Builder-developer ALAND has drawn back the curtain on its first city-focused new apartment development.

The North Sydney development, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-walden-north-sydney-173-179-walker-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">The Walden</a>, is the first time the company has ventured this close to the city, having previously completed thousands of apartments predominantly in Sydney's west, and more recently in Gosford.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/aland">ALAND</a> acquired the prime North Sydney site, spanning Walker and Hampden Streets just down the road from the Victoria Cross Metro station, for $240 million in June.

Now they've unveiled the new project, a mix of one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom apartments across a 30-level building designed by Rothelowman.

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The Walden will capitalise on the site’s front-row position on the eastern fringe of the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/north-sydney-nsw-2060">North Sydney</a> CBD, which offers uninterrupted Sydney Harbour views stretching from the Sydney Harbour Bridge all the way to Sydney Heads.

The main tower will be flanked by a small four-level amenity building known as The Pavilion, offering exclusive resident-only amenities including a dedicated concierge service, a sauna and private wellness studio, a gymnasium and fitness studio, a resort-style rooftop pool and sundeck.

There will also be a&nbsp;residents’ lounge, private dining and a wine cellar, and co-working facilities with an on-site meeting room and boardroom.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

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ALAND Founder Andrew Hrsto said the company knew they could create something "iconic" with The Walden when they saw the site.

&nbsp;

“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 – being the last development with a view offering this exceptional.

“We identified the attributes and quality of the site as being perfectly aligned for ALAND – and we feel that this off-market acquisition is a perfect opportunity to showcase our craftmanship and expertise through a truly unique offering."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6399]

Hrsto pointed to ALAND’s longstanding development expertise as a significant benefit in delivering a positive outcome for The Walden.

“Being a fully integrated development and construction business with a highly experienced team, we have the benefit of in-house experts across the development spectrum, from acquisitions, design, planning, and construction, to sales, marketing, property management, through to building management.

“As one of Australia’s largest private development and construction groups, we’ve been in operation for 23 years, with a Gold Star iCIRT rating and a 100 per cent delivery success rate across numerous masterplanned and mixed-use projects – and we’re very much looking forward to bringing this expertise to The Walden and contributing to the ongoing revitalisation of North Sydney."

The Walden is the latest development in Sydney to have the 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy by Resilience Insurance, protecting buyers from any structural or waterproofing-related issues for 10 years post-completion.&nbsp;

Demolition of existing structures on The Walden site has already commenced through specialist civil contractor Moits, with the aim of completing preparatory ground works by the end of 2025, ahead of construction commencement in early 2026.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134323]

Joel Robinson

ALAND unveils The Walden, North Sydney's latest luxury apartment development

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/toga-group">TOGA</a> has opened sales for the final building in Macquarie Rise, its latest mixed-use development in Macquarie Park.

Since launching its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/macquarie-rise-122-herring-road-macquarie-park-nsw-2113">Macquarie Rise</a> in late 2023, TOGA has secured over 125 sales in the Herring Road development, to a range of purchasers, from first home buyers to investors and downsizers. Around 65 per cent of purchasers have been owner-occupiers.

TOGA has now launched a new release of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments in the final building, Saunders Rise. Many of the apartments feature multi-purpose rooms and offer views of the surrounding greenery. Also part of the release is a series of&nbsp;sub penthouses housed on the upper floors.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=89243 project_image_fid=242696]

&nbsp;

“We’re delighted with the ongoing strong interest in our Macquarie Rise development, which is testament to the need for premium housing in this much-loved Sydney suburb,"&nbsp;Allan Vidor AM, Managing Director at TOGA, said.

"We’re proud to be able to offer buyers a unique product that includes luxury amenities, spacious living areas and flexible layouts, designed to suit all kinds of buyers, from young professionals to families and investors.

“We have long been advocates of Macquarie Park, and once Macquarie Rise is complete, TOGA will have built 1,000 apartments in the area, delivering much needed homes within a thriving precinct. It’s great to see the area become renowned for high-quality apartments, proximity to amenities and green spaces."

