&nbsp;

Developer GURNER™ Group has revealed $1.65 billion in residential sales nationally across the 12 months to December 2025, driven largely by the continued momentum of its Docklands wellness-focused precinct, Elysium Fields.

The sales result was generated across seven projects in Victoria and New South Wales, headlined by Elysium Fields, GURNER™’s $2.75 billion mixed-use precinct planned for Harbour Esplanade in Docklands.

The project has recorded more than $500 million in sales across the first three towers, equating to around 580 apartments sold.

The first tower, Helios, has now sold out of its 240 private residences, with GURNER™ preparing to release a premium penthouse collection comprising 15 three-bedroom penthouses in coming weeks.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370975]

Elysium Fields is being developed on the long-held 20,000 sqm Docklands site at 208-226 Harbour Esplanade, which had remained undeveloped for more than two decades prior to GURNER™ taking over the project around four years ago.

Construction has now commenced across four towers ranging between 18 and 30 storeys, with Hamilton Marino and Maxcon appointed as builders.

Once complete, the precinct is expected to comprise around 1,100 residences, alongside retail, hospitality and public realm uses integrated throughout the site.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370981]

Designed by Fraser &amp; Partners in collaboration with GURNER™ Design House, the project has been positioned around the developer’s broader focus on wellness-led residential living.

“We don’t sell apartments. We create a true luxury lifestyle that simply doesn’t exist elsewhere in the market today,” Founder and Executive Chairman Tim Gurner said.

“To deliver that requires an extraordinary level of detail, coordination and discipline across multiple verticals, from design and hospitality through to wellness and service.”

“We’ve always believed that living extends far beyond the physical residence. It’s about how you feel the moment you arrive, how you live day-to-day, and the ecosystem that supports that.” 
[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370977]

The project’s design places a heavy focus on landscaping, wellness amenities and biophilic design principles.

Plans include around 3,700 sqm of landscaped gardens and open space throughout the precinct, alongside a retail and dining offering spanning approximately 5,000 sqm.

The broader public realm strategy centres around what GURNER™ describes as the “Path of Life”, an urban forest and landscaped pedestrian environment intended to connect the various buildings and wellness spaces across the precinct.

The apartments themselves will incorporate a range of wellness-focused inclusions, including purified air and water systems, circadian lighting, antimicrobial surfaces, and optional in-home wellness upgrades.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370980]

Gurner said the company’s experience through its Saint Haven wellness clubs had directly informed the residential offering now being incorporated into Elysium Fields.

“We’re seeing a clear global shift toward longevity, performance and proactive health,” Gurner said.

“Our role is to deliver that in a way that feels seamless, highly private and beautifully resolved within the environments we create.”

A large component of the wellness offering is planned through the resident amenity and health facilities proposed within the precinct.

That includes plans for bathing and recovery facilities spread throughout the towers, incorporating mineral pools, saunas, steam rooms, flotation therapy, red light therapy and wellness lounges.

The developer is also seeking approvals for what it describes as a “reverse ageing medical clinic” within the precinct.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370978]

According to project information released by the group, the proposed facility would include cryotherapy, IV infusion therapy, infrared and dry saunas, PEMF beds, MRIs, DEXA scans, brain scans and blood analysis services.

Within the first tower, Helios, residents will also have access to a dedicated amenity offering known as the Sky Private Club.

The upper 15 levels of the building will include private lounges, dining spaces, rooftop amenities and optional private wellness studios integrated within residences.

The Helios tower itself comprises 260 apartments ranging between 60 sqm and 300 sqm, including a collection of penthouses.

That includes a planned two-storey penthouse spanning around 600 sqm with uninterrupted bay views.

The Elysium Fields precinct is being delivered in partnership with Digital Harbour Holdings, a consortium that includes the Liberman family, which controls the development rights across the Docklands site.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370979]

The sales result comes as GURNER™ continues expanding its national development pipeline beyond Victoria.

“We have a strong pipeline across Australia and are now focused on scaling into key markets including New South Wales and Queensland, while continuing to build on our Melbourne base,” Gurner said.

“We currently have more than $3 billion in the market, growing to over $5 billion by October, and expect to materially outperform last year in the 2026 calendar year.”

The result also reflects the continued strength of the upper-end apartment market in Melbourne, particularly for owner-occupier-focused product with large-scale amenity and lifestyle offerings.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=144441]

Record result anchored by the Group’s “utopian” Elysium Fields precinct – defying market headwinds in Docklands.

Joel Robinson

Elysium Fields drive Gurner to $1.65 billion in apartment sales over 2025

National Australia Bank (NAB) will fund <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/palmera-residences-gold-coast-18-garfield-terrace-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Palmera</a>, a $1 billion, 52-level luxury residential tower being developed by Central Equity in one of the Gold Coast’s most tightly held coastal locations at Northcliffe.

