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A Travancore, Victoria mortgagee unit has sold for $303,000.
The latest sale price represents a $189,500 reduction in sale price compared to 2013 when it transacted for $492,500.
Philip Mazzella of Trimson Partners marketed the listing.
Situated at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-apartment-vic-travancore-131320866" target="_blank">1214/18 Mount Alexander Road</a>, the home was sold during a July auction.
The two bedroom, one bathroom apartment was listed for rent shortly after it was purchased in 2013 at $380/pw, and a year later in 2014 at $335/pw.
It was also listed for rent in February 2019 seeking $360/pw.
Built in 2012, the property is currently a tenured rental.
Located on the 12th floor of the ALT Tower, the unit holds views across Melbourne and the South.
<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>
According to CoreLogic, the annual change in <a href="/developments/travancore-vic-3032">Travancore's</a> median price over the past 10 years is -1.3%.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Travancore, Victoria mortgagee sold for $190,000 loss

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Greening our cities has become one of the great <a href="https://newclimateeconomy.report/2018/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2018/09/NCE_2018_FULL-REPORT.pdf" target="_blank">global imperatives</a> of the 21st century including to tackle climate change. And Australia’s sprawling car-based cities are gradually changing to embrace green or living infrastructure.
Green cities bring together elements of architectural design and urban planning, often combining plants and built infrastructure to meet the needs of humans, such as our <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biophilia_hypothesis" target="_blank">love of nature</a>.
Trees, plants, waterways and wetlands can deliver climate conditioning, cooling cities by reducing the urban heat island effect. They also absorb carbon dioxide, filter wastewater and create habitats.
Living elements can be incorporated with built infrastructure at a range of scales, from individual buildings with green walls and roofs, through to citywide strategies. And there are a <a href="http://www.curf.com.au/files/view/?id=633" target="_blank">suite of strategies</a> to guide more widespread integration of biological elements and ecological processes in cities.
In recent months, we <a href="https://mainstreaminggreeninfrastructure.com/reports/Barbara%20Norman%20mainstreaming%20GI%20in%20Australia.pdf" target="_blank">profiled Australian examples of living infrastructure</a> that show some of Australia’s approaches to developing green infrastructure, from greening Melbourne’s laneways to Canberra’s urban forest. These cities are already redesigning their water systems and implementing urban forest strategies to create green belts and protect and restore waterways.
Melbourne and Canberra provide some useful examples of the green cities movement, but to make it mainstream, these techniques need to be adopted widely through policies supporting more holistic and better integrated urban planning.
Why we need urban forests
Percival Alfred Yeoman was one of the first Australian pioneers of urban forestry. In 1971, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/8870297?q&amp;versionId=12235056" target="_blank">he articulated</a> a clear vision for enhancing cities with trees.
Local governments in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, are implementing his ideas, committing to <a href="https://202020vision.com.au/about-the-vision/" target="_blank">ambitious increases in urban canopy cover</a>. Their targets range from 25% to 40%.
This <a href="https://202020vision.com.au/the-network/" target="_blank">revived interest in urban forestry</a> comes from its well documented potential for accelerating the transition to more climate adaptive cities.
The social, environmental and economic benefits of urban trees, or “ecosystem services”, are becoming better recognised, including for their recreational and cultural values.
<h2>Melbourne and Canberra are leading Australia’s green cities movement</h2>
<h3>Melbourne</h3>
Melbourne has a rich legacy of urban parks and green belts thanks to planning decisions made in the city’s early years.
These parks underpin a new wave of urban greening, with projects that aim to deliver action on climate change, biodiversity and the health and well-being of communities.
The Melbourne green infrastructure <a href="https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/community/greening-the-city/green-infrastructure/Pages/green-infrastructure.aspx" target="_blank">plan</a> includes: 
<ul>
<li>a “<a href="http://www.growinggreenguide.org/" target="_blank">growing green guide</a>” that provides practical advice to community and business groups on planning, design and maintenance of green infrastructure </li>
<li>the <a href="http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/community/%20greening-the-city/green-infrastructure/Pages/greeninglaneways.%20aspx">greening laneways strategy</a>, which builds on the commercial revitalisation of Melbourne’s laneways over three decades. Laneways with greening potential were mapped and demonstration project developed to display techniques for making them more vibrant green spaces for business, tourists and locals to enjoy</li>
<li>an <a href="http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/community/parks-openspaces/%20urban-forest/Pages/urban-forest-strategy.aspx" target="_blank">urban forest strategy</a>, with an overall target of 40% canopy cover by 2040. And 5 to 8 million trees will be planted over coming decades for the greater Melbourne metropolis.</li>
</ul>
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RBtAUUzH7Uo?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" width="440" height="260"></iframe>
<h3>Canberra</h3>
Canberra is often described as “a city within a landscape” and the “bush capital”. But its higher altitude, hot dry summers and cold winters bring a set of challenges for green infrastructure.
With more than 800,000 planted trees, Canberra is an urban forest. But these trees require special care and attention given they are ageing and suffering from a hotter, drier climate.
Wildfire also represents a significant risk where urban and rural areas connect. This means Canberra needs urban forests that will cool the city in warmer months without also escalating wildfire risks.
The <a href="/news">ACT Government</a> has committed to action on climate change, legislating targets for 100% renewable electricity by 2020 and carbon neutrality (no net carbon emissions) by 2045.
Integrated approach needed to expand green cities
Greening cities requires a holistic approach – for instance, not leaving the health of waterways entirely to water engineers.
Greening cities is more than just a <a href="https://www.academia.edu/38053856/The_city_as_nature_and_the_nature_of_the_city_-_climate_adaptation_using_living_infrastructure_governance_and_integration_challenges" target="_blank">technical challenge</a>. Transforming the form and functions of urban systems, through urban forests and other living infrastructure, <a href="http://www.curf.com.au/files/view/?id=633" target="_blank">requires</a> greater leadership and political commitment, integrated planning and community participation, and long-term thinking.
An integrated approach to greening cities involves mapping diverse opportunities and mobilising support for change in the community. As an example, urban storm water can be a productive resource when used in constructed wetlands or to irrigate urban forests.
And often urban drainage lines and wastelands can be transformed into green spaces, but it’s worth recognising there is intense competition for space for housing.
But for more widespread adoption of integration, institutional support within local governments and metropolitan water and planning agencies is needed.
So to scale up living infrastructure in our urban landscapes, we must learn from local success stories, conduct more research, and better understand how to deal with climate adaptation and mitigation challenges.
Jason Alexandra, PhD candidate, RMIT University.
Jason Alexandra would like to gratefully acknowledge the contributions of Barbara Norman to this article.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/119933/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
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/for-green-cities-to-become-mainstream-we-need-to-learn-from-local-success-stories-and-scale-up-119933" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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For green cities to become mainstream, we need to learn from local success stories and scale up

