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EXPERT OBSERVATION
Unemployment fell to a six year low of 5% in September. If you look at the labour market holistically, the large monthly drop looks like survey volatility rather than a new lower trend. Nevertheless, it is our view that the labour market is sound and that unemployment has been trending down.
Westpac forecasts the unemployment rate to hold above 5% to end 2018 before a soft patch in the June quarter 2019 (due to both election uncertainties and correction to the 2017/2018 strong patch) will lift unemployment to 5.3%. Once past the soft patch, steady employment growth will take unemployment back down to 5.0% by end 2019 and 4.8% by end 2020. 
We use business and household surveys to guide our near term employment forecasts while our medium term profile is driven by our fundamental view on household demand, services exports and non-mining investment.
Our participation forecasts are dynamic responding to changes in employment growth. The forecasts are, however, bound by the assumption that participation will not hit a new record high.
Household and business surveys guide the near term
When forecasting the near term pace of employment growth we use the labour market indicators from the household and business sentiment surveys.
From the Westpac-Melbourne Institute Consumer Sentiment Survey there is the question on household unemployment expectations (do they expect unemployment to rise or fall?) which has a good fit with the momentum in the labour market. Unemployment expectations have risen modestly (households expect unemployment to rise a little thus a softening in the labour market) but still holding a historically robust level. However, employment overshot unemployment expectations through the second half of 2017 so an undershoot through to the mid 2019 would be a normal course of events.
The multiple business surveys in Australia have questions that are applicable to the labour market. To generate a broad, deep labour market indicator, Westpac compiles all the relevant indicators from these surveys into the proprietary Westpac Jobs Index from which we generated a simple model of annual employment growth. It is true that the Jobs Index is more stable than the annual pace of employment growth but we have found it provides a useful guide on both the near term pace of employment growth and, more importantly, major turning points. Currently the Jobs Index is pointing to employment growth of 2½%yr. Actual employment growth in the second half of 2017 overshot the jobs index. Looking ahead we expect employment growth to undershoot the job index through to early 2019.
Using these indicators we expect the pace of employment growth to hold around current levels through to the end of the first quarter of 2019. This will see the annual pace dip to around 2% by end 2018 which is softer than what our indicators are suggesting in response to our allowance for some employment undershoot following the 2017 overshoot.
Looking further out household demand and non-mining investment drive our forecasts
<div>Looking further out our fundamental economic view defines our employment profile. There are various indicators you can use to do this, and multiple ways to generate a model, but we have found that simple models based on well understood measures best suit our needs for a 'not-just-reliable' guide but also one that is simple to understand and explain. The two economic fundamentals we use are adjusted household demand (which is household consumption, housing activity – both dwelling construction and renovations – and net services exports) and non-mining business investment.Annual growth in adjusted household demand peaked at 4.4% in the second half of 2015 before slowing to 2.2% in the first quarter of 2018. We have found that the growth in adjusted household demand has a two quarter lead on quarterly growth in employment. Again, as we saw with the near term employment leading indicators, employment growth has outpaced our adjusted household demand model's estimates, stretching from 2017 Q2 to 2018 Q1. As such, our forecasts incorporate a period of employment undershoot before returning to fundamentals in the last quarter of 2018. By end 2018 our model suggests employment should be growing a little more than 20k per month on average.Non-mining investment staged a relatively modest recovery lifting to almost 8%yr in the March quarter from where we are forecasting the pace to flatten to around 0%yr in early 2019. The recent peak is quite modest compared to what was seen back in the late 1990s and the first half of the 2000s when the pace often peaked around 20%yr. Nevertheless, the recent increase does point to a very modest near term lift in employment growth through 2018 before it slows in late 2019. And there is also the issue of the 2016/2017 overshoot. Given the expected correction, we see employment through to the end of the first half of 2019 undershooting the model's estimate (an average monthly gain of around 25k). </div>
Participation has peaked, for now, but will recover as employment recovers
Once you have an employment profile, an estimate of participation is required to round out the forecasts. As readers would be aware, the strong employment growth through 2017/2018 did not lead to a large fall in unemployment as participation lifted from an October 2016 low of 64.4% to a January 2018 high of 65.8%. In the September Labour Force Survey, the fall in the unemployment rate to 5.0% was supported by a sharp 0.24ppt dip in participation to 65.44%. The all time record high in participation was 65.79% in November 2010. It recently hit 65.78% in January 2018.
There are two factors to consider in regards to participation. The structural longer run issue, such as rising female participation, education, aging population etc and the short-run dynamics where participation rises and falls with employment. In the long-run the cross currents of rising female participation and declining male participation (associated with an aging population - for now females are pushing out their age of retirement so the aging population is not a net negative for them) suggests we may have past a medium term peak in participation. Our forecasts focus on the short-run dynamics of participation associated with employment bounded by our view we have seen a structural peak.
