<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/consolidated-properties">Consolidated Properties Group</a> (CPG) is approaching the launch of its latest Brisbane riverfront development, Castile, on the dress circle Skyring Terrace in Newstead.

VIP buyers are now being engaged, with a full public sales launch coming later this year.

Positioned as the final opportunity to secure a new absolute riverfront residence on the East bank of Newstead, Teneriffe or New Farm, Castile at 47 Skyring Terrace has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a> as a timeless addition to the Brisbane skyline.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=371113]

The name Castile draws on themes of permanence, sophistication and legacy, reflecting a broader vision centred on enduring architecture and timelessness in the rarest of riverfront positions.&nbsp;

CPG Chairman and CEO Don O’Rorke said the project had been envisioned as a future Brisbane icon.&nbsp;

“With 47 metres of direct river frontage and never to be built out views, 47 Skyring Terrace is the definitive address on the Brisbane River,” O’Rorke said.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=371114]

“Rather than following trend-based apartment design, Castile draws inspiration from Brisbane’s great heritage buildings, reinterpreting classical architecture into a contemporary riverfront landmark designed to stand proudly for the next 100 years,” he said.&nbsp;

The approved development will comprise 227 apartments across a 25-storey tower alongside a boutique six-storey riverfront building of just 12 residences.&nbsp;

Construction is scheduled to commence in September 2026.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150489]

Joel Robinson

CPG unveils Castile Newstead ahead of upcoming sales launch

Australia’s online shopping habits have shifted dramatically over the last decade. As eCommerce volumes surged, so too did the frustrations that came with traditional parcel delivery: missed deliveries, long Post Office queues, parcel theft and the challenge of being home during business hours.

Australia Post’s Parcel Lockers emerged as one of the more practical responses to that changing consumer behaviour.

What started as a relatively niche delivery option has evolved into a nationwide network of more than 1,400 self-service Parcel Lockers positioned at train stations, shopping centres, supermarkets and Post Offices across the country. The system allows Australians to send, collect and return parcels 24 hours a day, fundamentally changing how many people interact with deliveries.

The appeal is relatively straightforward: flexibility.

Instead of waiting at home for a delivery driver or rushing to a Post Office before closing time, users can direct eligible parcels to a Parcel Locker location of their choice. Once the parcel arrives, Australia Post sends a notification with a collection code or QR access through the AusPost app, allowing customers to retrieve their package at any time within the collection window.

For apartment residents in particular, the system has become increasingly valuable.

Higher-density living has created logistical challenges around deliveries, especially in buildings without concierge services or secure parcel rooms. Missed deliveries are common, while parcel theft has become an increasing concern as online shopping volumes continue to rise.

Australia Post itself has repeatedly highlighted the growing issue of “porch pirates” during peak shopping periods, encouraging customers to use Parcel Lockers as a safer alternative to unattended home deliveries.

That security aspect is one of the key reasons the Australia Post Parcel Locker network has grown so rapidly.

Parcel Lockers are positioned as secure, monitored collection points that reduce the risk of theft while also improving delivery efficiency for Australia Post. Instead of multiple redelivery attempts, parcels can be consolidated into a single secure destination.

The Parcel Lockers themselves are free to use through a MyPost account and support a range of parcel sizes up to 16 kilograms and dimensions of approximately 35 x 44 x 61 centimetres.

Beyond receiving parcels, the system has increasingly become integrated into the broader eCommerce ecosystem.

Customers can now use Parcel Lockers to return online purchases, while retailers have embraced the model as a way to improve delivery success rates and reduce friction in the shopping process. Australia Post has actively expanded partnerships with major retailers and promoted Parcel Lockers as part of a broader out-of-home strategy.

The timing of that expansion aligns with broader changes in Australian shopping behaviour.

The acceleration of online retail during and after the pandemic placed enormous pressure on delivery infrastructure. Parcel volumes reached record highs, particularly during Black Friday and Christmas periods, with Australia Post delivering more than 100 million parcels during peak festive seasons.

