Domain Prestige - March 20, 2024

Whether Launceston or Hobart is a better place to put down roots is a matter of personal preference. Do you want to base yourself on the north or south side of the island? Do you enjoy touring around charming towns and national parks or beaches? The debate goes on ... and perhaps a deciding factor is price? The richest part of Tassie can be found in Hobart. At the top of the wish list is Battery Point, with the state’s highest median house price of $1.5 million, followed by Sandy Bay at $1.2 million, on Domain data. For investors, Launceston is ideal if you have an extra $700,000 to spare. As a foodie, my heart lies with Launceston – home to a rich produce, brewing and wine scene and siting at the global dinner table as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy. We venture there in this week’s Living In column, where we also stumble across a rare architectural listing with stately gardens.

Editor:

Editorial

Group picture editor: Kylie Thomson

Senior designer:

Chin Quan

Graphic designer:

National

Group

By KATE FARRELLY

Darling Point

Sydney 71 Darling Point Road

$20 million

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Auction: 1.30pm, April 6

Agent: The Agency Eastern Suburbs, Ben Collier 0414 646 476

If you were to dream up a perfect high-Victorian home in a perfect eastern suburbs locale, it might well look like heritage-listed Trebenna. Built in about 1888 with impressive proportions, the restored and renovated residence comes with richly adorned interiors, Annie Wilkes-designed gardens, coveted secure garaging and quick access to Double Bay village via Marathon Stairs.

Centennial Park

Sydney 78 Lang Road

$21 million-$23 million 5 7 2

Auction: 6pm, April 10

Agent: Ray White Double Bay, Ashley Bierman 0410 161 881

Reminiscent of an elegant country estate and directly opposite Centennial Park, the newly rebuilt Centennial House was designed by Weir Phillips with landscaped gardens by Myles Baldwin. The floor plan offers a choice of living spaces and five bedrooms with en suites, including a separate studio.

Toorak

Melbourne 11 Struan Street

$9 million-$9.9 million

Expressions of interest: Close 3pm, March 25

Agent: Marshall White Stonnington, Marcus Chiminello 0411 411 271 Exotic marbles, oak parquetry, steel-framed doors, Venetian-plaster walls, high recessed ceilings, designer lighting and bespoke joinery combine to great effect in this whole-floor residence curated by Mim Design. One of just four apartments, the property boasts a home theatre and wine room.

Palm Beach

Gold Coast 175 Jefferson Lane

Auction: 10am, March 28

Agent: Kollosche, Troy Dowker 0409 057 087 With views stretching from Coolangatta to Surfers Paradise, this four-storey, Hamptonsinspired property has four living zones, a home office and a garage with a gym and wine cellar.

A master planned residential address like no other. Poised at the edge of the city and on the fringe of the Parliamentary Triangle and Lake Burley Grifin, comes The Grande.

This visionary and innovative collection of 332 residences redefines inner-city living with a stunning master plan and amenity that ticks all the boxes. Take your pick from a selection of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom contemporary apartments, sprawling across eight level and three buildings.

Designed to pay homage to its exceptional location, each residence harnesses strategic viewpoints that connect residents to the bustling cityscape, allowing them to embrace a seamless indoor-outdoor living experience.

thegrandecanberra.com.au

COLOUR YOUR QUENCH Care for a sangria or iced tea?

FAZEEK’s Two Tone Pitcher elevates any beverage choice with its eye-catching colour-blocking aesthetic. Each piece in either lilac and green or pink and amber celebrates the beauty of hand-blown glass. fazeek.com.au

Rock the block

Opposites attract, and in the case of these colour-blocking gems, they also make a bold statement. Compiled by PAULINE MORRISSEY

GEOMETRIC GLOW The minimalist Pivot Portable Lamp by &Tradition angles its geometric shade at 45 degrees to the base. Made from powder-coated iron and mirror-polished steel, it comes in colour-blocked blue silver or rusty mint. finnishdesignshop.com

TABLE OF TONES Designed by Muller van Severen for HAY, the TwoColour Table celebrates the art of contrast. Its Valchromat top rests on steel tube legs, available in varying colour combinations, shapes and sizes to offer additional visual intrigue. hayshop.com.au

MONTANA MAGIC The Montana Modular System offers creativity in storage, with 36 modules and 42 finishes for endless possibilities. In collaboration with colourist Tekla Evelina Severin, the Colours of Comfort range – acacia, ruby, and clay – invites fresh avenues for creativity. cultdesign.com.au

CBD oasis

A heritage-listed industrial building in a noisy city lane has been transformed into a bright and tranquil haven.

