One of North Sydney's best-known commercial buildings could become hundreds of new homes, with insurance giant Zurich Australia lodging a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) to transform 5 Blue Street into a mixed-use residential development above North Sydney Station.

Rather than demolishing the existing building and starting again, Zurich is proposing an adaptive reuse project that would convert the landmark office building into a 15-level residential development delivering 62 apartments, 86 affordable co-living dwellings, activated retail and significant upgrades to the Blue Street Plaza.

The proposal reflects a growing trend of commercial property owners repositioning ageing office assets into residential housing as Sydney grapples with housing supply shortages and changing workplace demand.

<img alt="Zurich" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0bba7d12-06dc-4375-aad7-238c94b21ac5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%2010.42.05%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=NJl5oLAEBDGuPmY3RnyliKODjMc8lvRh" />

Located directly above North Sydney Metro and train station, the 3,051 sqm site occupies one of the most strategically positioned parcels of land on Sydney's Lower North Shore.

Designed by fjcstudio, the proposal seeks to retain and adapt much of the existing structure while creating a contemporary residential address that better connects with the public domain surrounding North Sydney Station.

The application proposes two basement levels, ground floor retail, affordable co-living accommodation across the podium levels, and apartments above, while preserving and enhancing the publicly accessible Blue Street Plaza.

Rather than pursuing maximum apartment numbers, Zurich has opted for a housing mix heavily weighted towards larger owner-occupier residences.

The proposal includes 62 build-to-sell apartments comprising 12 one-bedroom, 19 two-bedroom, 29 three-bedroom apartments and two premium penthouses. It also incorporates 86 affordable co-living dwellings, which would be managed in perpetuity by a Community Housing Provider.

That balance between traditional apartments and affordable housing reflects the NSW Government's push to increase housing diversity around major transport infrastructure.

The proposal has been lodged concurrently with a rezoning application, with Zurich arguing the site is ideally positioned to support additional housing given its immediate proximity to public transport, employment and services.

"The proposal aims to respond to the housing challenges facing Sydney through the delivery of diverse housing types in a highly accessible location," the design report by fjcstudio states. It also seeks to improve pedestrian amenity through upgrades to Blue Street Plaza while creating a high-performing residential building that responds to the surrounding context.

<img alt="Zurich" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="36082e15-c636-4481-bb68-5a5f6443fe39" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%2010.41.36%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=5P6VD.fvmqjQfIG3TWWMRXxQWiQBjeFB" />

Rather than replacing the commercial building, fjcstudio has developed a design that works with the existing structural framework above the rail corridor, an approach that significantly reduces demolition while allowing the site to be repositioned as a mixed-use residential precinct.

The existing structural constraints have informed much of the building's design, including its relationship with Blue Street and surrounding public spaces.

The building has been designed as a slender tower rising above a clearly defined podium, with vertically expressed façades intended to reduce the perceived bulk while reinforcing North Sydney's emerging skyline.

According to fjcstudio, the architectural language responds directly to the surrounding commercial towers while maintaining a finer grain expression more closely aligned with the neighbouring Lavender Bay streetscape.

The tower incorporates articulated façade elements, landscaped podium edges and recessed upper levels to soften its appearance and improve pedestrian amenity below.

A significant component of the proposal is the revitalisation of Blue Street Plaza.

The existing public space has long served as one of the primary pedestrian connections between North Sydney Station, Greenwood Plaza and Blue Street, yet its role is expected to become even more important following the opening of Sydney Metro.

Zurich's proposal seeks to strengthen that role by improving landscaping, introducing new retail frontages, enhancing pedestrian permeability and creating more active edges throughout the day and evening.

Ground floor retail would wrap the plaza, while separate residential and co-living entries have been designed to improve wayfinding without reducing street activation.

Landscape design has been integrated throughout the podium and public realm, softening what is currently one of the most heavily urbanised parts of North Sydney.

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fjcstudio has carefully oriented apartments towards Sydney Harbour and the CBD while using privacy blades and articulated façades to minimise overlooking between neighbouring buildings.

Large framed openings along the western elevation maximise harbour outlooks, while the eastern apartments have been angled towards the south-east to improve privacy from neighbouring development.

The project forms part of the continuing transformation of North Sydney from a predominantly commercial CBD into a genuine mixed-use city centre.

Since the completion of Victoria Cross Metro Station, developers have increasingly shifted their attention towards residential projects capable of leveraging the area's unparalleled transport connectivity.

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FiveX recently lodged plans for a 61-storey, 490-apartment tower that would become one of the tallest residential buildings in North Sydney if approved.

