&nbsp;

A local Australian has spent a Lower North Shore record $15.1 million at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/elevate-hume-place-crows-nest-25-hume-street-crows-nest-nsw-2065">Elevate Hume Place</a>, the new TOD above the recently opened Crows Nest Metro Station.

The buyer amalgamated a penthouse and sub-penthouse to create the triplex apartment that will have five bedrooms, five bathrooms, a private rooftop pool, expansive terrace, and panoramic views of Sydney Harbour and skyline. The building is being created by burgeoning developer Third.i, alongside joint venture partner Phoenix Property Investors.

The buyer was drawn to Elevate’s unrivalled connectivity, situated directly above the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/crows-nest-nsw-2065">Crows Nest</a> Metro Station, and the vibrant lifestyle precinct that surrounds it. The Metro connects to the CBD in just seven minutes, and Chatswood in four.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=142550 project_image_fid=309367]

Designed by internationally acclaimed architects <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a>, Elevate draws inspiration from the ancient blue gum forests native to the area. The building is a Net Zero development, created in consultation with Indigenous communities and exceeding sustainability benchmarks. Interiors feature chevron-engineered timber flooring, natural stone benchtops, and premium Sub-Zero Wolf appliances, delivering timeless elegance and next-level comfort.

The exchange of the $15.1 million apartment, follows a recent $5 million sale, and over $30 million currently in expressions of interests. Interest in Elevate’s penthouse stock has surged, reflecting a strong appetite for ultra-luxury residences that combine design excellence with unmatched connectivity.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=142550 project_image_fid=309369]

“We’re seeing a significant uptick in interest from local and international buyers who are prioritising connectivity, sustainability, and lifestyle,” said Callum Billinghurst, Head of Sales at Third.i Group.&nbsp;

“These recent sales are a testament to the vision behind Elevate. It’s not just about luxury finishes or panoramic views, it’s about creating homes that are deeply connected to the city and the community. Buyers are responding to that. They want to live somewhere that offers more than just a postcode, they want culture, convenience, and long-term value. Elevate delivers all of that, and more.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=142550 project_image_fid=297878]

As part of the Hume Place precinct, Elevate is transforming Crows Nest into Sydney’s most dynamic urban village. Elevate’s unique position directly above the metro, combined with its curated amenity offering, has made it a magnet for buyers seeking a future-proof investment and a vibrant urban lifestyle.

The next release at Elevate is expected later this year.

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“We’re seeing a significant uptick in interest from local and international buyers who are prioritising connectivity, sustainability, and lifestyle,” said Callum Billinghurst, Head of Sales at Third.i Group


Joel Robinson

Third.i & PPI set Lower North Shore apartment record with $15.1m sale at Elevate Hume Place penthouse amalgamation

Sydney developer Deicorp is set to officially open its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/hills-showground-village-castle-hill-2-mandala-parade-castle-hill-nsw-2154">Showground Village</a> precinct in Castle Hill.

NSW Premier Chris Minns will attend the opening on Sunday August 31, alongside&nbsp;Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully, The Hills Shire Council Mayor Dr Michelle Byrne, Landcom CEO Alex Wendler, and Deicorp Founder Fouad Deiri.

Located just moments from Hills Showground Metro Station, the centre spans 9,500 sqm across four levels and features 26 specialty retailers as well as a 1,400 sqm public plaza, creating a new community meeting point for shopping, dining, fitness, and everyday convenience.&nbsp;

Showground Village forms part of the Hills Showground Station Precinct, an urban renewal initiative led by Landcom and Sydney Metro that will provide for around 2,300 new jobs over the next 20 years and around 9,000 new homes.&nbsp;

Deicorp was recently approved for another new development next door to Showground Village.

The new five residential buildings in the East Showgrounds Precinct, will see another 873 dwellings delivered, as well as&nbsp;3,500 sqm of open public space in the form of landscaped courtyards, a public park and communal outdoor recreational space including a playground, barbeque area, and outdoor seating.

“This approval will allow us to start construction on a range of beautifully designed, conveniently located apartments and create another vibrant, walkable and well-connected community,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/deicorp" target="">Deicorp</a>&nbsp;Founder Fouad Deiri.