By PAUL BEST

ARCHITECTURE

The first thing that hits you is the pindrop quiet. Or, at least, the sudden absence of noise, as you breeze into the whole-floor apartment (550 square metres) off the bustling CBD laneway and close the door on the city din outside.

Then you’re inevitably struck by the clean, modern beauty of the architect-crafted interiors.

Blissful, but somewhat expected. Located in the heart of one of Melbourne’s most lively dining quarters, the 1907 building – known as The Bond Store – is made primarily from concrete.

Built by engineer and military commander Sir John Monash for retailer Mitchells to store goods, the heritage-listed building was Australia’s first reinforced off-form concrete structure.

“It was made strong enough to insure goods cheaply,” says property developer Danny Schwartz, who, with his fashion-and-interior designer wife Uschi, overhauled the apartment.

With rubbish trucks on 4am runs adding to the cacophony, the couple had the apartment triple-

YOUR AGENT

Anthony Kirwan

Cushman & Wakefield

“It’s the perfect primary residence for a downsizer or as a weekender.

I can also see it working as a retail space for a luxury brand. It’s a pretty special property.”

glazed as part of the rebuild, completed in 2019. They sold it to the current owner in 2020.

“One of the glass layers is 20 millimetres thick,” says Schwartz, who employed an acoustic engineer for the job. “We also soundproofed the subfloor. It’s like a recording studio.”

More than just silence, a green oasis of living plants between the layers of glass lends an air of tranquillity.

The Schwartzes bought the two ground-floor apartments – which were like “rabbit warrens” –in 2017-18 to combine into a single grand residence. They gutted the entire floor and stripped the interior to its concrete bones.

“We wanted to open it up and give it the sense of warehouse space it once enjoyed in a city where apartments are often cramped,” says Schwartz, who owns and has renovated other units in the building.

Uschi worked in the building in the 1990s, when it was used for clothing manufacturing and textile storage.

The couple produced an initial design for architects O’Connor and Houle to work with.

“We wanted the interior as transparent as possible from front to back,” explains principal Stephen O’Connor, whose great-great-uncle –in a lovely twist – worked with Monash.

Entering through a steel-and-glass vestibule, it’s amazing how much you immediately see. Under 3.4-metre ceilings are a lounge, play area (with swing) and study nook; beyond, behind steelframed glass walls, are the main bedroom and dressing room, made private with curtains.

To the right are two multipurpose rooms currently used as a study and office.

Panning left, you see the kitchen, dining and living areas and space for yoga or cardio training. These flow through stepped brick archways to an adjoining courtyard with its own street entrance.

“It’s like your own home in the middle of town,” Schwartz says.

Glass-topped partitions – like highlight windows – enhance the openness while diffusing natural light – which, in laneway buildings, is limited.

Cleverly concealed tunable lighting helps, too.

“You can tune the colour temperature to simulate early morning, evening or the middle of the day for ambience,” O’Connor says. “It’s a significant part of the design.”

There are also out-of-way places: a bedroom with a reading nook, a media room and a laundry.

Tucked up at the front of the apartment is lockable, self-contained accommodation – or an office – with a kitchenette. It also has its own entrance, accessed from the O’Connor and Houle-designed lobby, portico and front garden.

Care was taken to retain a sense of the building’s industrial past. It’s present in the painted dado line, exposed brickwork and concrete ceiling, beams and octagonal columns, still with their original paint.

“We wanted concrete to be the hero,” Schwartz says. But it’s overlaid with a wonderfully pale, soft cosmopolitan skin: oak-lined walls and joinery, maple floors imported from Canada, Italian limestone benches, Turkish travertine, Japanese INAX tiles and Paris Au Mois D’Août fabric pendants.

Melbourne

Melbourne CBD

Level 1, 30 Oliver Lane $10 million+

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Expressions of interest: Close noon, April 25

Agent: Cushman & Wakefield, Anthony Kirwan 0431 952 430

Hover your camera over the code to see Domain listings in Melbourne CBD

JAMES GEER

LAUNCESTON

A gem of Tasmania’s north, Launceston is one of our oldest cities, with a storied past and bright future.

Launceston is a city of delightful contradictions. Its landscape sprinkled with grand Georgian homes, Australia’s third-oldest city whispers tales of its past. Yet, this northern Tasmanian jewel strides confidently into the future.

Despite being the second-largest city on the Apple Isle, after Hobart, Launceston retains the heart of a big village where rivers meet the mountains and historic architecture sparks joy.