Aqualand continues to expand its Lower North Shore presence following the completion of AURA on Walker Street and its recent St Leonards and Roseville proposals.

Developers are also progressing projects throughout Walker Street, Miller Street and the Victoria Cross precinct as demand for well-located owner-occupier apartments continues to strengthen.

Joel Robinson

First look: Zurich targets North Sydney office conversion with 148-unit proposal above Metro station

Busy developer Aqualand Prestige has formally taken the next step in its expansion across Sydney's Lower North Shore, lodging a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for its long-held Archer Street site in Chatswood.

The application covers <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/51-55-archer-street-chatswood-nsw-2067">51-55 Archer Street</a>, a 1,767 sqm amalgamated site on the eastern edge of the Chatswood CBD, where the developer is seeking approval for a 45-level mixed-use tower delivering 114 apartments, including a significant affordable housing component, alongside retail, commercial space and six basement levels of parking.

The SSDA marks the latest milestone for a project Aqualand has been quietly progressing over the past two years. The developer first secured the site for its Aqualand Prestige platform before undertaking an alternative design excellence process with PTW Architects, ultimately avoiding a formal design competition through the Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

The proposal has evolved considerably from Aqualand's original concept. The revised scheme has been designed around larger owner-occupier product, with an unusually high proportion of three and four-bedroom apartments, targeting the more affluent buyer profile, and downsizer, emerging across the North Shore.

<img alt="Archer St" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0171204c-5811-41b5-9b09-2335d1b7c3d0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%208.52.48%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=6YTuxfq.puZo7k2wbfgemcO5K3QfXYGQ" />

The 114-apartment mix comprises six studios, 27 one-bedroom apartments, 18 two-bedroom apartments, 50 three-bedroom residences and 13 four-bedroom homes. A quarter of the building will be dedicated to affordable housing, well above the mandated 15 per cent&nbsp;

PTW has structured the building vertically, with affordable housing across levels one to six, premium apartments through levels seven to 31, duplex skyhomes on klevels 32 to 43, a penthouse on level 44, and a rooftop plant level above. Six basement levels will provide resident parking and servicing.

The tower is proposed to reach approximately 154 metres, placing it among a growing collection of residential high-rises transforming Chatswood's skyline.

Rather than competing purely on height, PTW says the design has been driven by creating a slimmer tower capable of delivering significantly larger apartments.

"The primary objective of this project was to create a distinctive building that stands out from the recently approved or built structures in the Chatswood area," the design report states, noting the structural efficiency allows greater investment into apartment quality and resident amenity.

Residents would have access to more than 450 sqm of communal open space including landscaped gardens, swimming pool, rooftop entertaining areas, fitness spaces, community gardens, children's play areas and barbecue facilities.

A major focus of the design has been the public domain.

The ground plane has been opened up through landscaped terraces inspired by Willoughby's sandstone ridges, with native planting, public seating, artwork, retail activation and a series of gathering spaces intended to soften what has traditionally been a hard commercial streetscape.

The landscape strategy references Blue Gum forests once common throughout the area, while incorporating Indigenous storytelling, public art and lighting installations to strengthen the connection to Country.

Chatswood has been one of Sydney's busiest apartment markets over the past 12 months, with a steady pipeline of both new project launches and fresh development applications.

Hyecorp recently launched Celine, a 122-apartment development just along Archer Street, while Changfa and Huirong Group are progressing The Anderson, an 84-apartment project on Anderson Street.

Develotek recently secured approval for a 101-apartment tower on Pacific Highway, while Tian An LFD received the green light for Hammond Greens, its apartment development on the edge of the Chatswood Bowling Club.

Commercial property developer FiveX is also making its move into the residential market. Last month it lodged plans for a 61-storey tower with 490 apartments, which, if approved, would become one of the tallest residential buildings in Chatswood.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-fivex-targets-chatswood-skyline-with-61-storey-tower-after-north-sydney-plans">First look: FiveX targets Chatswood skyline with 61-storey tower after North Sydney plans</a>

Aqualand is also expanding its development pipeline following the launch of its luxury residential brand, Aqualand Prestige. The developer has delivered a string of high-end apartment projects across Sydney's affluent suburbs over the past decade, most recently AURA by Aqualand on Walker Street in North Sydney.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=30959 project_image_fid=292863]

It has since quietly assembled its next wave of projects.

