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Engineered joining technology manufacturer Norma Group is set to relocate to Logis Eco-Industrial Business Park, as part of a growing trend of major corporations moving to the Dandenong South industrial precinct.
The global company has signed a pre-lease for a 3,000 square metre state-of-the-art office/warehouse on Bazalgette Crescent, in Melbourne's south east, to be fulfilled by market-leading developer, BFD Construction.
Savills Australia’s Kosta Filinis worked closely with both parties to negotiate the seven-year term.  
Industry sources believe rental rates for similar asset in the precinct are circa $100-$110 per square metre.
“This lease term is a sign of the commitment from both sides to the project, and has enabled both the tenant and the landlord to achieve their requirements,” Filinis said.
The purpose-built facility will have direct access to Greens Road, the Dandenong Bypass and EastLink, and is located in the Logis North section of the Logis Eco-Industrial Business Park.
The environmentally friendly estate, which was developed by Melbourne Water and Places Victoria.
Filinis said the deal was another “outstanding result” for the popular Dandenong South industrial market.
“The area is consistently drawing occupiers from competing markets, such as Braeside, Scoresby and Rowville.”
Norma Group’s new facility marks another major deal for BFD, which has enjoyed recent successes developing warehouses of a similar size for NSK Australia, Sullair Australia and Terex.
 
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Major corporations head to Dandenong South: Savills

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Two adjoining industrial warehouses within the Victoria Gardens precinct at Richmond in Melbourne’s inner east.
The <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-offices-vic-richmond-502731578" target="_blank">39 and 41 Blazey Street</a> properties are located in a sought after precinct bounded by Bridge Road and Swan Street, Burnley.
Both properties are a solid brick, single level industrial building with a 10 tonne overhead crane and roller door access.
Number 39 spans 370 square metres on its 425 square metre site, while 41 is 305 square metres on 411 square metres.
Both properties will be sold subject to monthly tenancies while 41 Blazey Street also includes $28,962 annual rental income from a Telco Tower.
Larry Takis and Tom Maule at Teska Carson are marketing the commercial properties with owner-occupiers, investors and commercial developers the likely interested parties.
"Along with the residential development we have seen numerous associated commercial and retail construction projects that have driven an escalation of property values across all sectors of the market and that process is ongoing.’’ Maule said.
The properties will be auctioned April 4.
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Industrial Richmond warehouses offer numerous options

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The 1870s Brucedale Chapel in the NSW Riverina has been listed for sale.
Over the years the property has been the venue for many weddings. 
It goes to <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-brucedale-127668850" target="_blank">March 24 auction</a>.
The Brucedale Community Chapel was refurbished by the Oleary's in 1995 with the chapel being reconsecrated and blessed by Bishop Brennan in the same year.
Since this time the chapel has been open to weddings and christenings for all people of all denominations and orientations.
The lush green gardens are spotted with rose bushes, vine covered walkways and a multitude of coloured flowers.
"The cherry on top is a beautiful old bell that can be heard at the conclusion of any ceremony," the marketing says.
Dame Mary Gilmore, a noted Australian poet, attended church here as a child and was so inspired by the beauty and magic of the property that she wrote the following poem:
O neighbourly hands and neighbourly hearts,  How memory burns and the hot tear starts! For, shades in the moonlight, I see you pass Where the white of the frost is crimping the grass, And I hear you sing, when the nights are dark,  Where you set your course to an heavenly mark. O brave forerunners, who never sought fame,  How the church you loved must treasure each name!
The main house has a Tuscan exterior with its painted concrete walls and green gardens.
The French doors opening out to the front porch are over 100 years old, coming from the dividing wall at Mt Erin archives and have been cut and re-glassed to fit into the house.
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Riverina's Brucedale Chapel estate for auction

