National diversified developer Fortis has officially launched Crest &amp; Walker, its latest Brisbane apartment development, with construction now underway on the 20-storey Newstead project.

Award-winning builder BINAH has commenced construction on the Bureau^Proberts-designed building, which will deliver a limited collection of 65 two and three-bedroom apartments on Kyabra Street.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373556]

The project marks Fortis' fourth active residential development in Brisbane, following River House, which is nearing completion, alongside projects in New Farm and Hamilton as the national developer continues to expand its South East Queensland pipeline.

Fortis General Manager – Development Queensland Dan Boman said Crest &amp; Walker reflects the developer's long-term commitment to delivering design-led residential projects in Brisbane's established inner-city suburbs.

"We're proud to be strengthening our presence in Brisbane with Crest &amp; Walker, particularly in such a sought-after lifestyle destination as Newstead," Boman said.

"Every Fortis project is shaped by its context, and we approach each one with the respect and care it deserves.

"Our focus is always on creating places that feel connected to their neighbourhood and elevate the everyday experience for residents. Newstead continues to evolve as one of Brisbane's most sought-after urban communities, and Crest &amp; Walker reflects our ambition to contribute meaningfully to that story."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373559]

Positioned between Gasworks Plaza and James Street, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/crest-walker-newstead-12-kyabra-street-newstead-qld-4006">Crest &amp; Walker</a> has been designed as a boutique residential address offering privacy and generous living spaces within one of Brisbane's most established lifestyle precincts.

The building features a contemporary brick podium softened by integrated landscaping, while the upper levels are characterised by restrained architecture and enduring materiality. Interiors have been designed to maximise natural light, acoustic performance and long-term liveability.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373583]

Residences comprise spacious two and three-bedroom floorplans, with two-bedroom apartments priced from $1.55 million and three-bedroom, half-floor residences from $3.95 million.

Residents will have access to a wellness-focused rooftop featuring a swimming pool, sauna, steam room, landscaped dining spaces and outdoor lounge areas overlooking Newstead and the Brisbane CBD.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373571]

Sales are being managed by Slaite Projects, with Fortis expecting strong demand from owner-occupiers seeking a high-quality, design-focused apartment in one of Brisbane's most tightly held inner-city suburbs.

Completion of Crest &amp; Walker is slated for late 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145922]

Joel Robinson

Fortis expands Brisbane pipeline with launch of Crest & Walker in Newstead

The enormity of delivering a true skyscraper in Australia's new development market is often overlooked.

It has taken the best part of a decade since plans for Chevron One were first unveiled, but the 52-storey tower is now complete, with residents collecting their keys and moving into what has become one of the Gold Coast's most recognisable new landmarks.

Rising 127 metres above Chevron Island, Chevron One stands almost twice as high as any other building on the island. Its scale places it alongside the trio of towers at Jewel, arguably the last truly significant addition to the central Gold Coast skyline when they were completed around six years ago.

While there are several developments underway around a similar height to Chevron One, they are more concentrated within clusters of the highest towers in the city. The fact Chevron One sits within a developing precinct, looking back at the other high-rise developments in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, makes it a different proposition altogether. It will certainly become a reference point on the Gold Coast skyline.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68833]

Developer Bensons Property Group is behind the 52-storey tower, which has just shy of 250 apartments, along with an exhaustive list of resident amenity spread across what is the largest development site ever assembled on Chevron Island.

The tower has been the talk of the town for years, says Ray White Projects Gold Coast agent Caitlin Rosenboom, who is selling the remaining apartments.

"People have been watching Chevron One go up for years," Rosenboom says, adding that many prospective buyers have been surprised by the scale of the views once they step inside.

"It's only when they walk through a completed apartment that they truly understand the position of the building," Rosenboom says.

"The views are jaw-dropping. Whether you're looking east over the ocean, across Surfers Paradise, along the river systems or out to the hinterland, every level offers something different but equally impressive."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=360215]

One of Chevron One's defining advantages is its location on the eastern side of Chevron Island on Stanhill Drive, a position which protects the views forever.

"There's only one row of houses between Chevron One and the water, and the height restrictions along the river means views from Chevron One can never be built out,"&nbsp;Rosenboom says.

While new apartment developments continue to emerge across the Gold Coast, Rosenboom says opportunities to secure a completed apartment with this level of outlook are becoming increasingly rare.

"The size of the site is something that would be incredibly difficult to replicate today," she says.

"That's allowed Chevron One to deliver the sort of amenity, open space and resident facilities that very few projects can offer. There are not many completed apartment buildings on the Gold Coast right now that can compete with the combination of scale, quality and amenity."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68839]

There's around 2,000 sqm of amenity solely for the use of residents of Chevron One. Club One features a uniquely shaped swimming pool that mirrors the footprint of the building itself, set within a extensively landscaped gardens. There's also an indoor pool and spa, a fully equipped gym with a Pilates room, a yoga garden, a bookable private dining area and lounge that can host up to 30 people, and a 24-hour concierge service.

As for the buyers, Rosenboom is fielding enquiry from everywhere: Sydneysiders and Melburnians looking at the new and off-the-plan market following the changes in the Federal Budget, as well as those looking to relocate, through to South East Queenslanders seeking either a permanent home or a weekender bolthole.

"The Gold Coast lifestyle continues to resonate with people relocating from the southern states, and when they see the views and the quality of what's been delivered at Chevron One, it becomes very easy for them to understand the appeal," Rosenboom says.

A diverse mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments remain available, with each offering "something a little different", be it the orientation and views, configuration, or level, to suit a wide variety of buyers.

The remaining apartments are ready to inspect in person, by appointment.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=6515]

A decade in the making: Residents to move into Chevron One as construction wraps up

A general rule of thumb in new apartment developments is that the penthouses get the rooftop.

It's a formula that's become commonplace across Australia's apartment market. Residents might have access to a pool, gym or barbecue facilities on a dedicated lower level, but the most desirable outdoor spaces are typically reserved for the highest-priced homes at the top of the building.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa Property Group</a> has taken the opposite approach.

