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.

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[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.

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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 former NSW premier Nick Greiner and his ex-wife Kathryn have listed their Otford holiday home on the NSW Illawarra coast.
It has been their retreat since 1999, when they paid $1.15 to buy what was then known as Mount Saint Michael, the holiday home of the longtime publican of Oxford Street's Albury Hotel, Leigh Jennings.
Title Tattle recalls it was done in partnership with a mate from Deloittes. Setrave Pty Ltd, of which Mr Greiner is director, is its current co-owner.
Nick Greiner was NSW premier and treasurer from 1988 to 1992 and Kathryn was a Liberal-aligned City of Sydney councillor from 1995 to 2004.
The couple finally separated last October after an on-off 40-plus years of marriage.
Commanding 180 degree views over the Pacific Ocean and Royal National Park, across lavender patches, it is less than an hour to the city from the Illawarra coast. 
Christies International agents Darren Curtis and Ken Jacobs <a href="https://www.kenjacobs.com.au/1834804/" target="_blank">are marketing it as</a> an "unique pavilion-inspired design with two lofty towers."
There are four bedrooms, four bathrooms along with home office, and terraces and patios amid native gardens with heated infinity pool with cabana.
They recently sold their Centennial Park home which was listed with a $6 million plus price guide and the whisper marketing campaign attracted interest.
The 822-square-metre property opposite Centennial Park has been home to the Greiners since 2002 when it was bought from car dealer Paul Warren for $4 million.
The five bedroom house on 822 square metres was bought in 2002 for $4 million from car dealer Paul Warren who moved a few doors along.
There have been eight sales above $5 million over the years, topped off when the Pagents paid $8.2 million in 2009.
It's possible there is a ninth, although the sale price of the 1901 Federation mansion on 1,000 square metre, Kooytong has yet to be revealed.
Similarly there was the eventual sale last month of 6 Lang Road, which had ambitious $5.5 million hopes.
 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Nick and Kathryn Greiner list Otford weekender after selling Centennial Park home

