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A grand 1930 Spanish residential house at Bellevue Hill has been sold for $8 million.
Located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-bellevue+hill-125318974" target="_blank">8 Rupertswood Avenue</a>, the 677 square metre property is situated in a cul-de-sac.
It is currently owned by the Harding family and it had once belonged to actress Toni Collette.
It last sold in 2009 for $6.35 million, again in 1998 for $2.665 million and in 1995 for $1.275 million.
The property was built in 1928.
<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/2017/06/01/8%20Rupertswood%20Avenue-2.jpg" alt="">
Floorplan features formal and informal living areas with views of the surrounding landscape.
Kitchen features Wolf gas appliances along with five oversized beds, three baths and an atrium that overlooks the front garden.
Other features includes swimming pool and two parking spaces.
The property was offered through Ray White agents Elliott Placks and Evan Williams.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Bellevue Hill trophy home sold for $8 million

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Dwelling approvals rose in April but remain well below recent peaks, according to CoreLogic’s latest update.
The property data firm says that the number of dwellings approved sits well higher than it was five years ago in 2012 despite the dip.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/06/06/Screen%20Shot%202017-06-06%20at%202.47.50%20pm.jpg" target="_blank">Click 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/2017/06/06/Screen%20Shot%202017-06-06%20at%202.47.50%20pm.jpg" alt="">
However, the number of units approved is lower than houses in 2017 compared to the past two years where it had seen activity above houses.
Houses continue to be at the top of properties approved with an approval rate of 60%.
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Dwelling approvals rise, but remain below peaks: CoreLogic

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The Hunter region had the highest weekend auction clearance rate, according to CoreLogic’s latest report.
The property data firm says that the Hunter region had an auction clearance rate of 77.8% out of its 35 auctions.
This is followed by Wollongong with 77.3% and Geelong with 69%.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/06/05/Screen%20Shot%202017-06-05%20at%2010.54.52%20am.jpg" target="_blank">Click 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/2017/06/05/Screen%20Shot%202017-06-05%20at%2010.54.52%20am.jpg" alt="">
Gold Coast had the lowest auction clearance rate with only 32.4% of its 56 auctions successfully cleared.
A two bedroom unit at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-unit-nsw-merewether-125356950" target="_blank">7/2 Scenic Drive</a>, Merewether (above) was sold for $740,000.
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Hunter region takes top spot for weekend auction clearance rate: CoreLogic

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ANZ executive Mark Lang saw his Kew trophy home sell for $6.05 million at its recent private auction.
The Thomas Street home that sits amid Paul Delany landscaped gardens was expected to fetch between $5 million and $6 million.
Kay &amp; Burton agents Scott Patterson and Sam Wilkinson marketed the home.
Lang paid $597,000 in 2000 for the home in Kew's prestigious Sackville Ward precinct. 
It sold with five bedrooms, four bathrooms and a self-cleaning heated swimming pool on the 780 square metre parcel. 
Lang has previously been the head of business banking for Victoria and Tasmania.
This article first appeared in The Weekend Australian.
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ANZ executive Mark Lang sells Kew trophy home

