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<div class="cq-article-content-paras section">
The ailing food franchisor Retail Food Group may close more than 400 stores over the next three years, according to a report by UBS.
The investment bank slashed its earnings forecasts for Retail Food Group after factoring in shrinking sales from store closures.
UBS analyst Jordan Rogers believes RFG may need to close as many as 456 stores in Australia between 2018 and 2020, mainly in its bakery division, which includes Donut King, Michel's Patisseries and Brumby's Bakery, and its quick service restaurants divisions, which owns the Crust and Pizza Capers brands. 
This doesn't include about 200 outlets forecast to close in 2018, the Australian Financial Review article noted.
</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-paras section">
Store closures in Australia would be partially offset by about 145 new stores and outlets overseas, taking total stores to 1984 by 2020. However, RFG is unlikely to reach its long term target for 3500 stores.
</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-paras section">
RFG shares have fallen 44 per cent since Friday, when the franchise systems business announced plans to close between 160 and 200 outlets over the next 15 months.
UBS believes more closures will be necessary before RFG reaches a sustainable base.
​"We expect the closures to accelerate and go beyond those initially identified by RFG given the deterioration in underlying performance and pressure with the Michel's structure, in particular,"  Mr Rogers said.
</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">"A successful repositioning of Michel's and deceleration of closures would be the most likely potential change to our view, but it is difficult to have confidence in this scenario after network sales fell 22 per cent in (the December-half)," he said,</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-paras section">
"We now forecast about 460 net outlet closures over the next 2.5 years (36 per cent closure of current domestic portfolio partially offset by about 100 net openings in the international division) and have lowered margins in each division to account for an expected change in the value split between RFG and franchisees."
</div>
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Retail Food Group may close 456 stores: UBS

