The final apartments in the most recently completed new development in Balwyn present some of the largest and most exclusive ever delivered in one of Melbourne’s most established and character-rich neighbourhoods.

Boutique developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/wulff-projects">Wulff Projects</a>,&nbsp;alongside partner <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/pga-group">PGA Group</a>, has just finished <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/threadneedle-balwyn-1-5-threadneedle-street-balwyn-vic-3103">Threadneedle</a>, 17 home-sized residences designed completely for the owner-occupier.

Named after its location on Threadneedle Street, the new project has been shaped by the heritage fabric of Balwyn. It offers two low-rise buildings of eight and nine apartments respectively, designed to emulate traditional standalone homes.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=27816 project_image_fid=355582]

John Scaramuzzino, Director at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bruce-henderson-architects">Bruce Henderson Architects</a>, explains the design intention.

“Given the quiet residential character of the street with many homes dating back to the 1930s and 1940s, we approached Threadneedle wanting to appear less as a collection of apartments and more as a traditional residence. This led to creating not one but two buildings that could “breathe” with larger garden-based apartments functioning more like small homes.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=27816 project_image_fid=355605]

The north-facing residences are nestled among extensive landscaped gardens by Ben Scott Garden Design, with over one-third of the site dedicated to greenery. The resulting setting is one of calm seclusion, where architecture and landscape work in tandem to offer immediate liveability.

With construction now complete, the final apartments include a top-floor, single-level penthouse residence priced from $2.8 million. This home offers three bedrooms, a dedicated study, two bathrooms plus powder room, and three car spaces with an oversized storage room.&nbsp;

Interiors prioritise spatial comfort and natural light, with three-metre-high ceilings, oversized internal doors and a full-width terrace oriented to the north, east and west.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=27816 project_image_fid=355604]

Floor-to-ceiling double-glazed windows ensure thermal performance across seasons, supported by automated external blinds, zoned heating and cooling, and a fireplace for added ambiance.

Each apartment has been individually designed to maximise privacy and garden outlooks. Kitchens combine refined finishes with practical considerations: stone benchtops, butler’s pantry, full-height joinery and concealed rangehoods.&nbsp;

The inclusion of dedicated home offices responds to contemporary living patterns, while bathrooms feature sculptural bathtubs and brushed nickel fixtures.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=27816 project_image_fid=355590]

Threadneedle also integrates best-practice sustainability measures, achieving a 7 Star average NatHERS rating. Initiatives include solar PV systems, rainwater harvesting for toilet flushing and irrigation, and high-performing building insulation. These elements enhance daily comfort while reducing ongoing maintenance and energy demand.

"We believe Threadneedle sets a new standard of design excellence and building quality for Balwyn,"&nbsp;Scaramuzzino added.

"It’s an architectural response we’re particularly proud of, and one we’re sure residents will be equally proud to call home."

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=27816]

Staff Writer

Final homes remaining as Threadneedle, Balwyn completes construction

Joel Robinson

Sydney's top 15 new apartments developments set to launch in 2026

Developer-builder <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/dasco-australia">DASCO</a> has pushed beyond the now-standard inclusions of rooftop pools and landscaped podiums at its recently launched new Epping project, Senso.

It has laid out over 4,000 sqm of resident-only amenity in a move designed to compete directly with low-density housing on livability, not just density. The result is a development that supports genuine daily use through purposeful spaces distributed across its five-building, 479-apartment precinct.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134954 project_image_fid=4396]

Two rooftop pools form the anchor of Senso. One is a 27-metre lap pool adjoining a heated spa, designed for everyday fitness rather than just summer leisure. The second sits on a lower podium, allowing different buildings to share in vertical access and reducing crowding during peak times.

