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A number of Sydney developers are leading the move towards urban greening.
The Urban Taskforce recently had a forum on ‘Urban Greening’ and this has led to a publication with examples of greenery being incorporated into buildings.
The Central Park project by Frasers Property and Sekisui House is an excellent example of green landscape being incorporated into the façade of a 33 storey apartment building in a manner that responds to the seasons. 
As well as the integration of landscape and building the site includes a significant amount of public parkland and water features.
The One Sydney Park project by HPG also incorporates landscape gardens into the building façade in a design that blends with the adjacent Sydney Park.
 Also at an early design stage is the Crown Group’s apartment building in Alexandria which steps down to the street level with terraces that will be landscaped with mature trees.
There is clearly a move in the development industry to softening urban buildings through parklands, greenery on balconies and roof gardens.
The suburban ideal of a landscaped garden city is beginning to be reinterpreted at the scale of apartment buildings.
<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/2018/6/1/urban%20ideas%20.jpg" alt="">The trend also reflects the NSW Government’s approach to encouraging more urban landscape through the ‘Greener Places’ publication and the allocation of $290 million to a green infrastructure program that includes an aim to lift Sydney’s tree canopy from 16% to 40%.
Projects like the ‘Gardens of Auburn’ by developers LFD propose to incorporate 4,300 square metres of gardens and parklands and the DaniasGroup have generated a ‘Green Heart’ in a creative industry proposal in Marrickville. 
All of these proposals are contained in the Urban Ideas issue on ‘Urban Greening’ (seen here). 
The Urban Taskforce is supportive of the NSW Government approach to increasing greenery as Sydney increases its density and we will continue to profile good examples.
CHRIS JOHNSON is the Urban Taskforce CEO.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Development industry leading in Greening Cities

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<div style="text-align: left;">ServiceSeeking has pinpointed their website's top tradie, a Melbourne builder specialising in property maintenance, renovations, demolitions and fit-outs, who brought home over $372,000 in FY18.   He made more than many top earning doctors and lawyers, based on the latest median income stats from the ATO.    The top 10 tradies on ServiceSeeking took home a combined $1.2 million over the last financial year.    <img src="https://d15k2d11r6t6rl.cloudfront.net/public/users/Integrators/929cb090-e779-401a-b06c-c629ff6b0fea/ap-serviceseeking2/Top%20Tradie%20v%20Median%20Income_1.png" alt="Image" width="733" height="432" data-imagetype="External">   Australia wide, removalists enjoyed the highest charge out rates in FY18 versus FY17 while handymen were the biggest mover in terms of percentage change, with an increase in charge out rates of 11.97%.    <img src="https://d15k2d11r6t6rl.cloudfront.net/public/users/Integrators/929cb090-e779-401a-b06c-c629ff6b0fea/ap-serviceseeking2/AUS%20wide.png" alt="Image" width="718" height="410" data-imagetype="External">
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 NSW removalists have been awarded the title of Australia’s Richest Trade Profession for 2018.</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">Builders from Queensland increased their prices by the largest percentage this financial year, 32.73% with the national rate sitting at $88.63/hr.</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">This pushes them into the top 10, coming in at 6th place. The survey noted overall the Tradie Rich List for 2018 consists of only a few industries that are characterised by onerous licensing regimes or high start up costs (removalists for example are running expensive work vehicles and paying high insurance premiums). </div>
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<div>In FY18, hourly rates grew faster than the year prior by 1.78%, hourly charge out rate growth in FY18 was 5.78% compared to 4% in FY17.   This rise in hourly rates also greatly exceeded the recently published CPI figures of 0.4%. South Australia saw the greatest rise in rates at 8.57% while Victoria was the only state to post negative growth at -1.94%.   <img src="https://d15k2d11r6t6rl.cloudfront.net/public/users/Integrators/929cb090-e779-401a-b06c-c629ff6b0fea/ap-serviceseeking2/State%20Growth%20Rates%20FY18.png" alt="Image" width="685" height="452" data-imagetype="External">  </div>
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Removalists earn the highest hourly rate among Australia's Tradie Rich List