TOGA, one of Australia’s few Gold Star iCIRT rated developers, is also handling construction of Macquarie Rise. They are on track to complete the building in 2027.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=89243 project_image_fid=310789]

Macquarie Rise boasts a prime location, placing residents within immediate reach of Macquarie Centre, Macquarie University, and the newly completed Macquarie University Metro, connecting to the Sydney CBD is just over 20 minutes.

&nbsp;

Macquarie Rise residents also have access to Club Rise, an exclusive, residents only lounge designed by luxury hotel designers Stack Studio, offering an abundance of work and break-out areas, a Pilates studio, a gym, and a karaoke room. As well as these premium amenities Macquarie Rise will also feature an impressive podium top 20m lap pool.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=89243 project_image_fid=242695]

“Offering luxury, spacious apartments in a vibrant and well-connected neighbourhood, it’s no surprise that Macquarie Rise remains popular with a range of buyers," said TOGA's General Manager of Sales, Anthony Falas.&nbsp;

"With interest rates tracking downwards, we expect the final apartments to continue to receive high levels of interest.”

Located at 122 Herring Road, Macquarie Park, the development will be delivered in partnership with Baptist Union NSW and Morling College with a value of over $400 million.

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TOGA launches final stage apartments in Macquarie Rise

Southern Cross Station anchors the western end of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/melbourne-vic-3000">Melbourne</a>’s CBD, connecting metropolitan and regional rail with tram and bus interchanges in one of the city’s busiest transport corridors.&nbsp;

Just metres away, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/640-bourke-street-melbourne-640-bourke-street-melbourne-vic-3000">640 Bourke Street</a>&nbsp;will place residents in the heart of the city, with immediate access to Spencer Street trams, a growing mix of retail, hospitality and cultural venues, and a neighbourhood evolving into a lively residential precinct.

Developed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/far-east-consortium">Far East Consortium</a>, the 68-level project integrates a sculptural glass tower with the heritage-listed Eliza Tinsley Building on a 2,765 sqm Bourke St site.&nbsp;

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Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a>, the development replaces a previously approved scheme for 813 apartments with a refined offering of just over 600 larger-format residences, responding to a growing owner-occupier demand for spacious city living.

The location sits within a dynamic pocket undergoing significant transformation. Marvel Stadium and the Docklands waterfront are less than 10 minutes away on foot, offering both sports and leisure attractions.&nbsp;

Bourke Street Mall, Queen Victoria Market, and the State Library are all within walking distance, while Flagstaff Gardens, Melbourne’s oldest park, provides a green escape just to the north.

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Proximity to some of the city’s largest employers and education hubs, including the courts precinct, legal chambers, RMIT, and major hospitals, makes 640 Bourke Street an appealing residential address for professionals, families and students alike.

Education opportunities span all levels. Nearby, Haileybury City Campus offers private schooling just a short walk from 640 Bourke Street. Just beyond the CBD fringe, Carlton Gardens Primary School, one of Melbourne’s oldest state primary schools, and Docklands Primary School provide convenient government schooling options.

Higher education is equally accessible. RMIT University’s city campus spans multiple buildings just a few blocks away, while the University of Melbourne’s Parkville campus is easily reached via tram along Swanston or Elizabeth Streets.

Victoria University’s City Queen campus, focused on law and business, is also close by, positioning 640 Bourke Street within walking distance of three of Melbourne’s major tertiary institutions.

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The neighbourhood’s retail tapestry continues to evolve into something distinctly local and walkable. Just steps away, Woolworths Metro on Bourke Street ensures that everyday essentials are easily within reach.&nbsp;

For larger shopping trips, Spencer Outlet Centre on Spencer Street and QV Melbourne on the opposite side of the CBD broaden the offering with supermarkets, fashion, dining and specialty stores.

The lane-to-lane vibe unfolds beautifully in nearby arcades and alleys. Hardware Lane, with its European-style red-brick paving and alfresco dining, pulses with jazzy evenings and casual lunches.

