Vacancy rates tighten in Townsville
RENTAL vacancy rates in Townsville are continuing to tighten, according to new data released by the Real Estate Institute of Queensland.The REIQ residential report shows vacancy rates have fallen to 3.9 per cent in September compared to 4 per cent in June. However, Townsville’s rental market is still classified as weak by the REIQ due to vacancy rates remaining above 3 per cent.More from news01:21Buyer demand explodes in Townsville’s 2019 flood-affected suburbs12 Sep 202001:21‘Giant surge’ in new home sales lifts Townsville property market10 Sep 2020REIQ CEO Antonia Mercorella said more supply coming on the market had slowed down the tightening of vacancy rates in Townsville.“The Townsville market is heading in the right direction but progress is being slowed by additional supply,” she said. “We are optimistic the large infrastructure projects in the region will deliver jobs and bring workers to the area and further help the market.”In September 2016 vacancy rates in Townsville peaked at 7.1 per cent before making a steady decline. In September 2008 they fell as low as 1.5 per cent before they started to rise.
604/53 Gregory St, North WardA PENTHOUSE with quality features rarely seen in North Queensland has been listed for sale for a price in the high $1.8 million.604/53 Gregory St in North Ward is on the top floor of Fulton Gardens and was bought Justin Cowell and Bridget Hart as a shell.The 370sq m apartment has three bedrooms, three bathrooms, two car spaces and a 38sq m office which is located on the ground floor of the unit complex.Renowned Townsville architect Zammi Rohan designed the interior which took 12 months to complete. 604/53 Gregory St, North Ward“I’ve designed a few places and you usually make a mistake but we haven’t found one yet.”The office on the ground floor of the complex comes with the apartment and has been the base for Mr Cowell’s corporate event production agency Aspect Eight.It has a kitchenette as well as high speed NBN data connection.RE/MAX Excellence agent Michele Hyde is marketing the property and said it would suit a discerning buyer who wanted the convenience of apartment living while still having plenty of space.“I sell a lot of places on the hill but there is just nothing that compares to this,” Ms Hyde said.“It’s very international and timeless and it’s not as though the owners have chosen something from the early 2000s.“It’s just classic and uses great design.” 604/53 Gregory St, North WardA moody colour palette set against dark, bamboo floors with 3m high coffered ceilings creates a sense of drama. Curved accents in the apartment pay tribute to the art deco exterior of the building which once served as Townsville Hospital.Mr Cowell said while the apartment was amazing, it was the ocean views visible from most of the apartment and the 51sq m balcony that won them over.“When I saw this place with my wife we went to the bottom floor and thought ‘this is nice’ and then we went to the top fl 604/53 Gregory St, North WardThe developer behind Fulton Gardens Robert Zammit is also in the process of investing more than $1 million in establishing the gardens in front of the heritage-listed buildings.It had been put on hold due to water restrictions but now pavilions with barbecues, pergolas, walkways, garden beds, lawns and trees are being put in.In the basement of one of the buildings, 18 tanks have been installed which will provide storage for 60,000 litres of water drawn from the property’s bore.The secure complex also has an indoor pool with jets, gym and multiple lockup storage areas. 604/53 Gregory St, North Wardoor and it took us about 30 seconds to decide we wanted to live here,” he said.“You also couldn’t live in a more convenient location. I climb the hill every morning, I go to the gym next door, I walk over to the shops and an electric skateboard is my main source of transport.“You can also have pets including large dogs so we live here with a border collie and a cat.”More from news01:21Buyer demand explodes in Townsville’s 2019 flood-affected suburbs12 Sep 202001:21‘Giant surge’ in new home sales lifts Townsville property market10 Sep 2020The kitchen forms the heart of the apartment and has Miele appliances. To avoid obstructing the view the rangehood rises from the stone bench while a curved, steel door opens at the touch of a button to reveal a large butler’s pantry.The master bedroom with ensuite, walk-in wardrobe and direct access to the balcony is reminiscent of a high-end boutique hotel.A $35,000 Bang & Olufsen entertainment system has pride of place in the living room which is also easily converted to a theatre room with blackout curtains. Mr Cowell said fitting out the apartment had been a project of passion and no detail had been forgotten.