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GUEST OBSERVER
Smartphones and the internet have revolutionised society, commerce, and politics, reshaping how we work and play, and how our brains are wired. They have even revolutionised how revolutions are made.
For enthusiasts, these technologies enhance freedom and democratise the flow of information, putting more power in the hands of people to generate political change. In the aftermath of the Parkland shooting, high school students have used social media to provoke a public debate about guns in the United States. However, detractors counter that social media and the internet foster “slactivism”: weak, low-effort commitments that do little more than make users feel better.
It’s difficult to evaluate today’s communication technologies unless we understand how people communicated in the past. My own research looks back at how political activists used the phone in the years before the mobile phone revolution, using the records of activist groups and interviews to find out how phone talk shaped what they did and how well they did it.
The results higlight how important phone calls were in fostering a sense of community, intimacy and connection. This suggests that we have lost as much as we have gained with our high-tech gizmos.
The landline’s role in political protest
Before Facebook, the internet and mobile phones, political movements used traditional technologies to recruit like-minded people, raise money, organise events and advocate for change.
Activist groups called people on the phone, as well as printing, mailing and – by the late 1980s – faxing information. In the second half of the 20th century, the phone was essential to political activism, and it helped to create lasting movements in which people felt emotionally bonded.
The phone was crucial for sharing information quickly. In the US in the 1950s and 1960s, when most Americans had telephones, the civil rights movement relied heavily on the telephone. Thousands of participants in the Montgomery bus boycott of the mid-1950s, for example, found ride shares by using phone trees.
Phone trees, still in use today, are based on lists of people who call other people: ten people each call ten people, who then each call ten people. Before email, the phone tree was one of the quickest and most efficient ways to disseminate information. A well-organised tree could quickly trigger thousands of phone calls to elected officials or turn thousands of people out for demonstrations.
In 1961, Wide Area Telephone Service (WATS) lines were introduced, allowing unlimited long-distance calls for a fixed fee. They saved the lives of some activists by giving grassroots workers who could not afford expensive long-distance calls a way to call headquarters to report dangerous situations.
By the 1980s, 1-800 calling cards had become common. Activists could call anyone from any phone while leaving the charges to be paid by headquarters. The number of calls made by activist groups exploded.
As new movements for environmental protection, nuclear disarmament, feminism, Chicano rights, Native American rights, gay rights, and conservative causes such as school prayer gathered steam in the 1970s and 1980s, the landline phone remained central.
The power of the human voice
In 1986 Americans placed 1.97 billion calls a day – eight calls for every woman, man and child. They were having about seven times as many telephone conversations as they had had in 1950, and the number was still rising. One human rights staffer told me of his work in the mid-1980s: "All the work was done by phone. If I wasn’t in a meeting, I was on the phone."
Those calls were about much more than sharing information. Calling on a landline phone was a labour-intensive form of communication, but it provided immediate personal contact, an opportunity for genuine exchange, and an emotional depth that written communication lacked.
Calls were able to knit far-flung people into deeply felt communities because the phone transmits the capacities of the human voice.
The voice is one of our most powerful instruments, designed not only to communicate but also to build intimacy. Our voices convey emotion so effectively that we can identify emotions in speech even when the words themselves are muffled by walls. The voice indicates whether you are sincere – or whether you are drunk.
The powers of the human voice help to explain why talking on the phone can foster feelings of connection. Research on the telephone in the 1980s showed that a call made people feel wanted, needed, included, and involved.
This is why a recent Harvard Business Review study found that face-to-face requests were 34 times more successful than emails.
Better technology doesn’t equal better communication
Critics of digital media say that it corrodes human relationships. The generation that has grown up on smart phones, which have become devices for avoiding talk, lack empathy and struggle to form friendships based on trust, according to one study.
In online communities, people tend toward narcissism and often dramatically fail to care about the feelings of others. Wael Ghonim, an Egyptian whose anonymous Facebook page in 2011 helped topple a dictatorship, concluded that social media facilitated “the spread of misinformation, rumours, echo chambers, and hate speech. The environment was purely toxic.” Empathy vanished, he says.
Landline calls helped to instil positive emotions: feelings of connection, pride, gratitude, a sense of elevation and happiness.
Psychologists tell us that whether we are extroverts or introverts, we need human contact and feel more alive after connecting with other people. Phone calls created those connections. They made people more optimistic and resilient and broadened their mindsets. For activists, talking revealed connections they would otherwise have missed, and deepened their personal commitment to the cause and to one another.
The landline phone, of course, was not a flawless medium – static, missed calls, busy signals, dropped connections, prank calls and phone threats guaranteed frustration. You can bond over the phone, but you can also argue.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/92662/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">But the rise of smart phones – which Americans check 8 billion times a day – has not meant that we communicate better. More communication can mean that we hear each other less. Among American millennials, the number of voice calls they make is falling as texting soars. And that means we may be losing a powerful part of what connects us to each other.
Barbara Keys, Associate Professor of US and International History, University of Melbourne
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-landline-phones-made-us-happy-and-connected-92662" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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How landline phones made us happy and connected: Barbara Keys