Earlier this year Aqualand launched Boronia in Roseville, a boutique 111-apartment development on Larkin Street. The project is one of the first significant apartment developments to launch in the suburb ahead of what is expected to become one of Sydney's most active new housing precincts under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing reforms, which allow greater density around train stations.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152095 project_image_fid=373685]

The developer has also lodged plans for a two-tower, 413-apartment development on Herbert Street in nearby St Leonards, further strengthening its presence across the Lower North Shore.

Beyond that, Aqualand remains behind the final stage of Barangaroo, where plans will deliver a five-hectare mixed-use precinct comprising new homes, retail, hospitality and community facilities, alongside a new Metro entrance and more than two hectares of public open space, completing the Barangaroo precinct.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/central-barangaroo-development-takes-big-step-with-concept-proposal-approval">Central Barangaroo development takes big step with concept proposal approval</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-aqualand-joins-st-leonards-apartment-party">First look: Aqualand joins St Leonards apartment party</a> 
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First look: Aqualand pushes ahead with Chatswood apartment tower as SSDA lodged for Archer Street

Mass timber is becoming an increasingly popular construction material in apartment developments, but Adelaide developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/otello">Otello</a> is taking the approach a step further.

At its new <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flowe-bowden-18-gibson-street-bowden-sa-5007">Flowe Bowden</a> development, the exposed cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure isn't just about reducing the building's environmental footprint. It also forms the foundation of a broader wellness strategy, influencing everything from indoor air quality and natural materials to the way residents move through and experience the building.

The 115-apartment mixed-use development, designed by Melbourne-based architecture practice Fieldwork, will occupy a prominent island site opposite Bowden Village Reserve, combining one, two and three-bedroom apartments with retail and a dedicated wellness destination.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375528]

Wellness isn't confined to a gym or shared resident facility at Flowe. Instead, Fieldwork embedded the concept into the building itself.

The development has been split into two residential wings connected by a naturally ventilated central breezeway, replacing traditional enclosed corridors with open-air walkways that improve natural light, encourage cross ventilation and create more opportunities for neighbourly interaction.

"Rather than treating wellness as something that only happens on the ground floor, our response integrates it throughout the building, which led us to ask what it really means to design a healthy building," Fieldwork Director Quino Holland said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375531]

The building's architecture also reflects Bowden's industrial heritage. The lower podium references the area's historic brick and sandstone buildings, while the upper levels transition to exposed CLT, allowing the timber structure to become a defining feature throughout the apartments and shared spaces.

The use of mass timber sits alongside a range of sustainability initiatives, including a fully electric, gas-free design, rooftop solar and a targeted 5 Star Green Star rating.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375524]

Inside the residences, the focus remains on natural, durable materials. Blackbutt engineered timber flooring, exposed CLT ceilings, porcelain surfaces and warm timber joinery create a calming interior palette, while low-VOC finishes and responsibly sourced materials have been selected to improve indoor air quality.

Kitchens have been designed as the centrepiece of each apartment, featuring porcelain island benchtops, timber-look cabinetry and brushed steel tapware, with layouts that maximise natural light and ventilation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375530]

The more traditional interpretation of wellness comes in the form of Level Eleven, a two-storey wellness club spanning the ground floor, mezzanine and first floor.

The facility will include a gym, yoga and reformer Pilates studios, Finnish and infrared saunas, magnesium hot and cold plunge pools, and dedicated recovery spaces. Unlike many residential wellness facilities, Level Eleven will also operate commercially, allowing the broader Bowden community to access the venue while giving residents exclusive membership benefits.

The ground floor has also been designed around everyday living. A café overlooking Bowden Village Reserve will activate the street frontage, while a bike workshop with tool storage, co-working space and dog wash has been incorporated to support daily routines and encourage interaction between residents.

"Flowe brings together my two biggest passions, creating places and creating healthier lives," Otello founder Daniel Harris said.

"We wanted to create something Adelaide hasn't seen before, a genuinely healthy building, where the way you live is lifted without even trying."

Flowe is positioned directly opposite Bowden Village Reserve and within walking distance of Bowden Railway Station and the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, placing future residents just minutes from the Adelaide CBD while remaining connected to one of the city's most established urban renewal precincts.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152022]

Otello launches wellness-focused Flowe Bowden with Adelaide-first mass timber apartment design

Not all apartment amenities are immediately visible.

Swimming pools, gyms, rooftop terraces and residents' lounges have long featured on buyers' wishlists, but as the way Australians live has changed, so too have the features that make apartment living more convenient.

