<html><body>
Over half of the apartments in a Newtown apartment block are set to sell having been maintained by one owner for the last 45 years.
All of the 15 one bedroom units have been renovated internally.
They sit in a block of nearly 30 apartments in a three level, 1970s building at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unitblock-nsw-newtown-127704298" target="_blank">48-52 Darley Street.</a>
The apartments have a price tag of $7.85 million through NG Farah agents Martin Farah and David Yacoub.
It works out to $523,000 per apartment, well below Newtown's $655,000 median price for a one bedroom unit.
Combined the apartments yield over $343,000 per annum.
</body></html>

j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Half of Newtown apartment block for sale

<html><body>
An owner-occupier has paid $1.16 million for a boutique retail property in the inner eastern Melbourne suburb of Glen Iris.
Teska Carson’s Tom Maule and Matthew Feld sold the 7-9 Bardolph Street property.
It attracted five bidders driving the price well beyond the vendor’s reserve.
The price reflected a land rate of $5346 a square metre.
The property comprises a 118 square metre, single level, double-fronted, shop with on-site parking.
Zoned Commercial 1, the 217 square metre site provides nearly ten metres frontage to Bardolph Street and more than 12 metres to a ROW at the rear.
</body></html>

Owner-occupier pays $1.16 million for Glen Iris shop 

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVATION
Nightlife precincts in Australian cities have come under intense scrutiny in recent years following a spate of “one punch” assaults and other incidents. Places like Sydney’s Kings Cross, Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley and Perth’s Northbridge have been framed as unsafe and unruly “problem spaces” – the kind of places that parents warn their teenage children to avoid.
Simultaneously, local politicians, urban planners and other policymakers have been spruiking the importance of the night-time economy to a city’s image and growth. A “vibrant” nightlife is seen as essential for attracting tourism and investment and creating jobs. If a city can get itself on some kind of “Most Exciting Cities in the World” list, this becomes a crucial part of its city boosterism strategy.
The championing and criticism of nightlife spaces create something of a paradox. On the one hand, the promotion of vibrant nightlife spaces may be seen as an invitation to people to revel and consume. It’s thought that failing to attract enough people to these spaces spells economic disaster for venue operators and for the city itself.
On the other hand, violence and fear discourage or exclude people from participating in nightlife. And labelling nightlife precincts as disorderly or “out of control” stigmatises these spaces and revellers, leading to more exclusion.
The policy challenge is to establish the right amount and types of regulation so that nightlife spaces allow for mild transgression in a safe environment.
When security excludes
Part of the response to these issues has been tighter regulation and security in nightlife spaces. “Lockout laws” were controversially introduced in parts of Sydney, following the example set in Newcastle and in trials in Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane. These laws wound back the operating hours of licensed venues in popular night-time precincts.
