One of North Sydney's best-known commercial buildings could become hundreds of new homes, with insurance giant Zurich Australia lodging a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) to transform 5 Blue Street into a mixed-use residential development above North Sydney Station.

Rather than demolishing the existing building and starting again, Zurich is proposing an adaptive reuse project that would convert the landmark office building into a 15-level residential development delivering 62 apartments, 86 affordable co-living dwellings, activated retail and significant upgrades to the Blue Street Plaza.

The proposal reflects a growing trend of commercial property owners repositioning ageing office assets into residential housing as Sydney grapples with housing supply shortages and changing workplace demand.

<img alt="Zurich" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0bba7d12-06dc-4375-aad7-238c94b21ac5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%2010.42.05%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=NJl5oLAEBDGuPmY3RnyliKODjMc8lvRh" />

Located directly above North Sydney Metro and train station, the 3,051 sqm site occupies one of the most strategically positioned parcels of land on Sydney's Lower North Shore.

Designed by fjcstudio, the proposal seeks to retain and adapt much of the existing structure while creating a contemporary residential address that better connects with the public domain surrounding North Sydney Station.

The application proposes two basement levels, ground floor retail, affordable co-living accommodation across the podium levels, and apartments above, while preserving and enhancing the publicly accessible Blue Street Plaza.

Rather than pursuing maximum apartment numbers, Zurich has opted for a housing mix heavily weighted towards larger owner-occupier residences.

The proposal includes 62 build-to-sell apartments comprising 12 one-bedroom, 19 two-bedroom, 29 three-bedroom apartments and two premium penthouses. It also incorporates 86 affordable co-living dwellings, which would be managed in perpetuity by a Community Housing Provider.

That balance between traditional apartments and affordable housing reflects the NSW Government's push to increase housing diversity around major transport infrastructure.

The proposal has been lodged concurrently with a rezoning application, with Zurich arguing the site is ideally positioned to support additional housing given its immediate proximity to public transport, employment and services.

"The proposal aims to respond to the housing challenges facing Sydney through the delivery of diverse housing types in a highly accessible location," the design report by fjcstudio states. It also seeks to improve pedestrian amenity through upgrades to Blue Street Plaza while creating a high-performing residential building that responds to the surrounding context.

<img alt="Zurich" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="36082e15-c636-4481-bb68-5a5f6443fe39" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%2010.41.36%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=5P6VD.fvmqjQfIG3TWWMRXxQWiQBjeFB" />

Rather than replacing the commercial building, fjcstudio has developed a design that works with the existing structural framework above the rail corridor, an approach that significantly reduces demolition while allowing the site to be repositioned as a mixed-use residential precinct.

The existing structural constraints have informed much of the building's design, including its relationship with Blue Street and surrounding public spaces.

The building has been designed as a slender tower rising above a clearly defined podium, with vertically expressed façades intended to reduce the perceived bulk while reinforcing North Sydney's emerging skyline.

According to fjcstudio, the architectural language responds directly to the surrounding commercial towers while maintaining a finer grain expression more closely aligned with the neighbouring Lavender Bay streetscape.

The tower incorporates articulated façade elements, landscaped podium edges and recessed upper levels to soften its appearance and improve pedestrian amenity below.

A significant component of the proposal is the revitalisation of Blue Street Plaza.

The existing public space has long served as one of the primary pedestrian connections between North Sydney Station, Greenwood Plaza and Blue Street, yet its role is expected to become even more important following the opening of Sydney Metro.

Zurich's proposal seeks to strengthen that role by improving landscaping, introducing new retail frontages, enhancing pedestrian permeability and creating more active edges throughout the day and evening.

Ground floor retail would wrap the plaza, while separate residential and co-living entries have been designed to improve wayfinding without reducing street activation.

Landscape design has been integrated throughout the podium and public realm, softening what is currently one of the most heavily urbanised parts of North Sydney.

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fjcstudio has carefully oriented apartments towards Sydney Harbour and the CBD while using privacy blades and articulated façades to minimise overlooking between neighbouring buildings.

Large framed openings along the western elevation maximise harbour outlooks, while the eastern apartments have been angled towards the south-east to improve privacy from neighbouring development.

The project forms part of the continuing transformation of North Sydney from a predominantly commercial CBD into a genuine mixed-use city centre.

Since the completion of Victoria Cross Metro Station, developers have increasingly shifted their attention towards residential projects capable of leveraging the area's unparalleled transport connectivity.

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FiveX recently lodged plans for a 61-storey, 490-apartment tower that would become one of the tallest residential buildings in North Sydney if approved.

Aqualand continues to expand its Lower North Shore presence following the completion of AURA on Walker Street and its recent St Leonards and Roseville proposals.

Developers are also progressing projects throughout Walker Street, Miller Street and the Victoria Cross precinct as demand for well-located owner-occupier apartments continues to strengthen.

Joel Robinson

First look: Zurich targets North Sydney office conversion with 148-unit proposal above Metro station

Busy developer Aqualand Prestige has formally taken the next step in its expansion across Sydney's Lower North Shore, lodging a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for its long-held Archer Street site in Chatswood.

