Fresh off completing Pienza Neutral Bay, developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/central-element">Central Element</a> is preparing its next move in the coveted Lower North Shore suburb.&nbsp;

Central Element (CE) has lodged plans for an eight-storey apartment building at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/54-64-barry-street-neutral-bay-nsw-2089">54–64 Barry Street</a>, a 1,659 sqm site just south of Military Road and the Neutral Bay town centre.

The $52 million development will involve the demolition of four detached homes across four lots to deliver 45 apartments, including eight affordable housing units to be managed by Bridge Housing. The mix will comprise six one-bedroom apartments, 24 two-beds, and 15 three-beds. The apartments will sit above three basement levels with 62 car parking spaces and 50 bicycle spaces.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/mhn-design-union">MHN Design Union</a> (MHNDU) has returned as architect following its work on Pienza, again shaping a mid-rise form with a clear street presence. The design features a lower four-storey podium element that responds to surrounding context, with upper levels recessed to reduce perceived bulk. Communal open space is proposed both at ground level and on the rooftop, the latter including an outdoor kitchen and swimming pool.

“The building has been designed with a lower four-storey element and with building materials commensurate with the character of the area,” Beam Planning noted in its submission to the North Sydney Council.

<img alt="Barry Street, Neutral Bay Nsw 2089" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3a28ab3a-b8ba-4476-81cd-e4a8bb84f3a7" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Barry-Street-Neutral-Bay-1327x742.png?VersionId=hlgvxszAWXIHgHtdR5HiwIKiSli2lLZV" />

Bridge Housing will manage the affordable units for a period of 15 years, as required under the Housing SEPP’s incentive provisions.

MHNDU’s design report further highlights the site's strategic location just 250 metres from key bus stops and 1.3 kilometres from North Sydney CBD, positioning it for transit-accessible housing supply. In their planning justification, the design team emphasised the site’s compatibility with emerging local character and scale.

Central Element has a solid apartment pipeline spread all over Sydney. They recently completed&nbsp;Pienza, 37 apartments just 500 metres away from the new project, and are currently building Ethos Chatswood, Ballamac House in Coogee, and Bianca on the harbour in Drummoyne.

They have plans for future projects in Mosman, Bondi Beach, Greenwich, Lavender Bay, along with a tower on the edge of Hyde Park.

Joel Robinson

First look: Central Element unveils second Neutral Bay apartment project

Real estate investment fund Wentworth Wentworth Equities is soon to launch a "Los Angeles-inspired" residential, leisure and lifestyle precinct in Brisbane’s Hamilton riverside ahead of the predicted Olympic-led population explosion for the city.

Drawing its style inspiration and name from Los Angeles’ renowned The Grove, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/hamilton-grove-19-hercules-street-hamilton-qld-4007">Hamilton Grove</a> will feature three residential towers and a vibrant street-level public precinct with curated luxury lifestyle, retail and dining offerings.

The first of the three towers, to launch in March 2026, will comprise 61 apartments, in the same building as a premium hotel.<img alt="Hamilton Grove" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d227fe61-8392-45b7-b386-9133f29a249f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-01-19%20at%209.10.56%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=HTCV35HZ4h84jQCmHwhsdIPN0ctO5d7Z" />

Wentworth Equities Executive Chairman Sameh Ibrahim said the precinct will be unique in its appeal to both residents and the wider community.

“Hamilton is already one of Brisbane’s most sought-after riverside suburbs and for good reason,” Ibrahim said.

“Where else in the world can you walk out of your front door and have everything you could possibly need at your fingertips? The city is just around the corner, the airport is only ten minutes away, you have the river and green spaces right there and premium retail and dining on your doorstep."

Wentworth Equities acquired the 7637 sqm Hercules St site in 2014, when Ibrahim said he had a "very clear vision" for the precinct, but ultimately it wasn't the right time to develop. He said Hamilton was still very much an "emerging precinct."

“Since then, Hamilton and surrounding suburbs like Ascot and Albion have significantly grown and matured into a precinct that aligns with our vision for Hamilton Grove. Brisbane as a whole has so much to offer in the way of lifestyle appeal, but as it stands it is so widespread – you go to Howard Smith Wharves for fine dining, you go to James Street for shopping, you go to West End to walk along the river – but what if you could go to Hamilton Grove for everything?

“Our vision is a precinct that brings together the best of Brisbane into one central space abundant with culture, class and culinary experience – a place that a lucky few will get to call home, but the rest of Brisbane still get to explore and experience at their leisure.”

<img alt="Hamilton Grove" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="46550990-8aeb-44d4-bb47-150cdca96529" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-01-19%20at%209.10.50%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=bmCkApPKY_Bj3z02Q8vI7Kyo_caJXOnv" />

Experienced civil engineering contractor Mainland Civil has been appointed to commence early works for the project, adding Hamilton Grove to their extensive portfolio where it will join other iconic Brisbane developments including Queens Wharf, 300 George Street, Infinity Tower and 1 William Street.

