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Strata storage units in Cromer industrial precinct near Sydney’s Dee Why are on sale from $95,000 plus GST.
The Vault Storage Centre at <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-industrial+warehouse-nsw-cromer-502222414" target="_blank">69 Middleton Road</a> are under construction presently.
The units will range in area from 20 sqm to 88 sqm.
According to the description, storage units at The Vault Storage Centre have twice the clearance of standard units, which make them suited for both commercial or personal use.
There is a PTI security system with back to base alarmed units and CCTV throughout the complex.
The selling agent is David Falvo of Shore Commercial Property.
<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/2017/12/4/Cromer2.jpg" alt="">
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Strata storage units at Cromer on sale from $95,000 

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The Amazon effect has clearly set in.
Long before the online retail giant stepped into Australia, there was nervousness among retailers here.
Now, with Amazon officially launching its marketplace, Myers and Woolworths are among those who are preparing for the increased competition. So are other leading retailers such as JB Hifi and Harvey Norman, among others.
Myer has come up with The Myer Market, which launched recently and is a marketplace that allows third parties to sell their wares, similar to eBay.
At Woolworth's annual general meeting, its Chairman Gordon Cairns said the supermarket chain was ramping up its online offering in response to Amazon’s entry.
Meanwhile, at Mirvac's annual meeting in November, its chief executive Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz said she was looking forward to Amazon’s arrival.
"Our view is that the fear is far worse than the reality's going to be," Lloyd-Hurwitz told The Australian Financial Review after the AGM.
Mirvac’s portfolio includes the country's most productive mall, the Broadway, in uptown Sydney.
Mirvac's specialty sales growth, a key indicator, is also rising. In the September quarter, specialty sales growth hit 6 per cent among Mirvac's malls, unlike many other malls 
As online shopping surges, it has also had another effect.
Real estate developers are investing record sums of money into new warehouse space, building bigger, taller structures to meet the needs of e-commerce - and the robots that help it along, Bloomberg reported.
Builders spent $US2.7 billion on US warehouse construction in October, the most since the census started keeping track in 1993.
The size of the average warehouse completed this year was 188,000 square feet, more than double the size in 2001, according to a CBRE report cited by Bloomberg.
"It's the notion of the endless aisle," said Joe Dunlap, a managing director at CBRE.
A retailer stocking 30,000 items in its stores might offer 10 times as many items for sale online. More stock means larger footprints. Higher ceilings accommodate mezzanine levels, letting operators cram more shelves into a building.
Amazon recently bought more than 2 hectares of land in Sydney’s southwest, next to a warehouse it has a lease for. It paid $7 million for the land, according to News.com.au.
Earlier this year, Amazon secured its first distribution centre in Melbourne's outer south eastern suburbs (picture above).
The online retail giant had earlier missed its widely anticipated launch on Black Friday.
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Australian retail biggies beef up online presence to combat Amazon

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A property in Sydney’s Darlington leased to a cafe has fetched $1,000,000.
The retail space at <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-retail-nsw-darlington-502612834" target="_blank">7/245-249 Abercrombie Street</a> was advertised for auction on November 30.
The property is rented out to the well-known café operator “Choco-Latte which is on a new five-year lease.
It earns $42,681.00 per annum net plus GST.
The property has an internal lettable area of 54 sqm and the zoning is B1 - Neighbourhood Centre.
The selling agent was John Race of Khoury &amp; Partners.
It previously traded for $680,000 in 2016 and for $530,000 in 2006, data from CoreLogic shows.
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Cafe in Sydney's Darlington snapped up for $1 million

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A retail freehold in Sydney’s western suburb of Parramatta has recently changed hands for $4.7 million.
The <a href="https://www.commercialrealestate.com.au/property/236-church-street-parramatta-nsw-2150-2013976524" target="_blank">236 Church Street</a> property is in the core of Parramatta’s busy retail precinct between Macquarie Street and George Street.
It was advertised for auction on November 30.
Its land area is 238 sqm with a total building area of 458 sqm. 
The zoning is B4 mixed use and the land could be redeveloped subject to council approval.
Neighbouring retailers include the likes of JB HIFI, Jamie Oliver’s Italian, 7 Eleven, ALDI, Chemist Warehouse, University of New England, Peter Wynn’s and all the major banks. 
The selling agent was Jon Race of Khoury &amp; Partners.
The property previously sold for $1.18 million in 2001, CoreLogic RP Data shows.
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Parramatta retail property sells for $4.7 million