“These new homes will provide their residents with a seamless connection to jobs and services along Metro North West, and the new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/hills-showground-village-castle-hill-2-mandala-parade-castle-hill" target="">Hills Showground Village</a>&nbsp;retail precinct currently under construction."

Deicorp has several thousand apartments in planning and under construction across Sydney, from Zetland and Five Dock to Crows Nest and Macquarie Park.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=133881]

Deicorp, NSW Premier officially open Showground Village, new retail and hospitality hub in Castle Hill

ASX-listed developer Cedar Woods is progressing its plans for its Southbank arts precinct site.&nbsp;

The developer has filed plans, which are now with the&nbsp;Department of Transport and Planning, for a new 20-level tower at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/141-151-sturt-street-southbank-vic-3006">141–151 Sturt Street</a>, a 2,718 sqm block opposite the Habitat Filter sculpture.

The proposal seeks to demolish the two-level&nbsp;commercial building, including a small supermarket and medical tenancies, and create a new building with 180 apartments and a focus on an&nbsp;active public realm and arts integration.

&nbsp;

<img alt="Southbank site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="76a72db6-91ef-43ae-827d-a9cfa72893d2" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Site.png?VersionId=DZgtB4K6BswVh0QtCs3iLjXaLp0CbcEb" />

&nbsp;

There will be a full mix of apartment configurations, including 28 studio apartments, 16 one-bedroom, 104 two-bedroom, and 32 three-bedroom units.

Retail, creative arts, and residential amenity functions are integrated across the lower levels. A food and drink tenancy is planned to front Dodds Street, while a retail tenancy fronting Sturt Street will be accessed via an elevated walkway. The first floor includes a substantial 734 sqm creative arts space, envisioned to support Melbourne’s growing cultural and digital industries.

Architecture firm <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> has put together the plans. In their&nbsp;Urban Design Report they highlighted the project’s ambition to embed itself within Southbank’s evolving cultural fabric.

A central feature of the design is a through-block link connecting Sturt and Dodds Streets, landscaped with native plantings and embedded with universal access ramps.

“The ramp has been thoughtfully integrated as the primary access point, ensuring universal accessibility for all users,” the report noted, with the link offering “a direct response to the urban planning scheme of creating more green spaces within our communities”.

<img alt="Southbank podium" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4d24b1b2-d69c-4a11-a11d-ec6df432221c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/podium.png?VersionId=geWoJyZDmPSLODZ_.PNJ0LvpOmyyCdpo" />

The building’s podium form responds to the mandatory height limits along Dodds Street and maintains a fine-grain interface to adjoining developments. Above the podium, the tower is articulated with recessed balconies and a focus on views toward the CBD and surrounding arts institutions. A communal rooftop recreation deck and indoor lounge are positioned on level four, adjoining seven apartments and providing over 900 sqm of resident amenity space.

Vehicle access and loading will be provided via Dodds Street, with 155 resident car spaces located across two basement levels and the first three above-ground floors. Bicycle storage is more generous, with 226 spaces distributed across resident, staff and visitor needs.

Rothelowman describes the architecture as “humanist,” with ground-level interfaces designed to encourage social interaction and provide a dignified entry for both residents and passers-by. “All street interfaces are crafted to invite and nurture human connections,” the design report states. “The façade transitions to a human scale, providing an approachable and engaging streetscape”.

Cedar Woods, while well-known for its large communities it develops outside of Australia's capital cities, they have recently developed in Melbourne's inner-ring before. They are approaching completion at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/88-leveson-north-melbourne-88-leveson-street-north-melbourne-vic-3051">88 Leveson</a>, just 15 townhouses in the heart of North Melbourne.

Cedar Woods progresses with new apartment plans in Southbank arts precinct

Brisbane developers Core Property Partners and Vector Property Australia has teamed up for Brisbane's newest apartment development.