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Last month six of Australia’s top journalists <a href="https://news.xinhuanet.com/zgjx/2017-05/18/c_136295296.htm" target="_blank">visited China for a week</a> as guests of the Australia-China Relations Institute (ACRI) at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS).
They were greeted by top Communist Party officials and toured some of China’s new infrastructure projects. Some (but not all) returned to Australia singing the praises of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s showcase “One Belt, One Road” (OBOR) initiative and <a href="https://www.afr.com/brand/chanticleer/opportunities-for-business-in-chinas-one-belt-one-road-20170522-gwaqoo" target="_blank">the opportunities for Australian businesses</a>.
Bob Carr, the director of ACRI and a professor of international relations at UTS, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/comment/if-australia-listened-to-our-hawks-on-china-wed-have-been-hung-out-to-dry-20170523-gwaw1w" target="_blank">claims we are in danger</a> of being “hung out to dry” if we listen to the “China hawks” and don’t more fully engage with China. Yet few have paused to ask why one of our universities is being used as a conduit to promote China’s national interest, and who is actually paying for it.
China’s rise forces us to think carefully about both the opportunities and costs of a closer relationship with China. These difficult discussions are taking place in government offices, boardrooms and chancelleries around the globe, but must also be a part of the wider public discussion. Australia is no exception. China is our single largest trading partner and an increasingly important source of foreign investment. China is also fundamental to our tertiary education sector.
With federal funding declining, vice-chancellors are being forced to think creatively about new revenue streams. Here China looms large. Nearly <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/the-rising-place-of-deregulated-student-fees-in-australian-university-life/" target="_blank">a fifth of higher education revenue</a> comes from full-fee paying students, with overseas Chinese students contributing the lion’s share. Universities are also looking to China for new sources of research income. Yet the sector’s <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-31/australian-unis-left-vulnerable-by-reliance-on/6737678" target="_blank">growing dependency on the Chinese market</a> could cloud the judgement of senior university administrators.
The circumstances of the Australia-China Relations Institute should serve as a reminder of what is at stake. ACRI was created in early 2014 around the same time that the university defunded its large China Research Centre and sent its director, the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.sussex.ac.uk/profiles/250674" target="_blank">respected historian Maurizio Marinelli</a> packing. ACRI was founded with A$2.8 million in donations from two wealthy Chinese entrepreneurs who recently migrated to Australia. One of these individuals, <a href="https://www.afr.com/news/politics/chinas-local-emperor-huang-xiangmo-says-politics-just-like-sport-20160901-gr66xc" target="_blank">Mr Huang Xiangmo</a> was named chairman of ACRI and would later reportedly claim that he <a href="https://www.afr.com/news/politics/chinas-local-emperor-huang-xiangmo-says-politics-just-like-sport-20160901-gr66xc" target="_blank">personally selected</a> the former Foreign Minister Bob Carr as the director of the new institute.
Despite claims that it is “an independent, nonpartisan, research think tank,” <a href="https://www.australiachinarelations.org/" target="_blank">ACRI</a> has been plagued by controversy since its establishment. In my opinion, the quality of ACRI’s research output is patchy at best, with far more examples of political advocacy than rigorous, independent research.
While it has produced a <a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-china-relations-institute-responds-to-questions-on-research-and-funding-78803" target="_blank">handful of quality research reports</a> by respected Australian academics, far more effort has gone into the production of often one-sided, decontextualised fact sheets and opinion pieces aimed at promoting what ACRI’s own website asserts is “a positive and optimistic view of Australia-China relations”.
Despite initial claims that ACRI would use “<a href="https://acyd.org.au/partners-2/australia-china-relations-institute-">big data science</a> to illuminate and explore the Australia-China relationship,” it has published a handful of short opinion polls that lack academic rigour. Take for example the one-page, six-question survey, “<a href="https://www.australiachinarelations.org/content/east-china-sea-what-australians-think" target="_blank">East China Sea: What Australians think</a>,” which claims most Australians desire neutrality in this territorial dispute. Yet the survey contains no raw data or details on the methodology employed by UMR Strategic in conducting the survey.
The Australia-China relationship is complicated; if we iron out these complexities we are left with an incomplete and potentially misleading picture.
Most of ACRI’s activities happen behind closed-doors and largely outside the purview of the Australian public. In his capacity as Director of ACRI, Bob Carr frequently meets with visiting Chinese Communist Party officials. These visits are not reflected on ACRI’s website but are widely reported in the Chinese language media.
In 2015, for example, Bob Carr met with <a href="https://world.people.com.cn/n/2015/0916/c1002-27594016" target="_blank">Zhu Weiqun</a>, one of the chief architects of the Communist Party’s efforts to demonise the Dalai Lama and promote the assimilation of ethnic minorities in China. When the Party’s Minister for Propaganda Liu Qibao visited Australia in 2016, Carr participated in a roundtable “dialogue with Sinologists in Australia,” which was <a href="https://www.weibo.com/ttarticle/p/show?id=2309351000443980755138134282" target="_blank">widely reported in the Chinese language media</a> but went unmentioned in Australia.
ACRI has also been busy courting the Australian media. It has organised a number of study tours to China for Australia-based journalists like Paul Kelly, Ross Gittins, Malcolm Farr, Jim Middleton, and at least 12 others, <a href="https://news.xinhuanet.com/zgjx/2017-05/18/c_136295296.htm" target="_blank">according to Chinese media reports</a>. Wider media coverage on China is valuable. Yet by exposing these visiting journalists to the official Party line, it suggests to me that ACRI is seeking to actively reshape the public perception of China by skirting Australia’s China-based journalists who tend to be far more knowledgeable and critical of China.
Returning journalists published fifteen articles in 2016 <a href="https://news.xinhuanet.com/zgjx/2016-08/11/c_135585550.htm" target="_blank">according to the Party-backed All China Journalist Association</a>, thus “objectively transmitting ‘China’s voice’” to the Australian public through mainstream media outlets. This appears to be one of the concrete outcomes of the <a href="https://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-05/27/c_135394020.htm" target="_blank">Memorandum of Understanding</a> ACRI signed with the Party’s official Xinhua News Agency in early 2016.
Unlike other university-based think tanks, such as the <a href="https://www.ussc.edu.au/about/mission" target="_blank">United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney</a>, ACRI has never produced an annual report <a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-china-relations-institute-responds-to-questions-on-research-and-funding-78803" target="_blank">nor does it publicly disclose</a> its budget and financial expenditures. The university now claims to “<a href="https://newsroom.uts.edu.au/news/2017/04/hon-philip-ruddock-chair-australia-china-relations-institute-advisory-board" target="_blank">fully fund</a>” the institute; yet the Bank of China, the China Construction Bank, Yuhu Group, and other Chinese companies are listed as “<a href="https://www.australiachinarelations.org/about-us" target="_blank">Chairman’s Council Members</a>” under a description of how ACRI is funded.
Who is paying for the transmission of “China’s voice” in Australia? Is it UTS, the All-China Journalist Association, Xinhua or even the Propaganda Department of the Chinese Communist Party? Because ACRI hasn’t disclosed any of its finances, we don’t know who is paying for the trips it organises.
These efforts to promote Chinese “soft power” and influence in Australia are understandable. Public diplomacy is a key part of international relations today, and states have long sought to increase their influence globally.
Yet do centres like ACRI belong inside our universities? The University of Technology Sydney is a public institution that is still predominately funded by the Commonwealth government with taxpayers’ dollars. We risk undermining the neutrality and impartiality of our universities at a time when our relationship with China is reaching a critical juncture.
ACRI’s founding chairman <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/chinese-king-of-the-mountain-brush-with-corruption-scandal-20160224-gn2tvt" target="_blank">Huang Xiangmo</a> is actively involved in Australian politics. He has reportedly funnelled over one million dollars in political donations to the major political parties since arriving in Australia under suspicious circumstances in 2011.
His payment of Sam Dastyari’s legal bills stirred controversy over the influence of Chinese money in Australian politics and resulted in Mr Huang’s decision to <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/china-steps-up-university-influence-effort/news-story/5d09f3cc5d36e4d7295ae1d85543a023" target="_blank">step down as chairman of ACRI</a>. Yet he <a href="https://www.acpprc.org.au/schinese/jinqi/2017/wen4May17" target="_blank">continues to employ the title</a> and his adjunct professorship at UTS when representing himself in the Chinese language media, where he <a href="https://australia.people.com.cn/n/2015/0710/c364496-27284429" target="_blank">frequently praises the contributions</a> of overseas Chinese in upholding national unity and striving for the “China dream” of national rejuvenation.
Mr. Huang is also the Chairman of the <a href="https://www.acpprc.org.au/schinese/huizhang.asp" target="_blank">Australian Council for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China (ACPPRC)</a>, an overseas branch of the Communist Party’s United Front Work Department, which is tasked with promoting the Party’s interests among the Chinese diaspora. When Li Keqiang visited Australia in March, the <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/nsw/huang-xiangmos-prochina-group-denies-organising-premier-li-rentacrowd-20170324-gv5z4h" target="_blank">ACPPRC mobilised Chinese students</a> to welcome the Chinese Premier and keep any protesters at bay.
Huang Xiangmo has also provided A$3.5 million to help establish a new <a href="https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/aciac/people" target="_blank">Australia-China Institute for Arts and Culture</a> at Western Sydney University, where he sits on the board of governance. He is reported to be eyeing-off <a href="https://www.afr.com/news/politics/chinas-local-emperor-huang-xiangmo-says-politics-just-like-sport-20160901-gr66xc" target="_blank">additional investments</a> in the tertiary sector in Australia. Yet these supposedly philanthropic donations come with a clear agenda, as Huang revealed when he called for the Chinese community to increase their skill and leverage in the Australian political arena <a href="https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1003731.shtml" target="_blank">in a Global Times editorial</a>.
I welcome the role ACRI is playing in broadening and deepening our understanding of this important bilateral relationship; yet I question whether our publicly funded universities are the right place for the institute.
Universities are meant to be places of robust and critically minded teaching and research. If Australia is going to successfully navigate its way through the “Asian Century,” we need independent centres of research excellence on China.
We need places where properly trained experts can study and better understand all aspects of China’s rise — both the positive and the negative — without fear or influence. We do a disservice to this important mission when the reputations of our universities are sullied in the name of one-sided, political advocacy.
<hr>
The Conversation sought a response from the Australia-China Relations Institute, which can be <a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-china-relations-institute-responds-to-questions-on-research-and-funding-78803">viewed here</a>. 
James Leibold is Associate Professor of Politics and Asian Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/la-trobe-university-842" target="_blank">La Trobe University</a>
This article was originally published on <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.
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The Australia-China Relations Institute doesn’t belong at UTS

