<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>

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;

&nbsp;

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

Design

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A designer revival of the backyard dunny?
The enduring presence of a turn of the century brick outhouse in the Sydney suburb of Balmain piqued the interest of our property contrarians, Jonathan Chancellor and Margie Blok.
Especially as this brick outhouse stands in the backyard behind a Federation house recently stylishly redesigned by SJB Architects. Over $3 million is expected at its 11 October auction.
While the house is described by the <a href="https://www.belleproperty.com/41P0196" target="_blank">listing agent Monique Dower at Belle Property</a> as striking “a perfect balance between classical architecture and cutting-edge design”, the old thunderbox harks back to the days of previous generations when homes didn’t have indoor flushable toilets. 
Viewed on Google Earth, the dunny is connected to an adjoining building next door, so perhaps its preservation was as much about the neighbourhood harmony.
This week Jonathan and Margie discuss the merits of the rare maintenance of the once ubiquitous building at the bottom of the backyard. 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2014/03/28/jc-silhouette-7.jpg" style="line-height: 1.3em; float: right;">HE SAID:
I'd previously reported on<a href="/news/last-of-the-backyard-paddington-dunnies-fetches-1-million-amid-78-super-saturday-auction-clearance-rate"> the demise of the backyard dunny</a>. But that was in Sydney's east.
I think this updated Balmain dunny is inspired – it is certainly more functional, and far less sexist, than a man’s shed.
With a garden hose hanging off the outside wall, you could pop inside when nature calls while watering the lawn, or indeed, while turning sausages on the barbecue conveniently placed against the adjacent fence.
Would have loved it if they went with a Philippe Starck bowl, but see it's a Geberit instead.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2014/03/28/mb-silhouette-6.jpg" style="float: left;">
SHE SAID:
I’m with Jonathan, this dunny is a winner. Highly practical, it is ideally placed metres from the plunge pool, so dripping wet residents and their guests don’t need to schlep through the house to the powder room inside. Also, it solves the hideous issue of children pissing in pools (a personal bugbear of mine) – no excuses for kids not using the loo here.
If I owned this dunny, I’d add to its authenticity by growing a choko vine over the ripple iron roof, and placing a scary looking plastic spider near the toilet bowl – for I grew up in a house with an outdoor dunny (albeit a flushable one) where spiders resided alongside my father’s garden tools. 
Before modern suburban sewerage systems were built, dunnies were designed for practicality. In the good old days before water flushable toilets, outhouses with cans were placed at a distance from the house for reasons of smell and hygience. And often they were set on a property’s rear boundary with lane access for the removal of waste. 
Collected at night, once of twice a week by men with a horse and cart hired by the local council, the waste was euphemistically referred to as ‘night soil’ – hence the term ‘night soil’ lane was coined. In inner city suburbs these days, former ‘night soil’ lanes have morphed to provide easy car access to a garage, or a pedestrian thoroughfare if the lane is narrow.
Of course the term - as flat as a shit carter's hat - still lives on with surf reports. 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

The designer revival of a backyard dunny? He Said/She Said 

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The pantry is apparently super-sizing. And the trend has emerged not just because there was plenty of space in The Block Glasshouse project in Prahran.
Last weekend <a href="https://online.wsj.com/articles/the-rise-of-the-super-pantry-1410449896" target="_blank">The Wall Street Journal noted</a> the trend noting the pantry in the US was becoming prettier part of the home. As kitchens islands have become the entertainment hub of the home, home owners are moving the clutter and clatter of kitchen activities behind the scenes where they are less visible to guests.
"No longer just for storing potato chips and soup cans, the traditional kitchen closet is becoming bigger, more luxe and more multifunctional.
"Architects, contractors and real-estate agents say upscale homeowners are asking for walk-in rooms that serve as workspaces for everything from food prep to gift wrapping to bill-paying."
A report by the National Association of Home Builders last year showed 85% of respondents put a walk-in kitchen pantry on their most wanted list.
The WSJ article said the latest iteration of the pantry was really just a riff off pantries of yore.
 In the U.S., a separate room used for storing butter in the 17th and 18th centuries was called a "buttr'y," says Catherine Seiberling Pond, author of The Pantry—Its History and Modern Uses.
 The mid- to late-1800s saw the arrival of the "butler's pantry"—a room off the kitchen for storing glassware, dishes and cutlery, where food was plated. 
In the 1930s, breakfast nooks began to replace separate pantries, and food storage moved to cabinets. 
Pantries became all but obsolete by the 1950s, says Pond. It wasn't until the 1990s, when kitchens became more open, that walk-in pantries returned.
There were two winners of kitchen week.
Michael and Carlene's kitchen was reminiscent of a high-end Manhattan brasserie. The butler’s pantry had storage and a preparation area. The judges praised the pantry (pictured above) as the “icing on the cake”.
Shannon and Simon's kitchen was described as modern, edgy with a sophisticated palette. It came with chef's kitchen. Their pantry was the perfect place for a microwave, said judge Darren.
Dee and Daz’s butler’s pretty pantry was the runner up.
There was criticism from the Block judge, Shayna of Maxine and Karstan’s butler’s pantry. 
Shayna thought there was way too much storage (below) in the contestant butler’s pantry, describing it as “like a clinical storage box”.
<img src="/images/2014/09/19/block-sept-19-two.jpg" alt="">
Maxine and Karstan’s butler’s pantry. Source: Channel 9
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The Block Glasshouse: Kitchen pantries on the comeback