It is the secondary spaces that start to distinguish Senso from other large-scale suburban projects. A rooftop cinema is integrated into a landscaped terrace, offering open-air screenings with natural ventilation and passive cooling.&nbsp;

The inclusion of a “sensory walk”, an elevated boardwalk that threads through the site, suggests a rare investment in non-commercial, non-essential amenity: space for quiet movement that doesn’t double as access or traffic circulation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134954 project_image_fid=4402]

The gym and wellness centre, often relegated to a small ground-floor room in many builds, takes on more substance here. Residents have access to a fully equipped gym, as well as outdoor yoga areas and meditative zones that integrate greenery and natural light.&nbsp;

The Club Lounge is similarly designed to support multiple use cases, with a private dining terrace, kitchenette, workspace, and lockable wine storage. These aren’t superficial additions; their scale and spatial allocation indicate serious intent for frequent resident use.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134954 project_image_fid=4391]

Importantly, Senso’s amenities are embedded within a site that spans more than 10,000 sqm, allowing for better separation between spaces and reduced noise spillover, a critical but often overlooked factor in high-density developments. This spatial generosity also enables multiple alfresco kitchens and communal terraces without compromising individual privacy or usable space.

While many developments make claims about lifestyle, few back it with this level of built infrastructure. Senso’s mix of dedicated fitness, wellness, social and passive green spaces suggests a conscious response to the post-pandemic shift in housing expectations, especially among owner-occupiers.&nbsp;

DASCO is one of several leading developers who have taken out Resilience Insurance's Latent Defects Insurance policy, providing buyers with a 10-year structural and waterproofing warranty, and giving them the ultimate peace of mind.

Senso is scheduled for completion in late 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134954]

The outdoor amenities elevating life at Senso, Epping

Following the proposal by the Minns Labor Government to rezone Parramatta Road to create up to 8,000 new homes, prominent developer Ceerose has gone to the NSW Gov to increase the density of its new mixed-use residential building in Leichhardt.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/ceerose">Ceerose</a>, founded by Edward Doueihi nearly three decades ago, has filed plans for 154 apartments above ground-floor retail at 307-315 Parramatta Road, a key corner site near Norton Street, the main high street strip in Leichhardt.

It's an upsize from the previously approved scheme of 63 apartments across a seven-storey building.

<img alt="Ceerose" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ba1ae75b-5f08-43fb-b8d5-3de6d9f6ef71" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-12-04%20at%2010.31.39%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=yA3hBBLPH4ev7MsAE0_hieXeqiFqBUb7" />

The project is being advanced through the State Significant Development (SSD) pathway, with concurrent rezoning sought to facilitate the proposal. The 10-storey development would rise over a four-level basement and deliver two retail tenancies, one a larger-format offering and the other a smaller “hole in the wall” space, addressing the Parramatta Road frontage. 21 of the apartments are dedicated as affordable housing.

According to the Urban Design Report by Architecture AND, the scheme includes a podium and tower configuration, with a fine-grain, two-storey parapet street wall that references the traditional shopfront rhythm along the corridor. “An elegant tower form is proposed, combined with a characterful two storey frontage... articulating it as two related buildings, providing consistency with the rhythm and grain of Parramatta Road,” the report notes.

The residential component is split across two slender towers set back from the street edge, a design move aimed at preserving solar access and reducing perceived bulk. This massing strategy also seeks to improve residential amenity by focusing scale toward the quieter northern interface, away from Parramatta Road’s noise and pollution.

<img alt="Ceerose" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="347f2f8f-5d36-4388-b40a-2e77380b9c19" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-12-04%20at%2010.31.02%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=xvyUE2ujT1lzivXTo.mHBJFF4SmfgLtz" />

Architecture AND has worked with Ceerose on previous Inner West projects, and cites a deep familiarity with the local character. Their design draws heavily on context, heritage, and sunlight access considerations, and engages with the Inner West Council’s “Our Fairer Future” strategic planning framework.

The site spans 2,712 sqm and is located near key intersections with Catherine Street, Hay Street, and Redmond Street. It adjoins a public carpark to the north and is within walking distance of Stanmore and Petersham stations. It is also flagged in state and local planning strategies, including the Parramatta Road Corridor Urban Transformation Strategy, as a suitable candidate for increased density.

Ceerose recently completed The Alex Collective on McEvoy Street in Alexandria, Abbie's Lane in Annandale, and the award-winning Munro House in Elizabeth Bay.

The Parramatta Road corridor is coming to life with the proposed rezoning which is serviced by a significant number of bus, light rail and train routes.

