<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> has revealed plans for a new mixed-use tower at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham, advancing a proposal that would reshape the southern gateway to Newcastle’s city centre with one of the city’s tallest residential buildings.

The State Significant Development proposal, now on exhibition, seeks approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bowline-10-dangar-street-wickham-nsw-2293">43-storey tower</a> immediately adjacent to the Newcastle Interchange. The project would deliver around 200 apartments, including 42 affordable housing dwellings, alongside 99 co-living units, a 171-room hotel, retail space, and new public domain integrated through the site.

The scheme marks a significant escalation of plans previously approved for the site. Urban Property Group took over the prominent 2,904 sqm parcel, where excavation and demolition had already commenced under an earlier consent for a 14-storey mixed-use development.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="58a96dd9-407f-4d20-86b4-94e4bfeef74b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20podium.png?VersionId=LGlf08pdFGAZDzvx_CXC4XakHNZRuEE0" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, the tower has been conceived as a landmark transit-oriented development anchored to the Newcastle Interchange precinct. The proposal includes 245 build-to-sell apartments across a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom residences, as well as two penthouses. Fifteen apartments and one operational unit are earmarked for NDIS housing. The co-living component would add a further 99 units, while the podium would accommodate retail uses and hotel facilities.

SJB said the site presents “a valuable opportunity to anchor the precinct by setting the standard for design, active ground planes and character at the key southern gateway.”

The architecture responds directly to the site’s position beside major transport infrastructure and within one of Newcastle’s fastest-evolving urban renewal precincts. The tower form sits above a sculpted podium designed to frame new public spaces, including a through-site pedestrian link connecting Station Street to Hannell Street, landscaped plazas, and activated retail edges.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a7bd6ff0-f7db-4ce8-a6dc-ea56e72c6149" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20lanne.png?VersionId=xzf39VADyhj7zBQY2I9fx9vI62u2tuSb" />

The design report describes the project as part of the broader transition of Wickham into “a vibrant, high-quality mixed-use urban precinct” that leverages proximity to the station, open space, and regional connectivity.

A detailed public art strategy has also been prepared for the development. The strategy positions the project as “a transit-oriented development of state significance at the gateway to Newcastle’s city centre” and outlines a series of integrated artworks responding to Newcastle’s industrial and transport heritage.

Creative Road’s curatorial framework for the project, titled Unveil, draws on “stratified surfaces, carved volumes, and light-filled apertures” while referencing Newcastle’s transformation from an industrial city into a contemporary education and technology hub.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="77a882bb-14b1-4d28-99ff-9438e39508c0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20site.png?VersionId=cevgo_vN0eKPK78P8YcEu3mKPLkpFqE7" />

The proposal is being advanced through the NSW Housing Delivery Authority pathway after being declared State Significant Development in June 2025. The accompanying scoping report states the development aims to “maximise the site’s proximity to the Newcastle Interchange by delivering transit-oriented development” while increasing housing supply and affordable housing provision within the Newcastle LGA.

Urban Property Group’s plans align with the long-term strategic vision established under the Wickham Master Plan, which identified the interchange precinct as suitable for substantial uplift in height and density. The current proposal would significantly intensify that vision, positioning the tower among the tallest developments proposed for Newcastle.

The site sits immediately north of the Newcastle Interchange, bounded by Dangar Street, Hannell Street, and Charles Street. It is surrounded by a rapidly growing cluster of residential towers and mixed-use projects that have emerged following the completion of the light rail and transport interchange.

Joel Robinson

First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s latest tower at Wickham interchange

Bottega House has completed settlement of a landmark riverfront site in Macquarie Street, St Lucia, representing its first major Brisbane development.&nbsp;

Positioned on the banks of the Brisbane River, the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/180-macquarie-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">premium site at 180 Macquarie Street</a> features uninterrupted river frontage in one of Brisbane’s most tightly held residential precincts.&nbsp;

The proposed development, currently under assessment with Brisbane City Council, has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/mim-design">Mim Design</a> and will deliver a boutique collection of premium residences positioned specifically for owner occupiers and downsizers.&nbsp;

The residences are set to redefine luxury apartment living in the area, with a focus on architectural quality, refined finishes, landscape integration and elevated amenities including curated wellness facilities, resort-style pools and recreation spaces rarely seen in the local market.&nbsp;

Exclusive sales for the project will be led by Keenan &amp; Byrne, ahead of an anticipated launch later this year.&nbsp;

Bottega House Managing Director Nick Malloch said the project reflects the group’s ambition to deliver a highly curated residential offering within one of Brisbane’s most tightly held precincts.&nbsp;

“This is an incredibly rare riverfront opportunity and one we have approached with a long-term perspective,” Malloch said.&nbsp;

“Our vision from the outset was to create a boutique collection of residences that feel more like private homes than traditional apartments, with generous proportions, refined finishes and exceptional amenity throughout."

