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The GPO Hotel in Queensland's Fortitude Valley has been offered to the market through an expressions of interest campaign.
Currently operating as a nightclub it is described in the listing as a "long term lease prospect (4 x 10 years)."
Glen Price of HTL Property is marketing the listing.
Situated at 740 Ann Street the expressions of interest campaign closes on June 5.
The property holds a commercial hotel license. 
<div>Set on a 956 sqm plot the property has a total floor area of 1,850 sqm.</div>
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 It is in close proximity to Brunswick Mall, Howard Smith Wharf precinct, Valley Metro redevelopment and 2 km from the Brisbane CBD.</div>
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<div>Last sold in 2016 the property traded for $5,250,000.</div>
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Fortitude Valley's GPO Hotel offered to market

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A Park Ridge retail centre on the Mt Lindesay Highway has sold to a local investor for $4.17 million.
Situated at 3722 Mt Lindesay Highway, the centre comprises a modern single level building fully leased to 7 food-based specialty tenants including Domino’s Pizza, Subway and Noodle Box.
The sale was negotiated by Jon Tyson and Michael Harcourt of Savills Retail Investments.
The property sold off-market via a discreet private placement campaign.
Mr Harcourt said, “we received strong interest from select investors due to the property’s solid tenant line-up and excellent location just off the Mount Lindesay Highway.” 
“The Centre enjoys exposure to over 40,000 passing vehicles daily and adjoins a McDonalds drive through restaurant and the Woolworths and Coles anchored Park Ridge Village Shopping Centre,” he added.
Savills Director of Retail Investments in Queensland, Jon Tyson said demand for quality retail investments remains strong amongst a range of investor groups.
“Yields have remained firm due to solid investor demand coupled with limited supply stemming from the tightly held nature of these assets,” he said.
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Savills successfully market Park Ridge retail centre

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EXPERT OBSERVER
The residential downturn is expected to reach bottom in most Australian markets by as early as the end of 2019 or early 2020 – much sooner than previously predicted.
In the February release of CBRE’s Real Estate Market Outlook 2019 report we identified the Banking Royal Commission and the federal election as the two ‘unknown’ factors influencing Australia’s residential market outlook.
Signs are now emerging that a controlled relaxation of credit constraints was being managed and forecast interest rates cuts would help stabilise property prices.
The strong likelihood of further rate cuts by the RBA over the remainder of 2019 is expected to boost the prospects of an earlier than anticipated market recovery.
The results of the Banking Royal Commission and federal election would provide some comfort across the remainder of the year, increasing the number of buyers looking to enter residential markets, providing stronger support for prices and bringing forward the cyclical market bottom into 2019.
The federal election’s unexpected result and the relaxation of certain credit market constraints have provided a catalyst for market change.
The Coalition victory means proposed taxation changes impacting investment property, including negative gearing and capital gains tax changes, are off the agenda, while first home buyers have received a modest additional assistance package. The residential markets in general are expected to continue working through their adjustment cycle, with credit availability remaining the key constraint at present.
The results of the Banking Royal Commission were creating a more sustainable credit environment underpinning residential markets, resulting in an arguable credit market overcorrection, with banks appearing to have adjusted their requirements to reflect ‘responsible lending’ practices.
CRAIG GODBER is the Head of Residential Research for CBRE
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Slowing residential headwinds bring market bottom forward: CBRE's Craig Godber