That growth forced logistics providers to rethink the “last mile” of delivery, widely regarded as the most expensive and operationally difficult stage of the process.

Parcel Locker systems have increasingly been viewed as part of the long-term solution.

The concept itself is not unique to Australia. Parcel Locker networks have become common globally, particularly across Europe and Asia, where dense urban environments and apartment living create similar logistical challenges. But Australia’s geography and suburban sprawl made adoption slower initially.

Now, however, the convenience factor is driving mainstream usage.

For commuters, Parcel Lockers near train stations allow parcels to be collected on the way home from work. For apartment dwellers, they remove the uncertainty around access and missed deliveries.

The rise of the AusPost app has also streamlined the experience, centralising notifications, tracking and Parcel Locker access into a single platform. Australia Post has increasingly pushed customers toward app-based delivery management, partly as a way to combat phishing scams and fake delivery notifications, which have become more sophisticated in recent years.

The Parcel Locker model is also beginning to influence property development itself.

Parcel management has become a growing consideration in apartment building design, particularly as online shopping becomes embedded in everyday life. Many new residential developments are now incorporating dedicated parcel rooms or Parcel Locker systems into foyers and communal spaces.

For developers, parcel management is increasingly viewed as part of the broader resident amenity offering, alongside gyms, wellness spaces and communal work areas.

That reflects a wider evolution in how residential buildings are designed.

Apartment buyers are placing greater emphasis on convenience, security and operational functionality, particularly in higher-density urban environments. Parcel delivery, once considered a minor operational detail, has become an increasingly important part of that equation.

Australia Post’s Parcel Locker network sits at the centre of that behavioural shift.

What began as a simple alternative delivery option has evolved into a key piece of infrastructure supporting Australia’s growing eCommerce economy and changing urban lifestyles.

And as online shopping continues to expand, the role of Parcel Lockers is likely to become even more embedded in how Australians live, shop and receive goods.

How Australia Post Parcel Lockers changed parcel delivery convenience in Australia

Perth’s new apartment market recorded its strongest quarter of sales since Q4 2021, with 412 apartments sold in Q1 2026 and a record quarterly sold value of $537 million, according to Urbis’ latest Apartment Essentials results.

Urbis said the March quarter result reflects strong, highly product‑specific demand across both ends of the market, from more attainable projects delivering at scale, through to premium stock being absorbed by equity‑rich downsizers.&nbsp;

David Cresp, Partner at Urbis, said the key story in Perth is not demand, it is the market’s ability to convert demand into delivered housing.&nbsp;

“This is the strongest sales quarter since Q4 2021, and it reinforces that demand in Perth is real and it’s local,” David Cresp said. “But the task now is delivery, turning that demand into projects that can actually be built and completed.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110291 project_image_fid=302785]

<h2>Affordable product leads, premium demand remains resilient</h2>

Sales in Q1 were led by more affordable projects, with The Boulevard (SKS Group) recording 115 sales in the quarter, the presentation noting this is only the second time a single project has surpassed 100 quarterly sales. The project was able to offer more affordable housing product right next to a train station.&nbsp;

Palmyra West (Finbar) also delivered strong results with 28 sales in Q1, following 84 sales in Q4, with an average price of under $800,000, underscoring depth of demand for well‑located, attainable new stock.&nbsp;

At the premium end, Urbis said downsizer demand is continuing, with the results highlighting Romeo (Applecross, Finbar) recording 75 sales and reaching almost 50% sold in one quarter.

Jual (Shenton Park, Celsius Property) also posted a strong quarter with 28 sales, reaching 39% sold in one quarter.

Urbis noted that Perth apartment demand is not speculative, not investor‑led, and not uniform, describing it as localised, often equity‑driven and highly product‑specific, a pattern reflected in the polarisation between strong “attainable” performers and premium downsizer product.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=148957 project_image_fid=364102]

<h2>Prices underpinned by costs, and the delivery risk is growing</h2>

Urbis said pricing pressure is cost not demand‑driven: construction costs and delivery risk are now a central constraint, with the results noting build costs remain elevated and volatile, and that energy, fuel and labour uncertainty weigh on feasibility.

