Mark and Roy Makari are expanding their presence in Sydney’s South West with a second major proposal for Leppington, this time envisioning a 900-dwelling mixed-use development just 850 metres from their previously lodged tower trio on Fifth Avenue.

The latest application seeks approval for a multi-building project at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/230-rickard-road-leppington-nsw-2179">230 Rickard Road, Leppington</a>. The proposal seeks to establish a new focal point for the precinct through a high-density, transit-oriented development supported by diverse land uses.

According to the Scoping Report prepared for the Department of Planning, the scheme includes around 900 apartments across multiple towers, including 135 dwellings designated for affordable housing. A mix of market and subsidised apartments will be supported by ground-level activation through retail and office space, a childcare centre, and a hotel, forming a comprehensive urban precinct.

<img alt="Mixed Use Development 230 Rickard Rd Leppington" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="34797362-f3dc-4d84-8235-2657fc5f3bde" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Plan.png?VersionId=Uzckrz9tUpDQl5lX1_WMhjnv16bsr8wG" />

The Design Report by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/studiosc-0">Studio SC</a> notes that the project “intends to deliver a high-quality, high-density built form that supports the vision for the Leppington Town Centre, integrating mixed-use outcomes and public domain upgrades.” The development is expected to be delivered in stages, although a precise timeline is yet to be confirmed.

The project will be assessed through a future State Significant Development Application, with the Scoping Report indicating the team will seek design excellence via a competitive process or through an expert design review panel. Early massing diagrams suggest a series of mid- to high-rise buildings framing a central landscaped spine, with emphasis on pedestrian permeability and public space.

The planning documentation flags a strong sustainability agenda, stating that the development will “respond to the urban heat island effect, incorporate water sensitive urban design, and prioritise active transport”.

<img alt="Mixed Use Development 230 Rickard Rd Leppington" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="369d7b54-1279-4cde-88ec-dcb215594414" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Podium_1.png?VersionId=QArL7B2kkLt63vl5xvL0FNV_ardAlez4" />

The proposal follows in the footsteps of the Makaris’ nearby Fifth Avenue site, where they’ve submitted plans for three towers comprising nearly 500 apartments, with 10 per cent dedicated to affordable housing. That project features commercial podiums, a childcare centre, and a new public park that would occupy more than a third of the site.

Both developments are situated within walking distance of Leppington Train Station and fall under strategic precinct plans promoting higher density housing. The town centre is undergoing substantial transformation, driven by state government planning reforms aimed at fast-tracking housing delivery.

Together, the two projects represent a combined ambition of nearly 1,400 new homes across just under two kilometres of central Leppington.

Staff Writer

First look: 900-home mixed-use precinct planned for Leppington

Leading Australian integrated property development group, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/aqualand-australia">Aqualand</a>, has released the signature penthouses crowning its landmark AURA by Aqualand precinct at 168 Walker Street in North Sydney, unveiling Il Magnate and La Divina as the largest and most luxurious penthouses in the suburb.

With prices anticipated to commence from $15 million, and each accompanied by a new Porsche Carrera 911 valued at over $500K, the residences mark the culmination of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/aura-by-aqualand-north-sydney-168-walker-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">AURA by Aqualand</a>’s decade-long journey and the beginning of its final sales chapter. 
&nbsp; 
Their release follows more than $850 million in record-breaking residential sales and the building’s completion and occupation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=30959 project_image_fid=358868]

The Richards Stanisich-designed 284 sqm Il Magnate and 224 sqm La Divina penthouses, collectively known as The Icons of AURA, are conceived as grand luxury homes rather than apartments, with expansive proportions, elevated materiality and curated identities that reflect their status as one-off residences.&nbsp;

Il Magnate features a grande master suite, complete with substantial walk-in dressing area and ensuite, three other bedrooms, second ensuite and another bathroom, powder room, open plan kitchen, scullery, substantial dining area and generous living room divided by a feature fireplace, and a multifunction wintergarden, which is ideal for a study and adjoining office breakout space. &nbsp;