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The Chinese billionaire buyer of the Point Piper home of recruitment queen Julia Ross, has seemingly emerged as the Evergrande chairman Xu Jiayin.
The confirmed identity of the $39 million trophy home occupant might take time to become clearer, as the Villa del Mare purchase is through a local company called Golden Fast Foods Pty Ltd, but Property Observer has followed the recently available, apparent official paper trail.
Golden Fast Foods is directed by two Chinese directors Han Xiaoran and Huang Xiangui, both from Guangzhou.
Huang Xiangui is also an executive director at <a href="https://www.evergrande.com/En/about.aspx?uc=team" target="_blank">Evergrande Real Estate Group Ltd</a>, whose billionaire owner Xu Jiayin, (許家印 also known as Hui Ka Yan) is estimated by Forbes to be worth about $7 billion. 
Property Observer gleans from <a href="https://jetphotos.net/showphotos.php?regsearch=B-6435" target="_blank">sky tracking websites</a> that Xu Jaiyin, aged 56, was in Australia around the time of the early October sale, having arrived with a team of 25 in his private Airbus A319.
The pinpointed billionaire was contemplating buying Australian tourist hotels and, without any confirmation, seemingly a Sydney Harbour trophy home bolt hole too. Xu Jiayin was born in Taikang, Henan province in 1958. He is married with two children. Xu Jiayin’s spouse is Ms Ding Yumei (丁玉梅 also known as Mrs Hui).
After four days in Sydney, Airbus A319-133X(CJ) was then onto the Queensland Gold Coast where the billionaire stayed at Palazzo Versace and met with international property agent Roland Evans of Canford Property Group, who recently brokered the Gold Coast Jewel development investment deal with the rival Dalian Wanda Group.
As of the end of 30 June, 2013, Evergrande had 262 large projects in 140 main cities within China. 
As at 30 June 2014, the group held land reserves of 150 million square metres covering 147 different cities in the PRC, 303 projects in total and recorded an accumulated average cost of approximately RMB986 per square metre. 
Evergrande Group is an integrated corporation specialized in residential building, cultural tourism, FMCG, agriculture, dairy, livestock farming and sport industry with 460 billion yuan worth of total assets and 80 thousand employees. In November 2009, the company listed its shares on the main board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited. 
Evergrande Group is expected to be one of the global top 500 enterprises by 2015. His property company, originally known as Guangzhou Hengda Real Estate Group (and later renamed Evergrande Real Estate Group), was established in 1996 in Guangdong Province and according to the company's 2009 prospectus filing it was initially managing just one construction site in Guangzhou during its first two years of operations.
<img src="https://www.evergrande.com/ir/en/images/Investor/images/img_01.jpg">
The owner of the popular soccer team Guangzhou Evergrande, Xu Jiayin, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/hui-ka-yan/" target="_blank">ranks 15th on the Forbes China rich </a>list and tops the latest annual list of China's top philanthropists. The company has been awarded the “Golden Cup of Cotton Tree Cup for Helping the Poor and Needy in Guangdong.” The self-made entrepreneur is a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, also known as the People's PCC, a political advisory body in the People's Republic of China.
Guangzhou Evergrande recently clinched their fourth consecutive Chinese national title, led by retiring Italian World Cup winning manager Marcello Lippi. The club won the 2013 Asian Champions League, though their bid to win back-to-back titles was stalled by eventual winners Western Sydney Wanderers at the quarter-final stage.
The Golden Fast Foods company, which was established by Lindfield accountant Stanley Brogan, is a subsidiary of Egality Investment (Australia) Pty Ltd, which is a subsidiary of the Hong Kong based company Jiaying Holding Limited.
Jiaying Holding gives Suite 1501, One Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Hong Kong as its Hong Kong registered office, <a href="https://www.aastocks.com/en/stock/CompanyFundamental.aspx?CFType=2&amp;symbol=03333" target="_blank">which is the same as Evergrande</a>.
Villa del Mare, the much offered hillside Point Piper home famous for its remote-controlled billiard table that sank into the floor, was last traded 10 years ago for $21.5 million when bought from Nati Stoliar.
Villa del Mare was being <a href="https://doublebay.ljhooker.com.au/J7YF93" target="_blank">marketed with Bill Malouf of LJ Hooker </a>in conjunction with <a href="https://www.kenjacobs.com.au/1716123/" target="_blank">Ken Jacobs of Christies International</a> who were confident they could set a record 2014 price. 
It was relisted in August with continued $40 million hopes, <a href="/news/julia-ross-sells-villa-del-mare-the-point-piper-palazzo-trophy-home">then snappily sold in early October</a>. It was redundant for the now London-based eponymous founder of Julia Ross Recruitment. Ross did not return to the house having negotiated the one month sale terms from her London home, with the $39 million transfer documents signed off in the UK. Ross grew up the youngest in a large working-class family in northern England. 
Born in Cheshire in the north west of England, Julia was the youngest of eight children, aged eight years younger than the second youngest and twenty five years behind the oldest sibling. 
The highest sale this year had been the $37 million sale of Ron Medich's mansion to SummitCare Australia aged-care boss Peter Wohl, just across the road on the harbourfront. That property had likewise been listed in 2011, but with overly ambitious $55 million expectations.
Last month the harbourfront <a href="/news/harbourfront-110-wolseley-road-point-piper-listed-with-2014-record-hopes">110 Wolseley Road, Point Piper hit the market</a> with hopes of securing the 2014 house price record.
Listing agent Bart Doff from Laing+Simmons Double Bay advised the property was likely to sell for $37 million plus, but now needs to better $39 million to take the title of the highest sale of the year.
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Guangzhou Evergrande's Chinese billionaire owner Xu Jiayin tipped as Villa del Mare, Point Piper buyer