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A Brighton Beach bathing box on the popular Dendy's Beach has sold for a record $330,000 plus.
It topped the previous record, set last year when a newly-built hut sold for $326,000.
Marshall White agent Barb Gregory secured the pre-auction sale of <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-brighton-126914706" target="_blank">Bathing Box 60</a>. It was expected to fetch between $270,000 and $297,000.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/11/27/BBox60.jpg" alt="" style="font-size: 12.16px;">
On top of purchasing and maintenance costs, owners have to pay about $1650 each year in licensing fees and council rates.
The first box that traded at auction was in 1999 at $58,000.
Brighton houses have sold up to $22 million.
Listing agent Barb Gregory, once a proud owner of a $3200 beach box, regrets when she and her friends sold it a few years later.
There will no doubt be high hopes for <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-brighton-126970182" target="_blank">Bathing Box 76E</a> now, which goes to auction this weekend (below).
Its the second time the box has been listed in less than two years. It has $300,000 hopes for its weekend auction having last traded for $285,000 in January last year.
It was built by Bayside City Council in 2015.
Julian Augustini at Hodges Brighton has the listing.
<img class="size-full wp-image-256417" src="https://www.realestate.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/01153002/capi_4481376920f6ebd530ce840d7d7c1b6c_baeb11864be07ee5ebf26163252e0168.jpeg" alt="76E Bathing Box Esplanade, Brighton - For Leader R" style="font-size: 12.16px;" data-capiid="baeb11864be07ee5ebf26163252e0168">
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Brighton bathing box edges record price

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Thomas Foods International has bought the South Australian sheep and cattle station, Mt Schanck for more than $50 million.
The Evans family, whose patriarch is former AFL chairman Ron Evans, sold the <a href="https://www.commercialrealestate.com.au/property/mount-schank-sa-5291-2013959171" target="_blank">2870 hectare property</a> set south of Mount Gambier.
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The deal was negotiated by CBRE a week before its expression of interest campaign was set to close.
The ABC reported in 2016 that Thomas Foods was a South Australian-based company that had emerged to become the largest family-owned processor in the country, the third-biggest processor in the country behind corporate giants JBS and Teys Australia.
Ron Evans and his wife Andrea purchased Mt Schanck off-market from the Clarke family in 2002, according to Fairfax Media.
The Clarke family owned Mt Schanck for more than 140 years, having purchased it in 1861 from the Arthur brothers of Van Diemen's Land.
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<div class="cq-article-content-media section">It includes an 1860s four-bedroom homestead and an 1870s six-stand shearing shed.</div>
It came with close to 5000 megalitres of water entitlements.
The Adelaide-based Thomas Foods has annual revenue of more than $1 billion.
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The media mogul Kerry Stokes and veteran cattleman Peter Murray have yet to find a buyer for their 7820-hectare Cygnet Park Farms portfolio on Kangaroo Island which is up for sale asking about $50 million.
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Buyers have been spoilt for choice as Hassad Australia sold its SA farming land on the Eyre Peninsula and Mid North including 7106 hectares at Cummins and Ungarra spread across 11 farms being marketed by Elders.
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<div class="story-share__facebook ">Hassad Australia – owned by Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund – bought the land less than five years ago but now selling to focus more on investments beyond the farmgate.</div>
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Mt Schanck sold for $50 million plus to Thomas Foods

