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Saturday was Melbourne’s biggest auction day of the year so far, with some 1500 properties put under the hammer in a test of the housing market’s recent recovery.
The 77 percent success rate was a strong result.
"The Melbourne auction market passed its biggest test with flying colours despite the flood of listings," the housing economist Dr Andrew Wilson from My Housing Market said. 
"Vendors are now moving back into the Melbourne market keen to take advantage of strong selling conditions with rising prices," he said.
Melbourne's top notified result was $5.425 million in Kew. It was a resort style house at 3-5 Remington Avenue (pictured top) which was sought by just the two bidders.
Set over two titles, the six bedroom, four bathroom home featured salt-water pool, floodlit north-south tennis court and self-contained club-house.
It had views to the north and east.
There was higher bidder at a Toorak offering which was passed in at $6.4 million vendor bid.
And also whispers of an $8.18 million sale in Hawthorn.
The <a href="https://kayburton.com.au/real-estate/other-25-kooyongkoot-road-hawthorn-vic-3122-647827" target="_blank">four bedroom 1887 Kooyongkoot Road home</a> (below) on its 1254 sqm Scotch Hill holding had last sold at $377,000 in 1985. 
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A $170,000 sale was the nation's and Melbourne's cheapest at 13/11-13 Cooma Street, Preston.
The studio apartment had been listed with a $165,000 to $180,000 price guide.
The top sale across the nation was in Sydney when a $10.1 million bid secured a <a href="http://sydneysothebysrealty.com/7643227/111-Victoria-Road-Bellevue-Hill" target="_blank">historic Bellevue Hill home, Cliff Hall</a> (below).
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The home attracted seven registered bidders for the 1916 home that sold through Peter Starr at Raine &amp; Horne in conjunction with Sotheby’s agent Harriet France.
There were five bidders following the $7m opening offer.
Cliff Hall on Victoria Road with views of both the harbour and ocean was last sold in $770,000 in 1983.  
The next priciest Sydney weekend sale was in Hunters Hill where $5.5 million was paid for a five bedroom 1885 sandstone house (below).
The <a href="https://www.bresicwhitney.com.au/buy/58-mary-street-hunters-hill-22521" target="_blank">58 Mary Street</a> offering through BresicWhitney went to a young couple from Sydney's east.
<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/2019/10/28/58%20Mary%20Street%20Hunters%20Hill.jpg" alt="">
BresicWhitney agent Nicholas McEvoy said there were four registered bidders, with the final two couples both coming from Sydney's east after bidding opened at $5 million.
The downsizing vendors had paid $920,000 in 1995.
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There were 2,610 homes taken to auction across the combined capital cities with volumes up 33 per cent on prior week, according to CoreLogic.
It was the busiest week for auctions since early December 2018, CoreLogic auction analyst Kevin Brogan said.
The higher activity returned a preliminary auction clearance rate of 75.3 per cent, which was only slightly lower than the prior week’s preliminary figure of 75.6 per cent which later revised down to 72.1 per cent at final figures. 
"Compared to one year ago, volumes are lower than the 2,928 auctions held over the same week last year when a much lower 47 per cent cleared," Brogan noted.
The higher volumes can be mostly attributed to the surge in activity across Melbourne, in the the pre-Derby Day-Melbourne Cup horse racing carnival. 
There were 1,528 Melbourne homes taken to auction with volumes reaching their highest levels since this time last year when there was a higher 1,701.
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The preliminary Melbourne auction clearance rate maintained strength against the higher volumes, returning a 77 per cent success rate, up on last week’s 73 per cent across a lower 915auctions.
Sydney recorded a preliminary clearance rate of 79 per cent across 761 auctions this week, after last week’s final clearance rate of 79 percent which was the strongest final result the city has seen since early 2017. 
"One year ago, 798 auctions were held across Sydney returning a final clearance rate of 45 per cent," Brogan noted.
Results were varied across the smaller auction markets last week, Adelaide returned the strongest preliminary clearance rate of 68 per cent, across a higher volume of auctions week- on-week. 
Adelaide sales included <a href="http://ecomms.raywhite.com/collect/click.aspx?u=jRYOrR8N39R+6hBQZ7yXMt0Z3VIjNMZGsigxs0BQCYx2y6kOlxyHgZXRv6E+djZb&amp;rh=ff00540aefef02aaf70bf76cd0479e833a67d3b0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">57 Victoria Street</a>, Queenstown which came with a granny flat (below).
<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/2019/10/28/57%20Victoria%20Street%20Queenstown.jpg" alt="">
"There's no way this property would have drawn so many people, or achieved this price without the separate accomodation," said Ray White Woodville agent Peter Kiritsis.
The auction attracted "a good sized Adelaide crowd of 35' with three bidders taking the sale price to $555,000 for the 1970s three bedroom brick house.
Brisbane and Perth saw less than 50 per cent of homes successful at auction.
Brisbane saw a $1.9 million top sale at Balmoral.
The five bedroom 45 Olive Grove contemporary house was sold by Ray White agent Brandon Wortley who announced it on the market at $1.85 million.
There had been four registered bidders.
The land had cost $675,000 in 2016.
Its  investor landlords put it up for rent at $1800 a week in 2017 when they sought to find buyers at $2.1 million plus.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