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The Cairns residential property market has continued along a fairly steady path for the first half of the year with no noticeable changes, according to the latest Herron Todd White (HTW) residential report. 
"Values are fairly steady, volumes remain flat and there is no obvious oversupply in any residential market sector," the valuation firm commented. 
Vacancy rates remain tight with limited quality stock available and little new supply coming online.
"The GA Group projects are progressing well and it is starting to look like there won’t be any follow up projects such as Nova City ready to go, so we may see a dip in construction activity once they are complete," HTW said. 
The announcement from Cathy Pacific that they will pull out of Cairns after flying in for 25 years is an unwelcome dent on confidence and adds further to the feeling that the gains in tourism in recent years might be levelling off.
"Overall it is difficult to be particularly optimistic about the next six months and a continuation of existing conditions may be considered a good result by the time we get to December." 
A two bedroom apartment in Cairns City with water and mountain views has recently been sold for $558,000.
Situated on the fourth floor, <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-apartment-qld-cairns+city-131178634" target="_blank">unit 403 at 27-29 Wharf Street</a> (pictured below) comprises two bedrooms with walk in robes, open plan living and dining areas, large balcony and kitchen with bench tops. 
The complex features resort-style swimming pool, gym, BBQ area and intercom. 
<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/2019/7/1/cairns%20city%201.jpg" alt="">
A current listing is a historic Freshwater home priced around $600,000.
Set on a 924 square metre block, the Queenlander style home at<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-freshwater-131300182" target="_blank"> 119 Old Smithfield Road</a> (pictured below) comes with four bedrooms, office/study or fifth bedroom, family living room and timber pannelled kitchen. 
Other features include large laundry/utility room, purpose built workshop, in-ground pool, and tropic 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/2019/7/1/freshwater.jpg" alt="">
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Vacancy rates in Cairns remain tight: HTW residential 