The application covers <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/51-55-archer-street-chatswood-nsw-2067">51-55 Archer Street</a>, a 1,767 sqm amalgamated site on the eastern edge of the Chatswood CBD, where the developer is seeking approval for a 45-level mixed-use tower delivering 114 apartments, including a significant affordable housing component, alongside retail, commercial space and six basement levels of parking.

The SSDA marks the latest milestone for a project Aqualand has been quietly progressing over the past two years. The developer first secured the site for its Aqualand Prestige platform before undertaking an alternative design excellence process with PTW Architects, ultimately avoiding a formal design competition through the Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

The proposal has evolved considerably from Aqualand's original concept. The revised scheme has been designed around larger owner-occupier product, with an unusually high proportion of three and four-bedroom apartments, targeting the more affluent buyer profile, and downsizer, emerging across the North Shore.

<img alt="Archer St" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0171204c-5811-41b5-9b09-2335d1b7c3d0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%208.52.48%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=6YTuxfq.puZo7k2wbfgemcO5K3QfXYGQ" />

The 114-apartment mix comprises six studios, 27 one-bedroom apartments, 18 two-bedroom apartments, 50 three-bedroom residences and 13 four-bedroom homes. A quarter of the building will be dedicated to affordable housing, well above the mandated 15 per cent&nbsp;

PTW has structured the building vertically, with affordable housing across levels one to six, premium apartments through levels seven to 31, duplex skyhomes on klevels 32 to 43, a penthouse on level 44, and a rooftop plant level above. Six basement levels will provide resident parking and servicing.

The tower is proposed to reach approximately 154 metres, placing it among a growing collection of residential high-rises transforming Chatswood's skyline.

Rather than competing purely on height, PTW says the design has been driven by creating a slimmer tower capable of delivering significantly larger apartments.

"The primary objective of this project was to create a distinctive building that stands out from the recently approved or built structures in the Chatswood area," the design report states, noting the structural efficiency allows greater investment into apartment quality and resident amenity.

Residents would have access to more than 450 sqm of communal open space including landscaped gardens, swimming pool, rooftop entertaining areas, fitness spaces, community gardens, children's play areas and barbecue facilities.

A major focus of the design has been the public domain.

The ground plane has been opened up through landscaped terraces inspired by Willoughby's sandstone ridges, with native planting, public seating, artwork, retail activation and a series of gathering spaces intended to soften what has traditionally been a hard commercial streetscape.

The landscape strategy references Blue Gum forests once common throughout the area, while incorporating Indigenous storytelling, public art and lighting installations to strengthen the connection to Country.

Chatswood has been one of Sydney's busiest apartment markets over the past 12 months, with a steady pipeline of both new project launches and fresh development applications.

Hyecorp recently launched Celine, a 122-apartment development just along Archer Street, while Changfa and Huirong Group are progressing The Anderson, an 84-apartment project on Anderson Street.

Develotek recently secured approval for a 101-apartment tower on Pacific Highway, while Tian An LFD received the green light for Hammond Greens, its apartment development on the edge of the Chatswood Bowling Club.

Commercial property developer FiveX is also making its move into the residential market. Last month it lodged plans for a 61-storey tower with 490 apartments, which, if approved, would become one of the tallest residential buildings in Chatswood.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-fivex-targets-chatswood-skyline-with-61-storey-tower-after-north-sydney-plans">First look: FiveX targets Chatswood skyline with 61-storey tower after North Sydney plans</a>

Aqualand is also expanding its development pipeline following the launch of its luxury residential brand, Aqualand Prestige. The developer has delivered a string of high-end apartment projects across Sydney's affluent suburbs over the past decade, most recently AURA by Aqualand on Walker Street in North Sydney.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=30959 project_image_fid=292863]

It has since quietly assembled its next wave of projects.

Earlier this year Aqualand launched Boronia in Roseville, a boutique 111-apartment development on Larkin Street. The project is one of the first significant apartment developments to launch in the suburb ahead of what is expected to become one of Sydney's most active new housing precincts under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing reforms, which allow greater density around train stations.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152095 project_image_fid=373685]

The developer has also lodged plans for a two-tower, 413-apartment development on Herbert Street in nearby St Leonards, further strengthening its presence across the Lower North Shore.

Beyond that, Aqualand remains behind the final stage of Barangaroo, where plans will deliver a five-hectare mixed-use precinct comprising new homes, retail, hospitality and community facilities, alongside a new Metro entrance and more than two hectares of public open space, completing the Barangaroo precinct.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/central-barangaroo-development-takes-big-step-with-concept-proposal-approval">Central Barangaroo development takes big step with concept proposal approval</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-aqualand-joins-st-leonards-apartment-party">First look: Aqualand joins St Leonards apartment party</a> 
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First look: Aqualand pushes ahead with Chatswood apartment tower as SSDA lodged for Archer Street

Mass timber is becoming an increasingly popular construction material in apartment developments, but Adelaide developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/otello">Otello</a> is taking the approach a step further.

At its new <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flowe-bowden-18-gibson-street-bowden-sa-5007">Flowe Bowden</a> development, the exposed cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure isn't just about reducing the building's environmental footprint. It also forms the foundation of a broader wellness strategy, influencing everything from indoor air quality and natural materials to the way residents move through and experience the building.

