<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sunland-group">Sunland Group</a> has officially lodged plans for its first Gold Coast apartment project since the departure of the Abedian family from the company three years ago, unveiling a new high-rise proposal for a prominent Broadbeach corner site on Old Burleigh Road.

The application was submitted by an entity directed by Tom Jamieson, stepson of longtime Sunland leader Soheil Abedian, and Riaz Rezvanipour, brother-in-law of Sahba Abedian, Soheil’s son.

Sunland acquired the 1,283 sqm site on the corner of Old Burleigh Road and Armrick Avenue for $9.5 million late last year and is now seeking approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/99-101-old-burleigh-road-broadbeach-qld-4218">42-storey tower with 81 apartments</a>.

<img alt="First look: Sunland Group returns to Broadbeach with new Old Burleigh Road tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fea2946d-90ee-4cfc-babe-2a8ad5db2cb6" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/pers.png?VersionId=BV0fihJw31nDIQ8ozY_h3GbS8mxDyhnm" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/contreras-earl-architecture">Contreras Earl Architecture</a>, the proposed tower at 99-101 Old Burleigh Road would deliver a predominantly larger-format apartment mix aimed at the owner-occupier market. Plans include 17 two-bedroom apartments, 55 three-bedroom apartments, and nine four-bedroom residences across 35 residential levels.

The development also incorporates three basement levels, four podium parking levels, two levels of communal recreation facilities, and rooftop plant and equipment. A total of 189 car spaces are proposed, significantly exceeding the 90 spaces required under the planning scheme.

The architecture adopts a sculpted, curvilinear form, with deep wraparound balconies and integrated landscaping intended to soften the tower’s vertical expression. The planning report states the building’s “slender footprint/form provides a complimentary yet varied built form within the local streetscape” and contributes to “a varied, yet ordered skyline.”

Contreras Earl noted in its Architectural Statement that from the early stages, the project addressed a fundamental challenge: how to accommodate the required residential yield while avoiding the conventional model of a tower sitting on a rigid, fully resolved parking podium.

“The most direct response would have been to consolidate parking into a singular, flat podium and extrude a repetitive tower above,” the statement said. “While efficient, this approach would result in a consolidated built form with limited engagement with the surrounding landscape and public realm.”

Instead, the conventional podium model was “deliberately rejected”. The architects described the base of the building as “a landscaped architectural condition where structure, planting and circulation are integrated”.

“Rather than presenting a continuous built mass, the base of the building is articulated through a series of concrete planter elements that organise the podium into a fragmented system,” the statement said. “This approach reduces the perceived bulk of the lower levels while establishing a more permeable interface with the streetscape and adjacent open space.”

<img alt="Sunland" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="923fad8d-c960-4527-8fbe-975cf1ddf88d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-25%20at%2010.32.03%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=pngwb0hYOIUpq9vDw6F2EsOiVuHF3DiX" />

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The site sits within the High Density Residential Zone and inside the City of Gold Coast’s unrestricted “HX” building height area, where the planning framework anticipates intensified residential development tied to the expanding light rail corridor. The planning report notes the area is undergoing “transition toward more intense development forms” given its proximity to Broadbeach, Surfers Paradise, and high-frequency public transport infrastructure.

Positioned directly opposite Broadbeach Park and within walking distance of Florida Gardens light rail station, the development would sit among a rapidly evolving stretch of Old Burleigh Road that has become one of the Gold Coast’s most active apartment development corridors.

The application joins a growing pipeline of luxury residential projects reshaping Broadbeach, including nearby developments by 5Point Projects, Polycell, and Graya.

The planning report argues the project contributes toward the Gold Coast’s long-term housing targets under the South East Queensland Regional Plan, which forecasts the need for more than 100,000 additional high-rise dwellings across the city by 2046.

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The Abedian family departed Sunland Group in late 2023, ending a four-decade association with the company, and subsequently established the private development firm Abedian &amp; Co. The group is currently delivering <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/greenmount-residences-cnr-hill-street-and-marine-parade-coolangatta-qld-4225">Greenmount Residences</a> at Rainbow Bay and recently launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/18-mary-avenue-14-18-mary-avenue-broadbeach-qld-4218">18 Mary Avenue</a> in Broadbeach.
</section>

Joel Robinson

First look: Sunland Group returns to Broadbeach new apartment market with new Old Burleigh Road tower plans

The Minns Labor Government has established the new Bays West Delivery Authority to lead the development&nbsp;of the Bays West Precinct and Blackwattle Bay Precinct.&nbsp;

The Authority is charged with creating Sydney’s newest precinct, a thriving, connected, sustainable hub with White Bay Power Station as its cultural heart. Its vision is to build on the area’s natural, cultural and industrial history to shape a vibrant new neighbourhood.

