Pikos Group has unveiled plans for an $850 million mixed-use precinct in Newstead, continuing the Brisbane developer's push into large-scale, lifestyle-led apartment projects.

The proposed development will transform an amalgamated industrial site bounded by Waterloo, Byres and Gordon streets, adding more than 300 apartments to one of Brisbane's most active inner-city development pockets.

Pikos secured the three adjoining lots, spanning a combined 2,346 sqm, in 2025.

Designed by Plus Studio, the plans are headlined by a 34-storey residential tower with 305 apartments, along with 496 sqm of retail, commercial and wellness space at ground level.

The project will also introduce a relatively uncommon apartment model to Brisbane, with two entire levels dedicated to pied-à-terre residences.

The smaller, flexible apartments are aimed at buyers who want a Brisbane base without necessarily living in the property full-time, targeting professionals, downsizers, interstate buyers and those looking to spend part of the week in the city.

<img alt="Newstead" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f2c587aa-c365-4533-9893-a106714d2753" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-17%20at%207.43.25%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=IrEvph5yTZTY7Jj78QcjT23cFvr5idPZ" />

Pikos Group Managing Director Pedro Pikos said the concept had been driven by changing buyer behaviour in Newstead.

"Newstead has become one of Brisbane's most desirable lifestyle suburbs, but it's also a market where many buyers are looking for flexibility," Pikos said.

"The pied-à-terre apartments give people a way to live in Newstead without the commitment of a large residence. They're beautifully designed, efficient and attainable, and they open the door for professionals, downsizers, interstate travellers and those who want a city base during the week.

"We see these apartments as an important addition to the precinct because they broaden accessibility and reflect how people increasingly want to live, close to work, close to entertainment and close to the river."

The project will be heavily weighted towards resident amenity, spread across multiple levels.

A rooftop recreation level will feature a 25-metre lap pool, plunge pool and spa surrounded by landscaped Mediterranean gardens and daybeds.

There will also be barbecue and pizza terraces, a teppanyaki terrace, olive court and outdoor relaxation areas, along with a sauna and steam room, private dining rooms and residents' lounge.

A separate amenity level on level five will include a gym, wellness and work-from-home spaces, cinema, multi-court facilities, games and function room and communal lounge.

Pikos said the development would build on Newstead's transformation over the past decade, driven by its proximity to the CBD, Brisbane River and neighbouring Teneriffe and Fortitude Valley.

"Newstead is one of Brisbane's leading lifestyle precincts and we see this project making a meaningful contribution to its next chapter," he said.

"The development represents a major milestone for our portfolio by bringing together luxury living, activated retail and wellness spaces in a way that reflects the future of inner-city Brisbane."

The Newstead proposal represents another significant addition to Pikos Group's rapidly expanding Brisbane apartment pipeline.

Earlier this year, the developer completed the $360 million <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/skye-residences-by-pikos-kangaroo-point-8-river-terrace-kangaroo-point-qld-4169">SKYE by Pikos</a> at Kangaroo Point, while construction is progressing on its $700 million <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/gaia-kangaroo-point-108-lambert-street-kangaroo-point-qld-4169">GAIA</a> development nearby.

GAIA is being positioned as a wellness-focused residential community and represents part of Pikos' broader move towards amenity-heavy developments targeting Brisbane's owner-occupier market.

Pikos Group has delivered more than 65 projects over the past three decades and currently has more than $1.5 billion in high-end residential projects either under construction or in planning.

Joel Robinson

Pikos Group plans $850m Newstead apartment tower

High-profile apartment defect cases have changed the way many NSW buyers approach purchasing, putting greater scrutiny on building quality, strata records and the parties behind a development before a contract is signed.

The industry buyers are assessing today, however, is also different from the one in which cases such as Opal Tower and Mascot Towers emerged.

NSW has introduced a series of regulatory measures aimed at strengthening oversight of apartment construction, including Building Commission NSW, the Residential Apartment Buildings Act 2020 and the Strata Building Bond and Inspections Scheme. Under the latter, developers are required to lodge a bond, with independent inspections forming part of the process for identifying defects in new strata developments.

Those changes provide another layer of protection, but they haven't removed the importance of buyer due diligence.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=372394]

For purchasers considering an apartment, that means looking beyond the residence itself. Building and strata history, strata reports, the track record of the builder and developer, the condition of common property and any known or planned expenditure by the owners corporation can all form part of assessing a building before purchase.

Whether the development is already complete can also materially change what can be assessed.

An off-the-plan purchaser is necessarily buying before the finished product exists. A completed apartment, by comparison, can be walked through before contracts are signed, allowing the purchaser to see the finishes, common areas and broader building as they have actually been delivered rather than relying solely on plans and renders.