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GUEST OBSERVATION
In the wake of <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/ABS@archive.nsf/log?openagent&amp;87520033.xls&amp;8752.0&amp;Time%20Series%20Spreadsheet&amp;4871AE45CFEBEB25CA2583D70015586F&amp;0&amp;Dec%202018&amp;10.04.2019&amp;Latest" target="_blank">slumping demand for apartment building</a>, it’s little wonder the multi-unit housing industry has been eagerly eyeing a possible new residential product: “build-to-rent”.
In fact, the <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/ABS@archive.nsf/log?openagent&amp;87520033.xls&amp;8752.0&amp;Time%20Series%20Spreadsheet&amp;4871AE45CFEBEB25CA2583D70015586F&amp;0&amp;Dec%202018&amp;10.04.2019&amp;Latest" target="_blank">latest figures</a> show that apartment-building construction starts were down 36% in 2018 from 2016. But how much will this little-known type of housing solve our housing problems?
Build-to-rent won’t be a silver bullet solution for Australia’s housing affordability stress, but it does have potential to tick the box on several important public policy objectives. These include widened housing diversity, enhanced build standards, and a better-managed, more secure form of private rental housing.
But for this to happen, Australia’s tax settings need adjustment.
What is ‘build-to-rent’?
This refers to apartment blocks built specifically to be rented, usually at market rates, and held in single ownership as long-term income-generating assets.
The enduring owner might be, for instance, an insurance company, an Australian super fund, a foreign sovereign wealth fund, a private equity firm, or the building’s developer.
Although new in Australia, build-to-rent is quite common in many other countries. Under its North American name, “multi-family housing”, the format has generated more than <a href="https://www.nmhc.org/" target="_blank">6.3 million new apartments since 1992 in the US alone</a>. And <a href="https://tinyurl.com/buildtorentlondon" target="_blank">in the UK, a build-to-rent sector</a> has led to <a href="https://www.bpf.org.uk/what-we-do/bpf-build-rent-map-uk" target="_blank">68,000</a> units built or under construction since 2012.
A scattering of build-to-rent schemes are <a href="https://cityfutures.be.unsw.edu.au/documents/551/LCOM_0000_Build_to_Rent_Report_WEB_July_2019.pdf" target="_blank">already underway</a> or completed, mainly in inner Sydney and Melbourne. And they may prove to be the forerunners of a new Australian residential property sector – but that is far from guaranteed.
In Australia, our private rental market is almost entirely owned by small-scale mum-and-dad investors, so this kind of housing would be a largely new departure from typical Australian real estate.
Potential benefits
The build-to-rent development model, involving a long-term owner commissioning an entire building, creates an incentive for higher, more enduring quality than the standard “build-to-sell” apartment development approach.
Importantly, build-to-rent is a long-run investment that caters for rental demand, which tends to grow steadily.
This means the model is largely immune to the fickle changes in housing demand resulting from typically short time horizons and primarily speculative instincts of individual buyers traditionally dominant in our market.
So at its full potential, this new housing product could introduce a valuable counter-cyclical component into the notoriously volatile residential construction industry, helping to offset damaging booms and busts. In other words, build-to-rent can create stability in the Australian property market.
How build-to-rent can incorporate affordable housing
Optimistically, some have claimed build-to-rent could also provide <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/build-to-rent-a-potential-solution-to-australia-s-housing-problem-20180904-p501of" target="_blank">an “affordable housing” fix</a> for many earners who are doing it tough in our existing private rental market.
But this could be possible only with the aid of major government funding or planning concessions.
Ideally, housing at rents affordable to low or moderate income earners would be included in predominantly market-rate build-to-rent schemes. Indeed, one major construction industry player <a href="https://www.afr.com/news/politics/national/rod-fehring-would-tackle-affordable-housing-once-and-for-all-20190430-p51io8" target="_blank">recently advocated this</a> as a standard expectation.
So how should affordable housing be provided in this case?
To find out, <a href="https://cityfutures.be.unsw.edu.au/documents/551/LCOM_0000_Build_to_Rent_Report_WEB_July_2019.pdf" target="_blank">our analysis</a> compares the cost of developing affordable housing by a for-profit company with development under a not-for-profit community housing provider.
Thanks to that non-profit format, and the tax advantages that go along with it, community housing providers can, in fact, construct affordable rental housing at significantly lower cost than their for-profit counterparts. Less subsidy is therefore needed.
Nonetheless, government help in some form will be essential to enable an affordable housing element. The most painless way for this to happen, from the government perspective, is through allocating sections of federal or state-owned redevelopment sites to community housing providers at discounted rates.
Encouragingly, this strategy was <a href="https://www.afr.com/real-estate/residential/we-want-our-pound-of-flesh-on-government-site-sales-michael-sukkar-20190606-p51v6d" target="_blank">recently advocated</a> by newly designated federal housing minister Michael Sukkar.
Such designation of government-owned sites could, for instance, be factored into large-scale urban renewal projects like Sydney’s Central-to-Eveleigh and Rozelle Bays. When complete, it could fulfil the <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/calls-for-higher-affordable-housing-targets-as-more-people-on-cusp-of-poverty-20170802-gxo11s/" target="_blank">widely voiced</a> demand that 30% of these developments should be affordable housing.
Levelling the playing field
Our modelling shows that under current conditions, even market-rate build-to-rent projects are barely viable – at least in Sydney.
The inflated price of developable land in Australia’s urban housing markets is an important contributing constraint. But <a href="https://cityfutures.be.unsw.edu.au/documents/551/LCOM_0000_Build_to_Rent_Report_WEB_July_2019.pdf" target="_blank">our research</a> also identifies a range of government tax settings that disadvantage build-to-rent, compared with both mum-and-dad-investors and traditional build to sell developers.
Removing less favourable land tax and GST treatment could markedly improve build-to-rent feasibility.
From a housing policy perspective, there’s also a case for the federal government to reconsider its recent “withholding tax” decision that treats overseas-based institutional investment in rental property less favourably than investment in commercial property.
Since such global funds would likely lead the establishment of a new Australian build-to-rent asset class, revisiting the withholding tax changes could be a significant step in making build-to-rent a reality in Australia.
In any case, build-to-rent is no simple solution for Australia’s affordable housing shortage.
But even as a market-rate product, it could fulfil several important public policy objectives. How far it might do so in practice is something that governments rightly need to weigh up when considering industry-proposed tax and regulatory reforms.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/119603/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;">
Hal Pawson, Associate Director - City Futures - Urban Policy and Strategy, City Futures Research Centre, Housing Policy and Practice, UNSW.
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/build-to-rent-could-shake-up-real-estate-but-wont-take-off-without-major-tax-changes-119603" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Build to rent could shake up real estate but won’t take off in Australia without major tax changes

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The local council have revealed its was responsible for certifying Sydney's defective residential building Mascot Towers for occupation.
It came ahead of the push by the NSW government for private certifiers to sign off new apartment high-rise construction.
The planning documents, which were held in storage at Newcastle, show the then Botany Bay council issued a final occupation certificate to the developer J &amp; B Elias in July 2008.
The council, now known as Bayside, was the principal certifying authority appointed under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act.
The former state minister for Better Regulation, Matt Kean, had suggested some of the state's troubled apartment complexes arose following "dodgy" private certifiers having conflicts of interests with developers.
The council development approvals at Mascot Towers came when the local member Ron Hoenig was the mayor.
Now the local MP for Heffron which includes Mascot, Hoenig says the council thoroughly considered all planning requirements for Mascot Towers.
The current mayor Bill Saravinovski says council only became aware of the cracks last month, although the building defects emerged in 2011 just three years after completion.
 
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Mascot Towers certified for occupation by local council