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GUEST OBSERVER
"Ooh, a storm is threatening my very life today / If I don’t get some shelter / Oh yeah, I’m gonna fade away…"
Mick Jagger won’t ever need to be concerned about having somewhere to live, but older people have worried about where they will spend their final years since long before the Rolling Stones sang to a generation’s insecurities in 1969. Many wish to stay in their homes, but current policy doesn’t support age-friendly housing. It also makes it difficult for ageing people to manage their finances.
The population of people aged 65 and over in Australia is projected to grow from 3.7 million to 8.7 million by 2056. Cities, towns and housing need to be designed to help people stay at home as they age. Financial policy should be updated to enable them to better manage their assets.
Gwen’s story
Five years before her death, Gwen (not her real name) and her family faced a dilemma. Like many Australians, Gwen had juggled a succession of jobs, eventually owning her modest home. Following a fall, hospitalisation and rehab, her prognosis was not good.
Gwen wanted to die at home, or with her family. Should members of the family move into her house? Should she move into one of her adult children’s houses? What about their children?
Should they rent out the family properties, so Gwen and volunteering family members could cohabit in a more suitable rented property? Could they afford a house with the flexibility to handle two adults, one elderly person, possibly kids and pets?
For families like Gwen’s, there are few viable, let alone affordable, housing options. Gwen’s housing shuffle proved stressful for everyone. She was ultimately placed, against her wishes, in a nursing home. Aged 82, deprived of any sovereignty in her decision-making, Gwen passed away, but the family arguments and blame continued.
What is stopping people ‘ageing in place’?
Gwen’s deck of dominoes could not be reconfigured because of the housing, tax and financial barriers imposed by the same governments that are trying to implement “ageing in place”.
Ageing in place isn’t just about ageing at home. It’s about keeping older people connected to their neighbourhood and community as part of a broader framework of “active ageing”, with the aim of improving their quality of life and giving them more control over their circumstances.
Since the World Health Organization (WHO) released its Active Ageing policy framework in 2002, federal governments have endorsed this approach. The 2013 Living Longer Living Better reforms and last year’s Legislated Review of Aged Care promote emotional and mental preparation for old age, which is important for active ageing.
However, many aspects of policy in Australia undermine successful ageing in place.
A lack of suitable housing
First, ageing Australians have a limited choice of suitable housing, as the Productivity Commission has highlighted.
Livable Housing Australia’s guidelines recommend installing nonslip floors and grab rails and retrofitting rooms to help keep them at a comfortable temperature. This improves home liveability and reduces risks of harm for occupants. Incremental measures like these also have beneficial ripple effects by making housing suitable for all ages. However, such guidelines are not yet widely implemented.
The ability to influence what is built, and where, can greatly enhance or inhibit well-being. Denmark and Canada are already running with the 8 80 Cities concept, which aims to transform cities so they meet the needs of people of all ages. It’s a good example for Australian planners.
Local governments need to embrace redevelopment models that provide better ageing-in-place options for communities. The Greater Sydney Commission recently took a step in the right direction with its plans to increase housing supply and affordability. Its investigation into improving transport options and amenities could also enhance liveability.
The City of Melbourne’s Places for People strategy and the Age-Friendly Victoria initiative commit to housing that meets the WHO’s essential age-friendly city features. These programs recognise that placemaking is strongly linked with successful ageing in place.
Financial penalties for moving
Most Australians lack the financial means to customise their homes as they age. Safety concerns will eventually collide with their desire for independent living, forcing a devil’s choice. The decision to enter aged care can be very difficult for people and their families. Taxation and pension rules that prevent them managing their assets without losses worsen the situation.
If governments want to promote active ageing, then older people must be given more flexibility in managing their assets. This means allowing them to sell the family home, take the tax-free asset value, downsize to a suitable smaller property, and put the leftover money into their super without penalties in the form of stamp duty, tax or loss of benefits.
Many people don’t want to give up home ownership, especially as a family home doubles as a tax shelter. Ideally, a compact property would be preferable, designed to accommodate any generation, and with better access to the amenities and services needed later in life. Then, should they eventually need high-level care, the home could be rented out, providing an income stream to help cover medical and care expenses.
Future-proofed properties like this mostly do not exist in Australia. They don’t exist because, thanks to current policy, the elderly are reluctant to monetise their tax-free asset (the family home) to buy such properties and thus generate a demand to be met by developers.
Where do you want to die?
Baby boomers are living longer and are more mindful of their health and lifestyle. However, a recent survey found that only a small percentage were planning their financial future so they could live independently for as long as possible. And a growing number of seniors lack the income to cover the unforeseen costs that arise later in life.
Governments need to step up public information campaigns to encourage people to prepare for their old age. Without it, the confronting question “Where do you want to die?” cannot be feasibly answered.
Governments and the private sector can also take action to:
<ul>
<li>acknowledge the tax shelter status of private homes alongside the tax shelter status of superannuation</li>
<li>reduce transaction costs such as stamp duty that discourage moving before it becomes essential, as it often does for the over-80s</li>
<li>remove disincentives to releasing equity in the family home (for example, the pension means tests on proceeds in interaction with the pension and superannuation systems)</li>
<li>with the growth of the tiny house movement, ensure a wider variety of housing stock, styles and locations to support ageing in place</li>
<li>encourage emerging home ownership models, such as home equity release, reverse mortgages, fractional property investment and co-operative housing – to name a few.</li>
</ul>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/91488/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">These initiatives would allow people to find and create homes that offer shelter from the ageing “perfect storm” already under way in Australia.
Juliette Brodsky, Researcher, College of Business, RMIT University 
Francis Grey, Economist and Sessional Academic, RMIT University
Sarah Sinclair, Lecturer in Economics, RMIT University
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/for-australians-to-have-the-choice-of-growing-old-at-home-here-is-what-needs-to-change-91488" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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For Australians to have the choice of growing old at home, here is what needs to change

