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Wallan offers the cheapest newly released residential land at a median of $248 per square metre, the latest Domain Group data shows.
Craigieburn had the most number of land sales over the December quarter.
Doreen in Melbourne's north-east recorded the strongest annual growth for land prices at 18.5 per cent.
The median price for land in Pakenham also jumped 17.3 per cent over the year.
Some western suburbs had weaker values and growth because there was more land, Domain Group chief economist Andrew Wilson noted.
 
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<th class="igc-table-header igicon-sort " data-column="0">Suburb</th>
<th class="igc-table-header igc-table-dynamic-column igicon-sort" data-column="1">Median</th>
<th class="igc-table-header igc-table-dynamic-column igicon-sort" data-column="2">1-year growth</th>
<th class="igc-table-header igc-table-dynamic-column igicon-sort" data-column="3">Median price per m2</th>
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<td class="igc-table-cell">Wallan</td>
<td class="igc-table-cell">$165,000</td>
<td class="igc-table-cell">15.8%</td>
<td class="igc-table-cell">$248</td>
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<td class="igc-table-cell">Bacchus Marsh</td>
<td class="igc-table-cell">$189,500</td>
<td class="igc-table-cell">18.4%</td>
<td class="igc-table-cell">$284</td>
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<td class="igc-table-cell">Sunbury</td>
<td class="igc-table-cell">$235,000</td>
<td class="igc-table-cell">7.8%</td>
<td class="igc-table-cell">$319</td>
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<td class="igc-table-cell">Brookfield</td>
<td class="igc-table-cell">$154,990</td>
<td class="igc-table-cell">3.3%</td>
<td class="igc-table-cell">$326</td>
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<td class="igc-table-cell">Melton South</td>
<td class="igc-table-cell">$147,000</td>
<td class="igc-table-cell">1.4%</td>
<td class="igc-table-cell">$335</td>
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<td class="igc-table-cell">Melton West</td>
<td class="igc-table-cell">$157,500</td>
<td class="igc-table-cell">7.1%</td>
<td class="igc-table-cell">$354</td>
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<td class="igc-table-cell">Wyndham Vale</td>
<td class="igc-table-cell">$180,950</td>
<td class="igc-table-cell">-0.8%</td>
<td class="igc-table-cell">$423</td>
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<td class="igc-table-cell">Pakenham</td>
<td class="igc-table-cell">$230,000</td>
<td class="igc-table-cell">17.3%</td>
<td class="igc-table-cell">$434</td>
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<td class="igc-table-cell">Mickleham</td>
<td class="igc-table-cell">$217,000</td>
<td class="igc-table-cell">6.9%</td>
<td class="igc-table-cell">$480</td>
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<td class="igc-table-cell">Doreen</td>
<td class="igc-table-cell">$237,000</td>
<td class="igc-table-cell">18.5%</td>
<td class="igc-table-cell">$521</td>
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<div class="innertext" data-placeholder="">Source: Domain Group</div>
<div class="innertext" data-placeholder=""> </div>
<div class="innertext" data-placeholder="">A large 11,350 sqm of land at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-residential+land-vic-doreen-201725862" target="_blank">79D Cookes Road</a>, Doreen (above) has been recently listed for sale.</div>
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Similarly a commercial land at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-residential+land-vic-wallan-201711450" target="_blank">19 High Street</a>, Wallan (below) has been listed for sale.
<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/2017/02/20/19%20High%20Street.jpg" alt="">
A residential block at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-residential+land-vic-wallan-200516515" target="_blank">22 Moondara Terrace</a>, Wallan (below) was recently sold for $151,000.
<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/2017/02/20/22%20Moondara%20Terrace.jpg" alt="">
Similarly a residential land at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-residential+land-vic-doreen-201628138" target="_blank">59 Woorawa Drive</a>, Doreen (below) was recently sold for $246,000.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Wallan ranks as Melbourne's cheapest land release suburb

