The new <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/yarraville-green-42-stephen-street-yarraville-vic-3013">Yarraville Green</a> development in Melbourne's inner west is showing that landscaping can be just as influential as architecture, with buyers responding strongly to the garden-first approach adopted from the outset by developer Excelon Projects and the project's design team.

Excelon appointed Six Degrees Architects and landscape architects SBLA to work collaboratively on the development, with a brief to create "a sustainable, design-led building with a focus on community."

That approach has resonated with buyers. According to Next Chapter Director Tom Hirini, who is leading the sales campaign, the landscaped communal garden has become one of the project's defining features, alongside its boutique scale and European-inspired cluster housing concept.

Local downsizers, right-sizers and established families already living in Yarraville and surrounding suburbs have accounted for the majority of purchasers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297740]

Yarraville Green will comprise 53 homes, including apartments and townhomes, arranged around the shared central garden to maximise connections to the landscaped open space. Parking has been moved underground, allowing the ground plane to be dedicated to greenery, pedestrian movement and communal spaces.

The landscape extends well beyond passive planting. Productive garden beds, a pergola, communal gathering spaces, garden sheds and a pet wash have all been integrated into the masterplan, creating spaces designed to encourage everyday interaction between residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297741]

The interiors continue Excelon's focus on craftsmanship, incorporating bespoke elements by Melbourne artisans including leadlight detailing by Adadaz, hand-turned timber hardware by Auburn Woodturning and blown-glass lighting by Ruth Allen.

Sustainability has also been embedded throughout the project, with Yarraville Green targeting an average 7-star NatHERS energy rating through passive design principles, rooftop solar servicing common areas and rainwater harvesting for landscape irrigation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297735]

Construction continues to progress at Yarraville Green, with structural works well underway and framing works approaching completion under builder Balmain &amp; Co. The project remains on track for completion in mid-2027.

Apartments at Yarraville Green are currently priced from $625,000, while townhomes start from $1.4 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=144913]

Joel Robinson

Garden-led design drives buyer demand at Yarraville Green

National diversified developer Fortis has officially launched Crest &amp; Walker, its latest Brisbane apartment development, with construction now underway on the 20-storey Newstead project.

Award-winning builder BINAH has commenced construction on the Bureau^Proberts-designed building, which will deliver a limited collection of 65 two and three-bedroom apartments on Kyabra Street.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373556]

The project marks Fortis' fourth active residential development in Brisbane, following River House, which is nearing completion, alongside projects in New Farm and Hamilton as the national developer continues to expand its South East Queensland pipeline.

Fortis General Manager – Development Queensland Dan Boman said Crest &amp; Walker reflects the developer's long-term commitment to delivering design-led residential projects in Brisbane's established inner-city suburbs.

"We're proud to be strengthening our presence in Brisbane with Crest &amp; Walker, particularly in such a sought-after lifestyle destination as Newstead," Boman said.

"Every Fortis project is shaped by its context, and we approach each one with the respect and care it deserves.

"Our focus is always on creating places that feel connected to their neighbourhood and elevate the everyday experience for residents. Newstead continues to evolve as one of Brisbane's most sought-after urban communities, and Crest &amp; Walker reflects our ambition to contribute meaningfully to that story."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373559]

Positioned between Gasworks Plaza and James Street, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/crest-walker-newstead-12-kyabra-street-newstead-qld-4006">Crest &amp; Walker</a> has been designed as a boutique residential address offering privacy and generous living spaces within one of Brisbane's most established lifestyle precincts.

The building features a contemporary brick podium softened by integrated landscaping, while the upper levels are characterised by restrained architecture and enduring materiality. Interiors have been designed to maximise natural light, acoustic performance and long-term liveability.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373583]

Residences comprise spacious two and three-bedroom floorplans, with two-bedroom apartments priced from $1.55 million and three-bedroom, half-floor residences from $3.95 million.

Residents will have access to a wellness-focused rooftop featuring a swimming pool, sauna, steam room, landscaped dining spaces and outdoor lounge areas overlooking Newstead and the Brisbane CBD.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373571]

Sales are being managed by Slaite Projects, with Fortis expecting strong demand from owner-occupiers seeking a high-quality, design-focused apartment in one of Brisbane's most tightly held inner-city suburbs.