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The Toowoomba residential property market remained steady throughout the first half of 2019 following a general decline since the peak of activity at the end of 2013, according to the latest Herron Todd White (HTW) residential report. 
The report suggests that although sales activity has been steady across the board, the market has continued to be multi-speed and property specific.
"There has been little consistency with variations in sale prices and buyer interest across the established suburbs," the valuation firm stated.
"The prestige market however, has been performing strongly, particularly in the eastern suburbs as has the upper end of the rural residential lifestyle market."
A recent over $1 million sale was five bedroom architect designed home in Middle Ridge.
Situated in a quiet cul-de-sac, the house at<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-qld-middle+ridge-131307442" target="_blank"> 8 Daniells Close </a>comprises master suite with walk in robe, four additional built-in bedrooms, open plan living area, and kitchen with designer cabinetry.
It's located close to Gabbinbar Homestead, Middle Ridge Golf Course, Middle Ridge Primary School, Gabbinbar Primary School, parks, restaurants, cafes, boutiques and day-to-day services.
<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/2019/7/1/middle%20ridge%20.jpg" alt="">
The median sale price for houses across the Toowoomba Regional Council LGA has displayed little growth over the past four years, sitting at approximately $380,000 at the end of 2018, up from $375,000 in June 2015.
According to the HTW report, another key indicator of the steady property market is the volume of property sales.
In the six months ending December 2018, there were approximately 1,320 transactions across the Toowoomba Regional Council LGA.
This is slightly less than the same period one year earlier, when approximately 1,375 sales were recorded and further highlights the steady residential property market.
"The unit market has followed a declining trend, with low sales volumes following the oversupply of unit products that became apparent throughout 2016.
"Land sale volumes have continued to decline since a peak in mid 2015," the valuation firm noted. 
Toowoomba has seen an explosion of retirement village developments in recent years, ranging from medium density multi-level projects to low density detached dwellings.
These projects are spread right across the city, from Glenvale in the west to Highfields in the north, with more projects being planned.
The report suggests that this retirement living boom could be a driving factor in the low volume of land sales and sluggish level of housing transactions.
"The surprising factor is that residential vacancy rates continue to decline," the valuation firm said. 
In postcode 4350, the vacancy rate was just 2% as at April 2019.
A circa 1950 house in postcode 4350 has recently been sold for $350,700.
Set on a 908 square metre block, the brick house at<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-qld-east+toowoomba-129059814" target="_blank"> 10 Eton Street, East Toowoomba </a>comes with three bedrooms, spacious kitchen, open brick fireplace, and double hung windows.
It's just moments from the city centre, Queen's Park, cafes and restaurants. 
<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/2019/7/1/east%20toowoomba.jpg" alt="">
"This is considered tight and well below the balanced market level of 3%.
"Should this low level be sustained or continue to decline further, rental rates are likely to come under pressure.
"The steady market conditions currently being experienced in the residential property market across Toowoomba are expected to continue throughout the remainder of 2019." 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/7/1/toowoomba%20vacancy%20rates.jpg" target="_blank">Click here </a>to enlarge
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Toowoomba prestige market shows strong permanence: HTW residential 

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Architect Harold Desbrowe-Annear was the pioneer of the medieval movement in Australian home design, especially in Melbourne's north-east.
Born into a Bendigo mining family in the 1860s, raised in Richmond, and matriculating from Hawthorn Grammar, Annear was articled in the office of architect William Salway. The office was designing trophy homes - Raheen for Edward Latham in Kew, Moondah for James Grice at Mt Eliza and Millswyn Court for James Gatehouse in South Yarra.
Desbrowe-Annear, who was following the English Arts and Crafts movement closely, was responsible for much of the medieval-inspired work in Heidelberg, Ivanhoe, Greensborough and Alphington. His Macgeorge house at the confluence of the Yarra River and Darebin Creek is still seen as a stunner.
In the early 1900s, the then Ascot Vale-based Desbrowe-Annear and his wife Florence went to live at Eaglemont, near Heidelberg, where his father-in-law, James Chadwick, had bought three building blocks high on Mount Eagle for £170.
The couple built a home for themselves that differed from the other two as it initially had a corrugated iron roof, painted red to replicate expensive Marseilles-pattern metal tiles. The tiles were added at a later date.
The father-in-law's neighbouring residence, which became known as Chadwick House, has recently had a suitable offer after having a price revision to $3 million. Miles Real Estate Ivanhoe agents Stewart Oldmeadow and Elisse Farquhar initially gave a $3.15 million to $3.35 million guide.
A medieval-inspired Arts and Crafts-style home, it has half-timbered roughcast walls, a hipped and gabled Marseilles-patterned tile roof, arcaded chimney stacks and cantilevered gables.
<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/2019/6/28/eaglemount%203.jpg">
The house, which was added to the Victorian Heritage Register in 1996, sits in 1460 square metres of established gardens on The Eyrie. Its views were captured by artists of the Heidelberg School, including Arthur Street and Walter Withers, who mixed socially with the Desbrowe-Annears.
The home was first sold in 1922. It last traded in 1988 for $715,000 when sold by university professor Robert Reid to the architect Peter Crone and his wife Jane, who undertook an award-winning restoration. The property has been returned to its original condition, winning Crone the national award for heritage from the Australian Institute of Architects in 2008.
Crone first became aware of DesbroweAnnear in the 1960s, when he was a student of architecture at RMIT on a class visit to Eaglemont to view homes designed by Desbrowe-Annear and Walter Burley Griffin. The class text, Robin Boyd's Australia's Home (1952), referred to Annear's inventive approach. "Every new commission for a house was an invitation to experiment with a new device for a window or a cupboard or a detail of construction," Boyd wrote.
<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/2019/6/28/eaglemount%202.jpg">
In 1902, Desbrowe-Annear gave a lecture at his local library in which he quoted the emerging designer William Morris's 1880 lecture The Beauty of Life: "Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful."
Embracing open planning, Chadwick House is a four-bedroom, two-level home with a stately dining room, a library and a living area with adjoining sitting room, opening to a veranda with views. Inside it has extensive timber panelling, with Charles Voysey-style built-in furniture and storage space.
Guided by notions of ventilation, aspect, sunshine and views, along with a healthy atmosphere, the home comes without the then very dominant long passageway.
Its swagged and ogee-arch slatted balcony balustrading was borrowed from northern European 14th and 15th century domestic styles.
<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/2019/6/28/eaglemount%204.jpg">
These are exemplified in the white roughcast and black-stained timbering - an early example of medieval revival style unique to Heidelberg.
Harriet Edquist's Harold Desbrowe-Annear 1865-1933: A Life in Architecture suggests the architect was an iconoclast and maverick, having been trained in the academic classicism of the 1880s. She describes the three Eaglemont homes as representing a "remarkable episode in Australian domestic architecture".
By 1914, Desbrowe-Annear was living in South Yarra, with his upmarket clients commissioning Glynt at Mt Martha for the Henty family, descendants of Victoria's first European settlers. It bears a similarity to another of his designs, Delgany at Portsea.
After his death in 1933, Edquist notes, Desbrowe-Annear's work was soon eclipsed by the modern movement, which was not interested in history or acknowledging its debt to pioneers.
This article was first published in The Weekend Australian.
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Harold Desbrowe-Annear's Chadwick House, Eaglemont sold