Meanwhile, the La Divina residence offers the same amenities, sans the powder room, on a slightly smaller alternate floor plan configuration.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=30959 project_image_fid=358863]

Each occupies half of AURA by Aqualand’s topmost 28th level, comes with four secure car spaces and pairs sweeping Sydney Harbour panoramas with large-scale living spaces, refined detailing and a level of craftsmanship and amenity rarely offered in the North Shore market.&nbsp;

Penthouse residents will also receive Etymon’s ‘Black Key’ private concierge and lifestyle management service, an invitation only offering providing the ultimate in bespoke personalisation, including a range of everyday discrete services, from dinner party management, grocery deliveries, pet feeding or plants watered, dinners, snacks and coffee deliveries, event ticket sourcing, right up to organising travel visas and international airfares. Rarely seen in Australian properties, the service provides residents the benefits of living in a world-class luxury hotel-style home, akin to The Ritz, or the Waldorf Astoria.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=30959 project_image_fid=358862]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/richards-stanisich">Richards Stanisich</a>’s Director, Kirsten Stanisich, said the studio set out to craft residences that feel profoundly considered, contemporary and deeply connected to their setting.

“From the outset, we approached these penthouses with the sensibility of a grand Parisian residence - generous in scale, elegant in proportion and designed to feel more like a handcrafted home than an apartment," Stanisich said.

“Their elevated position and sweeping harbour outlook informed every decision, creating a rare connection between urban sophistication and natural calm. We shaped each space with expressive materiality, sculptural forms and bespoke detailing that invite touch and interaction.&nbsp;

“The result is a pair of residences defined by volume, light and an inherent softness - refined, flexible and deeply personal. These penthouses are unlike anything else in North Sydney, offering a sanctuary of true luxury framed by some of the city’s most remarkable views.”

For Aqualand’s Head of Sales &amp; Marketing, Alex Adams, the collaboration with Porsche underscores the shared ethos behind the residences.

“Aqualand’s collaboration with Porsche underpins both brand’s sharing an obsession with craftsmanship, design excellence, and enduring value," Adams said.

“Our penthouses are created for those who appreciate the finer details and expect the extraordinary at every touchpoint. Including a Porsche simply extends that experience beyond the residence - it’s a continuation of the lifestyle our buyers already live.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=30959 project_image_fid=292862]

Aqualand’s Managing Director, Jin Lin, said the penthouses represent both the pinnacle of AURA by Aqualand and an important design benchmark for the company’s future pipeline.&nbsp;

“These stunning penthouses reflect the purest expression of Aqualand’s design ambition," Lin said.

“The unparalleled design intent makes them not only the glistening crown of AURA by Aqualand, but the crown of North Sydney itself. They’re essentially a thank you gift to a burgeoning community that deserves this level of quality and architectural consideration.&nbsp;

“We’re leveraging the unrivalled standard set here as the foundation for what comes next, including our upcoming Anderson Street, Chatswood; 15 Blue Street, North Sydney and Central Barangaroo projects. Purchasers of these penthouses will essentially be living inside the blueprint of Aqualand’s future.

“These landmark residences demonstrate how far North Sydney has evolved and the strength of demand for highly curated, bespoke luxury homes. They’re more than penthouses, they’re legacy residences.&nbsp;

“With AURA by Aqualand now a thriving new precinct with residents well and truly settled, and our in-house world-class lifestyle amenity activated, Il Magnate and La Divina represent a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to secure an extraordinary piece of North Sydney’s future.”

