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Kilmore is ranked the Victorian location with a highest number of distressed house offerings, according to Investar’s latest market report. 
Around half its listings are being offered at a discount or distressed price.
Curlewis and Cranbourne also had high discount levels among its listings.
The median house price at Kilmore is $333,000. Houses are being typically rented at a $340 median weekly rent.
Houses are averaging 110 days on the market before being sold.
<div align="center">
<table style="width: 546px;" border="0" cellpadding="0" align="left"><tbody>
<tr>
<td>
Suburb
</td>
<td>
Postcode
</td>
<td>
Dwelling type
</td>
<td>
Bedrooms
</td>
<td>
% of listings
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Kilmore
</td>
<td>
3764
</td>
<td>
House
</td>
<td>
4
</td>
<td>
51%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Curlewis
</td>
<td>
3222
</td>
<td>
House
</td>
<td>
4
</td>
<td>
43%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Cranbourne
</td>
<td>
3977
</td>
<td>
House
</td>
<td>
2
</td>
<td>
41%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Wallan
</td>
<td>
3756
</td>
<td>
House
</td>
<td>
4
</td>
<td>
40%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Coronet Bay
</td>
<td>
3984
</td>
<td>
House
</td>
<td>
3
</td>
<td>
31%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
 
 
 
 
The list was produced using sales listing data including distressed sale condition keyword analysis.
It identified listings with one or more keywords that would indicate an increased level of seller motivation and calculated this as a percentage of total listings on the market.
It is designed to identify suburbs with the highest percentage of potentially distressed price stock based on the descriptions used by agents and vendors.
The category also included price reduction activity.
A currently tenanted house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-kilmore-121845038" target="_blank">4 Blackduck Crossing</a> (above) had its price reduced several time until its recent $290,000 sale. 
It had been dropped to a $300,000 asking price from $310,000 having been listed in February at $335,000.
It last sold in 2010 at $293,000. 
 
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Kilmore takes top spot for distressed house offerings in Victoria: Investar

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A freehold building in Sydney's beachisde suburb of Clovelly has sold to a private investor and owner occupier for $2.92 million with a yield of 0.5 percent.
The property, 338-342 Clovelly Road, is opposite the Clovelly Hotel and has two retail shops, two residential apartments and a land area of 455.3 square metres.
The property sold before auction through Matt Pontey and Miron Solomons of Colliers International, with a record 150 enquiries in the first few weeks of the campaign commencing.
Matt Pontey said there have been limited opportunities in the Clovelly area over the last 12 months and interest was received from High Net Worth owner occupiers, private investors, syndicators, value-add specialists and ambitious developers.
<img src="/images/2016/12/01/338-342%20Clovelly%20Road%20Clovelly%20-%20marked%20LR.jpg" alt="">
 
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Clovelly beachside asset breaks local records before auction

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The latest research from Richmond Cityscope shows property sales have decreased in the past three months, according to CoreLogic’s market report.
Sales recorded in the quarter ending November 2016 totalled $57.2 million.
This is a decrease from the $96.5 million recorded in the three months to August 2016 but an increase from the $47.6 million recorded to May 2016.
This data brings the 12-month total to $234.3 million, an increase from the $203.7 million recorded for the same time last year.
The data for this update of Richmond includes sales from the past two years in the additional 17 maps that have been added to the coverage area.
The table below shows sales recorded for the past eight updates of Richmond Cityscope.
<a href="/images/2016/11/30/Richmond-1.jpeg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/11/30/Richmond-1.jpeg" alt="">
Notable sales in the November 2016 update of Richmond Cityscope include:
<ul>
<li>630 Church Street, Richmond, a five-storey office building including a 2-level basement car park for 78 cars. Total building area is 3,184 sqm comprising 1,010 sqm of showroom space and 2,174 sqm of office space, was sold for $23.5 million;</li>
<li>1-9 Gordon Street, Cremorne, a single-storey commercial building with a site area of 852 sqm parcel, was sold for $4.55 million; and</li>
<li>107 Palmer Street, Richmond, a two-storey industrial/commercial building with a building area of 1,309 sqm, was sold for $4.06 million.</li>
</ul>
<a href="/images/2016/11/30/Richmond-2.jpeg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/11/30/Richmond-2.jpeg" alt="">
Properties listed as for sale in the November 2016 of Richmond Cityscope include:
<ul>
<li>196-198 Bridge Road, Richmond, a 2-storey retail brick building with a single-storey section to the rear situated on a 260 sqm block, is for sale by negotiation through TCI Property Consultants;</li>
<li>133 Green Street, Cremorne, a vacant land of 131 sqm with a development approval for the construction of a three level office building, is for sale through Morley Commercial; and</li>
<li>Lot 9 of Skipping Girl Place at 651-653 Victoria Street, Abbotsford, a commercial unit located on level one, is for sale through Gross Waddell.</li>
</ul>
Significant leasing opportunities in Richmond in November 2016:
<ul>
<li>Abbotsford Office Park at 675 Victoria Street, Abbotsford, a four-storey office building with car parking for 110 vehicles, which has 400 – 1,800 sqm of office space for lease through Colliers International;</li>
<li>43 Elizabeth Street, North Richmond, an eight-storey office building with 346 undercover parking spaces, which has 1,871 sqm of office space for lease through Colliers International;</li>
<li>74 Wellington Parade, East Melbourne, a two-storey building, which has 80 sqm of retail space for lease through Teska Carson Richmond; and</li>
<li>543 Bridge Road, Richmond, a six-storey retail and office building, comprising office space on the upper levels, 900 sqm retail space on the ground level and two basement car parking for 91 cars, which has 550 – 785 sqm on level 4 for lease through Colliers International (Clayton).</li>
</ul>
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Richmond commercial property market turnover declines: CoreLogic