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Iririki Island, an island resort and casino near Vanuatu’s capital of Port Vila, has reportedly been sold.
<a href="https://property.jll.com.au/hotel-sale/port-vila/iririki-island-resort-casino-12025" target="_blank">The 28 hectare resort</a> is described as the jewel in the crown of Vanuatu and boasts the nation’s “premier” gambling den, according to selling agents Jones Lang LaSalle.
Its sale was reported by Nine Entertainment.
Meanwhile the local paper has reported Vanuatu government is talking with investors from Laos interested in setting up another casino in the country, with the capital of Port Vila and Luganville on Santo in the north excluded as locations because there was a need to boost growth and jobs on other Vanuatu islands. 
Iririki has 72 villas, five bars and restaurants and a day spa.
The Australian reported the JLL sales brochure didn't advise on a long-running legal fight with some of the owners of another 68 units on the island over a long list of issues including rent, body corporate fees and insurance.
Darren Pettiona, a former executive with funds management empire Van Eyk, co-owns it with his brother, Shane.
One of the unit owners is Melbourne man Raphael Sztrochlic.
“Anything that’s involved with Iririki is just a nightmare,” Sztrochlic told The Australian.
The dispute will be heard in Port Vila on June 11.
One of the issues centres on the proceeds of a $20 million insurance payout from QBE Insurance after 2015’s Cyclone Pam devastated the ­island
Pettiona has sold prior court hearings the resort was worth about $32 million.
In 2017 Melbourne's wealthy Zagame family put their Grand Hotel &amp; Casino resort in Vanuatu\up for sale with market expectations of around $25 million.
Built in 2003, the eight-level hotel overlooks the Port Vila Harbour and offers views towards Iririki Island.
It features 15 gaming tables, 136 slot machines, a VIP top-floor gaming room, a restaurant, conference rooms, four bars, a pool and spa.
The family's involvement in Vanuatu dates back to 2001 when they were part of the consortium of Victorian hoteliers that purchased the private island resort of Iririki.
Patriarch Victor Zagame established the family's hospitality business in 1971 with the opening of the Albion Charles Hotel in Northcote in Melbourne's north east.
Another of the key players in Vanuatu is Amax whose main businesses involves operating online gaming businesses in Vanuatu.
 
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iProsperity Group buys Vanuatu's casino-hotel resort Iririki Island

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Despite a slowdown in vacant land sales volume in 2018, the weighted average price for vacant land improved to $276,959, reflecting a 5% increase from the corresponding 2017 calendar year, according to latest Ray White's SEQ Vacant Land report.
Ray White Special Projects QLD agent Mark Creevey said the undersupplied development corridors including Brisbane City, Moreton Bay and Gold Coast witnessed the strongest price growth among the 10 local authorities from the year prior.
“The 2018 calendar year exhibited a clear slowdown in vacant land sales activity for the majority of the 10 local authorities that make up South East Queensland, with a total of 8,733 vacant lots sold, reflecting a 33.64% fall from the 2017 calendar year,” he said.
“The fall in sales activity is primarily considered a result of macro prudential regulation in the financial markets.
“This remains the single largest factor influencing the market at present, with buyers stifled by reduced borrowing capacity, resulting from lower gearing requirements and greater scrutiny over serviceability by banks.
“We expect price growth through major growth corridors to remain a trend into the second half of 2019, as a result of thinning supply, the recent Federal Election result, the relaxation of regulations applied by APRA to the lending institutions and recent interest rate cuts.”
<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/2019/7/9/seq%201%20.jpg" alt=""> Ray White Special Projects QLD Executive Director Tony Williams said quality land supply remained the key challenge for South East Queensland in the short-to-medium term, with 2018 lot approvals down 22.26% on the year prior.
“Notable reductions in future supply pipelines were observed for the Gold Coast, which saw lot approvals down 46%, Logan City down 47.55% and Moreton Bay seeing a drop of 33.95%,” he said.
“The Redland Bay region exhibited strong results across the board with an increase in vacant lot sales of 7.02%, while experiencing price growth of 14.10% for the year.
“Future supply again appears to be the key challenge to the continued growth for the region, with lot approvals down 37.75% for the year.
“Notwithstanding the recent reduction in land sales volumes, we’re confident in the general outlook for the land market in SEQ.
“Enquiry levels from locals and increasing numbers of interstate and even overseas groups are strong, with limited opportunities at present to acquire sites which offer scale, access to infrastructure, approvals or even a clear planning pathway to an approval.”
<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/2019/7/9/seq%202.jpg" alt="">
Ray White Special Projects QLD Executive Director Matthew Fritzsche said he anticipated a number of factors would continue to underpin the SEQ land market in the medium term.
“More affordable median land values between SEQ and southern markets still provides significant upside for southern buyers investing in SEQ,” he said.
“While continued population growth in SEQ is positive, it’s still well below peak numbers experienced in the early to mid-2000’s, highlighting the potential for further increases.
“Delivery and investment in major infrastructure projects such as Queen's Wharf, Cross River Rail, Brisbane Metro, Brisbane Live, Brisbane Airport second runway and the potential SEQ 2032 Olympic Bid, will be key factors.
Click <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/7/9/seq%203.jpg" target="_blank">here</a> to enlarge.
<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/2019/7/9/seq%203.jpg" alt="">
 