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Pub investors searching for yield are shifting focus to Queensland’s market, according to CBRE’s H2 2017 Australia Pub Trends report.
CBRE hotels research manager Ben Martin-Henry said investors are being priced out and facing a lack of supply particularly in metropolitan New South Wales, so buyer attention is being drawn to south-eastern Queensland opportunities.
"However, the pub sector is one of the most tightly held in the country and it’s hard to find owners willing to part with prized assets,” Martin-Henry said. 
The report noted Newcastle has seen strong buyer interest recently, as has the Central Coast and Wollongong.
"Sales activity has increased noticeably, and yields have sharpened to around 9.5-10.5% for quality assets.”
In Victoria, buyers have been quick to snap up freehold and leasehold assets due to heated competition.
“Asset values have been relatively steady; however, larger operators keen on increasing market share are pushing values up by paying inflated prices to secure high-quality assets. Going-concern pubs have also grown in popularity, and as competition ramps up in 2018, this trend is likely to continue,” Henry said.
Freehold assets are currently achieving average yields circa 4.5-5.5%, while those in rural and regional areas achieve yields between 8-10%.
“Demand within the sector maintained its high levels during the second half of 2017 and is showing no signs of fading. 2018 is likely to see further tightening of yields along the eastern states, as the market reaches the peak of its current cycle,” Martin-Henry concluded.
Click here <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/3/9/PUB%20NSW.jpg" target="_blank">to enlarge.</a>
<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/2018/3/9/PUB%20NSW.jpg" alt="">
 
Click here <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/3/9/PUB%20VIC%20.jpg" target="_blank">to enlarge.</a>
<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/2018/3/9/PUB%20VIC%20.jpg" alt="">
Pub transaction yield spread, Queensland (pictured below).
 
 <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/2018/3/9/PUB%20QLD.jpg" alt="">
 
Pub transaction yield spread, WA (pictured below).
<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/2018/3/9/PUB%20WA.jpg" alt="">
CBRE Hotels director Paul Fraser said there had been a significant weight of capital moving north from New South Wales and Victoria as buyers search for quality pub assets at higher yields.  
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Hot pub sector and sharp yields drive investors to Queensland

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Located in the sought-after High Street Armadale retail precinct, ground floor retail space in the forthcoming Chronicle development is available for sale. 
It is listed for sale by Jonathan Hu from Clover Property Group.
<a href="http://www.commercialpropertyguide.com.au/property/286194/sale/948-960-high-street/armadale-vic-3143/retail/" target="_blank">Positioned at 948-960 High Street,</a> it suits a variety of uses including retail, hospitality, office or medical.
The floor area acrosses 184 square metres.
<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/2018/2/28/948-950%20high%20st.jpg" alt="">
Surrounded by retailers including Acne Studio, Scanland Theodore and Aesop, it is marketed as ideal for owner occupation or investment.
Armadale railway station and tram stops are within short distance. 
It is currently under construction with expected completion early 2019.
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Chronicle, Armadale flagship retail offering

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Bensons Property Group chairman Elias Jreissati has launched a $230 million arts-inspired residential development on Chevron Island.
Chevron One, Chevron Island’s first high rise, will rise 40 levels above the village.
Offering 247 apartments wrapped in wave-inspired architecture, Chevron One is the first Queensland project for Bensons Property Group.
It has been acclaimed for its residential developments throughout Melbourne, having delivered over $2 billion in projects over nearly a quarter of a century.
<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/2018/3/9/CHEVRON%205.jpg" alt="">
The benchmark apartment development is being marketed as appealing to a wide buyer demographic, from owner occupiers through to long-term investors.
<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/2018/3/9/CHEVRON%203.jpg" alt="">
With development approvals in place, the Marchese Partners-designed Chevron One is poised to take shape at 36-44 Stanhill Drive, just 500m from the heart of Surfers Paradise, beach and light rail.
Buyers have the choice of one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments, with two-bedroom residences the dominant product. 
<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/2018/3/9/CHEVRON%204.jpg" alt="">
Each apartment features indoor to outdoor living spaces complemented by contemporary finishes such as stone benchtops, timber floors, luxurious bathrooms and kitchens designed by award-winning celebrity chef Shannon Bennett.
Apartments will overlook the Surfers Paradise skyline, the ocean, Nerang River and the hinterland depending on their location within the tower.
Residents will have access to an array of superb resort-style leisure facilities at ‘Club One’ including indoor and outdoor pools, a BBQ area, al fresco dining, gymnasium, yoga and sculpture garden, residents lounge and bicycle racks.
Apartments range in size typically from 51sqm to 162sqm with their outdoor areas varying from 13sqm to 75sqm.
Chevron One’s apartments are priced from $428,000 for one-bedroom apartments through to $2.95 million for the four-bedroom residences.
Construction of the tower is scheduled to be complete by early 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/2018/3/9/CHEVRON%206.jpg" alt="">
The lead selling agent is Christopher Jones, of Savills Gold Coast.
Prospective buyers can inspect the onsite display suite at 44 Stanhill Drive, Chevron Island.
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Chevron Island's first high rise launched