A few minutes north, Howey Place and Centre Place offer leafy, boutique-lined lanes where hidden cafés and niche retailers congregate under historic glass-covered cloisters.

Completing this tapestry is the newly opened Mecca “beauty playground” on Bourke Street. Spanning 4,000 sqm over three levels, the flagship blends immersive retail within an art-deco heritage setting.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=509 project_image_fid=335427]

This finely grained network of shops, eateries, arcades and service outlets defines the everyday lifestyle at 640 Bourke Street - further enriched by over 3,000 sqm of resident amenity including a Turkish-inspired pool, gym, co-working rooms and private cinemas.&nbsp;

Apartments are priced between&nbsp;$640,000 and $3.95 million. Off the plan stamp duty concessions available until October 2026. Prospective buyers can visit the on site display gallery which has&nbsp;fully built one, two, and three-bedroom apartments.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=509]

640 Bourke Street: A heritage address at the heart of Melbourne

Lower North Shore development specialists&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/abadeen-group">Abadeen</a>&nbsp;has topped out its new local apartment development,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/northcote-collective-naremburn-2-6-northcote-street-naremburn-nsw-2065">Northcote Collective</a>.&nbsp;

Located in the tightly held suburb of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/naremburn-nsw-2065">Naremburn</a>, Northcote Collective is a collection of just 58 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments designed by award-winning architects Rothelowman.&nbsp;

The building is just a five to 10 minute walk from the heart of Crows Nest and the new&nbsp;St Leonards and Crows Nest Metro stations. Abadeen has also brought doorstep convenience, with a ground-floor retail offering on Northcote Street.

Northcote Collective is being delivered by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/decode">Decode</a> — an iCIRT-rated construction company well regarded in the new development industry.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=114189 project_image_fid=272840]

“This is an important and exciting moment for Northcote Collective, and we’re proud to celebrate this milestone with our partners, consultants, and future residents,” said Justin Brown, Executive Chairman and Founder of Abadeen.&nbsp;

“From the outset, our vision was to create something truly special for Naremburn — homes that respect the character of the neighbourhood while elevating the standard of Lower North Shore living. With connectivity to transport, retail on the doorstep and a true village lifestyle, this milestone also comes at a perfect time when buyer confidence is returning to the market. I am incredibly proud of our team and of Decode for their dedication in helping us bring this vision to life.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=114189 project_image_fid=272865]

The development is two-tiered, with two rooftops for residents. The taller building has an impressive rooftop pool, a rare inclusion in the new Sydney apartment market. The level, with panoramic views, also includes an entertaining terrace with barbecue facilities.

Local downsizers and young professionals are showing the strongest interest in the development, with recent improvements in the property market — supported by three rate cuts in 2025 — boosting borrowing power and buyer confidence.

Auction activity across Sydney surged by almost 30 per cent in recent weeks, with clearance rates above 70 per cent — signalling a renewed wave of buyer demand.

Northcote Collective will welcome buyers in 2026.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=114189]

Abadeen tops out Northcote Collective in Naremburn

Sunshine Coast-based <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/devcon-property-group">Devcon Property Group</a> has acquired one of Maroochydore’s most prominent development sites for $12 million unlocking the potentialfor a mixed-use project in the Cotton Tree precinct.

&nbsp;

The 4,178 sqm site at 41–43 Aerodrome Road—well known locally as the former home to one of Australia’s last Sizzler restaurants—was sold via an off-market expressions of interest campaign by Colliers agents Nick Dowling and Baydn Dodds. More than 70 targeted buyer groups were approached, resulting in multiple competitive offers for the property.

Devcon Property Group Managing Director Michael Kain said the acquisition was a strategic move in line with the company’s focus on delivering high-quality projects in prime coastal locations.&nbsp;

“We’re excited about the possibilities this site, in one of the Sunshine Coast’s most iconic beachside &nbsp;communities, offers for a broad range of development outcomes,” Kain said.

