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The Brisbane real estate agency consultancy Tessa is taking legal action against the developer of the Newstead Series apartment project after it didn't pay $5.2 million allegedly owed for selling hundreds of apartments.
The Australian Financial Review reported Tessa has briefed barrister Simon Couper, QC, and engaged DLA Piper to commence proceedings before the Supreme Court of Queensland.
The case is against JGL Properties-owned company Evelyn Street Project (pictured above).
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JGL Properties' inner city Newstead Series project included four towers – The Carlyle, The Donaldson, The Ajax and The Koerstz.
The developer, represented by William Roberts Lawyers, alleges the agency agreement between the two parties is "a clear case of a statutory disqualification with the result that Tessa is not entitled to be paid or keep commissions and fees as the formal requirements were not complied with."
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The developer's lawyer said that because Tessa did not get a Form 6 appointment for the apartment towers Ajax and Koerstz, it is not entitled to be paid any commission for sales in two towers.
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<div class="cq-article-content-media section">The developer's lawyer also argues that Tessa is now not even entitled to be paid or keep any commission for sales in or other fees relating to The Carlyle and The Donaldson because of technical reasons in the Property Occupations Act of 2014.</div>
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Tessa has already received commissions and advisory agents fees of $4.95 million to date from the developer but the developer has demanded that be paid back.
The developer denies that Tessa is entitled to payment of a second tranche of fees that become due upon settlement of each apartment sales contract, which started settling last month.
JGL Properties and Tessa both declined to comment on the legal dispute.
The buildings are named after Australia's original wool presses used in the heritage listed woolstores of the Newstead area.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Tessa seeks commissions from JGL Properties for Brisbane off the plan apartment sales

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Versace has opened a Melbourne flagship boutique. The store is Versace's third in Australia.
The flagship boutique is located at 161 Collins Street in Melbourne.
Previous occupants of the space include Ermenegildo Zegna.
The boutique (pictured below) occupies an area of 307 sqm within the T&amp;G building, "blending traditional architectural values of Italy with the dynamism and energy of Versace" today. 
<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/2018/7/5/Versace%203.jpg" alt="">
Located in the prestigious Collins Street luxury precinct, the T&amp;G building's historical features continue inside with the retained Mervyn Napier Waller mural (pictured below) commissioned by the Temperance &amp; General Life Assurance Society in 1928 in what was originally the entrance to the T&amp;G Building. 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/7/5/Versace%202.jpg" alt="">
“I am very proud to be opening a new Versace flagship in such an iconic building within the city of Melbourne.
The T&amp;G building on Collins street is a balanced mix of heritage and modern elements, a perfect representation of what Versace stands for today,” Donatella Versace said.
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Versace has opened its Melbourne flagship boutique on Collins Street

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A former Dancing with the Stars judge, Joshua Horner has recently become a selling agent with The Property Market at Tuggerah on the NSW Central Coast.
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<div>The Watanobbi-based performer (pictured above with Todd McKenney and Helen Richey), who has lived in America for the last eight years, has had a long career in showbiz.</div>
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<div>Since returning home to study to become a qualified real estate agent, he has already secured his first listing in the <a href="https://www.thepropertymarket.com.au/staff/joshua-horner" target="_blank">neighbourhood</a>.</div>
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“It was like a gravitational pull. I felt like I’d achieved all my dreams in entertainment.
"I’d danced on Broadway, became a dual citizen of America, worked for Disney, had my own digital series based in LA,” he told the local News Corp paper, the Central Coast Gosford Express.
“I’m 38, I can’t dance as well as I used to," he said realising how wonderful "we have it on the Central Coast."
<a href="http://www.joshuahorner.com/television" target="_blank">Horner</a> said he would love to buy his own house on the Central Coast, somewhere in the valley.
"The Coast is growing into something amazing .... we all know that everyone from Sydney is moving up here," he said.
 
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Central Coast real estate career beckons for Joshua Horner, former Dancing with the Stars judge

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A lot of Chinese buyers lost their 10 per cent apartment deposits last year.
"That was the worst time,” the Merton boss Harry Tribuboff told The Australian noting the trend had dissipated, but interest from Chinese buyers was still slow.
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Tribuboff confirmed Chinese buyers were “very important to our segment of the market”.
“It is very important not to find new reasons for raising their costs,” he said.
Triguboff didn't specify the extent but said it was a "lot" of Chinese buyers. 
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Apartment prices in Sydney had fallen 15 per cent since early last year and were still weakening, but settling down, according to billionaire developer.
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He suggests there is no bust coming.
Last year Harry Triguboff, Australia’s biggest apartment owner and developer, was offering his buyers free stamp duty.
It applied to local and overseas buyers, but excluded foreign person surcharge purchaser duty and additional foreign acquirer duty.
Robert Gottliebsen, writing in The Australian, indicated the initial reaction to the offer had been from overseas Chinese who were embracing the finance offer.
 