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Humans have a long history of living on water. Our water homes span the fishing villages in Southeast Asia, Peru and Bolivia to modern floating homes in Vancouver and Amsterdam. As our cities grapple with overcrowding and undesirable living situations, the ocean remains a potential frontier for sophisticated water-based communities.
The United Nations has expressed support for <a href="https://www.un.org/press/en/2019/dsgsm1269.doc.htm" target="_blank">further research into floating cities</a> in response to rising sea levels and to house climate refugees. A speculative proposal, Oceanix City, was unveiled in April at the first <a href="https://www.un.org/press/en/2019/dsgsm1269.doc.htm" target="_blank">Round Table on Sustainable Floating Cities</a> at UN headquarters in New York.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/276269/original/file-20190524-187176-ooh8cp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Life on a floating city, Oceanix. <a class="source" href="https://oceanix.org/media/" target="_blank">OCEANIX/BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group</a>
The former tourism minister of French Polynesia, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/marccollinschen/" target="_blank">Marc Collins Chen</a>, and architecture studio <a href="https://big.dk/#about" target="_blank">BIG</a> advanced the proposal. Chen is involved with the <a href="https://www.seasteading.org/" target="_blank">Seasteading Institute</a>, which is seeking to develop autonomous city-states floating in the shallow waters of “<a href="https://www.seasteading.org/about/vision-strategy/" target="_blank">host nations</a>”.
While this latest proposal has gained UN attention, it is an old idea we have repeatedly returned to over the past 70 years with little success. In fact, the Oceanix City proposal has not reached the same level of technical sophistication as previous models.
A brief history of floating cities
The architecture community was fascinated with <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13602360500285641" target="_blank">marine utopias between the 1950s and ’70s</a>. The technological optimism of this period led architects to consider whether we could build settlements in inhospitable places like the polar regions, the deserts and on the sea.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/276277/original/file-20190524-187176-jxhgel.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Plan for Tokyo Bay by Kenzo Tange, 1960. <a class="source" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metabolism_(architecture)#/media/File:Tokyo_Bay_Plan_by_Tange_1960.jpg" target="_blank">Wikimedia</a>
<a href="https://www.mori.art.museum/english/contents/metabolism/about/index" target="_blank">The Japanese Metabolists</a> put forward incredible projects such as Kenzo Tange’s 1960 Tokyo Bay Plan and the marine city proposals of Kikutake and Kurokawa.
In the West, <a href="https://www.archdaily.com/253750/happy-birthday-buckminster-fuller-1895-1983" target="_blank">Buckminster Fuller</a> proposed Triton City, which would be connected to the mainland via bridges. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2018/nov/18/archigram-60s-architects-vision-urban-living-the-book" target="_blank">Archigram, a neofuturistic architectural group</a>, proposed underwater sea farms.
These proposals were directed at solving the impending urban crises of overpopulation and pressures on land-based resources. Many were even <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13602360500285641" target="_blank">sophisticated enough to be patented</a>.
The arc of this global architectural discussion was captured during the first UN Habitat conference (“Habitat I”) in Vancouver in 1976. In many ways, the UN has returned to the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.jstor.org/stable/43620457?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents" target="_blank">Vancouver Declaration from Habitat I</a> to “[adopt] bold, meaningful and effective human settlement policies and spatial planning strategies” and to treat “human settlements as an instrument and object of development”.
We are seeing a pivoting that began in 2008 with Vincent Callebaut’s “<a href="http://vincent.callebaut.org/object/080523_lilypad/lilypad/projects/user" target="_blank">Lilypad</a>” - a “floating ecopolis for ecological refugees”.
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rJmB-dtt_qI?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" width="440" height="260"></iframe>
Where floating cities were once dismissed as too far-fetched, the concept has been repackaged and is re-emerging into public consciousness. This time in a more politically viable state - as a means of addressing the climate emergency.
The technology and types of floating city structures
No floating settlements have ever been created on the high seas. Current offshore engineering is concerned with how cities can locate infrastructure, such as airports, nuclear power stations, bridges, oil storage facilities and stadiums, in shallow coastal environments rather than in deep international waters.
Two main types of very large floating structures (VLFS) technology can be used to carry the weight of a floating settlement.
The first, pontoon structures, are flat slabs suitable for floating in sheltered waters close to shore.
The second, semi-submersible structures (such as oil rigs), comprise platforms that are elevated on columns off the water surface. These can be located in deep waters. Potentially, <a href="http://wcfs2019.floatingsolutions.org/2018/11/07/repurposing-jack-ups-semi-submersibles-and-super-barges-into-offshore-and-nearshore-settlements/" target="_blank">oil rigs could be repurposed for such floating cities in international waters</a>.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/273724/original/file-20190510-183103-13tbuou.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Transforming oil rigs into liveable structures. Ku Yee Kee and Hor Sue-Wern’s entry in the 2011 eVolo Skyscraper Competition. <a class="source" href="http://www.evolo.us/transforming-abandoned-oil-rigs-into-habitable-structures/" target="_blank">Ku Yee Kee &amp; Hor Sue-Wern/ eVolo</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" target="_blank">CC BY</a>
Oceanix City is based on the pontoon structure. This would restrict it to shallower waters with breakwaters to limit the impacts of waves. This sort of structure could serve as an extension of a coastal city, as a life raft for island communities inundated by rising waters, or to <a href="http://wcfs2019.floatingsolutions.org/2018/11/12/design-guidelines-for-upgrading-living-conditions-in-wetslums/" target="_blank">provide mobile essential services to residents of flood-prone slums</a>.
Sovereign floating cities and micronations
While some early marine utopian proposals were responses to emerging urban issues, many proposals conceptualised <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13602360500285641" target="_blank">“seaborne leisure colonies”</a>. These communities would be independent city-states allowing inhabitants to circumvent tax laws or restrictions on medical research in their own countries.
This sort of floating city was conceived of as a micronation with sovereignty and ability to provide citizenship to its occupants. The example was set by the <a href="https://www.sealandgov.org/" target="_blank">Principality of Sealand</a>, off the coast of Britain.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/276282/original/file-20190524-187157-1cx6cb2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
The Principality of Sealand is a micronation situated on Roughs Tower, a platform off the coast of Britain. <a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/octal/487066477/in/photolist-K3kTT-K3cX8-K31B9-fEWY5s-dmuTKL-9BwfaP-8X9owh-6xepMg-4xuCns-mxvpNS-T2YyAS-KhLYkp-TPVe7P-4dQzQe-9ydsV8-dU6HSQ-59RH1W-4xqrdM-4xuCQC-6TTFv1-juStE-py5QQM-o8tHuy-4xqqMM-4xuBG1-6TTCp9-9YAPn7-6SQ1iy-g5hj1h-TGjue4-hNEcW1-7wbpKR-7wbS5V-252v7aW-e5apAk-o66jYb-5VPqK2-28gwVUz-WadBt6-xoQ3G-fUP67E-2eiBc2R-6ZEjEb-oZ81Ys-oQ9bBu-7RL9xE-bn7XhF-5GpwHF-mxvv2N-5Gpxea" target="_blank">Ryan Lackey/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" target="_blank">CC BY</a>
None of these proposals have succeeded. Even modern attempts such as the Freedom Ship and the Seasteading Institute’s plans for an autonomous floating settlement under French Polynesian jurisdiction have stalled. A recent attempt at creating a sovereign micronation (seastead) off Thailand led to its proponents becoming fugitives, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-18/bitcoin-couple-face-death-penalty-in-thailand-for-seastead/11031336" target="_blank">potentially facing the death penalty</a>.
A viable project?
Technology is not a barrier to floating cities in international waters. Advances in technology enable us to create structures for habitation in deep sea waters. These schemes have never really taken off because of political and commercial barriers.
While this time round proponents are packaging floating cities in a more politically viable concept as a life raft for climate refugees, commercial barriers remain. Apart from the UN, few organisation have the economic and political influence or reason to deliver a satellite floating city in the ocean.
In my view, the future of ocean cities is in technology campuses and in tourism. Given the significant risk of a community in extreme isolation in international waters, the solution to bringing people together in mid-ocean requires us to think about what connects us: technology, work and play. In these three elements we see, perhaps, the two lowest-hanging fruits (or the most buoyant of possibilities) for ocean cities.
The first is in floating tech campuses where large technology companies set up floating data centres and campuses in international waters. Situated outside national jurisdictions, these campuses could circumvent increasingly onerous privacy regimes or offer innovative technological services without having to negotiate regulatory barriers.
The second prospect is a return to the seaborne leisure colonies of the past. Companies like Disney could expand on their cruise offerings to build floating theme parks. These resorts could be sited in international waters or hosted by coastal cities.
Given our fascination with living on water, even if Oceanix City does not suceed, it won’t be long before we see another floating city proposal. And if we get the mix of social, political and commercial drivers right, we might just find ourselves living on one.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/116511/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;">
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/276291/original/file-20190524-187143-9fjuu6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
The Disney Cruise Line could potentially develop seaborne leisure colonies in future. <a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/dieguico/6711417377/in/photolist-be4LyH-GF3ZEQ-fgkwZ9-bDyhSP-eb3ppx-dJC5yy-dvknz-UnsmHH-bCighc-J167Cv-4YcMpZ-eLQt3N-6mNWvF-4JNMYm-4x1Ykd-fg67VX-4YcMkZ-fHxtck-pyXdDW-5fXWZk-cbqhLw-223Sqgb-dVUAxZ-badfuK-4MUNA6-24pEDpa-yomb3-7mmExM-bfWuU2-5XZhQw-fNSsK6-2dCgPj8-24pE8Rx-a8wRQk-jhpovE-5ZhepL-24pE87r-24pECq6-24pE8D8-RfJ9ik-agoZ6A-86eVfe-4YKXgB-2a4aKE3-dayZLx-4YcMGx-agoBFu-fqtGUb-agp9sw-o2At4d" target="_blank">Diego Villuendas Pellicero/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/" target="_blank">CC BY-NC</a>
Brydon T. Wang, Research Assistant and PhD Candidate, Queensland University of Technology
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/floating-cities-the-future-or-a-washed-up-idea-116511" target="_blank">original article</a>.
Main photo: Oceanix, a proposed floating city, has captured the attention of the UN. <a href="https://oceanix.org/media/" target="_blank">OCEANIX/BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group</a> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/brydon-t-wang-441848" target="_blank"> </a>
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Floating cities: the future or a washed-up idea?

