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A farm with five adjoining freehold titles at Goomboorian has been sold for $3.5 million.
Located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property/649-tagigan-rd-goomboorian-qld-4570" target="_blank">649 Tagigan Road</a>, the property consists of 815 acres set 20 minutes east of Gympie and 40 minutes to Noosa. It is two hours to Brisbane.
The five adjoining freehold titles all have road and creek frontage with each tile fenced with new 4 barbs, wooden posts, and steel gates and corners.
The creek runs most, if not all, of the year, with waterholes and billabongs are available as well.
The property has 350 acres of Pangola pasture and 450 acres of Callide and Katambora Rhodes grass.
There is a three bedroom brick home.
Two large rainwater tanks are also available as are the 190 cows that are present on the farm.
The property was offered through Bambling Property agent John Bambling.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Goomboorian farm sold for $3.5 million sold in Queensland

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Melbourne Cup winning jockey Michelle Payne is selling her St Kilda investment property.
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-st+kilda-124693306" target="_blank">one bedroom apartment</a> with balcony is situated in the STK development on St Kilda Road.
It comes with a price guide of $479,000.
<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/2017/08/Payne2.jpg" alt="" width="295" height="204">
It's not set to be a big windfall for Payne, who paid $463,000 off the plan in 2014.
The Ballarat-based jockey rode Prince of Penzance to success in the 2015 Melbourne Cup, despite being a rank outsider at $100.
Payne was the first female to win the iconic race.
 
 
 
<div class="wp-caption"> </div>
 
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Melbourne Cup winning jockey Michelle Payne lists her St Kilda investment

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A historical bespoke warehouse residence in Surry Hills has been sold for $6,500,000.
It last sold at $3.2 million in 2005 to the Domabyl family. In 1993 antique dealer Joan Bowers has sold her gallery for $1 million. 
Located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-surry+hills-124700746" target="_blank">7-9 Little Bourke Street</a> the property was built in 1870 and is positioned near Taylor Square.
It is a unique property with renovation potential as well as being able to be used for both residential and commercial use with 350 sqm of commercial space.
There is lock up parking suitable for six vehicles.
Natural light comes from the north, east and west of the building.
<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/2017/02/10/Surry%20Hills-2.jpg" alt="">
The master suite is 168 sqm big as well as having a second living space along with wine cellar house for over 1200 bottles.
It is an outstanding central private location with three street frontage and R1 zoned.
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Historic bespoke Surry Hills warehouse residence sold for $6.5 million

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A residential development site in Melbourne's Glen iris is on the market with existing permit for 25 apartments with underground parking.
Price expectations are around $6.5 million.
The 1785 square metre site, 233 Burke Road, has over 25 metres frontage to Burke Road and rear lane access.
Julian Heatherich from Savills said the current permit allows for a luxurious residential development comprising 25 large apartments with the majority featuring two bedrooms and two bathrooms.
The property will be sold by expressions of interest closing Thursday, March 2 at 12 noon.
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Glen Iris site listed with plans for 25 apartments

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LJ Hooker has committed $100 million, as part of the networks 2020 vision, to accelerate the industry’s digital transformation.
Its mission is to make Australia the world’s most advanced and best served property market.
Spearheading the strategy is the newly unveiled LJX-Lab, a digital research and development vehicle.
It is hoped it will foster innovation through identifying, incubating and commercialising home-grown ‘proptech’.
It will also introduce new global best practices and technology to local markets to enrich new products, services and training.
LJX-Lab’s first game-changing development is Real Edge, a digital learning and coaching platform that delivers LJ Hooker’s world best practice training online anywhere anytime for continuous personal development of real-estate professionals.
Real Edge is aimed at enhancing the education of real estate as a profession and career; empower real-estate specialists to reach their full potential.
Company Chairman L Janusz Hooker said Real Edge is a first for an Australian real estate network and currently in beta with LJ Hooker’s 8,000 real estate professionals.
“It’s the first of many innovations LJX-Lab will release leading up to 2020 to continue LJ Hooker’s rich pioneering heritage,” he said.
To provide global insights into products and services being created in LJX-Lab, Mr Hooker has assembled an advisory board of business leaders, including:
<ul>
<li>Freelancer.com and Escrow.com, CEO, Matt Barrie (Sydney);</li>
<li>MD CSIRO Innovation Fund and Founder of Black Bird Ventures, Bill Bartee (Sydney);</li>
<li>Co-Founder and Principal of RFR Holding, Michael Fuchs (New York);</li>
<li>Director of Zoopla.com and former CEO of Countrywide Real Estate Group, Grenville Turner (London).</li>
</ul>
Mr Hooker said the group’s digital leadership had also attracted executive talent from global tech challengers that have redefined their industries including Uber, Atlassian and Freelancer.
“These specialists had no prior professional interest in real estate but are inspired by our digital strategy which enables them to apply their experiences working in global tech players to the real-estate industry,” he said.
“The digital revolution is enabling us to merge the property knowledge accumulated over our 88-year history and the expertise of our current 8,000 real estate professionals across 600 offices with the latest technology to better serve our customers.
"No single real estate network has set a digital path that equally empowers its people, its customers and its industry professionals.”
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LJ Hooker commits $100 million to real estate digital development 