5 Lawrie Ave, OonoonbaA NEAR new home with all the charm of a traditional house on the city fringe will be sold under the hammer. The home, at 5 Lawrie Ave, Oonoonba, will go to auction on site at 10.30am on December 1.The three-bedroom, two bathroom house with double garage was built by Tribute Homes and is located in The Village.Selling agent Keyes & Co principal Damien Keyes said nothing had been forgotten when designing and building the house.“Everywhere you look they have used premium finishes and fixtures like the porcelain sink in the kitchen with the multipurpose mixer tap that extends on a hose,” he said. “There is a lot of attention to detail in this house.“The other thing about this house is focus on insulation which is in the perimeter walls and not just the ceiling. It makes the house super cool and also makes it very energy efficient.“It would definitely suit someone who wants a new home but doesn’t want to have to wait for it to be built.”The house has three, airconditioned bedrooms while the master bedroom takes up the entire first floor.The kitchen has stone bench tops and a walk-in pantry that is concealed under the staircase.More from news01:21Buyer demand explodes in Townsville’s 2019 flood-affected suburbs12 Sep 202001:21‘Giant surge’ in new home sales lifts Townsville property market10 Sep 2020The outdoor area overlooks parklands and there is laneway access with room for a boat or camper trailer.Mr Keyes said The Village estate where the house was located was popular with buyers due to its proximity to the city.“We have had plenty of people through this home and we’ve had a lot of people who are currently renting in the area,” he said.“It’s just so close to the CBD so as well as suiting a small family it could also suit a professional couple.”Owner Adam Norton said they had decided to sell the home as they had plans to build another house on a much grander scale.“The house was built by Tribute Homes and we took one of their designs and added some extra components to it,” he said.“We’re not a big fan of the giant rendered chilli bin. We like a more traditional style home.“My favourite part of the house is the outdoor area while my wife really likes the upstairs because it’s quite luxurious with a big wardrobe to fit her shoe collection.“It is also in a phenomenal location and you can get to the city in five minutes.”
“It reflects a shift in the preferences of many post-World War II Australian tourists away from traditional holiday accommodation options like camping or caravanning, guest or boarding houses toward high-rise, self-contained apartments with a view of the beach and equipped with modern conveniences like timesaving kitchen appliances and on-site pools.”The penthouse was one of four properties that went under the hammer at Surfers Paradise First National’s Auctions in Paradise event on Saturday. “Two out of the four properties sold under the hammer — one sold prior to auction and the final property at 35 Sunset Blvd … we are currently in negotiations post auction,” Mr Rollington said.“We are finding a strong increase in buyer activity from local and interstate buyers across the spectrum of the market with limited stock coming onto the market.” The Kinkabool building has recently had a makeover.More from news02:37International architect Desmond Brooks selling luxury beach villa11 hours ago02:37Gold Coast property: Sovereign Islands mega mansion hits market with $16m price tag2 days agoSurfers Paradise First National agent Bob Rollington, who marketed the property with Leanne Marr, said the Brisbane woman bought it as an investment but planned to renovate it and move in down the track. It is understood the building’s iconic nature and position attracted the woman to the property.“The views are spectacular and you are right in the centre of town,” Mr Rollington told the Bulletin when the apartment was listed last month.“The garage is next door, which was the original site of the Flamingo Nightclub, the first nightclub in Surfers.”The Queensland Heritage Register lists the building as a place of significance because it was the beginning of residential towers on the Coast.“Built in 1959-1960 at Surfers Paradise, the home-unit building known as Kinkabool was the Gold Coast’s first high-rise and one of Queensland’s earliest, built shortly after Torbreck was completed in Brisbane in 1960,” the description reads.The report said the building was the starting point for developments of its type, which kicked off tourism in Queensland and gave the Gold Coast an international reputation. “Kinkabool also illustrates a significant aspect of the evolving character of the quintessential Australian beach holiday,” the site stated. MORE NEWS: An island paradise awaits MORE NEWS: Agent buys on one of the Coast’s best streets The Gold Coast’s first penthouse sold under the hammer at the weekend.A BRISBANE woman will call a piece of Gold Coast history home after snapping up the first penthouse to be built in the city at auction.She was one of six registered bidders vying for the four-bedroom apartment in Surfers Paradise’s heritage listed Kinkabool building at the weekend.The 10-storey Hanlan St building, which was once described as a “giant” when it was built in 1960, was the Coast’s first high-rise development and one of Queensland’s earliest skyscrapers.The skyhome topping the recently renovated building fetched $450,000 under the hammer on Saturday. The building was constructed in 1960.
