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A commercial property in Manning, Western Australia that comes with over 200sqm building size has been scheduled to go under the hammer. 
The property at <a href="https://ecomms.raywhite.com/collect/click.aspx?u=SGo3TkFVMGk3Y2ZPOE85WGl6VW40UFZKb3JqbERncnpQdE1ITFlNc0psMzR0U0oyODh3RHdrVEt5MmIrNzVLVnV2N1JmL2w2R1hlMG43cWNaMkJpL3lnMGN3bFoxdzYzdXIvL1VuLzd4Vm05STNhdjF6UW05THBPRXE1ZGR1dlFodHd4L01ZVmZ3T3NTL05ONFYzWlk3QnlEWjNkQU8rSm9LbEhaTTFmL3NrPQ==&amp;rh=ff00670e578ae0210b51f040c94898ac06b09383" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable">19 Welwyn Avenue</a> is leased to Woolworths (operating as BWS) on a five-year lease with five options of five years each.
It is being marketed and sold at auction by Ray White Commercial (WA) Property Advisor Brett Wilkins.
“This is the perfect opportunity for investors seeking the security of a Woolworths lease to buy into a pretty neighbourhood strip centre,” Mr Wilkins 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/2020/8/14/2500DJI_0724%20Custom.jpg" alt="">   “In an established suburb within the municipality of the City of South Perth, Welwyn Avenue has attracted multiple high-profile tenants including Woolworths Group Limited, Australia Post and IGA.
“Manning is in an enviable position close to Curtin university and is just 7km from the CBD - while still being removed to enjoy the benefits of suburban life.
“Manning is seriously under-supplied with retail and the asset is on Welwyn Avenue, a major road connecting to Manning Road, giving easy access from north, south and west."    The property is owned by a commercial real estate agent who chose Ray White Commercial (WA) to sell. 
The auction will take place on August 26. 
 
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Manning's BWS freehold heads to auction

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The Perth median house price fell slightly in the June 2020 quarter, according to the latest Herron Todd White (HTW) residential report. 
The valuation firm presented an 'investor playbook' of real estate performance within each service area this month. 
The Western Australian government has maintained that strong border restrictions will continue as long as required, amid news that phase five of the state’s easing of COVID-19 restrictions has been delayed until 1 August. 
The state’s Police Commissioner has also suggested stopping all planes from Victoria from entering the state in order to reduce the risk of new cases. 
On 19 July, the Western Derby was due to host a sell-out crowd of 60,000 at Optus Stadium, however as phase 5 was postponed, there was a limit of 30,000 in attendance as a precaution.
 As of 13 July, the state had 22 active cases, all of which were in hotel quarantine. Western Australia also had 604 people out of the total 635 confirmed cases fully recover from the virus.
The Real Estate Institute of Western Australia (REIWA) confirmed that June recorded the highest amount of sales recorded in a month in Perth since 2015, with transactions increasing 55.1 per cent compared to May and also 45 per cent higher compared to June 2019. 
This was supported mainly by the 289 per cent increase in land sales for the month with 1471 sales recorded, as competition for land increased in line with government incentives. 
Over the first week of July, sales activity within Perth increased by 35 per cent from the previous week, with a reported 1318 transactions recorded during that period. These figures are vastly different to figures recorded at the end of March, which recorded just 426 transactions, the report noted. 
The Perth median house price fell slightly in the June 2020 quarter to $475,000, compared to the $479,000 price recorded over the March quarter.
The Perth median house price for the June 2019 quarter was $489,000. There were 10,407 properties listed for sale at the end of the first week of July, which was a 17 per cent decrease from listed stock at the end of March and a 29 per cent fall in listed stock from the same period last year.
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REIWA reported that there were currently 3963 properties available for rent at the end of the first week of July, which was a 27 per cent decrease from the end of March and 47 per cent decline from the same period in July last year. 
"Perth’s median rental price for June was listed at $350 per week which was a seven per cent decrease from the March 2020 quarter and a three per cent fall from the same time last year, which indicates that rents within the state have remained stable throughout the COVID-19 pandemic with declining vacancy rates and the ban on increasing rents for established properties still being active," the valuation firm said. 
The vacancy rate in Greater Perth has fallen to a mere 2.2 per cent with REIWA President Damian Collins expecting further decreases due to plummeting rental listings. 
The vacancy rate has been in steady decline since early in 2017 when it peaked at just above seven per cent. Western Australia hasn’t seen vacancy rates sub-two per cent since the end of the mining boom in 2012 and 2013, the report noted. 
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"In general, residential investment around Perth has been minimal over the past year, with specific property types and locations seeing small bursts of activity, however this doesn’t mean that investment isn’t viable," the valuation firm said. 
In fact, there are plenty of opportunities for a variety of reasons. An example of this is older units in sought after locations. 
Suburbs such as Maylands and Wembley can offer good yields for the entry-level investor.
Maylands is situated four kilometres north-east of the Perth CBD. REIWA reports the unit median at $290,000 for the March 2020 quarter, falling eight per cent since the year previous. 
The capital growth prospects aren’t great for most 1960’s to 1980’s apartments and flats, however for entry- level product in the low $100,000s, yields can be impressive.
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A 44 square metre, 1970’s unit on Caledonian Avenue is situated close to shops and Maylands train station, with great access to Guilford Road. 
It sold in December 2019 for $110,000 after 10 days on the market. 
The property comprises one bedroom, one bathroom and is situated on the top floor of a 52 unit walk-up complex.
 It was recently listed for rent at $200 per week, showing a notional gross yield of 9.5 per cent.
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For comparison, a 2020 built unit with 48 square metres of living area comprises one bedroom and one bathroom situated on the first floor of a 123 unit complex.
 It sold in February 2020 for $320,000 and has recently been listed for rent at $340 per week, showing a notional yield of 5.5 per cent.
 