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Singer-songwriter Pete Murray has traded in the Byron Bay beaches to return to the hinterland.
He has bought a retreat at Newrybar, a four bedroom home some nine kilometres from his former abode.
Murray, who sold his near beachfront Suffolk Park home, Blue Sky Beach House, for $2,205,000 in July, spent $1,685,000 on hinterland property.
The two level home on its 6,107 sqm lot comprises an open plan kitchen and large outdoor entertaining spaces offer views over the hinterland.
There's also an ornamental vineyard.
The home was marketed by selling agent Scott Harvey at Scott Harvey Real Estate as having plans passed for further renovations that include an infinity pool and a Balinese bathhouse.
Murray, who has recently been performing some acoustic session in the Maldives, previously lived at Eureka, where he and former wife, Amanda Coutts bought Carawatha, the district's original farm house.
His third album, Summer at Eureka, was released in 2008, becoming his third consecutive #1 album on the ARIA charts.
The study in the 1907 property featured on the cover of the album. 
Murray briefly even had his own restaurant in Byron Bay in 2013 called Frankie Brown Cafe, named after his Kelpie dog, Miss Frankie Brown.
This article first appeared in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.
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Singer-songwriter Pete Murray heads to Byron hills

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The Hills of Carmel, a 2,000 lot sub-division spread across 223 hectares in the newly rezoned Box Hill, is progressing at least six months ahead of schedule, according to the developers.
More than 275 housing lots have been sold to home buyers since the $1.3 Billion Hills Shire site launched in May with council consent received for a further 300 lots, likely to be released to buyers in stages in the new year.
“We’ve seen extremely strong sales since day one and that doesn’t seem to be slowing down as the year draws to a close,” said Bob Welsh, the property development consultant for The Hills of Carmel.
According to Welsh, housing construction will commence in February 2017 for the master-planned community in the soon-to-be developed suburb of Box Hill, with the first Hills of Carmel residents set to move into their new homes by winter 2017.
Australia’s biggest and most established display home organisation, Homeworld, has also announced plans for a new 110-lot display village in The Hills of Carmel from mid next year.
“This really shows the quality of the future suburb, as the builders want to display their best product,” said Welsh.
Situated in the premium Hills Shire area, just 40 minutes from the Sydney CBD, 10 minutes from the soon to be completed Metro line at Rouse Hill, and 10 minutes from the Hawkesbury River, the 223-hectare Hills of Carmel offers unparalleled views to the Blue Mountains.
“In line with the need for smaller lots, as described by the Department of Planning, we are providing both small detached dwelling lots and larger lots ranging in size from 300m2 to 870m2.
"We have just released a further 25 lots for sale in the current stage, with prices starting from $427,000 for 300m2, 16 of which sold on the first weekend,” he said.
The Department of Planning expects the new suburb of Box Hill to eventually comprise of 9,600 dwellings and a population of more than 28,000 people.
For more information on The Hills of Carmel, visit <a href="https://www.thehillsofcarmel.com.au/" target="_blank">www.TheHillsofCarmel.com.au</a>.
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Billion dollar Box Hill development, The Hills of Carmel ahead of schedule