Completion of Crest &amp; Walker is slated for late 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145922]

Fortis expands Brisbane pipeline with launch of Crest & Walker in Newstead

The enormity of delivering a true skyscraper in Australia's new development market is often overlooked.

It has taken the best part of a decade since plans for Chevron One were first unveiled, but the 41-storey tower is now complete, with residents collecting their keys and moving into what has become one of the Gold Coast's most recognisable new landmarks.

Rising 127 metres above Chevron Island, Chevron One stands almost twice as high as any other building on the island. Its scale places it alongside the trio of towers at Jewel, arguably the last truly significant addition to the central Gold Coast skyline when they were completed around six years ago.

While there are several developments underway around a similar height to Chevron One, they are more concentrated within clusters of the highest towers in the city. The fact Chevron One sits within a developing precinct, looking back at the other high-rise developments in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, makes it a different proposition altogether. It will certainly become a reference point on the Gold Coast skyline.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68833]

Developer Bensons Property Group is behind the 41-storey tower, which has 229 apartments, along with an exhaustive list of resident amenity spread across what is the largest development site ever assembled on Chevron Island.

The tower has been the talk of the town for years, says Ray White Projects Gold Coast agent Caitlin Rosenboom, who is selling the remaining apartments.

"People have been watching Chevron One go up for years," Rosenboom says, adding that many prospective buyers have been surprised by the scale of the views once they step inside.

"It's only when they walk through a completed apartment that they truly understand the position of the building," Rosenboom says.

"The views are jaw-dropping. Whether you're looking east over the ocean, across Surfers Paradise, along the river systems or out to the hinterland, every level offers something different but equally impressive."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=360215]

One of Chevron One's defining advantages is its location on the eastern side of Chevron Island on Stanhill Drive, a position which protects the views forever.

"There's only one row of houses between Chevron One and the water, and the height restrictions along the river means views from Chevron One can never be built out,"&nbsp;Rosenboom says.

While new apartment developments continue to emerge across the Gold Coast, Rosenboom says opportunities to secure a completed apartment with this level of outlook are becoming increasingly rare.

"The size of the site is something that would be incredibly difficult to replicate today," she says.

"That's allowed Chevron One to deliver the sort of amenity, open space and resident facilities that very few projects can offer. There are not many completed apartment buildings on the Gold Coast right now that can compete with the combination of scale, quality and amenity."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68839]

There's around 2,000 sqm of amenity solely for the use of residents of Chevron One. Club One features a uniquely shaped swimming pool that mirrors the footprint of the building itself, set within a extensively landscaped gardens. There's also an indoor pool and spa, a fully equipped gym with a Pilates room, a yoga garden, a bookable private dining area and lounge that can host up to 30 people, and a 24-hour concierge service.

As for the buyers, Rosenboom is fielding enquiry from everywhere: Sydneysiders and Melburnians looking at the new and off-the-plan market following the changes in the Federal Budget, as well as those looking to relocate, through to South East Queenslanders seeking either a permanent home or a weekender bolthole.

"The Gold Coast lifestyle continues to resonate with people relocating from the southern states, and when they see the views and the quality of what's been delivered at Chevron One, it becomes very easy for them to understand the appeal," Rosenboom says.

A diverse mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments remain available, with each offering "something a little different", be it the orientation and views, configuration, or level, to suit a wide variety of buyers.

The remaining apartments are ready to inspect in person, by appointment.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=6515]

A decade in the making: Residents to move into Chevron One as construction wraps up

A general rule of thumb in new apartment developments is that the penthouses get the rooftop.

It's a formula that's become commonplace across Australia's apartment market. Residents might have access to a pool, gym or barbecue facilities on a dedicated lower level, but the most desirable outdoor spaces are typically reserved for the highest-priced homes at the top of the building.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa Property Group</a> has taken the opposite approach.

Rather than dedicating the rooftop to a handful of buyers, the Gold Coast developer has made it the centrepiece of its Flourish collection, creating expansive shared spaces from the best vantage point in the building.

The philosophy has reached its most ambitious expression at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-soleira-palm-beach-1150-1160-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Soleira</a> in Palm Beach, where two rooftop precincts connected by a skybridge will deliver one of the most extensive lifestyle offerings seen in a residential apartment project on the Gold Coast.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374053]

"We're seeing a clear move toward developments that offer more than just an apartment," Sherpa Group founder Christie Leet said.

