Property Advert of the Week: Meriton Advertisement (1973)

Below is a 1973 newspaper advertisement from Meriton Apartments (then known as Meriton Properties) promoting apartments for sale in Sydney.

The main listing was for 23-25 Sherbrook Road, Hornsby. In addition, apartments were on sale in Dee Why, Randwick, Harbord, Caringbah, Lane Cove and Mortdale. 

 

Source: Meriton Properties Ltd. 1973. "Home Units Hornsby". The Sun, October 19: 63. 

Property Advert of the Week: "San Michelle" at Queenscliff (1970)

Below is a 1971 newspaper advertisement promoting the sales of units in a two-building complex at Queenscliff - "San Michelle", located at 63 Crown Road. Each building has six units spread over three floors, with an average of two units per floor. 

Going by the RBA Inflation Calculator, a unit would range in the equivalent of today's money from approximately $ 266,700 to $ 481,200.

  

Source: I.E.L. 1971. "San Michelle" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, June 5: 43. 

Property Advert of the Week: Arena, Rockdale (2002)

Below is a 2002 newspaper advertisement for the Arena complex, located on the Princes Highway at Rockdale.

 

Source: Cramer Property Agents & PRDnationwide. 2002. "Arena" (Advertisement). The Sunday Telegraph: 15 (homeowner liftout).

Property Advert of the Week: 63 Helen Street, Lane Cove (1971)

Below is a 1971 newspaper advertisement promoting the sale of two- and three-bedroom apartments in an apartment complex located at 63 Helen Street, Lane Cove.

Two-bedroom apartments were available for sale from $17,400, and three-bedroom apartments from $20,750. According to the RBA Inflation Calculator, this would equate to spending either $232,500 or $ 274,000, respectively, in today's money. 

 

Source: Shead Pty. Ltd. 1971. "63 Helen Street, Lane Cove" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, June 12: 42.

Property Advert of the Week: Newtown Silos (2003)

Below is a 2003 newspaper advertisement for The Newtown Silos apartment complex. The former flour mill located in Gladstone Street, Newtown, was converted into an apartment complex and was completed in 2005.

Source: Cromer Property Agents and Peter Shield Real Estate. 2003. "This is silo : new life, new living space, Newtown" (Advertisement). The Sunday Telegraph, June 8: 11 (homeowner liftout). 

Property Advert of the Week: Eastlakes Home Units Ad (1966)

Below is a newspaper advertisement from 1966. Parkes Developments was promoting apartments for sale at Eastlakes. However, it doesn't go into specifics. Deposits started at $1000, and if you wanted more information, "enquire at Parkes Caravan".

Source: Parkes Developments Pty. Ltd. 1966. "East-lakes" (Advertisement). The Sun, October 21: 65. 

Property Advert of the Week: 108/1 Missenden Road, Camperdown (1998)

Below is a 1998 newspaper advertisement for an apartment for sale at 1 Missenden Road, Camperdown. The apartment was listed through Richardson & Wrench, Glebe. No price is listed for the two-bedroom apartment.

Source: Richardson & Wrench Glebe. 1998. "Luxury Living at an affordable price". The Sydney Morning Herald, May 2: 35RE (Real Estate).

NEVER BUILT SYDNEY: AML & F Redevelopment Proposal (1989)

Full Citation Below

In 2023, I posted an entry on the fire that destroyed the Australian Mercantile Land & Finance Co. Building at Ultimo in 1992. 

At the time of the fire, the site was facing redevelopment. In 1989, Essington Developments Lrd. (owned by Kerry Packer) proposed a plan to convert the building into a hotel and apartment building. There would be 150 apartments along with a four star hotel. A small office building along with retail would also be provided. The redevelopment was projected to cost $200 million.

Source: Dixon, A. 1989. "New life for a grand old building" . The Sydney Morning Herald, March 29: 2. 

The restoration of the former woolstore would have been similar to the Goldsborough Mort Woolstore located further up Harris Street. However had this had gone ahead and there was no fire to the woolstore itself, it have meant that those in Ultimo would not have the Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre which occupies part of the present site. The Harry Seidler-designed building is a local landmark in itself.