A further reason to be cautious about lifting the participation rate back to record peaks is the observation that the recent improvement in male employment has not produced the lift in male participation that it has in the past. In fact while annual growth in male employment has lifted, the annual change in male participation has moderated.  On this basis the participation rate drifts up a little through to the first quarter of 2019, before it drifts down a little as employment slows, limiting the rise in unemployment to 5.3%. Through the second half of 2019 and into 2020, employment lifts to an around trend pace and the participation rate continues to drift higher but remains short of the most recent peak of 65.78%.
Unemployment set to drift down to less than 5% by end 2019 while the rise in employment to population will remain shy of a new record high 
Once you have an employment and participation profile you can generate a profile for the unemployment rate and, as a cross check, an employment to population profile (including population estimates). Our forecasts result in the unemployment rate rising to a peak of 5.3% in the June quarter of 2019 before easing back to 5.0% year end then trending down to 4.8% by end 2020. The employment to population rate dips a little from 62.2% to 62.1% by the June quarter 2019 before entering a trend rise to 62.6% by end 2020. While not returning to the previous peak of 62.9% (August 2008) employment to population rises over this period highlighting that an employment pace of 2% is slightly faster than our current estimate of population growth.
Justin Smirk is a Senior Economist for Westpac
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Westpac predicts employment will remain strong: Justin Smirk 

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<div class="std uc card-section f ucm">A knockdown house in Melbourne's Armadale that sold for $7.8 million last November attracted a $5.7 million top bid at its weekend auction.</div>
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<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-armadale-129474474" target="_blank">The four-bedroom, two-bathroom house</a> on a 1210-square metre block now comes with a $6.2 million asking price.</div>
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<div class="std uc card-section f ucm">Reports when it sold last November for $7.8 million indicated a crowd of 80 onlookers watched three bidders – all developers – slug it out for the large 1920s residence.</div>
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<div class="std uc card-section f ucm">The property was auctioned last year by RT Edgar with the buyer then losing the deposit.</div>
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<div class="std uc card-section f ucm">Quoted at $7 million, RT Edgar auctioneer Mark Wridgway sold the deceased estate at $500,000 above reserve.</div>
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The property went to a late bidder at its 2017 auction who stepped into the ring just before the listing was declared on the market at $7.325 million.
The four-bedroom house with extensive rear grounds was signalled as set to get a cosmetic renovation before being redeveloped at a later date as a single new home.
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<div class="std uc card-section f ucm">The weekend auction was conducted by Marshall White.</div>
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<div class="std uc card-section f ucm">It last sold in 1976 for $130,000.</div>
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<div class="std uc card-section f ucm">Television viewers might think that Melbourne real estate is still very strong as all five apartments in The Block Gatwick sold under the hammer at weekend auction.</div>
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But its 100 percent success rate achieved by the Channel Nine renovation series was not reflected in reality, as just short of half of Melbourne vendors secured their own home sale at weekend auctions.
St Kilda's other six apartment weekend offerings saw just two sales.
The St Kilda auction success rate over the September quarter was calculated a 51 percent clearance rate by CoreLogic.
The national weekend auction levels sat the highest level since March with 2,919 homes taken to auction across the combined capital cities.
Click here <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/10/29/CL-stats.jpg" target="_blank">to enlarge.</a>
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The higher volumes were largely due to Melbourne vendors who are rushing to auction prior to the Melbourne Cup Carnival slowdown where volumes will temporarily wane.
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Melbourne's top sale was in Brighton where a distinctive French Provincial style home sold for $6.1 million (below).</div>
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The price guidance had been $5 million to $5.2 million for <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property/4-moule-ave-brighton-vic-3186" target="_blank">the house with 60 squares of internal living</a>.
It was marketed as having "meticulous finishes and versatile, gallery-inspired spaces."
It came with six bedrooms and five bathrooms.
The house previously sold for $3,500,000 in March 2006.
There was a $5.85 million result at 37 Elizabeth Street, Malvern of a <a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/real-estate/37-elizabeth-street-malvern-vic/property-details-sold-residential-12146799/" target="_blank">Nicholas Day-designed home</a> (below).
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It had $5 million to $5.5 million price guidance from Jellis Craig.
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Melbourne was host to 1,706 auctions making it the second busiest weekend this year.
The preliminary Melbourne results show a clearance rate of 49.8 per cent, up from the revised 45.7 per cent outcome on the prior weekend, which was the lowest clearance rate seen since June 2012.
Over the same week last year, the Melbourne auction clearance rate was significantly higher with 70 per cent of the 1,983 auctions returning a successful result.
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There were 796 auctions held in Sydney, up from 675 last week, although substantially lower than the 1,215 homes taken to auction this time last year.
Corelogic put the preliminary results at 50.7 per cent, up from the revised 44.6 per cent last week which had seen an initial 52 percent preliminary rate.
