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A farm with five adjoining freehold titles at Goomboorian has been sold for $3.5 million.
Located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property/649-tagigan-rd-goomboorian-qld-4570" target="_blank">649 Tagigan Road</a>, the property consists of 815 acres set 20 minutes east of Gympie and 40 minutes to Noosa. It is two hours to Brisbane.
The five adjoining freehold titles all have road and creek frontage with each tile fenced with new 4 barbs, wooden posts, and steel gates and corners.
The creek runs most, if not all, of the year, with waterholes and billabongs are available as well.
The property has 350 acres of Pangola pasture and 450 acres of Callide and Katambora Rhodes grass.
There is a three bedroom brick home.
Two large rainwater tanks are also available as are the 190 cows that are present on the farm.
The property was offered through Bambling Property agent John Bambling.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Goomboorian farm sold for $3.5 million sold in Queensland

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Melbourne Cup winning jockey Michelle Payne is selling her St Kilda investment property.
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-st+kilda-124693306" target="_blank">one bedroom apartment</a> with balcony is situated in the STK development on St Kilda Road.
It comes with a price guide of $479,000.
<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/2017/08/Payne2.jpg" alt="" width="295" height="204">
It's not set to be a big windfall for Payne, who paid $463,000 off the plan in 2014.
The Ballarat-based jockey rode Prince of Penzance to success in the 2015 Melbourne Cup, despite being a rank outsider at $100.
Payne was the first female to win the iconic race.
 
 
 
<div class="wp-caption"> </div>
 
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Melbourne Cup winning jockey Michelle Payne lists her St Kilda investment

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A historical bespoke warehouse residence in Surry Hills has been sold for $6,500,000.
It last sold at $3.2 million in 2005 to the Domabyl family. In 1993 antique dealer Joan Bowers has sold her gallery for $1 million. 
Located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-surry+hills-124700746" target="_blank">7-9 Little Bourke Street</a> the property was built in 1870 and is positioned near Taylor Square.
It is a unique property with renovation potential as well as being able to be used for both residential and commercial use with 350 sqm of commercial space.
There is lock up parking suitable for six vehicles.
Natural light comes from the north, east and west of the 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/2017/02/10/Surry%20Hills-2.jpg" alt="">
The master suite is 168 sqm big as well as having a second living space along with wine cellar house for over 1200 bottles.
It is an outstanding central private location with three street frontage and R1 zoned.
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Historic bespoke Surry Hills warehouse residence sold for $6.5 million

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A residential development site in Melbourne's Glen iris is on the market with existing permit for 25 apartments with underground parking.
Price expectations are around $6.5 million.
The 1785 square metre site, 233 Burke Road, has over 25 metres frontage to Burke Road and rear lane access.
Julian Heatherich from Savills said the current permit allows for a luxurious residential development comprising 25 large apartments with the majority featuring two bedrooms and two bathrooms.
The property will be sold by expressions of interest closing Thursday, March 2 at 12 noon.
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Glen Iris site listed with plans for 25 apartments

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LJ Hooker has committed $100 million, as part of the networks 2020 vision, to accelerate the industry’s digital transformation.
Its mission is to make Australia the world’s most advanced and best served property market.
Spearheading the strategy is the newly unveiled LJX-Lab, a digital research and development vehicle.
It is hoped it will foster innovation through identifying, incubating and commercialising home-grown ‘proptech’.
It will also introduce new global best practices and technology to local markets to enrich new products, services and training.
LJX-Lab’s first game-changing development is Real Edge, a digital learning and coaching platform that delivers LJ Hooker’s world best practice training online anywhere anytime for continuous personal development of real-estate professionals.
Real Edge is aimed at enhancing the education of real estate as a profession and career; empower real-estate specialists to reach their full potential.
Company Chairman L Janusz Hooker said Real Edge is a first for an Australian real estate network and currently in beta with LJ Hooker’s 8,000 real estate professionals.
“It’s the first of many innovations LJX-Lab will release leading up to 2020 to continue LJ Hooker’s rich pioneering heritage,” he said.
To provide global insights into products and services being created in LJX-Lab, Mr Hooker has assembled an advisory board of business leaders, including:
<ul>
<li>Freelancer.com and Escrow.com, CEO, Matt Barrie (Sydney);</li>
<li>MD CSIRO Innovation Fund and Founder of Black Bird Ventures, Bill Bartee (Sydney);</li>
<li>Co-Founder and Principal of RFR Holding, Michael Fuchs (New York);</li>
<li>Director of Zoopla.com and former CEO of Countrywide Real Estate Group, Grenville Turner (London).</li>
</ul>
Mr Hooker said the group’s digital leadership had also attracted executive talent from global tech challengers that have redefined their industries including Uber, Atlassian and Freelancer.
“These specialists had no prior professional interest in real estate but are inspired by our digital strategy which enables them to apply their experiences working in global tech players to the real-estate industry,” he said.
“The digital revolution is enabling us to merge the property knowledge accumulated over our 88-year history and the expertise of our current 8,000 real estate professionals across 600 offices with the latest technology to better serve our customers.
"No single real estate network has set a digital path that equally empowers its people, its customers and its industry professionals.”
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LJ Hooker commits $100 million to real estate digital development 