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Collinsville is the cheapest place in Queensland to purchase a house, according to Investar’s latest report.
The property investment firm says that the average median price of a house at Collinsville is $85,000.
This is followed by Dysart with $99,000 and Mount Morgan with $129,000.
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Suburb
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Postcode
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Bedrooms
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Median price
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Collinsville
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
4804
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
2
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
$85,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Dysart
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
4745
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
3
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
$99,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Mount Morgan
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
4714
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
2
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
$129,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Charleville
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
4470
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
2
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
$145,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Moranbah
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
4744
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
3
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
$165,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Goomeri
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
4601
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
3
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
$165,000
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
A three bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-dysart-124514582" target="_blank">5 Gilbert Court</a>, Dysart (above) has been listed for $99,000.
Similarly a three bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-dysart-106438860" target="_blank">5 Armstrong Crescent</a>, Dysart (below) has been listed for $95,000.
<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/2017/06/5%20Armstrong%20Crescent.jpg" alt="">\
A three bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-qld-dysart-124252550" target="_blank">6 Crawford Street</a>, Dysart (below) has recently been sold for $69,000.
<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/2017/02/08/6%20Crawford%20Street.jpg" alt="">
Similarly a three bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-qld-dysart-123517390" target="_blank">2 Beresford Crescent</a>, Dysart (below) has been sold for $99,000.
<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/2017/02/08/2%20Beresford%20Crescent.jpg" alt="">
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Collinsville cheapest Queensland locality to purchase a house: Investar

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Ouyen is the cheapest place to purchase a house in Victoria, according to Investar’s latest report.
The property investment firm says that the average median price of a house in Ouyen is $120,000.
This is followed by Dimboola with $124,500 and Red Cliffs with $125,000.
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Suburb
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Postcode
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Bedrooms
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Median price
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Ouyen
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
3490
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
3
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
$120,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Dimboola
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
3414
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
3
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
$124,500
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Red Cliffs
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
3496
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
2
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
$125,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Warracknabeal
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
3393
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
3
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
$128,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Morwell
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
3840
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
2
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
$128,500
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
A three bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-ouyen-124395122" target="_blank">25 Gregory Street</a>, Ouyen (above) has been listed for sale for between $125,000 to $135,000.
Similarly a three bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-ouyen-123738234" target="_blank">26 Ritchie Street</a>, Ouyen (below) has been listed for between $110,000 to $120,000.
<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/2017/06/26%20Ritchie%20Street.jpg" alt="">
A three bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-ouyen-124193074" target="_blank">22 Williams Street</a>, Ouyen (below) has been sold for $130,000.
<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/2017/02/08/22%20William%20Street.jpg" alt="">
Similarly a three bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-ouyen-122962202" target="_blank">3 Henderson Street</a>, Ouyen (below) has been sold for $134,000.
<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/2017/02/08/3%20Henderson%20Street.jpg" alt="">
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Ouyen cheapest locality in Victoria to purchase a house: Investar