The project, launched recently by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/central-equity">Central Equity</a>, one of Victoria’s largest private residential developers, comes at a time when construction funding for large residential developments has become increasingly competitive as lenders tighten exposure to the sector.

Multiplex has been appointed the builder, and construction is now underway.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365784]

Since its first project, Central Equity has delivered more than 85 residential developments with a combined end value exceeding $8 billion.

Palmera reflects Central Equity’s growing focus on the Gold Coast luxury apartment market and continues a relationship between Central Equity and NAB that dates back to the late 1980s, when the bank funded one of Melbourne’s earliest inner-city residential towers at a time when high-rise apartment living in the CBD was largely unproven.

“NAB’s funding of Central Equity’s $36 million CBD development in the late 1980’s to the financing of the billion-dollar tower today highlights the long-term relationship between the two organisations in delivering major residential projects” said Central Equity Founder and Chairman Eddie Kutner.

He said NAB’s early support was instrumental in helping establish the company’s development model.

“When we commenced our first residential tower in the late 1980s the concept of funding off-the-plan apartments was still largely untested in Australia,” Kutner said.

“NAB recognised the opportunity early and supported the project when others were uncertain. That relationship has now continued for more than 37 years across many developments.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365771]

Central Equity was established in 1987 when Melbourne’s CBD and Southbank precinct were still dominated by warehouses and commercial buildings. Fewer than 100 residents lived in Southbank at the time, and large-scale residential development in the inner city was not widely considered.

Recognising changing demographics and lifestyle preferences, the company began developing high-rise residential projects designed to bring permanent residents into the city centre.

Central Equity has provided accommodation for approximately 40,000 residents across Melbourne’s CBD and Southbank, while also incorporating supporting infrastructure including essential lifestyle facilities like retail spaces, childcare facilities and neighbourhood activity centres.

Central Equity has spent many years assembling the Palmera development site on the corner of Garfield Terrace and Frederick Street in Northcliffe, creating a supersite of around 3,300 sqm.

The developer said the Palmera apartment tower reflects its long-term view of the Gold Coast as a growing and increasingly diversified economy.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365768]

Supported by infrastructure including the light rail network, major road upgrades expanded education, hospital and medical facilities and continued expansion at the Gold Coast Airport with more internation and domestic flights.

Positioned in the tightly held Northcliffe precinct, the 52-level tower will deliver 347 apartments, targeting buyers seeking a high-end coastal lifestyle, from downsizers to interstate investors.

Designed by Marchese Partners with interiors by DBI, Palmera has been conceived as a next-generation residential offering, featuring a collection of oversized apartments, with premium three-bedroom residences offering sweeping northern views stretching from Surfers Paradise through to Burleigh Heads.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=108274]

NAB funds $1 billion Surfers Paradise apartment development, Palmera

Two years after completing one of the newest developments in North Sydney, developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/aqualand-australia">Aqualand</a> is turning its attention to the rapidly evolving St Leonards apartment market.

The developer, which completed AURA by Aqualand on North Sydney's Walker Street, has lodged plans for a 5,918 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/33-37-herbert-street-st-leonards-nsw-2065">33-37 Herbert Street, St Leonards,</a> seeking approval for a pair of residential towers rising above a shared podium opposite Royal North Shore Hospital.

The proposal forms part of the broader transformation underway across the St Leonards-Crows Nest precinct, where former industrial and commercial sites are increasingly being redeveloped into high-density mixed-use projects tied to major transport infrastructure.

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2cc428cf-fe70-4cac-9cd5-264ad53af62c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.56%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=otKSnHtbjAvAddOnovyXQMgcAwE6DMe1" />

According to the planning documents, the site sits “within the St Leonards–Crows Nest Strategic Centre, identified by the NSW Government as a key area for accommodating future jobs and housing across Sydney.”

The proposal has been designed by fjcstudio, formerly FJMT Studio, and is being progressed through the State Significant Development pathway due to its scale and affordable housing provision.

The scheme would comprise 413 apartments, including 46 affordable housing units, alongside retail and commercial uses fronting Herbert Street. The project would also include communal open space, landscaping, a swimming pool, gymnasium, children’s play areas and podium-level resident amenities.

Planning documents show the development would consist of a part-13, part-39 storey tower form positioned above a four-storey podium.

“The development comprises a unified podium that activates the street interface, and two setback towers to accommodate new housing supply while maintaining an appropriate human scale at ground level,” fjcstudio noted in its Design Report.

The northern and southern towers have been shaped to respond to the surrounding skyline while also limiting overshadowing impacts to nearby public open space, particularly Talus Reserve.