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With the sad departure of Margaret and David from our screens, you may soon be confused over what to see - but you confused over where to see it.
Profits may be down in the big multiplexes, but plenty of people still want to go to the cinema. They would just rather it was in their own homes.
Home theatres have plenty of appeal: popcorn made on the stove costs about $3, you can pause the movie to go to the bathroom and you don't have to turn your phone off.
So kick back, allow Property Observer to dim the lights, and take a look at these five houses with home cinemas.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-nsw-north+sydney-117701243" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2014/07/04/yellow-one.jpg" alt="">7/88 Berry Street North Sydney, NSW</a>
 <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2014/09/18/1.jpg" alt="">
This home theatre sits in the largest apartment in North Sydney's Gallery 88 development. The cinema is positioned away from the bedrooms and living rooms, so neither viewers nor sleepers are disturbed. The room includes hidden LED lights tucked above ceiling panels, so you don't have to sit in total darkness while watching a movie.
This three bedroom apartment is on the market for $2.5 million.
This article continues on the next page. Please click below.
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-toorak-116832791" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2014/07/04/yellow-two.jpg" alt="">43 Lansell Road, Toorak, Vic</a> 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2014/09/18/2.jpg" alt="">
The cinema room of this Toorak home is located underground, among the "maid's quarters", main laundry and a second kitchen - so any cinema goer would be well taken care of. In case your snack of choice isn't stocked in the underground kitchen, or the bar that lines the back of the home theatre, you can always take a lift up to any of the home's other floors.
The home cinema has a tiered layout, just like a commercial cinema, so it can accommodate many viewers.
According to its listing, this six bedroom, seven bathroom house was designed by Grouse Fleming Bates Architects to mimic luxury hotels.
This article continues on the next page. Please click below.
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-balwyn-117863915" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2014/07/04/yellow-three.jpg" alt="">11 Belgrove Avenue, Balwyn, Vic</a>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2014/09/18/3.jpg" alt="">
The current owners of this home cinema have decked it out with real red cinema chairs - complete with flip up seats and cup holders. The cinema includes a kitchenette area for snacks and a projector installed on the ceiling.
The wall mounted screen rolls up, as do the blackout blinds behind the seats, so the room can be used as a conventional living area or rumpus room.
The cinema sits in a five bedroom, five bathroom house that is currently on the market.
This article continues on the next page. Please click below.
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<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-wa-sorrento-116132183" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2014/07/04/yellow-four.jpg" alt="">72 Ashmore Way Sorrento, WA</a>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2014/09/18/4.jpg" alt="">
Every room of this oceanside Western Australian home is decked out in champagne tones, shine and sparkle, and its home cinema is no exception.
The cinema has 10 electronic leather seats, sound proof padded walls, and an "award winning ceiling" (according to the listing), featuring twinkling lights.
The house, on the market for $3.4 million to $3.6 million, has 18 carat gold leaf tiling, polished marble surfaces, American Oak flooring and a Schonbek crystal chandelier.
This article continues on the next page. Please click below.
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<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-greenvale-117843851" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2014/07/04/yellow-five.jpg" alt="">Greenvale, Vic</a>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2014/09/18/5.jpg" alt="">
If you enjoy knocking back champagne and lollies while watching Avatar, this is the home for you. Its home cinema comes with nine Moran recliner chairs and a separate bar, with surround sound.
There's also an in-door heated pool, spa and sauna room with a waterfall feature and "State of the Art" stainless steel sculptures, in case you need to take some time out from your three hour viewing.
The house's agents are currently accepting expressions of interest.
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jrichardson-uRX5hFdKfN