"People want spaces that support how they actually live, whether that's working from home, staying active, or spending time with family and friends.

"That's where amenity becomes critical. It's not just about what's included, but how those spaces are designed to be used every day."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374052]

The breadth of amenity has already attracted buyers across multiple demographics. Younger first home buyers have been drawn to Soleira's one-bedroom apartments, a product rarely delivered in Palm Beach, while families have responded to practical inclusions such as the shallow children's pool adjoining the main lap pool and the extensive communal recreation areas.

Instead of a single rooftop, Soleira delivers two distinct lifestyle zones.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=372547]

The southern rooftop has been dedicated to wellness, featuring a gym, yoga and Pilates studio, work-from-home facilities, a wellness centre, spa, and hot and cold plunge pools.

The northern rooftop focuses on recreation and entertaining, incorporating a heated resort-style pool, private dining rooms, pizza ovens, barbecues, a golf simulator, children's recreation areas, and what is expected to be the Gold Coast's first rooftop basketball court, which will also double as a squash court.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374054]

Beyond the rooftops, Soleira will introduce 1,500 sqm of curated retail beneath the towers, creating one of Palm Beach's first genuinely mixed-use lifestyle precincts where cafés, restaurants and convenience retail become part of residents' everyday lives.

Sherpa has also retained management rights across the development, allowing it to oversee the long-term operation of the building through a 24-hour concierge model. The developer is also exploring additional revenue streams within the precinct aimed at helping offset ongoing body corporate costs for residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=370962]

While Soleira is the largest project Sherpa has delivered, the rooftop-first philosophy has been evolving for several years.

It began with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/amargo-6-12-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Amargo</a>, the first project released under the Flourish brand. Rather than competing at the ultra-luxury end of the market with oversized half-floor and full-floor residences, Sherpa focused on creating lifestyle-driven apartments supported by resort-style shared spaces.

Amargo introduced more than 800 sqm of rooftop amenity, combining wellness facilities, heated pools, entertaining areas, cabanas, pizza ovens and private dining spaces into what was designed as an extension of residents' homes rather than a facility used only occasionally.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146527 project_image_fid=366550]

That approach continued with Flourish Oasis, where the same amenity-led philosophy was refined into a more boutique development. Strong demand from Sherpa's growing VIP database saw much of the project sold before it reached the broader market, reinforcing buyer appetite for apartment communities centred around shared lifestyle experiences.

Flourish Amargo is slated for completion mid-way-through next year, with Oasis to be delivered by late 2027. Flourish Soleira is expected to complete in 2030.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150017]

Sherpa takes amenity to the sky as Flourish Soleira captures booming Palm Beach demand

As apartment living continues to evolve across Sydney's growth corridors, the quality and distribution of shared spaces is increasingly shaping how residents experience home. Rather than functioning as add-ons, amenities are being embedded into the daily rhythm of a building, supporting everything from quiet retreat to social interaction, often within a single vertical community.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/aeris-melrose-park-nursery-street-melrose-park-nsw-2114">Aeris</a> in Melrose Park, this approach is resolved through a layered amenity offering that unfolds from ground level through to its upper podium. Developed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sekisui-house-australia">Sekisui House Australia</a> in partnership with Hankyu Hanshin Properties, the project introduces 468 apartments across two towers and a mid-rise building, positioned at the highest point of the broader masterplan.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=359199]

The amenity experience begins at street level, where two courtyards sit within a landscaped setting that connects residents to the wider network of parks and green spaces. These green spaces are not isolated pockets but part of a wider pedestrian network that links Aeris to the surrounding <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/melrose-park-nsw-2114">Melrose Park</a> precinct, including Central Park, future schools, and the Town Centre opening in July 2026. The result is a transition that moves from public to private without abrupt boundaries, allowing residents to pass through shaded, tree-lined environments before reaching the building itself.

Moving upward, the focus shifts to the level five podium, where the primary communal facilities are concentrated. This space brings together a 16-metre swimming pool, outdoor seating areas, and a communal BBQ zone arranged to take advantage of elevated outlooks. Seating is positioned beneath pergolas, creating pockets of shade that extend the usability of the space throughout the day. The pool edge aligns with views toward the wider district, reinforcing the sense of elevation that defines the project’s positioning.