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Positioned on the high side of Charles Street, an architecturally designed Tweed Heads townhouse has been sold by mortgagees for $790,000.
It was sold by Jason Abbott form PRDnationwide. 
Newly built in 2017, the<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-duplex+semi-detached-nsw-tweed+heads-126964178" target="_blank"> 1/27 Charles Street duplex townhouse</a> comes with three bedrooms, kitchen with ocean views, and patio.
Other features include ducted air-conditioning, four camera surveillance, and solar power.
The strata townhouse is only five minutes to Coolangatta and Kirra beaches, several shopping centres and only ten minutes to Coolangatta Airport and Southern Cross University.
The other townhouse, north east facing, sold recently through other agents at $950,000.
According to CoreLogic, the suburb's median house price sits on $685,000.
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Tweed Heads townhouse sold by mortgagee

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Melbourne’s strategic planning history has largely overlooked the contribution of <a href="https://www.vu.edu.au/library/about-the-library/special-collections-archives/ruth-maurie-crow-collection" target="_blank">Ruth and Maurie Crow.</a>
The Crows were early champions of functional mix and compact urban development. They didn’t eulogise lower-density suburban form, but equally didn’t advocate higher densities as necessarily humanising in themselves.
In their three-volume <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/10498626?q&amp;versionId=22767541" target="_blank">Plan for Melbourne</a>, published from 1969-72, the Crows argued for compact urban development driven by spatial justice ambitions. Revisiting their work provides a counterbalance to evaluate the motivations for the transformations of our cities today. Their Plan for Melbourne shows a prescient awareness of the need to design cities to maximise access and interaction:
the debate around the plan for the future of a city is not essentially a debate about things … buildings, cars, trains, roads and so on, and their placement; although it often expresses itself in these terms. It is essentially a debate about human relationships.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/208788/original/file-20180304-65541-15kpf7w.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/208788/original/file-20180304-65541-15kpf7w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
The Crows’ pioneering work, Plan for Melbourne, was published as three volumes in 1969, 1970 and 1972. Ruth &amp; Maurie Crow Collection/Victoria University Library.
The compact city has been a steadfast trope in Australia’s strategic planning rhetoric since the 1980s. Consolidation of urban areas, containment of outward growth, and a multi-nuclear metropolitan structure are deemed necessary to support increasing populations in uncertain socio-ecological futures.
Despite this naturalised policy ambition, metropolitan planning has delivered what Clive Forster termed a “<a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1745-5871.2006.00374.x/full" target="_blank">parallel universe phenomenon</a>”. The vast gaps between planning intent and urban reality have everyday justice implications, resulting in a parallel justice phenomenon.
The justice ambitions have often been subsumed into transformations of our cities driven by economic rationality. For the Crows, the goal of social justice was paramount.
<h2>What has driven urban transformations?</h2>
Melbourne’s strategic planning history is marked by an alternating desire for containment and decentralisation. Various propositions have come to the fore, including “the dispersed city”, “satellite cities”, “growth corridors”, and “the redirected city”.
The late 1960s and early 1970s were a transitional moment in Melbourne’s development. Unfettered expansion had typified the city since the 1930s. Now the growth trajectories of both the metropolitan area and the central city were being publicly questioned.
The Crows’ Plan for Melbourne was rejected on the grounds of its seemingly unachievable restructuring propositions. Instead, in 1971, the Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works advanced the elusive “<a href="https://www.planning.vic.gov.au/policy-and-strategy/planning-for-melbourne" target="_blank">growth corridors and green wedges</a>” policy. The radical implications of the Crows’ proposed “clustering”, “concourses” and “collectives” to create an <a href="https://theconversation.com/putting-the-pieces-together-to-create-safe-public-spaces-for-all-89961" target="_blank">inclusive, accessible and convivial city</a> weren’t considered.
The compact city ideal was not validated in official planning rhetoric until the <a href="https://www.planning.vic.gov.au/policy-and-strategy/planning-for-melbourne/metropolitan-strategy-implementation-1981" target="_blank">1981 strategic plan</a>. Spatial consolidation then became de facto policy. The aim was to promote inner-city population and employment growth, as well as greater use of existing infrastructure and services.