The precinct will deliver up to 8,500 well-located homes, including a minimum of 10 per cent affordable and essential worker homes. Combine new housing with public open space, opening public access to the waterfront for the first time in more than 100 years, while retaining important deep-water facilities to support Sydney’s working harbour.

Located just minutes from the Sydney CBD and connected to a world-class metro, ferry, walking and cycling links, the Bays West precinct will rebalance housing growth towards well-serviced inner-city locations and help tackle the state’s housing crisis.

The Bays West Delivery Authority,&nbsp;an agency of the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, will report to the NSW Minister for Lands and Property who already has oversight of major precinct renewal projects including at Blackwattle Bay and Barangaroo.

As part of the broader Bays West transformation, the Minns Government recently announced that a proposal from Lendlease to redevelop part of the Bays West Precinct has progressed to Stage 2 of the NSW Government’s unsolicited proposals process.

<img alt="Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2ed71eb9-d8e8-4fa7-b9d1-de4531dcf2f3" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-25%20at%209.42.31%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=IDryFIbped9SNDg72LEN_EecvhUsOPvp" />

The Minns Labor Government has also confirmed the Bays West precinct will have a new suburb name. This will be the first major suburb built in close proximity to Sydney’s CBD in decades and will encompass the area currently being referred to as Bays West, including Glebe Island and the White Bay Power Station. Served by a new Metro station just five minutes from the CBD, it will become one of the most populous suburbs in the Inner West and one of Sydney’s premier cultural destinations.

An early works program is taking shape, which&nbsp;includes the first stages of an international design competition.&nbsp;

The aim of the Bays West&nbsp;International&nbsp;Design Competition is to&nbsp;ensure design excellence is embedded in the project from the start. The competition will deliver an&nbsp;urban framework that defines the character, ambition and long-term identity of&nbsp;this&nbsp;former industrial precinct as it transitions to a vibrant, inclusive and sustainable residential&nbsp;neighbourhood.

The competition will be led by the Bays West Delivery Authority in partnership with Government Architect NSW.&nbsp;

It will launch with an invitation for a global Expressions of Interest, before moving to an invitation-only stage that will be assessed by a panel that&nbsp;will provide advice to Cabinet who will select a winner.

Premier of NSW, Chris Minns said the establishment of the new Authority is the first step in transforming the Bays West precinct into a vibrant, livable suburb minutes from the Sydney CBD and two stops from Hunter St Station on the Metro West line.

“The Authority will deliver well-located homes close to the heart of the city and integrate the new precinct with Blackwattle Bay and the new Sydney Fish Market.

“This is a generational opportunity to build a new suburb on the city’s edge and open the harbour foreshore to the public for the first time in a century.”&nbsp;

Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said the new Bays West Delivery Authority established by the Minns Government will turbocharge the development of Sydney’s newest suburb.

“The Authority is working at a record pace to deliver an international design competition, planning pathways and a financial model so that this development benefits Sydney with well-designed homes in a central location, close to public transport, jobs, entertainment and essential services.

“If we want Sydney to stay liveable and affordable, we need to be bold about using underutilised government-owned land to deliver homes for the future while making sure essential working harbour functions can be accommodated.”

Bays West Delivery Authority established to "turbocharge" Sydney’s newest suburb

Around 400 additional homes could be built at Southwark Grounds on Port Road, lifting total site capacity from 1300 to around 1700 dwellings.

A recently approved code amendment would allow apartment towers of up to 14 storeys in some areas of Renewal SA’s redevelopment of the former West End Brewery.

Renewal SA Acting Chief Executive Shane Wingard said he welcomed the code amendment, with the increase in heights and homes making a positive impact on the supply of high-quality, well-connected housing close to the city.

“By going higher across some parts of Southwark Grounds, we are adding a substantial number of very well-located homes with little impact on project delivery time or planned open space,” Mr Wingard said.

Since the project officially launched in 2025, Mr Wingard said more than 12,000 enquiries had been received about living at Southwark Grounds.

“The very strong early interest we’ve seen since homes were first released in the precinct reinforces our plans to create more housing opportunities,” he said.

The Southwark Grounds code amendment was launched in December last year, with community engagement undertaken over five weeks from January.