Rather than dedicating the rooftop to a handful of buyers, the Gold Coast developer has made it the centrepiece of its Flourish collection, creating expansive shared spaces from the best vantage point in the building.

The philosophy has reached its most ambitious expression at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-soleira-palm-beach-1150-1160-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Soleira</a> in Palm Beach, where two rooftop precincts connected by a skybridge will deliver one of the most extensive lifestyle offerings seen in a residential apartment project on the Gold Coast.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374053]

"We're seeing a clear move toward developments that offer more than just an apartment," Sherpa Group founder Christie Leet said.

"People want spaces that support how they actually live, whether that's working from home, staying active, or spending time with family and friends.

"That's where amenity becomes critical. It's not just about what's included, but how those spaces are designed to be used every day."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374052]

The breadth of amenity has already attracted buyers across multiple demographics. Younger first home buyers have been drawn to Soleira's one-bedroom apartments, a product rarely delivered in Palm Beach, while families have responded to practical inclusions such as the shallow children's pool adjoining the main lap pool and the extensive communal recreation areas.

Instead of a single rooftop, Soleira delivers two distinct lifestyle zones.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=372547]

The southern rooftop has been dedicated to wellness, featuring a gym, yoga and Pilates studio, work-from-home facilities, a wellness centre, spa, and hot and cold plunge pools.

The northern rooftop focuses on recreation and entertaining, incorporating a heated resort-style pool, private dining rooms, pizza ovens, barbecues, a golf simulator, children's recreation areas, and what is expected to be the Gold Coast's first rooftop basketball court, which will also double as a squash court.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374054]

Beyond the rooftops, Soleira will introduce 1,500 sqm of curated retail beneath the towers, creating one of Palm Beach's first genuinely mixed-use lifestyle precincts where cafés, restaurants and convenience retail become part of residents' everyday lives.

Sherpa has also retained management rights across the development, allowing it to oversee the long-term operation of the building through a 24-hour concierge model. The developer is also exploring additional revenue streams within the precinct aimed at helping offset ongoing body corporate costs for residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=370962]

While Soleira is the largest project Sherpa has delivered, the rooftop-first philosophy has been evolving for several years.

It began with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/amargo-6-12-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Amargo</a>, the first project released under the Flourish brand. Rather than competing at the ultra-luxury end of the market with oversized half-floor and full-floor residences, Sherpa focused on creating lifestyle-driven apartments supported by resort-style shared spaces.

Amargo introduced more than 800 sqm of rooftop amenity, combining wellness facilities, heated pools, entertaining areas, cabanas, pizza ovens and private dining spaces into what was designed as an extension of residents' homes rather than a facility used only occasionally.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146527 project_image_fid=366550]

That approach continued with Flourish Oasis, where the same amenity-led philosophy was refined into a more boutique development. Strong demand from Sherpa's growing VIP database saw much of the project sold before it reached the broader market, reinforcing buyer appetite for apartment communities centred around shared lifestyle experiences.

Flourish Amargo is slated for completion mid-way-through next year, with Oasis to be delivered by late 2027. Flourish Soleira is expected to complete in 2030.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150017]

Sherpa takes amenity to the sky as Flourish Soleira captures booming Palm Beach demand

As apartment living continues to evolve across Sydney's growth corridors, the quality and distribution of shared spaces is increasingly shaping how residents experience home. Rather than functioning as add-ons, amenities are being embedded into the daily rhythm of a building, supporting everything from quiet retreat to social interaction, often within a single vertical community.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/aeris-melrose-park-nursery-street-melrose-park-nsw-2114">Aeris</a> in Melrose Park, this approach is resolved through a layered amenity offering that unfolds from ground level through to its upper podium. Developed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sekisui-house-australia">Sekisui House Australia</a> in partnership with Hankyu Hanshin Properties, the project introduces 468 apartments across two towers and a mid-rise building, positioned at the highest point of the broader masterplan.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=359199]

The amenity experience begins at street level, where two courtyards sit within a landscaped setting that connects residents to the wider network of parks and green spaces. These green spaces are not isolated pockets but part of a wider pedestrian network that links Aeris to the surrounding <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/melrose-park-nsw-2114">Melrose Park</a> precinct, including Central Park, future schools, and the Town Centre opening in July 2026. The result is a transition that moves from public to private without abrupt boundaries, allowing residents to pass through shaded, tree-lined environments before reaching the building itself.

Moving upward, the focus shifts to the level five podium, where the primary communal facilities are concentrated. This space brings together a 16-metre swimming pool, outdoor seating areas, and a communal BBQ zone arranged to take advantage of elevated outlooks. Seating is positioned beneath pergolas, creating pockets of shade that extend the usability of the space throughout the day. The pool edge aligns with views toward the wider district, reinforcing the sense of elevation that defines the project’s positioning.

In the adjacent building, this is complemented by quieter, more contemplative spaces, including an outdoor cinema set within the same level. Positioned to operate primarily in the evening, it introduces a different tempo to the shared environment, shifting from daytime activity to after-hours use without requiring separate zones.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360299]

The podium also accommodates an intimate private resident gym. Located on the lower levels, it gives residents convenient access to fitness facilities without leaving the building.

Above, the elevated podium sky deck extends the amenity offering, providing additional open-air spaces with elevated outlooks across the surrounding landscape. While more restrained in program, this upper level reinforces the project’s vertical progression, from ground-level greenery to elevated outlook, allowing residents to move between distinct spatial conditions within a single address.

This distribution of amenities reflects a deliberate response to how residents use space across the day. Sekisui House Australia Sales and Marketing Director Peter Kalaf points to the role these shared areas play in shaping buyer demand. Aeris has been conceived as more than a collection of apartments, with the podium pool, gym and outdoor cinema forming part of a broader lifestyle offering that extends the home beyond each individual residence.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360300]

What distinguishes Aeris is not the inclusion of these elements individually, but how they are arranged in relation to one another. Active, social, and passive spaces are layered vertically rather than separated, allowing residents to choose between them without leaving the building or moving far from their apartment. This proximity supports both routine use, such as a morning swim or evening workout, and more occasional gatherings, whether around the BBQ area or within the cinema setting.

