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

Joel Robinson

Parcel delivery is joining the apartment amenity checklist

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

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

Seasoned Victorian apartment developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/central-equity">Central Equity</a> has logged more than $400 million in sales in its luxury apartment project Palmera Residences at Northcliffe on the Gold Coast.&nbsp;

Central Equity Director Karl Kutner said the sales result reflected a combination of location, product quality and delivery certainty with the project already under construction by building powerhouse Multiplex.&nbsp;

"Surpassing $400 million in sales since launch is a significant milestone and an outstanding endorsement of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/palmera-residences-gold-coast-18-garfield-terrace-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Palmera Residences</a>,” he said.&nbsp;

"We believe one of the key reasons for this strong result is the confidence purchasers have in knowing the project is under construction with Multiplex. Buyers are increasingly looking for certainty. They want to know that the project they commit to today will be delivered by an experienced team with a proven track record."&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365782]

Kutner said it was clear there was still high demand for luxury projects that offered certainty of delivery.&nbsp;

“We are in a market where many residential developments have faced delays due to rising construction costs, labour shortages and financing challenges,” said Kutner.&nbsp;

"But having construction underway has provided our buyers with resounding confidence backed by more than 40 years of development delivery by Central Equity combined with construction by one of Australia's most respected construction companies."&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365785]

Central Equity is one of Australia's most experienced privately-owned property developers. Over more than four decades, the company has delivered in excess of 85 residential developments including 10,000 apartments and many thousands of stand alone homes.&nbsp;

Located on Garfield Terrace at Northcliffe, between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, Palmera Residences occupies one of the Gold Coast's most sought after beachside locations. The development has been designed to appeal to owner occupiers seeking premium residences that combine generous living spaces and resort style amenities.&nbsp;

Palmera Residences will feature an exceptional collection of resort style amenities, including two swimming pools: a generously sized family pool with safe shallow zones for relaxed recreation, and a 20 metre lap pool positioned to maximise all day sunlight.&nbsp;

Residents will also enjoy exclusive access to wellness and recreational facilities including a magnesium pool, sauna, yoga studio, expansive fitted gymnasium, resident lounge, outdoor BBQ’s&nbsp;and indoor and outdoor dining areas, together with a dedicated concierge and luxurious hotel inspired entrance foyer.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365767]

A unique feature at Palmera Residences has been designed to enhance the Gold Coast lifestyle which includes both indoor and outdoor gymnasium facilities, together with thoughtfully designed indoor and outdoor dining and entertaining areas. A corner café has also been incorporated to provide residents with a destination for their everyday needs.&nbsp;

Kutner said buyer demand had been broad based with purchasers attracted from interstate as well as throughout South East Queensland.&nbsp;

"We're seeing strong interest from owner occupiers, lifestyle buyers and people relocating to the Gold Coast. Many purchasers have been searching for a premium beachside residence where quality, design and delivery are equally important."&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365771]

Kutner said the sales milestone was an important achievement, but the focus remained firmly on delivering an exceptional development.&nbsp;

"While reaching $400 million in sales is an important milestone, our priority remains delivering a project that exceeds purchaser expectations,” he said.&nbsp;

"Palmera Residences has been designed to become one of the Gold Coast's landmark residential addresses, and we look forward to welcoming our purchasers to their new homes."&nbsp;

There are a limited number of residences remaining in selected configurations with pricing from $2,950,000 to $8,950,000. Palmera Residences is also crowned by expansive penthouses with wrap around views.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=108274]

Construction certainty and strong buyer demand drive major sales result for luxury Gold Coast development

Palmera Residences fly out the door as sales pass $400 million

National property developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/goldfields-group">Goldfields</a> has appointed BINAH as its construction partner for Quartet, its new Brisbane apartment development in the undersupplied suburb of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/milton-qld-4064">Milton</a>.

Located just two kilometres from the Brisbane CBD and moments from key 2032 Olympic precincts, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/quartet-milton-33-manning-street-milton-qld-4064">Quartet</a> will deliver 131 one, two, three, and four-bedroom apartments priced from $1 million to $4.2 million, combining elevated design with a wellness-focused lifestyle offering.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108736 project_image_fid=368000]

Goldfields’ Chief Executive Officer, Lachlan Thompson, said the appointment of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/binah-constructions">BINAH</a> marked an important milestone for the project.&nbsp;

“Bringing BINAH on board as our construction partner will allow us to bring our vision for Quartet forward with a team that has a proven track record of delivering high-quality residential projects,” Thompson said.&nbsp;

“We’ve taken a considered approach to progressing the site because we wanted to deliver the whole package. Buyers ultimately back great developers, great projects and great builders, and with Quartet, we’ve made sure all three line up.