The 115-apartment mixed-use development, designed by Melbourne-based architecture practice Fieldwork, will occupy a prominent island site opposite Bowden Village Reserve, combining one, two and three-bedroom apartments with retail and a dedicated wellness destination.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375528]

Wellness isn't confined to a gym or shared resident facility at Flowe. Instead, Fieldwork embedded the concept into the building itself.

The development has been split into two residential wings connected by a naturally ventilated central breezeway, replacing traditional enclosed corridors with open-air walkways that improve natural light, encourage cross ventilation and create more opportunities for neighbourly interaction.

"Rather than treating wellness as something that only happens on the ground floor, our response integrates it throughout the building, which led us to ask what it really means to design a healthy building," Fieldwork Director Quino Holland said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375531]

The building's architecture also reflects Bowden's industrial heritage. The lower podium references the area's historic brick and sandstone buildings, while the upper levels transition to exposed CLT, allowing the timber structure to become a defining feature throughout the apartments and shared spaces.

The use of mass timber sits alongside a range of sustainability initiatives, including a fully electric, gas-free design, rooftop solar and a targeted 5 Star Green Star rating.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375524]

Inside the residences, the focus remains on natural, durable materials. Blackbutt engineered timber flooring, exposed CLT ceilings, porcelain surfaces and warm timber joinery create a calming interior palette, while low-VOC finishes and responsibly sourced materials have been selected to improve indoor air quality.

Kitchens have been designed as the centrepiece of each apartment, featuring porcelain island benchtops, timber-look cabinetry and brushed steel tapware, with layouts that maximise natural light and ventilation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375530]

The more traditional interpretation of wellness comes in the form of Level Eleven, a two-storey wellness club spanning the ground floor, mezzanine and first floor.

The facility will include a gym, yoga and reformer Pilates studios, Finnish and infrared saunas, magnesium hot and cold plunge pools, and dedicated recovery spaces. Unlike many residential wellness facilities, Level Eleven will also operate commercially, allowing the broader Bowden community to access the venue while giving residents exclusive membership benefits.

The ground floor has also been designed around everyday living. A café overlooking Bowden Village Reserve will activate the street frontage, while a bike workshop with tool storage, co-working space and dog wash has been incorporated to support daily routines and encourage interaction between residents.

"Flowe brings together my two biggest passions, creating places and creating healthier lives," Otello founder Daniel Harris said.

"We wanted to create something Adelaide hasn't seen before, a genuinely healthy building, where the way you live is lifted without even trying."

Flowe is positioned directly opposite Bowden Village Reserve and within walking distance of Bowden Railway Station and the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, placing future residents just minutes from the Adelaide CBD while remaining connected to one of the city's most established urban renewal precincts.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152022]

Otello launches wellness-focused Flowe Bowden with Adelaide-first mass timber apartment design

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.

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

New South Wales

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After highlighting the region late last year, Property Observer revisits the New South Wales city of Albury to see what has changed in the city’s property market.
<a href="/news">Albury</a> is separated from its twin city of <a href="/news">Wodonga</a> by the Murray River. The city has a population of 50,243 people, which is expected to grow to 68,570 by the end of 2031. Albury’s Gross Regional Product was $2,806 billion in 2013, making its Gross Regional Product per worker $131,784 for the year. This result is slightly under the state Gross Regional Product per capita of $159,021.
The region was raised last year as a potential growth area, with <a href="/news/nsw/investors-advised-albury-one-of-five-regional-nsw-markets-at-bottom-of-property-cycle-herron-todd-white">Herron Todd White’s August 2013 report</a> saying that both houses and units in Albury were at the bottom of the property market cycle.   
According to RP Data, the greater Albury area’s median house price was down 1.9% from the year before, with Albury city’s median house price down 7.5% from 2012.
Earlier that year, Observer <a href="/expert-insights/investing/diversity-is-the-key-to-residential-property-investment-success-terry-ryder">Terry Ryder also cited the area in his “hotspotting"</a> reports due to the region’s “diversity and solidity”, writing that the area avoids exposure to the volatility of economic cycles. 
This sentiment was echoed last year by Peter Drummond of Drummond Real Estate, who told Property Observer that the market was “very normal”.
“There are positive things about the market and some people are predicting it as a bit of a boom town – I think it will remain steady and strong,” he said.
Employment is spread over a range of sectors in Albury, with the majority of the city’s 21,293 workers are employed in health care and social assistance industries, followed by retail sector workers.
To further ensure the strength of the region’s economy, the local government has outlined a Digital Economy Strategy, intended to help businesses “transition into a world that is increasingly digitised”. Albury City and Wodonga City committed to a range of initiatives that it predicts will contribute to Albury-Wodonga’s economy by as much as $571 million per year.
Last month, Albury recorded one of the biggest drops in its vacancy rate, according to the Real Estate Institute of New South Wales. The city’s rental market tightened over the month, dropping 0.5% to 1.6% - the same vacancy rate as Sydney’s inner city. It is now even harder to find rental accommodation in the city than six months ago, when the vacancy rate sat at 1.8%.   
According to RP Data, the city’s median house price was $325,000 for March. Units went for a median price of $167,175 in the same month, though February’s median sale price of $355,000 suggests seasonal variation or a month to month difference in the type of stock sold.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-east+albury-116926095" target="_blank">This home in East Albury is currently on the market</a> through Sue Moss of Zelle Albury, who is quoting $379,000 for the property. 
 <img src="/images/2014/05/15/albury.jpg" alt="">
The three bedroom, two bathroom brick house with a double garage is set on an 863 square metre block. It includes a formal lounge, a gallery kitchen and a separate dining area. It was last advertised for rent at $385 per week.
Feature photo courtesy of Richard Taylor/Flickr/<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons</a>.
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jrichardson-uRX5hFdKfN

