The Gold Coast economy has grown by 25 per cent since 2020/21 to surpass $55 billion, but perhaps the more significant story is what sits behind the headline number.

For decades, the Gold Coast has been viewed through the lens of tourism, lifestyle and population growth. The latest State of the City Report suggests that perception is increasingly out of step with reality.

Released by Invest Gold Coast, the report ranks the Gold Coast as Australia's largest non-capital city economy and, perhaps more notably, second nationally behind Sydney for Economic Complexity, a measure that assesses the diversity and sophistication of an economy.

It's a result that places the Gold Coast ahead of Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, highlighting the extent to which the city's economic base has broadened beyond its traditional industries.

Today, the Gold Coast supports more than 350,000 jobs, is home to over 83,000 businesses and generates $19 billion in annual exports. Manufacturing now accounts for 62 per cent of international export growth, while sectors including health, education, advanced manufacturing, technology and professional services are becoming increasingly important contributors to the local economy.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=372547]

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said the report confirmed the city's evolution into one of Australia's most significant economies.

"The Gold Coast economy continues to grow at an incredible pace. This is no surprise to those of us who have watched the evolution up close," Mayor Tate said.

"As one of the most entrepreneurial, investment driven and opportunity focused economies in the country our ambition has been realised and possibilities are endless.

"The Gold Coast has built a reputation as the city that says yes. We say yes to investment, yes to opportunity and yes to people who want to build something.

"It's this mindset helping us drive major growth across health, advanced manufacturing, screen production, marine, technology and the knowledge economy."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360975]

While population growth has been one of the defining stories of the past decade, the report points to a broader economic transformation taking place.

The city's knowledge economy now contributes $7.9 billion annually and supports around 31,000 jobs, while the health and wellbeing sector contributes $5.2 billion and employs more than 42,000 people. Together, the six priority sectors identified in the report account for almost $24 billion in economic output and more than 145,000 jobs.

One of the strongest examples is the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct at Southport. The 200-hectare precinct now contains more than $5 billion worth of health, education, research and innovation infrastructure and supports over 16,000 jobs.

The report also highlights the growing role of advanced manufacturing, particularly in aerospace, defence and modular construction.

Gold Coast-based Gilmour Space Technologies recently became the first Australian commercial company to attempt an orbital launch, while companies including Modscape and ModnPods are helping establish the Yatala-Stapylton corridor as one of Australia's fastest-growing advanced manufacturing hubs.

The city's entrepreneurial culture is also translating into business growth.

Since 2019/20, the number of businesses operating on the Gold Coast has increased by 22 per cent, while firms employing more than 200 people have grown by 80 per cent. The report suggests the next challenge is converting more local start-ups and medium-sized businesses into nationally significant companies.

Development activity remains another key indicator of confidence.

There are currently more than $23 billion worth of major projects underway across the Gold Coast, supported by a record 75 active cranes, a figure that now exceeds Brisbane and represents a 150 per cent increase since 2016.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112024 project_image_fid=343235]

Importantly, the report notes the next phase of investment will need to extend beyond residential development.

While 93 per cent of crane activity is currently tied to housing, Invest Gold Coast argues future investment will increasingly need to focus on cultural, civic, infrastructure and industry-enabling projects that strengthen the city's long-term economic resilience.

Invest Gold Coast Chair Will Hodgman said the city was now benefiting from years of economic diversification.

"What is happening on the Gold Coast is the result of the city's economic base broadening, fuelled by industries with long-term, high-growth potential," Mr Hodgman said.

"This is no longer a secondary Australian economy, the Gold Coast is becoming a globally connected city with deeper capability across health, knowledge and creative industries, advanced manufacturing, technology and exports."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365786]

Looking ahead, the Gold Coast's population is projected to exceed one million residents by 2046.

For a city that was once largely defined by tourism and lifestyle, the latest figures suggest the Gold Coast is becoming something more significant, one of Australia's most diverse and economically sophisticated urban economies, and increasingly one that national and international investors can no longer afford to overlook.

Joel Robinson

75 cranes, $23 billion pipeline and a $55 billion economy: Inside the Gold Coast economic boom

Ron Bakir's Homecorp has sold more than 75 per cent of the apartments in its wellness-driven Florence Residences in Surfers Paradise following its first weekend release.

The <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/florence-residences-24-monte-carlo-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">26-storey project on Monte Carlo Avenue</a>, which commenced construction earlier this year, has seen a flurry of buyers secure their slice of the Gold Coast's latest wellbeing-focused offering in one of the nation's most competitive property markets.

Since the pandemic, the Gold Coast's population has grown by more than 11 per cent, a rate approximately four times faster than Sydney's, driven largely by lifestyle changes and interstate migration. While buyer activity has moderated in some markets nationally, demand for newly built dwellings on the Gold Coast continues to gain momentum as purchasers increasingly prioritise lifestyle, amenity, wellbeing, liveability and long-term investment potential.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150414 project_image_fid=372743]

Homecorp CEO Ron Bakir says buyers today are looking for more than just a home.