"The final auction clearance rate has been sitting below 50 per cent for four consecutive weeks now, and it is likely to be the case again this week as final results are collected," CoreLogic auction analyst Kevin Brogan said.
Sydney one year ago had a clearance rate of 58.3 per cent.
The highest Sydney weekend sale was the five bedroom Yarrawin, at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-darling+point-129472518" target="_blank">13 Etham Avenue, Darling Point</a>, (below) which sold at its $5 million reserve shortly after its auction.
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Across the smaller auction markets, preliminary results show a weekly improvement in clearance rates across all cities except Brisbane.
But only Adelaide's 67 percent success rate sits higher than the same time last year when it was 62 percent.
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Armadale trophy home site listing sees possible $2.1 million price fall

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A $14 million house sale in Sunshine Beach has been struck.
The 2 Belmore Terrace beachfront house is close to the village shops.
It sold on the very first inspection just prior to hitting the market.
“While Nic Hunter and I were still putting the finishing touches on the marketing material we invited an interstate buyer to have a preview inspection," Tom Offermann at Tom Offermann Real Estate said.
"They flew up, loved what they saw and signed an unconditional contract on the spot.”
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The house is on a 1258 sqm lot with 41 metre ocean frontage.
It is five bedrooms, six bathrooms, and a stunning 23m pool.
The sale follows other records Tom Offermann Real Estate negotiated in Sunshine Beach for $15.2 million and $18 million earlier this year.
"Our company has sold nine of Noosa’s top 10 sales this year which we attribute largely to the connections we have with affluent clients who recognise the unique beauty of Noosa.
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"Our company’s Sept Qtr sales volume grew 58% compared to the same Qtr in 2017, and enquiry levels are showing no signs of slowing and listings remaining tight with just 3.5% of properties on the market.
“Lately there has been some uncertainty amongst buyers and sellers due to reports about southern markets cooling, mainly from tightening of lending by banks.
"The relatively minor price falls in Sydney and Melbourne include sales from the inner city to outlying suburbs, so what relationship does the Parramatta market have to Noosa?  None, we think.” said Tom Offermann.
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$14 million Sunshine Beach trophy home sale

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Urban nature has a critical role to play in the <a href="https://theconversation.com/higher-density-cities-need-greening-to-stay-healthy-and-liveable-75840" target="_blank">future liveability of cities</a>. An emerging body of research reveals that bringing nature back into our cities can deliver a truly impressive array of benefits, ranging from <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-a-walk-in-the-woods-really-does-help-your-body-and-your-soul-53227" target="_blank">health and well-being</a> to <a href="https://theconversation.com/if-planners-understand-its-cool-to-green-cities-whats-stopping-them-55753" target="_blank">climate change adaptation and mitigation</a>. Aside from benefits for people, cities are often hotspots for threatened species and are justifiable locations for serious investment in nature conservation for its own sake.
Australian cities are home to, on average, <a href="https://www.conservationmagazine.org/2016/01/threatened-species-live-in-every-australian-city/" target="_blank">three times as many threatened species per unit area as rural environments</a>. Yet this also means urbanisation remains one of the most destructive processes for biodiversity.
Despite government commitments to green urban areas, vegetation cover in cities continues to decline. A recent report found that <a href="https://theconversation.com/were-investing-heavily-in-urban-greening-so-how-are-our-cities-doing-83354" target="_blank">greening efforts of most of our metropolitan local governments are actually going backwards</a>.
Current urban planning approaches typically consider biodiversity a constraint – a “problem” to be dealt with. At best, biodiversity in urban areas is “<a href="https://www.iucn.org/theme/business-and-biodiversity/our-work/business-approaches-and-tools/biodiversity-offsets" target="_blank">offset</a>”, often far from the site of impact.
This is a poor solution because it fails to provide nature in the places where people can benefit most from interacting with it. It also delivers <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-plan-to-protect-wildlife-displaced-by-the-hume-highway-has-failed-78087" target="_blank">questionable ecological outcomes</a>.
Building nature into the urban fabric
A new approach to urban design is needed. This would treat biodiversity as an opportunity and a valued resource to be preserved and maximised at all stages of planning and design.
In contrast to traditional approaches to conserving urban biodiversity, biodiversity-sensitive urban design (BSUD) aims to create urban environments that make a positive onsite contribution to biodiversity. This involves careful planning and innovative design and architecture. BSUD seeks to build nature into the urban fabric by linking urban planning and design to the basic needs and survival of native plants and animals.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/240750/original/file-20181016-165888-bm8qxg.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/240750/original/file-20181016-165888-bm8qxg.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Figure 1. Steps in the biodiversity sensitive urban design (BSUD) approach (click to enlarge). Author provided
BSUD draws on ecological theory and understanding to apply five simple principles to urban design:
<ol>
<li>protect and create habitat</li>
<li>help species disperse</li>
<li>minimise anthropogenic threats</li>
<li>promote ecological processes</li>
<li>encourage positive human-nature interactions.</li>
</ol>
These principles are designed to address the biggest impacts of urbanisation on biodiversity. They can be applied at any scale, from individual houses (see Figure 2) to precinct-scale developments.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/240903/original/file-20181016-165903-tqp2fp.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/240903/original/file-20181016-165903-tqp2fp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Figure 2. BUSD principles applied at the scale of an individual house. Author provided
BSUD progresses in a series of steps (see Figure 1), that urban planners and developers can use to achieve a net positive outcome for biodiversity from any development.
