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The Northern Beaches takes the weekend's top spot as the Sydney region with the highest auction clearance rate, according to CoreLogic’s latest weekly report.
Out of the 83 reported auctions to CoreLogic about 94% resulted in a successful outcome.
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This is followed by Sutherland with 93% and Blacktown with a clearance rate of 92%.
The region with the lowest auction clearance rate was Parramatta where only 67% of the 61 auctions known to CoreLogic resulted in a successful outcome.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Northern Beaches's top spot as Sydney region with best clearance rate: CoreLogic

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The North West region takes the weekend's top spot as the Melbourne region with the highest auction clearance rate, according to CoreLogic’s latest weekly report.
Out of the 60 reported auctions to CoreLogic about 91% resulted in a successful outcome.
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This was followed by the Outer East region with 87% and both the North East and South East taking equal third place with 82%.
The region with the lowest auction clearance rate was both the Inner region and the Inner East region with both regions having an auction clearance rate of 70%.
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North West region's top spot as Melbourne region with best clearance rate: CoreLogic

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Geelong takes the weekend's top spot as the regional region with the highest auction clearance rate, according to CoreLogic’s latest weekly report.
Out of the 32 reported auctions to CoreLogic about 87% resulted in a successful outcome.
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This was followed by Wollongong with 69% and the Hunter with 68%.
The region with the lowest auction clearance rate was the Sunshine Coast with only 39% of its 23 auctions known to CoreLogic resulted in a successful outcome.
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Geelong's top spot as regional region with best clearance rate: CoreLogic

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Denistoun Park, the 28 ha Mornington Peninsula property stabling the horses of Jason Warren Racing, has been listed for sale.
The Tuerong property is located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-other-vic-tuerong-7851142" target="_blank">355 Balnarring Road</a>, an hour from Melbourne.
Jason Warren and wife, Yasmin purchased Denistoun Park in 2010.
"It wasn't a decision we took lightly," <a href="https://jasonwarrenracing.com.au/trainer-profile" target="_blank">he told TVN's Jason Richardson</a>.
It is a prime thoroughbred racing property previously leased to horse trainers, the Freedman Brothers.
Set at the end of a towering gum drive, the property offers a 1650 metre irrigated grass track, sand track, 68 stables, 60 meter straight pool, two walkers, sand arena and 60 post and rail paddocks with loose books providing a unique onsite training and spelling options.
It is near Balnarring Beach.
The property is offered through RT Edgar agents Lisa Fraser-Smith and Holly Longmuir.
Offers are due 10 November.
A lease back is possible.
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Denistoun Park at Tuerong for sale

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Australian home owners are staying put longer, with the average number of years that capital city residents hold their homes trending up since 2005 from 6.7 years to 10.7 years for houses and 5.9 years to 9 years for apartments, according to McGrath's latest report.
It noted the number of sales transactions has declined in line with this trend according to CoreLogic.
"Essentially it boils down to financial reasons and changes in the way we live today," John McGrath suggested.
Affordability and the costs of buying and selling are major factors.
"Stamp duty and agents’ fees alone currently run to about $55,000 on a median priced house in Sydney today."
Renovating is also on the rise, which tends to happen at the end of a boom when affordability falls. Instead of trading up, owners draw on new equity to renovate and extend instead.
"t’s not surprising that Melbourne and Sydney are our renovating hot spots right now," the report noted.
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"A strong economy is also encouraging people to stay put.
"Despite the GFC, it’s been 25 years since our last recession so the biggest economic factors that prompt people to sell – unemployment and financial stress – are less at play. People in secure jobs can stay put until personal circumstances demand a change of address.
"Which brings us to the second major element affecting hold periods – changes in the way we live.
"There has always been a strong correlation between people’s life stages and their housing needs, however in today’s modern world the traditional trends in the way we live are shifting and this is reducing the necessity to move," it noted.
Couple-only households and people who live alone are the fastest growing types of households in Australia today and they don’t need to move as much as growing families.
Recent Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show 46% of couple-only and lone person households have lived in their current home for 10 or more years compared to 28 percent of families with kids.
Young people are staying home longer, prompting many parents to delay their downsize or seachange.
When they buy their first home or rent with friends or a partner, they can stay there longer because they are delaying marriage and kids until much later in life.
Previously, as people’s incomes grew, they would look to upgrade to a better property but wage growth is not nearly keeping pace with property prices, so there are plenty of couples staying put in apartments or small houses until their first or second child comes along.
The average family size is also getting smaller, with a steady decline from 3-4 kids in the 1960s to 1-2 kids today.
"This means many families can stay put longer in properties with fewer bedrooms."
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We’re also seeing a rise in multi-generational households with couples and in-laws pooling funds to buy a large home that will suit them for the long term.
ABS data shows the majority of multi-family households stay put for 10-20 years or more.
The ageing population is also contributing to longer hold periods.
Mortgage-free home ownership is highest amongst older Australians and they prefer to stay put long term if they can, with 47% of owners without a mortgage living in their homes for more than 20 years.
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Staying put means avoiding moving costs and preserving pension arrangements, which can change after selling.
The GFC also prompted many empty-nesters to delay retirement and stay put while they continued working to replenish lost superannuation.
<div>
Buying and holding is the key to success in Australian real estate.
Although owner-occupiers are primarily motivated by lifestyle factors, it’s important to remember that your home is your greatest financial asset and the best capital growth always occurs over the long term.
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Homeowners are staying longer: McGrath