David Cresp said a growing challenge for private Build‑to‑Sell developers is simply securing a builder in the current environment.

“Developers are really feeling the pressure from a building market that was operating at capacity and securing a builder is challenging,” David Cresp said, adding that even where a builder can be secured, “trying to get to the price that makes the development financially viable is incredibly challenging in the current market.”&nbsp;

Urbis’ broader WA commentary also notes that industry remains at or above capacity with lot and housing creation, and that many builders are limiting new sales to manage stretched workforces and fixed‑price contract pressures, conditions that flow directly into apartment feasibility and delivery timing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108869 project_image_fid=317905]

<h2>Supply: improving later, but still constrained, and Perth lags eastern benchmarks</h2>

While near‑term supply remains constrained, Urbis’ forecast shows completions lifting “Supply is forecast to be back above 1,500 apartments per annum for the first time since 2019”, with 1,775 completions forecast for 2026, and volumes remaining above that level over the following years.&nbsp;

Looking further ahead, completions are forecast to reach 2,500 in 2028, with the report noting 32% of that total is social/affordable, reflecting the role of government‑supported delivery in rebuilding the pipeline.&nbsp;

However, Urbis said Perth remains behind comparable markets on pipeline scale. In a national comparison of projects under construction, the report shows under construction Perth Build‑to‑Sell (BTS) at 3,446 apartments versus the Gold Coast at 7,922. Mr Cresp said “The challenge for Perth is how to we grow the delivery pipeline”.

Urbis’ conclusion is that Perth’s market is increasingly defined by product discipline and delivery certainty, with the research identifying “delivery certainty is key” and calling out builder risk and procurement models as core success factors, alongside “timing and staging”.&nbsp;

Perth apartment sales hit strongest pace since late 2021 as builder capacity tightens

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sammut-developments">Sammut Group</a> has secured development approval for its latest Brisbane apartment project, marking the Sydney developer’s next step in expanding its Queensland pipeline following the success of its debut Gold Coast development, Coast.

The approved project at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/44-glen-road-toowong-qld-4066">44 Glen Road, </a><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/toowong-qld-4066">Toowong</a> will deliver a 15-storey riverfront apartment building with 42 residences, significantly increasing the scale of the site’s previous approval for a smaller luxury scheme. Designed by Bureau^proberts, the development will comprise a mix of predominantly four-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments positioned to maximise Brisbane River and city views.

Sammut Director Julian Sammut said the group had been actively searching Brisbane for several years before identifying Toowong as the right fit.

“Brisbane was the right step for Sammut,” Sammut said.

“With the success of Coast we thought we should definitely look to do more in Queensland alone. We then pushed up to look at Brisbane. We've been looking for I'd say two to three years actually and it was hard to find the right location.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_75/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.14%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=dYAVIL7qdcGA8ojvkslSrLjczXFejSSx" />

Sammut said suburbs including New Farm and Teneriffe were considered before the group ultimately focused on Toowong due to its strong downsizer demographic and limited supply of developable riverfront land.

The site was acquired off-market after what Sammut described as a lengthy negotiation and planning process, with the developer pursuing an uplift to the original approval.

“We are DA approved now which is very exciting,” Sammut said.

“We've had our change approval come through and we've obviously doubled the height, 15 storeys plus rooftop. We've got 42 amazing apartments that are going to be coming to market soon.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.26%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=ohkRkY0dIZlqdfME2EZePsCQavRiBadE" />

Bureau^proberts said the design responds to Toowong’s evolving urban character, balancing contemporary apartment living with the area’s established residential identity.

“A place where traditional Queensland living has taken place for centuries; Toowong is seeing a shift of contemporary influence, commercial and retail hubs mixed with well-considered residential offerings – all the while maintaining its character and charm,” the architect noted in planning documents submitted to Brisbane City Council.

The architecture practice said the project’s form was shaped by its riverfront setting, flood considerations, neighbouring building scales, and view corridors.

