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The classically-inspired country estate designs of Stephen Akehurst are synonymous with the top end weekenders at Melbourne's pricey playground, the Mornington Pensinsula.
His own home at Flinders remains for sale through estate agent Chantal Hooper having come with an initial $12 million price guide.
The home, <a href="http://chantalhooper.com/?portfolio=flinders" target="_blank">Lower Lower Steading</a> is an imposing, but charming manor located on 7,500 sqm of manicured grounds, located 60 miles south of Melbourne in the coastal town of Flinders.
It is secluded behind trees on three sides with the fourth commanding an amphitheatre-like panorama over fields towards the ocean.
No surprise the five bedroom, five bathroom white weatherboard has strong elements of the American clapboard style popular in The Hamptons.
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Accessed by a private curved driveway between Main Ridge and Flinders, his escape was designed in accordance with classical principles under its gray bell-cast shingled roof.
“In designing Lower Lower Steading, I took into full account the stunning vistas the house commands over coast and country.
"Others may do this by incorporating walls of glass however that would not suit the classic lines of this house.
"I instead chose to maximise the views in two other ways: one by the provision of a wide and long terrace, covered at either end for year-round use; the other was to place a long range of windows upstairs and downstairs large enough to act as frames to the view."
There's perfect symmetry from its tall shuttered windows to its lateral dormer wings. Paired pencil pines aplenty too in the garden.
The front door under its pillared porch opens into a lofty galleried staircase hall.
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Every room on the ground floor has French doors opening onto a broad terrace that runs the length of the house overlooking the main garden and pool.
The terrace has a covered loggia at either end - one with a stone-built barbecue and pizza oven with outdoor summer dining area. The other is designed for outdoor sitting, with a stone-built fireplace for cooler weather.
There's an elegant library, a formal sitting room with open fireplace, chefs kitchen, home office with fireplace and an attic ceiling designed to be fitted as a cinema or gym.
A detached pavilion has been designed as self-contained guest accommodation.
Akehurst, who is selling because he would like to build a new one nearby, adopts three golden rules with his homes.
He says clients look for what excites them but they also want harmony.
The most important thing in design was to get the scale and proportion right.
"If they're wrong, you can never fix it," he advises.
The second is the right balance of light.
"A common mistake is when people think, 'we've got this wonderful view, we should just have complete glass'. And I say, 'you may want to look at the view, you don't necessarily want to be part of it'.
"The third thing is the orientation of the rooms; the living room should get the light or the bedrooms should be cooler.
"The house should have a unifying theme, but different rooms should have different moods."
The stately home's rich, textured and inviting interiors are the creation of Adrian Cannata of Akehurst Cannata Interiors.
Stephen Akehurst, who collects Mercedes Benz's, purchased the plot of land two decades ago. Construction of the 9,149-square-foot house began in 2005 and was completed in 2007.
This first appeared in The Weekend Australian.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Stephen Akehurst awaits buyer for his own Mornington Peninsula home

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The property long known as Vinden Estate, a 10 hectare Pokolbin holding in the heart of Hunter Valley wine country, has been listed with a price guide of $5.5 million.
It is being marketed by Cain Beckett of Jurds Real Estate, though without reference to its official vineyard name.
The property at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-lifestyle-nsw-pokolbin-7938122" target="_blank">138 Gillards Road</a> features a luxurious homestead with mountain views.
It has a pool, tennis court, cellar door, restaurant, winery, additional cottage and a boutique vineyard. The bistro recently closed after seven years trading.
The Vindin Brand and business is not being sold as Angus Vinden will retain this and either offer the new owners a leaseback or relocate it
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It was 1990 when his parents Guy and Sandra Vinden purchased the 25 acres of land.
Their first harvest was in 1998.
The range of wines includes the Hunter Valley’s only Alicante Bouschet (a light dry rosé), sparkling Alicante Bouschet, Semillon, SSB, Verdelho, Chardonnay, Merlot, Basket Press Shiraz and Late Harvest Semillon.
It was recently recognised as "dark horse winery to watch" by James Halliday. It was given 5 Star Winery status by James Halliday in his 2018 Wine Companion.
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$5.5 million hopes for Pokolbin estate listed by Vinden family

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ASIC has cancelled the Australian financial services (AFS) licence of West Perth, West Australia-based Anquan Securities &amp; Investments Pty Ltd as it was unable to comply with its licence conditions. Anquan requested ASIC cancel their licence, which ASIC did with effect from December 11 this year.
As part of the cancellation, ASIC imposed conditions that Anquan for the next 12 months maintain its membership of an external dispute resolution service. Anquan provided financial services to clients, including authorising representatives to issue interests in managed investment schemes.
ASIC has an ongoing investigation into a number of land developments in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, in particular a development known as 'The Newman Estate'.
The Estate was subject to ASIC action in the Federal Court over the past two years, where interim restraint orders were obtained along with the appointment of liquidators to 23 of the Macro Group Companies.
Anquan's licence was cancelled under s915B(3)(d) of the Corporations Act, which states ASIC may suspend or cancel an Australian financial services licence held by a body corporate, by giving written notice to the body, if it lodges with ASIC an application for ASIC to do so.
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Anquan loses financial services licence in Macro Group Pilbara estate aftermath