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ANZ Banking Group has again suspended the troubled valuer LMW after another incident involving the posting of unauthorised valuation information on the web.
The bank said last Friday it was "disappointed and concerned" that a new incident had occurred.
ANZ was the first to respond to LMW's second data breach, with the Commonwealth Bank today suspending the use of its services in light of the latest smaller data breach.
LMW was previously known as LandMark White and LMW Hegney. 
"Following LMW’s recent data incident, CBA can confirm we have indefinitely suspended the company from our valuation panel," a company spokesman said.
"The safety and security of our customer information is of paramount importance to us."
Meanwhile LMW company secretary John Wise advised today only a "small number of clients have again suspended workflows to LMW".
"The majority continue to work closely with LMW to understand the disclosure and any impact on their customers and LMW appreciates the way they are responding by supporting LMW, its employees and shareholders rather than acting in a way that ultimately rewards the criminal attempting to damage LMW’s reputation," Wise added.
There was an earlier data incident in January that left 137,500 records sitting on a dark web forum for 10 days.
LMW provided a further market update on the disclosure of documents on a US based sharing platform called SCRIBD.
LMW first became aware of the documents posted on SCRIBD late on May 29 with information relating to the establishment of SCRIBD accounts by the criminal provided to the NSW Police.
Based on a review of the documents posted to SCRIBD, LMW advised it was apparent that very few of the documents had been viewed or downloaded by anyone prior to being removed (other than LMW’s internal and independent response team).
The vast majority of the documents uploaded to SCRIBD are 2017 residential "short form" valuations in PDF format and have very limited personal information recorded in them (limited to a name and address). There are no bank account or identity details included in these documents.
"The nature of these documents together with the small number of non-valuation documents loaded to SCRIBD clearly indicate that this is not a cyber-attack on LMW but rather the deliberate acts of a person known to LMW," it advised shareholders.
"LMW suspects that this person has taken the documents from LMW via a manual process and is attempting to damage LMW’s brand and reputation.
"There is absolutely no indication that the person is attempting to derive personal gain from the disclosure.
"LMW is treating this activity incredibly seriously and is engaging with law enforcement to investigate the activities.
"LMW will support this investigation with full force, in an effort to identify the wrongdoer and prevent further activities.
"LMW is limited in what it can say given the ongoing investigation."
Following the cyber breach identified in early February 2019, LMW implemented significantly enhanced security measures that were independently reviewed by our third party, industry recognised, IT consultants and the cyber / security teams from the major banks, all which concluded that the risks of further cyber incidents had been appropriately mitigated.
"If the perpetrator is allowed to succeed in their efforts to damage LMW’s brand and reputation, this will have implications for the wider valuation industry’s viability," it advised the market.
"Further, if the approach of dumping internal documents on the web successfully damages LMW, its employees and shareholders, it opens an avenue for disgruntled employees of other organisations to do the same.
"This activity must be deterred, and we thank the wider community for its support (and look forward to further support) to stamp this activity out."
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ANZ and CBA stop LMW valuations after second web privacy breach