“They said the mix of four and two-bedroom apartments capture the ‘fundamental qualities of Queenslander living,’ translated into the context of a contemporary subtropical building.”

The development sits just off Coronation Drive within walking distance of Toowong’s retail precinct and the upgraded Regatta ferry terminal, while also benefiting from proximity to the incoming green bridge connection to West End. Sammut said the accessibility and amenity offering were central to the site’s appeal.

The approval adds to growing residential activity along the Toowong riverfront, joining nearby projects including Consolidated Properties’ Monarch Residences and Spyre Group’s ARC Residences.

Sammut secures approval for debut Brisbane apartment development in Toowong

Developer Lanevick is heading back into Sydney’s apartment market after focusing more heavily on the luxury townhouse and terrace sector in recent years.

Lanevick, founded and directed by Steve Maroun, is expecting to receive approval in the coming months for a new apartment development in Gladesville, with the aim to launch it to the market later this year.

The 51-apartment project, designed by Studio Johnston, will comprise a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments positioned toward the Hunters Hill downsizer market.

“Traditionally it’s been difficult for people in that market to downsize because there just hasn’t been the right product available,” Maroun said.

“We’re targeting buyers who might have 30 to 40 per cent of their house value sitting in the bank after downsizing.

“They still want good spacious entertaining areas, they still want quality design, but they also want flexibility and the ability to enjoy life a bit more after working hard for a long time.”

The project sits near Boronia Park and within close proximity to the Parramatta River foreshore, an area Maroun says offers more of a Hunters Hill lifestyle than a traditional apartment precinct.

“From a lifestyle perspective, it’s really more Hunters Hill than Gladesville,” Maroun said. “You’re close to the foreshore, close to parklands, and still connected back into the village precinct.”

From level four and above, apartments will capture water views&nbsp;toward Sydney Harbour. Communal amenity will include rooftop entertaining areas, wellness spaces, and a gym tailored toward owner-occupier buyers.

“We’ve really designed these apartments around that buyer coming from the Hunters Hill LGA and what they’re actually looking for in their next chapter.”

The proposed development has also been designed to respond to the changing character of the broader Gladesville town centre, where a growing number of mixed-use and residential proposals are expected to emerge over the coming years.

“Gladesville presented a rare opportunity to deliver a genuinely design-led residential project within an evolving lifestyle precinct, just moments from the growing Gladesville town centre, and we’ve approached the project with a strong focus on architecture, liveability and long-term community value,” Maroun said.

Maroun said Lanevick saw a first-mover advantage within the precinct as planning controls continue to evolve to accommodate greater housing density.

“We think there’s a real opportunity there that hasn’t really been serviced properly yet,” he said.

“There’s going to be a broader evolution of the whole Gladesville village precinct over time, particularly with more activation and mixed-use outcomes.”

The Venus Street proposal will include a commercial and retail component at ground level designed to contribute to that evolving streetscape activation.

“A big part of the thinking was how do you activate that area properly and create more vibrancy and amenity, which is what Hunters Hill has been looking for,” Maroun said.

Lanevick’s focus since 2020 has largely been on smaller-scale luxury townhouse and terrace developments. The developer recently completed Royale Randwick, also designed by Studio Johnston, where prices reached $3.65 million. The project was featured in the UDIA NSW 2026 Professional Development Prospectus and was also named a finalist for Development of the Year.

&nbsp;

Lanevick to cater for Hunters Hill downsizers with new Gladesville apartment development

Rural Property

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The 1,250 hectare Rendell Dairies farm in Victoria's Goulburn Valley has been listed for sale through CBRE.
<a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-commercial+farming-vic-timmering-501829510" target="_blank">The large scale dairy enterprise</a> milks 1,200 cows close to processing facilities Fonterra in Stanhope and Murray Goulburn in Rochester.
The property includes 300 hectares of centre pivot irrigation and 450 hectares of flood irrigation.
It has been listed by Geoff and Spencer Rendell, the father and son team who have offered it with offered with vacant possession.
With the capacity to milk up to 1800 cows, the market expectations are around $10 million.
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