$10.1 million Bellevue Hill sale tops weekend auctions

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The largest single level apartment in Sydney, on the 40th level of the Horizon building in Darlinghurst, has been sold to media heiress Francesca Packer-Barham.
The apartment was recently recreated by Melbourne's MIM Design who were commissioned by the Graham family to design the luxury apartment. 
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<img src="https://www.realestate.com.au/blog/images/1600x1600-fit,progressive/2019/02/13000100/capi_7d65a0d9dfc2f565f2d7924da3ef89c9_7e0c0ff284893174439debdbf4825c03.jpeg" alt="" data-capiid="7e0c0ff284893174439debdbf4825c03">The whole floor sub-penthouse, spanning 565 sqm of internal floor space, has four bedroom, each with a marble ensuite, as well as self-contained quarters with its own living room, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom.
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There are three separate living areas, one with a fireplace, as well as a media room.
Herringbone Oak floors and Cote D’Azure marble feature throughout.
The apartment also has the latest in mod cons, with keyless entry, facial recognition and automated doors.
Entry to the apartment is through a lavish marble and brass private lift lobby. 
It was listed with $20 million initial hopes.
The renovation was almost a year-in-the making for the 565 sqm of internal space.
It has 710 sqm including balconies and garaging. 
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<img src="https://www.realestate.com.au/blog/images/1600x1600-fit,progressive/2019/02/13000105/capi_7d65a0d9dfc2f565f2d7924da3ef89c9_d2e31bced7feebbc2cc980f499924964.jpeg" alt="" data-capiid="d2e31bced7feebbc2cc980f499924964">The recent auction of the five-bedroom, five-bathroom apartment with eight-car garage failed to attract any bids with just the two registered bidders, one of whom was asked for proof of funds.
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The Melbourne-based Graham family bought the empty shell for $9.83 million in 2017.
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<img src="https://www.realestate.com.au/blog/images/1600x1600-fit,progressive/2019/02/13000113/capi_7d65a0d9dfc2f565f2d7924da3ef89c9_82e8b3bd19e0555b01fe1b113056cfae.jpeg" alt="" data-capiid="82e8b3bd19e0555b01fe1b113056cfae">Mim Design told The Wentworth Courier their vision was to pay homage to Harry Seidler who designed the tower.
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The developer Bob Ell once owned it selling it for $6.7 million in 2009.
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Media heiress Francesca Packer-Balham buys level-40 penthouse in Darlinghurst’s Horizon for $16 million

