<html><body>
Houses in Melbourne wait the shortest amount of time, according to CoreLogic’s latest report.
The property data firm says that on average houses in Melbourne can stay on the market for 46 days before being sold.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/13/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-13%20at%201.39.28%20pm.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/02/13/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-13%20at%201.39.28%20pm.jpg" alt="">
However units in Melbourne can stay up to 62 days compared to 43 days for units in Hobart.
Darwin houses and units can stay for a long time with houses on sale for 102 days while units can take up to 118 days to sell.
</body></html>

j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Melbourne houses can take up to 46 days to sell: CoreLogic

<html><body>
Australia’s first registered health fund, RT Health, has secured two levels of an office building at Surry Hills in inner Sydney for a project requirement.
The fund has leased approximately 476 sqm near its Buckingham Street, Surry Hills, headquarters at Level 1 and Level 2, 491 - 493 Elizabeth St, Surry Hills, in a deal negotiated by Ray White Commercial South Sydney’s John Skufris on behalf of Brian Adams.
The five-storey building including a top-level penthouse is located close to Central Station and Prince Alfred Park.
John Skufris said: "Both levels provided fitted and furnished office space with main offices, meeting rooms, tea station facilities and natural light on two sides.”
RT Health Fund was established more than 126 years ago when a group of railway employees got together to form a cooperative.
The initial gross rental for RT Health is around $210,000 per annum and the lease term is for two years.
</body></html>

Health funds secures two storey Surry Hills office building

<html><body>
The Eastern Suburbs of Sydney has the highest auction clearance rate, according to CoreLogic’s latest report.
The property data firm says that out of the 26 auctions known to CoreLogic in the Eastern Suburbs 96.2% were sold.
This is followed by North Sydney and Hornsby with 94.8% and the Northern Beaches with 93%.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/13/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-13%20at%2012.45.43%20pm.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/02/13/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-13%20at%2012.45.43%20pm.jpg" alt="">
The South West region of Sydney had the lowest auction clearance rate with only 61.9% of auctions cleared.
A three bedroom apartment at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-apartment-nsw-clovelly-124464550" target="_blank">3/3 Donnellan Circuit</a>, Clovelly (above) was sold for $3,050,000.
Similarly a five bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-queens+park-124453538" target="_blank">32 View Street</a>, Queens Park (below) was sold for $2,735,000.
<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/2017/02/13/32%20View%20Street.jpg" alt="">
McGrath Estate Agents reported an overall clearance rate of 82% from 122 auctions that were conducted across its network that comprises NSW, Queensland, ACT and Victoria on February 11.
The company conducted 85 auctions across metro Sydney, achieving an 87% clearance rate.
Its chief auctioneer Scott Kennedy-Green advised McGrath’s company owned offices in the Eastern Suburbs, Inner West and Northern Beaches all achieved a 100% clearance rate.
“We saw increased activity with multiple registrations and strong results through most price brackets.
" In particular, the $750,000 to $1.5 million bracket saw a 94% clearance rate from 48 auctions, and all three properties above $3 million sold.”
A standout in the prestige sector was the sale of a three bedroom apartment with harbour views at 2202/2 Dind Street, Milsons Point by Nigel Mukhi at McGrath Neutral Bay for $3,775,000. 
Mukhi said he had eight registered bidders for the 152 square metre apartment. 
“This was in a very popular price point for downsizers and there hasn’t been anything around that price range for quite some time in the area.”
</body></html>

Sydney's Eastern Suburbs notch 96% auction clearance rate: CoreLogic

<html><body>
The Inner East region of Melbourne takes top spot with the highest auction clearance rate, according to CoreLogic’s latest report.
The property data firm says that out of the 28 auctions known to CoreLogic in the Inner East 82% were sold.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/13/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-13%20at%2012.57.05%20pm.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/02/13/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-13%20at%2012.57.05%20pm.jpg" alt="">
This is followed by the Mornington Peninsula with 80% and the South East region with 79%.
A three bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-burwood-124472774" target="_blank">3 Peacock Street</a>, Burwood (above) was sold for $1,468,000.
Similarly a three bedroom unit at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-unit-vic-balwyn+north-124476994" target="_blank">2/31 Sutton Street</a>, Balwyn North (below) was sold for $1,308,000.
<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/2017/02/13/2_31%20Sutton%20Street.jpg" alt="">
</body></html>

