<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/skymark-group">Skymark</a>'s boutique Cronulla development Solis has secured a 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy through Resilience Insurance, providing buyers of the 16-residence building on Ewos Parade with structural and waterproofing protection that extends a decade beyond the building's completion.

Currently under construction and due for completion in late 2027, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/solis-cronulla-8-ewos-parade-cronulla-nsw-2230">Solis</a> is one of a small number of new developments in the Sutherland Shire to carry Resilience LDI coverage, a distinction that carries increasing weight as buyer confidence in the off-the-plan sector continues to be shaped by how developers stand behind their product.

Latent Defects Insurance, which entered the Australian market in 2022 when Resilience Insurance was approved to offer the cover, protects buyers against major structural or waterproofing defects for ten years post-completion. Unlike traditional statutory warranties, it operates as a first-resort policy, if a covered defect arises, the insurer responds directly, without the buyer needing to pursue the builder or developer through a lengthy claims process.

Resilience Insurance CEO Corey Nugent has noted that the product addresses something fundamental to the new apartment market.

"The overarching feedback from prospective buyers in the new development space is that they want more confidence and assurances around the quality of the build," Nugent says.

"Resilience Insurance Latent Defects Insurance not only gives them complete peace of mind for 10 years, but it shows the developer they are buying from is standing by their product."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370898]

For Solis, the Resilience LDI policy adds a meaningful layer of accountability to an already considered project. The development comprises nine two-bedroom and seven three-bedroom residences, including one dual-level three-bedroom apartment, across a five-storey building on Ewos Parade, positioned between Shelly Beach and South Cronulla.

Garden apartments connect directly to private landscaped courtyards, while upper-level homes capture beach views to the east from level four and above.&nbsp;

All 16 residences include at least one balcony or courtyard, and select apartments on the upper floors feature bar areas and secondary flexible living spaces.

Hiba Sander, Managing Director of Skymark, says Solis offers a rare balance, nestled between the quiet beauty of secluded beaches and the lively charm of South Cronulla's esplanade.

"It's a place to choose your pace and live gracefully, seaside'," Sander says.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370900]

The architecture, designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ida-design-group">IDA Design Group</a>'s Michael Trinh, draws from the natural erosion patterns of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/cronulla-nsw-2230">Cronulla</a>'s sandstone headlands, translating the organic forms of the coastline into soft curves, pavilion-style massing, and a material palette chosen for longevity in a salt-tinged environment.&nbsp;

Textured natural stone, soft renders, and timber-look battens reference the tones of the surrounding cliffs, while the building has been oriented to maximise natural light and passive ventilation, with primary living spaces facing north and east to capture morning sun and sea breezes.

"At Solis, our aim was to create architecture that feels quietly confident, grounded in natural materials like stone and timber, and elevated by light and landscape," Trinh says.&nbsp;

"The buildings are designed to sit gently within their coastal surrounds, with expansive glazing and abundant greenery creating a seamless dialogue between inside and out."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370897]

Interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hot-black">Hot Black</a> carry the same material language through to every room. Kitchens feature integrated Gaggenau appliances, sculpted stone benchtops, and Lo &amp; Co joinery, while bathrooms feature natural stone, timber, and brushed metal finishes.&nbsp;

Hot Black Founder and Design Director Sophie Safrin describes the intent as one of considered restraint: "At Solis, every detail has been thoughtfully considered to create a timeless coastal retreat, calm, refined, and effortlessly liveable. From natural finishes to seamless indoor-outdoor flow, Solis offers a quiet elegance that's deeply connected to its surroundings.

The landscape, designed by Julian Brady of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/sitedesignstudios">Site Design Studios</a>, treats green space as an integral part of the resident experience rather than an afterthought.&nbsp;

"Gentle curves and layered native plantings mirror the ebb and flow of the ocean," Julian Brady says, "creating a serene connection between architecture and place."&nbsp;

Coco Republic has provided bespoke furniture packages tailored to the project's coastal palette.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370899]

Skymark has an established track record in the Sutherland Shire, with a portfolio spanning Cronulla, Woolooware and Burraneer that includes Isla, Sylva, Bask, Shells, Sula and Mist. Securing LDI on Solis reflects a broader shift in how the developer is positioning its buildings to buyers, at a time when Resilience Insurance expects the policy to become mandatory in New South Wales by 2028.

Sales at Solis are launching soon through Ray White Projects, with an official event scheduled for 11 June. Enquire for more information.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150499]

Joel Robinson

Skymark takes out 10-year Resilience Insurance LDI at Solis Cronulla

Investors may soon find themselves with fewer reasons to buy established property and more incentives to look towards the new apartment market.

Proposed changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions would see new and off-the-plan apartments retain access to the tax benefits, while established properties would miss out, creating a clear advantage for buyers purchasing newly built housing.