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GUEST OBSERVATION
As regional Australian towns face the prospect of <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/plan-c-is-a-problem-a-town-without-ground-water-nears-day-zero-20191022-p53334" target="_blank">running out of water</a>, it’s time to ask why Australia does not make better use of recycled wastewater.
The technology to reliably and safely make clean, drinkable water from all sources, including sewage, has existed for <a href="https://www.applied.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/drinking-water-through-recycling-full-report.pdf" target="_blank">at least a decade</a>. Further, <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/water-reform/national-water-initiative-agreement-2004.pdf" target="_blank">government policy</a> has for a long time allowed for recycled water to ensure supply.
The greatest barrier to the widespread use of recycled wastewater is community acceptance. Research from around the world found the best way to overcome reluctance is to embrace education and rigorously ensure the highest quality water treatment.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/298470/original/file-20191024-31434-187ua6o.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/298470/original/file-20191024-31434-187ua6o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
In 2006 Toowoomba voted against introducing recycled water, despite extensive drought gripping the area. <a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/allanhenderson/2351100815/in/photolist-nQkp38-4zL1mX-aDPpEZ-aDPpLV-fEdSCh-hvcdT7-nQiamA-o7ESdb-fEdQK7-NyMorG-o7Mtex-hvcFhN-nMBXnf-29iZvnt-uobZDu-uEkpLu" target="_blank">Allan Henderson/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" target="_blank">CC BY</a>
Why not use stormwater?
Many people are happy to use recycled stormwater, while being reluctant to cook, drink or wash with recycled household wastewater. But there are technical, cost and supply issues with relying on stormwater to meet our country’s water needs. Stormwater has to be cleaned before it is used, the supply can be irregular as it is reliant upon rain, and it has to be stored somewhere for use.
On the other hand, household wastewater (which is what goes into the sewerage system from sinks, toilets, washing machines and so on) is a more consistent supply, with <a href="https://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/04/04/from-wastewater-to-drinking-water/" target="_blank">80% or more</a> of household water leaving as wastewater.
Furthermore, wastewater goes to treatment plants already, so there is a system of pipes to transport it and places which already treat it, including advanced treatment plants that can treat the water to be clean enough for a range of purposes. There are strong economic, environmental and practical arguments for investing more effort in reusing wastewater to meet our water supply needs.
This water can be used for households, industry, business and agriculture, greening public spaces, fighting fires, and topping up rivers or groundwater.
The water cycle
Technically, all water is recyled; indeed we are drinking the <a href="https://www.xplorationstation.com/" target="_blank">same water as the dinosaurs</a>. Put very simply, water evaporates, forms clouds and falls as rain, and is either absorbed into the earth and captured underground or filtered through rock and goes back again into oceans and rivers.
When we capture and reuse water, we are not making more water, but speeding up the water cycle so we can reuse it more quickly.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/298473/original/file-20191024-31471-1tnktt1.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/298473/original/file-20191024-31471-1tnktt1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Not pictured: the many, many animals and people every drop of water has passed through over millennia. Wikimedia Commons, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" target="_blank">CC BY-SA</a>
We do already <a href="http://www.awa.asn.au/AWA_MBRR/Publications/Fact_Sheets/Water_Recycling_Fact_Sheet/AWA_MBRR/Publications/Fact_Sheets/Water_Recycling_Fact_Sheet.aspx?hkey=54c6e74b-0985-4d34-8422-fc3f7523aa1d" target="_blank">reuse wastewater</a> in Australia, with many parts of regional Australia cleaning wastewater and releasing it into rivers. That water is then extracted for use by places downstream.
Despite this, there have been significant community objections to building new infrastructure to reuse wastewater for household use. In 2006, at the height of the Millennium drought, Toowoomba <a href="https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20160105-why-we-will-all-one-day-drink-recycled-wastewater" target="_blank">rejected the idea</a> entirely.
However, since then a scheme has been <a href="https://www.watercorporation.com.au/water-supply/our-water-sources/recycled-water" target="_blank">successfully established</a> in Perth. We must examine these issues again in light of the current drought, which sees a number of Australian regional centres facing the prospect of <a href="https://meltwaternews.com/ext/mediac/213698325.pdf" target="_blank">running out of water</a>.
Lessons from overseas
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/298467/original/file-20191024-31453-10p3sbb.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/298467/original/file-20191024-31453-10p3sbb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Singapore has had enormous success in reusing wastewater for all kinds of purposes. EPA/HOW HWEE YOUNG
Despite initial reluctance, many places around the world have successfully introduced extensive wastewater recycling. Places such as Singapore, Essex, California, New Mexico, and Virginia widely use it.
Recent research from the <a href="https://www.wsaa.asn.au/publications" target="_blank">Water Services Association of Australia</a>, working with other research bodies, found several key lessons.
Firstly, the language we use is important. Phrases like “<a href="https://www.afr.com/companies/toilettotap-back-on-the-agenda-as-nsw-looks-again-at-recycled-water-20180919-h15kqh" target="_blank">toilet to tap</a>” are unhelpful as they don’t emphasise the extensive treatment processes involved.
The social media and news outlets can play a significant role here. In Orange County, California, wastewater was introduced through a slow process of building acceptance. Influential individuals were enlisted to explain and advocate for its uses.
Secondly, communities need time and knowledge, particularly about safety and risks. Regulators play an important role in reassuring communities. In San Diego, a demonstration plant gave many people the opportunity to see the treatment process, drink the water and participate in education.
We need to go beyond information to deep consultation and education, understanding where people are starting from and acknowledging that people from different cultures and backgrounds may have different attitudes.
El Paso successfully introduced wastewater through strong engagement with the media and significant investment in community education, including explaining the water cycle.
Finally, quality of the water needs to be great and it needs to come from a trustworthy source. The more it happens, and people know that, the more likely they are to feel reassured.
It’s clear the public expect governments to plan and act to secure our future water supply. But we can’t just impose possibly distasteful solutions – instead, the whole community needs to be part of the conversation.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/125798/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
Roberta Ryan, Professor, UTS Institute for Public Policy and Governance and UTS Centre for Local Government, University of Technology Sydney.
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/80-of-household-water-goes-to-waste-we-need-to-get-it-back-125798" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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80% of household water goes to waste, we need change: Roberta Ryan

