For most new apartment buildings, the Owners Corporation starts life with little more than a bank account and the first quarterly strata levies.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/9-gay-street-castle-hill-9-gay-street-castle-hill-nsw-2154">9 Gay Street</a> in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/castle-hill-nsw-2154">Castle Hill</a>, it starts with around $7 million in reserve.

It's an unusual legacy of what was once one of Sydney's highest-profile apartment remediation projects. When the development, originally known as Skyview and built by disgraced developer Top Place, came under scrutiny by then NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler, an $11 million remediation bond was negotiated to ensure any building defects could be fully rectified.

The building underwent an 18-month remediation program, during which around $4 million of that bond was spent bringing the building up to the standard it should have been in from the outset.

After extensive inspections, all active rectification orders have been lifted. What's more, around $7.2 million remains secured for the Owners Corporation for the next 15 years.

In a twist few would have predicted, what began as a significant concern for purchasers has left the building with something almost unheard of in the apartment market: a multi-million-dollar financial reserve from day one.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=147685 project_image_fid=359136]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/equitifund-group">Equitifund</a> Executive Chairman Greg Huxley said the structure offers buyers a level of certainty that is difficult to replicate.

"The $11 million bond established for the Skyview Castle Hill development represents exceptional value, providing genuine financial security for purchasers," Huxley said.

"Unlike a standard insurance policy, this bond consists of real funds held in trust for the Owners Corporation, offering a tangible layer of protection and added peace of mind."

The apartments themselves have been designed with a focus on practical, contemporary living. Interiors feature Smeg appliances, stone benchtops, tiled living areas, carpeted bedrooms, 2.7-metre ceilings, floor-to-ceiling glazing, and ducted heating and cooling throughout.

Residents also have access to a range of shared amenities, including two rooftop barbecue areas, a swimming pool, children's playgrounds, secure building access, storage cages, and visitor parking.

The location continues to be one of the project's strongest drawcards. Castle Hill Metro Station sits virtually on the doorstep, providing direct connections across Sydney's expanding Metro network, while Castle Towers offers extensive retail, dining, entertainment, and service amenities within walking distance.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=147685 project_image_fid=359127]

The building, now named after its location at 9 Gay Street, comprises a diverse mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments starting from just under $600,000.

Equitifund National Sales Director Ben Hamblett said demand in the Hills District continues to be driven by buyers seeking convenience and connectivity.

"Interest from both owner-occupiers and investors in Castle Hill remains exceptionally strong, with buyers consistently prioritising developments in close proximity to the Metro station and Castle Towers Shopping Centre," Hamblett said.

"There is a clear trend in the market, with purchasers seeking convenient access to transport and lifestyle amenities that support a seamless, low-maintenance way of living."

On top of the long-term protection afforded by the remaining $7.2 million bond, Equitifund is offering a limited-time stamp duty rebate on selected apartments.

Eligible purchasers can also secure finance options, including a 3.99 per cent two-year variable rate, loan-to-value ratios of up to 90 per cent, and interest-only lending options through EquitiCredit.

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Joel Robinson

Why this Castle Hill apartment building starts with a $7 million advantage

For much of the past few years, conversations about Australia's property market have centred on the rapid growth seen in Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast, and Perth. <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/melbourne-vic-3004">Melbourne</a> has followed a different trajectory.

That relative underperformance is now encouraging some buyers to reassess the city, particularly those willing to look beyond short-term market movements and focus on quality property in established locations, along with the long-term growth prospects of a city expected to overtake Sydney as Australia’s most populous.

John Bekiaris, Research &amp; Market Insights at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/equitifund-group">Projects by Equitifund</a>, said Melbourne's current position is attracting increasingly sophisticated purchasers.

"Melbourne continues to present one of Australia's strongest long-term investment stories," Bekiaris says.

"While other capital cities have experienced stronger recent growth, that relative underperformance is exactly what's attracting sophisticated counter-cyclical investors."

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Equitifund isn't just commenting on Melbourne's property market, it's investing in it.

The Sydney-headquartered capital partner has taken over the remaining apartments at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/victoriana-melbourne-20-queens-road-melbourne-vic-3004">Victoriana</a>, the recently completed glass-encased development opposite Albert Park Lake in Melbourne's tightly held St Kilda Road precinct.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> and built by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/hickory">Hickory</a>, Victoriana places residents between one of Melbourne's most recognised parklands and the CBD, offering oversized two and three-bedroom apartments aimed at owner-occupiers seeking a genuine alternative to a traditional family home.