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California, a 14 room boarding house fronting the busy Flinders Street in Darlinghurst, was passed in at auction last night at $3,975,000.
Refurbished since it last traded for $1,845,000 in 2010, <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-other-nsw-darlinghurst-128628702" target="_blank">60 Flinders Street</a> (pictured below) on 190 sqm has three levels at the front and two at the rear.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/7/18/DARLINGHURST.JPG" alt="">
Currently it yields around $323,000 gross annual revenue.
It sits near Taylor Square, Oxford Street, Surry Hills and Moore Park, with two street frontages to Flinders and Chisholm Streets.
The 14 rooms are currently made up of nine double studios, eight fully self-contained with their own ensuites, and five single units all with kitchenettes. They share three bathrooms.
There's an undercover communal courtyard with custom timber seating and barbecue facilities and an on-site coin-operated laundry.
It is being sold as a going concern, with all furnishings and inventory included in the sale.
Dominic D'Ettorre at D'ettorre Real Estate was marketing the property in conjunction with McGees Property agent John Grujovski.
They suggest its a fusion of modern design and classic features.
The vendor of California has listed the <a href="/expert-insights/investing/two-paddington-terrace-boarding-house-listed">Paddington boarding house Belle Vue</a> (pictured above) which was passed in at $5.15 million when offered at Cooley Auctions.
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14 room California, Darlinghurst boarding house passed in at $3.975 million

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An 1870s Portarlington guesthouse has been sold for $822,100.
Homebuyers and developers had expressed interest in the 1872 Mulane Cottage with the local paper advising it was bought by a home buyer.
It sits on a 1,009 sqm block at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-portarlington-128502110" target="_blank">64 Stevens Street</a>.
It has been listed by Bellarine Property’s Ange Callan-Harris who noted the potential of the Residential Growth 3 zoning.
There’s no heritage overlay with subdivision a prospect for some of the 40 inquiries. 
There had been 25 inspections over about three weeks.
Its price hopes were put as from $740,000 to $810,000.
Set in cottage gardens behind picket fencing, the weatherboard was built by Joseph Mulane.
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Portarlington Airbnb guesthouse sold

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The Kingsdale Winery, which offers a combination and lifestyle and income with potential for further development, has been listed for sale at $2.2 million.
The Goulburn property has been offered for the first time since its establishment in 2002 by Helen Cheetham from Tronn Alstergren Real Estate.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-lifestyle-nsw-goulburn-7872710" target="_blank">Located at 745 Crookwell Rd</a>, there are 3ha of vines planted on a grazing block of 37ha.
Its grape varieties include Shiraz, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Chardonnay.
The wines are vintaged in a purpose-built winery with a capacity of 25 tonne and the wines consistently win medals at wine shows.
The house features four bedrooms, cellar door, and 10kw of solar panel. 
<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/2018/7/16/goulburn%202.jpg" alt="">
Other highlights include a set of cattle yards, rainwater tanks, and dams. 
The wines are sold at the better restaurants in Goulburn. 
There is potential to increase sales by marketing further afield.
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Goulburn winery listed for $2.2 million