It proposed increasing maximum building heights from eight to 14 storeys on the eastern section of Southwark Grounds, and to 12 storeys across the remainder of the site, with minimum building heights ranging from two to four storeys.

The code amendment was implemented through an Early Commencement policy in late January, allowing developers to quickly explore the viability of increased height and housing yield while other planning processes continue.

One of the first developers delivering apartment sites have already finalised redesigns to increase the number of apartments following the code amendment.

Samaras’ development adjacent to the future Colonel Light Park is now planning to deliver 125 apartments across 11 storeys, significantly greater than original plans of around 50 apartments across four storeys.

The developer is also exploring the potential for additional affordable housing outcomes.

Most of the apartments at Southwark Grounds will be delivered within a master-planned precinct on a large parcel of land on the eastern portion of the site, covering around two-thirds of its 8.4 hectares.

Wingard said detailed precinct planning over the coming months may identify further opportunities to increase yield further that could see total apartment numbers at Southwark Grounds, exceed this number.

Affordable homes at Southwark Grounds will also see a net increase, with Renewal SA maintaining its commitment to a minimum of 20 per cent affordable housing across the development.

&nbsp;

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Civil works have begun across the site, with construction under way on the first new roads surrounding a townhouse precinct in the south‑west corner of Southwark Grounds. This includes Renewal SA’s 17 Founder’s Row homes, which are on track for completion by Christmas.

“We expect to have people living at Southwark Grounds by the end of the year, so delivering roads and public spaces for those residents is among our highest priorities.”

Construction of 40 townhouses off Anderson Street, known as West Village and being delivered by Contour, is forecast to begin in mid‑2026. Kolabb’s Anderson Lane development will follow shortly after, delivering a further 26 townhouses.

Southwark Grounds is a state government‑led urban renewal project now set to deliver around 1,700 homes over the next decade.

Homes will be supported by a supermarket, a range of retail and hospitality offerings anchored by a revitalised Walkerville Brew Tower, a childcare centre, car parking and well‑connected public spaces.

400 new homes planned for Adelaide's former West End Brewery site

Brisbane developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/cavcorp">Cavcorp</a> has lodged plans for a new mixed-use residential development at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/55-wyandra-street-teneriffe-qld-4005">55 Wyandra Street</a>, Teneriffe, anchored by an 85-metre public laneway designed to reconnect the suburb’s riverfront with the Gasworks precinct.

The buildings, known as Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane, would replace the existing Queensland Cotton head office site with a 15-storey residential tower transitioning to eight storeys toward Helen Street. The project has been designed by Plazibat Architects and lodged as a code assessable development application for 93 apartments across a 3,401 sqm mixed-use site within the Newstead and Teneriffe Waterfront neighbourhood plan.

Central to the scheme is the transformation of an existing service easement into a publicly accessible cross-block connection linking Wyandra and Helen Streets. Cavcorp says the new laneway will act as both a pedestrian shortcut and a landscaped civic space between the Teneriffe Riverwalk, ferry terminal, and Gasworks precinct.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="26e7f058-b065-4de8-b13d-a2b8cb64dfcc" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/bldg.png?VersionId=sELS0ZKYi361oYipUa1BIKfe_.DLZoFV" />

“The revised proposal delivers a legacy public-realm cross-block link, permanently secured for community use, transforming an existing private easement into a safe, high-quality pedestrian connection between the Teneriffe heritage riverwalk and the Gasworks–Long Island precinct,” the planning report states.

The laneway will sit beneath a large subtropical loggia integrated into the podium levels of the development. The design incorporates deep landscaping, water gardens, lobby spaces, business lounges, and ground-floor apartments to create what Cavcorp describes as a climate-responsive “urban verandah.”

The tower itself has been designed as a slender form with recessed floorplates and curved translucent corners inspired by contemporary Japanese architecture. The building height aligns with the Commercial Road precinct controls, which permit towers up to 15 storeys within proximity to Longland Street.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a8a17d40-43b6-4718-b3fd-67676fcbb485" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/pers%202_1.png?VersionId=i3VwDtp5AmL_8InW7w4qRbDFEpb744Jt" />

The project will comprise a mix of larger-format apartments aimed at owner-occupiers, downsizers, and families. The proposed apartment mix includes 11 loggia apartments across the lower levels, 50 four-bedroom Sky-Terrace apartments from levels three to seven, and 32 Sky-Pool Homes occupying the upper tower levels. The Sky-Pool Homes will feature private thermal plunge pools integrated into oversized balconies.