Prospects for capital growth in this newly built unit are unfortunately similar to the 1970’s unit on Caledonian Avenue as chronic oversupply of both new and old apartments hinders opportunity for capital gains, however both units have appeal – one for gross return and the other for depreciation benefits.
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A circa 1977 built unit at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-apartment-wa-wembley-131045714" target="_blank">18G/47 Herdman Parade, Wembley</a> (pictured below) sold for $180,000 in May 2019.
it comprises two bedrooms, one bathroom and one car space with 50 square metres of living area. 
It was listed for rent in June 2020 for $250 showing a notional yield of 7.2 per cent.
<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/2020/8/10/wembley.jpg" alt="">
"Switching to a different type of profile, wealthy upgrade buyers have been spotting potential in good locations close to the CBD," the valuation firm said.  
Suburbs such as Cottesloe and South Perth present opportunity for prudent home-searchers who have the equity to hold two mortgages temporarily. 
They choose their preferred location, wait for the right property to come to market, make the purchase and then rent it out until the ideal time to renovate or redevelop.
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A property was purchased back in late 2016 for $3.6 million.
The circa 1962 dwelling comprises four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a double garage on a 911 square metre allotment. 
The property is well located and captures views of South Cottesloe Beach and the Indian Ocean, the report noted. 
The purchasers rented it out almost immediately and with its R20 zoning, the property has subdivision potential for two lots or would be a prime candidate for a high-spec new development.
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A Griver Street property sold in April 2016 for $1.9 million after a 24 day marketing campaign. 
The circa 1960 dwelling comprises three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a double carport on a 969 square metre allotment.
 The property has been subject to a lease since purchase at $600 per week and could benefit from a little TLC, so a renovation could bring it back to its former glory, however it’s ripe for redevelopment with a luxury residence.
"On the outskirts of Perth, investment activity has been reasonably subdued," the valuation firm said. 
The Coronavirus pandemic has unsettled many potential investors and consumer sentiment has fallen off a cliff, decreasing from 93.7 points to 87.9 points in the Westpac-Melbourne Institute Index of Consumer Sentiment between June and July.
"This being said, the difference from state to state could be fairly dramatic and with Western Australia’s current climate of affordability, it is still an attractive time to buy if you can find the right property at the right price," the valuation firm said. 
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Yields in oversupplied areas such as Baldivis, Ellenbrook and Byford are reasonable, but not amazing, the report noted. 
 The Greater Perth average yield for the March 2020 quarter was 4.1 per cent for houses, and 4.7 per cent for units. 
A property at Songlark Court, Baldivis sold for $425,000 in 2016 and was recently listed for rent at $370 per week showing a notional yield of 4.5 per cent, however values in Baldivis have fallen an average of 16 per cent since the last sale and with oversupply still prevalent and building incentives rampant, there isn’t much opportunity for capital gains.
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A property at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-wa-byford-131403514" target="_blank">10 Bunya Green, Byford</a> (pictured below)  sold for $365,000 in February 2020.
<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/2020/8/10/byford.jpg" alt="">
 
The circa 2004 dwelling comprises four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a double garage with 155 square metres of living area on a 450 square metre allotment.
 It was advertised for rent in June at $350 per week showing a notional yield of five per cent.
Where returns do start to improve is in regional Western Australia, the report suggested. 
Areas such as Kalgoorlie- Boulder, Port Hedland and Karratha can see yields anywhere between five and 15 per cent and beyond.
"Our valuers are reporting that the Kalgoorlie market has been strong throughout 2020. Stock levels are the lowest they have been in a long time and there is plenty of demand. 
"This hasn’t yet resulted in price increases or any influx of investors, however vacancy rates are on par with or even lower than in Perth and this rental demand could be enticing to bring investors back to the market," the valuation firm said. 
 The majority of sales that our valuers are seeing have been well-presented, green-title dwellings for owner-occupiers.
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A duplex unit at Morley Way, South Kalgoorlie sold for $200,000 in September 2018 after a very lengthy marketing campaign. 
The property was originally advertised in September 2014 for $289,000. 
The price was reduced multiple times however the campaign was abandoned in January 2017 after 859 days on market.
 It was then relisted in July 2017 and took another 435 days to finally sell. 
The property comprises three bedrooms, one bathroom and single carport with 77 square metres of living area. 
The unit was listed for rent in June 2020 for $320 per week, showing a notional yield of 8.3 per cent.
"Moving up to the Pilbarra, Karratha has been experiencing seemingly exponential growth over the past two years," the valuation firm said. 
Owner-occupiers and investors have stuck their hands in the honeypot and most have come off with strong returns. 
The median house price in Karratha increased five per cent over the March 2020 quarter to $420,000, increasing 23.5 per cent since 2019. 
The unit median has skyrocketed by 46.2 per cent over the past year, settling at $193,750 for the March quarter. 
The median dwelling rent decreased slightly over the March quarter to $550, however it has grown by 29.4 per cent year-on-year.
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A circa 2014-built unit was sold in 2019 for $192,000 after a single day on the market. 
The Pegs Creek property comprises two bedrooms, one bathroom and a single undercover car space with 51 square metres of living area.
 It has been listed for rent at $480 per week for a notional yield of 13 per cent.
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A green-title Baynton property was sold for $365,000 in 2018 after 110 days on the market. 
The circa 2005 dwelling comprises four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a double garage on a 642 square metre allotment. 
The property was listed for rent at $1000 per week showing a notional yield of 14.3 per cent – quite the return!
South Hedland has been showing consistent returns of between 10 and 15 per cent in 2020. 
A Sturt Place property sold for $190,000 in May 2020. 
The circa 1975 dwelling comprises four bedrooms, one bathroom and a double carport on a 519 square metre allotment.
 It was listed for rent in July for $500 per week showing a notional yield of 13.7 per cent.
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Another property sold for $370,000 in April 2020 after two days on the market. 
The circa 1997 dwelling comprises four bedrooms, two bathrooms with a double carport on a 701 square metre allotment. 
The property also has a pool and a shed which has been converted to a one bedroom, one-bathroom granny flat. 
It has recently been advertised for rent at $800 per week showing a notional yield of 11.2 per cent.
"Travelling to the southern side of Western Australia, the South-West region has been inundated with short-stay accommodation demand as border restrictions have prevented any interstate or overseas travel," the valuation firm said. 
This has been bolstered by the recent school holidays as flocks of residents from Perth and wider parts of the state head south for a holiday. 
This has played into the investor market as there has been a lot of building activity within the Margaret River region from principal homeowners constructing a studio or ancillary accommodation to rent on an AirBnB basis.
 Homeowners have been investing in their principal residence and the renovation stimulus is helping that.
"Overall though, there hasn’t been an overabundance of investors in the South-West recently. The tightening of credit surrounding investors did slow down that segment of the market in the lead up to COVID-19 and there has been no real change in the purchaser profile since the pandemic hit.
"There doesn’t seem to be a fear of the second wave at the moment as market activity remains strong amongst owner-occupiers. Hopefully our Coronavirus statistics remain low, as we have seen it can all change in a matter of days." 
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Perth rental market remains stable: HTW residential 