“Its location, ocean view potential, and proximity to the Maroochydore CBD and beach make it an &nbsp;outstanding development prospect. Our plans are to refurbish the existing building and then review &nbsp;development options for the remainder of the site.”&nbsp;

<img alt="Aerodrome Rd site overlooking Beach (Large)" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a29dc4ed-68c1-4bec-a4fc-283063dcde1e" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Aerodrome%20Rd%20site%20overlooking%20Beach%20%28Large%29.jpg?VersionId=b0WxJWevmLoAfCP4YvGImZpR3rSCJJ9L" />

Colliers Special Projects Manager Baydn Dodds said the sale reflected the ongoing strength of the &nbsp;Sunshine Coast’s development site market, particularly for projects capable of achieving water views. &nbsp;

“Sites of this scale, in walkable beachside locations with ocean views, are tightly held and continue to attract significant interest from both local and national developers,” Baydn Dodds said. &nbsp;

“Holding a prominent position as the former home to one of Australia’s last Sizzler restaurants and more recently occupied by Rashays, the prime site is located just 150 metres from Maroochydore Beach.&nbsp;

“With stunning ocean view potential, located in one of the Sunshine Coast’s best known iconic &nbsp;beachside communities, within steps of shops, cafes and the beach it is no surprise that there was strong interest in the site. The transaction highlights the ongoing depth of demand for well-located &nbsp;mixed-use sites across the Sunshine Coast.”&nbsp;

Colliers Sunshine Coast Managing Director Nick Dowling said the transaction reinforced the &nbsp;Sunshine Coast’s status as one of Australia’s most active development markets.&nbsp;

“The combination of strong population growth, lifestyle appeal, and infrastructure investment is &nbsp;driving demand for quality development opportunities,” Nick Dowling said. &nbsp;

“The Sunshine Coast is one of only three markets nationally to record an increase in crane numbers, &nbsp;reflecting the strength of the region’s construction pipeline.&nbsp;

“Opportunities like this are rare and continue to generate strong buyer interest in the region.”&nbsp;

The Sunshine Coast development market is booming, with several high-profile developers like Cube Developments, Gardner Vaughan Group, and RCQ, planning developments in the region.

Devcon buys Sunshine Coast’s former Sizzler site for new apartment development

Gender Equality

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SPONSORED POST
Savills Australia’s efforts to blaze a trail in support of the growing number of women pursuing careers in the commercial property industry, a traditionally male-dominated environment, will be highlighted on International Women’s Day.
The market-leading company has made significant progress through its Equality &amp; Diversity policy program, with 31 women commencing employment since the start of the year, which will be celebrated at networking events in its offices across the Australia and New Zealand on Friday.
This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is “Balance For Better” – better the balance, better the world. Everyone has a role to play – all the time, everywhere. 
“Savills is committed to shining a light on the importance of gender parity and working together to build a gender-balanced world,” Savills Australia &amp; New Zealand CEO, Paul Craig, said.
Several senior female appointments have been made at Savills Australia in the past year, including Adele Eagleton as NSW State Director of Project Management, Sarah Hendry as VIC State Director of Asset Management, Shrabastee Mallik as National Director of Research &amp; Consultancy, and Edwina Mathews as National Director of Marketing &amp; Communications.
Mr Craig continues his involvement in the Property Council of Australia’s (PCA) Male Champions of Change initiative and sits on the recently formed Build An Inclusive Industry action group, working alongside other professionals in the industry to drive change and improve gender diversity at senior levels.
“We embrace an environment where our people feel empowered to share their perspectives with confidence they will be heard,” he said. 
“We are striving to create a workforce that is representative of the entire community and broadens our understanding.”
Some of the ways Savills is upending gender stereotypes in the commercial property industry include waiving the three-month waiting period on its return-to-work bonus scheme for parents returning from parental leave; offering five paid days for non-primary carers following the birth of a child; and increasing promotions of female managers from 18.2 percent to 38.1 percent in the 2017/2018 Workplace Gender Equality Agency reporting period.
“Savills actively endorses several initiatives supporting gender equality and women’s empowerment, including the Women in Property Leadership Summit and the PCA’s Girls in Property,” Mr Craig said.
“Five of the 13 Savills employees who were selected to sit on the 2019 PCA committees are female, and seven Savills employees have applied to be participants in this year’s PCA 500 Women in Property program. 
“We wish them every success.”
Mr Craig expressed the sentiment that “the responsibility sits with all of us to make a call to action for accelerating gender parity”. 
“There are plenty of opportunities to show our support and create positive change on and beyond International Women’s Day,” he said.
Savills will celebrate International Women’s Day with staff Q&amp;A panels and networking events at its offices around Australia and New Zealand on Friday, March 8.  Staff members are encouraged to wear purple and upload the official International Women’s Day selfie cards to social media with the hashtag #BalanceForBetter.
Savills is a leading global real estate service provider offering the full spectrum of services from strategic advice to managing assets and projects and transacting deals. To learn more about Savills, visit <a href="http://www.savills.com.au/" target="_blank">savills.com.au</a>.
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