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=30959]

Joel Robinson

Aqualand launches North Sydney penthouses with free Porsche Carrera 911

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/bokarina-qld-4575">Bokarina</a> Beach has quietly evolved into one of the Sunshine Coast’s most complete coastal lifestyle precincts, defined not just by proximity to the ocean, but by how residential living, local retail and everyday amenity are stitched together.&nbsp;

Gardner Vaughan Group’s <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bask-bokarina-38-bokarina-boulevard-bokarina-qld-4575">Bask Bokarina</a> now represents the final residential chapter in that transformation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=141609 project_image_fid=333360]

Over recent years, the Bokarina Beach precinct has taken shape as a walkable, community-oriented neighbourhood, anchored by beachfront access, Lake Kawana to the west, and a growing mix of cafés, specialty retail and public open space.&nbsp;

With Zinc Bokarina already delivered next door by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/gardner-vaughan-group">Gardner Vaughan Group</a> (GVG), Bask is the last opportunity to buy a brand new apartment within the precinct, effectively rounding out a fully formed coastal village.

GVG has positioned Bask to strengthen that lifestyle framework. Nine ground-floor retail spaces are planned beneath the residences, extending Bokarina Boulevard’s existing activity and reinforcing the area’s everyday convenience, from casual dining and coffee to local services, within a short walk of the beach.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=141609 project_image_fid=333359]

The residential component comprises 135 apartments across two buildings, Mydas and Caretta, with a clear shift toward larger three- and four-bedroom layouts and penthouses. That mix reflects a maturing buyer profile in Bokarina, where demand is increasingly led by owner-occupiers and active downsizers seeking space, permanence, and connection to place rather than short-term coastal accommodation.

Design and amenity have followed the same logic. Residents will have access to a heated plunge pool, gym, private dining room with a full kitchen, landscaped communal gardens with barbecues and a firepit, and a shared herb and vegetable garden, facilities intended to support daily use rather than resort-style turnover. Pet-friendly features, including a dog wash bay, acknowledge both buyer expectations and the area’s dog-friendly beach, located around 250 metres from the site.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=141609 project_image_fid=333366]

“Bokarina has become one of the Sunshine Coast’s most desirable beachside communities, and Bask represents the very last chance to buy new in this location,” GVG Director Sam Gardner said.&nbsp;

“Our focus has been to create spacious, functional apartments that meet the needs of locals who want to downsize without compromise, as well as those seeking a full-time coastal retreat.”

Positioned between the Pacific Ocean and Lake Kawana, Bask apartments have been oriented to capture outlooks toward the water or the Glass House Mountains, reinforcing the project’s connection to its natural surroundings. With parks, beachfront paths, hospitals, retail and public transport already in place, Bask arrives at a point where the broader precinct is no longer emerging, but established.

Construction is expected to complete in Q3 this year, with apartments ready to move into this Spring.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=141609]

Bask to complete Bokarina’s Sunshine Coast lifestyle precinct as final apartments are released

Property development giant <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/avid-property-group">AVID Property Group</a> is approaching completion, and sell-out, of its Surry Hills apartment development, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-rathbone-23-47-flinders-street-surry-hills-nsw-2010">The Rathbone</a>.

The Flinders St project has sold well over half of its 32 apartments, which will sit above two retail spaces.

Now hitting the market are the final 14 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, which start from $1.15 million. AVID is targeting a mid-2026 completion.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5947 project_image_fid=51208]

AVID General Manager New South Wales Danny Boubli said as more apartments are introduced to increase housing options in inner-city areas, homebuyers are searching for a &nbsp;sense of belonging in addition to location, convenience and value.&nbsp;

“There are very few opportunities for new developments in Surry Hills, and since acquiring the site, we’ve even seen one early purchaser merge two apartments plans together, reflecting the demand for a spacious, premium offering in a prime location,” Boubli said.&nbsp;

“Demand has been strong since we launched to market – we don’t see these final apartments staying on the market for long.”&nbsp;

Architectural firm Studio SC has designed the building which pays homage to the former 1900s Rathbone Terraces that once sat on the 990 sqm island site.

