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<div id="attachment_255069" class="wp-caption aligncenter">The Tasmanian suburb of South Hobart is the most in-demand location in Australia on realestate.com.au.</div>
A good sign for Hobart is that rental demand is also high, suggesting that it’s jobs growth, not property speculation that is driving the market, Nerida Conisbee, the chief economist of REA Group said.
<div id="attachment_255069" class="wp-caption aligncenter">She forecasts demand from buyers will continue to grow in her 2018 preview.</div>
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter"> </div>
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter">The CoreLogic data suggests a recent flattening in price growth at around a $530,000 median for houses. The unit median sits at $350,000.</div>
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter"> </div>
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter">Conisbee suggests buyer activity is coming from far less affordable locations such as Sydney and Melbourne, and offshore demand is also increasing.</div>
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter"> </div>
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter">Overseas demand is being driven largely by a push from Tasmanian universities to attract overseas students and renewed interest in the city as a tourism destination.</div>
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter">
"Hobart is a small market and speculation can be a driver of price growth, so it’s good news that rental demand is also high.
"It appears that the Tasmanian economy is changing from primarily government and agriculture to include growing tourism and education sectors."
The 10 most in-demand suburbs in Tasmania
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td>
Rank
</td>
<td>
 Suburb and Postcode
</td>
<td>
Median Price
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
1
</td>
<td>
South Hobart 7004
</td>
<td>
$541,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
2
</td>
<td>
Mount Stuart 7000
</td>
<td>
$612,500
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
3
</td>
<td>
Battery Point 7004
</td>
<td>
$954,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
4
</td>
<td>
Bellerive 7018
</td>
<td>
$500,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
5
</td>
<td>
Mornington 7018
</td>
<td>
$315,500
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
6
</td>
<td>
Hobart 7000
</td>
<td>
$662,500
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
7
</td>
<td>
North Hobart 7000
</td>
<td>
$633,900
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
8
</td>
<td>
Lindisfarne 7015
</td>
<td>
$455,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
9
</td>
<td>
Taroona 7053
</td>
<td>
$550,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
10
</td>
<td>
West Hobart 7000
</td>
<td>
$631,000
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
Source: realestate.com.au
 Recently a four bedroom <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-tas-south+hobart-126666162" target="_blank">Lawley Crescent home</a> in South Hobart (below) sold for $570,000, slightly higher than the $530,000 median price for houses in the suburb.
It last traded for $142,500 in 1994.
<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/2018/1/10/lawley.jpg" alt="">
No house has sold in South Hobart under the median house price since October, which highlights the growing demand in the suburb.
That was a 1940s, former military house, two bedroom cottage on 600 sqm that fetched $474,000.
To find an apartment that sold for the median $350,000 in South Hobart you have to go back to early October when a <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-unit-tas-south+hobart-126501734" target="_blank">90 sqm two bedroom apartment</a> sold for $315,000. (top, the view from the apartment).
The most recent unit sale was a <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-unit-tas-south+hobart-126551710" target="_blank">three bedroom, two bathroom apartment</a> with two living areas that sold for $535,600.
It has nearly quadrupled in price over the last 15 years. The unit last sold in 2002 when it went for $135,000.
</div>
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

South Hobart is 2018's early bird property hot spot

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Horizons on the Beach on Tasmania's east coast has been listed for $1,295,000.
The<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-tas-dolphin+sands-125922242" target="_blank"> beachfront reserve property</a> at Dolphin Sands, half way between Hobart and Launceston, sits within the expansive curve of Nine Mile Beach, with a backdrop of Coles Bay and the iconic Hazard, for which the Freycinet Peninsula is famous for.
Master built on two hectares with 85 metres of beachfront, the home has three bedrooms, three bathrooms and a separate media room. 
<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/2018/1/9/horizons2.jpg" alt="">
It is Smart Wired with HPM 1 control wiring, allowing to control of the lighting, music and heaters via a phone or computer.
Kerri's Coastal Realty agents Kerri and Ray Kennewell are marketing the home as Beauty and the Beach. 
 