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Technē Architecture + Interior Design has been appointed to undertake its first commercial tower project.
The project, situated at 484 Swan Street, Richmond, is a 13 level office building in Melbourne.
Directly connected to Burnley Station, the building will feature a total net lettable area of over 17,000 square metres as well as bookable co-working spaces.
The project is being developed by Riverlee in partnership with Bamfa Properties.
Along with the exterior architecture, Technē will design the interiors of each of the 13 levels as 'fully flexible, clear span, open-plan spaces allowing fully customisable workspace design'.
Technē is behind other Richmond designs such as the Bridge Hotel, Veneziano Coffee Roasters and Botherambo.
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Technē architects appointed to design Richmond commercial tower

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A Liverpool real estate agent has been prosecuted after NSW Fair Trading found that he fraudulently transferred trust money into his own personal account.
On 22 November 2018, George Marando, director of G &amp; A Marando Pty Ltd trading as Marando Real Estate NSW, pleaded guilty in the Parramatta Local Court to an offence under the Property, Stock and Business Agents Act 2002 (NSW).
On 8 May 2019, Marando was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment to be served by way of an intensive correction order and was also ordered to perform 200 hours of community service work.
NSW Fair Trading Commissioner Rose Webb said NSW Fair Trading began investigating the agency following a compliance operation in 2015.
“The investigation particularly concerned the sale of a property in Granville on 5 July 2015, where the agency acted as the selling agent for the vendors,” Webb said.
The three bedroom, first floor Tania Court apartment (pictured above) sold within nine days of its listing at $591,000 having had $580,000 plus guidance. It settled in October 2015.
The court heard that Marando transferred $41,400 of the $59,100 deposit into his personal bank account in multiple transactions between 30 July 2015 to 26 September 2015.
“After transferring the money into his personal account, he either transferred the money to another account or withdrew it in cash,” Webb added.
“As a result of his conduct, Mr Marando failed to pay the vendors the full amount they were owed until NSW Fair Trading investigators intervened in June 2016.”
Marando’s real estate licence and the corporation licence of the agency have been cancelled. 
He was disqualified in June last year from holding a licence or certificate of registration for a period of five years and disqualified from being involved in the direction, management and conduct of the business of a licensee for a period of five years.
“Marando had no authority to withdraw money from the company trust account,” Webb said.
“Fair Trading will continue to proactively ensure that real estate agents uphold their legal responsibilities.”
Marando has the right to lodge an appeal.
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Liverpool estate agent George Marando sentenced for fraud

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<div class="_1FVA8dr2">A former Channel Seven Melbourne television newsreader has denied she deliberately withheld more than $1.8 million in GST payments during her property development days.</div>
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<div class="block-content">
<div class="_1FVA8dr2">Simone Semmens faced a County Court of Victoria jury trial today after pleading not guilty to 10 charges of dishonestly withholding tax over a 10-year period.</div>
<div class="_1FVA8dr2"> </div>
</div>
<div class="block-content">
<div class="_1FVA8dr2">The prosecutor Robert Barry said Semmens had purchased mansions in prestige areas, then subdividing and developing new properties on the land.</div>
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<div class="advert" data-ad-type="MEDIUM" data-loc="MOBILE" data-max-width="767"> </div>
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<div class="_1FVA8dr2">The case involved a property at Portsea, at Caulfield North and an earlier property in Toorak.</div>
<div class="_1FVA8dr2"> </div>
<div class="_1FVA8dr2">The Portsea mansion was Noorah which was bought for $7.5 million.</div>
<div class="_1FVA8dr2"> </div>
<div class="_1FVA8dr2">Rosecraddock, the Caulfield North mansion which cost $7.8 million in 2007, saw homes built within the curtilage of the 150-year-old Italianate mansion set on its then 8857-square-metre holding. It was the scene of the 2005 murder of eccentric millionaire Peter Shellard. Rosecraddock and its subdivided grounds were eventually sold, all up, for $17.4 million.
</div>
<div class="_1FVA8dr2"> </div>
<div class="_1FVA8dr2">The Crown alleges Semmens knowingly didn't pay GST on them - failing to pay as much as $329,000 in tax per sale.</div>
</div>
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<div class="_1FVA8dr2"> </div>
<div class="_1FVA8dr2">She had the Caulfield North estate subdivided into seven properties, had the Toorak home demolished and replaced with two apartments and had an extra two homes built on the Portsea land, and then sold all the developments at a profit.</div>
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<div class="block-content">
<div class="_1FVA8dr2">Barry said the former Seven Network newsreader was aware of her tax obligations via communications she had with her bank and her surveyor.</div>
<div class="_1FVA8dr2"> </div>
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<div class="_1FVA8dr2">Semmens was a beauty queen, including being crowned Miss Victoria Grocery Industry in the 1980s, and was also the one-time corporate spokeswoman for Telstra.</div>
<div class="_1FVA8dr2"> </div>
<div class="_1FVA8dr2">Semmens' lawyer Ms Ashlee Cannon said it was "hotly contested" that her client was required to pay the GST.</div>
<div class="_1FVA8dr2"> </div>
<div class="_1FVA8dr2">Semmens, a US citizen, had been pulled from a California-bound plane and charged with the multi-million dollar tax offences in October 2015. Her Toorak house had been searched by police and tax investigators in March 2013.</div>
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Simone Semmens faces County Court over GST withholding allegations after prestige Melbourne property sales