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ASIC has permanently banned husband and wife, Shrikrishna and Shilpa Karandikar, from engaging in credit activities.
ASIC's investigation found that from mid-2014 to February 2016, Mrs Karandikar had acted as an intermediary between consumers and the National Australia Bank for the purpose of securing a home loan, contrary to the terms of an ASIC banning order in force against her.
The home loan applications were submitted to the National Australia Bank through her husband's mortgage broking business in Dandenong, Siddhi Vinayak Finance Pty Ltd.
Mr Karandikar was permanently banned from engaging in credit activities for being involved in Mrs Karandikar's contravention of the terms of her 2014 banning order.
ASIC also found that Mr Karandikar had engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct by certifying that he had completed customer identification forms in the presence of home loan applicants when he had not.
It was found that Mr and Mrs Karandikar therefore were not fit and proper persons to engage in credit activities.
The National Australia Bank identified the misconduct and reported it to ASIC.
ASIC Acting Chair Peter Kell said, 'ASIC will uphold the integrity of its administrative powers in the interest of protecting the public from unscrupulous mortgage brokers.'
Mr and Mrs Karandikar have the right to seek a review of ASIC's decisions to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. ASIC's investigation is continuing.
On 10 July 2014, Mrs Karandikar was banned by ASIC from engaging in credit activities for a period of four years, following an ASIC investigation that found she had submitted false documents to secure a $243,000 home loan for a customer
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Dandenong mortgage broker gets permanent ASIC ban

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Dexus Property Group will manage the car parks within 24 of its buildings via innovative provider DIVVY's new enterprise platform.
Dexus and DIVVY have announced the launch of a new parking management solution with an agreement to roll-out DIVVY’s Platform parking solution to its major office buildings around the country.
DIVVY’s new Platform Solution offers a turn-key online solution for major car park owners to manage all parking bays including underutilised spaces. 
Designed for large property portfolios, DIVVY Platform is a real-time parking system enabling the optimal utilisation of parking bays.
Dexus has been one of the DIVVY longstanding clients since 2015.
The asset management tool enables property teams to optimise parking management along with providing car park access online through an app.
The smart access device technology, cloud-based management dashboard and customer mobile app combine to provide an asset management system which delivers real-time portfolio and asset analytics. 
The new service will be rolled out to 24 of Dexus’s major office buildings in Australia including 30 The Bond and 45 Clarence Street in the Sydney CBD, 480 Queen Street and 123 Albert Street in Brisbane, 360 Collins Street in Melbourne and 240 St Georges Terrace in Perth.
Roll-out will commence in December 2017 and is expected to complete in March 2018.
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Divvy and Dexus arrive at new deal for CBD car parking 

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The mortgage broking director Lizzie Buttrose sold her ranch-style Vaucluse abode shortly after its scheduled weekend auction.
It had been passed in units only bid at $3.8 million, but sold for $4.03 million by late Saturday afternoon.
Its listing followed still unconfirmed reports that she and fiance Zoran Stopar are set to head to far-north Queensland after their much-mooted nuptials.
Buttrose opted for an auction on the second-last Saturday before Christmas through Dean Emerson, an agent at Purplebricks, the cut price commission estate agency.
The four-bedroom Hopetoun Mews house on an 873sq m battle-axe Burrabirra Ave block has been marketed as “the perfect opportunity for reinvention”.
It added that the property was "a blank canvas for those looking to secure their spot in a blue ribbon location."
There were $4 million expectations, with Sunday Telegraph columnist Annette Sharp noting Buttrose had knocked back a higher pre-auction million offer.
Buttrose took possession of the property in 2010 through a holding company.
It traded in 2003 for $2.25 million when bought by her late father, financial adviser Will Buttrose, from whom she derived her interest in property and financing.
This article was first published in The Sunday Telegraph.
 