Boubil said the team has made every effort to create "truly liveable apartments", through&nbsp;functional floor plans, security, storage, and the inclusion of quality fittings.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5947 project_image_fid=51207]

&nbsp;

Sustainable design has also been implemented throughout the development, with natural light flooding each apartment, ventilation throughout, extensive landscaping and where possible, materials with a high level of recycled content and low volatile organic compound paints have been used. &nbsp;

Apartments range in size from 57 sqm for the one-bedrooms to the large-scale 165 sqm three-beds which are priced at $2,575,000.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=5947]

AVID launches final apartments at The Rathbone, Surry Hills

A wave of investment, renewal and precinct growth continues to shape the northern edge of Macquarie Park, where daily life is supported by a rare combination of university activity, corporate employment, major retail, and expansive green corridors. It’s this convergence of amenity and connectivity underpins the setting for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a>’s <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/la-vera-94-talavera-road-macquarie-park-nsw-2113">La Vera</a>, which has now topped out and is tracking toward completion in mid-2026.

Within this pocket of the precinct, residents move easily between the area’s key anchors. Macquarie Centre, home to more than 360 retailers, fresh food offerings, dining and entertainment, sits at the heart of local convenience and functions as a major transport interchange. The Metro, T1 rail line and extensive bus network place much of Sydney within quick reach, while surrounding arterial links support direct access to neighbouring districts.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=5829]

Green space remains a defining feature of the immediate environment. Lane Cove National Park stretches along the northern boundary of the precinct, offering bushland trails, cycling routes and quiet riverfront pockets. Shrimptons Creek and the campus grounds of Macquarie University extend these recreational networks, softening the urban setting and creating a daily connection to nature that informs the project’s architectural response.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">Cox Architecture</a> have shaped La Vera around these contrasts. The building’s northern elevation adopts an organic, curvilinear form that mirrors the natural topography of the national park. Three sculpted forms soften the tower’s profile and encourage a stronger transition between indoor living areas, balconies and the broader landscape.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=223737]

Cox Director Felipe Miranda says the building’s outlook played a central role in the design process.

“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… 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,” Felipe Miranda of Cox Architecture said.

Toward the city-facing side, the design shifts to a more urban expression. A gridded facade and extensive glazing capture CBD views, creating a dual strategy that blends ecological outlooks with metropolitan orientation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=5827]

La Vera delivers 169 residences across one- to four-bedroom layouts, reflecting the needs of young families, downsizers, first-home buyers and investors seeking long-term certainty within a high-amenity location. From the project, residents can walk to Macquarie University, Macquarie Hospital and nearby corporate offices, reach national park trails within minutes, and enjoy retail and dining without relying on a car.

The project is delivered by Urban Property Group, a 4.5-star iCIRT-rated developer-builder with more than three decades of experience. The company has become a leader in adopting 10-Year Latent Defects Insurance (LDI), first introduced on its Parq Bexley development and now embedded into its pipeline.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=223727]

La Vera is the first development in Macquarie Park approved to offer this 10-year LDI policy, adding another layer of protection for purchasers and reinforcing the transparency of the construction process.

Urban Property Group CEO Patrick Elias says this assurance has become increasingly important for buyers navigating 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,” Urban Property Group CEO Patrick Elias said.

Urban Property Group's in-house construction team is forecasting a mid-2026 completion, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/home789">HOME789</a> appointed as the project marketer.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134951]

La Vera delivers a nature-connected address within Macquarie Park’s core

Thredbo

<html><body>
EXPERT OBSERVER
With Australians now having to holiday domestically, perhaps a local ski resort chalet might be on the minds of property seekers.
<div class="sc-pZzYQ sc-oTcDH cVSFPU">
<img class="sc-qYHHM dyhwPj size-full wp-image-596037" src="https://www.realestate.com.au/blog/images/800x500-fit,progressive/2020/07/04174529/thredbo.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="500"><div class="sc-pTFCl bXqHjO">
This property in Thredbo is recently under offer. Picture: realestate.com.au
</div>
<hr class="sc-pYbQl koSjHi sc-qbCpE geCAmz">
</div>
Thredbo is currently the most popular ski resort for property seekers in Australia, closely followed by Falls Creek.
There are too few sales to see if COVID-19 has impacted pricing at these resorts but we can see that the most viewed property in Thredbo is <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-alpine-nsw-thredbo-131373914" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">3/8 Cascades Close</a><a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-alpine-nsw-thredbo-131373914"></a>.
It features iconic chalet wooden panelling appropriate for an Alpine getaway and is all yours for $790,000.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2020/7/5/REA%20ski%20resort.JPG" alt="">
NERIDA CONISBEE is the Chief Economist at the REA
</body></html>