The policy direction aligns with what many developers have been saying for several years. Australia needs more housing supply, and governments are increasingly looking for ways to encourage investment into new stock rather than existing homes.

The challenge for investors is that suitable product is becoming harder to find.

For much of the last decade, one-bedroom apartments were the cornerstone of investor demand. They offered a lower entry price, strong rental appeal, and were a common feature across most apartment developments.

Today, the development pipeline looks very different.

Across both New South Wales and South East Queensland, developers are increasingly targeting owner-occupiers and downsizers, delivering larger two, three and four-bedroom apartments in response to changing buyer preferences. While one-bedroom apartments still exist, they now form a much smaller portion of many new projects.

That shift has created a shortage of investor-friendly stock, particularly in well-located projects close to transport, employment hubs and lifestyle amenity.

At the same time, rising apartment prices have pushed many new developments beyond the reach of traditional investors. On the Gold Coast and across South East Queensland, it's becoming increasingly difficult to find new apartments priced around the $1 million mark, particularly those offering strong rental fundamentals and long-term growth prospects.

We've rounded up four new apartment developments where investors can still secure a foothold in the market for around $1 million or less.

<h2 data-end="1140" data-start="844">Flourish Soleira</h2>

<h2>Priced from: $1.07 million</h2>

Popular Palm Beach developer Sherpa is soon to officially launch its newest local apartment development, Flourish Soleira.

The one-bedroom apartments in the building were only offered to first home buyers rather than investors, and all of those have been snapped up. The two-bedroom apartments will start from $1.07 million, and the three-bedrooms, still a good investment given the popularity of Palm Beach for owner-occupiers, starting at $2,045,000.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=370964]

Flourish Soliera will comprise 153 apartments across two buildings, connected by a skybridge, the first ever delivered in the suburb.

True to Sherpa's booming Flourish brand of apartment projects, Flourish Soleira will have extensive rooftop amenity across both buildings including a&nbsp;wellness centre with gym, work from home, yoga, pilates, a&nbsp;heated pool, private dining rooms, pizza oven and barbecues, basketball court, and golf simulator.

<h2>Corallo, Palm Beach</h2>

Priced from: $841,500

Nearby Flourish Soleira is Changfa Group's beachfront-inspired Corallo development. They still have some one-bedroom apartments remaining, priced from $841,500.

The 105-apartment project on Palm Beach Avenue is otherwise dominated by larger two and three-bedroom residences, many of which are aimed at owner-occupiers and downsizers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112194 project_image_fid=808]

For investors, the appeal lies in Palm Beach's continued transformation from a laid-back beachside suburb into one of the Gold Coast's most sought-after residential markets. Residents at Corallo will be within walking distance of Palm Beach's surf beaches, the recreational amenity of Tallebudgera Creek, and the increasingly popular collection of cafes, restaurants and boutique retailers along the suburb's central dining precinct.

<h2>Corner House, Stones Corner</h2>

<h2>Priced from: $880,000</h2>

One of only two Brisbane apartment developments to make the list with prices under $1 million is DeMartini Fletcher's Corner House development in Stones Corner.

One-bedroom apartments start from $880,000 within the 88-apartment development, providing investors with exposure to one of Brisbane's most established inner-south locations.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149098 project_image_fid=330594]

Stones Corner has long been supported by strong tenant demand due to its proximity to major employment and education destinations. The suburb sits less than five kilometres from Brisbane's CBD and is within easy reach of the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Greenslopes Private Hospital, Queensland Children's Hospital and several university campuses.

The project's location within a walkable urban village environment, surrounded by retail, dining and public transport infrastructure, continues to attract both professionals and healthcare workers seeking accommodation close to work.

Parkdrive Apartments, Chermside

Priced from: $749,000

The most affordable apartments across Brisbane's new and off the plan market are in Chermside where developer AusDev is selling one-bedroom apartments from $749,000, and two-beds from $929,000, at its recently launched Parkdrive development.

The development is strategically positioned in one of Brisbane's largest employment and retail precincts, placing residents within easy walking distance of Westfield Chermside, The Prince Charles Hospital, St Vincent's Private Hospital Northside and the suburb's major bus interchange.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152125 project_image_fid=363782]

Already under construction and scheduled for completion in early 2028, Parkdrive benefits from Chermside's ongoing evolution into Brisbane's northern metropolitan centre. The suburb continues to attract significant public and private investment, supporting population growth and underpinning long-term rental demand.

For investors focused on yield and tenant depth, the combination of healthcare, retail and transport infrastructure within close proximity provides a strong foundation for occupancy and rental performance.

Investors to turn to new apartments after Federal Government changes spark hunt for Queensland's best $1 million apartments

A mix of Gold Coast locals, fly-in, fly-out purchasers from Sydney and Melbourne, and Brisbane-based families has driven early sales success at Broadbeach's newest apartment tower, Lumara.