The Cataract Gorge Reserve offers a natural oasis moments from the city centre, with a swimming pool, a suspension bridge, and the world’s longest single-span chairlift.

This landmark site and its proximity to Launceston Airport highlight the city’s perfect balance between tranquillity and accessibility.

A lifestyle for the long haul

Born and raised in Launceston, George and Joscelyn Bushby of Bushby Creese Real Estate say the city has a magnetic pull – when buyers move in, they’re generally setting up for life.

“It’s a sanctuary for families, with its safety, well-regarded private schools, and lifestyle properties just 10 minutes from the CBD,” George says. “And retirees find solace in its lack of city congestion and more temperate climate.”

The Bushbys also point to Launceston’s diverse property market, from affordable charming city cottages to high-end, majestic Victorian estates.

By PAULINE MORRISSEY

“Within a 40-minute drive, there are multiple coastal towns that residents can enjoy further north,” Joscelyn says. “Given Launceston’s reasonable house prices, compared to major cities, the dream of owning an urban dwelling and a seaside retreat is within reach for many.”

Creativity and gastronomy

While Launceston may not have a MONA, it is home to beautiful galleries like the Queen Victoria Art Gallery at Royal Park and supports a vibrant collective of makers and creators.

Among these is the pottery studio Glazed and Confused, owned and operated by Asya Bell.

“Since opening in 2021, we’ve felt right at home in our studio along Quadrant Mall, which is a lively hub with several laneways branching off a main pedestrian precinct,” Bell says.

“The warm welcome we’ve received has inspired our collaborations with local groups, allowing us to contribute to Launceston’s flourishing arts scene.”

Launceston’s culinary scene is distinguished by its 2021 UNESCO City of Gastronomy title, and its spotlight on fresh, local produce transforms dining into an art form.

Award-winning restaurants like Stillwater, perched in a historic flour mill on the River Tamar, exemplify this, side by side with the city’s more modest gems.

Launceston’s streetscapes are peppered with historic buildings spanning a range of styles and eras.

YOU MAY LIKE ...

Launceston

Northern Tasmania 16 York Street $4.5 million+

5 3 2

Expressions of interest

Agent: Bushby Creese Real Estate, George Bushby 0407 311 205

Goorak, a grand Victorian residence set in elegant gardens, has been reimagined by architect Gillian Van Der Schans. Its highlights are stunning views and a slate-paved outdoor area and infinity pool.

Where life’s more refined.

Make your home a place where vibrant living meets wellbeing. Retire with confidence in a closely connected retirement community, where people and programs are designed to bring out the best in you.

Luxury apartments now selling.

Selling fast, enquire today.

1800 550 550

bernboroughascot.com.au

48 Hampden Street, Ascot QLD 4007

Bernborough Ascot

Buyers and tenants are now looking for amenities, such as the Ethos building’s wellness centre.

Why good places give good returns

Investors benefit greatly when they give residents a sense of community, connection to amenities and a joie de vivre.

By SUE WILLIAMS

To invest well in residential real estate, it’s always important to keep up with trends in how people want to live. And the latest is returning to the past and revisiting the pleasures of living in a small community, says award-winning SJB architect Adam Haddow.

“If you look at medieval society, people then wanted to live closer to other people and to amenity,” he says.

“Now, we’re at last getting back to that. People today want to live in mixed residential communities where you can just go downstairs to the retail offering and to meet others.

The village comes to you rather than you [having to] drive to the village.”

Over the past five to 10 years, mixed-use residential projects have proliferated throughout our major cities and have proved extremely attractive to both owner-occupiers and, hence, to investors.

Three of the nation’s newest are now under construction in Sydney: developer Central Element’s Ethos, a 47-apartment, 16-storey building with 12,000 square metres of retail on

the ground and first floors; its 36-apartment, six-level, ground-floor retail Pienza in Neutral Bay; and Toga’s Surry Hills Village, the transformation of an old shopping centre.

“This really is the way of the future,” says Central Element head of sales Cameron Porter.

“People today want to live in mixed residential communities.”

“The Australian mindset has really changed now, and people love the convenience of living in these kinds of developments.

“At the same time, they breathe new life into their respective areas and positively impact the place-making and reinvigoration of the sites and the spaces around those areas.”

If the retail is curated carefully – everyone wants to live near good cafes, bakeries, chemists and supermarkets, and few want to live above vape shops, tattoo parlours and fast-food outlets – these projects can be very successful.