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The international punter and horse racing owner-breeder, Paul Makin and wife Lyndal have paid $4,025,000 for a rural retreat in far New South Wales.
Located between Byron Bay and Bungalow, it's a 14 hectare Talofa ranch style property with larger than usual homestead.
The contemporary four-pavillion, log cabin-style home was built by an American couple, Rebecca and Richard Korhammer. 
It overlooks open paddocks, a dam and mature gardens. Listed through Unique Estates agent Nicolette van Wijngaarden, it had been earning $250,000 per annum in holiday rental income.
Makin, who is almost 80, has been living in Hong Kong but is moving back to be closer to family to Australia. The couple recently sold a $4 million Main Beach, Gold Coast apartment and secured an apartment in Brisbane's Riparian Plaza complex.
Makin, who as a boy sold Sydney newspapers at the Doncaster Hotel, hails from Kensington.
He has seen racing success all over the world.
Starcraft was his best known horse which Makin shipped off to England-based trainer Luca Cumani in 2005.
In half a dozen starts for Cumani, Starcraft won two of Europe's most important mile races, the Prix du Moulin in France and the Queen Elizabeth Stakes in England.
Makin almost retired five years ago, but is back with Marcel, who is at stud at Newmarket, and Marcel’s half-brother who will be trained by Peter Chapple-Hyam, the former husband of expat horse trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam.
This article was first published in the Sunday Telegraph.
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Horse breeder Paul Makin buys Byron hinterland retreat

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Model simulations suggest that during private deleveraging, targeted fiscal interventions should be used to help unclog an economy’s credit system, as the cost of inaction is much higher including from a public debt sustainability perspective, according to IMF's latest report.
However, the optimal size of the intervention depends on the available fiscal space and the efficiency of intervention, under- scoring the importance of carefully designing these measures.
In the current global environment of low growth and private sector deleveraging—and with a strained financial system in some countries diminishing the effectiveness of monetary policy—there is a question of whether fiscal policy can play a role in facilitating the ongoing adjustment.
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<img src="/images/2016/10/31/Impact%20of%20Targeted%20Interventions%20in%20a%20Deleveraging%20Phase.jpg" alt="">
The dynamic general equilibrium model developed by Batini, Melina, and Villa (2016) is used in this box to assess the benefits of alternative fiscal policy measures.
The simulations assume that there is a shock in house prices similar in size to that observed in the United States during the global financial crisis, pushing the private sector into deleveraging. Three types of stimuli are considered: (1) a targeted intervention in the form of a subsidized government loan to the private sector when the credit channel is not working, (2) government consumption, and (3) public investment. Figure 1.4.1 shows the relative benefits of these measures compared to a no-policy-action scenario.
Overall, targeted fiscal intervention can alleviate the recessionary impact of private sector deleveraging, with the output gap up to 41⁄2 percentage points higher relative to no action (panel 1). By relaxing the private sector’s borrowing constraints, this type of measure allows households and firms to spend while deleveraging, supporting aggregate demand.
In addition, public debt is slightly lower than under no intervention, despite the up-front fiscal cost as a result of the boost to growth (panel 2).  The benefits of intervention (in terms of minimizing output losses) for a given size of stimulus decrease with the inefficiency costs associated with poor targeting (red versus blue lines in panels 1 and 2).
The output benefits of targeted intervention are four times larger than those of more standard stimulus measures (panel 3). The main reason for this powerful result is that, by lending to credit-constrained house-holds and firms, the government can leverage a much larger amount of spending than through other policy stimuli of equal cost.
That is because the fiscal cost of targeted intervention is only a fraction of the total government loan.
The higher the initial public debt (a proxy of the available fiscal buffers), the lower the optimal level of intervention that minimizes output losses (panel 4). With higher public debt, the sovereign risk premium goes up, increasing the fiscal cost of intervention and thereby limiting the optimal amount of credit that the government can intermediate.
Still, intervening pays off as long as there are some buffers, suggesting that multipliers are very high.
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Property 101: The benefits of targeted fiscal intervention