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The veteran Pearl Beach playwright David Williamson has listed his occasional retreat.
Set among gum trees, Tranquility Cottage was bought in 2005 for $985,000 for the family of the Noosa-based Williamson and his writer wife, Kirstin.
It was up for sale in 2010 with $1.1 million hopes.
The <a href="https://www.prdettalong.com/index.cfm?pagecall=property&amp;propertyID=2756772" target="_blank">3 Cornelian Road property is now offered</a> at $900,000 plus through Stuart Gan of PRDnationwide Ettalong.
The Williamsons bought their first Pearl Beach house in 1979 for $55,000.
It was Pearl Beach that helped inspire his 17th play, Money and Friends, which was set on the sundecks at mythical Crystal Inlet.
Williamson, who paid $55,000 for his initial Pearl Beach backblocker, denied real comparisons between Crystal Inlet and Pearl Beach.
However, Williamson conceded at the time that the Crystal Inlet sundecks (those of the jerry-built fibro cottage and ultra-modern concrete mansion) similarly exist among the 630 houses at Pearl Beach.
"It (Pearl Beach) certainly has got the fibro cottages and grand beach homes, like most fashionable holiday places," he said.
In the late 1990s they paid $1.9 million for the secluded Noosa district property, Aeolus. It was one of 10 homes set in an 8,800-square-metre private enclave, with beach frontage to Sunshine Beach.
The four-bedroom house was designed by John Mainwaring with extensive open-plan areas and outdoor decking.
 
 
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Playwright David Williamson lists Pearl Beach retreat

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The late Ted Hopkins, was an electrician at Adelaide's Glenelg fun park in 1930 when he was given the job of dismantling the rollercoaster and bringing it by barge up to Milsons Point, Sydney where, in 1935, Luna Park was established.

His former Wollstonecraft home, not far from Luna Park, is now on the market having been in the family for 75 years.

The cottage on 800 square metres at <a href="https://raywhitelowernorthshore.com.au/nsw/wollstonecraft/1210482/" target="_blank">15 Milner Crescent has been listed</a> through Danny Grant of Ray White Lower North Shore with $1.7 million price hopes.

“He chose this house so he could be close to his work and his family has stayed here for three quarters of a century,” Grant said ahead of its 9 November auction.

Hopkins was at Luna Park until 1969, when Leon Fink took over.

He become park manager in 1957 after the death of the original manager, David Atkins. 

Luna Park opened on 4 October, 1935, just as the Great Depression was lifting, on the site used by contractors who built the Harbour Bridge. 

The 1896 Gavioli organ was bought in 1950, around the time the aging Phillips brothers from America sold Luna Park to Hopkins and Atkins.

"It was my life," he said in 1989 about one of the most famous landmarks in Sydney.

Every winter, when the park closed for maintenance, Hopkins would head overseas to buy a new ride.

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Wollstonecraft home of Ted Hopkins, the late Mr Luna Park listed

