Not all apartment amenities are immediately visible.

Swimming pools, gyms, rooftop terraces and residents' lounges have long featured on buyers' wishlists, but as the way Australians live has changed, so too have the features that make apartment living more convenient.

Increasingly, buyers are placing value on the practical aspects of day-to-day life. Fast internet, EV charging, secure bike storage, flexible workspaces and parcel management are becoming just as relevant as lifestyle amenities, reflecting changing habits and expectations.

Online shopping has been one of the biggest drivers of that shift.

Australians spent a record $82.6 billion shopping online in 2025, with almost one in every four retail dollars now spent digitally, making parcel deliveries a routine part of everyday life rather than an occasional convenience.

For apartment residents, however, receiving those deliveries isn't always straightforward.

Without someone home to accept a parcel, deliveries can be redirected to a nearby Post Office, left in building foyers or common areas, or require building management to temporarily store packages. As apartment living continues to grow across Australia's cities, parcel management has become an increasingly important consideration for both residents and developers.

Australia Post's Parcel Locker network is one response to that shift.

<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/KPZ9j5FRdsQ?si=Qztc1dNP3ZvEIUhb" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Rather than relying on home delivery, eligible parcels can be directed to a nominated Parcel Locker, where they're securely stored until collected. Once a parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS and can retrieve it using a one-time code or QR code at a time that suits them.

The network has expanded to more than 1,500 locations nationwide, with Parcel Lockers positioned at Post Offices, shopping centres, supermarkets, transport hubs and, increasingly, within or alongside residential developments.

That growing presence reflects a broader change in how apartment buildings are being planned.

Developers are increasingly considering the operational side of apartment living alongside traditional lifestyle amenities. Just as secure mailrooms, bicycle storage and EV charging have become more common inclusions, parcel management is emerging as another feature that supports everyday convenience.

It also helps preserve the arrival experience within a building. Carefully designed lobbies and communal spaces can quickly become cluttered when deliveries accumulate, while secure parcel solutions reduce the likelihood of missed deliveries or parcels being left unattended.

For buyers comparing apartments, these everyday details are becoming part of the decision-making process.

Location, floorplans and finishes remain fundamental, but the features that simplify daily life are carrying greater weight than they once did. As online shopping continues to shape consumer behaviour, secure parcel delivery is increasingly becoming another amenity worth looking for.

Joel Robinson

Parcel delivery is joining the apartment amenity checklist

Inca Property Group has lodged a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for Dawn, a 53-apartment oceanfront development overlooking Mona Vale Beach.

The proposal, at 35-39 Darley Street East, would replace an existing 18-apartment strata building with a new owner-occupier-focused development comprising 53 two and three-bedroom apartments, including nine affordable built-to-rent residences delivered under the State's infill affordable housing scheme.

Positioned on a 2,679 sqm elevated site around 280 metres from Mona Vale Beach, the development has been designed to maximise panoramic ocean views while responding to the site's sloping topography.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/inca-property-group">Inca Property Group</a> Managing Director Josh Thompson said the State Significant pathway provided greater certainty for projects of this scale.

"This State Significant pathway gives the team real certainty to progress <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/dawn-35-39-darley-street-east-mona-vale-nsw-2103">Dawn</a> through to completion," Thompson said.

"It allows us to acquire a one-off site, design it carefully and deliver the right offering for the suburb, assessed by the NSW Government's planning department."

The project is one of the first developments in the area to be assessed under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy, with the site sitting on the edge of the policy's designated inner area.

The proposal includes three basement levels providing 124 car spaces, alongside a range of resident amenities including a swimming pool, gym, sauna, wellness facilities and private plunge pools for selected ground-floor and penthouse apartments.

<img alt="Dawn" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fc1a1daf-0ce4-4f12-9076-b1fa553c7a91" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-21%20at%208.42.11%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4GZ9h.gpNkTljbxyAET8Jfhv51XUamDm" />

Thompson said Dawn had been designed specifically for owner-occupiers and downsizers, a buyer profile that has driven demand across Inca's recent Upper North Shore developments.

"The majority of buyers in our recent North Shore projects have been downsizers, and we are learning exactly what this market is looking for. Beyond the location itself, we have included resort-style amenities to deliver a genuine lifestyle offering," Thompson said.

Located within walking distance of Mona Vale Beach, the town centre, Mona Vale Golf Club and the Royal Motor Yacht Club, Dawn represents Inca's first Northern Beaches project following the sell-out of Tara on Park in Waitara and Ellis Residences, currently under construction in St Ives.

Construction will be undertaken by Inca's in-house construction arm, GOP Constructions.

Dawn is the latest major apartment proposal for Mona Vale, with the suburb emerging as one of the key beneficiaries of the NSW Government's new Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy.

New developer One Living, led by industry veteran Joseph Scuderi, recently secured a site on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, where it is planning around 140 apartments.

IPM is also planning its third project in Mona Vale, significantly increasing the scale of its previous developments with an 82-apartment proposal at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/159-167-darley-street-west-mona-vale-nsw-2103">159-167 Darley Street West</a>, opposite Bayview Golf Course and less than 800 metres from Mona Vale town centre.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/one-living-enters-sydneys-new-apartment-market-with-northern-beaches-site-acquisition">One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-ipm-plans-third-mona-vale-project">First look: IPM plans third Mona Vale project</a>

First look: Inca eyes Mona Vale with State Significant DA for Dawn apartments

Seasoned Victorian apartment developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/central-equity">Central Equity</a> has logged more than $400 million in sales in its luxury apartment project Palmera Residences at Northcliffe on the Gold Coast.&nbsp;

Central Equity Director Karl Kutner said the sales result reflected a combination of location, product quality and delivery certainty with the project already under construction by building powerhouse Multiplex.&nbsp;