The development comprises 232 completed residences alongside a suite of resident amenities, including a 25-metre indoor swimming pool, gymnasium, landscaped entertaining areas, resident lounges, EV charging, secure basement parking and a concierge-style arrival experience.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=1979 project_image_fid=363229]

The apartments have been designed with owner-occupiers firmly in mind.&nbsp;Open-plan living and dining areas flow onto generous balconies framing views across Albert Park Lake, Fawkner Park, the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Melbourne skyline.

Kitchens feature Gaggenau appliances, stone benchtops and generous preparation space. Bedrooms include built-in robes, while bathrooms feature full-height textured tiling. Hardwood flooring and ducted air conditioning complete residences designed for long-term living.

Rothelowman's architecture takes its cues from the landscape opposite the site. Sweeping horizontal glazing references the movement of Albert Park Lake, while generous balconies and expansive glazing strengthen the connection between the apartments and the surrounding parklands. The result is a building designed to deliver the scale and amenity expected of luxury apartment living, while offering the larger floorplans increasingly sought by owner-occupiers.

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The location is one of Victoriana's defining characteristics. Positioned on Queens Road, residents are directly opposite Albert Park Lake and within easy reach of Fawkner Park, the Royal Botanic Gardens, South Melbourne, St Kilda Road and the CBD. With few comparable development opportunities remaining in the precinct, buyers are increasingly placing value on outlooks that are unlikely to be interrupted by future construction.

Greg Huxley, Founder of Equitifund, believes those qualities become even more valuable over time.

"Premium real estate has always rewarded buyers who take a long-term view," Huxley said.

"Victoriana represents the kind of asset that's increasingly difficult to recreate today, particularly in an established location like Queens Road."

He said rising construction costs are also changing the way buyers assess completed developments.

"When you combine an irreplaceable location with thoughtful architecture and premium finishes, you create something that becomes increasingly difficult to reproduce as construction costs continue to rise."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=1979 project_image_fid=363228]

According to National Sales Director Ben Hamblett, enquiry has been driven largely by Melbourne downsizers and buyers upgrading from smaller apartments.

"Interest in Victoriana continues to build, with strong buyer focus on the larger owner-occupier residences within the development," Hamblett says.

"Enquiry is increasingly driven by local buyers who recognise the rarity of what's on offer: park-facing apartments in an established neighbourhood where new development opportunities are becoming increasingly scarce. At Victoriana, the view is not just a feature; it's an appreciating asset in its own right."

He said interstate enquiry has also strengthened as buyers reassess Melbourne's position within the national property cycle.

"Melbourne currently stands as the most compelling entry point of any major Australian capital, and discerning buyers are beginning to recognise what those who move early always understand: the best opportunities are taken before the price rise confirms them."

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Why now is the time to buy in Melbourne's premium apartment market

Developers and apartment buyers have a narrowing window of opportunity before Brisbane's Olympic infrastructure pipeline begins competing directly with residential construction, pushing up costs, tightening labour supply and making new projects increasingly difficult to deliver.

While Brisbane's apartment market continues to benefit from strong population growth and limited housing supply, industry research suggests the years leading up to 2027 could prove to be the most important period for developers looking to secure builders and buyers hoping to purchase before the next wave of price increases.

A new Colliers report, Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games: Creating Solutions, highlights the scale of the challenge. While thousands of new homes are planned across South East Queensland, the Brisbane Olympic Athletes Village alone will deliver more than 10,500 beds during the Games before being converted into around 1,750 to 2,000 apartments. Equivalent to almost two years of typical inner-city apartment supply, the project will also absorb a significant share of the construction workforce and building materials.

The broader construction pipeline paints an even clearer picture.

Construction Skills Queensland's Horizon 2032 report forecasts Queensland's annual construction pipeline will average $69 billion over the coming years before peaking at $75 billion in 2027-28. Demand for construction workers is expected to increase by 17 per cent to almost 150,000 people, with the industry facing an annual shortfall of around 19,000 workers that could blow out to as many as 35,000 during the peak construction period.