"What we are seeing is a shift in how people define value in property," Bakir says.

"What attracts residents to new developments is a desire for more than just a residence. They are looking for a place that complements their lifestyle, supports their wellbeing and reflects the way they want to live into the future.

"Lifestyle, longevity, proactive health, wellbeing, connection and a sense of community are increasingly shaping purchasing decisions, particularly on the Gold Coast, where these factors continue to be a major drawcard."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150414 project_image_fid=372744]

Bakir says Homecorp is responding to this shift through an approach that places greater emphasis on design, amenity and experience working together to create places that feel considered, connected and enduring in value.

Inspired by Eastern European design, Florence Residences will comprise 120 apartments alongside a private residents-only wellness club featuring a resort-style rooftop pool, hot and cold plunge pools, a spa retreat, contemporary gymnasium, and a spacious yoga and Pilates studio.

The development will also feature a residents-only lounge with private dining facilities and a rooftop bar, premium outdoor entertaining areas, a hotel-style lobby lounge, generous bike parking, and pet-friendly amenities including a heated dog wash.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150414 project_image_fid=372742]

A limited number of apartments remain available, with an exclusive collection of four-bedroom sub-penthouses set to be released in the coming months.

Florence is one of the latest additions to Homecorp's expanding multi-billion-dollar property portfolio, which also includes plans for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/homecorp-lodges-plans-for-260-million-moroccan-bathhouse-inspired-tower-in-budds-beach">$260 million development in Budds Beach</a> tailored to the growing wellness market.

A development application has been lodged for a 27-storey, 156-residence tower at 8–10 Acacia Avenue and 25–27 Oak Avenue, featuring a residents-only Moroccan spa-inspired sanctuary.

Apartments at Florence Residences are priced from $1,249,000, with construction expected to be completed by late 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150414]

Buyers rush to Homecorp's Florence Residences as Gold Coast wellness trend gains momentum

The NSW Government has expanded its $1 billion Pre-sale Finance Guarantee program, broadening access for affordable housing providers and smaller residential developments as it seeks to accelerate housing delivery across the state.

The Minns Government says the program has already helped bring forward more than 600 homes across Sydney and regional NSW since launching in September 2025, with similar models now adopted in South Australia and Western Australia.

The latest changes, announced by Treasurer Daniel Mookhey and Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully, are designed to improve access to finance for projects that have planning approval but are struggling to secure funding.

Among the key changes is an expansion of support for community housing providers. The program will now support up to 100 per cent affordable housing projects valued at up to $30 million when delivered by not-for-profit providers, while support for larger affordable housing developments will increase for projects worth up to $80 million.

The government says the changes will help accelerate the delivery of housing for low-income workers, older people, people living with disability, and those at risk of homelessness, while reducing reliance on direct grants or subsidised loans to bridge funding gaps.

The eligibility criteria for smaller residential developments have also been broadened. The previous $5 million minimum project value threshold has been removed and replaced with a requirement that projects deliver at least four homes.

Support has also increased for projects delivering fewer than 20 homes, with the guarantee now able to cover up to 75 per cent of dwellings in a development, capped at $30 million per project.

The changes are expected to particularly benefit smaller-scale and regional developments, which often face greater challenges meeting pre-sale requirements imposed by lenders.

Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said the scheme demonstrates how government can use its balance sheet to stimulate housing supply without relying solely on taxpayer-funded grants.

"The Pre-sale Finance Guarantee shows how this Government is using its balance sheet to reduce risk and unlock private investment, enabling new homes to move from design to construction faster," Mookhey said.

"This landmark reform allows us to deliver homes for working families at a lower cost to taxpayers, while also maintaining strong financial discipline."

Planning Minister Paul Scully said the program had already proven effective in bringing stalled projects to market.

"The Pre-sale Finance Guarantee has already proven it can unlock stalled projects and accelerate housing delivery by giving lenders the confidence they need to back good developments," Scully said.

"These changes will allow more affordable housing and smaller developments to access support so more homes can be built faster where communities need them most."

Housing Minister Rose Jackson said the expansion would help community housing providers overcome financing barriers that often delay projects.

"We know community housing providers are ready to build more homes, too often they're held back by barriers to finance," Jackson said.

"Expanding the Pre-sale Finance Guarantee helps remove those barriers so more affordable homes can get off the ground sooner."

The announcement was welcomed by the Property Council of Australia, which has long advocated for measures aimed at improving project feasibility and access to finance.

Property Council NSW Executive Director Katie Stevenson described the expansion as a practical intervention that addresses one of the most immediate constraints on housing delivery.

"This is exactly the kind of practical intervention we need right now, focused on getting projects out of the ground, not just approved," Stevenson said.

"It builds on a model the Property Council has worked closely with government to develop following calls for such a scheme ahead of last year's NSW Budget, so it's great to see it being expanded."

Stevenson said the reforms would help unlock projects that are ready to proceed but have been delayed by financing challenges. However, she noted that broader feasibility issues remain a significant barrier to increasing housing supply.

"The biggest challenge in NSW housing today is delivery. Too many projects have planning approval but are simply not financially viable to proceed under current settings," she said.