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Private school fees will be thrown in to entice families to buy into the Overture Kew development.
Three years tuition — worth close to $100,000 — will be offered to buyers of properties at the <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/project/overture-kew-600022034" target="_blank">Barenya Court project</a>. 
The leading private schools each cost more than $30,000 annually from year 7, at Xavier College, Trinity Grammar, Ruyton, Methodist Ladies College and Carey Grammar School.
Nelson Alexander Kew agent Cameron Ingram said the 25 townhouses and four penthouses, which cost upwards of $1.7 million, were an opportunity for buyers to break into the blue-chip suburb. 
“We’re trying to offer families in the market a chance to move into Kew and get closer to the type of education they want for their kids,” Ingram told The Herald Sun. 
“These new homes are all family-sized, with three or four bedrooms and garages, and they are a stone’s throw from the schools.” 
<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/2019/6/3/Kew2.jpg" alt="">
Mr Ingram said the deal was also available to grandparents or investors, who wanted to cover fees for children not living at the address.
Payments could also be made for primary school and divided between multiple children.
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<div class="vjs-poster">The high-end properties are due to be finished by the end of next year, set within Craig Eldridge landscaped gardens. </div>
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<div class="vjs-poster">The marketing began last September. The offer only runs until June 6.</div>
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<div class="vjs-poster">Since 2009, CHH Property has had a series of projects created in collaboration with partners at Bruce Henderson Architects.</div>
<div class="vjs-poster">CHH paid $3 million for the site in 2016.</div>
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Overture, Kew offers three year private school fees to entice townhouse buyers

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The Kiwi-born funds manager Charles Gibbon and wife Claire have emerged as the $11.3 million buyer of the Gerringong oceanfront estate of fashion pioneer Robby Ingham.
The Gibbon's are no strangers buying vast land and building having constructed their retreat on six hectares in the nearby Shoalhaven town Bellawongarah.
Ingham and wife Sarah listed it late last year with $10 million hopes through Ray White Gerringong agent Neil Campbell after owning the 40 hectare former dairy farm since 2012.
Despite gaining approval for a 10 bedroom Nick Tobias-designed luxury retreat, the family found an alternative retreat, a nearby riverfront holding.
The 3,000 sqm donut shaped house set to have grass on the rooftop came with estimated $5 million building costs.
This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.
 
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Funds manager emerges as buyer of Robby Ingham's Gerringong estate

Developers and apartment buyers have a narrowing window of opportunity before Brisbane's Olympic infrastructure pipeline begins competing directly with residential construction, pushing up costs, tightening labour supply and making new projects increasingly difficult to deliver.

While Brisbane's apartment market continues to benefit from strong population growth and limited housing supply, industry research suggests the years leading up to 2027 could prove to be the most important period for developers looking to secure builders and buyers hoping to purchase before the next wave of price increases.

A new Colliers report, Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games: Creating Solutions, highlights the scale of the challenge. While thousands of new homes are planned across South East Queensland, the Brisbane Olympic Athletes Village alone will deliver more than 10,500 beds during the Games before being converted into around 1,750 to 2,000 apartments. Equivalent to almost two years of typical inner-city apartment supply, the project will also absorb a significant share of the construction workforce and building materials.

The broader construction pipeline paints an even clearer picture.

Construction Skills Queensland's Horizon 2032 report forecasts Queensland's annual construction pipeline will average $69 billion over the coming years before peaking at $75 billion in 2027-28. Demand for construction workers is expected to increase by 17 per cent to almost 150,000 people, with the industry facing an annual shortfall of around 19,000 workers that could blow out to as many as 35,000 during the peak construction period.

The Olympic venues, athletes village and supporting infrastructure will account for billions of dollars worth of work across South East Queensland through to 2032, creating intense competition for labour at a time when Australia's residential construction sector is already under pressure.

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Colliers Queensland Residential Director Andrew Scriven said the convergence of these projects is creating a clear window of opportunity for both developers and buyers.

"From 2027 onwards, the market will shift dramatically," Scriven said.

"Labour will increasingly be locked into government-led infrastructure and Olympic projects, which means private residential developments will face higher costs and tighter margins. The developers who move now are the ones most likely to get projects off the ground."

Scriven said the same dynamic would also affect buyers, with fewer apartment projects expected to launch once construction capacity tightens.

"If you're looking to change your lifestyle over the next five years, now is your window of opportunity to buy."

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Developers are already positioning themselves ahead of that window.