Striving for #BalanceForBetter on and beyond International Women’s Day

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Both men and women having access to baby changing facilities is one of many issues that gender equality mapping can help tackle.
Inequity in cities has a long history. The importance of social and community planning to meet the challenge of creating people-centred cities looms large. While planners, government and designers have long understood the problem, uncovering the many important marginalised stories is an enormous task.
Technology – so often bemoaned – has provided an unexpected and powerful primary tool for designers and makers of cities. Crowd-mapping asks the community to anonymously engage and map their experiences using their smartphones and via a web app. The focus of the new <a href="https://www.genderequalitymap.vic.gov.au" target="_blank">Gender Equality Map</a> launched today in two pilot locations in Melbourne is on equality or inequality in their neighbourhood.
How does it work?
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/242390/original/file-20181025-71029-y7dglt.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/242390/original/file-20181025-71029-y7dglt.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a> 
Participants can map their experience of equality or inequality in their neighbourhood using locator pins. 
Crowd-mapping generates geolocative data. This is made up of points “dropped” to a precise geographical location. The data can then be analysed and synthesised for insights, tendencies and “hotspots”.
The diversity of its applications shows the adaptability of the method. The digital, community-based method of crowd-mapping has been used across the globe. Under-represented citizens have embraced the opportunity to tell their stories as a way to engage with and change their experience of cities.
<a href="http://crowdspot.com.au/" target="_blank">CrowdSpot</a> and <a href="https://www.monash.edu/mada/research/labs/xyx-lab-monash-space-gender-communication-lab" target="_blank">Monash University</a> have developed the <a href="https://www.genderequalitymap.vic.gov.au" target="_blank">Gender Equality Map</a> with support from the Victorian government. It will enable local government to tackle the issues of socio-cultural exclusion that have proven so elusive. The map will help uncover real experiences of gender inequality in public places, from local sports facilities to public transport, community services and infrastructure, to simply walking down the street.
How will the data be used?
Melton and Darebin city councils will pilot the project. These councils are committed to engaging with the data in future decision-making with direct impacts on their communities and neighbourhoods.
The map is open to all genders with residence of Darebin and Melton encouraged to use the web app to tell their story. While we expect to see stories from women and men of a range of ages, the <a href="https://www.genderequalitymap.vic.gov.au" target="_blank">Gender Equality Map</a> is also an opportunity to hear about the nuanced experiences of LGBTIQ+ people.
More than a new narrative of city life, the Gender Equality Map and crowd-mapping projects more broadly reflect a shift in how we understand cities, architecture and urban planning. To understand patterns of inclusion and exclusion, to consider individual perceptions of cities – ones that may not align with our own – is one of the greatest challenges place-makers face.
Trained as an architect and landscape architect and as the director of a <a href="https://www.monash.edu/mada/research/labs/xyx-lab-monash-space-gender-communication-lab" target="_blank">university research lab</a>, my research is committed to understanding the nexus of urban place and gender inequity. My <a href="https://www.routledgehandbooks.com/doi/10.4324/9781315163956-13" target="_blank">recent research</a> focuses on the possibilities and power of crowd-mapping as a method for shaping urban space. Recognising that cities need to be gender-sensitive, I seek to understand the stories of gender, equity and identity in cities – not fictional ones but real-life stories of individual people.
Leading to more inclusive urban design
As a democratic process, crowd-mapping can lead to action that helps solve real-world issues. To design “inclusively” is more than a matter of providing community buildings, public transport and amenity. It’s about the determination to seek out the tricky stories of social justice – those of access, equity and diversity – and to actively shape our cities with these goals as our priority.
Considering how communities can advance agendas and unlock many of the complex and diverse needs of cities requires a tactical approach. Feminist architect and activist Lori Brown <a href="https://architectureau.com/articles/lori-brown-feminist-activist-architect/" target="_blank">states</a>:
Design is not a passive act. It is a critical engagement with community and you have to be cognisant of the power that you have and how you use it.
Crowd-mapping engages with community but also brings with it a particularly powerful form of activism – especially when it comes to gender inequity. Projects such as <a href="https://www.google.com.au/search?q=evefryday+sexism&amp;rlz=1C5CHFA_enAU803AU804&amp;oq=evefryday+sexism&amp;aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.2907j0j7&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8" target="_blank">Everyday Sexism</a> in the UK; <a href="http://safetipin.com/projects" target="_blank">Safetipin</a> in New Delhi, Jakarta, Bogota and Nairobi; Harassmap in India; and <a href="http://planfreetobe.org/" target="_blank">Free to Be</a> in Australia and internationally, have publicly charted the ways women, in particular, experience inequity in cities.
One obvious advantage is that web-based crowd-sourcing can challenge the historically disproportionate contribution of usually male voices in urban policy and design. One of the reasons crowd-mapping has been successful at engaging with women and girls is that it allows them to report when and where it suits them. What more will we learn about inclusion when we open up the tool to all genders?
The ubiquity of smartphone technology over the past decade has driven exponential growth in the volume of data about cities and their citizens. We have less data, however, about gender and inequity. More data and deeper insights will make these issues central to the design and strategy of local, urban decision-making.
Nicole Kalms, Director of XYX Lab + Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture at Monash University, Monash University
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. 
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Crowd-mapping gender equality tool launches in Melbourne: Nicole Kalms