 At the movies: Five stunning home theatres

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A double-storey 1980s Beaumaris house designed by architect Andre Piotrowski didn't sell at weekend auction.
It was last sold in 2002 for $920,000 by the architect.
Its Brutalist features come from the extensive use of concrete on exterior surfaces. 
It came with $1.35 million plus hopes but was passed in at $1,385,000 <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-beaumaris-117487643" target="_blank">through </a><a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-beaumaris-117487643" target="_blank">Michael Cooney at Hodges Beaumaris</a>.
The four bedroom 1982-built property at 1 Olinda Avenue sits on a 651 square metre corner with a resort-style pool.
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Beaumaris Brutalist design fails to sell at weekend auction

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White homes can provide a valuable sense of space and light, but not everyone believes that brighter is better.
Property Observer looks at six outstanding homes with black façades. Will an all black exterior alienate some buyers? Almost certainly - though it didn't hurt the sale of this <a href="/expert-insights/investing/pre-auction-2-million-deal-for-kings-cross-special-offering">this 'special' Kings Cross offering</a> which secured $2 million pre-auction. And as the late Australian architect Kevin Borland once said, "architecture is not for the faint hearted".
<ol>
<li>
<a href="https://studiofournews.com/category/current-projects/ridge-road-residence-current-projects/" target="_blank">Ridge Road Residence, Mornington Peninsula, Vic</a> <img src="/images/2014/09/05/dezeen_Ridge-Road-Residence-by-Studio-Four_ss_3.jpg" alt=""> Photo by Shannon McGrath, courtesy Studio 4 Designed by Melbourne architecture practice Studio 4, the Ridge Road Residence was a finalist in the 2012 Houses Awards and received a special mention in the Architizer A+ Awards for the single home category. Rather than combating its sloping site in the Mornington Peninsula's Golf Course, the Ridge Road Residence works with the topography, sitting over a series of connected decks. The entire front side of the home made entirely of blackened timber walls and the second level is unseen. On the lower levels, the home's black exterior is offset by floor to ceiling windows, pale timber floors and, outside, a single tea tree. 
</li>
<li>
Karri Loop House, Margaret River, WA <img src="/images/2014/09/05/Karri-Loop-House-by-MORQ-_dezeen_13.jpg" alt=""> Photo by Peter Bennetts, courtesy MOOQ At Margaret River, south of Perth, sits the Karri Loop House, by MORQ. The small firm, which practices in Perth and Rome, designed a black home which winds around one Karri and two Marri trees. The house features double height ceilings, with large windows giving the residents views of the trees from the living room and master bedroom. The home is entirely clad with plywood, both inside and out (although the interior misses out on the coat of black paint). The house has exposed wooden ceiling beams and is insulated by concealed straw bales inside the walls. 
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-townhouse-vic-newtown-117638207" target="_blank">2a Russell Street, Newtown, Vic </a> <img src="/images/2014/09/05/main.jpg" alt=""> This black clad townhouse in Geelong's inner west is currently on the market. Its dark façade contrasts with the light, bright interior. With polished concrete floors, light timbers and white used throughout most of the house, its exterior is only referenced occasionally, with a dark timber in the kitchen and a black tiled feature wall in the bathroom. The home is listed with a $679,000 to $791,000 price guide. 
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.mcbridecharlesryan.com.au/#/projects/klein-bottle-house/" target="_blank">Klein Bottle House, Mornington Peninsula, Vic</a> <img src="/images/2014/09/05/klein.jpg" alt=""> Photo courtesy McBride Charles Ryan. The Ridge Road Residence isn't the Mornington Peninsula's only standout black house. The Klein Bottle House, designed by McBride Charles Ryan, also sits among the tea trees, near Rye beach. McBride Charles Ryan used a spiral configuration to navigate the uneven site, creating a multi-faceted home that centres around an angular, bright red, winding staircase. The house's dramatic exterior is made of cement sheeting. The Klein Bottle House won the World's Best House award in the 2009 World Architecture Festival, the Best International Home award from Grand Designs 2010, the 2008 Robyn Boyd Award from the Australian Institute of Architects, and a Dulux Colour Award. 
</li>
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<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-brighton-111628147" target="_blank">184 The Esplanade, Brighton, Vic</a> <img src="/images/2014/09/05/brighton.jpg" alt=""> This Brighton home is a far cry from some of the hulking bleach-white contemporary homes that Brighton offers, but certainly isn't the only all black home to crop up on the Esplanade (<a href="https://finnisarchitects.com.au/portfolio/esplanade-brighton/" target="_blank">Finnis Architects' Esplanade House</a> comes to mind). The home at 184, currently on the market, registers as a stack of black boxes from the exterior, with full height glass windows looking out onto the beach. The house culminates in a rooftop terrace, with black structures framing the view of the water. The four bedroom, five bathroom house with a pool is currently on the market through Kay &amp; Burton Bayside. 
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<a href="https://muirmendes.com/law-street-house" target="_blank">Law Street House, South Melbourne, Vic</a> <img src="/images/2014/09/05/law%20street.jpg" alt=""> Photo by Peter Bennetts, courtesy Muir Mendes Amy Muir and Bruno Mendes designed this home for themselves on a tight 93 square metre site, which formerly held an 1880s one bedroom worker's cottage. The entrance of the home is marked by a distinctive "draw bridge" style window which allows light into the front bedroom while maintaining privacy. The architects used double height spaces and sky lights to draw light into the space and provide a sense of a space in the narrow, confined space.</li>
</ol>
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Black Friday: Six houses with black façades