Following the success of Monarch at Toowong, Consolidated Properties is preparing to launch two new Brisbane apartment projects in the second half of 2026. They include <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/gloriette-30-bedivere-street-yeerongpilly-qld-4105">Gloriette</a> at Yeerongpilly Green, a 25-storey tower within one of Brisbane's key Olympic precincts, and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/castile-47-skyring-terrace-newstead-qld-4006">Castile</a>, a recently approved 25-storey riverfront development at 47 Skyring Terrace in Newstead.

Hutchinson Builders will deliver both projects, with early works already underway at Yeerongpilly and Newstead expected to commence later this year.

The timing comes as Brisbane's fundamentals continue to strengthen, with strong interstate migration, population growth and vacancy rates remaining below 1.5 per cent.

Colliers Queensland researcher Pragya Sharma said Greater Brisbane is forecast to require around 40,000 new apartments between 2021 and 2031.

"There's a real mismatch emerging between when housing is needed and when it will be feasible to build," Sharma said.

"As a result, the period leading up to 2027 presents a key window of opportunity for developers to secure approvals, funding and construction capacity, while buyers will have greater choice before supply constraints intensify."

Colliers research outlines a critical pre-2027 window to start residential projects before labour squeeze: now is the time to buy

Joel Robinson

Developers, buyers on watch in South East Queensland ahead of construction crunch: Colliers

It's taken less than nine months for developer Sherpa Property Group to sell out all 51 apartments in its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-oasis-palm-beach-7-9-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Oasis</a> development in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/palm-beach-qld-4221">Palm Beach</a>, over a year before its anticipated completion.

&nbsp;

Located at 7-9 Sixth Avenue, the $67 million development has resonated strongly with both local owner-occupiers and downsizers seeking high-quality apartments within walking distance of the beach, dining precincts and everyday amenities.

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Christie Leet, Founder of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa Group</a>, said the sell-out reflected both the strength of the Palm Beach market and the success of Sherpa's community-first approach to development.

"The sell-out of Oasis is a fantastic outcome and reinforces the strong demand we're seeing for thoughtfully designed apartments in lifestyle locations," Leet said.

"From the outset, our vision was to create a development that genuinely enhanced the Palm Beach community while providing residents with exceptional homes and wellness-focused amenities.

"We've been incredibly encouraged by the level of local support throughout the campaign, 72.5 per cent of buyers are locals, with a significant proportion of purchasers choosing Oasis as their future home rather than an investment."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151449 project_image_fid=357463]

Construction is now progressing following development approval, with trusted builder LPS Group delivering the project and completion anticipated in Q3 2027.

Oasis forms part of Sherpa Group's successful Flourish collection, which has become recognised for its focus on wellness, community and elevated coastal living.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151449 project_image_fid=357469]

Residents will have private access to a rooftop amenity space featuring a pool, gym, sauna, steam room, hot and cold plunge pools, spa and barbecue facilities.

"The success of Oasis demonstrates that buyers continue to prioritise quality, location and lifestyle," Leet said.

"We are proud to have delivered a project that has resonated so strongly with the market and look forward to bringing Oasis to life for our future residents."

Sherpa recently launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-soleira-palm-beach-1150-1160-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Soleira</a>, its third instalment of the Flourish brand in Palm Beach following Flourish Oasis and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/amargo-6-12-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Amargo</a>.

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Sherpa sells out Flourish Oasis in booming Palm Beach

Urban Property Group's <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/la-vera-macquarie-park-94-talavera-road-macquarie-park-nsw-2113">La Vera</a> is leading the next phase of Macquarie Park's residential evolution, with the new apartment development set to become the first of several new apartment projects in the precinct to complete.

The 169-apartment building has now topped out ahead of its scheduled completion in the third quarter of 2026, as new residential investment continues to reshape one of Sydney's largest employment hubs into a true mixed-use precinct.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=368645]

Cox Architecture has designed La Vera to capture the best of its unique positioning on Talavera Road, orienting the building towards Lane Cove National Park.&nbsp;The building features a sculpted northern façade with flowing curves inspired by the surrounding landscape, while its city-facing elevation adopts a more structured architectural expression to maximise skyline views.

"The vision for the project was to conceive a building that adopted an organic and curvilinear form to the northern portion that faces the Lane Cove National Park," <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">Cox Architecture</a> Director Felipe Miranda said.

"The residents that reside in the northern portion of the building benefit by having beautifully crafted curved balconies that speak to the natural context and heighten the relationship of their internal living spaces to the external balconies."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=358802]

La Vera offers a diverse mix of one, two, three, and four-bedroom configurations, with prices currently starting from $740,000. Buyers so far have been a mix of Sydney-based investors,&nbsp;metro commuters, owner-occupiers and downsizers from surrounding North Shore suburbs.

Both investors and owner-occupiers have been drawn to La Vera's proximity to Macquarie University, Macquarie University Hospital, Macquarie Centre and the Sydney Metro, infrastructure that supports both strong rental demand and a convenient lifestyle for residents.

The apartments feature full-height glazing, timber flooring throughout living areas, stone kitchen benchtops, SMEG appliances, floor-to-ceiling bathroom tiling and ducted air conditioning.

