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.

Joel Robinson

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

Malaysian developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/s-p-setia">SP Setia</a> is the latest to jump into St Leonards booming Transport Oriented Development precinct.

The developer, which has previously delivered Sapphire by the Gardens apartment development in Melbourne, identified the Atchison Street site in 2023. It filed a Scoping Report around 12 months ago, and now has revealed the designs for the new&nbsp;40-storey mixed-use tower.

The State Significant Development Application covers <a href="https://next-portal.urban.com.au/projects/14650/summary">20-22 Atchison Street</a>, a 1,374 sqm site positioned between St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, the project would deliver 181 apartments, above a four-storey commercial podium, five basement levels, and new public domain works along Mitchell Street. The apartment mix comprises 35 one-bedroom apartments, 39 one-bedroom-plus-study apartments, 85 two-bedroom apartments, and 22 three-bedroom residences.

The proposal has been lodged as a shop-top housing development under the NSW Government’s TOD planning pathway, which allows increased density around key transport infrastructure. The site sits within the recently rezoned Crows Nest Accelerated TOD Precinct.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b799673d-48e2-46b0-801a-0e33a9330100" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20site.png?VersionId=dPh0UfwfaHpbFL1R7H1cbZNbIW0CHbCC" />

SP Setia acquired the Atchison Street site as part of its continued expansion into the Australian apartment market. In comments made to City &amp; Country (The Edge Malaysia) in 2023, SP Setia President and CEO Datuk Choong Kai Wai described the acquisition as “a strategic move” aligned with the group’s post-pandemic market recovery strategy.

“Our target for this exceptional development is local and overseas buyers, including first-home buyers, downsizers and investors,” Choong said.

The tower has been designed as a slender vertical form rising from a mixed-use podium, with COX Architecture positioning the development as a response to the evolving St Leonards and Crows Nest skyline.

“The purpose of the project is to facilitate the delivery of high-quality housing at a strategically located site and deliver a built tower outcome that is consistent with the desired future character of St Leonards and aligns with the TOD controls,” the design report stated.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1a85eee-76f7-436c-a6da-73ba827b9b13" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20entry.png?VersionId=dA9jHGPMcm.dDbwk4QfxqWiY5bfh3UVt" />

The podium would incorporate retail uses fronting Atchison Street, commercial tenancies, landscaped communal areas, and pedestrian improvements along Mitchell Street. Vehicle access and loading would be consolidated via Atchison Lane.

Residents would have access to more than 665 sqm of communal indoor and outdoor spaces, while the development proposes 96 parking spaces across five basement levels.

The proposal also includes a commitment for 10 per cent of residential floor space to be allocated toward affordable housing through a monetary contribution.

COX said the tower form responds directly to the emerging high-density character of the precinct while seeking to maximise solar access, cross ventilation, and outlook from apartments.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2163f85c-f63b-4be3-aafa-f8763976cec5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29_5.png?VersionId=WiAmtIKJ6.ZQ41EtYEQ1fol7AeorKBlL" />

“The building is orientated towards north,” the Apartment Design Guide compliance report noted, adding that the tower’s slim form was driven by the constrained inner-urban site dimensions.

The design also incorporates landscaped setbacks and communal open space at podium level, intended to soften the interface with surrounding streets and improve pedestrian amenity.

The project adds to a growing wave of redevelopment proposals reshaping St Leonards and Crows Nest following the opening of the Sydney Metro City line and the NSW Government’s push for higher-density housing around major transport nodes.

Last week Stockland filed plans just down the road. They want to build a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/601-pacific-highway-st-leonards-nsw-2065">52-storey tower on Pacific Highway</a>.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">First look: Stockland plans 52-storey, 538-apartment St Leonards tower&nbsp;</a>

First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> has revealed plans for a new mixed-use tower at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham, advancing a proposal that would reshape the southern gateway to Newcastle’s city centre with one of the city’s tallest residential buildings.

The State Significant Development proposal, now on exhibition, seeks approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bowline-10-dangar-street-wickham-nsw-2293">43-storey tower</a> immediately adjacent to the Newcastle Interchange. The project would deliver around 200 apartments, including 42 affordable housing dwellings, alongside 99 co-living units, a 171-room hotel, retail space, and new public domain integrated through the site.