Deicorp is progressing with its $1.8 billion <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kings-bay-village-five-dock-53-75-queens-road-five-dock-nsw-2046">Kings Bay Village</a> precinct on Parramatta Road in Five Dock, as is <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/toga-to-push-on-with-five-dock-mixed-use-masterplan">TOGA further down the street</a>. Those two projects alone will bring nearly 2,000 new homes to Parramatta Road.

First look: Ceerose plots mixed-use Leichhardt development on Parramatta Road

North Sydney's landmark 'SBS Building' on Alfred Street is set to be demolished to make way for a new mixed-use residential tower in the booming North Sydney.

Commercial property group FiveX is behind the plans for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/275-alfred-street-north-north-sydney-nsw-2060">39-storey tower</a>, the latest project to advance under the NSW Government’s Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

They are proposing 184 apartments above retail spaces, which will replace the existing 20-storey commercial building. FiveX was set up more than five decades ago by Joshua and Marko Berger. It is currently led by Joshua's son Lesli.&nbsp;

<img alt="First look: Fivex plans 39-storey residential tower at 275 Alfred Street, North Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2efa0980-53fa-4cca-9f9e-9c3c845d4746" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29%20%281%29_0.png?VersionId=y_YyPMq3NQLfYRs84pP4os9UgWiMLp75" />

According to the Architectural Design Report by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fjc-studio">FJC Studio</a>, the slender tower form has been deliberately designed to respect the site's transitional setting at the southern gateway to the North Sydney CBD, where high-rise towers give way to lower-scale residential precincts.

"The slender tower form and articulated podium establish a respectful relationship with nearby heritage and low rise buildings, including the Whaling Road Heritage Conservation Area,” the architecture firm noted, adding that the tower “completes a missing link in the urban fabric” while enhancing the Alfred Street streetscape.

The proposed building will include a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, with 15 percent of the gross residential floor area allocated as affordable housing. There is an agreement already in place that those apartments will be managed by Evolve Housing.

The project aligns with broader state housing objectives, including the National Housing Accord target of delivering 1.2 million new homes by 2029. The Scoping Report filed with the State Significant Development Application (SSDA) suggests the site "presents no impediments to rapid delivery,” with construction able to commence within 12 months of receiving consent.

North Sydney has been one of the most popular suburbs in Sydney for new and off the plan apartment development, but hasn't had the supply to keep up with demand, until recently.

AURA by Aqualand was, for a long time, the only off the plan apartment building on the market. That completed last year, and has sold the majority of its 386 luxury apartments. Recently ALAND launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-walden-173-179-walker-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">The Walden</a> on the same street, selling over $100 million within just a few hours of its launch, while developer CASA also launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-mclaren-north-sydney-45-mclaren-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">The McLaren</a>&nbsp;in the same precinct.

