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Geelong is the regional regions with the highest auction clearance rate, according to CoreLogic’s weekly report.
The property advisory firm says that out of the 32 auctions known to CoreLogic in Geelong 71% of them were sold.
This is followed by Wollongong with 68% and the Hunter with 64%.
The Sunshine Coast was the region with the lowest auction clearance rate with only 56% of its 25 auctions known to CoreLogic sold under the hammer.
<a href="/images/2016/11/17/Regional%20regions.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Sunshine Coast weakest regional region with 56% auction clearance rate: CoreLogic

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The outer east region of Melbourne has the highest auction clearance rate, according to CoreLogic’s latest weekly report.
The property advisory firm says that out of the 62 auctions that are known to CoreLogic 83% were sold under the hammer.
This is followed by the north-east with 80% and the Mornington Peninsula 79%.
<a href="/images/2016/11/17/Melbourne%20sub%20regions.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/11/17/Melbourne%20sub%20regions.jpg" alt="">
The region with the lowest auction clearance rate was the south-east, where only 66% of the 123 auctions known to CoreLogic were sold.
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North-east Melbourne performing under the hammer: CoreLogic

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The Sutherland sub-region takes top spot in Sydney for the highest auction clearance rate, according to CoreLogic’s latest weekly report.
The property advisory firm says that out of the 53 known auctions in the area, 92% were sold under the hammer.
Sutherland is followed by the City and Inner South region, as well as the North Sydney and Hornsby region (both with 87%) and the Eastern Suburbs with 86% on the firm's list.
<a href="/images/2016/11/17/Sydney%20sub%20regions.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/11/17/Sydney%20sub%20regions.jpg" alt="">
The region with the lowest auction clearance rate was the Outer South West, where only 57% of the 19 known auctions were sold.
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Sutherland the Sydney region with best auction clearance rate: CoreLogic

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Last week’s combined capital city auction clearance rate was recorded at 75.8%, up from 73.6% the previous week, according to CoreLogic’s latest weekly report.
Last week, Melbourne’s auction clearance rate rose from 76.1% to 76.8% while auction volumes increased from 927 to 1,329.
Sydney’s auction clearance rate also rose last week from 78.8% to 81.4%.
<a href="/images/2016/11/17/Capital%20city%20auction%20clearance%20rates.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/11/17/Capital%20city%20auction%20clearance%20rates.jpg" alt="">
The number of auctions was virtually unchanged with 1,089 last week compared to 1,087 the previous week.
The auction markets is the two largest cities have maintained strength throughout pring this year. So far during spring, Melbourne’s clearance rate has averaged 78.8% and Sydney’s 80.9%.
In 2015, the average spring clearance rates were 70.7% and 65.1% respectively. The current market is also stronger than in 2014 when the spring average clearance rates were 70.3% in Melbourne and 74.4% in Sydney.
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Auction clearance rate increases to 75%: CoreLogic

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There are slightly fewer auctions scheduled to take place across the combined capital cities this week, with 2,721 currently being tracked according to CoreLogic’s latest weekly report.
The property advisory firm says that in both Sydney and Melbourne, the two major auction markets, auction activity is down week on week, with 1,201 Melbourne auctions scheduled and 959 homes set to be taken to auction across Sydney.
Auction activity is set to be substantially lower than it was over the same week last year.
Outside of Sydney and Melbourne, each of the remaining capital cities is set to see a higher number of auctions this week compared to last week.
<a href="/images/2016/11/17/Weekly%20clearance%20rate.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/11/17/Weekly%20clearance%20rate.jpg" alt="">
Capital city auctions this week:
• Sydney: 959
• Melbourne: 1201
• Brisbane: 237
• Adelaide: 133
• Perth: 68
• Canberra: 113
Mount Waverley in Melbourne is the busiest individual suburb for auctions across the nation this week, with 23 residential homes set to go under the hammer.
Reservoir (18) and each of Coburg, Craigieburn, Hawthorn and Malvern East have 15 auctions scheduled this week.
<a href="/images/2016/11/17/Capital%20city%20auction.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/11/17/Capital%20city%20auction.jpg" alt="">
The combined capital city auction clearance increased last week to 75.8% from 73.6% the previous week.
The clearance rate rose on a higher number of auctions, with 2,897 auctions last week compared to 2,517 auctions the previous week.
Melbourne’s auction clearance rate increased slightly last week to 76.8% from 76.1% the previous week.
In Sydney, clearance rates also increased to 81.4% last week from 78.8% the previous week.
Each week lately fewer sub-regions in Sydney and Melbourne have been recording fewer overall clearance rates above 90%.
Across the smaller auction markets, auction clearance rates increased in each city relative to the previous week.
The Hunter region was the busiest non-capital city region last week, with 59 auctions, however Geelong recorded the strongest clearance rate at 71.9%.
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Auction activity set to cool in Sydney and Melbourne: CoreLogic