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Sarah Henry, wife of engineering company boss Rupert Henry, has emerged as the mystery $20.5 million buyer of the Bellevue Hill trophy home, Rovello.
The house sold in March on extended settlement terms to the Henry family.
The family recently sold their $7.8 million redundant Bellevue Hill home through Sotheby's International agent James McGowan to Chinese buyers who are seeking $2000 a week rental.
Henry, the St Marys-based Allmen Engineering boss, fleetingly looked at the former estate of Sir Peter Abeles last year. The family maintain a Palm Beach weekender.
In the dress circle of Bellevue Hill, Sydney’s most prestigious non-harbourfront suburb, Rovello was designed by Wilson, Neave and Berry, the leading architectural firm of the 1920s and 1930s era.
The superbly proportioned circa 1937 two-storey residence is described by the Australian Heritage Commission as "probably Wilson, Neave and Berry’s finest extant piece of architecture".
Set on the highest point of <a href="/news">Bellevue Hill</a> and facing north over Sydney Harbour, Rovello was built for Dr Vincent Flynn and wife, Jean Flynn, a great-niece of George Adams, the founder of Tattersall’s Sweepstake. A trust fund established some years after the 1881 introduction of Tattersall’s sweepstake generated vast wealth for the Adams family.
Rovello remained in the hands of Flynn’s family until it was bought by the property developer John Lyons, who sold it in the mid-1980s to the merchant banker James Yonge for $3.45 million in 1986. Yonge sold it for $8.24 million in 1991 through eastern suburbs estate agent Jane Ashton to the current owners, Michael Darling and his wife Manuela Darling-Gansser.
Centred around a courtyard modelled on the colonnaded Roman atriums, the house stands on more than 2,800 square metres of grounds with a tennis court, swimming pool, sweeping lawns and sun-drenched terraces. From the property are panoramic northerly views to Manly and The Heads, as well as westerly views to the Harbour Bridge. 
Echoing its Mediterranean name, the traditional Italian-style villa has two wings enclosing a large pergola and an enclosed loggia.  Featuring wide windows framed with elegant external shutters, Rovello has an impressive two-storey entrance hall and 675 square metres of living space including stately living, dining and entertaining areas opening onto the north-facing terrace. Howard Tanner oversaw its last renovation.
Featuring a gracious provincial-style marble kitchen, the five bedroom, five bathroom residence also has a self-contained apartments, a state of the art pilates studio and a steam room. The exercise area and steam room was added in the last five years designed by architect Nick Tobias.
Not surprisingly, the cooking and food storage areas are a feature of the house, as Manuela is a food author. An unusual feature is a ground floor flower room - which was apparently a fashionable inclusion of the time.
Also reflecting Mediterranean style are the gardens, which were re-designed in 2006 by leading landscape architect, Myles Baldwin. Featuring old stone walls, a parterre garden and a vegetable garden, the grounds have wide terraces leading to sweeping lawns and the tennis court. The garden now follows the traditional pattern for major Italian houses with a sequence of terraces - the main living terrace outside the house, the parterre below it, the water garden (in this case a swimming pool) and then the park.
With price expectations around $20 million, <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-bellevue+hill-116195747" target="_blank">Rovello was for sale</a> by expressions of interest closing March this year through Ray White Double Bay agents, Elliott Placks and Ashley Bierman.
{qtube vid:=g4O35hoeyQw}
It was 2011 when Michael Darling, the former chairman of Caledonia Investments and scion of the establishment pastoral and mining family, and his wife, Manuela Darling-Gansser, spent $14 million to buy a prized oceanfront North Bondi Beach residential building site.
The somewhat neglected five-storey apartment block has been designed as a luxury condominium compound for the family.
Set on the rock shelf known as Mermaid Rocks on the ocean shore at North Bondi, the building's remodelling has been undertaken by Nick Tobias.
Michel Darling, the urbane Oxford and Harvard educated businessman is regarded as one of Australia’s savviest investors, having sold the family’s 41% equity in the finance house Clayton Robard for about $200 million shortly before the 1987 stock market crash.
Darling, a descendent of the pioneer John Darling and the son of long-time BHP director L Gordon Darling, was a McKinsey &amp; Company consultant in the mid-1970s. He once climbed Mount Everest as far as Camp Three.
From 1979 to 1987 he was managing director of Clayton Robard Limited, the funds management and life insurance group. In his seven years as managing director he oversaw a lift in its asset values from $3 million to $350 million.
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Rovello, the 1930s Bellevue Hill trophy home sold to local family

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The veteran spinmeister Ian Kortlang has secured $2.2 million for his Potts Point company-title block Carisbrooke penthouse.
Title Tattle recalls when Kortlang bought <a href="https://www.rwebay.com.au/1806192/" target="_blank">the seventh floor 180 square metre penthouse</a> for $1.58 million in 2008 when he upgraded from the third floor which had been his bolthole for two decades.
The former Department of Foreign Affairs diplomat was chairman of the Potts Point company-title block for several years, overseeing the upgrade of the neo-classical block on Springfield Avenue.
Kortlang, the chief of staff to NSW Premier Nick Greiner, bought the penthouse in 2008 from the Perth-bound Edward Peel, a stockbroker at JP Morgan, and his wife, Abigail.
There was a $2,596 quarterly levy, plus the five-year-long $3,489 quarterly special fire-safety levy, which stopped many potential buyers from pursuing their initial interest in 2008. The latest marketing gave the levies as maintenance $3,000 per quarter and sinking fund $3,229 per quarter.
The inter-war free classical-style apartment complex was built in 1920.
The apartment was sold by Richardson &amp; Wrench Potts Point agents Jason Boon and Geoff Cox.
In 2011 Kortlang sold his 18th-century stone French farmhouse, north of Aix en Provence after a decade ownership. 
Now splitting his time between Sydney and Perth, Ian Kortlang is chief executive at Ulysses Strategic, providing advice especially to African mining companies.
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Ian Kortlang sells Carisbrooke, Potts Point penthouse