The Olympic venues, athletes village and supporting infrastructure will account for billions of dollars worth of work across South East Queensland through to 2032, creating intense competition for labour at a time when Australia's residential construction sector is already under pressure.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=373834]

Colliers Queensland Residential Director Andrew Scriven said the convergence of these projects is creating a clear window of opportunity for both developers and buyers.

"From 2027 onwards, the market will shift dramatically," Scriven said.

"Labour will increasingly be locked into government-led infrastructure and Olympic projects, which means private residential developments will face higher costs and tighter margins. The developers who move now are the ones most likely to get projects off the ground."

Scriven said the same dynamic would also affect buyers, with fewer apartment projects expected to launch once construction capacity tightens.

"If you're looking to change your lifestyle over the next five years, now is your window of opportunity to buy."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150713 project_image_fid=373827]

Developers are already positioning themselves ahead of that window.

Following the success of Monarch at Toowong, Consolidated Properties is preparing to launch two new Brisbane apartment projects in the second half of 2026. They include <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/gloriette-30-bedivere-street-yeerongpilly-qld-4105">Gloriette</a> at Yeerongpilly Green, a 25-storey tower within one of Brisbane's key Olympic precincts, and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/castile-47-skyring-terrace-newstead-qld-4006">Castile</a>, a recently approved 25-storey riverfront development at 47 Skyring Terrace in Newstead.

Hutchinson Builders will deliver both projects, with early works already underway at Yeerongpilly and Newstead expected to commence later this year.

The timing comes as Brisbane's fundamentals continue to strengthen, with strong interstate migration, population growth and vacancy rates remaining below 1.5 per cent.

Colliers Queensland researcher Pragya Sharma said Greater Brisbane is forecast to require around 40,000 new apartments between 2021 and 2031.

"There's a real mismatch emerging between when housing is needed and when it will be feasible to build," Sharma said.

"As a result, the period leading up to 2027 presents a key window of opportunity for developers to secure approvals, funding and construction capacity, while buyers will have greater choice before supply constraints intensify."

Colliers research outlines a critical pre-2027 window to start residential projects before labour squeeze: now is the time to buy

Developers, buyers on watch in South East Queensland ahead of construction crunch: Colliers

It's taken less than nine months for developer Sherpa Property Group to sell out all 51 apartments in its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-oasis-palm-beach-7-9-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Oasis</a> development in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/palm-beach-qld-4221">Palm Beach</a>, over a year before its anticipated completion.

&nbsp;

Located at 7-9 Sixth Avenue, the $67 million development has resonated strongly with both local owner-occupiers and downsizers seeking high-quality apartments within walking distance of the beach, dining precincts and everyday amenities.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151449 project_image_fid=357458]

Christie Leet, Founder of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa Group</a>, said the sell-out reflected both the strength of the Palm Beach market and the success of Sherpa's community-first approach to development.

"The sell-out of Oasis is a fantastic outcome and reinforces the strong demand we're seeing for thoughtfully designed apartments in lifestyle locations," Leet said.

"From the outset, our vision was to create a development that genuinely enhanced the Palm Beach community while providing residents with exceptional homes and wellness-focused amenities.

"We've been incredibly encouraged by the level of local support throughout the campaign, 72.5 per cent of buyers are locals, with a significant proportion of purchasers choosing Oasis as their future home rather than an investment."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151449 project_image_fid=357463]

Construction is now progressing following development approval, with trusted builder LPS Group delivering the project and completion anticipated in Q3 2027.

Oasis forms part of Sherpa Group's successful Flourish collection, which has become recognised for its focus on wellness, community and elevated coastal living.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151449 project_image_fid=357469]

Residents will have private access to a rooftop amenity space featuring a pool, gym, sauna, steam room, hot and cold plunge pools, spa and barbecue facilities.

"The success of Oasis demonstrates that buyers continue to prioritise quality, location and lifestyle," Leet said.

"We are proud to have delivered a project that has resonated so strongly with the market and look forward to bringing Oasis to life for our future residents."

Sherpa recently launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-soleira-palm-beach-1150-1160-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Soleira</a>, its third instalment of the Flourish brand in Palm Beach following Flourish Oasis and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/amargo-6-12-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Amargo</a>.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=151449]

Sherpa sells out Flourish Oasis in booming Palm Beach

Urban Property Group's <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/la-vera-macquarie-park-94-talavera-road-macquarie-park-nsw-2113">La Vera</a> is leading the next phase of Macquarie Park's residential evolution, with the new apartment development set to become the first of several new apartment projects in the precinct to complete.