As a result, they can enjoy strong capital gains, decent rents and a low turnover of tenants.

Andrew Hoyne, founder and principal of the place-making company Hoyne and publisher of The Place Economy, which gives the commercial arguments for effective place-making, says it can add enormous value to any property.

“If you ask people what would make their life more joyful and improve the quality of their experience, it’s often about location and how it can deliver retail or food and beverage or services on the ground plane,” he says. “That can create the best possible outcome for residents.

“People receive more than they pay for if there have been good place-making principles employed in a development.”

Scott O’Neill, a professional property investor and managing director of Rethink Investing, also likes to invest in mixed-use developments, as long as they’re underscored by quality retail.

“These types of amenities obviously add to the properties, lift the overall quality of the building and boost the areas as well,” he says.

“Upmarket tenancies like a good-quality supermarket or great hairdresser give back to the tenants, give it a much better feel than just having a car park underneath and help make it a much better-known building as well.”

Murray Bay Road, Whitsundays

Contact Agents

Lynn Milsom | +61 415 039 060

Wayne Singleton | +61 416 024 168

The gateway to the Whitsundays.

MURRAY BAY ROAD, WHITSUNDAYS

Welcome to a world of exclusivity, where opportunity is as limitless as imagination. Embedded within the picture-perfect Murray Bay, this stunning Whitsunday property is a masterpiece of privacy and sophistication.

Steeped in heritage, this prime-position property stands at the gateway to the Whitsunday Islands. Spanning close to 9 acres with over 250 metres of beachfront, the potential for this property is boundless. Under tourism/residential zoning, this property offers flexibility in use. Whether you envision a premium resort, caravan park, lifestyle hotel/licensed venue, or you wish to retain this slice of paradise as your own private retreat, this estate offers a curated canvas for your grandest aspirations.

THE FINEST HOME IN ROBINA WITH STYLE, SOPHISTCATION & PURE QUALITY

The Ben Williams Team are excited to present this prestigious home that is ready for its new owners to move straight into!

POINT POSITION - NORTH FACING - VIEWS - LARGEST BLOCK IN THE SUBURB 2,756m2 WITH 53.3m WIDE WATER FRONTAGE

11 Pipers Point is Enviously positioned at the end of the cul-de-sac in the Exclusive Pipers Point Robina, it is a secluded and private oasis that flawlessly captures the essence of our much-vaunted lifestyle enjoyed here in South East Queensland, where one is gently coaxed outside at every opportunity to enjoy the lake, lush gardens, peaceful surrounds and serene alfresco spaces all year round in this wonderful climate.

This modern stylish bespoke home covers over 100 squares and is encapsulated by 2,756m2 of gated lush landscaped and tropical gardens that has been exquisitely renovated where the Attention to detail is evident throughout creating an executive yet functional family home with multiple living area’s and loads of outdoor space for the kids & “big boys” toys.

Boasting a Northerly aspect with a huge water frontage and uninterrupted lake views, it is unmistakably clear that outdoor living is high on the agenda of the current owners and they have gracefully created a resort style feel, where kids can play, Mum, Dad & the teenagers can entertain friends and family in whatever numbers the occasion demands. Life-long memories will be made, as you come together with your favourite people, living, laughing and loving together in this inviting alfresco oasis.

Features Include & Not Limited to:

•Securely Gated

•Landscaped Gardens

•3 Car Garage with Storage Room

•Wine Cellar

•Additional Parking for 5+ cars

•Kids Play Area

8 6 11

•Pontoon

•Outdoor Under Cover Alfresco & Entertaining Area

•Indoor Pool

•Dual Living opportunity with separate entrance

Ben Williams

0435 780 117

benwilliams@remax.com.au

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739/61 NOOSA SPRINGS DRIVE, NOOSA HEADS

Designed by Paul Clout, a superlative albeit handsome residence offers a beguiling blueprint which looks beautifully to the past and future for its design credentials, by cleverly combining Art Deco’s eye-popping curvaceous lines with lavish spaces, timeless style, and never leaving glamour at the door. The design is on par with excellence with a northerly aspect, views from most rooms and has a 36m golf

course frontage which seemingly melds with the 5th and 7th holes of world class Noosa Springs Golf Course. Central to the residence, is an over generous, lofty ceilinged living/dining space, drenched with natural light, a fireplace with sandstone feature, and curved walls of glass.

Price $7.45M

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Agent

Clare Sherwood

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0402 903 733 clare@offermann.com.au

Agent

Patrick Sherwood

0413 889 130 patrick@offermann.com.au