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

Joel Robinson

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

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

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

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

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

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

Elevated amenity anchors daily life at Aeris, Melrose Park

Repeat buyers are one of the strongest measures of confidence in any apartment development.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/era-newcastle-west-124-126-bull-street-newcastle-west-nsw-2302">ERA</a> in Newcastle West, some purchasers are returning to <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/gwh">GWH</a> after living at the developer's One Apartments. Their decision to purchase again was driven by the quality of life they found after moving into their first GWH home.

Keith Wilton had spent years living in a house in East Maitland before deciding it was time for a change. Apartment living had always been on his radar, but he was selective about what he wanted.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FH_1EzB-1vs?si=XScVlP1ERsTDJoME" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

"I had some boxes I wanted to tick," he says.

Keith points to the open-plan design, generous outdoor areas and considered inclusions as key reasons One Apartments worked for him.

“One of those things was a nice indoor open plan area, but also I wanted a nice outdoor open area that I could entertain on in summer or Christmases or birthdays,” he says.

He also found value in the smaller details, from integrated appliances to shared resident spaces including the pool, cinema and rooftop areas.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356818]

After comparing several developments, he chose One Apartments because of GWH's longstanding local reputation and his own experience working with the developer on a commercial project more than a decade earlier.

"I knew that they were local, that the quality of the build was going to be up there. I'd looked at other apartment complexes around and close by, and I just knew that here was a better decision location wise."

Today, Keith says the move has completely changed how he experiences Newcastle.

"I enjoy living in this location because it's more of a lifestyle change. That Newcastle city living where you can walk to restaurants and bars and even beaches and parks and even shopping across the road."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356828]

Beyond the location, he says it's the sense of community that has surprised him most.

"Everyone loves living here because they chose to live here, but everyone looks out for each other. It's a real great community feel here."

For Aimee and Lyle Goodman, the journey started almost by chance.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tsioMLcnjas?si=zq-ys3JuWpfa5hFv" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

The couple happened to be having coffee in Newcastle when they noticed the site where One Apartments was about to begin construction.

"We were aware GWH was planning a development," Aimee says. "We made one phone call and things moved pretty quickly after that."

As busy business owners, they initially thought apartment living would simply reduce the maintenance that came with larger homes. Instead, it fundamentally changed how they spent time together.

"We actually catch up more as a family now," Aimee says.

"We've had homes with big yards and lots of space, but everyone ended up in different rooms. Here we'll have dinner together, the kids can play, and we spend far more quality time together."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356829]

Lyle says their confidence came from GWH's reputation within Newcastle's building industry.

"I know people who've worked across different apartment projects, and whenever GWH came up the feedback was always the same. They're rock solid. They're quality."

That confidence only grew throughout the buying process.

"One of the things that really impressed us with GWH was the whole process, was the communication," Lyle says. "It was consistent, it was regular, there was no problem if we had some weird questions, there was no problems in getting answers."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=351104]

Aimee says one moment stood out.

"The project actually finished on time. We realised we needed to hurry up and sell our house because everything was happening exactly when they said it would."

The positive experience at One Apartments ultimately gave all three buyers the confidence to purchase again with GWH, this time at ERA.

Their confidence reflects what many buyers are seeking in today's apartment market. Location remains important, but so too does certainty around delivery, quality and long-term liveability.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356822]

ERA builds on those foundations with 280 one, two and three-bedroom apartments across two landmark towers in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/newcastle-west-nsw-2302">Newcastle West</a>.&nbsp;

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fk-australia">Fender Katsalidis</a>, the project will include more than 2,000 square metres of resident amenities, including a resort-style pool, gym, sauna, private cinema and rooftop entertaining spaces overlooking the harbour and coastline.&nbsp;

The development is also within walking distance of the Newcastle Interchange, Honeysuckle, Darby Street, the harbour foreshore, restaurants, retail and the city’s beaches, continuing the walkable lifestyle that existing GWH buyers say has transformed how they live.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356826]

For Keith, the appeal remains straightforward.

"You feel at home even before you've moved into your home."

For Aimee, the change is measured in time.

“I just felt like I had more time,” she says.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=351102]

Construction at ERA is now underway, with more than half of the residences already sold and limited two and three-bedroom apartments remaining in the East Tower release. Priced from $980,000 for two-bedroom residences and $1.46 million for three-bedroom residences, buyers can secure an apartment with a 10 per cent deposit, with premium homes offering ocean views from Level 8 and harbour views from Level 10.