The scheme marks a significant escalation of plans previously approved for the site. Urban Property Group took over the prominent 2,904 sqm parcel, where excavation and demolition had already commenced under an earlier consent for a 14-storey mixed-use development.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="58a96dd9-407f-4d20-86b4-94e4bfeef74b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20podium.png?VersionId=LGlf08pdFGAZDzvx_CXC4XakHNZRuEE0" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, the tower has been conceived as a landmark transit-oriented development anchored to the Newcastle Interchange precinct. The proposal includes 245 build-to-sell apartments across a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom residences, as well as two penthouses. Fifteen apartments and one operational unit are earmarked for NDIS housing. The co-living component would add a further 99 units, while the podium would accommodate retail uses and hotel facilities.

SJB said the site presents “a valuable opportunity to anchor the precinct by setting the standard for design, active ground planes and character at the key southern gateway.”

The architecture responds directly to the site’s position beside major transport infrastructure and within one of Newcastle’s fastest-evolving urban renewal precincts. The tower form sits above a sculpted podium designed to frame new public spaces, including a through-site pedestrian link connecting Station Street to Hannell Street, landscaped plazas, and activated retail edges.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a7bd6ff0-f7db-4ce8-a6dc-ea56e72c6149" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20lanne.png?VersionId=xzf39VADyhj7zBQY2I9fx9vI62u2tuSb" />

The design report describes the project as part of the broader transition of Wickham into “a vibrant, high-quality mixed-use urban precinct” that leverages proximity to the station, open space, and regional connectivity.

A detailed public art strategy has also been prepared for the development. The strategy positions the project as “a transit-oriented development of state significance at the gateway to Newcastle’s city centre” and outlines a series of integrated artworks responding to Newcastle’s industrial and transport heritage.

Creative Road’s curatorial framework for the project, titled Unveil, draws on “stratified surfaces, carved volumes, and light-filled apertures” while referencing Newcastle’s transformation from an industrial city into a contemporary education and technology hub.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="77a882bb-14b1-4d28-99ff-9438e39508c0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20site.png?VersionId=cevgo_vN0eKPK78P8YcEu3mKPLkpFqE7" />

The proposal is being advanced through the NSW Housing Delivery Authority pathway after being declared State Significant Development in June 2025. The accompanying scoping report states the development aims to “maximise the site’s proximity to the Newcastle Interchange by delivering transit-oriented development” while increasing housing supply and affordable housing provision within the Newcastle LGA.

Urban Property Group’s plans align with the long-term strategic vision established under the Wickham Master Plan, which identified the interchange precinct as suitable for substantial uplift in height and density. The current proposal would significantly intensify that vision, positioning the tower among the tallest developments proposed for Newcastle.

The site sits immediately north of the Newcastle Interchange, bounded by Dangar Street, Hannell Street, and Charles Street. It is surrounded by a rapidly growing cluster of residential towers and mixed-use projects that have emerged following the completion of the light rail and transport interchange.

First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s latest tower at Wickham interchange

Bottega House has completed settlement of a landmark riverfront site in Macquarie Street, St Lucia, representing its first major Brisbane development.&nbsp;

Positioned on the banks of the Brisbane River, the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/180-macquarie-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">premium site at 180 Macquarie Street</a> features uninterrupted river frontage in one of Brisbane’s most tightly held residential precincts.&nbsp;

The proposed development, currently under assessment with Brisbane City Council, has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/mim-design">Mim Design</a> and will deliver a boutique collection of premium residences positioned specifically for owner occupiers and downsizers.&nbsp;

The residences are set to redefine luxury apartment living in the area, with a focus on architectural quality, refined finishes, landscape integration and elevated amenities including curated wellness facilities, resort-style pools and recreation spaces rarely seen in the local market.&nbsp;

Exclusive sales for the project will be led by Keenan &amp; Byrne, ahead of an anticipated launch later this year.&nbsp;

Bottega House Managing Director Nick Malloch said the project reflects the group’s ambition to deliver a highly curated residential offering within one of Brisbane’s most tightly held precincts.&nbsp;

“This is an incredibly rare riverfront opportunity and one we have approached with a long-term perspective,” Malloch said.&nbsp;

“Our vision from the outset was to create a boutique collection of residences that feel more like private homes than traditional apartments, with generous proportions, refined finishes and exceptional amenity throughout."