Malloch says there is a&nbsp;lack of premium owner-occupier stock of this quality in the market, particularly for downsizers wanting space, privacy and a true lifestyle offering without compromise.&nbsp;

"Demand is expected to be strong given the scarcity of premium riverfront opportunities of this nature within Brisbane’s inner-west."&nbsp;

Bottega House secures landmark riverfront site in St Lucia 

<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-6" data-turn="assistant" data-turn-id="request-WEB:84a2af5e-d7cf-4ddf-922a-f4d44d6c6caa-2" data-turn-id-container="request-WEB:84a2af5e-d7cf-4ddf-922a-f4d44d6c6caa-2" dir="auto">
<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-2" data-turn="assistant" data-turn-id="request-WEB:5a5ab36c-8dd3-454c-b456-c501f22f0eb4-0" data-turn-id-container="request-WEB:5a5ab36c-8dd3-454c-b456-c501f22f0eb4-0" dir="auto">
The arrival of the first piling rig officially marks the commencement of construction at SIERA’s new beachside apartment development, Exhale, in Northcliffe.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/exhale-surfers-paradise-8-enderley-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Exhale</a>, a glass-encased tower featuring 54 large-scale apartments at 8 Enderley Avenue, is SIERA’s third Gold Coast development. It follows the recently completed PIPIS Bilinga beachfront project, which achieved suburb-record prices, and the soon-to-be-completed Chevron Island development, Tapestry.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359603]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/siera">SIERA</a> Founder and Managing Director Brent Thompson said the arrival of the piling rig represented a significant milestone for the development, which is scheduled for completion in late 2028.

Over the next month, around 260 piles are expected to be installed as work progresses on the basement structure. The building is anticipated to rise above ground level early next year, before unveiling its sculptural glass curtain wall, developed in collaboration with specialist façade engineers.

“The façade was designed to maximise panoramic coastal views while creating a distinctive architectural identity,” Thompson said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=355935]

Designed by BDA Architecture, Exhale will comprise just 54 two- and three-bedroom residences across 26 levels, a level of low-density living rarely delivered in this beachside pocket between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.

The project has been conceived as a resident-only building, with no short-stay accommodation permitted. SIERA says the model is intended to appeal to long-term owner-occupiers rather than transient holiday demand.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=361052]

Residences have been designed with large-format layouts and expansive glazing, with most apartments featuring more than 30 metres of glass frontage to maximise natural light and ocean views.

The amenity offering spans two levels and centres on wellness and lifestyle, including a heated magnesium pool, sauna, yoga and Pilates studio, gymnasium, private dining facilities, cinema lounge, and dedicated surfcraft storage.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359607]

More than half of the apartments have already sold. SIERA has also opened a sales gallery for Exhale at its Chevron Island commercial premises, near its Tapestry tower and the site of its second Chevron Island apartment development, which is slated to launch in early 2027.
</section>
</section>

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112661]

SIERA kicks off construction at Northcliffe tower Exhale

Local Little Bay residents, along with buyers from premium postcodes across Sydney’s affluent Eastern Suburbs, have dominated purchases in developer-builder Urban Property Group’s first Eastern Suburbs apartment development, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/este-little-bay-jennifer-street-little-bay-nsw-2036">ESTE Little Bay</a>.

The $250 million coastal project, one of the first new developments in the area in several years, has proven particularly popular with downsizers, especially those from Coogee and Bondi. One Double Bay downsizer paid $4.7 million for a four-bedroom penthouse, setting a new local apartment price record in the process.

Buyers have been attracted to the combination of coastal tranquillity, premium design and amenity-rich neighbourhood living. The walkable village setting, along with proximity to three of Sydney’s leading golf courses, New South Wales Golf Club, St Michael’s Golf Club and The Coast Golf Club, has also been a key drawcard.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112343 project_image_fid=352689]

Built across two low-rise buildings designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hill-thalis-architecture-urban-projects-pty-ltd">Hill Thalis</a> and set along a lush, landscaped green spine, designed by leading landscape architect <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/arcadia-landscape-architecture">Arcadia</a>, ESTE Little Bay offers a collection of one, two, three and four-bedroom residences with interiors by Richards Stanisich.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> Sales Director, Tom McIvor said the response to ESTE has been "nothing short of extraordinary."