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The total land value for the Northern Tablelands region has increased over the 12 month period to 1 July 2016 by 9.5 percent from $7.42 billion to $8.13 billion.
Rural properties showed the highest overall increase of approximately 11.4 percent.
Good seasonal conditions together with strong commodity prices for beef and lamb have been the main drivers for strong increases in rural land values in the region.
Inverell LGA showed the strongest increase (20.3 percent), while the lowest growth was experienced in the Walcha LGA (7.9 percent).
A 961 ha mixed farming land at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-mixed+farming-nsw-inverell-7876718" target="_blank">Inverell</a> (above) has been listed for sale for $3,750,000.
Residential land values increased by 6.2 percent overall.
The highest increases were in the LGAs of Uralla (12.1 percent), Inverell (7.7 percent) and Armidale (7.2 percent), whilst Walcha (-4.9 percent) and Glen Innes (-2.1 percent) showed a decrease in value.
Residential land at Uralla (above) was recently sold for $107,000.
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Commercial land values across the region generally remained steady.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/03/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-03%20at%2011.33.40%20am.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
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The strongest increase occurred in the LGA of Uralla (16.8 percent).
However, commercial land values decreased in the LGAs of Walcha (-5.3 percent) and Glen Innes (-2.4 percent) reflecting lower demand for commercial property in these areas.
Industrial land values for the region have generally remained steady.
The strongest increase was experienced in Uralla (9 percent), with the largest decrease in Walcha (-5 percent).
For more information including interactive online land value summaries for all LGAs and 14 regions covering the state go to 
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Land value for rural Northerland Tablelands properties increases by 11.4%: NSW Valuer-General

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The rural sector in the Northern Territory welcomes 2017 in a very positive fashion, with a promising start to the wet season and very good commodity prices generally, according to Herron Todd White’s latest report.
The property valuation firm says that it brings an air of confidence which will hopefully result in increased activity and investment.
In the pastoral sector, strong live export prices are still being experienced out of Darwin and other northern ports.
Although it would appear that most NT properties changed hands in the course of 2015/6, there are in fact a number of properties still on the market.
“We are aware of at least three pastoral lease transactions to have exchanged not only in the Top End but also in the Centre, and hope to report on these once they are finalised.
Additionally, the purchase of Phoenix Park at Katherine by the Hancock Group has seen renewed interest in larger freehold blocks with good highway access, which are suitable for depot blocks, especially for owners of more remote pastoral leases that do not have good access.
Again, we will provide details once these properties have settled,” the report stated.
Many of these types of properties also have horticultural potential.
Through 2016, the sandalwood industry continued to show its dominance in this sector, purchasing and developing more country.
The latest sale of Early Storms in the Douglas Daly district further consolidated this trend.
Early Storms had previously been a very productive melon farm, however its conversion to sandalwood is indicative of changing land uses in this district.
The emergence of the sandalwood industry is also part of the reason for an increasing focus on water allocations in the NT.
“At this time, we are not aware of any arm’s length sales of water licences between properties in the NT.
However as investment in horticulture increases, it is expected that demand for water will increase.
Over time, we expect to see the value of water allocations in the NT become much more important to the same extent seen in irrigation areas in southern states,” the report stated.
The NT has an abundance of water and an abundance of land but there are relatively few places where good quality soil types and reliable water intersect.
Certainly the NT Government wants to ensure that the mistakes of over allocation of water licences which occurred in other jurisdictions is not repeated here.
“We therefore see that the limited amount of allocated water will become more valuable over time, possibly at a faster rate than the land on which it is used,” the report stated.
A rural property at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-mixed+farming-nt-katherine-7818338" target="_blank">6755 Florina Road</a>, Katherine (above), the Florina Station, was sold for $6,802,534 last August.
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Northern Territory rural market on a positive note: HTW

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Set in a hidden sanctuary of Australian bushland above Middle Harbour, the 1.04 ha Neerim Park is undoubtedly one of Sydney's most private estates.
The trophy estate, <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-castle+cove-124744250" target="_blank">Neerim Park</a> has been listed for sale with $14 million hopes by the Woodward family who paid $5.37 million in 1999.
It is a waterfront reserve landholding on Middle Harbour with a 1140 sqm three storey home designed by architect Michael Robilliard.
It was built in 1998-99 for the late entrepreneur David Coe and his wife Michelle.
The property accommodates six bedrooms with a home office, games room/gym and a stone kitchen with a scullery.
There is also a two-storey guesthouse or au pairs quarters.
 