"Surpassing $400 million in sales since launch is a significant milestone and an outstanding endorsement of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/palmera-residences-gold-coast-18-garfield-terrace-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Palmera Residences</a>,” he said.&nbsp;

"We believe one of the key reasons for this strong result is the confidence purchasers have in knowing the project is under construction with Multiplex. Buyers are increasingly looking for certainty. They want to know that the project they commit to today will be delivered by an experienced team with a proven track record."&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365782]

Kutner said it was clear there was still high demand for luxury projects that offered certainty of delivery.&nbsp;

“We are in a market where many residential developments have faced delays due to rising construction costs, labour shortages and financing challenges,” said Kutner.&nbsp;

"But having construction underway has provided our buyers with resounding confidence backed by more than 40 years of development delivery by Central Equity combined with construction by one of Australia's most respected construction companies."&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365785]

Central Equity is one of Australia's most experienced privately-owned property developers. Over more than four decades, the company has delivered in excess of 85 residential developments including 10,000 apartments and many thousands of stand alone homes.&nbsp;

Located on Garfield Terrace at Northcliffe, between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, Palmera Residences occupies one of the Gold Coast's most sought after beachside locations. The development has been designed to appeal to owner occupiers seeking premium residences that combine generous living spaces and resort style amenities.&nbsp;

Palmera Residences will feature an exceptional collection of resort style amenities, including two swimming pools: a generously sized family pool with safe shallow zones for relaxed recreation, and a 20 metre lap pool positioned to maximise all day sunlight.&nbsp;

Residents will also enjoy exclusive access to wellness and recreational facilities including a magnesium pool, sauna, yoga studio, expansive fitted gymnasium, resident lounge, outdoor BBQ’s&nbsp;and indoor and outdoor dining areas, together with a dedicated concierge and luxurious hotel inspired entrance foyer.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365767]

A unique feature at Palmera Residences has been designed to enhance the Gold Coast lifestyle which includes both indoor and outdoor gymnasium facilities, together with thoughtfully designed indoor and outdoor dining and entertaining areas. A corner café has also been incorporated to provide residents with a destination for their everyday needs.&nbsp;

Kutner said buyer demand had been broad based with purchasers attracted from interstate as well as throughout South East Queensland.&nbsp;

"We're seeing strong interest from owner occupiers, lifestyle buyers and people relocating to the Gold Coast. Many purchasers have been searching for a premium beachside residence where quality, design and delivery are equally important."&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365771]

Kutner said the sales milestone was an important achievement, but the focus remained firmly on delivering an exceptional development.&nbsp;

"While reaching $400 million in sales is an important milestone, our priority remains delivering a project that exceeds purchaser expectations,” he said.&nbsp;

"Palmera Residences has been designed to become one of the Gold Coast's landmark residential addresses, and we look forward to welcoming our purchasers to their new homes."&nbsp;

There are a limited number of residences remaining in selected configurations with pricing from $2,950,000 to $8,950,000. Palmera Residences is also crowned by expansive penthouses with wrap around views.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=108274]

Construction certainty and strong buyer demand drive major sales result for luxury Gold Coast development

Palmera Residences fly out the door as sales pass $400 million

National property developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/goldfields-group">Goldfields</a> has appointed BINAH as its construction partner for Quartet, its new Brisbane apartment development in the undersupplied suburb of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/milton-qld-4064">Milton</a>.

Located just two kilometres from the Brisbane CBD and moments from key 2032 Olympic precincts, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/quartet-milton-33-manning-street-milton-qld-4064">Quartet</a> will deliver 131 one, two, three, and four-bedroom apartments priced from $1 million to $4.2 million, combining elevated design with a wellness-focused lifestyle offering.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108736 project_image_fid=368000]

Goldfields’ Chief Executive Officer, Lachlan Thompson, said the appointment of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/binah-constructions">BINAH</a> marked an important milestone for the project.&nbsp;

“Bringing BINAH on board as our construction partner will allow us to bring our vision for Quartet forward with a team that has a proven track record of delivering high-quality residential projects,” Thompson said.&nbsp;

“We’ve taken a considered approach to progressing the site because we wanted to deliver the whole package. Buyers ultimately back great developers, great projects and great builders, and with Quartet, we’ve made sure all three line up.

“People want certainty, they want to know the project will be built, that the homes will be delivered as promised, and that the developer stands behind the quality of what they create. That’s something Goldfields has built its reputation on over many years.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108736 project_image_fid=367993]

BINAH’s Managing Director, Khalil Hafza, said the company was proud to be partnering with Goldfields to deliver Quartet.&nbsp;

“Quartet is an exciting project to bring to life, particularly given the level of detail in the residences and the extensive rooftop amenity planned for the building,” Mr Hafza said.&nbsp;

“Our focus is on delivering a high-quality build that brings that design vision to life and creates homes residents will enjoy for many years.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108736 project_image_fid=367999]

The facilities at Quartet have been feared towards the roof, with a&nbsp;25 metre lap pool, spa, sauna and cold plunge, and a communal barbecue area and alfresco.

Town planning was designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> and brought to life by Melbourne-based architecture firm Cera Stribley.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/cera-stribley">Cera Stribley</a> Co-Founder and Managing Principal, Dom Cerantonio, said the project responds to both its riverside setting and Brisbane’s evolving urban character.&nbsp;

“Quartet has been designed to sit comfortably within its riverside context, offering a refined take on urban living through well-planned, generously proportioned residences that will stand the test of time,” Mr Cerantonio said.&nbsp;

“An emphasis on natural light, natural textures and carefully selected finishes from timber and marble to premium appliances, creates calm, considered interiors designed for comfort and long-term liveability.”&nbsp;

Construction of Quartet will commence in July 2026, with completion anticipated in Q4 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=108736]

Construction to commence on 131-residence tower designed around wellness-focused living

Goldfields appoints BINAH for Quartet apartments in Milton

The first partnership between national developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/fortis">Fortis</a> and Adelaide-based developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/otello">Otello</a> has made a strong start, with the pair securing $21 million in unconditional sales at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/one-four-four-hutt-adelaide-144-hutt-street-adelaide-sa-5000">One Four Four Hutt</a>&nbsp;on the edge of the Adelaide CBD.