The 26-level project, a joint venture between builder-developer 5Point Projects and Bourke Projects, comprises just 37 luxury residences and is attracting a buyer profile that is looking for exclusivity, above the most amenity-rich suburb on the Gold Coast.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150454 project_image_fid=364156]

Jamie Bourke, Director of Bourke Projects, says every buyer secured so far intends to use Lumara as a lock-up-and-leave residence, combining holiday use with the ability to work remotely when required.

“The size of the apartments, both half- and full-floor options, and the different zones within the floorplans, lends itself perfectly to dedicated home office setups and multi-generational family holidays,” Bourke says.

That flexibility has become a key drawcard for affluent buyers seeking a second residence on the Gold Coast without sacrificing the ability to conduct business away from their primary home base.

The absence of holiday letting within the building has also resonated strongly with purchasers.

“This type of buyer doesn't need to generate holiday rental income,” Bourke says. “They're paying for exclusivity, privacy and certainty around who their neighbours are.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150454 project_image_fid=366491]

The strong demand comes amid broader shifts in the high-end apartment market following the Federal Budget announcements in May.

“We were already seeing strong enquiry from high-net-worth buyers, but that has only accelerated since the policy changes,” Bourke says.

“A lot of those buyers are looking to place more capital into premium lifestyle assets rather than investment-grade stock that has been targeted by the Federal Government.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150454 project_image_fid=366486]

Designed by Cottee Parker, Lumara adopts a slender, sculpted form with an emphasis on natural materials suited to its beachfront setting. The architectural approach draws on coastal influences, with a palette of stone, timber and concrete selected for durability and the ability to weather over time.

Apartments are limited to three and four-bedroom configurations, with a maximum of two residences per floor through the mid-levels and a selection of full-floor and dual-level homes in the upper levels. All apartments are oriented to the north to maximise natural light, cross-ventilation and views across the ocean, city skyline and hinterland.

A two-level amenity offering is positioned high within the building on levels 20 and 21, conceived as a sky wellness retreat. Facilities include a magnesium pool, spa, sauna and steam rooms, alongside more social spaces such as a private dining room, resident lounge, workspaces and outdoor barbecue areas integrated with landscaped greenery.

The uppermost levels are reserved for larger-format residences, including several full-floor homes and a dual-level penthouse with its own private wellness features and recreational spaces.

&nbsp;

To give buyers confidence, 5Point and Bourke commenced construction ahead of the apartments launching to the market, a sure-fire way to prove they mean business, and the building will be delivered. They are targeting a 2028 completion date.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150454]

Locals, interstate holiday makers, drive early sales at Lumara, Broadbeach's newest luxury apartment tower

Often when it comes to purchasing property, the biggest barrier to entry is the deposit. Buyers of established homes typically aim for a 20 per cent deposit to avoid the added cost of Lenders Mortgage Insurance, while most property transactions require around a 10 per cent deposit when contracts are exchanged.

The off-the-plan market works differently, with buyers typically paying a deposit during construction and settling the balance upon completion. As completion approaches at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/fabbrica-fitzroy-369-gore-street-fitzroy-vic-3065">Fabbrica Fitzroy</a>, developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/pace-development-group">Pace</a> is making it easier for buyers to secure a residence through a deposit-matching incentive. Purchasers need only contribute a five per cent deposit*, with Pace matching the remaining five per cent.

The offer comes as Pace unveils a completed display apartment and townhouse, now available for inspection by appointment ahead of the project's Spring completion.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=139552 project_image_fid=371009]

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/winwood-mckenzie-architecture">Winwood Mckenzie</a> and landscaping by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/acre">Acre</a>, Fabbrica draws on Fitzroy’s industrial and manufacturing history, incorporating references to the former Argyle Shirt Factory and Life Savers Confectionery Company that once occupied the site.

The development comprises 85 residences, spanning low-maintenance apartments through to larger-format townhouses with private street access and double lock-up garages, a relatively uncommon offering in Fitzroy’s higher-density apartment market.

Pace says the project has been designed to appeal to buyers seeking inner-city convenience without sacrificing space, flexibility, or amenity.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=139552 project_image_fid=371016]

Inside the residences, Winwood Mckenzie has focused on adaptable layouts and integrated detailing, with features including custom joinery, and concealed storage solutions. The material palette leans into warm, tactile finishes intended to complement the building’s industrial architectural language.

Fabbrica’s rooftop amenity is a key part of the project offering. Spanning around 800 sqm, the communal rooftop includes a private dining room, communal kitchen, lounge spaces, work-from-home zones, and outdoor dining areas overlooking the Melbourne CBD skyline.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=139552 project_image_fid=371017]

Landscape architecture studio Acre has introduced a layered rooftop garden designed to soften the urban setting while creating a more communal environment for residents.