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Tian An LFD has launched its $320 million Auburn Square mixed-use project set in the geographical heart of Sydney, with the majority of enquiries to date stemming from first home buyers keen to secure 2020 prices and capitalise on a 0.25 per cent cash rate.
Positioned in Auburn, enquiries to date have predominantly come from young families looking to firm up their security and swap the rental market for a new home in a family friendly suburb and setting.
“What we’ve seen, is a number of buyers want the security of their own home in an established suburb that ticks all the right boxes in terms of value, quality fixtures and lifestyle, while also falling within the quality school capture zones they desire,” Mr Stewart said.
With market sentiment still reflecting uncertainty due to Covid-19, many renters are looking at these conditions as an opportunity to purchase within new developments in key growth areas which offer lifestyle, quality schools and future employment options, with home buyer grants further buoying their decisions.
Construction will soon commence on the three stage, 427 apartment development situated in the well- established and culturally-rich suburb of Auburn, which is surrounded by eight outstanding parklands and offers residents access to a number of desirable schools such as the first high rise school in NSW, the Arthur Phillip High School.
“Auburn Square will also comprise 4000 sqm of ground floor retail space, with convenient offerings set to include a medical centre and a major supermarket for ultra-convenience,” Mr Stewart said.
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Located just 250m from the train station, minutes from Auburns’ famed Eat Street and with 2000 sqm of green space and a communal podium garden on its rooftop, Auburn Square represents the height of convenience.”
The suburb will soon also be home to a new $250 million logistics park by Mirvac, which brings with it a host of new employment opportunities. Auburn’s employment hub credentials are further strengthened by its proximity to Parramatta.
Stage one will include 148 apartments in one, two and three bedroom configurations spanning 10 levels, with prices starting at $455,000 after up to $69,000 of government grants are applied.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to capitalise on the government’s new home buyer grants that are allowing many to enter the housing market for the first time,” Mr Stewart said.
Home buyers are currently only required to raise a 5 per cent deposit to secure a new property, with the Federal Government matching this with another 5 per cent and new home buyer grants delivering a further $25,000 to purchasers.
Designed by Rothelowman, each apartment had been designed for ultimate day-to-day livability and to enhance natural light, with most apartments in the first stage to be north and east facing. Each apartment has been appointed high-end finishes, contemporary design elements and premium SMEG and Westinghouse appliances. All apartments will include car spaces.
Auburn offers great transport accessibility, bountiful shopping and dining, as well as myriad lifestyle and recreation options at your fingertips, from exploring the many parklands that surround it - such as Auburn Botanic Gardens and Fauna Reserve - to strolls along the river.
Walking distance to Auburn Central Shopping Centre also offers a cinema complex and vast shopping options, as well as dining precincts that span the culinary globe.
Auburn Square’ sales suit is located at 6-8 Auburn Road and will open from 12pm 18 July 2020 with all Covid-19 safety measures in place, including an infra-red temperature reader and distancing guidelines.
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Auburn Square launched by Tian An LFD 

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Melbourne laneways are famous for its cobbled bluestone laneways. 
If we think of the bluestone in Melbourne, we may first think of the famous cobbled laneways intersecting the urban grid.
Initially, these laneways were used for the collection of night soil – human excrement collected at night from buckets or privies – and they are still useful routes for collecting rubbish and recycling bins. But laneways are increasingly being reclaimed as lively strips for cafes, bars, restaurants and galleries in the city, or re-made as <a href="https://www.ausleisure.com.au/news/city-of-melbourne-unveils-first-green-laneway/" target="_blank">gardens</a> in the suburbs.
Laneways are an important part of Melbourne’s heritage infrastructure, protected by legislation and design guides. And they are often defended by enthusiasts whenever a local council threatens to remove the bluestones or pave them over with asphalt.
The other thing we might think of when it comes to bluestone in Melbourne are landmark buildings such as Pentridge Prison (still known affectionately as the “bluestone college”) and the Old Melbourne Gaol in Russell St.
Then there is the more elegant gothic style of St Patrick’s Cathedral, or the brutal modernism of the National Gallery of Victoria. Several blocks further down St Kilda Road are the grand Victoria Barracks, festooned with gorgeous crimson Boston Ivy in autumn.
Deep bluestone foundations also underpin some of the city’s most famous sandstone buildings: the Victorian Parliament, the Treasury, the Town Hall and the Supreme Court.
These dark grey stones that line and frame its streets and buildings are an important feature of Melbourne’s urban identity. Here’s how it began.
From furious beginnings
The formations of bluestone are paradoxically both fast and slow, and begin with explosions of fire and rock.
In successive periods of <a href="https://museumsvictoria.com.au/website/melbournemuseum/discoverycentre/600-million-years/timeline/quaternary/western-district-volcanoes/index" target="_blank">volcanic activity</a> to the north and south-west of Melbourne (some from 4.5 million years ago, some as recent as 10,000 years ago), rocks and boulders were thrown up as flaming projectiles or poured out of volcanoes as molten lava.
From these furious beginnings, basalt settles into the heavy dark stones we now associate with stability and endurance.
But the consistency of bluestone varies widely, depending on how it was formed. When it cools slowly, it’s hard and smooth, with barely a flaw, or at most a delicate thread of tiny bubbles. This is the highest grade stone, used for smooth surfaces such as hearthstones and front-facing walls.
But if a flying boulder lands in water, it cools more rapidly, so pockets of gas produce bubbles, even sometimes a honey-comb effect.
The quality, colour and consistency of bluestone used in Melbourne also varies according to the quarries from which it’s sourced; or whether it comes from Australia or overseas.
Uses in Indigenous culture
Geological time is almost beyond our reckoning, though Indigenous culture and history helps us read these formations on a human scale. A stone axe-head, found deep beneath layers of volcanic ash at <a href="http://www.worngundidj.org.au/?q=tower-hill/about-reserve">Tower Hill</a>, suggests Indigenous people would have witnessed some of the volcanic activity on this site.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/281499/original/file-20190627-76705-1etkjff.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/281499/original/file-20190627-76705-1etkjff.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
A sketch from 1837 showing The Falls, a stretch of bluestone crossing the Yarra that acted as a natural bridge. (Source: State Library of Victoria)<a class="source" href="http://digital.slv.vic.gov.au/view/action/nmets.do?DOCCHOICE=295764.xml&amp;dvs=1561599813270~465&amp;locale=en_US&amp;search_terms=&amp;adjacency=&amp;VIEWER_URL=/view/action/nmets.do?&amp;DELIVERY_RULE_ID=4&amp;divType=&amp;usePid1=true&amp;usePid2=true"> </a>
Important traces of Indigenous knowledge and use of bluestone have also been discovered throughout Melbourne and elsewhere in Victoria.
For instance, bluestone was used for an eel trap system carbon-dated to 6,600 years old, developed near Lake Condah in the sacred <a href="https://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/places/national/budj-bim" target="_blank">Budj Bim</a> landscape.
There’s also the natural basalt-bluestone ledge across the Yarra river — known as “<a href="https://overland.org.au/2012/07/melbourne-from-the-falls/" target="_blank">The Falls</a>” — which separated fresh and salt water. It was used as a meeting place for different tribal groups, but was removed in the 1880s.
And there are basalt stones arranged as astronomical markers at <a href="https://www3.astronomicalheritage.net/index.php/show-entity?identity=15&amp;idsubentity=1" target="_blank">Wurdi Youang</a>, near Lara.
Settler buildings
Bluestone was the obvious choice <a href="https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/SiteCollectionDocuments/operating-procedure-bluestone.pdf" target="_blank">for construction</a> when Melbourne was a booming gold-rush city in the 1850s. It was cheap and plentiful, and there was convict labor to cut and haul its heavy weight.
But as early as the 1880s, bluestone had become unfashionable, perceived as too dark, somber and forbidding.
Bluestone has a somber, dark appearance – an appropriate material for the Old Melbourne Gaol.
Bluestone buildings were increasingly lightened with sandstone or white stucco edges and borders, while granite and sandstone became the stones of choice for grand public buildings.
Now, bluestone is prized again for its heritage value. But “heritage” is always a movable category, susceptible to changes in both fashion and feeling about the past.
There is something compelling about the way stone helps us think about time, history and change. As Jeffrey Jerome Cohen <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5749/j.ctt155jmth" target="_blank">observes</a>:
<blockquote>
to lay hand upon stone is to press against time in material form.
</blockquote>
Bluestone is prized today for its markers of history
In my own work <a href="https://minerva-access.unimelb.edu.au/bitstream/handle/11343/129561/Bluestone.pdf?sequence=1&amp;isAllowed=y" target="_blank">researching bluestone</a>, I’m collecting more recent personal narratives about this stone.
Many Melburnians have powerful stories about the way its characteristic square “pitchers” and long rectangular building blocks are bought and sold, collected and dispersed, recycled or moved from one site to another, from public buildings to suburban gardens and makeshift walls. It’s as if the citizens were playing a mysterious, long-range collective game of Lego.
 