Construction on Tower One is scheduled to commence in early 2026 with completion expected in late 2028.

Fast Facts 
 
• Three residential towers and a vibrant street-level public precinct with curated luxury lifestyle, retail and dining offerings. 
• Construction on Tower One is expected to commence in Quarter One 2026, with completion expected in late 2028. 
• 7,637 square metre site at 19 Hercules St, Hamilton (part of Economic Development Queensland’s 304 hectare Northshore Hamilton Priority Development Area). 
• 61 waterfront residences and skyhomes in the first tower, ranging from two to five bedrooms. 
• Hamiton Grove will be officially launched in March 2026.

"LA-inspired" Hamilton Grove to launch on Brisbane riverside

There’s a quiet patch of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/hawthorn-vic-3122">Hawthorn</a>, between the bustle of Glenferrie Road and the curve of the Yarra, that rarely sees change, and even more rarely, new apartments. But that’s exactly where <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/pomeroy-pacific-quattro-corp">PQD</a> is planting Kooyongkoot: a deliberate, 18-residence answer to the question of what downsizers actually want.

“This is something this pocket of Hawthorn has never seen before,” says Fil Gacesa, head of sales at PQD. “<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kooyongkoot-hawthorn-1-kooyongkoot-road-hawthorn-vic-3122">Kooyongkoot</a> will deliver just 18 large-scale apartments in the heart of Hawthorn. It is the true definition of resort-style living.”

<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/59D7VxzltmM?si=1iCzRD7FRneKryfv" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

That scale is central to the story. It’s what allows for two dedicated lift cores, short corridors, and a generous lightcourt that draws natural ventilation and sunlight into every residence. It’s also what makes room for the sort of amenity usually confined to high-density towers: a fully equipped wellness centre with infrared and traditional saunas, yoga and pilates studio, cold therapy shower, and treatment room. There’s a golf simulator, car and dog wash stations, and extensive storage too, not bolted on, but baked in from the start.

But more than the checklist, it’s the design intent that carries weight. “This project has been many years in the making,” says Mark Pomeroy, Director of PQD. “Not just in planning, but in listening, to what our buyers and the local community are looking for”.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355289]

That listening shows up in the materials, oak floors, natural stone, V-ZUG appliances, and in how space is handled. Penthouses feature private rooftop terraces with pools. Terraces and garden residences embrace outdoor connection. Inside, the layouts skew large and open, geared for hosting, not just housing.

Architecturally, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cera-stribley-architects">Cera Stribley</a>’s approach is grounded. There’s no reaching for spectacle here. Instead, the building offers a sculptural calm, anchored by landscaping from Eckersley Garden Architecture.&nbsp;

“We wanted to create spaces that feel expansive, serene, and meaningfully connected to daily life,” said founding partner Chris Stribley elsewhere.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355304]

That sentiment, calm, connection, echoes in the location itself. Kooyongkoot sits just a short stroll from Central Gardens, Fairview Park, and the Rivoli Cinema. Tram lines and schools are close, but the street is tucked, quiet, and leaf-lined.&nbsp;

“Residents of Kooyongkoot will be a short stroll from Fairview Park, Central Gardens, and the Glenferrie Road retail strip," Gacesa notes, "but you're also cocooned in this peaceful pocket behind extensive landscaping by Eckersley Garden Architecture.”

Kooyongkoot is set for completion in late 2026.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=102717]

Staff Writer

The project that said no to compromise: Inside Kooyongkoot, Hawthorn

When long-time Ivanhoe locals Graeme and Catherine, decided it was time to downsize, they weren’t necessarily in a rush.&nbsp;

Like many in their stage of life, they had started thinking about apartment living, but anticipated making the shift in two to three years.

That timeline changed when they visited <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-apartments/candela-ivanhoe-40-upper-heidelberg-road-ivanhoe">Candela</a>, a new boutique development by <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/developers/salter-brothers">Salter Brothers</a>. The project ticked all the boxes they were looking for: location, quality design, and long-term lifestyle benefits, which prompted them to bring their decision forward.

“It was the right place at the right time,” they said. “We knew immediately it ticked all the boxes, and we didn’t want to wait.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=342 project_image_fid=358855]

Their decision to downsize was driven by a combination of practical needs and lifestyle considerations. Their existing home, while much loved, had become increasingly difficult to maintain. It spanned multiple levels, included extensive front and back gardens, and was starting to show the wear that comes with age.&nbsp;

They were looking for a more manageable lifestyle, one with less upkeep and more freedom. A brand-new apartment with no maintenance requirements and the ability to simply “lock up and leave” gave them peace of mind and a greater sense of control over their future.