The duo identified <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/east-brisbane-qld-4169">East Brisbane</a> as their preferred suburb, on the fringe of the Gabba Precinct, where they've just revealed BANKSII, 72 apartments opposite Raymond Park.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=136432 project_image_fid=5481]

The one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments will sit in a glass-wrapped building that will also feature a rooftop with an&nbsp;infinity-edge pool, a BBQ area and alfresco dining spaces, sun lounges, and a sauna, as well as a resident-only gym and a ground-floor cafe.

Rhett Williams, Director of Vector Property Australia, said the project will lift the quality of the East Brisbane community and set a new benchmark.

"In Brisbane’s current property landscape, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/banksii-east-brisbane-169-wellington-road-east-brisbane-qld-4169">BANKSII</a> stands out through its emphasis on lifestyle-oriented living, connectivity and sophisticated design," Williams says.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=136432 project_image_fid=5479]

The 10-level building has been designed by MAS Architecture. Their designs were inspired by the native Banksia flower, with the architecture and interiors reflecting the organic symmetry of its namesake flora. MAS has interpreted this throughout the building’s curved form, façade detailing and interior palette.&nbsp;

The building’s flowing geometry and natural tones are complemented by large balconies and floor-to-ceiling glazing, maximising cross-breezes, daylight and views over the city, parklands and river.

“Having a strong narrative for a building helps us architecturally,” MAS noted. "We can choose colours that come off that species of flowers. The trunk and the trees and the flower elements all are now visible in our joinery on the inside and in our architectural finishes on the outside."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=136432 project_image_fid=5485]

Apartments will feature timber floors, soft porcelain tiles, brushed bronze fittings, and stone benchtops with warm veining.&nbsp;

Kitchens feature premium SMEG appliances and generous storage, while bathrooms have been designed as calming retreats with curved cabinetry and twin sinks in the master ensuites.

The building will feature a suite of rooftop and wellness amenities. Residents will have access to an infinity-edge pool, BBQ and alfresco dining areas, sun lounges and a rooftop sauna.&nbsp;

A residents-only gym will be located on the podium level, while a ground-floor café and landscaped laneway will further activate the site and improve neighbourhood connectivity.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=136432 project_image_fid=5488]

BANKSII will rise from a prime Wellington Road site, with the building oriented to overlook the adjacent Raymond Park and take in extensive city views. It is also on the doorstep of key&nbsp;lifestyle infrastructure, including the future Kangaroo Point Green Bridge, The Gabba stadium, and the planned Brisbane Live arena.&nbsp;

Public transport options, including ferry, bus and rail - including the future Cross River Rail Woolloongabba station - are all nearby, supporting a car-optional lifestyle just minutes from the CBD.

Williams said the team spent over a year searching for the ideal site before securing this location.

"We were attracted to <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/east-brisbane-qld-4169">East Brisbane</a> as it is a vibrant and growing community that offers a perfect balance of urban convenience and natural beauty with the parklands and river on our doorstep.”

The project is part of the broader Woolloongabba Games precinct, which is undergoing significant investment in the lead-up to the 2032 Brisbane Olympics. This urban renewal, coupled with infrastructure upgrades, is expected to enhance long-term liveability and capital growth in the area.

Given the wide max of configurations, BANKSII is expected to suit everyone from first home buyers and investors to families and downsizers.

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BANKSII sales launch in booming East Brisbane apartment market

The Minns Labor Government will deliver Sydney’s first new heavy rail station in more than a decade – enabling up to 10,000 new homes by rezoning land around Woollahra and Edgecliff stations, right next to the CBD, to tackle the housing crisis and rebalance growth across the city.

Recent reports by the NSW Productivity Commission have warned that Sydney is losing twice as many young people as it is gaining, while also finding that Woollahra is the most feasible Local Government Area (LGA) in New South Wales to build new housing.

Despite this, housing approvals in Woollahra consistently lag well behind other LGAs, and the population has declined by 11 per cent over the past 50 years while Greater Sydney as a whole has grown by 74 per cent.

The new station that will be an eight-minute trip from Sydney CBD, will be located on the Eastern Suburbs train line in Woollahra, where a station build was started in the 1970s but never completed.

To enable the delivery of new homes the NSW Government will lead a rezoning of Woollahra and Edgecliff stations similar to other state led rezonings to allow additional homes to be built around the stations.