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As prices fall 15%, Harry Triguboff confirms Chinese apartment buyers lost their 10 percent deposits 

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The emerging Chinese property development giant Aqualand has appointed a heavyweight advisory board including former Liberal politician Warwick Smith, chairman of the Australia China Council, and who already sits on the boards of ANZ Bank China.
The former Tasmanian will become executive chairman of Aqualand, AL Capital and chair of the advisory board.
Smith joins the influential company director Gabrielle Trainor and former Multiplex chairman Ross McDiven on its advisory board as the company flags ambitions to become one of Australia’s largest developers.
Ms Trainor is an AFL commissioner, a director of Infrastructure Australia, and a former director of the Barangaroo Development Authority.
Aqualand group managing director Jin Lin, son of the parent group’s founder Yi Lin, said the advisory board appointments marked a significant milestone for Aqualand, which only entered the Australian market in 2014.
It now has 18 sites with a $5 billion development pipeline.
John Carfi, a former head of residential for Mirvac, was appointed in April to oversee its Australian strategy.
Aqualand’s parent is the Sheng­long Group, which controls more than $20 billion of assets in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe.
One of Aqualand’s biggest projects is in Sydney’s $5 billion Central Barangaroo precinct, in a consortium with Canada's Oxford Properties; Melbourne developer Grocon and shopping centre giant Scentre Group.
Aqualand has signalled it will also focus on major affordable housing projects following last month’s passing of legislation for the $1 billion National Housing Infrastructure Facility.
It is bidding for part of the NSW government’s 10-year $2.5 billion Telopea social and affordable housing masterplanned community near Parramatta.
Aqualand has established AL Capital — led by investment banker Wayne Mo — which last month spent $10.7 million buying 15 per cent equity in the listed real estate agency McGrath.
The group has an arrangement to now utilise McGrath’s project marketing expertise on its projects for a five year term, where McGrath has the first right to discuss the marketing propositions.
John Carfi said last week that the company aimed to rival Australia biggest developers over the next five years.
The group currently had just over $2bn invested in Australia, he said.
 
 
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Aqualand appoints Sinophile Warwick Smith 