It also removes exposure to some of the uncertainties that exist between an off-the-plan purchase and completion, including construction delays, cost pressures and builder insolvency during the delivery period.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=927]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/equitifund-group">Projects by Equitifund</a> National Sales Director Ben Hamblett said that greater focus on tangible evidence is increasingly evident among apartment purchasers.

“The biggest shift we're seeing is buyers wanting proof, not promises,” Hamblett said.

“That's exactly why we deal in completed stock - you can inspect the building before you commit - and why we've backed every purchase with a cash bond against special levies.”

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/the-lennox-parramatta-12-phillip-street-parramatta-nsw-2150">The Lennox</a> in Parramatta, that emphasis on a completed, inspectable product is already in place.

The 413-apartment, 46-level tower at 12 Phillip Street is being marketed by Projects by Equitifund, allowing prospective purchasers to inspect the residences, common areas and resident facilities before committing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=375255]

The Lennox also introduces another layer to the due-diligence conversation through Strata Surety.

The vendor-funded arrangement provides purchasers with a cash-backed bond held in their own solicitor's trust account from settlement. According to Equitifund, the bond covers any special levy raised during the applicable cover period and is provided at no cost to the purchaser.

Special levies can create an unexpected cost for apartment owners where an owners corporation needs funding beyond its existing strata contributions. Under NSW strata law, a special levy requires approval by owners at a general meeting.

Equitifund Executive Chairman Greg Huxley said Strata Surety was designed to provide something more concrete than reassurance about that potential exposure.

“Buyers have every right to ask hard questions about strata risk - the industry has given them plenty of reasons to,” Huxley said.

“Our answer isn't a reassurance, it's a bond. Strata Surety puts real money behind that confidence, held by the buyer's own solicitor, not by us.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=375281]

For The Lennox, its completed status also means purchasers can assess not only the apartment itself, but a building that has already been occupied and operating for several years.

Completed in 2021, the $300 million development, designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/marchese-partners">Marchese Partners</a>, comprises one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments, with open-plan living areas extending to private balconies. Interiors incorporate engineered timber flooring, stone benchtops and integrated appliances, while many upper-level residences have views across the river and surrounding district.

Its established amenity can similarly be inspected in operation. Resident facilities include the Watermark precinct with a 20-metre pool, outdoor terrace, barbecue areas, gym, fitness studio and conference room, while ground-floor retail addresses the river walk and surrounding public space.

The Lennox is also home to the Southern Hemisphere's first fully robotic residential car park, which has now operated for several years. Its nine-level basement combines three conventional parking levels with six automated levels, accommodating 327 vehicles using technology from German firm Lödige Industries.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=925]

The riverfront address puts The Lennox close to much of central <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/parramatta-nsw-2150">Parramatta</a>'s existing infrastructure, including Parramatta Station, Westfield Parramatta, Parramatta Park, and the Church Street dining precinct.

The remaining apartments form part of a limited release secured by Equitifund, following the sale of the majority of residences before and shortly after completion.

The regulatory environment around NSW apartment construction has changed considerably since the defect cases that reshaped public discussion around the sector. For purchasers, however, regulation is only one part of the equation. The ability to investigate a building's history, review its strata position and, where possible, inspect what has actually been delivered remains central to making an informed apartment purchase.

At The Lennox, its completed status provides that opportunity before contracts are signed, while Strata Surety adds a financial backstop against special levies beyond the protections already provided under NSW strata law.

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Buying with confidence: What NSW apartment buyers should check beyond the defect headlines

Too often, heritage buildings become the podium for a contemporary tower. At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/623-collins-607-623-collins-street-melbourne-vic-3000">623 Collins</a>, <a>Sterling Global</a> challenged its design team to reverse that process.

The brief to <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a> was deliberately simple: "Don't design around the heritage. Design from it." It became the philosophy behind a project that draws inspiration not only from two landmark heritage buildings, but from Collins Street itself, a street layered with architectural history and civic significance.

That philosophy has shaped one of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/melbourne-vic-3000">Melbourne</a> CBD's most considered residential projects, where the 1924 State Savings Bank and neighbouring Batman's Hill Hotel have become the architectural foundation for 623 Collins rather than remnants preserved beneath a new development.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145324 project_image_fid=372749]

Rather than approaching the site as a blank canvas, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sterling-global">Sterling Global</a> saw the existing buildings as the beginning of the story.

"Sites like this rarely become available," the developer said.

"623 Collins wasn't simply an opportunity to develop a prominent CBD site. It was an opportunity to restore and reimagine one of Melbourne's important heritage landmarks while contributing to the continued evolution of Collins Street. For us, the existing buildings weren't constraints. They were the beginning of the story."