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Collinsville is the cheapest place in Queensland to purchase a house, according to Investar’s latest report.
The property investment firm says that the average median price of a house at Collinsville is $85,000.
This is followed by Dysart with $99,000 and Mount Morgan with $129,000.
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Suburb
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Postcode
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Bedrooms
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Median price
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Collinsville
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
4804
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
2
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
$85,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Dysart
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
4745
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
3
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
$99,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Mount Morgan
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
4714
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
2
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
$129,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Charleville
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
4470
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
2
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
$145,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Moranbah
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
4744
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
3
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
$165,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Goomeri
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
4601
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
3
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
$165,000
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
A three bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-dysart-124514582" target="_blank">5 Gilbert Court</a>, Dysart (above) has been listed for $99,000.
Similarly a three bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-dysart-106438860" target="_blank">5 Armstrong Crescent</a>, Dysart (below) has been listed for $95,000.
<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/2017/06/5%20Armstrong%20Crescent.jpg" alt="">\
A three bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-qld-dysart-124252550" target="_blank">6 Crawford Street</a>, Dysart (below) has recently been sold for $69,000.
<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/2017/02/08/6%20Crawford%20Street.jpg" alt="">
Similarly a three bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-qld-dysart-123517390" target="_blank">2 Beresford Crescent</a>, Dysart (below) has been sold for $99,000.
<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/2017/02/08/2%20Beresford%20Crescent.jpg" alt="">
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Collinsville cheapest Queensland locality to purchase a house: Investar

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Ouyen is the cheapest place to purchase a house in Victoria, according to Investar’s latest report.
The property investment firm says that the average median price of a house in Ouyen is $120,000.
This is followed by Dimboola with $124,500 and Red Cliffs with $125,000.
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Suburb
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Postcode
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Bedrooms
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Median price
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Ouyen
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
3490
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
3
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
$120,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Dimboola
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
3414
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
3
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
$124,500
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Red Cliffs
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
3496
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
2
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
$125,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Warracknabeal
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
3393
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
3
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
$128,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="113">
Morwell
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
3840
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
2
</td>
<td valign="top" width="113">
$128,500
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
A three bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-ouyen-124395122" target="_blank">25 Gregory Street</a>, Ouyen (above) has been listed for sale for between $125,000 to $135,000.
Similarly a three bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-ouyen-123738234" target="_blank">26 Ritchie Street</a>, Ouyen (below) has been listed for between $110,000 to $120,000.
<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/2017/06/26%20Ritchie%20Street.jpg" alt="">
A three bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-ouyen-124193074" target="_blank">22 Williams Street</a>, Ouyen (below) has been sold for $130,000.
<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/2017/02/08/22%20William%20Street.jpg" alt="">
Similarly a three bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-ouyen-122962202" target="_blank">3 Henderson Street</a>, Ouyen (below) has been sold for $134,000.
<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/2017/02/08/3%20Henderson%20Street.jpg" alt="">
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Ouyen cheapest locality in Victoria to purchase a house: Investar