Rendell Dairies listed at Timmering in Goulburn Valley

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The stunning success of the land release of rural residential lots on Bowral's historic Retford Park estate, has ensured the longtime home of James Fairfax can be preserved in perpetuity for community access.
Some 71 of the 79 lots offered since the November launch have been snapped, with the upcoming lots priced between $365,000 and $810,000 through Nigel Napoli of <a href="https://retfordparkestate.com" target="_blank">Savills Residential Projects.</a>
The housing lots of Retford Park Estate sits either side of historic Retford Park house, the home of James Fairfax, the former chairman of the now ailing publishing company that bears his family name.
Buyers have come looking for a tree-change, especially from the Illawarra region and Sutherland Shire, Nigel Napoli said.
With land sizes from 1000 sqm to 4.8 hectares, there are set be another 81 building block released over the next six months on the outskirts of Bowral.
The 1880s Italianate residence that is well hidden amid the extensive gardens was bought by James Fairfax in 1964 for £15,000.
James Fairfax set about decorating Retford Park House with advice from designer Leslie Walford with the garden undertaken by English landscape architect John Codrington.
The pool, pool pavilion and aviaries were designed by Melbourne architect Guilford Bell. Over the years, architect Espie Dods added architecturally sympathetic extensions to the home. 
The Retford Park homestead will be preserved in perpetuity for the community with some funds from the neighbouring residential development being directed into a trust which will pay for the long-term upkeep of the home and gardens, the project director Allen Robinson advised.
Philanthropic James Fairfax had envisaged the concept for the past four decades.
"I think Retford Park is an important part of the heritage of the Wingecarribee Shire area and provision has been made in my will for the house and the immediate surrounding land, including the garden, to be left in trust to be viewed by future generations," Mr Fairfax told me in 2009. 
Listed on the register of the national estate since 1980, Retford Park was built as a summer retreat for the Hordern retailing family. It takes its name from the village in Nottinghamshire, the northern England town from where Anthony and Ann Hordern immigrated in 1825.
The grounds have many heritage oaks, an enduring association with the Hordern's retailing business, whose emblem was an oak tree under which were the words "While I live, I'll grow".
<a href="https://sydneyaerialphotography.com" target="_blank">Photo credits go to Tim Mooney</a>.
 
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Retford Park rural residential lots underpinning the Bowral heritage estate's future

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The Treasurer Scott Morrison has approved the $280 million sale of the Van Diemen’s Land Company to Chinese company Moon Lake Investments on the condition that it complies with Australian tax law.
The Foreign Investment Review Board approved the sale which would guarantee job retention and additional jobs.
The sale of Tasmania’s biggest dairy was previously agreed with TasFoods consortium but the New Plymouth District Council (NPDC), its New Zealand vendors, then accepted the better offer from Moon Lake.
Moon Lake's Lu Xianfeng said they wanted to further develop Australasia’s biggest dairy.
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Van Diemen's Land Tassie dairy sale to Chinese by New Zealand owners

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For the first time since its settlement, the Collins family’s Oakhurst at Bega is being offered for sale.
The 388-hecatre (960 acre) property has been in the family for around 150 years.
The property is priced at $1.4 million through LJ Hooker Bega agent Gerry Tarlinton.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-lifestyle-nsw-bemboka-7794666" target="_blank">Oakhurst </a>was chosen by John Collins in the 1870s, originally 740 acres, but The Land reported the purchase of “the front paddock” in 1939 took the farm to its current size.
The family ran the farm as a dairy farm until 1964 but in recent years the focus of the family’s operation has been on finishing prime cattle for the Bega and Cooma markets.
The land has the capacity to carry 250 head of breeders.
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Bega's Oakhurst for sale for first time in 150 years or so