In the adjacent building, this is complemented by quieter, more contemplative spaces, including an outdoor cinema set within the same level. Positioned to operate primarily in the evening, it introduces a different tempo to the shared environment, shifting from daytime activity to after-hours use without requiring separate zones.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360299]

The podium also accommodates an intimate private resident gym. Located on the lower levels, it gives residents convenient access to fitness facilities without leaving the building.

Above, the elevated podium sky deck extends the amenity offering, providing additional open-air spaces with elevated outlooks across the surrounding landscape. While more restrained in program, this upper level reinforces the project’s vertical progression, from ground-level greenery to elevated outlook, allowing residents to move between distinct spatial conditions within a single address.

This distribution of amenities reflects a deliberate response to how residents use space across the day. Sekisui House Australia Sales and Marketing Director Peter Kalaf points to the role these shared areas play in shaping buyer demand. Aeris has been conceived as more than a collection of apartments, with the podium pool, gym and outdoor cinema forming part of a broader lifestyle offering that extends the home beyond each individual residence.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360300]

What distinguishes Aeris is not the inclusion of these elements individually, but how they are arranged in relation to one another. Active, social, and passive spaces are layered vertically rather than separated, allowing residents to choose between them without leaving the building or moving far from their apartment. This proximity supports both routine use, such as a morning swim or evening workout, and more occasional gatherings, whether around the BBQ area or within the cinema setting.

The amenity design also sits within a broader framework of connectivity across Melrose Park. The Melrose Park Town Centre, anchored by Coles and Dan Murphys, features a mix of retail, dining, health and lifestyle offerings, bringing everyday convenience closer to residents. By the end of the year, more than five hectares of parks and open space, equivalent to around seven football fields of green space on residents' doorstep, will further enhance the precinct, allowing the internal facilities at Aeris to operate as an extension of the wider neighbourhood rather than a substitute for it.

Construction at Aeris continues to gather momentum, with ground floor slabs expected to be completed in late 2026 before the first sections of the buildings begin to rise above ground.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=426]

Elevated amenity anchors daily life at Aeris, Melrose Park

Collaroy

<html><body>
Australia's most awarded choreographer David Atkins has secured $7,265,000 for his luxury Collaroy abode.
Atkins, who was involved in arena entertainment connected to the 2000 Sydney Olympics, had paid $5.05 million for the chic designer residence just off the beach in 2016.
Belle agents Brendan Pomponio and Joshua Perry, who are marketing the nearby home of committed Collaroy basin devotees Matty and Trish Johns, secured the Atkins sale, having listed it in April.
The local hot shoe shuffle within the basin has also seen the recent $7.1 million sale of the home of the Housego family.
The Johns are seeking $5.5 million.
This article was first published in the Sunday Telegraph. 
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firstname1-iYD4UYzvBa

Choreographer David Atkins sells Collaroy home

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League legend Matty Johns and his wife Trish have listed their Collaroy home they purchased 12 years ago.
The couple, have loudly ­expressed their love of living on the northern beaches, since taking the advice of his former teammate Phil Bailey.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/10/31/collaroy%202%201.jpg" alt="">
The four bedroom, three bathroom French Provincial inspired home stems from a renovation and extension in 2013.
It has been listed by Brendan Pomponio from Belle Property.
There have been sales up to $15.5 million in the exclusive Collaroy basin.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/10/31/collaroy%203%201.jpg" alt="">
The former Test five-eighth once indicated he loved the relaxed lifestyle and the friendly people in the neighbourhood.
“When I was living in Newcastle anyone from the Northern Beaches were silvertails,’’ the Fox Sports presenter once said.
“But Collaroy is a blue-collar area. Every second bloke you run into is a tradesman.
“Coming from an old mining town like Cessnock, it might sound a bit funny but I regard ­myself as a coastal person now.’’
They are seeking $5.5 million.
This article first appeared in The Sunday Telegraph. 
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Matty Johns and wife Trish list Collaroy home