“People want certainty, they want to know the project will be built, that the homes will be delivered as promised, and that the developer stands behind the quality of what they create. That’s something Goldfields has built its reputation on over many years.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108736 project_image_fid=367993]

BINAH’s Managing Director, Khalil Hafza, said the company was proud to be partnering with Goldfields to deliver Quartet.&nbsp;

“Quartet is an exciting project to bring to life, particularly given the level of detail in the residences and the extensive rooftop amenity planned for the building,” Mr Hafza said.&nbsp;

“Our focus is on delivering a high-quality build that brings that design vision to life and creates homes residents will enjoy for many years.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108736 project_image_fid=367999]

The facilities at Quartet have been feared towards the roof, with a&nbsp;25 metre lap pool, spa, sauna and cold plunge, and a communal barbecue area and alfresco.

Town planning was designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> and brought to life by Melbourne-based architecture firm Cera Stribley.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/cera-stribley">Cera Stribley</a> Co-Founder and Managing Principal, Dom Cerantonio, said the project responds to both its riverside setting and Brisbane’s evolving urban character.&nbsp;

“Quartet has been designed to sit comfortably within its riverside context, offering a refined take on urban living through well-planned, generously proportioned residences that will stand the test of time,” Mr Cerantonio said.&nbsp;

“An emphasis on natural light, natural textures and carefully selected finishes from timber and marble to premium appliances, creates calm, considered interiors designed for comfort and long-term liveability.”&nbsp;

Construction of Quartet will commence in July 2026, with completion anticipated in Q4 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=108736]

Construction to commence on 131-residence tower designed around wellness-focused living

Goldfields appoints BINAH for Quartet apartments in Milton

The first partnership between national developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/fortis">Fortis</a> and Adelaide-based developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/otello">Otello</a> has made a strong start, with the pair securing $21 million in unconditional sales at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/one-four-four-hutt-adelaide-144-hutt-street-adelaide-sa-5000">One Four Four Hutt</a>&nbsp;on the edge of the Adelaide CBD.

Over a third of apartments have been snapped up in the boutique 44-apartment project on the corner of Hutt Stret and Wakefield Road. Local downsizers and owner-occupiers wanting to remain in Adelaide's tightly-held southeast quarter have been the most prominent purchasers.

The DKO-designed, mixed-use development is one of the few new apartment projects in the precinct, an area where new housing supply has remained limited despite continued demand from buyers wanting to stay close to the CBD, Victoria Park and Adelaide's established east-end amenities.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151233 project_image_fid=375378]

Fortis Head of Development SA Arthur Dendrinos said the early sales reflected both the strength of the local owner-occupier market and confidence in the Hutt Street location.

"The level of early commitment reflects the confidence local buyers have in the Hutt Street precinct," Dendrinos said.

"Many purchasers are long-term east-end residents who love the area and want to stay connected to the neighbourhood. They recognise the value of a well-designed, well-located development.

"Our partnership with Otello has been central to this success, and the number of unconditional sales at this stage only strengthens our confidence in the South Australian market."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151233 project_image_fid=375379]

Otello Director Daniel Harris said the sales result also highlighted the lack of new apartment opportunities within the Hutt Street precinct.

"One Four Four Hutt has clearly resonated with buyers, with strong early sales reflecting both the appeal of the Hutt Street corridor and the lifestyle on offer," Harris said.

"The activated ground-floor retail has also been a key drawcard, with purchasers responding to the vision of a more vibrant and connected streetscape, not just the residences themselves."

One Four Four Hutt will deliver 44 one, two and three-bedroom apartments, alongside a collection of penthouses, above a ground-floor retail offering designed to further activate the Hutt Street precinct.

Construction is scheduled to commence in the third quarter of this year, with completion anticipated in 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=151233]

Fortis Head of Development SA Arthur Dendrinos said the early sales reflected both the strength of the local owner-occupier market and confidence in the Hutt Street location.