Malloch says there is a&nbsp;lack of premium owner-occupier stock of this quality in the market, particularly for downsizers wanting space, privacy and a true lifestyle offering without compromise.&nbsp;

"Demand is expected to be strong given the scarcity of premium riverfront opportunities of this nature within Brisbane’s inner-west."&nbsp;

Bottega House secures landmark riverfront site in St Lucia 

<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-6" data-turn="assistant" data-turn-id="request-WEB:84a2af5e-d7cf-4ddf-922a-f4d44d6c6caa-2" data-turn-id-container="request-WEB:84a2af5e-d7cf-4ddf-922a-f4d44d6c6caa-2" dir="auto">
<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-2" data-turn="assistant" data-turn-id="request-WEB:5a5ab36c-8dd3-454c-b456-c501f22f0eb4-0" data-turn-id-container="request-WEB:5a5ab36c-8dd3-454c-b456-c501f22f0eb4-0" dir="auto">
The arrival of the first piling rig officially marks the commencement of construction at SIERA’s new beachside apartment development, Exhale, in Northcliffe.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/exhale-surfers-paradise-8-enderley-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Exhale</a>, a glass-encased tower featuring 54 large-scale apartments at 8 Enderley Avenue, is SIERA’s third Gold Coast development. It follows the recently completed PIPIS Bilinga beachfront project, which achieved suburb-record prices, and the soon-to-be-completed Chevron Island development, Tapestry.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359603]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/siera">SIERA</a> Founder and Managing Director Brent Thompson said the arrival of the piling rig represented a significant milestone for the development, which is scheduled for completion in late 2028.

Over the next month, around 260 piles are expected to be installed as work progresses on the basement structure. The building is anticipated to rise above ground level early next year, before unveiling its sculptural glass curtain wall, developed in collaboration with specialist façade engineers.

“The façade was designed to maximise panoramic coastal views while creating a distinctive architectural identity,” Thompson said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=355935]

Designed by BDA Architecture, Exhale will comprise just 54 two- and three-bedroom residences across 26 levels, a level of low-density living rarely delivered in this beachside pocket between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.

The project has been conceived as a resident-only building, with no short-stay accommodation permitted. SIERA says the model is intended to appeal to long-term owner-occupiers rather than transient holiday demand.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=361052]

Residences have been designed with large-format layouts and expansive glazing, with most apartments featuring more than 30 metres of glass frontage to maximise natural light and ocean views.

The amenity offering spans two levels and centres on wellness and lifestyle, including a heated magnesium pool, sauna, yoga and Pilates studio, gymnasium, private dining facilities, cinema lounge, and dedicated surfcraft storage.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359607]

More than half of the apartments have already sold. SIERA has also opened a sales gallery for Exhale at its Chevron Island commercial premises, near its Tapestry tower and the site of its second Chevron Island apartment development, which is slated to launch in early 2027.
</section>
</section>

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112661]

SIERA kicks off construction at Northcliffe tower Exhale

The Block

<html><body>
Filming stopped on Wednesday morning on the Brighton site of The Block, the Channel 9 renovation show.
The Block's executive producer Julian Cress advised the trades on the site will continue as long as they can, but the contestants left the site yesterday for their homes across Australia.
The contestants were told by The Block's host Scott Cam about the decision to halt production.
The contestants started production of the 2020 series in late February.
More than a third of the season had been shot.
Nine's production company spent $14.96 million on the 2,770 sqm site of the demolished former Andrina Private Nursing home just off Brighton's Golden Mile. 
It was bought from Nick Williams, son of horse trainer Lloyd Williams.
Williams had plans for 13 townhouses on the block.
 