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GUEST OBSERVATION
July 1 marked the 80th anniversary of Australia’s iron ore embargo against Japan. The official reason was resource conservation, but the ban was really driven by a fear of Japan – which had been buying up assets like iron ore and scrap metal – gaining a stronghold in Australia that threatened our sovereignty and security.
Despite the passing of 80 years, Australia is having the same discussions we had back in 1938, only this time about China.
China’s growing commercial influence in Australia and other Asia-Pacific countries has sparked concerns about its political ambitions. Responding to these concerns with economic sanctions is likely only to pander to US desires to curb Chinese influence, placing Australia’s economic future and regional security at risk.
The economic sanctions Japan faced in the 1930s and early 1940s contributed in large part to the outbreak of the Pacific War.
With the recent tit-for-tat US and Chinese trade restrictions, is the world heading down a similar path?
What can we do differently this time around?
Australia must recast its foreign policy with a view to the role it wishes to play in its immediate region. This needs to be a little more adventurous than the 2017 Foreign Policy White Paper.
The Australia of the 1930s faced a region in flux. There were territorial disputes, the waning power of Britain – Australia’s primary ally and protector – and the growing military and commercial weight of regional power Japan, whose intentions remained unclear. Sound familiar?
In early 1937, fears emerged of a world steel shortage. While iron ore restrictions were being introduced elsewhere, the Australian government maintained that it was not a lack of resources that had created a shortage but an inadequate output.
It came as quite a surprise then, in May 1938, when the Australian government announced an embargo on iron ore exports, effective July 1 1938. The government cited a (then) recent and very brief report, compiled by the Commonwealth government geological adviser, which concluded iron ore deposits were much smaller than had been estimated and perhaps would not meet domestic needs.
The embargo included existing agreements with foreign investors, such as the Japanese lease at the Yampi Sound mines in Western Australia, where preparations for the first iron ore extraction were well under way.
The government stressed that the embargo was not due to anti-Japanese sentiment. Nevertheless, this was the conclusion the Japanese government drew as it tried and failed to secure access to the Yampi Sound project.
The size of Australia’s current iron ore exports calls into question the logic of this report and the export ban it led to.
A foreign foothold in Australian territory
Throughout the 1930s, Japan pursued a policy of southward expansion, both territorial and economic in nature. At the centre of this policy was the need for resources to cater for Japan’s rapidly growing population. This involved the “economic penetration” of Far Eastern nations, investing Japanese capital to secure essential goods.
Australia, still recovering from the Great Depression, welcomed these investments.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/223755/original/file-20180619-126534-53upal.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
‘Construct new Japan as Below’. Legend reads: Industrial Centre, Immigration Spheres, Expansion Spheres for White Races, Trade Expansion Spheres, Investment Expansion Spheres. From the Collection of the National Archives of Australia, A601, 402/17/30.
Japan’s visions for territorial expansions became clear in July 1937. Japan – as Australia had long feared – proved itself an aggressor when its army invaded China, signalling the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War.
Australia opted for a diplomatic response to this conflict, remaining impartial and encouraging “cooperation and conciliation” as the solution.
However, Japanese economic investments were being viewed with increasing caution.
Australia’s trade commissioner in Tokyo, Eric E. Longfield Lloyd, reported that Japan’s territorial expansion into China had been aided by a seemingly innocent system of economic penetration throughout the 1920s and ’30s. He feared that allowing the Yampi Sound project to continue, operated as it was by Japanese staff, would result in a “foreign foothold” in Australian territory.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/225423/original/file-20180629-117377-1iiilnu.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
From the collections of the National Archives of Australia, A601, 402/17/30.
Longfield Lloyd pressed for the project’s cancellation “by any means whatsoever”. One proposal was was an export embargo “by declaration of insufficiency”.
Here was the origin of the 1938 iron ore embargo.
Chequebook diplomacy
Much like in 1938, today’s fears about Chinese investments hinge on the question of political influence and security implications.
These concern have led to the limiting of property investments and the banning of foreign political donations.
Further afield, China’s vast infrastructure program, the Belt and Road Initiative, has sparked speculation that the nation is using chequebook diplomacy – and perhaps debt-book diplomacy – to secure economic leverage and gain greater influence in regional and global affairs.
This is of particular concern in Australia’s immediate sphere of influence, Southeast Asia and the South Pacific.
Most recently, the Australian government sought to protect its diplomatic and security interests when it outbid the Chinese telecom giant Huawei for the rights to construct a network of internet cables linking the Solomon Islands to Sydney.
Time for a long-range view of Australia and its foreign policy
The economic pressure exerted on Japan in the 1930s and early 1940s – in which Australia was by no means alone, with the US and Britain leading the charge – deprived the nation of its means of survival. This hastened the campaign of aggressive regional conquest in pursuit of raw materials that eventually led to Pacific War.
To be sure, China’s current economic position makes it unlikely that trade sanctions will lead to armed conflict. But throw in territorial disputes, erratic leadership, the US-China struggle for Pacific dominance, and the future seems a lot less certain.
With all this in mind, the 1938 iron ore embargo does serve as a warning against over-reliance and a blinkered outlook that sees only potential dangers in our immediate region.
Now is the time for Australian to broaden its foreign relations, avoiding the potential downfall of over-reliance on the Chinese market and the US alliance, while building new diplomatic ties.
There is such an opportunity in Australia’s neighbourhood, “that part of the world”, as shadow defence minister Richard Marles recently argued: “in which our influence matters the greatest. What we say and do in the Pacific carries enormous weight.”
Australia must take the initiative in its immediate region to develop varied and mutually beneficial economic, diplomatic and strategic relationships.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/98387/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">In this way, Australia can strengthen its own economy, the economies nearby and its role as a regional leader and collaborator.
Honae Cuffe, PhD Candidate, History, University of Newcastle
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/fears-about-chinas-influence-are-a-rerun-of-attitudes-to-japan-80-years-ago-98387" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Fears about China's influence are a rerun of attitudes to Japan 80 years ago