The Fitzroy location also positions residents within walking distance of Brunswick Street, Smith Street, parks, cafés, galleries, and public transport, while remaining only minutes from Melbourne’s CBD. The project has an enviable Walk Score of 96.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=139552 project_image_fid=371025]

Pace, which is also delivering the project as builder, has developed more than 100 projects across Melbourne over the past three decades. The vertically integrated approach has become increasingly common among developers seeking greater control over construction delivery amid broader market pressures affecting the apartment sector.

The strikingly contemporary Gore Street development is now around 70 per cent complete, with purchasers expected to move into their new homes in Spring 2026. A limited number of residences remain available under the current deposit match offer.

*Conditions apply in relation to the deposit match offer.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=139552]

Pace offers five per cent deposit match at Fabbrica Fitzroy ahead of Spring completion

Sydney developer Hyecorp's roots on the Lower North Shore stretch back three generations, and that deep understanding of the market continues to shape where and how it develops today.

From high-rise towers to boutique apartment projects, the family-run developer has built its reputation by focusing on a part of Sydney it knows intimately. Founded by Michael Abolakian in the early 1990s, Hyecorp is now led by his sons Stephen, Troy and Patrick.

Stephen Abolakian, joint managing director alongside Troy, has spent more than two decades in the business, overseeing development, planning, finance, marketing and sales.

Abolakian says the developer's disciplined focus on where it chooses to operate has been, and continues to be, one of Hyecorp's greatest strengths.

“We know the buyer profile exceptionally well,” Abolakian says.

“The demographics between places like Willoughby, Chatswood, St Leonards and Roseville are very similar. There are nuances between suburbs and projects, but culturally and from a buyer perspective, there’s a strong overlap.”

That buyer has historically been overwhelmingly owner-occupier driven.

Unlike many Sydney apartment developers that have traditionally relied heavily on investor demand, Hyecorp’s projects have typically attracted downsizers, upsizers, rightsizers and family owner-occupiers seeking long-term homes rather than short-term investments.

“Historically, investors have been a much smaller portion of our demand profile,” Abolakian says.

“We design for owner-occupiers. We don’t design for yield, we design for comfort, amenity, family living and long-term usability.”

That philosophy extends well beyond apartment layouts.

From landscaping and communal gardens to shared amenities and circulation spaces, Hyecorp’s developments are designed around how people actually live, something Abolakian believes has become increasingly important in Sydney’s apartment market.

“There was probably a period where having an approved project in market was enough,” he says.

“There wasn’t as much competition and if you built it, buyers would come. That’s no longer the case.”

“There’s more supply in the pipeline now, particularly with TOD precincts and low and mid-rise reforms opening up opportunities across Sydney. Buyers have more choice, so if you get the product wrong, they’ll simply go elsewhere.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110379 project_image_fid=311393]

The shift has forced developers to become more sophisticated in how they approach apartment design, particularly as owner-occupier expectations continue to rise.

For Hyecorp, that means thinking beyond who the buyer is today and designing for who they may become in five or 10 years' time.

“People buying now often aren’t moving in for several years,” Abolakian says.

“You might have a young couple buying today, but by the time they move in they may have children, older children, or changing lifestyle needs. You’ve got to think about how families evolve.”

That thinking also shapes Hyecorp’s approach to amenity, which positions wellness at the forefront.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149594 project_image_fid=362634]

While resort-style facilities have become increasingly common marketing tools across Sydney apartment developments, Abolakian says the challenge is ensuring amenities are genuinely usable and appropriate for the scale of the project.

“If amenities are done right, they can materially improve the living experience,” he says, adding however that if you&nbsp;overdo it or get it wrong, you can end up with facilities nobody uses that simply create ongoing strata costs.”

That balance is something Hyecorp is aiming to strike with projects like Roseville Avenue, one of the group's upcoming Lower North Shore developments, which Abolakian describes as bringing a resort-style living experience into a metropolitan setting.

“It’s about creating something that feels special without being excessive,” he says.

“Good gardens, quality apartments, thoughtful amenity. Creating that resort feeling in a metro location.”

<img alt="Hyecorp" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="13c4c0f3-b1b7-44cf-9344-0b3d1d07797a" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-02%20at%2012.14.57%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=9OLWjyj2bYkDV35F78WJnyMSPfc2bJ2z" />

The focus on owner-occupier product comes as Sydney’s apartment market continues to navigate a difficult development environment.&nbsp;For Hyecorp, maintaining an in-house operating model across construction, sales, marketing and development management has become increasingly important in navigating that environment.

“We’ve always believed in keeping a lot of the process in-house,” Abolakian says.

“It creates efficiencies, but it also creates quality control. You can make faster decisions and ensure the end product stays aligned with the original vision.”

Despite the challenges, Abolakian believes demand for quality owner-occupier apartments across Sydney remains strong beneath the surface, particularly across established Lower North Shore suburbs where downsizers continue to seek new housing options close to existing communities.

“There are definitely people waiting,” he says.