The design report said the differing tower heights were intended to “contribute to a varied skyline while responding to the surrounding built form context and solar access considerations.”

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="36da62dc-ff9e-41f2-a7e3-7be38373751c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.45%E2%80%AFAM_0.png?VersionId=Mo6Rp2r.XRLTzIfg_PEEpw8NepDH8UBs" />

The site sits directly opposite Royal North Shore Hospital and within walking distance of both St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

While the site itself sits just outside the formal Crows Nest Transport Oriented Development boundary, the planning documents repeatedly reference its alignment with the broader TOD objectives reshaping the Lower North Shore.

“The site is located adjacent to St Leonards Station and in close proximity to Crows Nest Metro which is within the Crows Nest Transit Orientated Development Accelerated Precinct which has been identified by the NSW Government to support housing delivery,” the Design Verification Statement noted.

According to fjcstudio, the project has been designed to respond to the broader transition occurring across St Leonards, where increasing residential density is being concentrated around transport infrastructure and employment hubs.

“The broader precinct is undergoing significant change, with a mix of existing mid-rise buildings and newer high-density developments,” the report stated.

“Recent and approved projects indicate a consistent shift toward taller built form, typically organised as tower-and-podium typologies with more active ground levels.”

The proposal includes close to 6,000 sqm of retail and commercial space across the ground floor and podium levels, designed to create a more activated street edge along Herbert Street.

Aqualand’s plans would also introduce a landscaped podium shared between the two towers, with communal open space in the form of a podium rooftop designed to support resident interaction and improve urban greening outcomes. The scheme would also introduce pocket parks at the northern and southern ends of the site, including a landscaped area at the corner of Herbert and Ella streets designed to improve pedestrian amenity and soften the streetscape.

&nbsp;

The proposal is being progressed through the NSW Government’s Housing Delivery Authority pathway, which was introduced to accelerate housing supply across the state. The application was declared State Significant Development in April 2025 following an expression of interest process.

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="faf6d97d-2671-454f-b85a-fe1c6a7be608" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.49%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=diVd28OBVr5.YV.7prrOz.uAanwwwm7a" />

St Leonards has been particularly active with new developments in recent weeks. Developer SP Setia’s <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-sp-setia-targets-st-leonards-skyline-with-40-storey-tod-tower">plans for a new 42-storey tower</a> recently went on exhibition through the same pathway, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">Stockland’s 52-storey tower proposal</a> was also recently unveiled.

Aside from the St Leonards project, which is expected to take around nine months to move through the approvals process ahead of a potential 2027 launch, Aqualand is also preparing to launch Boronia, a new apartment project in Roseville comprising around 111 apartments on Larkin Street.

The developer also has approvals in place for the next stage of the Barangaroo precinct, which will feature new residential, retail, hospitality and community uses, alongside a new metro entry across the five-hectare site.

More than 50 new retail destinations are planned for Central Barangaroo, alongside a 270-metre-long boulevard connecting Hickson Park to Nawi Cove. Together with Harbour Park, more than 50 per cent of the precinct will comprise public open space and parkland.

First look: Aqualand joins St Leonards apartment party

<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-5" data-turn="user" data-turn-id="e65dbe94-e3b6-47f7-b62a-9cbb30c9bf79" data-turn-id-container="e65dbe94-e3b6-47f7-b62a-9cbb30c9bf79" dir="auto">Time &amp; Place’s plans to transform the former David Jones factory building in Surry Hills into a mixed-use residential precinct have gone on exhibition through the NSW Government’s In-fill Affordable Housing pathway.</section>

<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-6" data-turn="assistant" data-turn-id="request-WEB:f4d533b7-64a5-413d-86fd-5c99649c2b73-2" data-turn-id-container="request-WEB:f4d533b7-64a5-413d-86fd-5c99649c2b73-2" dir="auto">
The Marlborough House proposal, lodged for the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/marlborough-house-47-97-marlborough-street-surry-hills-nsw-2010">47-97 Marlborough Street</a> site, would see the adaptive reuse of the heritage-listed warehouse building alongside the construction of new residential additions and a separate apartment building on the northern portion of the site.

The proposal seeks approval for 172 apartments across three buildings, including 15 per cent affordable housing managed by a community housing provider for at least 15 years from occupation.

<img alt="Marlborough" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5d1d3c2a-bf13-47d6-a335-7c01102cdee1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.29.36%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=cjMYrbR.BLUlWH4dar0RVDDo0bG.u2YT" />

Interior view from the Northern Building Penthouse overlooking the park

&nbsp;

The redevelopment is planned for the prominent 3,413 sqm site bounded by Marlborough Street, Goodlet Street and Lansdowne Street, directly opposite Eddie Ward Park and around 200 metres from the Surry Hills light rail stop.