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Palm Beach's recent priciest listing has been sold.
It was <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-palm+beach-128167494" target="_blank">the Ocean Road townhouse style project </a>of Hardie Grant chairman John Gerahty and wife Patricia.
It was listed with high hopes despite not having the land size of its near record setters.
The Manly Daily speculate the sale price was "around $20 million".
With a handy six car spaces, the Gerahty's home sits on 965 square metres which was part of the Deaton family's Tropique property before it was subdivided and sold off.
One of the parcels went to Sydney Swans chairman and investment banker Andrew Pridham.
The Gerahty's had the four level home was completed just last month by Cadence and Co.
The no-expense spared build was designed to make the most of its north-facing position, with views to the Barrenjoey Lighthouse. 
The home has six bedrooms, a media room and separate guest quarters. 
Christie's International agent Ken Jacobs calls it the pinnacle of Palm Beach.
Jacobs says the natural beauty of Palm Beach and the lack of apartment developments have ensured continued appeal.
A $20 million sale would not be the highest Palm Beach since in 2016 Gretel Packer secured the family bungalow on its well-shaded 4000 square metre beachfront reserve holding in a transfer with a notional $24 million value.
It was 1981 when her father, the late media tycoon Kerry Packer broke through the beachside suburb's million-dollar threshold with his $1 million purchase of the Ocean Road holding from the MacCormick family, who had paid 12,000 pounds in 1952.
The $24 million figure ranked as Palm Beach's priciest as the prior high was the $22 million paid nearby by car dealer Laurie Sutton in 2012 for the trophy home, Kalua.
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Palm Beach's priciest townhouse trophy home listing's mystery sale

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Sunshine Coast residents will soon be able to make use of Queensland’s first grand linear park.
Located within Palmview’s largest masterplanned community, Harmony (pictured above), the first $3.1 million phase is set to be completed by mid-August.
Once fully complete, the park will span more than five hectares and run the length of 10 football fields.
AVID Property's Bruce Harper said he was thrilled to be nearing the opening the first phase of the park.
“The Grand Linear Park will be a popular new hub for the whole community to come together and enjoy spending time outdoors, an exciting new addition not just for Harmony residents, but for the entire Coast.”
The Grand Linear Park (pictured below) will ultimately be made up of a series of local parks, each with individual facilities.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/7/4/Harmony%20Aerial.JPG" alt="">
Phase one will provide two hectares of community space and the first stage of a large network of interconnected cycle and walk ways.
Phase one of the park will house three separate play areas, and an outdoor fitness centre.
“With 90% of our residents at Harmony set to be within 250 metres of a local park, getting outdoors to enjoy the Sunshine Coast’s active lifestyle will be not only easy but accessible for everyone,” Harper said.
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Construction underway on linear park at masterplanned Sunshine Coast community

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During the first quarter of 2018, resales of Adelaide properties generated $491 million in profits and $14.9 million in losses.
These resales accounted for 3.3% of total resale profits nationally and 3.5% of resale losses.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/7/5/PG%20Adelaide%202.JPG" alt="">
The regions with the lowest share of resale losses over the quarter were Burnside, Prospect and Unley while the greatest share of resale losses occurred in Playford, Walkerville and Adelaide.
Adelaide is continuing to see only moderate increases in values however, like most other capital cities, the share of resales at a loss has increased over the quarter.
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Adelaide properties generating profit, but values only rising moderately: CoreLogic

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Perth created $98.1 million in loss making resales accounting for 22.9% of all losses nationally, over the March 2018 quarter.
Its resales of residential properties in Perth created $889 million worth of resale profits which accounted for 6% of resale profits nationally.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/7/5/PG%20Perth%201.JPG" alt="">
Peppermint Grove had no resales at a loss.
No other council region had fewer than 15% of resales at a loss over the quarter.
The highest proportion of resales at a loss over the quarter was recorded in the Perth, Mandurah and Rockingham council areas.
With the housing market across Perth showing tentative signs of bottoming out, we may start to see loss making sales steady however, both houses and units recorded an increase over the quarter.
Click to <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/7/5/PG%20Perth%202.JPG" target="_blank">enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/7/5/PG%20Perth%202.JPG" alt="">
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Perth accounted for 23% of all residential resale losses nationally: CoreLogic Pain & Gain report

Design-led developer-builder Lowe Living has unveiled its latest residential development, Jardin House, marking its first foray into Melbourne's blue-chip City of Boroondara.

Located a short walk from Camberwell Junction, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/jardin-house-by-lowe-living-camberwell-335-camberwell-road-camberwell-vic-3124">Jardin House</a> has been designed to appeal to affluent local downsizers and established families seeking a low-maintenance alternative to the large homes that have long defined Camberwell and surrounding suburbs.