Some of the most prized stones are those that seem to bear the ancient marks of wheels, or of convict labor, whether in the form of initials and arrows chiselled into the stone, or the more mundane markers of manual work.
Gardeners, builders and diggers of cellars struggle with the large “floaters” under old houses and in the gardens in the north and western suburbs, straining to lever them from the black sticky clay of the <a href="http://vro.agriculture.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/vrosite.nsf/pages/soil_vic_contenders_black_vertosol">Merri Creek soil</a>, famously used as the basis of the MCG cricket pitch.
Melbourne’s bluestone history is not just geological and cultural: it is also an emotional one, as we constantly redefine our relationship with this distinctive stone.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/118755/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/stephanie-trigg-142520" target="_blank">Stephanie Trigg</a>, Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor of English Literature, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-melbourne-722" target="_blank">University of Melbourne</a>
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/from-molten-lava-to-cobbled-laneways-how-bluestone-shaped-melbournes-identity-118755" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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From molten lava to cobbled laneways, how bluestone shaped Melbourne: Stephanie Trigg

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A development application has been lodged for a new commercial tower in Brisbane.
Cbus Property and Nielson Properties, together with Brisbane’s Raniga family, put forward the plans.
The $600 million development will be known as 205 North Quay.
Designed by architecture firms Hassell, New York-based REX and Brisbane’s Richards &amp; Spence, building will include a 25-metre lap pool, childcare facilities, a public realm auditorium, outdoor terraces on every level, and rooftop collaboration and celebration facilities.
<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/2020/7/15/205%20North%20Quay%203.jpg" alt="">
Cbus Property’s Chief Executive Officer, Adrian Pozzo, said the company was pleased to be able to formally submit the development plans, which would optimise the site’s potential and be a catalyst for activating the North Quarter of Brisbane’s CBD, bounding the city’s government precinct with Cbus Property’s prominent 1 William Street commercial tower.
“We are excited to seek planning approval from Brisbane City Council for 205 North Quay, a unique and healthy workplace that will evolve with its users into the future and create a new front door to the city, setting a design standard for others to follow in the exciting burgeoning precinct,” he said.
“The project team has been tasked with creating an office tower that. contributes to Brisbane’s identity as Australia’s New World City, helping to attract investment and tourism, embrace the Queensland lifestyle and ultimately drive the city’s economic growth. As part of this, 205 North Quay’s cutting-edge design also exceeds the council’s ‘Buildings that Breathe’ guidelines.”
<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/2020/7/15/205%20North%20Quay%202.jpg" alt="">
205 North Quay is reportedly targeting a 6 Green Star rating and 5.5 Star NABERS Energy rating.
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DA lodged for Brisbane tower 205 North Quay

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The Hunter Valley (excluding Newcastle) has witnessed a 7.7% increase in its annual dwelling sales over the 12 months to April, according to the latest CoreLogic Regional Market Update. 
The property data firm suggests Hunter Valley has recorded 6,108 dwelling sales over the year, with a 8.9% increase in its house sales. 
The unit sales has declined by 1.2% over the same period. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2020/5/28/hunter%201.jpg" target="_blank">Click here</a> to enlarge: 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2020/5/28/hunter%201.jpg" alt="">
Source: CoreLogic 
The property data firm says the region's unit values have declined by 1.8% over the year. 
Its current median unit value sits at $330,262.  
Its median house value has increased by 2.1% over the same period to $444,639. 
A Corlette unit situated opposite the beach was sold for $345,000 in February. 
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-unit-nsw-corlette-132819014" target="_blank">2/161 Bagnall Beach Road </a>home (pictured below) comprises three bedrooms, two bathrooms and double garage. 
The ground floor unit is situated within a complex with a swimming pool. 
<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/2020/5/28/corlette.jpg" alt="">
A three bedroom house in Metford has recently been sold for $450,000.
The family home at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-metford-132966110" target="_blank">24 Foveaux Crescent</a> (pictured below) features modern living area, family dining room, well-equipped kitchen and alfresco deck. 
The property was last sold in 2014 for $350,000.
<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/2020/5/28/metford.jpg" alt="">
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2020/5/28/hunter%202.jpg" target="_blank">Click here</a> to enlarge: 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2020/5/28/hunter%202.jpg" alt="">\
Source: CoreLogic 
The vendor discounting sits at -4.5% for houses and -4.4% for units.
At the same time last year, vendor discounting was -4.3% for houses and -3.7% for units. 
The average days on market for both house and units have noticeably increased in the past 12 months. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2020/5/28/hunter%20valley.jpg" target="_blank">Click here </a>to enlarge: 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2020/5/28/hunter%20valley.jpg" alt="">
Source: CoreLogic 
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Hunter Valley sees increasing annual dwelling sales: CoreLogic 