Time &amp; Place acquired the former David Jones building in 2024, marking the first time the property had changed hands in around 50 years.

Designed by Wardle, the proposal centres around the adaptive reuse of the former David Jones factory, originally constructed between 1913 and 1935 in the Inter-War Chicagoesque architectural style.

Wardle noted in its Architectural Design Report that the building “occupies a significant place in the industrial and cultural history of Surry Hills” and at its peak was “the largest department store manufacturing facility in Australia, employing over 800 people and fuelling the growth of Sydney’s fashion and retail industries.”

The practice said the project positions itself “not as an isolated intervention, but as a contributor to the civic, social, and architectural grain of the precinct.”

The proposal would deliver 75 apartments within the retained southern heritage building, 59 apartments within the central addition, and a further 38 apartments within the new northern building fronting Lansdowne Street.

Planning documents show the scheme would comprise a mix of heritage apartments, new-build apartments, townhouses and penthouses.

<img alt="Marlborough" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="57758518-40a3-4b83-958c-d06e96a2cffa" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.29.42%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=VerlX9ST5xgBi8.1_YRsqdWTJeT6ygjs" />Interior View of the Heritage Building Apartment

The development would also include a ground-floor retail tenancy on the corner of Marlborough and Lansdowne streets, rooftop communal open space, a landscaped pedestrian link along the western edge of the site, and basement parking accessed from Lansdowne Street via a car stacker system.

&nbsp;

The scheme emerged from a competitive design process run by Urbis, with Wardle ultimately selected as the winning architect ahead of FJC Studio, TZG, Architectus and Wilkinson Eyre.

The Design Integrity Panel later described several aspects of the Wardle scheme as fundamental to the project, including “the stepped character of the new addition to the north of the site”, the landscaped western pedestrian link, and the “garden arrival” experience separating the original Marlborough House from the heritage addition.

Wardle’s design heavily references the site’s industrial and heritage history, while also responding to the surrounding Surry Hills streetscape.

The Architectural Design Report describes Surry Hills as “a finely grained neighbourhood with beautiful and expressive brickworks throughout the suburb,” with the proposal introducing a material palette intended to sit comfortably alongside the existing warehouse fabric and neighbouring terraces.

The report also outlines the project’s relationship with Eddie Ward Park and the broader landscape context of the area.

“Marlborough House occupies a site of deep cultural memory and the neighbouring Eddie Ward Park is of local ecological significance, where natural systems, topography, and stories have long shaped human experience,” Wardle noted in the report.

The architects said the proposal sought to “rebind built form to Country” through landscape, materiality and the adaptive reuse of the heritage structure.

<img alt="Marlborough House" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9ae3f2f9-c85f-477a-a6f8-b43f6cb97c41" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.29.53%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=B.qUCLqRvJOR.n9CvYcTpaknIX9LuqKZ" />

The project is also being progressed under the NSW Government’s in-fill affordable housing provisions, allowing developments that include affordable housing to access additional height and floor space incentives.

Under the plans, 2,593 sqm of the project’s floor space would be dedicated to affordable housing, slightly exceeding the required 15 per cent threshold.

In its Design Excellence Strategy, Urbis said the project aimed to “sensitively adapt and enhance the heritage-listed building on site through alterations and additions that preserve its historical significance” while delivering “high-quality market and infill affordable housing development in Surry Hills.”

Time &amp; Place has been one of the most active developers nationally in the last 12 to 24 months. Late last year they completed&nbsp;The Queensbridge in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/southbank-vic-3006">Southbank</a>, a mixed-use tower with 353 apartments and a hotel. They are currently selling Park Modern, 246 apartments near the famous Botanic Gardens in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/south-melbourne-vic-3205">South Melbourne</a>, and have future projects, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-wilmot-173-burke-road-28-hope-street-glen-iris-vic-3146">The Wilmot</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/glen-iris-vic-3146">Glen Iris</a>, the redevelopment of the Northcote Plaza, and another tower in South Melbourne.

The developer broke into Sydney just a few years ago with Two Tides in Manly. They have another project nearby, which is at the ultra-luxury end of the market on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/shoreline-manly-beach-89-90-north-steyne-manly">North Steyne</a>, fronting the beach.

It is also continuing to work through the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-time-place-settles-on-design-for-the-chimes-potts-point-redevelopment">redevelopment of The Chimes building</a> on Macleay Street in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/potts-point-nsw-2011">Potts Point</a>, as well as a project on <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/time-place-to-take-on-mosman-apartment-market">Mosman's Redan Street</a>.
</section>

First look: Time & Place unveils Marlborough House redevelopment designs for former David Jones warehouse in Surry Hills

The residential transformation of St Kilda Road is set to continue into with more new apartment plans for the sought-after boulevard.