The project will comprise a collection of two and three-bedroom apartments ranging from 92 sqm to 280 sqm, alongside a limited number of penthouse residences featuring rooftop terraces spanning more than 100 sqm, with optional private pools.

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[smartcode_project:default project_id=146717 project_image_fid=372212]

Lowe Living Co-Founder and Managing Director Tim Lowe said Camberwell represented a natural next step for the developer as it expands into some of Melbourne's most tightly held residential markets.

"Jardin House is an important project for our team as it marks the next evolution of our portfolio into different well-established blue-chip pockets of Melbourne," Lowe said.

"Camberwell, with its incredible walkability, family-led neighbourhood feel and superb access to education and transport, makes it a natural choice for us."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146717 project_image_fid=372227]

Designed by Tristan Wong Architects, with interiors by Hecker Guthrie and landscaping by Acre, the development takes inspiration from the Art Deco architecture that remains a defining feature of many of Camberwell's established streets.

A curved facade, arched openings, textured brickwork and sculpted forms reference the suburb's architectural heritage, while extensive landscaping softens the building's presence and creates a strong connection to the surrounding tree-lined streetscape.

The project will be set behind a secure gated entrance, with residents arriving through landscaped gardens designed to create a transition between the public realm and private residences.

Inside, the residences feature natural stone and timber finishes, full-height glazing, Miele appliances and generous open-plan living areas designed for long-term owner occupation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146717 project_image_fid=372225]

While the apartments themselves have been designed to attract discerning owner-occupiers, it is the amenity offering that sets Jardin House apart from many other boutique projects currently launching across Melbourne.

The centrepiece is a 350 sqm private bathhouse curated in partnership with Aurora Spa &amp; Bathhouse founder Lyndall Mitchell.

The wellness precinct includes mineral pools, hydrotherapy experiences, a Himalayan salt room, sauna, steam room, cold plunge pools and dedicated relaxation spaces, creating what Lowe Living describes as a private wellness retreat exclusively for residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146717 project_image_fid=372222]

The collaboration follows Lowe Living's recent partnership with Aurora at Maison Savoy in Brighton, although Jardin House is the first project to incorporate both indoor and outdoor wellness experiences.

Emma Lowe, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Lowe Living, said wellness was becoming an increasingly important consideration for apartment buyers.

"Collaborating with Lyndall Mitchell from Aurora Spa &amp; Bathhouse for a second time is an intentional nod to creating residences that are more than just homes, but a way to enrich the lives of our residents through wellness and longevity," Lowe said.

The amenity offering is complemented by a Technogym fitness studio, residents' lounge, private dining spaces and concierge services.

The launch comes as developers increasingly target Melbourne's established eastern suburbs, where rising land values, ageing housing stock and growing downsizer demand are creating opportunities for boutique apartment projects.

Lowe said the company expects significant generational wealth transfer across suburbs such as Camberwell in coming years, creating further demand for luxury apartment living.

"Camberwell is a blue-chip suburb where homes regularly transact for multiple millions of dollars," he said.

"The generational change of wealth in these locations expected in the coming years is significant, so we see an opportunity to create exclusive residences that appeal to older families and downsizers in order to meet this demand."

Apartments at Jardin house start from $1,195,000. The project forms part of Lowe Living's near-$1 billion portfolio of new developments across Melbourne.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=146717]

Joel Robinson

Lowe Living launches Jardin House in Camberwell

As <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/north-sydney-nsw-2060">North Sydney</a> continues its transition from a commercial centre into a more layered residential and lifestyle precinct, a new generation of apartment developments is reshaping expectations around scale, amenity, and long-term liveability.

Improved transport connections through the Victoria Cross Metro, continued investment in dining and public spaces, and a constrained supply of new luxury apartments have sharpened demand for homes that combine proximity to the CBD with the privacy and outlook traditionally associated with harbourside houses.

At 177 Walker Street, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/aland">ALAND</a>’s new apartment development <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-walden-north-sydney-177-walker-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">The Walden</a> enters the market with a distinctly residential approach to high-rise living. The 30-level tower will deliver 161 residences, ranging from one-bedroom apartments through to sub-penthouses and a full-floor penthouse, all oriented to capture uninterrupted views across Sydney Harbour, the Opera House, and out toward the Pacific Ocean.

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Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a>, the project takes advantage of the site’s natural topography and elevated position above the harbour. Rather than relying on density alone, the architecture focuses on outlook, orientation, and spatial flow, with every apartment occupying a corner position to maximise natural light and cross ventilation.