“Once some of the broader uncertainty settles, whether that’s the global environment or some of the local economic noise, I think the right projects will perform very strongly.”

Hyecorp currently has three residential developments on the market across Sydney’s Lower North Shore.&nbsp;Audrey, St Leonards, positioned opposite Newlands Park, is nearing completion and preparing to welcome its first residents, with the project now almost sold out.

Hyecorp has also recently launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/celine-chatswood-37-archer-street-chatswood-nsw-2067">Celine Chatswood</a>, an architectural tower, while continuing to deliver&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/juliet-roseville-64-pacific-highway-roseville-nsw-2069">Juliet Roseville</a>, a more boutique scale of development with just 34 apartments.

Why Hyecorp continues to back Sydney's Lower North Shore apartment market

Rural

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Lagoona Park, the Victorian rural property where the Poseidon gold nugget was discovered, has been listed for sale.
There are $4.5 million hopes for the 914-hectare property in Newbridge in the Loddon Shire in central Victoria.
It has been listed by Colin Harris, whose family established the well-known Gloroy Poll Dorset sheep stud in 1956. 
The 30 lot Lagoona Park auction is scheduled for August 14 <a href="https://www.eldersrealestate.com.au/rural/buy/property-mixed-farming-vic-newbridge-587295" target="_blank">through Martin Skahill of Elders Real Estate</a> possibly in four separate offerings, ranging in size from 170 hectares to 312 hectares.
Martin Skahill is marketing the property as the home of the nugget, on the Lot 2 Rumbolds 180 hectare portion.
The Loddon River runs through the property which is suited to cropping, meat and wool production or as a stud farm.
Lagoona Park is less than two hours from Melbourne and 30 minutes from Bendigo. 
The nugget was <a href="https://www.tarnagulla.org/photogallery/gallery3/index.php/mining/nugget2" target="_blank">discovered on Melbourne Cup Day in 1906</a>.
The famous Poseidon nugget, weighing 26.6 kilograms (860 ozt) was found in 1906 after interest in alluvial mining was renewed when Jack Porer discovered the Poseidon field at Tarnagulla. The nugget was named after the racehorse Poseidon, winner of the 1906 Caulfield Cup, Victoria Derby and Melbourne Cup.
A replica of the nugget, worth about $1.3 million at current prices, is on display at Museum Victoria.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Golden nugget farm Lagoona Park listed sans Poseidon gold nugget

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ANZ Bank has listed the 12,000-hectare farming aggregation in the Condamine owned by Rowell Walton, who chaired Rural Finance Roundtable. 
The CBRE sales campaign for the <a href="https://cbre.realcommercial.com.au/property-commercial+farming-qld-condamine-501205159" target="_blank">Condamine aggregation in the Western Downs</a> area is likely to attract offers of about $15 million when it concludes later this month.
It was in April, when the empire of one of Australia’s largest grain-growers and influential farm leaders, collapsed with debts of more than $30 million on his five Queensland cropping properties.
The ANZ Bank sent in the financial receivers KordaMentha to their 2400 hectare home, ­Yullabilla station and adjoining Mt Pleasant, Wyola and Undulla stations near Tara.
At the time The Australian reported Mr Walton said he had probably borrowed too much for expansion in the three years between 2006 and 2009.
His farms were then worth $27 million with land values rising and the major banks, prior the global financial crisis, were lending freely.
Floods hit Mr Walton’s properties in 2010-11, wiping out crops worth more than $7.5 million a year.
His properties subsequently suffered two years of drought.
Walton was active in Katter's Australian Party and before than in the Queensland Nationals.
Offers are due by 25 July.
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Rowell Walton's Condamine aggregation farm offering

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Governments and regulators need to keep their noses out of the future of the sugar industry, the newly elected NSW Liberal Democrats senator David Leyonhjelm claims.
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The sugar industry was notorious for attaching itself to the public teat, said David Leyonhjelm, who has worked in agribusiness for over three decades. 
His commentary came as a controversy erupted over the decision by the sugar processing company Wilmar to sell all its sugar direct to international customers rather than via the grower-owned marketing organisation, Queensland Sugar Limited (QSL), beginning in 2017. 
It has prompted another processor, Thai-owned MSF Sugar, to suggest it may follow suit. 
"True to form, there are numerous calls for regulators and governments to intervene," <a href="https://www.theland.com.au/blogs/agribuzz-with-david-leyonhjelm/agrarian-socialisms-sticky-end/2704390.aspx?storypage=0" target="_blank">David Leyonhjelm wrote in an editorial piece on The Land</a>. 
"A horde of politicians, including the Queensland Minister for Agriculture, is taking a close interest."
Wilmar is a Singapore-based agribusiness firm now among the top ten global raw sugar producers as well as the largest raw sugar producer and refiner.
"Fear of foreigners, particularly big multinationals, is never far from the surface in rural Australia. 
"In conjunction with the ever present assumption that everyone is out to rip farmers off, it is a formula for conspiracy theories and high anxiety.
"Such concerns are being stoked by QSL, which is probably fighting for its very existence, with its arguments stoking lingering agrarian socialist sentiments surrounding the fate of profits.
"In the end, this is a matter for the market to sort out.
"If Wilmar turns out to offer inferior service or prices to QSL, the market will deal with it by attracting new competitors.
"If growers think they need greater control over their marketing, they will either compel Wilmar to cooperate or find a way to avoid using it.
"If it turns out Wilmar is pointing the way of the future, QSL will be gone within five years and the industry will have finally restructured.
"Whatever the outcome, governments and regulators need to keep their noses out of it," he said.
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David Leyonhjelm says government should steer clear of sugar industry regulation