Related Entry

1992: Ultimo's Australian Mercantile Land and Finance Co. Building destroyed by fire

Property Advert of the Week: "Cowper Hall", Randwick (1986)

Below is a 1986 newspaper advertisement promoting apartments for sale in the "Cowper Hall" complex at 55 Cowper Street in Randwick. One-bedroom apartments were on offer for $110, 000 and two-bedroom units were on offer from $136,000. According to the RBA Inflation Calculator, this would equate to around spending $ 356,000 today (One bedroom) and $ 441,000 (two bedrooms) 

Source: L. J. Hooker.  1986. "Cowper Hall" (Advertisement). The Eastern Herald, October 30: 14. 

Property Advert of the Week: 1 Georgina Street, Newtown (1998)

Below is a 1998 newspaper advertisement promoting the sale of 1 and 2-bedroom apartments in the  One Georgina Street complex in Newtown. Prices started from $230,000.

   

Source: Anon. 1998. "One Georgina Street" (Advertisement). The Sydney Morning Herald, May 2: 35 (Real Estate Liftout).

Property Advert of the Week: Eastgate Gardens (1987) - The mega advertisement

I have posted two advertisements promoting apartments for sale in Eastgate Towers in Bondi Junction (links below), but this one covers the entire page of a broadsheet newspaper (A2) size. It was published in The Sydney Morning Herald on April 11 1987.

Source: Laing & Simmons Pty. Ltd. 1987. "Eastgate Gardens". The Sydney Morning Herald, April 11: 36. 

Related Entries

Property Advert of the Week: Eastgate Gardens, Bondi Junction (1988)

Property Advert of the Week: Eastgate Towers, Bondi Junction (1987)

Property Advert of the Week: 8 Williams Parade, Dulwich Hill (1998)

Below is a 1998 newspaper advertisement for the Kensington complex at 8 Williams Parade, Dulwich Hill. Two and three-bedroom apartments were on sale for just $ 240,000.

   

Source: Magna Project Marketing. 1998. "Kensington" (Advertisement). The Sydney Morning Herald, May 2: 34RE (Real Estate Liftout).

Property Advert of the Week: Meriton Pyrmont Projects Ad (2000)

This is the last Property Advert of the Week for 2024. Below is a newspaper advertisement from Meriton that appeared in The Inner West Courier on August 14 2000. It was to promote "The Palladium" and "Richmont" in Pyrmont. 

Source: Meriton. 2000. "Untitled" (Advertisement). The Inner West Courier, August 14: 124. 

Property Advert of the Week returns on the first Saturday in February 2025.

Property Advert of the Week: 3 Kairawa Street, South Hurstville (1971)

Below is a newspaper advertisement from 1971 promoting the sale of apartments in a small complex at 3 Kairawa Street, South Hurstville. The complex only contains six apartments, each with two bedrooms. Prices were close to identical (from $ 16,750), with buyers only paying $200 extra for apartments on the first floor.

Source: Norman Brown P/L & Upton Smith & Co. 1971. "3 Kairawa Street" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, June 12: 43. 

Property Advert of the Week: Centennial North Randwick (2004)

Below is a 2004 newspaper advertisement from The Sydney Morning Herald promoting the Centennial apartment complex at 88-98 King Street, Randwick. The apartments were on sale from $475,000.

What is not advertised is that it is located next to the Randwick Bus Depot.

Source: Anon. 2004. "Centennial North Randwick". The Sydney Morning Herald, June 5, 19A (Domain Apartments Liftout).

East Circular Quay Redevelopment: Opera Residences (2021)

Above: Opera Residences as viewed from the Royal Botanic Gardens. Photo by the Author (2024).

This is the final entry in the series on the redevelopment of East Circular Quay. Last week's entry focused on the completion of the development of the four building Bennelong Apartments complex (Colonial Mutual Limited) and Quay Grand (Mirvac) in 1999.

With both developments complete, the southernmost building on the block, Coca-Cola Amatil Building (71 Macquarie Street), became the sole office building.

Coca Coca vacates 71 Macquarie Street

In 2010, Coca-Cola vacated the building at 71 Macquarie Street to relocate to North Sydney. They were the original tenants in the 15-level building, which was completed in 1966.

Following its departure, property owner AMP sought to redevelop the site into luxury apartments and partnered with Mirvac to redevelop the site. 

A concept plan was placed on exhibition in 2012.

In 2014, a Development Application was lodged with the Central Sydney Planning Committee for a 19-level apartment building containing 109 apartments (later revised to 104 apartments). 

Crone Architects, Tzannes and Make were the architects. 

The building was demolished in 2017. Construction commenced in 2019 and was completed in 2021. The final construction costs were approximately $140 million. 

