Melbourne's prestige house market bounces back on million-dollar property deals - The Age

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Is this Melbourne's most expensive home?

Take a sneak peek inside this 1920s Toorak mansion, currently on the market with a price tag of $25 million.

PT3M7S http://ift.tt/Nf0mkq 620 349 February 20, 2014

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Melbourne's prestige market is bouncing back with a rise in million-dollar sales, and experts predict there is still room for growth.

Last year one in eight houses sold for at least $1 million. A year earlier it was one in nine and in 2010 it was one in seven.

Every house sold in Canterbury and Middle Park, a total of 182, topped $1 million.

Tania Smorgon at her Toorak home. Photo: Wayne Taylor

But Brighton, Balwyn North and Kew had the most million-dollar sales in 2013, Australian Property Monitors data shows.

APM senior economist Andrew Wilson said the prestige market was a significant driver of housing market activity in 2013, but remained in ''catch-up mode''.

''Generally, auction clearance rates are holding up, particularly in those prestige areas, so far this year, and I would expect million-dollar sales at this stage - depending on how the economy pans out - to increase this year.''

Michael Gibson, managing director of Kay & Burton, said the agency sold 10 homes for more than $10 million last year. By comparison, it had three sales at that level in 2010.

Mr Gibson said in most cases the prestige market was rebounding to 2010 levels, and he believed it could exceed that this year.

The agency has sold two $10 million-plus properties already this year, including a seven-bedroom, eight-bathroom home in Hopetoun Road, Toorak, which industry sources say sold for about $15 million.

The Smorgon family is feeling optimistic about selling their 1920s Toorak home this year after the estate hit the market last October.

The six-bedroom, seven-bathroom mansion at 750 Orrong Road, owned by Norman and Tania Smorgon, could smash the Melbourne metro record if it sells for the asking price of $25 million.

The Smorgons bought the property for $3.05 million in 1995, but extensive renovations in 1997 and 1998 transformed the home.

''There aren't so many buyers at this level and you need to be patient to find the right one,'' Mrs Smorgon said. ''And I'm sure the right one will come along, if not in the next couple of months, it'll be a few months after that.''

Mr Gibson said the lower Australian dollar combined with the solid market would help attract interest from overseas buyers.

Valuer and buyer's advocate Greville Pabst, of WBP Property Group, said trophy homes were increasingly marketed offshore.

He said the underlying demand for quality, prestige family homes, particularly in Bayside and Stonnington, was a key driver of the prestige market.

''When they do come on for sale, they generally meet fairly strong competition,'' he said.

''In this market right now, there are four to five bidders for that type of property, which will drive price growth.''

But Robert Larocca, Victorian housing market specialist at RP Data, said buyers and sellers in the prestige category had been holding back.

''The property market, while going well, is not going gangbusters,'' he said.

''It's typically the case that the prestige [market] rises quicker or falls quicker so in this current cycle, you'd expect them to continue to improve.''

For the Smorgons, it was a decision to downsize that prompted them to sell.

''We'll get something smaller where our one or two children that are left [at home] will probably live with us there, probably a townhouse or an apartment,'' Mrs Smorgon said.

''We've got beautiful memories of the house but I think I'm ready to move on.''

Sydney, Melbourne in retail's global top 10 for rents - Sydney Morning Herald

Property Business

Expensive: Pitt Street Mall, Sydney. Photo: Rob Homer

The entry of overseas fashion labels and new shopping centre redevelopments have put Sydney and Melbourne's main streets in the top 10 of the world's most expensive cities for prime rents.

Driven by Westfield in Sydney, the area in and around Pitt Street Mall, came in at No. 6 spot. CFS Retail's jointly owned Emporium has put Melbourne in at No. 9.

The opening of more brands including H&M and its Collection of Style (COS) labels, Uniqlo and Forever 21 will all add to an increase in rent as space gets leased.