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Long-time owners of two sites in Sydney's Rozelle are preparing to fight the NSW government's compulsory acquisition of their land for the WestConnex motorway project.
The two sites at 92-94 Lilyfield Road and 80-84 Lilyfield Road are next to ASX-listed developer Desane's landholding at 68-72 Lilyfield Road which is currently contesting their resumption in the Supreme Court.
The pending battles concern timber and hardware company Swadlings and the crane business Gillespies.
The combined Swadlings and Gillespies sites of nearly 6500 square metres can yield about 200 apartments.
The companies took their fight to <a href="https://twitter.com/Ross_Greenwood?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank">Ross Greenwood at Channel 9 News</a>.
Like Desane, both groups had sought a masterplan residential rezoning of the land with the NSW Department of Planning which was abandoned when the Roads and Maritime Services ordered the compulsory acquisition last September.
The RMS wanted the land for "a staging area for trucks and equipment", they said. They had a potential buyer who was prepared to pay $24 million for the sites and provide a timely relocation. The government offered them less than $3 million and the companies would have to fork out their own relocation costs.
"The Planning Department was attempting to adopt a well thought out masterplan approach but RMS came over the top and usurped this approach with its resumption of land," a Swadlings spokesman told Fairfax Media. 
"There was also a delay in the rezoning application process ahead of the compulsory acquisition of the property.
"If Swadlings cannot get a fair and reasonable outcome in the current discussions it will be forced to pursue every possible legal avenue."
Swadlings is a 100-year-old family business, said it was "watching closely the outcome of the Desane court case".
The RMS said both the sites were required for M4-M5 Link Rozelle Interchange.
"These properties were compulsorily acquired last September with the Valuer General determining the compensation in line with the Land Acquisitions (Just Terms Compensation) Act," a spokesman said.
"The M4-M5 Link Environmental Impact Statement shows the land as required for a temporary construction and tunnelling site, and at the project's completion will be returned to the community as part of up to 10 hectares of open green space."
The NSW government had taken steps to compulsorily acquire the inner city residential land owned by ASX-listed developer Desane for the WestConnex motorway project, even though it had no firm plans to use it for the project, a NSW court has heard.
Desane has fought the compulsory acquisition of its landholding at 68-72 Lilyfield Road in Rozelle – an area earmarked for residential development and mixed use urban renewal – since August.
After mediations with the government fell through to consider a lease of the land or alternatives, Desane started proceedings at the Supreme Court of NSW last Monday.
During a cross-examination, former Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) project director Daniel Powrie, who was involved in the third stage of the project, told the court motorway plans showed Desane's site "was not impacted", that is, not required for tunnelling.
The government had earlier said the site would be used as a "car park" for staff.
Desane's site could yield a $100 million 200-apartment project.
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Rozelle site owners battle WestConnex compulsory acquisitions

