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A three level Fitzroy warehouse conversion has been listed for February auction. 
The renovated Brooks Building at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-fitzroy-124507698" target="_blank">51A Little Smith St, Fitzroy</a>, features a loft bedroom with a balcony, offering views of Collingwood and Fitzroy.
There is a light-filled open-plan living area with exposed beams. 
Nelson Alexander Fitzroy agent Luke Sacco said the building conversion was about three decades ago to retain the raw features of its warehouse heritage.
It has the high ceilings, exposed brick, old timber floors.
<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/2017/01/29/Fitzroy.jpg" alt="">
On the ground floor, there is a lockup garage and two bedrooms.
There are original warehouse windows with wooden floors and white-painted bricks complement the exposed beams in the lounge and dining area.
The property is set to go under the hammer on February 11 with price expectations of $1.55 million to $1.65 million.
CoreLogic says it last traded in 1978 at $7500.
Last year an undeveloped Fitzroy North warehouse sold at auction.
The 6A/1 Bik Lane offering sold for $1.216 million, just over its $1.1 million reserve set by the artist Polly Courtin who'd been there a decade.
The 120sq m building space boasted ceilings high enough to fit three storeys inside, the Nelson Alexander marketing suggested.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Fitzroy Brooks Building warehouse conversion listed for auction

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Village Real Estate, which has offices in Seddon and Newport in Melbourne's inner west, have been found to have breached consumer law after being investigated by Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) for underquoting the advertised price of a property.
Marty Rankin, a director of Village Real Estate has spoken candidly about the underquoting.
The worst example was a <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-seddon-121648866" target="_blank">Seddon property</a>. 
The three-bedroom house was advertised for as low as “$770,000 plus” in January last year, despite agents having already rejected a private offer of $900,000 the previous month.
The vendors had also been advised they would not consider anything below $950,000.
<div>During the auction marketing campaign he advertised price was revised to “$800,000 plus”.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Auctioneer Huss Saad announced to bidders they were “playing for keeps” — suggesting it had reached its reserve price — when the bidding reached $950,000.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>It sold under the hammer for $995,000.</div>
<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/2017/01/27/25%20Pilgrim%20Street.jpg" alt="">
Village Real Estate have resolved to implement changes in line with the new forthcoming regulations in addition to instilling company best practice policies to amend the whole property pricing process.
“We hold ourselves accountable for our actions.” said Mr Rankin. 
“We are not proud of the incident," he said.  
“Ultimately, if representatives of the industry cease trying to compete with other agents to irresponsibly promote properties with misleading price ranges, then all buyers and sellers will enjoy a more open and honest transaction."
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Seddon auction underquoting prompts Village Real Estate to review property pricing process

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The development company, Future Estate has finalised a $12.8 million Coburg sale of three lots totalling 9,203sqm of its larger Pentridge Prison site.
The holding sits amid the substantive urban renewal project, Coburg Quarter.
The purchaser, Golden Sunrise secured permits for 294 apartments across three buildings.
Future Estate purchased the distressed asset from receivers three years ago for $4 million.
“When we purchased the former Pentridge Prison site in 2014, our valuations estimated we had secured it for a third of its market value,” said Future Estate managing director, Ben Anderson.
“Now, 18 months on, we have this sale and the 250 per cent return on investment it produced to verify our initial calculations – the site which we acquired for 30c on the dollar, is actually worth $73 million.”
One Coburg Quarter, Fuure Estate's first residential building is 90 per cent sold off market.
One Coburg Quarter has 148 apartments.
Future Estate’s masterplan will see the developer transform the remaining portion of its 4.2ha site into a mixed-use residential community in which open civic spaces, professional services, a diverse retail offering and a new eat street.
<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/2017/01/25/Future%20Estate_Coburg%20Quarter%20development%20overview.jpg" alt="">
“This sale not only means our debt is reduced, it means we are able to reinvest in other ventures within the precinct and deliver the extensive public amenities we have planned, which include a micro-brewery and wine bar, up front,” said Anderson.
"Rather than have these three permit-approved sites sit there for 36 – 48 months until we are in a position to develop them, we have chosen to bring in another developer, with whom we can work simultaneously to make this community a reality."
The sale was through Colliers International and Savills.
The property was listed as for sale by expressions of interest, closing on August 10.
Future Estate and fellow developer Shayher Group own the former prison, which was once home to notorious inmates such as Ned Kelly and Squizzy Taylor.
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Pentridge Prison development site sold by Future Estate for $12.8 million