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Horizons on the Beach listed at $1,295,000

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The apartment boom is over but it’s not a disaster, according to realestate.com.au economist Nerida Conisbee.
Despite some experts predicting a ‘bloodbath’ resulting from an oversupply of apartments in Melbourne and Brisbane, Conisbee suggests the reality is that there has been minimal fall out from the declining levels of construction.
"Building approvals are now trending downwards and although some apartments have lost value, the state of the market is pretty stable," she said.
Conisbee added that the level of building approvals for apartments will continue to decline in 2018 mainly because there are fewer investors in the market, but also because offshore developers, particularly from China, will be less active.
She tweeted a graph (below), highlighting the investor pullback.
She wrote "Investors are pulling back and this started to hit apartment demand in Sydney late last year. It is now extending to Adelaide. Meanwhile Perth seems to have turned a corner <a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/housing?src=hash" data-query-source="hashtag_click">#housing</a><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/demand?src=hash" data-query-source="hashtag_click">#demand</a><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/property?src=hash" data-query-source="hashtag_click">#property</a>."
Click here <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/1/9/rea.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/2018/1/9/rea.jpg" alt="">
Envisaging a quieter housing market in 2018, there were four other key forecasts made by Conisbee.
1. US rate rises will make Australian mortgages more expensive, although the Reserve Bank of Australia is unlikely to budge on rates any time soon.
2. Sydney’s excessive housing price growth may soon be a thing of the past with demand decreasing and prices finally slowing down.
"In 2018 it’s unlikely we will see a big drop in prices in Sydney, but cooling demand will continue to affect house prices which are likely to be flat this year."
3. Look for the Hobart market to continue to rise in 2018. 4. Regional areas within commuting distance of Melbourne and Sydney have seen increasing buyer demand over the past 12 months on realestate.com.au. The most active have been Central Coast and Wollongong, with many suburbs appealing to Sydney buyers on the basis of affordability if they’re prepared to do a big commute.
In Melbourne, Geelong has been the big winner of price pressures in Melbourne, however suburbs of Ballarat are now starting to appeal to first-home buyers from Melbourne as well.
This year, these areas will continue to see buyer demand grow as they offer not just affordable homes but also the lifestyle that people want.
 
 
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The apartment boom is over, but not a bloodbath: Nerida Conisbee 

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Former Davis Cup player Mark Kratzmann and business partner Don Moffat have teamed up to create a riverfront property developer on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.
Unique in its direction, the residential development called The Ivy Picnic Point will also aid in the development of houses in India.
For every apartment sold in the 37 apartment building, a house will be built in India. There are also two penthouses. Kratzman says he and his family are set to move in to one of the apartments.
“This really has been a dream 40 years in the making, and I have so much faith in the end result that my family and I are counting down the days until we can move in with another 36 residents."
The Kratzmann Group has partnered with not-for-profit organisations Habitat for Humanity and B1G1 to build the houses.
More than 40 percent of The Ivy Picnic has sold, with 15 of the 37 two and three bedroom apartments recently snapped up.
Kratzman said a number of the buyers hail from Melbourne and Sydney, who have been drawn to the Sunshine Coast because of the warm climate and the developments waterfront location and lifestyle.
The project, The Ivy Picnic Point, is located on the Picnic Point Esplanade, looking out to Channel and Goat Island.
Speaking on the development in India, Kratzman noted that more than 73 million families in India do not have access to proper shelter.
“Habitat for Humanity supports people who have lost their homes in natural disasters or cannot afford to build their own houses,” he said. 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/1/9/kratz2.jpg" alt="">
“Having recently travelled to India, I visited the Bawana slum in Delhi and was confronted with images of open sewers, children playing in widespread rubbish, and families with no access to clean drinking water.”
“It’s heartbreaking to see people – children included – living in such extreme poverty and poor sanitation and I’m determined to play a role in transforming the lives of those in need.” 
“It’s hard to fathom the troubling conditions these communities face on a daily basis and I certainly don’t take for granted how incredibly lucky we are to have such a high standard of living in Australia.”
“We’re excited to be helping transform many of the slum’s shanty homes into real houses with safe sanitation, and have received an overwhelmingly positive response from The Ivy Picnic Point buyers, who have embraced the initiative with open arms.”
The Ivy Picnic Point features a communal barbeque area, lap pool, steam room and gym, with all apartments incorporating Smeg and Miele appliances.
To find out more about the development, <a href="http://www.theivypicnicpoint.com.au." target="_blank">click here.</a>
Prices start from $499,000.
 