Increasingly, buyers are placing value on the practical aspects of day-to-day life. Fast internet, EV charging, secure bike storage, flexible workspaces and parcel management are becoming just as relevant as lifestyle amenities, reflecting changing habits and expectations.

Online shopping has been one of the biggest drivers of that shift.

Australians spent a record $82.6 billion shopping online in 2025, with almost one in every four retail dollars now spent digitally, making parcel deliveries a routine part of everyday life rather than an occasional convenience.

For apartment residents, however, receiving those deliveries isn't always straightforward.

Without someone home to accept a parcel, deliveries can be redirected to a nearby Post Office, left in building foyers or common areas, or require building management to temporarily store packages. As apartment living continues to grow across Australia's cities, parcel management has become an increasingly important consideration for both residents and developers.

Australia Post's Parcel Locker network is one response to that shift.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KPZ9j5FRdsQ?si=Qztc1dNP3ZvEIUhb" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Rather than relying on home delivery, eligible parcels can be directed to a nominated Parcel Locker, where they're securely stored until collected. Once a parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS and can retrieve it using a one-time code or QR code at a time that suits them.

The network has expanded to more than 1,500 locations nationwide, with Parcel Lockers positioned at Post Offices, shopping centres, supermarkets, transport hubs and, increasingly, within or alongside residential developments.

That growing presence reflects a broader change in how apartment buildings are being planned.

Developers are increasingly considering the operational side of apartment living alongside traditional lifestyle amenities. Just as secure mailrooms, bicycle storage and EV charging have become more common inclusions, parcel management is emerging as another feature that supports everyday convenience.

It also helps preserve the arrival experience within a building. Carefully designed lobbies and communal spaces can quickly become cluttered when deliveries accumulate, while secure parcel solutions reduce the likelihood of missed deliveries or parcels being left unattended.

For buyers comparing apartments, these everyday details are becoming part of the decision-making process.

Location, floorplans and finishes remain fundamental, but the features that simplify daily life are carrying greater weight than they once did. As online shopping continues to shape consumer behaviour, secure parcel delivery is increasingly becoming another amenity worth looking for.

Parcel delivery is joining the apartment amenity checklist

Inca Property Group has lodged a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for Dawn, a 53-apartment oceanfront development overlooking Mona Vale Beach.

The proposal, at 35-39 Darley Street East, would replace an existing 18-apartment strata building with a new owner-occupier-focused development comprising 53 two and three-bedroom apartments, including nine affordable built-to-rent residences delivered under the State's infill affordable housing scheme.

Positioned on a 2,679 sqm elevated site around 280 metres from Mona Vale Beach, the development has been designed to maximise panoramic ocean views while responding to the site's sloping topography.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/inca-property-group">Inca Property Group</a> Managing Director Josh Thompson said the State Significant pathway provided greater certainty for projects of this scale.

"This State Significant pathway gives the team real certainty to progress <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/dawn-35-39-darley-street-east-mona-vale-nsw-2103">Dawn</a> through to completion," Thompson said.

"It allows us to acquire a one-off site, design it carefully and deliver the right offering for the suburb, assessed by the NSW Government's planning department."

The project is one of the first developments in the area to be assessed under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy, with the site sitting on the edge of the policy's designated inner area.

The proposal includes three basement levels providing 124 car spaces, alongside a range of resident amenities including a swimming pool, gym, sauna, wellness facilities and private plunge pools for selected ground-floor and penthouse apartments.

<img alt="Dawn" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fc1a1daf-0ce4-4f12-9076-b1fa553c7a91" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-21%20at%208.42.11%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4GZ9h.gpNkTljbxyAET8Jfhv51XUamDm" />

Thompson said Dawn had been designed specifically for owner-occupiers and downsizers, a buyer profile that has driven demand across Inca's recent Upper North Shore developments.

"The majority of buyers in our recent North Shore projects have been downsizers, and we are learning exactly what this market is looking for. Beyond the location itself, we have included resort-style amenities to deliver a genuine lifestyle offering," Thompson said.

Located within walking distance of Mona Vale Beach, the town centre, Mona Vale Golf Club and the Royal Motor Yacht Club, Dawn represents Inca's first Northern Beaches project following the sell-out of Tara on Park in Waitara and Ellis Residences, currently under construction in St Ives.

Construction will be undertaken by Inca's in-house construction arm, GOP Constructions.

Dawn is the latest major apartment proposal for Mona Vale, with the suburb emerging as one of the key beneficiaries of the NSW Government's new Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy.

New developer One Living, led by industry veteran Joseph Scuderi, recently secured a site on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, where it is planning around 140 apartments.