Fortis makes Adelaide debut with Otello as One Four Four Hutt records strong early sales

Rural

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Australia's pending 1 March tightening scrutiny of foreign ownership in agriculture highlights just how sensitive the ownership of the agricultural sector is.
It was underlined when in 2013 the government blocked the proposed $3.4 billion takeover of GrainCorp by US company Archer Daniels Midland.
Before the 2013 federal election, three quarters of people wanted tighter restrictions on land sales, according to an ABC survey.
A Lowy Institute poll last year found that 56% of people thought there was too much Chinese investment in Australia, compared with 37% who said it was the right amount.
“There is concern among a rural constituency that land will be bought by Chinese investors, who will export all the products and distort export prices,” Hans Hendrischke, professor of Chinese business at Sydney University <a href="https://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4e4d6b86-b1b2-11e4-8396-00144feab7de" target="_blank">told the Financial Times</a> last weekend.
“But the fact is that investment in agriculture is needed and the volume of Chinese investment in agriculture is lower than many people think.”
Between 2006 and 2012 Chinese investors invested $1 billion into Australian agricultural businesses, which amounted to 2% of total Chinese investment in the country.
This compared with $36.8 billion investment in mining, according to a report, titled Demystifying Chinese Investment in Australian Agribusiness compiled by KPMG and Sydney University.
The Financial Times noted agreement on a trade deal between China and Australia in November had heightened interest in Australia’s agricultural sector. 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Chinese rural investment lower than most think

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The Ray White group is supporting the farm rescue Buy a Bale campaign.
It has joined <a href="https://www.buyabale.com.au" target="_blank">in raising donations</a> in city and rural communities across Australia to provide hay and donations to help farmers feed their livestock and families during the drought.
Donations towards hay will be allocated to the farmers in greatest need in drought areas of Queensland and NSW.
Buy a Bale hears from over 20 farmers per week on their plight.
There were 100,000 bales donated last year, <a href="https://twitter.com/buyabale" target="_blank">according to the campaign's Twitter account.</a><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://twitter.com/buyabale/status/542545956789444608/photo/1" data-url="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B4eCq_OCcAAY6vP.png:large" data-resolved-url-large="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B4eCq_OCcAAY6vP.png:large"> </a>
<img src="/images/2015/02/16/bale.png" alt="">
Donations for groceries and gift cards are quickly allocated to farmers who hold the Farmer Cards, a prepaid debit card to cover the essentials.
In 2013 Charles Alder, frustrated by the stories of farmers who couldn't get assistance to feed stock that were starving, established the organisation.
<a href="https://www.farmrescue.com.au" target="_blank">It acts as a conduit for individual and corporate donations</a> to be channelled to drought farmers.
In early February 2015 Buy a Bale will be making its first delivery of hay for the year, delivering into the area north of Lightning Ridge.
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Buy a Bale drought campaign supported by Ray White