Wing Tai Asia has lodged plans for a major residential tower at 464-466 St Kilda Road, replacing the former VACC House with an 18-storey mixed-use development designed around a retained heritage podium and a sculpted contemporary tower.

The proposal, prepared under Victoria’s Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway, would deliver 325 apartments and ground-floor retail across the prominent 4,653 sqm boulevard site in Melbourne’s St Kilda Road North Precinct.

The project centres on the adaptive reuse of the site’s heritage-listed VACC Building, an eight-storey office designed by Bernard Evans that has occupied the address for decades. Planning documents state the development would involve “carefully dismantling and conserving off-site the original metal fabric of the podium visible from St Kilda Road,” before reinstating it as the defining frontage of the new scheme.

Above the restored podium, Wing Tai is proposing a curvilinear residential tower. The scheme includes 172 one-bedroom apartments, 63 two-bedroom apartments, 66 three-bedroom apartments, and 24 four-bedroom apartments, alongside two ground-floor food and beverage tenancies fronting St Kilda Road.

The tower has been designed with substantial articulation and variable setbacks to minimise perceived bulk and maintain view corridors along the boulevard. Urbis, which prepared the planning report, said the design “has been significantly articulated through a curvilinear design” with “an interplay with materials, façade expression and depth” to create visual separation and visual interest.

The proposal also includes 254 basement car spaces, landscaped pedestrian links connecting St Kilda Road and Queens Lane, and a biophilic landscape strategy featuring canopy trees, raised planters, cascading greenery and a glass oculus pool overlooking the eastern frontage.

Planning documents confirm the $270.1 million development will contribute 3 per cent of project costs to the Social Housing Growth Fund as part of the application process.

Wing Tai acquired the St Kilda Road property in 2018 alongside Abacus Property Group for $95.38 million, before later consolidating ownership of the site. The property previously served as the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce headquarters for around 60 years.

The transformation of the St Kilda Rd boulevard is already beginning to materialise, with a number of high-profile projects recently completed, launched, or approaching launch as developers continue to back the long-term appeal of the precinct.

Among the most notable recent completions is Louise by Samuel Property Group, just off the strip on Queens Lane, the same pocket Hirsch &amp; Faigen recently launched The Queensbury. Mirvac is too on the same street with The Albertine, which is approaching completion.

Dexus recently secured approval for its slice of St Kilda Road, while Gurner also has approved plans for the precinct.

Wing Tai unveils 325-apartment St Kilda Road tower on former VACC House site

The Block

<html><body><div class="tg-tlc-storybody_intro">
Will and Karlie were the winners of this year's The Block in Port Melbourne, with their ground floor garden apartment snapped up by an investor.
However, despite finishing in last place, the penthouse apartment of Kim and Chris ranks as the best for depreciation, according to experts.
Their analysis shows the New South Wales couple's apartment showing a first year deducation of around $87,470 and a total deduction of about $2,448,042.
This money can only be claimed because the buyers of the apartment were investors. They paid $2,305,000 at the auction on Sunday night.
The apartment of the team that finished second last, Geelong best mates Andy and Ben, offered the second highest level of depreciation, with a total of $2,401,413 claimable.
Buyers qualify for deductions upwards of about $80,000 in the first year, totalling more than $2 million after 11-plus years of ownership, according to numbers crunched by BMT Quantity Surveyors.
<table style="height: 233px; width: 511px;" border="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td>Contestants </td>
<td>First year</td>
<td>Total</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: left;">
Kim and Chris
</td>
<td style="text-align: left;">$87,470</td>
<td style="text-align: left;">$2,448,042</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: left;">
Ben and Andy
</td>
<td style="text-align: left;">$85,718</td>
<td style="text-align: left;">$2,401,413</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: left;">Julia and Sasha</td>
<td style="text-align: left;">$81,004</td>
<td style="text-align: left;">$2,230,438</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: left;">Dan and Carleen</td>
<td style="text-align: left;">$79,649</td>
<td style="text-align: left;">$2,187,954</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: left;">Will and Karlie</td>
<td style="text-align: left;">$77,324</td>
<td style="text-align: left;">$2,124,227</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
 
No doubt the additional cash flow property investors receive from depreciation will assist them when crunching their numbers to make purchase decisions.
BMT said some property investors did not realise the significant deductions they could claim.
“Research suggests that 80 percent of property investors fail to take full advantage of property depreciation."
To learn more about depreciation, download our handy guide from Washington Brown <a href="http://propertyobserver.com.au/forward-planning/tools/ebooks-and-webinars/59939-four-property-depreciation-myths-that-investors-need-to-know-washington-brown" target="_blank">here</a>.
 