Video Player is loading.Play VideoPlayNext playlist itemMuteCurrent Time 0:00/Duration 1:46Loaded: 0%Stream Type LIVESeek to live, currently playing liveLIVERemaining Time -1:46 Playback Rate1xChaptersChaptersDescriptionsdescriptions off, selectedCaptionscaptions settings, opens captions settings dialogcaptions off, selectedQuality Levels720p720pHD432p432p216p216p180p180pAutoA, selectedAudio Tracken (Main), selectedFullscreenThis is a modal window.Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.TextColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentBackgroundColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparentWindowColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaqueFont Size50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%Text Edge StyleNoneRaisedDepressedUniformDropshadowFont FamilyProportional Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall CapsReset restore all settings to the default valuesDoneClose Modal DialogEnd of dialog window.This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.Close Modal DialogThis is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.PlayMuteCurrent Time 0:00/Duration 0:00Loaded: 0%Stream Type LIVESeek to live, currently playing liveLIVERemaining Time -0:00 Playback Rate1xFullscreenChoosing an apartment to invest in01:47 The four-bedroom apartment is on Hanlan St at Surfers Paradise. jessica.brown@news.com.au
Buyers lined up for stunning Hamptons home Nerida Conisbee, realestate.com.au Chief Economist, said the most-viewed results were on par with the high demand for property on the Southern Gold Coast.“We’ve been following the Southern Gold Coast trend for some time now,” Ms Conisbee said. “It’s not surprising many southern Gold Coast streets are popular as it is consistent with the popularity of southern Gold Coast suburbs.”Among other most-viewed streets was Altissimo Close, Varsity Lakes where homes sold in the past three years ranged in price from $532,000 to $680,000.Avonbury Court, Carrara was the seventh most-searched-for street on the Gold Coast, while Barrandine Crescent, Helensvale was number ten. Amazon entrepreneur trades river for the beach Online property hunters have an eye on Ladds Ridge Road, Burleigh Heads.It comes as no surprise that streets on the southern Gold Coast have been dominating property searches for some time, but the number one most-viewed street is somewhat harder to explain.Researchers at realestate.com.au have analysed data from their property portal over the past three years to February and determined where the most in-demand streets are, based on views per listing.Coming in as the number one most-viewed street on the Gold Coast was … San Mateo Boulevard, Ashmore.CoreLogic data shows only four properties have changed hands in that street over the past three years, ranging in price between $550,000 and $690,000.The most recent sale on San Mateo Boulevard was number 16, which sold in May 2019 for $550,000.
16 San Mateo Boulevard, Ashmore sold in May 2019.The sale was handled by agent Darrell Johnson, of Knobel & Davis Real Estate, who said there was no obvious explanation for a high volume of views on that street.“Wow, that really blows me away,” Mr Johnson said.“I mean it’s a nice, quiet area in an elevated position but I more or less sold that property (16 Mateo Boulevard) off-market.“The only thing I can think of is that Ashmore is a great value, highly sought-after suburb so maybe people are searching for well-priced homes in that pocket.”Ladds Ridge Rd, Burleigh Heads was the second most-viewed street, while Ardisia Court, Burleigh Heads came in at number five. 11A Ladds Ridge Road, Burleigh Heads sold in February for $735,000.Number 11A Ladds Ridge Rd changed hands in February for $735,000 — the four-bedroom home is positioned in a rainforest-like setting and only minutes walk to Tallebudgera Creek.Streets in southern Gold Coast suburbs dominated the top 10, including Ambonia Ave, Palm Beach (number 4); Avocado Street, Elanora (6); Balsa Street, Elanora (8); and Barracuda Court, Palm Beach (9).More from news02:37International architect Desmond Brooks selling luxury beach villa8 hours ago02:37Gold Coast property: Sovereign Islands mega mansion hits market with $16m price tag1 day ago MORE NEWS: Best suburbs to snag a house for under $500K