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Inner-Sydney terrace houses that come with a backyard dunny are few and far these days.
But a turn-of-the-century outhouse at the rear of an unrenovated three-bedroom Paddington terrace has been scheduled for October 29 auction. 
<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/2019/10/29/paddo%201%201.jpg" alt="">
It also has an original bathroom/laundry with facilities somewhat less than might be expected today.
Georgie Cleary and Alexandra Churchill at Bradfield Cleary hope to get $1 million for the two-storey Albert Square terrace on 107 square metres last sold at £400 in 1951.
<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/2019/10/29/paddo%203%201.jpg" alt="">
Before flushable toilets, outhouses with cans were set well back from the house for reasons of smell and hygiene.
The cans were collected at night by the council men who carried them on their heads to their horse-led cart.
The term “as flat as a shit carter’s hat” still lives on in surf reports along the east coast.
Realestate.com.au put the Paddington three-bedroom median at $2.3 million, based on 55 sales in the last year.
A terrace with a dunny sold at $1 million in 2014.
This article first appeared in The Daily Telegraph. 
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Albert Square, Paddington terrace with backyard dunny for auction

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The 30 individual owners of two blocks of Cronulla flats have united to sell their apartments in one line for $38.2 million.
The two, three-storey red-brick residential buildings, at 37 Gerrale Street, were bought by Pitt Street Real Estate Partners, a subsidiary of Washington H. Soul Pattinson.
JLL’s Dylan McEvoy and Ben Hunter made the sale.  
The amalgamated property has a combined site area of 1,746 square metres.
Under the Sutherland Shire Councils LEP town planning scheme the subject property has a B3 Commercial Core zoning, 3:1 FSR and 30 metre height limit or nine to 10 storeys.
In February 2017, McEvoy amalgamated four blocks of flats including 32 local owners located at 49-55 Gerrale street, Cronulla for $54 million dollars, just a block down from the latest property sale.
“Cronulla is a well-established residential market which has experienced restricted supply of new projects being built, this combined a large and affluent population like the Shire has ensured premium real estate offers are in high demand,” McEvoy said.
“Rising land prices, coupled with strong demand for a mix of use sites, have made this scenario more desirable given the premium for combined sales prices compared to individual unit sale prices and in this instance some owners almost doubled their money by amalgamating together.” 
The 30 two-bedroom apartments currently generate a substantial holding income of more than $700,000 gross per annum.
“Throughout the past 12 months we have noticed a change in buyer appetite from offshore to local buyers of premium development sites,” Hunter said.
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Cronulla property owners unite to sell block of flats for $38.2 million