Rothelowman says the site itself shaped much of the architectural response.

“The site has a long history in terms of its inevitable transformation and when we came in, we took inspiration from the idea of reestablishing a sense of the site’s natural terrain and fall. Our scheme aims to integrate with the terrain and the landscape, using the undulating site to slowly reveal glimpses and views of the harbour. The rotation of the tower off grid means every apartment has a view and is naturally cross ventilated. The building's colour palette is quintessentially Sydney, with bronze and sandstone and a luminescent green colour in the glass, making it very earthy and grounded in its location.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6399]

Inside the residences, the emphasis moves toward larger-format living typically associated with standalone homes. Kitchens sit at the centre of the apartments, connecting directly to open-plan dining and living areas before extending outward into expansive winter gardens and balconies. Calacatta marble, bespoke joinery, integrated appliances, and custom metal detailing are used throughout, while three distinct interior palettes, Terrace, Opera, and Harbour, allow buyers to personalise the spaces without compromising the architectural consistency of the project.

The larger residences place particular attention on separation between entertaining and private zones. In many apartments, master suites occupy the outer corners of the floorplates, allowing bedrooms to benefit from floor-to-ceiling glazing and harbour outlooks independent of the living spaces. Dressing rooms and ensuites continue the material palette through fluted detailing, freestanding baths, and layered stone finishes.

Rothelowman says the design intent centred on creating homes that feel enduring rather than transient.

“Our philosophy is all about the way people live in these spaces, and we wanted to create homes that reflect the quality of life in this unique Sydney location. The apartments showcase expansive living spaces that are generous, sophisticated, and bold, with the ability to connect with views throughout each apartment.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=353235]

A separate four-storey amenity building known as The Pavilion expands the residential offering beyond the apartments themselves. Positioned alongside the tower, the building consolidates wellness, recreation, and social spaces into a dedicated resident retreat. Facilities include a 20-metre rooftop pool and sundeck, sauna, spa, ice bath, wellness studio, gymnasium, concierge service, wine cellar, residents’ lounge, private dining spaces, and dedicated co-working areas with meeting rooms and boardroom facilities.

The amenity mix reflects the buyer profile emerging in North Sydney, where owner-occupiers and downsizers are increasingly prioritising convenience, apartment scale, and long-term usability over purely investment-driven decisions.

The Walden also represents a significant milestone for ALAND, marking the company’s first major move into Sydney’s inner-city luxury apartment market after more than two decades delivering large-scale residential communities across Greater Sydney. Founder Andrew Hrsto says the Walker Street site stood apart because of both its positioning and its rarity.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6390]

“As a company, we had been searching for a site in one of Sydney’s blue-chip locations, spanning the Eastern Suburbs, the Sydney CBD and the North Shore, and when we had the opportunity to purchase this site, we immediately recognised that it could be something iconic.”

At launch, The Walden recorded more than $103 million in sales, with buyers drawn to the project’s harbour positioning, apartment scale, and proximity to the Metro, which now connects North Sydney to Barangaroo in three minutes and Martin Place in five.

ALAND has commenced construction, and is expecting a completion date in 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134323]

The Walden pairs house-scale living with North Sydney connectivity

The ACT will become the first jurisdiction in Australia to abolish stamp duty for all first home buyers, with no income caps and no property price thresholds from 1 July.

The move, announced as part of the ACT Budget, completes a key election commitment from the Barr Government and removes what Chief Minister Andrew Barr described as one of the biggest barriers to entering the housing market. The reform forms part of the ACT's long-running transition away from transaction taxes and towards a broader-based property tax system.

"This budget marks a major milestone in our long-term tax reform program," Barr said, adding that the government had maintained a sustained focus on removing barriers to home ownership. He said stamp duty had long been one of the largest upfront hurdles facing buyers and that from July, "that barrier is gone" for first home buyers in the Territory.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=139989 project_image_fid=350986]

The changes come alongside a range of measures designed to encourage new housing supply, including support for the delivery of so-called "missing middle" housing such as terraces, townhouses and low-rise multi-unit developments.

The announcement has renewed debate around whether the ACT's approach could provide a blueprint for improving housing affordability nationally.

New research from OurTop10.com.au, conducted by Primara Research, suggests the Territory's decade-long reform agenda has produced outcomes unmatched elsewhere in Australia.