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Prime Minister Tony Abbott <a href="https://www.pm.gov.au/media/2015-02-11/government-tightens-rules-foreign-purchases-agricultural-land" target="_blank">has announced</a> long-promised changes to the rules for foreign land purchases and ownership in Australia.
There are two key changes. First, the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) threshold will be reduced from A$252 million to A$15 million and be applied to cumulative purchases. Second, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) will be tasked with creating a “stocktake” of foreign-owned agricultural land, which may lead to a national register.
Media reports of last week’s announcement have largely focused on the merits of lowering the FIRB’s screening threshold. But the foreign-owned land stocktake and register should be equally scrutinised.
Spearheaded by high-profile land (and water) sales to non-Australians, such as <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-10-12/sale-of-cubbie-station-confirmed/4310256" target="_blank">Cubbie Station</a>, the issue of foreign investment in agriculture has generated much discussion in recent years. Central to this sensitive issue is that no one knows exactly how much agricultural land foreign companies and governments own. And while there is uncertainty, the public debate seems locked to a dualism between “we are selling the family farm” and “overseas capital can only benefit agriculture”.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/lost-in-the-paddock-australia-flying-blind-on-farm-ownership-23836" target="_blank">Last year,</a> my colleague and I called for better national data sets that clearly document who owns agricultural land and at what rate it is changing hands. A land register documenting foreign ownership of agricultural land would likely address this data deficiency, but only partially.
Details of what the ATO will produce are yet to be delivered. But, it seems the ATO will start to record new foreign land purchases from 1 July 2015 (irrespective of value). This may then be matched with the development of a national foreign-owned land register that draws on the land titles registers kept by state and territory governments.
It’s not just about land
So far, media reports indicate the register will be focused on land. But what about investment in agricultural businesses separate from direct investment in land? In the most recent <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/allprimarymainfeatures/32E9BB779DABA3C1CA257905001453BC?opendocument" target="_blank">Agricultural Land and Water Ownership survey</a>, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that almost 90% of farmland was fully Australian owned and just under 99% of farm businesses were fully Australian owned.
Although that survey was <a href="https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22committees%2Fcommsen%2Ff49f61d7-23de-4f6f-b807-735c752ebcfa%2F0002%22" target="_blank">widely criticised</a>, the distinction remains important if efforts to document foreign land ownership are to prove as useful as possible. This is because although land ownership and the ownership of farm operations may or may not align, each is shaped by the other.
So, a register of foreign-owned land addresses only part of the huge data deficiencies related to foreign investment in the Australian farming sector. Despite the difficulties of untangling business structures, the ATO is perhaps best placed to align data collection and reporting on foreign ownership of both agricultural businesses and land.
What about water?
Australia’s water market and the legal separation of land and water titles further complicate the issue. It’s unclear whether a comparable register for foreign water ownership will be part of the ATO’s mandate.
Questions about who owns water access rights and at what rate they are changing hands are equally – or perhaps more – significant. This is especially in light of the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ results that showed agricultural water entitlements with some degree of foreign ownership increased by <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/allprimarymainfeatures/32E9BB779DABA3C1CA257905001453BC?opendocument" target="_blank">55% between 2010 and 2013</a>. In contrast, Australian land with some degree of foreign ownership remained largely unchanged.
Like land, the state and territory governments manage their water registers, so similar integration between the state/territory systems and any national register would be required.
It’s time to broaden the debate
The debate about foreign ownership of agricultural land and the means used to document it need to be broadened.
Whether it’s ownership of land, water or agricultural businesses, non-Australian sources of capital are only part of the picture. The foreign ownership debate needs to evolve to – or be merged with – a broader debate about the future of the agricultural sector.
Too often the future of agriculture is reduced to a binary logic of <a href="https://theconversation.com/who-will-be-the-next-round-of-investors-in-australian-farming-23773" target="_blank">family farmers and corporate farms</a>. However, the reality is there are many different ways to organise agricultural business and production.
Foreign investment is only one of the drivers of change. Australian institutional investment or private equity partnerships and their relationships with land and water ownership are also shaping the agricultural sector and rural communities. How these alternative business models may be changing will slip through the gaps of any land register focused exclusively on foreign ownership.
More data will not resolve the issue of foreign ownership. It also won’t magically set the future direction of agriculture. But, good data sets that capture the full spectrum of agricultural business and asset ownership models can better inform these debates.
If the ATO stocktake of foreign-owned land becomes a formal register, the prime minister’s announcement is a positive step. But it doesn’t go far enough. It’s time to move beyond the foreign- versus Australian-owned dichotomy. Expanding a national foreign-owned land register to include other agricultural assets and ownership changes among domestic investors will enable more informed discussion on what Australians really value about economic development, land and water resources and food production.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/37517/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">Erin Smith is post-doctoral research fellow at University of the Sunshine Coast.
This article was originally published on <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>.
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ErinSmith-E4pdY7HUvR

Land ownership just the start in foreign investment debate

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Purchases of agricultural land of over $15 million will now be subject to Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) scrutiny, the Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced today. The Australian Taxation Office will conduct a stocktake to provide the register of foreign agricultural landholdings in Australia.
The new $15 million screening threshold will apply to the cumulative value of agricultural land owned by the foreign investor, including the purposed purchase.
"This is not saying that we don't want foreign investment," Abbott said.
"We do want foreign investment but it's got to be the right investment, the right investment that serves our purposes.”
The Commonwealth government is delivering on its commitment from the last election for scrutiny of foreign purchases of agricultural land being moved from $252 million to $15 million from 1 March 2015.
The Government will also establish a foreign ownership register of agricultural land to strengthen reporting requirements and provide a clear picture of foreign investment in Australia’s agricultural sector.
From 1 July 2015 the Australian Tax Office (ATO) will start collecting information on all new foreign investment in agricultural land regardless of value.
The government will continue to work with state and territory governments so that the ATO register will use land title transfer information.
 