 
<div class="unruly_in_article_placement" data-unruly-ad-type="horizontal"> </div>
 
 
</body></html>

jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Tools Down: The Block Brighton stops production

<html><body>
The Block's Dan and Dani, who have appeared on the show for two years running, are teaming up with Tradiematepro.
They are also the founders of the Red Door Project with this latest project aiming to help builders and tradies improve processes and transparency. 
Dani said, “too many tradies who run their own business are still providing written quotes and invoices, don’t know their financials and cash-flow, or even how much time they are spending on the job."
“Those days are gone. If tradies want to thrive in this industry, they want to help educate homeowners that the cheapest quote isn't always the best – as many are still vulnerable to cowboy tradies whose costs blow out simply because they underquoted the job to get the job."
“Having systems in place will also help tradies to navigate unexpected hurdles – like the coronavirus, recent fires and floods, which have led to a 3-6 month delay in supply of joinery products, for example, and driving up the costs of some hardwood prices.”
Dan says they’re also encouraging business owners to look at workplace culture, creating incentive programs and really focusing on client needs and communication. 
Dan and Dani will be available for coaching at <a href="https://www.tradiematepro.com.au/" target="_blank" data-auth="NotApplicable">Tradiematepro</a>.
 
</body></html>

j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

The Block's Dan and Dani teaming up with Tradiematepro

<html><body>
Channel Nine is selling two empty shell apartments in the Gatwick Hotel, the site of the 2018 series of The Block.
Both stripped two-bedroom units are on the ground floor.
They are for sale with proposed floor plans.
The smaller of the two, apartment G01, has 128 square metres of floor space.
It has price expectations of about $800,000.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/11/18/The%20Gatwick%202.jpg" alt="">
Neighbouring G02 is bigger, with 138 square metres of floor space along with a 46-metre outdoor area.
It has price expectations of $900,000.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/11/18/The%20Gatwick%203.jpg" alt="">
The former boarding house, built in 1937, had previously belonged to sisters Rose Banks and Yvette Kelly.
They used it to provide accommodation for needy residents, however after developing its “hotel hell” reputation, they sold the building to Channel 9 in 2017 for $10 million.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/11/18/The%20Gatwick%201.jpg" alt="">
St Kilda’s median apartment price is $512,000, while the median house price is $1.32 million.
</body></html>

Channel Nine lists gutted units in The Block's Gatwick Hotel 

<html><body>
The bullied Cairns couple Tess and Luke Struber took home the grand prize as the winners of The Block 2019 after 14 weeks of stressful renovation.

Channel Nine manipulated the reserves which were set at $2.990 million for all of the five three-storey terraces, although the terraces at either end were expected to have the higher longterm value.

The official price guide required by Victorian Government legislation had been $3 million to $3.3 million.

Buyers’ advocate Frank Valentic described them as "very, very comfortable reserves."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=1487]

Experienced renovators, Mitch &amp; Mark saw the hammer come down at $3.374 million, which was $384,000 over reserve.

It sold to seasoned Block bidder, Danny Wallis, who previously purchased 403 Dorcas St in South Melbourne on the fifth season of The Block for $1,400,001.01.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=582]

The next auction was the newlyweds Tess &amp; Luke who secured $3.620 million, some $630,000 over reserve.

Barrister Rick Horsley, SC, was the buyer of the Tess and Luke’s terrace at 38B Gray Street. He had bid unsuccessfully last year.

“The first time I walked into this one, I hated it,” Mr Horsley told Nine Entertainment after the auction.

Perth parents El’ise &amp; Matt got $3.450 million, which was $460,000 over their reserve, and the runners-up.

It sold to expatriates who plan on leasing the property out while they remain overseas.

Andy &amp; Deb sold their house for $3.420 million, $430,000 over reserve.

The latest auction was real estate agent Jesse and girlfriend Mel who secured $388,000 over the reserve when their house sold for $3.378 million.

Buyers’ advocate Greville Pabst bought Jesse and Mel’s house on behalf of a Melbourne professional couple.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=2807]

Highlighting the limited buyer pool, Pabst also bidding on behalf of Aconex co-founder Rob Phillpot, for whom he bought both penthouses last year, but the tech entrepreneur did not win any of the auctions on Saturday.

Valentic's buyer of Andy and Deb’s house were underbidders in the Gatwick last year. 

Valentic bid on all five properties for a number of investors.

They are a Caulfield North family.

The buyers’ advocate Nicole Jacobs did not have any clients purchase any of the Oslo terraces. 
  
Tess and Luke took home an extra $100,000, delivering them $730,000 in winnings. 

Hocking Stuart Albert Park agent auctioneer David Wood sold Tess and Luke’s home at 38B Grey Street. 