Other responses from governments and private operators have included expanding CCTV surveillance, introducing ID scanners at venue entrances, increasing police and private security presence, and slowing or suspending the issuing of new liquor licenses.
These measures are intended to make people safer and to make them feel safer, to reduce the exclusionary effect of fear. Ironically, these hyper-visible forms of security can in fact make people feel more unsafe.
These regulatory interventions are more than just about tackling violence and threatening behaviour. Ultimately, they are about imposing particular ideas of social and moral order not only within nightlife spaces but the city more broadly.
Gentrifying the night
Alongside the expansion of hyper-visible security, major public and private investment has flowed into nightlife precincts and surrounding areas over the last decade or so.
In Perth, as we have recently outlined, the impacts couldn’t be clearer. Four major redevelopment projects – New Northbridge, Perth Cultural Centre, Perth City Link and Yagan Square – have drastically reshaped the built form and sense of place within the inner city.
These developments have “changed the face” of Northbridge, which has been gradually gentrifying. The rapid rise in the number of small boutique bars, high-end restaurants and apartments is evidence of this.
The gentrification of Northbridge and other nightlife precincts across metropolitan Australia – whether through new “sophisticated” venues replacing older downmarket ones, or through residential development displacing nightlife altogether – is not a recipe for less exclusionary spaces. Rather, these developments produce a different kind of exclusion due to two factors.
First, certain groups may be priced out of more upmarket venues offering an “exclusive” or “sophisticated” experience. Second, these venues and the types of customers they attract can make other individuals and groups feel out of place. If they don’t fit the written and unwritten admission criteria they may be denied entry altogether.
Making space for transgression
In reshaping the moral geography of nightlife precincts, securitisation and gentrification are suppressing one of the fundamental appeals of nightlife – the opportunity for behaviour that transgresses social, cultural and even legal codes.
Participating in nightlife spaces in cities has been a way to briefly escape the often mundane orderliness of everyday home and work life. Nightlife spaces have historically been important for minority, subcultural and countercultural groups – LGBTGI communities, minority ethnic groups, punks, goths, fetishists and so on – to socialise and to express their individual and collective identities.
The increasingly expensive cost and overbearing regulatory regimes governing nightlife seem designed to attract the “right type” of people and to make them feel safer.
The risk of all this is that we might be sleepwalking into the creation of sanitised and yet more homogenous and exclusionary nightlife spaces.
Alistair Sisson, PhD Candidate, Urban Geography, University of Sydney
Paul Maginn, Associate Professor of Urban/Regional Planning, University of Western Australia
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/sanitised-nightlife-precincts-become-places-where-some-are-not-welcome-95870" target="_blank">original article</a>.
</body></html>