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Most Aussies can remember their phone number (94 percent), their number plate (77 percent) and their parent’s phone number (76 percent), but new research from UBank has revealed 85 percent of Australians don’t know their home loan rate.
For the second year, UBank has released The UBank Know Your Numbers Index.
The 2017 report reveals a slight rise in people not knowing their exact home loan rate – up from 84 percent in 2016.
Of those surveyed 44 percent could only recall an approximate figure for their home loan rate while the remainder (41 percent) simply didn’t know their rate at all.
Lee Hatton, chief executive officer of UBank said actively monitoring and seeking the best rate should be a priority for home owners as there are some great benefits on offer.
"We are seeing some of the lowest home loan rates on record, so now is the perfect time to know your numbers, and consider refinancing," she said.
"Simply knowing your exact home loan rate and managing it closely could save you thousands of dollars a year.”
The research, conducted amongst 1,021 Australians with a home loan, also revealed Aussie’s are feeling financially strained, with 54 percent admitting that their financial situation is causing worry and stress.
While a further 33 percent of Australians constantly worry about their future.
“Unfortunately, more and more Australians are making significant sacrifices due to being financially overstretched," she said.
"The better acquainted you are with your numbers, the less stress and more money you’ll have in your back pocket.
"It’s important Australians borrow less and live more.
"Home owners currently paying 4.24 percent p.a. on a 30 year, $360,000 home loan could end up paying more than $37,000 more than they need to.
"If they were on UBank's low variable rate of 3.74 percent p.a. instead, they could have an extra $1246 in their wallet each year."
The UBank Know Your Numbers Index also discovered that nearly one in four (23 percent) think that refinancing a mortgage to save money is a good idea but are yet to find the right competitive rate.
This year for the first time, UBank’s research also surveyed mortgage holders with credit cards and found only 14 percent know what their current credit card interest rate is, while 49 percent don’t know it at all.
A surprising three out of four Australians don’t know how much credit card debt they owe, and 80 percent don’t know exactly how much they are paying each month in credit card interest.
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Majority of Aussies don't know their home loan rate

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Six out of the 12 locations across regional WA experienced positive median house price growth in the December quarter 2016.
REIWA President Hayden Groves dubbed it an optimistic sign for the regions.
Preliminary Landgate data shows the median growth up 1.4 percent over the quarter to $355,000.
Although sales activity in Northam was subdued in the December quarter, it was the best performing regional centre for median house price growth, with its quarterly change in the annual median increasing 18.6 percent in the three months to December 2016.
Other top performers for median house price growth were Busselton Urban Area and Esperance Urban Area, which experienced lifts of 12.1 and 7.1 percent respectively, Hayden Groves said. 
The Broome and Port Hedland regional centres had the most notable softening of median house price in the December quarter. 
 
