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A hypothetical Mosman forecast: (not to be read by the faint heated) – walking your Labrador could soon see you walking on private property. Remember the “once upon a time” analogies? Time brings change – and those picturesque ‘rivers of gold’ (public sanctuaries) are a great starting place.

Sydney population to top 6m in 2036 according to a report compiled by the NSW Planning Department. It forecasts a 40 per cent gain from 4.3 million in 2006. Based on data compiled from the 2006 census, the population of NSW will increase to 9.1 million which is a scary thought, when Fort Crumble (NSW Government) does not even come close to meeting present day planning demands for infrastructure, transport, schools, hospitals and roads which are currently in gridlock. More importantly Fort Crumble is broke!

So let’s look into the property crystal ball Sydney suburbs ready to boom Fort Crumble has turned its attention now to transport in the south–west, rather than the north–west. The population of the top 10 local areas, will increase by more than 50 per cent – Camden, Liverpool, Burwood, Auburn, Wollondilly, Sydney, Wyong, Campbelltown, Baulkham Hills, and Strathfield. So south-west is up by 113 per cent and north–west up 52 per cent. Metro cost more than Labor admitted which should come as no surprise. To meet these unprecedented demands, governments on all three tiers will jump into a dash for cash given they are all entrenched in budget deficit. And don’t forget the huge injection of green shoots for the building industry, the economy and increased tax receipts.

BUY PRINT
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Middle Head is arguably Australia’s most sought after real estate and Mosman’s “Jewel in the Crown”.
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So what can we expect? The greatest sell–off of (open space) land for residential development and Mosman (given its abundance of foreshore land) would become a major revenue raiser for funding sustainability. The ‘posh’ will utter, gosh! A strong possibility that Mosman sea scapes could resemble those from Whale Beach to Palm Beach“. Of course governments will say ‘it is all in the name of economic progress’. Simply put – we may believe we are the custodians of open space and even though we don’t have title to this lifestyle privilege, money talks and many areas that are untouched, could lose their virginity!

We now find that one in four NSW councils is on the brink of being unable to pay for essential services – Gone to pot: councils on brink of slashing services. We are already hearing murmurs that some Councils are looking at selling off public golf courses and replacing them with housing estates.

The Municipality of Mosman (currently) has just under 5000 houses so it would be fair to assume that just like other growth areas it too must expand by up to 25 per cent (another 1250 homes). For this to happen (hypothetically) we would see a new housing estate created on Georges Heights and Middle Head which are prime development areas as to Bradleys Head and Clifton Gardens

Cliff top land value sales using Burran and Hopetoun Avenues comparables on Middle Head would deliver sales from $7,000,000 to $15,000,000 + per block (let’s average each block out at $10,000,000): the governments would love these revenues to assist funding pressures. Working on the premise that HMAS Penguin would become a vacant block from Chowder Bay through Middle Head to Balmoral vacant land sales would deliver hundreds and hundreds of multi – million dollar sales. Not to forget also, a huge injection to Mosman Council revenues, courtesy of additional Council rates from subdivisions that could create another 1000 + houses. It may never happen – but it would be a brave person to rule out such a brazen move (otherwise called progress!)

The Emperor (Kevin Rudd) announced his newly created portfolio of Minister for Population this week and as quick as flash Population Minister Tony Burke says migrants should go bush. An interesting debut? Tony Abbott backs a debate on population levels ”Let’s face it; Sydney and Melbourne in particular are choking on their own traffic.” Whilst a population debate is necessary, we are not hearing anything about (more importantly) an infrastructure debate!

Malcolm Turnbull prompted Macquarie Street whispers, when he announced that he was leaving Federal politics A plea to Malcolm Turnbull – your State needs you wrote The Punch. “If anyone can smash his way through the paralysis which grips NSW politics it is Turnbull. In the absence of a mercy rule, NSW voters currently face a battle between the legally blonde and the legally bland. There’s Kristina Keneally, who despite assuring us she’s “nobody’s puppet, nobody’s girrrrrl,” was slotted in by the factional bosses in a vacuous marketing exercise which has nothing to do with policy and everything to do with personality.” Clue: NSW Labor out to buy next election.

The Emperor came in for a touch – up Kevin Rudd’s $3.2 bn health and hospital funding favours Labor seats and Rudd’s new challenge: fix schools so the pains continued Blunders becoming harder to defend and Schools chief orders checks on 260 projects.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) notched up its fifth 25 basis – point rate hike in seven months taking the cash rate to 4.25 per cent – Good times sting as interest rates rise. Given we are in an election year ,The Emperor would have been somewhat perplexed when he read Housing stress may bring political pain. Economic side – kick Wayne Swan delivered these political pearlers “I know that is cold comfort for a lot of families and a lot of people in businesses,” he said. Then “rates are now at the level that they were when the Liberal Party imposed on Australia 10 rate rises in a row so rates are still at historically low levels.”