Speaking at the Property Council's NSW Housing Summit, Housing Minister Rose Jackson acknowledged that feasibility and financing pressures continue to constrain housing delivery, while reaffirming the government's commitment to work with industry on solutions.

Stevenson said the government's recognition of those challenges was encouraging ahead of next week's state budget.

"It's positive to see the government clearly recognising that feasibility pressures are now a binding constraint on supply," she said.

"With the Budget just days away, the focus must be on backing delivery, making sure projects stack up, finance can flow, and more homes can move from approval to construction."

The expanded Pre-sale Finance Guarantee forms part of the NSW Government's broader housing agenda, which also includes planning reforms, the NSW Housing Pattern Book, and a series of rezonings intended to increase housing capacity across the state.

NSW expands Pre-sale Finance Guarantee to unlock more affordable and regional housing

Design-led developer-builder Lowe Living has unveiled its latest residential development, Jardin House, marking its first foray into Melbourne's blue-chip City of Boroondara.

Located a short walk from Camberwell Junction, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/jardin-house-by-lowe-living-camberwell-335-camberwell-road-camberwell-vic-3124">Jardin House</a> has been designed to appeal to affluent local downsizers and established families seeking a low-maintenance alternative to the large homes that have long defined Camberwell and surrounding suburbs.

The project will comprise a collection of two and three-bedroom apartments ranging from 92 sqm to 280 sqm, alongside a limited number of penthouse residences featuring rooftop terraces spanning more than 100 sqm, with optional private pools.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146717 project_image_fid=372212]

Lowe Living Co-Founder and Managing Director Tim Lowe said Camberwell represented a natural next step for the developer as it expands into some of Melbourne's most tightly held residential markets.

"Jardin House is an important project for our team as it marks the next evolution of our portfolio into different well-established blue-chip pockets of Melbourne," Lowe said.

"Camberwell, with its incredible walkability, family-led neighbourhood feel and superb access to education and transport, makes it a natural choice for us."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146717 project_image_fid=372227]

Designed by Tristan Wong Architects, with interiors by Hecker Guthrie and landscaping by Acre, the development takes inspiration from the Art Deco architecture that remains a defining feature of many of Camberwell's established streets.

A curved facade, arched openings, textured brickwork and sculpted forms reference the suburb's architectural heritage, while extensive landscaping softens the building's presence and creates a strong connection to the surrounding tree-lined streetscape.

The project will be set behind a secure gated entrance, with residents arriving through landscaped gardens designed to create a transition between the public realm and private residences.

Inside, the residences feature natural stone and timber finishes, full-height glazing, Miele appliances and generous open-plan living areas designed for long-term owner occupation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146717 project_image_fid=372225]

While the apartments themselves have been designed to attract discerning owner-occupiers, it is the amenity offering that sets Jardin House apart from many other boutique projects currently launching across Melbourne.

The centrepiece is a 350 sqm private bathhouse curated in partnership with Aurora Spa &amp; Bathhouse founder Lyndall Mitchell.

The wellness precinct includes mineral pools, hydrotherapy experiences, a Himalayan salt room, sauna, steam room, cold plunge pools and dedicated relaxation spaces, creating what Lowe Living describes as a private wellness retreat exclusively for residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146717 project_image_fid=372222]

The collaboration follows Lowe Living's recent partnership with Aurora at Maison Savoy in Brighton, although Jardin House is the first project to incorporate both indoor and outdoor wellness experiences.

Emma Lowe, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Lowe Living, said wellness was becoming an increasingly important consideration for apartment buyers.

"Collaborating with Lyndall Mitchell from Aurora Spa &amp; Bathhouse for a second time is an intentional nod to creating residences that are more than just homes, but a way to enrich the lives of our residents through wellness and longevity," Lowe said.

The amenity offering is complemented by a Technogym fitness studio, residents' lounge, private dining spaces and concierge services.

The launch comes as developers increasingly target Melbourne's established eastern suburbs, where rising land values, ageing housing stock and growing downsizer demand are creating opportunities for boutique apartment projects.

Lowe said the company expects significant generational wealth transfer across suburbs such as Camberwell in coming years, creating further demand for luxury apartment living.

"Camberwell is a blue-chip suburb where homes regularly transact for multiple millions of dollars," he said.

"The generational change of wealth in these locations expected in the coming years is significant, so we see an opportunity to create exclusive residences that appeal to older families and downsizers in order to meet this demand."

Apartments at Jardin house start from $1,195,000. The project forms part of Lowe Living's near-$1 billion portfolio of new developments across Melbourne.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=146717]

Lowe Living launches Jardin House in Camberwell

As <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/north-sydney-nsw-2060">North Sydney</a> continues its transition from a commercial centre into a more layered residential and lifestyle precinct, a new generation of apartment developments is reshaping expectations around scale, amenity, and long-term liveability.

Improved transport connections through the Victoria Cross Metro, continued investment in dining and public spaces, and a constrained supply of new luxury apartments have sharpened demand for homes that combine proximity to the CBD with the privacy and outlook traditionally associated with harbourside houses.