IPM is also planning its third project in Mona Vale, significantly increasing the scale of its previous developments with an 82-apartment proposal at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/159-167-darley-street-west-mona-vale-nsw-2103">159-167 Darley Street West</a>, opposite Bayview Golf Course and less than 800 metres from Mona Vale town centre.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/one-living-enters-sydneys-new-apartment-market-with-northern-beaches-site-acquisition">One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-ipm-plans-third-mona-vale-project">First look: IPM plans third Mona Vale project</a>

First look: Inca eyes Mona Vale with State Significant DA for Dawn apartments

Industry News

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Greg Paramor, managing director of Folkestone and chairman of LJ Hooker, received an Australia Day 2015 award. He was among several senior property industry recipients.
Paramor's recognition follows involvement with charities including the National Breast Cancer Foundation and the Garvan Institute of Medical Research.
After being made an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to the community across these roles and including his sport, real estate and property investment industry involvement, Paramor said it is wonderful work that the research scientists carry out.
"They don't measure their success in dollars but in the outcome for humanity," he told Fairfax Media.
He is the Property Industry Foundation's ambassador, a charity that assists homeless youth.
Brian White got his recognition, some 113 years after the Ray White estate agency was established.
The Ray White Group is still a family business, ­across nine countries, turning over more than $27 billion each year.
His sons Sam, Dan and Ben are members of the management team.
White has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to business through leadership in the real estate, professional services and property industries. He has also been honoured in the arts as a ­patron having supported the Queensland Art Gallery, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and sat on the board of the Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra. 
“Often people say start a family business and then you sell it," he told Fairfax.
"The joy I’ve got most is seeing my sons embrace the values that were part of the establishment of the business all those years ago.”
Bill Moss, who retired from Macquarie Bank's head of property and development, in 2007 redirected his efforts into disability advocacy, founding the FSHD Global Research Foundation in 2007.
Moss has been made an Officer of the Order of Australia for his distinguished service to the community, especially in the area of disability advocacy.
He wrote an autobiography and continues to prospect great property opportunities.
The philanthropic Lang Walker, the benefactor of the Lang and Sue Walker Centre for Hearing Research among many other worthy causes, was awarded an Order of Australia this year.
He established Walker Corporation in 1972, with projects along the way including the Wharf at Woolloomooloo.
Marcus Besen, the executive chairman of the Highpoint Property Group, since 2004, received his AC award for service to the visual and performing arts as a leading benefactor and supporter, through philanthropic contributions to a range of social welfare, community health, educational and youth initiatives, and to business.
Highpoint Property Group supports a range of Indigenous and youth welfare projects.
The Melbourne based Besen AO was one of only five people named a Companion in the General Division of the Order of Australia.
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Property big guns - Paramor, Moss, Besen, White and Walker - get Australia Day recognition

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Hudson Investment Group Limited has appointment Alan Beasley as its managing director.
Beasley is a former vice president of Bankers Trust Australia for 13 years and more recently served Goldman Sachs Australia, Massachusetts Investment Advisors, and BNP Paribas as country head and managing director of the Asset Management businesses.
Hudson Investment Group Limited (HGL) is engaged in investment, management and development of commercial properties in Australia.
HGL manages and develops properties in Australia, including a factory and office complex at Warnervale and a Sydney car park owned by Hudson Property Trust (HGL’s 100% subsidiary).
The Warnervale 44.5 hectare site on the NSW Central Coast is partially leased to Bunnings Group Limited.
The company’s commercial car park located at Hudson House, 131 Macquarie Street in Sydney’s CBD is a prime asset catering for nearby hotels, including the Intercontinental Hotel, Sofitel Wentworth and Sir Stamford), Conservatorium of Music and Medical and Dental centres. 
The car park is managed by Secure Parking Pty Ltd. 
It also processes and distributes attapulgite based products and also manufactures specality absorbent products for waste water application, explores coal tenements and involved in resource projects through Hudson Resources.
Juliana Tan has advised the company of her resignation as a director, but will provide advisory services to the company.
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Juliana Tan previously worked for PriceWaterhouse Coopers as a Chartered Accountant. She has been with the company since 2003. 
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Last September Hudson Investment Group reported net loss of $11 million for the half-year ended 30 June 2014.
Revenue from ordinary activities were $6.83 million, up 1.44% annually. 
Late last year Hudson Investment Group advised that it will implement a share purchase plan offering eligible shareholders the opportunity to purchase shares in HGL without brokerage or other related charges. The offer price is 4 cents per share, rounded up to the nearest one tenth of one cent.
It was in the early 2000s when John Farey became executive chairman of Hudson Investment Group.
Bruce McLeod was another past managing director.
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Hudson Investment appoint Alan Beasley as managing director