BSUD encourages biodiversity goals to be set early in the planning process, alongside social and economic targets, before stepping users through a transparent process for achieving those goals. By explicitly stating biodiversity goals (eg. enhancing the survival of species X) and how they will be measured (eg. probability of persistence), BSUD enables decision makers to make transparent decisions about alternative, testable urban designs, justified by sound science.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/240906/original/file-20181016-165918-1yncvzs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/240906/original/file-20181016-165918-1yncvzs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
A striped legless lizard. <a class="source" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CSIRO_ScienceImage_6661_Striped_legless_lizard.jpg" target="_blank">John Wombey, CSIRO/Wikimedia</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" target="_blank">CC BY</a>
For example, in a hypothetical development example in western Melbourne, we were <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/conl.12411" target="_blank">able to demonstrate</a> that cat containment regulations were irreplaceable when designing an urban environment that would ensure the persistence of the nationally threatened striped legless lizard (Figure 3).
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/240905/original/file-20181016-165924-1qdn78p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/240905/original/file-20181016-165924-1qdn78p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Figure 3. Keeping cats indoors greatly enhances other measures to protect and increase populations of the striped legless lizard. Author provided
What does a BSUD city look, feel and sound like?
Biodiversity sensitive urban design represents a fundamentally different approach to conserving urban biodiversity. This is because it seeks to incorporate biodiversity into the built form, rather than restricting it to fragmented remnant habitats. In this way, it can deliver biodiversity benefits in environments not traditionally considered to be of ecological value.
It will also deliver significant co-benefits for cities and their residents. <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/lookup/Media%20Release10" target="_blank">Two-thirds of Australians</a> now live in our capital cities. BSUD can add value to the remarkable range of benefits urban greening provides and help to deliver greener, cleaner and cooler cities, in which residents live longer and are less stressed and more productive.
BSUD promotes human-nature interactions and nature stewardship among city residents. It does this through <a href="https://www.archdaily.com/877602/jan-gehl-in-the-last-50-years-architects-have-forgotten-what-a-good-human-scale-is" target="_blank">human-scale urban design</a> such as mid-rise, courtyard-focused buildings and wide boulevard streetscapes. When compared to high-rise apartments or urban sprawl, this scale of development has been shown to deliver better liveability outcomes such as active, walkable streetscapes.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/240908/original/file-20181016-165905-lxdpiu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/240908/original/file-20181016-165905-lxdpiu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Mid-rise, courtyard-focused buildings and wide boulevard streetscapes created through a biodiversity sensitive urban design approach. Graphical representation developed by authors in collaboration with M. Baracco, C. Horwill and J. Ware, RMIT School of Architecture and Design, Author provided
By recognising and enhancing Australia’s unique biodiversity and enriching residents’ experiences with nature, we think BSUD will be important for creating a sense of place and care for Australia’s cities. BSUD can also connect urban residents with Indigenous history and culture by engaging Indigenous Australians in the planning, design, implementation and governance of urban renaturing.
What needs to change to achieve this vision?
While the motivations for embracing this approach are compelling, the pathways to achieving this vision are not always straightforward.
Without careful protection of remaining natural assets, from remnant patches of vegetation to single trees, vegetation in cities can easily suffer “death by 1,000 cuts”. Planning reform is required to move away from offsetting and remove obstacles to innovation in onsite biodiversity protection and enhancement.
In addition, real or perceived conflicts between biodiversity and other socio-ecological concerns, such as bushfire and safety, <a href="https://theconversation.com/smart-city-planning-can-preserve-old-trees-and-the-wildlife-that-needs-them-98632" target="_blank">must be carefully managed</a>. Industry-based schemes such as the Green Building Council of Australia’s <a href="https://new.gbca.org.au/green-star/rating-system/" target="_blank">Green Star system</a> could add incentive for developers through BSUD certification.
Importantly, while BSUD is generating much interest, working examples are urgently required to build an evidence base for the benefits of this new approach.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/102849/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;">
Georgia Garrard, Senior Research Fellow, Interdisciplinary Conservation Science Research Group, RMIT University
Nicholas Williams, Associate Professor in Urban Ecology and Urban Horticulture, University of Melbourne 
Sarah Bekessy, Professor, RMIT 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/heres-how-to-design-cities-where-people-and-nature-can-both-flourish-102849" target="_blank">original article</a>.