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Residential listings can now be seen in virtual reality on realestate.com.au with the release of a new app on Google's mobile virtual reality platform Daydream.
The toolkit is built on Matterport’s VR Software Development Kit (SDK) with the number of properties available in VR to increase as the technology is more widely adopted.
Nigel Dalton, REA Group chief inventor said it is Australia’s first property app on Daydream. realestate VR will change the way people experience and interact with property.
"By 2020, most Australian homes will have VR headsets, and we’re confident the leading real estate agents will embrace virtual reality to create a brand new experience for a whole new generation of property seekers," he said.
<img src="/images/2016/11/11/realestate%20VR%202.jpg" alt="">
"The simplest practical example of virtual reality creating time for people is open for inspections. Instead of mum, partner and the kids running across town to view potential properties, either to purchase or rent, this time-consuming process could now happen in one place in just a matter of minutes.”
Matt Bell, Matterport chief strategy officer said Matterport's VR SDK allows anyone to quickly create VR applications using real-world content, enabling VR to be rapidly adopted across a range of industries.
Realestate VR by realestate.com.au is available in the Google Play Store for use on Daydream View, Google’s mobile VR headset and controller. For more information, visit <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/vr/" target="_blank">www.realestate.com.au/vr/</a>
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Realestate.com.au launches virtual reality property app

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Renovators David Mathlin and Camilla Drover have finished their latest project, and are looking for a flip of around $12 million for their Elizabeth Bay home.
They paid $4.75 million for the <a href="https://www.rwebay.com.au/3324940/" target="_blank">1870s Italianate villa</a> in 2013. It now comes with a price tag of $16.5 million after an extensive renovation.
The Victorian mansion on Elizabeth Bay Road is set over three levels with stained glass surrounds on the imposing entry.
There are four bedrooms, four bathrooms and five fireplaces throughout the home. Verandahs come off the bedrooms and entertaining areas.
The home sits in 483 sqm of landscaped grounds.
Richardson &amp; Wrench Elizabeth Bay agent Penny Timothy has the listing.
Dave and Camilla have previously renovated in Potts Point, turning a 17-room backpackers' hostel into a grand three-storey terrace 
 
 
 
 
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1870s Italianate villa listed in Elizabeth Bay

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A solid brick warehouse with tin roof in bayside Albert Park is being offered for the first time since 1982.
Untouched in a quarter of a century, <a href="https://www.33littlepagestreet-albertpark.com" target="_blank">33 Little Page Street</a> is a 189 sqm corner offering. 
It last sold at $40,000.
The parcel offers two street frontages not far from the beach.
Marshall White Albert Park agents Nicholas Hoo and Oliver Preston have the listing.
Number 38 Little Page Street, a three bedroom Victorian terrace, sold for $1,205,000 in August.
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Tin shed warehouse offering in Albert Park

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The market share of new residential home loans originated by brokers and aggregators increased to 53.7 percent in the first quarter this year, according to a new report by the Mortgage &amp; Finance Association of Australia (MFAA).
This was an increase of 1.9 percent from the previous quarter and represented an average growth rate of 21.5 percent over the prior three years.
But the total value of broker-originated loans across the country dropped by 1.5 percent to just over $92 billion in the six months prior to the end of March 2016.
The Australian Broker website also reported the size of the broker community grew by 6 percent to 14,379 from September 2015 to March 2016, based on information gained by the MFAA from Australia’s 13 biggest aggregators.
The 13 aggregator groups make up 95 percent of the industry, making around 15,000 brokers in Australia.
NSW accounted for 42 percent of all new lending originating from brokers despite only having 35 percent of the total national broker population.
 