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A restored 1870s home at Strath Creek has been listed for sale.
Located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-strath+creek-123964530" target="_blank">805 King Parrot Creek Road</a>, the Aislinn is an hour from Melbourne CBD, close proximity to Yea and Seymour, and an easy drive to Mt Buller ski fields.
It is set in the Valley of a Thousand Hills.
The three bedroom, three bathroom home has a dining room with original pressed tin walls and ceilings.
The is also a renovated gourmet kitchen and a study/sunroom.
The garden has a large pergola and raised beds full of vegetable and herb plantings.
The self-contained guest cottage has a bedroom, bathroom and lounge.
<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/2017/01/22/805%20King%20Parrot%20Creek%20Road-2.jpg" alt="">
Sitting on 40 hectares it offers pastured paddocks, water and infrastructure including sheddings, workshops, shearing shed and stock laneways.
There is solar power and two megalitre water licence. The property is offered through Colliers International agent Kim McQueen.
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Restored 1870s Strath Creek trophy home, the Aislinn, listed for sale

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Melbourne developers Salvo Property Group has purchased a site with pre-existing permit for four residential towers in Melbourne's Fishermans Bendin a deal rumoured to be more than $40 million.
The 9,766sqm site, 60-82 Johnston Street, South Melbourne, was sold by vendor Bill McNee through Colliers International.
The property has plans and permits for more than 1,300 apartments in four towers designed by Rothelowman.
There will be two high-rise towers (46 and 43 storeys) and two medium-rise towers (27 and 21 storeys).
Agent Daniel Wolman said 60-82 Johnson Street in South Melbourne will be one of the largest mixed-used complexes within Fishermans Bend.
“Salvo’s success in Southbank will continue in Fishermans Bend, bringing not only residential apartments to the area, but also supermarkets, retail shops, offices and other amenities," he said.
“We were managing interest and offers from several Asian developers, particularly from China, Malaysia and Singapore.
“However, the local developers saw the potential in this premium inner-city location immediately and acted accordingly, which is testament to the strength of the Melbourne market.
“This project is situated within one of Australia’s most dynamic urban renewal development precincts and as such, it was an opportunity for someone to create a flagship project."
 
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Fishermans Bend site snapped up by Salvo Property Group

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Sydney continues to have the highest home value changes over the last 12 months, according to CoreLogic’s latest report.
The property data firm says that over the 12 months Sydney’s home value has increased by 15.4%.
It is slightly down on the 15.5% as at December 31.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/01/24/Capital%20city%20home%20values.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
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Sydney home values grow 15.4% over last 12 months: CoreLogic

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A modern beach home at the Victorian seaside town of Inverloch has been listed for sale for $1,300,000.
Located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-inverloch-122222678" target="_blank">19 Freda Street</a>, Inverloch the property features 4.9 metre sloped ceilings along with Western Australian limestone walls.
The kitchen has a huge butler’s pantry and features marbled stone bench tops and French Oak cabinetry.
The living room has views of the surrounding treetops through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
The home comes with a 600 bottle insulated wine cellar.
<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/2017/01/22/19%20Freda%20Street-2.jpg" alt="">
The master bedrooms features an ensuite with imported Italian tiles.
The property is offered through Stockland and Leggo agents Adam Leys and Glenn Bolam.
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Modern Inverloch beach home listed for sale