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The Bencluna homestead on 2.42 hectares in the Byron Bay hinterland has been sold for $815,000.
The historic property last traded in 2007 at $654,000 when bought by the Tyrer-Goring family.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-eureka-117152999" target="_blank">Tim Miller of McGrath Byron Bay had been expecting more than $700,000</a>, securing the sale in the lead up to the weekend auction.
The restored and improved house comes with pressed-metal ceilings.
There is a study, attic bedrooms and a terrace overlooking the garden.
Eureka is about half an hour from the coast at Byron Bay.
Andrew Johnstone was the original owner of Bencluna.
Meanwhile the former home of Pete Murray, the singer-songwriter, has yet to sell the 1907 Eureka property, Carawatha (pictured below), <a href="https://uniqueestates.com.au/buy-residential-real-estate/house-eureka-nsw-13058110215" target="_blank">still on the market with a price guide of $1.65 million through Nicolette van Wijngaarden of Unique Estates.</a>
<img src="/images/2014/07/14/eureka%20july%2014%20two.jpg" alt="">
His former partner, Amanda Coutts, a shoe designer, bought the property in 2004 for $1.1 million.
The study in the five-bedroom property featured on the cover of Murray's 2008 album, Summer in Eureka. There is also a recording studio, which is used as an artist's workshop. 
It has been for sale since mid-2012, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://blogs.wsj.com/scene/2013/02/26/farmhouse-to-studio-in-australia/tab/slideshow/#slide/1" target="_blank">receiving a Wall Street Journal editorial in early 2013</a>.
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Bencluna, the 1890s Eureka, Byron hinterland farmhouse, sells

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The sixth-generation wool grower Charlie ­Coventry has teamed with Ermenegildo Zegna in a wool production enterprise in NSW’s New England region.
The Italian luxury fashion label has bought into Achill, a 175-year-old sheep farm taking a 60% stake.
Achill is 2,564 ­hectares with 12,500 sheep in production of super fine wool.
Coventry was reportedly opposed to an outright sale to the Zegna Group as he loved his farm which was "in his blood."
He and Mr Zegna are setting up the venture with a wool buyer, Don Belgre, joining the company as the third ­member of the board.
“This joint venture is a clever move and one step towards invigorating the marketing of wool,” chairman of ­Australian Wool Innovation, Walter Merriman said.
Mr Zegna said Ermenegildo Zegna is not planning any further expansion into wool production, the AAP report noted.
Coventry says his 70-year-old father Tyrll can hang up his work boots, while his wife Dorianne, reckons she'll soon get a trip to Italy.
There was a Charles George Achill Coventry in the family history.
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Ermenegildo Zegna gets into NSW wool production for the first time