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Perth and Darwin are recording value growth well below their decade average, according to CoreLogic’s latest June update.
The property data firm says that Melbourne and Sydney have the highest value growth.
Perth and Darwin have a value decline of 3.8% and 6.4% respectively.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/06/06/Screen%20Shot%202017-06-06%20at%2012.12.56%20pm.jpg" target="_blank">Click 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/2017/06/06/Screen%20Shot%202017-06-06%20at%2012.12.56%20pm.jpg" alt="">
Meanwhile Sydney and Melbourne both have value growths of 11%.
Adelaide and Brisbane have the lowest value growths with a growth of only 2.9% and 2.3% respectively.
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Perth and Darwin home value growth below decade average: CoreLogic

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National residential listings increased marginally by 0.5% to 324,041 over the month of May 2017, results released by SQM Research reveal.
The data reveals Sydney, Brisbane and Darwin posted the highest monthly increase in listings, up 5.9%, 3.2% and 3.0%, respectively. 
However, property listings fell in Hobart and Melbourne over the month. In Hobart, listings dropped 5.7% and Melbourne 1.2%.  
Over the year, listings were down in all capital cities except Canberra and Sydney which increased 2.7% and 2.0% respectively.
There were steep drops of 18.9% in Hobart and 19.5% in Melbourne over the year which reflects very robust market conditions in these two cities.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/06/06/Chart-1.jpg" target="_blank">Click 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/2017/06/06/Chart-1.jpg" alt="">
Louis Christopher, SQM Research's managing director, said the listings data suggests the national market was still relatively strong.  
"Normally, May listings increase over April due to the multiple holiday periods in that month," he said.
"So a 0.5% list for May is actually quite modest.
"The Sydney rise of 5.9% is a little on the weaker side and I also note the monthly decline in asking prices of 1% for that city.  
"While it is still too early to call a slowdown in Sydney at this stage, we are watching this market closely as there has been increasing evidence of a possible slowdown.
"Meanwhile the listings activity and asking prices out of Melbourne suggest there were very robust market conditions throughout May.  
"To record a 1.2% decline in listings plus a near 6% surge in asking prices for houses is about as strong as it gets."
The table below indicates that over the month ending 6 June, asking house and unit prices recorded marginal decreases in Sydney, Darwin, Brisbane and Adelaide.
Hobart and Melbourne posted gains.  
Nationally, asking house prices showed no growth and unit prices recorded a decrease of 0.4%
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/06/06/Chart-2.jpg" target="_blank">Click 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/2017/06/06/Chart-2.jpg" alt="">
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Modest rise in national listings suggest ongoing strength: SQM Research