ERA is also backed by Resilience Insurance's 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy, providing protection against structural or waterproofing defects for 10 years after completion. The project is anticipated to be completed in early 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135096]

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

Commercial

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A South Melbourne property has been sold by the University of Melbourne for $10.78 million to the Victorian state government with the settlement last month.
It is set to become a primary school after the then Baillieu state government responded to the perceived looming crisis of rising enrolments and overcrowded inner city state schools. 
The 129-161 Ferrars Street property was identified in a 2012 report that signalled its as the preferred location for a new primary school due to its access to the 96 tram route and proximity to the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre.
The report by Ernst &amp; Young acknowledged the 5,136 square metre site's closeness to City Road could pose a congestion problem.
The number of five to 12-year-olds in Southbank and Docklands is forecast to jump from 285 in 2011 to 1,366 in 2021.
The primary school is expected to open in about 2017, and could be expanded to take students up to year nine.
The site, variously owned by James Hardie, Rocke Tompsitt &amp; Co, and Elders through the decades, has been owned by the university since its 1977 purchase of the then Nathan Blight building.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

University of Melbourne secures $10.78 million in future South Melbourne state school site sale

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Despite the global financial crisis now in the rearview mirror, investor risk aversion continues drive the flight to quality - prime office, retail and industrial assets in major markets.
Australia, with its yields offering a premium to markets such as New York, London and Paris, continues to be a magnet for large global pension funds and sovereign wealth funds hunting for yield. With their big cheque books they are aggressively competing with domestic investors for a limited supply of prime assets.
As a result, cap rates have been pushed lower and prices higher – the so-called “weight of money effect”. Investors are being forced to pay up for the perceived safety of these prime assets – and in some cases they are really taking on more risk as their assets are being “priced for perfection”. This has caused a disconnect between real estate capital and real estate space markets.
The underlying real estate fundamentals continue struggle post the GFC. Across our major CBD office markets, vacancy rates and tenant incentives remain elevated. The Brisbane CBD office market hit a record high vacancy rate in January and tenant demand across Australia’s office markets was the lowest on record in 2013. Retail sales have been subdued albeit it is now showing signs of picking up. Industrial demand spurred on by changes in logistics and distribution has been the one bright spot.
Part of the justification I continually hear is that the yield spread – the difference between real estate yields and real bond yields - is at historical highs. Prime Sydney CBD office yields are around 6.75% offering a spread of some 470 basis points which is 50 basis points higher than the long-term average. However, a spread this wide is unlikely to last. Bond yields are starting to tick up at the same time as cap rates are firming. Hopefully, any fallout from rising bond yields on real estate values will be offset by improving real estate fundamentals and income growth.
We aren’t at the heady days of the late 90s or 2007/2008 when Sydney CBD prime office yields hit a record low of 5.5% in both periods. So we can draw some comfort. But at the same time we should not get complacent. The “weight of money effect” if it continues could push yields well below today’s level. I don’t think they will get that low in this cycle but one can never rule it out – when the money’s flowing it’s hard to stop.
So what should investors be looking for in the coming year?
I have always taken the view that you make money in real estate by buying well. Overpaying now for an asset in a low growth, low inflation environment doesn’t give you many get out of jail free cards. Sure the underlying real estate fundamentals should improve as economic growth picks up but paying too much now for that future growth may cause some investors pain down the track. Discipline buying is critical.
Investors could look beyond prime markets and seek out quality assets in non-prime locations which are trading at a yield premium to the prime locations. Suburban office markets are definitely worth looking at.
Investors prepared to move up the risk curve could purse value-add strategies – repositioning assets, re-leasing etc to create core product for the more risk averse investors. Timing the entry and exit, and active asset management, are critical to successfully executing on this strategy.
Finally, one strategy that I believe has real merit is to expand the definition of core assets beyond office, retail and industrial to real estate related social infrastructure such as child care, student accommodation, seniors housing and medical/health to name a few. The yields are typically higher, the leases longer, the demographics are on your side and they often have government backed cashflows. And the competition for assets is less intense. Well at least for now!
Greg Paramor is managing director of <a href="https://www.folkestone.com.au/" target="_blank">Folkestone</a>.
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kjiminez-eaYKfU7qd2

What should investors be looking for in the coming year?