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The rural landholding Mandalay in the Swan Valley has been sold to an international buyer for $4 million.
The 11.8 hectare equestrian property was most recently used as a training and stable complex for polo horses.
The holding includes a dressage arena, 25 paddocks, training tracks, two stable complexes, multiple walk through stables and a mechanical horse walker.
Dating back to 1829, the land can accommodate up to 50 horses.
Surrounded by landscaped gardens, and orchard, the 364 sqm, 2002 Kensington Designs residence has four bedrooms.
There is a 25 metre solar heated pool and also a two bedroom guest cottage and a brick iron office with adjacent bedsit.
With 250 metres of Swan River frontage, the home has extensive views of the surrounding valley and river.
CBRE's Agribusiness associate director Phil Melville said Mandalay represented an outstanding opportunity to acquire a footprint in one of Perth's most revered semi-rural locations.
“With more than 250 metres’ frontage onto the Swan River and located next to the popular Mandoon Estate, Mandalay attracted strong buyer interest, both locally and internationally,” Phil said. 
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Mandalay, Swan Valley equestrian complex for sale

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Chinese group Union Agriculture has paid $11 million for Kyabra Station, the 5200 hectare sheep and cattle-breeding Kentucky property north of Tamworth.
Union Agriculture previously paid $13.8 million for 4500 hectares of farmland at Galong and Binalong in southern NSW and $7 million for 2840 hectares in Greg Greg east of Wodonga.
The property was bought in 1995 by the Lytton-Hitchins family from T.A. Field Estates, when it was known as Standbye Station.
The property has 93 paddocks and an international reputation for its superfine wool.
The New England district was listed by Meares and Associates of Sydney and Landmark Harcourts Armidale,
They marketed Kyabra Station as a highly regarded superfine wool property, having produced 1PP bales and a top wool price of $22,200 for 2 bales of 14 mic wool, a rare feat. 
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Chinese buy New England farm, Kyabra Station

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The Malaysian horse racing tycoon, and architect, Teo Ah Khing and his wife Ivy are expanding their Southern Highlands farm.
They already own The Chase, the historic trophy homestead on 40 hectares at Sutton Forest, which was bought for $5.8 million last year.
Now they have paid $4.85 million for the adjoining 32 hectare property which is a tourism vineyard.
It was bought through Ray White Rural agent George Southwell from Southern Highland Wines which has been owned and operated by three families: Rossi, Corradi and Colloridi for almost two decades.
Around 10 hectares of vines are planted producing wines under the SHW Estate and Oldbury Reserve labels. The vineyards are producing sauvignon blanc, shiraz and pinot noir.
Across Oldbury Road, and surrounded by sweeping lawns, hedged and walled gardens and exotic trees, <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-other-nsw-sutton+forest-7594107" target="_blank">The Chase</a> homestead comes with a cottage, stables, barn and cattle yards as well as a pool and tennis court.
The restored and extended house comes with 3.35-metre-high Wunderlich ceilings.
Teo Ah Khing's China Horse Club has been a big new comer at recent Inglis yearling sales.
Teo heads Desert Star, the parent company of the China Horse Club which has re-introduced the sport of horseracing in China. 
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Malaysian horse racing tycoon, Teo Ah Khing expand Southern Highlands farm into neighbouring vineyard