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In the final five months of 2016, mainland Chinese developers snapped up three-quarters of Melbourne development sites on the market through CBRE.
As they shrugged off concerns about apartment oversupply, tougher planning rules and higher property taxes, CBRE calculated that 75% of the 45 Melbourne development sites they transacted between August and December were sold to Chinese buyers.
Less than one in five sales were to Chinese groups in the first seven months of the year as Chinese government capital control measures and uncertainty about the federal election in Australia affected developer interest.
"We've sold more properties to Chinese buyers in the past five months than in any other five-month period since 2009," said CBRE national director Mark Wizel.
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="97">
Property
</td>
<td valign="top" width="99">
Buyer
</td>
<td valign="top" width="71">
Price ($m)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="118">
Project
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
Permit
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="97">
7-23 Spencer St (CBD)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="99">
Nuway Wy
</td>
<td valign="top" width="71">
97.0
</td>
<td valign="top" width="118">
Over 1000 apartments
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
Yes
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="97">
Corner King and Little Lonsdale St (CBD)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="99">
Aurumstone
</td>
<td valign="top" width="71">
43.8
</td>
<td valign="top" width="118">
430 apartments
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
Yes
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="97">
Norvel Estate, Ferntree Gully
</td>
<td valign="top" width="99">
Hong Se Int’l
</td>
<td valign="top" width="71">
37.0
</td>
<td valign="top" width="118">
Townhouse village
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
No
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="97">
615 Warrigal Rd, Ashwood
</td>
<td valign="top" width="99">
Hong Se Int’l
</td>
<td valign="top" width="71">
36.0
</td>
<td valign="top" width="118">
Mixed-use apartments
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
No
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="97">
85 Spring St (CBD)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="99">
Chinese developer
</td>
<td valign="top" width="71">
85.0
</td>
<td valign="top" width="118">
230 apartments
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
Yes
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="97">
250 Sturt St, Southbank
</td>
<td valign="top" width="99">
Tiang Long
</td>
<td valign="top" width="71">
11.0
</td>
<td valign="top" width="118">
16 storey hotel
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
Yes
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="97">
150-152 Bridge Rd, Richmond
</td>
<td valign="top" width="99">
Poly
</td>
<td valign="top" width="71">
16.0
</td>
<td valign="top" width="118">
Townhouses
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
No
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="97">
Three Point Cook sites
</td>
<td valign="top" width="99">
Dahua
</td>
<td valign="top" width="71">
350.0
</td>
<td valign="top" width="118">
3000 houses
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
No
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="97">
Sayers Rd, Tarneit
</td>
<td valign="top" width="99">
New Sky
</td>
<td valign="top" width="71">
60.0
</td>
<td valign="top" width="118">
800 houses
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
Yes
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
The Australian Financial Review calculated that there has been more than $730 million worth of Melbourne development site sales to Chinese developers since August.
These included acquisitions by Dahua and Poly, and new entrants like Nuway Wy, which paid $97 million for the former Melbourne convention centre site with a permit for 1000 apartments.
Wizel said the convention centre site would have sold for $400 million were it in Sydney.
"Chinese developers see a lot of value in Melbourne and they are willing to accept a lower return because they can save money in other ways, such as by selling apartments directly into China and avoiding paying local estate agent commission fees.," he said.
"They also have a better read on demand from China for housing than we have. They wouldn't buy these sites it if they didn't have the end buyers."
Jiaheng Chan, managing director of Malaysian-backed developer Beulah International, said Melbourne appealed for all the reasons it was named the most liveable city in the world for six consecutive years.
He added a major drawcard for Melbourne is the education system and the quality of schools and universities.
Wizel said he expected a rise in activity in 2017 from some of the big Chinese developers including Greenland, Fosun, Vanke, Wanda and R&amp;F, who were relatively inactive in 2016.
He noted that Chinese groups were also expanding their activities beyond development sites.
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Chinese developers surge into Melbourne again for apartment sites

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The executive Chairman at WBP Property Group Greville Pabst says that Melbourne's median house price growth will rise by another 10 percent this year.
"Not unprecedented but watching stock being absorbed so quick in late spring and numbers at opens in 2017, I believe median house price growth should forge another 10 percent this year," he has advised.
"With two caveats," he added.
"Interest rates and unemployment."
Meanwhile Mr Pabst expects the property market to continue in the seller’s favour this year, particularly for houses.
“Given a lot of the stock has been mopped up, I think there will be pent-up demand when this market opens up again in mid-February.”
Mr Pabst says the market would be dependent on economic factors.
“A rise in unemployment or interest rates might take a bit of wind out of the sails,” he told the Herald Sun.
“There’s also the Trump factor, which could mean we have to put up interest rates faster, or it could mean a policy decision that has an impact on our economy.”
His tip was established apartments could grow up to 5 per cent because there was limited supply, with a similar outcome for single-level villas.
As for houses, he said established homes within 10km of the CBD and less than $2 million would “remain one of the safest bets” this year.
He predicts that prices could grow because homebuyers were fighting to buy within that range.
Similar growth could be expected for property less than $2 million up to 20km from the CBD, where listing shortages and affordability would drive prices in the area.
Mr Pabst forecast the value of resold modern apartments could fall about 6 per cent.
“Supply in certain postcodes including Melbourne, Docklands and Southbank and the in-built incentives will mean it might take up to six years for many of these investments to break even."
His WBP valuation group is known as one of the most bearish among the inner Melbourne valuers with their off the plan bank valuations.
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10 percent price growth for Melbourne houses predicted by Greville Pabst

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A 1960s residence at Coorparoo has been listed for sale for the first time.
It has been scheduled for January 28 auction.
Located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-coorparoo-124421590" target="_blank">544 Cavendish Road</a>, the property featuring many of the rich characteristics dating back to its 1960s build.
There are the stylish architraves, stone feature walls, original fireplace and ornate cornices.
There is a master bedroom complete with ensuite along with four additional bedrooms, all with built ins, as well as three bathrooms.
There is also a bar area downstairs along with a fully covered outdoor entertaining area with city views.
The property features a double car garage.
Next to the wine cellar is a home workshop.
New owners have the opportunity and option to renovate, re-build or invest with the property being in its original condition.
Brisbane’s CBS is 6km away and elite shops, restaurants, cafes and the new Coorparoo Square Shopping Village a short walk away.
The property is offered through Harcourts agents Conrad Leisemann and Chris Blakeley
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Intact 1960s Coorparoo residence listed for sale for first time

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

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