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Research released by Knight Frank confirms that despite lockdowns in response to COVID-19 around the world, 153 residential real estate transactions above US$10m (AU$14.3m) have taken place globally between March and June 2020, with a total value of US$3.2bn (AU$4.6bn). 
However, despite positivity that the global super-prime market didn’t buckle during lockdown, transaction levels to the end of H1 2020 are below the levels seen in H1 2019, with 281 super-prime (US$10m+ / AU$14.3m+) transactions taking place January to June 2020 compared to 594 over the same period 2019. 
The research looks at how 12 key super-prime markets around the world performed in H1 2020 compared to H1 2019 and delves into the number of transactions completed since March 2020 when COVID-19 was officially labelled a pandemic, lockdowns were enforced around the world and international travel ceased.  
Total Transaction Volumes 
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="118">
Market
</td>
<td valign="top" width="118">
H1 2019
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
H1 2020
</td>
<td valign="top" width="132">
March – June 2019
</td>
<td valign="top" width="151">
March – June 2020
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="118">
Hong Kong
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="118">
155
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="113">
60
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="132">
111
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="151">
41
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="118">
Los Angeles
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="118">
77
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="113">
52
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="132">
58
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="151">
35
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="118">
New York
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="118">
137
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="113">
41
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="132">
100
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="151">
19
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="118">
London
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="118">
75
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="113">
24
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="132">
56
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="151">
16
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="118">
Palm Beach and Broward
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="118">
29
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="113">
24
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="132">
24
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="151">
10
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="118">
Singapore
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="118">
29
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="113">
27
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="132">
24
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="151">
8
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="118">
Sydney
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="118">
13
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="113">
15
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="132">
12
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="151">
6
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="118">
Dubai
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="118">
17
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="113">
8
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="132">
13
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="151">
6
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="118">
Miami
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="118">
25
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="113">
12
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="132">
16
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="151">
4
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="118">
Orange County
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="118">
24
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="113">
9
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="132">
21
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="151">
4
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="118">
Geneva
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="118">
10
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="113">
8
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="132">
9
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="151">
3
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="118">
Melbourne
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="118">
3
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="113">
1
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="132">
2
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="151">
1
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
Knight Frank’s Erin van Tuil, Partner, Crown Residences at One Barangaroo, said: “In half one of 2020 transactions were down in 11 of the 12 markets analysed. Sydney was the stand out market and the only one to record an increase in sales compared to half one 2019, from 13 to 15 transactions respectively.
“Looking at the period between March and June 2020, there were six sales in Sydney compared to 12 in the same period last year. However, Sydney’s super-prime market is set for a successful year thanks to its fundamentals as a city, poising it for resilience, strength and stability.”
Leading on the sales of Crown Residences at One Barangaroo, a development which will consist of 82 super-prime and ultra-prime homes, van Tuil experiences first-hand the positive performance of Sydney’s prime market, despite the effects of the pandemic. From her commentary on viewer testimonials, it is clear to see why appetite for high end homes remains.
van Tuil said: “We are receiving a record number of enquiries for Crown Residences at One Barangaroo, Australia’s first fully-integrated hotel branded residences. While we had a quieter April, we received the highest number of enquiries to date in February and June 2020, and sales are performing phenomenally well.  
“After a period of dislocation, the flight to quality property from active participants in the market has increased dramatically. Buyers are looking for a more intimate connection to their homes with space, ceiling height, privacy, services, and the beauty of a building being front of mind. These feelings are evident in viewers of Crown Residences at One Barangaroo, who are attracted by the private sanctuary of the Residences amidst the proximity to public space, with the services and amenities from the hotel below having become more appealing than ever.”
Overall, four markets were within seven of their March to June 2019 levels of transactions, Melbourne only one below, Geneva six below and Dubai seven below, with a total of six sales. 
Total Sales Volume 
Despite the falling number of transactions, deal values were generally higher. Overall, the global average transaction value increased by 15 percent for the March to June period, at US$20.7m (AU$29.6m) compared to US$18m (AU$25.8m) for the same period in 2019.
Sydney recorded a significant rise in average transaction value to US$16.8m (AU$24m), up from US$12.6m (AU$18m) in 2019, an increase of 33 percent. London saw the largest increase and takes the top spot with an average transaction value of US$38m (AU$54.5m), compared to US$16.9m (AU$24.2m) over the same period as last year.  
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="218">
Market
</td>
<td valign="top" width="218">
Total Sales Volume March - June 2019 (US$ million)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="218">
Total Sales Volume March - June 2020 (US$ million)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="218">
Hong Kong
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="218">
2,351 
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="218">
812 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="218">
Los Angeles
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="218">
1,098 
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="218">
693 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="218">
New York
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="218">
1,793 
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="218">
363 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="218">
London
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="218">
944 
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="218">
608 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="218">
Palm Beach and Broward
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="218">
333 
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="218">
170 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="218">
Singapore
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="218">
454 
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="218">
130 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="218">
Sydney
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="218">
152 
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="218">
101 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="218">
Dubai
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="218">
173 
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="218">
80 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="218">
Miami
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="218">
255 
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="218">
52 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="218">
Orange County
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="218">
309 
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="218">
59 
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
However, Hong Kong ranks highest for the number of transactions and total sales volume with 60 having taken place in 2020 so far worth a combined US$1.2bn (AU$1.7bn). There have been 41 since March and, whilst this is less than half of the 155 in the first half of 2019, it is only marginally down from the 74 in the second half of 2019 when the city grappled with social unrest. 
New York has the third highest number of super-prime sales this year with 41, behind 52 in Los Angeles, and almost half of these (19) have taken place since March. With the city being particularly hard hit by COVID-19, accounting for approximately one in six of all US cases in April, this demonstrates resilience and that the fundamentals remain.
Ultra-Prime Market (US$25m / AU$35.8m)
The research also takes a look at the ultra-prime market (above US$25m / AU$35.8m) in these 12 areas. It highlights that eight of these markets saw one or more transactions in the ultra-prime market over the March to June 2020 period. Two saw more sales than the same period last year and two held steady, with a total of US$1.3bn (AU$1.8m) transacted.  
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="218">
Market
</td>
<td valign="top" width="218">
Total Transactions March - June 2019
</td>
<td valign="top" width="226">
Total Transactions March - June 2020
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="218">
Hong Kong
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="218">
20
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="226">
8
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="218">
London
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="218">
6
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="226">
6
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="218">
Los Angeles
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="218">
12
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="226">
5
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="218">
New York
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="218">
16
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="226">
3
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="218">
Palm Beach and Broward
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="218">
1
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="226">
2
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="218">
Geneva
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="218">
2
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="226">
2
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="218">
Sydney
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="218">
0
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="226">
1
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="218">
Singapore
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="218">
3
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="226">
1
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
Sydney went from zero sales above US$25m (AU$35.8m) in March to June 2019 to one over the same period in 2020. Hong Kong has once again seen the highest number of ultra-prime sales in this time period with eight and a total of 10 so far in 2020, down from 30 in the first half of 2019. However, in terms of total volume of sales, London leads the way with US$434m (AU$621.2m) in sales followed by Hong Kong’s US$372m (AU$532.4m).
van Tuil said: “We expect momentum in the ultra-prime segment will continue as ultra-high-net-worth individuals look for more spacious options post-lockdown. The 82 Residences at Crown Residences at One Barangaroo offer a mix of homes within the super-prime and ultra-prime segments. Viewers are looking across these segments at the two, three and four bedroom Residences that we have remaining on the market, as well as the breath-taking Duplex Penthouse.”
Mark Manners, Head of Prestige Residential, Knight Frank Australia, concludes: “Global events like the COVID-19 pandemic can disrupt sales processes. However, you tend to find sales are postponed, rather than cancelled. Super – prime and ultra-prime property is viewed as a safe investment for the long-term, so buyer interest has not dampened and is expected to increase as markets continue to exit lockdown.”
 