Residents will have access to a rooftop recreation level featuring a swimming pool, sauna, barbecue facilities and landscaped relaxation areas, complemented by additional communal space at ground level. Many apartments enjoy uninterrupted views across Lane Cove National Park, reinforcing the project's connection to its natural setting.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=364551]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a>, a family-owned developer and builder with nearly four decades of experience, holds a 4.5-star iCIRT rating and was Australia's first developer to introduce 10-Year Latent Defects Insurance (LDI). La Vera is the first apartment development in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/macquarie-park-nsw-2113">Macquarie Park</a> approved to offer the additional insurance protection, alongside a five-year warranty on SMEG appliances.

Urban Property Group CEO Patrick Elias said the additional protection reflects changing buyer expectations in the off the plan market.

"Consumers are a lot more weary and a lot more concerned in buying off the plan than they ever have been. Having LDI is a tool to portray the confidence that we have in our product, and a confidence we want buyers to share," Elias said.

Following completion of the building later this year, buyers will move into their apartments well before Christmas.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134951]

La Vera closes in on completion as Macquarie Park continues residential transformation

Brisbane developer Red &amp; Co's decision to include dual key apartments in its debut Gold Coast apartment development, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/como-varsity-lakes-22-lake-street-varsity-lakes-qld-4227">COMO Varsity Lakes</a>, is proving to be one of the project's biggest drawcards, with buyers quickly snapping up the flexible residences.

More than half of the project's 36 dual key apartments have already sold, helping drive COMO beyond the 50 per cent sold mark within the first month of launch.

The strong response highlights growing demand for apartment designs that can adapt to changing lifestyles, with buyers increasingly looking for homes that accommodate multi-generational living, provide rental income opportunities or simply offer greater flexibility over time.

Located on the shores of Lake Orr, COMO will deliver 156 apartments across 16 levels, with the dual-key residences forming a limited release within the broader development.

Each combines a primary two-bedroom apartment with a fully self-contained studio on a single title, connected by a shared foyer and lockable internal door. The design allows owners to house ageing parents, adult children or guests while maintaining privacy, or lease the secondary residence to generate additional income.

Just 17 of the original 36 dual key apartments remain available.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=367096]

The innovative configuration combines two fully self-contained residences on a single title, typically comprising a primary two-bedroom apartment alongside a separate studio residence, connected via a shared foyer and lockable internal door.&nbsp;

The model is proving particularly attractive to owner occupiers navigating changing family dynamics and the realities of the current housing crisis.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=363511]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/npa">NPA</a>&nbsp;CEO Andrew Erwin said dual key living was resonating strongly with modern buyers because it delivered both financial flexibility and practical lifestyle benefits.&nbsp;

“The housing crisis and rising cost of living are fundamentally changing how Australians think about home ownership,” Erwin said.&nbsp;

“Dual key apartments provide a genuine solution for families who want to stay connected while maintaining independence. Parents can help adult children save for a future home, ageing parents can remain nearby without moving into aged care, and owners still retain privacy and flexibility.

“Importantly, buyers are also recognising the financial advantages. It creates the opportunity to generate additional income from part of the home without the holding costs associated with owning a separate investment property.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=363509]

Unlike traditional dual occupancy arrangements, the residences operate under a single title, meaning owners only incur one set of body corporate fees, council rates and holding costs.&nbsp;

The secondary residence can also evolve over time - functioning as guest accommodation, a home office, creative studio or private retreat before later becoming an income-producing asset.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/red-co">Red &amp; Co</a>&nbsp;Director and Co-Founder David Laverty said the strong early sales reflected growing buyer urgency and changing priorities within the market.&nbsp;

“Securing more than half of COMO’s residences within such a short timeframe is an outstanding result and a clear endorsement of both the design and location,” Laverty said.&nbsp;

“Buyers are responding to the combination of location, connectivity and amenity, but ultimately it’s value relative to other East Coast markets that is driving enquiry.”&nbsp;

“We’re also seeing strong interest from owner occupiers looking for homes that can adapt with them over time. Flexibility has become one of the most important considerations for buyers in today’s market.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=363515]

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bda-architecture">BDA Architecture</a>, COMO features a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom residences with 2.7-metre ceilings and larger-format floorplans aimed at owner occupiers, downsizers and lifestyle-focused buyers.&nbsp;

The development will feature an extensive rooftop recreation and wellness offering including a 25-metre lap pool, sundeck, barbecue and dining areas, gym, sauna, plunge baths, landscaped gardens, wellness spaces and rooftop pickleball and paddleball courts.

The remaining dual key apartments range from 137 sqm to 167 sqm and include generous three-bedroom layouts with separate self-contained studio accommodation and dual parking.&nbsp;

Erwin said the dual key concept represented a broader shift in how Australians would live in the future.

“People want homes that can evolve with their lives,” he said.&nbsp;

“A dual key apartment can suit a family today, support an ageing parent tomorrow, and potentially generate income later on. That adaptability is becoming incredibly valuable in the current environment.”

Prices currently range from $2,115,750 to $2,583,000.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135546]

Inter-generational living drives demand for COMO’s dual key apartments as housing pressures reshape buyer priorities 

Builder-developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ceerose">Ceerose</a> has doubled down on its Leichhardt ambitions, lodging its second State Significant Development Application (SSDA) in the suburb in the last six months.

Their newest proposal seeks to transform a former industrial precinct into a new residential community centred around the adaptive reuse of one of the site's heritage warehouse buildings.