Instead of mimicking the ornate heritage architecture, Plus Studio studied the proportions, rhythm and craftsmanship of the original buildings before translating those characteristics into a contemporary 42-storey tower.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145324 project_image_fid=372748]

"The brief challenged us to create a contemporary landmark that respected Melbourne's architectural history without becoming nostalgic," Plus Studio said.

"Rather than mimicking heritage, we sought to understand its proportions, rhythm and material language before translating those qualities into a distinctly contemporary architectural expression."

The practice says the State Savings Bank and Batman's Hill Hotel became the project's primary source of inspiration, allowing the heritage buildings and contemporary architecture to exist "in conversation rather than contrast." Generous planted terraces further soften the transition between old and new, creating elevated green spaces while reinforcing the dialogue between the restored podium and the contemporary tower.

That dialogue continues throughout the interiors, where Melbourne designer Fiona Lynch developed a material palette inspired by the idea of alchemy, balancing contrasting materials that reference both the Neo-Grec detailing of the original bank and contemporary urban living. The result is a series of spaces that feel timeless rather than trend-driven.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145324 project_image_fid=354343]

The project will deliver 316 residences across four collections, Heirloom, Signature, Reserve and the Penthouse Collection, with each responding differently to its position within the building, from the restored heritage podium through to the upper levels of the tower. The Heirloom Residences retain defining heritage elements including original heritage windows, generous proportions and high ceilings, while the tower introduces contemporary homes with expansive layouts and elevated views.

Amenities have likewise been designed to support long-term city living rather than short-stay convenience. Residents will have access to concierge services, wellness facilities including a pool, cold plunge, sauna, steam room and gym, alongside private lounges, entertaining spaces and dedicated resident clubs.

Sterling Global says that approach is resonating with buyers seeking permanence rather than novelty.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145324 project_image_fid=354347]

According to the sales team, purchasers are looking for enduring architecture, generous floorplans, heritage character and long-term value, with many commenting that 623 Collins "doesn't feel like another apartment development" because of the way the architecture has been curated around the site's history.

Situated on the prominent corner of Collins and Spencer streets, the project occupies one of Melbourne's most recognisable gateway sites, marking the western entrance to the city's best-known street. For Sterling Global, it also reflects a broader shift in city-making.

"Rather than maximising development yield, the project embraces adaptive reuse as a design philosophy, allowing heritage to inform architecture, interiors and the overall resident experience," the developer said.

"The result is a building that feels uniquely connected to Melbourne."

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145324]

How Sterling Global designed 623 Collins from Melbourne's history

Avant Townhomes is adding to Ivanhoe’s family-sized housing options with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/three-82-ivanhoe-382-upper-heidelberg-road-ivanhoe-vic-3079">Three 82</a>, a collection of just 16 four-bedroom townhomes on Upper Heidelberg Road.

The <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/intrapac-property">Intrapac Property</a> townhome division has taken a contemporary approach to the traditional family home, pairing larger floorplans with the lower-maintenance format of a townhouse.

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Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/arcadia-studio">Arcadia</a>, with landscaping by Landsite, the homes feature generous open-plan living and dining areas that connect directly to outdoor spaces, with layouts also designed to maximise natural light and privacy.

Natural stone is used throughout the interiors, including in kitchens that pair stone surfaces with bespoke cabinetry, considered storage and SMEG appliances.

The four-bedroom layouts include built-in wardrobes and a main bedroom with its own ensuite, while family bathrooms service the additional bedrooms. Each home also includes a lock-up double garage and intercom entry.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152069 project_image_fid=374399]

Energy efficiency has been incorporated into the design through solar panels, double glazing and reverse-cycle heating and cooling, with the homes targeting 7-star energy ratings.

Rather than incorporating extensive communal facilities, Three 82 has been conceived around private residential amenity, with the 16-home scale keeping the focus on individual homes and their own indoor and outdoor spaces.

The development is located at 382 Upper Heidelberg Road, around one kilometre from Ivanhoe Village's cafés and retail and a short drive from Eaglemont Station and Ivanhoe Station.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152069 project_image_fid=374393]

Several of Ivanhoe's established schools are also nearby, including Ivanhoe Girls' Grammar and Ivanhoe Grammar School. The address also provides access to the suburb's parklands and the wider Yarra River corridor.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/nelson-alexander">Nelson Alexander</a> has been appointed to handle sales.

Construction is underway and progressing well, with Three 82 currently tracking toward completion in Q2 2027.