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Abbott announces $15 million rural property acquisition FIRB threshold

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Artist John Olsen and his wife, Katherine have sold Owlswood, their 13-hectare Glenquarry property for $2.9 million. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://bowral.randw.com.au/rural-for-sale/1086590" target="_blank">The Sproules Lane estate </a>came with a pool and tennis court and ornamental lake. Since buying the property for $925,000 in 1999, they added two wings to the original house.
They also built a two-storey gallery and a studio designed for John to paint large canvases.
There was also groom's quarters, 10 stables, open and covered arenas, given Katherine is a keen horsewoman. 
The Olsens have downsized to Hidden Lake, an eight-hectare Avoca property. It comes with a Canadian-style fishing lodge that the Olsens have renovated extensively.
Owlswood was sold through Michael Maloney at Richardson &amp; Wrench.
It was <a href="/news/nsw/artist-john-olsens-southern-highlands-home-remains-listed">initially listed in late 2011</a>.
Title Tattle recalls John Olsen, often described as Australia’s greatest living artist, had to be dragged to the Southern Highlands. 
John’s Summer at Owls Wood series, which was launched at The Bell Gallery in Berrima, was inspired by the effect of the drought and the bushfires on the grass in his garden. 
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Artist John Olsen sells Southern Highlands inspiration, Owlswood

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Nuntherungie Station, the pastoral holding once held by the iconic Sir Sidney Kidman, in NSW's far west has been listed for sale.
The price indication is $24 per acre.
The White Cliffs farm is 57,868 hectares or 143,000 acres. 
It is in the Broken Hill region with an early 1900s historic homestead. White Cliffs is a small town in outback New South Wales in Australia, in Central Darling Shire, around 255 kilometres north-east of Broken Hill.
It has been listed by <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-livestock-nsw-white+cliffs-7709771" target="_blank">Scott Inglis at Inglis Realty</a>.
"Nuntherungie is a rare opportunity to run a Station of this size in Western NSW," Inglis said.
"With several possible income streams and a bright time ahead with lamb and beef prices rising, not to forgetting the incredible return from the goat market."
The grazing farm at 13553 Mutawintji Road is separated into 18 paddocks with 27 tanks.
"Nuntherungie Station would be a fine addition to any pastoral holding as it was for the iconic Sir Sidney Kidman in the early 1900s," Inglis said. 
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Nuntherungie Station, the former Sir Sidney Kidman Broken Hill farm, listed

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Only one of Nathan Tinkler's Patinack properties has been sold, so retailer Gerry Harvey has complained how Tinkler had used him ‘"like a little bank".
Harvey said former billionaire Tinkler had repaid him about $37 million, but the Harvey Norman boss added several deadlines for the full debt to be repaid had "never been adhered to".
"I’m like a little bank for him," Harvey said.
Last August last year, Harvey called in an estimated $40 million debt from Tinkler, with the horses and properties of the <a href="/news/nathan-tinklers-patinack-farms-scheduled-for-october-auction">Patinack Farm thoroughbred breeding and racing empire listed for sale</a>.
Only one Patinack property has yet sold, Banoon in Monegeetta, <a href="/expert-insights/buying/nathan-tinkler-sells-banoon-his-victorian-rural-property">auctioned for $2.5 million last year</a> (pictured above).
The properties at Sandy Hollow and Broke remain on the market.
Harvey holds first mortgages over them with the <a href="/expert-insights/finance/nathan-tinkler-horse-stud-farm-sales-come-with-ato-mortgages">Australian Tax Office also a creditor</a>.
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Gerry Harvey hopes for full repayment from Nathan Tinkler farm sales in 2015