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Most Aussies can remember their phone number (94 percent), their number plate (77 percent) and their parent’s phone number (76 percent), but new research from UBank has revealed 85 percent of Australians don’t know their home loan rate.
For the second year, UBank has released The UBank Know Your Numbers Index.
The 2017 report reveals a slight rise in people not knowing their exact home loan rate – up from 84 percent in 2016.
Of those surveyed 44 percent could only recall an approximate figure for their home loan rate while the remainder (41 percent) simply didn’t know their rate at all.
Lee Hatton, chief executive officer of UBank said actively monitoring and seeking the best rate should be a priority for home owners as there are some great benefits on offer.
"We are seeing some of the lowest home loan rates on record, so now is the perfect time to know your numbers, and consider refinancing," she said.
"Simply knowing your exact home loan rate and managing it closely could save you thousands of dollars a year.”
The research, conducted amongst 1,021 Australians with a home loan, also revealed Aussie’s are feeling financially strained, with 54 percent admitting that their financial situation is causing worry and stress.
While a further 33 percent of Australians constantly worry about their future.
“Unfortunately, more and more Australians are making significant sacrifices due to being financially overstretched," she said.
"The better acquainted you are with your numbers, the less stress and more money you’ll have in your back pocket.
"It’s important Australians borrow less and live more.
"Home owners currently paying 4.24 percent p.a. on a 30 year, $360,000 home loan could end up paying more than $37,000 more than they need to.
"If they were on UBank's low variable rate of 3.74 percent p.a. instead, they could have an extra $1246 in their wallet each year."
The UBank Know Your Numbers Index also discovered that nearly one in four (23 percent) think that refinancing a mortgage to save money is a good idea but are yet to find the right competitive rate.
This year for the first time, UBank’s research also surveyed mortgage holders with credit cards and found only 14 percent know what their current credit card interest rate is, while 49 percent don’t know it at all.
A surprising three out of four Australians don’t know how much credit card debt they owe, and 80 percent don’t know exactly how much they are paying each month in credit card interest.
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Majority of Aussies don't know their home loan rate

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Six out of the 12 locations across regional WA experienced positive median house price growth in the December quarter 2016.
REIWA President Hayden Groves dubbed it an optimistic sign for the regions.
Preliminary Landgate data shows the median growth up 1.4 percent over the quarter to $355,000.
Although sales activity in Northam was subdued in the December quarter, it was the best performing regional centre for median house price growth, with its quarterly change in the annual median increasing 18.6 percent in the three months to December 2016.
Other top performers for median house price growth were Busselton Urban Area and Esperance Urban Area, which experienced lifts of 12.1 and 7.1 percent respectively, Hayden Groves said. 
The Broome and Port Hedland regional centres had the most notable softening of median house price in the December quarter. 
 
<table style="width: 438px;" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="142">
Regional centre
</td>
<td valign="top" width="154">
Annual median house price (Year to December 2016)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="142">
Quarterly change in the annual median house price
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="142">
Albany Urban Area
</td>
<td valign="top" width="154">
$380,000
</td>
<td valign="top" width="142">
3.8%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="142">
Broome Urban Area
</td>
<td valign="top" width="154">
$475,000
</td>
<td valign="top" width="142">
-12.8%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="142">
Bunbury Greater
</td>
<td valign="top" width="154">
$380,000
</td>
<td valign="top" width="142">
4.1%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="142">
Busselton Urban Area
</td>
<td valign="top" width="154">
$480,000
</td>
<td valign="top" width="142">
12.1%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="142">
Esperance Urban Area
</td>
<td valign="top" width="154">
$337,500
</td>
<td valign="top" width="142">
7.1%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="142">
Geraldton/Greenough
</td>
<td valign="top" width="154">
$312,500
</td>
<td valign="top" width="142">
-4.7%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="142">
Kalgoorlie/Boulder
</td>
<td valign="top" width="154">
$334,750
</td>
<td valign="top" width="142">
1.4%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="142">
Karratha Urban Area
</td>
<td valign="top" width="154">
$265,000
</td>
<td valign="top" width="142">
-1.9%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="142">
Mandurah/Murray
</td>
<td valign="top" width="154">
$372,000
</td>
<td valign="top" width="142">
-2.1%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="142">
Northam
</td>
<td valign="top" width="154">
$255,000
</td>
<td valign="top" width="142">
18.6%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="142">
Port Hedland
</td>
<td valign="top" width="154">
$262,500
</td>
<td valign="top" width="142">
-6.3%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
Sales volumes were down across regional WA in the December quarter, with preliminary Landgate data showing 1,264 transactions.
The figure was expected to be around 1,500 once all sales had settled.
“Albany and Broome were the strongest performers for sales activity over the quarter, bucking the trend to record stable volume levels.
REIWA analysis shows the bulk of regional sales transactions in the December quarter remained in the $150,000 to $360,000 price range.
“In Bunbury and Albany, while the majority of transactions were below $500,000, both regional centres saw an increase in activity in the higher end of the market.
"It has contributed to the quarterly median house price for both areas lifting,” Mr Groves said.
It was, on average, two days faster to sell a property in regional WA in the December quarter than it was in the September quarter.
“Drilling down, six of the regional centres saw improvements in the number of days it took to sell a property.
Albany and Bunbury were among the most improved, with it being 17 and 10 days quicker (respectively) to achieve a sale in those centres,” Mr Groves said.
Other regional centres to record an improvement in average selling days over the quarter were Northam, Esperance Urban Area, Mandurah/Murray and Geraldton/Greenough.
Meanwhile the Karratha Urban Area was unchanged on the September quarter.
When it came to discounting, the proportion of sellers needing to drop their asking price over the quarter remained stable in comparison to the September quarter at 63 percent.
“We did however see a decline in the amount sellers were needing to reduce their asking price by.
It would have been a contributing factor to regional WA’s overall median increasing in the December quarter,” Mr Groves said.
Property Observer found this three bedroom home at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-wa-spencer+park-123406654" target="_blank">16 Tunney Way, Spencer Park, WA</a><a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-wa-spencer+park-123406654"></a>, (pictured above) that sold in February for $340,000 in the Albany district.
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House price growth emerging in regional Western Australia: REIWA