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Three 82 brings boutique four-bedroom townhome collection to Ivanhoe

Builder-developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/graya">Graya</a> has secured a prime Newstead site from fellow developer Fraser, subsequently lodging plans for The Silo, a major mixed-use residential project in Newstead designed around a new public laneway linking the James Street precinct with the wider Gasworks and Newstead neighbourhood.

Proposed for the corner of Chester and Morse streets, the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bureauproberts">Bureau^Proberts</a>-designed project places its strongest emphasis at ground level, where retail, landscaping and a new cobblestone pedestrian connection would open the site to the surrounding neighbourhood. The design team describes The Silo as “more than a residential building”, positioning the development as an extension of Newstead’s public realm rather than a standalone apartment tower.

“A new cobblestone laneway and landscaped connection between James Street and Gasworks unlock a missing pedestrian link, improving walkability and stitching together two of Brisbane’s significant urban destinations,” Bureau Proberts said in its Urban Design Report.

<img alt="First look: Graya plans The Silo as new pedestrian link between James Street and Gasworks" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0ea1b06a-75f5-40a5-b2c5-33c97bc86052" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/silo%20bldg.png?VersionId=KmjsAtNePu57_B31EM_DJ5T6KPJHtcmo" />

The Silo is planned as a mixed-use development incorporating apartments alongside a bar and centre activities including food and drink outlets, indoor sport and recreation, office and retail uses.

Architecturally, Bureau Proberts has conceived the building as a collection of vertically expressed, stepping forms rather than a single uniform tower. The composition rises from an articulated podium before being broken by a triple-height landscaped recreation level, with the upper section becoming more compact before terminating in a landscaped rooftop garden.

The project's name and architectural language draw directly from Newstead's industrial history. Patterned off-form concrete is proposed as the principal façade material, complemented by slender metal rod balustrades and extensive planting. The cylindrical and vertically ribbed elements give the building its silo-like expression, while curved balconies and planted edges introduce a softer subtropical layer.

“The Silo reinterprets its robust forms, scale and materiality through a contemporary subtropical architectural expression, creating a building that acknowledges its industrial legacy, while responding to the way the precinct is occupied today,” Bureau^Proberts said.

The recreation level is one of the defining breaks in the tower. Plans include a lap pool, mature subtropical planting and shared resident facilities within an elevated communal garden. Landscaping continues through the podium and onto the rooftop, where a further garden forms what the architects describe as a “subtropical crown” to the building.

<img alt="First look: Graya plans The Silo as new pedestrian link between James Street and Gasworks" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f8451036-35a4-49a9-8d88-2ef4438eba3d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Silo%20Lane.png?VersionId=h8N31_rYmCEqoNrpt4kbYVQhJGZn60LH" />

At street level, the development has been designed to establish a more permeable block. Retail and hospitality tenancies address the public realm, while landscaped pedestrian spaces lead into the new laneway connection. Renders in the design report show the proposed “Silo Lane” as a substantial opening through the podium, framed by cylindrical concrete forms with cascading planting above.

The Silo continues Graya's move into larger apartment developments after building its reputation across high-end residential projects in Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

Graya buys Frasers Newstead site, plans The Silo between James Street and Gasworks precincts

Prominent New Zealand apartment and hotel operator, <a href="/developers/safari-group">Safari Group</a>, is offering up a prime investment opportunity for Australians to purchase off the plan in one of the world’s most popular ski destinations.

They recently took to market Mountain Oak Queenstown Apartments, in the growing precinct of Remarkables Park in Frankton, near the airport and at the foot of The Remarkables - the mountain range the locals like to call “The Remarks”.&nbsp;

Sydney investors have shown interest in the one, two and three-bedroom apartments that secure high-season occupancy six months over the year, primarily over summer and winter months.

They average 90 per cent occupancy across their portfolio over January, February, March, August, November and December, while shoulder season months of April, July, September and October are still occupied 70 per cent of the time, with the growing appeal of Queenstown becoming not just a hotspot for the snow, but a lifestyle destination.

Even in the low seasons of May and June, occupancy levels reach around 40 per cent.

<img alt="Safari Group’s Mountain Oak Apartments brings new investment potential to Queenstown" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_auto/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Ext_Cam15_Sunny.jpg?VersionId=SJAROUM_1s.Tr5ciMk4EEj5oAt_Vewmv" />

Safari’s Safari Hotels arm can also manage the holiday letting for an investor, from the listing on holiday accommodation websites such as Airbnb and Booking.com to the cleaning and maintenance of the investment. They’ve been in the short stay management business for 15 years and offer 24/7 support for investors, an important convenience benefit for any overseas investor

Another major drawcard for Australians is that New Zealand doesn’t have a stamp duty policy - so the entry price of NZ$639,000 (AU$586,000), is all that is payable on completion.