The amenity design also sits within a broader framework of connectivity across Melrose Park. The Melrose Park Town Centre, anchored by Coles and Dan Murphys, features a mix of retail, dining, health and lifestyle offerings, bringing everyday convenience closer to residents. By the end of the year, more than five hectares of parks and open space, equivalent to around seven football fields of green space on residents' doorstep, will further enhance the precinct, allowing the internal facilities at Aeris to operate as an extension of the wider neighbourhood rather than a substitute for it.

Construction at Aeris continues to gather momentum, with ground floor slabs expected to be completed in late 2026 before the first sections of the buildings begin to rise above ground.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=426]

Elevated amenity anchors daily life at Aeris, Melrose Park

Repeat buyers are one of the strongest measures of confidence in any apartment development.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/era-newcastle-west-124-126-bull-street-newcastle-west-nsw-2302">ERA</a> in Newcastle West, some purchasers are returning to <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/gwh">GWH</a> after living at the developer's One Apartments. Their decision to purchase again was driven by the quality of life they found after moving into their first GWH home.

Keith Wilton had spent years living in a house in East Maitland before deciding it was time for a change. Apartment living had always been on his radar, but he was selective about what he wanted.

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"I had some boxes I wanted to tick," he says.

Keith points to the open-plan design, generous outdoor areas and considered inclusions as key reasons One Apartments worked for him.

“One of those things was a nice indoor open plan area, but also I wanted a nice outdoor open area that I could entertain on in summer or Christmases or birthdays,” he says.

He also found value in the smaller details, from integrated appliances to shared resident spaces including the pool, cinema and rooftop areas.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356818]

After comparing several developments, he chose One Apartments because of GWH's longstanding local reputation and his own experience working with the developer on a commercial project more than a decade earlier.

"I knew that they were local, that the quality of the build was going to be up there. I'd looked at other apartment complexes around and close by, and I just knew that here was a better decision location wise."

Today, Keith says the move has completely changed how he experiences Newcastle.

"I enjoy living in this location because it's more of a lifestyle change. That Newcastle city living where you can walk to restaurants and bars and even beaches and parks and even shopping across the road."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356828]

Beyond the location, he says it's the sense of community that has surprised him most.

"Everyone loves living here because they chose to live here, but everyone looks out for each other. It's a real great community feel here."

For Aimee and Lyle Goodman, the journey started almost by chance.

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The couple happened to be having coffee in Newcastle when they noticed the site where One Apartments was about to begin construction.

"We were aware GWH was planning a development," Aimee says. "We made one phone call and things moved pretty quickly after that."

As busy business owners, they initially thought apartment living would simply reduce the maintenance that came with larger homes. Instead, it fundamentally changed how they spent time together.

"We actually catch up more as a family now," Aimee says.

"We've had homes with big yards and lots of space, but everyone ended up in different rooms. Here we'll have dinner together, the kids can play, and we spend far more quality time together."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356829]

Lyle says their confidence came from GWH's reputation within Newcastle's building industry.

"I know people who've worked across different apartment projects, and whenever GWH came up the feedback was always the same. They're rock solid. They're quality."

That confidence only grew throughout the buying process.

"One of the things that really impressed us with GWH was the whole process, was the communication," Lyle says. "It was consistent, it was regular, there was no problem if we had some weird questions, there was no problems in getting answers."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=351104]

Aimee says one moment stood out.

"The project actually finished on time. We realised we needed to hurry up and sell our house because everything was happening exactly when they said it would."

The positive experience at One Apartments ultimately gave all three buyers the confidence to purchase again with GWH, this time at ERA.

Their confidence reflects what many buyers are seeking in today's apartment market. Location remains important, but so too does certainty around delivery, quality and long-term liveability.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356822]

ERA builds on those foundations with 280 one, two and three-bedroom apartments across two landmark towers in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/newcastle-west-nsw-2302">Newcastle West</a>.&nbsp;

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fk-australia">Fender Katsalidis</a>, the project will include more than 2,000 square metres of resident amenities, including a resort-style pool, gym, sauna, private cinema and rooftop entertaining spaces overlooking the harbour and coastline.&nbsp;

The development is also within walking distance of the Newcastle Interchange, Honeysuckle, Darby Street, the harbour foreshore, restaurants, retail and the city’s beaches, continuing the walkable lifestyle that existing GWH buyers say has transformed how they live.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356826]

For Keith, the appeal remains straightforward.

"You feel at home even before you've moved into your home."

For Aimee, the change is measured in time.

“I just felt like I had more time,” she says.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=351102]

Construction at ERA is now underway, with more than half of the residences already sold and limited two and three-bedroom apartments remaining in the East Tower release. Priced from $980,000 for two-bedroom residences and $1.46 million for three-bedroom residences, buyers can secure an apartment with a 10 per cent deposit, with premium homes offering ocean views from Level 8 and harbour views from Level 10.

ERA is also backed by Resilience Insurance's 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy, providing protection against structural or waterproofing defects for 10 years after completion. The project is anticipated to be completed in early 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135096]

From ONE to ERA: Why buyers are choosing GWH again in Newcastle West

Australia Post is one of the country’s most trusted institutions, powering one of the largest delivery networks in Australia. As online shopping continues to scale, Australians spent a record $82.6 billion online in 2025, with nearly one in four retail dollars now spent online.

That scale of eCommerce activity has fundamentally changed expectations around how and when parcels arrive, and what happens when someone isn't home.

<h3>Problem solved with Parcel Lockers</h3>

The traditional alternatives to home delivery are far from ideal. Buildings can rely on reception teams to manage deliveries, which introduces ongoing staffing costs and liability concerns. Parcels can be left in common areas, which creates security and aesthetic issues. Or residents are redirected to nearby Post Offices for collection, which shifts the inconvenience rather than solving it.