'Sanitised' nightlife precincts become places where some are not welcome

<html><body>
A Young Siding 86.398 hectare (213.4 acres) property which includes three houses has been listed for $3.6 million.
The Western Australian property is offered by Peter Robertson from William Porteous Properties International.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-wa-youngs+siding-128346814" target="_blank">Located at 135 Eden Road</a>, the main homestead comes with five bedrooms, two lounges, dining room, huge billiard room, and wine cellar.
It features high ceilings throughout, north facing entertainment deck, and solar heated 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/2018/5/14/135%20eden%20rd%202.jpg" alt="">
The paddocks are immaculately groomed with well-established pasture ideal for horses, cows and other stocks.
A modern second house adjacent to the main homestead offering two bed, lounge, dining and kitchen.
This is used as the caretaker's house and has the same views.
.<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/2018/5/14/135%20eden%20rd%204.jpg" alt="">
A freshly renovated double brick, three bedroom house down on the inlet waterfront.
</body></html>

Young Siding, WA trophy estate for sale

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVATION
More than half a century has passed since high-speed rail (HSR) effectively began operating, in Japan in 1964, and it has been mooted for Australia since 1984. I estimate that the cost of all HSR studies by the private and public sectors in Australia exceeds $125 million, in today’s dollars. But the federal government is now less interested in high-speed rail (now defined as electric trains operating on steel rails at maximum speeds of above 250km per hour), and instead favours “faster rail” or medium-speed rail.
The 2017 federal budget provided $20 billion over the next 10 years for rail, with more allocated in the 2018 budget. It is now time for Australia to commit to medium-speed rail (trains operating on new or existing tracks at speeds of between 160km and 250km/h).
Indeed, three states have made progress in developing trains at 160km/h, with Victoria leading the way. New South Wales has failed to keep up with these states.
What happened to high-speed rail in Australia?
The first high-speed rail system dates back to 1964 when the Tokaido Shinkansen started operating between Tokyo and Osaka. At first, it took four hours to travel 515 kilometres; now some trains take two-and-a-half hours. Japan’s system has an impeccable safety record and the network extends for over 3,000km.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/218530/original/file-20180511-34006-1a32kgw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
An image prepared in 1984 by the late Phil Belbin of what the Very Fast Train south of Canberra could look like. Courtesy of Railway Digest (ARHS/NSW) June 2004, Author provided
France was next in 1981 with its TGV trains. In 1984, high-speed rail was first proposed for Australia. This was the CSIRO’s Very Fast Train proposal to link Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne using TGV trains.
At all levels, government was not supportive. The private sector, after a series of studies, found it was viable and could work with different taxation arrangements. This was not forthcoming and work stopped in 1991.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/218529/original/file-20180511-34027-1ouout.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
An image from the 1990s of a SpeedRail train at Central Station. Courtesy of Railway Digest (ARHS/NSW), Author provided
A more modest proposal, called Speedrail, to connect Sydney and Canberra was proposed in the mid-1990s. With some federal government encouragement, it was studied, with detailed design. It was costed at about $4.5 billion, with finance arranged for some $3.5 billion. The Howard government would not fund the balance and commissioned yet another HSR study.
More studies have followed. One study in 2013 put a price tag of $23 billion on a Sydney-Canberra line involving much tunnelling in Sydney. This was part of a 1,750km high-speed rail corridor linking Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne. The total estimated cost was A$114 billion.
Despite many studies recommending the need to identify and protect a corridor for a future high-speed rail network, government has failed to reserve any land corridors (with the exception of part of a future Melbourne outer metropolitan ring road).
What about the alternatives?