Financially, the purchase made sense as well. The available stamp duty savings, strong price-to-value offering, and timing of the settlement suited their plans, making the transition smoother and more cost-effective. The apartment's design and inclusions further supported their choice.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=342 project_image_fid=357493]

The layout was both functional and flexible: three bedrooms, a butler’s pantry, a separate laundry, and a large open-plan living area. It gave them the freedom to host a family, accommodate guests, or set up a home office. The expansive balcony and elevated views added to the appeal, providing a sense of openness and connection to the outdoors.

“It just had a really good flow,” Catherine noted, something they found lacking in many other apartments they’d considered, particularly in the established market.

Candela’s boutique scale was another deciding factor. With a smaller number of residences and a top-floor penthouse position, the couple felt the development offered the privacy and space they were looking for, without feeling isolated.

“We liked that it wasn’t a huge development. It felt well-balanced, modern but still with a sense of community, not overwhelming,” they said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=342 project_image_fid=357508]

Equally important was the ability to remain in Ivanhoe, a suburb they know well and have deep roots in. After 46 years in the area, proximity to local parks, shops, and familiar faces mattered just as much as the apartment itself.

“We didn’t want to give up the community we’ve known for decades. Candela allowed us to upgrade our lifestyle while staying in the place we call home.”

With a Walk Score of 90, the village location supports a convenient, connected lifestyle. <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/ivanhoe-vic-3079">Ivanhoe</a> Station is just a eight-minute walk away, and the neighbourhood offers access to parks, cafes, restaurants, and schools along Upper Heidelberg Road, all within easy reach.

Beyond the apartment, the couple also saw value in the broader vision for Candela, one that integrates residential living with public spaces and local amenities.&nbsp;

The development introduces 58 new apartments as well as a mix of commercial and social spaces that integrate contemporary architecture with the suburb’s existing character.&nbsp;

At ground level, residents will find a charming café and a lifestyle wellness centre, perfect for unwinding and rejuvenating. Meanwhile, the rooftop garden offers a stunning vantage point for residents to enjoy breathtaking sunsets, host gatherings, or enjoy barbecues with family and friends. It's not just a place to live; it's a vibrant community where every moment is an opportunity to connect and create lasting memories.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=342]

Why Ivanhoe locals are choosing to downsize to Candela

Mark and Roy Makari are expanding their presence in Sydney’s South West with a second major proposal for Leppington, this time envisioning a 900-dwelling mixed-use development just 850 metres from their previously lodged tower trio on Fifth Avenue.

Project management and construction management firm Creative Vision filed the plans for the&nbsp;multi-building project at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/230-rickard-road-leppington-nsw-2179">230 Rickard Road, Leppington</a>. The proposal seeks to establish a new focal point for the precinct through a high-density, transit-oriented development supported by diverse land uses.

According to the Scoping Report prepared for the Department of Planning, the scheme includes around 900 apartments across multiple towers, including 135 dwellings designated for affordable housing. A mix of market and subsidised apartments will be supported by ground-level activation through retail and office space, a childcare centre, and a hotel, forming a comprehensive urban precinct.

<img alt="Mixed Use Development 230 Rickard Rd Leppington" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="34797362-f3dc-4d84-8235-2657fc5f3bde" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Plan.png?VersionId=Uzckrz9tUpDQl5lX1_WMhjnv16bsr8wG" />

The Design Report by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/studiosc-0">Studio SC</a> notes that the project “intends to deliver a high-quality, high-density built form that supports the vision for the Leppington Town Centre, integrating mixed-use outcomes and public domain upgrades.” The development is expected to be delivered in stages, although a precise timeline is yet to be confirmed.

The project will be assessed through a future State Significant Development Application, with the Scoping Report indicating the team will seek design excellence via a competitive process or through an expert design review panel. Early massing diagrams suggest a series of mid- to high-rise buildings framing a central landscaped spine, with emphasis on pedestrian permeability and public space.

The planning documentation flags a strong sustainability agenda, stating that the development will “respond to the urban heat island effect, incorporate water sensitive urban design, and prioritise active transport”.

<img alt="Mixed Use Development 230 Rickard Rd Leppington" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="369d7b54-1279-4cde-88ec-dcb215594414" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Podium_1.png?VersionId=QArL7B2kkLt63vl5xvL0FNV_ardAlez4" />

The proposal follows in the footsteps of the Makaris’ nearby Fifth Avenue site, where they’ve submitted plans for three towers comprising nearly 500 apartments, with 10 per cent dedicated to affordable housing. That project features commercial podiums, a childcare centre, and a new public park that would occupy more than a third of the site.

Both developments are situated within walking distance of Leppington Train Station and fall under strategic precinct plans promoting higher density housing. The town centre is undergoing substantial transformation, driven by state government planning reforms aimed at fast-tracking housing delivery.

Together, the two projects represent a combined ambition of nearly 1,400 new homes across just under two kilometres of central Leppington.

First look: 900-home mixed-use precinct planned for Leppington

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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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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