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Unusual and intriguing properties never cease to amaze.
This treehouse-style residence The Gulch has been handcrafted by its owners using 26 different species of wood.
The Queensland property, at <a href="https://www.raywhite.com/qld/gregory-river/1185821/" target="_blank">34 Gleneva Drive, Gregory River</a>, was bought by owners Owen and Irene Bailey 18 years ago and is on five acres of land.
Ray White Whitsunday selling agent Michael Barr said that Owen is a professional woods craftman and built the two bedroom, two bathroom home himself.
“Every tree that was taken down to make room for the home was used in the building of the home - it gives new meaning to the word treehouse,” said Barr.
A natural watercourse runs between the house and the pool.
“Owen and Irene built a suspension bridge over the watercourse to link the residence with the pool area,” he said.
“The pool area is perfect for entertaining with an undercover dining area and outdoor kitchen.”
The natural form of the timber was retained where possible, with benchtops, architraves and handrails hand polished by the couple.
The property respects the rainforest and its wildlife and complements the surrounding natural environment.
“Nothing like this home has sold in the area before - it’s truly one of a kind and an opportunity to secure your own slice of Whitsundays nature,” he said.
It will go to auction on 29 September at 6pm, with feedback through the campaign to be used to determine the value.
“I’ve never seen - or sold - anything like this property. There’s nothing like it in the area and to be honest, I have no idea what it’s worth. We’ll listen to what the market tells us to help place a value on the home,” he said.
The home includes an outdoor toilet near the pool area, a large pottery shed/workshop and a number of man-made dams.
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jduke-EHk3XBmHkn

Handcrafted Whitsunday treehouse to go under the hammer

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The Boyd Baker House, one of the most important Robin Boyd-designed homes, was passed in at $1.21 million when auctioned on the weekend.
Only ever having two owners in 50 years, The Boyd Baker House was commissioned by mathematician and academic, Dr Baker and completed in 1965.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-long+forest-117629831" target="_blank">The auction</a> was conducted by Jellis Craig Bennison Mackinnon agent Andrew Macmillan in conjunction with Kay &amp; Burton agent Alex Schiavo.
Bidding on the Boyd Baker House had been expected to start from $1.3 million and for the neighbouring late 1970s Dower House (with Grounds library) from $500,000, but it was not auctioned as it will be offered to the buyer of the main house.
The Boyd Baker House has been featured in Wallpaper magazine.
Armadale lawyer Peter Mitrakas, a Boyd fanatic, bought the house eight years ago for around $1.11 million.
The mid-century modernist heritage listed property is located on 7.7 hectares on a large scrubby bush block surrounded by the Long Forest Conservation Reserve.
The 1966 Long Forest Road house bears Boyd signatures internal courtyard and local stone finishes. Highly geometric in its form, it is a square building with small central pond.
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Modernist Boyd Baker, Bacchus March property passed in