<img alt="Safari Group’s Mountain Oak Apartments brings new investment potential to Queenstown" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/313_Livingv2_WEB.jpg?VersionId=nV229fM0ZeYpoxOrX372HyGjfwY_LR8c" />

Safari is starting construction of the 141 apartments in Q2 this year, with a two-year build estimated to complete in mid-to-late 2027.<img alt="" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="15" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXczFpFAb7WuA6f4f9TtKWcqXyNwR8qqtakWv352ERkpqNlP3KwIo8YKxw67jZNHfpjEGIZGv5MQTbnvLZwNt8iu9IVdOrswOjCvBZ4zhSoOOLrpt6etVEZTN1gkBho0r_R72zdHNA?key=yq3daOanqHSb88QFd8jGYKdb" title="Click and drag to move" width="15" />​

The apartments will feature modern amenities and contemporary designs with expansive windows capturing sweeping views of The Remarkables mountain range.&nbsp;

Interiors are equipped with modern finishes, premium appliances, and secure electronic key-locked doors, ensuring a comfortable living experience for residents and guests alike.

With its strategic location near Coronet Peak and Cardrona Alpine Resort, as well as key retail and dining precincts such as Market Street, Five Mile Shopping Centre, and Remarkables Market, Mountain Oak offers a strong proposition for investors seeking high rental yields and capital appreciation in one of New Zealand’s most sought-after locations.&nbsp;

Queenstown’s sustained demand for visitor accommodation and rental properties is underpinned by a shortage of housing options, attracting both local and international buyers.

Safari Group offers low-touch investment proposition in Queenstown’s popular ski fields district

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The Melbourne-based property developer Virtus Property Group has spent $2.4 million on a Clayton redevelopment site.
The south-east Melbourne sale was brokered by Savills Australia on behalf of a Melbourne-based private investor.
The property, on Audsley Street, is a 6,400 square metre site with Industrial 1 zoning. On the site there are circa 3,300 square metres of buildings, which Virtus is said to be planning to demolish.
The purchaser is expected to re-develop the property with a 24 unit office/factor estate, ranging from 120 to 150 square metres each, explained Savills associate director industrial, Daniel Kelly.
“The property is in an excellent location within a stone’s throw of Clayton shopping strip, train station and all major road networks,” he said.
Virtus Property Group is a relatively new developer, founded by Peter Fountas and Angelo Bruno, who have an industrial focus.
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Clayton industrial site snapped up for $2.4 million by developer

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With a positive outlook being seen in Australia’s agricultural commodities market, private investment syndicates are turning towards owning and developing broiler farms, according to Colliers International research.
The latest Rural and Agribusiness Research and Forecast Report 2014 from Colliers International has seen the best performing agribusiness sector in Australia being poultry, and indicates that the bottom of the market may have passed.
In fact, increased food demand and improved availability of finance, along with an improving global economy, could be behind the change, explained Tim Altschwager, national director of rural and agribusiness for Colliers.
“The poultry sector is arguably the best financially performing agribusiness enterprise in Australia, currently based on the projections which show that chicken meat is to remain Australia's most consumed meat in the medium term,” Altschwager said.
“This demand is creating passive investment opportunities for acquisition of assets on sale and leaseback models for long terms of 10 to 20 years with double digit yields,” he said.
“Syndicates of private investors are developing and owning the new-age broiler farms producing millions of chickens per annum. Sophisticated investors have the opportunity to take a larger share of the market, with 70 per cent currently owned by two processing companies Ingham and Baiada.”
The cotton industry is also of note, with property transactions high in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area.
“This region is experiencing demand for properties due to a lower capital cost of land when compared to cotton farms in northern regions, typically higher water security and similar yields. The MIA is also experiencing significant growth in ginning demand,” he said.
“China is stock piling cotton for future production, increasing the demand for cotton textiles which in turn makes them the largest importer of Australian cotton, accounting for 68% of our total production.”
Rural beef properties, however, has been tracking below average for the last five years due to drought, said director of research Mark Courtney.
“Although excess supply has been compounded by poor seasonal conditions leading to below pre-GFC levels and a number of distressed assets on the market, it is important to note that gains have been made in the first half of 2014,” he said.
“Furthermore, as most of the receiver stock is selling, the increase in transactional activity and competition in the market is leading to a slight rise in confidence.”
The wine industry’s assets are also still near the bottom of the cycle, however Courtney noted that this may provide an opportunity for cash-rich counter cyclical investors due to low entry costs.
“At current asset values Australia's wine industry sector represents the greatest potential for capital growth over the longer term,” he said.
“The most sought after assets are vertically integrated business in strategic locations, such as the Barossa Valley.”
In fact, Property Observer has only recently reported that a <a href="/news/chinese-snap-up-barossa-valley-chateau-yaldara-winery">Chinese-owned, South Australian-based company has paid about $15.5 million for the Yaldara Winery</a>, one of the most picturesque and attractive wine tourist destinations in South Australia.
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Private investment syndicates eye broiler farms, but wine the best opportunity