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<h1>Proposed poultry standards leave Australia trailing behind other industrialised countries</h1>
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/clive-phillips-2048" target="_blank">Clive Phillips</a>, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805" target="_blank">The University of Queensland</a>
Battery cages will not be phased out of Australia’s chicken farms, according to a draft of <a href="http://www.animalwelfarestandards.net.au/poultry/" target="_blank">industry guidelines</a> released this week.
The proposed <a href="http://www.animalwelfarestandards.net.au/poultry/" target="_blank">Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Poultry</a>, currently open for public consultation, will if approved form the basis of federal and state legislation on poultry welfare.
A <a href="http://www.animalwelfarestandards.net.au/files/2015/07/Public-Cons-Version-Poultry-non-cage-systems-support-paper-Oct-16.pdf" target="_blank">supporting paper</a> to the standards argues that extra cage space does not guarantee better welfare for hens. Further, it claims that battery cages allow better inspection and more efficient management of the birds, the biosecurity risks and the environmental impact.
<hr>
Read more: <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-know-what-youre-getting-when-you-buy-free-range-eggs-81675" target="_blank">How to know what you’re getting when you buy free-range eggs</a>
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But continuing battery farming flies in the face of a global trend, as both countries and consumers turn against small cages.
<h2>Why do we battery farm?</h2>
In the latter half of the last century, a system of restraining laying hens in rows of small cages (like the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_cage" target="_blank">cells in a battery</a>), with up to five in each, became popular as a means of maintaining good health and high productivity in large numbers of birds.
This was introduced to meet a growing demand for national <a href="http://www.politics.co.uk/reference/battery-hens-and-broiler-chickens" target="_blank">self-sufficiency in food production</a> after two world wars which threatened, and at times delivered, widespread famine. Now the world has moved on and global trade is flourishing, but the battery cage remains.
<hr>
Read more: <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-comes-first-the-free-range-chicken-or-the-free-range-egg-77869" target="_blank">What comes first: the free-range chicken or the free-range egg?</a>
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It was not long before the poor welfare of birds in these “battery cages” became a concern for consumers. In 1964, Ruth Harrison’s <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.cabi.org/bookshop/book/9781780642840" target="_blank">Animal Machines</a> described the restriction on birds’ behaviour; their inability to forage for food, flap their wings, preen and dust-bathe; and the strange, injurious plucking of other birds’ feathers that is so common in these small spaces.
Scientists then proved that birds had a strong motivation to perform many of the behaviours that were rendered impossible in the cages, such as <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0376635795000275" target="_blank">laying eggs in a nest</a>. They also found that birds in small cages are <a href="https://www.european-poultry-science.com/Welfare-of-laying-hens-housed-in-cages-and-in-aviaries-what-about-fearfulness,QUlEPTQyMTc1MTAmTUlEPTE2MTAxNA" target="_blank">more fearful</a> than those in more spacious accommodation.
Research has also shown that hen don’t adapt to the cages, because the longer they are confined the more they compensate by <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003347287800635" target="_blank">flapping and stretching when released</a>.
<h2>Moving away from battery farming</h2>
In 1999 the <a href="http://www.politics.co.uk/reference/battery-hens-and-broiler-chickens" target="_blank">European Union</a> announced a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union_Council_Directive_1999/74/EC" target="_blank">ban on battery cages from 2012</a>, 20 years after <a href="https://www.upc-online.org/battery_hens/SwissHens.pdf" target="_blank">Switzerland</a> became the first country in the world to phase them out. <a href="http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&amp;objectid=10891877" target="_blank">New Zealand</a> and <a href="https://www.cfhs.ca/canadas_battery_cage_phase_out_officially_begins" target="_blank">Canada</a> are now in their phase-out period, ending all battery cage egg production in 2022 and 2032, respectively.