At 177 Walker Street, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/aland">ALAND</a>’s new apartment development <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-walden-north-sydney-177-walker-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">The Walden</a> enters the market with a distinctly residential approach to high-rise living. The 30-level tower will deliver 161 residences, ranging from one-bedroom apartments through to sub-penthouses and a full-floor penthouse, all oriented to capture uninterrupted views across Sydney Harbour, the Opera House, and out toward the Pacific Ocean.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6395]

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a>, the project takes advantage of the site’s natural topography and elevated position above the harbour. Rather than relying on density alone, the architecture focuses on outlook, orientation, and spatial flow, with every apartment occupying a corner position to maximise natural light and cross ventilation.

Rothelowman says the site itself shaped much of the architectural response.

“The site has a long history in terms of its inevitable transformation and when we came in, we took inspiration from the idea of reestablishing a sense of the site’s natural terrain and fall. Our scheme aims to integrate with the terrain and the landscape, using the undulating site to slowly reveal glimpses and views of the harbour. The rotation of the tower off grid means every apartment has a view and is naturally cross ventilated. The building's colour palette is quintessentially Sydney, with bronze and sandstone and a luminescent green colour in the glass, making it very earthy and grounded in its location.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6399]

Inside the residences, the emphasis moves toward larger-format living typically associated with standalone homes. Kitchens sit at the centre of the apartments, connecting directly to open-plan dining and living areas before extending outward into expansive winter gardens and balconies. Calacatta marble, bespoke joinery, integrated appliances, and custom metal detailing are used throughout, while three distinct interior palettes, Terrace, Opera, and Harbour, allow buyers to personalise the spaces without compromising the architectural consistency of the project.

The larger residences place particular attention on separation between entertaining and private zones. In many apartments, master suites occupy the outer corners of the floorplates, allowing bedrooms to benefit from floor-to-ceiling glazing and harbour outlooks independent of the living spaces. Dressing rooms and ensuites continue the material palette through fluted detailing, freestanding baths, and layered stone finishes.

Rothelowman says the design intent centred on creating homes that feel enduring rather than transient.

“Our philosophy is all about the way people live in these spaces, and we wanted to create homes that reflect the quality of life in this unique Sydney location. The apartments showcase expansive living spaces that are generous, sophisticated, and bold, with the ability to connect with views throughout each apartment.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=353235]

A separate four-storey amenity building known as The Pavilion expands the residential offering beyond the apartments themselves. Positioned alongside the tower, the building consolidates wellness, recreation, and social spaces into a dedicated resident retreat. Facilities include a 20-metre rooftop pool and sundeck, sauna, spa, ice bath, wellness studio, gymnasium, concierge service, wine cellar, residents’ lounge, private dining spaces, and dedicated co-working areas with meeting rooms and boardroom facilities.

The amenity mix reflects the buyer profile emerging in North Sydney, where owner-occupiers and downsizers are increasingly prioritising convenience, apartment scale, and long-term usability over purely investment-driven decisions.

The Walden also represents a significant milestone for ALAND, marking the company’s first major move into Sydney’s inner-city luxury apartment market after more than two decades delivering large-scale residential communities across Greater Sydney. Founder Andrew Hrsto says the Walker Street site stood apart because of both its positioning and its rarity.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6390]

“As a company, we had been searching for a site in one of Sydney’s blue-chip locations, spanning the Eastern Suburbs, the Sydney CBD and the North Shore, and when we had the opportunity to purchase this site, we immediately recognised that it could be something iconic.”

At launch, The Walden recorded more than $103 million in sales, with buyers drawn to the project’s harbour positioning, apartment scale, and proximity to the Metro, which now connects North Sydney to Barangaroo in three minutes and Martin Place in five.

ALAND has commenced construction, and is expecting a completion date in 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134323]

The Walden pairs house-scale living with North Sydney connectivity

Title Tattle

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The US-bound Melbourne corporate lawyer Guy Jalland has listed his restored art deco Darling Point harbour front with $12 million hopes.
He paid $8.2 million in 2013 and then updated the property which had last traded in the 1970s. He also added a jetty.
The two-storey house sits on a 1,114 square-metre Sutherland Crescent block, having been built in the 1930s. It retains terrazzo finishes, curved feature windows and solid-timber joinery. Its lounge, dining and family areas take advantage of the harbour views. There is also an interior courtyard.
The two-storey home contains four bedrooms and three classic art deco bathrooms, including a dedicated lower-level teenagers' retreat with a casual living area.
Its garaging once made the headlines given its distinctive Glenn Murcutt style. Murcutt also undertook some alterations to the house during the late 1980s.
Guy Jalland, with plans to spend more time in the United States, is best known as a longtime adviser to James Packer, including being general counsel of Publishing &amp; Broadcasting Limited from 2004 to 2007.
The house is listed through Brad Pillinger at Pillinger Real Estate.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

