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A Gunya Beach, Bundeena estate known as Vitamin Sea has been sold ahead of its mid December auction.
As of yet, the sale price has not been revealed for the five bedroom, three bathroom house.
It holds 240-degree views sweeping over Port Hacking, the city and beyond.
Situated at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-bundeena-132397866" target="_blank">5 The Avenue</a>, John Schwarzer and Laura McKay of Highland Property Agents Cronulla marketed the property.
The bespoke abode sits on a 700 sqm landholding and features waterfront facilities including a sandstone boatshed and sandy beach.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/12/17/Vitamin%20Sea%201.JPG" alt="">
Vitamin Sea was listed as a rental in 2008 seeking $750/pw.
The home last sold for $2 million in 2009.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Beachfront Bundeena estate Vitamin Sea sold pre auction

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A Pittwater trophy home on Avalon Beach fronting Careel Bay has been sold.
The home went to auction in November with a price guide of $7 million but as of yet the sale price has not been disclosed.
Situated at 141 George Street, Lachlan Elder of LJ Hooker marketed the home.
The five bedroom, four bathroom house sits on a 993 sqm block.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/12/17/Rahiti%202.JPG" alt="">
Featuring a 40 metre frontage, the home is just 8 metres from the waters edge.
Rahiti holds 180 degree panaromaic vistas across Palm Beach to West Head.
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Avalon Beach trophy home Rahiti sold

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A Beachfront Soldiers Point estate with an international award winning multi zoned pool has been sold for $3.05 million.
The homes seven bedrooms and five bathrooms are spread across three levels.
Situated at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-soldiers+point-132433054" target="_blank">21 Soldiers Point Road</a>, Bonnie Roosendaal and Sherry Christian of Raine And Horne marketed the abode.
Built in 2006 for $1.5 million, the trophy home holds panoramic ocean views.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/12/17/Beach%206%20-%202.JPG" alt="">
It features its own home theatre and gymnasium.
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Beachfront Soldiers Point estate sold for $3 million

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A modern Mediterranean style trophy home in Camp Mountain, Queensland, has been listed for sale.
Set well back from the road, the Vonne Court home on five acres backs directly onto State Forest. 
The main living space in the five bedroom home features high pitched ceilings and an open fireplace.
<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/2020/1/9/5_Vonne_Living%20Rm.jpg" alt="" style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;">
Inside the main house, there is a modern kitchen with a Corian breakfast bar.
There are five bedrooms, including a master wing complete with its own white Carrara marble ensuite.
<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/2020/1/9/8_Vonne_Kitchen.jpg" alt="">
The luxury resort-styled residence is designed for entertainment with a choice of indoor and outdoor spaces.
There's an entry courtyard, an arbour alongside the 12.5m pool, a covered terrace and dining patio adjacent to the main house and a floodlit full-sized tennis court.
The property also has a dam and a seasonal creek amongst its landscaped gardens.
<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/2020/1/9/6_Vonne_Outdoor.jpg" alt="">
The property has a separate fully contained guest quarter with its own kitchen, bathroom, living area and direct access to the pool.
It also has an artist's studio with a kitchenette, storeroom and a double lock-up garage.
 <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/2020/1/9/3_Vonne_Pool.jpg" alt="">
The property, up for sale through Belle Property agent Georgie Haug, last sold for $465,000 in 2001. 
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Camp Mountain mediterranean style trophy home for sale

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Figures released by SQM Research show a decrease in national residential property listings across all capital cities in December 2019. 
National residential property listings across capital cities show an overall 12 per cent decline in 2019.
In December 2019, listings decreased by 14.8 per cent, declining from 338,971 in November to 288,966.
"The month of December traditionally records falls in properties listed for sale as it is the start of the festive and summer holiday period, whilst November shows a surge in listings as vendors are keen to sell before the holiday season approaches," explains Louis Christopher, managing director of SQM Research.
"The recent devastating bushfires in NSW, Canberra and Victoria could also result in declines in property listings and impact property values in these regions in the coming months."
All capital cities saw decreases in property listings over the month with the most significant decrease experienced in Sydney with 28.7 per cent, followed closely by Canberra with 28.1 per cent.
Property listings in Sydney fell from 32,101 in November 2019 to 22,888 in December while Canberra saw a decline from 4,998 to 3,595. 
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2020/1/9/N2_Market_Month.jpeg" alt="" width="790" height="202">
Year-on-year listings similarly show declines for all capital cities with Sydney showing a decline of 30.1 per cent, followed by Darwin with 25.2 per cent, and with Canberra only recording an overall 14.6 per cent decline. Meanwhile, Brisbane is revealed as declining the slightest with only 8.4 per cent. 
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2020/1/9/N1_Stock%20Market%20Table.png" alt="" width="796" height="263" style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;">
Stock on Market Table, SQM Research.
 