A blue-themed lounge room channels LA hotel foyer vibes.Timber veneers, stone and ceramics create a balance of textures while metallic and patterned wall papers and bold paint choices are applied with confidence throughout. “The kitchen is most spoken about by anyone who sees it,” Mr Rigas said. “Stainless steel gives it that commercial element – you can hose down that whole area – while the over-size island bench provides a social centre when we’re entertaining.” A variety of finishes have been used to create a balance of textures.The pair, who have also operated the nightclub formerly called Shooters, Mybar, Quest, East and Love Nightlife on the Gold Coast, are experienced in hospitality fit outs and have injected that flair into the home they share with 12-year-old son Jonathan. Having spent so much time in the city’s hottest beachside suburbs, Mr Rigas admits Ashmore wasn’t what they had in mind when the couple first set out in search of an inner city acre plot. “For me it was the wrong postcode so I didn’t even want to look at the property,” Mr Rigas said. “It was full of trees, shrubs, bamboo and widow-makers – you couldn’t even really see the house coming up the driveway. It was rented with at least a dozen people living in the place and like six dogs.” Crucifixes from around the world create a point of interest.One wall is adorned with crucifixes collected from travels around the world while a blue-themed room with over-size velvet lounges screams relaxed cool.“It’s got that cool hotel foyer in LA vibe – somewhere you can sit, read a book and be served a martini or, in our case, watch kids splashing around in the pool and listen to some music on the surround sound stereo.”With Jonathan preferring to spend more time with mates and the couple choosing to inject funds into their business, Mr Rigas said they plan to downsize on water. “It does sadden us a little bit to sell the house but this will be a new chapter and a new way of living which we are getting excited about,” he said. Mitchell Lambert of Harcourts Coastal – Broadbeach is leading the sales campaign. The owners have injected their own personality into the home.For The Pink Flamingo Spiegelclub owners Tony Rigas and Louise Huxham, renovating their own family home was never going to be an exercise in conformity.“Your home needs to represent your personality, who you are and what you’ve done over the years,” Mr Rigas said. RELATED: House sale sale to boost The Pink Flamingo relaunch Phone bidder wins mega mansion from qaurantine hotel The outlook from the resort-style pool is magic at twilight.Ms Huxham saw the potential and they purchased in 2012, spending nine months ripping out root systems and knocking down walls to create their open plan oasis. “Going to Bali and particular resorts, I wanted that feel,” Mr Rigas said. “The block sits above the roofline of your neighbours and all that is exposed is the mountains of the Hinterland. Watching the sunset every afternoon is like being in Ku De Ta in Bali.”More from news02:37International architect Desmond Brooks selling luxury beach villa7 hours ago02:37Gold Coast property: Sovereign Islands mega mansion hits market with $16m price tag1 day ago Cross border real estate in hot demand From the outside 76-79 Yangoora Crescent, Ashmore is unremarkable.On first glance from the outside, this white rendered house with a grey tiled roof presents as fairly unassuming in suburban Ashmore.Step inside the front door, however, and you’re transported into an eclectic space that’s bursting with personality. 
Image courtesy of CORE LNGas hiveSpanish LNG terminal operator, Enagás, set out to advocate the benefits of LNG as a fuel across Spain and Portugal. An LNG-fueled Iveco truck set off from Madrid last April on its journey around the Iberian Peninsula, as part of the CORE LNGas hive project.It aims to explain the uses and benefits of LNG as a fuel for transport, particularly maritime, by means of a touring exhibition, Enagás said.The exhibition boasts LNG as “the most environmentally friendly fuels, which is why its use is being encouraged for maritime transport and in ports around Spain and Europe.”The touring exhibition is based on a study of the social perception of LNG, Enagás said, adding that the truck will be on the road until October.