Inner East, Melbourne auctions secure 82% clearance rate: CoreLogic

<html><body>
In Melbourne, Australia’s largest auction market, 75 percent of the 345 reported auctions sold over the weekend, according to CoreLogic’s latest report.
The property data firm says that there were 542 auctions held across the city this week, up from 261 last week when the final auction clearance rate was 77.7 percent.
However it is lower than the 556 auctions held one year ago, with a higher clearance rate (74.4 percent).
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/13/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-13%20at%2010.02.08%20am.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/02/13/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-13%20at%2010.02.08%20am.jpg" alt="">
The Inner region of Melbourne had the highest number of auctions this week (94), with a preliminary clearance rate of 72.6 percent.
Meanwhile, the strongest clearance rate was recorded across the North East region (89.2 percent) and Inner East region (82.1 percent).
In Sydney, 633 auctions were held this week, with the city seeing a significant increase in volume over the week, up from the 259 reported last week.
The preliminary clearance rate of 84.8 percent is up from 72.3 percent last week and also higher than this time last year, when a clearance rate of 78.1 percent was recorded across 513 auctions.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/13/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-13%20at%2010.02.14%20am.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/02/13/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-13%20at%2010.02.14%20am.jpg" alt="">
Looking at the sub-regions of Sydney, the Eastern Suburbs region recorded the strongest clearance rate of 96.2 percent across 36 auctions.
Meanwhile the North Sydney and Hornsby region had the highest volume of auctions (85).
Brisbane was host to 129 auctions this week and so far 70 results have been reported, with 65.7 percent sold.
Last week, auction volumes across the city were much lower with 102 auctions held across the city and a 57.1 percent clearance rate recorded.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/13/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-13%20at%2010.02.21%20am.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/02/13/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-13%20at%2010.02.21%20am.jpg" alt="">
The number of homes taken to auction this week fell across the Gold Coast with 47 properties up for sale this week.
Of the 17 results reported, 52.9 percent were successful.
Adelaide recorded a clearance rate of 72.3 percent across 87 auctions this week, up from 60.8 percent across 144 auctions last week.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/13/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-13%20at%2010.02.28%20am.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/02/13/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-13%20at%2010.02.28%20am.jpg" alt="">
At the same time last year, 91 homes were taken to auction, with 75.0 percent recording a successful result.
In Perth, 74 auctions took place this week, with 16 results reported so far.
Perth’s preliminary clearance rate of 37.5 percent across these 16 results is lower than last week’s result (45.8 percent), although higher than the clearance rate from one year ago (31.6 percent).
Canberra’s preliminary auction clearance rate of 80.0 percent this week is higher than last week, when the final auction clearance rate was 70.5 percent and higher than the 71.2 percent recorded last year.
Of the 13 Tasmanian auction results reported so far this week, 2 sales have been recorded.
</body></html>

Melbourne auction market clears 75 percent of 345 reported auctions: CoreLogic

<html><body>
The Tamworth district farms, Mount View Station (above) and Wildcroft have been listed for sale with an $8.5 million price tag.  
Considered one of the New England’s most prestigious properties, the current landowners have transformed the four 1800s properties on the estate.
It comes with the large Federation era homesead with 11 inch pressed metal ceilings.  
Spanning 2,500 hectares, the land currently serves as soft grazing country housing about 5,000 lambs.
It can be used as tourism accommodation. 
There are over 90 dams with 34 new and 11 key dams. Is infrastructure includes a prerequisite woolshed, sheep and cattle yards, silos and machinery sheds.  
The property has been listed through Gavin Beard of Landmark Tamworth. 
</body></html>