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Suncorp have announced that 80 Ann Street has been selected as the site for the company’s new single location in Brisbane from 2022. 
The move will consolidate Suncorp’s Brisbane workforce into a single, modern and collaborative workplace.
The decision follows similar office consolidation projects in Sydney, Auckland and Melbourne.
The Sydney project delivered close to a 30% saving in cost and space efficiency. 
Suncorp CEO Michael Cameron said the new workplace will reflect Suncorp’s Queensland heritage. 
“I would also like to acknowledge the efforts of the other developers who have participated in this process,” Mr Cameron said. 
<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/2018/7/16/image009.jpg" alt=""> 
Mirvac’s CEO Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz, commented that 80 Ann Street was purpose-built for Suncorp and aligns to Brisbane City Council’s ‘Buildings that Breathe’ principles for sub-tropical architecture, while re-invigorating an historic part of the city.
"We look forward to working with the Suncorp design team to create a workplace that supports the needs of their company and the community.” 
Suncorp will occupy the new $800 million tower by September 2022, subject to Mirvac finalising the land acquisition.
Designed by Woods Bagot, the premium 32-storey development at 80 Ann Street will provide Suncorp with close to 40,000 m2 of office space. 
Director and global workplace architecture leader, Mark Damant, describes the project as more like a new city precinct than a singular building, made up of many diverse places.
Spanning an entire block between Ann and Turbot streets, the development will help connect the CBD to the Roma Street precinct, the two courts buildings and surrounding plazas and squares to make a distinctive precinct of its own with an unprecedented civic and retail offering, Damant said.
The design returns the last remaining piece of Brisbane’s oldest surviving fruit and produce market on Turbot Street back into the city fabric, and – with its overwhelmingly public and porous ground floors – will act as a catalyst to the upcoming Brisbane Live precinct and the development of the north west quarter of the CBD around the Roma Street Station.
Damant describes the very flexible, large floorplates, with wide structural spans, minimal internal columns and amazing access to daylight and views as “dream floorplates”.
Providing a large continuous space on each level, the floorplates are linked with stairs and atria that create larger interconnected communities all the way up the Suncorp tenancy.
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“This is also a mixed mode building in the true sense with arrival spaces connected to the outside via louvered and openable facades. With terraces and balconies available to each community within the tower Suncorp’s people will be able to step outside at every third level, without having to go all the way down to the ground. 
“There will be an abundance of natural daylight and fresh air for optimum workplace wellbeing and connectedness … Brisbane has the perfect climate to bring inside,” Mr Damant said.
Suncorp staff are now spread through three sites across Brisbane’s CBD. 
Echoing another landmark workplace project by Woods Bagot – 1 William Street which brought together nearly 5000 Queensland public servants from 16 sites to a single location – the floor plate and spatial planning are intended to support greater collaboration and interdepartmental interaction, and happier people, in an efficient and highly productive workplace environment. 
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“Dream floorplates” envisaged for Suncorp in Brisbane’s newest city precinct

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Ascendas REIT Australia has acquired the former corporate headquarters of, Décor, in Scoresby, Melbourne for $16.245 million.
The property originally purpose built for Décor in 1979, the architecturally designed property at 1314 Ferntree Gully Road has undergone several upgrades over the past four decades.
The 16,000sqm facility, managed by Gorman Kelly, comprises three levels of office space and fully racked warehousing of up to 16m high.
Placed on a 25,895 sqm landholding, the property is located near several major road networks including Eastlink.
Gorman Kelly and CBRE negotiated the sale.
The freestanding property was sold with vacant possession.
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Ascendas acquires Décor former corporate headquarters

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A whole self contained office floor located on Melbourne's busy Little Collins Street has hit the market through Savills. The 153sqm office on <a href="http://commercialpropertysearch.savills.com.au/df82e5b0-15de-e611-80c7-005056813885/Sale/Melbourne/313-Little-Collins-Street">level 3 of 313 Little Collins Street</a> currently holds a new 5+5 year lease from October 2017 with a current income of $60,000 plus fixed annual three percent rental increases.
Savills agents Benson Zhou and Nick Peden, who are marketing the space, said the opportunity to acquire a whole office floor in a premium Melbourne location is extremely rare.
The office space located between Elizabeth Street and Swanston Street is being marketed for immediate private sale.
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Savills are marketing a fully leased Little Collins Street office

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Teska Carson is marketing a prime commercial investment opportunity within the Hawksburn Village retail/commercial precinct, at Toorak in Melbourne’s inner east.
The 581 Malvern Road property (pictured above) comprises a 758 square metre, three level building.
It includes a 372 square metre showroom, 230 square metre, lower level warehouse/carpark and a first floor, 155 square metre, office with balcony and a second floor, 155 square metre, office with balcony.
The 460 square metre site, zoned Commercial 1, has nine metres of street frontage.
The property is leased to national tenant, The General Trader (Australia) Pty Ltd, trading as Minimax and returning $256,581 per annum plus GST on a five year term from August 2015 with a five year option and four per cent annual increases.
According to marketing agents, Teska Carson’s Michael Taylor the building was rebuilt during the 1980s.
Michael Taylor said the Woolworths anchored, Hawksburn Village location, boasted a number of national retailers and some of Melbourne’s finest eateries.
"Hawksburn Village is one of Melbourne‘s most coveted, well patronised, and best performing retail/commercial precincts."
The property will be auctioned on August 16 on site.
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Hawksburn Village "secure investment opportunity" 