Affordable housing will also make up a proportion of development on the site with the final amount of affordable housing required, to be determined as part of the rezoning process.

The area surrounding the new station is within walking distance of major green and recreational space including Cooper, Trumper, Rushcutters Bay and Centennial Parks.

The Eastern Suburbs train line between Bondi Junction and Sydney CBD also has the lowest passenger usage rates during the AM peak of any line on the Sydney network, with only 43 per cent of operating capacity during the AM peak currently being utilised by passengers.

Sydney Water and Infrastructure NSW have confirmed there is capacity in the water and wastewater systems to accommodate the proposed 10,000 dwellings without major upgrades.

The rezoning is expected to take around two years and will further support the Government’s housing targets that rebalance the delivery of new homes around existing infrastructure.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Next stop Woollahra train station - delivering up to 10,000 new homes in the heart of Sydney

Kangaroo Island

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GUEST OBSERVATION
On the night of January 9 2020, my wife and I secured our Kangaroo Island home and anxiously monitored the South Australian Country Fire Service (CFS) website for bushfire advice.
After many horrific weeks of bushfires, the winds had again shifted, and the fire front began a slow, nightmarish march eastward into the island’s central farmlands. Official warnings advised that the entire island was potentially under threat.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/316070/original/file-20200219-11000-18pw4af.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;rect=36%2C0%2C4788%2C2800&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/316070/original/file-20200219-11000-18pw4af.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;rect=36%2C0%2C4788%2C2800&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Landsat-8 false colour image of southwest Kangaroo Island, showing active bushfires on January 9, 2020. Landsat-8, Author provided
As my good neighbours and volunteer firefighters headed off to battle the flames elsewhere on the island, I desperately wanted to find a way to help. With no firefighting training, I felt I physically had little to offer. But I reasoned that my skills and training in remote sensing and spatial science could potentially turn satellite information into useful maps to track the fires, in more detail than those provided by the Country Fire Service and <a href="https://sentinel.ga.gov.au/#/" target="_blank">Geoscience Australia</a>.
While I was ultimately successful, it wasn’t quite as straightforward as I thought. And what I learned about access to good-quality and up-to-date satellite bushfire information surprised me.
Free satellite imagery is abundant; useful information is not
In principle, there are many good sources of free satellite imagery. But selecting, sourcing, understanding and processing a multilayered satellite image into an accurate burnt area map takes technical know-how that is beyond the reach of the people who need it the most.
We are fortunate to live in a time where satellite images are constantly uploaded to the web, often within hours of acquisition. There are many reputable sources for this information, including <a href="https://worldview.earthdata.nasa.gov/" target="_blank">NASA Worldview</a>, <a href="https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/" target="_blank">USGS Earth Explorer</a>, <a href="https://landlook.usgs.gov/" target="_blank">USGS LandLook Viewer</a>, and the <a href="https://apps.sentinel-hub.com/eo-browser" target="_blank">Sentinel EO Browser</a>.
These websites are gateways to the world of “big satellite data”, and I quickly found myself on a steep learning curve to efficiently navigate them and find recent imagery.
Once downloaded, the next hurdle I faced was how to process a data-rich satellite image into a meaningful and accurate map of the bushfire area. I scoured the internet for “how to” blogs, academic articles, spatial algorithms, and processing codes; these too are the products of much intellectual investment by global scientists, openly and freely available.
As a spatial scientist, I naturally found all this fascinating. But as a resident of an island under assault from bushfires, I also found it frustratingly time-consuming. I crashed my computer testing algorithms. I maxed out my hard drive. I spent hours on possibilities that turned out to be dead ends.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/316071/original/file-20200219-11017-129dntk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/316071/original/file-20200219-11017-129dntk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
True colour satellite imagery is often the most accessible and easily understood, but it often lacks sufficient detail to clearly identify burnt areas. In this Sentinel-2 true colour image, approximately 210,000 hectares are burnt, but bushfire-impacted areas are barely visible without advanced image processing. Sentinel-2, Author provided
Maps help to fight fires and recover from them
In the end, I produced <a href="https://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/environment/2020/02/19/researchers-kangaroo-island-fire-maps/" target="_blank">burnt area maps</a> from Sentinel and Landsat satellite images captured during the fires. I learned that this kind of information can indeed help firefighting and ecological recovery efforts, both during and after bushfires.
Initially I gave the maps to a group of farming friends who had been fighting fires around their properties for weeks. They told me the maps helped save time in assessing which areas had already burned, allowing them to focus on defending unburnt areas, and to make decisions on where to move livestock and install firebreaks.
The positive feedback inspired me to customise my processing techniques, so I could provide updates more quickly when new satellite images became available.
I embedded appropriate safety disclaimers into the maps and released them on Twitter and <a href="http://www.spatialpoints.com/category/blog/ki_fires/" target="_blank">Spatial Points</a>, a blog site managed by my research group at the University of Adelaide.
Within hours, I received messages that the maps were being used for ecological recovery efforts. The maps successfully highlighted remaining patches of habitat where endangered and vulnerable species had found refuge. Several government agencies even contacted me for burnt area information, which I’m told was used to assess infrastructure damage and habitat loss.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/316073/original/file-20200219-11023-gxgogg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/316073/original/file-20200219-11023-gxgogg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Processed Sentinel-2 satellite image. Red areas suggest burnt vegetation. Variation in red hues are caused by dominant vegetation type and soils. Sentinel-2/W. Boone Law, Author provided
National knowledge gap
My experience shows there is a swag of free and regularly updated satellite imagery available, which when interpreted and presented appropriately can potentially be hugely helpful to firefighting and recovery efforts.
However, I am concerned that neither the general public nor decision-makers seem fully aware of the range of satellite information on offer. Nor is there a good understanding of the advanced technical skills needed to access and process imagery into useful map data.
This leads me to wonder whether I have stumbled upon a glaring knowledge gap in Australia’s bushfire preparedness.
How can we overcome this technological and information bottleneck? I don’t propose to have all the answers, but I do believe it would be sensible for governments, industry and research agencies to invest in the kind of capabilities that I developed while trying to protect my own local community.
As Australia faces a future of more frequent and extreme bushfires, there will doubtless be many people who would be glad of this kind of information when they need it most.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/132087/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/wallace-boone-law-944308" target="_blank">Wallace Boone Law</a>, PhD Candidate, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-adelaide-1119" target="_blank">University of Adelaide</a>
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/i-made-bushfire-maps-from-satellite-data-and-found-a-glaring-gap-in-australias-preparedness-132087" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