US-bound Guy Jalland lists Darling Point art deco gem

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A historic Victorian terrace overlooking Lavender Bay in McMahons Point has been sold for more than its $7.5 million price guidance. It is understood to have fetched $8 million.
<a href="https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house-mcmahons-point-nsw-2060/194172/?searchID=47103990" target="_blank">Villa Medusa</a>, the recently restored circa 1888 trophy home at 1 Waiwera Street snappily sold through Claudia Portale of McGrath Mosman.
The four-bedroom property was purchased in 2005 at $5.45 million and its renovation include a Versace fit out throughout.
The vendor, vintner Graham Cranswick-Smith, oversaw the merger between his export orientated winery and Margaret River producer Evans &amp; Tate in 2002, creating Australia's eighth largest producer.
He is the boss at Cranswick Wines Australia, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://au.linkedin.com/pub/graham-cranswick-smith/1/16/804" target="_blank">his Linkedin</a> photo showing him at home on the balcony with its gun barrel Sydney Harbour Bridge views.
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McMahons Point's Villa Medusa sold by vintner Graham Cranswick-Smith

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The Koichi Takada-designed Newport, Pittwater home proposed by the Myer model Jennifer Hawkins and her builder husband, Jake Wall has been costed at $2 million in construction.
The Newport home will be set in gardens planted by the Secret Gardens company on the bushland 3,261 square metre block (pictured above). Landscaping and the pool will cost $360,000.
The approved plans shows $2 million will be the overall cost of their building project, according to the list obtained by Property Observer.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2015/02/13/newport-feb-13-one.png" alt="">
It will be four storeys with its pool and sunken lounge on another lower level virtually on the foreshore.
The top floor is the four car garaging with lift and stairs to the lower floors.
There will be a floor as the master bedroom suite with courtyard.
Four additional bedrooms and an office area are included, along with home theatre and gym.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2015/02/13/newport-feb-13-two.png" alt="">
Jake Wall has done all he costings on the development that has been designed to address the landslip hazard potential.
Permission was given to demolish Jacaranda Cottage that was briefly listed as a heritage item, set on the western escarpment of Bilgola Plateau.
<a href="/news/jennifer-hawkins-spends-4-million-on-newport-waterfront">The couple paid $4 million</a> for the site last year.
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Jennifer Hawkins and Jake Wall's $2 million plans for their Pittwater home

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The bookish television personalities Andrew Denton and Jennifer Byrne have bought a two hectare Southern Highland retreat.

Their bush land retreat is at Mount Murray, located on the Wollongong side of Robertson. Most of its streets are fire trails with an elevation of 780 metres above sea level. The mountain is named after Sir George Murray.

Title Tattle had little prior knowledge of Mount Murray, though the $1.1 million property was sold by Anne Judell, who was an active devotee of the quirky Ask Doug column that once graced the SMH pages.

The property does not appear to have been publicly marketed as neither Domain, allhomes nor realestate.com.au websites carry any recent listings or sales at Mt Murray.

The purchase on the <a href="/news">outskirts of the Wingecarribee Shire</a> followed the sale last year of the studious entertainment industry couples' Double Bay property (pictured above) through the <a href="https://rwdbgroup.com/nsw/double-bay/1134573/" target="_blank">Ray White Double Bay selling agent James Keenan</a>.

After initial $3.8 million plus indications, the house fetched $4 million.

They had owned the house since 1998 when the 506 square metre property cost $1,845,000 after moving from McMahons Point where they sold in 2001 for $1.57 million.

There have been reports they have spent $4,025,000 on a Surry Hills penthouse in the St Margarets Ivy complex. 

The penthouse was sold by BradfieldCleary agent Georgia Cleary last year, but no settlement paperwork has been registered. The 272 square metre penthouse was sold by the Livingstone family who bought it for $2.9 million in 2006.

It was the first sale at Mount Murray in four years. There are fewer than 40 homes - perhaps even 30 - at the locality where the highest price was back in 2005 when comedian Tony Sattler and actor Noeline Brown spent $1.6 million.

But they have hardly put Mount Murray on the map over the past decade given the dominant popularity of nearby Robertson.

Indeed Skye and David Leckie’s Robertson property, Mulberry Farm is the feature in the <a href="https://highlifemagazine.com.au/view-to-a-thrill/" target="_blank">latest edition of the Southern Highlands bible, Highlife</a>, for whom I pen the property column, Dream Estates.

<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/2015/02/11/pic-feb-11-one.jpg">

Source: Highlife, Feb/Mar 2105

It is revealed the 12 audio speakers have been installed along the country estate's driveway with the jaunty theme from the 1960s television series, Bonanza heard by anyone on their way to the homestead,if their window is down.

The music was installed as a joke, a gift from the long-booted Skye to David, who had wanted to name their country retreat Ponderosa, after the property on Bonanza.

“I told him, ‘Over my dead body’,” Skye advised, “but for our first Christmas I had the speakers installed to surprise him. He thought it was hilarious. The theme music plays whenever the gate opens.”

The magazine editor Deborah McIntosh adds that Skye, a party girl from way back, knows all about making her own entrance for her weekender guests.