<table style="width: 438px;" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="142">
Regional centre
</td>
<td valign="top" width="154">
Annual median house price (Year to December 2016)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="142">
Quarterly change in the annual median house price
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="142">
Albany Urban Area
</td>
<td valign="top" width="154">
$380,000
</td>
<td valign="top" width="142">
3.8%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="142">
Broome Urban Area
</td>
<td valign="top" width="154">
$475,000
</td>
<td valign="top" width="142">
-12.8%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="142">
Bunbury Greater
</td>
<td valign="top" width="154">
$380,000
</td>
<td valign="top" width="142">
4.1%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="142">
Busselton Urban Area
</td>
<td valign="top" width="154">
$480,000
</td>
<td valign="top" width="142">
12.1%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="142">
Esperance Urban Area
</td>
<td valign="top" width="154">
$337,500
</td>
<td valign="top" width="142">
7.1%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="142">
Geraldton/Greenough
</td>
<td valign="top" width="154">
$312,500
</td>
<td valign="top" width="142">
-4.7%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="142">
Kalgoorlie/Boulder
</td>
<td valign="top" width="154">
$334,750
</td>
<td valign="top" width="142">
1.4%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="142">
Karratha Urban Area
</td>
<td valign="top" width="154">
$265,000
</td>
<td valign="top" width="142">
-1.9%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="142">
Mandurah/Murray
</td>
<td valign="top" width="154">
$372,000
</td>
<td valign="top" width="142">
-2.1%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="142">
Northam
</td>
<td valign="top" width="154">
$255,000
</td>
<td valign="top" width="142">
18.6%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="142">
Port Hedland
</td>
<td valign="top" width="154">
$262,500
</td>
<td valign="top" width="142">
-6.3%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
Sales volumes were down across regional WA in the December quarter, with preliminary Landgate data showing 1,264 transactions.
The figure was expected to be around 1,500 once all sales had settled.
“Albany and Broome were the strongest performers for sales activity over the quarter, bucking the trend to record stable volume levels.
REIWA analysis shows the bulk of regional sales transactions in the December quarter remained in the $150,000 to $360,000 price range.
“In Bunbury and Albany, while the majority of transactions were below $500,000, both regional centres saw an increase in activity in the higher end of the market.
"It has contributed to the quarterly median house price for both areas lifting,” Mr Groves said.
It was, on average, two days faster to sell a property in regional WA in the December quarter than it was in the September quarter.
“Drilling down, six of the regional centres saw improvements in the number of days it took to sell a property.
Albany and Bunbury were among the most improved, with it being 17 and 10 days quicker (respectively) to achieve a sale in those centres,” Mr Groves said.
Other regional centres to record an improvement in average selling days over the quarter were Northam, Esperance Urban Area, Mandurah/Murray and Geraldton/Greenough.
Meanwhile the Karratha Urban Area was unchanged on the September quarter.
When it came to discounting, the proportion of sellers needing to drop their asking price over the quarter remained stable in comparison to the September quarter at 63 percent.
“We did however see a decline in the amount sellers were needing to reduce their asking price by.
It would have been a contributing factor to regional WA’s overall median increasing in the December quarter,” Mr Groves said.
Property Observer found this three bedroom home at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-wa-spencer+park-123406654" target="_blank">16 Tunney Way, Spencer Park, WA</a><a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-wa-spencer+park-123406654"></a>, (pictured above) that sold in February for $340,000 in the Albany district.
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House price growth emerging in regional Western Australia: REIWA

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A national snapshot of refinance applications made to mortgage marketplace HashChing has pinpointed the suburbs in Australia where borrowers are paying the highest interest rates.
The data, which analysed more than 1,000 mortgage applicants over December 2017 and January 2017, found several suburbs in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane where borrowers were paying well above the average home loan interest rate.
In Sydney, the average interest rate is 4.46 per cent, however mortgagees in The Ponds, Doonside, Quakers Hill, Campbelltown and Stanhope Gardens are paying up to 7.88 percent.
The average interest rate in Melbourne is 4.46 percent, but borrowers in Blackburn, Glen Waverley, South Morang, Mernda, Narre Warren and Cranbourne are paying as much as 7.04 percent interest.
Brisbane’s average interest rate is 4.72 percent, however home owners in Coomera, Advancetown, Austinville, Labrador, Surfers Paradise, Brendale and Springbrook are paying off home loans with interest rates as high as 7.39 percent.
Mandeep Sodhi, CEO of HashChing, said one of the main drivers of higher interest rates in those suburbs was the large population of self-employed borrowers.
“The data demonstrates that mortgagees who are paying interest rates of more than 5 per cent tend to be currently or formerly self-employed.
“Previously, banks charged higher interest rates for self-employed borrowers as they were deemed riskier due to an unstable income.
"However, the market has changed, and banks have become more amenable to offering a competitive interest rate to these customers,” he said.
The average interest rate for self-employed borrowers was found to be as much as 1 per cent higher than it was for salaried borrowers.
For a $500,000 loan over a 25-year term, this can amount to paying an additional $87,383 over the life of the loan.
“Self-employed borrowers may not realise they can get a better home loan rate, especially as this information isn’t being communicated from their bank or lender.
"This disconnect is costing them tens of thousands of dollars,” said Mr Sodhi.
HashChing is a mortgage marketplace connecting customers looking for good home loan deals with experienced mortgage brokers nationwide, rated and reviewed by customers.
Since launching 18 months ago, the business has received more than $3 billion worth of home loan applications.
HashChing deals with all lenders, including non-banks, online providers, building societies and credit unions through their network of partner mortgage brokers.
</body></html>

Self employed paying 1 percent more as home loan borrowers

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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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