 
 
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Sydney vendors vacate market as December 2019 property listings decrease: SQM Research

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Average asking prices in capital cities only increase marginally in December 2019 according to SQM Research.
The capital city asking prices have increased by 2.4 per cent for houses and 0.8 per cent for units in December 2019 with the average asking price at the year end being $977,900 for houses and $577,600 for units. This is significantly lower than a year ago with the capital asking prices showing an increase of 5.8 per cent for houses and 1 per cent for units. 
Over December 2019, Sydney and Hobart were the only capital cities to show increases in both house and unit prices. 
Meanwhile, all other capital cities recorded increases in house prices but saw marginal declines in unit prices over the month. Perth, in particular, saw the greatest fall in the unit market with a 1.6 per cent decline while the city's house price increased by 0.3 per cent. Hobart's unit prices recorded the strongest growth of 2 per cent. Darwin continues to record declines in both house and unit prices of 2 per cent and 1.2 per cent respectively.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2020/1/9/N3_Asking%20Price.jpeg" alt="" width="915" height="693">
Weekly Asking Prices Index, SQM Research.
Overall, Melbourne shows the strongest price growth of 4.2 per cent for houses despite its decline in the unit market at 0.6 percent. Melbourne's median house asking price has now returned back to over one million dollars. This was last seen between the period of April and June 2018. The city's median asking price is currently sitting at $1,027,600. Following behind, the Sydney house market similarly climbed back to its 2017/2018 highs of over $1.3 million, records show a 2.4 per cent increase in asking house prices over December 2019. The current median asking house price in Sydney is $1,341,400.
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Capital cities average asking prices increase marginally: SQM Research  