Many countries do not have high-speed rail, but have medium-speed rail (MSR) instead. These countries include Sweden, Switzerland, the United States and Canada.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/218535/original/file-20180511-34015-vv508a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/218535/original/file-20180511-34015-vv508a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Queensland’s Tilt Train intercity service has been running for nearly 20 years. <a class="source" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:City_of_Rockhampton_train_(Sunshine_railway_station,_Brisbane).jpg">QRtrains/Wikimedia</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a>
Three Australian states have trains operating at 160km/h. These are Queensland, starting in 1998 with its Electric Tilt Train service between Brisbane and Rockhampton, Victoria, with its Regional Fast Rail project using V/Locity diesel multiple units, and Western Australia, with the Prospector train.
Victoria’s service originated in 1999 when the then Labor opposition promised a new deal for regional Victoria, which included new trains and upgraded tracks on four lines to Bendigo, Ballarat, Geelong and Gippsland. The ALP won government that year. By 2006 the track upgrades were delivered along with new trains made in Victoria.
People liked the faster trains. Patronage went up by more than 15% in each of the first three years of operation. More trains were ordered and further major track upgrades followed.
Victoria was assisted by $3 billion in federal funding for a Regional Rail Link program. This was to provide new intercity tracks in Melbourne so suburban trains did not slow down regional trains.
Due to good ongoing planning attracting more federal funding, further track upgrades are under way. The 2017 Victorian Infrastructure Plan outlines priorities and funding for projects over the next five years, with longer-term policy directions.
So what’s going on in NSW?
Questions are now being asked as to why Victoria and WA are doing do well with federal funding for passenger rail at the expense of NSW.
The rail situation in Australia’s most populated state is not good for its regions. By far the most NSW government attention and funding has gone into the Greater Sydney region.
Between the 2011 and the 2016 Censuses, Greater Sydney’s population (including Gosford) grew some 10% from 4.39 to 4.82 million. Rail patronage on the Sydney and intercity network had even stronger growth of some 15% from 2011 to 2016.
To try to cope with this increasing demand for rail a new Metro section is due to be completed in 2019. Light rail is also being introduced in Sydney, Newcastle and Parramatta.
Sydney continues to have serious road traffic problems, which are unlikely to be solved by WestConnex Stages 1 and 2 that are now under construction. The proposed Stage 3 received over 7,000 objections, including a sensible alternative proposal by the City of Sydney, but the NSW government has approved Stage 3 and even more motorways. This is despite overseas experience for cities the size of Sydney pointing to the best solution being a much-improved rail system with road congestion pricing.
Regional NSW is also growing in population, albeit not as quickly as Sydney. In spring 2017, Transport for NSW released a draft regional servicea and infrastructure plan not for the next five years, but out to 2056. However, these plans were very vague as to what may be delivered in the next five or even ten years.
The plans also omitted earlier Infrastructure NSW goals for Sydney-Gosford and Sydney-Wollongong trains to take one hours (instead of one-and-a-half) and Sydney-Newcastle trains to take two hours. In addition, there are calls for more and faster trains linking to each of Goulburn/Canberra and the Central West of NSW.
Clearly, NSW is facing major transport challenges to overcome rail infrastructure backlogs and meet the needs of a growing population.
The state government is getting new intercity electric trains and has committed to buying new regional trains. But it’s yet to commit to track upgrades to help the new trains go faster than the present slow ones.
The NSW ALP opposition is also yet to present detailed policies of how it would meet the transport challenges in Sydney and in regional NSW.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/95854/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">The people of NSW must hope the state budget due June 19 and the opposition leader’s reply will address these issues.
Philip Laird, Honorary Principal Fellow, University of Wollongong
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/lets-get-moving-with-the-affordable-medium-speed-alternatives-to-the-old-dream-of-high-speed-rail-95854" target="_blank">original article</a>.
</body></html>