According to the CBRE data, the average CBD lease in Sydney is about $10,500 per square, which can go to almost double in some areas, while for Melbourne it is about $8800 on average.

Hong Kong kept its position as the world's most expensive city for global retailers, while prime rents in major markets such as New York, Paris and London continue to reach record-breaking levels.

In its quarterly ranking of 97 prime retail locations/markets across the globe, CBRE's analysis shows competition in the world's leading cities is strengthening. This demand is being fuelled by high-end retailers willing to pay record rents for the most coveted shops.

Impressive Melbourne Rebels attack 'something special', says Cheetahs coach - Sydney Morning Herald

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Rebels hunt down Cheetahs

Melbourne get their season off to a flyer after defeating the Cheetahs for the first time in their biggest win in Rebels history.

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• Rebels live up to all the hype


• New-look Rebels gel immediately

The Melbourne Rebels would be the surprise packet of the Super Rugby season and had the potential to make the finals, Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske said after watching his team dismantled 35-14 at AAMI Park on Friday night.

The new-look Rebels were unveiled for the first time this season and showed that they would be a different beast to the teams that won only 12 games in its first three seasons. The Rebels ran in five tries and enforced their defence with such aggression and enthusiasm that it restricted the free-flowing Cheetahs to two tries from rolling mauls.

Class above: The Rebels outclassed the Cheetahs in Melbourne. Photo: AFP

Drotske, who has seen his team now lose two from three games, said the Rebels would be "one of the surprise teams this year, definitely".

"They play with a lot of intensity, their breakdown is really good, they get quick ball and the way they attack is something special so definitely I think they can be positive for their season, there's no doubt about that."

When asked if the Rebels could repeat the efforts of the Cheetahs, who made the finals for the first time last year, Drotske said: "if they play the way they played tonight, obviously it's a long season (but) of course they can do it this year".

Cheetahs skipper Adriaan Strauss agreed that the Rebels were a noticeably better team.

"The Rebels are definitely a much improved side this year," Strauss said.

"We weren't great on the day but if you look at the scoreboard they could have had another try or so the scoreboard actually favours us in a way. We didn't pose any threat in attack so it was quality side we played tonight."

However, Strauss was less complimentary about his team's performance.

"We didn't pose any threat on attack, there was no constructive rugby particularly in the firist half ... their attack was good, they held us quite nicely on defence so we need to give them credit but we weren't good on the day," Strauss said.

Rebels skipper Scott Higginbotham said the team's focus, with the next game against the Western Force on Saturday, was to "keep our feet on the ground".

"There's still a lot to work on but it's great to get the bonus point," he said.

"The boys did their job and that's what we asked them to do ... the positive for us to take out of that is that we kept out composure under a lot of heat in that second half and kept playing attacking football."

Melbourne's Everest-like growth - The Age

If you were to stack all of Melbourne's newest buildings into a single skyscraper, you would create a tower that would look down on Mount Everest.

A boom in apartments, coupled with a still-healthy business sector, has brought a golden era for Victoria's capital. For the first time in Melbourne's history, housing has outstripped office space in the city centre.

Lord mayor Robert Doyle has dubbed it Melbourne's own ''mining boom''.

Floor space in the city has grown by almost five square kilometres between 2006 and 2012, detailed new data released by Melbourne City Council shows. The period also brought more than 76,000 new jobs to the inner city, as business, hospitality, real estate and construction industries flourish.

Use the slider to see how the amount of space dedicated to different uses has changed between 2006 and 2012.

The era saw Melbourne's residential population swell by a quarter and the city's economy expand by almost 40 per cent to $86 billion.

Perhaps the most notable shift occurred in 2012, when residential accommodation overtook office space. Those apartments and homes made up 30 per cent of the new growth, equivalent to 11 Eureka Towers. In comparison, office space grew by 13 per cent during the same period.

Knight Frank research director Richard Jenkins said the slower pace of new office construction could probably be traced to the global financial crisis.