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The grounds has an all-weather tennis court, a heated pool, entertaining terraces as well as expanses of level lawn and tropical enclaves.
A Kohler steam room, six car garaging, ducted air conditioning and wine cellar are also included.
The property is offered through Ken Jacobs, Christie's International Real Estate agents Martin Ross and Darren Curtis.
 
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Castle Cove's Neerim Park trophy home listed for sale

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A prime parkside property at Chatswood has been sold for $4,955,000, the dearest result at auctions across Australia over the weekend.
Located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-chatswood-124569382" target="_blank">47 Stanley Street</a>, the property was marketed as "an ideal combination of prime positioning and powerful potential."
The solid five bedroom Federation home sits on a 925 sq m block with views over Bales Park.
There were 25 bids before it was knocked down to an owner occupier at about 15 per cent above its reserve.
It has many original period details along with marble fireplaces, high ornate ceilings and polished floors.
The property was offered through LJ Hooker agents John McManus and Jing Peng.
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Chatswood parkside Federation trophy home sold for $4,955,000

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Hazelwood, an 1890s Victorian-era home at Canterbury sold for $4.2 million in Melbourne's second dearest weekend auction result.
Located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-canterbury-124547526" target="_blank">4 Victoria Avenue</a>, the five bedroom property combines both classic and contemporary fixtures.
It is in close proximity to Golden Mile address as well as tram, train and Maling Road shopping.
It has a huge lounge, large Euro/granite kitchen/meals area that opens to the pool-view deck.
A family room, garden studio/home office, cellar and remote double garage are also featured in this property which has 350 sqm living space.
The property, built of Hawthorn Brick, was offered through JellisCraig agents Richard Winneke and Chris Daly.
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Canterbury's Hazelwood sold for $4.2 million

Sydney rents rank 10th place among the most expensive cities in the world

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The Victorian-era country mansion, Tongy that has housed generations of well-heeled pastoralists through 180 years, has been burnt down.
The homestead and 4637ha station is just 5km north of the tiny village of Uarbry, which lost five of its 11 homes in the recent blaze.
Set on the banks of the Talbragar River, the homestead overlooked some of the state’s best black soil plains for crops and cattle farming.
Marshall Baillieu, chief executive of investment bank Rothschild Australia bought the property from family members for ­almost $20 million two years ago.
The estate agent who sold the property Richard Royle said residents had lost their homes, and also lost their businesses.
The Victorian sandstone home had an elegant wraparound veranda and stately central corridor that had featured in a number of films.
It was in 1825 the former convict Richard Fitzgerald was granted freehold title over the property by NSW governor.
Fitzgerald had acted as an overseer of the colony’s early farms.
Until the weekend, sitting at the homestead’s front doorstep was a 150-year old doormat — which was still used everyday and still carried the initials and crest of Fitzgerald.
The Baillieu family bought the property in 1923 from Fitzgerald's five grand daughters. 
Tongy was resold in 2015 within the family after it was offered widely to other investors.
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Tongy, the Baillieu family homestead burnt  

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After selling at Palm Beach last year, model Megan Gale has now listed her modern Melbourne mansion, presumably set to upgrade her home in the southern capital.
The Perth-born model has listed in Aberfeldie, in Melbourne north west without any public price guidance.
Gale, who recently told InStyle Australia she's focusing on feeling healthy and great, suggested she felt "2017 is going to be great!”
Her partner, Richmond ruckman Shaun Hampson has signed with the club for another two AFL seasons.
Set near the Maribyrnong River, the contemporary home cost Gale $2.375 million in 2013 when it was bought through estate agent Charlie Bongiovanni who has the current listing.
It is an expansive five bedroom, five bathroom home with a dedicated theatre room.
Ihere's integrated appliances, huge walk-in pantry, porcelain topped island amid the fully imported Italian kitchen. 
The home comes with a sunken lounge with fireplace that transitions to a vast, undercover alfresco area overlooking a glistening salt-chlorinated, self-cleaning, solar-heated infinity pool.
The master suite has a Maribyrnong River panorama.
The judge on Australia's Next Top Model pocketed $3 million for her former Sydney weekender.
Gale had paid $3.2 million in 2006 for the Ralston Road home after she returned from her seven-year modelling stint in Italy.
Living now in Melbourne with her partner, Richmond forward Shaun Hampson and their son River, she had no need for the Sydney bolthole.
The sale brought an end to Gale's Sydney property portfolio.
She sold in Tamarama in 2012 for $3 million and let go of her former Bondi Beach home in 2007 for $1,025,000.
Gale recently signed off on the $515,000 sale of one of the family's property in her hometown Perth.
Located just outside of Fremantle, the home has three bedrooms.
It's been in the co-ownership of Megan, mother May and late father Alan since 2005 when they paid $332,000.
This article first appeared in the Sunday Telegraph.
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Model Megan Gale lists Melbourne mansion