According to the application, the apartments are intended to reinterpret the scale and character of Teneriffe’s woolstore conversions and Queensland homes within a vertical residential format.

“The sky-pool homes build on Cavcorp’s previous projects and introduce a distinct apartment typology to Teneriffe, informed by both local and international precedent and responding to an identified market demand for enhanced safety, space and amenity,” the planning submission notes.

A major focus of the proposal is its five-level wellness and lifestyle offering, extending from the basement through to the rooftop.

Amenities proposed include a rooftop Swim &amp; Racquet Club with a 25-metre Olympic lap pool and tennis court, coworking spaces and libraries, golf simulators, wine storage, concierge facilities, business lounges, pet wash areas, and rooftop longevity-focused wellness spaces with spas, outdoor fitness zones, and landscaped terraces.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="944b352c-49b9-4247-a4c6-5967b4b69fda" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/amenity.png?VersionId=Ed_qKjAtMwFT.5gfl3jiA9QwdWxSMsaX" />

All parking will be concealed within basement levels accessed from Wyandra and Helen Streets. Cavcorp says the deep-basement engineering approach allows the entire ground plane to prioritise landscaping, pedestrian movement, and active frontage rather than vehicle infrastructure.

The development continues Cavcorp’s concentration in Newstead and Teneriffe, where the Brisbane developer has delivered a number of apartment projects including Lucent, Le Bain, and Luminare, as well as the Long Island Wellness Precinct nearby. Several of those projects have received national design and architecture awards, including recognition under Brisbane’s “Buildings that Breathe” program.

Cavcorp unveils wellness-focused Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane apartment buildings

Focus Group Investments has lodged plans for a new apartment development at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/64-70-hanover-street-fitzroy-vic-3065">64–70 Hanover Street</a> in Fitzroy, seeking to utilise the Victorian Government’s recently introduced Great Design Fast Track pathway to accelerate approvals for the project.

The proposal is among the latest developments to emerge through the state-led initiative, which was established to fast-track well-designed residential projects in activity centres and transport-connected inner-city locations. The pathway allows qualifying developments that meet elevated design and housing benchmarks to bypass traditional council planning timeframes and instead be assessed directly by the Department of Transport and Planning.

Designed by SJB, the development will comprise a mix of apartments above activated lower levels, with a strong focus on architectural articulation, landscaping, and communal amenity. The design response seeks to balance the industrial character of Richmond’s former warehouse precincts with a more contemporary residential form.

<img alt="First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Richmond apartments" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="abea51cc-d85b-479e-9aef-a589f3b37ca7" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/ground.png?VersionId=e1Kf8EyPWwyiVumtqQ4rM5S4GpOR3CCz" />

Proposed are 63 new dwellings, a wide ranging mix of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, and townhouses and duplexes. They will be spread across a part-three, part-eight storey building.

The Planning and Urban Context Report by Tract says the development is of an "exemplary architectural standard" and has been carefully crafted by SJB Architects.

"Dwellings&nbsp;will benefit from excellent access to natural light, cross-ventilation opportunities and extensive communal space," the report noted.

The architectural material highlights the project’s integration of landscaped elements and communal spaces throughout the building. The proposal also incorporates sustainability initiatives aligned with the Victorian Government’s push for higher-performing apartment developments under the fast-track program.

The Great Design Fast Track was unveiled by the Victorian Government in 2024 as part of a broader housing supply strategy aimed at accelerating the delivery of new homes. Projects assessed through the pathway must demonstrate high-quality architecture, sustainability outcomes, and housing diversity while being located close to public transport and existing infrastructure.

<img alt="First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Richmond apartments" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="afdbe834-8dc4-4a77-a943-ba07bc927348" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/site_11.png?VersionId=0J657j.TaChAZfp93wqJYBTqSsnREJx2" />

Focus Group, founder and led by Paul De Lutiis, is increasingly active across Melbourne’s inner suburbs, targeting well-connected urban renewal locations suited to medium and higher-density residential development. The Fitzroy proposal continues that strategy, leveraging the area’s strong transport links, established retail amenity, and proximity to the CBD.

Fitzroy has been one of the most popular spots for developers and buyers in recent years. The likes of PACE Development Group, SMA Projects, Crema Group and Chapter Group, currently selling projects in the suburb.