Over a third of apartments have been snapped up in the boutique 44-apartment project on the corner of Hutt Stret and Wakefield Road. Local downsizers and owner-occupiers wanting to remain in Adelaide's tightly-held southeast quarter have been the most prominent purchasers.

The DKO-designed, mixed-use development is one of the few new apartment projects in the precinct, an area where new housing supply has remained limited despite continued demand from buyers wanting to stay close to the CBD, Victoria Park and Adelaide's established east-end amenities.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151233 project_image_fid=375378]

Fortis Head of Development SA Arthur Dendrinos said the early sales reflected both the strength of the local owner-occupier market and confidence in the Hutt Street location.

"The level of early commitment reflects the confidence local buyers have in the Hutt Street precinct," Dendrinos said.

"Many purchasers are long-term east-end residents who love the area and want to stay connected to the neighbourhood. They recognise the value of a well-designed, well-located development.

"Our partnership with Otello has been central to this success, and the number of unconditional sales at this stage only strengthens our confidence in the South Australian market."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151233 project_image_fid=375379]

Otello Director Daniel Harris said the sales result also highlighted the lack of new apartment opportunities within the Hutt Street precinct.

"One Four Four Hutt has clearly resonated with buyers, with strong early sales reflecting both the appeal of the Hutt Street corridor and the lifestyle on offer," Harris said.

"The activated ground-floor retail has also been a key drawcard, with purchasers responding to the vision of a more vibrant and connected streetscape, not just the residences themselves."

One Four Four Hutt will deliver 44 one, two and three-bedroom apartments, alongside a collection of penthouses, above a ground-floor retail offering designed to further activate the Hutt Street precinct.

Construction is scheduled to commence in the third quarter of this year, with completion anticipated in 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=151233]

Fortis Head of Development SA Arthur Dendrinos said the early sales reflected both the strength of the local owner-occupier market and confidence in the Hutt Street location.

Fortis makes Adelaide debut with Otello as One Four Four Hutt records strong early sales

Gardens

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/65226/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
Whether you live in an urban apartment or a rural homestead, your outdoor area is more than just a private space. Ecologically, a garden is another jigsaw piece in the landscape. 
Whatever their size, gardens can contribute to natural functions and processes in the local area, such as regulating water drainage, buffering the damaging effects of strong winds, or providing food and shelter for native wildlife. 
Many wildlife species survive in urban areas, but their presence and persistence depend on how specific their food and shelter needs are, how they respond to disturbances, and the quality and quantity of other green spaces in the landscape. 
For larger animals, such as birds and mammals, a home garden could become a stepping stone across an otherwise hostile urban landscape. For smaller animals, such as insects, it could be the centre of their home range.
In urban areas, where space is often limited, gardening with pollinatorsin mind is a simple way to encourage biodiversity in the backyard. And, depending on the surrounding landscape, habitat for pollinators will also be habitat for other animals.
<h2>Flowers are just the first step</h2>
Flowers produce sugar (nectar) and protein (pollen), the main diet for many adult insects and birds. Unlike other insect groups, native beelarvae develop almost exclusively on pollen collected by their parents, so flowers are essential to grow native bee populations.
There is no single best combination of flowers for wild bees. Many “plants for pollinators” lists available online are based on local experiences and rarely apply to all geographic regions. A general rule of thumb for a pollinator garden is one that produces flowers for most of the year and is built on diversity – monocultures of any single flower type or colour will suit only a very small number of generalist species.
Native plants are an ideal option for attracting native pollinator insects and birds, but many garden exotics, especially herbs, fruit and vegetable plants, are just as popular. Modern hybrid varieties should be chosen carefully, as some are bred for commercial fruit or flower traits (like size or colour), but the flowers lack the nectar or scent cues that attract pollinators looking for food. 
<h2>Build it and they will come</h2>
The structure and design of a garden can determine what wildlife species will visit or make a home. Vertical structure, built from multiple layers of different plant heights, provides more spaces for wildlife to co-exist. Small plants and shrubs provide good shelter for insects and very small birds, while larger trees will attract visits from more mobile birds and mammals. 
Large trees with rough or shedding bark that creates lots of cracks and crevices are excellent shelter for insects and small lizards. Trees that produce resins and sap flows, such as conifers, acacias and eucalypts, are also useful for some native bee and wasp species that use resin to seal their nest cells. 
Insect hotels can provide homes for insects that usually nest in dead wood. But only a small proportion of the world’s bee species are wood-nesters. About 75% of bee species dig their nests into the ground, usually in sandy, uncompacted soil, preferably on a slope that won’t get waterlogged. 
It can be difficult to build all of this into small gardens, but many pollinator insects will have home ranges of a few hundred metres, while birds and mammals can travel much further. So landscape composition can also influence the wildlife potential of an individual garden. A high proportion of paved areas can reduce the number of wild bees or native birds in the neighbourhood. Highly manicured green spaces can also have a negative effect on wild bee species. 
<h2>Disrupting the food chain</h2>
Like any ecosystem, gardens involve an intricate web of life, from the soil microbes underground to the birds in the trees. It’s easy to grab the spray bottle to kill off the dandelions and blow down the flies, but what are the knock-on effects?
Many of the animals and plants we think of as a backyard nuisance often provide services we don’t see. For example, many native wasp and fly species (even blowflies!) are pollinators as adults. And as larvae, they control many of the insect pests we see on our plants, or decompose organic wastes. Small reptiles, like geckoes and skinks, mostly feed on small insects that annoy us, like mosquitoes and midges.
Plants we think of as lawn weeds, particularly dandelions and clover, are a favourite food source for native bees and hoverflies. Aphids and scale insects also produce a sugary substance called honeydew as they suck on plants, which is an important sugar source for some beneficial insects like wasps, bees, ants and hoverflies. 
Limiting synthetic chemical use is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to enhance wildlife in gardens. Insecticides can kill beneficial insects, or affect them indirectly by disrupting their metabolism or reproductive cycles. Overuse of herbicides removes important food resources, like dandelions, that pollinators rely on if other flowers are scarce. 
There is also the potential for chemicals to work in combination and have a greater impact.
<h2>Managing gardens as ecosystems</h2>
Many wildlife don’t like regular disturbances, which is why urban areas can be intimidating environments for animals. It can be hard to balance human needs with the habitat needs of wildlife. Many actions that minimise risks for humans can have the opposite effect for wildlife. 
For example, pollinators generally prefer open grassy areas to dark forested areas. In urban environments, grassed areas are often mown regularly for human recreational and safety needs. This affects the availability of flowers for pollinators and also affects the persistence of these plant species. Mowing less often and outside peak flowering times can make a big difference for plants and pollinators. 
Similarly, large old trees are homes to myriad animals. Unless they pose a very real risk of danger to human lives, pruning overhanging branches can be better for the local ecosystem than removing the whole tree. 
Wildlife are rarely deterred by fences, so it is likely that most of the animals you see in your yard are also using your neighbours’ yards. Managing gardens as a collective landscape, rather than individual gardens, can keep wildlife happy while also enhancing neighbourhood communication.
Manu Saunders is post-doctoral research fellow (Ecology), Charles Sturt University and author for The Conversation. She can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/manu-saunders-1448" target="_blank">here</a>.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Birds, bees and bugs: your garden is an ecosystem, and it needs looking after