Let's get moving with the affordable alternatives to the old dream of high-speed rail

<html><body>
A Bule Mountain four bedroom house has been recently sold for $525,105 by the mortgagee.
It was sold by Richardson &amp; Wrench.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-wentworth+falls-127491490" target="_blank">Situated at 181 Tableland Road</a>, Wentworth Falls, the house comes with four bedrooms, open plan lounge/dining/kitchen and single lock up garage. 
Positioned on an 892 square metre block, it also features timber floors, fully fenced rear yard and large timber deck.
It was last traded for $340,000 in 2008.
The suburb's median house price sits on $625,000, according to CoreLogic. 
</body></html>

Wentworth Falls four bedroom house sold by mortgagee

<html><body><div class="page" title="Page 18">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
Historically, Melbourne properties of $3 million and above have been classified as prestige. 
Recently, the ultra-prestige price for detached housing has increased to properties above $5 million and up to $15 million to $25 million, following the increasing number of properties falling between the $3 million and $4 million mark. 
Similarly, any townhouse or apartment above $3 million is labelled as prestige.
HTW, the valuation firm, says Melbourne has four main prestige areas, comprising parts of the Stonnington, Boroondara, Bayside and Port Phillip City Councils.
The main prestige suburbs in the City of Stonnington are Toorak, South Yarra, Armadale, Malvern and Malvern East, located in Melbourne’s inner south- eastern suburbs alongside the Yarra River and a short distance to Melbourne’s CBD.
Kew, Hawthorn, Hawthorn East, Camberwell, Balwyn, Balwyn North and Canterbury make up the City of Boroondara’s prestige market. Approximately ve kilometres east of the Melbourne CBD, the area is primarily residential in nature, with a number of renowned private schools such as Scotch College Hawthorn, Fintona’s Girls School Balwyn and Xavier College Kew.
Almost two-thirds of Boroondara consists of water courses and parklands such as the Yarra River and Yarra Bend Park.
</div>
<div class="column">
Bayside and Port Phillip City Councils run along the north-east coastline of Port Phillip Bay. Most prestige properties are seen in Brighton, Middle Park and Albert Park, which are primarily residential suburbs with occupants attracted to the inner city lifestyle as well as the luxurious beach surroundings.
The prestige apartment market is evident in East Melbourne, St Kilda Road, Melbourne and St Kilda. Some addresses of note include: 150 Clarendon Street, East Melbourne; 60-66 Clarendon Street, East Melbourne; 51 Spring Street, Melbourne; and 576-578 St Kilda Road, St Kilda.
High net-worth individuals are the buyers driving these sectors. 
Similarly, developers drive prestige sales, where the current improvements add little value and the site is suitable for potential multi-unit or single dwelling development.
The inclusions high net-worth individuals seek are modern kitchens and bathrooms including stone benchtops, designer joinery and tapware, and oor to ceiling tiles in bathrooms. 
Other sought out inclusions are quality oor coverings such as timber ooring (parquetry or American Oak), travertine tiles and luxurious carpets, typically large gross building areas, basement car spaces, self-cleaning designer swimming pools, championship tennis courts, and landscaped properties.
Popular Melbourne based architect, Nicholas Day, has crafted multiple prestige properties throughout Melbourne. Other prestige architects include Phillip Mannerheim, Bruce Henderson and landscape architect Jack Merlo. Visioneer Builders is an award winning company specialising in the construction of prestige properties. These renowned property experts attract buyers who drive these sectors.
</div>
<div class="column">
The Stonnington, particularly Toorak, market, Boroondara and Bayside markets have revealed good median house price growth in 2017. 
The current cycle has been generally firm for approximately six years, with the last softening occurring in mid-2012 (realestate.com.au). 
For instance, the Toorak median house price as at 9 April 2018 was $4.4 million, which has doubled since December 2016 and seen a growth of 30.9% over a year. According to Domain Group chief economist Dr Andrew Wilson, overall prestige prices in Melbourne itself rose by 11.6%.
The Reserve Bank of Australia’s rst meeting for 2018 agged the possibility of interest rate rises later in the year on the basis of the strengthening economy. 
Notwithstanding this, the commencement of the 2018 auction period in February revealed moderate results with auctions well contested in general and clearance rates at 70%. The current market appears to be in a steadying phase with a balance between buyer demand and vendor expectations.
HTW note premium, A grade property continues to command good demand from purchasers.
<div class="page" title="Page 19">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
The Melbourne prestige market looks to be continuing on from its 2017 growth in the short to medium term outlook. 
Prestige buyers are seeking great properties closer to the CBD. 
John Bongiorno of Melbourne’s Marshall White was cited in the HTW.
 “I see a big trend that will continue over the next decade of inner suburb Melbourne in particular becoming more and more bullet-proof," the veteran agent noted.
"With the development of infrastructure and congestion on the roads, people are getting fed up with waiting times in traf c and want to live, increasingly, within an eight- to 10-kilometre radius of CBDs. That’s where the best investments will be, too.” (domain.com.au).
In the long term view, the Autumn 2018 Herron Todd White report suggests, there is caution, as the prestige market could be reaching its peak.
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div></body></html>