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On many days Canberra has the worst air quality of any major international city. Even in the best buildings it’s not good.
In early December 2019, a Sheffield Shield cricket match between NSW and Queensland was played in bushfire smoke so thick that the ball was at times <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-10/sydney-smoke-haze-mars-nsw-sheffield-shield-win-over-queensland/11786280" target="_blank">invisible to the spectators</a>.
Since then, the rest of us have become far more aware of the hazards of bushfire smoke, and authorities have become more active in reminding us how dangerous it can be, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/health/2019-11-19/bushfire-smoke-health-managing-risks/11699894" target="_blank">especially during exercise</a>. A standard piece of advice is to “spend more time indoors”.
But does it work?
Up until this year, with bushfire smoke lasting only a few days, it was good advice, especially for buildings that rely on recirculated and filtered mechanical ventilation complying with Australian Standard <a href="https://infostore.saiglobal.com/en-au/Standards/AS-1668-2-2012-120207_SAIG_AS_AS_251941/" target="_blank">1668 Part 2</a>.
These buildings include shopping malls, cinemas, hospitals, larger offices and some of the buildings in some universities.
<h2>It’s fine in cinemas, for a while…</h2>
Unfortunately, if smoke is particularly thick or goes on for more than a few days, these systems get overwhelmed, which is why smoke detectors in many commercial and institutional buildings have been setting off fire alarms and why the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra was <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/culture/art-and-design/galleries-grapple-with-climate-change-and-unprecedented-closures-20200106-p53p7r" target="_blank">closed</a> on Sunday and Monday.
Most houses or apartments are designed to be “naturally ventilated” under the <a href="https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/ncc-online/NCC" target="_blank">National Construction Code</a>, which means every habitable room has an openable window or a vent.
Closing the windows, vents and doors will reduce the “air change rate”, which is the number of times an hour the air in the room is replaced by outside air.
<h2>Less fine in homes</h2>
Regrettably, unless there is no wind, CSIRO research suggests most Australian houses are <a href="https://research.csiro.au/energyrating/wp-content/uploads/sites/74/2016/05/House-Energy-Efficiency-Inspect-Proj.pdf" target="_blank">quite leaky</a> by international standards, mainly because of leaky windows and doors.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/308916/original/file-20200107-107209-1vwrjkj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Wall ventilator. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Me256Tb1zq8" target="_blank">Source: GIYGreenItYourself</a>
Houses and apartments built before 1970 are the worst. Many have fixed ventilators just below the ceiling level, a hangover from regulations designed to ensure gas lighting did not cause asphyxiation.
These ventilators are now unnecessary and can be safely blocked off.
In normal times some leakage is not a bad thing, as it offers protection against internal air pollution from volatile organic compounds in furniture and building materials and cooking, smoking and heating.
But these are not normal times.
The length and severity of bushfire smoke appears to be <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/health-impacts-of-bushfires-won-t-be-known-for-years-experts-say-20200106-p53p87" target="_blank">unprecedented</a>.
With bushfire smoke persisting for days or weeks, the standard advice to be “indoors” is less effective. While houses and apartments might be useful for keeping smoke out for a few days or so, they become less effective over time, depending on how leaky they are.
<h2>Take care</h2>
Before embarking on a campaign to seal leaks with draft stripping and duct tape, please ensure your that your range hood is vented directly to outside (preferably with an automatic flap) that if you smoke you do it outside, and that your furniture and fabrics are low in <a href="https://soe.environment.gov.au/theme/ambient-air-quality/topic/2016/volatile-organic-compounds" target="_blank">volatile organic compounds</a>, which arechemicals that release vapor at room temperature.
If your house is sealed up, do not use a gas cooker without an externally vented range hood or use an unflued gas heater at any time.
Ensure your vacuum cleaner has a <a href="https://www.choice.com.au/home-and-living/laundry-and-cleaning/vacuum-cleaners/articles/hepa-and-asthma" target="_blank">HEPA</a> (high-efficiency particulate air) filter.
Remember duct tape or masking tape is likely to be very difficult to remove if you leave it on for more than a few days and may damage painted surfaces.
<h2>Air conditioners aren’t much help</h2>
Even if your house is well sealed, it’s likely the air in it will become similar in quality to the air outside over a period of several days. While the air change rate in your house might be low, it will not be zero.
A recirculating air conditioner, such as a split system, will make you cooler but most domestic air conditioning filters are not capable of removing the very small particles in bushfire smoke – the ones that most make it dangerous.
Evaporative air conditioners or window mounted air conditioners that draw air in from outside will actually make indoor conditions worse.
Some recirculating air purifier systems will remove bushfire smoke, but they can be expensive to buy and run.
<h2>Air purifiers can help, but they’re expensive</h2>
To be effective against bushfire smoke, the air purifier needs to be fitted with a HEPA filter.
The performance of many purifiers is less than stellar, but a <a href="https://www.choice.com.au/home-and-living/cooling/air-purifiers/review-and-compare/air-purifiers" target="_blank">CHOICE survey</a> published just before Christmas is a useful starting point.
CHOICE is preparing a bigger test of more models which it will publish in March 2020.
It brought forward the test of six of them because of the fires.
All six remove bushfire smoke particles with various degrees of efficiency, but their coverage area is limited. The <a href="https://www.choice.com.au/products/home-and-living/cooling/air-purifiers/blueair-205-air-purifier" target="_blank">Blueair 205</a> performed the best.
For people in an at-risk group, the use of an air purifier in a sealed-up house or apartment should help.
The only certain solution for someone suffering from smoke or concerned about its long-term impacts is to go to a building that has a recirculating HEPA filtered air conditioning system or move to a location where the air quality is better.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/129367/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/geoff-hanmer-90647" target="_blank">Geoff Hanmer</a>, Adjunct Lecturer in Architecture, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-1414" target="_blank">UNSW</a>
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/our-buildings-arent-made-to-keep-out-bushfire-smoke-heres-what-you-can-do-129367" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Our buildings aren't made to keep out bushfire smoke. Here's what you can do