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Australand Property Group revealed this morning that it had received a takeover proposal from Stockland Group, but that it was dismissed by the board as an "incomplete" bid.
Last month, the diversified property group snapped up a 19.9% stake in Australand, in <a href="/expert-insights/investing/stockland-swoops-on-australand-stake-in-possible-takeover-precursor">what was seen as a prelude to a full takeover bid</a>.
In a strongly worded statement, Australand said it had received an "unsolicited, indicative, non-binding and incomplete proposal" from Stockland to acquire the remaining shares it did not own.
The offer was an all-scrip offer of 1.111 Stockland securities for each Australand security. Based on Stockland’s closing price of $3.78 on 22 April 2014, Australand said it implied an offer price of $4.20 per Australand stapled security.
Australand said the board reviewed the proposal, in conjunction with its advisers, Fort Street Advisers, Macquarie Capital (Australia) Limited and King &amp; Wood Mallesons, but rejected it on the grounds that it "did not consider that the terms and conditions of the proposal are compelling, nor does it provide sufficient consideration to Australand security holders in the context of a change of control."
As part of its review process, the board took into account the outlook for the group, and noted that the offer also represented "a 1.9% discount to the Australand closing price of $4.28 on 22 April".
But Stockland defended its offer, saying it believed the current Australand trading price already reflected a "significant takeover premium to the price at which Australand would trade, absent Stockland's interest".
Stockland also said it believed there was "compelling strategic merit" in a combination of the two groups, with benefits for all stakeholders".
Stockland chief executive Mark Steinert warned Australand "if investor price expectations are too high, we will sell and realise a profit on out 19.9% holding."
"In this regard, we believe the 18% offer premium to ALZ's stated NTA is highly compelling.
"Given the terms outlined in the Proposal, the Board has determined not to provide Stockland with access to due diligence material and remains focussed on maximising security holder value," the company said. 
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Australand dismiss Stockland's takeover attempt as "incomplete"

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Australian bulky goods property transactions are set to reach a decade high, with sales in the last two calendar years totalling nearly $1.6 billion.
Savills research showed that more than $800 million in assets changed hands last year from 23 properties and a further 27 sales were recorded in 2012, totalling $790 million. Both figures were well above the ten year annual average of $546 million for an average 24 properties sold.
"Investors are looking at up to 10 per cent for large bulky goods centres with short and medium term lease expiries, but they are also looking at smaller, well located, properties that may deliver well below that, perhaps around 7.5%", said Savills Australia’s national head of research, Tony Crabb.
"So in short there is interest across the board at the moment for bulky goods properties and the reason for that is that, generally speaking, investors are getting very good value for their money ."
A key driver for the bulky goods sector is considered to be dwelling commencements.
New dwelling commencements have been trending up over the last two years - coming in at 165,000 in 2013.
"It's not inconceivable to expect a peak of 170,000 to 180,000 during 2014 ", said Crabb.
"The RBA has put average dwelling commencements at 155,550 a year over the last 20 years and so we are looking at a very positive trend that will undoubtedly flow through to the bulky goods sector as householders begin to furnish those dwellings."
A keen buyer of bulky goods property has been BB Retail Capital (BBRC), headed by Bras N Things founder and Melbourne retail king Brett Blundy. Mr Blundy is said to own 12 bulky goods centres nationally.
Savills Victorian industrial executive of bulky goods, Keith Kooloos, said "let’s make no mistake-Brett Blundy likes 10 % yields, and who wouldn’t want that sort of cash flow and capital growth, but it’s also his ability to add value that sets him apart."
Mr Kooloos said he expected investors to continue to be attracted to bulky goods purchases based on current market fundamentals especially in key growth corridors where an established population would see significant new residential growth.
"It’s areas such as Melbourne’s south-east, northern and western growth corridors that can immediately sustain a bulky goods centre while the area undergoes substantial population growth, that we are going to see the most interest," he added. 
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Bulky goods transactions set to reach decade high

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National Storage REIT has entered into contract arrangements to buy a landmark self-storage asset at Townsville, Queensland's north-east for $17 million.
The company said the deal represented its first stand-alone acquisition and would be the largest asset by net lettable area in the portfolio. 
It comprises 1,467 storage units over 16,500 square metres of net lettable area. The purchase was made on an initial passing income yield of about 7%, said the company  based on the current occupancy of around 50% and excluding transaction costs. 
The acquisition will be funded from National Storage REIT's (NSR) debt facility. 
The 399 Woolcock Street centre was built in 2005 and features two, two-level buildings. 
NSR managing director Andrew Catsoulis said: “This acquisition presents a significant opportunity for National Storage to add value and capitalise on the synergies of our centre management platform, particularly around organic growth. We are of the view this provides a good opportunity for future growth in terms of occupancy and rates per square metre." 
Management said it continued to actively pursue acquisition opportunities in line with its asset management strategy.
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National Storage REIT buys Townsville self-storage property for $17 million