"This isn’t a weekender for hardy folk who want to labour in the country air, endlessly renovating, gardening or working with cattle," wrote McIntosh.

"It’s about jolly weekend pursuits: tennis, swimming, fishing in the dam, taking country walks, sipping wine by the fire pit, and cocktail hour, starting at 3pm."

The internationally renowned character actor Miriam Margolyes, who became an Australian citizen in 2013, and has bases in London, Bondi, Tuscany and California, maintains that Robertson, Southern Highlands is her preferred home.

Dubbed the grand dame of voice, Miriam discovered the Highlands when she was the voice of Fly, the honey-toned Border Collie who was the surrogate mother in Babe.

The movie was filmed all around the Robertson area and Miriam saw enough to know that she wanted to reside in the district. 

The film makers had searched the world over before finding Robertson. 

A huge film crew of 100 and a further 100 animal trainers descended on the town in 1994, staying five months. Margolyes found the 63 hectare holding, Yarrawa Hill then commissioning Mark Jones of the Nowra firm Edmiston Jones to build a house for herself and her close friends, Australian born Heather Sutherland and sister Sandra Sutherland and her husband Jack Pallimbo.

Built on poles on a precipitous slope, the eco-friendly corrugated iron house, with underfloor heating, is close by rainforest and faces the rolling plains of the Illawarra and the ocean beyond.

Miriam, who is still in constant demand for television, radio, film and theatre around the world, will undertake a world premiere Australian tour this year, The importance of being Miriam. 

Yarrawa Hill, with east and west wings, is available for holiday rentals. 

Robertson's recent departs include the retired shipping manager Peter Marshall and his interior designer wife, Janie who sold Lynwood Farm, the Robertson farm for $4.65 million.

Lynwood Farm was sold for to the Katz family headed by Ervin and Judith.

The superbly proportioned, three-storey timber residence stands on a 5.8-hectare holding with magnificent gardens featuring rolling lawns and a citrus orchard. Inside featured staircase balustrades designed in the Chinese Chippendale crisscross style.

The magazine also features 2GB’s top rating breakfast broadcaster Alan Jones for whom the Highlands isn’t a retreat or escape, it is home.

The rural life on Alan’s home at Fitzroy Falls serves as a reminder of where he came from, growing up on Queensland’s Darling Downs.

Initially built by John Darling Snr in 1981, the house has been extensively rebuilt since bought in 2003 from the Ireland family.

The 28 hectare property is now surrounded by a five-rung, black wooden fence. Alan purchased it for $2.6 million after deciding to sell his Jamberoo property The Church. Jones rents a Circular Quay apartment.

<h2>NSW properties you may like:</h2>

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7758]

[smartcode_project:default project_id=32227]

[smartcode_project:default project_id=24323]
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Andrew Denton and Jennifer Byrne blaze a trail to Southern Highlands retreat

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The 2006 contemporary eight bedroom Hamilton home in Brisbane has been listed by the property developer Don O'Rorke with his wife Natasha.
They and their seven children; Allie, 24, Izzy, 21, Tom, 11, Oliver, 10, twins Jonathan and Chloe, 7, and William, 5, are off to Brookfield acreage in the western suburbs.
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Set on one of Brisbane’s most prized riverfront streets, the Hamilton home called Balaam has eight bedrooms and nine bathrooms. 
It was listed in the 100 Dream Houses from Downunder book. It is listed through Ray White New Farm agent Matt Lancashire who described it is as a meticulously designed 1,034 square metre palatial family.
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Set across its 1,609 square metre block, the house was designed by Shaun Lockyer, <a href="https://www.arkhefield.com.au/projects/balaam-house/#sthash.ZUCW5pGu.dpbs" target="_blank">built from white concrete, timber and zinc</a>. 
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Arkhefeild was the design architect and interior designer, with the project managed by Blades Project Management. 
Brisbane's top home sale was last August when $14 million was paid by mining magnate Gina Rinehart in Hawthorne, along with the neighbouring $4 million holding.
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Hamilton, Brisbane Shaun Lockyer-designed home listed by property developer Don O'Rorke

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The Smorgon family heirs Norman and Tania Smorgon sold their Toorak home late last year, reputedly for around $19.25 million, to Fiona Verrocchi, from the pharmacy family.

They initially wanted $25 million for their trophy home as they undertook repeated sales campaigns.

The latest tender closed mid-December, long after its fanciful October 2013 front page The Age spruik (below) that failed to yield the desired record price. Marshall White agent Marcus Chiminello took over the listing without fanfare about a month before its sale.

<img alt="" src="/images/2015/02/04/age-feb-4-three.jpg">

Source: The Age, 18 October, 2013

<a href="/news/sir-rod-eddington-downsizes-toorak-homes">Toorak prices are not always heading positively upwards, </a>despite the best endeavours of estate agents. 

The six bedroom 750 Orrong Road, Toorak estate comes with a tennis court and pool on its 5,450 square metres.

Fiona and Mario Verrocchi currently reside at Caulfield North.