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The ruins of Nepal’s Gorkha district after the 2015 earthquake that killed nearly 9,000 people and injured 22,000. Tourism helped lead the way back.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2020/1/8/1_Nepal_Pierre%20Prakash.jpeg" alt="">
Holidaying in a disaster zone might seem crazy, but “volunteer tourism” can actually help communities recover from natural disasters.
And if can offer a unique and rewarding experience for volunteers, if done carefully.
When disaster hits a tourist destination – whether fire, flood, cyclone or earthquake – tourists usually stay away, leaving communities to deal with a loss of income on top of the costs of repair and recovery.
On the other hand, people who feel a natural curiosity, as well as a natural desire to help, are keen for experiences where they can interact with locals and make a difference.
This “volunteer tourism” should not be confused with “disaster tourism” in which tourists immediately travel to a scene not to help but to look.
<h2>Nepal shows what can be done</h2>
We examined volunteer tourism in Nepal in the wake of the April 2015 earthquake that killed nearly 9,000 people and injured nearly 22,000.
We found that when it was done in an ethical manner that considered local conditions and the community, it could aid recovery and resilience.
It is important that the process be controlled locally and that the invitation from locals be genuine. It is also important that volunteer tourists be prepared to engage in work that mainstream tourists would not.
Our study, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160738319301598" target="_blank">Engaging volunteer tourism in post-disaster recovery in Nepal</a>, has just been published in the Annals of Tourism Research.
In the four months that followed the Nepal earthquake, international tourism more than halved.
Initially most relief organisations asked international volunteers not to come unless they had specific expertise, such as medical skills, building skills, or experience responding to emergencies.
Then the Pacific Asia Travel Association and Nepalese tourism industry leaders worked together to produce the report of the <a href="http://pata.org.np/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/A-Report-on-PATA-Nepal-Tourism-Rapid-Recovery-Taskforce.pdf" target="_blank">Nepal Rapid Recovery Task Force</a>, running workshops with more than 200 tourism industry leaders and professionals.
<h2>Volunteer tourism led the way back</h2>
The strategy they came up with prioritised potential tourism regrowth markets, including volunteer tourism.
Nepal relaxed conditions to allow international tourists to volunteer on a wide range of projects including rebuilding homes and schools, interning in hospitals, supporting non-government organisations and reestablishing sustainable agriculture.
It helped that Nepal was set up for it. It had already hosted organisations offering short-term travellers the opportunity to teach English and to work on health projects.
In 2015 and 2016 it hosted three global celebrities whose widely-publicised visits raised the profile and popular appeal of Nepal, especially to volunteer tourists.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/306944/original/file-20191215-85391-dpl453.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/306944/original/file-20191215-85391-dpl453.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
US actress Susan Sarandon comforts Kanti Maya Tamang, who lost her husband and daughter during the earthquake in Ramkot village on the outskirt of Kathmandu, Nepal in May 2015. NARENDRA SHRESTHA/EPA
In May 2015, Hollywood actress Susan Sarandon visited Nepal and actively promoted volunteer tourism to the North American market.
In mid-2015 Hong Kong based actor Jackie Chan visited and encouraged Chinese tourists and volunteers to come to Nepal.
In March 2016, Prince Harry (the younger son of Prince Charles) spent two weeks in Nepal engaged in volunteer programs.
Nepal’s tourism recovery since then has been remarkable.
In 2015, the year of the earthquake, just under 600,000 international tourists visited.
By 2018 the number had reached an all time record of almost 1.2 million. In 2019 it grew further. Volunteer tourism drove the recovery.
The Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents says almost one third of the tours booked to Nepal in the two years after the earthquake comprised groups who combined tourism experiences with volunteering or philanthropy.
<h2>It needs to meet local needs</h2>
In times of national crisis, the priority of a government has to be restoring the welfare of its people. However, the process by which that happens is multifaceted. In destinations that rely on tourism as a primary source of foreign investment, it can make sense to build tourism into the recovery process.
A focus on tourism need not detract from other critical processes such as providing health care and emergency services, clearing debris and construction.
But that’s easier said than done. Natural disasters by their very nature sow confusion, severely damage infrastructure and impose great strains on emergency management and administration.
Volunteer tourism won’t work everywhere, but where conditions are right, international visitors can speed rather than slow recovery.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/128841/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-beirman-4852" target="_blank">David Beirman</a>, Senior Lecturer, Tourism, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936" target="_blank">University of Technology Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/simone-faulkner-911263" target="_blank">Simone Faulkner</a>, , <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936" target="_blank">University of Technology Sydney</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/stephen-wearing-7081" target="_blank">Stephen Wearing</a>, Associate Professor, Management, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936" target="_blank">University of Technology Sydney</a>
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/holidaying-in-a-disaster-zone-isnt-as-crazy-as-it-might-seem-128841" target="_blank">original article</a>.
Main article image credit: Russell Watkins/Department for International Development.
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Holidaying in a disaster zone isn't as crazy as it might seem