Wayne, so what you are saying is that the last five interest rate rises are your doing, given that your Government is in power? It has been well documented that the cash rate will return to 5.50 per cent so, Wayne, that would then make it 10 all. Doh!

Tourism Australia announced its new tag line There’s nothing like it superseding “Where the bloody hell are you?” Why do they continually write about politicians?

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So do you think our treasured foreshore reserves will be turned into a residential subdivision? What would such a plan do to top – end prices? Remember, this is Australia’s most prized land. See you on our blog as I suspect this topic may break our previous record number of comments.

Subscriber sales jumped to $938,179,220 this week. We exchanged $31,000,000 in just three days, setting the highest sale in Mosman for 2010. Thank you – subscribers.

Cheers ^__^

This week’s sales Mosman real estate, Beauty Point real estate, Clifton Gardens real estate, Balmoral real estate, Cremorne real estate, Cremorne Point real estate, Neutral Bay real estate, Cammeray real estate Click Here

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9.04.10Robert Simeon8 Comments »

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The Emperor (Kevin Rudd) was back at it again recently when he commented on Australia’s skyrocketing population and quipped “I actually believe in a big Australia. I make no apology for that.” Well, Australia actually does need apologies, because critical infrastructure advice continues to fall on the deaf ears of our elected politicians.

After all, there must be something seriously amiss when past King of Spin, “Bobby Dazzler” Carr starts penning and pontificating on population policies in the Sydney Morning Herald. “Perish the thought that we can handle a bigger population” wrote the Dazzler “Some Australians must have felt similar estrangement when they read federal Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner’s defence of Australia’s runaway immigration targets, playfully comparing our population densities with those of Bangladesh.”

Then the Carr crash (with accompanying air – bag), “That Tanner is one of the best minds in federal politics will only deepen the rift between 90 per cent of Australians and their political and business leadership over population policy, or rather the absence of any policy except “more”.” It would now appear that “Bobby Dazzler” is over the selective hearing condition that plagued him in his reign of the Premier State from 1995 – 2005. The transformation went from Premier State to State of Decay to Fort Crumble and even though it did not happen overnight, it is now a nightmare.

Maybe this vacant plot of land might make a nice residential subdivision with very little chance of flooding?

www.timmooneyphotography.com

Sydney to squeeze in 640,000 new homes by Matthew Moore – Urban Affairs Editor the Sydney Morning Herald identified “A forty per cent increase in Sydney’s population over the next 20 years means the State Government has no option but to open up scores of suburbs for new developments, according to radical proposal for Sydney to build 640,000 new dwellings.”

For this to happen, Fort Crumble would need a plan so I went in search and found that it does not look pretty, as Andrew Clennell of the Sydney Morning Herald revealed. Rees desperate to stand for something “In this respect he hopes to get something on the radar at Macquarie Street that has been lacking for the past 12 months – POLICY.”

They obviously can’t hear but thankfully they can read. “Number one on his list is transport. The transport blueprint that Rees promises to hand down sometime over the next three weeks is likely to be treated with some scepticism.” I guess he means this is like a homeless person entering Star City and requesting a seat at the High Rollers Table – after all Fort Crumble is broke. Back to Andrew “This is because of the large number of projects that Labor has promised, and then not delivered, in 14 years in power.”

Oops “Bobby Dazzler” was at the helm for ten of those years – although Fort Crumble would win a wood chopping event as they sure know how to wield that political axe.

• North West Rail link (promised in 1998 and axed)
• North West Metro (announced and axed)
• Bondi Beach rail link (promised then axed)
• Parramatta to Epping rail link (halved to Epping to Chatswood rail link)
• CBD/second Harbour crossing rail link (promised and axed)
• F6 through southern Sydney, (on again, off again)
• M5 duplication (long delayed)
• M4 East extension (long delayed)

Last month’s parliamentary pay increases and the fact that our Fort Crumble premier should be (and is) the highest “paid premier” in Australia have been vindicated. Alex Gooding had this interesting analogy on transport in the Sydney Morning Herald – Three times denied: western Sydney misses out on transport, again (great read) which really adds a poignant perspective on the political decision making processes.
Ongoing calamities when “ Paid Premier” Nathan Rees overturned an earlier decision to contribute $45.000 million for the newly anointed AFL’s western Sydney franchise to build a new home ground – again out came that axe (perish the thought of constituents contemplating the axing our “Paid Premier”)

Macquarie Equities Research – this week released this compelling graph in its Australian economics report. Sketching the outlook for housing “this note examines the recent trends in the housing sector and looks ahead to key factors to watch in 2010.” Looks like a tsunami to me.