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Three Red Rooster sites in Brisbane have been sold to private investors for a total of more than $6.6 million, with the freestanding drive-through sites attracting interest in the formal tender process.
Savills Retail Investment Sales’ Peter Tyson and Michael Harcourt took the sites to market, located in Cannon Hill, Deagon and Kelvin Grove (pictured above), which have sold for $2.5 million, just under $2 million and $2.2 million respectively.
Deagon’s Red Rooster is under contract, although not yet settled. Yields are around 5%.
Tyson said interest in the sites was strong, with a total of 230 enquiries, 65 contracts distributed and 18 formal tenders received. They are cash deals.
“Auction clearance rates in Queensland are currently lower than in the southern states. The formal tender process requires buyers to submit unconditional bids within a private forum whilst maintaining the competitive tension of an auction,” he said.
Harcourt said that the security of prime retail investments, anchored by a well-known fast food brand, was attractive to investors.
He also said that the success comes from their high profile locations, and said that the freestanding retail food sector is strong.
“These are ideal investments for private investors and Self-Managed Superannuation Funds given their prominent locations and strong lease covenants to major national retail groups,” he said.
“Demand for these types of properties is running hot among private investors as they offer strong investment fundamentals at attractive entry level prices and ease of management.”
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Three Brisbane Red Rooster sites gobbled up for $6.6 million

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Charles Farru-Hill and Robert Lawson have been newly appointed to lead Raine &amp; Horne Commercial Western Australia's property management arm.
Farru-Hill has been appointed to the position of associate director of Facilities and Commercial Property Management. Lawson has been appointed associate director of Commercial Property Management.
Farru-Hill currently chairs the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia's Commercial Real Estate Committee. He has worked for Raine &amp; Horne Commercial for about four years. Of his appointment, Raine &amp; Horne Commercial WA director Terry Menage said:
“Charles has added depth and experience to our growing property management portfolio, as well as providing ancillary facilities management services to the organisation.
“He is one of the few commercial property managers in Perth with the Green Building Council of Australia’s ‘Green Star Professional’ Accreditation, and he consults to commercial building owners and managers Australia-wide.”
Lawson has been with Raine &amp; Horne Commercial WA for a year. According to Menage, he has experience in sales, leasing and management, and he said Lawson's appointment "will bring additional drive and focus to Raine &amp; Horne Commercial WA’s expanding commercial management portfolio.”
“Our two new appointments both have blue-chip commercial property experience that encompasses sales and leasing, as well as significant management expertise,” added Menage.
“Charles and Robert are the ideal candidates to lead our property management team effectively and their experience enables them to provide the very best advice and solutions to our investors and business owners.”
Menage said tenant retention was a priority for the division.
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Raine & Horne Commercial expands WA team

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Today, <a href="https://rawtrader.com.au" target="_blank">Raw Trader</a>, a vegan raw dessert café, opened its doors in Melbourne.
On 10 Sutherland Street, the address is conveniently near Melbourne Central Station.
They specialise in paleo, gluten free, raw, vegan desserts and use organic materials. All ingredients, including nut milks, are handmade on the premises.
They call their products “Decadence without the guilt”, and it would be most closely matched by Richmond, Melbourne’s Pana Chocolate store.
The store founder who is leasing the address as Raw Trader told Property Observer that she felt the store was the right size for her to commence her first independent business venture, being in a good location and accessible by public transport.
She had been looking for two months for a site before coming across it, and is proud of her fit out which combines rustic elements of the natural world with the urban contemporary elements of modernity.
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New raw vegan dessert outlet opens in Melbourne CBD

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Retail property sales are up 26% on the same period in 2013, even which yields are sub-7%, according to Savills Australia.
The Melbourne Retail Sales Summary data has found that bulky goods sales had doubled from $52 million in the 12 months to June 2013, to $106 million this year.
Meanwhile, shop transactions were up from $252 million to $261 million.
Regional retail centre sales were a stand out, accounting for 29% of the total retail activity in the state.
Glenn Lampard, Victorian head of research for Savills, said that the figures were boosted by some significant transactions, with prices up but number of sales down. There were 77 properties sold this year, compared to 106 last year.
“Sales are up on last year in dollar terms by more than a quarter and that reflects an investment market which recognises that retail property possesses sound fundamentals and presents well as a long term play,’’ Lampard explained.
Funds have been the most active – purchasing 47% of stock.
However, private investors purchased the most in terms of numbers of properties – with 52 sales.
Here are the standout enclosed centre sales from Savills:
<img src="/images/2014/07/30/chart%20of%20the%20week%20july%2030.jpg" alt="">
Source: Savills
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Victorian retail property sales up 26% over year