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A national snapshot of refinance applications made to mortgage marketplace HashChing has pinpointed the suburbs in Australia where borrowers are paying the highest interest rates.
The data, which analysed more than 1,000 mortgage applicants over December 2017 and January 2017, found several suburbs in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane where borrowers were paying well above the average home loan interest rate.
In Sydney, the average interest rate is 4.46 per cent, however mortgagees in The Ponds, Doonside, Quakers Hill, Campbelltown and Stanhope Gardens are paying up to 7.88 percent.
The average interest rate in Melbourne is 4.46 percent, but borrowers in Blackburn, Glen Waverley, South Morang, Mernda, Narre Warren and Cranbourne are paying as much as 7.04 percent interest.
Brisbane’s average interest rate is 4.72 percent, however home owners in Coomera, Advancetown, Austinville, Labrador, Surfers Paradise, Brendale and Springbrook are paying off home loans with interest rates as high as 7.39 percent.
Mandeep Sodhi, CEO of HashChing, said one of the main drivers of higher interest rates in those suburbs was the large population of self-employed borrowers.
“The data demonstrates that mortgagees who are paying interest rates of more than 5 per cent tend to be currently or formerly self-employed.
“Previously, banks charged higher interest rates for self-employed borrowers as they were deemed riskier due to an unstable income.
"However, the market has changed, and banks have become more amenable to offering a competitive interest rate to these customers,” he said.
The average interest rate for self-employed borrowers was found to be as much as 1 per cent higher than it was for salaried borrowers.
For a $500,000 loan over a 25-year term, this can amount to paying an additional $87,383 over the life of the loan.
“Self-employed borrowers may not realise they can get a better home loan rate, especially as this information isn’t being communicated from their bank or lender.
"This disconnect is costing them tens of thousands of dollars,” said Mr Sodhi.
HashChing is a mortgage marketplace connecting customers looking for good home loan deals with experienced mortgage brokers nationwide, rated and reviewed by customers.
Since launching 18 months ago, the business has received more than $3 billion worth of home loan applications.
HashChing deals with all lenders, including non-banks, online providers, building societies and credit unions through their network of partner mortgage brokers.
</body></html>

Self employed paying 1 percent more as home loan borrowers

Apartment buyers in New South Wales are set to gain a decade of insurance-backed protection against major building defects, after the NSW Parliament passed the Fair Trading and Building Legislation Amendment Bill 2026.&nbsp;

The Bill establishes decennial defect insurance, known in the market as Latent Defects Insurance (LDI), as an alternative to the existing two-year strata building bond. It cleared the Legislative Council with amendments on Tuesday evening (August 4, 2026), with the Legislative Assembly agreeing to those amendments shortly after.