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Mortgage brokers secure higher home loan market share: MFAA

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McGrath Estate Agents has been appointed by Property NSW as the exclusive agent to market the sale of a further 24 properties as part of the next phase of the Millers Point program.
The appointment followed a tender process in accordance with NSW Government procurement guidelines.
McGrath was first engaged by Property NSW in 2014, before being appointed as the exclusive agent to market the sale of up to 50 Millers Point properties in January 2016.
In May the company was again appointed as the exclusive agent for the sale of a further 175 dwellings.
McGrath's Kon Stathopoulos said the company has now sold 91 properties achieving a total value of $282 million as part of the Millers Point Sales Program.
He said that some buyers were already seeing a strong return on their investment. “The first property to be sold in August 2014 was 119 Kent Street for $1.911 million and has since resold for $2.52 million in June 2015.
“We are delighted to have been awarded the next tranche of properties to be delivered under this program.
"To date we have achieved a 100 percent clearance rate which is reflective of the continued demand for quality properties in the Millers Point precinct. We look forward to continuing our strong partnership with Property NSW through the successful delivery of tranche six,” said Mr Stathopoulos.
The marketing of the initial four terraces in the latest tranche has commenced, with an auction date scheduled for November 30.
The properties will be marketed by Lorraine Crawford, Peter Starr and Andrew Stewart of McGrath Edgecliff.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-millers+point-124013970" target="_blank">15 Lower Fort Street</a>, Millers Point (pictured above): $4.5M - $4.7M
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-millers+point-124016126" target="_blank">36 Argyle Place</a>, Millers Point: $3M - $3.3M
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-millers+point-124016218" target="_blank">66 Bettington Street</a>, Millers Point: $2M - $2.2M
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-millers+point-124015758" target="_blank">61 Kent Street</a>, Millers Point: $1.8M - $1.98M
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McGrath to sell 24 Millers Point properties after winning NSW tender

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/abadeen">Abadeen</a> and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/perifa">PERIFA</a> have celebrated the topping out of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf,</a> marking a significant milestone in the delivery of one of Syd​ney's most anticipated waterfront communities.

Located on Sydney's harbourfront at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/putney-nsw-2112">Putney</a>, the project has now reached its highest structural point, with construction progressing strongly towards completion in 2027. 
&nbsp; 
The milestone was celebrated on-site with project partners Phoenix Property Investors, Mitsubishi Estate Asia, Versatile Construction, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, consultants and stakeholders, to recognise the collective effort behind the transformation of the historic waterfront site into a vibrant new residential, marina and lifestyle destination.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=362240] 
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<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> will deliver a mix of waterfront residences and terraces, complemented by a private 36-berth marina, waterfront dining opportunities and a revitalised foreshore designed to reconnect the community with the river's edge. 
&nbsp; 
Abadeen Executive Chairman and Founder Justin Brown said the project represented a rare opportunity to create the next chapter in Sydn​ey's long history of successful waterfront precincts. 
&nbsp; 
"Throughout Sydney, some of the city's most sought-after addresses have emerged from carefully considered waterfront precincts such as Woolloom​ooloo Wharf, Walsh Bay and Breakfast Point," Brown said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=362566] 
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"What makes these places so successful is that they become much more than residential developments," Brown said.

"They bring together homes, hospitality, marina facilities, public spaces and a strong sense of community in locations where future supply is incredibly limited."

Brown has long described absolute waterfront land in Sy​dney as "finite."

"Once these opportunities are developed, they are rarely replicated. That's why Syd​ney's waterfront precincts have consistently demonstrated strong demand and long-term value growth over many decades. 
&nbsp; 
"<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> is one of the few remaining opportunities to secure a residence within a masterplanned waterfront community that combines direct water access, marina ownership opportunities and a genuine village lifestyle just moments from the Sy​dney CBD."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=362564] 
&nbsp; 
PERIFA Founder and Managing Director Fabrizio Perilli said the project reflected a shared commitment to delivering exceptional places that create long-term value for residents and the broader community. 
&nbsp; 
"The topping out milestone is a significant achievement for the Versatile Group and a testament to the collaboration between all project partners, consultants and contractors involved," Perilli said. 
&nbsp; 
"Beyond the residences themselves, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> will establish a new waterfront destination that celebrates the history, character and lifestyle of this unique location while creating a lasting legacy for future generations."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=291195] 
&nbsp; 
Construction is being delivered by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/versatile">Versatile Construction</a>, with structural works now substantially complete across the precinct. Attention will progressively shift to the construction of the waterview terraces, apartment façades, services and interior fit-out works over the coming months. 
&nbsp; 
With limited residences and marina berths remaining, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> continues to attract strong interest from owner occupiers and downsizers seeking a premium waterfront lifestyle within close proximity to Putne​y Village, Rh​odes, Top Ry​de and the Syd​ney CBD. 
&nbsp; 
As one of the last opportunities to secure a residence within a new masterplanned waterfront community on Sy​dney Harbour, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> is expected to remain a highly sought-after address for years to come.

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Joel Robinson

Abadeen, PERIFA, top out Putney Wharf harbourfront precinct

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]

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.

Staff reporter

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