“Buyers have been quick to recognise ESTE as a rare opportunity to invest in a coastal sanctuary that offers both seclusion and connectivity to the heart of Sydney,” McIvor said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112343 project_image_fid=352687]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/srm-residential">SRM Residential</a> Senior Director, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/srm-residential">Clayton Ross</a> said the local market has responded incredibly well, driven by ESTE’s exceptional location and the rarity it offers.

“We’ve seen strong interest from a variety of buyer groups, all of whom are drawn to the exclusivity and quality of the build and construction by the 4.5-star iCIRT-rated builder / developer, Urban Property Group. There’s truly nothing else like it along Sydney’s coastline.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112343 project_image_fid=352690]

The project also includes robust buyer protections, including Resilience Insurance’s Latent Defects Insurance, providing 10 years of structural cover, and an independent iCIRT-rating of the developer.

“The iCIRT-rating adds another layer of confidence,” Ross added. “Buyers see it as a safeguard for their investment and their lifestyle.” A highlight of ESTE’s offering is its exclusive wellness amenities, including a heated rooftop infinity pool and outdoor heated spa, a state-of-the-art Technogym fitness centre, and a sauna.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/este-little-bay-jennifer-street-little-bay-nsw-2036">ESTE Little Bay</a> is topped out and is on track to complete towards the end of 2026, with residents moving in before Christmas.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112343]

Eastern Suburbs buyers snap up ESTE Little Bay apartments

<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" />

&nbsp;

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.

<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-4" data-turn="assistant" data-turn-id="request-WEB:84a2af5e-d7cf-4ddf-922a-f4d44d6c6caa-1" data-turn-id-container="request-WEB:84a2af5e-d7cf-4ddf-922a-f4d44d6c6caa-1" dir="auto">
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>

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

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

<html><body>
Perception and reality seldom coincide in real estate.
The perception created by media misinformation is that "prime" delivers the best capital growth. Reality disagrees. Constantly.
During my recent trip to Perth, I visited the City of Gosnells (downmarket, affordable, a long way from the CBD) and I visited some of the beach and river suburbs like <a href="/news">Mosman Park</a> and <a href="/news">Cottesloe</a> (upmarket, millionaire homes, close to the city).
The perception is that the prime stuff would trounce the cheap areas on capital growth. The reality is the contrary.
In the past year, five years and 10 years, those cheaper areas have had superior growth rates. Here are some comparisons.
<a href="/news">Kenwick</a> in the City of Gosnells (median price $390,000) recorded a 16% rise in its median price in the past 12 months. It has averaged 4% per year in the past five years and 10.4% per year over the past decade. The median rental yield is 5.7%.
Everyone I told about my trip to the Gosnells had this reaction: “Why would you want to go there?”
Here’s why. The suburb of <a href="/news">Gosnells</a> in the City of Gosnells is a highly popular market. Over 500 house sales in the past 12 months. The median has risen 10% to $355,000, but yields remain solid around 5.6%. The 10-year capital growth average for Gosnells is 10% per year.
<blockquote>
Buying in affordable areas with good infrastructure is often a win-win-win situation: cheaper prices, better rental yields and superior capital growth rates.
</blockquote>
The vacancy rate is well under 1%.
So while real estate snobs may not want to go there, plenty of home buyers and tenants do. The result is outstanding data, from the investor’s viewpoint.
Let’s look at some of the places beloved by the real estate snobs.
Mosman Park, wedged between beach and river, has a median house price of $1.17 million. It grew 1% in the past year. It's median has fallen an average 2.3% a year over five years and has risen 7.5% a year over 10 years. Typical yields are around 3%. 
<a href="/news">City Beach</a>, median price $1.73 million, has performed better than Mosman Park, but only marginally. It grew 7.5% in the past 12 months. But in the past five years, it has dropped an average of 2% per year. Over the past decade it has averaged growth of 8% per year.
The vacancy rate is around 5% and typical yields are 3.5%.
Remember, we’re not discussing where you might want to live, but where you should buy investment properties. Do you want to impress a dinner party by saying you own a property in City Beach? Or would you rather make money by owning four properties in growth markets like Gosnells?
If your answer is the former, maybe you’re not suited to property investment.
Where is the opportunity in this?
Buying in affordable areas with good infrastructure is often a win-win-win situation: cheaper prices, better rental yields and superior capital growth rates. "Prime" real estate means better quality homes, not better investments.
All that’s required is to be driven by your brain rather than your ego.
<a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au">ryder@hotspotting.com.au</a>
<a href="https://twitter.com/hotspotting" target="_blank">twitter.com/hotspotting</a>
</body></html>