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<div>
Housing price growth peaked earlier this year and will slow to 1.9 per cent by next year, ANZ says in a new research report.
Population increase and demand for housing will ensure growth stays positive in Sydney and Melbourne.
But lending constraints tighten and other measures such as taxes on vacant properties will constrain growth.
The national pace of price appreciation will dip to to an annual 4.4 per cent this year, the ANZ Australian Housing Update says.
Prices will fall in Brisbane next year, however, due to the "significant" volume of new supply.
It tipped home values in Perth and Darwin continue to fall.
Housing markets in Canberra, Hobart and Adelaide will grow slightly faster than the nationwide average through 2018, Fairfax's Australian Financial Review noted.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/06/06/1496706214283.jpg" target="_blank">Click 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/2017/06/06/1496706214283.jpg" alt="">
</div>
<div><cite>ANZ Australian Housing Update</cite></div>
<div>
"We anticipate that Australia's housing market will broadly cool from here," economists Daniel Gradwell and Jo Masters wrote.
"We believe that price growth will slow sharply due to a combination of policy changes and macroprudential regulation."
The report also predicts housing construction to "gradually soften."
"We think building approvals could fall by another 5-10 per cent in the next six to 12 months," the report said.
The two biggest risks remain over-supply of new apartments in Brisbane and "to a lesser extent", Melbourne as well as settlement failures, the bank said.
</div>
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National price growth to halve in 2018 with Brisbane to fall: ANZ

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The $1 billion 447 Collins Street is set to transform Melbourne’s city skyline.
Colloquially dubbed the “Pantscraper” for its twin towers joined by a sky bridge, Cbus Property’s 42-storey mixed-use development comprises 49,000sqm premium-grade office space, a five-star W Hotel and 202 boutique residential apartments.
Designed by New York-based SHoP Architects and Melbourne-based Woods Bagot, 447 Collins Street will deliver Melbourne’s first WELL-rated building and have five-star NABERS and Green Star ratings.
Construction on 447 Collins Street has commenced and completion is anticipated for late 2019.
Three major legal firms, King &amp; Wood Mallesons, HWL Ebsworth Lawyers and Gadens, have committed to office space.
King &amp; Wood Mallesons was the first to commit, securing 8,345sqm, and was quickly followed by HWL Ebsworth Lawyers for 6,500sqm across three levels, and Gadens for 5,000sqm across two-and-a-half levels.
<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/2017/05/25/Collins%20Arch%202.jpg" alt="">
Sole leasing agent Colliers International is seeking other top-tier financial-sector tenants to fill the vacancies.
“447 Collins Street is now 60 percent leased,” national director of Colliers International’s Melbourne CBD Office Leasing team, Andrew Beasley, said.
“We have only four low-rise floors and three high-rise floors left to offer – and they’re likely to be leased quickly, if the other pre-commitments are any indication.”
Marriott International’s W Hotels brand will debut in Melbourne with a 294-room offering, including 40 suites, an Extreme Wow suite, gym and heated indoor pool, due to open in 2020.
“The vision is to activate the west end of Collins Street, with W Melbourne welcoming a bar, restaurant and spa to the precinct and encouraging people to linger at night,” Mr Beasley said.
The residential component of 447 Collins Street, being marketed as Collins Arch, will comprise 202 luxury one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments positioned across the building’s highest floors and oriented to maximise panoramic views of the city.
The sky bridge will house the residential amenities, including a statement pool with views from the 34th floor to the city below, a gym, wine cellars, residents’ lounge and two private dining rooms with a catering kitchen, accessed by residents from both east and west towers.
Penthouse residents on levels 38 and 39 will HAVE residences with indoor and outdoor living spaces.
“The idea of a city-within-a-city drove the design – we wanted to create a new amenity for Melbourne that will be an amazing place to live, work or play,” SHoP Architects principal, William Sharples, said.
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Pantscraper Melbourne development set to transform skyline