In the United States, a state-by-state ban has been progressing, often stimulated by the requirements of retail outlets. So far <a href="http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/confinement_farm/facts/battery_cages" target="_blank">three states, California, Michigan and Ohio</a>, have taken action to end the production of eggs in battery cages. Several major retailers have now committed to cage-free eggs.
While Australia’s draft standards conclude that birds in battery cages have an acceptable level of welfare, many Australians don’t agree. The proportion of caged eggs sold in supermarkets has fallen from <a href="https://www.australianeggs.org.au/who-we-are/annual-reports/#item-818" target="_blank">75% to 49%</a> over the past decade.
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Read more: <a href="https://theconversation.com/double-standards-in-animal-ethics-why-is-a-lab-mouse-better-protected-than-a-cow-75810" target="_blank">Double standards in animal ethics: why is a lab mouse better protected than a cow?</a>
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The supermarket chains recognise their customers’ concerns and are phasing out eggs from battery cages: <a href="https://www.coles.com.au/corporate-responsibility/responsible-sourcing/responsible-sourcing" target="_blank">Coles</a> from their own brand from 2013, and <a href="http://www.animalsaustralia.org/features/woolworths-to-phase-out-cage-eggs.php" target="_blank">Woolworths</a> and <a href="http://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/aldi-caged-eggs-to-be-phased-out-as-supermarket-bows-to-customer-pressure/news-story/be8ccf0680bf59e48192ba83936fe2fb" target="_blank">Aldi</a> applying the ban to all eggs from 2025.
The European Union has developed and supported <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12365505" target="_blank">furnished cages</a>, which are much larger than previous cages and specifically provide necessary “enrichment items” such as perches, nests, and litter for pecking and scratching.
The Australian standards argue that these are only required for the birds’ mental state, not their biological functioning. This view implies that a hen’s mental suffering is unconnected to its welfare, a claim that has been steadily eroding in the face of <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.cabi.org/vetmedresource/ebook/20143282089" target="_blank">research into animal consciousness</a>.
For example, my research group recently discovered that <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003347217301707" target="_blank">hens’ vocalisations</a> are more informative to other hens than thought possible, demonstrating their capacity for rich communication.
To deny the significance of an animal’s mental state is to deny the premise of animal welfare at all. Without this consideration, animals would basically have the same rights as plants.
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Read more: <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-have-animal-welfare-laws-but-they-dont-stop-the-suffering-30703" target="_blank">We have animal welfare laws but they don’t stop the suffering</a>
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Despite this, the proposed standards’ accompanying paper relies on narrowly restricted studies, such as a report from industry body Australian Egg that claims there are no difference in the stress levels of birds in <a href="https://www.australianeggs.org.au/dmsdocument/529-non-invasive-assessment-of-stress-in-commercial-housing-systems" target="_blank">battery cages, barns and free-range farms</a>.
Only 12 flocks in total were studied. The stress hormone cortisol was used as the basis of comparison between farm types, even though <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262851068_Monitoring_stress_hormone_metabolites_as_a_useful_non-invasive_tool_for_welfare_assessment_in_farm_animals" target="_blank">little enters the egg and confounding variables are likely to affect cortisol levels</a>.
These limitations are why much animal science today looks at welfare in terms of behaviour, disease and lifetime measures as well as biological markers.
It’s disappointing to see Australia’s welfare standards trail behind much of the world and the clearly expressed attitude of many Australians. With the standards open for consultation until February 26, it is to be hoped that consumer advocate groups, researchers and members of the public register their concern.
 