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A former church located in Norman Park has been sold to a local developer for $1.4 million.
The property located at 68 Longfellow Street (pictured above) was purchased by Contracting Solutions QLD Pty Ltd, in a deal through Robert Dunne and Tim Packman of Savills.
The 1,215sq m inner Brisbane property attracted strong enquiry, with 91 parties expressing their interest during the marketing campaign.
Packman said the property attracted predominately property developers and childcare operators.
Restrictions prevented the property from being completely developed.
The property is zoned Low Medium Residential.
However Contracting Solutions are set to seek subdivision of the property into three lots to develop the property to its permitted potential.
“The solution for the buyer is to retain part of the church and conduct a high-end refurbishment as one lot, and sub-divide the remaining land into another two lots with the potential to build to three storeys,” Packman said.
The property is located 6.5km from the CBD.
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Vacant former Norman Park church has sold to a developer

Buyers considering a residence at boutique Gordon townhouse development <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/lume-gordon-43-47-dumaresq-street-gordon-nsw-2072">Lume</a>&nbsp;now have another reason to bring forward their decision.

For a limited time, purchasers of a residence at Lume will receive a BMW iX3 50 electric SUV, valued at more than $120,000, as part of their purchase. The offer is designed to add value for buyers while complementing the lifestyle envisioned for the architecturally designed Upper North Shore development.

Scott Timmins, Development Manager at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/winim">WINIM</a>, said the partnership was created to provide buyers with a compelling reason to act.

"In today's market, buyers need a compelling reason to act now, and the BMW partnership was designed to create that catalyst. We wanted to add genuine value for our future purchasers. Choosing the all-electric BMW iX3 50 also reflects the values behind LUME, forward-thinking design, innovation and a more sustainable way of living. It's a premium incentive that complements the lifestyle our buyers aspire to and rewards those who commit early."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7354 project_image_fid=374893]

Delivered by WINIM in partnership with Burtonwood Investment Partners, Lume comprises 14 architecturally designed two, three and four-bedroom townhomes created for families seeking the space of a freestanding house with the ease of modern, low-maintenance living.

The three-storey residences, designed by award-winning architecture practice <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a>, have been tailored for families and multi-generational living, featuring private internal lifts, flexible lower-level spaces, generous open-plan living and entertaining areas, media rooms, and landscaped outdoor spaces with custom outdoor kitchens.&nbsp;

Inside, engineered oak flooring, bespoke dining joinery with integrated wine fridges and backlit bars, sculptural porcelain bathrooms, Parisi freestanding baths and Astra Walker tapware create interiors that balance functionality with refined finishes.

Each townhome has been designed to combine generous internal spaces with sustainability initiatives such as EV charging infrastructure, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/arcadia-landscape-architecture">Arcadia</a>'s landscaped communal areas, centred around a restored creek line and native planting, encourage residents to connect with nature and spend more time outdoors.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7354 project_image_fid=269527]

Rothelowman's Gary Tsui said the architecture was conceived to respond carefully to its Upper North Shore setting.

"Our vision was to create elegant, uplifting homes that draw on and positively contribute to the local character through meticulously considered design and an interaction with the surroundings."

The communal landscape has been designed as more than an open space between homes. Arcadia's Ben Newell and Kate Phillips said the adjoining reserve provided an opportunity to create a distinctive natural retreat for residents.