Caution in Melbourne's trophy home market as peak nears

<html><body><div class="page" title="Page 4">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
The prestige market in Sydney is spread across a number of regions including riverfront locations in the south and inner west, to large estates in The Hills, to large modern inner city apartments, to harbour side and beachside areas of the east and north.
Traditionally prestige properties were considered to be those with a value above $3 million, however in some areas this is now $5 million and above, the valuation firm Herron Todd White's latest report suggested.
It noted the prestige market has experienced significant growth over the past five years, however has experienced some softening of prices over the past six to twelve months, with some areas holding up better than others. A recent CoreLogic article indicated a 5.7% fall in the prices of the 25% most expensive properties in Sydney over the past 12 months.
</div>
<div class="column">
HTW consider the prestige market to be less dependent on affordability issues than other markets. 
Instead, the market is driven by global flows of wealth and a supply versus demand balance. It noted the factors that will help stimulate the Sydney prestige market include the Australian dollar, domestic and international share markets, business performance, business confidence, company profits, Chinese interest in trophy homes, buyer activity from expats and migration interest under the Significant and Premium Investor Visa Program.
The report did noted that rhe eastern suburbs prestige market has started 2018 fairly strongly, carrying over from what was considered a solidly performing 2017.
Good quality family homes in the $5 million to $10 million price range are the strongest sector of the prestige market. 
The harbourside suburbs of Bellevue Hill, Rose Bay, Woollahra, Double Bay, Dover Heights and Vaucluse and beachside suburbs such as Bronte, Tamarama and Clovelly have all seen steady numbers of prestige sales in the year to date.
Local high income families have been the typical buyers for these types of properties which is driving this sector. Vaucluse saw approximately 11 registered sales above $5 million in 2018 (as at 19 April) with two of these sales being above $10 million (source: PriceFinder, RP Data and Realestate.com.au.).
</div>
<div class="column">
The higher price points of $15 million plus, often referred to as trophy homes, have seen limited transactions and some market softening with extended selling periods. Vendor expectations have had to become more realistic to meet the market.
This is fairly similar with the prestige unit market with somewhat mixed results and limited transactions occurring in the $5 million plus category.
Buyers are becoming more cautious particularly in regard to those considered to be secondary prestige properties (busy road positions, steep sloping sites, etc). There are also an increasing proportion of prestige properties being sold off market though local agents.
Overall there are some mixed results within the eastern suburbs prestige market and the rest of 2018 is expected to see a continued stable market with some of the price points and property types experiencing some softening.
Some examples of recent prestige sales in the area include 148 Old South Head Road, Vaucluse, which sold in March for $8.2 million after 30 days on the market and 178 Hopetoun Avenue, Vaucluse, which sold in April for $17 million after 253 days on the market with original expectations in August 2017 of $22 million.
A Vaucluse brand new architecturally designed house over three levels with harbour views was sold on May 3 (pictured below).
Designed according to traditional Feng Shui principle, <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-vaucluse-127494758" target="_blank">the 148 Old South Head Rd</a> house is graced with prestige appointments and finishes of the finest calibre.
The indoor features include five bedrooms, living/dining and family areas with balconies, home cinema and Miele marble kitchen.
The outdoor area comes with mosaic tiled pool, rooftop terrace with superb views and five car garage. 
Positioned on a 700 sqm block, it is opposite Christison Park and the iconic Macquarie Lighthouse. 
<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/2018/5/15/148%20OLD%20SOUTH%20HEAD%20ROAD.jpg" alt="">
Another Vaucluse seven bedroom harbourside house was sold in April (pictured below).
Architect designed by Michael Suttor less than 20 years ago, the <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-vaucluse-126089194" target="_blank">178 Hopetoun Avenue house</a> features light filled interiors and resort style living.
It comes with seven bedrooms, separate formal lounge and dining areas, and gourmet open plan kitchen.
Outdoor features include level garden, pool, and full tennis court.
It is located within a stroll to historic Watsons Bay and convenient to Rose Bay and Bondi Beach.
<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/2018/5/15/178%20hopetoun%20avenue.jpg" alt="">
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div></body></html>