Main photo: An impression of biodiversity sensitive urban design (BSUD) developed by the authors in collaboration with Mauro Baracco, Jonathan Ware and Catherine Horwill of RMIT’s School of Architecture and Design. Author provided
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Here’s how to design cities where people and nature can both flourish

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GUEST OBSERVATION
The international research is clear. Stimulating and positive environments early in life provide optimal foundations for children’s ongoing development into adulthood. This in turn makes a difference to the productivity of society at large.
Communities are important environments in which young children grow and develop. There is limited research, however, on how communities can best influence early childhood development.
To address this evidence gap, the <a href="https://www.mcri.edu.au/kics" target="_blank">Kids in Communities Study</a> (KiCS) set out to investigate the influence of community-level factors on young children’s development. This <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11205-014-0578-x" target="_blank">research</a> has identified a promising set of factors (listed in table 1) that lay the foundations of a good community for early childhood development.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/241545/original/file-20181021-105757-gwxo5j.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/241545/original/file-20181021-105757-gwxo5j.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
What we currently know is that by the time Australian children start school, those in more disadvantaged communities have three times the level of developmental vulnerability compared with those who are most advantaged (<a href="https://www.aedc.gov.au/resources/detail/2015-aedc-national-report" target="_blank">18.4% vs 6.7%</a>). In simple terms, young children living in Australia’s poorer areas are already on a more disadvantaged trajectory. The evidence suggests these trajectories are challenging to change once established.
What is it about where you live that makes a difference?
The design of communities can impact the healthy development of children. In particular this involves family access to resources to promote good development.
International research shows that disadvantaged communities with limited resources and opportunities can generate poor child development outcomes. And these can then persist from one generation to the next.
Conversely, there are also many factors that can promote healthy child development, even in low-income communities. These factors include parents and families who actively participate in the community, active community organisations, and neighbourhoods that are safe to walk in and have good places to play.
As Australia faces increasing pressure to accommodate population growth, well-designed communities offer real potential as a platform for impact. Indeed, there is interest globally – e.g. “<a href="https://childfriendlycities.org/" target="_blank">child-friendly cities</a>” – and in Australia – e.g. “<a href="https://www.rch.org.au/uploadedFiles/Main/Content/ccch/CCCH_Collaborate_for_Children_Report_The_Evidence_Nov2014.pdf" target="_blank">collective impact</a>” – in <a href="https://ssir.org/articles/entry/collective_impact" target="_blank">place-based approaches</a>. This is stimulating the policy agenda at all levels of government.
This policy agenda recognises “communities” as central for delivering better and more equitable early childhood development. However, this enthusiasm is hampered by the limited available evidence about the most effective ways communities can support good early childhood development.
The Kids in Communities Study
The Kids in Communities Study investigated the potential influence of community-level factors in five domains on early childhood development. These domains are:
<ul>
<li>physical environment</li>
<li>social environment</li>
<li>socio-economic factors</li>
<li>access to services</li>
<li>governance.</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/241759/original/file-20181023-169828-byrc0p.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/241759/original/file-20181023-169828-byrc0p.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
The Kids in Communities Study (KICS) conceptual framework. Author provided
A mix of surveys, focus groups and interviews were conducted with community members (families, service providers, stakeholders). The results were combined with data from 25 Australian urban and regional communities. This mixed methods approach was essential to better understand local context and make sense of the data.
We were particularly interested in understanding why some communities, when matched by disadvantage, showed <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11205-016-1333-2" target="_blank">better (“off-diagonal”) or as expected (“on-diagonal”) child development outcomes relative to their socio-economic profile</a>. This is measured by the Australian Early Development Census. Teachers complete this census every three years for all children starting school.
Foundational community factors: using data to drive action
From this work, KiCS identified the set of foundational community factors associated with early childhood development. These are the factors that lay the foundations of a good community for early childhood development.
Foundational community factors can help better understand what helps or hinders early childhood development at the community level. They provide a source of local information that can contribute to developing interventions that move beyond the individual level, which have shown limited sustained success, to the broader community level (e.g. place-based initiatives), which has the potential to benefit many children and families in the long term.
They are a combination of factors that showed a difference in disadvantaged communities that had “good” versus “poor” early childhood development outcomes (differentiating factors), as well as those that most KiCS communities perceived as important for families with young children (important factors). Table 1 shows which foundational community factors were related to these outcomes.
Foundational community factors are important; they allow us to move beyond anecdotal information to a discussion grounded in evidence about how the community is tracking to inform place-based initiatives.
These factors help communities strengthen stakeholder engagement and can inform policy recommendations using the best local data. Examples include informing and involving local residents and organisations, discussing key “shared” issues, identifying priorities, planning and implementing community interventions, and monitoring change over time.
This can empower communities to better understand and recognise their resources and opportunities to improve early childhood development. That in turn helps to direct effort into areas that make the most sense.