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Sydney’s super-prime residential market outperforms expectations despite COVID-19 lockdowns 

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Twisted Dessert Bar has agreed terms on a new lease over a single level retail property at Fitzroy in Melbourne’s inner north in a deal brokered by Teska Carson’s Reece Israel.  
The 329 Brunswick Street property comprises a 130 square metre retail premises with several metres frontage to Brunswick Street and rear laneway access via a roller shutter door.
Mr Israel said the property was leased on a three year term with two x three year options at $35,000 per annum net.
He said the tenant had been in the market for a well located space in terms of both amenity and access.
"The property is located in one of Melbourne’s most popular restaurant, fashion and entertainment precincts just ten minutes from the centre of Melbourne. It is also close to the Eastern Freeway and has trams running past the front door.
"It was a great fit for the tenant’s requirements,’’ Mr Israel said.
The lessor is a Melbourne based investor.
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Twisted Dessert Bar takes Fitzroy's Brunswick Street lease

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During the early panic-stricken days of COVID-19 in March, a number of agents in Western Victoria and southwestern South Australia advised of cropping and grazing buyers pulling offers on properties going to tender due to the significant uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, according to the June Herron Todd White (HTW) rural report.
The valuation firm looked at the influence of trade wars, pandemic outcomes and commodity prices on the rural sector, and provided an update of how rural real estate is performing across locations and industries. 
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"Weeks on, those offers being pulled from the market really seem immaterial as the properties sold regardless and farmers more generally have gained confidence that they are a required essential service, maybe more so than ever.  They are also probably the least likely to be stopped in their tracks due to social distancing requirements," the valuation firm said.
The current depth of demand in the market for cropping and grazing land is significant and demand still far outweighs supply in most areas.
Cropping and grazing farmers in this region have been lucky in recent times to avoid the bushfires and droughts of the recent past and continue to go about their daily business on farm.
Many farmers are currently getting ready to or have already started to sow their winter crops.
The report notes sales remain few and far between due to a limited supply to the market but every sale appears to be setting a new benchmark with cropping country in the Wimmera reaching over $9880 per hectare for smaller parcels and grazing land down south well over $12,350 per hectare.
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Labour shortages may be an issue for the more northern fruit picking markets but from all reports, this region appears to be attracting its sons and daughters back to farms from hospitality and associated city lives during this crisis.
"With reports of daughters driving tractors and kids helping move sheep, ag is looking sexier than ever to some of the younger generation who are starting to appreciate the lucky country we live in," the valuation firm said. 
Some of the more intensive asset classes in this region are having mixed results from the pandemic, the report suggested. 
Vegetable producers in particular and producers supplying the major supermarkets struggled to keep up with demand during the early days of hoarding which resulted in a spike in vegetable prices to the farm gate.
On the flip side, those exporting produce overseas or selling into premium markets have been hard hit and left with excess produce in some instances. This is especially evident in the wine regions of the Coonawarra and Barossa where wineries, cellar doors and many associated food and tourism businesses have been decimated by the closure of their export or local markets and tourism.
The report notes the flow on effect to producers is evident. It is these sub-regions and intensive businesses that are generally the source of the largest proportion of employment in these areas.
"The impacts of the pandemic will likely have a lasting impact on these local economies, however, the Australian ag sector more generally remains incredibly resilient and it will likely take more than this pandemic to keep it down," the valuation firm 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/2020/7/13/vic%20valley%201.jpg" alt="">
A current listing is a lifestyle property nestled in the centre of the Grampian Ranges. 
The<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-acreage+semi-rural-vic-victoria+valley-132026966" target="_blank"> 2633 Victoria Valley Road, Victoria Valley</a> property (pictured above) has been listed with a price guide of $760,000.
Set on near 18ha, the property comprises of a three bedroom residence, airstrip, shearing sheds, aircraft hangar and workshop. 
<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/2020/7/13/mefeking.jpg" alt="">
A 32ha lifestyle property set on the foothills of the Grampians National Park has recently been sold for $210,000.
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-other-vic-mafeking-700076566" target="_blank">145 Regulating Basin Road, Mafeking</a> property (pictured above) features sound boundary fencing, native trees, dam and Grampians views. 
 
 
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Western Victoria and southeastern South Australia rural markets remain resilient during COVID-19 pandemic: HTW rural 

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Residential dwellings in Melbourne's outer south-eastern suburbs such as Officer, Clyde and Berwick fall within the $700,000 budget, according to the July Herron Todd White (HTW) residential report. 
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The valuation firm took a look at how a budget of $700,000 could be invested in property markets across the nation. 
The report notes these suburbs offer plenty of choices for those looking to buy as there are many newer estates in these areas.
A brand- new house and land package can range from $500,000 to $650,000.
Latest figures show that the median house prices for Officer, Clyde and Berwick are $557,000, $566,500 and $687,000 and depending on the size, location and specifications, can generate rental yields of 4.5 per cent, 3.71 per cent and 3.1 per cent respectively.
A four bedroom house in Berwick has recently been sold for $640,000.
Positioned on a 618sqm block, the family home at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-berwick-133901110" target="_blank">21 Shaftsbury Avenue</a> (pictured below) features two living areas, two bathrooms, and large pergola area. 
It is situated within walking distance to parks, public transport and shops. 
<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/2020/8/10/berwick.jpg" alt="">
"The recent crisis has rocked buyers’ confidence, with many facing issues of job security," the valuation firm said. 
The government has since introduced a new Home Builder Scheme for those looking to either build a new home or renovate, as homeowners will be given a $25,000 incentive which has been designed to boost the construction industry as it recovers from the effects of COVID-19.
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<div>
House and land packages in these urban growth zones are attractive to first home buyers and young families as they allow flexibility in designing homes to cater to their individual needs, the report noted. 
"In more established areas such as Cheltenham, Oakleigh and Mentone, housing prices start from $960,000 for houses and $600,000 for units," the valuation firm said. 
These areas in the south-east generally yield high sales and rental prices as they are among the most sought after suburbs to live in as they are generally close to public transport, major shopping centres and the CBD.
A current listing is a three bedroom apartment in Cheltenham with sea views. 
The modern apartment at 609/6 Railway Road (pictured below) has been listed for sale with a price guide of $680,000.
It comprises three bedroom, two bathrooms, open plan kitchen and living room area. 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2020/8/10/cheltenham.jpg" alt="">
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What $700,000 can buy in southeastern Melbourne: HTW residential 

The new <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/yarraville-green-42-stephen-street-yarraville-vic-3013">Yarraville Green</a> development in Melbourne's inner west is showing that landscaping can be just as influential as architecture, with buyers responding strongly to the garden-first approach adopted from the outset by developer Excelon Projects and the project's design team.

Excelon appointed Six Degrees Architects and landscape architects SBLA to work collaboratively on the development, with a brief to create "a sustainable, design-led building with a focus on community."

That approach has resonated with buyers. According to Next Chapter Director Tom Hirini, who is leading the sales campaign, the landscaped communal garden has become one of the project's defining features, alongside its boutique scale and European-inspired cluster housing concept.