First look: Fivex plans 39-storey residential tower in booming North Sydney

Aussie John

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Aussie Home Loans founder John Symonds is selling Hansa, his super megayacht, with hopes to build a new one in the future.
He's asking around $160 million, which would be $60 million more than Australia's most expensive home, for the 73 metre vessel which was only delivered in 2017.
It has been reported on The Australian's Margin Call that there is heat in the market at the moment.
Symond's son Stephen has been recently using the boat, sailing from New York City out to The Hamptons.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/8/6/Hansa%20Aussie%20John%203.jpg" alt="">
Hansa won award at last years World Superyacht Awards for her exterior lines, large jacuzzi and high-quality finish.
It was built by Dutch shipyard Royal van Lent.
The boat was a big reason as to why Aussie John was listening to offers for his Point Piper mega mansion, given plans he and wife Amber McDonald had to travel Europe on the water.
The listing, referred to as a 'her' in its marketing, is one of the most expensive this year.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/8/6/Hansa%20Aussie%20John%205.jpg" alt="">
It features its own beach club, an eight metre infinity swimming pool, its own gym, hair salon, lift and 10 seat cinema on the main deck.
There's a lower deck wellness centre with a massage room.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/8/6/Hansa%20Aussie%20John%202.jpg" alt="">
An elevator serves the lower, main and bridge decks. 
There are six cabins that sleep 12, with a catering crew of 21.
 <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/8/6/Hansa%20Aussie%20John%204.jpg" alt="">
The owners suite, on the main deck, has his and hers bathrooms, separate dressing rooms, a lounge and a private study.
Its twin MTU diesel engine gives it a top speed of 16.6 knots, around 30 kilometres an hour.
The boat isn't the most expensive however on the market.
That gong goes to Secret, a 2013 built, 82.5 metre yacht built by German boat builders by Abeking &amp;<a class="C-17" href="http://abeking.com/" target="_blank"> </a>Rasmussen. It is currently on the market for nearly $200 million.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/8/6/Secret%20Yacht.jpg" alt="">
The opulence almost overtakes Symonds.
The interiors are designed by Jim Harris, with the exterior by the acclaimed yacht designer Sam Sorgiovanni.
The boat is owned by American businesswoman Nancy Walton Laurie an American heir to the Walmart fortune.
Walton Laurie has an estimated fortune of US$6.6 billion (AU$9.7 billion).
 <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/8/6/Secret%20Yacht%202.jpg" alt="">
Harris was also responsible for the interior of Walton’s previous Feadship yacht.
Is is believed Walton bought the superyacht Jubilee.
Walton's sister Ann Kroenke, fellow heir to the Walmart fortune, owns the yacht Aquila.
None of the above mentioned boats come close to being the most expensive yacht ever, which is in the billions.
The History Supreme is worth $4.8 billion, given it is made from solid gold.
Some 10,000 kilograms of solid gold was used by renowned luxury yacht designer Stuart Hughes from the UK. The build of the fairly modest 30 metre yacht took three years.
It reportedly belongs to Malaysia's richest man Robert Knok.
The master bedroom has wall feature made from meteorite rock and a statue made from genuine Tyrannosaurus Rex bones.
It also features a 68 kg 24-carat gold Aquavista Panoramic Wall Aquarium and a liquor bottle featuring a rare 18.5 carat diamond. 
Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, owner of English Premier League football club Chelsea, owns the $1.5 billion Eclipse, the second most expensive boat in the world.
He's regularly on the gigantic 170 metre yacht built by Blohm and Voss of Germany and designed by Terence Disdale. 
It has a mini submarine capable of submerging up to 50 metres underwater.
Abramovich is rarely photographed on the boat, namely due to the fact there's an anti-paparazzi shield which consists of lasers sweeping the surrounding areas.
Australian billionaire Brett Blundy recently offloaded his 74 metre Italian superyacht Cloud 9, according to Margin Call. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

Aussie John Symond lists superyacht Hasna for $160 million, eyeing a bigger future boat

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Aussie John Symond has listed a Double Bay retail property.
The <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/18-transvaal-avenue-double-bay-nsw-2028-2014933470">boutique shop and residence </a>has Maree Conley’s homewares outlet Conley &amp; Co.
It was bought by Symond in 2014 for $4.8 million.
The Alexander Tzannes-designed retail property was sold by the former Trent Nathan chief Shane Barr.
There is a $6.5 million to $7 million guide by Brad Caldwell-Eyles of 1st City Double Bay, who sold it last time.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Aussie John Symond lists Double Bay retail property

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When expatriate retired mortgage broker 'Aussie' John Symond and wife Amber finally return to their home, (pictured above) from London, they might find they have several new neighbours on the pricey Point Piper peninsula.
There is an application to turn Portofino, the adjacent $60 million luxury home, into a block of three flats by the little-known Chinese multi-millionaire stock trader Andy Wenlei Song.
Portofino (pictured below, centre) was the longtime three-level home of luxury car dealer and yachtsman Neville “Croaky” Crichton and his then fiancée — now wife — Nadi Hasandedic.
<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/2017/01/19/700_crichton2.jpg" alt="">
Crichton sold in 2016, just months before their lavish wedding, for $60.66 million, in what was the year’s top trophy home sale in Australia.
It required approval from the Foreign Investment Review Board, but seemingly no financing because there’s no registered mortgage on title.
In 2011, the six-bedroom Portofino was briefly rented by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and his wife Melanie, at $25,000 a week.
Solicitors Minter Ellison have been nominated as assisting in the conversion application. 
The property is one of only two waterfront homes on the rather steep and narrow Wingadal Place.
The timber Scots College Rowing Club boatshed sits on the shore between Portofino and Symond’s five-storey home.
The conversion proposal has been with Woollahra Council since this time last year, and the revised plans have only just gone out for public comment.
The initial Rob Mills Architects plans raised concerns at council regarding excessive building height, the documents show.
<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/2018/11/26/Aussie1.jpg" alt="">
The works are estimated to cost $7.28 million for the 1436 square metre waterfront parcel.
Crichton bought the property in 1994 for $5.9 million from helicopter pilot Bruce Rose and his wife, Pam, who held the only private helicopter landing rights in the eastern suburbs, which have now lapsed.
The New Zealand-born Crichton had commissioned Auckland-based architects Swan Railley Clapham &amp; Associates to design his Tuscan-style abode.
It is not known if the intention is to flip or hold, perhaps as a multi-generational family compound.
This article was first published in the Sunday Telegraph.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