First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Fitzroy apartments

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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Industrial raw material supplier Bisley &amp; Company Pty Ltd has leased an office suite in Sydney's northern suburb of Chatswood.  
The company secured 529 square metres of space, at suite 12.01,799 Pacific Highway on a five-year term. The lease was struck at an initial rental of $538 gross per square metre.
CBRE’s Stefan Perkowski negotiated the lease on behalf of lessor Tackelly Pty Limited.
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Bisley & Company Pty Ltd lease Chatswood office suite

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A 1,273 square metre vacancy created by the departure of the Australian Tax Office at 414 LaTrobe Street in Melbourne's CBD has been filled by Blue Rock Australia.  
The local accountancy, law and wealth management firm agreed to lease the one and a half floors on a term of seven years. It is understood the rent is in the mid-to-high $300s per square metre (net). 
Colliers International’s Edward Knowles negotiated the lease. 
“The business is experiencing rapid growth, hence the move from a 350 square metre floor plate in a boutique building to 1,273 square metre over the top one and a half floors in a higher grade building,” said Knowles. 
Blue Rock is due to relocate into the new premises in June. 
Knowles said the first quarter of 2014 had seen improved business sentiment and consumer confidence which was propelling activity in the Melbourne CBD office leasing market.
“The first signs of improvement in the market are starting to be seen,” he added. 
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Blue Rock Australia sign La Trobe Street lease

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Australian investors have a rare opportunity to own their own golf course. 
Two of Australia’s most prominent coastal golf courses - Moonah Links and The Sands Torquay in Victoria - have just hit the market either individually or as a combined package.
Moonah Links, known in international golfing circles as the “Home of Australian Golf”, is less than one and a half hour’s drive from Melbourne on the Mornington Peninsula, near Gunnamatta Beach. 
The estate features two 18-hole championship golf courses. Prominent golfer Peter Thomson designed Open course that hosted both the 2003 and 2005 Australian Opens.
The adjoining elite golf academy has world-class training facilities and accommodation villas. The property also benefits from a Peppers-managed hotel with 36 suites and 52 rooms and includes a club house with restaurant and conference facilities. The site also includes additional development land with attendant permits.
Opened in 2004, the Sands Torquay, located on the northern headland of Torquay, features the only Stuart Appleby-designed championship 18-hole golf course, as well as a large modern club house.
An 112-suite Peppers-managed hotel is also on the site and includes restaurant and conference facilities. The property also benefits from a separately operated Health Club business with a 25-metre indoor pool, two tennis courts and gymnasium facilities. Included in the sale is the Englobo development site of about 4,000 square metres.
CBRE's Scott Callow and Rob Cross are marketing the property on behalf of  the Handbury Group. 
“Handbury Group has been approached on numerous occasions by prospective purchasers for both the golf and hotel assets", said Callow.
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Two of the country's most prominent golf courses up for sale

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The Former State Bank of Seddon in Melbourne's Seddon will go under the hammer next month, with price expectations of more than $1 million.
The 30 Pentland Parade property is over 90 years old and is currently used as a meeting space, conference hall and residence. It has been owned by the Grand Lodge of Victoria for the past 25 years.
In the 70s the bank became famous in the national news when the branch was robbed by two armed bandits taking away a sum of $1,375 dollars.
The bank manager at the time was quick on his feet by dropping a dye capsule into the bag of money. The bandits then took a parting shot at the ceiling before fleeing. The original bank vault is still in the property.
The property is set on a large corner block of 470 square metres and includes a large front reception area, eight rooms including four bedrooms, two kitchens, one bathroom and three separate toilets. It also comprises parking for six cars.
The building goes to auction on 24 May through Hayden Kay of Barry Plant Yarraville.
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The Former State Bank of Seddon to go under the hammer next month