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The data behind that frustration is significant. Nationally, around 9 per cent of deliveries are carded, meaning the recipient was not home and must collect the parcel from a Post Office. That figure reflects the national average reported between November 2025 and January 2026. In Melbourne, that figure rises to 20 per cent. In high-density living, it climbs again to 28 per cent. In other words, more than one in four deliveries in Melbourne apartment buildings results in a failed first attempt.

<h3>How Parcel Lockers work</h3>

The mechanics are simple. When a parcel arrives, the resident receives a notification either through the Australia Post app or via SMS. They scan a QR code, use their one-time PIN and the compartment opens. The parcel is secure, accessible and removed from the lobby floor.

Located in thoughtfully chosen, easily accessible areas, including external building interfaces, mixed-use precincts or shared communal zones, Parcel Lockers enhance convenience without requiring internal building access or additional operational oversight.

<h3>The scale of the network</h3>

This expansion represents Australia Post's largest investment in parcel infrastructure to date, building on momentum that began in 2011 when the first 24 Parcel Locker sites were introduced.

Today the Australia Post Parcel Locker network spans over 1,400 locations and more than 105,000 individual compartments, with major investment already underway to significantly expand the network further.

<h3>What it means for developers and building operators</h3>

A Parcel Locker bank is free to install and free for residents to use. That removes one of the primary barriers to adoption and shifts the conversation from cost to integration.

Australia Post's preference is to engage with developers during the design phase. That allows Parcel Lockers to be located in a considered, publicly accessible space that works for residents and the broader community. Retrofit is possible, and existing buildings can be assessed, but the strongest results occur when Parcel Lockers are treated as part of the core services plan rather than a bolt-on solution.

While the iconic Australia Post red is widely recognised, Parcel Lockers can also be delivered in more muted palettes such as beige or green to align with architectural intent.

For developers, they offer a tech-forward amenity that meets modern expectations, a reduction in courier congestion and building-management load supporting lower emissions and better ESG outcomes, and a meaningful marketability advantage in high-density, eCommerce-active areas, all at no cost for installation and maintenance, with Australia Post funding the program aside from power access.

<h3>Who's using them</h3>

Generational shopping behaviours show strong, sustained growth across all cohorts. Millennials (27–43) led online spend in 2024, contributing nearly $25 billion. Baby Boomers (60–78) increased their online spend by 17.6 per cent, becoming the fastest-growing adopters. Gen Z (13–26) and Gen X (44–59) continue to lean on delivery services as part of their everyday shopping habits.

Internationally, uptake is even more pronounced. Overseas markets are seeing rapid adoption by both developers and consumers, positioning Parcel Lockers as standard infrastructure in many new residential projects. For Melbourne's development community, this signals a shift in baseline expectations. Just as secure bike storage and dedicated parcel rooms have become more common, integrated Parcel Locker networks may soon be viewed as part of the essential service mix.

<h3>The bigger picture</h3>

Parcel Lockers aren't just a logistics fix. Developers invest heavily in lobby design, materials, lighting and landscaping to shape first impressions. Yet a stack of unattended parcels can undo that effort in an instant. Embedding parcel infrastructure early allows projects to respond to how people actually live today, supporting resident satisfaction, reducing operational strain and aligning with broader community and ESG outcomes.

As Belinda Quinn, Senior Transaction Manager – Retail &amp; Out of Home at Australia Post, puts it, residents increasingly expect delivery solutions that align with real life, are flexible, secure and available whenever they need them.

How Australia Post is solving the parcel problem for apartment living

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Creating more quality green spaces closer to homes and increasing the tree canopy by planting one million trees in Greater Sydney by 2022 is a policy announced today by the NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian.
She said the first of the priorities is to increase the proportion of homes in towns and cities across NSW within a reasonable walking distance of quality green, open and public space. 
“Planting trees and creating new parks is just as important as building new roads, rail lines, schools and hospitals,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“Green and public open spaces should be accessible to everyone across the State, no matter where they live.
“That is why, for the first time, I have made it a priority to make sure more people are within walking distance of quality public space.”
Ms Berejiklian joined Planning and Public Spaces Minister Rob Stokes in Sydney’s South West to also announce planting one million trees across Greater Sydney by 2022 is another Premier’s Priority.
Mr Stokes said the program will contribute to the Government’s long-term target of planting five million trees by 2030.  
“We’re backing councils like Campbelltown City Council to increase the tree canopy cover across Sydney through funding and support,” Mr Stokes said. 
“More trees means more shade, cooler suburbs, more oxygen and a better urban environment for communities to enjoy.”
The plans announced are on top of the NSW Government’s decision to appoint a dedicated Minister for Public Spaces and the $340 million Open Spaces and Greener Sydney package.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