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EXPERT OBSERVER
For 40 years I have studied bushfires in Australia. It has been my life’s work to try to better understand Australian landscapes and the interaction of humans and landscape fire.
As we contemplate a future where catastrophes like the one currently engulfing Australia become increasingly frequent, there’s an idea to which I keep returning: maybe it’s time to say goodbye to the typical summer Australian holiday.
Perhaps it’s time to rearrange Australian calendar and reschedule the peak holiday period to March or April, instead of December and January.
It’s easy to dismiss this idea as stupid but that’s the nature of adaptation. Things that once seemed absurd will now need serious consideration.
What’s truly absurd is the business-as-usual approach that sees thousands of holidaymakers heading directly into forests and national parks right in the middle of peak bushfire season.
All of the indications are that we are galloping into changing fire regimes. We can certainly see that with what’s occurred in the Australian alps (the snow country in southeastern Australia, near Mount Kosciuszko). There were incredibly intense fires there <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/fires-fanned-by-worst-imaginable-conditions-20030131-gdg702" target="_blank">around the early 2000s</a> and now those areas are re-burning.
To me, as a fire researcher, that’s an astonishing thought.
Yes, there have been very large fires in the past but they weren’t followed up with yet more very large fires a mere 15 years later. Normally, you’d be <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/gcb.12433" target="_blank">expecting</a> a gap of <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/geb.12484" target="_blank">50 or 100 years</a>. So the ecology is telling us that we are seeing the intervals between the fires shrinking. That is a really big warning sign.
And this increasingly frequent fire activity is completely consistent with what climate modelling was <a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/WF/WF13126" target="_blank">suggesting</a>. The whole system is moving to a world that is hotter, drier, and with more frequent fire activity. It’s what was <a href="https://www.environment.gov.au/climate-change/adaptation/publications/fire-regimes" target="_blank">forecast</a> and it’s what is now happening.
<h2>Big holidays in peak fire season</h2>
One of the great exacerbating factors of this crisis is the fact that it’s occurring in a holiday period. It makes things incredibly difficult for emergency management. The fact is that it would be a lot easier for firefighters to focus on stemming fires if they didn’t also have to manage mass evacuations, and deal with populations that are dispersed and far from home.
Scheduling the major Australian holiday at the same time as bushfire season also makes things extremely difficult for the enterprises that depend on the holiday trade. You need certainty to run a business and timing the major annual Australian holiday period with bushfire season strips certainty away from these business owners.
It’s also really terrible for holidaymakers themselves. People are in desperate need of a break, to spend time with family. Instead of returning to work rested and re-energised, many will be stressed, tired, perhaps even traumatised. (And let’s not forget the firefighters themselves, also denied a break with friends and family over the holidays).
And having the major holiday right in the middle of bushfire season also means that many people are denied a chance to experience national parks, as authorities close them off to reduce risk.
<h2>Adaptation means change, and change is hard</h2>
The old idea was that we can head off the crisis by reducing our emissions through decarbonisation. We had an opportunity to do that and we didn’t take it. We still have to decarbonise but now we also have to adapt.
And the sort of adaptation needed is not just about infrastructure, it’s also about the way we shape our lifestyle, our culture and traditions.
Climate change adaptation will nearly always be met with political, social and cultural resistance. It is not easy. But something like completely rearranging the Australian calendar around increased risks – it’s not even the biggest change required of us.
Some of the other things we are going to have to do will at first seem absurd, will be unbelievably painful economically and will require major adjustments.
There’s going to need to be a systematic change in behaviour and lifestyle as we adapt.
This crisis occurring in peak holiday time is highlighting the fact that the assumptions of normality we have got are being challenged by climate change.
It is confronting, but adaptation also brings with it great benefits – less loss of life, greater certainty and opportunity for businesses and holidaymakers, and smoother handling of fire crises as they emerge.
We need to put some serious thought into what future life will be like under climate change. Perhaps shifting peak holiday season to the cooler months is the place to start.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/129337/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-bowman-4397" target="_blank">David Bowman</a>, Professor of Pyrogeography and Fire Science, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888" target="_blank">University of Tasmania</a>
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/as-bushfire-and-holiday-seasons-converge-it-may-be-time-to-say-goodbye-to-the-typical-australian-summer-holiday-129337" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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As bushfire and holiday seasons converge, it may be time to say goodbye to the typical Australian summer holiday

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A Victorian trophy home located in Bendigo is for sale. 
The 1890s built home is designed by acclaimed local architect, William Beebe. It features tessellated tiled return verandahs, a grand entry hall with archway pilasters, ornate cornices, ceiling medallions and an original open fire place. 
The four bedroom property is currently for sale through Tweed Sutherland First National Real Estate agent Matt Leonard. It previously sold $1,712,500 in 2015. It fetched $830,000 in 2011.
It is currently for sale at $2.3 million. 
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2020/1/7/2_Bendigo_Kitchen.jpeg" alt="">
The house blends 19th-century grandeur and modern features. It has a paved kitchen, hydronic heating, eight kilowatt solar panels, self-cleaning salt chlorinated pool and garage workshop.
There is also a formal living room, cellar, study, glass light filled conservatory which incorporates a butler's pantry and open plan dining area. 
<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/2020/1/7/5_Bendigo_Conservatory.jpg" alt="">
The 1045 sqm block incorporates gardens and landscaping with a paved limestone travertine courtyard.
Located at 149 Wattle Street, it is within walking distance to View Street boutique shops and the CBD. 
Heritage authorities credit the distinctive "Bendigo Boom" style as developed by the migrant German and Austrian architects like William Carl Vahland and later, William Beebe.
William Beebe’s preference in the 1890s was for Queen Anne Revival, Carpenter Gothic and Art Nouveau styles.
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Victorian grandeur residence close to the heart of Bendigo

Malaysian developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/s-p-setia">SP Setia</a> is the latest to jump into St Leonards booming Transport Oriented Development precinct.