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A one bedroom unit at Bacchus Marsh, kms from Melbourne, was sold for $166,000 in the nation's cheapest weekend sale.
It last sold at $101,000 in 2006, reflecting 4.7 percent annual growth.
Located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-unit-vic-bacchus+marsh-124468598" target="_blank">2/22 Grant Street</a> it is within walking distance to Bacchus Marsh Hospital, cafes and restaurants.
It features a generous bedroom with a recently updated en-suite.
A lounge room, meals area, functional kitchen and separate laundry are in the property.
The property was offered through PRD Nationwide agents Sean Tan and Russell Parker.
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One bedroom Bacchus Marsh unit sold for $166,000

Kew has long been regarded as one of Melbourne's premier residential suburbs. It's a location defined by its grand period homes, leafy streets and some of the city's most prestigious schools, yet it has often sat just outside the spotlight cast on neighbouring Hawthorn and Camberwell.

Increasingly, however, buyers are recognising that Kew offers much of what draws people to those suburbs, with a quieter residential setting, exceptional amenity and long-term owner-occupier appeal.

Within a few minutes' walk, residents can access Kew Junction, one of Melbourne's most established village centres. Cafés, bakeries, restaurants, supermarkets, boutique retailers and everyday services are all on the doorstep, with local favourites including Centonove, Adeney Milk Bar Cafe, and Frank &amp; Harri creating the type of walkable lifestyle that has become increasingly difficult to find in Melbourne's inner east. Beyond the immediate neighbourhood, Glenferrie Road's renowned shopping and dining precinct in Hawthorn and the retail, dining and entertainment offerings of Camberwell Junction are both just a short drive or tram ride away.

The suburb is equally well connected. Tram routes 48 and 109 provide direct access to the CBD, while High Street and Cotham Road connect residents to the wider inner east.&nbsp;Nearby access to the Eastern Freeway also places the Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Melbourne Airport within easy reach, adding another layer of convenience for weekend travel.&nbsp;It's a rare combination of connectivity and tranquillity, where quiet residential streets sit just moments from some of Melbourne's most established shopping and lifestyle precincts.

For families, Kew remains one of Melbourne's most tightly held addresses. Carey Baptist Grammar School, Xavier College, Methodist Ladies' College, Trinity Grammar, Ruyton Girls' School and Genazzano FCJ College are all nearby, while the Yarra River parklands, walking trails and sporting clubs provide another layer of lifestyle appeal.

It's within this established pocket that developer Ricdanic is delivering <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/wimba-ave-kew-9-11-wimba-avenue-kew-vic-3101">Wimba Ave</a>, a boutique collection of just 13 residences across two buildings named after its location on the tree-lined Wimba Avenue,&nbsp;within one of Kew's most prestigious pockets where homes have been known to sell up to and above $8 million.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140755 project_image_fid=354809]

The residences prioritise the space that buyers are increasingly searching for but struggling to find in established suburbs. Living areas extend beyond five metres in width, ceiling heights range from three to five metres, and apartments open onto private gardens averaging around 125 sqm. Selected residences also feature balconies of approximately 60 sqm, while premium inclusions include Miele appliances, double-glazed windows, EV readiness, fully electric systems and a 7.2 NatHERS energy rating.

Architect Chris Idle says opportunities to deliver homes of this scale within established suburbs have become increasingly uncommon.

"There are very few opportunities to do these kinds of developments in leafy, established suburbs," he says. "To get this level of amenity, natural light, and architectural freedom in such a setting is extremely rare."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140755 project_image_fid=366267]

The architecture draws on Kew's established character through the use of handmade Krause bricks, while landscaping by John Patrick introduces 23 plant species, including nine native varieties, creating an environment which focuses just as much on nature as it does the building.