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Property sale numbers and figures increased slightly in the past three months, according to CoreLogic's latest Brisbane Cityscope.
The property data firm said the last three months to the beginning of May 2017 recorded 13 sales for a total of $441.6 million, with $429.2 million for commercial, $11.9 million for commercial strata and $500,000 for other.
In comparison, the three months to the beginning of February 2017 had 11 sales for a total of $329 million, with $191.2 million for commercial, $2.6 million for commercial strata, $99.6 million for retail, $1.6 million for retail strata and $34 million for other.
The 12 months leading up to the beginning of May 2017 recorded 57 sales for a total of over $1.4 billion, well below the recorded figure for the same time period the year before.
The table below shows sales recorded for the past eight updates of Brisbane Cityscope:
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/05/24/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-24%20at%2010.32.44%20am.jpg" target="_blank">Click 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/2017/05/24/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-24%20at%2010.32.44%20am.jpg" alt="">
The most significant sales recorded this quarter were:
<ul>
<li>In December 2016 Eagle Street Investment Trust sold its one-third interest in One One One Eagle Street for $284,166,667 to GPT Funds Management 2 Pty Ltd as trustee for the Eagle Street Trust, which in turn is controlled by GPT Wholesale Office Fund. The 47-storey office building has six levels of basement car parking and was completed in April 2012; it was officially opened in August 2012.</li>
<li>The State Law Building at <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-offices-qld-brisbane+city-501109743" target="_blank">50 Ann Street</a> (above) was purchased for $145 million by Propertylink Enhanced Partnership, with settlement due in May 2017. JLL, CBRE and Inc RE negotiated the sale which represented an initial yield of 8.18% on passing income of over $11.86 million. The building is leased by The State of Queensland and includes a cafe on the ground floor.</li>
<li>The whole of level 2 at 344 Queen Street was bought for $4.5 million by Kooee Mobile Pty Ltd.</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/05/24/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-24%20at%2010.33.16%20am.jpg" target="_blank">Click 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/2017/05/24/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-24%20at%2010.33.16%20am.jpg" alt="">
Properties currently listed for sale include:
<ul>
<li>160 Ann Street – a 22-storey office building which was extensively refurbished in 2016. For sale by expressions of interest, closing June 1, 2017; agent, Knight Frank (Justin Bond and Neil Brookes) in conjunction with CBRE.</li>
<li>Unit 406 (lot 802), Oaks Festival Towers, 108 Albert Street – a 184 sqm unit on the fourth floor, with 15 sqm in the basement. Scheduled for auction on June 1, 2017; agent, Ray White Commercial Brisbane (Nick Wedge and John Dwyer). The unit was advertised with vacant possession from July 1, 2017.</li>
<li>Shop 15 (lot 38), Anzac Square Arcade, 198 Adelaide Street – an 82 sqm retail unit on the first floor. For sale with an asking price of $800,000; agent, CBRE Brisbane (Lachlan Tully and Callum Short).</li>
</ul>
Properties under contract (conditional or unconditional) include:
<ul>
<li>366 Queen Street – a four-storey office building which was built in 1984. Under conditional contract in early May 2017; agent, CBRE Brisbane (Tom O’Driscoll, Mike Walsh, Andrew Adnam).</li>
<li>545 Queen Street – a ten-storey office building plus a lower ground area to Adelaide Street. Under contract unconditionally for approximately $70 million; agent, Savills (Ben Azar).</li>
<li>Shop 22 (lot 34), Anzac Square Arcade, 198 Adelaide Street – a 67 sqm commercial unit on the first floor. Under contract unconditionally; agent, Blocksidge &amp; Ferguson Ltd (Tom Chan). The unit was advertised with an estimated fully leased income of $44,000 p.a net.</li>
</ul>
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Brisbane commercial property sales on the rise: Cityscope

Builder-developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mcnab-developments">McNab</a> has wasted little time reshaping one of South Brisbane's most significant undeveloped apartment sites after acquiring the property earlier this year.&nbsp;

McNab has lodged plans to scrap an existing approval for two 30-storey towers and instead deliver a single 28-storey residential building, preserving part of the site for a future development opportunity.

The proposal, lodged over <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/64-peel-street-south-brisbane-qld-4101">64 Peel Street and 9 Cordelia Street</a>, is for a residential-led mixed-use development comprising 124 apartments above a landscaped podium, alongside a boundary realignment that preserves part of the land for a future residential project.

<img alt="First look: McNab resets decade-old South Brisbane approval with 124-apartment tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="743bf564-3f8f-45fc-b8d3-bbf18f5b628f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/mcnab%20Peel%20st%20podium.png?VersionId=EhCxGrVn_VFH3qTbKnI4WppGwaMnOn0t" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hayball">Hayball</a>, the development will deliver 119 two-bedroom and five three-bedroom apartments across 23 residential levels. A five-level podium will accommodate 135 car spaces, while the ground floor will include a 66 sqm commercial tenancy, an activated residential lobby with work-from-home spaces, and a publicly accessible landscaped plaza linking Cordelia and Peel streets.&nbsp;

Communal amenities will span Level 6 and the rooftop, including indoor and outdoor recreation spaces, a swimming pool, barbecue facilities, kitchen and dining areas, lawn space, sauna, steam room and yoga facilities.

The application also proposes a boundary realignment to create a standalone 1,290 sqm development lot while retaining an adjacent parcel for future redevelopment, allowing the balance of the site to contribute additional housing over time.

Hayball said the architecture has been shaped by the site's elevated corner position at the intersection of Peel and Cordelia streets and Brisbane's subtropical climate.

The design incorporates generous landscaped setbacks, a masonry podium wrapped with planting, large north-facing balconies, and a slender tower profile intended to maximise natural light, cross ventilation and long-range views. The rooftop has been conceived as a wellness-focused retreat overlooking Brisbane, with amenities positioned to capture views towards Mount Coot-tha and the CBD.

<img alt="First look: McNab resets decade-old South Brisbane approval with 124-apartment tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c5f99e84-6ad8-4a87-82d1-869685b754d2" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/mcnab%20tower%20perspective.png?VersionId=Gw0IuJaSAlk.tvGBxInhZOcQAdIB..2b" />

The planning submission positions the proposal as a response to both changing market conditions and Brisbane's Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct planning reforms.

McNab acquired the site after the previous approval was granted, with the existing scheme no longer reflecting current residential market demands, economic conditions, construction challenges, construction efficiencies or the quality of development outcome now being pursued, the planning report noted.