"Just as waterways carve their way through Ku-ring-gai's landscape, a raised boardwalk weaves through the reserve, connecting the homes to this tranquil oasis."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7354 project_image_fid=374892]

Located just 300 metres from <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/gordon-nsw-2072">Gordon</a> Village and Gordon railway station, Lume offers convenient access to Sydney's CBD while placing residents close to some of the North Shore's leading schools, including Ravenswood, Pymble Ladies' College and Knox Grammar. Lane Cove National Park, Gordon Golf Club and a range of cafés and restaurants further reinforce the family-focused lifestyle on offer, with the BMW iX3 50 complementing everything from local trips around Gordon to weekend drives and city commutes.

Construction is underway with completion expected in mid-2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=7354]

Joel Robinson

Boutique Gordon townhomes now come with a BMW iX3 50

Two apartments have sold for more than $10 million at EADE Byron Bay, setting some of the highest apartment prices ever achieved in the coastal town and underlining the growing appetite for luxury beachfront apartments in Australia's most popular coastal locations.

The $210 million project by Vitale Property Group has now secured more than $70 million in sales, led by residences that changed hands for $12.75 million and $11.75 million.

The record-breaking transactions reinforce the shift occurring in Byron Bay's premium property market, where affluent downsizers and lifestyle buyers are increasingly opting for high-end apartments over large beachfront homes.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/eade-byron-bay-29-shirley-street-byron-bay-nsw-2481">EADE Byron Bay</a> occupies a rare 6,000 sqm absolute beachfront site on the corner of Shirley and Milton Streets overlooking Main Beach and The Wreck surf break, just 350 metres from Byron Bay's town centre.

The 25-residence development is the first beachfront apartment project approved in Byron Bay in more than a decade and is currently under construction, with completion expected in May 2027.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145590 project_image_fid=359521]

The project has attracted a mix of local Byron Shire residents downsizing from larger homes, alongside interstate buyers from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane seeking a permanent coastal lifestyle without compromising on space.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hayball">Hayball</a> and with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/alexander-co">Alexander &amp; Co</a>, EADE comprises&nbsp;10 garden apartments ranging from 284 sqm to 622 sqm, nine with private pools, five full-floor apartments and 10 rooftop residences with private plunge pools, expansive outdoor entertaining areas and uninterrupted ocean views.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145590 project_image_fid=359527]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/vitale-property-group">Vitale Property Group</a> Managing Partner Chris Vitale said the project's combination of scale, location and limited future supply was driving buyer demand.

"There isn't another beachfront holding in Byron Bay of this size and position that could be developed again," Vitale said.

"Buyers are responding to the scarcity and the irreplaceability of a site of this calibre and to floorplans they can't find elsewhere in the market.

"We are seeing buyers place significant value on quality, space, design, resort-style amenities and the rarity of the location. The sales achieved to date demonstrate that discerning purchasers recognise the long-term significance of what is being created at EADE Byron Bay.

"Many are coming from larger homes in the Byron region, or from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and are after the space, security and convenience, without the upkeep of a house."

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[smartcode_project:default project_id=145590 project_image_fid=359523]

The Byron Bay project follows Vitale Property Group's delivery of the Mondrian Hotel and Private Residences at Burleigh Heads, with EADE continuing the developer's focus on luxury coastal developments.

Residents will have access to a resort-style swimming pool, gymnasium, sauna, cold plunge pool, concierge services and dedicated workspaces, while the project is targeting an 8-Star Green Star rating.

EADE Byron Bay is being exclusively marketed by Projx Australia in conjunction with WHITEFOX Projects.

WHITEFOX National Projects Director Phillip Rand said demand had been driven predominantly by owner-occupiers.

"We are seeing buyers at EADE place significant value on quality, space, design, resort-style amenities and the rarity of this location," Rand says.

"The sales achieved to date demonstrate that purchasers at this level recognise the long-term significance of what is being created at EADE Byron Bay."

Residences at EADE Byron Bay are currently priced between $4.75 million and $15.95 million.

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[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145590]

Vitale breaks Byron Bay records with EADE sales flurry 

When buying an apartment, most people compare the big-ticket items first. Floorplans. Kitchens. Balcony size. Natural light. The view.

But there's one everyday consideration that often doesn't come up until after moving in: how parcels are delivered.