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Reserve Bank of Australia board member John Edwards has claimed the biggest surge in export volumes on record may be holding up the dollar despite falling commodity prices.
Edwards says Australia was in the grip of a <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/growth/export/36030-smes-confident-exporting-will-improve-but-hurdles-still-high" target="_blank">“bountiful” mining and energy export-driven revenue surge</a> according to <a href="https://www.afr.com/p/national/rba_member_exports_holding_up_OB9luyKSYe7sj1LwCqzf7H" target="_blank">The Australian Financial Review</a>.
He indicated this was helping underpin the Australian dollar because exports were supporting the economy and ultimately federal government taxes.
“I personally would have certainly preferred to see it weaken and it hasn't and that does suggest global markets have more rapidly adjusted to the Fed's plans to normalise than expected,” Edwards told the paper.
We asked the experts whether there was a surge in exports and what the impact was on the dollar and on SMEs.
Is there a surge in exports?
The <a href="https://www.efic.gov.au/country/ExportMonitor/Pages/ExportMonitor.aspx" target="_blank">latest figures</a> from the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation record a trade surplus for Australia of $1.4 billion in January, its highest level in nearly two-and-a-half years.
“Export values have surged, driven by increases in rural and resource export volumes,” Cassandra Winzenried, senior economist at EFIC said in a statement.
“This is despite steep declines in commodity prices to multi-year lows over the past month that have been driven by slowing growth and signs of financial stress in China”.
EFIC predicts the trade balance is likely to continue in surplus as the Australian resource boom moves from the investment to the export phase.
This is fuelling speculation that not just a trade, but a current account, surplus may emerge – for the first time since 1975.
Is the growth confined to the resources sector?
The growth in exports is mainly driven by the mining and resources sectors according to Peter Mace, general manager of the Export Council of Australia. 
“I don't think it is coming through outside the resource sector,” he told SmartCompany.
“There's good opportunities, meat had a good run last year but that was on the back of a lot of farmers reducing their stock.”
Mace says there is potential for export growth in the IT sector and the health and aged care sectors.
“There is a lot of potential with the free trade agreements with Japan and Korea being signed up,” he says.
“Growth will be huge if China signs up [to a free trade agreement]. New Zealand's exports rose by up to 50% after its agreement with China was signed.” 
What's the impact on currency and SMEs?
While exports have gone up over the last couple of years the Australian dollar has fallen from around $1.07 USD to around the 80c mark, according to export business consultant Cynthia Dearin. 
“Rising export volumes are not traditionally correlated to a higher dollar,” she says.
“Export volumes have gone up significantly and it has happened as the mining and resource sector has dropped off.”
Dearin says whenever the dollar falls the opportunities to export improve for small and medium size businesses.
“I don't think it is going badly for the SME sector but I think it could be going better,” Dearin says.
She says regardless of the currency situation SMEs find it a challenge to start exporting as many are not sure how to go through the process.
“If you look at countries like the UK, Germany and Singapore they all do significantly more to support their exporters than we do,” Dearin says.
This article first appeared on <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/" target="_blank">SmartCompany.</a>
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RBA member claims “bountiful” export surge: Is it true?

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Australian retailers will now be able to compare their store’s sales to their competitors on a weekly basis, thanks to a new retail sales index launched today.
The first edition of the <a href="https://www.australianretailindex.com.au/" target="_blank">Australian Retail Index</a> shows that the Easter break led to a 8.4% boost in retail sales. 
The index has been created by corporate advisory firm BDO and software and point-of-sale provider Retail Express to provide local retailers with weekly sales data in four categories: fashion and accessories, furniture and homewares, sporting and recreational goods and other general retailers.
<a href="https://www.afr.com/p/business/companies/retail_sales_up_per_cent_over_easter_E2G1tF2C3PkK8YUDtLnNbN" target="_blank">Fairfax reports</a> the sales data for the index is collected from more than 2000 retailers. The free subscription-based service will initially compare weekly sales figures with sales from the previous week and one year ago.
The service will expand later this year to offer daily sales data.
Retailers will also be able to compare sales across states and in metropolitan and regional areas, as well as gain insights into how average transaction values and the ratio between credit card and cash transactions are changing.
Unlike retail sales data compiled by the major banks, which relies on credit card data only, the Australian Retail Index will also include cash transactions and lay-buys.
BDO national retail lead partner Simon Scalzo toldFairfax the index will enable business owners to make more timely decisions about their business.
Scalzo said that many businesses rely on sales data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics that is often almost two months old. “It’s almost like looking in the rear-view mirror,” he said.
The executive director of the Australian Retailers Association, Russell Zimmerman, told SmartCompany that up-to-date sales data is “vitally important” for businesses of all sizes.
“This index is vital for any business because as a retailer, you would like to know how you are travelling compared to your counterparts,” said Zimmerman.
Zimmerman said in the case where a retailer’s sales are down, comparing their results with companies in a similar situation using the Australian Retail index will likely make that business owner feel more comfortable.
On the other hand, Zimmerman said if a business has seen a particularly strong response to a new sales promotion, and they know that their competitors are not experiencing the same level of sales, they will know they are on the right track.
Zimmerman said the size of the index means it will cover all of the major retail sectors and therefore give a good indication of how the retail market is tracking.
This article first appeared on <a href="https://www.SmartCompany.com.au" target="_blank">SmartCompany.</a>
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Easter boosts retail sales by 8.4% according to new sales index