</div></body></html>

jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Which apartment in The Block was best for investors with depreciation?

<html><body>
Comedian Dave Hughes was in attendance in Port Melbourne as The Block apartments went under the hammer on Sunday night.
Despite registering to bid for one of the five apartments, Hughes did not raise his number 23 paddle during the televised finale.
Picture taken from Dave's Instagram.
<img class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" src="https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/11/14/02/3A59B98500000578-3933182-image-m-34_1479089579409.jpg" alt="Paddle shy: A strange experience which saw the father-of-three buy a house when he passed an auction while walking his dog left him concerned to raise his paddle" width="369" height="380">
The comedian spoke about his exprience to Matt and Meshel on KISS FM on Monday morning.
His main issues were with the height of the ceilings in the upper level apartments and the difficulty of parking.
'You've got one car port and you've gotta walk quite a way to get to the car port,' he said.
'There's no parking people!'
Hughes did however go on to suggest how 'extraordinary' the building was.
Picture taken from Nine.
<img class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" src="https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/11/14/02/3A537ACD00000578-3933182-image-a-27_1479089064581.jpg" alt="'The building itself is extraordinary': Dave said The Block overall was impressive, but he was let down by minor details" width="383" height="221">
Dave had learned from previous mistakes and didn't bid. He has previously purchased a house on a whim before.
A few years ago he walked past an auction walking his dog and came home with a house. He said he would not do it again.
'If that mistaken bidding thing hadn't happened years ago and I wasn't living in that house right now, I would have put my paddle up,' he said.
'But because of that, I realised you can't just bid for fun.' 
<div class="artSplitter mol-img-group">
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<div class="share-pictures-overlay">Dave said it was obvious that Will and Karlie's apartment was going to win as he suggested their ceilings were the highest and they got smaller and smaller the higher up the building you went.
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<div id="share-pictures-2" class="share-pictures-overlay">'I was at the first one that went, the ground floor - the best apartment - the one that won,' he said.</div>
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'It won because the ceilings were really high, as you get up higher the ceilings get lower and lower.'
 
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Comedian Dave Hughes attends The Block final auctions

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<div class="tg-tlc-storybody_intro">Former Block contestants Dan Reilly and Dani Wales have listed Seddon House after two years of restoration.</div>
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<div class="tg-tlc-storybody_intro">A price guide of $1.1 million plus has been given to the now three bedroom home that was previously an untouched Victorian. </div>
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<div class="tg-tlc-storybody_intro">The couple paid $462,000 for the home after filming concluded for The Block All Stars season in mid-2013. </div>
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<div class="tg-tlc-storybody_intro">It <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-seddon-123982822" target="_blank">now features a modern two-storey extension</a> clad in timber at the rear.</div>
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<div class="tg-tlc-storybody_intro">An open plan living an dining area spill onto an out door deck.</div>
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<div class="tg-tlc-storybody_intro">Their renovation, including updating the Victorian facade, has come at a cost of around $400,000. They have lived in the home for nearly a year.</div>
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<div class="tg-tlc-storybody_intro">Gerard Hannah and Marty Rankin at Villa Real Estate Seddon have set an auction date of November 26.</div>
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<div class="tg-tlc-storybody_intro">The couple competied on the 2012 and 2013 series of the show but Dan, a carpenter by trade, returned last year as a partner to 'Foreman' Keith.</div>
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<div class="tg-tlc-storybody_intro">He himself was known as 'Foredan'.</div>
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<div class="tg-tlc-storybody_intro">They also run design and construction company Red Door Project.</div>
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Seddon House, renovated by former Blockheads Dan and Dani, hits the market 