McNab continues to expand its residential development pipeline across Brisbane and the Gold Coast. The developer recently launched The Tannery in West End, securing more than 60 per cent of apartments before the project's public release. It is also delivering Elements Budds Beach in Surfers Paradise and Lucia Highgate Hill, an eight-apartment boutique development overlooking the Brisbane River.

Joel Robinson

McNab resets decade-old South Brisbane approval with 124-apartment tower

A steeply sloping Bellevue Hill site is set to accommodate a new mid-rise apartment development, with plans lodged for 20 homes that respond to the site's dramatic topography.

The proposal for the consolidated land at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/138a-140-bellevue-road-bellevue-hill-nsw-2023">138A-140 Bellevue Road</a> has been designed by Sydney architecture practice Common Office, which has used the site’s substantial fall to distribute the building’s scale and unlock 20 apartments without presenting the full height to the street.&nbsp;

“The unique design strategy leverages the site’s substantial topographical fall to facilitate increased density, presenting a seven-storey profile to Bellevue Road while rising to 10 storeys at the rear,” Common Office said in its architectural design report.

The apartment mix spans one, two, three- and four-bedroom residences. Four two-bedroom apartments are designated as affordable housing, while the plans also include two adaptable dwellings. The mix is majority three-beds, with the typical three-bed apartment offering around 144 sqm internally, with balconies of around 15 sqm.

The affordable housing component represents 15 per cent of the residential floor area and allows the project to access additional height and floor space under the NSW Government’s in-fill affordable housing provisions. The site also falls within the inner area of the Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy because it is within 400 metres walking distance of Double Bay Town Centre.

<img alt="First Look: Plans lodged for topography-led affordable housing project in Bellevue Hill" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1230d0f-3bfa-4a11-abaf-0928c66ef345" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Bellevue%20da.png?VersionId=dZeMK3P.OutGjN8ycjsxm8uNsj_QFWQv" />

Common Office has arranged the building around a masonry podium and a lighter upper volume, drawing on two recurring elements of Bellevue Hill’s established architecture: sandstone bases and the vertical proportions of local Inter-war Art Deco apartment buildings.

“The proposal is governed by a holistic design language that reconciles the solid horizontal masonry of the neighbourhood’s podiums with the elegant verticality of its Art Deco heritage,” the architect said.

“The building maintains a consistent rhythmic logic utilising deep recesses and a sophisticated material transition to break down the 10-storey scale into a series of articulated, human-scale volumes.”

<img alt="First Look: Plans lodged for topography-led affordable housing project in Bellevue Hill" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0147f503-1af1-4d51-97fb-c2f1cba63a9d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Bellevue%20bldg.png?VersionId=GoW7q3NlK67OpnePXhk7zvklrlKb72Qc" />

Large-format sandstone tiles will define the lower levels, establishing a robust base that negotiates the change in elevation from Bellevue Road. Above, red-tinted precast concrete frames, recessed balconies, anodised aluminium screens and expanded metal details will create a more vertically expressed façade. Integrated planter beds will introduce greenery across balcony edges and recessed sections of the building.

The elongated northern façade has been divided into three recessed vertical masses to reduce its perceived length. Triangular window elements and metal privacy screens reference the geometry of nearby Art Deco buildings while controlling overlooking toward surrounding homes. The southern elevation will incorporate further privacy screening, landscaped edges and deep balconies to maintain light and ventilation.

<img alt="First Look: Plans lodged for topography-led affordable housing project in Bellevue Hill" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e8679cf1-18bc-4447-8a0f-0052b94ab83c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Bellevue%20da%20rooftop.png?VersionId=5SQqQqRFf76rvE2p1TbxJSweMN70AIbc" />

Private and communal landscaping is distributed throughout the development. A landscaped garden apartment is positioned within the lower portion of the site, while a communal terrace on Level 5 will include a central timber deck, barbecue facilities, resident planting plots and areas for outdoor dining and informal gatherings.

Common Office described the terrace as an elevated sanctuary designed to capture district views and sunlight. Its planting strategy incorporates endemic species associated with the Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub, extending the landscape vertically through the building and providing habitat for local flora and fauna.

A second communal outdoor area is proposed at roof level, with built-in seating, paved gathering areas and perimeter planting.

Bellevue Hill is enjoying renewed momentum in the new apartment market, with several boutique developments recently launched and currently under construction. Positive Investment Enterprise is delivering the 16-apartment Kew Palm House on Birriga Road, while Chanine Developments is also under construction at Florian, a 36-apartment project on Banksia Road.

&nbsp;

Bellevue Hill is enjoying renewed momentum in the new apartment market, with several boutique developments recently launched and currently under construction.

First Look: Apartment development pitched for Bellevue Hill, Double Bay fringe

South Brisbane's apartment pipeline continues to build momentum, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/trk-property-group">TRK Property Group</a> lodging plans for a 161-apartment tower on Montague Road as developers accelerate investment across the Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct.

The proposal for 176–186 Montague Road would replace an existing office building with a 20-storey residential tower designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, adding to a growing pipeline of high-density projects reshaping one of Brisbane's fastest-evolving inner-city precincts.

The project has been conceived as a "living building", featuring a flowing tower form, extensive vertical landscaping, and generous communal spaces that respond to the evolving Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct.

TRK Property Group Development Director Matt Kan said the project reflected the confidence developers have in South Brisbane's long-term future.

"South Brisbane is entering an incredibly exciting period, and we see Montague Road sitting right at the heart of that evolution," Kan said.