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Lorn, the 1920's California bungalow at the southern end of Collaroy Beach, has been sold for $10 million.
It was sold by the Hong Kong-based expat Amanda Spiegel.
A consortium of six local residents bought the house at 9-11 Birdwood Avenue at auction with the view to keeping it as a landmark home. There was overseas interest from Singapore and India.
It was offered by Michael King and Noel Nicholson from Ray White Prestige Palm Beach. The five-bedroom property last traded for $605,000 in 1986.
The 1,472 sqm site at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-collaroy-131128938" target="_blank">9-11 Birdwood Avenue, Collaroy i</a>s zoned for low-density residential development.
The north-facing parcel with street frontage of over 36 metres, is directly across from the sand, surf and rockpool.
<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/2019/6/11/LORN%201.jpg" alt="">
Originally built as one of the northern beaches earliest holiday homes, Lorn comprises 5 bedrooms, kitchen, lounge room, dining room, sunroom, covered terrace and double garage. 
Its beachfront elevated setting offers beach, ocean and headland views. 
 <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/2019/6/11/lorn%204.jpg" alt="">
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Lorn, Collaroy holiday home sells for $10 million

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It's hard to keep an off-market trophy home listing a secret for very long on Sydney’s ­insular peninsula.
Word spread quickly last week across the northern beaches that Australia’s most awarded choreographer and producer David Atkins was quietly seeking buyers for his luxury Collaroy abode.
The offering was texted to the burgeoning Belle Property buyers’ mobile phone list.
<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/2019/4/16/ATKINS2.jpg" alt="">
Coming with the same facade photo as its 2016 purchase, it was easily identifiable as the Collaroy home that Atkins bought after his move from Manly, where he successfully flipped a $6.4 million home.
Atkins, who was involved in entertainment events connected to the 2000 Sydney Olympics, paid $5.05 million for the Collaroy home, a chic designer residence just off the beach.
It was bought from Sean Nicholls, a marketing veteran, and his interior designer wife Dita, who recently sold their next abode, just a few doors along, for $5.1 million.
Belle Property agents Brendan Pomponio and Joshua Perry, who are handling the home’s marketing, were busy yesterday afternoon taking through the keenest of prospective $7 million-plus buyers.
<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/2019/4/16/ATKINS3.jpg" alt="">
Fresh pictures of the further renovated home are set to be published in the Manly Daily later this month.
Atkins, who married his wife Elli at Jonah’s Whale Beach in 2015, is best known for his made-in-Australia musical Hot Shoe Shuffle, an exuberant tribute to tap dancing.
The diminutive dancer has starred in 20 or so major musicals from Cats to A Chorus Line, and has worked with a who’s who of international performers including Elton John, Frank Sinatra, Olivia Newton-John and Peter Allen.
This article was first published in the Sunday Telegraph. 
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Choreographer David Atkins stepping on from Collaroy home

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Cricket power couple Mitchell and Alyssa Starc continue to expand their impressive property portfolio.
They have spent $1.95 million on a <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-collaroy+plateau-129137226" target="_blank">near-new Collaroy Plateau entertainer</a>.
The four-bedroom, three-bathroom home sold through Ray White agent Paul Franks.
It was built in 2017 with a gourmet stone kitchen, plus an upstairs and downstairs living area and a home office.
A wraparound timber deck with built-in barbecue leads to the pool.
<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/2018/12/17/Starc2.jpg" alt="">
Their northern beaches spendathon began when they paid $5,235,000 for the luxury <a href="/news/mitchell-starc-buys-at-north-curl-curl-from-jennifer-hawkins">North Curl Curl home of model Jen Hawkins</a> and her builder husband Jake Wall.
Designed by architect Koichi Takada, the five-bedroom, three-bathroom home had a resort-style open-plan living space that flowed on to an alfresco dining area with views over the lagoon and ocean to North Head and Manly. A luxurious outdoor ­seating area accompanies the ­infinity pool.
The couple, who <a href="/news/mitchell-starc-gets-an-early-buyer">sold in Mosman</a>, bought a vacant 600sqm <a href="/news/mitchell-starc-and-alyssa-healy-buy-land-parcel">plot of land in Forestville</a> earlier this year with intentions to build a home by Metricon.
Starc and Healy met when they were nine.
The couple wed in 2016.
This article was first published in the Sunday Telegraph.
 