Wood also sold the winning home in the 2017 season.

He said the acoustic separation and self-contained flat at the back of the home secured the victory for 38B.

Host Scott Cam, along with Shelley Craft, are back for the program's 16th series in Brighton in 2020. 
  
The latest winnings taking total prizemoney across 15 seasons to $23.1 million.

Tess and Luke, the team who couldn’t bear to watch The Block because they’d been so bullied by producers, once said they wished they’d never gone on.

“Tell you what, they love The Block now," host Scott Cam, said after the result, showing he still couldn't help himself. 

Meanwhile the finale ratings fell yet again with 1.924m tuning in.

Last year’s (time-adjusted figures) had 2.021m tuning in while the year prior had 2.462m.

PREVIOUS BLOCK WINNERS 2003 - BONDI – Adam &amp; Fiona, $256,000 2004 - MANLY – Jamie &amp; Andrew, $178,000 2010 - VAUCLUSE – John &amp; Neisha, $305,000 2011 - RICHMOND – Polly &amp; Waz, $115,000 2012 - SOUTH MELBOURNE – Brad &amp; Lara, $606,000 2013 - ALL STARS (BONDI) – Phil &amp; Amity, $395,000 2013 - SKY HIGH (SOUTH MELBOURNE) – Alisa &amp; Lysandra, $395,000 2014 - FANS v FAVES (ALBERT PARK) – Steve &amp; Chantelle, $736,000 2014 - GLASSHOUSE (PRAHRAN) – Shannon &amp; Simon, $435,000 2015 - TRIPLE THREAT (SOUTH YARRA) – Darren &amp; Deanne, $935,000 2015 - THE BLOCKTAGON (SOUTH YARRA) – Dean &amp; Shay, $755,000 2016 - THE BLOCK 2016 (PORT MELBOURNE) – Will &amp; Karlie, $815,000 2017 – THE BLOCK 2017 (ELSTERNWICK) – Josh &amp; Elyse, $547,000 2018 - THE BLOCK GATWICK (ST KILDA) – Hayden &amp; Sara, $645,000
</body></html>

Rick Horsley SC spends $3.62 million to buy Tess and Luke's The Block Oslo terrace

<html><body>
The 16th season of Channel Nine's hit renovation show The Block will be shot in the affluent bayside suburb of Brighton.
Blockheads might find themselves building a home from scratch for the first time in The Block's history.
Nine's production company spent $14.96 million on the 2,770 sqm site of the demolished former Andrina Private Nursing home just off Brighton's Golden Mile. It was bought from Nick Williams, son of horse trainer Lloyd Williams.
Williams had plans for 13 townhouses on the block (below).
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/10/16/Brighton%202.jpg" alt="">
There was a similar purchase in Elsternwick a few years ago where a former nursing home turned vacant block was purchased and old weatherboard homes were relocated on to the site for the contestants to renovate.
Speculation suggests they will be doing the same again.
No doubt spin king Shane Warne will take a sticky beak once the properties are finished.
He's been dipping in and out of the Brighton market for the last decades, sometimes <a href="/news/shane-warnes-6-million-brighton-flip-windfall">buying the same home twice</a>.
Rumours a few months ago were that Warne was <a href="/news/speculation-that-shane-warne-seeks-to-flip-his-brighton-home">set to flip his current Brighton home</a>, which might pave the way for a celebrity purchase.
It was no third year in a row for the rejuvenated St Kilda.
Two of St Kilda's most iconic buildings, The Gatwick and The Oslo Hotel have been the scene of the last two Block series, with The Oslo Hotel terraces set to go under the hammer in a few weeks.
 