Macquarie Equities Research – “In our view, the key factors to consider are the favourable fundamental determinants – strong population growth and constrained supply – alongside the deteriorating level of affordability. With these factors working in opposite directions, it suggests that the more extreme forecasts of a house price bubble or a price collapse will continue to prove wide of the mark.” More of this report in next week’s edition.

Back to Andrew Clennell’s report “Sydney is experiencing transport gridlock. Public transport services in the CBD are overcrowded, even though train services are inadequate and in many suburbs non-existent. In response, transport plans are announced and then re-announced. New rail lines are proposed but then abandoned and governments blame increasing costs and global financial problems.” He did forget to mention that over the last fourteen years the NSW government also collected the highest amount of taxes in Australia’s history. In real estate terms it would be “dilapidated home – run down, neglected, yet with plenty of potential”.

So let’s look at what is happening locally. I went to Wayne Swan’s Nation Building website to see what is happening in Mosman and North Sydney municipalities. Indeed Nation Building personified – bicycle paths, perimeter fencing, a shade structure, and a few water bubblers -no wonder our economy has rebounded with such exhilarating speed. All that it takes is a plan!

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Our councils are doing it tough mentally and physically although they are making plenty out of parking fines as Vikki Campion reported in The Daily Telegraph. Where you’ll cop a parking fine. North Sydney Council collected $7,000,000 which was up 48 per cent from $4,700,000 and Mosman Council $1,700,000 up 89 per cent from $910,000. It should also be noted that Mosman Council has been aggressively investing in new parking meters so one could expect a significant revenue increase with this return on investment.

In retrospect, if our population continues to explode it would then not be unreasonable to draw a conclusion that our water supplies face significant declines too (it did happen well before the proposed population explosion). Now when you renovate or build a new home, you must provide water tanks in accordance with local Council building regulations.

So why, in any Mosman or North Sydney parks, ovals or reserves, have the respective Councils not installed water tanks? After all they have only to connect to their very own street storm water. Look at the number of parks, ovals and reserves located below street level. Balmoral Oval, Rosherville Reserve, Forsyth Park, Tunks Park, Primrose Park, Cremorne Point Reserve, Sirius Cove Reserve, Allan Border Oval, Rawson Park, Spit Reserve and Reid Park. These are but a few that are all entirely dam- dependent and coincidentally, always have their sprinklers on when it is raining.

Warragamba Dam is presently at 55 per cent capacity and declining – although the Kurnell desalination plant is soon to be completed and that will supply up to 15 per cent of Sydney’s water. Of course we can’t leave out evaporation as this coincides with policy that has also evaporated.

Then again I have never been one to water down an edition.

Cheers ^__^

For this week’s recorded Mosman real estate, Cremorne real estate, Cremorne Point real estate, Neutral Bay real estate and Cammeray real estate sales www.rwm.com.au/news/

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27.11.09Robert Simeon1 Comment »

HISTORY was made in the Grand Hall of the Mosman Art Gallery and Community Centre on Tuesday night, April 28.

Mosman Council passed its controversial paid parking proposal before the largest crowd of outraged denizens attending a Council meeting in living memory.

The meeting had to be moved from Mosman Council Chambers to the Community Centre to accommodate a record-breaking crowd of about 300.

There were more than 60 registered speakers. Most argued strongly against the scheme to cheers, applause and whoops from the crowd.

Mosman resident Brian Wilder said: “Balmoral is a wonderful, rare, exotic jewel … surely one of the best beaches in the world. We don’t want it turned into another Bondi or Manly.”

Steve O’Halloran of Balmoral argued that the scheme was a “revenue-raising” proposal in breach of RTA regulations.

Esther Rd resident Don Mickleborough likened Mosman Council to a dictatorship.

“There was a man in Germany who didn’t listen to his people and he brought the world undone,” he said.

Only one man standing in the back corner dared to vote in favour of the proposal.

And only Tony Larnach-Jones, of Raglan St, Balmoral spoke in favour of the proposal.

Three councillors – Libby Moline and Tom Sherlock from Balmoral ward and Jim Reid from Middle Harbour ward – voted against the paid parking scheme.

Members of the gallery slammed the decision as undemocratic, ill-informed and a “betrayal of the people”.

Cr Denise Wilton said the lampooning response from the crowd was rude and disrespectful.