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/65730/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
Spring arrives and the warming weather encourages the plants in our gardens and parks to burst into life, commencing their annual reproductive cycle.
Plants use cues from the weather and climate to time their growth, flowering and fruiting. But as the world heats up due to climate change, these patterns are changing. 
So how is climate change affecting our gardens, and what can we do about it?
<h2>In sync with climate</h2>
Many temperate plants have evolved to reproduce in spring to avoid damage from extreme cold or heat. Warmer conditions tend to speed up these processes, causing plants to grow faster. 
Plants have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to synchronise with climate. This means they are excellent bio-indicators of climate change. 
We know from global assessments that most plants studied so far are behaving as we’d expect them to in a warming world. Studies in the Southern Hemisphere have found the same. 
In Australia, plants in southern Australia are maturing earlier – winegrapes, for instance, by 27 days on average between 1999 and 2007. We can see this in wine growers’ records.
Other plants may behave differently. Fruit trees such as apples need cold weather to break buds from their dormant state, before commencing growth when warm temperatures arrive. 
This means after warm winters, such as this one, flowering may actually be delayed. Data from a recent study show potentially delayed flowering for Pink Lady® apples. 
Applethorpe had the warmest spring and flowered first, as we’d expect for most plants. But Manjimup had the second-warmest spring and flowered last, even after Huon, the coldest spring site. This seems counter-intuitive but the delay is likely because Manjimup had the warmest winter. 
<h2>Do these changes matter?</h2>
The earlier emergence of reproductive tissues may increase the risk of devastating frost damage. Contrary to what you might expect, evidenceshows recent warming in southern Australia has not necessarily led to fewer frosts. On the other hand, plants that delay flowering because of warmer winters may reduce their frost risk. 
Shifts in flowering timing, earlier or later, can be problematic for plants that rely on pollination between different varieties. Both varieties must shift flowering in the same way for flowering periods to overlap. If flowering times don’t overlap, pollination will be less successful, producing fewer fruit. 
Bee and bird pollinators must also adjust their activity in sync with changes to flowering time to facilitate pollination. 
Faster maturity may shift ripening into hotter times of year, as seen for wine grapes. This increases the risk of extreme heat damage.
<h2>What about other changes?</h2>
Pests and diseases will also adjust their growth cycles in response to a changing climate. One pest well known to gardeners is the Queensland Fruit Fly (QFF). Their maggots are found in a wide range of fruits. 
Climate change will likely favour fruit flies. Warmer temperatures for longer periods will encourage a higher number of generations each year. Meanwhile, reduced cold weather will mean fewer fruit flies will die, increasing the flies’ survival rates. 
On the other hand, temperate pests and diseases may decrease if warming exceeds their temperature thresholds.
<h2>What can you do?</h2>
What have you observed? Citizen scientists who track the timing of biological events have provided valuable information, especially in Australia, for us to monitor and interpret plant responses to climate change. Keeping garden records will show if and how your plants or pests are changing their patterns. 
If you observe your flowers emerging earlier, coverings can be used to protect against frost. Keep an eye on cross-pollinators – are they flowering together? If not, consider planting a different cross-pollinator. 
Nets are an effective way to reduce heat damage and can also be used to protect against some pests. Setting pest traps according to weather rather than the calendar will help disrupt the first generation and reduce pest impact.
Climate change has already influenced biological responses, perhaps even in your own garden. Seeing these changes in our gardens gives us an insight into the significant challenges faced by our food production systems under a changing climate. 
Adapting to current and future climate change is a reality, and is essential to preserve both the enjoyment we experience in our own gardens and the security of future food supply.
Rebecca Darbyshire is research officer, Climate Unit, NSW Department of Primary Industries and Lecturer, University of Melbourne and author for The Conversation. She can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebecca-darbyshire-301038" target="_blank">here</a>.
Snow Barlow is foundation professor of Horticulture and Viticulture, University of Melbourne and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/snow-barlow-256" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Climate change is happening in your garden: here’s how to spot it