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Mitchell and Alyssa Starc continue Northern Beaches property purchasing

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The everfesent House Rules presenter Johanna Griggs and her builder husband Todd Huggins have quietly sold their modernised Collaroy home.
They found a $3.6 million buyer, a family from Frenchs Forest. It was too good of an offer to refuse, Griggs told me.
Griggs kept tight lipped on the sale until its recent settlement, posting to Instagram her farewell the house.
"Said goodbye to our beautiful home today," she posted alongside a video of the empty home.
"It's been the most wonderful place to live in for the past five years. We hope the new owners are as happy as we were in it."
She advised the couple were already onto their next project. It's in Collaroy again, the fourth house they've owned within a one kilometre radius in the northern beaches suburb.
<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/2018/6/5/griggs2.jpg" alt="">
Their stunning sold home was unrecognisable since Huggins undertook the rebuild through his construction company Collaroy Constructions.
The custom-built contemporary five bedroom entertainer stands on the 750 sqm parcel with district and ocean views.
It was a windfall result by the DIY couple who'd paid $1.15 million in 2011, shortly after Griggs, a former Commonwealth Games swimmer, accepted the Gold Logie for Better Homes and Gardens.
Back then the Collaroy property was a solid three bedroom brick home which hadn't been traded in over 35 years (below).
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/6/5/griggs4.jpg" alt="">
Griggs, who has been presenting House Rules since 2013, would have seen plenty of economic design tips over the years.
Sunday's House Rules episode saw Channel Seven win the ratings war, with over 880,000 viewers tuning in to the show, the highest this season. It topped the ratings for Ten's Masterchef and Nine's The Voice.
She's been the popular host of Better Homes and Gardens since 2005, having previously hosted Australia's longest-running sports program, Seven's Sportsworld with Matthew White on Sunday mornings.
An earlier TV appearance, like many on the northern beaches, was on Home &amp; Away when she played a Swedish tourist in one episode in 1992. 
The couple's innovative home was built with no expense spared with the finest inclusions, extending to state of the art lighting and bespoke cabinetry.
Designed with a focus on indoor and outdoor living, the home features an open plan living and dining area with gas fireplace and a top floor lounge.
There's a ground level alfresco entertaining area, and a top floor terrace in the master suite, which also includes a walk in wardrobe and ensuite.
A home office and sound proof home theatre make up the home.
A 15 metre swimming pool and a freestanding studio sits in the professionally landscaped gardens, plenty of space for their dogs, Snowy and TJ, to roam.
The couple got married in a private ceremony in their former Collaroy Plateau home in 2006.
This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.
 
   
   
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House Rules presenter Joh Griggs sells at Collaroy 