Some softening in prestige prices in Sydney's trophy home market

<html><body><div class="page" title="Page 23">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
The Gold Coast prestige market sector was impacted heavily by the GFC in 2008.
It only started seeing signs of improvement in late 2014 and early 2015, the valuation firm HTW recently noted.
Improving rapidly during 2016 and throughout 2017 with a number of large prominent sales evident at strong prices (a number of which were in the range of $9 million to $25 million) there was then a staggering $16.5 million spent in May 2017 for a large, luxury dwelling on Virginia Drive at Hope Island on the northern Gold Coast.
More recently, HTW have noticed a slowing of market activity with local real estate agents reporting fewer sales, increased stock levels in some market segments and reduced buyer demand with fewer enquiries from overseas buyers over the past six months after a sustained run of strong transactions, particularly to Asian buyers.
<div class="page" title="Page 23">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<div class="page" title="Page 23">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
"This is, however, highly segmented and the level of improvement is very property and price speci c and properties that are selling are generally still achieving strong price levels," the HTW report noted.
The latest HTW report on prestige housing noted the most prestigious suburbs on the Gold Coast for housing are Hope Island, Paradise Point, Mermaid Beach, Main Beach, Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach Waters.
<div class="page" title="Page 23">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
The majority of the prestige townhouses or duplexes are located at Hope Island and have price points starting at around $2 million.
The vast majority of prestige units are located at Main Beach, Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach with a smaller amount found at Burleigh Heads and Coolangatta.
The more significant improvement has been evident for established, near new, luxury housing in the prime waterfront and coastal suburbs particularly Isle of Capri at Surfers Paradise which recorded an $8.8 million dollar sale of 31 The Corso in February 2018.
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="page" title="Page 24">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<div title="Page 24">
<div>
<div>
<div>
The market segment for luxury apartments on the Gold Coast upward of $3 million saw improved buyer demand over the past 12 to 18 months, however remains very thinly traded and sales are few andfar between. There have only been seven sales to date during 2018 with a standout sale being the Chevron Renaissance penthouse which sold in January 2018 for $9.5 million to a local buyer.
The two-level penthouse, situated over the 39th and 40th floors was previously used as an of office space for the developer and after the company folded, it was sold off to HomeCorp CEO, Ron Bakir for $1.2 million, who together with Sunland Group chairman Soheil Abedian took the floor space back to its shell and spent $7 million transforming it into a luxury apartment and importing Italian furniture.
<div title="Page 24">
<div>
<div>
<div>
Other standout sales of luxury apartments include the $5.3 million dollar sale of the Xanadu North penthouse sold by Robert Graham at Ray White. This two level penthouse unit is situated over the 23rd and 24th oors providing 4-bedroom, 5-bathroom accommodation with four basement car spaces, a private indoor plunge pool and panoramic 360 degree views incorporating distant hinterland views to the west, Broadwater and Southport skyline views to the north-west, coastal views up to the Spit to the north and unobstructed beach and ocean views to the east and north-east.
<div title="Page 24">
<div>
<div>
<div>
Robert also sold the three level, XXV Breaker Street Residences penthouse in late February for $3.05 million which comprises 3-bedrooms, 5-bathrooms, a rooftop terrace featuring a private plunge pool and four basement car spaces situated on the 23rd, 24th and 25th floors.
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div title="Page 25">
<div title="Page 25">
<div>
<div>
<div>
Buyers of prestige acreage property can be very discerning and hence, not all properties receive similar levels of demand or achieve similar sale prices. Consequently, sale prices (and selling periods) in this market segment can be heavily in uenced by individual buyer preferences and speci c property attributes that will appeal differently to individual buyers. These attributes include, but are not limited to, land size, topography, views, size and quality of improvements, level and quality of ancillary improvements, vegetation, creek or river frontage and dual living potential.
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
HTW advised the Gold Coast’s rural residential market up to one hectare has had no sales over $3 million from 2016 to date.
</div>
<div title="Page 25">
Further afield, there have been very few recent sales for larger sized properties over $3 million and have been for more rural or rural lifestyle properties in excess of five hectares being heavily improved with equine facilities.
One standout sale in particular was the 9.55 hectare property at Riverstone Crossing in Maudsland which provided a 4-bedroom, 4-bathroom dwelling constructed circa 2007 on a low lying and cleared river and creek front allotment.
<div title="Page 25">
<div>
<div>
<div>
Another well located, rural residential property is currently under contract at 173 Stewart Road in Clagiraba.
The property is improved with two dwellings of good quality as well as a cottage. The 14.48 hectare parcel provides predominantly low lying cleared land with frontage to the Coomera River.
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
"We note that bank lending policies have tightened and for larger rural holdings, require substantial deposits which in turn only enables potential purchasers with stronger nancial standing to complete the sale. This has resulted in limited transactional evidence from a small pool of buyers over the past 18 months in the Gold Coast and Scenic Rim localities."
</div>
<div title="Page 26">
From 2017 to date there have been very few larger sized property transactions and all have been within the Scenic Rim locality.
</div>
 