Suburb spotlight: Albury market is "steady and strong"

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Hume Coal says it hasn't been stumped by the unhelpful decision of the NSW Resources and Energy department, but admits it has now been forced into reconsidering how it will proceed with the controversial Sutton Forest, South Highlands coal exploration application.
“This decision does not impact current studies including mine planning, environmental assessments and community consultation programmes as the project continues to move towards the formal planning process,’’ Hume Coal project director, Greig Duncan advised locals.
"The project is currently considering how it will proceed with the application,” Mr Duncan said by press release.
The NSW director of environmental sustainability ruled this week that Hume Coal will be required to undertake an environment impact study for its Sutton Forest mining exploration application as it was "likely to significantly affect the environment".
The decision, made under delegation from the Minister for Resources and Energy (DRE) Anthony Roberts, was interpreted by Property Observer as a significant victory against the South Korean company mining plans for the scenic South Highlands locality.
The government decision was official recognition of the concerns of the local resident activists, who have included actor Nicole Kidman and singer Keith Urban.
The South Korean-backed Hume Coal mining company emerged in 2011 as the $8 million buyer of a beef cattle farm virtually on the doorstep of <a href="/expert-insights/investing/nicole-kidman-now-has-cockatoo-coal-as-her-near-neighbours-after-mining-giant-pays-record-price-for-sutton-forest">Nicole Kidman’s peaceful Sutton Forest retreat, Bunya Hill</a>.
The celebrity couple <a href="/news/nsw/nicole-kidman-and-keith-urban-join-anti-coal-protesters-in-nsw-southern-highlands">hung a protest placard on the gates of their $6.5 million Southern Highlands retreat</a> that condemned coal mining in 2012.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/coal-mine-anxiety-for-nicole-kidman-s-sutton-forest-property/2011062150555" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">Kidman was among 424 land owners</a> in the 115-square-kilometre exploration area who were advised in 2011 that 120 test exploration holes would be drilled to check on the size of the coal offerings.
Three years on the latest proposed drilling of up to 90 coal exploration boreholes has been determined as "likely to have a significant impact on the environment," the departmental determination ruled yesterday. 
"DRE is generally concerned that the intensity of the proposed exploration drilling may lead to a significant impact or cumulative impact on the Sutton Forest community."
The report noted the Office of Agricultural Sustainability &amp; Food Security (OASFS) assessed the activity as a medium risk to agriculture due to the amount of drilling across a broad agricultural landscape with sensitive receptors. 
OASFS also identified further agricultural issues of concern as there was little detail on the remediation for any loss of water resources for agriculture. 
Influential 2GB broadcaster Alan Jones said after reporting the departmental decision that it was important to "stop this mob of vandals in their tracks".
"Minister Roberts ...he's not without some guts," he said.
Hume Coal says the decision of the department requests additional environmental assessments to determine the company’s proposed phase three exploration program or for the company to amend the original application.
“The current REF 3 proposal was designed to provide certainty for the community by including the balance of our planned exploration activities together in a single approval document," Mr Duncan suggested.
Hume Coal said their reading of the department's assessment report concluded their exploration was unlikely for there "to be significant impacts on land, flora, fauna or water as a result of the proposed drilling.
"Despite this we have been asked to conduct a more detailed environmental assessment or amend our original application before resubmitting," a seemingly peeved Mr Duncan argued. 
Mr Duncan made no comment on the DRE noting concern that the Phase 3 exploration activity added to the two previous exploration campaigns occurring in recent years may could lead to "a significant cumulative socio- economic impact on the local community."
"Specifically, the intensity of exploration drilling proposed in the REF (i.e. 90 holes) is considered to be a substantial impost on the local community given that the exploration is proposed to occur in a minor portion of the Authorisation area and over a time period of five years.
"It is considered likely that landholders subject to exploration will be significantly affected by a significant number of drill holes occurring on properties of a small to medium size," the DRE report noted.
Photo courtesy of Kate Ausburn/Flickr/<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons</a>.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Hume Coal unhappy at Sutton Forest, Southern Highlands EIS requirement