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GUEST OBSERVER
On 11 September 2017, the NSW Court of Appeal entered final orders allowing the appeal of a District Court judgment that had found against a managing agent of a residential property, in favour of its owners and tenant, as to liability to various people injured when the property's balcony collapsed.
The decision confirms that:
<ul>
<li>appointing a managing agent to manage residential rental premises will not necessarily be a defence to a claim for personal injury damages;</li>
<li>an entitlement to a contractual indemnity may be reduced by reason of that party's contributory negligence;</li>
<li>a tenant who is on notice of a risk of harm may be found liable to lawful entrants if there are measures the tenant could have taken to remove the risk; and</li>
<li>section 5B(1) of the Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) requires accurate identification of the actual risk of harm faced by a plaintiff.</li>
</ul>
Background
Deepak Bhide and Alka Bhide (the owners) owned residential property at Collaroy, NSW (the property). In 2005, they appointed Libra Collaroy Pty Ltd (the agent) to manage that property pursuant to an Exclusive Management Agency Agreement (Residential) (MAA). There was a long history of complaints regarding the state and structural integrity of the balcony from the tenant of the property, Joanne Gillies (the tenant), who also happened to be an architect.
On 15 June 2012, a group of school friends were gathered on the balcony at the property. The balcony collapsed.
Four of the people injured in the collapse commenced proceedings in the District Court of NSW against the owners and the agent. The tenant was the mother of one of the victims. She was not home when the balcony collapsed, but she also sued the owners and the agent for nervous shock.
The agent and owners issued cross claims against each other seeking an indemnity from the other, firstly, as joint tortfeasors pursuant to section 5(1)(c) of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1965 (NSW) and, secondly, pursuant to a contractual indemnity clause in the MAA.
The owners and the agent also issued cross claims on the tenant for her failure to lock access to the balcony in circumstances where she was fully aware of the potential risk of harm, as she had made multiple complaints to the agent that the balcony was not structurally sound.
First Instance decision
On 29 September 2015, a liability trial took place before Judge Curtis of the District Court. On the last day of trial, his Honour delivered an ex tempore judgment, finding that:
<ul>
<li>the agent was 100% liable to the plaintiffs;</li>
<li>the owners discharged their duty of care as owner to the plaintiffs by delegating the management of the property to the agent; and</li>
<li>the tenant did not breach any duty of care she owed to any of the plaintiffs.</li>
</ul>
His Honour found that the cause of the balcony collapse was, in essence, a deterioration of steel bolts caused by weather and poor maintenance. The agent had obtained and passed on various quotes for repairs to the balcony to the owners, who had rejected them. His Honour found that the agent should have gone further than simply passing on the quotes and should have instead specifically recommended that the owners obtain expert advice to assess the structural integrity of the balcony.
His Honour also found that the owners were not liable to the plaintiffs in tort because they had discharged their duty owed to the plaintiffs by appointing a managing agent to manage the property.
His Honour further found that the tenant had discharged her obligations owed to the plaintiffs by complaining to the agent about that the balcony was not structurally sound.
The agent appealed.
Appeal
On appeal, the agent did not challenge the finding that it was liable, but instead challenged the findings that the owners and the tenant were not liable to the plaintiffs.
The agent also challenged the decision on the ground that Judge Curtis had failed to consider and apply section 5B of the Civil Liability Act, in not identifying the precise foreseeable risk of harm, which, in this case, was the risk of injury to people due to the failure to properly investigate and maintain the structural integrity of the balcony.
The Court of Appeal found that:
<ul>
<li>Judge Curtis had erred in failing identify the relevant risk of harm and whether the owners and/or the tenant knew, or ought to have known, of the risk as required by section 5B of the Civil Liability Act. Accurate identification of the risk is necessary to determine what constitutes a reasonable response to the risk;</li>
<li>a reasonable person in the position of the owners should have formed the view that the agent had not properly discharged its duty and that they should have expressly instructed the agent to engage an expert to investigate the structural integrity of the balcony. The owners could not rely on their delegation to the agent in answer to their alleged breach of duty;</li>
<li>the owners succeeded in their claim for a contractual indemnity from the agent, but the entitlement to a contractual indemnity should be reduced by 30% by reason of their contributory negligence pursuant to section 9 of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act in failing to expressly instruct the agent to engage a suitable expert to investigate the structural integrity of the balcony;</li>
<li>the tenant was liable to contribute 20% to the agent's liability to the plaintiffs by reason of her failure to lock access to the balcony in circumstances where she knew about potential structural issues; and</li>
<li>apportionment of liability between the agent, owners and tenant should be 50%, 30% and 20%, respectively.</li>
</ul>
Final Orders
On 11 September 2017 the Court of Appeal made orders giving effect to its reasons, which, in addition to setting aside various orders made by Judge Curtis, were essentially:
<ul>
<li>Judgment for the plaintiffs against the owners.</li>
<li>Judgment for the owners against the agent.</li>
<li>Any damages recovered by the owners from the agent to be reduced by 30%.</li>
<li>Judgment for the agent against the tenant.</li>
<li>The tenant is to contribute 20% to the agent's liability to each of the plaintiffs.</li>
<li>The owners and the tenant to pay the agent's appeal costs.</li>
<li>The agent and the owners to each bear their own costs of their cross claims in the District Court.</li>
<li>The tenant to pay the agent's cross claim costs in the District Court.</li>
<li>The agent, owners and tenant are to respectively pay 50%, 30% and 20% of the plaintiffs' costs.</li>
</ul>
Implications
If a party is entitled to be indemnified pursuant to a contractual indemnity clause, the amount of indemnity can be reduced by operation of section 9 of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act.
In claims against real estate agents and property owners by injured plaintiffs, a tenant may bear some responsibility if they did not act as a reasonable tenant to avoid a risk of injury, if measures were available to them to prevent the risk of harm. Presumably, a tenant will always know about the risk; they will usually be the source of the complaint. Whether they can take steps to prevent the harm occurring will depend on what is required. In this case, the Court found the tenant could have simply locked the door, blocking access to the balcony.
Gilchrist Connell acted for the successful agent.
Paul Kozub is principal at Gilchrist Connell (Sydney) and Catherine Hing senior counsel at Gilchrist Connell (Sydney).
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Shared blame in the collapsed Collaroy balcony court decision: Gilchrist Connell