The 169-apartment building has now topped out ahead of its scheduled completion in the third quarter of 2026, as new residential investment continues to reshape one of Sydney's largest employment hubs into a true mixed-use precinct.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=368645]

Cox Architecture has designed La Vera to capture the best of its unique positioning on Talavera Road, orienting the building towards Lane Cove National Park.&nbsp;The building features a sculpted northern façade with flowing curves inspired by the surrounding landscape, while its city-facing elevation adopts a more structured architectural expression to maximise skyline views.

"The vision for the project was to conceive a building that adopted an organic and curvilinear form to the northern portion that faces the Lane Cove National Park," <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">Cox Architecture</a> Director Felipe Miranda said.

"The residents that reside in the northern portion of the building benefit by having beautifully crafted curved balconies that speak to the natural context and heighten the relationship of their internal living spaces to the external balconies."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=358802]

La Vera offers a diverse mix of one, two, three, and four-bedroom configurations, with prices currently starting from $740,000. Buyers so far have been a mix of Sydney-based investors,&nbsp;metro commuters, owner-occupiers and downsizers from surrounding North Shore suburbs.

Both investors and owner-occupiers have been drawn to La Vera's proximity to Macquarie University, Macquarie University Hospital, Macquarie Centre and the Sydney Metro, infrastructure that supports both strong rental demand and a convenient lifestyle for residents.

The apartments feature full-height glazing, timber flooring throughout living areas, stone kitchen benchtops, SMEG appliances, floor-to-ceiling bathroom tiling and ducted air conditioning.

Residents will have access to a rooftop recreation level featuring a swimming pool, sauna, barbecue facilities and landscaped relaxation areas, complemented by additional communal space at ground level. Many apartments enjoy uninterrupted views across Lane Cove National Park, reinforcing the project's connection to its natural setting.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=364551]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a>, a family-owned developer and builder with nearly four decades of experience, holds a 4.5-star iCIRT rating and was Australia's first developer to introduce 10-Year Latent Defects Insurance (LDI). La Vera is the first apartment development in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/macquarie-park-nsw-2113">Macquarie Park</a> approved to offer the additional insurance protection, alongside a five-year warranty on SMEG appliances.

Urban Property Group CEO Patrick Elias said the additional protection reflects changing buyer expectations in the off the plan market.

"Consumers are a lot more weary and a lot more concerned in buying off the plan than they ever have been. Having LDI is a tool to portray the confidence that we have in our product, and a confidence we want buyers to share," Elias said.

Following completion of the building later this year, buyers will move into their apartments well before Christmas.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134951]

La Vera closes in on completion as Macquarie Park continues residential transformation

Rural

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The former Miss World Belinda Green and husband Steve Mason have yet to sell their Cowra farm, Glen Echo which was passed in at recent auction.
The online bidding opened at $1 million, with Glen Echo passed in at $1,150,000.
The Meares &amp; Co listed agent Chris Meares advised there was an asking price of $1.3 million for the 50 hectare farm which they bought in 2004. It is listed inconjunction with First National.
The 1896 double brick hillside three bedroom homestead has recently been renovated with new wide verandahs on three sides.
The couple who married three years ago at Nyngan during one of their regular Desert Duel charity car rallies, are now looking to downsize from the farm, located <a href="https://www.meares.com.au/property/glenecho/gallery/glen-echo.htm" target="_blank">16km west of Cowra</a> and 300km from Sydney.
Belinda has had a full life, but is always fondly remembered for her pageantry appearances, winning the 1972 Miss World contest at the age of 20.
These days Green, the mother of two daughters from her second marriage, and Steve's three children, prompts them to be increasingly spending time away from the farm, in Sydney and overseas.
Long retired from pageantry and even her subsequent television work, which included being a Beauty And The Beast panelist, Belinda has always been busy with charity work, awarded an Order of Australia for services to the community in 2013.
She's currently studying as a veterinary nurse at Southern Cross Wildlife care centre, an animal hospital at Braidwood, an adjunct to her rescuing, and caring for, injured and orphaned wildlife, through Wildcare.
The paddocks are currently leased to a local farmer.
This article was first published in the Sunday Telegraph. 
 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Belinda Green's Glen Echo farm passed in at auction