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Mortgage broker Lizzie Buttrose sells Vaucluse ranch style home post auction

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CoreLogic is tracking 2,666 scheduled auctions across the combined capital cities over what is the last week for auction reporting for 2017.
It sits lower than the 2,735 held over the corresponding week last year. 
This is lower than last week’s final results which saw 3,371 auctions held.
Week-on-week activity across Melbourne and Sydney is set to fall as the end of year fast approaches, with a bumper 1,514 Melbourne homes scheduled to go to auction this weekend, down from the 1,833 auctions held last weekend.
Last week was the second busiest week for auctions this year across Melbourne.
In Sydney, there are 664 scheduled auctions this week, decreasing from the 1,007 auctions held last week.
All of the busiest suburbs for auctions this week are in Victoria, topping the list with 32 residential homes set to go under the hammer is Reservoir, followed by Craigieburn (27), Epping (23), and Frankston (23).
The Reservoir offerings include <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-reservoir-127037502" target="_blank">21 Locksley Avenue</a> (above), with $650,000 to $700,000 price guidance through McGrath.
There are fewer than a handful of auctions on Saturday December 23.
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Reservoir sees out the 2017 auction year on top

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Purplebricks sold around 2200 homes in its first 14 months of operations in Australia.
It represented $1.1 billion of residential real estate sales.
The UK fixed fee company has disclosed the sales as part of its latest interim results to its London shareholders.
Its revenue from its Australian business rose to £6.8 million ($11.9 million) for the six months to October 31, up from £400,000 in the prior corresponding period, after it had been trading for two months.
However, Australian interim losses more than doubled to £5.1 million amid high staff turnover as the company marketing was ramped up especially on 7Mate and 9Gem television.
Purplebricks now has 105 estate agents who charge an average fixed-fee of $5282, put from $4500 for private treaty offerings. 
Its Australian website has 1348 properties currently for sale, claiming its marketing makes the property available to "millions of buyers."
It has eight listings for sale priced above $2.5 million. 
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<div class="cq-article-content-media section">The company launched in September last year with the Purplebricks CEO Michael Bruce again telling Fairfax Media the Australian business was "on track" and performing ahead of expectations.</div>
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"Our market share in Australia is greater than our market share was in the UK at the same time in its evolution," he said again.
Purplebricks claims it is the third most recognised real estate brand in Australia, behind Ray White and LJ Hooker.
Total group revenue more than doubled to £46.8 million with its UK business posting a £3.2 million operating profit. 
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Purplebricks Australian rollout still in the red

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The listed real estate and financial services group, The Agency Group, formerly known as Ausnet, has agreed to buy another estate agency with some $3 million sought via a shareholder capital raising.
It announced the $950,000 extended tranche deal with another Perth-based company, ServTech Global, which is trading at 2 cents.
The Agency, trading at just under 2 cents, has the aim of having 600 sales representatives within three years.
It has indicated its intention to buy the <a href="https://www.sellleaseproperty.com.au" target="_blank">Sell Lease Property agency </a>which has 210 agents and an $8 million annual revenue, reflecting $38,000 per current agent.
It will pay up to $950,000 for the acquisition of three businesses from the Western Australia-based proptech disrupter ServTech which floated earlier this year with Perth investors Keith and Patricia Scudds the biggest shareholders.
Sell Lease Property has around half its agents in WA having recently expanded onto the east coast, where it has 45 agents in Queensland and 25 in Victoria. The company does not have suburban real estate offices.
The Agency says after the deal it will have 280 agents across Australia generating 120 sales every month worth $80 million.
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Unlike other real estate franchise groups which take some of the agent's commission, Sell Lease Property (SLP) allowed its agents to keep all their commission in exchange for using ServTech's Angel Platform, an online system which handles all the back-office paperwork at a cost of $700 per transaction.
The ServTech company was founded by real estate entrepreneur Brett Quinn and was chaired by former Fortescue mining executive Nick Cernotta, who recently stepped down. Bert Mondello is the new chairman.
Last month ServTech announced a convertible loan facility with Ausnet after a detailed strategic review of its business including its operating costs and cash burn.
"The impact one of changing market conditions resulted in slower than expected revenue growth which resulted in an unacceptably high and unsustainable rate of cash burn," its ASX listed shareholders were told. Shareholders were told Ausnet had agreed to actively oversee an ongoing strategic review of the business plan and technology associated with Sell Lease Property, plus assist with growth strategies and national rollout, identify and implement strategic synergies with its associated companies, where appropriate as well as provide the Company with significant management and marketing expertise. 
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The Agency has also agreed to buy Value Finance and Complete Settlements, the mortgage broking with $1 million revenue and conveyancing businesses with $445,000 annual revenue within ServTech, but not its technical side.
The Agency will pay $25,000,000 (sic) per month to maintain the administration of the secured ServTech business.
The $950,000 deal involves an upfront $250,000 payment then $100,000 every month for seven months during 2018.
The Agency Group gave no indication of where the entire $3 million was intended.
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Ausnet changes name to The Agency Group and announces Wild West expansion intentions