nconisbee-4KnoX9XmtH

Thredbo the most popular ski resort for property seekers: REA's Nerida Conisbee

<html><body>
There's a Thredbo price record after its current holder, Tussock, has been snappily sold, having been listed with $4 million to $5 million price hopes.
<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/2019/6/28/thredbo%202.jpg" alt="">
Tussock, the alpine chalet located on one of the highest blocks in Thredbo, was designed to be a soft edge between the village and the national park.
It last traded for $3.5 million in 2005 when sold by Melbourne architect Andrew Norbury and his then wife Jane Parker, one of the founders of Country Road. It has been purchased by another Sydney family.
Norbury had designed the home on Crackenback Ridge, with its construction costs put as $1.2 million.
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-alpine-nsw-thredbo-131259662" target="_blank">two-storey, five bedroom residence</a> features remote-controlled 15 zone underfloor heating, plus floor-to-ceiling windows looking out on snow gums and passing skiers.
<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/2019/6/28/thredbo%203.jpg" alt="">
Crackenback Ridge changed mountaintop living with its ski-in, ski-out location.
The ground floor of the home is essentially subterranean with only one of the four elevations revealing itself to the viewer.
Six hundred cubic metres of earth were carved out to slot the home into the hill.  
The upper level is a pavilion structure that sits in a field of Tussock's native grasses and flowers.
The pavilion structure is substantially glazed, creating living areas with a sense of lightness and allowing filtered views of the surrounding alpine environment.
<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/2019/6/28/thredbo%204.jpg" alt="">
The entry is lit via flashing at the upper level, producing a diffused light that filters through an open staircase and into the subterranean entry foyer. This creates an unexpectedly light and warm entry which then leads up into the pavilion spaces.
Reducing conventional height and visible bulk, the main sleeping quarters were buried into the site with a lightweight living pavilion stepped back into the slope above it.
A wide V-shaped wall of local granite forms the camouflaged outer edge to the subterranean portion. 
"The idea was the bulk of the bedrooms would be warm and cozy downstairs, in a space where you don't need much light, and the spaces above, which you inhabit by day, would be all glass," Norbury of METIER3 noted after its construction.
<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/2019/6/28/thredbo%205.jpg" alt="">
"The knock-on effect is that the living spaces have a great view out across the ski runs.
"This house is actually very inconspicuous given how big it is [450 square metres]."
By pushing one level underground, the architect halved the permitted site coverage, allowing more space between buildings.
The initiative also broke with the comparatively uniform typology of houses in the village, a conscious goal of the architect.
"You just see a single pavilion," said Norbury. 
<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/2019/6/28/thredbo%206.jpg" alt="">
Before this design, Norbury had another residence on Crackenback Ridge a little further down the hill which won a commendation in the premier national architecture prize for housing, the Robin Boyd Award, in 1997. 
They sold the home when it became "built out" by other lodges.
Over recent years the most significant sale was De Dacha lodge, set in the village, which fetched $2.25 million.
Overlooking the duck ponds, the four-bedroom European alpine-style lodge ranks among the loveliest of the village’s private abodes.
Former society model Fiona Campbell sold the chalet, which has been an $8000-a-week peak season rental, to the ski-loving Punch family through local agent Doug Edwards at Mountain High Real Estate.
Lendlease resort manager Albert Van der Lee had built it for a mere $28,000 and lived there from 1962 to 1984.
It traded in 1994 for a record $810,000 when Campbell and her then husband, publisher Matt Handbury, bought it from village developers Lendlease. 
Around $240,000 will get you a studio apartment in Central Thredbo. 
Being in Kosciuszco National Park, buyers secure a Torrens Title Leasehold, with leases running until 2057/58.
Owners buy the right to occupy a certain number of beds within a building.
Even out of season, Thredbo is buzzing with crowds clad in sports-luxe, trekking and pedalling up summits.
In summer "it's like having a farmhouse", Norbury said of Tussock. 
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firstname1-iYD4UYzvBa