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National transport and logistics firm Northline has today announced plans for a $21 million transport and logistics facility at Redbank in Brisbane’s South.
The new 25,000 square metre Brisbane distribution facility will replace the current Northline facility at Pinkenba and will be located within the Goodman Group’s $350 million Redbank Motorway Estate.
The Monash Road facility will provide more than 12,500 square metres of warehousing and undercover freight operations space and will be home to the company’s Queensland state office.
Northline chief executive Craige Whitton said the new Brisbane facility represents the second multi-million dollar investment by the company in just over a year in enhancing its national distribution network. It undertook a $24 million investment in a new custom built Sydney facility at Smithfield which became fully operational in January.
“The improved efficiencies of the site will broaden access to our supply chain partners and reduce turnaround times of freight coming into and departing the facility", he added.
The facility is due to open mid-September 2014.
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Northline announces plans for Redbank, Brisbane facility

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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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The receivership sale of Heritage Golf and Country Club in the Yarra Valley’s Chirnside Park, north-east of Melbourne, has secured $17.8 million, just over half its over-inflated $30 million book value.
The two golf course, 230 hectare property has been bought by HGC Properties, a company directed by Melbourne accountant Sam Cimino, with its only shareholder being, Fly Group Limited, an entity without any directorial paperwork which is understood to have origins in China.
Scott Callow and Mark Wizel of CBRE Hotels negotiated the sale on behalf of the receivers PKF Lawler in conjunction with Michael Hede of Knight Frank. 
"We are certainly in a different cycle of commercial property when golf courses are quickly selling," Mark Wizel told Property Observer.
"Banks have an increased preparedness to lend on non-core assets.
"There is Chinese buying appetite for leisure property, not just the residential projects that have been the dominant desire to date," Mark Wizel said.
The Jack Nicklaus-designed St John golf course ranks among the best golf courses in Australia. The property is located on the Yarra River near Chirnside Park and has two 18 hole golf courses (the St John Course, south side designed by Jack Nicklaus in 1996) along with the Henley Course, on its north side designed by Tony Cashmore in 2002.
The property included townhouse development land and residential lots (STCA). 
Heritage Golf &amp; Country Club has a strong established membership base with 1,394 members. It hosted the Victorian PGA Tournament in February this year. 
There were about 47,500 golf rounds by played annually.
<a href="https://cbre.realcommercial.com.au/property-land+development-vic-chirnside+park-501095227" target="_blank">Heritage Golf and Country Club</a> was under the control of the Melbourne businessman and property developer Guo Zhao “Sunny” Sun.
Mr Sun acquired the golf estate around 2011 at just short of $15 million. But he subsequently became embroiled in a Victorian Supreme Court dispute with business partner Wang Hua, China’s 790th richest person, over control of the country club, as reported by Fairfax Media.
A court ordered followed that Heritage Golf and Country Club Pty Ltd be wound-up with the creditors owed $13.8 million, according to a News Ltd report which suggested one creditor, the Alter family, through its Austpac Funds Management, unsuccessfully proposed a deed of company arrangement.
Sun had purchased the property from receivers to the Letten Schemes, a series of property investment funds established by Mark Letten that fell apart during the global financial crisis.
Wang Hua and Mr Sun founded residential development company Kingsland Group, which has built small-scale townhouse and apartment developments in Melbourne since around 2003.
Wang Hua, from the Jeshing Group, was <a href="/news/offshore-buyer-secures-16-st-georges-road-toorak-from-peter-devitt-in-circa-20-million-sale">the mystery buyer who spent $18.58 million last year</a> on the Toorak estate of the director of construction company L.U. Simon Peter Devitt through Kay &amp; Burton agent Ross Savas (pictured below), in the name of his wife, Xiao "Kylie" Yan Bao, who received an Australian visa in 2001. She had bought a mansion on Irving Road, Toorak for $3,399,000 in 2003.
<img src="/images/stories/flexicontent/l_toorak-sept-23-breakout.jpg" alt="Offshore buyer secures 16 St Georges Road, Toorak from Peter Devitt in circa $20 million sale">
Private homes overlooking the course have been sold over the years, with Fletchers currently having a three bedroom townhouse offering on Turnberry Lane (pictured below). <a href="https://www.1turnberrylanechirnsidepark.com" target="_blank">It had $1.3 million hopes</a>, after being passed in at $1.05 million at auction last month. Its vendor is not connected to the golf course ownership.
<img src="/images/2014/04/23/chirnside%20april%2023%20one.jpg" alt="">
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Jack Nicklaus-designed St John course at Heritage Golf and Country Club, Chirnside Park sold