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A house on Sydney's northern beaches that narrowly escaped the wrath of a monster storm in Sydney's Collaroy on June 6 2016 is back on the market.
The Pittwater Road property, <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/1112-pittwater-road-collaroy-nsw-2097-2013799481" target="_blank">1112 Pittwater Road Collaroy</a> was first listed with a $3.6 million guide last year. It was bought it in 2006 for $2 million and has been listed with a $4.2 million price guide.
The four-bedroom home, with separate living areas and a level rear lawn with direct beach access, is now set to go to auction on September 23 through McGrath's David Rothschild.
The campaign to sell builder Patrick Finlay’s two-storey house was interrupted on June 6 last year when huge waves and an eight metre king tide struck, leaving 10 houses at risk of falling into the sea.
<div class="x_in-content-ad">Three of the 10 beachfront homes that bore the brunt of the destruction remain unoccupied 14 months later. </div>
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Beachfront Collaroy home returns to market

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A popular youth hostel in Sydney’s Collaroy and a neighbouring block of units has sold to developers for $14.75 million.
It was listed with price expectations of more than $10 million.
The YHA hostel at 4 Collaroy Street and 1 Alexander Street properties were offered as a consolidated 2,570 sqm development site on behalf of a local private investor. 
The Sydney Beachouse YHA won the best budget accommodation in NSW award in 2000. The hostel has 65 rooms, a pool and is close to Collaroy Beach.
The 1 Alexander Street property is a three-level apartment block comprising five residential units, a storage unit and three retail stores including a café and physiotherapy. 
According to Domain reports, CBRE had marketed the property at $10 million plus, and received 15 offers after 31 contract requests.
Toby Silk, CBRE selling agent, said property developer HCAP purchased the site.
Steve Howell, CEO, HCAP told Domain the block was bought as a “buy, hold and develop in the future kind of purchase”.
“Any development would be in line with that village kind of atmosphere, supported by the council,” he said.
"The purchase was part of an emotional attachment to the area.
“My family lives in Collaroy and the site is as good as you get for large scale, luxury redevelopment along Sydney’s northern beaches.
“It’s a beautiful part of the world.”
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Site with youth hostel in Sydney’s Collaroy sold

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West Tigers coach Ivan Cleary can have a smile on his face away from the field as he sold his former Collaroy home in just 15 days.
There's not been much to smile about on the field for Cleary, who has won only two of his first six games in charge of the Tigers, including a 36-0 drubbing by the Broncos recently.
Star players Mitchell Moses, Aaron Woods and James Tedesco have signed elsewhere and the club sit second bottom of the latter and four points off eight placed Canberra.
The former Sea Eagle will be pleased however with the quick sale of his first property purchase, although he's not heading in to Tigers heartland.
Cleary has said he will be staying by the beaches after selling the home with a price guide of $2.2 million through Paul Franks at Ray White Mona Vale.
Cleary paid $332,500 for the home in 1995 during the season he spent as a fullback at the North Sydney Bears.
It was the same year he married wife Rebecca, the sister of former Bears forward forward Josh Stuart.
The couple lived in the home when Cleary left the Bears to play for the Roosters for the next three seasons.
The Hay Street home on nearly 700 square metres has three bedrooms, a timber kitchen and a backyard with detached studio and undercover entertaining deck.
They rented out the home while they were in New Zealand during Cleary's stint with the Warriors and moved to a larger home when they came back.
Cleary spent two separate stint with the Warriors. He spent two years as a player from 2000 and then five years as the head coach from 
He led the team to finals footy in four of his six seasons in charge.
It was tougher task when he took over the out of form Penrith Panthers in 2012.
The Panthers only made the finals once in his three years in charge before he was sacked in October 2015.
In April, Cleary took over from Jason Taylor at the helm of the West Tigers.
Ivan and Rebecca have four children including NRL rookie Nathan who plays for the Panthers.
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