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Gerry and Sue McGowan have listed their three bedroom Double Bay apartment for 14 November auction.
The 13/38 Bay Street offering is the top floor, north facing penthouse.
It has 490 square metres space in the Ercole Palazzetti-designed complex, The Chancellor.
<a href="https://www.sothebysrealty.com/eng/sales/detail/180-l-2507-62h9yg/the-chancellor-double-bay-sw-2028" target="_blank">More than $7 million is being sought</a> by James McCowan from Sydney Sotheby's International Realty. They paid $5 million off the plan in 2003 with 2005 completion by builder, Multiplex. They added three car spaces costing $75,000 each in 2006.
They briefly thought about selling in 2006 when it had $6.25 million hopes.
Spending more time overseas, Gerry McGowan has been associated with the Nasdaq-listed renewable energy group CBD Energy in recent times, having previously been known for his airline entrepreneurship.
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High flying Gerry and Sue McGowan list Double Bay penthouse

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The Toorak mansion with revised, but still overly ambitious $25 million hopes, has now been revealed as having sold at $18.55 million to Sarah Lew, the former daughter-in-law of Solomon Lew.
Its June sale had been kept under wraps, with Socrates Vasiliades, the international commodities trader, taking three years to find the buyer for 3 Towers Road, Toorak (pictured above).
Vasiliades famously lived there for a reputed six days before moving out, taking his family to Europe.
With 22 rooms, a lift, home theatre, gym, pool, and basement parking the trophy home came with record-setting $30 million hopes when listed back in 2011.
Kay &amp; Burton agent Ross Savas Savas had the listing of the 2,140-square-metre property. Kay &amp; Burton have teased the market with word of <a href="https://www.irealty.com.au/_r/v_kb.cfm?v=109785065&amp;c=28191476&amp;b=1342816" target="_blank">another circa $20 million sale</a>.
Sarah Lew has been residing in a $4.2 million Toorak penthouse since mid-2012, Property Observer noted on <a href="/news/sarah-lew-buys-3-towers-road-toorak">the initial Towers Road sale news</a>.
Vasiliades, who had had tradespeople flown in from around the world to work on the house during its six-year construction, now gives his address as London. The property was bought by his wife, Celeste, in 2002 for $4.6 million from Peter Thomas.
With projects in the Congo, Gabon and Cameroon, Vasiliades has been the chief executive of Core Mining since its 2003 establishment. The iron ore explorer has been backed by Glencore International Plc and has Russian steelmaker OAO Severstal as an investor. He has over 23 years’ experience in the steel industry and prior to forming Core Mining he traded steel and bulk raw materials worldwide.
The Victorian price record remains with the 2010 Portsea sale of Ilyuka for $26 million.
One Towers Road, Toorak (pictured below) was sold in 2013 for $21.5 million to the Cotton On boss Nigel Austin by former JPMorgan Australia chairman Brian Watson.
<img src="/images/stories/onetowers.jpg">
Set on 3,900 square metres, the six-bedroom house was once owned by businessman John Elliott.
The empty-nester Watson family bought the Toorak property in 2001 for $11.1 million, a then record-setting price. The Watsons had themselves sought to set a record sale price, <a href="/news/vic/one-towers-road-toorak-sells-but-falls-short-of-record">but fell short</a> at $21.5 million.
Toorak’s highest-priced sale was the reported $24 million sale in 2010 of the former Baillieu family estate on St Georges Road, Toorak when bought by soft-drink magnate Harry Stamoulis.
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Towers Road, Toorak trophy home sale comes in at $18.55 million