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The NSW director of environmental sustainability has ruled that Hume Coal will be required to undertake an environment impact study for its controversial Sutton Forest mining application as it was "likely to significantly affect the environment".
The decision, made yesterday under delegation from the Minister for Resources and Energy (DRE) Anthony Roberts, will stall, and potentially derail, the South Korean company mining plans for the scenic South Highlands locality.
The decision follow research by Southern Highlands Coal Action Group (SHCAG) which suggested the groundwater level in the area of the mine could fall by up to 120 metres if the project went ahead.
The government decision is the first time there has been any official recognition of the concerns of the local resident activists who have included actor Nicole Kidman and singer Keith Urban.
The South Korean-backed Hume Coal mining company emerged in 2011 as the $8 million buyer of a beef cattle farm virtually on the doorstep of <a href="/expert-insights/investing/nicole-kidman-now-has-cockatoo-coal-as-her-near-neighbours-after-mining-giant-pays-record-price-for-sutton-forest">Nicole Kidman’s peaceful Sutton Forest retreat, Bunya Hill</a>.
The celebrity couple <a href="/news/nsw/nicole-kidman-and-keith-urban-join-anti-coal-protesters-in-nsw-southern-highlands">hung a protest placard on the gates of their $6.5 million Southern Highlands retreat</a> that condemned coal mining in 2012.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/coal-mine-anxiety-for-nicole-kidman-s-sutton-forest-property/2011062150555" target="_blank">Kidman was among 424 land owners</a> in the 115-square-kilometre exploration area who were advised in 2011 that 120 test exploration holes would be drilled to check on the size of the coal offerings.
Three years on the latest proposed drilling of up to 90 coal exploration boreholes has been determined as "likely to have a significant impact on the environment," the departmental determination ruled yesterday. 
"DRE is generally concerned that the intensity of the proposed exploration drilling may lead to a significant impact or cumulative impact on the Sutton Forest community."
The report noted the Office of Agricultural Sustainability &amp; Food Security (OASFS) assessed the activity as a medium risk to agriculture due to the amount of drilling across a broad agricultural landscape with sensitive receptors. 
OASFS also identified further agricultural issues of concern as there was little detail on the remediation for any loss of water resources for agriculture. 
Influential 2GB broadcaster Alan Jones said today it was important to "stop this mob of vandals in their tracks".
"Minister Roberts ...he's not without some guts," he said.
Photo courtesy of Kate Ausburn/Flickr/<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons</a>.
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Significant victory for Sutton Forest anti-coal activists Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban

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Vacancy rates in Wollongong and the Northern Rivers are now lower than those in the Sydney inner city, according to the latest Real Estate Institute of New South Wales (REINSW) Vacancy Rate Survey.
The number of available residential rental properties available in Wollongong, the Northern Rivers and Albury all fell significantly last month. REINSW President Malcolm Gunning said that Wollongong offered an alternative to Sydney for renters.
“Wollongong vacancy rates have hit lows last seen almost three years ago, with a decline of 0.8% to 1.5%. Across the Illawarra region vacancy rates are at 1.6%, down 0.5%,” said Gunning.
A <a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/rental-properties/3-21-crown-street-wollongong/Property-Details-rent-residential-7080571" target="_blank">two bedroom unit</a> (pictured below) located close to WIN Stadium and the Crown Street mall is currently being offered to renters at $280 per week.
<img src="/images/2014/05/13/3-21-Crown-Street-Wollongong-NSW-2500-Real-Estate-photo-1-large-7080571.jpg" alt="">
“Wollongong is an attractive proposition for those who wish to relocate from Sydney. Its beachside location is a more affordable option for those who are seeking a more relaxed lifestyle and this is putting pressure on the number of properties available,” Gunning said.
The <a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/rental-properties/14-flinders-street-wollongong/Property-Details-rent-residential-7032733" target="_blank">three bedroom house pictured below</a> is available to rent in Wollongong for $430 per week, at a rental yield of 4.3%. It’s a fourteen minute bus ride from Wollongong University, and a 10 minute walk to the beach.
 <img src="/images/2014/05/13/14-Flinders-Street-Wollongong-NSW-2500-Real-Estate-photo-1-large-7032733%201.jpg" alt="">
Gunning noted that low vacancy rates showed that the state’s housing issues extended beyond the capital city.
“It is important for new Premier Mike Baird to take a holistic approach to the housing issues facing the state. It is not isolated to Sydney,” said Gunning.
Vacancy rates for both Albury and the Northern Rivers fell by 0.5% last month. REINSW recorded an April vacancy rate of 1.6% for Albury and 1.5% for the Northern Rivers.
Albury now has the same proportion of properties available to rent as the Sydney inner city market, where the vacancy rate has risen to 1.6%. According to Gunning, the inner city remains Sydney’s tightest market, despite an 0.3% vacancy rate increase.
“In middle Sydney availability rose 0.4% at 2.0% and outer Sydney was up 0.2% at 1.7%,” said Gunning. The Sydney-wide vacancy rate was up 0.3% to 1.7% last month.
Newcastle also saw an increase in its vacancy rate, which rose 0.5% to 3%, despite vacancy rates down by 0.1% overall for the Hunter Region.
Vacancy rates also fell in the South Coast, which dropped by 0.3% to 2.2% for the month, and New England, down 0.1% to 3.4%.
The Central West region has the greatest proportion of rental accommodation available, with vacancy rates jumping 1.4% to 4.9%. Coffs Harbour also saw a slight downturn in its rental market, where the vacancy rate fell 0.2% to 4%.
Observer <a href="/expert-insights/investing/too-late-to-buy-sydney-try-wollongong-or-dubbo-tamworth-and-gunnedah-and-newcastle">Terry Ryder tipped Wollongong</a> as a potential hotspot, noting that the city has defied recession predictions following the downsizing of Bluescope Steel.
"A lot of infrastructure and property development money is pumping into Wollongong and real estate markets are rising," said Ryder.
Photo courtesy of Flickr/<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons</a>.
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Wollongong rental market - tightest for three years - and lowest in NSW: REINSW