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Celebrated international fashion designer Camilla Franks has bought a Victorian era residence in Woollahra.
Set amid 455 square metres of landscaped gardens, the four bedroom, three bathroom freestanding home was built in the 1880s.
The modernised open plan family room spills out to a rear deck. 
It last traded for $2 million in 2002.
Belle Property agent Albert Sassoon secured the pre-auction sale to the queen of the kaftan.
Known for her love of colour and stylish designs, the fashion designer will no doubt decorate with her eclectic blend of the exotic, quirky and antique.
She intends sharing the house with two large dogs - Gypsy and Beau. The latter, an Italian mastiff, weighs 60 kilograms.
Franks opened the boutique store, Camilla, in Bondi Beach in 2004 and has gone on to develop an international clothing empire, dressing the stars here and overseas.
She is in stores across Australia. Some of her most famous clients include singer Beyonce and Oprah Winfrey. 
Until recently Franks has been residing in Wales where she reconnected with her 'soul mate' who she fell in love with around 20 years ago.
The couple were living in Cowbridge, a town half an hour outside of Cardiff.
This article first appeared in The Sunday Telegraph. 
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Fashion designer Camilla Franks pins down Woollahra purchase

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Orthopaedic surgeon Gordon Slater’s former holiday home at Byron Bay has been sold for $6.2 million to a Victorian family.
Located at 158 Lighthouse Road, the property was sold mortgagee-in-possession after the surgeon’s Byron Bay Cookie Company went into receivership three years ago.
Selling agent Ian Daniels from McGrath said he had received 10 registered bidders.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-byron+bay-123885158" target="_blank">The property</a> was listed with $4.7 million hopes.
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10 bidders seek to snap up Byron Bay holiday home

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The newly approved Architectus and Ateliers Jean Nouvel tower at 383 La Trobe Street is being developed by Sterling Global.
The $700 million mixed-use tower is a design collaboration between French design architect Ateliers Jean Nouvel and local Australian executive architect Architectus.
The 70-storey tower will have 488 one, two and three bedroom residences and a 196-room hotel.
Now that planning approval has been granted, Sterling Global will engage with international hotel operators.
Matthew Smith, the managing principal, Architectus said the striking new mixed-use tower promises to be become a Melbourne landmark, contributing to the city’s artistic nature and cementing its place in the skyline as a centre of design and culture.
Brandon Yeoh, the development director, Sterling Global said 383 La Trobe Street offered one third of its land back to the public, creating a new laneway dotted with a gallery space, cafes, bars, art spaces and a huge digital art installation.
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French and Australian design collaboration on 383 La Trobe Street, Melbourne landmark