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Agent: Tim Mutton<img src="/images/2014/04/22/Mutton-Tim-profielk.jpg" alt="" style="float: right;">
Position: Director - investment services and office leasing
Company: Colliers International
Office location: Canberra
How long have you been in the industry?
Joined Colliers International as a graduate in 2003.
What's happening in the area you specialise in?
The increasing volume of capital looking for investment in Australian real estate markets has seen competition for commercial investment property increase. This has affected the majority of Australian Capital cities and Canberra is no different. Sales activity in the first quarter of 2014 has been strong and values are under upward pressure.
Describe the most interesting property you have sold 
In 2012 I was involved in the sale of an office building occupied by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) in Albury, NSW. This property was built for ATO and was built with a number of features for the ATO. The property was attractive to a number of investors given the high quality tenant but given its regional location was different to anything seen in the market for some time. The property attracted local and international interest and saw spirited bidding.
What are the ingredients to being successful in your job?
I strongly believe that to be a good agent you need an enquiring mind. You need to be able to think laterally and not be afraid to spend time understanding your clients and their properties. I also think you have to be patient. A lot of people get into Real Estate for rapid results but you need to spend time learning your market, understanding the personalities operating in it and then turning this information into winning investment ideas for your clients.
What aspects of your role do you enjoy the most?
Uncovering value for my clients in areas overlooked by the majority. The number of times we have had good investment and development properties available but people have overlooked them to follow the herd into substandard assets baffles me.
Where would you invest a spare $750,000?
While Canberra's leasing market appears slow there appears to be good value emerging for properties with leases ranging from three to five years. If I had a spare $750,000 I would look into something in the CBD or Barton and take advantage of the current low interest rates and likelihood that the current leasing market conditions are at rock bottom and expected to improve in coming months.
Which football team do you support?
ACT Brumbies, Canberra Raiders and GWS Giants.
What's your favourite app or techno gadget?
I would be lost without my Sharp EL 735 calculator. Very old fashioned but faster than any app I have found to calculate values.
How do you use social media?
I use social media to keep track of colleagues and friends but also to better understand my client's and customers. The amount of information available in social networks is growing exponentially and to be able to have this information at my fingertips is amazing.
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In profile: Colliers International's director - investment services and office leasing, Tim Mutton

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In one of the strongest signs that corporate Australia is in recovery mode, the sub-lease vacancy rate across the CBD office markets contracted in the first quarter of this year.
Sub-lease availability, seen as a bellwether for business confidence in corporate Australia, recorded a reduction of 11,500 square metres across CBD office markets in the first quarter. The only city not to record a reduction was Melbourne.
The results were contained in JLL's Q1 statistics on the national office market report, which said the reduction was the "first sign that corporate Australia is moving from a consolidation to growth mode". 
But the positive numbers were muted by the national CBD office market vacancy rate, which held steady at 11.7% over the same period. 
JLL’s head of office leasing in NSW &amp; Australia, Tim O’Connor, noted that the "reduction in sub-lease availability we recorded over Q1 is the first phase of a metamorphosis from a weak leasing market to a market that is in the early stages of recovery". 
For a company to remove sub-lease space from the market, he said,  implied that it was likely to make headcount increases over the next two to three years. 
The Sydney CBD experienced the most notable reduction in sub-lease availability - falling by 10,500 square metres in Q1 to 1.27% of total stock. 
"Sub-lease availability is now at the lowest level since Q4 2012 in the Sydney CBD", said the report.
As a result, the Sydney CBD recorded its first positive quarterly net absorption result -1,500 square metres - since Q2 2012. Partly driving that uptake was the higher activity in technology sector. 
Mr O'Connor said that in Sydney, Symantec had leased additional space at 207 Kent Street, while a number of other technology firms had active requirements.
Despite Melbourne experiencing no reduction in sub-lease availability, the vacancy rate in the CBD fell to 10.4%, which a according to JLL is now the tightest of the monitored CBD office markets.
The tenant demand environment remained challenging in the resource-dependent markets of Brisbane and Perth. Both markets recorded a further quarter of negative net absorption in the first quarter. 
The Perth CBD recorded a seventh successive quarter of negative net absorption of -18,600 square metres. The contraction in net absorption over that period, it noted, had totalled -150,000 square metres. As a result, the vacancy rate in the Perth CBD moved out by 1.0 percentage point to 11.8%.
The reduction in Brisbane was a negative-1,600 square metres and the CBD vacancy  remained at a record high of 15.5%. 
JLL’s head of capital markets research, Andrew Ballantyne highlighted that the demand slowdown in the near-city markets of Brisbane Fringe and West Perth, which had a higher concentration of resource sector tenants than the CBD, had been more pronounced. "The West Perth vacancy rate has pushed out to 13.6%, while the Brisbane Fringe is sitting at 14.3%”, he said. 
Adelaide recorded zero net absorption over the quarter and vacancy remained at 13.9%, while Canberra recorded positive net absorption of 8,600 square metres.
O’Connor said: “The Reserve Bank of Australia recently noted that there are encouraging signs that the handover from mining-led demand growth to broader private demand is beginning".
"We expect the Sydney and Melbourne office markets to be the main beneficiaries of this transition over 2015 and 2016.” 
Supply additions across CBD office markets in 2014 were expected to be at the lowest level since 2002, he added.
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Sub-lease vacancy rate falls in strong sign of corporate recovery