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GUEST OBSERVATION
The number of women in the manual trades in Australia has barely budged in the last 20 years. While lower-skilled and lower-paid jobs like hairdressing have increased the number of women being employed, manual trades like electricians, carpenters and mechanics have remained at incredibly low levels.
Women make up just 3% of those employed in the electrotechnology and telecommunications trades, and only 1% of those working in construction, engineering and automotive trades.
Governments, industries and education providers have long tried to overcome skills shortages in the manual trades by encouraging more women to pursue these careers. But the gender imbalance remains entrenched due in part to a culture that resists diversity.
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A research project that we’ve been leading at Charles Sturt University has shown that boosting the number of women in the manual trades requires cultural shifts in society as much as within the industries themselves.
Quite simply, the manual trades are perceived to be masculine professions. This means that girls generally don’t consider careers in these fields.
Moreover, many of their parents actively discourage them from doing so. They fear their daughters will be at risk in a male environment, that there is too much heavy lifting and dirty work.
Schools and other education facilities help to reinforce this gendered division of labour by sending mostly boys on school work experience programs.
Further complicating the issue is the fact that parents and schools generally do not understand career pathways in the trades. Career advisers encourage the idea that the trades are for kids without good grades – a damaging misperception. Grades and university placements are celebrated in society, while progression into the trades is not. Most people don’t realise one can become a trade specialist with further education, or some day go into management.
Many trades actively try to recruit girls and women, but due to these social stigmas and cultural norms, the recruitment pool is quite shallow.
Recruitment is only half the problem, though. Retention is another issue.
Women report that bullying, harassment, foul language and sexist jokes are common in the trades. Chauvinist attitudes are ingrained in many workplaces. Rumours that women only acquired their jobs through “sexual favours” or that they are receiving preferential treatment and need special allowances are persistent.
Some men also refuse to give women the same help they would offer their male colleagues, a problem that can be physically dangerous.
Knocking down walls
Our research has shown that in regional New South Wales, however, some women do survive – and thrive – in the trades. Programs here are helping women break through the barriers. These include mentoring programs specifically for women, buddy systems and all-female work teams. Networking initiatives connecting women to others in the trade have also been successful.
Our research shows that community education and the earlier engagement of girls can help normalise the role of the “tradie” for girls. For example, a program in NSW called Women’s Sheds teaches women of all ages how to use tools, make repairs and build things. Another highly successful program, Supporting and Linking Tradeswomen, involves qualified tradeswomen sharing their experiences with schoolchildren and women in the community.
Apprenticeship providers in regional NSW are also proving to be highly successful in placing female tradies with employers. Companies are also trying to remove gender bias from their recruitment advertisements, thereby increasing their recruitment pool and tackling the skills shortage.
And some companies are challenging the traditionally sexist attitudes that remain a problem for women on the job. Cadia Mines, for example, provides contact officers to all female employees for safety, support and training.
What’s driving this slow transformation is a growing belief that the industry is more profitable when there is diversity in the workforce. But much work remains to be done. For example, government and industry leaders need to develop stronger codes of etiquette to improve workplace culture in the manual trades. The expectation that women should just try to “fit in” and “be one of the boys” also needs to change.
Cultural and social adjustments can build on the incremental improvements that have been made. These include changing everything from the social perceptions of the trades and family expectations to the availability of school-based work experience and the advice of career counsellors.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/97091/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">Another critical element is creating workplace cultures that are inclusive of women and accepting of diversity, not seeking to push this away.
Donna Bridges, Lecture of sociology, Charles Sturt University
Branka Krivokapic-Skoko, Economist and Economic Sociologist, Charles Sturt University
Elizabeth Wulff, Sessional Academic in Literature and Sociology, Charles Sturt University
Larissa Bamberry, Senior Lecturer, Charles Sturt University
Stacey Jenkins, Lecturer, Charles Sturt University
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-female-tradie-shortage-why-real-change-requires-a-major-cultural-shift-97091" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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The female tradie shortage: why real change requires a major cultural shift