</body></html>

jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

The Block 2020 confirmed for bayside Brighton

<html><body>
Controversial designer grandads Mitch Edwards and Mark McKie have listed their unsold North Bondi apartment for November auction, having secured their latest flipping project on the northern beaches.
The duo, who have slipped from being initial bookmakers’ favourites to win The Block 2019, have struggled to find a buyer of their two-bedroom North Bondi offering (below).
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/10/17/Mitch%20%20Mark%20North%20Bondi.jpg" alt="">
It was listed in January, just as they headed to Melbourne for the Channel 9 series.
The pair had paid $855,000 in July last year for the apartment, which has now been listed through Tony Dowling at Laing Real Estate. They have overseen a revamp of the decor.
The experienced flippers, who have sold 15 properties across Sydney over their 14 years together, have lined up their first project on the northern beaches at Newport, securing a 1970s home (below) for about $1.7 million.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/10/17/Mitch%20%20Mark%20Newport.jpg" alt="">
“Call us crazy,” Mark said heading into the acquisition.
They checked out the three-level, four-bedroom home three times before its purchase. Its elevated position has views to the coast. There’s a self-contained living space on the lower level.
The couple have pocketed $3.5 million in gains from resales over the past 13 years, excluding $560,000 in stamp duties plus all the estate agent and conveyancing fees.
This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph. 
</body></html>

firstname1-iYD4UYzvBa

The Block's Mitch and Mark set North Bondi auction after buying Newport project

<html><body>
<div class="assets">
Scott Cam, the host of TV renovation show The Block, has been announced as Australia's first national careers ambassador. 
</div>
<div class="assets">
Despite losing some respect among viewers in the latest series, the Gold Logie winner has been appointed by the Employment and Skills Minister Michaelia Cash.
His role will be to highlight how practical and technical training can lead to high-paying and fulfilling jobs.
"Anybody who is thinking twice about getting a trade just needs to look at Scott Cam and his success," she said.
"Anything is possible by pursuing vocational training."
</div>
<div class="assets">
The Prime Minister Scott Morrison said university, which had become the default expectation for young people, wasn't the only path to success.
</div>
<div class="advertisement teads-1x1 conditional ">
<div id="adspot-1x1-pos1" class="advertisement__1x1" data-hide-platforms="" data-lazy-load="no" data-google-query-id="CIGc1cqGkOUCFdGFjwodPQQAlw">
<div id="google_ads_iframe_/21666581298/theflindersnews/news/nationalnews_0__container__">"I want to see more Australians become plumbers, electricians and bakers than lawyers and consultants. I would like to see more of them going on to become their own boss," he said on Thursday.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="assets">
"Scott Cam is proof that undertaking a trade can be a very valuable, rewarding and successful career choice, and there are plenty more who can tell a similar story to Scott."
</div>
<div class="assets">
Cam is a qualified carpenter who ran his own business before shooting to fame on the television.
</div>
<div class="assets">
Mr Morrison is hopeful the appointment will encourage more people to get technical, trade and practical skills.
</div>
<div class="assets">
"By learning a trade you'll earn more, your skills will be in demand and you'll help build our country and keep our economy strong," he said.
</div>
<div class="assets">
Employment and Skills Minister Michaelia Cash said vocational education and training was key to building Australia's future workforce.
</div>
<div class="assets">
She said Cam would help Australians at "all ages and stages" to make informed decisions about learning, training and work.
</div>
<div id="article-titan-ad-pos2" class="sticky-wrap aside-size centralized">
<div class="advertisement conditional adWrapper ad">
<div id="adspot-300x250-pos2" class="advertisement__300x250" data-hide-platforms="mobile tablet" data-lazy-load="yes" data-google-query-id="CLO8pMuGkOUCFUyEcAodXooOlA">
<div id="google_ads_iframe_/21666581298/theflindersnews/news/nationalnews_5__container__">"Working with the National Careers Institute, Scott will make sure individuals and businesses can take advantage of the pathways on offer," she said.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The appointment of Scott Cam as the first National Careers Ambassador was welcomed by Kristin Brookfield, the HIA's chief executive industry policy.  </div>
<div>
“Today’s announcement by the Prime Minister and the Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Michaelia Cash, reinforces the change in approach now being taken by the Government to ensure vocational education and the careers on offer are seen by young people, their parents and educators, as the pathway to an inspiring and long term career,” she said.
“As an apprentice carpenter, builder and business owner, Scott Cam has been giving back to the housing industry and sharing his passion and insights with young people as HIA’s Ambassador since 2017.
“Scott has worked with HIA to help raise the profile of a career in the housing industry. His own career shows how completing a trade can be the beginning of an exciting future."
HIA has been encouraged by the COAG Skills Council’s adoption of a vision for skills in Australia at their August meeting, on the back of the Government’s commitment to vocational education in the federal budget. 
“It certainly feels like the tide is turning on the bias towards university education as the best way to build a career,” concluded Ms Brookfield.
 