Mosman Council director of corporate services Max Glyde said the parking meter machines and signs are expected to be rolled out, beginning with Balmoral and The Spit, in July this year.

Source: The Mosman Daily

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14.05.09Robert Simeon3 Comments »

There are many beautiful foreshore and bushland walks in Mosman. Download maps and brochures here, or pick one up at Mosman Library. http://www.mosman.nsw.gov.au/library

Balmoral Self Guided Heritage Walk

In November 2005, Mosman Council revised and reprinted the Balmoral Self Guided Heritage Walk brochure that lists items of heritage significance along with a map. With the beach and Harbour on one side, and a vibrant community presence, this walk has become one of the most popular, gaining significance at local, state and national level.

Further information on Balmoral’s significant items and Mosman’s heritage, including historical records and photographs, can be found in Mosman Library’s Local Studies collection.

Curlew Camp Artists’ Walk

The Curlew Camp Artists’ Walk was developed by Mosman Council and Taronga Zoo with financial assistance from the Sharing Sydney Harbour Access Program and the NSW Heritage Office. The walk is over 1.6 km long and extends from the South Mosman ferry wharf at Musgrave Street and continues along to the Taronga Zoo ferry wharf, following the route used by visitors to the Camp during the 1890s.

The site of the Camp is located on the foreshore below Taronga Zoo and contains a viewing platform with interpretative signage which tells the fascinating story of the artists who lived and painted in this idyllic setting, developing a unique style of painting now known as the Australian School of Impressionism. The natural beauty of the area which inspired many well known Australian works of art by prominent artists, including Arthur Streeton and Tom Roberts, is still evident today as you follow the route around Mosman’s foreshores.

Nonetheless, it should be noted that the route is partly on road and does include steep sections and stairs. Please refer to the downloadable map below for details of the route:

For any enquiries regarding the Curlew Camp Artists’ Walk please contact Mosman Council.

Taronga Zoo to Balmoral Beach

You can now walk from Taronga Zoo to Balmoral Beach, taking in breathtaking views of Sydney Harbour, passing through native bushland and historic military sites that have been closed to the public for more than 100 years.

All walking routes mentioned in this brochure are open during daylight hours. Please take note of individual opening and closing times on gates in the area.

Dogs are not permitted in Sydney Harbour National Park and on some Council reserves. On Harbour Trust lands, dogs must be kept on a leash at all times.

Walkers are asked to clean their shoes before and after walking on bushland tracks in the area to avoid the spread of the root fungus Phytophthora cinnamomi.

This map was produced by the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust as a joint project with Mosman Council, Sydney Harbour National Park and the Walking Volunteers, February 2006.

Harbour Bridge to Spit Bridge walks

The routes between these two bridges embrace inner and outer harbour views, a cross section of some of Sydney’s most interesting residential streets, as well as a span of history from Aboriginal times, the First Fleet, whaling, Federation and Harbour fortifications. The routes wind over headlands and ridges, skirt many view points and pass through many parks, gardens, rainforest remnants and bushland.

This brochure outlines three main walks from the Harbour Bridge to the Spit Bridge.

At the Spit Bridge, longer distance walkers can join the Harbour to Hawkesbury (Manly to Cowan) Track which then connects with The Great North Walk to Newcastle. For a circle, you would then take The Great North Walk back through the Lane Cove National Park to the Harbour Bridge. You can also continue from the Spit Bridge to Manly as described in the brochure as an example of a one day walk.

This map is an initiative of Walking Sydney Harbour, a partnership project between community walking volunteers, the State Government, Local Government and other relevant authorities.

Sydney Ferries – Harbour Walks

Sydney Ferries have mapped out 16 walks around Sydney Harbour, all easily accessible by ferry.

Three Mosman walks are available:

Mosman Bay Shores

Mosman Bay to Sirius Cove & Athol Bay

Taronga Zoo & Bradleys Head & beyond

Further information

For any enquiries, please contact Community Information at Mosman Library on 9978 4167.

Walking links

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/NationalParks/default.aspx/ParkDiscovery?

For even more information please visit http://www.mosman.nsw.gov.au/mosman/recreation/walks

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23.03.09Robert SimeonNo Comments »

As each week goes by it becomes more and more obvious that our economy is slowing (weakening for that matter) and the obvious remedy will be interest rate reductions (and not before time). Just that when the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) addresses monetary policy next Tuesday, the banks are not certain to follow suit. With the National Australia Bank and ANZ already rubber stamping a rate reduction based on speculation of a 0.25 per cent reduction it appears (for the moment) that the CBA and Westpac will do the same. Continue reading »

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28.08.08Robert SimeonNo Comments »