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.

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<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.

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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.

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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."

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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.

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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."

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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.

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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.

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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."

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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.

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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>.

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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.

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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."

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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.

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<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.

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La Vera closes in on completion as Macquarie Park continues residential transformation

Rural

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The Merricks North estate, Ambleside, on the Mornington Peninsula remains listed for sale.
Set on 85 hectares overlooking Western Port Bay, the inland holding has been marketed as one of the region's finest properties.
Kay &amp; Burton's David Heathcote had been quoting more than $12 million for the Ambleside estate with <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/for-sale/merricks-north-vic-3926-2011914965" target="_blank">expressions of interest</a><a href="https://www.domain.com.au/for-sale/merricks-north-vic-3926-2011914965" target="_blank"> </a>closing May 18.
The seven bedroom, five bathroom homestead was designed by Stephen Akehurst in the late 1990s.
A guest cottage also designed by Stephen Akehurst. 
The grounds comes with a croquet lawn, golf driving range and a tennis court.
The farm is divided into 17 paddocks with stock troughs and connected by laneways.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Ambleside, Merricks North estate with $12 million hopes

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Barnaby Joyce, the Federal Agriculture Minister, has backed calls for a veto on foreign governments being allowed to buy Australian farmland.
Mr Joyce said he had no issue with private foreign companies buying farms, agribusinesses or food processing assets because they “come and go” depending on the financial returns they earn.
“I just don’t want to see agricultural land owned by foreign governments,” Mr Joyce was reported as saying to The Australian.
“The land we stand on is intrinsic to our values and identity as a nation. I wouldn’t want to see Australian farmland become under the control of the government of another nation.”
The comments come as the Kidman cattle empire is for sale with $350 million hopes.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott said in Canberra this morning that the government had "always taken a special interest in foreign governments buying anything in Australia, including land.
"Any foreign government investment in Australia is subject from the first dollar to Foreign Investment Review Board scrutiny and that’s the way it should be.
“(Mr Joyce) was simply making the point that when it comes to foreign governments as opposed to private businesses from overseas different rules apply. 
"They always have and, as far as I’m concerned, they always will.”
 
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Barnaby Joyce doesn't want S Kidman farms to fall into sovereign wealth government hands

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Bhima at Scone has been sold. And Goanna Downs too.
<a href="https://www.domain.com.au/property/for-sale/rural/nsw/scone/?adid=2010096652&amp;sp=6" target="_blank">Bhima</a> has had a prominent history within the breeding and racing industry, and within the township itself. 
The baton has been handed on to Mike and Kate Fleming of Broadwater Thoroughbreds, Aberdeen. 
Bhima Stud, at Scone in the Upper Hunter Valley, was for sale at $5.8 million through Michael Burke of MacCallum Inglis - a prominent thoroughbred breeding farm, Bhima was developed into a renowned horse property after World War II by Vivian Bath. 
On the town’s outskirts, Bhima occupies 160 hectares.
Its showpiece is an<a href="/news/giddyup-thoroughbred-stud-farm-sales-and-listings-in-the-equine-world"> historic circa 1910 homestead</a> with 4.8 metre high pressed metal ceilings.
Meanwhile the Hutchins family, a well-known family within the racing industry from Queensland looking to set up a broodmare base in the Upper Hunter, has recently snapped up Goanna Downs from the Dillon family post auction.
The two property sales in as many months has reinforced the status of Scone, and the Upper Hunter Valley as the premier location in NSW for thoroughbred properties, according to MacCallum Inglis property agent Michael Burke.
Michael Burke handled the sale of Bhima and introduced the purchasers to the sale of Goanna Downs.
“The strength of the Scone broodmare property market is underpinned by the ever growing numbers of stallions standing in the Upper Hunter Valley.  
"Our proximity to the stallion stations is our competitive advantage - less transport risk, less cost and a central location to the selling centres. 
"In addition, the Upper Hunter Shire is coal mine free, with no operating mines in our district”.
 “Our agency has seen a rise in the enquiry, and activity rates of interstate, and international buyers looking at the Upper Hunter district and Scone particularly.
"The Australian thoroughbred industry is in such a position of strength and the majority of its’ best stallions stand in this district.
"The local stud property market is well and truly back on its feet post GFC, and these sales are testament of this." 
Michael Burke said an exciting new chapter will now open in the rich history of Bhima. 
"Steeped in success, the property has been under the stewardship of the White family over the last 21 years and boasts an extensive honours list that would make any breeder proud," he said.   
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Upper Hunter Valley's Bhima, Scone proves its thoroughbred property status