Local downsizers, right-sizers and established families already living in Yarraville and surrounding suburbs have accounted for the majority of purchasers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297740]

Yarraville Green will comprise 53 homes, including apartments and townhomes, arranged around the shared central garden to maximise connections to the landscaped open space. Parking has been moved underground, allowing the ground plane to be dedicated to greenery, pedestrian movement and communal spaces.

The landscape extends well beyond passive planting. Productive garden beds, a pergola, communal gathering spaces, garden sheds and a pet wash have all been integrated into the masterplan, creating spaces designed to encourage everyday interaction between residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297741]

The interiors continue Excelon's focus on craftsmanship, incorporating bespoke elements by Melbourne artisans including leadlight detailing by Adadaz, hand-turned timber hardware by Auburn Woodturning and blown-glass lighting by Ruth Allen.

Sustainability has also been embedded throughout the project, with Yarraville Green targeting an average 7-star NatHERS energy rating through passive design principles, rooftop solar servicing common areas and rainwater harvesting for landscape irrigation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297735]

Construction continues to progress at Yarraville Green, with structural works well underway and framing works approaching completion under builder Balmain &amp; Co. The project remains on track for completion in mid-2027.

Apartments at Yarraville Green are currently priced from $625,000, while townhomes start from $1.4 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=144913]

Joel Robinson

Garden-led design drives buyer demand at Yarraville Green

National diversified developer Fortis has officially launched Crest &amp; Walker, its latest Brisbane apartment development, with construction now underway on the 20-storey Newstead project.

Award-winning builder BINAH has commenced construction on the Bureau^Proberts-designed building, which will deliver a limited collection of 65 two and three-bedroom apartments on Kyabra Street.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373556]

The project marks Fortis' fourth active residential development in Brisbane, following River House, which is nearing completion, alongside projects in New Farm and Hamilton as the national developer continues to expand its South East Queensland pipeline.

Fortis General Manager – Development Queensland Dan Boman said Crest &amp; Walker reflects the developer's long-term commitment to delivering design-led residential projects in Brisbane's established inner-city suburbs.

"We're proud to be strengthening our presence in Brisbane with Crest &amp; Walker, particularly in such a sought-after lifestyle destination as Newstead," Boman said.

"Every Fortis project is shaped by its context, and we approach each one with the respect and care it deserves.

"Our focus is always on creating places that feel connected to their neighbourhood and elevate the everyday experience for residents. Newstead continues to evolve as one of Brisbane's most sought-after urban communities, and Crest &amp; Walker reflects our ambition to contribute meaningfully to that story."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373559]

Positioned between Gasworks Plaza and James Street, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/crest-walker-newstead-12-kyabra-street-newstead-qld-4006">Crest &amp; Walker</a> has been designed as a boutique residential address offering privacy and generous living spaces within one of Brisbane's most established lifestyle precincts.

The building features a contemporary brick podium softened by integrated landscaping, while the upper levels are characterised by restrained architecture and enduring materiality. Interiors have been designed to maximise natural light, acoustic performance and long-term liveability.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373583]

Residences comprise spacious two and three-bedroom floorplans, with two-bedroom apartments priced from $1.55 million and three-bedroom, half-floor residences from $3.95 million.

Residents will have access to a wellness-focused rooftop featuring a swimming pool, sauna, steam room, landscaped dining spaces and outdoor lounge areas overlooking Newstead and the Brisbane CBD.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373571]

Sales are being managed by Slaite Projects, with Fortis expecting strong demand from owner-occupiers seeking a high-quality, design-focused apartment in one of Brisbane's most tightly held inner-city suburbs.

Completion of Crest &amp; Walker is slated for late 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145922]

Fortis expands Brisbane pipeline with launch of Crest & Walker in Newstead

The enormity of delivering a true skyscraper in Australia's new development market is often overlooked.

It has taken the best part of a decade since plans for Chevron One were first unveiled, but the 40-storey tower is now complete, with residents collecting their keys and moving into what has become one of the Gold Coast's most recognisable new landmarks.

Rising 127 metres above Chevron Island, Chevron One stands almost twice as high as any other building on the island. Its scale places it alongside the trio of towers at Jewel, arguably the last truly significant addition to the central Gold Coast skyline when they were completed around six years ago.

While there are several developments underway around a similar height to Chevron One, they are more concentrated within clusters of the highest towers in the city. The fact Chevron One sits within a developing precinct, looking back at the other high-rise developments in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, makes it a different proposition altogether. It will certainly become a reference point on the Gold Coast skyline.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68833]

Developer Bensons Property Group is behind the 40-storey tower, which has just shy of 230 apartments, along with an exhaustive list of resident amenity spread across what is the largest development site ever assembled on Chevron Island.

The tower has been the talk of the town for years, says Ray White Projects Gold Coast agent Caitlin Rosenboom, who is selling the remaining apartments.

"People have been watching Chevron One go up for years," Rosenboom says, adding that many prospective buyers have been surprised by the scale of the views once they step inside.

"It's only when they walk through a completed apartment that they truly understand the position of the building," Rosenboom says.

"The views are jaw-dropping. Whether you're looking east over the ocean, across Surfers Paradise, along the river systems or out to the hinterland, every level offers something different but equally impressive."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=360215]

One of Chevron One's defining advantages is its location on the eastern side of Chevron Island on Stanhill Drive, a position which protects the views forever.

"There's only one row of houses between Chevron One and the water, and the height restrictions along the river means views from Chevron One can never be built out,"&nbsp;Rosenboom says.

While new apartment developments continue to emerge across the Gold Coast, Rosenboom says opportunities to secure a completed apartment with this level of outlook are becoming increasingly rare.

"The size of the site is something that would be incredibly difficult to replicate today," she says.

"That's allowed Chevron One to deliver the sort of amenity, open space and resident facilities that very few projects can offer. There are not many completed apartment buildings on the Gold Coast right now that can compete with the combination of scale, quality and amenity."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68839]

There's around 2,000 sqm of amenity solely for the use of residents of Chevron One. Club One features a uniquely shaped swimming pool that mirrors the footprint of the building itself, set within a extensively landscaped gardens. There's also an indoor pool and spa, a fully equipped gym with a Pilates room, a yoga garden, a bookable private dining area and lounge that can host up to 30 people, and a 24-hour concierge service.

As for the buyers, Rosenboom is fielding enquiry from everywhere: Sydneysiders and Melburnians looking at the new and off-the-plan market following the changes in the Federal Budget, as well as those looking to relocate, through to South East Queenslanders seeking either a permanent home or a weekender bolthole.

"The Gold Coast lifestyle continues to resonate with people relocating from the southern states, and when they see the views and the quality of what's been delivered at Chevron One, it becomes very easy for them to understand the appeal," Rosenboom says.

A diverse mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments remain available, with each offering "something a little different", be it the orientation and views, configuration, or level, to suit a wide variety of buyers.

The remaining apartments are ready to inspect in person, by appointment.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=6515]

A decade in the making: Residents to move into Chevron One as construction wraps up

A general rule of thumb in new apartment developments is that the penthouses get the rooftop.