While stamp duty costs have increased by an average 67 per cent nationally over the past decade, the ACT has recorded growth of just 15 per cent, the lowest increase of any jurisdiction.

The Territory has also emerged as one of the strongest performers on housing delivery. Based on population-weighted housing targets, the ACT is sitting less than one per cent behind its target. Victoria is the next closest at seven per cent behind, while the national average sits 25 per cent below target. New South Wales is tracking 39 per cent behind.

The latest reform removes one of the final barriers facing first home buyers in Canberra.

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The average Australian home buyer currently pays $61,714 in stamp duty. In the ACT, that figure is $38,399 despite the Territory having the third-highest median house price in the country.

Until now, the ACT's first home buyer concession scheme only applied to purchases up to $1.02 million, around $51,000 below Canberra's median house price of $1.071 million. In practical terms, many first home buyers were unable to access the median-priced home without losing the concession.

From July, those restrictions disappear.

Every first home buyer in the ACT will pay no stamp duty, regardless of income or purchase price.

Canberra remains one of Australia's most expensive housing markets, with dwelling values increasing 82 per cent over the past decade. However, that growth ranks only 11th among Australia's 15 major housing markets, suggesting affordability pressures have been less severe than in many other parts of the country.

Simon Ma, CEO of OurTop10.com.au, said the latest reforms recognise that many first home buyers have simply outgrown thresholds set years ago.

"Many first home buyers aren't just looking for a way onto the ladder, they want a home their family can actually live in," Ma said.

"In a market where the median house price is over a million dollars, a concession scheme that cuts out at $1.02 million was never going to get them there.

"Removing the ceiling entirely means ACT first home buyers can now pursue the home they actually want, rather than limiting themselves to a price point designed for a very different market."

Whether other states follow remains to be seen. But at a time when most jurisdictions are struggling to improve affordability while also increasing housing supply, the ACT has quietly become the national test case for both.

15% stamp duty growth. Just 1% off the national housing target. Zero stamp duty for FHBs. Is the ACT the blueprint for the great Australian dream?

ACT abolishes stamp duty for first home buyers

A rooftop pool and spa overlooking the Brisbane CBD, private dining spaces, expansive landscaped gardens and a residents' lounge are set to crown <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/callista-on-park-west-end-49-mollison-street-west-end-qld-4101">Callista on Park</a>, the final residential building within Brisbane's West Village precinct.

The rooftop amenity collection has been designed as an extension of the lifestyle already established throughout West Village, providing residents with a series of indoor and outdoor spaces that capitalise on the building's elevated position above West End.

A swimming pool and heated spa form the centrepiece of the rooftop offering, surrounded by landscaped gardens developed through a collaboration between developer Sekisui House and ASPECT Studios. The design incorporates expansive lawn areas surrounded by English garden-inspired planting.

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Residents will also have access to two barbecue and outdoor dining areas positioned to take advantage of views across Brisbane's skyline, neighbouring Mollison Park, and the surrounding inner-city landscape.

For larger gatherings, the rooftop includes a private dining room centred around a substantial stone island bench, complete with a full kitchen and a 10-seat dining table set beneath four-metre-high ceilings. The space has been designed to overlook both the rooftop gardens and the Brisbane CBD skyline.

A separate residents' lounge provides an additional indoor retreat connected to the broader rooftop amenity offering, creating another space for residents to work, relax or entertain guests.

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The attention to detail extends beyond the rooftop.

Upon arrival, residents will enter through a lobby featuring a bespoke ceiling light installation developed in collaboration between Sekisui House and Alcorn Middleton Architecture. The arrival experience is complemented by private resident mailboxes and carefully considered interior finishes designed to reflect the premium positioning of the building.

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The amenity offering forms part of Callista on Park, the final residential release within the decade-long transformation of the former Peters Ice Cream Factory site into West Village, one of Brisbane's most established mixed-use communities.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> and being delivered by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/hutchinson-builders">Hutchinson Builders</a>, Callista represents the most premium residential offering within the masterplanned precinct.

Construction is now entering its final stages, with scaffolding beginning to come down and completion expected in the first quarter of 2027.

Prices for the three-bedroom plus MPR apartments start from just over $2.6 million.

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Callista will mark the final opportunity to purchase within West Village, where residents have direct access to more than 35 retail, dining, wellness and medical operators including Harris Farm Markets, Woolworths, Function Well and Goodlife Health Clubs, Metro Arts, and a growing collection of restaurants and cafés.