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Melbourne's first interactive playground Harmony Garden has been revealed at Point Park on Yarra's edge, just moments from Melbourne's CBD.
The interactive playground, created by real estate investment group Mirvac, allows children to compose music using sculptural bells and gongs which are integrated into a playground environment.
Constructed from timber, the large wall features 16 stainless steel gongs, eight anodised aluminium harmonic bells and three cube drumming seats that combine to create an interactive musical instrument spanning 11 metres.
The innovative playground was designed by co-creator of Birrarung Marr's Federation Bells Neil McLachlan, artist and sculptor Emilia Storm and landscape designer Simon Ellis.
Dotted throughout the landscaped park are 11 multi-sensory interactive bell sculptures inspired by indigenous coastal plantings and situated within native gardens.
Children use a specially-engineered colourful soft plastic stamen to play the bells.
Mirvac’s Head of Residential, John Carfi, said the Harmony Garden will be a unique and fun way to bring children and adults together.
Federation Bells co-creator, Neil McLachlan, also an Associate Professor at the University of Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, said the park would encourage children to play cooperatively.
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

Mirvac unveils Melbourne's first interactive musical playground at Yarra's edge

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Flint Hill, the 27 hectare Woodend retreat owned by businessman Sir Roderick Carnegie since 1980, has been listed for sale.
It was a grand vision beginning in the 1930's that has matured into one of the great woodland garden estates of Australia. 
With magnificent specimen trees forming a canopy over sweeping lawns, <a href="https://kayburton.com.au/properties/view/343460-65-romsey-road-woodend-3442-sale" target="_blank">the house</a> is bordered by sculptural hedges and hundreds of majestic rhododendrons. 
There are winding walks leading to formal ponds and lake.
The ten acre garden is surrounded by an impressive eucalypt parkland with views to Mount Macedon and Hanging Rock.
It was first the home of the Brookes family. 
Harold Brookes was the brother of Sir Norman Brookes.
Harold Brookes was managing partner of William Brookes and Co., Queensland graziers, and a director of Australian Paper Manufacturers Co. Ltd. and Australasian Paper and Pulp Co. Ltd.
He was a past president of the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind, and his many sporting interests included membership of Royal Melbourne and Royal Sydney Golf Clubs and the Victorian Lawn Tennis Association.
It was in 1922 when they bought a partly timbered block of 130 acres one mile north of Woodend. As the soil was a poor, heavy, grey, clay loam over very heavy, yellow clay, huge amounts of mulch were added, mostly grass hay.
The original rhododendrons were grown from seed - mainly from the Rothschilds at Exbury.
Their son John Brookes sold Flint Hill after compiling his gardening memoir, Flint Hill 1922-1955.
When the Carnegie's Rod and Carmen, bought Flint Hill in 1980 the property at 65 Romsey Road had changed hands three more times, and become neglected overrun with blackberries.
The rainfall averages 872 mm and Flint Hill is 579 metres above sea level. 
"Flint Hill is historic and stately with a stunning woodland garden of outstanding beauty and botanical significance," Kay &amp; Burton agent Gerald Delany noted.
It is listed in conjunction with John Keating, who assisted the Carnegie's secure the property after its unsuccessful 1979 auction.
Flint Hill is 70 kms or 45 minutes non-peak time via the Calder Freeway to the Melbourne CBD.
More than $8 million could be expected for the two storey, eight bedroom offering in the tightly held Woodend market. The purchaser will have the option to purchase an adjoining 83 hectare of farming land in six titles.
Sir Roderick Carnegie, who turned 83 last month, was a prominent Australian businessman, primarily working in the coal industry, interrupted in the 1960s when he founded the Australian practice of McKinsey in Melbourne. In 1972 he joined CRA Limited (now Rio Tinto) as finance director serving as managing director from 1974 to 1986, and also as its chairman.
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Flint Hill, Woodend listed by Sir Rod Carnegie

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Glenray Park, the historic Yetholme homestead, has been listed by Mary Moody, one of Australia's leading horticulturalists and gardening authors.
Lovingly restored and cared for over her 20 year tenure, it was built near Bathurst by Mabel Walshaw in 1908.
It has been marketed as having stunning mature ornamental park-like garden surrounding the homestead which boasts the grandeur of historical homesteads with a surge of new age sustainable living. The five bedroom, two bathroom triple brick homestead has 14 foot ceilings, five fire places, and Oregon doors and trims.
Within the 20 acre property, there is a permanent mountain spring and Frying Pan creek water. There have been cattle run on the farm on the western slopes of the Blue Mountains in New South Wales.
The grounds have two irrigated propagation/shade houses for the professional market gardener and chook house and home vegetable garden. 
There's a 1920s dance hall once used for community dances and meetings could be transformed into a functions room or artists studio. 
<a href="https://raywhiteruralemmsmooney.com.au/nsw/yetholme/1276127/" target="_blank">Glenray Park</a>, at 61 Porters Lane, Yetholme, has been listed through Ray White Emms Mooney for 24 April auction through Patrick Bird and Sam D'Arcy. There are $700,000 plus expectations.
Yetholme is 20 minutes east of Bathurst and two hours drive from Sydney's CBD. 
<a href="https://www.marymoody.com.au" target="_blank">The gardening author</a> who trained as a journalist in the late 1960s at the Australian Women's Weekly was a long time presenter on Gardening Australia from her then Leura, Blue Mountains home. Her memoirs included Au Revoir, Last Tango in Toulouse, The Long Hot Summer and Sweet Surrender.
She has lead tours in France and the Himalayas and has written a book and made a film on a local rural French restaurant, Lunch with Madame Murat, for the SBS Network.
Glenray Park has been listed following the death of her partner, the film maker David Hannay in March 2014. It was 2001 when the couple relocated permanently to the Bathurst district after selling Villa Florence, their Katoomba cottage.
Moody is moving back to the mountains to be closer to family, but intends keeping a small block of land with an eco-cottage.
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Gardening author Mary Moody lists Glenray Park, her Bathurst market garden retreat 