"With the former Visy site directly opposite us and significant investment planned throughout the broader Kurilpa precinct, there is a real sense of momentum around this part of the city and what it will become over the coming years.

"For TRK, this is an opportunity to be part of that next chapter and deliver a project that responds to where the precinct is heading, while contributing to the continued evolution of Brisbane's river edge."

<img alt="First look: TRK Property joins South Brisbane apartment surge with Montague Road tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="590fe1ad-f892-4446-a679-80e33a16d029" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/TRK%20tower%20facade.png?VersionId=uOJStrcKpyHFcPE1w6_9SMAFzVMCcZll" />

The scheme includes a mix of one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments, incorporating multi-purpose rooms in selected residences to provide additional flexibility for home offices or expanded living areas. The proposed mix comprises 15 one-bedroom, 13 one-bedroom plus MPR, 73 two-bedroom, 26 two-bedroom plus MPR, 30 three-bedroom, and four four-bedroom apartments.

Rather than adopting a conventional rectilinear tower, COX Architecture has developed a sculpted form inspired by the movement of the Brisbane River.

"The proposal has been designed by COX Architecture as a 'living building' that responds to the site's riverine setting, floodplain history and evolving urban context within the Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct," the planning report states.

"The architectural form draws from the fluid nature of the Brisbane River, with a curved and undulating tower form that creates a varied architectural edge and avoids a conventional rectilinear tower expression."

The podium has also been designed as an architectural feature rather than a conventional parking structure, with cascading planting, screening and natural-toned materials softening its appearance. Resident parking is elevated above ground level to address the site's flood constraints, while habitable apartments sit above flood planning levels. Upper-level communal facilities are designed to accommodate shelter-in-place arrangements during major flood events.

<img alt="First look: TRK Property joins South Brisbane apartment surge with Montague Road tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="01fa15d0-90df-46c7-9555-7941fc45373c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/TRK%20podium.png?VersionId=mHyua.w1pHGBt9qEdWzrlsv.leztUCwO" />

Communal amenity is a major focus of the proposal. Around 1,815 sqm of shared resident space is proposed across the ground floor, level 19 and the rooftop, including co-working areas, indoor and outdoor recreation spaces, wellness facilities, dining and gathering areas, lawn spaces, a rooftop pool and spa, and extensive landscaping. At street level, a landscaped forecourt and approximately 345 sqm of publicly accessible open space along Montague Road are intended to improve the pedestrian experience while activating the building's frontage.

The development will provide 163 car spaces, including 152 resident bays and 11 visitor spaces, together with 144 bicycle spaces incorporating resident storage, visitor parking, bicycle maintenance facilities and e-mobility charging infrastructure.

The site sits within one of Brisbane's fastest-changing inner-city precincts, less than two kilometres from the CBD and within easy reach of South Bank, West End, the Queensland Cultural Centre and extensive public transport connections. The Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct planning framework is encouraging higher-density residential development to help meet Brisbane's housing supply targets while supporting walkable, transit-oriented neighbourhoods.

TRK Property joins South Brisbane apartment surge with Montague Road tower plans

Article summary

<ul data-end="785" data-start="311">
	<li data-end="459" data-section-id="5hbcyr" data-start="311">Pikos Group has released the five-penthouse collection at Skye Kangaroo Point, headlined by a two-storey sky home spanning more than 1,000 sqm.</li>
	<li data-end="561" data-section-id="1p7lq8n" data-start="460">Early buyer interest suggests the residences could set a new Queensland apartment price record.</li>
	<li data-end="667" data-section-id="1y70z0l" data-start="562">The collection includes four move-in ready penthouses and the highly customised Skye One residence.</li>
	<li data-end="785" data-section-id="yvm0y1" data-start="668">The release caps one of Bri​sbane's most ambitious luxury apartment developments overlooking the Brisbane River.</li>
</ul>

<hr data-end="790" data-start="787" />
Pikos Group has released the five-penthouse collection at its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/skye-residences-by-pikos-kangaroo-point-8-river-terrace-kangaroo-point-qld-4169">Skye by Pikos</a> development in Kangaroo Point, with early buyer interest indicating the flagship residences could eclipse every apartment sale previously recorded in Queensland.

The collection crowns the luxury riverfront development with five residences, including four completed penthouses and Skye One, a two-level sky home spanning more than 1,000 sqm that will be tailored to its eventual owner.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374075]

Wanting to offer a fully customisable home, Pikos is offering Skye One as a blank canvas, allowing the buyer to work alongside the developer's design team to customise the home's layout, finishes and internal spaces.

The residence will feature a 247 sqm private rooftop terrace with its own swimming pool, sauna, steam room, outdoor kitchen and multiple entertaining areas overlooking the Brisbane River and CBD skyline.

The remaining four penthouses have been completed and are ready for immediate occupation, each offering four bedrooms, expansive open-plan living areas, soaring ceilings and private lift access.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374059]

One of the defining features throughout the project is its use of Roman Classic Travertine, with more than 20,000 sqm of the natural stone imported from Italy after being personally selected by Pikos Group Founder and Executive Director Pedro Pikos, interior designer Julie Williamson and third-generation stone specialist Mario Caucci.

Pikos said the penthouse collection represented the culmination of the company's long-term vision for Skye.

"True legacy isn't measured by what we build today, but by what endures tomorrow," Pikos said.