As online shopping has become part of everyday life, parcel deliveries have shifted from an occasional event to a regular occurrence. Australians spent a record $82.6 billion shopping online in 2025, with almost one in every four retail dollars now spent digitally.

For apartment residents, that can present a challenge.

If nobody is home to accept a delivery, parcels may be redirected to a nearby Post Office, left in a building lobby or common area, or require building management to step in. In higher-density buildings, where dozens or even hundreds of residents may receive deliveries each day, parcel management has become an increasingly important part of everyday living.

That can create a range of frustrations. A missed delivery often means making time to collect a parcel elsewhere, while packages left unattended in foyers or mail areas can create clutter and increase the risk of theft. What seems like a minor inconvenience can quickly become a recurring issue for residents who shop online regularly.

It's one of those details that rarely features in a display suite but can have a noticeable impact once residents move in.

As a result, buyers are beginning to look beyond traditional apartment features and consider how a building supports day-to-day convenience, including whether there are secure options for receiving deliveries.

Australia Post's Parcel Lockers provide one solution.

<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/CkF2oKmlACg?si=C50sDaoUUn2nuLmq" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Rather than having a parcel delivered directly to an apartment, eligible deliveries can be sent to a nominated Parcel Locker. Once the parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS and can collect it using a QR code or one-time PIN at a time that suits them.

The Parcel Locker network now includes more than 1,500 locations nationwide, with installations at Post Offices, shopping centres, transport hubs and an increasing number of residential developments. By providing a secure collection point, Parcel Lockers help reduce missed deliveries and avoid parcels being left unattended in common areas.

For developers, parcel infrastructure is becoming another way to improve the resident experience. Rather than relying on concierge staff or leaving parcels in communal spaces, secure collection points help streamline deliveries while preserving the presentation and functionality of shared areas.

For buyers, it's a reminder that the best apartment features aren't always the most obvious.

A generous floorplan or quality finishes might help narrow the shortlist, but the conveniences that simplify everyday life, whether that's EV charging, secure bike storage or reliable parcel delivery, often become the features residents appreciate most once they're living there.

The apartment feature many buyers don't think about, until their first missed delivery

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hg-developments">HG Developments</a> is doubling down on Maud Street in Newstead, filing plans for a new apartment tower just a few doors down from its under-construction Aire Newstead development.

Recently submitted to Brisbane City Council, the proposal is for an 18-storey building designed by bureau^proberts, which has drawn heavily on Brisbane's subtropical design principles while referencing the suburb's industrial heritage.

A total of 64 apartments are planned for the amalgamated 1,518 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/17-21-maud-street-newstead-qld-4006">17–21 Maud Street</a>, a short walk from the Brisbane River and Newstead Riverwalk.

<img alt="First look: HG Developments plans 18-storey subtropical apartment tower for Newstead" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a400c7fd-bd15-48f8-a63b-10ede92efe00" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Maud%20st%20bldg.png?VersionId=.0vPmjpbC7CNP7kqGWa6L7rGIwsNExaw" />

"The building is defined by a series of vaulted motifs that reinterpret the arches, colonnades and layered facades evident throughout Newstead's historic built fabric," the Urban Design Report states.

"Combined with recessed glazing and generous balconies, these elements create a layered building envelope that provides shade, weather protection and opportunities for natural ventilation whilst establishing a distinctive architectural identity."

The proposal comprises 64 two, three and four-bedroom apartments across 18 residential levels, positioning it alongside a growing number of taller residential projects transforming Newstead's northern precinct. The tower incorporates extensive subtropical landscaping, with cascading planter boxes, deep planting at street level and a landscaped rooftop recreation area.

<img alt="First look: HG Developments plans 18-storey subtropical apartment tower for Newstead" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1d8140f4-8b98-45cd-b1b8-1efe8c8e266b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Maud%20st%20podium.png?VersionId=VAZtbCoD44YCJ57N99fQCAKeSJx7ldZs" />

Bureau Proberts has prioritised passive environmental design throughout the project, with generous balconies, recessed glazing and operable façades helping reduce solar heat gain while maximising natural ventilation. River views become available from the upper levels, while the building has been orientated to capture prevailing breezes from both the Brisbane River and the west.