A million more trees by 2022 under Premier Gladys Berejiklian

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It was quite something to recently see the extent of transport infrastructure completed and under construction along the Northern Road on Sydney's outskirt. 
The works are taking the route into the 21st century for the ever expanding Western Sydney.
The road still has remnants of our pioneer years especially obvious passing the grave stones at Luddenham.
The existing two-lane undivided road, which carries about 16,000 vehicles per day, comes with numerous heritage items including the Luddenham progress hall that began in 1886 as the Protestant Hall.
There's the now closed Vicary's Winery originally part of the explorer Blaxland explorer family estate. 
Next time I will stop to buy some fresh honey from one of the remaining farms.
The upgrading of a 35 kilometre section of The Northern Road between Narellan and South Penrith is a city shaping upgrade which will encourage more housing estates and ought be effective in placing downward pressure on housing prices.
Last weekend saw the rapid demolition of the 40 year old bridge at Orchard Hills.
Some 6,000 tonnes of concrete and steel was removed by the 60 workers who did the job across the long weekend, in three days, rather than the alternative of up to 20 weeks of night closures.
The Northern Road upgrade will provide increased road capacity for expected future growth when complete in 2022.
Investing in safer and more reliable journeys, the Federal Government has committed $1.2 billion The Northern Road Upgrade, with the NSW Government committing $400 million.
This upgrade is part of the Western Sydney Infrastructure Plan, a $3.6 billion program which will deliver 60 kilometres of major road infrastructure upgrades before the opening of the western Sydney airport at Badgerys Creek.
There is a very strong link between infrastructure delivery and the increase in supply of dwellings, and then an improved economy from the ensuing population growth that make their home in the Macarthur region at housing estates such as Oran Park, and the more established Harrington Park which was the Fairfax family farm until its late 1980s approvals. The population of Oran Park Town has progressed from zero to around 7500 in nine years.
There was a 2013 study by the National Housing Supply Council that found investment in transport infrastructure can galvanise dwelling activity, but the infrastructure needs to be of sufficient scale and scope to substantially boost an area’s linkages to major employment nodes.
Albeit not always in perfect unison in terms of delivery.
The study found the nexus between transport projects, housing intensification and job boosting appeared to be much stronger in Melbourne than Sydney.
But that was before the new North West Metro, and all the apartment blocks within walking distance. 
There have already been more than one million customer journeys on the impressive system which only opened three weeks ago.
It's rightly been described as a game changing project, which connects the area by rail like never before, by Premier Gladys Berejiklian, who is now overseeing extending the line from Chatswood, under the Harbour, through the CBD and onto Bankstown.
A recent CBRE report forecast $1.4 billion of suburban development would flow every year for the next decade because of the Sydney metro rail project, with just 15 per cent of these developments officially confirmed.
Sydney needs around 36,000 new dwellings every year up until 2036 based on population growth projections.
We certainly need more projects to avert rising unemployment.
This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.
 
 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Transportation infrastructure the key to cheaper houses on the fringe and employment growth

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The HIA’s chief economist, Tim Reardon says an easing of the credit squeeze is necessary to alleviate the adverse impact of the housing downturn on the wider economy.
The number of dwellings approved in Australia fell by 0.6 per cent in April, according to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
According to the recent ABS release, among the states and territories, total dwelling approvals fell in Victoria (2.8 per cent), Tasmania (2.2 per cent), the Northern Territory (2.0 per cent) and New South Wales (0.4 per cent), in trend terms.
Small increases were recorded South Australia (1.8 per cent) and Western Australia (1.3 per cent), while Queensland was flat.
The Australian Capital Territory stood out however with a large increase of (7.7 per cent),.
"The overall decrease was led by private sector houses, which declined 1.9 per cent in trend terms," said Justin Lokhorst, Director of Construction Statistics at the ABS. "Meanwhile, private dwellings excluding houses rose by 1.2 per cent."
Approvals for private sector houses fell 1.9 per cent in trend terms.
Declines were recorded in New South Wales (3.8 per cent), Victoria (2.7 per cent), Queensland (0.8 per cent) and South Australia (0.1 per cent), while Western Australia recorded a 0.5 per cent increase.
Examining the data in seasonally adjusted terms, at the national level, the number of dwelling approvals fell by a seasonally adjusted 4.7% to 14,123, with the overall fall in approvals broad-based.
The total dwellings decline of 4.7 per cent in April was driven by falls in Tasmania (19.1 per cent), Victoria (16.1 per cent), Western Australia (6.7 per cent) and South Australia (3.3 per cent).
Private dwellings excluding houses fell 6.5 per cent, while private house approvals decreased 2.6 per cent.
The value of total building approved fell 0.2 per cent in April, in trend terms. The value of residential building declined 0.9 per cent, while non-residential building rose 1.0 per cent.
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Tim Reardon noted home building had been cooling since late 2017 and the downturn in activity has accelerated in the second half of 2018.
"Approvals for new homes in the three months to April 2019 were 20.5 per cent lower than in the same period the year before,” added Mr Reardon.
“The downturn in building activity is now evident in other economic data including today’s data on capital expenditure. 
"CAPEX fell 1.6 per cent in the March 2019 quarter due to significant falls in expenditure on new buildings.
“With the slowdown in home building accelerating in the first half of 2019, it is likely to weigh on economic growth in next week’s national accounts data.
“The fall in approvals in April were most likely influenced by low levels of consumer confidence during the Federal Election however, the end of the election alone will not be sufficient to bring stability back into the housing market."
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Dwelling approvals continue falling: ABS

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New research by ING reveals pot plants are the second Australians’ most valuable treasured household possessions ranking second with an average value of $13,198 in homes where they’re cherished.
Artwork topped the list with an average value of $13,787. 
The research also found VHS tapes and DVDs are the most sought after collectable items for thieves with 753,000 Aussies having had these items stolen from their home.
A pricey loss given, on average, Aussies value their treasured VHS tapes and DVD collections at $4,363.  
Most valuable treasured household possessions 
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
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<td valign="top">
Item
</td>
<td valign="top">
Average value per household 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
Artwork 
</td>
<td valign="top">
$13,787
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
Pot plants 
</td>
<td valign="top">
$13,189
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
Watches/ jewellery
</td>
<td valign="top">
$8,787
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
Designer goods and clothing 
</td>
<td valign="top">
$7,793
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
Special collectables/ antiques 
</td>
<td valign="top">
$7,914
</td>
</tr>
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Most sought after collectable items for thieves 
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
Item
</td>
<td valign="top">
Number of Aussies that have had item stolen from their home 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
VHS or DVD collections 
</td>
<td valign="top">
753,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
Stamp collections 
</td>
<td valign="top">
527,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
Musical instruments 
</td>
<td valign="top">
659,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
Family portraiture/ vinyl collection/ vintage clothing/ early edition books and comics
</td>
<td valign="top">
517,000 (have had at least one of these items stolen from their home) 
</td>
</tr>
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ING’s head of Insurance, Cathy Duncan says people need to consider the value of their home and contents.
“When you’re trying to estimate the value of your home and contents most of us probably think about the costs of rebuilding and the value of our big ticket items like furniture, electronics and jewellery,” said Duncan.
“What this research tells us is that it’s actually just as important to remember to consider the collective value of smaller items too. For example, the accumulative costs of all the pot plants in and around your house and your entire DVD collection. These things can really add up.” 
More than a quarter (26%) of Australians have had their home broken into at least once, one in three (32%) say they’ve had items stolen, and overall, 11% say at least one rare or collectable item was stolen from their home. 
“It’s so easy to think that just because something hasn’t happened to you it won’t,” said Duncan.
“That’s probably why almost a quarter (24%) of Australians (according to the research) do not currently have any form of home and or contents insurance. 
“But the reality, according to this research, is that there’s a one in four chance your home could be broken into.”
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Pot plants rank among Australians' most treasured household possessions