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After 27 years of opening private gardens to the public, Open Gardens Australia has announced that its present season would be its last.
Open Gardens Australia started in Victoria before going interstate and has been behind the opening of almost 20,000 private gardens across Australia to the public.
In its heyday more than 800 gardens opened annually, but just under 500 gardens will be open this season.
Only last week <a href="/expert-insights/building/trophy-home-gardens-make-their-stamp-with-australia-post">Australia Post announced</a> that it would be featuring five beautiful private gardens from Open Gardens Australia in a new stamp issue.
<img src="/images/2014/09/05/stamps-sept-5-two.jpg" alt=""><img src="/images/2014/09/05/stamps-sept-5-one.jpg" alt="">
There were five domestic base rate (70c) stamps and products available, although the <a href="https://shop.auspost.com.au/product/open-gardens-postcard-set-1807212" target="_blank">website indicates</a> that they are currently out of stock.
<img src="/images/2014/09/05/stamps%20sept%205%20four.jpg" alt="">
Our shocked and saddened property contrarians Jonathan Chancellor and Margie Blok have been to many of them - certainly never taking unauthorised plant samples - and now nominate their favourite garden tour.
HE SAID:
<img src="/images/2014/03/28/jc-silhouette-7.jpg" style="float: right;">
It has to be Retford Park, established by Samuel Hordern in 1887.
James Fairfax now is the keeper of the English park and garden that features magnificent trees, mature shrubberies and hedged garden rooms, all sustainably managed using organic principles. 
Rhododendrons and azaleas at their peak in October. Century old bunya bunyas, redwoods and oaks impressed. I recall the more freshly planted Wollemi pines.
There's an impressive collection of classical and contemporary sculptures and that marvelled Guilford Bell swimming pool pavilion.
One later occasion on a private visit, Jeffrey Smart was there strolling the grounds. Sadly no painting ever emerged to immortalise the pavilion.
Of course as I've previously reported, the philanthropic former newspaperman <a href="/news/james-fairfax-plans-to-subdivide-then-gift-historic-retford-park">James Fairfax intends to gift his historic Retford Park estate</a> in the NSW Southern Highlands.
Its envisaged the Italianate 1887 residence will sit within a protected 32-hectare heritage curtilage.
It will be preserved in perpetuity for the community with some funds from the neighbouring prestige residential development being directed into a trust which will pay for the long-term upkeep of the home and gardens.
The gifting won't take place until subdivision sales take place. I notice <a href="https://landforsalebowral.com.au" target="_blank">they are progressing quite well</a>.
The Old South Road property, which sits on the southern edge of Bowral’s rapidly suburban expansion, has long sat on about 100 hectares including the land now zoned for subdivision.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/03/retfordmarch1one.jpg" alt="retfordmarch1one" width="470" height="468">
Under the proposal, the 29-hectare eastern part of the estate has been subdivided into rural-inspired lots ranging from 8,000 square metres to four hectares lots.
The philanthropic former chairman of the ailing publishing company that bears his family name, first advised he would bequeath Retford Park for the benefit of the public in an article written by me in 2009 in the Sydney Morning Herald. It was his idea for at least three decades.
Retford Park has been the country home of the arts patron since he paid £15,000 in 1964 for it on a then four-hectare holding.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/03/retfordmarch1two.jpg" alt="retfordmarch1two" width="470" height="468">
Retford Park, with an Italianate revival-style mansion, dates back to the 1880s when it was the summer retreat of the retailing Hordern family. 
"I think Retford Park is an important part of the heritage of the Wingecarribee Shire area and provision has been made in my will for the house and the immediate surrounding land, including the garden, to be left in trust to be viewed by future generations," Mr Fairfax told me in 2009.
Listed on the register of the national estate since 1980, Retford Park takes its name from the village in Nottinghamshire, the northern England town from where Anthony and Ann Hordern immigrated in 1825.
The grounds have many heritage oaks, an enduring association with the Hordern's retailing business, whose emblem was an oak tree under which were the words: "While I live, I'll grow".
<img src="/images/stories/2013/03/retfordmarch1three.jpg" alt="retfordmarch1three" width="470" height="310">
It was first sold after Anthony's great-grandson, Sir Samuel Hordern, died in 1956, leaving an estate of $279,000. It was briefly owned by the cattle stud operator King Ranch (Australia), of which Edwina Hordern's husband, Peter Baillieu, was managing director.
In his 1991 book, Regards to Broadway, Fairfax recollected he'd had no plans to buy a country house. "But chatting to Peter Baillieu at a cocktail party in December 1963, I learned that Retford Park and 10 acres [four hectares] of land were to be sold." 
It occurred to James that it might be a suitable place for his mother to stay on her annual six month visits from England.
Fairfax, the eldest son of the late Sir Warwick Fairfax and his first wife, Betty Wilson, then set about regularly buying adjoining rural land.
He also set about enlivening the house. 
"When my offer of £15,000 for the house and 10 acres with an option to buy another 10 in three years was accepted, I went into the usual ‘What on earth have I taken on?’ syndrome, but soon recovered as I got involved in the redecoration which was being done by Leslie Walford," he recalled to Sue Rosen in 2011.
"Some six months later, in the winter of 1964, I commissioned Donald Friend to paint a mural in the dining room," he said.
Leslie Walford, who died earlier this year, said in a 2011 interview with Rosen that he recalled flying up to Mittagong with James to inspect the house.
His first impressions of it was "the garden choking the house".
"The house was a sort of cow-pat colour, a very unappealing colour. It had thick walls and narrow long slit windows and a tower, a rectangular piece of work with lots of frilly balconies, cast-iron lace and a pretty porte cochere. It had some delicate prettiness added to the strength of the architecture … it was a wonderful looking house."
Colour photos courtesy of <a href="https://www.highlifemagazine.com.au/" target="_blank">Highlife Magazine</a>, which reports on life in the Southern Highlands of Australia.
Margie Blok has her say on the next page. Please click below.
 