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Price growth in South East Queensland land market continues

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Consumer confidence fell over the weekend, an ANZ survey has suggested.
It appears there is a view the latest cut to the cash rate by the Reserve Bank of Australia was a signal of worsening economic conditions.
The ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence index dipped 1.1% from the previous week, with respondents' perception of the economy - including the outlook for the next 12 months - retreating 3.6% and prospects about conditions in the next five years sliding 1.7%.
But the weekly measure of sentiment showed a 3.7% rise in how people felt about their financial condition compared to a year ago.
It was based on about 1,000 face-to-face interviews conducted on Saturdays and Sunday.
Consumer sentiment is still above the average of 114.4 points held since 2014 and the longer term average of 113.1 points since 1990. 
But three out of the five major components of the index fell last week:
<ul>
<li>The estimate of family finances compared with a year ago was up from +9.0 points to +13.0 points; </li>
<li>The estimate of family finances over the next year was up from +25.5 points to +27.1 points;</li>
<li>Economic conditions over the next 12 months was down from +7.2 points to +3.3 points;</li>
<li>Economic conditions over the next 5 years was down from +12.8 points to +10.9 points; </li>
<li>The measure of whether it was a good time to buy a major household item was down from +40.3 points to +33.8 points. </li>
</ul>
The measure of inflation expectations rose from 3.7% to 3.9%.
NAB's latest business survey also suggested that the business sector has lost significant momentum over the past year with the recent run of results also suggesting that the economy is unlikely to record a significant pickup in growth in Q2.
According to the survey, the weakening in momentum has been broad-based across the business sector over the past year, with all industries having weakened.
Retail also continues to show ongoing malaise, with reported business conditions at a level last seen in the GFC - while manufacturing has also shown steep declines.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/7/10/NAB%20Business%20Confidence%20June.JPG" alt="">
Alan Oster, NAB Groups Chief Economist said, “business confidence appears to have unwound its spike in May, which we think was driven by a short-term election bounce and increased optimism around a renewed interest rate easing cycle by the RBA."
“While business conditions increased slightly in the month, they remain well below average after trending lower for over a year now. The decrease in conditions has been relatively broad-based across states and industries – suggesting that there has been sector wide loss of momentum over the past year."
“Forward looking indicators suggest that there is unlikely to be a material improvement in conditions over the next few months with forward orders remaining very weak. This suggests the pipeline of demand is weak and is consistent with below average confidence,” Mr Oster concluded.
Sentiment also fell in <a href="/expert-insights/investing/sentiment-falls-4-1-despite-interest-rate-cuts-and-tax-relief-westpac">Westpac's Consumer Sentiment Survey</a>.
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Second RBA rate cut dampens consumer confidence: ANZ-Roy Morgan

Perth’s new apartment market recorded its strongest quarter of sales since Q4 2021, with 412 apartments sold in Q1 2026 and a record quarterly sold value of $537 million, according to Urbis’ latest Apartment Essentials results.

Urbis said the March quarter result reflects strong, highly product‑specific demand across both ends of the market, from more attainable projects delivering at scale, through to premium stock being absorbed by equity‑rich downsizers.&nbsp;

David Cresp, Partner at Urbis, said the key story in Perth is not demand, it is the market’s ability to convert demand into delivered housing.&nbsp;

“This is the strongest sales quarter since Q4 2021, and it reinforces that demand in Perth is real and it’s local,” David Cresp said. “But the task now is delivery, turning that demand into projects that can actually be built and completed.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110291 project_image_fid=302785]

<h2>Affordable product leads, premium demand remains resilient</h2>

Sales in Q1 were led by more affordable projects, with The Boulevard (SKS Group) recording 115 sales in the quarter, the presentation noting this is only the second time a single project has surpassed 100 quarterly sales. The project was able to offer more affordable housing product right next to a train station.&nbsp;

Palmyra West (Finbar) also delivered strong results with 28 sales in Q1, following 84 sales in Q4, with an average price of under $800,000, underscoring depth of demand for well‑located, attainable new stock.&nbsp;

At the premium end, Urbis said downsizer demand is continuing, with the results highlighting Romeo (Applecross, Finbar) recording 75 sales and reaching almost 50% sold in one quarter.

Jual (Shenton Park, Celsius Property) also posted a strong quarter with 28 sales, reaching 39% sold in one quarter.

Urbis noted that Perth apartment demand is not speculative, not investor‑led, and not uniform, describing it as localised, often equity‑driven and highly product‑specific, a pattern reflected in the polarisation between strong “attainable” performers and premium downsizer product.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=148957 project_image_fid=364102]

<h2>Prices underpinned by costs, and the delivery risk is growing</h2>

Urbis said pricing pressure is cost not demand‑driven: construction costs and delivery risk are now a central constraint, with the results noting build costs remain elevated and volatile, and that energy, fuel and labour uncertainty weigh on feasibility.

David Cresp said a growing challenge for private Build‑to‑Sell developers is simply securing a builder in the current environment.