Located just 800 metres from the Brisbane CBD, the precinct also places residents within walking distance of South Bank, West End's dining scene, riverfront parklands and major public transport connections.

For Sekisui House, which has delivered more than two million homes globally, Callista serves as the concluding piece of the West Village masterplan, bringing together the precinct's heritage character, parkland setting and emphasis on walkability in a final collection of larger-format residences.

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Rooftop pool, private dining and skyline gardens to crown West Village's final apartment release, Callista on Park

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/wahroonga-nsw-2076">Wahroonga</a>’s enduring appeal has long been tied to its balance of bushland, established amenity, and access to some of Sydney’s most respected education and healthcare institutions.

Along Fox Valley Road, that combination is becoming increasingly sought after by buyers looking to remain connected to the Upper North Shore lifestyle while prioritising walkability, wellbeing, and convenience.

Developer Capital Corporation's initial vision of a 62-hectare site on Fox Valley Road was that they could create their own walkable community, bordered by&nbsp;more than 25 hectares of bushland and adjoining Coups Creek.

<img alt="Wahroonga" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b84917a1-0d75-49b9-888c-ddf7ebfd6692" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/NEW2026_Wahroonga_Walkway.gif?VersionId=Gk3_xi5ssYfalmwuQQ5umQakddceC31j" />

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-residences-at-wahroonga-estate-169-fox-valley-road-wahroonga-nsw-2076">The Residences at Wahroonga Estate</a> draws directly on the area’s natural landscape, with walking trails and green corridors linking into sections of Lane Cove National Park. The surrounding network of bushwalks, cycling tracks, and reserves reinforces the suburb’s long-standing reputation as one of Sydney’s most nature-oriented residential pockets, while still maintaining close ties to village retail and transport infrastructure.

The address places residents within minutes of Wahroonga and Turramurra villages, where cafés, local grocers, boutiques, and everyday services support a highly localised lifestyle. Popular nearby venues including The Fox Café and Breeze Valley Café provide easy options for morning coffee or casual dining, while longstanding retailers such as IGA Wahroonga Fresh and Novella Fine Books continue to anchor the area’s village character.

&nbsp;

<img alt="Wahroonga" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c4a950f7-4f05-4370-b360-b106359788e5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/2026_Wahroonga_Entry_Gates.gif?VersionId=7n5kh9ymu.azYEYDemJkPgiIAfSw44oj" />

Healthcare access remains one of the defining locational advantages of the estate. Sydney Adventist Hospital, known locally as The San, sits directly adjacent and is one of the largest and most respected private hospitals in New South Wales. The hospital precinct incorporates specialist medical services, radiology, physiotherapy, and outpatient care, contributing to growing buyer demand from downsizers and owner-occupiers seeking long-term convenience and peace of mind.

Research commissioned by Capital Corporation found that health and wellbeing considerations are increasingly influencing downsizing decisions, particularly among buyers wanting to remain within familiar neighbourhoods while accessing medical infrastructure more easily.

Education has also historically underpinned demand across Wahroonga and the broader Upper North Shore. The estate sits close to several of Sydney’s leading private and independent schools, including Knox Grammar, Abbotsleigh, Barker College, Pymble Ladies’ College, Ravenswood School for Girls, and Loreto Normanhurst. Co-educational options including Wahroonga Adventist School and Sydney Adventist School further strengthen the area’s appeal to established families looking for long-term schooling pathways within a tightly held catchment.

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Transport connectivity supports the suburb’s liveability without compromising its quieter residential character. Wahroonga and Turramurra train stations provide direct rail access into the Sydney CBD, while the nearby Pacific Highway and M1 motorway strengthen links across the North Shore and broader metropolitan area. At the same time, the heavily treed streetscape and low-density character continue to distinguish the precinct from more urbanised parts of Sydney.

The Residences at Wahroonga Estate forms the first stage of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/capital-corporation">Capital Corporation</a>’s broader masterplanned vision for the precinct, delivered alongside the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

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Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/group-gsa">GroupGSA</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/coco-republic-interior-design">Coco Republic</a>, the development integrates landscaped communal spaces including a pet-friendly Green Spine, resident lounge, BBQ pavilion, and direct bushland access, reinforcing the project’s focus on outdoor connection and community-based living.

Now under construction by Gold Star iCIRT-rated builder <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/dasco-australia">DASCO</a>, The Residences at Wahroonga Estate will deliver a collection of one, two, and three-bedroom apartments priced from $990,000, with completion anticipated in 2027.

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