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The final of this year's The Block in Port Melbourne saw young Queenslanders Will and Karlie take the top prize.
Their ground floor garden apartment sold for $2.6 million, selling for $715,000 over its reserve on the Sunday night auction episode.
It was the biggest sale of an apartment The Block has ever seen, beating the $2.47 million paid in 2014 for a converted cinema apartment in Albert Park.
There appeared to be a limited pool of potential buyers, judging by what went to air, with the supply line coming via the close knit Block buyers' agent team who appear on the series.
Four of the five apartments were snapped up by buyers’ advocates — three by Nicole Jacobs, and one by Frank Valentic, none by Greville Pabst - who have all appeared as guest judges and have become prolific publicity seekers via purchasers for clients.
Will and Karlie's cool hallway and study nook
<img src="/images/2016/11/14/Will%20and%20KArlie%203.jpg" alt="" width="512" height="271">
The total sales also broke a suburb record.
The price per square metre record for Port Melbourne was $7,000, however each of the five apartments fetched between $8,764 and $10,528 per sqm.
Melbourne's Julia and Sasha weren't far behind the winners in second, selling their penthouse apartment $660,000 over reserve at $2.59 million.
Perth couple, and the oldest competitors in The Block history Dan and Karleen, sold their apartment for $2.3 million, beating their reserve by $525,000.
Geelong best mates and heavy favourites Andy and Ben finished fourth when their apartment sold for $2.25 million, topping their reserve by $510,000.
Last and not least were New South Wales representatives Kim and Chris, who were some way off the pace, only going $425,000 over their reserve in their $2,305,000 sale.
Winners Will and Karlie admitted they were battling a mortgage when they applied for the reality program. The 25 year old novice renovators left $815,000 richer (extra $100,000 winners cheque).
“A few months ago we were struggling, we were at home and thought we would put in an entry to The Block, didn’t think anything of it,” Will said.
“Our emotions were ballistic.”
The couple will use the money to renovate their three bedroom home in Rochedale South that cost them $350,000 in January.
Channel Nine paid out $2,835,000 across the five couples, short of the record of $3,165,000 set last year in South Yarra.
The comedian Dave Hughes was among the interested parties in the crowd for the auction. Despite registering for the right to bid, Hughes never raised his hand.
<div class="in-content-ad">It was filmed at the 1920s converted soap factory office in Port Melbourne.</div>
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<div class="in-content-ad">Channel Nine’s finale rated as the most-watched non-sports show of the year beating the finale of My Kitchen Rules with 2.104m people tuning in last night.</div>
 
 
 
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The Block finale; Winners and suburb records

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An apartment at Port Melbourne designed by Block contestants Carleen and Dan will be auctioned this weekend.
Located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-port+melbourne-123813650" target="_blank">3/164 Ingles Street</a> the property features three bedrooms and a study area with the overall renovation overseen by architect Julian Brenchley and topped by David Franklin’s city-view skygarden.
The apartment features much of its original timber doors and period cornices with the home’s floorplan set in the modern day with lounge and dining areas plus an additional living-dining zone in a balcony alfresco-room with outdoor kitchen.
The grand master ensuite features a vast double ensuite with dual vanity and double shower with a decadent dressing room, the apartment also features a secondary bedroom with their own fitted dressing areas and a custom-built study beyond the impressive entry lobby
The kitchen features every Bosch appliances while a butler’s pantry adds a second dishwasher and more sleek storage.
Bathrooms channel the building’s Art Deco spirit with shiny metallic finishes and matt black and white feature tiling.
Every room has its own individual climate control with a wireless Bose sound system, automated blinds and generous double-glazing.
The dining table is hand crafted and takes centre stage with the apartment combining fine leather dining and occasional seating.
However the apartment’s most notable features include the original Art Deco lighting that matches the fine wallpaper, a sparkling multi-facet mirror centred in the lobby and precious object d’art including an angular Christofle tea set and sinuous bronze panther.
The property is secured by video intercom, keypad entry, lift access and auto-gated undercover parking with artisan-restored terrazzo and timber detailing through reception and access areas.
It is minutes walk to the CBD and just 800 metres from the Convention Centre with the Port Melbourne Football Club directly opposite the property.
The property is offered through Hodges agents Julian Augustini and Romana Preston
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Block contestants Carleen and Dan's apartment at Port Melbourne for sale

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Will and Karlie’s apartment from the block at Port Melbourne is for auction this weekend.
Located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-port+melbourne-123805830" target="_blank">1/164 Ingles Street</a> the property is former J. Kitchen and Sons Art Deco soap factory that has been spectacularly transformed. It is a massive 205 sqm ground floor residence which boasts a hand-perfected custom interior, soaring 3.75 meter ceilings as well as a 2.7 meters internal doors and an exclusive one-of-a-kind artwork/furniture package.
It has trimmed precious timbers, midnight black and rose gold accents, along with three luxurious King-sized bedrooms with a stunning his-and-her master ensuite, walk-in wardrobes, two study corners as well as a huge 64 sqm open-plan living/dining area at a rear complemented by a state-of-the-art Neff kitchen and premium wall-integrated gas appliances.
The property features an exquisite artwork and one-of-a-kind furniture package included along with remote-controlled sheer sunscreen and block-out blinds throughout.
There is also advanced double-glazing all around with gorgeous designer light features.
There are also motion-activated LED ceiling lights plus “Halo” background lightning with video intercom entry with online streaming and unlocking via mobile devices and centralised digital climate control.
Trendy “Satin” power points plus Foxtel, free TV, internet and USB outlets in all the living spaces. The bathrooms also have heated towel racks. There is also convenient lift access and off-street parking for one car.
It is only 1.5 kilometers to the CBD’s first-class cosmopolitan lifestyle and it is only a leisurely stroll to South Wharf’s world-class eateries and shopping plus the renowned Crown entertanment precinct nearby.
The property is also close to premier sports grounds, parklands, South Melbourne Market and the crystalline beaches of Port Melbourne with buses and high-frequency trams just a stone’s throw away.
The property is offered through Biggin and Scott agents David Lack and Will Jonas.
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Block contestants Will and Karlie's Port Melbourne apartment for sale