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SHE SAID:
It’s Markdale for me. Acknowledged as one of the great country gardens of Australia, this magnificent garden was part of the Australia’s Open Garden Scheme for many years.
The garden surrounds the homestead of Markdale, a 6,000 acre rural property at Binda, a tiny hamlet near Crookwell in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales. Owned by the Ashton family for three generations, the garden began during the 1920s and was re-designed in 1949 by Edna Walling, one of Australia’s most influential landscape designers. 
<img src="/images/2014/09/05/markdale%20sept%205%20one.jpg" alt="" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
Markdale Homestead. Photo: Danny Kildare. Source: <a href="https://www.markdale.com/" target="_blank">Markdale.com</a>.
The award-winning five-acre garden is featured in many books and magazines on Australian gardening. Extensively rejuvenated in recent years, it has a wealth of beautiful features including a long pergola of blue and white wisteria, dry stone walls, dozens of specimen trees, sweeping lawns and a beautiful lake with a Chinese bridge. 
Under the Ashton family’s guidance, the garden retains its strong influence of Walling’s design and plantings. It remains substantially as she planned it - sweeping lawns merging with mown paddock, and informal curved paths leading the eye into hidden depths of the garden and then out to the hills beyond.
During her career Walling’s style changed very little, yet each of her garden designs is individual. One of her signatures is the use of stone in low fences, paths and steps to give architectural structure to a garden, and then softening it with dense planting. Her design principles also include creating unity between the garden and the house, while working with the existing landscape and existing features including slopes and trees. 
At Markdale, Walling’s design took advantage of the glorious natural scenery of paddocks and hills. Framing the garden without obscuring the beautiful views to the hills are magnificent trees including golden elms, golden ash and claret ash, silver birch, pinoaks, hawthorns, aspens, spireas, viburnums and native eucalypts.
At the same time Walling was working on the garden, the Ashtons commissioned architect Professor Leslie Wilkinson to redesign the homestead. This unique partnership of Walling and Wilkinson has never been repeated. 
<img src="/images/2014/09/05/markdale%20sept%205%20three.jpg" alt="" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
Source: <a href="https://www.markdale.com/" target="_blank">Markdale.com</a>.
It was Geoff Ashton (one of four sons of James Ashton who built the original homestead) and his wife, Janet, who hired Walling and Wilkinson. For the past three decades, their son, also named Geoff, and his wife Mary, have maintained the garden, homestead and property.
They have thought about selling it on and off over the past decade, and I know would simply love for a buyer to emerge who has a passion for the property.
Although Walling’s outline of the garden has changed little, the existing beds have been replanted and developed under the skillful guidance of Mary Ashton. She and her husband took the reins at Markdale in 1983 during one of the worst droughts in recorded history. Sadly, many plants in the garden died during that drought.
Faced with the enormous task of restoring the Markdale garden, Mary extensively read and researched Walling’s methods and principles to gain insight into her original intent for its design. 
Mary took a careful and considered approach to the garden before developing layers of thick planting in beds and borders beside the stone pathways leading to various garden areas which provide a different view from each direction. 
<img src="/images/2014/09/05/markdale%20sept%205%20two.jpg" alt="" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
Source: <a href="https://www.markdale.com/" target="_blank">Markdale.com</a>.
But the Markdale garden is as much about the use of space and architecture as it is about planting. One of its focal points is the lake, and Walling was justifiably proud of its design. 
Among documents held in the Edna Walling Collection, of the La Trobe Australian Manuscripts Collection at State Library of Victoria, is a letter written by Walling to Miss Mervyn Davis that describes her inspiration for the Markdale lake. 
Dated 7 June 1965, Walling’s letter reads: “Dear Mervyn,Re “Markdale”... The best thing I did there was to deal with the erosion in the paddock over which I was taken for a walk on Sunday morning. It was within view of the living room window and when Mrs Ashton told me of their plan to build a series of ... concrete barriers right down the deep ... It seemed to me a pretty poor idea. "Why not dam it back and have a lake" I sez!”
About two and a half hours drive from Sydney, Markdale is a must see for people with a passion for gardens.
And at the property,<a href="https://www.markdale.com" target="_blank"> the Ashton family offer s</a><a href="https://www.markdale.com" target="_blank">elf-catered bed and breakfast accommodation</a> for up to 24 people in two original 1850s stone houses and shearers quarters.
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Retford Park and Markdale: Glorious gardens to thrive beyond Open Gardens' demise

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Australia Post is featuring five beautiful private gardens from Open Gardens Australia in a new stamp issue.
Open Gardens Australia began life as Victoria’s Gardens Scheme in 1987, broadening to become a national program in 2000. 
Since the organisation’s beginning, it has showcased some 10,000 gardens.
Around 500 new private gardens are open to the public each season. 
It is estimated that around 200,000 adults visit the gardens annually.
There are five domestic base rate (70c) stamps and products available from 2 September.
The gardens on the stamps are: 
<ul>
<li>Cruden Farm, Victoria. The late Dame Elisabeth Murdoch established the historic garden within a working farm more than 80 years ago, engaging, among others, renowned landscape designer Edna Walling. It is a founding garden in Open Gardens Australia.</li>
<li>Mendel Garden, Western Australia. Award-winning landscape designer Janine Mendel developed this wonderful urban garden, which comprises three courtyards, with the stamp showing the lush, subtropical entry courtyard.</li>
<li>Niwajiri, South Australia. Steve Hailstone developed Niwajiri in the Adelaide Hills in the late 1980s. Displaying European, Japanese and Australian influences, Niwajiri has been meticulously planned and planted.</li>
<li>Walcott Garden, ACT. First developed in 1926 and redesigned by Helen Cohen in 2003, this water-wise garden reflects the vision of its owners, focusing on native plant species, textured foliage and an informal landscape design.</li>
<li>Wychwood, Tasmania. This is a superbly designed contemporary cool-climate garden among the rolling hills of northern Tasmania. A focal point in the tranquil garden is a seven-ring classical labyrinth, created through careful grass mowing.</li>
</ul>
 