Construction on Wimba Ave is well underway by renowned high-end builder Sinjen, with completion expected in late 2027. Prices start from $2.22 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=140755]

Joel Robinson

The enduring appeal of Kew's tree-lined streets and village lifestyle

"For me, it's the location." That was the first thing Chris pointed to when reflecting on why he and his wife Marita decided to purchase at Candela Ivanhoe, the under-construction new apartment development by Salter Brothers in the heart of the north-eastern M​elb​ourne​ suburb. ​

"We've lived here before… everything is here," Chris said.

"Our doctor is around the corner, there's dentists, pilates, everything we need, restaurants, fast food places, two train stations, Ivanhoe and Darebin, both in walking distance. You don't need anything else."

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Just 10 kilometres from Melbo​urn​e's CBD, Ivanhoe combines direct city connectivity with the amenity of an established village community. Residents have access to highly regarded schools, expansive parklands, public transport, and a thriving retail and hospitality precinct centred around Upper Heidelberg Road, all within a neighbourhood that has retained its leafy character despite its proximity to the city.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/candela-ivanhoe-40-upper-heidelberg-road-ivanhoe-vic-3079">Candela Ivanhoe</a> sits within the heart of this established landscape, positioned just moments from Ivanhoe Village and within walking distance of many of the suburb's most sought-after amenities.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=342 project_image_fid=364553]

From Candela, residents can access cafés, grocers, wine bars, restaurants and essential services on foot, while Ivanhoe Station and Darebin Station provide direct connectivity across Mel​bour​ne. The development is also surrounded by some of the suburb's best-known lifestyle destinations, including Pinkie, Laurent, Enni, Docasa and Woodfire Pizza e Cucina, alongside Ivanhoe Plaza, Woolworths, pharmacies and specialty retailers.

Green space is another defining feature of the suburb. Darebin Parklands, Ivanhoe Park, Nellie Ibbot Park and the Yarra River trail network provide extensive opportunities for recreation, while Ivanhoe Golf Course and Ivanhoe Tennis Club continue to underpin the area's long-established lifestyle appeal.

The suburb's education offering further strengthens demand. Ivanhoe Grammar School, Ivanhoe Girls' Grammar School, Mary Immaculate Primary School and Ivanhoe Primary School have helped establish the area as one of Melbou​​rne's most sought-after schooling precincts, attracting families and downsizers alike who want to remain connected to the area.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=342 project_image_fid=357510]

While location was the priority for Marita and Chris, the project itself also needed to meet their expectations.

"Whilst location was paramount, I was also looking at design of the environment and Candela ticked every box," Marita said.

"We're just thrilled with our choice."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=342 project_image_fid=336455]

Developed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/salter-brothers">Salter Brothers</a>, Candela Ivanhoe has been designed to complement its village setting, with an emphasis on generous floorplans, natural light and practical everyday living.

Residents will have access to a range of shared amenities, including a communal rooftop garden and dedicated residential lounge, complemented by a ground-floor café and lifestyle wellbeing centre, helping foster the sense of community already emerging among future owners.

That approach has resonated strongly with the market. More than 90 per cent of purchasers at Candela Ivanhoe are owner-occupiers, with buyers ranging from downsizers and second-home buyers to young families and first home buyers, creating a genuinely multi-generational community of grandparents, parents and children. It reflects a broader shift across Melbo​​urne's apartment market, where buyers are increasingly prioritising neighbourhood quality, lifestyle amenity and long-term liveability.

Currently under construction by Ironside, Candela Ivanhoe comprises 58 apartments. Candela Ivanhoe is scheduled for completion in the coming months, and residents can move in from September. One to four bedroom residences, prices from $649,000 and limited opportunities remaining.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=342]

Location and lifestyle drive demand at Candela Ivanhoe

As apartment buyers increasingly look beyond the four walls of their residence, the quality and depth of shared amenity has become a defining factor in how developments are designed and experienced, particularly in the high-rise, new apartment development space.

In Southbank, where high-density living continues to evolve, developers are placing greater emphasis on creating environments that support wellbeing, connection, and convenience as part of everyday life.