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GUEST OBSERVATION 
This week, the Seven Network was <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/oct/22/house-rules-channel-seven-ordered-to-pay-compensation-to-reality-show-contestant" target="_blank">found liable</a> to pay a workers’ compensation claim brought by Nicole Prince, one of the contestants on its renovation reality television show, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2931524/?ref_=ttep_ep_tt" target="_blank">House Rules</a>.
Prince suffered a major depressive episode, and symptoms consistent with post traumatic stress disorder after she and her partner were cast as the “mean girls” in the 2017 season of the series.
She provided convincing evidence program directors manipulated series content to ensure the pair appeared to be hypercritical of other contestants, drawing not only their hostility, but also an avalanche of hateful social media comment. (Channel Seven <a href="/news">refused</a> to remove the offensive and often violent posts.)
The case before the <a href="/news">New South Wales Compensation Commission</a> concerned a statutory claim under the <a href="https://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/#/view/act/1987/70/whole" target="_blank">Workers Compensation Act 1987 (NSW)</a> for medical expenses.
However it raises the prospect of potential common law claims by other reality TV “stars” who have been treated badly. In the wake of the ruling, fellow reality TV contestants including <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/reality-tv/mafs-stars-are-considering-legal-action-following-landmark-seven-ruling/news-story/4c547bacaf2195a45ebafb6118da15b9" target="_blank">Tracey Jewel</a> from Married at First Sight have floated the possibility of legal action.
On the books
Prince’s success depended upon a finding she was an employee according to the <a href="https://www.fairwork.gov.au/how-we-will-help/templates-and-guides/fact-sheets/rights-and-obligations/independent-contractors-and-employees" target="_blank">common law test</a> that defines employment. The difference between an employee and independent contractor is based on multiple factors and has developed with court decisions over time. To make a determination, courts look at each case and the overall “vibe” of the relationship between the parties.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/298456/original/file-20191024-119423-u7eksu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/298456/original/file-20191024-119423-u7eksu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Contestants Fiona Taylor and Nicole Prince (above) were portrayed as villains on the renovation reality show. Channel 7
Employees are also owed duties of care under <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tort">tort law</a> (which determines civil liability) and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contract">contract</a> law (which governs agreements).
An employer who exposes an employee to unnecessary risk of foreseeable harm can also be held liable at common law for damages that can extend to lost earnings. In this case, Prince gave evidence she had been unable to find employment following her disastrous experience on the show.
The prospect for these kinds of claims has long been <a href="https://scholarship.shu.edu/sports_entertainment/vol23/iss1/5/">recognised</a> in the United States, where claims by contestants (or their surviving family members) have been brought against television production companies, although rarely successfully.
In 2017, the US reality dating show Bachelor in Paradise was <a href="https://www.vulture.com/2017/07/bachelor-in-paradise-timeline-of-allegations">suspended</a> for nine days pending allegations of sexual misconduct (later dismissed). Two contestants on the show had engaged in sexual activity under the influence of alcohol.
The scandal <a href="http://www.cardozoaelj.com/2019/02/10/corporate-responsibility-reality-show-participants/">raised the question</a> of when reality TV producers should intervene to protect contestants.
The sticking point in the US cases has been the ability of networks to disclaim employer status in their written contracts with contestants. In Australia, however, employment status cannot be avoided by contractual disclaimers if the court decides the relationship bears the hallmarks of employment, established in a number of <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://eresources.hcourt.gov.au/showCase/2001/HCA/44">High Court cases</a>.
House Rules
The Workers Compensation Commission found Prince was engaged for remuneration ($500 a week plus $500 in allowances) to serve Seven’s business. Seven exerted control over when she worked, what she wore, and which tools she used.
As a featured personality, Prince was an integral part of their business. She was required to provide exclusive service, and give up her normal occupation, during filming.
Finally, Prince bore none of the entrepreneurial risks that would be involved were she engaged in her own business.
These factors were said to “overwhelmingly” indicate she was employed by Seven.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/298457/original/file-20191024-119405-1h3nnal.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/298457/original/file-20191024-119405-1h3nnal.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
The original House Rules cast. IMDB
Once it was established she was an employee it was a straightforward matter to find her psychiatric illness was a consequence of her employment. While the Commission made no findings as to fault (statutory Workers Compensation claims are not fault-based), certain observations made in the reasons suggest Prince may well be able to demonstrate the harm she suffered was foreseeable.
The commission <a href="/news">concluded</a> Seven deliberately manipulated her on-screen portrayal as a nasty person, and was made aware of the torrent of abuse she was receiving as a consequence. It refused to take any steps to ameliorate the harm, no doubt because this kind of conflict and outrage is a calculated part of such shows’ audience appeal.
A legal landmark
This appears to be the first successful claim of this nature in Australia.
It’s possible claims brought by contestants who are physically harmed could be settled by the insurers.
This one, involving the infliction of psychological harm, opens a wide door to more potential claims from contestants who naively expect to be able to present themselves as their usual loveable selves on the television, and end up as social pariahs.
The amount Prince is to be compensated has not yet been determined. But in 2011, a NSW woman who suffered psychiatric illness and was unable work after she had been subjected to workplace bullying and harassment was <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/theres-more-to-reveal-says-orkopoulos-whistleblower-20110602-1fizc">awarded $438,000</a>.
This case also raises some very interesting questions about whether reality TV contestants might bring other claims related to employment. Minimum wages, perhaps? Or superannuation entitlements?
Prior to the Prince decision, the Law Society of NSW published a <a href="https://lsj.com.au/articles/the-legal-implications-of-reality-television/">tongue-in-cheek piece</a> that flagged a shopping list of potential legal claims reality stars might pursue.
Those claims may be far-fetched, but the <a href="/news">refusal</a> of Seven’s insurer to pay Prince’s compensation claim – which set this legal precedent in motion – has opened up a proverbial can of worms for reality television producers.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/125801/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
Joellen Riley Munton, Professor of Law, University of Technology Sydney.
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/new-house-rules-landmark-ruling-could-trigger-other-workers-compensation-claims-from-reality-tv-stars-125801">original article</a>.
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New house rules: landmark ruling could trigger other workers’ compensation claims from reality TV stars