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Stannix Park, one of 20 colonial stone farmhouses in the Hawkesbury Valley, remains for sale after its weekend auction.
Selena Mazuran, from the FBI Fashion College, is seeking offers over $2.2 million for her <a href="/news/selena-mazuran-of-fbi-fashion-college-lists-stannix-park-hawkesbury-valley-colonial-farmhouse">colonial stone farmhouse at Wilberforce</a>.
The convict-era homestead dates back to the pioneer settler William Hall and his wife, Dinah, who got a 1839 land grant.
Selena Mazuran bought it in 2009 for $1.225 million, then adding 2,300 square metres of adjoining land in 2012.
The 20-hectare lot on plains between Currency and Howes creeks, now comes with pool, separate studio and stables, and chapel at <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.bresicwhitney.com.au/#!/buy/8940" target="_blank">103 Stannix Park Lane</a>.
It was listed for weekend auction with $2.2 million plus hopes through BresicWhitney agent Walter Burfitt-Williams who passed it in on a $2.2 million vendor bid.
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Colonial Wilberforce farmhouse Stannix Park remains listed

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I’d rather be a seller than a buyer in Sydney in 2014. That’s my general response to a frequently-asked question: is it too late to buy in Sydney?
The time to buy in Sydney to achieve maximum gain from the recent recovery was late in 2012. Most of the Sydney locations I was recommending back then have experienced capital growth between 15% and 20% in the past 12 months. That won’t be repeated in the next year, although there will be further growth.
Some commentators have sought media profile by making the absurd statement that “the property boom is over”.
It has a similar ring to the declaration in mid-2013 that “the resources boom is over”. A year later we still have projects worth around $250 billion under construction, with major new ones (like the $9 billion Roy Hill mine and Galilee Basin projects totalling $30 billion) just getting under way, but if it makes a headline no one seems to care too much about balance or accuracy.
The claim that the “the property boom is over” is equally flimsy and made for the same shallow reason: short-term publicity and the truth be damned.
Sydney’s boom is unlikely to retain the heights of 2013 but growth continues. Melbourne is yet to reach the levels of Sydney. Brisbane and Adelaide are just getting started and are likely to feature among the growth leaders by the end of the year. Perth still has momentum and Hobart, following the election of a new state government, is set for its best year in a long time.
The thing about Sydney is that it’s a very big city, with 700-plus suburbs. There are many locations with activity created by local reasons, rather than city-wide momentum. There will be ongoing growth in specific locations for specific reasons, most of them related to transport infrastructure.
There will investment opportunities from the Badgerys Creek airport, once definitive information about flight paths and infrastructure location is known. The North West Rail Link is advancing, with impacts on real estate along its route to Rouse Hill. Ditto the South West Rail Link. WestConnex will be another game-changer, impacting suburbs such as Westmead.
So the secret to finding further growth in Sydney is to <a href="/expert-insights/investing/follow-the-infrastructure-trail-to-find-future-growth-suburbs">follow the infrastructure trail</a>.
Beyond that, investors can profit by looking outside Sydney to regional New South Wales. When capital cities boom, there is often a ripple effect out to the regions. Two cities not far from Sydney, and advancing for local reasons also, are Wollongong and Newcastle.
Wollongong has defied predictions that it would lapse into recession following economic reversals such as downsizing by Bluescope Steel. One hysterical headline suggested property values would fall 50%. But the Illawarra is the latest example of a regional community fighting back from adverse circumstances. A lot of infrastructure and property development money is pumping into Wollongong and real estate markets are rising.
Others to watch include Dubbo, Tamworth and Gunnedah, as well as Newcastle - which continues to be one of Australia’s most under-rated cities and property markets.
You can contact Terry via   <a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au" target="_blank">email</a> or on <a href="https://www.twitter.com/hotspotting" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.
Image courtesy of Wikipedia/Creative Commons.
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terryryder-YECXbqmri2

Too late to buy Sydney - try Wollongong or Dubbo, Tamworth and Gunnedah, and Newcastle