The full technical report on Foundational Community Factors for Early Childhood Development: A report on the Kids in Communities Study is available <a href="https://www.mcri.edu.au/kics" target="_blank">here</a>.
For the manual of data collection please email: kics.study@mcri.edu.au.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/104933/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;">
Sharon Goldfeld, Deputy Director, Center for Community Child Health Royal Children's Hospital; Co-Group Leader, Policy and Equity, Murdoch Children's Research Institute; and Professor, Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne 
Billie Giles-Corti, Director, Urban Futures Enabling Capability Platform and Director, Healthy Liveable Cities Group, RMIT University 
Geoffrey Woolcock, Senior Research Fellow (Regional Community Development), Strategic Research Projects, University of Southern Queensland 
Hannah Badland, Principal Research Fellow, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University 
Ilan Katz, Professor of Social Policy, UNSW; Karen Villanueva, Research Fellow, Healthy Liveable Cities Group, RMIT University, and Researcher, Community Child Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute 
Robert Tanton, Professor, National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling (NATSEM), University of Canberra 
Sally Brinkman, Associate Professor, University of Adelaide; Co-Director, Fraser Mustard Centre, Telethon Kids 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/working-out-what-makes-a-good-community-where-young-children-can-thrive-104933" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Working out what makes a good community where young children can thrive

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GUEST OBSERVATION
With drought ravaging Australia’s eastern states, much attention has been given to the need to provide short-term solutions through drought relief. But long-term resilience is a <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1029/2007GL031524" target="_blank">vital issue</a>, particularly as climate change adds further pressure to farmers and farmland.
Our <a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/book/7844/" target="_blank">research</a> has found that helping farmers improve the rivers, dams, native vegetation and trees on their land increases productivity, the resilience of the land to drought, and through this the health and well-being of farmers.
Now is the time to invest more heavily than ever in vital networks in regional Australia, such as Landcare and natural resource management groups like Local Land Services and Catchment Management Authorities.
Growing pressures on agricultural land
Some <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0143622814002793" target="_blank">researchers</a> suggest that up to 370 million hectares of land in Australia and the Pacific is degraded. This diminished productivity across such a large area has significant implications for the long-term sustainability of agricultural production.
Australia also has one of the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://www.pnas.org/content/112/15/4531" target="_blank">worst records</a> for wildlife diversity loss, including <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/230817486_Impacts_of_red_meat_production_on_biodiversity_in_Australia_A_review_and_comparison_with_alternative_protein_production_industries" target="_blank">extensive loss</a> of biodiversity across much of our agricultural land. The problems of degradation and biodiversity loss are often <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1029/2007GL031524" target="_blank">magnified</a> under the pressure of drought.
The good news is that there are ways to strengthen the resilience of the farmland. One key approach is to invest in improving the condition of key natural assets on farms, like shelter belts, patches of remnant vegetation, farm dams, and watercourses.
When done well, active land management can help slow down or even reverse land degradation, improve <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/31727010?q&amp;sort=holdings+desc&amp;_=1540253638970&amp;versionId=209856779" target="_blank">biodiversity</a>, and increase <a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/book/7844/" target="_blank">profitability</a>.
Better lands make more money
Many <a href="http://fmnrhub.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Francis-Weston-Birch-2015-FMNR-Study.pdf" target="_blank">studies</a> have shown improving the natural assets on an farm can boost production, as well as avoid the costs of erosion and flood control. For example, restored riverbank vegetation can <a href="http://www.publish.csiro.au/pc/PC990028" target="_blank">improve</a> dry matter production in nearby paddocks, leading to greater milk production in diary herds and up to a 5% boost in farm income.
Similarly, shelter belts (tree lanes planted alongside paddocks) can lower wind speeds and wind chill, and boost pasture production for livestock by up to <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books/about/Trees_for_Shelter?id=to0FxKcZ-8AC&amp;redir_esc=y" target="_blank">8%</a>, at the same time as providing habitat for <a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/book/7844/" target="_blank">biodiversity</a>.
Our own <a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/book/7844/" target="_blank">long-term work</a> with farmers who invested in their natural assets prior to, or during, the Millennium Drought in New South Wales suggests these farmers are currently faring better in the current drought.
Investing in resilience for the long-haul
Well-supported and resourced organisations like Landcare groups are pivotal to supporting effective land management, which improves degraded land and helps farmland (and farmer) through tough times.
However, Landcare and other natural resource management agencies have been subject to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/dec/13/environment-funding-slashed-by-third-since-coalition-took-office" target="_blank">major budget cuts</a> over the past decade.
They are also a key part of the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/11139291?q&amp;versionId=45483041" target="_blank">social fabric</a> of rural communities, bringing together landowners to exchange ideas and support each other. Indeed, the Australian Landcare model is so well regarded globally it has been adopted in 22 other countries.