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Some 2.8 million Australians regularly read at least one magazine in the Home &amp; Garden category, according to a new report.
Roy Morgan noted a clear majority of seven of the 11 magazines in the category increasing their readership over the last year.
The largest increase was for Belle which increased its readership by 21% to 117,000 while Gardening Australia is now read by 545,000 Australians after an impressive increase of 20%.
Other Home &amp; Garden titles which grew their readership include Home Beautiful which was up 11% to 340,000, Real Living up 19% to 103,000 and House &amp; Garden up 1.5% to 543,000.
By far the leading magazine in the category remains Better Homes and Gardens, maintaining its leadership with a readership of 1,513,000 (down 11.1%).
Last August, Better Homes and Gardens had a readership of 1,671,000 (down 3.6%).
In August 2017, it had a readership of 1,728,000, down 6.8% on the 1,854,000 in August 2016.
Overall the Business, Financial and Airline magazines readership experienced a small decrease of 1.4% over the last year to 1,560,000 (7.6% of the population).
Performing strongly was the recently sold, leading finance magazine title Money Magazine which increased readership by 18% to 149,000.
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Better Homes and Gardens readership slips to 1.5 million

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With no-one from Sydney, Katie and Alex Middlemiss, who have an 1880s cottage in the Southern Tablelands, are the NSW representatives on the new season of House Rules which premiered on Channel 7 on Sunday evening.
They moved to Gundaroo from the ACT in 2016 when they paid $470,000 for the near derelict two bedroom 70 square metre cottage on its 1900 square metre block (pictured below). 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/4/26/gun.jpg" alt="">
Photo from listing in January, 2012
She's billed as the stay-at-home mum, Katie, 29, and her Federal Police officer husband, Alex, 32.
They told host Joanne Griggs they desire a working kitchen and a master bedroom that doesn't leak.
She's been a personal trainer, done midwifery and founded Fudie, which provided nutritious meals to busy individuals around Canberra. 
Despite their obvious renovation failings (she's set to be the brains and him the brawn), the couple admit the series has been a crazy ride with many sacrifices - the hardest being away from their 14 month old daughter Haillie.
So far, social media has been kind to the couple, with most queries about where she gets her hair done (she responded its over the border at Hair by Molly in Canberra), and we've already seen strong social influencers backing her efforts.
The seventh season of the show features an expanded judging panel comprised of designer Jamie Durie, international design guru Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and local style expert Wendy Moore.
Designer Carolyn Burns-McCrave will again mentor and help the six state teams as they travel around the country transforming each other’s homes.
This article first appeared in The Sunday Telegraph. 
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Gundaroo's Katie and Alex representing NSW on 2019 House Rules

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The Melbourne based chippies and half brothers, Tim, 32, and Mat, 27, (pictured above) think that they will have the upper hand in the 2019 series of House Rules.
There's no bookies taking bets quite yet ahead of Sunday night's premiere, but the duo reckon they have the requisite "background in carpentry and building, along with being able to visualise things before they are put together".
They will be having Tim’s family home, <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-thornbury-128700662" target="_blank">a 1950s weatherboard cottage in Thornbury</a> (pictured below) that’s never been seriously renovated, get the makeover.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/4/26/thorn.jpg" alt="">
It cost $972,000 last July, having been held in the same family for over 50 years.
The charming double-fronted home, marketed by Nelson Alexander as having a well-maintained interior, comprises an entry foyer, three large bedrooms, central living room leading through to an updated kitchen and meals area.
There's a separate laundry, store room and verandah that overlooks a large rear yard offering plenty of scope and opportunity to expand on the 352 square metre block.
It had been listed with a $900,000 to $990,000 price guide.
This year, six teams won't just renovate, they will be required to innovate.
The six teams will be renovating and styling each other's homes, with the aim of taking out the top prize of $355,000 in the seventh series of the reality renovation show hosted by Joanna Griggs.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/4/26/lisa-andy.jpg" alt=""> 
Lisa and Andy 
SA couple Lisa and Andy had been together for 11 years before they got hitched. 
Newlyweds, Lisa, 30, and Andy, 32 have previously renovated a home. The fireman and flight attendant live in Adelaide.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/4/26/mikaela-eliza.jpg" alt="">
Mikaela and Eliza
Not so WA renovation rookies, Mikaela, 24, and Eliza, 21, the surfie sisters who have both been ranked among the top 100 female surfers in the world. Their family home is in the Margaret River region.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/4/26/pete-courtney%201.jpg" alt="">
Pete and Courtney 
Victorian dance teachers Pete, 32, and Courtney, 31, come with one of the biggest houses the show has ever seen. 
The pair, who live in a huge brown-brick '80s mega-mansion, are no strangers to renovations, having once flipped a three-bedroom apartment in two weeks. They live in the foothills of Victoria’s Dandenong Ranges at Ferntree Gully.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/4/26/shayn-carly%201.jpg" alt="">
Shayn and Carly
Sunshine Coast couple Shayn, 33 and Carly, 31 says their family is fast outgrowing the house. 
Civil engineer Shayn, who has worked as a chippie and construction supervisor, and wife Carly actually call it their three-bedroom double-brick "prison".
"It's a small rectangular box with bars on the windows, security screens all over the place and not much light," Shayn says.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/4/26/katie-alex%201.jpg" alt="">
Katie and Alex
The married NSW-based couple Katie and Alex have a little cottage built in the 1880s in NSW’s Southern Tablelands having moved there from the ACT. 
The stay-at-home mum, and midwife, Katie, 29, and Federal Police officer Alex, 32, desire a working kitchen and a master bedroom that doesn't leak at their Gundaroo home.
A derelict warehouse will serve as the first big test for this year’s teams on House Rules.
Season 7 premieres on Sunday April 28 at 6pm.
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Melbourne chippies Tim and Mat expect they can win House Rules 2019