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AMP Capital has announced the retirement of its longest serving fund manager, Louise Joslin.
The fund manager of the AMP Capital Diversified Property Fund (ADPF) will retire mid-2015 after a 34-year career in the property industry including 20 years at AMP Capital. 
It is anticipated Joslin will work with her successor to effect a seamless transition.
Joining in 1995, Joslin’s time with AMP Capital includes nine years as fund manager of the flagship Australian Core Property Portfolio and in late 2014 she was integral to the acquisition of $4 billion of assets by ADPF and a successful capital raising by the Fund. 
She is a former director and NSW president of the Property Council of Australia. She was in the late 1980s a Raine and Horne Commercial associate director. 
One of the largest, unlisted property funds in the country, ADPF has total assets of $4 billion with 18 assets aross the Australian office, retail and industrial property sectors, as well as units in the AMP Capital Shopping Centre Fund and AMP Capital Wholesale Office Fund. 
This includes the newly-developed Macquarie Centre in Sydney, Pacific Fair on Queensland’s Gold Coast, which is currently undergoing significant re-development, and potential developments at Garden City Booragoon in Western Australia and Quay Quarter Sydney.
Last year AMP Capital announced the retirement of another one of the longest-serving members of its leadership team: the director and chief investment officer, property, Andrew Bird.
Andrew Bird will retire this year after a 37-year career in the property industry in the UK and Asia Pacific. He has been responsible for AMP Capital’s property investment and management business since 2004. Mr Bird will be replaced by Adam Tindall, who has been promoted from his current role of Chief Operating Officer, Property.
 
 
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Fund manager Louise Joslin retiring from AMP Capital

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Hodges Real Estate has launched their 12th office, in Ascot Value, this month. This will be the agency’s first foray into Melbourne’s inner north-western suburbs.
Typically considered specialists of Bayside, they are looking to focus on other areas of Melbourne with 2015 expected to be a bullish year of opening offices.
Director of Hodges Real Estate, Campbell Cooney, said that they have collectively over 150 years’ of real estate experience in Melbourne’s south and now want to replicate this success. Hodges Real Estate was founded in 1856.
“We have an aggressive growth strategy in place; the unveiling of Hodges Ascot Vale stands as a testament to this,” said Cooney.
The new Ascot Vale office was formerly Geoff Green Real Estate. It will be led by Aaron Leask and Adam Hicks, both locals in the area.
“Being a boutique agency, Geoff Green Real Estate had similar values to Hodges so we saw great value in turning the business into a Hodges franchise. By combining our passion and drive for the local area, with Hodges’ reputation and business acumen, we can rest assured that we have a recipe for a successful future,” said Hicks.
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Hodges Real Estate launches in Melbourne’s north-west

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Arnold Schwarzenegger has been booked to speak in Brisbane at a real estate sales summit.
The Hollywood star will speak at a <a href="https://qreas.com.au" target="_blank">motivational conference</a> in March organised by marketeer, Glenn Twiddle.
He was the face of a recent realestate.com.au 'Australia Lives Here' campaign.
Twiddle says tickets start at $199 for the 16-17 March event.
Twiddle is a former real estate sales agent turned REIQ instructor
"My ultimate goal was to get Arnold Schwarzenegger to come and speak at one of my conferences," he told the local News Ltd paper.
He says he’ll “break even” if he sells 1,000 tickets.
Tom Panos, Amber Werschon and Dane Atherton rank among the summit's other speakers.
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. 
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Arnold Schwarzenegger to headline Brisbane real estate agents conference

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Domain chief executive Antony Catalano has again dismissed talk of Fairfax Media spinning off its property business.
Fairfax has now gained full control of Metro Media Publishing Holdings (MMP), <a href="/news/fairfax-media-pays-72-million-to-buy-back-its-melbourne-real-estate-ad-revenues">acquiring for $72 million the 50% that it did not own</a>. 
Catalano said beefing up the real estate business did not mean Fairfax was preparing to float or sell Domain.
"It's not part of my strategy, which is to grow the business," he told Fairfax Media.
"Floating the business is not a consideration."
Catalano suggested, without detail, that Domain was trailing REA in only two states, Queensland and Victoria.
Fairfax Media chief executive Greg Hywood said the consolidation of the balance of the equity in MMP simplified the operations of its property services businesses, which have more than $300 million in real estate revenue.
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Domain won't be floating says Catalano