The architects say landscape is intended to be integral to the building rather than an applied element.

"Vertical greenery, cascading planter boxes and elevated gardens are woven throughout the architecture, softening the built form and strengthening the connection between residents and the subtropical environment."

"Through the integration of landscape, high-quality materials and passive design principles, the development delivers a refined residential address that celebrates Newstead's heritage character while contributing positively to Brisbane's evolving subtropical identity."

Newstead has remained one of Brisbane's most active apartment markets in recent years, with a number of developers continuing to back the inner-city suburb.

HG Developments is currently delivering the 40-apartment Aire Newstead at 25 Maud Street. Fortis recently launched the 65-apartment <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/crest-walker-newstead-12-kyabra-street-newstead-qld-4006">Crest &amp; Walker</a> on Kyabra Street, while builder-developer BPG and Don O'Rorke's Consolidated Properties are both expected to launch their respective Newstead projects before the end of the year.

HG Developments doubles down in Newstead with second Maud Street apartment development

Walk past a new apartment development promoting its sustainability credentials and it's easy to picture rooftop gardens, mature trees, landscaped courtyards and residents surrounded by nature.

But in many cases, that's not actually what those sustainability ratings guarantee.

Australia's leading environmental rating tools have played a significant role in improving the energy efficiency and environmental performance of buildings. Yet despite their focus on reducing emissions, many don't require developers to include trees, biodiversity or meaningful green space.

In other words, a building can achieve one of the country's highest sustainability ratings while containing little more than concrete, glass and hard landscaping.

That disconnect has led to the emergence of a new movement across Australia's property industry: nature-based cities.

The concept goes beyond designing buildings that consume less energy. Instead, it encourages developers to treat nature as essential infrastructure, integrating biodiversity, tree canopy, living landscapes and green spaces into projects from the earliest stages of planning.

Research has consistently linked access to nature with better physical and mental health, cooler neighbourhoods, improved biodiversity, stronger climate resilience and more connected communities. As Australia's cities continue to become denser, advocates say those outcomes should be considered just as important as energy efficiency.

Nature Based Cities (NBC) was established in 2022 to help accelerate that shift.

Founded by Hamton Executive Chairman Paul Hameister OAM, the not-for-profit was created after research highlighted a significant gap in Australia's sustainability framework. While existing environmental rating tools rewarded energy performance and emissions reductions, they placed little emphasis on the inclusion of 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."

Since its launch, NBC has developed independent design guidelines and accreditation frameworks that encourage developers to prioritise ecology, biodiversity, tree canopy, walkability and living landscapes alongside traditional sustainability measures. The organisation first focused on medium and high-density residential developments before recently expanding into precinct-scale communities and masterplanned neighbourhoods.

Jan Talacko, founder of sustainability consultancy Ark Resources and a member of the Nature Based Cities Advisory Council, says the initiative addresses an area that has largely been overlooked by the property industry.

"Throughout my 25 years of working collaboratively with all stakeholders in the property sector, I've always favoured a pragmatic approach to sustainable design which encourages initiatives that not only meet environmental expectations but also improve amenity," Talacko says.

"Whilst we are making steady progress in relation to energy and carbon emissions from buildings, there has been much less emphasis on encouraging biodiversity and tackling the urban heat island effect.

"The Nature Based Cities initiative responds to a gap in the suite of tools currently used by the property development sector, which don't provide sufficient incentive, or recognition, for the integration of landscaping and greenery."

For apartment buyers, the shift is also changing the questions worth asking.

Rather than assuming a sustainable building will naturally include abundant green space, buyers are increasingly being encouraged to look beyond environmental ratings and ask what nature is actually being delivered. How much tree canopy will the development create? Has biodiversity been considered? Are landscaped spaces designed for people as well as appearance?

As Australia's cities continue to grow upwards and outwards, the next generation of sustainability may not simply be measured by lower emissions, but by how successfully developments bring nature back into everyday urban life.

Staff reporter

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