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The Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) has announced the launch of a gender equity study to investigate the participation of women in landscape architecture and develop strategies to address gender inequity in the profession.
There is currently a lack of critical research into workplace equity within the Australian landscape architecture profession, AILA’s chief executive officer, Tim Arnold said, 
“This is an exciting time for AILA as we take a leadership role as an inclusive, progressive and modern profession.”
The research and action project will be undertaken in collaboration with the research-based advocacy organisation Parlour: women, equity, architecture, and the XYX Lab at Monash University.
Dr Gill Matthewson, who is responsible for the analytics behind much of Parlour’s research into the situation for women in architecture, noted analysis of what women did in the architecture profession shifted the argument "from vague anecdote to undeniable fact." 
“It’s great that AILA is commissioning this work because you need to know what the situation actually is before you can start strategising what to do about it. "I’m very interested to see what the picture is for women in landscape architecture.” 
The project will build on the results of AILA’s 2017 salary survey, which identified concern about gender inequality within landscape architecture.
Of the survey respondents, women represented 70% of the lower paid positions within the profession, while men represent 100% of the high-income earners.
More broadly in Australian society, we know that the full-time worker gender pay gap is about 15% (or $253 per week). 
The Built Environment Channel, who is new partner of AILA and Parlour, has confirmed their financial backing of the research initiative.
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