The Smorgons paid $3.05 million in April 1995 for the 1920s home which was sold by the family of the then Polish businessman Abe Goldberg. 

<img alt="" src="/images/2015/02/04/age-feb-4-four.png" style="line-height: 1.3em;">

Source: The Age, 18 October, 2013

Goldberg's daughter, Mrs Deborah Lea Furst, paid $3.95 million in 1987, and thought the property had been sold in 1991 for $4.1 million, but Title Tattle recalls the deal unravelled.

Furst's husband, Zev Furst, was briefly a co-director with Abe Goldberg of the textile giant Linter Group, which produced such labels as King Gee, Speedo and Stubbies. It collapsed in early 1990 with debts of around $1.3 billion.

There was talk of a $20 million sale in October this year, but it didn't eventuate. The sale price would need to surpass the $19.8 million paid for the nine-bedroom Avon Court mansion on Shakespeare Grove, Hawthorn in May which holds the year's top sale mantle.

Norman Smorgon heads Escor, their private company that manages the family's interests. 

The Escor Group was created by the family of Eric Smorgon, the late co-founder of Smorgon Consolidated Industries.

Eric Smorgon's grandson is Norman Smorgon. Eric Smorgon's family quit Russia in 1926 to escape Stalin and anti-Semitic sentiment.

They arrived in 1927 at Port Melbourne on the Kommisar Romel, settling in Carlton where young Eric began work as an electrical apprentice.

The $24 million achieved in 2010 by the Baillieu family remains Melbourne's top sale when a St Georges Road trophy estate sold to property developer Harry Stamoulis.

Marshall White selling agent Marcus Chiminello would only confirm its sale, not its reputed sale price.

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Verrocchi family buy Smorgon's Toorak trophy home

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The Lim family have sold their clinker brick Wolseley Road Point Piper property, kicking off the 2015 prestige sales with a reputed, unconfirmed deal at close to $28 million.
It comes with U-shaped feng shui-inspired building plans, so the bullish price effectively represented lucky land value. A very bullish $41,000 a square metre. 
The hillside near harbour side offering which was<a href="/news/u-turn-as-lim-family-list-hillside-wolseley-road-point-piper-offering"> listed last July</a> came with approved plans for <a href="https://www.raywhite.com/nsw/point-piper/1170391/" target="_blank">a massive Alex Tzannes designed harbour-side home</a> offering 648 square metre of internal living space across three levels with sweeping Sydney Harbour views.
The recent sale, which has yet to be identified on listing websites, came after LJ Hooker Double Bay agent Alain Waitsman seemingly introduced the buyer. 
Elliott Placks at Ray White had the listing which last sold at a hefty $20.55 million in 2008. Apparently they wanted as close to $30 million as the market would offer.
<a href="https://oceaniaproperty.com.au/point-piper.php" target="_blank">The plans had</a> five bedroom suites, each with bathroom and walk-in robe, plus self-contained studio, office, and a state of the art kitchen, butler's pantry, theatre, gym and garaging for four cars.
The property is a 678 square metre holding.
The development application was secured despite the opposition of entrepreneur Phil Green, the Vogliotti family and Bill Webb from across the road.
Julina Lim is from the<a href="https://oceaniaproperty.com.au/about-us.php" target="_blank"> Oceania Property Corporation</a>.
It was 2010 when the Lim family secured Land and Environment Court approval to proceed with the new $3.8 million four-storey home, though they have yet to proceed.
It was easy to lose count but there were six prestige sale in Point Piper last year after the backlog's first sale in June 2014 when the daughter of the late Peter and Ruth Simon, Marion Richmond, sold to Global Renewables chief David Singh and his wife Belinda
Just a week later Ron Medich sold his home, which the Lim's look down on, to the aged-care industry boss Peter Wohl and his wife Jennifer.
Another four sales took place in the second half of 2014.
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Point Piper resumes trophy home sales momentum into 2015 

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Melbourne businessman Sir Rod Eddington has paid $6,175,000 to downsize Toorak homes.
His home of the past eight years remains listed with more than $11 million expectations.
The redundant <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-toorak-117754647" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">Ledbury Court property</a> comes with pool and tennis court on its 2,154 square metre holding.
It was bought by Sir Rod and his wife, Young Sook Park, for $7.85 million in 2006 from the Ayre family who'd been there since paying $550,000 in 1980.
It remains for sale through Kay &amp; Burton's Michael Gibson.
The new acquisition of the contemporary abode (pictured below) was at a slight discount on its 2008 sale price of $6.3 million.
It was built by the developer Peter Gibson in 2007 to a design by architect Ilario Cortese.
<img src="/images/2015/01/30/toorak%20jan%2030%20one.jpg" alt="">
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Sir Rod Eddington downsizes Toorak homes