This drought is a critical decision point. The need to invest in maintaining and improving our vegetation, water and soil has never been more apparent than it is now. We have a chance to determine the long-term future of much of Australia’s agricultural land.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/105485/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;">
David Lindenmayer, Professor, The Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University
Michelle Young, Director, Sustainable Farms, Australian National 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/we-must-look-past-short-term-drought-solutions-and-improve-the-land-itself-105485" target="_blank">original article</a>.
Main photo: Lines of trees, called windbreaks or shelterbelts, can protect and improve the fields next to them. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterfenda/11883603303/in/photolist-j77zf8-gs5twp-2yarvi-97rS4x-gctVvc-2zbPGZ-eZjZC9-n5u36E-qpbapj-i8u5i1-n5s6QM-pDrU3q-5YciLn-hvmtkA-23ZR5wr-dhZQg8-6WZjZQ-ayJwHt-25tYPnE-YFrUGJ-atxPZS-ppRWYA-RLZsrv-pDFgh2-hvnV3n-bWYiTp-Rpm12q-qArxKx-ntUjWJ-4zs3xh-nzZyew-5VyEeu-a5P87s-oaarB1-hvmW1N-hoPvL4-pLUKsC-5ZdRKT-Ek7o5-gmWNST-4AfTnR-iT6rNY-gqwGJr-gUM9Xb-MRXgiQ-5Zur7c-hvm2Pz-LymskZ-vaCtm-d4YfSh">Peter Fenda/Flickr</a>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">CC BY-NC-SA</a>
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We must look past short-term drought solutions and improve the land itself

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GUEST OBSERVATION 
The past week has been light on data, but full of angst. At the centre was President Trump again raising questions over the appropriateness of the Federal Open Market Committee's (FOMC) ongoing gradual normalisation.
The market subsequently found cause to be more cautious on growth, the S&amp;P500 jolting 3% lower on Wednesday before recovering almost 2% on Thursday. Markets across the world, by and large, followed suit.
During an interview with the Wall Street Journal, President Trump made clear his displeasure with the FOMC over their gradual normalisation.
President Trump’s focus was arguably more on his economic legacy than the appropriateness of the FOMC’s actions, made clear by comments referencing President Obama’s “zero [interest] rates”.
But President Trump did clearly say that he sees the FOMC as the biggest risk to the US “because I think interest rates are being raised too quickly”.
Many across the globe would instead argue that it is his administration’s trade policies that are the greater cause for concern, particularly with respect to business investment.
While the US Markit PMI’s held up in October, according to the flash release, core durable goods shipments and orders both showed weakness in September.
For core shipments, September was the second consecutive flat outcome. Core orders furthermore signalled that growth is to remain absent, falling for a second consecutive month in September.
This soft trend fits with the deterioration seen of late in the regional business surveys’ investment intention series, but is a stark contrast to the optimism around fiscal expansion and domestic demand.
Taken together, these observations highlight the uncertainty that the tariffs have created.
Combined with the end of extraordinary fiscal policy in late-2019, the negative shock to business investment from the US’ own tariffs is crucial to our view that growth will decelerate through mid-2019 and see the FOMC go on hold – indefinitely.
US housing data released this week gave the FOMC an additional reason to be cautious but not alarmed.
New home sales fell over 5% in September; moreover, this was the fifth decline in six months.
If we take a step back and consider data for the past two years however, the trend looks more flat than downward.
Given home builder confidence and Case-Shiller house price growth remain strong, and the 30-year mortgage rate accommodative, the current level of sales should persist and inventories remain manageable.
Turning to Europe, the ECB met for their October meeting this week. By and large, their views were unchanged.
The Council continues to have considerable confidence in the domestic economy, particularly the strength of employment.
The latter is expected to flow through to wages and underlying inflation in time, bringing inflation to the ECB’s ‘near 2% year target’. Although risks are still considered “broadly balanced”, evident in the Q&amp;A however was that external risks to this view have built.
This highlights a need to pay close attention to the ECB’s forecasts as they are updated at the December meeting and the end of each quarter thereafter.
We remain of the view that only the deposit rate will be increased from late-2019, with the refinance rate to wait until at least mid-2020. Risks to this view are skewed towards a later start to hikes.
Coming back to Australia, in the absence of any data, RBA discussion of the labour market was the focus.
Following the unemployment rate’s jolt lower to 5.0% in September, historically the benchmark for ‘full employment’ in Australia, Deputy Governor Debelle remarked this week that “We [the RBA] have an open mind on the question of what actually constitutes full employment”. 
Westpac’s own view is that the unemployment rate consistent with full employment is actually likely to be well below the current 5.0% figure, hence wage growth and inflation are unlikely to pick up anytime soon.
This fits with the experience of the US where, with the unemployment rate now a percentage point below historic estimates of ‘full employment’, wages are only just starting to accelerate robustly.