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Fairfax Media has finally moved to take full control of the Melbourne regional newspaper publisher, Metro Media Publishing (MMP), announcing it will buy the remaining 50% interest held by the business's foundation shareholders for $72 million.
It will pay $18.5 million in cash and issue about 68.5 million new shares at $0.78 each to acquire the interest.
Metro Media is majority owner of 15 weekly real estate and lifestyle-focused magazines and newspapers in Victoria and online property site, reviewproperty.com.au.
MMP launched the Weekly Review in April 2010, with estimates the glossy magazine took about $20 million in real estate advertising from Fairfax given backing from estate agents in Melbourne’s wealthy eastern suburbs.
The co-shareholders in the businesses are mostly real estate agents who have financial interests via Metro Media's equity structure.
Antony Catalano, founder of Metro Media, will remain chief executive of Fairfax's Domain Group property advertising unit and will have responsibility for the Metro Media operations, the company said. Antony Catalano and five management staff have all agreed to swap their equity in MMP for equity in Fairfax, MMP spokesperson John Hine advised.
Domain Group has been tipped to be floated, in whole or part, by market analysts since it became a standalone unit at Fairfax Media.
The market had anticipated the MMP buyback with estimates it would be at around $75 million.
At a June 2013 investor briefing in June, Fairfax revealed Domain had recorded revenue of $141 million in 2012-13 and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation of $45 million. MMP contributed $81 million to the company’s real estate advertising and services business.
“Since we formed the MMP joint venture in December 2011 EBITDA has increased from $4 million in FY12 to $14 million in FY14 and is on target for strong growth in FY15," Fairfax advised today.
Fairfax Media have now spent around $175 million buying back its property advertising revenues from renegade Melbourne newspaper groups in the past 12 years.
It spent $35 million in 2011 for its initial 50% stake in MMP.
It also paid around $65 million in 2003/2004 to secure the rival publicly listed Text Media operations - whose publications included the glossy suburban newspaper The Melbourne Weekly - in a bid to shore up its classified advertising base.
"We believe this transaction will effectively mitigate the erosion of Fairfax's existing share of the Melbourne real estate listings," ABN Amro analyst Peter Shorthouse said in 2003.
Fairfax, publisher of The Australian Financial Review, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, said today's MMP decision highlighted its real estate advertising arm, Domain continuing its “aggressive national expansion”.
It noted MMP reaches 1 million households in Melbourne and Geelong every week via The Weekly Review magazines and Star Weekly newspapers and operates Melbourne’s fastest-growing property portal, reviewproperty.com.au.
“The consolidation of the balance of the equity in MMPH simplifies the operations of our fast-growing property services businesses, which have more than $300 million in real estate revenue,” said Fairfax chief executive Greg Hywood in a statement to the ASX this morning.
The value of the Fairfax shares to be issued is set at 78¢ per share, which is the 45-day, volume-weighted average price of Fairfax shares up to December 31, 2014. Based on that share price, total consideration is $72 million, including $18.5 million in cash.
The Fairfax shares will be issued after the release of the Fairfax half-year 2015 results in mid February.
MMP’s founding real estate agent shareholders will take 65% of their consideration in Fairfax shares.
Fairfax will issue approximately 68.5 million new Fairfax shares as part of this transaction. Post this share issue the MMPH foundation shareholders will together hold approximately 2.8% of Fairfax’s total shares on issue. 
The value of the Fairfax shares to be issued is set at 78¢ per share, which is the 45-day, volume-weighted average price of Fairfax shares up to 31 December, 2014.
The Fairfax shares will be issued after the release of the Fairfax half-year 2015 results in mid February.
“In a little over four years, hundreds of agents across Victoria in partnership with MMP have created for themselves a very substantial financial interest through their shareholdings in the MMP Group," MMP chairman, Charbel Nader said.
The AFR's Streettalk column suggested Kay &amp; Burton, Jellis Craig, ­Marshall White and Bennison Mackinnon, who were founding investors in Metro Media Publishing Holdings, each put $200,000 into the business in 2010 and have realised about $22 million in equity and cash, not including dividends.
There were numerous additions and changes in shareholdings over the years, but estate agents and estate agencies with shareholdings, of various types and various beneficial and non-benefcial holdings at times since 2010, have included Williams &amp; Co, Leigh and Valerie Hallamore, Abercromby's, Russell Turner, Gavin and Carol Fallon, Fletchers and Parker Holdings, Jeremy Fox, Thomas Buxton and Garry Quinton, Noel Jones (Glen Iris), Noel Jones (Kew), Mike Nolan's Rathnol Pty Ltd, Walker Real Estate, McLaren Real Estate Kew, Geoffrey Hall's Popes Eyes Investments, Christopher and Susan Ewart, David Gillham's Shark Cat Enterprises Pty Ltd, and Rodney Morley Persichetti.
Fendus Nominees, Duroc Pty Ltd, Zerley Pty Ltd, Parkeredis Balwyn Pty Ltd and 8 Figures Pty Ltd Hampton have ranked amid the shareholders too.
Kay &amp; Burton industry veteran Gerald Delany was a foundation director, with foundation company secretary being Norman Draper, the senior partner of the accounting firm Lawler Draper Dillon.
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Fairfax Media pays $72 million to buy back its Melbourne real estate ad revenues