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GUEST OBSERVATION
The phrase “urban jungle” gets thrown around a lot, but we don’t usually think of cities as places where rare or threatened species live.
Our research, published today in <a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/fee.2032" target="_blank">Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment</a>, shows some of Australia’s most endangered plants and animals live entirely within cities and towns.
Stuck in the city with you
Australia is home to 39 urban-restricted threatened species, from giant gum trees, to ornate orchids, wonderful wattles, and even a tortoise. Many of these species are critically endangered, right on the brink of extinction. And cities are our last chance to preserve them within their natural range.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/267002/original/file-20190402-177190-74ng2d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/267002/original/file-20190402-177190-74ng2d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Credit: Elia Purtle
Urban environments offer a golden opportunity to preserve species under threat and engage people with nature. But that means we might need to think a little differently about how and where we do conservation, embrace the weird and wonderful spaces that these species call home, and involve urban communities in the process.
Roads to the left of them, houses to the right
When you picture city animals you might think of pigeons, sparrows or rats that like to hang out with humans, or the flying foxes and parrots that are attracted to our flowering gardens.
But that’s not the case here. The threatened species identified in our research didn’t choose the city life, the city life chose them. They’re living where they’ve always lived. As urban areas expand, it just so happens that we now live there too.
The first hurdle that springs to mind when it comes to keeping nature in cities is space: there’s not a lot of it, and it’s quickly disappearing. For example, the magnificent Caley’s Grevillea has lost more than 85% of its habitat in Sydney to urban growth, and many of its remaining haunts are earmarked for future development. Around half of the urban-restricted species on our list are in the same predicament.
It’s especially tough to protect land for conservation in urban environments, where development potential means high competition for valuable land. So when protected land is a luxury that few species can afford, we need to work out other ways to look after species in the city.
Not living where you’d expect
Precious endangered species aren’t all tucked away in national parks and conservation reserves. These little battlers are more often found hiding in plain sight, amid the urban hustle and bustle.
Our research found them living along railway lines and roadsides, sewerage treatment plants and cemeteries, schools, airports, and even a hospital garden. While these aren’t the typical places you’d expect to find threatened species, they’re fantastic opportunities for conservation.
The spiked rice flower is a great example. Its largest population is on a golf course in New South Wales, where local managers work to enhance its habitat between the greens, and raise awareness among residents and local golfers. These kinds of good partnerships between local landowners and conservation can find “win-win” situations that benefit people and nature.
A series of unfortunate events
It’s no secret that living in the ‘burbs can be risky: a fact best illustrated in the cautionary tale of a roadside population of the endangered Angus’s onion orchid. Construction workers once unwittingly dumped ten tonnes of sand over the patch in the late 1980s, then quickly attempted to fix the problem using a bulldozer and a high-pressure hose. Later, a portaloo was plonked on top of it.
Examples like this show just how important it is for policy makers, land managers and the community to know that these species are there in the first place, and are aware that even scrappy-looking habitats can be important to their survival. Otherwise, species are just one stroke of bad luck away from extinction.
People power
It’s common to think if you want to conserve nature, you need to get as far away from people as you can. After all, we can be a dangerous lot (just ask Angus’s onion orchid). But we also have extraordinary potential to create positive change – and it’s much easier for us to do this if we only have to travel as far as our backyard or a local park.
Many urban-restricted species get support by their local communities. Examples from our research showed communities across Melbourne raising <a href="http://www.starweekly.com.au/news/save-the-sexy-scented-orchid/" target="_blank">thousands of dollars in conservation crowdfunding</a>, dedicating countless volunteer hours to caring for local habitats, and even setting up neighbourhood watches to combat vandals. This shows a huge opportunity for urban residents to be on the conservation frontline.
Our research focused on 39 species that are restricted to Australian cities and towns today. But that’s not where the opportunity for urban conservation ends.
There are about another <a href="https://theconversation.com/just-ten-mps-represent-more-than-600-threatened-species-in-their-electorates-83500" target="_blank">370 threatened species</a> that share their range with urban areas across Australia, as well as countless “common” native species that call cities home. And as cities continue to expand, many other threatened species stand to become urban dwellers. It’s clear that if we only focus conservation efforts in areas far from humans, species like these will be lost forever.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/114741/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
Kylie Soanes, Postdoctoral fellow, University of Melbourne
Pia Lentini, Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-39-endangered-species-in-melbourne-sydney-adelaide-and-other-australian-cities-114741" target="_blank">original article</a>.
Main photo: Caley’s grevillea has lost 85% of its habitat as Sydney has expanded. Isaac Mammott
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The 39 endangered species living in our cities