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Markdale, the NSW country farm with unrivalled pioneering polo history, has been listed for sale by the Ashton family.
It's a 1920s house with extensions by Professor Leslie Wilkinson set in an Edna Walling-designed garden.
Surviving the many droughts of the Crookwell district, the 2550-hectare Binda farm has been held by three generations of Ashtons, most recently by company director Geoff Ashton and high society interior decorator wife, Mary.
Silver birch, oaks and golden elms frame the hillside seven bedroom homestead, which is topped off with its polo-player weathervane symbolising the family's association with the sport.
James Ashton, one of the family who put Australia on the world polo map, bought the original holding, followed by his son, Geoff snr.
In 1984, Geoff jnr took over the Southern Tablelands property that derives wool production and guesthouse income from its two original stone cottages and the shearers quarters.
It is tipped to fetch more than $7 million <a href="https://www.colliers.com.au/13886/#.ViQ2drSqqko" target="_blank">through Richard Royle at Colliers International</a>.
Markdale's garden is acknowledged as one of the great country gardens of Australia, rejuvenated in recent years, featuring include a wisteria and rose pergola, several sculptures and lake with its Chinese bridge.
Only once, at Markdale, did the two Australian icons combine their talents, Professor Wilkinson extensions and gardens by Edna Walling
The guestbook shows just how generously the Ashtons have entertained their family and friends there since 1921.
Geoff and Mary have thought about selling it on and off for almost the past two decades, and would love for a buyer to emerge who has a passion for the property, set about two and a half hours drive from Sydney.
<img src="https://www.markdale.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/brothers1.jpg" alt="brothers" width="515" height="274">
James Ashton started as the copy boy on the Hay newspaper before owning it, and in business become chairman of MLC and The Commercial Banking Company of Sydney.
He had four sons Jim, Robert, Geoff and Phil, who began playing polo against his wishes, but persuaded by his wife ‘that those who play together, stay together’ he let them continue.
In the 1930’s, the brothers shipped their horses to England, the United States and India to compete against top international teams, winning numerous tournaments, including England’s Hurlingham Championship and the Indian Empire Shield, and an invincible team in Australia retiring unbeaten in 1938.
This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.
 
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Historic Southern Tablelands farm Markdale relisted

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A consortium of Chinese millionaires has bought the Victorian rural property, Chatsworth Park from the Bayles family.
It was on the market for more than two years.
The Nagambie property is reported by the Australian Financial Review to have fetched more than $10 million.
Amanda Elliott nee Bayles – John Elliott’s second ex-wife – was one of four beneficiaries to inherit the 946-hectare northern Victoria holding from her late father, former VRC vice chairman Ian Bayles.
Pat Race &amp; Hawkins agent Peter Hawkins represented the family for the sale of 297 Mitchellstown Road, Tabilk.
Chatsworth Park has always had a thoroughbred history with James Redfern in 1890, a known horse enthusiast, owning the property with 1891 Melbourne Cup Winner, Malvalio buried there.
The 1893 Melbourne Cup winner, Tarcoola was also bred on this historic property.
Chatsworth Park was then owned by L.K.S. Mackinnon, a known racing owner and administrator who had the time honored LKS Mackinnon Stakes being named after him, one of Australasia's famous Group One events. 
In 1933, grazier and wool industry leader, Douglas Boyd purchased Chatsworth Park and built the homestead in 1936 with the assistance of the eminent Melbourne architect Robert Hamilton in the Tudor revival style.
Ian Bayles DFC, the honoured World War II pilot bought the property in 1948. 
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Chinese buy Chatsworth Park, Nagambie