"Our ambition is to create places that become more valuable with time, enrich the lives of generations, and stand as timeless landmarks long after we've stepped away."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374060]

Williamson said the interiors were inspired by the natural character of Kangaroo Point and the Brisbane River rather than international design trends.

"Materiality tells the story of a place," Williamson said.

"We looked to the movement of the Brisbane River, the texture of the cliff face and the warmth of the surrounding landscape to create interiors that feel understated, enduring and unmistakably Brisbane."

Positioned above the Kangaroo Point cliffs, Skye places residents within walking distance of Howard Smith Wharves, South Bank and James Street while offering uninterrupted river and city views.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=90059]

Brisbane's next apartment price record? Pikos unveils Skye's exclusive penthouse collection

Article summary

<ul data-end="888" data-start="289">
	<li data-end="442" data-section-id="8tsh6o" data-start="289">DVB Projects is preparing to launch its second Gold Coast apartment development, with demolition now underway at 137 Old Burleigh Road, Broadbeach.</li>
	<li data-end="573" data-section-id="1nyxl3e" data-start="443">The 34-level tower will comprise just 49 ultra-luxury residences, including half-floor, full-floor and penthouse apartments.</li>
	<li data-end="717" data-section-id="oiyimj" data-start="574">The launch follows strong demand at DVB's nearby Sea Glass project, which is more than 50 per cent sold and currently under construction.</li>
	<li data-end="888" data-section-id="epk9o9" data-start="718">The development adds to the transformation of Old Burleigh Road, with premium beachfront apartment projects continuing to reshape the tightly held Broadbeach strip.</li>
</ul>

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/dvb-projects">DVB Projects</a> is preparing to launch its second Gold Coast apartment development, with demolition now underway on the Broadbeach site as the Sydney developer moves closer to bringing the ultra-luxury project to market.

The 34-level tower at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/137-old-burleigh-road-broadbeach-qld-4218">137 Old Burleigh Road</a> will comprise just 49 residences, ranging from half-floor apartments through to full-floor homes and a penthouse. The launch follows the strong sales performance of DVB's nearby Sea Glass development. More than half of the apartments at Sea Glass, on the other side of Broadbeach, have been snapped up, well ahead of its late 2027 completion

<img alt="DVB Projects to commence demolition on $320m Broadbeach luxury tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2944b4be-c84e-4b54-8dc1-c712e76704c0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/E02_Exterior_Street%20Level%20Entrance.jpg?VersionId=YoNig7pRdrE3HCue7sUj78LzJteeQf3H" />

The start of demolition at 137 Old Burleigh Road signals DVB Projects’ underlying confidence in the Gold Coast’s luxury beachside apartment sector.

“We see the Gold Coast as one of the most compelling lifestyle markets in Australia, particularly at the premium end where demand continues to deepen,” said Dean Brown, Managing Director of DVB.&nbsp;

“This project has been carefully designed to respond to that demand - delivering large-format residences with a level of quality, privacy and amenity that is still relatively rare in the apartment market on the beachside."

Brown says the site itself is "exceptional."

"Old Burleigh Road is one of the most tightly held beachfront strips, and opportunities to deliver a project of this scale and calibre in this location are extremely limited.”

<img alt="DVB Projects to commence demolition on $320m Broadbeach luxury tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="398f377a-c037-455e-9250-0c5e0d84c35b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/I12_FF%20Balcony.jpg?VersionId=NwOiRWGMubR1c8wthuEfggklcja7al9." />

The project will comprise 40 half-floor residences of approximately 260 sqm, alongside eight full-floor residences spanning around 524 sqm.

A single penthouse will crown the building, featuring a private pool, barbecue area, indoor gym and dedicated entertaining spaces.

Residents will have access to a resort-style suite of amenities, including a 20-metre pool with daybeds, a gymnasium, hot and cold plunge pools, a sauna, and private residents’ lounge and dining facilities.

<img alt="DVB Projects to commence demolition on $320m Broadbeach luxury tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d1642bb0-9a66-4427-a022-dfc0988c6287" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/A02_Pool%20to%20View.jpg?VersionId=c0IXPyn_Gp_Kn3XCwzMrqIVkAdCEwVXP" />

Sales agent Todd Matheson, of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/pezet-matheson">Pezet Matheson</a>, which is marketing both 137 Old Burleigh Road and Sea Glass, said 137 Old Burleigh Road would address a clear gap in the market for genuine luxury products.

“There are very few opportunities on the Gold Coast where buyers can secure a residence of this size and quality in a new building,” Matheson said.

“What we’re seeing is a growing cohort of downsizers and interstate buyers who still want space - they’re not willing to compromise on living area, entertaining or finishes.

“This project has been designed with that buyer in mind. It offers the scale of a home, combined with the convenience and security of apartment living, in one of the coast’s most desirable positions.”

<img alt="DVB Projects to commence demolition on $320m Broadbeach luxury tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="59aae0ca-5639-4320-8aca-d0bf60f48e43" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/E01_Exterior%20Hero.jpg?VersionId=DS8Zfy2WtgUEtdfe0TEUuf1W1GfcZq8S" />

Located on a 1,156 sqm site one block from the beachfront, the development will replace an ageing walk-up building and is expected to contribute to the ongoing transformation of the Old Burleigh Road strip into one of the Gold Coast’s most prestigious residential corridors.

With the development moving into the delivery phase, 137 Old Burleigh Road is slated to hit the market later this year.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145141]

Staff reporter

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