 
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Ivy Picnic Point development by Mark Kratzmann and Don Moffat to help develop homes in India

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The strata building bond and inspections scheme applies where a developer and builder enter into a contract from 1 January 2018 in NSW.
The scheme applies to building work to construct residential or partially-residential strata properties that are four or more storeys. Buildings that are three storeys or under are covered under the <a href="http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/sites/ftw/Tenants_and_home_owners/Home_building_and_renovating/Home_building_compensation_fund.page" target="_blank">Home Building Compensation Fund</a>.
This scheme includes a building bond and mandatory defect inspection reports. It provides a structured, proactive process that resolves building issues quickly and cost effectively.
Developers must lodge a building bond with NSW Fair Trading equal to two percent of the contract price for residential and mixed-use high rise strata buildings.
The building bond secures funds (up to the amount of the bond). The building bond can then be used to pay the costs of rectifying any defective building work identified in a final inspection report.
Stages in the process:
1. Preparing to lodge the building bond - The developer should prepare to lodge the building bond once they and the builder have entered in to a contract. The bond is equal to two percent of the contract value of work.
2. Bond lodgement - The lodgement is uploaded online through a form, with bond payment and supporting documents and information.
3. Appointing a building inspector - The developer sources a building inspector through the Strata inspector panel. The building inspector must be independent of the developer.
4. Interim inspection and report - The building inspector conducts their first inspection of the strata property and completes a report identifying any defective building work. This happens between 15 and 18 months after the building work has been completed.
5. Final inspection and report - The building inspector arranges with the owners corporation to conduct a final inspection of the property. This happens between 21 and 24 months after the building work has been completed.
6. Payment of bond - If there are no defects, the bond is released in full to the developer.
7. Completing the process - The Building Bond Secretary facilitates the release of the bond money. The owners corporation must use any money they receive to fix the defects identified. After the defects are fixed, any money left over must be returned to the developer.
Developers, building inspectors, builders, the owners corporation and a strata inspection panel will all be included in the process.
To read more about the building bond and inspections scheme <a href="http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/ftw/Tenants_and_home_owners/Strata_schemes/Building_bond.page" target="_blank">click here.</a>
 
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NSW strata building bond and inspections scheme process