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The current NSW ICAC hearings which appears to link clandestine property developer payments to the NSW Liberal Party ought trigger the strategic delay, though not the death knell, of key NSW state government's planning reform initiatives.
Can the freshly installed Baird government ministry now be seen to handsomely reward the property development industry with long-desired legislation against the backdrop of alleged corrupt influence over their parliamentary colleagues and hangers on? Ditto the NSW opposition.
The controversial planning and strata legislation were already looking like courageous endeavours with an apprehensive public, but with the ICAC hearings to resume again in August and the March 28, 2015 election looming, both the NSW planning and strata reforms may possibly not deserve to be high on the agenda before the state Parliament rises in late November this year.
It's not to deny that the majority are cleanskins in the government, opposition and property development industry, but the pall over them all just doesn't sit well.
The new Planning Minister Pru Goward certainly doesn't shy away from doing the tough policy implementation - as her public housing housing tenant reforms showed - but already she has acknowledged her planning bill quandary. She understands the community concern over the derailed planning legislation going too far, even without the troubling backdrop that it now sits within.
''She understands there is community concern about getting the planning reforms right and she'll be very keen to listen to the views of everyone involved and work towards getting the balance right,'' her spokesman said on her appointment last month.
Then a few days later after assuming the ministry Pru Goward acknowledged the public perception.
"Development is a very expensive and highly-invested sector, and there will be plenty of people who want me to do what they want to make money for them, and every community in NSW will want me to listen to them," she told News Ltd papers.
Touted as the biggest shake-up in urban planning for three decades, the overhaul has effectively been in limbo since late 2013 when the Labor opposition and the minor upper house parties forced major changes, with 51 amendments. The government's plan to fast track the approval process for code-complying developments in high growth areas within a 25 day period was struck out in the upper house along with the intention to have the economic significance of mining projects deemed a principal consideration in the approval process.
The other key reform, and gift to urban renewal property developers, is the so-called "collective sales and renewals" initiative which will allow developers to evict strata home owners from their apartments. The renewals policy will actually force elderly owner occupiers out of their homes by developers. 
Currently 100% of strata lot owners have to agree to any replacement and redevelopment.
The property development industry has successfully lobbied the state government to reduce that to a 75% threshold with conciliation and mediation to encourage consensus.
The 75% threshold is a very generous threshold especially as each lot will have one vote, the decision will not be based on the more worthy unit entitlement. It is extraordinary that on such an important issue the lawmakers would seek to have the penthouse owner's voting entitlement the same as the viewless studio down near the laundry in the basement.
Yes it will start slowly with select blocks mostly with water views, but I think there will be an outcry once the electorate understands the disruptive compulsory eviction outcome, let alone The Castle movie-like denial of rights to ownership.
Of course the government has done the talk to the stakeholders routine, but once it filters down to the property ownership constituency there will be no tolerance of the 'Making NSW No.1 Again: Shaping Future Communities' spin. 
Hardly an initiative I'd suggest that reflects the moniker of the NSW Fair Trading department, but rather a scheme that developers have won from lobbying Macquarie Street.
One legislative clause apparently gives all lot owners and mortgagees just 60 days to consider the proposal and to seek independent advice. Hardly fair if you've been resident for many decades, and betcha the wishful stay-put strata owners get their letters early December, just before the lengthy Christmas summer holidays.
Compulsory acquisition by local council and state and national governments has been around in some form for ever for development purposes when they consider this to be in the best interest of the community - and leaves a sour aftermath, but this legislation is handing private nest eggs over to a ambitious private developer. It will involve resumptions eventually on a scale perhaps not seen since farmers lost land for the 1940s postwar soldiers settlements. Milder metropolitan dispossessions subsequently took place on the Macquarie University construction at North Ryde, the Eastern Suburbs railway line, and the Gore Hill freeway, all for the community benefit by government.
This time the supposed net public benefit is going to be harder to cop, especially in the face of big profits for developers. The proposed legislation is really just making life easier, and cheaper, for the developer who view the task of getting 100% as taking too much time and profit.
I don't see why the legislation can't have a graded threshold of say 95% where the building is less than 15 years old and 85% if the building is more than 15 years old. As we already occasionally see amalgamations can happen, and did so recently along the Cronulla beachfront when the Sunland Group consolidated a 2,398 square metre Prince Street site - from nine separate sellers - and then got approval for 12 luxury apartments.
There have now been three Fair Trading ministers with carriage of the task over the past seven months.
Anthony Roberts, the then Fair Trading Minister, told the Strata Community Australia (NSW) last November that the government’s commitment to change has been responding to the community’s calls to modernise the state’s strata laws.
NSW was the first jurisdiction in the world to introduce strata title laws, back in 1961, so there is no doubting they need modernisation, and the economic boost that will come from infill housing, rather than greenfields development. Some 30% of residential strata schemes in the Sydney metropolitan area were registered more than 30 years ago.
Only 826 strata schemes have been terminated since 1961, out of over 72,000 schemes in New South Wales.
Almost all of these terminations have been made following an application to the Registrar General unanimously signed by the lot owners, with only five schemes being terminated by Supreme Court orders.
It is estimated that more than 30% of the State’s population live or work in strata and within two decades around half of NSW’s population will be living or working in strata.
Roberts said the government was undertaking a landmark reconsideration of the strata and community schemes legislation, which will lead to important reforms in the sector in 2014. Termination of a strata scheme without the unanimous support of all apartment owners occurs in countries including Singapore, New Zealand and the United States.
It was Robert's aim of the bill being introduced to Parliament early this year and to commence the new laws by the middle of this year.
Then Fair Trading Minister Stuart Ayres drafted legislation for cabinet approval this month, with hopes to table it in Parliament this month too.
Yesterday MLC Matthew Mason-Cox was appointed the latest Fair Trading minister.
He might reconsider the specifics of the drafts.
It's not just the Liberals who've found the going tough.
Previous Labor governments have averted the emotional legislative debate about property rights with developers expressing their frustrations since the days of the NSW premier Bob Carr.
Then in 2007 the Planning Minister, Frank Sartor, had plans for the Morris Iemma cabinet to drop the threshold to less than 100%, but a decision was made at the last minute to retain the status quo.
The Keneally government envisaged similar legislation in 2010. 
Stand by to watch the potential evictees heading off to the High Court with the Magna Carta of 1215 and the more recent Mabo judgment.
The drama of dozens of Daryl Kerrigans, mimicking the lines from the film The Castle, will be a news feast since compulsory acquisition is almost un-Australian.
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Corrupt influence backdrop ought stall overly generous NSW strata and planning initiatives