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Wingham Plaza Shopping Centre, on the NSW mid north coast, near Taree, has been sold for $10.8 million.
Peter Tyson and Jon Tyson of Savills Retail Sales secured the sale to an Australian-based Taiwanese investor.
Coles makes up close to 70 per cent of the centre's total income of the single-level neighbourhood shopping centre.
It included a freestanding Caltex fuel station. 
The complex was extensively redeveloped and extended in 2009 occupying a one hectare corner site at 113-123 Isabella Street bordering the main commercial precinct of Wingham.
It has a gross lettable floor area of approximately 4,366 square metre, grade level car parking for 137 vehicles.
The sale of Wingham Plaza is the latest in a number of shopping centre sales transacted by Savills on the NSW mid north coast, including the sale of Manning Mall sub-regional shopping centre in nearby Taree for $32.6 million in 2013.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

NSW mid north coast's Wingham Plaza sold for $10.8 million

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Raffles Assets Australia, a subsidiary of Singapore’s Raffles Education ­Corporation, has bought in Parramatta.
Their $29 million purchase which will assist the renaissance of the precinct, is a six-storey office building at 1-3 Fitzwilliam Street.
It sold vacant possession opposite Parramatta Train Station and the Westfield shopping centre through Arland Domingo and Peter Hanzis of Knight Frank.
It was last sold in late 2010 by Trinity Property at $28.3 million representing an initial yield of 9.15% when occupied by the NSW Office of Fair Trading on leases until May 2013, returning net income of $2,509,434 per annum.
Enterprise House was bought in 2010 by Action Office Pty Limited, of the Chandru Tolani property investment group, which paid $18 million in late 2012 for nearby 16-18 Wentworth Street property whose tenants included the Australian Vocational Learning Centre Pty Ltd.
Raffles Education Corporation is the largest private education group in Asia Pacific, according to its website.
The property will be redeveloped as a permanent campus for the company’s college in Sydney, the Raffles College of Design and Commerce – which currently operates out of leased premises.
The building with a net lettable area of 9,782 square metres has been occupied by the NSW Department of Fair Trading.
It has a land size of 2,049 square metres.
Photo courtesy of Google. 
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Raffles Education buys Enterprise House, Parramatta

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The property developer and investor Theo Onisforou has shown confidence in his Oxford Street, Paddington fashion precinct.
He had added a Glenmore Road corner terrace (pictured above) to his property portfolio.
Theo Onisforou is the founder of The Intersection, a vibrant shopping location at the junction of Glenmore Road and Oxford Street.
In 2011, the SMH fashion writer Georgina Safe wrote the intersection had blossomed into one of the country's premier destinations for local designers.
Onisforou says streets like Oxford Street, Paddington, King Street in Newtown, Campbell Parade at Bondi Beach and the Corso at Manly have the potential to benefit of having tourist traffic.
He suggests these streets benefit by having local, interstate and international tourists adding to their catchment market.
Visiting shopping celebrities have included Katy Perry and Reese Witherspoon.
He was inspired by Brompton Cross, an upmarket corner of Chelsea in London.
<img src="/images/2014/07/30/paddington%20july%2030%20one.jpg" alt="">
He says his Paddington retail strip provides cafe lifestyle, people watching and shopping as "entertainment."
Shopping centres do not provide this outdoor feeling, Onisforou says. His anchor tenant is Jackie's Cafe surrounded by a strong suite of fashion outlets.
<img src="/images/2014/07/30/paddington%20july%2030%20three.jpg" alt="">
List of tenants at  The Intersection, Paddington.
Onisforou's latest acquisition is being earmarked for cafe usage is on an expansive corner block at the corner of Glenmore Road and Hopewell Lane.
It is a four level terrace with 325 square metre space which sold through Bradfield Cleary this week zoned 3(c) business neighbourhood.
It will be the Intersection's 30th tenant.
<img src="/images/2014/07/30/paddington-july-30-floor-plan.gif" alt="">
Floor plan for 18 – 18a Glenmore Road, Paddington.
Onisforou's first fashion tenant, Scanlan &amp; Theodore, opened at the corner of Glenmore Road in early 2004.
At one point Onisforou proposed a change in council control over the nearby street's hardest-hit retail tenancy area from Woollahra Council to Sydney Council.
The call has prompted a joint effort between the two especially in regard to car parking clearway desires by Sydney Lord Mayor, Clover Moore and Woollahra Mayor Toni Zeltzer.
Moore has asked for the clearway to be removed completely in mayoral minute last Monday night.
The clearways operate from 6am to 10am in the westbound direction and 4pm to 7pm in the eastbound direction given bus lanes. 
City of Sydney Council also seeks to introduce a 40 kilometre an hour speed limit on the street.
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Theo Onisforou's The Intersection Paddington expands