The developer, which has previously delivered Sapphire by the Gardens apartment development in Melbourne, identified the Atchison Street site in 2023. It filed a Scoping Report around 12 months ago, and now has revealed the designs for the new&nbsp;40-storey mixed-use tower.

The State Significant Development Application covers <a href="https://next-portal.urban.com.au/projects/14650/summary">20-22 Atchison Street</a>, a 1,374 sqm site positioned between St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, the project would deliver 181 apartments, above a four-storey commercial podium, five basement levels, and new public domain works along Mitchell Street. The apartment mix comprises 35 one-bedroom apartments, 39 one-bedroom-plus-study apartments, 85 two-bedroom apartments, and 22 three-bedroom residences.

The proposal has been lodged as a shop-top housing development under the NSW Government’s TOD planning pathway, which allows increased density around key transport infrastructure. The site sits within the recently rezoned Crows Nest Accelerated TOD Precinct.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b799673d-48e2-46b0-801a-0e33a9330100" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20site.png?VersionId=dPh0UfwfaHpbFL1R7H1cbZNbIW0CHbCC" />

SP Setia acquired the Atchison Street site as part of its continued expansion into the Australian apartment market. In comments made to City &amp; Country (The Edge Malaysia) in 2023, SP Setia President and CEO Datuk Choong Kai Wai described the acquisition as “a strategic move” aligned with the group’s post-pandemic market recovery strategy.

“Our target for this exceptional development is local and overseas buyers, including first-home buyers, downsizers and investors,” Choong said.

The tower has been designed as a slender vertical form rising from a mixed-use podium, with COX Architecture positioning the development as a response to the evolving St Leonards and Crows Nest skyline.

“The purpose of the project is to facilitate the delivery of high-quality housing at a strategically located site and deliver a built tower outcome that is consistent with the desired future character of St Leonards and aligns with the TOD controls,” the design report stated.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1a85eee-76f7-436c-a6da-73ba827b9b13" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20entry.png?VersionId=dA9jHGPMcm.dDbwk4QfxqWiY5bfh3UVt" />

The podium would incorporate retail uses fronting Atchison Street, commercial tenancies, landscaped communal areas, and pedestrian improvements along Mitchell Street. Vehicle access and loading would be consolidated via Atchison Lane.

Residents would have access to more than 665 sqm of communal indoor and outdoor spaces, while the development proposes 96 parking spaces across five basement levels.

The proposal also includes a commitment for 10 per cent of residential floor space to be allocated toward affordable housing through a monetary contribution.

COX said the tower form responds directly to the emerging high-density character of the precinct while seeking to maximise solar access, cross ventilation, and outlook from apartments.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2163f85c-f63b-4be3-aafa-f8763976cec5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29_5.png?VersionId=WiAmtIKJ6.ZQ41EtYEQ1fol7AeorKBlL" />

“The building is orientated towards north,” the Apartment Design Guide compliance report noted, adding that the tower’s slim form was driven by the constrained inner-urban site dimensions.

The design also incorporates landscaped setbacks and communal open space at podium level, intended to soften the interface with surrounding streets and improve pedestrian amenity.

The project adds to a growing wave of redevelopment proposals reshaping St Leonards and Crows Nest following the opening of the Sydney Metro City line and the NSW Government’s push for higher-density housing around major transport nodes.

Last week Stockland filed plans just down the road. They want to build a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/601-pacific-highway-st-leonards-nsw-2065">52-storey tower on Pacific Highway</a>.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">First look: Stockland plans 52-storey, 538-apartment St Leonards tower&nbsp;</a>

Joel Robinson

First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> has revealed plans for a new mixed-use tower at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham, advancing a proposal that would reshape the southern gateway to Newcastle’s city centre with one of the city’s tallest residential buildings.

The State Significant Development proposal, now on exhibition, seeks approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bowline-10-dangar-street-wickham-nsw-2293">43-storey tower</a> immediately adjacent to the Newcastle Interchange. The project would deliver around 200 apartments, including 42 affordable housing dwellings, alongside 99 co-living units, a 171-room hotel, retail space, and new public domain integrated through the site.