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
 
 
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div></body></html>

Less demand from overseas buyers in Gold Coast trophy home market

<html><body><div class="page" title="Page 22">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
It’s a testament to Brisbane's appeal that so many more interstate and overseas buyers are "coming to the party" that is Brisbane’s high-end real estate sector. 
The valuation firm suggests they see value for money, an enviable lifestyle and, for many, the opportunity to set up and operate their business without the hassle of a Harbour Bridge traffic snarl.
While there are certainly prestige properties across the breadth of the South East, the HTW report honed in on Brisbane City specifically.
"The ultra-wealthy do tend to gravitate toward the CBD rather than seek offerings in surrounding authorities such as Ipswich and Moreton," it noted.
Most multi-million dollar sales in these climbs consist of large rural holdings or developable sites. 
Not to say there aren’t alternatives, but it is the Brisbane market that provides the highest density of sales and is probably the most accurate measure for tracking the sector.
</div>
<div class="column">
In Brisbane, you really don’t need to crack the $10 million mark to pick up an exceptional property. 
Prestige housing sits within the broad $2 million to $8 million zone," HTW suggest.
"That’s right. 
"For the price of a three-bedroom second hand Bondi Beach at you can be among some of the nicest abodes in the best suburbs South East Queensland has to offer.
"We consider ultra-prestige buyers to be in the $8 million-plus realm.
"For these sorts of dollars, you will be on the river bank, riding horses across your rolling acreage or positioned high on an inner-city hill."
If you’d prefer a bit more in the way of low-maintenance pampering, perhaps an apartment is more your style. 
With $2 million to $5 million you are breaking into the rst stage of ‘elite strata’ of Brisbane units and townhouse. 
"Add a touch more to reach, say, $5 million-plus and you absolutely recline in platinum status real estate. 
There are a few go-to addresses for anyone looking to join in on our plush property party. 
Old school money homes in Ascot, Hamilton and Clay eld are generally classic, colonial and stunning.
HTW suggest there are a few in New Farm too but, along with Newstead, you’ll also find plenty of ‘new money’ helping rede ne prestige property in these suburbs.
</div>
<div class="column">
Teneriffe is now regarded as our premium suburb with most analysis showing it has the highest median house price in our town. Feeding off its extensive river frontage, real estate values re ect the appeal of being within a walkable distance of great facilities and a short jog of the CBD. 
Kangaroo point has some stunners as well – particularly houses high on the cliff looking at the CBD, plus whole- oor units with river/ city vistas.
For suburban chic, Paddington is the home of the upwardly mobile family. Paddington is one of the original workers-cottage suburbs, but there’s been some serious money spent here in both upgrading existing home and building new ones on splitter blocks. 
Some holdings have views of the city, but all have access to awesome lifestyle and retail hubs. Bulimba is another riverfront address that’s bene tted from great coffee and ne shopping.
There are classic rambling colonials as well as new contemporaries on small blocks. On the river itself are some of the most stunning homes Brisbane has to offer with price tags to match.
There are others such as East Brisbane, Norman Park and the western stunners like Chelmer, St Lucia and Fig Tree Pocket too.
<div class="page" title="Page 23">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
Some recent sales of high-value homes include 1A Eldernell Tce, Hamilton which sold for $7.25 million in February this year. 
It was a major renovation offering five-bedroom, four-bathroom, four-car accommodation on 910sqm site with peak-like views of the CBD and river.
1 Sydney St, New Farm was also impressive achieving $6.5 million in October last year with a very contemporary ve-bedroom, four-bathroom home. These are all fine, but it’s when you step up a notch that things become really impressive.
24 Palm Ave, Ascot sold for $8.3 million in February last year. A beautiful contemporary ve-bedroom, six-bathroom home sitting on a monster 1923sqm of land. That a huge site considering the property is located just ve kilometres from the CBD.
Not to be outdone, 35 Morgan St (aka 128 Crosby Rd), Ascot sold for $8.8 million in September last year. Affectionately known for its ‘bat cave’ tunnel entrance to the 10-car garage, the home itself is perched atop a summit site of 1120sqm that resulted in knockout views. With three levels of living and a total square meterage of 1409sqm, this is very impressive home.
The most expensive recent sale, however, is the reported $11 million achieved for 27 Sutherland Ave, Ascot. The property was still under contract at the time of writing. It screams old-school Hampton’s luxe with an enormous reported total oor area of 1337sqm. Six-bed, six-bath accommodation plus a four-car garage all positioned on a 2024sqm site. A very beautiful piece of real estate. The key factors driving this end of the market in Brisbane are universal to most prestige property.
Buyers are of course high-net-worth and they mostly enjoy grand homes with high end finishes positioned close to convenient lifestyle facilities.
</div>
<div class="column">
At present, HTW believe the Brisbane high-end residential sector is best described as ‘stable’. While buyer enquiry is reportedly a little slower than agents would like, interest in good quality stock remains buoyant.
In addition, new money for property coming into Queensland from cashed up interstate and overseas buyers is improving. 
HTW wouldn’t be surprised to see some very impressive sales results over the coming two-to-three years - a sound outlook of cautious optimism coupled with buoyant long-term prospects.
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
 
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div></body></html>

Brisbane trophy home market stable, with buyer enquiry slower than agents would like

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."

&nbsp;

[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.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

[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

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News