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Veteran adman media buyer Harold Mitchell has seemingly sold his Sydney bolthole, a $3.5 million plus apartment in The Astor.
The ninth floor Macquarie Street offering (pictured above) had been<a href="https://davidnewgroshre.com.au/?property=apartment-903-904-the-astor-123-125-macquarie-st-sydney" target="_blank"> listed through David Newgrosh of David Newgrosh Real Estate</a> last August.
Title Tattle recalls Mitchell gutted the then four bedroom apartment on its purchase around 14 years ago from Pamela Palmer of the Palmer stockbroking family.
The refurbishment into a much-draped two bedroom, three bathroom apartment took around a year.
It has harbour views.
It was 2012 when Yellow Brick Road boss Mark Bouris <a href="https://sydneysothebysrealty.com/4009102/81-125-Macquarie-Street-Sydney" target="_blank">put his pad in The Astor</a> on the market.
In 2006, he bought<a href="https://www.domain.com.au/Property/For-Sale/Apartment-Unit-Flat/NSW/Sydney/?adid=2010091212" target="_blank"> the five-bedroom, two-storey north-east corner apartment </a>from then Astor chairman Peter Kernaghan.
It has an estimated 440 square metre space over what were three separate apartments.
Its also <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.lisasteele.com.au/property/details/469" target="_blank">been available for rent at $3950 a week</a>.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2012/12/dec20bouris]}
Fairfax Media suggest $8 million plus was achieved, though without confirmation from the listing agents, David Newgrosh Real Estate and Tony Barron at Sothebys International.
The apartment is best known for its occupation by entertainer Barry Humphries, before it sold for $800,000 in 1987 and then extended with the addition of another adjoining apartment.
It comes with sweeping semi-spiral staircase to the upper level, where there is a "magnificent master bedroom suite" with private study, walk-in dressing room and ensuite bathroom.
Title Tattle last inspected the apartment back in 1986 when its was Dame Edna's possum pit. At the time it was also a split-level triplex. The price back then was $1.25 million for the then seven bedroom apartment, with the apartment split back into two leaving one with the gracious wrought iron staircase for grand entrances.
The Astor is the 12-storey, 1920s company title block that once dominated not only the city skyline but Sydney society.
Despite being the city's oldest apartment complex - and facing serious competition from many nearby new developments – it continues to attract buyers, especially when a modernised apartment comes with parking elsewhere on the strip.
Especially after the elegant Iain Halliday-designed renovation benchmark set in the mid-1990s after style-setters, ad man John Nankervis and wife Amanda bought their $535,000 third-floor deceased estate unit. 
Bouris took up his ownership having previously had digs elsewhere on Macquarie Street, in the Bennelong complex.
Over the years the block of apartments has been home to Lisa Rochfort, who was the managing director of Australian couture jewellers Fairfax &amp; Roberts, adman Harold Mitchell, Pioneer founder Sir Tristan Antico, broadcaster John Laws, caterer Charles Wilkins and artist Portia Geach.
Being company title, keeping track of pricing and sales figures is a little difficult, though in 1932 the eighth-floor north-east corner block was passed in at £4,300.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2014/08/01/the-astor-aug-1-two.jpg" alt="" style="line-height: 1.3em;"> 
Despite being the city's oldest apartment complex - and facing serious competition from many nearby new developments – it continues to attract buyers, especially when a modernised Astor apartment comes with parking nearby.
Completed in 1923, the Astor was the idea of entrepreneurs John and Cicely O'Brien.
The building was designed by architects Stuart Mould and Donald Esplin with a rooftop garden and basement restaurant.
Back then there were butlers and maids provided by the house manager.
Heiress Dame Eadith Walker, then Australia's wealthiest woman, was one of original buyers.
"It was there for the landed gentry…of which I am not one," Mitchell told 2GB's Money News host Ross Greenwood.
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Mark Bouris and Harold Mitchell both sell their Sydney Astor apartments

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A Surry Hills warehouse residence has been listed with $7.5 million plus hopes.
It was one of Sydney's earliest residential industrial conversions.
Title Tattle recalls the 1970s conversion undertaken by Gordon Youett and Kerry Yates was used as fashion company Espirit's headquarters for many years.
It still has its <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-surry+hills-118849011" target="_blank">heart-shaped, blue-tiled swimming pool</a>.
In 1987 it attracted the eye of fashion designer Stuart Membery who bought it in 1987 for $750,000.
It sold 16 months later for $1.16 million to Membery's ex-business partner Michael Watson. It was notable as Membery signalled his mother to tell the auctioneer to ask Watson to leave.
"I'm not leaving because I'm going to buy this house," said Watson to the Andrew Gibbons estate agency auctioneer.
It sold again in 1998 for $1.25 million to Tim Evangelinidis, who resold it 20 months later for $1.92 million to Michael Robinson.
The warehouse last sold in 2004 at $2.5 million to Michael Hayes. The record stands at $5.71 million when businessman Neville Miles and his wife Beryl sold their Surry Hills warehouse to artist Melinda Marshman and her husband Dr David Marshman in 2012.
"As warehouse homes go, this could be Sydney's pinnacle," the recent BresicWhitney marketing says.
Given the pool shape, Jackie Collins chose it as the location to launch her blockbuster book Hollywood Wives in the early 1980s.
Facing north over surrounding rooftops, it has 52 solar panels that generate up to $6,000 per annum.
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