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A Victoria Supreme Court has upheld an injunction temporarily halting the sale of Tasmanian dairy business Van Diemen's Land to a Chinese backed company.
Moon Lake is headed by Chinese businessman Lu Xianfeng who made an unconditional binding offer to VDL owner, New Zealand-based New Plymouth District Council.
But the offer is subject to approval by the Foreign Investment Review Board.
Earlier this month the VDL indicated it was selling to the Tasmanian company TasFoods Limited in a $280 million cash and share deal.
However, NPDC's investment arm, Taranaki Investment Management Limited, announced subsequently it had sold the farm in a "commercially superior" deal.
The NewZealandfarmer.co.nz speculates it is $300 million.
The case is back in court this week.
VDL is effectively owned by the New Plymouth District Council in New Zealand and the council’s interests are managed by Taranaki Investment Management Limited (TIML).
TasFoods Limited, formerly OnCard International Limited, has retained Allan Myers QC and Andrew Broadfoot of counsel, instructed by Norton Gledhill.
The Van Diemen’s Land Company has dairy operations in the far North-West of Tasmania with some 25 dairy farms. Thirteen of the farms are in Woolnorth and another 12 in other areas of Circular Head. It milks about 19,000 cows to produce between 90 and 100 million litres of milk, or 7.7 million kilograms of milk solids, a year.
There are about 150 staff employed on its own properties, including those share-farmed.
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Van Dieman's Land dairy sale dispute

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The marketing of Yougawalla Station in Western Australia's Kimberley is set to kick off after a decision by its owners' syndicate headed by media buyer Harold Mitchell and former Seven West Media director Doug Flynn.
The partners have appointed ANZ Banking Group and KPMG Corporate Finance to sell the 1.4 million hectare farm with 44,000 head of cattle with around $70 million tipped. It come with <a href="https://modscape.com.au/projects/kimberley/" target="_blank">Modscape’s sustainable residential designed home</a>.
ANZ's global head of advisory Martin Hanrahan alongside KPMG Corporate Finance partner Sam McClure have the sales task, according to The Australian Financial Review. The Australian suggest $80 million. Harold Mitchell bought Yougawalla in 2008 along with Doug Flynn and the Sale family who expect the Yougawalla sales process will not suffer the same fate at the S.Kidman sale given it does not own land critical to Australia's defence interests. 
Harold Mitchell has criticised Treasurer Scott Morrison's decision to block the sale of Australia's largest cattle property portfolio to foreign buyers calling on local investors to take a greater interest in the country's agricultural sector.
"There are real problems. It shouldn't be handled in this way," he told The Australian Financial Review. 
"We are short on capital and have been for a century and we rely on international co-operation." 
"I am confident that the government would allow us to proceed if the acquirer was a Chinese company or individual," he said.
"[However] they would be concerned if it was a state-owned enterprise but I think that's wrong. The Chinese economy is driven by state-owned enterprises and China is looking out to the world."
Chinese investment firm Genius Link Asset Management is believed to have been the highest bidder for Kidman after rival company Shanghai Pengxin made a $350 million bid for the company. 
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$70 million tipped for Yougawalla Station