“Developers are really feeling the pressure from a building market that was operating at capacity and securing a builder is challenging,” David Cresp said, adding that even where a builder can be secured, “trying to get to the price that makes the development financially viable is incredibly challenging in the current market.”&nbsp;

Urbis’ broader WA commentary also notes that industry remains at or above capacity with lot and housing creation, and that many builders are limiting new sales to manage stretched workforces and fixed‑price contract pressures, conditions that flow directly into apartment feasibility and delivery timing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108869 project_image_fid=317905]

<h2>Supply: improving later, but still constrained, and Perth lags eastern benchmarks</h2>

While near‑term supply remains constrained, Urbis’ forecast shows completions lifting “Supply is forecast to be back above 1,500 apartments per annum for the first time since 2019”, with 1,775 completions forecast for 2026, and volumes remaining above that level over the following years.&nbsp;

Looking further ahead, completions are forecast to reach 2,500 in 2028, with the report noting 32% of that total is social/affordable, reflecting the role of government‑supported delivery in rebuilding the pipeline.&nbsp;

However, Urbis said Perth remains behind comparable markets on pipeline scale. In a national comparison of projects under construction, the report shows under construction Perth Build‑to‑Sell (BTS) at 3,446 apartments versus the Gold Coast at 7,922. Mr Cresp said “The challenge for Perth is how to we grow the delivery pipeline”.

Urbis’ conclusion is that Perth’s market is increasingly defined by product discipline and delivery certainty, with the research identifying “delivery certainty is key” and calling out builder risk and procurement models as core success factors, alongside “timing and staging”.&nbsp;

Joel Robinson

Perth apartment sales hit strongest pace since late 2021 as builder capacity tightens

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sammut-developments">Sammut Group</a> has secured development approval for its latest Brisbane apartment project, marking the Sydney developer’s next step in expanding its Queensland pipeline following the success of its debut Gold Coast development, Coast.

The approved project at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/44-glen-road-toowong-qld-4066">44 Glen Road, </a><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/toowong-qld-4066">Toowong</a> will deliver a 15-storey riverfront apartment building with 42 residences, significantly increasing the scale of the site’s previous approval for a smaller luxury scheme. Designed by Bureau^proberts, the development will comprise a mix of predominantly four-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments positioned to maximise Brisbane River and city views.

Sammut Director Julian Sammut said the group had been actively searching Brisbane for several years before identifying Toowong as the right fit.

“Brisbane was the right step for Sammut,” Sammut said.

“With the success of Coast we thought we should definitely look to do more in Queensland alone. We then pushed up to look at Brisbane. We've been looking for I'd say two to three years actually and it was hard to find the right location.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_75/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.14%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=dYAVIL7qdcGA8ojvkslSrLjczXFejSSx" />

Sammut said suburbs including New Farm and Teneriffe were considered before the group ultimately focused on Toowong due to its strong downsizer demographic and limited supply of developable riverfront land.

The site was acquired off-market after what Sammut described as a lengthy negotiation and planning process, with the developer pursuing an uplift to the original approval.

“We are DA approved now which is very exciting,” Sammut said.

“We've had our change approval come through and we've obviously doubled the height, 15 storeys plus rooftop. We've got 42 amazing apartments that are going to be coming to market soon.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.26%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=ohkRkY0dIZlqdfME2EZePsCQavRiBadE" />

Bureau^proberts said the design responds to Toowong’s evolving urban character, balancing contemporary apartment living with the area’s established residential identity.

“A place where traditional Queensland living has taken place for centuries; Toowong is seeing a shift of contemporary influence, commercial and retail hubs mixed with well-considered residential offerings – all the while maintaining its character and charm,” the architect noted in planning documents submitted to Brisbane City Council.

The architecture practice said the project’s form was shaped by its riverfront setting, flood considerations, neighbouring building scales, and view corridors.

“They said the mix of four and two-bedroom apartments capture the ‘fundamental qualities of Queenslander living,’ translated into the context of a contemporary subtropical building.”

The development sits just off Coronation Drive within walking distance of Toowong’s retail precinct and the upgraded Regatta ferry terminal, while also benefiting from proximity to the incoming green bridge connection to West End. Sammut said the accessibility and amenity offering were central to the site’s appeal.

The approval adds to growing residential activity along the Toowong riverfront, joining nearby projects including Consolidated Properties’ Monarch Residences and Spyre Group’s ARC Residences.

Sammut secures approval for debut Brisbane apartment development in Toowong

Developer Lanevick is heading back into Sydney’s apartment market after focusing more heavily on the luxury townhouse and terrace sector in recent years.

Lanevick, founded and directed by Steve Maroun, is expecting to receive approval in the coming months for a new apartment development in Gladesville, with the aim to launch it to the market later this year.

The 51-apartment project, designed by Studio Johnston, will comprise a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments positioned toward the Hunters Hill downsizer market.

“Traditionally it’s been difficult for people in that market to downsize because there just hasn’t been the right product available,” Maroun said.

“We’re targeting buyers who might have 30 to 40 per cent of their house value sitting in the bank after downsizing.

“They still want good spacious entertaining areas, they still want quality design, but they also want flexibility and the ability to enjoy life a bit more after working hard for a long time.”

The project sits near Boronia Park and within close proximity to the Parramatta River foreshore, an area Maroun says offers more of a Hunters Hill lifestyle than a traditional apartment precinct.

“From a lifestyle perspective, it’s really more Hunters Hill than Gladesville,” Maroun said. “You’re close to the foreshore, close to parklands, and still connected back into the village precinct.”

From level four and above, apartments will capture water views&nbsp;toward Sydney Harbour. Communal amenity will include rooftop entertaining areas, wellness spaces, and a gym tailored toward owner-occupier buyers.

“We’ve really designed these apartments around that buyer coming from the Hunters Hill LGA and what they’re actually looking for in their next chapter.”

The proposed development has also been designed to respond to the changing character of the broader Gladesville town centre, where a growing number of mixed-use and residential proposals are expected to emerge over the coming years.

“Gladesville presented a rare opportunity to deliver a genuinely design-led residential project within an evolving lifestyle precinct, just moments from the growing Gladesville town centre, and we’ve approached the project with a strong focus on architecture, liveability and long-term community value,” Maroun said.

Maroun said Lanevick saw a first-mover advantage within the precinct as planning controls continue to evolve to accommodate greater housing density.