I made bushfire maps from satellite data, and found a glaring gap in Australia’s preparedness

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Rocky Point, a Kangaroo Island home, has been listed for sale for the first time in over a century.
Rocky Point has been in the hands of the wealthy pastoralist Dutton family since 1918.
They've hung on to the six bedroom home for five generations.
Over that time the home and its Mad Mile Track location, dissecting seven kilometres of white sandy beach, has inspired a number of renowned artists and authors to create some of their best works.
The likes of artists John Olsen, Arthur Boyd and Sir Russell Drysdale, as well as writers such as Patrick White, Alan Moorehead, David Malouf and Robert Hughes have written in the visitor book over the years.
<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/2019/3/7/rocky%20point%202.jpg" alt="">
Rocky Point was even stayed in by Princess Diana's father, The Earl of Spencer.
Australian poet David Campbell wrote about Rocky Point.
"A house that Paul Cezanne would love, set on a limestone cliff above, on the white beaches and the sea, blue days in careless reverie go by. Like Greeks we fish for food”
Many locals refer Rocky Point as Government House due to the number of Vice Regal parties held at the property.
It was in the early 1900s when prominent South Australian Supreme Court Justice sir John Gordon visited the untouched stretch of coastline off Adelaide's south coast.
<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/2019/3/7/rocky%20point%203.jpg" alt="">
He commissioned the limestone clifftop retreat which went on to become the first holiday home built on Kangaroo Island.
He saw Kangaroo Island's potential as a private and secluded getaway, a place to do nothing, or something.
The home with pavilion-style living features stone walls that keep the house cool in summer and warm in winter.
Rocky Point spans 365 metres of rare beach and clifftop frontage all the way down to the high tide mark.
Klemich Real Estate agents Oren Klemich and Penny Riggs are marketing Rocky Point with planning approval to extend the home.
This article first appeared in The Weekend Australian. 
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Historic Kangaroo Island beachfront holiday home Rocky Point listed