It's a formula that's become commonplace across Australia's apartment market. Residents might have access to a pool, gym or barbecue facilities on a dedicated lower level, but the most desirable outdoor spaces are typically reserved for the highest-priced homes at the top of the building.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa Property Group</a> has taken the opposite approach.

Rather than dedicating the rooftop to a handful of buyers, the Gold Coast developer has made it the centrepiece of its Flourish collection, creating expansive shared spaces from the best vantage point in the building.

The philosophy has reached its most ambitious expression at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-soleira-palm-beach-1150-1160-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Soleira</a> in Palm Beach, where two rooftop precincts connected by a skybridge will deliver one of the most extensive lifestyle offerings seen in a residential apartment project on the Gold Coast.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374053]

"We're seeing a clear move toward developments that offer more than just an apartment," Sherpa Group founder Christie Leet said.

"People want spaces that support how they actually live, whether that's working from home, staying active, or spending time with family and friends.

"That's where amenity becomes critical. It's not just about what's included, but how those spaces are designed to be used every day."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374052]

The breadth of amenity has already attracted buyers across multiple demographics. Younger first home buyers have been drawn to Soleira's one-bedroom apartments, a product rarely delivered in Palm Beach, while families have responded to practical inclusions such as the shallow children's pool adjoining the main lap pool and the extensive communal recreation areas.

Instead of a single rooftop, Soleira delivers two distinct lifestyle zones.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=372547]

The southern rooftop has been dedicated to wellness, featuring a gym, yoga and Pilates studio, work-from-home facilities, a wellness centre, spa, and hot and cold plunge pools.

The northern rooftop focuses on recreation and entertaining, incorporating a heated resort-style pool, private dining rooms, pizza ovens, barbecues, a golf simulator, children's recreation areas, and what is expected to be the Gold Coast's first rooftop basketball court, which will also double as a squash court.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374054]

Beyond the rooftops, Soleira will introduce 1,500 sqm of curated retail beneath the towers, creating one of Palm Beach's first genuinely mixed-use lifestyle precincts where cafés, restaurants and convenience retail become part of residents' everyday lives.

Sherpa has also retained management rights across the development, allowing it to oversee the long-term operation of the building through a 24-hour concierge model. The developer is also exploring additional revenue streams within the precinct aimed at helping offset ongoing body corporate costs for residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=370962]

While Soleira is the largest project Sherpa has delivered, the rooftop-first philosophy has been evolving for several years.

It began with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/amargo-6-12-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Amargo</a>, the first project released under the Flourish brand. Rather than competing at the ultra-luxury end of the market with oversized half-floor and full-floor residences, Sherpa focused on creating lifestyle-driven apartments supported by resort-style shared spaces.

Amargo introduced more than 800 sqm of rooftop amenity, combining wellness facilities, heated pools, entertaining areas, cabanas, pizza ovens and private dining spaces into what was designed as an extension of residents' homes rather than a facility used only occasionally.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146527 project_image_fid=366550]

That approach continued with Flourish Oasis, where the same amenity-led philosophy was refined into a more boutique development. Strong demand from Sherpa's growing VIP database saw much of the project sold before it reached the broader market, reinforcing buyer appetite for apartment communities centred around shared lifestyle experiences.

Flourish Amargo is slated for completion mid-way-through next year, with Oasis to be delivered by late 2027. Flourish Soleira is expected to complete in 2030.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150017]

Sherpa takes amenity to the sky as Flourish Soleira captures booming Palm Beach demand

As apartment living continues to evolve across Sydney's growth corridors, the quality and distribution of shared spaces is increasingly shaping how residents experience home. Rather than functioning as add-ons, amenities are being embedded into the daily rhythm of a building, supporting everything from quiet retreat to social interaction, often within a single vertical community.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/aeris-melrose-park-nursery-street-melrose-park-nsw-2114">Aeris</a> in Melrose Park, this approach is resolved through a layered amenity offering that unfolds from ground level through to its upper podium. Developed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sekisui-house-australia">Sekisui House Australia</a> in partnership with Hankyu Hanshin Properties, the project introduces 468 apartments across two towers and a mid-rise building, positioned at the highest point of the broader masterplan.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=359199]

The amenity experience begins at street level, where two courtyards sit within a landscaped setting that connects residents to the wider network of parks and green spaces. These green spaces are not isolated pockets but part of a wider pedestrian network that links Aeris to the surrounding <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/melrose-park-nsw-2114">Melrose Park</a> precinct, including Central Park, future schools, and the Town Centre opening in July 2026. The result is a transition that moves from public to private without abrupt boundaries, allowing residents to pass through shaded, tree-lined environments before reaching the building itself.

Moving upward, the focus shifts to the level five podium, where the primary communal facilities are concentrated. This space brings together a 16-metre swimming pool, outdoor seating areas, and a communal BBQ zone arranged to take advantage of elevated outlooks. Seating is positioned beneath pergolas, creating pockets of shade that extend the usability of the space throughout the day. The pool edge aligns with views toward the wider district, reinforcing the sense of elevation that defines the project’s positioning.

In the adjacent building, this is complemented by quieter, more contemplative spaces, including an outdoor cinema set within the same level. Positioned to operate primarily in the evening, it introduces a different tempo to the shared environment, shifting from daytime activity to after-hours use without requiring separate zones.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360299]

The podium also accommodates an intimate private resident gym. Located on the lower levels, it gives residents convenient access to fitness facilities without leaving the building.

Above, the elevated podium sky deck extends the amenity offering, providing additional open-air spaces with elevated outlooks across the surrounding landscape. While more restrained in program, this upper level reinforces the project’s vertical progression, from ground-level greenery to elevated outlook, allowing residents to move between distinct spatial conditions within a single address.

This distribution of amenities reflects a deliberate response to how residents use space across the day. Sekisui House Australia Sales and Marketing Director Peter Kalaf points to the role these shared areas play in shaping buyer demand. Aeris has been conceived as more than a collection of apartments, with the podium pool, gym and outdoor cinema forming part of a broader lifestyle offering that extends the home beyond each individual residence.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360300]

What distinguishes Aeris is not the inclusion of these elements individually, but how they are arranged in relation to one another. Active, social, and passive spaces are layered vertically rather than separated, allowing residents to choose between them without leaving the building or moving far from their apartment. This proximity supports both routine use, such as a morning swim or evening workout, and more occasional gatherings, whether around the BBQ area or within the cinema setting.

The amenity design also sits within a broader framework of connectivity across Melrose Park. The Melrose Park Town Centre, anchored by Coles and Dan Murphys, features a mix of retail, dining, health and lifestyle offerings, bringing everyday convenience closer to residents. By the end of the year, more than five hectares of parks and open space, equivalent to around seven football fields of green space on residents' doorstep, will further enhance the precinct, allowing the internal facilities at Aeris to operate as an extension of the wider neighbourhood rather than a substitute for it.

Construction at Aeris continues to gather momentum, with ground floor slabs expected to be completed in late 2026 before the first sections of the buildings begin to rise above ground.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=426]

Staff reporter

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