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GUEST OBSERVER
The New South Wales region of Murrumbidgee has more than rich soils. The property markets of eight of the thirteen local government authorities which make up the region featured in the Top 20% of Australia’s best performed property markets over the last fifteen years.
The LGA of Coolamon, directly north of the region’s unofficial capital of Wagga Wagga, was the state’s best performed property market over the last fifteen years, ranked 6th in Australia. Coolamon has a modest population of 4,308 (ABS 2014) and is renowned for wheat, wool, and old-world charm. Median property values have increased by an average of 10.5% each year and were still a very affordable $162,500 as at December 2014. Average rental yields are 7.7%.
<a href="/images/2015/12/700_Murrumbidgee.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/12/700_Murrumbidgee.jpg" alt="">
Propertyology conducted a study to compare the historical property market performance of each of Australia’s 550 local government authorities between 2000 and 2014. Given that some property markets have higher rates of growth and others have higher rental yields, Propertyology calculated the ‘total return’ (average annual growth rate plus rental yield) and we then ranked the LGA’s from 1 to 550 based on this performance.
The Murrumbidgee region’s population of 145,000 people has been growing by less than 1% per year (below the national average of 1.5%) however, supply of new housing has been more controlled than bigger profile cities. Affordability, lifestyle, and an unemployment rate below the national average are behind the region’s strong performance.
The region contains one of the most productive and agriculturally diverse areas of Australia. The Murray and Murrumbidgee Rivers replenish the rich, fertile soils which produce over 25% of NSW's fruit and vegetables, 90% of NSW citrus products, and 80% of NSW wine/grape production. Rice, wheat, lamb and beef are also major commodities.
The LGA’s of Junee (ranked 44th), Temora (77th), Cootamundra (151st), Hay (164th), Lockhart (175th), Narrandera (187th), and Murrumbidgee (209th) all featured in Australia’s Top 20%.
The region’s three most populated LGA’s, Wagga Wagga (240th), Leeton (302nd), and Griffith (423rd) didn’t perform as strongly over the last fifteen years as their smaller profile neighbours.
Property sales volumes in parts of the region have been solid during 2014/15. Leeton saw a 15.6% increase in median house values to the year ending May 2015. That is as strong as any market in Australia, other than Sydney. 180 properties have been sold in the Leeton LGA over the last year, the highest level since 2009. With a median house price of $230,000 an investor could buy four properties in Leeton for the cost of one property in Metropolitan Sydney. And, Leeton’s 6% average rental yield is superior to all capital cities.  
Leeton is described as Australia's Rice Capital and is home to the SunRice headquarters. Freedom Foods, Berri Juices, Riverina Beef and Murrumbidgee Irrigation are other big employers for the LGA which has some of the most productive citrus, rice, grapes and wheat farms.
Temora (17.6% growth in median house price) and Murrumbidgee (6.5%) have also seen solid growth over the last year. Mild growth in Wagga Wagga (3.2%), Junee (3.7%), and Griffith (1.9%) and a small reduction of 2% in Narrandera are fairly typical of most of Australia during 2014/15.
With Australian agriculture well placed to prosper from opportunities which the Asian Century provides and the very affordable cost of housing within the region, Propertyology believes that the property market outlook for this region is solid. Markets like this have a tendency to produce steady growth year-on-year. While they don’t attract the fanfare of bigger profile cities they usually have less pronounced peaks and troughs and often perform better over time.
Of the 43 LGA’s which make up Greater-Sydney, Blacktown and Camden were the highest ranked with a middle of the road performance of equal 276th.
Simon Pressley is Managing Director of Propertyology, a REIA Hall Of Fame Inductee, property market analyst, accredited property investment adviser, and Buyer’s Agent. <a href="https://www.propertyology.com.au/more-than-a-buyers-agent/" target="_blank">Propertyology works exclusively with property investors</a> to purchase properties in strategically chosen locations all over Australia.
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spressley-sBoeMhannA

Murrumbidgee NSW property market scorecard: Simon Pressley

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Wongawilli, the contemporary tin-clad Kangaloon weekender of architect Peter Stronach and interior designer Tim Allison, has sold.
It had been relisted through Ian Rayner Real Estate and Bob Guth at Bradfield Cleary who was seeking $1.8 million plus for the striking barn-like two-storey residence.
It sits on a 15 hectare parcel of land in Trig Station Lane, one of the most elevated precincts of the NSW Southern Highlands.
Designed by Stronach and then furnished by Tim Allison Associates, the three bedroom Wongawilli will be a weekender for a Mosman family.
Peter Stronach, principal at Allen Jack+Cottier, nears a 50 year career as an architect, with his numerous landmark design projects including Apple Headquarters in Frenchs Forest. 
The house won gold at NSW’s 2002 Green Building Awards given supremely low energy running costs of around just $500 a year with radical space-age insulation Astro-foil borrowed from NASA space suit technology sandwiched between the cladding and core.. 
“Our off-peak electricity, radiant solar heat and wood fired heater costs just $10 a week,” Stronach once boasted suggesting neighbouring properties were typically running up heating, cooling and lighting bills of more than $300 a week.
This article was first published in the Sunday Telegraph.
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Wongawilli sold by Peter Stronach