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The Georgian-designed Darlinghurst home of interior designer Darryl Gordon, the recent NZ shopping centre heir, fetched $1.66 million at its Bradfield Cleary mid-auction.
The 1838 Francis Street cottage close to Hyde Park had been listed with $1.3 million plus hopes.
The double-fronted home and office at <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://bradfieldcleary.com.au/4339021" target="_blank">16 Francis Street </a>cost $730,000 in 2001.
It is now adorned with his own classic style throughout the 117 square metre holding with rear garden space.
The listing followed Darryl Gordon's recent purchase of a Georgian homestead in Jamberoo on the NSW South Coast.
He paid $1.5 million through Elders Jamberoo agent Vivienne Marris, the first time the five hectare property has traded since it was built in 1858 for John Marks, the politician and Mayor of Kiama. 
Terragong at Jamberoo was part of the life of seven generations of the Marks family. The rendered bluestone homestead has four-metre high ceilings - some pressed metal, some timber; cedar doors and windows and many fireplaces of marble and tile.
Gordon also listed his restored <a href="/news/bluestone-or-sandstone-the-bedrock-of-inspiring-homes-he-said-she-said">Georgian-style blue stone cottage in Oberon</a> which was sold after being listed for $550,000.
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Designer Darryl Gordon secures $1.66 million in Darlinghurst

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With the winter energy bills rolling in, many home owners will be wondering if there might be a better way to keep their houses warm next winter.
Rammed earth homes are made from a compacted mix of locally available earth materials, including sand, clay and gravel. Though the building method is thousands of years old, it's particularly en vogue this century due to its durability and energy efficiency.
With a high thermal mass, rammed earth retains heat well, and is especially good for passive solar heating, to make the most of winter's rays. And by using already available materials that can be recycled, the construction of rammed earth homes is more sustainable than many other methods.
But the way rammed earth looks is one of its biggest bonuses. If you thought you had to sacrifice aesthetics for the environment, you're wrong - here are five homes to prove it.
<ol>
<li>
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-hawthorn-117733495" target="_blank">79 Berkeley Street Hawthorn, VIC </a> <img src="/images/2014/08/22/2.jpg" alt="">
 Though many people associate rammed earth with regional homes, this house in Melbourne's blue chip eastern suburbs proves that the material can work in urban settings. Designed in 2000 by Simon Swaney, the rammed earth walls of this home give it an organic sensibility in the middle of stuffy suburbia. The six bedroom, four bathroom home on a 1,284 square metre block includes an executive study, slab heating, a goods lift, a five car basement garage and cellar. <img src="/images/2014/08/22/johanna-aug-22-one.jpg" alt=""> 
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-acreage+semi+rural-vic-johanna-117422595" target="_blank">155 Evans Track Johanna, VIC</a> <img src="/images/2014/08/22/3.jpg" alt=""> Spectacular views of Johanna beach are complimented by this single storey home's rammed earth walls. Designed by Nicholas Burns, the listing information describes this house as an "eco-sanctuary". The four bedroom house's minimalist interiors allow the rammed earth walls to make a quiet statement, but the home still comes with plenty of luxury features - a double sided fireplace, an underground temperate 1,500 bottle wine cellar, a Caesarstone kitchen and an outdoor shower. The home has been featured in the pages of Architectural and Design Magazine, Monument Magazine, and the Australian Financial Review. <img src="/images/2014/08/22/4.jpg" alt=""> 
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-wallington-117671019" target="_blank">11 -19 Lings Wallington, VIC</a> <img src="/images/2014/08/22/5.jpg" alt=""> Jurra is a four bedroom, three bathroom house set on five acres. Constructed of timber and rammed earth with polished concrete floors and double glazed windows, the home's building materials make good use of its northerly orientation, which helps keep it warm in winter. With a native garden and pool, the property also includes a vegetable garden, chook pen, shedding, and a 87,000 litre water tank. <img src="/images/2014/08/22/6.jpg" alt=""> 
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-acreage+semi+rural-vic-merrijig-117499011" target="_blank">"Solterra" Davies Road Merrijig, VIC</a> <img src="/images/2014/08/22/7.jpg" alt=""> Solterra offers views of Mount Buller and the Delatite River Valley, but is also quite the eyecatcher itself. The rammed earth home has expansive glass walls and heavy doses of Italian travertine marble and iron bark timbers. The 400 square metre home has four bedrooms, three bathrooms, three living rooms and an art gallery. Outside, there is a white mosaic infinity pool and a iron bark deck, with a landsacped garden. It's on the market with a price guide of $2.49 million. <img src="/images/2014/08/22/8.jpg" alt=""> 
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-wa-dalkeith-117735795" target="_blank">2A Watkins Road Dalkeith, WA</a> <img src="/images/2014/08/22/9.jpg" alt=""> This Tim Wright-designed home has four bedrooms and three bathrooms. This rammed earth home among the gum trees is set on a 824 square metre block. Again, the interiors are restrained, with polished concrete ceilings, high ceilings and over-height glass doors allowing the home's materials, natural light and gardens to speak for themselves. The property includes a feature wood fireplace, an internal courtyard and a solar heated pool. <img src="/images/2014/08/22/10.jpg" alt="">
</li>
</ol>
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Five spectacular homes that prove there's no need to sacrifice aesthetics for the environment