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The agricultural fund manager Growth Farms has bought the largest farming aggregation on Kangaroo Island from the billionaire media mogul Kerry Stokes.
Stokes and veteran cattleman Peter Murray sold their <a href="https://www.eldersrealestate.com.au/rural/sale/cygnet-park-farms-cassini-sa-5223-17956579/" target="_blank">Cygnet Park</a> Farms aggregation reportedly for about $25 million through Elders.
It was listed in late 2017.
The cattle, sheep and cropping aggregation on the 7,821 hectare Cygnet Park Farms, which Stokes and his long-time business partner had accumulated over the past decade, was being offered on a walk in, walk out basis in one line or in individual allotments
Murray is one of Australia's most experienced cattlemen.
With annual average rainfall ranging between 600-900mm, it was currently running approx 3,000 Angus cows, 2200 weaner calves and 300 yearlings/bulls.
NSW-based Growth Farms is headed by David Sackett who manages assets on behalf of a global network of high net worth individuals, family office and institutional clients.
It was established in 1999 by Angus Taylor and his brother Richard .
It has investments in sheep and cattle, cotton, sugarcane, winter crops with farms totalling more than 100,000 hectares.
 
 
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Growth Farms buys on Kangaroo Island from billionaire Kerry Stokes

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Del Mole Estate in Kangaroo Island, long used in South Australian tourism campaigns to promote the whole island, has been listed for sale for the first time in nearly five decades.
It was 1968 when the 2,400 hectare property was bought by the late renowned South Australian pastoralist Lloyd Wilkinson from the state's prominent Bonython family.
Set in the north west corner of Kangaroo Island, the estate spans 61 titles with 3.7 kilometres of untouched private coastline with sandy beaches and cliffs overlooking the ocean.
It is being marketed as a prime development opportunity for international corporate investors or high net worth individuals seeking to capitalise on the global tourism appeal of Kangaroo Island.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/10/09/De%20Mole%203.jpg" alt="">
Earlier this year, Kangaroo Island was ranked in the world's top three travel destinations by Lonely Planet.
Wilkinson family spokesperson Hamish Brown said the estate is a truly unique offering.
“We believe De Mole Estate is now the largest privately-owned coastal landholding on the market anywhere in Australia,” said Brown.
“And while the entire property spans almost 6,000 acres, it is still perfectly tucked away in a beautiful corner of Kangaroo Island, which really does make it a hideaway within a hideaway that our family has been privileged to enjoy for the past five decades.”
CBRE agent Phil Schell said the estate is a rare opportunity that will attract widespread interest from across Australia and internationally, particularly in light of the $18 million upgrade of Kingscote Airport and with Qantas to start direct flights to Kangaroo Island from Adelaide and Melbourne from December.
“For such a vast landholding, De Mole Estate remains nestled away in a stunning pocket of Kangaroo Island, which is now widely recognised as one of the most idyllic tourism destinations on the planet,” he said.
Del Mole Estate is expected to attract offers in excess of $10 million.
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