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Crowds stretching for 1.4 kilometres lined up for the opening of Broadway Sydney’s new LEGO Store earlier this month.
Broadway Sydney Centre Manager Justine Saltmarsh said it was a very successful launch unveiling a Broadway mosaic, hand-built from 51,769 individual bricks and a bespoke Broadway 3D model, hand-made from 28,179 bricks.
It was so popular, traffic for the centre was up 20%.
<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/2019/10/16/Mirvac-Broadway-LEGO-opening-191012-PaulMcMillan-34.jpg" alt="">
“We can’t wait to see the creativity unlocked on level 2, this is truly a wonderful new experience to add to Broadway’s status as a much loved destination,” Saltmarsh said.
She said the Level 2 environment with its eclectic mix of dining, fashion and highlighted art installations made a perfect environment to the Lego Store.
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Lego store opens in Broadway Sydney

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A Southport, Queensland mortgagee home has been sold for $276,000 under the auctioneers gavel.
The unit last sold for $340,000 in 2009.
Victor Tauch and Robert Peel or Ray White marketed the home.
Situated at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-unit-qld-southport-132072574" target="_blank">12/16-26 Sykes Court</a>, the property features 89 sqm of internal space.
The two bedroom two bathroom apartment is noted as having "a strong rental return" in the listing.
In 2004, the year of its construction the unit previously sold for $300,000.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/subscribe" target="_blank"><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/2019/1/Subscriber%20strip%20ad.jpg" alt=""></a>
The median price for a home in <a href="/developments/southport-qld-4215">Southport</a> is $467,750 according to CoreLogic.
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Southport, Queensland mortgagee home sold for $65,000 loss

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A high-profile site on a corner position in Melbourne's north suburb Brunswick West has been sold for $1.89 million.  
The sale price reflected a tight 4.6% yield, with the property leased to Bottlemart Express.
The 531 square metre block at 82-86 Melville Road and 250 Hope Street was sold Fitzroys agents Chris James and Ervin Niyaz to a local investor. 
James said the campaign generated more than 70 enquiries from mostly developers and land bankers.
Zoned Commercial 1, the site has a shop and rear dwelling building totalling 450 square metres, and frontages to Melville Road, Hope Street and a right of way totalling 65 metres.
“Developers see value in Brunswick West due to the increased and ongoing development and the growing local population,” Niyaz said.
“The purchaser was particularly attracted to the corner block and value-add perspective, and liked the potential to carve up the shops into smaller tenancies and renovate the dwelling on Hope Street for the short-term." 
According to population and demographics research house, .id, Brunswick West is in the middle of a population surge of 3.68% per annum that is well above greater Melbourne’s nation-leading rate.
James said the ongoing popularity of medium and high-density living across Melbourne’s inner-north has spilled across from Sydney Road and the Upfield train line through Brunswick.
“Residential developments recently completed and in various stages of planning and construction throughout Brunswick West are creating more demand for retail and services in the area, particularly along Melville Road, and the new owner of the property will look to capitalise on this,” he said.
“The property is situated amongst a vibrant neighbourhood precinct, notable lifestyle and retail tenants include Postmistress Eatery, Mister Troung’s, Foodworks and 7-Eleven, and is at the doorstep of the Route 58 tram stop, which offers services running through the hospital precinct and near Melbourne University and RMIT University and Queen Victoria Market through to the CBD.”
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Brunswick West corner site sold for $1.89 million

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The retail lots in the former Legion Cab headquarters in Surry Hills has hit the market for the first time. 
With over 50 metres of frontage to Foveaux Street, the mix of tenancies at 80 Foveaux Street is set to fetch more than $15 million.  
It is offered for sale via expressions of interest by Miron Solomons, Matthew Meynell, Matt Pontey and Nick Lumley of Colliers International.
The property spans over 1,000 square metres and sits less than 300 metres from Central Station.  
All Shops in the development have been leased to tenants including Sushi Train, Zeus Street Greek, The Bunker gym and high-end culinary school SBTA.
Net rental income across the four tenancies is about $659,300.
“This is the first time that we’ve seen brand new prime retail of this calibre offered in Surry Hills,” said Miron Solomons, National Director, Investment Services at Colliers International.
“Assets with four quality tenants, strong covenant and full amenities including parking and loading are extremely hard to find in Sydney’s CBD Fringe markets.”
“The ground floor retail captures 50 metres of frontage along Foveaux Street, perfectly positioned to take advantage to the huge amount of government investment and infrastructure being poured into the area.”
Nick Lumley, Executive, Investment Services at Colliers International said: “Sydney’s fringe retail markets are benefiting from close to $2 billion in infrastructure investment and increased demand from the rises in tourists, office workers, urban residents and international students.”
Expressions of Interest for the ground floor 81 Foveaux Street close November 13.
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Surry Hills retail lots listed for sale with $15 million plus hopes  

