks have been told to raise those standards, which effectively cuts at least 20% from what they would loan on a property," he wrote in The Australian.
He then added there were also "the unconventional credit clamps... like a cancer growing below the surface, and no one’s talking about them".
Gottliebsen noted that bank managers were under attack at the same time as a credit squeeze - "so a strange new inner fear had developed among banking people at all levels as regulators are set to walk into banks to check what they are doing".
He forecast huge payments set to be made to customers who were wrongly charged.
"As property falls in the light of the credit squeeze, many of those who borrowed from the banks will sue because lending to them was 'irresponsible'.
"It’s true that sometimes high-pressure, commission-driven bank sales people did cajole customers into taking too much debt.
"But the customers accepted risks for big gains. Nevertheless, litigation lawyers are preparing for a picnic.
"Bankers who are confident enough to exercise sensible discretion are hard to find."
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Litigation lawyers are preparing for a picnic against home loan bankers: Robert Gottliebsen

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The City of Sydney council has spent $5.3 million to buy the 1882-built former Redfern Post Office at 119 Redfern Street, Redfern.
The former Redfern post office has been sold on a 4 per cent yield, but was offered vacant possession with the owner set to relocate in 2019.
Fairfax Media noted it was to be converted into an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural hub.
The two storey, Victorian Italianate building at 119 Redfern Street was sold by international architecture firm DKO, who paid $2.6 million for the property in 2014 when it was sold by Linc Energy founder Peter Bond.
He had paid $2,125,000 three years earlier when buying from celebrity publicist Max Markson.
Since the 2014 trade, the building has undergone a brand new refurbishment from DKO.
It was tipped to sell for around $5 million.
<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/2018/9/18/post2.jpg" alt="">
Built in 1882 by colonial architect James Barnet, the four and a half storey corner clock tower and post office included a telegraph office, parlour, drawing room, three bedrooms, kitchen, a servant's room, bathroom, scullery, washhouse, fuel shed and two stall stables. 
In 1880, £3000 was provided for the erection of the Redfern post office, and then the Public Works added a clock tower for an estimated extra £700.
The building has 480 square metres of internal space on its 330 square metre Redfern Street block. 
When it sold in 2014, there were some who were looking at possibly turning the landmark building into a home.
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The building was sold by Australia Post in 2000 for $600,000.
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City of Sydney buys former Redfern Post Office

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EXPERT OBSERVATION
There is a bit of economic gloom around with reports of the residential market slowing down and house prices starting to come off and decrease in our major capital cities.
Nobody uses the word “crash” but many commentators hint at a housing market crisis. The retail sector continues its own steep decline and add to this that the Australian dollar has fallen to its lowest level since 2016 and is forecast to continue to fall even lower.
While these conditions make banking and finance types jittery and also make great Page One headlines in newspapers – they also present a perfect opportunity for the next wave of investors in Australian property: Aussie ex-pats.
It is easy to forget about Aussie ex-pats as they are literally not here, and are spread across the globe but mostly concentrated in the United Kingdom and United States of America.
Studies show that there are more than 346,000 Australian ex-pats around the world and most left our shores for their careers with 43% of expatriates citing 'better employment opportunities', 36% 'professional development' and 32% gave 'higher income' as a reason for emigrating.
While the ex-pats pursue successful and fulfilling careers overseas, they become older and start to settle down and inevitably start to either think about or plan when they will return to Australia. For some this is driven by having children and wanting them to have an Australian education and for others it is about ageing family or simply just wanting to come home.
The combination of a slowing residential market and low Australian dollar suddenly makes locking in investment properties back at home much cheaper and more appealing. Put simply, the falling Australian dollar and softening house prices could mean Aussie expat investors could snap up two properties instead of one – or go for a larger house instead of an apartment.
But it isn’t all smooth sailing when parking their hard-earned cash back on home turf and expats will need to do their homework and also seek professional advice as the processes they need to navigate can be a minefield.
Some expats can find the lending process a little arduous – especially if they don’t already own property in Australia.
Banks typically class expats as a non-standard borrower and may require a higher deposit and more stringent proof of income requirements.
It is also critical for expats thinking of building a portfolio of Australian investment properties to consider their individual tax position and whether they are an Australian resident for tax purposes.
Amid the economic gloom our own Aussie expats could be a beacon of light and add significantly to investment sales in coming years.
James Nihill is the Managing Director of Patrick Leo
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Aussie Expats the next wave of investors: James Nihill

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>

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

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.

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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.

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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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