C6 Technologies, well intervention and conveyance specialist, said it has completed a world-first application of its ComTrac technology, in conjunction with its parent company, Archer.ComTrac is said to be the only system in the world that comprises a reel of spoolable 12mm diameter semi-stiff carbon composite rod with electrical conductors. To date the technology has been proven to operate at lengths of up to 8 kilometers. Now C6 Technologies plans to extend this with applications exceeding 12 kilometers.The two-week project in the Norwegian North Sea – which was operated by Archer – is the first time the composite rod has been used with a tractor. According to C6 Technologies, this enables intervention far beyond capabilities of conventional wireline technology in terms of length and load, particularly for horizontal wells. The scope included fishing, fluid saturation logging and perforating with long sections of high shot density guns.Hans Kristian Hegland, CEO of C6 Technologies, said: “ComTrac is now available as a commercial solution and Archer is in the process of rolling out a number of new applications worldwide. Wells are getting deeper and longer and today there are limits to how far current intervention technology can go. The latest project with Archer demonstrates the versatility of ComTrac and its ability to perform on a wide range of applications and environments. The next step is to expand the operation limits of the technology to 12 kilometers and beyond.”C6 Technologies is a joint venture between Archer and IKM. The ComTrac system is designed and manufactured by C6 Technologies and operated by Archer.
Deirdre Michie, Oil & Gas UK’s chief executive, said:“While we cannot comment on the commercial decisions of our members, we commend the contribution Chevron has made and continues to make to the success story of the UK North Sea. The sale, and indeed purchase of assets, is a natural part of the commercial life of the UKCS as companies optimize their portfolios. Sale of these assets will present new opportunities for other companies who will seek to maximize recovery from mature assets on the UK Continental Shelf.” Following ConocoPhillips’ sale of Claire field stake to BP, another U.S. based oil major is looking to divest UK North Sea assets.Erskine platform – Image source: ChevronUpdate: Adds comments by Wood Mackenzie’s Kevin Swann and OGUK’s Deirdre MichieU.S. oil major Chevron on Wednesday revealed its plans to sell its UK Central North Sea fields.In an email sent to Offshore Energy Today, a Chevron spokesperson said Chevron Upstream Europe was undertaking a review of its portfolio: “Chevron regularly reviews its global portfolio to assess whether assets are strategic and competitive for future capital. A decision has been taken to initiate the process of marketing all our UK Central North Sea assets”These include Alba, Alder, Britannia (and satellites), Captain, Elgin/Franklin, Erskine, and Jade fields.“Throughout this process, we will continue to execute our business plan and operate safely,” the spokesperson said.Wood Mackenzie: Trend continues OGUK: Natural part of UKCS commercial life “Chevron selling its assets in the UK Central North Sea would continue the trend of Majors divesting non-core UK assets. These projects are having to compete for capital on a global scale and simply won’t make sense for such big companies, but could be core for a more UK-focused player,” said Kevin Swann, research analyst, North Sea upstream, at global natural resources consultancy Wood Mackenzie.Swann said: “It’s interesting to note that it looks like Chevron is planning to keep its interest in large West of Shetland assets, Clair and Rosebank, as that too is following a trend for the Majors in becoming more focused on West of Shetland.”He added: “West of Shetland is attractive because it’s relatively under-explored compared to the rest of the UK, with only 160 wells drilled on it so far versus 500+ in other areas. It also has materiality and longevity, with several very large assets already producing, and new infrastructure in place to service any further discoveries.“It’s a chunky portfolio too, with total reserves on offer of around 180 million barrels of oil equivalent and we expect production from the assets to average around 65,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day this year.“Potential buyers would depend on the price but if one company is looking to buy the whole package, it would need to be one with deep pockets. The bigger private equity players could be interested, as could some North Sea independents and international players. However, dividing the assets up into smaller packages would widen the net of potential buyers.” Offshore Energy Today Staff
Russian gas giant Gazprom and the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) have discussed plans for the supply of national gas to China.Gazprom said that the parties reviewed a wide range of issues related to cooperation between the companies, focusing on the ongoing preparations for the start of gas supplies to China via the Power of Siberia gas pipeline.Gazprom added that the two sides paid particular attention to the planned deliveries of Russian gas to China from the Far East and via the western route.Following the negotiations, Gazprom’s head Alexey Miller said, “Construction of the Power of Siberia gas pipeline is going ahead of schedule, and Gazprom will start delivering gas to China well in advance, as early as December 1, 2019.”It was noted that, in 2018, China became the world’s largest natural gas importer. Its imports totaled 125.7 billion cubic meters, a 31 percent increase when compared to 2017. This growth was achieved primarily through liquefied natural gas (LNG) since China is currently unable to satisfy the rising gas demand using the existing gas pipelines.Miller and Yilin also discussed collaboration in the areas of gas-fired power generation, use of natural gas as a vehicle fuel, and underground gas storage.