terryryder-YECXbqmri2

"Prime" areas better for capital growth? Here's where perception meets reality

<html><body>
It was a pub that no one knew about until Paul Hogan put it on the map. Now the Walkabout Creek Hotel - which became famous in the blockbuster hit movie Crocodile Dundee has been sold. 
Empty-nesters Frank and Debbie Wust emerged as the buyers of the pub at McKinlay in Northern Queensland for a "significant six figure sum".  
It is believed the couple are committed to maintaining the hotel’s iconic status.  
Mr Wust, who since 1990 has been a miner at the Callide Mine, 120 kilometres south-west of Gladstone, was attracted to the idea of buying the Walkabout Creek Hotel on his way to the Boulia Camel Races.
“We were visiting a friend in Boulia, who previously owned an outback hotel himself, and on the way home we stopped at the Walkabout Creek Hotel and the rest is history,” he says.
The vendor was publican Paul Collins.
“After 28 years behind the bar, Paul had decided to call time on his stint at the illustrious pub, which was originally built in 1900 as the Federal Hotel,” says sales agent, Nathan Henderson - principal of Raine &amp; Horne Ingham &amp; Beaches. 
The Walkabout Creek Hotel has 18 single rooms and a caravan park which provides 30 powered and unpowered sites, plus two residential houses. 
Picture courtesy of Ken Hodge/flickr.
</body></html>

kjiminez-eaYKfU7qd2

Crocodile Dundee's watering hole, the Walkabout Creek Hotel, sold

<html><body>
Canberra Airport has selected Toga Far East Hotels (TFE Hotels) to be its operating partner for a new hotel to be built adjacent to the airport’s new terminal.
The new hotel, scheduled for opening in late 2015, will operate under the 4.5 star Vibe Hotel brand.
TFE Hotels is a joint venture between Toga Group and Far East Orchard and it is a leading operator in Australasia with a network of over 65 accommodation assets across Australia, New Zealand and Europe.
Among some of the hotel brands it operates are Medina Serviced Apartments and the Rendezvous Hotels.
The new $480 million terminal was opened in March 2013 and currently handles about three million passengers a year. But the terminal is built to process up to eight million domestic and international passengers a year.
Karen Wales and  Ross Beardsell of JLL's Hotels &amp; Hospitality Group led the selection process on behalf of Canberra Airport.
"The expansion of Canberra Airport is expected to underpin accommodation demand over the medium term and could well be enhanced should the Airport be successful in attracting short haul international flights", said Ms Wales.
Construction of the Bates Smart-designed Vibe Hotel Canberra is due to start in May. The hotel, which will be just 150 metres away from the new terminal, will have a business travel focus and feature a 191-rooms.
</body></html>

Canberra Airport partners up with TFE Hotels for new hotel

<html><body>
Potential takeover target Australand Property Group has upgraded its full year earnings by up to 20%, thanks to positive conditions in the residential property market.
The upgrade, which also included a 19% lift in its distribution guidance to 25.5c, comes less than a week after rival property group Stockland swooped on a 19.9% strategic stake in the company - a move widely considered to be a prelude to a full takeover. 
Australand now expects its operating earnings per security for 2014 to be 17-20% higher than the previous year.
In a market update, the company said that "as part of its usual quarterly review process, the Group has revisited its earnings expectations, having particular regard to positive market conditions in the residential sector."
Specifically, it said the group’s residential division continued to experience strong demand and price growth across a number of projects and as a result it now expects that the 2014 residential earnings contribution will be higher than previously expected.
Australand managing director Bob Johnston said: “We are very pleased with the continued momentum in our Residential division.”  
“Year to date sales activity has been encouraging, particularly in NSW.” 
Management also announced that it had commenced the process of closing out its existing interest rate derivatives book and was re-hedging its interest rate exposure at prevailing market rates.  
</body></html>