“We think there’s a real opportunity there that hasn’t really been serviced properly yet,” he said.

“There’s going to be a broader evolution of the whole Gladesville village precinct over time, particularly with more activation and mixed-use outcomes.”

The Venus Street proposal will include a commercial and retail component at ground level designed to contribute to that evolving streetscape activation.

“A big part of the thinking was how do you activate that area properly and create more vibrancy and amenity, which is what Hunters Hill has been looking for,” Maroun said.

Lanevick’s focus since 2020 has largely been on smaller-scale luxury townhouse and terrace developments. The developer recently completed Royale Randwick, also designed by Studio Johnston, where prices reached $3.65 million. The project was featured in the UDIA NSW 2026 Professional Development Prospectus and was also named a finalist for Development of the Year.

&nbsp;

Lanevick to cater for Hunters Hill downsizers with new Gladesville apartment development

Property developer One Living, backed by former Macquarie banker turned investment manager Chris Green’s investment firm, has unveiled plans to bring more institutional capital into housing to help address the national supply crisis.

The New York-based investor has focused his firm, GreenPoint Partners, on addressing the supply shortage hitting middle market housing in Australia.

It is backing the new One Living business to develop more than 1000 units along the eastern seaboard. The new firm is starting with a development on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, with around 140 apartments planned. They are eyeing off more sites across the city.

With cost pressures rising in the industry, One Living’s model is to be a vertically integrated developer-builder, so it can respond directly to the housing gap by removing the cost inefficiencies embedded in traditional residential delivery.

“We are building a platform designed to operate at scale and starting in a market where there’s a clear need for quality, attainable housing,” One Living joint managing director Joseph Scuderi said.

“It’s that missing middle – it’s that attainable end of housing… that’s what most Australians invest into and what Australians can actually afford.”

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="798dfa93-4941-4db6-a696-31e9dc18e81c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.31.50%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=mKBqi5C_DmeiXS.AtJkcR8LQIxqCqmFi" />

GreenPoint Partners brings years of experience assembling and scaling real estate operating businesses across major markets. And Green sees a big opportunity in Australia.

“For its size, sophistication and importance to the community, Australia’s living sector has remained largely under-institutionalised, which represents significant opportunity,” Green said. “GreenPoint identified that gap, assembled the right team, and is backing One Living to build a platform that is aligned to market needs.”

Green said being a builder-developer would give the company the capacity and flexibility it required to deliver reasonably-priced homes.

“We want it to be at that attainable level; not super high end luxury but at that attainable level,” he said.

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="74a5344a-4b26-4d4a-ada3-056b1220be77" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.32.15%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=vY8hXHO4reBMdO8ZXMWCNtGZJofUPQ3j" />

&nbsp;

One Living will undertake a component of affordable housing in its schemes, which it will own and operate, and it could also run build-to-rent on some sites.

Green praised local policy settings.

“The NSW government is being very supportive, strategic and pragmatic in terms of how do we generate more supply of housing,” he said. “We think it’s actually positive for development and the bit that’s been lacking at that attainable level is that it’s lots of relatively small private developers, whereas we want to create an institutional platform.”

One Living is also&nbsp;looking at high-density projects and could take on more institutional funding in the future.

“The way we will be able to achieve economies of scale is through size,” Green added.

One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition

It's been several years since there's been an opportunity to buy a brand new townhome in Melbourne's coastal suburb of Mordialloc. Even apartment developments in recent times have been few and far between in the area.

Local developer LDS Property identified the gap in new housing, securing a site on White Street, directly opposite&nbsp;Woodlands Golf Club Mordialloc. They've recently launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/wm-residences-mordialloc-102-white-street-mordialloc-vic-3195">WM Residences</a>, just 13 townhouses which they have already started building.

Projects by Buxton Director Heath Thompson, who is selling WM Residences, says the townhouses x that perfect middle ground be

"Mordialloc residents have had limited options to downsize within the suburb, often forcing them to look elsewhere despite long-standing ties to the area," Thompson says.

"With very little comparable new supply coming to market, projects like WM Residences are well placed, particularly as buyers look to capitalise on current conditions amid constrained supply."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6109]

The development, designed by regarded architecture firm&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ewert-leaf">Ewert Leaf</a>,&nbsp;adopts a deliberately restrained architectural approach, focusing on simplicity, durability and liveability rather than overt design gestures.

The boutique scale is central to the offering. With only 13 three-bedroom residences, each home is configured to prioritise functional layouts and everyday use, supported by private terraces and secure two-car garages.

Ewert Leaf’s design response leans into a calm, neutral material palette. Interiors are defined by oak flooring, white walls and soft finishes, creating a consistent and understated backdrop. The approach avoids trend-driven detailing in favour of longevity, with an emphasis on natural light and spatial clarity.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6110]

Beyond aesthetics, the homes are designed to meet contemporary performance expectations. Each residence targets a minimum 6-star energy rating, incorporating double glazing, comprehensive insulation and all-electric Bosch appliances.

The project’s location supports a walkable coastal lifestyle, sitting within close proximity to Mordialloc’s foreshore, Main Street retail strip and the train station. Local cafés and dining venues, including Suburbia Deli and Hendriks Café, are within a short walk, reinforcing the area’s established neighbourhood character.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6116]

While <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/mordialloc-vic-3195">Mordialloc</a> is often defined by its beach and pier, the project taps into other areas of day to day living, offering easy access to local food, casual dining and transport, rather than positioning itself purely as a lifestyle retreat.

WM Residences reflects a continued trend across Melbourne’s coastal suburbs towards smaller-scale, design-led townhouse developments, particularly on infill sites where proximity to amenity is already established.

With construction commenced prior to its market entry, the project aligns with a growing preference among buyers for developments with visible progress and defined delivery timeframes.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134646]

Staff reporter

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