Fresh Thredbo price record after sale of Tussock ski chalet on Crackenback

<html><body>
Winter has come and that means heightened interest in snow property on Mount Kosciusko.
The Thredbo price record is set to be broken with its current holder, Tussock, now listed for sale.
<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/2019/6/28/thredbo%202.jpg" alt="">
Tussock, the alpine chalet located on one of the highest blocks in Thredbo, was designed to be a soft edge between the village and the national park.
It last traded for $3.5 million in 2005 when sold by Melbourne architect Andrew Norbury and his then wife Jane Parker, one of the founders of Country Road.
<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/2019/6/28/thredbo%203.jpg" alt="">
Norbury had designed the home on Crackenback Ridge, with its construction costs put as $1.2 million.
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-alpine-nsw-thredbo-131259662" target="_blank">two-storey, five bedroom residence</a> features remote-controlled 15 zone underfloor heating, plus floor-to-ceiling windows looking out on snow gums and passing skiers.
<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/2019/6/28/thredbo%204.jpg" alt="">
Crackenback Ridge changed mountaintop living with its ski-in, ski-out location, Tussock's listing agent, Michelle Stynes at Forbes Stynes Real Estate recalls.
The ground floor of the home is essentially subterranean with only one of the four elevations revealing itself to the viewer.
<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/2019/6/28/thredbo%205.jpg" alt="">
Six hundred cubic metres of earth were carved out to slot the home into the hill.  
The upper level is a pavilion structure that sits in a field of Tussock's native grasses and flowers.
The pavilion structure is substantially glazed, creating living areas with a sense of lightness and allowing filtered views of the surrounding alpine environment.
<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/2019/6/28/thredbo%206.jpg" alt="">
The entry is lit via flashing at the upper level, producing a diffused light that filters through an open staircase and into the subterranean entry foyer. This creates an unexpectedly light and warm entry which then leads up into the pavilion spaces.
Reducing conventional height and visible bulk, the main sleeping quarters were buried into the site with a lightweight living pavilion stepped back into the slope above it.
A wide V-shaped wall of local granite forms the camouflaged outer edge to the subterranean portion. 
"The idea was the bulk of the bedrooms would be warm and cozy downstairs, in a space where you don't need much light, and the spaces above, which you inhabit by day, would be all glass," Norbury of METIER3 noted after its construction.
"The knock-on effect is that the living spaces have a great view out across the ski runs.
"This house is actually very inconspicuous given how big it is [450 square metres]."
By pushing one level underground, the architect halved the permitted site coverage, allowing more space between buildings.
The initiative also broke with the comparatively uniform typology of houses in the village, a conscious goal of the architect.
"You just see a single pavilion," said Norbury. 
Before this design, Norbury had another residence on Crackenback Ridge a little further down the hill which won a commendation in the premier national architecture prize for housing, the Robin Boyd Award, in 1997. 
They sold the home when it became "built out" by other lodges.
Since established in the late 1950s, Thredbo has become Australia’s premier ski destination, and home to some special chalets.
It was 1958 when Garry Richardson, son of Merv who'd created the first Victa mower, asked friend and architect Peter Muller to design his ski lodge in Thredbo.
There's Seidler Lodge, with massive angled beams, designed by the Austrian expatriate Harry Seidler which won NSW's top housing prize, the Wilkinson award, in 1965.
Sastrugi Lodge, designed by Otto Ernegg in 1958, was renovated with a Dawson Brown Architecture-redesign three decades later and won the RAIA Canberra Medallion in 2000.
Over recent years the most significant sale was De Dacha lodge, set in the village, which fetched $2.25 million.
Overlooking the duck ponds, the four-bedroom European alpine-style lodge ranks among the loveliest of the village’s private abodes.
Former society model Fiona Campbell sold the chalet, which has been an $8000-a-week peak season rental, to the ski-loving Punch family through local agent Doug Edwards at Mountain High Real Estate.
Lendlease resort manager Albert Van der Lee had built it for a mere $28,000 and lived there from 1962 to 1984.
It traded in 1994 for a record $810,000 when Campbell and her then husband, publisher Matt Handbury, bought it from village developers Lendlease. 
Around $240,000 will get you a studio apartment in Central Thredbo. 
Being in Kosciuszco National Park, buyers secure a Torrens Title Leasehold, with leases running until 2057/58.
Owners buy the right to occupy a certain number of beds within a building.
Even out of season, Thredbo is buzzing with crowds clad in sports-luxe, trekking and pedalling up summits.
In summer "it's like having a farmhouse", Norbury said of Tussock. 
This article first appeared in The Weekend Australian. 
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Thredbo price record set to fall with listing of ski chalet Tussock