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Longitude 131°, overlooking Uluru, is at Australia’s spiritual heart.
The Philip Cox -designed <a href="https://longitude131.com.au" target="_blank">Longitude 131° luxury wilderness camp at Uluru</a> has won acclaim for its eco-friendly intention, with tent-like suites dotted across the red dirt in the Northern Territory.
Its ownership sits within the indigenous-owned Ayers Rock Resort, that comprises five hotels bought by the Indigenous Land Corp from the listed GPT Group in late 2010 for $300 million.
It wasn't a straight sale but rather by instalments:
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<li>$81 million payment on settlement; 
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<li>$81 million 12 months after settlement; and 
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<li>$138 million five years after settlement.</li>
</ul>
The additional terms of the sale included GPT contributing $25 million towards capital expenditure to assist in the achievement of a higher value in which GPT may share. GPT will share in 46% of the increase in capital value of Ayers Rock Resort over $300 million.
GPT had opened it in 2002, with 12 of the 15 tents at the $9.4 million safari-style camp, then lost in a bushfire just 15 months after its launch.
Longitude 131°, on the edge of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (UKTNP), 10 kilometres from Uluru, had just been named by US magazine The Robb Report as among the world's top 10 new hotels.
It is now on a long-term management lease deal with Baillie Lodges, owned by entrepreneur Dick Smith’s daughter Hayley and her husband, James Baillie.
Prices have been at $2,200 per couple for a two-night food, drinks and accommodation package
Last year the Indigenous Land Corp’s tourism management arm managing director, Voyages' Koos Klein, the former Hilton executive, told the AFR that the Baillies "can do it better than we can do it. This gives us the opportunity to concentrate on our main resort where we employ 700 to 800 people, and where our focus is on indigenous employment and training."
After a downturn in tourism into the Northern Territory, the value of the resort was cut by $62 million last year, prompting the head of the Indigenous Land Corporation Dawn Casey to question the purchase of the Ayers Rock Resort telling Fairfax Media it was ''perhaps the largest single evaporation of public money in the indigenous policy domain, ever''.
Statistics from Parks Australia show visitors to Uluru declined by about nine per cent in 2011 to about 273,000 people. 
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The majority of visitors to UKTNP surveyed were domestic visitors, while 31% of visitors were from overseas. 
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International visitors were predominately from Germany; USA; other European markets including the United Kingdom, Netherlands and Switzerland; and New Zealand. 
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Before the Windsors visit, Longitude has hosted celebrities, including Oprah Winfrey. 
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<div>Tourism to Ayers Rock began as an informal activity around the mid 1950s , when a series of unofficial camps evolved at the base, followed by a rough airstrip and eventually some low quality hotels and hostels. By the early 1970's visitor numbers were estimated to be close to 50,000 a year.</div>
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<div>Visitor numbers hits over 75,000 per annum around the early 1980s when construction of Ayers Rock Resort commenced under the direction of the Conservation Commission of the Northern Territory.</div>
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The existing hotels were compulsorily acquired by the Commonwealth Government, replaced on the new site by the new hotel.
The estimated costs of development were $600 million.
By 1984, visitor numbers had reached in excess of 130,000 a year.
Despite being operated by Sheraton and Four Seasons, the properties traded poorly.
In late 1997, General Property Trust purchased Ayers Rock Resort for $220 million. 
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The Baillie Lodges collection of luxury lodges in wilderness destinations includes Capella Lodge on Lord Howe Island which launched the portfolio.
SA's Southern Ocean Lodge is also in the Baillie stable.
Last month James and Hayley Baillie abandoned plans to <a href="/expert-insights/investing/baillie-lodges-reveal-ribbed-modernist-addition-to-proposed-boutique-hotel-in-victorian-era-the-rocks-in-sydney">develop a $1400-a-night hotel in The Rocks in Sydney</a>, citing a threefold increase in construction costs.
Construction costs had an initial quote of $8 million but we tipped to blow out to up $23 million, making it impossible to make the nine-suite hotel stack up financially.
“The hard, sad reality is we have become such an expensive country, where the cost of construction has gone through the roof, especially at the quality end of the market,” he told The Australian.
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Longitude 131° at Uluru - glamping boost to follow Prince William and Kate visit

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Knight Frank has bolstered its South Sydney industrial team, appointing Daniel O'Brien as a director.
O’Brien has over 15 years’ experience in the property industry and extensive experience across the commercial sales and leasing markets in South Sydney and the city fringe.
In his previous role, he was employed by CBRE as the head of its commercial division in the South Sydney office since 2005. He was with CBRE for 10 years. 
Knight Frank’s national director of industrial, Mr Eugene Evgenikos, said that O'Brien brought across  extensive experience and knowledge in the South Sydney market and would focus primarily on business space/commercial leasing and freestanding site sales.
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