<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-5" data-turn="user" data-turn-id="e65dbe94-e3b6-47f7-b62a-9cbb30c9bf79" data-turn-id-container="e65dbe94-e3b6-47f7-b62a-9cbb30c9bf79" dir="auto">Time &amp; Place’s plans to transform the former David Jones factory building in Surry Hills into a mixed-use residential precinct have gone on exhibition through the NSW Government’s In-fill Affordable Housing pathway.</section>

<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-6" data-turn="assistant" data-turn-id="request-WEB:f4d533b7-64a5-413d-86fd-5c99649c2b73-2" data-turn-id-container="request-WEB:f4d533b7-64a5-413d-86fd-5c99649c2b73-2" dir="auto">
The Marlborough House proposal, lodged for the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/marlborough-house-47-97-marlborough-street-surry-hills-nsw-2010">47-97 Marlborough Street</a> site, would see the adaptive reuse of the heritage-listed warehouse building alongside the construction of new residential additions and a separate apartment building on the northern portion of the site.

The proposal seeks approval for 172 apartments across three buildings, including 15 per cent affordable housing managed by a community housing provider for at least 15 years from occupation.

<img alt="Marlborough" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5d1d3c2a-bf13-47d6-a335-7c01102cdee1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.29.36%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=cjMYrbR.BLUlWH4dar0RVDDo0bG.u2YT" />

Interior view from the Northern Building Penthouse overlooking the park

&nbsp;

The redevelopment is planned for the prominent 3,413 sqm site bounded by Marlborough Street, Goodlet Street and Lansdowne Street, directly opposite Eddie Ward Park and around 200 metres from the Surry Hills light rail stop.

Time &amp; Place acquired the former David Jones building in 2024, marking the first time the property had changed hands in around 50 years.

Designed by Wardle, the proposal centres around the adaptive reuse of the former David Jones factory, originally constructed between 1913 and 1935 in the Inter-War Chicagoesque architectural style.

Wardle noted in its Architectural Design Report that the building “occupies a significant place in the industrial and cultural history of Surry Hills” and at its peak was “the largest department store manufacturing facility in Australia, employing over 800 people and fuelling the growth of Sydney’s fashion and retail industries.”

The practice said the project positions itself “not as an isolated intervention, but as a contributor to the civic, social, and architectural grain of the precinct.”

The proposal would deliver 75 apartments within the retained southern heritage building, 59 apartments within the central addition, and a further 38 apartments within the new northern building fronting Lansdowne Street.

Planning documents show the scheme would comprise a mix of heritage apartments, new-build apartments, townhouses and penthouses.

<img alt="Marlborough" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="57758518-40a3-4b83-958c-d06e96a2cffa" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.29.42%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=VerlX9ST5xgBi8.1_YRsqdWTJeT6ygjs" />Interior View of the Heritage Building Apartment

The development would also include a ground-floor retail tenancy on the corner of Marlborough and Lansdowne streets, rooftop communal open space, a landscaped pedestrian link along the western edge of the site, and basement parking accessed from Lansdowne Street via a car stacker system.

&nbsp;

The scheme emerged from a competitive design process run by Urbis, with Wardle ultimately selected as the winning architect ahead of FJC Studio, TZG, Architectus and Wilkinson Eyre.

The Design Integrity Panel later described several aspects of the Wardle scheme as fundamental to the project, including “the stepped character of the new addition to the north of the site”, the landscaped western pedestrian link, and the “garden arrival” experience separating the original Marlborough House from the heritage addition.

Wardle’s design heavily references the site’s industrial and heritage history, while also responding to the surrounding Surry Hills streetscape.

The Architectural Design Report describes Surry Hills as “a finely grained neighbourhood with beautiful and expressive brickworks throughout the suburb,” with the proposal introducing a material palette intended to sit comfortably alongside the existing warehouse fabric and neighbouring terraces.

The report also outlines the project’s relationship with Eddie Ward Park and the broader landscape context of the area.

“Marlborough House occupies a site of deep cultural memory and the neighbouring Eddie Ward Park is of local ecological significance, where natural systems, topography, and stories have long shaped human experience,” Wardle noted in the report.

The architects said the proposal sought to “rebind built form to Country” through landscape, materiality and the adaptive reuse of the heritage structure.