However, <a href="https://theconversation.com/market-driven-compaction-is-no-way-to-build-an-ecocity-80199" target="_blank">market-driven compaction</a> contributes to uneven distribution of, and precarious access to, social infrastructure, affordable housing, public transport and hospitable urban life across the city. The result is a shortfall of social justice.
<h2>Revisiting a vision of a different city</h2>
Heavily involved in citizen activism, The Crows dedicated themselves to the “urban action movement”. They were amateur planners, heterodox communists, and avid community members. They proposed radical alternatives to what they understood as the injustices of urbanisation and capitalism.
They wanted a city that was more rewarding, both socially and ecologically. This was their rallying cry:
You have to project the future: a more workable, more humane, more ecological future, and then battle towards it. Maybe the goals will change as you battle towards them: but without goals there is no battle, only unending class scrimmage within the system.
For the Crows, urban consolidation had two interlocking objectives. The first was to concentrate social activity and so minimise transport energy. The second was to heighten participatory enjoyment.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/208787/original/file-20180304-65522-1pwkbw1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Image of the linear city from Plan for Melbourne Volume 3. Courtesy of the Ruth &amp; Maurie Crow Collection, Victoria University Library
<h2>Clustering, concourse, collectives</h2>
The Crows proposed a compact city with explicit structural elements. In their future Melbourne, towns were to be clustered along a linear spine towards the southeast. A rapid transit network would connect a string of “mini-metro hearts” and “city-metro hearts” to allow for easy commuting.
Multi-functional zoning and high-density cores distinguished their towns from existing suburbs. The Crows proposed dedicated first-level concourses in their “metro hearts” to promote commerce-free encounters. These high-density core areas were to be entirely vehicle-free and were intended to overcome <a href="https://theconversation.com/lonely-over-christmas-a-snapshot-of-social-isolation-in-the-suburbs-34810" target="_blank">social isolation</a>.
Concourses were designed as a “therapeutic measure”, counteracting the “community scattering trend” of the car. These areas would allow for “deliberate voluntary contact”, encouraging interaction beyond the fleeting yet pervasive contact of commercial transaction. The Crows’ intention was to catalyse spaces for voluntary collectives to form and flourish as a means to enhance the “tone” or “ethos” of the community.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/208620/original/file-20180302-65541-1nmza5x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Proposed restructuring of Melbourne’s future growth, from Plan for Melbourne Volume 3. Courtesy of the Ruth &amp; Maurie Crow Collection, Victoria University Library
<h2>Compaction for conviviality</h2>
The Crows’ Plan for Melbourne presented a radical alternative to what mainstream planners were proposing at the time.
Their calls for compaction were informed by spatial justice ambitions to minimise alienation, increase accessibility and support the need for social interaction. They proposed clustering, concourses and collectives to ensure access and inclusion; this was compaction for <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-quest-for-the-convivial-city-how-do-ours-fare-90004" target="_blank">conviviality</a> rather than capital accumulation.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-a-three-decade-remaking-of-the-city-revived-the-buzz-of-marvellous-melbourne-91481" target="_blank">Melbourne has certainly transformed into a vibrant centre</a> since the Crows’ Plan for Melbourne. Whether it is being planned as a just city is questionable. Hyper-density and visible homelessness are now emblematic of the city.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/92034/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">The Crows warned 50 years ago that, without a clear justice intent driving metropolitan development, we risked looking back with regret that the struggle to shape our cities for their citizens rather than vested interests began too late.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/claire-collie-438785" target="_blank">Claire Collie</a>, PhD candidate in Urban Planning, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-melbourne-722" target="_blank">University of Melbourne</a>
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/theres-more-to-the-compact-city-than-getting-dense-92034" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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There’s more to the compact city than getting dense

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A historic Ashburton house has been listed for sale with a price guide of $1.75 million to $1.95 million for its March 17 auction.
It has been listed by Jonathon O'Donoghue and Alexandra Valmorbida from Jellis Craig.
The former Salvation Army citadel at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-ashburton-127646658" target="_blank" title="www.realestate.com.au" rel="nofollow">10 Meaden Street</a> was built in the early 1950s.
It is now a three-bedroom house that sits on a 590 sqm lot. 
 