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Karin Adcock, founder of jewellery chain Pandora Australia, sold her 1840s Tarana, NSW Bathurst district rural retreat, Mutton Falls which went to auction last weekend.
Set on nearly a hectare of Central Tablelands country garden in the Tarana Valley, about two and a half hours from Sydney, Adcock bought the property in 2010 with friends Jeanine and Sebastian Bardon for extended weekends away, paying $910,000 in 2011 from Dennis Danna. 
The Bardon's own retail business Bardon Design, which developed stores for the Danish jewellery brand.
<a href="https://uniqueestates.com.au/listings/residential_sale-326166-tarana/" target="_blank">Nicolette van Wijngaarden of Unique Estates</a> secured $1,035,000 for the restored and extended 1840s homestead with rammed earth and wattle daub timber facade.
Mutton Falls, accessed via an avenue of poplar trees, was built by Richard Mutton for the family, including sister Anne Webb who managed a general store on the main route to Bathurst. 
This article was first published in the Sunday Telegraph.
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Jeweller Karen Adcock sells Mutton Falls at Tarana

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Tongy Station, at Cassilis near Merriwa in northern NSW is under offer through Colliers International's Richard Royle.
The offer is being considered by the Victorian establishment Baillieu family who listed <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-mixed+farming-nsw-cassilis-7758509" target="_blank">the 4637-hectare station</a> with $20 million plus hopes.
Located on the banks of Talbragar River, the property features a sandstone homestead amid manicured gardens which has been their rural retreat for almost 100 years. 
Tongy dates to 1825, when former convict Richard Fitzgerald was granted freehold title of the property by Governor Bourke for his services to the colony through agricultural management. 
The Baillieu family bought the property in 1923 from Fitzgerald's five grand daughters. 
This Australian Dictionary of Biography described Richard Fitzgerald (1772-1840), convict, public servant and settler, as one of the most remarkable men to settle in early New South Wales. 
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Tongy Station, Merriwa under offer 

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The renowned Morningside property fronting the picturesque Goulburn River in Nagambie, one of Australia’s most successful thoroughbred breeding properties is on the market.
Shane McIntyre at Colliers International National Director of Rural &amp; Agribusiness, has been appointed to sell <a href="https://morningsidepastoral.weebly.com" target="_blank">Morningside</a>.
The 362ha holding has bred, trained or educated over 35 Group 1 winners, including two Melbourne Cups, having been developed by equine veterinary expert Dr Bill Burns.
There is a four-bedroom homestead is surrounded by sweeping lawns overlooking an ornamental lake.
<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/2015/10/12/700_morn.jpg" alt="" width="591" height="359">
Its improvements including stables, undercover day yards, cattle yards, horse conditioner, machinery and hay shedding complete the purpose-built infrastructure.
There is 6km of Goulburn River frontage.
Offers close October 30.
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Morningside, Nagambie thoroughbred stud listed 

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The boutique Quorrobolong, Hunter Valley broodmare farm of Brett and Rachael Howard has been listed after the bloodstock industry couple recently purchased Coronation Park in nearby Mount Vincent.
Their existing 20 hectare Sandy Creek property has been listed through Shelly Jurd of Jurds Real Estate some six years after commencing their specialist broodmare farm. 
Over the past six seasons the <a href="https://jurds.com.au/listings/rural_sale-445705-quorrobolong/" target="_blank">farm with views to the Watagan Mountain</a> range across irrigated pastures, has walked out well over 100 mares to the Upper Hunter stallion farms such as Arrowfield, Coolmore, Widden and Yarraman Park, managing to get over 90% of the mares in foal.
“I am not aware of any other properties of its size, containing this amount of horse infrastructure, irrigated pastures, plus with two houses and its lifestyle features, priced under $2 million,” she said.
Brett Howard set up Randwick Bloodstock Agency in 1987, buying the farm in 2006.
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Boutique Hunter Valley broodmare farm listed

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The London based M.P. Evans Group has sold its 31,000 hectare cattle-fattening property Woodlands, near Westmar in Queensland, for $28 million to the Fucheng Group.
The sale is conditional on Foreign Investment Review Board approval.
The group's core strategy is to continue to expand its oil-palm areas in Indonesia, in a sustainable and cost-effective manner. 
Its statement to the London Stock Exchange, M.P. Evans, advised its board determined some time ago, for strategic reasons, to sell Woodlands but significant interest in the property had only developed in recent months further to the sharp strengthening of the cattle market.
Woodlands reported a farm profit for the year ended 31 December 2014 of US$0.2 million.
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