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Forget sea-changers and tree-changers, more and more people are moving to the cities, attracted to their amenities and the sort of “creativity” social theorist Richard Florida identified in his books The Rise of the Creative Class and Cities and the Creative Class.
But as our cities fill with more residential apartments towers, their new inhabitants discover that the city “lifestyle” they were initially attracted to comes with a price: other towers sprouting and spoiling their view, the noise of 4am garbage trucks, drunken revellers, doof-doof from nightclubs.
Melbourne City Council, more than any other city in Australia, has encourged the growth of its CBD population and promoted converting its once grungy network of laneways into places of cool with street art, cafes, and clubs with a 24/7 appeal. It even named one of these laneways AC/DC Lane.
For 14 years a live music venue in that lane, Cherry Bar, has been pumping with music seven days a week, presenting 1,100 acts a year. Its owner, James Young, says in that time it has not had one noise complaint but now a 12-storey, 189-apartment residential development behind it at 108 Flinders Street towers directly over AC/DC Lane as its north-facing balconies overlook the lane.
The tower’s new resident are due to move in next month and Young fears that one complaint about noise could see Cherry Bar closed down. He says the law is on the side of any “pop-up” complaint maker so he is soundproofing the venue but has launched a crowd-funding campaign to pay for half the cost of the works.
The PledgeMusic direct-to-fan campaign, launched last week will, he says: “mean Cherry is compliant with noise restrictions related to its brand new residential neighbours … PledgeMusic are taking care of all transaction fees and donating back five per cent of the campaign income to help save Cherry.”
Yesterday, Young announced that his campaign to raise funds to soundproof Cheery Bar was a roaring success, with over $50,000 pledged for the works.
On the launch of the campaign last week, we asked Young to to tell us more about being at the coal face of the noise issue which he claims is “the biggest issue globally facing music today”.
How much money do you need to raise from the pledge?
$40,000, which is just under half of the cost of soundproofing works.
How much does it cost to soundproof the Cherry Bar?
$90,000.
How complicated is it to soundproof?
Not complex. Costly. Double glazing windows, double-bricking walls, special ‘box’ entries.
How long does it take to install?
Not long, two weeks.
What guarantee do you have that music inside the venue will not be heard from neighbours?
We paid an acoustics expert a fortune to recommend the soundproofing so that we are ‘compliant’.
Do you have any sympathy for people who buy apartments without knowing about the bar (or indeed any other entertainment venue in the area)?
Yes, but the developers should be protecting them by paying for our works.
Have any of the developers approached you about their plans before they start their marketing?
No, of course not.
Do you know if they tell prospective residents to expect noise in the area from venues?
Sincerely doubt this, why would they? They want to sell and move on.
Do you know if the apartments at 108 Flinders Street are fitted with soundproof windows?
They are double-glazed, yes. But EPA measurements are taken from outside the window so Cherry would be rooted without soundproofing.
Do you think it should be a requirement that new residential buildings in recognised entertainment precincts be soundproofed?
No, just soundproof the source.
Are any of your residential neighbours supportive of the bar and the use of that part of town for entertainment?
Yes, the guy who donated $5,000 anonymously lives 100 metres from Cherry!
But installing soundproofing will not prevent people complaining if they complain about noise from patrons arriving and leaving, will it?
Sadly not.
You say that residential development is the biggest issue globally facing music today. That’s a big statement. Can you explain it more?
Physical music sales are dead. Live music venues are the epicentre of income and learning for bands. And these venues are under threat and being closed by new residential developments.
How are other cities are handling the resident/venue conflict?
Brisbane declared Fortitude Valley a “cultural cluster” exempt from normal sound laws!
Do you feel that the legal and planning system puts all the onus on you to deal with the problem and not the apartment owners?
At the moment, yes, but hopefully this will change soon.
What would the loss of the Cherry bar mean to live music in Melbourne?
Over my dead body will Melbourne lose Cherry. Rock ‘n’ Roll ain’t noise pollution … in AC/DC lane.
This article first appeared on <a href="https://dailyreview.crikey.com.au/" target="_blank">The Daily Review</a>.
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