<img alt="Marlborough House" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9ae3f2f9-c85f-477a-a6f8-b43f6cb97c41" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.29.53%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=B.qUCLqRvJOR.n9CvYcTpaknIX9LuqKZ" />

The project is also being progressed under the NSW Government’s in-fill affordable housing provisions, allowing developments that include affordable housing to access additional height and floor space incentives.

Under the plans, 2,593 sqm of the project’s floor space would be dedicated to affordable housing, slightly exceeding the required 15 per cent threshold.

In its Design Excellence Strategy, Urbis said the project aimed to “sensitively adapt and enhance the heritage-listed building on site through alterations and additions that preserve its historical significance” while delivering “high-quality market and infill affordable housing development in Surry Hills.”

Time &amp; Place has been one of the most active developers nationally in the last 12 to 24 months. Late last year they completed&nbsp;The Queensbridge in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/southbank-vic-3006">Southbank</a>, a mixed-use tower with 353 apartments and a hotel. They are currently selling Park Modern, 246 apartments near the famous Botanic Gardens in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/south-melbourne-vic-3205">South Melbourne</a>, and have future projects, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-wilmot-173-burke-road-28-hope-street-glen-iris-vic-3146">The Wilmot</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/glen-iris-vic-3146">Glen Iris</a>, the redevelopment of the Northcote Plaza, and another tower in South Melbourne.

The developer broke into Sydney just a few years ago with Two Tides in Manly. They have another project nearby, which is at the ultra-luxury end of the market on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/shoreline-manly-beach-89-90-north-steyne-manly">North Steyne</a>, fronting the beach.

It is also continuing to work through the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-time-place-settles-on-design-for-the-chimes-potts-point-redevelopment">redevelopment of The Chimes building</a> on Macleay Street in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/potts-point-nsw-2011">Potts Point</a>, as well as a project on <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/time-place-to-take-on-mosman-apartment-market">Mosman's Redan Street</a>.
</section>

Joel Robinson

First look: Time & Place unveils Marlborough House redevelopment designs for former David Jones warehouse in Surry Hills

The residential transformation of St Kilda Road is set to continue into with more new apartment plans for the sought-after boulevard.

Wing Tai Asia has lodged plans for a major residential tower at 464-466 St Kilda Road, replacing the former VACC House with an 18-storey mixed-use development designed around a retained heritage podium and a sculpted contemporary tower.

The proposal, prepared under Victoria’s Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway, would deliver 325 apartments and ground-floor retail across the prominent 4,653 sqm boulevard site in Melbourne’s St Kilda Road North Precinct.

The project centres on the adaptive reuse of the site’s heritage-listed VACC Building, an eight-storey office designed by Bernard Evans that has occupied the address for decades. Planning documents state the development would involve “carefully dismantling and conserving off-site the original metal fabric of the podium visible from St Kilda Road,” before reinstating it as the defining frontage of the new scheme.

Above the restored podium, Wing Tai is proposing a curvilinear residential tower. The scheme includes 172 one-bedroom apartments, 63 two-bedroom apartments, 66 three-bedroom apartments, and 24 four-bedroom apartments, alongside two ground-floor food and beverage tenancies fronting St Kilda Road.

The tower has been designed with substantial articulation and variable setbacks to minimise perceived bulk and maintain view corridors along the boulevard. Urbis, which prepared the planning report, said the design “has been significantly articulated through a curvilinear design” with “an interplay with materials, façade expression and depth” to create visual separation and visual interest.

The proposal also includes 254 basement car spaces, landscaped pedestrian links connecting St Kilda Road and Queens Lane, and a biophilic landscape strategy featuring canopy trees, raised planters, cascading greenery and a glass oculus pool overlooking the eastern frontage.

Planning documents confirm the $270.1 million development will contribute 3 per cent of project costs to the Social Housing Growth Fund as part of the application process.

Wing Tai acquired the St Kilda Road property in 2018 alongside Abacus Property Group for $95.38 million, before later consolidating ownership of the site. The property previously served as the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce headquarters for around 60 years.

The transformation of the St Kilda Rd boulevard is already beginning to materialise, with a number of high-profile projects recently completed, launched, or approaching launch as developers continue to back the long-term appeal of the precinct.

Among the most notable recent completions is Louise by Samuel Property Group, just off the strip on Queens Lane, the same pocket Hirsch &amp; Faigen recently launched The Queensbury. Mirvac is too on the same street with The Albertine, which is approaching completion.

Dexus recently secured approval for its slice of St Kilda Road, while Gurner also has approved plans for the precinct.

Wing Tai unveils 325-apartment St Kilda Road tower on former VACC House site

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>

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;

Staff reporter

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