Under the reform, eligible developers can satisfy their statutory bond obligation by taking out an approved decennial-style policy that gives owners 10 years of cover for major structural defects from completion, claimable directly, without first having to pursue developers or builders through costly legal action.&nbsp;

The change forms the final tranche of amendments arising from the 2021 statutory review of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 and related legislation.

Resilience Insurance, which originated the cover in Australia and has delivered it in NSW since 2022, welcomed the passage and credited the NSW Government for delivering it.

“This is protection apartment buyers have needed for a long time, and the credit for delivering it belongs to the NSW Government,”&nbsp;said Corey Nugent, CEO of Resilience Insurance.

“Minister Chanthivong and his team have shown real leadership in replacing an outdated two-year bond with cover that matches the lifespan of the buildings people are buying into. Reform like this is what good, evidence-based regulation looks like.”

Resilience has delivered LDI in NSW since 2022, protecting thousands of apartments, giving the State, and now the country, real-world evidence of how decade-long, no-fault protection works in practice.

The reform also places NSW within a wider national shift.

NSW is the third jurisdiction to put decennial cover into law. The ACT legislated for it in 2024, with the scheme taking effect in late 2025, and Victoria passed its own framework on 17 June. Between them, the three cover the majority of Australia's apartment market.

The reform commences once the legislation is proclaimed, which is expected in the coming weeks. From that point, developers of Class 2 residential apartment buildings can meet their statutory obligation with an approved decennial policy in place of the bond.

Buyers who purchased into projects that took out the cover early are among the first in the country to take keys to apartments carrying decade-long structural protection.

“With the legislation passed, the focus now turns to making it work for buyers,”&nbsp;Nugent said.

“There are already thousands of apartments in NSW covered by this insurance, bought by developers who moved early. The question every buyer should be asking in a display suite is a simple one: does this building come with 10-year defect cover, and who stands behind it?&nbsp;

“We look forward to working with the Government and the Building Commission in coming weeks as the framework moves to implementation, and to sharing what we have learned over the past four years so the protection reaches owners as smoothly and quickly as possible.”

Other states are working through their own reform programs. Western Australia has indicated that decennial cover is within consideration a later stage of its reform sequence, and Queensland has been examining the settings as it looks at the development pipeline ahead of the 2032 Olympics.

Resilience Insurance acknowledges the NSW Government’s continued focus on strengthening consumer protection while supporting housing delivery across the State.

Fast Facts: What the reform means

<ul style="color:#222222; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:small; font-style:normal; font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-weight:400; text-align:start; white-space:normal; background-color:#ffffff; text-decoration-thickness:initial; text-decoration-style:initial; text-decoration-color:initial">
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Proven at scale:&nbsp;Decennial cover has operated in NSW since 2022, protecting thousand of apartments.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">10 years of cover:&nbsp;Protection for major structural defects runs for a decade from completion, claimable directly and with no legal action required.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">An alternative to the bond:&nbsp;Eligible developers can meet their statutory obligation with an approved decennial-style policy in place of the 2% strata building bond.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Part of a national shift:&nbsp;The ACT has had decennial provisions in force since 2025 and Victoria passed its framework in June. NSW now joins them.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">No-fault, first resort:&nbsp;Owners corporations claim directly from the insurer without first having to establish who is liable for the defect.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Cost-competitive:&nbsp;At approximately 1.8% of build cost, LDI is typically priced below the 2% bond while offering broader, longer protection.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Market position:&nbsp;Resilience originated LDI in Australia and has delivered it in NSW since 2022.</li>
</ul>

Fast Facts: What is Resilience LDI?

<ul style="color:#222222; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:small; font-style:normal; font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-weight:400; text-align:start; white-space:normal; background-color:#ffffff; text-decoration-thickness:initial; text-decoration-style:initial; text-decoration-color:initial">
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Resilience Latent Defects Insurance (LDI):&nbsp;Covers major structural defects for 10 years from completion.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Consumer-first:&nbsp;Direct claim access, no need for lengthy legal action.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Cost advantage:&nbsp;At approximately 1.8% of build cost, LDI is typically priced below the traditional 2% Strata Bond while offering broader protection.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Market leader:&nbsp;&nbsp;Resilience Insurance originated LDI in Australia and is the national market leader.</li>
</ul>

Joel Robinson

NSW parliament passes 10-year defect insurance laws for new apartment buyers

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.

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]

Staff reporter

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