Australand upgrade full year earnings by up to 20%

<html><body>
The Burnside Village Shopping Centre located near Nambour on the Sunshine Coast has sold to a Queensland investor for $6.2 million.
Burnside Village is a 1,895 square metres single-level convenience centre anchored by an IGA Supermarket. 
Built around 2008, the centre offers parking for about 90 cars and has 12 specialty shops including a medical centre, pharmacy, bottle shop, bakery, café, hairdresser, Indian restaurant and Pizza Capers.
The selling agents were Jon Tyson and Michael Harcourt of Savills Retail Investments. 
Mr Tyson said the sale of Burnside Village demonstrated the continued strong appetite of private investors to secure quality, well-located Queensland retail investments. 
</body></html>

Sunshine Coast shopping centre sells for $6.2 million

<html><body>
In a further sign of confidence in the Brisbane residential market, Walker Corporation has snapped up a 3,500 square metre development site in the city's Fortitude Valley for $22.2 million.
The 80 McLachlan Street site is in the early stages of planning for what will be a 15 level twin tower residential development of 336 apartments.
The site has been purchased with a delayed settlement period which will allow Walker to develop a full plan for the site, which pending on local council approval, will end up being a mixed use residential, retail and lifestyle development, linking the city to the Valley.
The vendor was AP Eagers. 
Walker is "bullish about the future of residential development in Brisbane", following the success of its $150 million Westmark Milton development in Milton, where 68% of the 171 apartments in tower one have been pre-sold. 
"With construction on the site to commence in June, 2014, buyers are being driven by an inner city undersupplied by quality stock and interstate buyers seeking a toehold in fast-moving Brisbane residential market", said the company. 
</body></html>

Walker Corporation purchase Fortitude Valley development site

<html><body>
More than 200 people turned up to see a retail shop in Melbourne's St Kilda sell under the hammer for $3.6 million - some $600,000 above the price expectations. 
Such was the strong competition for the two-storey retail property, at 143 Acland Street, that more than 70 bids from eight individual parties were received, with the majority of interest coming from Chinese and Malaysian buyers. The buyer was a Victorian private investor. 
The sale price equated to a building rate of $19,355 per square metre and reflected a tight yield of 3.7%.
The building is situated on a 236 square metre block in the middle of an iconic retail strip and had not been offered to the market for more than 60 years.
CBRE’s Josh Rutman, Mark Wizel and Rorey James were the selling agents.
“This record auction result is yet another example of the significant financial benefit vendors are recognising when offering their property to the public in an on-market basis when compared to off-market," said Mr Wizel.
He added that the strong interest from Asian investors is an indication that these offshore groups were becoming more aggressive and gaining further confidence in investing outside of the Melbourne CBD.
Mr James said the record building rate, which translated to $19,355 per square metre, was a strong result that set the benchmark for 2014.
</body></html>

Acland Street, St Kilda retail shops sells under the hammer for $3.6 million

<html><body>
The YMCA Brisbane has outlaid $1.3 million for a vacant aged care facility in Brisbane's Southport. 
YMCA Brisbane plans to use the 69 Walton Street premises to provide community services in the region and may look to redevelop the site in the future.
Selling agent James Crawford of Colliers International said the property attracted a range of different buyers with a 22 bedroom facility offering numerous options for use and development.
The campaign attracted 60 enquiries from array of local and interstate buyers looking at options for childcare, mental health, accommodation, offices and residential redevelopment, said Crawford.
The vendor - a private interstate investor - had operated the 2,955 square metre property as an accredited aged care facility up until November 2012.  
The existing brick building on the site is about 40 years old with 22 bedrooms on the ground level. A large private two bedroom care takers residence occupies the entire first floor. It also has about 10 parking spots.
</body></html>

YMCA Brisbane acquires vacant Southport facility with redevelopment potential

<html><body>
A building firm has taken out 425 square metres of office space at the Breakfast Creek Wharf in Brisbane's Newstead. 
Tantallon Construction secured a three year lease at the two level retail and commercial complex, at 192-194 Breakfast Creek Road.
The lease was struck at an initial rental of $350 gross per square metre. 
CBRE’s Michael Irvine negotiated the deal on behalf of vendor BMI Group.
</body></html>

Building firm signs office lease at Newstead's Breakfast Creek Wharf 

<html><body>
National retailer The Reject Shop has secured a seven year lease in a new retail development in Melbourne's Hastings.
The retailer has taken up 700 square metres, on a rental of $240,000 per annum. The deal is over seven years, with two further seven year terms.
The Hastings development is due to open in April and is being anchored by Aldi. It will house eight shops plus the supermarket.
Fitzroys agent Chris Kombi negotiated the lease. 
</body></html>

Latest Investing Insights

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

Editor's Picks

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News

Latest Investing Insights

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

Editor's Picks

Receive the latest news stories to your inbox

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News