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New data prepared for Knight Frank The Wealth Report shows that the number of ultra-wealthy people - with net assets of US$50 million or more - rose by 10% in 2017 – taking the global population to 129,730, with a combined worth of US$26.4 trillion.
The data provided by Wealth-X highlights that the ultra-wealthy population grew at a notably more rapid rate in 2017 than in the previous five years, when there was a cumulative 18% increase.
According to Knight Frank’s Michelle Ciesielski, head of residential research, Australia in Australia, the number of ultra-wealthy people rose by 9% in 2017 – taking the population to 1,260, with a combined worth of US$269 billion.
"This is equivalent to 5.2 ultra-wealthy individuals per 100,000 of the Australian population," she said.
“Over the next five years, the number of ultra-wealthy people in Australia is projected to increase by 37% to 1,720.
“This growth in Australia’s ultra-wealthy population can be attributed to several factors.
"Firstly, we’ve seen significant growth in prime property prices.
"Secondly, despite recent instability, the equities market has also seen gains over the past year.
“In addition, Australia is the third most-preferred global destination for the world’s ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs) to emigrate, behind the UK and the US, according to Knight Frank’s annual Attitudes Survey, produced for The Wealth Report.
“Australia ranked in the top five destinations of where UHNWIs plan to buy prime property in 2018. Malaysia, Singapore, China, Hong Kong and the Philippines scored high on the Attitudes Survey for those planning to buy Australian prime property in 2018,” said Ms Ciesielski.
Globally, 34% of UHNWIs already hold a second passport and 29% are planning to purchase one, while 21% are considering emigrating permanently.
 Ultra-wealthy individuals (US$50m+) per 100,000 population across Asia Pacific
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td width="56">
Ranking
</td>
<td nowrap width="106">
Country
</td>
<td nowrap width="87">
Ultra-wealthy individuals (2017)
</td>
<td nowrap width="110">
Country population
(2016)
</td>
<td nowrap width="93">
Ultra-wealthy individuals per 100,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="56">
2
</td>
<td nowrap width="106">
Hong Kong, China
</td>
<td nowrap width="87">
5,140
</td>
<td nowrap width="110">
             7,346,700
</td>
<td nowrap width="93">
69.96
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="56">
4
</td>
<td nowrap width="106">
Singapore
</td>
<td nowrap width="87">
1,400
</td>
<td nowrap width="110">
             5,607,283
</td>
<td nowrap width="93">
24.97
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="56">
11
</td>
<td nowrap width="106">
Taiwan
</td>
<td nowrap width="87">
2,010
</td>
<td nowrap width="110">
           23,626,456
</td>
<td nowrap width="93">
8.51
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="56">
12
</td>
<td nowrap width="106">
New Zealand
</td>
<td nowrap width="87">
390
</td>
<td nowrap width="110">
             4,692,700
</td>
<td nowrap width="93">
8.31
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="56">
13
</td>
<td nowrap width="106">
Japan
</td>
<td nowrap width="87">
9,960
</td>
<td nowrap width="110">
          126,994,511
</td>
<td nowrap width="93">
7.84
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="56">
18
</td>
<td nowrap width="106">
Australia
</td>
<td nowrap width="87">
1,260
</td>
<td nowrap width="110">
           24,127,159
</td>
<td nowrap width="93">
5.22
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="56">
20
</td>
<td nowrap width="106">
South Korea
</td>
<td nowrap width="87">
2,610
</td>
<td nowrap width="110">
           51,245,707
</td>
<td nowrap width="93">
5.09
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="56">
31
</td>
<td nowrap width="106">
Thailand
</td>
<td nowrap width="87">
770
</td>
<td nowrap width="110">
           68,863,514
</td>
<td nowrap width="93">
1.12
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="56">
32
</td>
<td nowrap width="106">
Malaysia
</td>
<td nowrap width="87">
310
</td>
<td nowrap width="110">
           31,187,265
</td>
<td nowrap width="93">
0.99
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="56">
38
</td>
<td nowrap width="106">
China, Mainland
</td>
<td nowrap width="87">
8,800
</td>
<td nowrap width="110">
       1,378,665,000
</td>
<td nowrap width="93">
0.64
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
Source: Wealth-X, World Bank, Worldometers, Knight Frank Research
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Ultra-wealthy population set to grow by 37% in next five years