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Eling Forest Vineyard, the Southern Highlands of NSW boutique winery, has been sold.
Located just west of Sutton Forest village, the 73 hectare property has been bought by the Wang family for $5.8 million.
<a href="https://www.andrewhearn.com.au/listings/rural_sale-93411-sutton-forest/" target="_blank">It had been listed</a> by interests associated with Warwick Wainberg through Andrew Hearn at the Berrima based Andrew Hearn Real Estate.
The buyers were Wei Guo Wang, Wei Min Wang, Chen Yang Wang and Pei Hong Cao.
It last traded in 2005 at $600,000.
It highlights the Southern Highlands stature as one of Australia's most exciting new wine regions, though still not a patch on the Hunter Valley which has been attracting strong Chinese buying interest in recent years.
The Southern Highlands' first wine producer in recent times was Kim Mogine at Joadja in 1983. There were about 50 vineyards in the region by 2000 that spanned 145 hectares within Australia's newest wine region better known for its tulips.
Cool climate vineyards were first planted at Joadja Creek in the 1870s, supplying Sydney with table grapes.
Established in 1990, Eling Forest was the second modern winery to be established in the cool climate area, with its first wines produced in 1993. 
Its first vines were planted by Leslie Fritz, who was then 80, and came from a long line of winemakers in Hungary. The then 157 hectare holding had cost $1.9 million in 1989.
The grapes are handpicked and vines hand pruned in the traditional manner at the Hume Highway property, with the wine fermented in stainless steel vats, then aged in American and French oak barrels. 
<a href="https://www.elingforest.com.au/cafe-a-cellar-door/gallery" target="_blank">About 120,000 bottles are currently produced plus "Apple Thief" ciders.</a>
The cool climate vineyard produces white and red wine varieties and blends sold through is cellar door which is open seven days a week.
There is an 1840 colonial homestead - restored in 2005 during the ownership of Ron Fryer - and other living quarters that provides accommodation in picturesque gardens tendered to at one point by Clause Crowe. 
It comes with function centre that caters for up to 200.
The former boxer Fortunato "Lucky" Gattellari and his brother Frank briefly bought into Eling Forest Winery, initially securing a small stake around 2003. Their venture, which soon soured, <a href="https://articles.chicagotribune.com/2003-01-22/entertainment/0301220080_1_winemaking-wine-bottle-australian" target="_blank">attracted international media interest</a>.
Other major vineyards in the highlands include the Centennial Vineyards at Bowral, established by the co-founders of Cellarmasters, John Piven Large and his partner, Mark Dowling.
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Eling Forest, Sutton Forest vineyard sold to Chinese interests

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New South Wales' Lake Macquarie has recorded a 20% increase in sales transactions over the past two years, results from PRDnationwide's Property Watch report have calculated.
This result aligns with $100 million of spending from public and private enterprises on ew facilities, such as the Cameron Park Marketplace shopping centre, stores and a new train station at Cardiff.
Harrison Hall, a PRDnationwise research analyst, said that new developments will cater for employment opportunities in the contruction industry.
“We've seen median house prices soar by 6.4% over the past two years and the unit market is following a similar pattern,” Hall explained.
“The investment in public amenities, new property developments and care facilities for an ageing demographic combined with its proximity to the burgeoning economic centre of Newcastle is certainly boding well for Lake Macquarie's real estate industry.”
PRDnationwide expanded further in Lake Macquarie at the end of 2013.
Entry prices have <a href="/news">gathered strong pace in Cardiff</a>, a Lake Macquarie suburb, over the past few years. The median house price is currently at $363,500.
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia/Creative Commons.
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jduke-EHk3XBmHkn

Lake Macquarie records 20% sales increase over two years

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Selena Mazuran, from the FBI Fashion College, has listed her colonial stone farmhouse Stannix Park at Wilberforce in NSW's Hawksbury.
The convict-era homestead dates back to the pioneer settler William Hall and his wife, Dinah, who got a 1839 land grant.
It was Max and Lorna Hatherly who commissioned heritage architect Ian Stapleton to oversee its restoration in the late 1980s. Max was a professor of metallurgy.
Selena Mazuran bought it from them in 2009 for $1.225 million, then adding 2300 square metres of adjoining land in 2012.
The 20-hectare lot on plains between Currency and Howes creeks, now comes with pool, separate studio and stables, and chapel at <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.bresicwhitney.com.au/#!/buy/8940" target="_blank">103 Stannix Park Lane</a>.
It has been listed for 10 May auction with $2.2 million plus hopes through BresicWhitney agent Walter Burfitt-Williams.
The Georgian estate was for William Hall who had arrived in Australia in 1810 as a missionary aide to the Reverend Samuel Marsden. It combines a sandstone coach-house and residence, a rare combination reminiscent of its early English derivation, although Title Tattle sees the latest marketing says it's French Colonial.
The steep 55-degree pitched roof is of jerkin head design.
Title Tattle seems to recall the coach-house has a keystone dated 1839 with the initials H.H., presumed to be Henry Hall, William Hall's son.
Hall also had a large house in Sydney on the corner of Pitt and Liverpool streets. 
Stannix Park is one of 20 colonial stone farmhouses in the Hawkesbury Valley.
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