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Some 95 years after selling its first artwork in Melbourne, Leonard Joel, Melbourne's oldest auction house, will make its Sydney art auction debut this weekend.
It will be at its new Woollahra salesroom, part of the expansionary moves by managing director John Albrecht.
Albrecht says his leased Sydney premises at<a href="https://leonardjoel.com.au/public/files/files/LEONARD%20May%20Issue%2028%20LR%20Spread(1).pdf" target="_blank"> 39 Queen Street, Woollahra</a>, “retains the original character and atmosphere of a 19th-century auction room”.
<img src="/images/2014/08/22/leonard-joeal-aug-22-two.jpg" alt="">
Photo: (L-R) John Williams and John D'agata of Leonard Joel.
Its refurbished rooms in Sydney have two distinct gallery spaces and catering facilities, with exhibition space able to be hired out.
John D’agata, the head of the Sydney office, acknowledges that the precinct was "once the antique precinct of Sydney," but goes onto suggest Queen Street has now been transformed into the most vibrant collection of designer boutiques, fantastic cafes and eclectic homeware stores.
"Nonetheless the cultural heart of the street beats strongly with Leonard Joel Sydney at number 39, sitting squarely amongst it all," he said. <a href="https://sam.leonardjoel.com.au" target="_blank">The auction is on Sunday August 24</a>.
<img src="/images/2014/08/22/leonard-joeal-aug-22.jpg" alt="">
<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" alt="flagtitletat" width="25" height="34" style="font-size: 14px; margin: 5px; float: left;">The Sotheby's premium art auction-house bought last year on Queen Street, Woollahra spending $2.75 million on the former shop of the interior decorator, Ros Palmer.
 The purchase of the 200 square metres of retail space reversed the recent trend of Woollahra's Queen Street fast becoming fashion central as its Dickensian antique dealers departed.
Ms Palmer relocated to Launceston where she has an antiques shop in Longford, south of Launceston, called Parkview Antiques. 
Ros Palmer, who helped furnish the Lodge in Canberra, had initial $4 million plus hopes in 2010.
The <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-retail-nsw-woollahra-500616075" target="_blank">30 Queen Street premises </a>(pictured below) in Sydney's eastern suburbs sold through Bill Bridges and Meagan Pokorny of Ballard Property Group.
<img src="/images/2014/08/22/woollahra%20aug%2022%20one.jpg" alt="">
The Sotheby's syndicate bought it through Woollahra Land Investments, which is directed by the art division Sotheby's Australian chairman and vice chairman, Geoffrey Smith and Samuel Cullen.
Sotheby's has been renting elsewhere on Queen Street for decades. 
The shop was last traded at $2.2 million in 2000.
Shapiro Auctioneers are at 162 Queen Street, taking the space that had been with Phillips International Auctioneers and Valuers.
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