The scheme marks a significant escalation of plans previously approved for the site. Urban Property Group took over the prominent 2,904 sqm parcel, where excavation and demolition had already commenced under an earlier consent for a 14-storey mixed-use development.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="58a96dd9-407f-4d20-86b4-94e4bfeef74b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20podium.png?VersionId=LGlf08pdFGAZDzvx_CXC4XakHNZRuEE0" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, the tower has been conceived as a landmark transit-oriented development anchored to the Newcastle Interchange precinct. The proposal includes 245 build-to-sell apartments across a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom residences, as well as two penthouses. Fifteen apartments and one operational unit are earmarked for NDIS housing. The co-living component would add a further 99 units, while the podium would accommodate retail uses and hotel facilities.

SJB said the site presents “a valuable opportunity to anchor the precinct by setting the standard for design, active ground planes and character at the key southern gateway.”

The architecture responds directly to the site’s position beside major transport infrastructure and within one of Newcastle’s fastest-evolving urban renewal precincts. The tower form sits above a sculpted podium designed to frame new public spaces, including a through-site pedestrian link connecting Station Street to Hannell Street, landscaped plazas, and activated retail edges.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a7bd6ff0-f7db-4ce8-a6dc-ea56e72c6149" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20lanne.png?VersionId=xzf39VADyhj7zBQY2I9fx9vI62u2tuSb" />

The design report describes the project as part of the broader transition of Wickham into “a vibrant, high-quality mixed-use urban precinct” that leverages proximity to the station, open space, and regional connectivity.

A detailed public art strategy has also been prepared for the development. The strategy positions the project as “a transit-oriented development of state significance at the gateway to Newcastle’s city centre” and outlines a series of integrated artworks responding to Newcastle’s industrial and transport heritage.

Creative Road’s curatorial framework for the project, titled Unveil, draws on “stratified surfaces, carved volumes, and light-filled apertures” while referencing Newcastle’s transformation from an industrial city into a contemporary education and technology hub.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="77a882bb-14b1-4d28-99ff-9438e39508c0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20site.png?VersionId=cevgo_vN0eKPK78P8YcEu3mKPLkpFqE7" />

The proposal is being advanced through the NSW Housing Delivery Authority pathway after being declared State Significant Development in June 2025. The accompanying scoping report states the development aims to “maximise the site’s proximity to the Newcastle Interchange by delivering transit-oriented development” while increasing housing supply and affordable housing provision within the Newcastle LGA.

Urban Property Group’s plans align with the long-term strategic vision established under the Wickham Master Plan, which identified the interchange precinct as suitable for substantial uplift in height and density. The current proposal would significantly intensify that vision, positioning the tower among the tallest developments proposed for Newcastle.

The site sits immediately north of the Newcastle Interchange, bounded by Dangar Street, Hannell Street, and Charles Street. It is surrounded by a rapidly growing cluster of residential towers and mixed-use projects that have emerged following the completion of the light rail and transport interchange.

First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s latest tower at Wickham interchange

Bottega House has completed settlement of a landmark riverfront site in Macquarie Street, St Lucia, representing its first major Brisbane development.&nbsp;

Positioned on the banks of the Brisbane River, the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/180-macquarie-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">premium site at 180 Macquarie Street</a> features uninterrupted river frontage in one of Brisbane’s most tightly held residential precincts.&nbsp;

The proposed development, currently under assessment with Brisbane City Council, has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/mim-design">Mim Design</a> and will deliver a boutique collection of premium residences positioned specifically for owner occupiers and downsizers.&nbsp;

The residences are set to redefine luxury apartment living in the area, with a focus on architectural quality, refined finishes, landscape integration and elevated amenities including curated wellness facilities, resort-style pools and recreation spaces rarely seen in the local market.&nbsp;

Exclusive sales for the project will be led by Keenan &amp; Byrne, ahead of an anticipated launch later this year.&nbsp;

Bottega House Managing Director Nick Malloch said the project reflects the group’s ambition to deliver a highly curated residential offering within one of Brisbane’s most tightly held precincts.&nbsp;

“This is an incredibly rare riverfront opportunity and one we have approached with a long-term perspective,” Malloch said.&nbsp;

“Our vision from the outset was to create a boutique collection of residences that feel more like private homes than traditional apartments, with generous proportions, refined finishes and exceptional amenity throughout."