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A New York style apartment designed by Block contestants Ben and Andy at Port Melbourne will be auctioned this weekend.
The property at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-port+melbourne-123831710" target="_blank">4/164 Ingles Street</a> and features three meter ceilings, four bedroom apartments as well as three bathrooms, a study room and sun flooded living rooms.
It has easy lift access in a most convenient city fringe location between Port Melbourne Beach and the Yarra River with easy access via light rail tram to the CBD and Melbourne’s riverside entertainment complex.
The apartment features an entrance lobby along with a formal entrance hall, master bedroom with designer walk in robes and ensuite bathroom. The second bedroom also has a built in wardrobe and ensuite as does the third and fourth bedroom.
The kitchen includes a four meter Caesar stone island bench, butler’s kitchen, an open plan family living adjoining dining and flowing to huge north facing garden terrace.
The property also features a common rooftop with a 600 sqm resort style entertainment area, grassed relaxation spaces, tranquil water features and unsurpassed panoramic city views.
Additional features include two dishwashers, a bar fridge on the terrace, automated blinds throughout the apartment and central zoned heating/cooling as well as all the furniture currently in the apartment.
The property is offered through Hockingstuart agents David Wood and Stephanie Evans.
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Port Melbourne New York style apartment by Block contestants Ben and Andy

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One of the apartments renovated in the 2004 series of The Block at Manly has come up for sale for November 26 auction.
It is an upstairs Whistler Street apartment renovated by the Melbourne couple Matt Martino and Jane Newton.
When <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-apartment-nsw-manly-110011433" target="_blank">3/77 Whistler Street</a> first sold for $795,000 as part of the Channel 9 televised auction, there was no profit for the couple as the dimly lit, winebar style unit sold at its $795,000 reserve.
The three-bedroom pad has since been sold at $820,000 in 2007 and at $785,000 in 2012.
Belle Manly agent Ben Leary is suggesting $1.5 million.
The unit was designed with the polished concrete and floating floor in the kitchen space that has stood the test of time.
Restaurant manager Matt married his public relations executive partner Jane during the series.
Their apartment was bought by property developer Cathy Pearce who went onto be listed on the BRW Rich Listed worth at $19 million.
She declared bankruptcy in 2009 and moved back to Adelaide where she published a book, Riches to Rags in 2010.
This article was first published in the Sunday Telegraph.
 
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Whistler Street Manly block apartment listed

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The 2003 Block contestants Gavin Atkins and Warren Sonin, or 'Gav and Waz', have sold their Potts Point apartment.
The designer boys spent $2,325,000 only last November on the<a href="https://www.bresicwhitney.com.au/buy/3-kings-cross-road-darlinghurst-7558"> two bedroom Altair apartment</a> of former ABC TV director Paddy Conroy.
They redesigned the 16th floor unit and sold off-market last week.
Their Potts Point property foray came after they sold Charltons, their Byron Bay hinterland estate, for $3 million in 2013. Word is they are now again heading back to nature.
No clues yet but they've been up at Megalong Valley, though their Jack Russel dog, Charlie, has been spotted back at Byron Bay.
This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.
 
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Gav and Waz sell Potts Point apartment

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The fifth and final Block apartment to appear online ahead of its November auction was Geelong best mates Andy and Ben.
Their oversized 'New York style' apartment at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-port+melbourne-123831710" target="_blank">4/164 Ingles Street</a> is with David Hood and Stephanie Evans at Hockingstuart.
The apartment is the only one on the show that offers four bedrooms. There are three bathrooms, a study and sun flooded living rooms.
The boys guest bedroom scored a perfect 10 from The Block judges.
<img src="/images/2016/10/14/Andy3.jpg" alt="" width="495" height="304">
The large open plan family living and dining space flow to a large north facing garden terrace complete with bar fridge.
Featuring a long formal entrance hall, the apartment's custom designed kitchen has an extensive four metre marble island bench.
<img src="/images/2016/10/14/Andy2.jpg" alt="" width="490" height="279">
Andy and Ben, school teachers from Geelong, are the favourites heading into the November 12 televised auction.
Before the competition started Andy and Ben admitted their sport nature led to their application to the show.
"We played a game of ping-pong to decide who would be the shopper and who would stay at The Block with the builders."
Ben won and chose to stay at The Block with the builders, leaving Andy to be the shopper.
 
 
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