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GUEST OBSERVER
You don’t need a crystal ball to know Australia’s rural industries will face significant change at global, national and local levels over the coming decades. This will create opportunities and challenges for small and large farms, and will affect rural lifestyles, agricultural landscapes and Australia’s society and economy.
In a new report, we describe this future through a series of interlinked “megatrends” set to hit Australia over the coming 20 years. As we describe below, each prompts some serious questions (or “conversation-starters”, as we have termed them) for Australian farmers. We don’t yet know the answers, but we do know they will be crucial for how the industry fares in the future.
<a href="/images/2015/08/20/image-20150818-5124-dd3n36.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/08/20/image-20150818-5124-dd3n36.jpg" alt="">
<h2>The world will get hungrier</h2>
We know that the world is going to require more food as populations grow – about 70% more by 2050, according to the United Nations. This will come primarily from increasing yields, along with some expansion of agricultural land.
The target is achievable but should not be taken for granted. There are competing uses of land for biofuels and urbanisation; in some places land is degrading; and we don’t have good predictions yet of the effect of climate change on agriculture. As a significant exporter of food, Australia has a vital role to play in supplying world food markets and buffering supply shocks.
We are well positioned — both in terms of geography and comparative advantage — to supply overseas markets. And while Australia can’t hope to feed Asia or the world, with astute R&amp;D investment it can increase production and exports. How well we step up to that challenge depends largely on our ability to maintain a price competitive position and continue to improve yields. So the key questions are:
Will farms be able to scale up production and performance to meet this challenge?
What is a sensible investment in innovation, and how should it be funded?
<h2>The world will get wealthier</h2>
Some 1.02 billion people will move out of poverty and into the middle classes in the developing Asia region alone by 2040. Along with wealth comes the ability to diversify food choices – wealthier households will consume more meat, dairy and vegetable oils.
This presents an opportunity for Australian rural industries to identify new food types and connect to new markets. A diversified rural export base is likely to be more resilient to supply-and-demand shocks in markets.
Is Australia better off focusing on commodity markets that have provided solid export earnings, or should it be working hard to respond to the demand for a more diverse range of boutique, luxury and niche food and fibre goods?
Does Australia have the infrastructure and the persistence to get a wider range of desirable agricultural products into Asian markets competitively?
<h2>Customers will get pickier</h2>
The consumer of the future will be increasingly able and motivated to choose food and fibre products with certain characteristics. This has impacts both within and beyond the farm gate. Information technology will increasingly enable the consumer to access, share and validate information about products along the whole supply chain from farm to fork.
Health is likely to become a particularly prominent driver of food choice and consumption patterns – be that from a desire for food safety or to help prevent chronic disease. Many people’s lives are being cut short by poor diets, and at current trajectories government budgets could become crippled by unsustainable growth in healthcare expenditure.
The issues of environment, provenance and ethics will also play a vital role. The consumer of the future will have greater expectations for these qualities in the food and fibre products they choose to buy. Consumers will be “information-empowered” and rural industries stand to gain or lose market share based on this increase in consumers' knowledge.
In the face of soaring diet-related health costs, will governments increase control of the components of food and diets?
How does agriculture in Australia build and safeguard its clean, green reputation?
<h2>Technologies will transform farm life</h2>
Advances in digital technology, genetics and materials science will change the way food and fibre products are created and transported.
Many plant productivity breakthroughs will be from gene technology. Big data systems and digital technologies will bring better risk-management approaches to Australian agriculture; weather and yields will be much more predictable and farmers will have sophisticated tools to assist with decision making.
Knowledge about land use and framing practices will increasingly move into the public domain as remote monitoring, be it from drones or satellites, makes available new data in a highly interconnected world. Business and capital models will change with the introduction of “disruptive” technologies such as peer-to-peer lending.
Will market perceptions hold back Australian agriculture by restricting access to advanced technologies being used by our major competitors?
How will farmers manage a higher level of scrutiny of their operations?
<h2>The rollercoaster of risks will get bumpier</h2>
Risk is an ever-present characteristic of Australian agriculture. However, the coming decades will see changes in the global climate, environmental systems and the world economy which will create new and potentially deeper risks for farmers.
Australian agriculture has shown a strong capacity to adapt and respond to risks in the past. But as trade globalises and we rely more on imported inputs such as fertiliser and fuel, the risk of supply chain shocks increases.
More international trade and passenger travel brings greater biosecurity risks. Climate change impacts are not well understood, and the need to cut greenhouse gas emissions will set up competing land uses for both biofuels and carbon storage.
Do we understand the likely implications of a global price on carbon of US$50-100 per tonne?
Is the agriculture sector at risk of complacency and underinvestment when it comes to risk management?
Overall, there is a bright future for Australian agriculture, laden with deep and diverse opportunity. The future outlined above will be a challenge for some producers and industries but an opportunity for others. The effectiveness with which Australian agriculture captures these opportunities and avoids the risks will largely come down to innovation.
Through centuries past, repeated innovation has allowed Australian farmers to expand into new land areas, develop water resources and increase crop and pasture yields. As we look to the decades ahead, innovation becomes ever more important. In a world of exponential growth in both technology and global trade, it’s about working smarter, not just harder.
Sandra Eady is principal research scientist CSIRO Agriculture and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sandra-eady-184881" target="_blank">here</a>. Stefan Hajkowicz is leader, CSIRO Futures and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/stefan-hajkowicz-13173" target="_blank">here</a>.
Both are authors for The Conversation. 
 
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