Malloch says there is a&nbsp;lack of premium owner-occupier stock of this quality in the market, particularly for downsizers wanting space, privacy and a true lifestyle offering without compromise.&nbsp;

"Demand is expected to be strong given the scarcity of premium riverfront opportunities of this nature within Brisbane’s inner-west."&nbsp;

Bottega House secures landmark riverfront site in St Lucia 

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The arrival of the first piling rig officially marks the commencement of construction at SIERA’s new beachside apartment development, Exhale, in Northcliffe.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/exhale-surfers-paradise-8-enderley-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Exhale</a>, a glass-encased tower featuring 54 large-scale apartments at 8 Enderley Avenue, is SIERA’s third Gold Coast development. It follows the recently completed PIPIS Bilinga beachfront project, which achieved suburb-record prices, and the soon-to-be-completed Chevron Island development, Tapestry.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359603]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/siera">SIERA</a> Founder and Managing Director Brent Thompson said the arrival of the piling rig represented a significant milestone for the development, which is scheduled for completion in late 2028.

Over the next month, around 260 piles are expected to be installed as work progresses on the basement structure. The building is anticipated to rise above ground level early next year, before unveiling its sculptural glass curtain wall, developed in collaboration with specialist façade engineers.

“The façade was designed to maximise panoramic coastal views while creating a distinctive architectural identity,” Thompson said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=355935]

Designed by BDA Architecture, Exhale will comprise just 54 two- and three-bedroom residences across 26 levels, a level of low-density living rarely delivered in this beachside pocket between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.

The project has been conceived as a resident-only building, with no short-stay accommodation permitted. SIERA says the model is intended to appeal to long-term owner-occupiers rather than transient holiday demand.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=361052]

Residences have been designed with large-format layouts and expansive glazing, with most apartments featuring more than 30 metres of glass frontage to maximise natural light and ocean views.

The amenity offering spans two levels and centres on wellness and lifestyle, including a heated magnesium pool, sauna, yoga and Pilates studio, gymnasium, private dining facilities, cinema lounge, and dedicated surfcraft storage.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359607]

More than half of the apartments have already sold. SIERA has also opened a sales gallery for Exhale at its Chevron Island commercial premises, near its Tapestry tower and the site of its second Chevron Island apartment development, which is slated to launch in early 2027.
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[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112661]

SIERA kicks off construction at Northcliffe tower Exhale

Local Little Bay residents, along with buyers from premium postcodes across Sydney’s affluent Eastern Suburbs, have dominated purchases in developer-builder Urban Property Group’s first Eastern Suburbs apartment development, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/este-little-bay-jennifer-street-little-bay-nsw-2036">ESTE Little Bay</a>.

The $250 million coastal project, one of the first new developments in the area in several years, has proven particularly popular with downsizers, especially those from Coogee and Bondi. One Double Bay downsizer paid $4.7 million for a four-bedroom penthouse, setting a new local apartment price record in the process.

Buyers have been attracted to the combination of coastal tranquillity, premium design and amenity-rich neighbourhood living. The walkable village setting, along with proximity to three of Sydney’s leading golf courses, New South Wales Golf Club, St Michael’s Golf Club and The Coast Golf Club, has also been a key drawcard.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112343 project_image_fid=352689]

Built across two low-rise buildings designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hill-thalis-architecture-urban-projects-pty-ltd">Hill Thalis</a> and set along a lush, landscaped green spine, designed by leading landscape architect <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/arcadia-landscape-architecture">Arcadia</a>, ESTE Little Bay offers a collection of one, two, three and four-bedroom residences with interiors by Richards Stanisich.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> Sales Director, Tom McIvor said the response to ESTE has been "nothing short of extraordinary."

“Buyers have been quick to recognise ESTE as a rare opportunity to invest in a coastal sanctuary that offers both seclusion and connectivity to the heart of Sydney,” McIvor said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112343 project_image_fid=352687]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/srm-residential">SRM Residential</a> Senior Director, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/srm-residential">Clayton Ross</a> said the local market has responded incredibly well, driven by ESTE’s exceptional location and the rarity it offers.

“We’ve seen strong interest from a variety of buyer groups, all of whom are drawn to the exclusivity and quality of the build and construction by the 4.5-star iCIRT-rated builder / developer, Urban Property Group. There’s truly nothing else like it along Sydney’s coastline.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112343 project_image_fid=352690]

The project also includes robust buyer protections, including Resilience Insurance’s Latent Defects Insurance, providing 10 years of structural cover, and an independent iCIRT-rating of the developer.

“The iCIRT-rating adds another layer of confidence,” Ross added. “Buyers see it as a safeguard for their investment and their lifestyle.” A highlight of ESTE’s offering is its exclusive wellness amenities, including a heated rooftop infinity pool and outdoor heated spa, a state-of-the-art Technogym fitness centre, and a sauna.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/este-little-bay-jennifer-street-little-bay-nsw-2036">ESTE Little Bay</a> is topped out and is on track to complete towards the end of 2026, with residents moving in before Christmas.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112343]

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