Below are a few photos that I took of its demolition and construction

This was a photo of demolition in July 2017 taken from Circular Quay near Wharf 4. At this stage, the entire building was draped in scaffolding.

January 2020 - Construction at street level

November 2020

Nearing completion in March 2021

Final Remarks

I have reached the end of this series showcasing the redevelopment of East Circular Quay. It has encompassed more four decades, focusing on various plans to redevelop the site, whether on one site or the entire precinct, the role of planning authorities, Local, State, and even the Federal Government, the public backlash over its redevelopment in the 1990s, and its construction and completion.

I will leave it up to you to decide whether the redevelopment of East Circular Quay has been positive or negative.

Some positives of redeveloping East Circular Quay include:

• Removal of the roadway
• More space for pedestrians
• Development of a retail and dining precinct
• Provision of entertainment space - Cinema Complex
• Development of a residential precinct in Central Sydney

Negatives include:

• Views of Sydney Opera House from Circular Quay are obscured
• High cost of apartments - Unaffordable to most Sydneysiders
• Views to the Royal Botanic Gardens are blocked - lost opportunity to open the views.
• Height, bulk and design of the buildings
• Disrespects the location - close to the Sydney Opera House

The end

Entries in this series

1. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): The first apartment block proposal (1979)
2. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): Opera Garden Centre Scheme (1984)
3. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): Unilever House Hotel Conversion (1986)
4. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): Opera Garden Centre Scheme Revisited (1986)
5. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): Unilever House Hotel Conversion (1987)
6. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): CML's 1990 Scheme
7. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): CML's Bennelong Centre (1991)
8. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): The Revolving Office Tower Scheme (1991)
9. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): East Circular Quay 'Ideas Quest' (1992)
10. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): Mirvac Hotel Scheme - 61 Macquarie Street (1992)
11. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): New Planning Guidelines unveiled (1993)
12. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): The shift towards residential development (1993)
13. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): Residential Scheme unveiled (1994)
14. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): Construction commences (1995)
15. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): Construction continues (1996)
16. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): Unveiling "The Toaster" (1997)
17. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): The protests (1997)
18. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): Redevelopment Visions (1997)
19. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): NSW Government Response (1997)
20. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): Completion of Bennelong Apartments (1998)
21. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): Jorn Utzon's perspective (1998)
22. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): The protests continue (1998) 
23. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): Completion (1999) 

Property Advert of the Week: "El O'Livio", Tamarama (1971)

Below is a 1971 newspaper advertisement for the "El O'Livio" at Tamarama. It was advertised as located in Bondi. Two and three-bedroom apartments were on offer from $22 000, which would be equivalent to one spending $291 500 today (RBA Inflation Calculator). 

 

Source: Parkes Sales Pty. Ltd. 1971. "El O'Livio" ( Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, June 5: 42.

Property Advert of the Week: Stage 4 Release - Abbotsford Cove, Abbotsford (1998)

Below is a 1998 newspaper advertisement for Abbotsford Cove at Abbotsford. Abbotsford Cove was developed on the site of the former Nestle Factory and is one of several "Brownfield" development sites located along the Parramatta River. 

At the time, they were in the fourth stage of the release of apartments for sale. Two and three-bedroom apartments on sale ranged from $340,000 to $740,000

  Source: Richardson & Wrench Project Marketing. 1998 "Abbotsford Cove" (Advertisement). The Sydney Morning Herald, May 2: 33RE (Real Estate Liftout).

Finally, did you know that is the 1000th posting to this blog since its inception in 2014?

Property Advert of the Week: Ambassador Apartments, Auburn (1993)

Below is a 1993 newspaper advertisement promoting the sale of studio apartments in "The Ambassador Apartments" in Auburn. Prices started from just $59 000. 

 

Source: A&S Properties Pty. Ltd. 1993. "The Ambassador Apartments" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph Mirror, May 29: 6. 

Property Advert of the Week: Eastgate Gardens, Bondi Junction (1988)

Below is a newspaper advertisement promoting apartments for sale in the Twin Tower Eastgate Gardens complex at Bondi Junction from 1988. Two-bedroom apartments were on offer from $330 000 but were "very limited".

Source: Laing & Simmons Project Marketing. 1988. "Eastgate Gardens" (Advertisement). The Sydney Morning Herald, April 23: 3.

Related Entry

Property Advert of the Week: Eastgate Gardens, Bondi Junction (1987)