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The McWilliam family has sold three vineyards - across NSW and SA - to Hong Kong-listed group CK Life Sciences for $15.7 million in a sale and lease back arrangement.
McWilliam’s Hanwood Estate winery will remain the home with its family history under leasehold. The <a href="https://www.mcwilliams.com.au" target="_blank">McWilliam's</a> family wine tradition started in 1877 when founder Samuel planted the first vines.
The other vineyards sold were The Station and Kirkgate in South Australia, The Land reports.
Over 135 years, McWilliam’s has championed New South Wales wines and today sources fruit from a variety of regions beyond the Riverina, including Hilltops, Tumbarumba, and Orange. Last year McWilliam's Wines Group returned to 100% family ownership after buying the remaining shares owned by E&amp;J Gallo.
CK Life Sciences has agriculture-related businesses in Mainland China and Australia.
In Australia, CK Life Sciences is the largest supplier of turf management products and services as well as the second largest supplier in the home garden products industry.
The group is the second largest vineyard owner in Australasia and also the largest producer of salt for the domestic market in Australia.
CK Life Sciences has a 72% interest in Belvino Investments Trust, formerly a listed Australian unit trust until delisting in 2011.
There are 13 vineyards in Belvino’s portfolio, along with irrigation water entitlements. Together, these cover around 4,800 hectares of land in Australasia.
Its other vineyards include Australia’s Qualco West Vineyard and three vineyards in Margaret River, as well as New Zealand’s Northbank Millennium Vineyard and Mud House Vineyards.
Spanning some 510 hectares of land, the Qualco West Vineyard is located in the Riverland wine region in South Australia. The Riverland wine region is Australia’s largest wine grape producing region.
The three vineyards in Margaret River comprise the Old Land Vineyard, the Rowe Road Vineyard and the Lionels Vineyard. Located in a premium wine-growing region three hours south of Perth in Western Australia, these three vineyards cover a total area of approximately 300 hectares.
The Northbank Millennium Vineyard has a total land area of about 175 hectares and a planted area of about 130 hectares. It is located at the top of New Zealand’s South Island in the Marlborough area, which represents the country’s largest wine-growing region.
The Mud House Vineyards comprise the Woolshed Vineyard in Marlborough; the Mound Vineyard, the Home Vineyard, and the Deans Vineyard in Waipara; as well as the Claim Vineyard in Otago. These vineyards have a total land area of about 600 hectares, and a planted area of about 380 hectares. They are situated in the key wine-growing regions in the South Island of New Zealand and are famous for producing premium wine.
A majority of the vineyards in CK Life Sciences’ portfolios are committed to long-term leases with major Australasian wine companies.
McWilliam has been selling holdings with its 2013 sale of the Hunter Valley investment, the $1.5 million, 29 hectare Middle Creek vineyard negotiated by Jurd’s Real Estate, Cessnock.
Colliers International suggest the lower Australian dollar and low interest rates would encourage more agribusiness to follow the McWilliams family into selling their property assets and leasing them back.
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McWilliam's vineyards sold to Chinese buyer in lease back arrangement

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Victoria's Warrenmang Vineyard and Resort at Moonambel, located 20 kilometres northwest of Avoca, has been listed by the retiring owners Athalie and Luigi Bazzani (pictured above).
They ran the tourist destination winery for around 36 years. On the Great Grape Road in the cool-climate wine territory of the Pyrenees, Warrenmang is credited as having pioneered the vineyard resort concept in 1989. By the early 1990s they were distributing the first Japanese-English tourist guide for the Geelong-Otway region.
<a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-hotel+leisure-vic-moonambel-501367971" target="_blank">The 127 hectare offering</a> is tipped to fetch $5 million plus through Matt Leonard at Tweed Sutherland First National Real Estate, Bendigo.
It has a 100-seat vineyard restaurant, cottage and chalet-style accommodation for 80 guests along with a function centre for 100 people.
The resort opened in 1989 and has about 28 hectare under vine.
Wine judge James Halliday has rated Warrenmang Vineyard a five-star winery.
It was established as a retirement venture by the Parma-born Luigi Bazzani who has about 60 years in the hospitality business.
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Warrenmang Vineyard in Victoria's Pyrenees for sale

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The ANZ Bank has announced a 12-month moratorium on farm repossessions in Northern and Western Queensland and North-West New South Wales. 
ANZ CEO Australia Philip Chronican noted some of the worst drought conditions in a generation in the announcement which was the first of the big banks to respond to growing calls for Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey to intervene.
Queensland vet Dr David Pascoe; the Katters, the Queensland independent politician father-son team; Longreach-based Father Matthew Moloney; federal agriculture minister Barnaby Joyce and 2GB broadcaster Alan Jones have been among those putting pressure on the banks to stop the current spate of repossessions ahead of the wet season.
"We are acutely aware of the impact this is having on farmers, their families and on farming communities," Philip Chronican noted.
“The aim of these measures is to ease financial concerns of farmers and to demonstrate ANZ’s commitment to working with them through the cycle,” he said. 
The new package includes:
<ul>
<li>Moratorium on new farm repossessions until December 2015.</li>
<li>12-month commitment not to increase interest rates on distressed farms and interest rate relief in cases of extreme distress.</li>
<li>Financial assistance to support farmers choosing to relocate off the land.</li>
<li>Increased funding for rural counselling focussed on towns hardest hit by drought.</li>
</ul>
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