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The latest research shows that property sales have decreased over the past three months, according to CoreLogic’s Auckland Cityscope report.
In the three months to November 2016, there were 54 sales for a total of $200.5 million compared with 35 sales for a total of $239.8 million recorded for the three months to August 2016.
There is an increase from the 28 sales at a total of $107.6 million recorded for the three months to May 2016. 
The latest data brings the total sales for the 12 months to $906.4 million, a decrease from the $1.321 billion in sales recorded to the same time last year.
The table below shows sales recorded for the past eight updates of Auckland Cityscope:
<a href="/images/2016/11/30/Auckland-1.jpeg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/11/30/Auckland-1.jpeg" alt="">
Notable sales in November 2016 update of Auckland Cityscope include:
<ul>
<li>450 Queen Street, comprising of a D-grade office building of five levels including a basement to Queen and Waverley Streets, built in 1974-75 and a four-level (plus two basement levels) extension with the entrance from Waverley Street; built in 1988; which was sold for $39 million;</li>
<li>Media Design Centre, a 20-storey building at 92 Albert Street, comprising 15 office levels and a two-level retail plaza, completed in 1988, which was sold for $36 million; and</li>
<li>43 High Street, an 11-level building including ground and basement retail space, completed in 1973, which was sold for $15.825 million.</li>
</ul>
<a href="/images/2016/11/30/Auckland-2.jpeg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/11/30/Auckland-2.jpeg" alt="">
Properties listed as for sale in the November 2016 of Auckland Cityscope include:
<ul>
<li>VR Queen Street, at 401 Queen Street, a nine-storey octagonal building plus two basement levels for 27 cars and outside parking for seven cars, completed in 1986, which is available through Barfoot &amp; Thompson;</li>
<li>Newman Hall, two storeys to Waterloo Quadrant, four storeys down the slope to the rear, was built in 1863 as the Nathan family home, and originally known as Bella Vista, which is for sale by tender closing December 1, 2016 through Whillans Realty Group;</li>
<li>350 Queen Street, a nine-storey office building, built in 1982-83 by Mainzeal Construction to a design by the Walker Co-Partnership, which is for sale through a private treaty campaign closing December 6, 2016 through CBRE and Barfoot &amp; Thompson Commercial; and</li>
<li>Quantum Education Tower, a 13-storey building, built 1976-77 by Fletcher Construction Ltd and refurbished in 1989, which is for sale by private treaty closing December 1, 2016 through Bayleys Auckland Central.</li>
</ul>
Leasing opportunities in the November 2016 update of Auckland Cityscope include:
<ul>
<li>IBM Centre at 82 Wyndham Street, a five-storey commercial building, completed in April 1999, which has office space of 2,579 square metres and 4,228 square metres available for lease through Colliers International and Bayleys Auckland Central;</li>
<li>ANZ Centre at 23-29 Albert Street, a 42-level reinforced concrete tower block originally built in May 1991 and extensively refurbished in 2013, has newly refurbished office space available for lease on levels 14 and 15 (available in February 2017) and levels 34 to 39 (available mid 2019) through Bayleys Auckland Central; and</li>
<li>SAP Centre at 67 Symonds Street, a nine-level office tower over a four-level basement car park (233 spaces), which has office space of 1,203 square metres on level 6 and  957 square metres on level seven available for lease through Colliers International.</li>
</ul>
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Auckland commercial property sales activity in decline: CoreLogic

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The latest research shows that commercial property sales have significantly decreased in the past three months, according to CoreLogic’s Chapel Street Cityscope report.
Sales recorded in the quarter ending November 2016 totalled $3 million from three sales.
This is compared with $211.8 million from 8 sales in the three months to August 2016 and the recorded $131.2 million from 13 sales in the three months to May 2016.
The November 2016 sales totals represent a return to normalcy after The Como Centre and 650 Chapel Street were each bought together for approximately $203 million, boosting the total in the August quarter.
This data brings the 12 month total to $451.8 million from 34 sales, an increase compared with the previous 12 month total of $331.9 million from 38 sales.
The table below shows sales recorded for the past eight updates of Chapel Street Cityscope:
<a href="/images/2016/11/30/C.S-1.jpeg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/11/30/C.S-1.jpeg" alt="">
Notable sales recorded in the November 2016 update of Chapel Street Cityscope include:
<ul>
<li>69 Toorak Road, South Yarra, a two-storey retail building on a site area of 151 square metres, sold for $1.535 million;</li>
<li>Suite 10 and Suite 11 of 210 Toorak Road, South Yarra, two strata offices on level one of a two-storey building including four car spaces on title, sold for a total of $0.75 million.</li>
</ul>
<a href="/images/2016/11/30/C.S-2.jpeg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/11/30/C.S-2.jpeg" alt="">
Properties listed as for sale in the November 2016 update of Chapel Street Cityscope include:
<ul>
<li>29 Toorak Road, South Yarra, a two-storey brick building with a shop at street level and offices above on a 187 square metres site, for sale by auction in December 2016 through Fitzroys;</li>
<li>49 Toorak Road, South Yarra, a two-storey retail building on a 56 square metres site, for sale through LINQ Property;</li>
<li>403 Chapel Street, South Yarra, a two-storey retail building with a later brick addition to the rear on a 185 square metres site, for sale by auction in December 2016 through CBRE – Melbourne.</li>
</ul>
Leasing opportunities listed in the November 2016 update of Chapel Street Cityscope include:
<ul>
<li>The Colonnade at 524 Chapel Street, South Yarra, a three-level retail and office complex with 198 car spaces over two levels , has retail space of 99 square metres and 165 square metres for lease through Fitzroys;</li>
<li>352-354 Chapel Street, South Yarra, a single-storey retail building, providing 321 square metres building area, for lease through Fitzroys;</li>
<li>2 Darling Street, South Yarra, a four-level office building with a ground floor cafe, has office space of approximately 250 square metres for lease through Healthcare Real Estate and CBRE – Melbourne.</li>
</ul>
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Fewer Chapel Street retail property sales: CoreLogic

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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