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Historical Ashburton House listed for sale

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Canberra was the hottest capital city weekend auction market, but one of Sydney's last remaining clifftop cottages took the top sale price.
The Canberra sales ranged between $376,000 at Calwell to $1.34 million in a pre-auction sale at Ainslie.
The top sale was a 1959 weatherboard, with brick fireplace at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property/75-tyson-st-ainslie-act-2602" target="_blank">75 Tyson St, Ainslie</a>. It had last sold at $439,950 in 2002.
Canberra's top result was a close-run race as there was <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-act-deakin-127604842" target="_blank">a $1.325 four bedroom Deakin home sale</a> and a $1.31 million sale at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-act-o%27connor-127589942" target="_blank">O'Connor of another 1950s home</a>.
Click here <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/3/12/cap%20city.jpg" target="_blank">to enlarge.</a>
<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/2018/3/12/cap%20city.jpg" alt="">
Canberra's cheapest $376,000 sale was a three bedroom townhouse with 98 sqm living space at <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.allhomes.com.au/ah/act/sale-residential/32-36-fink-crescent-calwell-canberra/1317494664811" target="_blank">32/36 Fink Crescent, Calwell</a>. It had last sold at $360,000 in 2010.
A three bedroom Queensland mortgagee offering was the nation's top weekend result.
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-caboolture+south-127555274" target="_blank">51 Rosemary St, Caboolture South</a> home (below) fetched $210,000.
<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/2018/3/12/caboolture.jpg" alt="">
It previously sold at $255,000 in 2008 shortly after which it became a $255 a week rental.
Sydney scored the weekend's top sale when Belle Property sold a Queenscliff home (top) for $5.55 million at a packed auction with over 100 locals attending.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-queenscliff-127534742" target="_blank">The 17 Pavilion Street offering</a> was marked by Belle Property Manly agent Anthony Calacoci as Sydney's last original clifftop house.
The guide for the clifftop property was $4.8 million.
With views north and south over the ocean, it was a one-bedroom cottage without parking on 340sqm of land.
It hasn’t traded for four decades having beeb built for a fisherman.
The next highest across the country was when $4 million was paid pre-auction for a home in Clontarf.
The three level hillside <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-clontarf-127538802" target="_blank">24 Peronne Avenue, Clontarf home</a> (below) was offered through LJ Hooker. It had been initially listed last October with $4 million hopes.
<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/2018/3/12/clontarf.jpg" alt="">
It was a relatively quiet auction weekend in Melbourne due to the Labour Day public holiday.
The highest result was <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-malvern+east-126733202" target="_blank">a two house, 1650 sqm consolidation</a> at 1399-1401 Dandenong Road at Malvern East at $4.66 million.
It was tipped to fetch $4.4 million to $4.6 million.
Melbourne's dearest house sale was $2.465 million when <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-port+melbourne-127569918" target="_blank">172 Clark Street, Port Melbourne</a> was offered.
It was a three bedroom brick home which was marketed as a likely knockdown with a $2 million to $2.2 million price guidance.
<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/2018/3/12/melb.jpg" alt="">
Melbourne's cheapest sale was $245,000 at Footscray.
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-vic-footscray-127481458" target="_blank">8/18 Eldridge Street, Footscray</a> one bedroom apartment was expected to have fetched between $250,000 and $275,000.
The 55 sqm apartment needed to be renovated.
<div>CoreLogic calculated the capital city preliminary clearance rate rose to 67.3 per cent, with auction activity across the capitals significantly lower.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>There were 1,721 auctions held across the combined capital cities, significantly lower than the 3,026 held last week.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>"The fall in auction volumes this week is due to the fact that four of the eight states and territories have a public holiday on Monday," CoreLogic auction analyst Kevin Brogan said.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>"The preliminary clearance rate across the combined capital cities rose to 67.3 per cent this week, up from 63.6 per cent last week, although this will revise as more results are collected over the week.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>"Over the same week last year, the clearance rate was recorded at 75.1 per cent," he said. </div>
<div>
<div> </div>
<div>The two largest auction markets, Melbourne and Sydney, saw their preliminary clearance rates rise, with Sydney at 66.6 per cent across 936 auctions and Melbourne at 72.2 per cent across 447 auctions.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Looking at results by property type, units outperformed houses again across the capitals with 70 per cent of units selling at auction, while 66 percent of houses sold.</div>
</div>
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Queenscliff cottage sells at $5.55 million at weekend auction

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/vitale-property-group">Vitale Property Group</a> Managing Partner Chris Vitale said the project's combination of scale, location and limited future supply was driving buyer demand.