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</body></html>

Scott Cam's surprise ambassadorial appointment

<html><body>
Having recently upsized, interior design consultant Shannon Vos and wife Lisa have offloaded their Cronulla apartment.
Before winning The Block Glasshouse in Prahran in 2014 with his brother Simon, Vos said he wanted to win the hit renovation show so he and Lisa could buy a “love nest” by the beach.
They did so, paying $750,000 for a two-level apartment in 2015. They have now sold it for $895,000.
The couple, now with sons Dusty Mac and Raffa, have spent $1,285,000 on a mid-1980s four-bedroom home nearby.
They plan to upgrade it to suit their young family.
This article first appeared in The Daily Telegraph.
</body></html>

The Block winner Shannon Vos offloads Cronulla apartment

<html><body>
Shannon Vos, the larrikin tradie turned interior design consultant who won The Block Glasshouse in 2014 with his brother Simon, has upsized in the Sutherland Shire with wife Lisa.

With two young boys, Dusty Mac and Raffa, they needed more space than their two-bedroom Cronulla townhouse-style apartment.

They’ve recently bought at Port Hacking where they spent $1,285,000 on a mid-’80s four- bedroom home.

<img alt="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/9/27/hacking%202.jpg">

“We wanted a home that will evolve with the kids’ needs as they grow from toddlers into teenagers and this house fits the bill perfectly. Pool, backyard, huge driveway, plenty of space, battle-axe block and a great neighbourhood,” Vos, who runs interior design practice Vos Creative, said.

“We have plans to renovate the whole home, but we don’t need to change anything or ever extend.”

They are hoping to turn the renovation into an online series with realestate.com.au, with no doubt a few mentions for Beaumont Tiles, Carpet Court and Wideline Windows and Doors for whom he is an ambassador.

“We’re excited and totally blessed to be able to be in the housing market for starters and to be able to raise our two boys in such a beautiful area,” he said.

The Block Prahran apartment renovated by the Coffs Harbour-raised brothers sold under the hammer for $1.9 million, some $335,000 over reserve, plus they also pocketed the $100,000 prizemoney.

Shannon, who had popped the question to Lisa just before filming for the Nine show, wanted to win the hit renovation show to buy a “love nest” by the beach with Lisa.

It cost $750,000 in 2015 for the two-level apartment.

The keen surfer has recently been working on a Torquay home project for a client.

This article first appeared in The Sunday Telegraph.

<h2>NSW properties currently selling:</h2>

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7742]

[smartcode_project:default project_id=29389]

[smartcode_project:default project_id=92710]

 
</body></html>

The Block 2014 winner Shannon Vos and wife Lisa buys Shire family home

<html><body>
The winning penthouse from the Block’s 2015 series failed to sell at weekend auction.
<div class="in-content-ad">
<div id="adspot-1x1-pos-5" class="ad" data-google-query-id="CILvvv3U0-QCFdlNKwodWsENcA">
<div id="google_ads_iframe_/31694718/domain.com.au/news/auctions_3__container__">The penthouse apartment at <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/6-1a-affleck-street-south-yarra-vic-3141-2015529113" target="_blank" rel="noopener">6/1a Affleck Street, South Yarra</a> was auctioned by The Agency.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="in-content-ad">
<div class="ad"> </div>
<div class="ad">Auctioneer Peter Kakos made a vendor bid of $2.1 million seeking a $50,000 rise, Domain reported.</div>
<div class="ad"> </div>
<div class="ad">The 240 sqm property was listed with $2.3 million to $2.45 million hopes.</div>
<div class="ad"> </div>
<div class="ad">It now has a $2,445,000 price.
</div>
<div class="ad"> </div>
<div class="ad"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/9/16/Blocktagon%20South%20Yarra.jpg" alt=""></div>
The top-floor apartment was transformed by Dean and Shay Paine who took the top prize and $750,000 cash in 2015. 
It sold for $2.3 million to a regular investor in The Block’s properties. 
The investor sold it in 2018 for $2.365 million.
 
</div>
</body></html>

The Block

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News

The Block

Editor's Picks

Receive the latest news stories to your inbox

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News