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M&amp;L Hospitality, the Singapore-based real estate investment group, are to build hotel accommodation in Sydney’s Central Business District hotel accommodation with the commencement of its new hotel development at 65 Sussex Street.
Multiplex has been appointed to deliver the hotel due for completion in Q4 2017.
Designed by Architects Fitzpatrick + Partners, the unique mid-scale hotel property will be an eight level tower with a distinctive geometric facade, 182 guest rooms including 4 suites, an internal courtyard, meeting space, restaurant and bar.
David Ghannoum, Regional Managing Director NSW at Multiplex, said the company was excited to deliver another new hotel to Sydney’s CBD off the back of its successful redevelopment of 161 Sussex Street Sydney for M&amp;L Hospitality.
The second project for M&amp;L Hospitality, Multiplex is currently completing the final phase of M&amp;L Hospitality’s AUD $250 million redevelopment of 161 Sussex Street Sydney, which is set to be rebranded as the Hyatt Regency Sydney on 1 December 2016.
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Singapore's M&L to build more Sydney CBD hotel premises

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CVA has sold a Nunawading building to an owner-occupier in the construction maintenance industry.
They intends to renovate and utilise the premises as a head office.
The property was sold after 60 enquiries were received, with seven offers eventually leading to the successful sale in the vicinity of $4 million.
The sale also occurred just prior to another sale in the street, 17 Moncrief Road, which sold via public auction for $2.3 million.
Situated on a 2,241 square metre site, the property comprises a total floor area of 1,870 square metres. 
It is surrounded by major retailers including Office Works, Freedom Furniture, Bunnings Warehouse, and Petbarn.
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Stand-alone building at heart of Nunawading sold at auction

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Low Doc Loan Experts CEO and Founder Yannick Ieko has launched a new website that aims to help people understand low doc loans and the benefits they provide to self-employed applicants who do not meet general lenders requirements to demonstrate their income.
The site is <a href="https://www.lowdocloanexperts.com.au" target="_blank">www.lowdocloanexperts.com.au</a>.
“I find that there are many small to medium business especially in the trade areas that may not meet the rigid criteria for a traditional loan and have the capacity to purchase but need the flexibility of a low doc loan,” says Yannick.
After the GFC, low doc loans all but disappeared from the marketplace. They became too difficult because of stricter regulations and major banks stopped offering them in their product range or imposed requirements, which made them just as difficult to get as standard loans.
Today, some smaller lenders have started to offer low doc loans, including for SMSFs, on the condition the applicant’s earnings can be confirmed by an accountant. Although only a handful of lenders offer these products, it opens the way for so many more Australians to buy, refinance or get equity out of their properties.
Because it is also available for SMSF lending, it opens up new investment strategies to people who would have otherwise been locked out.
“There is only one low doc option we are aware of for residential properties in SMSF and it requires the use of the special Eclipse structure. It's very niche and a little technical but it can absolutely be done,” says Yannick.
Low doc lenders are offering document-free loans so long as the applicant’s earnings can be guaranteed by an accountant.
He suggests this is especially hopeful for the self-employed who struggle to demonstrate an income because:
<ul>
<li>They haven’t lodged their paperwork to the tax office.</li>
<li>Their business is young and doesn’t have a solid income history.</li>
<li>Could also include people whose business is taking off and current income may not be reflected in lodged tax returns for 12 to 18 months</li>
</ul>
 
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New website to cater for low doc loans understanding

<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.

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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.

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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."

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&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."

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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.

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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."

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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.

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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.

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From Candela, residents can access cafés, grocers, wine bars, restaurants and essential services on foot, while Ivanhoe Station and Darebin Station provide direct connectivity across Mel​bour​ne. The development is also surrounded by some of the suburb's best-known lifestyle destinations, including Pinkie, Laurent, Enni, Docasa and Woodfire Pizza e Cucina, alongside Ivanhoe Plaza, Woolworths, pharmacies and specialty retailers.

Green space is another defining feature of the suburb. Darebin Parklands, Ivanhoe Park, Nellie Ibbot Park and the Yarra River trail network provide extensive opportunities for recreation, while Ivanhoe Golf Course and Ivanhoe Tennis Club continue to underpin the area's long-established lifestyle appeal.

The suburb's education offering further strengthens demand. Ivanhoe Grammar School, Ivanhoe Girls' Grammar School, Mary Immaculate Primary School and Ivanhoe Primary School have helped establish the area as one of Melbou​​rne's most sought-after schooling precincts, attracting families and downsizers alike who want to remain connected to the area.

[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.

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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.

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The social amenity continues to evolve as residents move higher through the building. Levels 49 and 50 house the Meridian Club, where a lounge bar, conservatory spaces, and private dining rooms take advantage of elevated city views. At the summit of the tower, the exclusive Cumulus Club spans Levels 66 and 67, offering additional lounges, private dining, and meditation and treatment rooms positioned above Melbourne’s skyline.

For OSK Property, the extensive amenity offering reflects a broader focus on wellbeing as a core component of apartment living rather than an added feature.

“Aura stands tall as an exemplar of holistic wellness – its focus on social, physical and mental health culminate in a building that is calming, restorative and relaxing, where residents will have their own sanctuary within the well-connected and sought-after Southbank,” says OSK Property CEO Chong Boon Woon.

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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.

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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.

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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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