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The $300 million plus marketing of Australia’s biggest landowner and historic cattle producer, S. Kidman and Co Ltd, is well underway.
Ernst &amp; Young Adelaide managing partner Don Manifold said EY had been flooded with "significant" interest in the prospect. The Australian Financial Review says there have already been 200 inquiries.
"It's gained a lot of attention from domestic and international bidders," Mr Manifold said, stressing it will be sold in one line.
Australia's biggest private rural landholding, which includes the world's largest cattle station, is up for sale by the pioneering company. 
Eleven cattle stations covering more than 100,000 square kilometres are set to be offered next month with documentation through Ernst and Young Adelaide.
S. Kidman and Co. is 98% owned by members of the Kidman family, represented by 58 shareholdings.
Not all wanted to sell, The Land reported, adding last financial year the company reported a net operating cashflow of $9.3 million and paid dividends of 20 cents a share. 
But it recorded a net after tax loss of $1.4m as herd numbers declined 15 per cent because of tough seasonal conditions to 182,350 head, and their livestock market value fell about $10 million to $97.4 million.
The cattle king Sir Sidney Kidman's first purchase was in 1886: Owen Springs south-west of Alice Springs.
The business still has cattle stations across Western Australia, the Northern Territory, Queensland and South Australia. 
Anna Creek Station in South Australia's outback is the largest at 23,000 square kilometres. 
"This is a world class asset of international significance," said Alex Thamm a rural valuer with Colliers International.
The Kidman family has $364 million net worth, as ranked 37th on the BRW Rich Family List, spread across family groups based in Australia, the United Kingdom and United States.
 
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200 inquiries as Sidney Kidman cattle farms offered in one line

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Farmer David Fleming is listing Ulah at Walgett, in northern NSW. 
David Fleming says he's made the difficult decision to put his farm on the market - pushed into a corner by poor government policies.
"We're going to test the market…which may not even be there," <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-03/rural-nsw-fleming-0306/6516964" target="_blank">he told ABC Rural Radio</a>.
The farm is currently deep in drought; and he can not plant an irrigation crop because authorities had put an embargo on pumping from the Barwon Darling River system to ensure that there was sufficient water stored in the Menindee Lakes to meet Broken Hill's town water requirements.
Ulah has a diminished combination of cattle production, dryland farming and a relatively small irrigation operation. 
Earlier this year he wrote an open letter to the NSW Department of Primary Industries deputy director general water stating his case to grow 900 acres of chickpeas - which could generate $700,000 of potential income.
"My livelihood is at stake; I require five days pumping to plant chickpeas.
"If I don't receive permission to do so, then I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place.
"What would you suggest I do? Lose the farm? Or start the pump?"
He said his bank had been extremely supportive, but the embargo imperilled the next 12 months.
He pointed the finger at bad bureaucratic interference on water policy and ministers who are puppets of the bureaucracy.
The Fleming family has been grazing cattle and growing crops for over 130 years at Ulah through drought and <a href="https://www.walgett.org.au/walgett-heritage-properties/ulah-station/" target="_blank">flood</a>.
<img src="https://www.walgett.org.au/wp-content/uploads//ulah-station-during-floods-circa-1900.jpg" width="640" height="471">
The NSW Minister for Primary Industries and Water Niall Blair says they could only lift the embargo when they were sure that the water was available to provide human need in Broken Hill.
 
 
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Water embargo prompts Ulah, Walgett listing by farmer David Fleming

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There is now a $1,999,000 asking price after the scheduled weekend auction of a Port Douglas holding failed to secure a sale.
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-acreage+semi+rural-qld-port+douglas-119202107" target="_blank">6173R Captain Cook Highway</a> holding is a 37 hectare holding with homestead and cottage.
<img src="https://i1.au.reastatic.net/456x342/ab86bf576e42247b05f06be742d2a8a64b0b4b109043408d45892c2ee4efb513/main.jpg" alt="6173R Captain Cook Highway, Port Douglas" title="6173R Captain Cook Highway, Port Douglas" style="line-height: 1.3em;" data-index="0">
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<div class="thumb activeThumb">It was listed through Callum Jones and Tony McGrath at Tony McGrath Real Estate Port Douglas.
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It was marketed as suitable for up to 100 head of cattle, a registered primary producing property - therefore no land tax. 
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Port Douglas farm with $1.99 million asking price