Mount View Station and Wildcroft listed in Tamworth

<html><body>
It has been strong week for auction activity across the capital cities, with the number of auctions more than doubling compared with last week in Sydney and Melbourne, according to CoreLogic's latest report.
The property data firm says that despite the surge in the number of auctions held, the combined capitals region recorded a preliminary auction clearance rate of 76.6 percent.
This is up from last week, when the final clearance rate dipped to 68.7 per cent.
Auction volumes saw a significant increase over the week, with volumes rising week-on-week across all of the capital cities, with the exception of Adelaide which saw a decrease over the week.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/13/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-13%20at%209.53.02%20am.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/02/13/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-13%20at%209.53.02%20am.jpg" alt="">
There were 1,564 properties taken to auction across the combined capital cities this week, compared to last week’s 881.
At the same time last year, auction volumes were lower, with 1,400 capital city auctions held with a lower rate of clearance (71.8 per cent).
The two largest auctions markets, Sydney and Melbourne, recorded a preliminary clearance rate of 84.8 per cent and 75.4 per cent respectively.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/13/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-13%20at%209.53.08%20am.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/02/13/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-13%20at%209.53.08%20am.jpg" alt="">
This suggests that vendors are still very much in the driver’s seat across these markets.
</body></html>

Strong February auction activity in capital cities: CoreLogic

<html><body>
The eight-year-old Byron Bay hinterland trophy home, Ad Astra has been listed for sale. 
Designed by award-winning Squillace Architects and built by a Sydney builder, the marketing says its a six star offering at Eureka.
The 13 hectare estate at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-eureka-124150246" target="_blank">18 Taylors Road</a> has a five bedroom home with some 740 sq m living space.
There is a woodfired pizza oven and a climate controlled walk-in cellar. The property also features a C-bus lighting and Sonos entertainment systems.
The contemporary rural estate also features a two-bedroom worker’s cottage.
There is a salt-water tiled and infinity edge pool.  There are also yards and fencing for cattle (currently carrying 20 breeders) and a small citrus orchard with 100 Tahitian lime trees.
The property has been listed for sale by Nicolette van Wijjngaarden of Unique Estates. 
</body></html>

Eureka's six-star Ad Astra trophy home listed in Byron Bay hinterland

<html><body>
It's not enough to just have a beach weekender anymore.
Tech billionaire Michael Cannon-Brookes and wife Annie have now added a rural retreat.
Their weekender Joadja Creek Farm, cost the Atlassian co-founder $3.3 million.
It is 390 hectare hobby farm in the small heritage registered town of Joadja, some 140 kilometres from Sydney in the Southern Highlands. 
The secluded farm is surrounded by native bushland, with horse riding trails and wildlife aplenty.
The four bedroom home was architecturally designed in 1996 by the Haege family with wrap-around verandahs and sits amid an orchard.
Its on Joadja Creek with water holes, three dams and a bore.
Brookes has been Centennial Park based since 2015 when he secured Braelin, the $12 million Lang Road trophy home.
He owns a $8.7 million Palm Beach holiday home.
The couple own a Centennial Park home bought from luxury car dealer Ian Pagent and wife Marianne for $12 million.
The Californian bungalow style home built in 1918 for Sir Allen Taylor, a former lord mayor of Sydney is set for a makeover given the family's need for more bedrooms.
They have just spent $7.05 million on the Double Bay trophy home SeaDragon, the 1936 Professor Leslie Wilkinson designed Mediterranean style villa while they await the renovations.
It was sold by QC Francis Douglas through Sally Hampshire at Laing+Simmons inconjunction with Sothebys International.
This article first appeared in the Saturday Daily Telegraph. 
 
 
</body></html>

Mike Cannon-Brookes buys rural retreat in NSW Southern Highlands

<html><body>
A substantial South Australian vineyard at Langhorne Creek has been sold, with Colliers posting the result last month on realcommercial.com.au.
The <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-commercial+farming-sa-langhorne+creek-501458707" target="_blank">Twin Rivers</a> property comprises of 129 hectares of land.
There are 115 hectares of established vineyards with planting. It includes 24 hectares of Pinot Noir, 26 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon and 65 hectares of Shiraz.
An existing Grape Sale Agreement is included with major wine companies.
There is a River Murray Water Licence with entitlements of 403ML per annum.
It is in proximity to the Fleurieu Peninsula towns of Goolwa, Middleton, Port Elliot and Victor Harbor.
The property was offered through Colliers International agent Tim Altschwager. No sale price has been advised.
It was previously advised as sold in 2015. 
</body></html>

Langhorne Creek vineyard, Twin Rivers, sold in SA

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."

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X8K0Bozug7A?si=Puwc6vx_ZO0qQZF8" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=367468]

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

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News