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/88302/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">The <a href="http://www.animalwelfarestandards.net.au/poultry/poultry-public-consultation/" target="_blank">public consultation period</a> runs until February 26.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/clive-phillips-2048" target="_blank">Clive Phillips</a>, Professor of Animal Welfare, Centre for Animal Welfare and Ethics, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805" target="_blank">The University of Queensland</a>
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/proposed-poultry-standards-leave-australia-trailing-behind-other-industrialised-countries-88302" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Battery cages won't be phased out of Australia's chicken farms

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Sarah Pease from Sylvania Park, Enmore via Uralla was the buyer when David Nolan at Webster Nolan Real Estate and Bruce Rutherford at Boltons Landmark sold the Armidale offerings, Kingsford and Sun Valley at auction last week. 
The vendors Rob and Kelly Lamoureux are returning to Canada, with their children now overseas.
The marketing campaign resulted in over 90 enquiries and 36 inspections.
With a total of 11 registered bidders, <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-livestock-nsw-armidale-7926638" target="_blank">Kingsford</a> (above), was the first property offered then followed by Sun Valley.
The Kingsford bidding started at $2.5 million and after 42 bids was knocked down for $4.65 million.
The Sun Valley bidding started at $3 million and after 13 bids was knocked down for $4.025 million.
The Lamoureux's came to Australia 30 years ago, as a young married couple, from a farming and ranching background respectively. Kelly leaving a large family cattle ranch in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and Rob a diverse background in farming and mixed livestock. 
Their adventure was precipitated by the desire to find a kinder climate.
Coming from the long harsh winters of western Canada the lovely four seasons of the New England made life on the land much easier, David Nolan advised.
Rob and Kelly have run a very successful commercial herd of cross bred cows. In the last 3 years their steers have taken out the Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion twice at both Beef Spectacular in NSW and Paddock to Plate at the Ekka in Queensland. 
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New England farm sales secure $8.6 million

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A reimagined Alistair Knox-designed home has been listed in Research, some 24 kilometres north east of Melbourne.
The three bedroom, two bathroom <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-research-126979634" target="_blank">Camelot Close home</a> has a $2.3 million to $2.5 million price guidance through Fletchers Real Estate.
"It is one of Alistair Knox's finest designs," agent Chris Chapman said of the transformed design of the old mudbrick master.
<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/2017/12/4/Knox2.jpg" alt="" style="font-size: 12.16px;">
Chapman said it is one of the area's grandest homes.
The home, restored to honour its origins, features soaring high ceilings, windows expanses and a blend of rustic timbers with sleek modern finishes.
A seperate one bedroom studio sits on the 10 hectare estate surrounded by bushlands. There's also a swimming pool and tennis court.
Expressions of interest for the home close December 12.
 
 
 
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Re-imagined Alistair Knox home for sale

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Adelaide had the nation's cheapest sale when $220,000 was paid in Aldinga Beach.
It was a mortgagee sale of a three bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-sa-aldinga+beach-126907886" target="_blank">43 Butterworth Rd, Aldinga Beach</a>. It last traded at $157,500 in 2008.
It was a three bedroom 1975 built home.
Last month a three bedroom Aldinga Beach house sold for $261,000, which was also the weekend's cheapest result.
Located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-sa-aldinga+beach-126282106" target="_blank">26 Stirling Street</a>, the 670 square metre property has potential to either be renovated or redeveloped.
Built in 1978, it last sold in 2002 for $129,950.
 
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Mortgagee sells Aldinga Beach home

Buyers considering a residence at boutique Gordon townhouse development <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/lume-gordon-43-47-dumaresq-street-gordon-nsw-2072">Lume</a>&nbsp;now have another reason to bring forward their decision.

For a limited time, purchasers of a residence at Lume will receive a BMW iX3 50 electric SUV, valued at more than $120,000, as part of their purchase. The offer is designed to add value for buyers while complementing the lifestyle envisioned for the architecturally designed Upper North Shore development.

Scott Timmins, Development Manager at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/winim">WINIM</a>, said the partnership was created to provide buyers with a compelling reason to act.

"In today's market, buyers need a compelling reason to act now, and the BMW partnership was designed to create that catalyst. We wanted to add genuine value for our future purchasers. Choosing the all-electric BMW iX3 50 also reflects the values behind LUME, forward-thinking design, innovation and a more sustainable way of living. It's a premium incentive that complements the lifestyle our buyers aspire to and rewards those who commit early."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7354 project_image_fid=374893]

Delivered by WINIM in partnership with Burtonwood Investment Partners, Lume comprises 14 architecturally designed two, three and four-bedroom townhomes created for families seeking the space of a freestanding house with the ease of modern, low-maintenance living.

The three-storey residences, designed by award-winning architecture practice <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a>, have been tailored for families and multi-generational living, featuring private internal lifts, flexible lower-level spaces, generous open-plan living and entertaining areas, media rooms, and landscaped outdoor spaces with custom outdoor kitchens.&nbsp;

Inside, engineered oak flooring, bespoke dining joinery with integrated wine fridges and backlit bars, sculptural porcelain bathrooms, Parisi freestanding baths and Astra Walker tapware create interiors that balance functionality with refined finishes.