'Aussie' John Symond set for new Point Piper neighbours 

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Labor’s negative gearing policy was a “hand grenade” that could tip Australia into recession, mortgage broking pioneer John Symond has warned. 
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“I don’t care whether it was Liberal, Labor or the Greens, if they come out with such a radical move that could tip the economy over, I’ll be outspoken,” Mr Symond told The Australian.
“I appreciate that they say they’ll grandfather existing investors, but the unintended consequences would be astronomical.
“I am concerned that it would do so much damage — unemployment, higher interest rates — it could tip us into recession.”
Mr Symond said grandfathering negative gearing would help first-home buyers get into the market.
But it would “hurt the vast majority of Australians” who already own a home because established property prices would fall.
“Every home through every street will be impacted.
"You’ll have tens of thousands of people in negative equity. Bank balance sheets will be whacked and so funding costs will be higher.
“Banks will lend less, banks will earn less, share prices will fall and it will impact superannuation fund returns,” he said.
“It will be a nuclear bomb.
"There will be very little incentive for people to get into property.”
 
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Aussie John Symond slams Labor negative gearing housing policy

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John Symond, the high-profile founder of Aussie Home Loans, is selling off some paintings set to fetch around $5 million or so from the Sotheby's sale.
Some were mentioned in a privately published book on his collection.
The 14 of Symond's surplus artworks top the line-up at <a href="https://www.sothebysaustralia.com.au/catalogue/AU0830" target="_blank">Sotheby's November 20 sale</a> including John Brack's Pantomime (above).
Pantomime has a presale estimate of $500,000 to $700,000. It last publicly sold at auction for $282,000, including premium, in December 2003.
Jeffrey Smart's 1965 Piazza D'Esedra has a presale estimate is $300,000 to $400,000, compared with the $135,250 the picture last fetched at Sotheby's in November 2003
He wants nothing in storage, following a rationalisation of what has always been a relatively disciplined collection.
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firstname1-iYD4UYzvBa

John Symond moves to sell some artwork

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Aussie John Symond's former Pymble trophy home Barkstone has been relisted for sale.
The luxury Telegraph Road home was owned by Symond in the late 1980s. He renovated the 1900s Federation and sold it for $3.25 million in 1992.
It last traded for $5.36 million when bought by the Wu family.
The six bedroom home features high patterned ceilings, stained glass windows, fireplaces and return verandas.
There's a grand entry foyer, sitting room, separate banquet dining room, library and a billiards room.
It's set on 4,000 sqm that includes a tennis court, swimming pool and self-contained house-keepers accomodation, separate from the house.
Chana Scotcher and Christine Tedja have the listing.
Telegraph Road was originally called Military Road, but was renamed in 1883 after a telegraph line was erected.
Aussie John is based in Point Piper at his opulent Windagal Place home, once dubbed Aussie Stadium.
Earlier this year it was marketed in China with price hopes of over $100 million.
Earlier this year he sold his Point Piper penthouse to Angela Teplisky, estranged wife of property developer Michael Teplisky, for around $13 million.
The sale has stalled however after a caveat was lodged six months ago.
The two-storey penthouse cost Symond $8.16 million when he bought from jailed fraudster Nati Stoliar in 2010.
This article first appeared in the Sunday Telegraph.
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Aussie John

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