"There isn't another beachfront holding in Byron Bay of this size and position that could be developed again," Vitale said.

"Buyers are responding to the scarcity and the irreplaceability of a site of this calibre and to floorplans they can't find elsewhere in the market.

"We are seeing buyers place significant value on quality, space, design, resort-style amenities and the rarity of the location. The sales achieved to date demonstrate that discerning purchasers recognise the long-term significance of what is being created at EADE Byron Bay.

"Many are coming from larger homes in the Byron region, or from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and are after the space, security and convenience, without the upkeep of a house."

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The Byron Bay project follows Vitale Property Group's delivery of the Mondrian Hotel and Private Residences at Burleigh Heads, with EADE continuing the developer's focus on luxury coastal developments.

Residents will have access to a resort-style swimming pool, gymnasium, sauna, cold plunge pool, concierge services and dedicated workspaces, while the project is targeting an 8-Star Green Star rating.

EADE Byron Bay is being exclusively marketed by Projx Australia in conjunction with WHITEFOX Projects.

WHITEFOX National Projects Director Phillip Rand said demand had been driven predominantly by owner-occupiers.

"We are seeing buyers at EADE place significant value on quality, space, design, resort-style amenities and the rarity of this location," Rand says.

"The sales achieved to date demonstrate that purchasers at this level recognise the long-term significance of what is being created at EADE Byron Bay."

Residences at EADE Byron Bay are currently priced between $4.75 million and $15.95 million.

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Vitale breaks Byron Bay records with EADE sales flurry 

When buying an apartment, most people compare the big-ticket items first. Floorplans. Kitchens. Balcony size. Natural light. The view.

But there's one everyday consideration that often doesn't come up until after moving in: how parcels are delivered.

As online shopping has become part of everyday life, parcel deliveries have shifted from an occasional event to a regular occurrence. Australians spent a record $82.6 billion shopping online in 2025, with almost one in every four retail dollars now spent digitally.

For apartment residents, that can present a challenge.

If nobody is home to accept a delivery, parcels may be redirected to a nearby Post Office, left in a building lobby or common area, or require building management to step in. In higher-density buildings, where dozens or even hundreds of residents may receive deliveries each day, parcel management has become an increasingly important part of everyday living.

That can create a range of frustrations. A missed delivery often means making time to collect a parcel elsewhere, while packages left unattended in foyers or mail areas can create clutter and increase the risk of theft. What seems like a minor inconvenience can quickly become a recurring issue for residents who shop online regularly.

It's one of those details that rarely features in a display suite but can have a noticeable impact once residents move in.

As a result, buyers are beginning to look beyond traditional apartment features and consider how a building supports day-to-day convenience, including whether there are secure options for receiving deliveries.

Australia Post's Parcel Lockers provide one solution.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CkF2oKmlACg?si=C50sDaoUUn2nuLmq" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Rather than having a parcel delivered directly to an apartment, eligible deliveries can be sent to a nominated Parcel Locker. Once the parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS and can collect it using a QR code or one-time PIN at a time that suits them.

The Parcel Locker network now includes more than 1,500 locations nationwide, with installations at Post Offices, shopping centres, transport hubs and an increasing number of residential developments. By providing a secure collection point, Parcel Lockers help reduce missed deliveries and avoid parcels being left unattended in common areas.

For developers, parcel infrastructure is becoming another way to improve the resident experience. Rather than relying on concierge staff or leaving parcels in communal spaces, secure collection points help streamline deliveries while preserving the presentation and functionality of shared areas.

For buyers, it's a reminder that the best apartment features aren't always the most obvious.

A generous floorplan or quality finishes might help narrow the shortlist, but the conveniences that simplify everyday life, whether that's EV charging, secure bike storage or reliable parcel delivery, often become the features residents appreciate most once they're living there.

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

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

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

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

Staff reporter

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