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For those who are after a fancier breed of farms, there are plenty of Australian truffieres on the market.
Earlier this week, New South Wales farmer found a whopping 1.172 kilogram black truffle, taking Title Tattle on a trip through the NSW Southern Highlands for <a href="/news/southern-nsw-truffle-producing-properties-where-to-buy-into-the-truffiere-trend">other truffle bearing properties</a>.
But there are truffle farms to be found all across the southern half of Australia, if you (or your pig) know where to look.
Victoria
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-apollo+bay-115631335" target="_blank">415 Sunnyside Road, Apollo Bay</a>
<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/2014/07/03/2.jpg" alt=""> This Apollo Bay truffle farm offers about a hectare of 200 oak trees, each inoculated with Pernigold Black Truffle in 2001. Sunnyside Road has been producing black truffles for the past seven winters, with 30 kilograms of truffles harvested last year.
Owners Mikhiala Slade and Steve Earl, of the nearby restaurant La Bimba, moved into the 36 hectare property in early 2010, using a Wessex saddleback (pictured below), to sniff out the treasured truffles that were already harvested on the property. In 2011, Earl told The Australian that Dolores the pig identifies hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars’ worth of truffles every year. <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/2014/07/03/2a.jpg" alt="">
The main residence is a double storey cedar construction home, with three bedrooms and, of course, an impressive kitchen. There’s also a two bedroom self-contained home on the property, for visiting relatives and friends.
The farm has plenty of other crops aside from the truffles – there is a berry patch, a vegetable garden and orchard with pear, apple, lemon, plum, quince, persimmon and kiwi fruit trees.
The sprawling estate also stocks a 45 heads of cattle and a flock of sheep. Beyond the main farm, there are fern gullies and pools, complete with stone paths and picnic areas. Slade and Earl are hoping for $2.35 million for their estate.
Tasmania
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-lifestyle-tas-westbury-7660367" target="_parent">Tulloch Lodge, 1 Dexter Street, Westbury</a>
<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/2014/07/03/4.jpg" alt=""> While Gai Waterhouse’s Tulloch Lodge may be a little better-known than this one, Tulloch Lodge in Tasmania is also a high class horse haven.
The estate at 1 Dexter Street, Westbury currently operates as a dressage establishment, with an Olympic sized arena, six stables and a wash bay, with horse safe fencing and shelter for every paddock.
A single storey colonial homestead sits on the property, with four bedrooms and three bathrooms.
The 3.57 hectare estate also holds a full sized tennis court and a 700 tree truffle orchard.  It’s located on the outskirts of Westbury, a 1,476 person strong town 30 kilometres west of Launceston. The farm is on the market for $695,000.
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South Australia
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-acreage+semi+rural-sa-montacute-113841815" target="_blank">Montacute</a>
<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/2014/07/03/1.jpg" alt=""> This 10 acre farm doesn’t just grow truffles, but also two acres of Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc grape vines, which are used to create the property’s unique vintage, providing for, as the listing says, “the budding vigneron”.
There are other natural fruit trees on the property, including cherry trees.
The farm’s recently renovated homestead has five bedrooms and two bathrooms, with a vast open plan living and dining area. Outside, there’s a woodfire pizza oven – perfect for cooking your own truffle-adorned pizzas while you sip some of your own personal vintage of Sauvignon Blanc.
The Montacute farm is on the market for $799,950.
Western Australia 
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-lifestyle-wa-pemberton-7653163" target="_parent">7721 Stirling Road, Pemberton</a>
<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/2014/07/03/5.jpg" alt=""> The state that hosted the annual <a href="https://www.trufflekerfuffle.com.au/" target="_blank">Truffle Kerfuffle</a> festival just last weekend is home to plenty of truffle farms.
This truffiere in the south West Australian town of Pemberton is one such property. Five years ago, the owners planted 50 oaks infused with truffles on the property. According the Australian Truffle Growers Association, “black diamonds” commonly begin to appear about four or five years after planting, depending on the technology used, which means that the buyer might be in for quite the housewarming gift.
There is also a small orchard on the property, and plenty of grazing room for future livestock. Like the Montacute farm, there is also a small vineyard on site, with a purpose built wine shed that has allowed the owners to produce their own wines. With three dams on site and water flowing all year, this West Australian farm offers plenty of agricultural prospects for the future owners.
The 27 hectare farm also contains a solar powered timber mill cottage, with water and valley views. It’s on the market with mid $700,000 expectations.
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On the hunt for Australia's truffle farms

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Gina Rinehart's Hancock Prospecting is buying a 50% share in Liveringa and Nerrima stations in the West Kimberley.
The joint venture with Graham Laitt and his family, the owners of the Milne AgriGroup, involves expanding their prime beef production.
The venture will re-open the mothballed Waroona abattoir previously known as Clover Meats, which was once one of the biggest meat processing facilities in WA.
Rinehart told The West Australian her family had a long and continuing links to the WA pastoral industry, with the investment aimed at helping to meet booming food demand in Asia.
Hancock Prospecting and Mr Laitt have been working on the deal for about a year in a well planned move into beef production.
The ABC estimated the price was about $40 million.
"It intends to provide capital and commercial knowledge to support the industry as it targets expansion into global markets," the Hancock Prospecting statement said.
"We are well placed to meet the growing needs of our Asian neighbours," she said.
Established in 1910, Milne's businesses include Milne Feeds animal nutrition, Mt Barker Free Range Chicken and Plantagenet Free Range Pork.
After taking equity in 1987, it was 2002 when the former lawyer Graham Laitt assumed control of Milne, adding it into his existing farming holdings.
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Gina Rinehart buys into Kimberley cattle stations