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The New South Wales budget surplus forecast has increased by $600 million.
The NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet advised the projection for the 2017/18 year was revised up to $3.3 billion, from $2.7 billion.
The state government’s half-yearly budget review also revealed the first home buyers assistance scheme would cost $461 million this financial year.
“A significant reduction in transfer duty is derived from our first home owners grants and the concessions and tax cuts that form part of that.”
However, an increase in land tax will help offset the loss the government makes from the first home buyer concessions.
Higher than expected property values has pushed up the land tax revenue forecast by more than $100 million.
Land tax receipts from owners of investment properties and holiday homes in NSW are forecast to be $867 million higher than expected over the next three years.
Mr Perrottet said he was confident the Sydney housing market would remain healthy.
“We see the property market remaining strong, we see completions continuing at record levels,” Mr Perrottet said.
Fairfax Media noted the forecast assumes that the average price of residential properties sold in 2017-18 will be around 1.8 per cent above the average price the previous year. 
Stamp duty revenue in the three years to 2020-21 has been revised down by $657 million, largely due to the take up of stamp duty concessions for first home buyers in a housing affordability package announced in the June budget.
Between June and November, 13,672 people have received stamp duty concessions, compared with 3970 people in the same five month period last year.
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NSW property investors to pay $100 million more in land tax as values rise

Buyers considering a residence at boutique Gordon townhouse development <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/lume-gordon-43-47-dumaresq-street-gordon-nsw-2072">Lume</a>&nbsp;now have another reason to bring forward their decision.

For a limited time, purchasers of a residence at Lume will receive a BMW iX3 50 electric SUV, valued at more than $120,000, as part of their purchase. The offer is designed to add value for buyers while complementing the lifestyle envisioned for the architecturally designed Upper North Shore development.

Scott Timmins, Development Manager at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/winim">WINIM</a>, said the partnership was created to provide buyers with a compelling reason to act.

"In today's market, buyers need a compelling reason to act now, and the BMW partnership was designed to create that catalyst. We wanted to add genuine value for our future purchasers. Choosing the all-electric BMW iX3 50 also reflects the values behind LUME, forward-thinking design, innovation and a more sustainable way of living. It's a premium incentive that complements the lifestyle our buyers aspire to and rewards those who commit early."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7354 project_image_fid=374893]

Delivered by WINIM in partnership with Burtonwood Investment Partners, Lume comprises 14 architecturally designed two, three and four-bedroom townhomes created for families seeking the space of a freestanding house with the ease of modern, low-maintenance living.

The three-storey residences, designed by award-winning architecture practice <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a>, have been tailored for families and multi-generational living, featuring private internal lifts, flexible lower-level spaces, generous open-plan living and entertaining areas, media rooms, and landscaped outdoor spaces with custom outdoor kitchens.&nbsp;

Inside, engineered oak flooring, bespoke dining joinery with integrated wine fridges and backlit bars, sculptural porcelain bathrooms, Parisi freestanding baths and Astra Walker tapware create interiors that balance functionality with refined finishes.

Each townhome has been designed to combine generous internal spaces with sustainability initiatives such as EV charging infrastructure, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/arcadia-landscape-architecture">Arcadia</a>'s landscaped communal areas, centred around a restored creek line and native planting, encourage residents to connect with nature and spend more time outdoors.

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Rothelowman's Gary Tsui said the architecture was conceived to respond carefully to its Upper North Shore setting.

"Our vision was to create elegant, uplifting homes that draw on and positively contribute to the local character through meticulously considered design and an interaction with the surroundings."

The communal landscape has been designed as more than an open space between homes. Arcadia's Ben Newell and Kate Phillips said the adjoining reserve provided an opportunity to create a distinctive natural retreat for residents.

"Just as waterways carve their way through Ku-ring-gai's landscape, a raised boardwalk weaves through the reserve, connecting the homes to this tranquil oasis."

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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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[smartcode_project:default project_id=145590 project_image_fid=359523]

The Byron Bay project follows Vitale Property Group's delivery of the Mondrian Hotel and Private Residences at Burleigh Heads, with EADE continuing the developer's focus on luxury coastal developments.

Residents will have access to a resort-style swimming pool, gymnasium, sauna, cold plunge pool, concierge services and dedicated workspaces, while the project is targeting an 8-Star Green Star rating.

EADE Byron Bay is being exclusively marketed by Projx Australia in conjunction with WHITEFOX Projects.

WHITEFOX National Projects Director Phillip Rand said demand had been driven predominantly by owner-occupiers.

"We are seeing buyers at EADE place significant value on quality, space, design, resort-style amenities and the rarity of this location," Rand says.

"The sales achieved to date demonstrate that purchasers at this level recognise the long-term significance of what is being created at EADE Byron Bay."

Residences at EADE Byron Bay are currently priced between $4.75 million and $15.95 million.

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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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