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California is <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2017/12/12/us/california-fires/index" target="_blank">burning</a> – a sentence we’ve heard far too often this year. Sydney is currently on <a href="http://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/fire-weather-warning-issued-as-sydney-braces-for-42c/news-story/5406ccff2b5a585cd823cf0cf6908822" target="_blank">bushfire alert</a>, as firefighters battle a fire in the Hunter Valley region and temperatures are set to top 40℃.
A cocktail of factors, from climate change to centuries of ignoring indigenous burning practises, means that catastrophic fires are likely to become more common.
One of Australia’s favourite fire prevention measures is prescribed burning – using carefully controlled fires to clear out flammable materials. We’re almost obsessed with it. Indeed, it seems the outcome of every major inquiry is that we need to do more of it.
The Royal Commission inquiry that followed Victoria’s 2009 Black Saturday fires <a href="http://royalcommission.vic.gov.au/Commission-Reports/Final-Report" target="_blank">recommended</a> that 5% of all public land in Victoria be treated per year – a doctrine that was subsequently dropped due to impracticality.
Yet our research, published <a href="http://www.publish.csiro.au/WF/WF17061" target="_blank">today</a> in the International Journal of Wildland Fire, modelled thousands of fires in Tasmania and found that nearly a third of the state would have to be burned to effectively lower the risk of bushfires.
The question of how much to burn and where is a puzzle we must solve, especially given the inherent risk, issues caused by smoke <a href="https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2016/205/9/rapid-assessment-impact-hazard-reduction-burning-around-sydney-may-2016?inline=true" target="_blank">smoke</a> and <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/James_Ricketts/publication/252471836_Climate_Change_Impacts_on_Fire-Weather_in_South-East_Australia/links/54a86d870cf257a6360bdfea/Climate-Change-Impacts-on-Fire-Weather-in-South-East-Australia.pdf" target="_blank">shrinking</a> weather windows for safe burning due to climate change.
<h2>Why use computer simulations?</h2>
The major problem fire science faces is gathering data. Landscape-scale experiments involving extreme fire are rare, for obvious reasons of risk and cost. When a major bushfire happens, all the resources go into putting it out and protecting people. Nobody has the time to painstakingly collect data on how fast it is moving and what it is burning. We are therefore restricted to a few limited data sources to reconstruct the behaviour and impact of fire: we can analyse the <a href="http://www.publish.csiro.au/wf/WF05051">scar</a> on the landscape after a fire, look at case studies, or run <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301479712001752" target="_blank">simulations of computer models</a>.
Most research on the effectiveness of prescribed burning has been at a local scale. We need to start thinking bigger: how can we mitigate the effect of multiple large fires in a region like Tasmania or Southeastern Australia? What is the cumulative effect of different prescribed burning strategies?
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/199366/original/file-20171215-26014-ff04t4.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/199366/original/file-20171215-26014-ff04t4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
A large fuel reduction burn off on Hobart’s eastern shore. <a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/babomike/8889414172/" target="_blank">Flickr/Mike Rowe</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/" target="_blank">CC BY-NC</a>
To answer these questions, we create models using mathematical equations to simulate the behaviour of fires across actual landscapes. These models include the effects of vegetation type, terrain and fuel loads, under specific weather conditions. If we simulate thousands of these fires we can get an idea of where fire risk is the highest, and how effective prescribed burning is at reducing that risk.
The island of Tasmania offers the perfect study system. Self-contained, with a wide array of vegetation types and fire regimes, it offers an ideal opportunity to see how fire behaves across a diverse landscape. Perhaps more interestingly, the island contains large areas of flammable landscape surrounding <a href="http://www.parliament.tas.gov.au/CTEE/Council/Submissions/ET%202.31.pdf" target="_blank">globally unique</a> ecosystems and numerous towns and villages. Obviously, we cannot set fire to all of Tasmania in real life, but computer simulations make it possible!
So, encouraged by the Tasmanian Fire Service, who initiated our research, we simulated tens of thousands of fires across Tasmania under a range of prescribed burning scenarios.
<h2>Prescribed fire can be effective, in theory</h2>
The first scenario we looked at was the best-case scenario: what happens if we perform prescribed burning on all the vegetation that can handle it, given theoretically unlimited resources? It is possible this approximates the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01426390701767278" target="_blank">sustained and skillful burning</a> by Tasmanian Aboriginal peoples.
Wildfire simulations following this scenario suggested that such an approach would be extremely effective. Importantly, we saw significant reductions in fire activity even in areas where prescribed burning is impossible (for example, due to the presence of people).
Unfortunately, this best-case approach, while interesting from a theoretical perspective, would require prescribed burning over more than 30% of Tasmania in one year.
We also analysed the effects of 12 more realistic scenarios. These realistic plans were less than half as efficient as the best-case scenario at reducing fire activity.
On average, 3 hectares of prescribed burning would reduce wildfire extent by roughly 1ha in grasslands and dry forests.
In other flammable Tasmanian vegetation types like buttongrass sedgelands and heathlands, the reduction in wildfire was even smaller. This is obviously better than no prescribed burning, but it highlights the fact that this is a relatively inefficient tool, and given the costs and potential drawbacks, should be used only where it is most needed.
This is a fundamental conundrum of prescribed burning: though it is quite effective in theory, the extent to which we would need to implement it to affect fire behaviour across the entire state is completely unachievable.
Therefore, it is imperative that we not just blindly burn a pre-ordained fraction of the landscape. Rather, we must carefully design localised prescribed burning interventions to reduce risk to communities.
<h2>We need a multi-tool approach</h2>
Our study has shown that while prescribed burning can be quite effective in certain scenarios, it has serious constraints. Additionally, while we analysed these scenarios under bad fire weather, we were not able to analyse the kind of catastrophic days in which the effect of prescribed burning is <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301479713006531" target="_blank">seriously reduced</a>, with howling dry winds and stupefying heat.
Unfortunately, due to climate change, we are going to see a lot more catastrophic days in the future in <a href="http://www.publish.csiro.au/WF/WF13126" target="_blank">Tasmania</a> and indeed <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-016-0058" target="_blank">globally</a>.
In Hobart this is of particular concern, as the city is surrounded by tall, wet eucalypt forests that have had fifty years grow dense understoreys since the 1967 <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-06/tasmanias-1967-black-tuesday-bushfires-explained/8241698" target="_blank">Black Tuesday</a> fires. These have the potential to cause some of the <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378112799000663#BIB16">most intense</a> fires on the planet should conditions get dry enough. Prescribed burning is impossible in these forests.
To combat fire risk we must take a multi-pronged approach that includes innovative strategies, such as designing new <a href="https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_gtr292/2001_finney.pdf" target="_blank">spatial patterns</a> for prescribed burning, <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00049158.2017.1311200" target="_blank">manually removing</a> fuels from areas in which prescribed burning is not possible, <a href="https://www.mssanz.org.au/modsim2017/H10/sharples3.pdf" target="_blank">improving the standards</a> for buildings and defensible spaces, and most importantly, engaging the community in all of this.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/89167/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">Only by attacking this problem from multiple angles, and through close collaboration with the community and all levels of government, can we effectively face our fiery future.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/james-furlaud-430100" target="_blank">James Furlaud</a>, PhD Student in Fire Ecology, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888" target="_blank">University of Tasmania</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-bowman-4397" target="_blank">David Bowman</a>, Professor, Environmental Change Biology, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888" target="_blank">University of Tasmania</a>
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/to-fight-the-catastrophic-fires-of-the-future-we-need-to-look-beyond-prescribed-burning-89167" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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To fight the catastrophic fires we need to look beyond prescribed burning