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The 1865 Oakbank homestead, Mount Annan on 15 hectares with views of the Onkaparinga River in rural South Australia, has been sold.
It was marketed as <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-other-sa-oakbank-7604291" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">one of South Australia's earliest homesteads</a>.
Mount Annan, 30 minutes from Adelaide, sold for $2.2 million last month having been listed late last year with $2.65 million hopes.
It sold through Chris and Georgia Weston at Raine &amp; Horne.
The original homestead on Onkaparinga Valley Road has been totally rebuilt, offering all new roof, wiring, plumbing, and flooring.
Some of the original roof shingles have been preserved under the new iron. 
The original windows have been rebuilt, as have the original multi-pane double swing doors, fireplaces and doors, have all been restored.
 There is now under floor heating, except where two stone rooms feature the original hardwood flooring.  The spacious lounge entry features ornate fire surround, Victorian cast iron fire grate and vaulted matchboard ceilings.
The origins of the faming block date back to the Cock family who arrived in 1838 from Leith, in Mid Lothian, Scotland.
 In 1840 Robert Cock, in partnership with William Fergusson, brought sections 4017 and 4021 of the Mount Barker Special Survey (Onkaparinga) from the South Australian Company.
Robert Cock employed his cousins the Lamb family who built the farmhouse. The very first stone rooms were built in the early 1840s and later additions were made in the 1860s and the 1880s.
Thomas Edwards, who came out from Shropshire in 1850 on the ship Lord Ashbourne, bought the then 200 acre Mount Annan property in 1852 from Robert Cock.
The Edwards family owned the property for five generations<a href="https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:6lCAs2-v7tQJ:www.millionplus.com.au/property/residential/187-onkaparinga-valley-road-oakbank/170792+&amp;cd=6&amp;hl=en&amp;ct=clnk&amp;gl=au" target="_blank"> listing the unrenovated property in 2010</a>, selling it in 2011 at $930,000.
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Historic Mount Annan at Oakbank, SA sells for $2.2 million

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Northwood Farm, a stud in the making given its location within Victoria’s thoroughbred horse breeding heartland, has been listed for sale.
Northwood Farm, which has been a cattle grazing property, has as its immediate neighbour Eliza Park Northwood, one of the breeding properties of the Eliza Park group owned by Hong Kong based Sun International. Just a short distance away is Darley Stud, which has recently undergone a major development by the Al Maktoum family, the ruling family of Dubai.
A little further north on the same side of Northwood Road are to be found the further acclaimed thoroughbred studs and breeding farms including Yarran and the major Swettenham Stud.
Its impressive stone and timber homestead was designed by French architect Claudine Dublier with granite stone sourced locally from Oak Valley in the nearby Strathbogie Ranges for the vendors Tony and Cathy Blazey who selected the land when it was just vacant farm land in 2000.
With direct frontage to the Goulburn River, the Northwood Farm at 60 Johnsons Lane has been listed for 28 June auction <a href="https://www.prh.com.au/property-details?listing_id=1333" target="_blank">through agent Bart O'Sullivan at Pat Rice &amp; Hawkins</a> with expectations around $2 million.
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Northwood Farm, Seymour farm offering

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<div>
The legendary outback World Safari filmmaker Alby Mangels has yet to sell his 110 hectare Meningie, South Australia retreat.
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The Princes Highway property, which sits on the<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Coorong/703697082992807" target="_blank"> Coorong</a> lagoon eco-system, was listed with $1.2 million hopes in April last year, but is now listed <a href="https://uniqueestates.com.au/Homes/Detail.aspx?id=ue323&amp;wlid=b747346f-8e3a-40e2-b96e-11684997e04c" target="_blank">through </a><a href="https://uniqueestates.com.au/Homes/Detail.aspx?id=ue323&amp;wlid=b747346f-8e3a-40e2-b96e-11684997e04c" target="_blank">Nicolette van Wijngaarden at Unique Estates</a> at $1 million plus.
But in the meantime his shed contents <a href="https://www.mgs.net.au/auction/catalogue?d=1860" target="_blank">are listed for 19 June MGS auction</a> - full of travel and movie memorabilia, sailing and navigation equipment, and movie making equipment.
There's a large selection of carved wooden and stone statuettes as presented by Kalahari Bushmen, Massai, Zulu, Indonesian, Samoan, New Guinea, South American tribes people, tapa cloth, and African dyed prints.
His <a href="https://www.theneedles.com.au/?call" target="_blank">2010 documentary, Call of the Coorong</a> was done on the <a href="https://www.theneedles.com.au/?gallery" target="_blank">property</a>.
Alby Mangels has owned the three bedroom house with light plane airstrip on the property for more than two decades.
He built the two storey home from mostly recycled stone, timber and iron materials in the mid-1990s including the old wool stores in Port Adelaide.
Known for his World Safari adventure conservation travel documentaries in the 1970s and 1980s, Mangels listed the property because he is contemplating a move closer to Adelaide.
The Netherlands-born Mangels, who also divides his time between the Philippines, Micronesia and the South American nation of Suriname, says the memorabilia was sitting in the shed doing nothing.
The proceeds will go to his preferred current charity, to help build an orphanage for the children of the typhoon-stricken Philippine city of Tacloban.
Unique Estates noted an adjoining 600 hectare property to the north was also available (same owner) by separate negotiation, currently being used as a working Dorpa stud. 
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