The new project, on a 6,930 sqm block at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/40-76-william-street-leichhardt-nsw-2040">40–76 William Street</a>, will bring more than 200 apartments to a suburb that has seen little to no new supply in recent years. It follows Ceerose's late 2025 SSDA for a mixed-use apartment project on nearby Parramatta Road, signalling the developer's growing investment in Sydney's Inner West.

Ceerose Founder Edward Doueihi told Apartments.com.au the developer’s long-standing presence in Leichhardt and the Inner West had given it a strong understanding of how the area has evolved and where its future opportunities lie.

“Ceerose has had a long-standing presence in Leichhardt and the Inner West, giving us a unique understanding of the area’s evolution and future potential,” Doueihi said.

“Having delivered projects throughout the region, we have witnessed the suburb’s transformation first-hand and understand the opportunities for its continued growth.”

Doueihi said that understanding also informed the planning process, with a comprehensive Stakeholder Engagement Outcomes Report prepared before the application was lodged.

The report identified the key issues and concerns raised by neighbouring residents and other stakeholders, allowing those matters to be considered and incorporated into the design where appropriate.

He said the delivery of additional housing would also play an important role in supporting the revitalisation of Norton Street and the Italian Forum.

“By increasing the local residential population, the development is expected to strengthen demand for local businesses, encourage further investment, and help restore the vibrancy that made the precinct a thriving destination in the early 2000s.”

<img alt="First look: Ceerose returns to Leichhardt with 203-apartment adaptive reuse proposal at former warehouse site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7258c54c-8167-479e-8361-2d5fca9915b4" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Appendix%2010B%20-%20CGI%20-%20View%202.jpg?VersionId=S9DQfxu_jpcB5LrAEYFUbyMzg5odW6i5" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a>, the redevelopment would involve the demolition of four existing industrial buildings while retaining and adaptively reusing the site's most significant warehouse. The retained structure would anchor a new residential precinct comprising five interconnected buildings arranged around a large central landscaped courtyard, with heights stepping from five storeys along the surrounding residential streets to 11 storeys at the William Street corner.

According to the Architecture Design Report by Woods Bagot, the proposal "seeks to create a residential village centred around a generous green heart while celebrating the site's industrial heritage through the adaptive reuse of the existing warehouse building."

The development would comprise 203 apartments, with 188 proposed as build-to-sell residences, alongside 15 affordable housing apartments.

Rather than treating the retained warehouse as a standalone heritage object, Woods Bagot has sought to weave the site's industrial history throughout the masterplan. The proposal retains the north and west facades of the landmark corner warehouse, while new buildings reinterpret the site's brick-and-steel industrial language through their material palette and architectural expression.

<img alt="First look: Ceerose returns to Leichhardt with 203-apartment adaptive reuse proposal at former warehouse site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9e8c64c2-881b-49e1-8c90-6b6acaaa45b6" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Appendix%2010C%20-%20CGI%20-%20View%203.jpg?VersionId=Qm8_8H_Xrg_sc4Mdjc59vlAcKF_5wRTb" />

The design is organised around what Woods Bagot describes as a "green heart", a landscaped communal open space that reinstates the leafy character removed when the site became an industrial storage facility. A new pedestrian laneway running through the site would improve permeability between William, North and Francis streets, linking residents through landscaped public spaces while activating the ground plane.

Residents would have access to communal gardens and shared recreation areas distributed throughout the development. Sustainability has also been prioritised, with the project targeting an average 7.9-star NatHERS rating. Proposed initiatives include rooftop solar generation, rainwater harvesting, passive solar design, naturally ventilated lobbies, extensive cross-ventilation and the reuse of existing building fabric to reduce embodied carbon.

The adaptive reuse strategy became a defining feature of the application after heritage investigations found only one of the site's industrial buildings could feasibly be retained. The Heritage Impact Statement concludes that preserving the key warehouse façades while referencing the site's industrial character throughout the new development provides an appropriate balance between renewal and conservation.

<img alt="First look: Ceerose returns to Leichhardt with 203-apartment adaptive reuse proposal at former warehouse site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="efffafdb-594f-4e2b-a067-921fd51c05e1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Appendix%2010D%20-%20CGI%20-%20View%204.jpg?VersionId=DPmE4.k16YRt0i27hEZVtJAffarpvUfx" />

"Retention and adaptation of the site buildings has been explored but found not to be feasible except for the tallest building, whose street facades will be retained," the heritage report states.

"The proposed building will interpret the brick and steel character of the subject site, including reuse of some components and construction of a large 'sawtooth' structure in the proposed open space."

<img alt="First look: Ceerose returns to Leichhardt with 203-apartment adaptive reuse proposal at former warehouse site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3bfef2b5-83f5-40cd-9cab-767092f34266" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Appendix%2010E%20-%20CGI%20-%20View%205.jpg?VersionId=7asb3i_ql4ybbuJOUb5UHBEIy0Q9t.DF" />

The William Street site is located around 300 metres from Leichhardt North Light Rail station and a short walk to Norton Street's retail, dining and hospitality precinct. The surrounding area has increasingly become a focus for urban renewal given its proximity to public transport and the Parramatta Road corridor.

Doueihi founded Ceerose in 1998 and has grown the business to become one of Sydney's more active apartment developers in recent years, with completed projects including The Alex Collective in Alexandria, Abbie's Lane in Annandale, and the award-winning Munro House in Elizabeth Bay. They are currently delivering Belgravia, 17 luxury apartments in Potts Point.

Staff reporter

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