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A Mooloolaba home that is believed to have been visited by legendary actor Sean Connery has been listed for sale.
The visit was during the Cilento family ownership of the home known as the Butterfly House.
The ABC suggested Diane Cilento visited the folks on one occasion with Sean Connery when they were married.
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-mooloolaba-126438474" target="_blank">1950s charmer</a> at 135 Buderim Avenue, Mooloolaba with retro fittings and stylings last traded for $476,000 in 2013. When it was first listed last year it had price hopes of $1.29 million after a full-scale renovation.
Before its 2013 sale it hadn't changed hands since 1977.
<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/2018/1/9/butterfly2.jpg" alt="">
The home has four bedrooms and three bathrooms. An indoor outdoor entertaining area comes with polished concrete floors and a vergola roof.
Jordan Barden at Define Property is marketing the Buderim Avenue home.
 
 
 
 
 
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Mooloolaba's Butterfly House once owned by the Cilento family listed

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Builder Rick Smith and his wife Shani have now put an asking price of $2.7 million on Christmas River, their 4000sqm estate fronting Jerrara Road, Jamberoo on the NSW south coast. 
Elders Real Estate agent Vivienne Marris was initially marketing the <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-jamberoo-125195006" target="_blank">seven-bedroom property</a> at $2.785 million.
The family of eight children are off to a 20 hectare holding nearby.
<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/2018/1/9/jamb2.jpg" alt="">
The Smiths bought the property 11 years ago, knocking over two project homes with the replacement home made to look like we had been there for 100 years.
There is underground basement parking for 10 cars, a workshop plus a double carport.
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Builder's own Jamberoo home

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A home at Cabarita Beach in the Tweed Coast has been listed with $3,795,000 hopes.
The home, marketed as the <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-cabarita+beach-127252718" target="_blank">King of the Hill</a> because of its premier oceanfront position atop Cabarita Headland, offers 360 degree vistas from its five levels.
It last sold when bought by the Williams family for $2.6 million last year. It had $2.95 million price expectations.
The luxury 1090 sqm home has five bedrooms, five bathrooms, a glass gatehouse entry, billiards room and executive office. The entry leave offers underwater views of the pool.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/1/9/king2.jpg" alt="">
The swimming pool sits on the life-style levels which also features a spa and terrace.
A whole floor parents retreat comes with private gym, oceanfront balcony, dressing room, spa ensuite and private lounge room.
External stairs lead to the rooftop terrace which comes with approval for an entertaining space with bar and cabana.
Coastal Real Estate agent Mason Garten has the listing.
 
 
 
 
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Cabarita Beach home dubbed King of the Hill for sale

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A six bedroom, 40 square, modern home at Currumbin has been sold having $4.5 million hopes.
It was marketed as offering the very best of beachfront living situated on the preferred <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-currumbin-127222894" target="_blank">southern end of Currumbin Beach.</a>
It was set within a very short stroll of the patrolled swimming beach, cafes and boutique shopping, and surfing at The Alley, Currumbin Realty advised.
<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/2018/1/8/curr2.jpg" alt="">
The 557 sqm block last traded at $2.25 million in 2006.
It has been a holiday rental, with a minimum stay of three nights since its 2015 construction.
Off peak rates fetch $750 a night, while in peak season it fetches up to $1,200 a night.
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Pacific Parade, Currumbin trophy home sold at $4.5 million

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.

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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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