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Harcourts’ latest addition, Harcourts Carlingford, was opened last week by owner Andrew Magro.
Magro, who has been working in the Carlingford area for 14 years, said that it’s nice to be known locally and expressed his enjoyment with the area where he started out putting up for sale signs, making coffee and answering the phones.
“I basically watched and learnt from my peers, I immediately grew a strong interest and passion for the real estate industry and I knew then I wanted to be the best at what I do and thrive on customer satisfaction,” he said.
“Real estate isn’t only about making a sale, it’s about building relationships with people which I love to do,” said Magro.
Joining Harcourts Group Australia due to a desire to own his real estate office, he chose the brand after having been involved with Harcourts Hills Living when looking to buy a property.
“I immediately fell in love with the Harcourts system, their operations and most of all, the blue stripes,” he said.
“My motivation was real estate agent, Jamie Benjamin and his performance, not only selling properties but in the way it was actually performed.”
He also aligns with the ‘Harcourts values’, putting people first and giving them the time they need, which he intends to continue at his new 5/326 Pennant Hills Road office.
“I believe the difference I have to offer is quality of service, not quantity. People deserve nothing but the best of service, all the time,” he said.
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New agency Harcourts Carlingford launched 

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Husband and wife duo team Sam and Phil Hargrave have launched a new agency in Queensland's Pomona hinterland: Hargrave Real Estate.
Sam has worked in the area since 2003 and has 25 years of real estate experience, having begun her career in Sydney's Lower North Shore luxury real estate market in 1990. The couple moved to Noosa hinterland in 2003.
Launching in December 2014, Sam Hargrave also made the CoreLogic RP Data 'A List', recognising the top 150 real estate performers in Queensland.
Emily Kindred, A-List spokeswoman, said that the list recognises professionalism, enthusiasm, skill, drive, passion and personality.
Phil Hargrave, principal of the agency, recognised the boost of confidence the award provided them to start their own business.
"Phil and I will use the best of our combined knowledge to present clients with a reasoned perspective and stress-free experience when listing, marketing, and selling their home," she said.
"It is my knowledge, experience and personal service, combined with a relentless energy and enthusiasm that will give you the advantage when buying and selling your home."
They service Pomona, Cooran, Cootharaba, Boreen Point, Cooroy and Lake Macdonald.
Hargrave Real Estate service Pomona; Cooran; Cootharaba; Boreen Point; Cooroy and Lake Macdonald.
 
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Hargrave Real Estate opened in Queensland’s Pomona hinterland

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Banker Jon Sutton has been appointed the new chief executive of Bank of Queensland (BOQ).
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Sutton, who joined BOQ in 2012, has been acting chief executive since the departure of Stuart Grimshaw in September last year. Sutton was previously BOQ’s chief operating officer.
He has more than two decades experience in banking and prior to BOQ was the managing director of Bankwest. 
Before that he was executive general manager of Commonwealth Bank Agribusiness.  
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The Bank of Queensland chief executive Stuart Grimshaw resigned to pursue a non-banking opportunity outside Australia at a small financial services company in the United States, the NASDAQ listed Ezcorp which owns the Cash Converters franchise. It also has outlets in Mexico through Grupo Finmark and the UK through Cash Genie.
The bank chairman Roger Davis said the board was disappointed at Grimshaw's departure. Grimshaw had joined BOQ in November 2011, succeeding David Liddy, who had been the chief since April 2001.
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The bank is one of the oldest financial institutions in Queensland, with a network of around 270 branches, including 152 in Queensland, 52 in New South Wales, 23 in Victoria and 34 in Western Australia.
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