Each townhome has been designed to combine generous internal spaces with sustainability initiatives such as EV charging infrastructure, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/arcadia-landscape-architecture">Arcadia</a>'s landscaped communal areas, centred around a restored creek line and native planting, encourage residents to connect with nature and spend more time outdoors.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7354 project_image_fid=269527]

Rothelowman's Gary Tsui said the architecture was conceived to respond carefully to its Upper North Shore setting.

"Our vision was to create elegant, uplifting homes that draw on and positively contribute to the local character through meticulously considered design and an interaction with the surroundings."

The communal landscape has been designed as more than an open space between homes. Arcadia's Ben Newell and Kate Phillips said the adjoining reserve provided an opportunity to create a distinctive natural retreat for residents.

"Just as waterways carve their way through Ku-ring-gai's landscape, a raised boardwalk weaves through the reserve, connecting the homes to this tranquil oasis."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7354 project_image_fid=374892]

Located just 300 metres from <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/gordon-nsw-2072">Gordon</a> Village and Gordon railway station, Lume offers convenient access to Sydney's CBD while placing residents close to some of the North Shore's leading schools, including Ravenswood, Pymble Ladies' College and Knox Grammar. Lane Cove National Park, Gordon Golf Club and a range of cafés and restaurants further reinforce the family-focused lifestyle on offer, with the BMW iX3 50 complementing everything from local trips around Gordon to weekend drives and city commutes.

Construction is underway with completion expected in mid-2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=7354]

Joel Robinson

Boutique Gordon townhomes now come with a BMW iX3 50

Two apartments have sold for more than $10 million at EADE Byron Bay, setting some of the highest apartment prices ever achieved in the coastal town and underlining the growing appetite for luxury beachfront apartments in Australia's most popular coastal locations.

The $210 million project by Vitale Property Group has now secured more than $70 million in sales, led by residences that changed hands for $12.75 million and $11.75 million.

The record-breaking transactions reinforce the shift occurring in Byron Bay's premium property market, where affluent downsizers and lifestyle buyers are increasingly opting for high-end apartments over large beachfront homes.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/eade-byron-bay-29-shirley-street-byron-bay-nsw-2481">EADE Byron Bay</a> occupies a rare 6,000 sqm absolute beachfront site on the corner of Shirley and Milton Streets overlooking Main Beach and The Wreck surf break, just 350 metres from Byron Bay's town centre.

The 25-residence development is the first beachfront apartment project approved in Byron Bay in more than a decade and is currently under construction, with completion expected in May 2027.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145590 project_image_fid=359521]

The project has attracted a mix of local Byron Shire residents downsizing from larger homes, alongside interstate buyers from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane seeking a permanent coastal lifestyle without compromising on space.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hayball">Hayball</a> and with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/alexander-co">Alexander &amp; Co</a>, EADE comprises&nbsp;10 garden apartments ranging from 284 sqm to 622 sqm, nine with private pools, five full-floor apartments and 10 rooftop residences with private plunge pools, expansive outdoor entertaining areas and uninterrupted ocean views.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145590 project_image_fid=359527]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/vitale-property-group">Vitale Property Group</a> Managing Partner Chris Vitale said the project's combination of scale, location and limited future supply was driving buyer demand.

"There isn't another beachfront holding in Byron Bay of this size and position that could be developed again," Vitale said.

"Buyers are responding to the scarcity and the irreplaceability of a site of this calibre and to floorplans they can't find elsewhere in the market.

"We are seeing buyers place significant value on quality, space, design, resort-style amenities and the rarity of the location. The sales achieved to date demonstrate that discerning purchasers recognise the long-term significance of what is being created at EADE Byron Bay.

"Many are coming from larger homes in the Byron region, or from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and are after the space, security and convenience, without the upkeep of a house."

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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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[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145590]

Vitale breaks Byron Bay records with EADE sales flurry 

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

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

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

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

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

Staff reporter

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