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Glenray Park, the historic Yetholme homestead, has been sold by Mary Moody, one of Australia's leading horticulturalists and gardening authors.
Lovingly restored and cared for over her 20 year tenure, the home was built near Bathurst by Mabel Walshaw in 1908.
It sold at $746,000
It has been marketed as having stunning mature ornamental park-like garden surrounding the homestead which boasts the grandeur of historical homesteads with a surge of new age sustainable living. The five bedroom, two bathroom triple brick homestead has 14 foot ceilings, five fire places, and Oregon doors and trims.
Within the 20 acre property, there is a permanent mountain spring and Frying Pan creek water. There have been cattle run on the farm on the western slopes of the Blue Mountains in New South Wales.
The grounds have two irrigated propagation/shade houses for the professional market gardener and chook house and home vegetable garden. 
There's a 1920s dance hall once used for community dances and meetings could be transformed into a functions room or artists studio. 
<a href="https://raywhiteruralemmsmooney.com.au/nsw/yetholme/1276127/" target="_blank">Glenray Park</a>, at 61 Porters Lane, Yetholme, sold through Ray White Emms Mooney agents Patrick Bird and Sam D'Arcy. There were $700,000 plus expectations.
Yetholme is 20 minutes east of Bathurst and two hours drive from Sydney's CBD. 
<a href="https://www.marymoody.com.au" target="_blank">The gardening author</a> who trained as a journalist in the late 1960s at the Australian Women's Weekly was a long time presenter on Gardening Australia from her then Leura, Blue Mountains home. Her memoirs included Au Revoir, Last Tango in Toulouse, The Long Hot Summer and Sweet Surrender.
She has lead tours in France and the Himalayas and has written a book and made a film on a local rural French restaurant, Lunch with Madame Murat, for the SBS Network.
Glenray Park has been listed following the death of her partner, the film maker David Hannay in March 2014. It was 2001 when the couple relocated permanently to the Bathurst district after selling Villa Florence, their Katoomba cottage.
Moody is moving back to the mountains to be closer to family, but intends keeping a small block of land with an eco-cottage.
The Yetholme property was sold to buyers from the Blue Mountains.
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Gardening storyteller Mary Moody sells Yetholme, Bahurst district farm

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The South Gippsland property looks like a car yard, but the Poowong property is a 767 acre dairy farm milking 550 cows.
It has been sold at $8.1 million through Harcourts Warragul agent John Rowe. It was listed initially in March last year, and has mostly had price indications around $8.5 million.
The property is located in the Victoria district with what is considered some of the most highly reliable natural rainfall regions in Australia, 110 kms East of Melbourne .
It was marketed as having close access to many major milk processers , including United Dairy Power, Burra Foods, Longwarry Milk Park, Murray Goulburn and Fronterra all within 50km. 
There was a 40 Stand rotary with automatic cup removers, automated milk meters and automatic teat spray and 29,000 litre milk vat capacity with access for B-double tankers at <a href="https://www.ruralview.com.au/Real-Estate/185-o-gilvys-road-poowong/Property-Details-buy-rural-7148617">the 185 Ogilvys Lane farm</a>.
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South Gippsland dairy sold at $8.1 million

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Fossil Downs Station, the jewel of WA's pastoral industry, has been listed for sale by the Henwood family.
Covering almost 400,000 hectares where the Fitzroy and Margaret Rivers meet, the legend of <a href="https://regionalwa.eldersrealestate.com.au/rural/buy/property-cropping-wa-derby-617707">Fossil Downs</a> started when Donald MacDonald rode from Derby in the tracks of Alexander Forrest to inspect the land and negotiated its lease in 1882.
His brothers William and Charles then set off on possibly the longest cattle drive in history - about 5600 kilometres from near Goulburn, NSW, through the outback and across the Top End to the Kimberley.
They left with 670 head of cattle, arriving 42 months later with 327 cattle. 
A waterbag the MacDonald brothers carried on their epic cattle drive hangs above the hallway in the heritage-listed homestead, dubbed the "Taj Mahal of the Kimberley".
It is true Australiana as its billiard table was bought for 28 pounds after dragged from the remains of a direct hit on Broome's billiard hall by Japanese bombers in World War II.
The MacDonald's granddaughter is Annette Henwood who runs the farm with husband John whose family ties to the Kimberley stretch back longer than hers.
John Henwood's grandfather George Rose was a horse carer on the Forrest expedition of 1879 that triggered excitement about grazing in the Ord and Fitzroy valleys.
They have been herding mainly Droughtmaster cattle, sometimes mustering in his Cessna 182. It is located 430 kms to the live cattle export port of Broome and 30 kms to Fitzroy Crossing township. 
Offers close July 2 for the property has potential to carry more cattle and for tourism, including parts of the King Leopold Ranges and Leopold River, spectacular gorges, billabongs and vast plains.
Veteran real estate executive Malcolm French told the West Australian newspaper he had seen nothing that compared to Fossil Downs in 50 years with Elders.
He declined to speculate on the price but industry sources put it close to $30 million.
"I feel an absolute traitor," <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/bushtelegraph/annette-mcdonald/5895778" style="line-height: 1.3em;">Annette Henwood</a>, who was featured on the farm in a <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/4389335?zoomLevel=1" style="line-height: 1.3em;">1952 Australian Women's Weekly article</a>, said.
"I never wanted to be the MacDonald who quit," she said.
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Fossil Downs, the Taj Mahal of the Kimberley's listed 

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The Australian-listed Ruralco Holdings has lost its chief executive John Maher.
Maher has stepped down after nine years at the helm of the rural services group. 
Its chief financial officer Ruth Martin has also resigned.
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