That approach sits at the heart of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/aura-at-melbourne-square-7-hoff-boulevard-southbank-vic-3006">AURA</a>, the latest residential tower in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/osk-property">OSK Property</a>’s $3.5 billion Melbourne Square precinct. Rising 67 storeys above Hoff Boulevard, the 673-apartment development has been conceived around what OSK describes as a “vertical wellness ecosystem”, a layered collection of amenities that extends throughout the building rather than being confined to a single podium level.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=370263]

The amenity offering begins on the seventh level within the AURA Club, a dedicated resident hub focused on health, relaxation, and daily convenience. Here, residents will have access to an indoor swimming pool, cold plunge, spa, sauna, and steam room, alongside a fully equipped gym, reformer Pilates studio, and yoga room.

The wellness facilities are complemented by a range of spaces that acknowledge the changing ways people live and work. Work-from-home lounges and co-working areas sit alongside a library, music room, games room, cinema facilities, and open-air terrace spaces, providing residents with flexible environments that can adapt throughout the day.

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Beyond the internal amenity, AURA introduces a series of Japanese-inspired gardens that form a quieter counterpoint to the tower’s social spaces.

Landscaped retreats feature curated outdoor dining, tranquil courtyard seating, fire pit, and a tea house pavilion. Rather than functioning as simple recreational areas, the gardens have been designed as places for reflection and informal gathering, drawing on principles of balance, nature, and calm that underpin the project's broader design philosophy.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=367810]

The social amenity continues to evolve as residents move higher through the building. Levels 49 and 50 house the Meridian Club, where a lounge bar, conservatory spaces, and private dining rooms take advantage of elevated city views. At the summit of the tower, the exclusive Cumulus Club spans Levels 66 and 67, offering additional lounges, private dining, and meditation and treatment rooms positioned above Melbourne’s skyline.

For OSK Property, the extensive amenity offering reflects a broader focus on wellbeing as a core component of apartment living rather than an added feature.

“Aura stands tall as an exemplar of holistic wellness – its focus on social, physical and mental health culminate in a building that is calming, restorative and relaxing, where residents will have their own sanctuary within the well-connected and sought-after Southbank,” says OSK Property CEO Chong Boon Woon.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=367796]

AURA’s amenity strategy extends beyond the tower itself through its integration with the wider Melbourne Square precinct.

Residents will have direct access to Kennedy Park, Southbank’s 3,745 sqm landscaped public park, alongside a full-line Woolworths supermarket, childcare centre, hospitality venues, and approximately 1,600 sqm of additional retail planned within AURA’s lower levels. Together, these elements create a highly connected residential environment where daily needs, recreation, and wellness are woven into the fabric of the community.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=370253]

As Melbourne’s apartment market continues to mature, developments are increasingly judged by the lifestyle they provide beyond individual residences.

Through its combination of wellness facilities, landscaped retreats, social clubs, and precinct-wide amenity, AURA represents a shift toward a more comprehensive model of vertical living, one where shared spaces play as significant a role as the homes themselves.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=151921]

AURA elevates amenity living at Melbourne Square

Builder-developer Scion is the latest to target Sydney's booming Hills Showground Metro precinct, filing plans for more than 100 apartments within walking distance of the station.

Scion has lodged a concurrent rezoning and State Significant Development Application for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/27-33-middleton-avenue-castle-hill-nsw-2154">27–33 Middleton Avenue</a>, where it plans to replace four existing homes with an 11 and 14-storey mixed-use development comprising 109 apartments, six affordable housing dwellings, and a ground-floor café.

Designed by BHK Architects, the proposal includes three levels of basement parking with 174 spaces, more than 1,200 sqm of communal open space, and extensive landscaping across the 3,791 sqm site.

The development has been designed as two buildings connected by a recessed wintergarden spine, with the 14-storey building positioned to the south and the 11-storey building to the north.

<img alt="Scion" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="64dc359d-736b-43b8-87a8-70a8285cab47" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-25%20at%208.47.01%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=PXh.m8id_aevBPHEckPf88wQ2RQThPos" />

The apartment mix has been weighted towards owner-occupiers, with 13 one-bedroom apartments, 55 two-bedroom residences, 31 three-bedroom apartments, six three-bedroom lofts, and four four-bedroom homes. Six apartments will be dedicated as affordable housing in line with the NSW Housing SEPP.