Kangaroo Island's Del Mole Estate for sale

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Seven Group executive chairman Kerry Stokes and cattleman Peter Murray are selling the largest farming portfolio on South Australia's Kangaroo Island, estimated to nearly $50 million. 
The cattle, sheep and cropping aggregation on the 7,821 hectare Cygnet Park Farms, which Stokes and his long-time business partner have accumulated over the past decade, comes to market at a time when prime farmland values are rising, especially properties with beef, lamb and wool production.
The listing is being handled by Elders Real Estate with The Australian Financial Review citing industry sources as saying the farming portfolio could be valued as high as $50 million.
The portfolio is being offered on a walk in, walk out basis in one line or in individual allotments, contingent upon the remainder of the portfolio being sold. 
Like billionaire Stokes, mining tycoon Gina Rinehart and retailers Brett Blundy and Gerry Harvey have all been investing in agricultural assets in recent years.
The offering includes a herd of about 3300 cattle and 15,700 sheep and is expected to attract interest from international corporate investors and local farming groups. 
The island is famous for its local produce, which is marketed under the "Kangaroo Island" brand and is in much demand in Asia.
First established in 2007 under Murray, the aggregation has been steadily expanded over the years. In June 2015, Woodlana Station, a 2,823 hectare landholding at Cassini on the island's central north coast was acquired for $4.7 million.
Previously, in 2010, the pair acquired Clifton Downs, a 550 hectare grazing property on Kangaroo Island. Other properties in the portfolio include Long Hill Station.
Murray, one of Australia's most experienced cattlemen, said he had decided to bring the portfolio to market in order to focus on other business interests as he transitions into retirement. He turns 81 next month.
"I am very proud of the quality portfolio of both real estate and livestock assets that we have built in one of the world's most pristine agricultural environments. I will retain a smaller portfolio of properties on the Island moving forward as I remain convinced it is one of the best livestock production regions in Australia and has enormous opportunities to deliver high margin, quality produce to the world."
For the 77-year-old Stokes, the Cygnet Park Farms listing comes as he and other media moguls look to re-position their empires ahead of the relaxation of media ownership rules.
Last month Stokes' Seven Group Holdings, which owns 41 per cent of Seven West Media, sold its WestTrac China heavy machinery dealership for $540 million with plans to reinvest the proceeds back into Australia.
 Elders Real Estate general manager Tom Russo said the opportunity to acquire a portfolio of this scale in the Kangaroo Island region was unprecedented.
"There is currently unprecedented demand for clean, traceable food products in the Asia-Pacific region and further abroad. Kangaroo Island is ideally positioned to respond to this demand given its unique agricultural setting, enhanced biosecurity, GM free status and unpolluted environment,” said Russo.
"Given their proximity, the Cygnet Park Farms properties can be operated separately or as a whole,” he added.
Stokes and Murray are also invested on the South Australian mainland. In 2007, they purchased the Balquhidder Station, a sprawling 3000-hectare cattle property at Parawa for more than $20 million in 2007.
In 2009, they bought neighbouring Mt Scrub, a 660-hectare grazing property, for about $5 million.
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Media mogul Kerry Stokes lists Kangaroo Island farm portfolio

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A Chinese government-backed investment group has bought a 289 ha aquaculture and tourism property on Kangaroo Island off South Australia.
Andermel, home to Andermel Marron Farm, The Marron Café and Two Wheeler Creek Wines, was sold to Shandong Geo-mineral International Investment Co Ltd for more than $1.6 million through Colliers International's Jesse Manuel and Tim Altschwager. 
Manuel said the Heads of Agreement for the sale was signed during the South Australian Premier’s visit to China in May 2015 and has now settled after an extensive due diligence period.
“This property represented a unique business and lifestyle opportunity in one of South Australia’s most picturesque and popular tourist destinations, Kangaroo Island,” Manuel said. 
Kangaroo Island is Australia’s third largest island and one of South Australia’s most popular tourist destinations, located 112 km south-west of Adelaide and around 15 km off the mainland.
Projects worth $171 million are planned or approved for Kangaroo Island over the next few years, including an $18 million joint investment by the state and federal governments to extend the island’s airport runway and allow direct flights from Sydney and Melbourne.
Established in 1997, Andermel Marron Farm is a marron production business which consists of six breeding ponds, nine nursery ponds and 52 grow ponds. The farm breeds and grows marron – native Australian freshwater crayfish – for domestic markets as well as through the onsite ‘Marron Café’ restaurant and farm gate sales.
Australian marron is native to the south west of Western Australia and is the largest commercially grown fresh water crayfish.
The property also includes an 8 ha vineyard planted to Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, producing fruit for Andermel’s own ‘Two Wheeler Creek’ label and a licenced cellar door.
Altschwager said Kangaroo Island was renowned for its pristine beaches, native wildlife, tourist attractions and fresh local produce.
 
 
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