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A 184 hectare site in northern NSW with Major Project Approval is on the market.
The site has been approved for 1,600 residential lots and dwellings comprising residential, retirement, aged care, retail and commercial. 
The Bilambil Heights and Cobaki land site is located 7 kilometres from Coolangatta at the former home of the Terranora Lakes Country Club, which closed in 1996.
The vendor is Godfrey Mantle, who was a managing director and owner of Mantle Group Hospitality, and his wife Jenny Mantle, who purchased the property from liquidators 22 years ago.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/3/26/RENDERED%20MASTER%20PLAN_001-%20Bilambil%20Heights.jpg" alt="">
David Higgins and James Holland of Colliers International along with Randal Wilson of Wilson Property Group are marketing the site
“The approval allows for 1,604 lots and dwellings in addition to 200 bed nursing home, which is a major project for the region and will transform the locality,” said Higgins. 
“As a former 18-hole golf course, the contours provide undulating land unique for a development of this scale.
“The current plan allows for nine precincts with a variety of housing options to be built around a retail and commercial village.
“The site is elevated with each of the nine precincts providing stunning views to the Gold Coast coastline and inland ranges. 
“Interest is expected from residential and retirement developers looking to provide much needed housing for the southern Gold Coast and northern NSW community. 
“Within 11 kilometres radius of the site there is major infrastructure development, including Gold Coast Airport’s $370 million expansion, and the proposed $582 million Tweed Valley Hospital development, which will drive growth for the region and allow it to keep up with the future demand.”
The property is being offered via an expression of interest campaign which closes 17 April 2019. 
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Northern NSW 184 hectare masterplanned community site listed

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Companion animals are part of our families, but inevitably the time comes for us to say goodbye to them due to old age or disease.
Many pet lovers opt to bury their pets in the backyard. However, there are some hidden risks to this, and there are other options that will help other pets, and even the owners who love them.
Donating their body to science, for research and veterinary training, can potentially help hundreds of pets.
Why the backyard isn’t best
Backyard burial may seem like the easiest way to respectfully take care of your pet’s remains. Unfortunately, it can be dangerous for other pets and wildlife. Most pets are put to sleep with an extremely concentrated anaesthetic agent, which results in a very peaceful death (hence the term euthanasia, which means “good death”). However this drug, pentobarbital, persists in the buried body of the pet for up to a year. Any animal scavenging on the remains will be poisoned by the euthanasia solution.
I have seen two cases in my career where this has happened, with serious consequences. In one case a family had their pet mouse put down and buried it in the backyard. The family’s terrier dug up and ate the mouse, and was comatose in intensive care for nearly a week. In another case, two farm dogs scavenged some bones from a cow which had been euthanased on a farm months before. One dog died and the other was seriously ill for several days.
If your pet dies of a disease which could be spread to other animals or even people, their body might also pose a risk. While vaccination has reduced the amount of dangerous pet diseases in the community, some diseases like <a href="https://theconversation.com/vaccinate-your-puppies-a-new-strain-of-parvo-has-been-found-in-australia-77236" target="_blank">parvovirus</a> still occur in outbreaks and are very hardy and spread readily between dogs.
This virus causes severe and sometimes fatal gastrointestinal disease in puppies and young dogs. Thankfully there are not many diseases we can catch from our pets, but some – such as salmonellosis and toxoplasmosis – can make sensitive people very ill.
What do to instead
One option is pet crematoriums and cemeteries, which are available in most large cities and regional centres in Australia. The services are very professional and cover a variety of options and price ranges that suit most pet owners. Costs may vary with the size of the pet.
Professional burial or cremation avoids the risks of environmental contamination or disease that might occur with backyard burial. For my own pets which have passed away, I chose cremation which typically costs A$200-300, and then buried their ashes under a memorial tree in my garden.
However, there is another path. As a veterinary pathologist, my job is to conduct autopsies on animals to determine their cause of death. We also use the knowledge and samples we get from the autopsies to conduct research to improve our understanding of diseases and treatments in both animals and people.
Our pets make excellent “<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/animal-mode" target="_blank">models</a>” of diseases in both pets and people, allowing scientists to study the development and progression of a disease and develop new treatments.
Cancer is the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26566160" target="_blank">most common cause of death</a> for pet dogs. Many popular breeds get the same cancer at high rates, providing ample valuable research material. These dog cancers are similar in appearance, behaviour, treatments and genetic causes to many human cancers.
What’s more, because dogs share our home environments, but age faster and show more rapid cancer progression than humans, studying dogs provides <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26566160" target="_blank">faster research results</a>. In the United States, dog cancer trials are already informing trials on <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2753665/" target="_blank">new human treatments</a>.
Another area where dogs are valuable scientific allies is in the study of rare genetic and developmental diseases in children. As we have bred dogs for specific appearances, from squishy-faced French bulldogs to lanky greyhounds, we have unwittingly created genetic abnormalities. Some of these are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5070630/" target="_blank">close counterparts</a> of rare genetic disorders <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20075379" target="_blank">in children</a>. Thus, dogs can be used to help identify the genetic mutations behind the disease, and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5070630/" target="_blank">how the faulty gene</a> affects human children.
Universities have rigorous ethical reviews for this type of research. However, it is vital that we have the opportunity to take samples of both common and rare pet diseases to form tissue banks. Most of this sampling happens during an autopsy after the pet has died or been put to sleep. These tissue samples are used to research better treatments.
How to donate
If you are interested in donating your pet’s body, your veterinarian can direct you to potential local options. In most large cities this will be the veterinary school at the local university. Alternatively, you can contact the veterinary science school directly through their website or general enquiries telephone number.
Most schools are interested in all species for teaching. My institution takes everything from mice to horses, and exotic pets like snakes and lizards. All these species provide opportunities to learn about their anatomy and diseases.
Beyond helping us research human diseases, veterinary schools need pet body donors to help teach anatomy, surgery and pathology. At its most ethical this training is done on the bodies of animals that have died from natural causes.
Donated pets provide my students with a valuable understanding of how disease affects the body. Further, we report the autopsy findings back to the pet’s veterinarian. This information is crucial to vets who want to confirm diagnoses, and for giving grieving owners some closure.
If you do opt to bury your euthanased pet, please consider enclosing their remains in a container that would prevent other animals accessing the body. Many local councils also have restrictions on pet burial, and it is worth looking at your local area’s guidelines.
Ultimately though, I would urge you to donate your pet’s body to science. The loss of a pet can be heartbreaking, but there are many ways to create a meaningful legacy from that loss which helps both pets and people.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/113375/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
Rachel Allavena, Associate Professor, The University of Queensland
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-you-shouldnt-bury-your-pet-in-the-backyard-113375" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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