Looking ahead, we see the Australian unemployment rate holding near 5.0% through 2018 and 2019, and hence wages growth and inflation remaining benign.
The next key update for Australia will be the September quarter CPI report, due next week.
On all fronts, it is expected to highlight the absence of inflation pressures and justify the RBA remaining on hold through 2019 and 2020.    
Elliot Clarke is a senior economist at Westpac and can be <a href="https://www.westpac.com.au/news/authors/elliot-clarke/" target="_blank">contacted here.</a>
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Trump's tariffs likely to lead to further interest rate caution: Westpac's Elliot Clarke

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The Sunshine Coast has seen an increase in the gentrification of established suburbs, particularly coastal and beachside localities where the availability of vacant land for new builds is scarce, according to the latest Herron Todd White (HTW) residential report. 
Therefore the opportunity to renovate and cash in on the current demand for these areas is seen as a viable alternative, the valuation firm advised.
The report suggests the main driver of gentrification within these older areas is the location close to amenities and the beach. 
The Sunshine Coast also has some large infrastructure projects which are attracting a significant number of people.
A major attraction to the established areas within the central Sunshine Coast is the prospect of the new CBD which is currently under construction.
Moving further north, the areas of Mount Coolum, Yaroomba and Coolum Beach are seeing increased demand with access to the new international airport being a major draw card.
Up north in the Noosa region, the areas in Sunrise Beach, Sunshine Beach and old Tewantin near the river and town centre and also Noosa Junction are seeing a significant number of renovations and re-builds, once again, location close to shops, cafes and beach or river being the biggest attraction.
The southern areas of the coast have already seen and will continue to see the benefit from the medical precinct and Sunshine Coast University Hospital.
"The majority of renovations are being completed by owner occupiers," the report noted.
"Typically they are looking to stay in their current location which may be close to schools or the beach and they want to create their dream home."
The report noted the added benefit is that over the past 12 months, well-presented properties with good quality renovations have attracted a premium as purchasers are seeking properties that require no work to be done.
However these properties have mostly been along the coastal strip where demand outweighs supply. One example in Peregian Beach was a property purchased for around $580,000 in original condition. The purchasers completed a full renovation and this property recently sold for just over $900,000.
"Renovations have typically been restricted mainly to housing but we have started to see renovations being completed on older walk up style unit complexes," the valuation firm noted. 
"The risk with these renovations is that if the body corporate is not in a position to do works to the exterior of the building, this may detract from the internal renovation and therefore may not achieve the desired result.
The typical entry price point for these types of properties along the coast ranges from $550,000 to $750,000 however, the entry price point within the northern suburbs of Sunshine Beach and Noosa Heads is typically $900,000 and $1.1 million for properties that require extensive renovations.
"The demand for this market is expected to continue with proximity to the beach being top of mind given the coast life style," it advised
A recent sale was a three bedroom Tewantin home which was traded for $672,000 (pictured above).
Situated at<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-qld-tewantin-129388826" target="_blank"> 36 Butler Street</a>, the circa 1956 home comes with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, separate living areas, and large kitchen.
The existing home could be renovated or to build a second property alongside. 
<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/2018/10/26/burderim.jpg" alt="">
Another example was a renovated four bedroom Buderim home which has been sold for $660,000 (pictured above).
Situated at 21 Jingellic Drive, the renovation of the house include two bathrooms with a total cost of $80,000, free standing timber vanities and LED lit niches.
The rest of the home internally remains in a near original condition. 
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Sunshine Coast suburbs' gentrification leading to renovation demand: HTW 

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Adelaide clearances rates are slightly lower across both houses and units compared to last spring, according to CoreLogic.
It suggests 658 houses have been taken to market across Adelaide so far this spring with 61.3% selling, which is only slightly lower than the 62.5% last year when a higher 710 auctions were held over the same period.
Units have seen 11 fewer auctions held year on year, with 46.3% selling, compared to the 49.1% sold last year.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/10/25/adelaide%20corelogic.jpg" target="_blank">Click here </a>to open graph in new window
<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/2018/10/25/adelaide%20corelogic.jpg" alt="">
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Adelaide clearance rates slightly down from last year: CoreLogic

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A three bedroom house in Peterborough, a town in the mid north of South Australia, has been sold for $53,000.
It was sold by Jeff &amp; Gerda Oakle from Landmark Harcourts SA.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-sa-peterborough-125860254" target="_blank">Located at 200 Railway Terrace</a>, the house features three bedrooms, lounge room, open plan kitchen/dining room and laundry area.
Other features include a single car port, paved rear entertaining area, garden shed and wood shed.
Set on 835 sqm the home last sold for $35,000 in 2007.
The suburb's median house price sits at $735,000, according to CoreLogic.
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Peterborough three bedroom house sold by mortgagee

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;

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&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.

[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" />

&nbsp;

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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