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Deposit guarantee company Deposit Power is now under external administration following the placement of Auckland-based CBL Insurance into interim liquidation.
External administrators from Chifley Advisory were appointed to the company.
Deposit Power offered deposit guarantee bond products, assisting Australian borrowers and investors to buy residential and commercial properties without the need to provide a cash deposit.
In a report by the Australian Financial Review, an estimated 10,000 residential, commercial, and property investors could be affected by the company’s collapse.
The deposit bonds are a form of bridging finance for up to 48 months for off the plan buyers.
Investors calling the Sydney office are met with a recorded message that the company is facing "external issues."
Deposit Power's bonds were sold to first time buyers.
Self managed super funds purchasing commercial or residential property are also using the deposits bonds. 
After the interim liquidation, insureds and beneficiaries under policies and surety and financial risk bonds are being urged to obtain advice from their insurance brokers to determine whether they need to purchase new insurance cover or secure additional or replacement bonds. 
A notice from the external administrators says CBL Insurance is “liable to pay any valid claims payable to any beneficiary of any guarantee issue by them”, and that all claims should be directed to CBL Insurance.
New Zealand’s High Court ordered CBL Insurance last month to be placed into interim liquidation following the Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s application.
Auckland-based insurance broker and building warranty provider Stamford Insurance said in a statement yesterday that it has stepped in to protect CBL Insurance clients. Stamford said it has secured Lloyd's of London’s help to protect buyers and homeowners.
It is not clear from the company's statement if its scheme to protect CBL Insurance clients will cover those in Australia as well.
“The underwriters in London responded immediately to our request and are committed to providing New Zealand homebuyers with the finest building warranties," said Stamford director Duncan Colebrook in the statement.
Stamford said its scheme will do the following:
<ol>
<li>For buyers who have signed a contract and paid a deposit where work has yet to start, Stamford will cover the risk that they may lose their deposit if their builder becomes insolvent.</li>
<li>If construction has already started, Stamford will guard against builder insolvency and provide 10 years’ defects cover on completion.</li>
<li>For homeowners who have taken possession of their homes within the past 12 months and who may have lost their protection against major defects arising with their home, Stamford will offer them a new 10 year policy.</li>
</ol>
Deposit Power’s external administrators said in the notice that an interested party may buy the company’s business, but that “the sale has its complications as the company was only an agent/authorised manager of CBL Insurance”.
“Given the nature of the company’s operation, any sale transaction will need to happen quickly, or it will not happen at all.”
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Deposit Power collapse to affect 10,000 home buyers

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A Coombabah three bedroom house has been sold by mortgagees for $485,000.
The Queensland home was sold by the agent Mark Worthington from LJ Hooker in February. 
Set at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-qld-coombabah-127125246" target="_blank">6 Burrinjuck Drive</a>, Coombabah on the Gold Coast, it comes with three bedrooms, open plan living area and private covered patio. 
Other features include lock up garage, new carpet and tiled dining area. 
It had last sold at $330,000 in 2005.
According to CoreLogic, the suburb's median house price sits on $483,000.
 
 
 
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Coombabah, Queensland three bedroom home sold by mortgagee

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A Baynton four bedroom house has been sold by mortgagees for $590,000.
The West Australian mining town home was sold by the agent Coral Howe from Ray White.
It was on the market for around 180 days initially seeking $650,000.
It had last sold at $205,000 in 2009.
It had been a $1400 a week rental offering in the boom.
Located at<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-wa-baynton-126048282" target="_blank"> 19 Brushtail Street</a>, Baynton, Baynton West Primary School, parks and the Pam Buchanan centre are within a short walking distance. 
It comes with four bedrooms, open living area and a game room. 
Other features include outdoor speakers in the ceiling, stainless steel draws and the heated pool.
The suburb's median house price sits on $405,000, according to CoreLogic.
There was another four-bedroom mortgagee sale at Baynton last year, sold at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-wa-baynton-126449486" target="_blank">$417,000</a>.
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Mining town Baynton, WA four bedroom house sold by mortgagee

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A Westdale three bedroom house at Tamworth, in New South Wales has been sold by mortgagees for $340,000.
It was sold by the agent Marie Fenn from Fenn Real Estate in January.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-westdale-126506106" target="_blank">The 30 Lindsay Road house</a> on a 740 sqm block comes with three bedrooms, open plan kitchen/dining area and separate living area.
The conservative estimated weekly rental was given as $350 to $360 per week.
It had been sold at $62,000 in 2008 as a building block.
According to CoreLogic, the suburb's median house price sits on $325,000.
It took 120 days to sell.
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Westdale, Tamworth three bedroom home sold by mortgagee

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A three bedroom home at Clinton, Eastern Queensland has been sold by mortgagees for $185,000.
It was sold by Lynda Smith from Locations Estate.
It had last sold for $185,000 in 2007.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-qld-clinton-126803194" target="_blank">Set at 12 Resolute Street</a>, it is only minutes from schools, convenience stores and the Bunning Shopping complex.
It comes with three bedrooms, separate living and dining areas with tiled flooring throughout and two garage spaces.
The suburb's median house price sits on $282,000 according to CoreLogic.
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No price growth for Clinton, Queensland three bedroom house sold by mortgagee

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."

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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."

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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.

[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.

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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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