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The Credit Suisse head of private banking Edward Jewell-Tait and his wife, Jo, have snappily sold their Bellevue Hill trophy home.
No price has been revealed although Property Observer gleans $9.25 million plus, possibly $9.5 million, was secured through <a href="https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house-bellevue-hill-nsw-2023/240183/?searchID=43770814" target="_blank">McGrath agent Ben Collier</a> who had been proffering an initial price guide of more than $8.5 million.
The home comes with a rear north aspect on a level 980 square metre block set back from Ginahgulla Road.
Everyone thought they had paid handsomely when they bought the Michael Suttor-designed residence from the Point Piper-based Judy Joye in 2011 for $8.5 million.
Designer Sally Greenaway has since installed her Cote d'Azur-style interiors with Will Dangar busy in the garden that features a steel sculpture by Joanna Rhodes.
The couple have recently bought the Robertson, Southern Highlands retreat, Two Gates Farm<a href="/news/coach-bob-dwyer-sells-southern-highlands-farm"> from former Wallabies coach Bob Dwyer</a> for more than $4.5 million, and will keep a smaller Sydney base.
Bellevue Hill's second highest sale this year was when Sydneysiders Paul and Elaine Longmuir spent $16 million on a seven bedroom Bellevue Hill property at nearby 8a Ginahgulla Road.
It had last sold at $14.5 million in 2009 to the Indonesian media mogul Eddy Sariaatmadja from the broadcaster Emtek.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-bellevue+hill-105346571" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">The 1970s Bellevue Hill property</a> was designed by Stephen Gergely, of Gergely Pinter Architects.
It stands on a large and private 1,620 square metre block of land accessed by a driveway adjacent to Rona. It was offered this time with approved plans by Geoform Design Architects. 
Bellevue Hill's highest sale this year was when Matthew Koder, the expatriate Asia Pacific president at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, paid $19 million for the Bellevue Hill mansion, Donnington Grange, Angela Fleming's trophy mansion.
It was 2005 when the late grocery tycoon Jim Fleming and his wife, Angela paid $16.5 million for the Bellevue Hill residence, a pricey sale at a time when a pall was evident over most of the Sydney market.
The 1,842-square metre Drumalbyn Road estate (pictured below), with eight bedrooms, 10-bathroom house and 10-car underground garaging, was sold through <a href="https://doublebay.ljhooker.com.au/M6EF93" target="_blank">LJ Hooker agent Bill Malouf</a> and Sophie Beaumont, in conjunction with Sydney Sothebys International. 
It was built for the Rubenstein family before its sale to the Flemings.
<img src="/images/2014/10/24/bellevue%20hill%20oct%2024%20two.jpg" alt=""> 
There have been just the two recorded sales above $10 million far this year, compared to the burst of activity last year when there were six sales.
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Edward Jewell-Tait secures bullish snappy $9.25 million plus Bellevue Hill sale

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Nathan Tinkler’s first Patinack Farm property auction offering failed to secure a sale at LJ Hooker Gold Coast hinterland auction this week.
Final bids passed in were $4,500,000 for Wadham Park, $3,500,000 for Benobble, $1,800,000 for ­Elysian Fields, and $1,800,000 for Sarahvale, ­totalling $11.6 million through LJ Hooker agent Cameron McPhie who had expected the properties would sell for a total of between $17 million and $23 million.
Negotiations continue, as they say.
Among the 15 registered attendees was Michael King, who had previously owned the Elysian Fields property where he hosted lavish polo events prior to the MFS collapse. The local News Ltd paper says he was there on behalf of Hong Kong interests.
The Tax Office has taken <a href="/expert-insights/finance/nathan-tinkler-horse-stud-farm-sales-come-with-ato-mortgages">the unusual step of registering two mortgages</a> over all the stud farms following their recent deed of settlement with the coal baron.
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