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Noting that the new NSW Cabinet is strong, with the potential to deliver much-needed planning reforms, regional plans and pending strata reforms, the Urban Development Institute of Australia NSW expects that affordability should increase.
UDIA NSW chief executive, Stephen Albin, told Property Observer that the reforms are a major apart of the industry performing well and maintaining this performance, as well as bringing much needed infrastructure to specific areas.
Asked which reform was most needed, Albin mentioned that there were many on his list, however it’s infrastructure levies that are one of the most significant issues, particularly for housing affordability. He expects this is one area where the new Cabinet can have an effect.
“It’s a complete shmozzle,” he said of the levy.
“It adds at least 15 to 20% to the value of a new property,” he explained, noting that when one part of the chain requires an increased payment, this is in turn going to be passed onto the consumer, as can be expected for any product.
Albin noted that in New South Wales, this is one of the highest levies globally.
However, there are other areas where affordability can be assisted.
He pointed to five priorities for the State Senate: 
<ul>
<li>NSW Planning Reforms 
</li>
<li>The Metropolitan Strategy for Sydney 
</li>
<li>The Illawarra Regional Strategy 
</li>
<li>The Lower Hunter Regional Strategy 
</li>
<li>NSW Strata Reforms</li>
</ul>
“Now we’re heading toward a state election, and recent distractions are out of the way, it’s crucial this current government gets on with the job of delivering much needed reforms,” he said.
“What we would like to see is these plans and policies rolled out as soon as possible to assist in the creation of more investment certainty to support the economy and jobs, and affordable homes for our state’s growing population.”
The regional strategies, in particular, were said to help bring infrastructure and money into these areas.
“I think people are always scared of changes,” he said of the reforms, which he noted would be the biggest overhaul in 30 years, however he also said that these reforms would not cause16-storey buildings to be built in peoples’ backyards, and especially not without consultation.
“They’re about cooperation, not conflict,” he explained in the shift towards New South Wales’ planning.
“The whole system needs to be changed. We’ve dealt with the current system for 30 years, and communities cannot got another three.”
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Affordability should increase under new NSW Cabinet: UDIA

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The Real Estate Institute of New South Wales has warned that vacancy rates in Sydney are now at a crisis low levels, with the number of properties for rent dropping 0.3% to 1.4% in the March 2014 Vacancy Rate Survey.
This is a figure not seen broadly since November 2011, according to REINSW president Malcolm Gunning.
“Sydney is going backwards in regard to properties available for rent. Something must be done to ensure that there is a greater level of choice for those seeking to secure a rental property in Australia’s biggest city,” said Gunning.
Inner Sydney vacancy rates declined by 0.2%, to 1.3%, while the middle and outer suburbs dropped 0.4% and 0.1% to 1.6% and 1.5% respectively.
Again, it appears all eyes are on new Premier, Mike Baird, as to how property will be treated.
“We look with interest to the direction new Premier Mike Baird will take in regard to property. His support is essential to ensure that the best and brightest remain in NSW. This can only happen if he identifies the inequities of the current planning system as well as lack of affordable housing and incentives for first home buyers,” Gunning continued.
<a href="/news">Newcastle</a>, however, increased by 0.1%, to 2.5%, while the Hunter also stayed relatively flat with a 0.1% decrease to 3.1%. <a href="/news">Wollongong</a> was up 0.7% to 2.3%, with the whole of the Illawarra then placed at 2.1% up from 1.7%.
The Mid-North Coast’s vacancy rate was recorded as the lowest outside Sydney metro, at 1.4%, a 0.3% tightening, while <a href="/news">Coffs Harbour</a> has the highest availability at 3.8%, up from 3%.
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