 
The Open Gardens Australia stamps are designed by Simone Sakinofsky of Australia Post Design Studio, using photographs by Ben Wrigley (Cruden Farm), Steve Hailstone (Niwajiri), Janine Mendel (Mendel Garden), Ben Walcott (Walcott Garden) and Simon Griffiths (Wychwood).
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Trophy home gardens make their stamp with Australia Post

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Kiloren, the six-hectare Southern Tablelands property with Edna Walling gardens, has been relisted for sale. 
It was installed in 1951 around the three-bedroom Crookwell house designed by architect John Mansfield for the Broadbent family. Walling was familiar with the climate given her Markdale, Binda commission for the Ashton family in the late 1940s. 
The Kiloren garden has been in the care of gardening author Jennie Churchill and her husband, vet Rob Churchill, for more than three decades.
<a href="https://www.drewlindsay.com.au/?property=kiloren-southern-tablelands" target="_blank">Drew Lindsay Real Estate is seeking </a>$1.2 million.
The six-hectare Crookwell property comes with one of the most intact Edna Walling gardens.
 Its classic Walling features include basalt walls and pathways softened by relaxed planting. 
Walling described it as one of her less formal designs. She believed that landscape architects should be involved from the earliest stage of the project when she worked around the house under construction on a bare hillside with just one tree. 
She brought plants from her own nursery at Bickleigh Vale, near Melbourne. There is a cottage within the grounds. 
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Edna Walling garden for sale at Crookwell's Kiloren

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We know it’s cold. We know the last thing you want to do is go outside and work in the garden of your investment property.
However, now is a good time to get back up to date with maintenance on your property and to improve its outside appeal for selling in winter.
A lot of peoples’ gardens are, let’s be honest, short of perfect in the winter months. Bare branches, patchy grass, dead herb gardens – it’s not fantastic. If you are set to sell, then you still want to show off the outside of your property to best effect.
Firstly, aim to have your property open on a day where the weather is set to be as calm as possible.
Here are Property Observer’s tips for giving your garden a winter boost.
Solar lighting
You can buy these pretty cheaply, and they’re available in many places – from Kmart to Bunnings. At often around $5 each, a few of these lining paths, doorways or areas of best interest can do wonders for your property. Even better – they’ll make it glow in the darker mornings and overcast open home days. If you have any additional external lighting either at the front or back of the house then make sure it’s turned on for your open home.
Weather hazards 
Remove overhanging branches, dropped leaves and plants, and prune back where possible. Ensure your fence is fixed – we’ve seen many a fence swaying in the strong Australian wind, so do your best to remove this as a concern from the buyer’s mind. Tying down or removing your lighter garden pieces on windy days is important (for instance, light deck chairs and trampolines) as these can become a danger.
Mow the lawn
Sorry, this still applies even in winter! Keep it cut short and neatly trimmed. You won't get away with an unkempt garden in any weather.
Consider some winter-friendly plants
Wattles, lavender and snow drops are all good winter-flowering plants. The hardy Wollemi Pine, one of the world’s rarest trees and suitably beautiful, is also a worthwhile inclusion.
Bright colours
If plants are not your thing, and they can be tricky to maintain for those of us without green thumbs, then don’t look past some bright outdoor furniture or ornaments. Pick the pieces that suit your property, but warm colours can do wonders. Think oversized plant pots, and potentially even borrow or rent outdoor furnishings for your undercover areas. You might want to give the deck a new coat of varnish if the tough weather has made it fade - just ensure that the floor is not slippery when wet.
Heaters
When buyers come to view your property, you don’t want them to spend it thinking about the weather. While you may have considered having the inside of your house heated, particularly if it has that feature, it is probably time to turn up that outdoor heater as well.
Mats at the doors
While it’s common for shoes to be taken off during open homes, it’s worth putting mats at all the doors if you don’t want mud and damp tramped through your home. It can also be a warm and attractive addition – you can buy standard front door mats pretty cheaply, but remember to put them on your back doors as well. You may want to consider providing shoe racks, umbrella racks or similar to avoid the outside water getting into your home.
Clear path
Ensure that the walk to the front door and, where possible, through the garden, is clear and doesn’t require your prospective buyers to stand in puddles or walk through mud. You can use pavers to mark a direction in which to walk, and you can use this in the garden to guide your buyers to the best outside aspect.
Clean the pool
We know it's winter. We know that it's unlikely anyone is going for a dip. But clean your pool and have it sparkling for buyers, regardless of the weather. A green algae-ridden pool is a turn off no matter the weather, so don't tell yourself that it's acceptable.
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Selling your property in winter: Improving your garden’s appeal this weekend

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Spring Cottage, an 1870s Brisbane brick and sandstone cottage held by the same family for four generations, has been listed for sale.
It is one of the oldest houses in Brisbane, but renowned for its gardens given its ranks as one of the 10 oldest in Brisbane.
It is believed that the gardens have remained relatively untouched since they were first laid in the early 1900s.
“The only major work that is know of was in 2010 when the tenant, a qualified horticulturalist, helped to restore the garden’s original design,” said Damon Warat from Ray White Ascot.  
Spring Cottage, located at <a href="https://www.raywhite.com/qld/hamilton/1152364/" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">40 Crescent Road, Hamilton</a>, is listed on the Brisbane City Council heritage register.
“The neighbouring property sold for $1.025 million in 2012 and we anticipate Spring Cottage will sell north of this figure,” Damon said.
Spring Cottage is for sale via an expressions of interest campaign closing on 22 July.
It is the first time the property has been offered for sale in 140 years.
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