According to the Architectural Design Report by BKH, the proposal seeks to create "a place-responsive architecture" inspired by the natural landscape surrounding Cattai Creek, while strengthening the public domain through landscaping, active frontages and a neighbourhood café.

Atlas Urban, in its Urban Design Report, says the proposal takes a different approach to increasing density around Hills Showground Station by favouring a more slender, vertically articulated built form over a conventional mid-rise outcome. The report argues this allows for greater deep soil planting, improved solar access and a better public domain outcome, while still delivering additional housing close to rapid public transport.

The site sits around 500 metres from Hills Showground Metro Station, within a precinct earmarked for significant residential intensification following the opening of the Sydney Metro Northwest line. Planning documents accompanying the application note that Greater Sydney's population has grown by more than one million people since planning for the precinct first began, reinforcing the need to accelerate housing delivery around existing transport infrastructure.

Scion is expanding its development pipeline which also includes <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/chatham-west-ryde-2-6-chatham-road-west-ryde-nsw-2114">Chatham in West Ryde</a>, 62 apartments which are approaching completion. They also have a State Significant Development Application with the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/96-anzac-avenue-west-ryde-nsw-2114">145 apartments on Anzac Avenue</a>, also in West Ryde.

First look: Scion plots Castle Hill apartment development near Hills Showground Metro Station

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a>&nbsp;has unveiled its scaled-back plans for a pair of towers rising up to 49 storeys directly opposite Bella Vista Metro Station.

The builder-developer will deliver 674 apartments and a new mixed-use hub at the gateway to the station precinct.

The State Significant Development Application has been lodged under the Housing Delivery Authority pathway for the 6,979 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/9-11-mawson-avenue-bella-vista-nsw-2153">9-11 Mawson Avenue</a>, with the apartments sitting above a mixed-use podium. Initial plans were for closer to 900 apartments across two 40-storey towers.

Located around 30 metres from the Bella Vista Metro Station entrance, the development is intended to act as a catalyst for the long-planned Bella Vista Station Precinct, transforming a vacant site into a transit-oriented residential and commercial destination.

Planning documents describe the project as delivering "a high-density mixed use destination that combines housing, retail and community-serving uses in a highly accessible setting."

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group plans 674-apartment Bella Vista towers opposite Metro station" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="21c08216-589e-490d-ad08-2d88b6fa62d9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/bella%20vista%20podium.png?VersionId=3TnwjjQCNwTsmyQRaWnFrLTSAF0CJeka" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/turner-studio">Turner</a>, with landscape architecture by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/arcadia-landscape-architecture">Arcadia</a>, the project comprises 674 apartments, including 102 affordable housing dwellings representing 15 per cent of the residential floor space. The housing mix spans studios, one, two and three-bedroom apartments, alongside a collection of townhouse-style residences integrated into the podium levels. The development also includes specialist disability accommodation and an elevated provision of adaptable and liveable housing.

The mixed-use podium has been designed to create an active urban centre around the Metro station, incorporating a 1,423 sqm supermarket, a 3,029 sqm gym, specialty retail spaces, a 100-place childcare centre and a publicly accessible "city room" community space. A secondary laneway, active frontages and landscaped public areas are intended to improve pedestrian connectivity through the site and strengthen links between the station precinct and surrounding neighbourhood.

In the project's design report, Turner said the proposal responds to Bella Vista's emerging role as a higher-density centre within Sydney's north-west growth corridor.

"The project transforms a strategically located site into a high-density mixed use destination that combines housing, retail and community-serving uses in a highly accessible setting," the report states.

"Active frontages, a publicly accessible city room, a secondary laneway and a mix of uses including a local supermarket, child care centre and gym create a more complete and socially useful urban environment for residents, workers and the wider community."

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group plans 674-apartment Bella Vista towers opposite Metro station" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0fde6220-82de-4f6a-9b63-d0fd8157acc9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/bella%20vista%20da.png?VersionId=7hEmuSutH8plTd_RqqdmPu055F6qe554" />

Urban Property Group has been one of the busiest developers across Greater Sydney this year.

The developer is progressing around 1,000 apartments across <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-urban-property-group-plans-next-major-wollongong-tower">two projects in Wollongong</a>, with several thousand more homes in the pipeline across Newcastle, Castle Hill, Little Bay and Penrith.

Staff reporter

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