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The ski-loving Punch family have bought Thredbo's De Dacha lodge for $2.25 million.
It was sold by former society model Fiona Campbell, now known as Lady Dartmouth through Doug Edwards at Mountain High Real Estate who had a guide of $2.5 million.
It last traded in 1994 when a record $810,000 was paid by Campbell and her then publisher husband, Matt Handbury.
Following their split in 2001, Fiona famously sold Altona in Point Piper but kept the ski lodge. 
It was followed by a marriage to the 10th Earl of Dartmouth William Legge, the grandson of the romance novelist Barbara Cartland, the son of Countess Raine Spencer, and stepbrother to Princess Diana.
This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.
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Punch family buy Thredbo's De Dacha lodge 

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De Dacha, the cute ski chalet in the Thredbo village which came with a $2.5 million asking price, has been sold by the former society model, Fiona Campbell.
It last traded in 1994 when a record $810,000 was paid Campbell and her then publisher husband, Matt Handbury to the the village developers, Lend Lease.
Overlooking the duck ponds, the European alpine-style lodge ranks as the loveliest of the village's private abodes.
The red-shuttered Da Dacha is a stand alone chalet which offered four bedrooms, four bathrooms, a lounge room with wood burning fireplace and a dining area with an office nook.
It was a $8000 a week peak season rental.
The lodge was designed by Lend Lease resort manager Albert Van der Lee, who occupied the lodge from 1962 to 1984.
Its building cost was a mere $28,000.
Following her split with Matt in 2001, Fiona famously received Point Piper's Altona, one of Australia's great harbourfront trophy homes, and De Dacha in the matrimonial settlement.
She sold Altona in 2002 for a record-breaking $28 million to hotelier Deke Miskin and his wife Eve.
It was followed by a marriage to a titled Englishman, the 10th Earl of Dartmouth William Legge, the grandson of the romance novelist Barbara Cartland, the son of Countess Raine Spencer, and stepbrother to Princess Diana.
De Dacha was listed by local estate agent Doug Edwards at Mountain High Real Estate. No sale price has yet emerged on the Kosciusko Thredbo sale records.
It has been a busier than usual snow season for property sales with whispers the famous Bernti's premises have been sold.
It still retains the name of the former hosts, Bernd and Tricia Hecher, the always welcoming couple who built their mountain ski lodge in the late 1970s.
He was the stonemason, turned ski instructor and she was the clerk of works, who became the leader of opinions in the tiny village. 
Iconic Athol Lodge is in the process of duplex subdivision with one of the five bedroom apartments just listed at $2 million. Orthopedic surgeons outlaid $1.69 million for Jodee Rich's Athol Lodge back in 2004. 
Obergurgl, located on the corner of Buckwong Place and Brindle Bull, seems set for alterations with a two storey master suite being proposed by the Malouf family. They have consulted the original architect Peter Muller.
The Bellevarde is the newest approved development with construction starting early next year by the veteran snow developer John Fielding.  
This article was first published in the Sunday Telegraph.
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