He said ''insatiable'' demand for city apartments, which showed no short-term signs of slowing, was being driven by overseas buyers and developers.

Cr Doyle said Melbourne's boom era could last another decade, though ''not at this pace because this is pretty frenetic''.

Instead, he predicted another 50 to 60 years of growth on the fringes of the central business district, as urban renewal precincts are completed. ''Southbank is 90 per cent complete, Docklands is half done, we haven't started on Fishermans Bend and then there's E-Gate,'' he said. ''That area will become, in old terms, the CBD. It won't just become the Hoddle Grid any more.''

The council's land use and employment data takes in built space in the 37.4 square kilometres bounded by the City of Melbourne, including the CBD, Docklands, Southbank and Parkville.

It shows the city's growth in built space is slowing. There was a 7.4 per cent growth in built space between 2006 and 2008, a 6.1 per cent increase between 2008 and 2010, and a 4.2 per cent increase between 2010 and 2012.

Cr Doyle said it was essential the Metro One rail link was built by the state government, with a new underground station in Parkville.

''If they treat it just as a public transport option, they will miss the fact that it is not just about relieving congestion on the trains, it is about driving the economy of the central city.''

Interactive by Daniel Butt and Craig Butt

Geelong Cats beat Melbourne Demons 97-84 but captain Joel Selwood leaves ... - ABC Online

Posted February 28, 2014 22:15:27

Geelong captain Joel Selwood picked up a hamstring injury in his side's 13-point AFL preseason win over Melbourne in Alice Springs.

Cats utility Billie Smedts is also certain to be on report following a crude spoil that collected Jimmy Toumpas across the head in Friday night's match.

Melbourne hit the front late in the second term, but the Cats took control in the third quarter and won 0.14.13 (97) to 3.9.3 (84).

Selwood grabbed his right hamstring in the first term and was immediately benched for the rest of the game.

The Cats are hopeful it is not serious, telling media at half-time he could have returned to the game.

Selwood did not spend too much time icing his hamstring and was walking freely after the game.

He missed their first preseason game while completing his recovery from foot surgery.

The Cats can ill-afford to be without their skipper and star midfielder, having suffered a series of injuries over the summer.

Most recently, ruckman Nathan Vardy was ruled out for the season earlier this week with a knee reconstruction.

Smedts is in trouble for a third-term incident where he collected Toumpas high on the wing.

While his eyes were on the ball, his roundhouse swing at the ball made solid contact and Demons took offence, kicking off a scuffle between the teams.

Apart from a second preseason win, another positive out of the game for the Cats was the successful return of injury-plagued ruckman Hamish McIntosh.

It was his first match since round seven of 2012, when he was still playing for North Melbourne.

Coach Chris Scott said pre-match that McIntosh would play 30 minutes, but the big was on the ground for 46.

While the game was played in hot, blustery conditions, the wind was no excuse for Melbourne's succession of turnovers in the third term that gifted Geelong easy goals.

There were, however, ongoing signs of improvement for Melbourne under new coach Paul Roos, following their upset preseason win over Richmond.

Highly rated key forward Jesse Hogan showed the hype surrounding him is justified.

In his first game for the Demons, the teenager handled the ball cleanly, kicked a goal and took several strong marks.

The glaring statistics for Melbourne are that they easily won the possession count 444 to 350, but lost the inside-50 count by a whopping 62-31.

Mitch Duncan impressed for Geelong and Mitch Brown kicked three goals.

New recruits Viv Michie and Bernie Vince kicked super goals in the second term as the Demons rallied from a poor first term and they were high among Melbourne's best.

Co-captain Nathan Jones kicked the other super goal in the final term and then put through a six-pointer late in the game to keep the margin close.

AAP

Topics: australian-football-league, sport, alice-springs-0870, nt, australia

LIVE Super Rugby: Melbourne Rebels v Cheetahs at AAMI Park - Courier Mail

Nick McArdle and George Gregan preview the clash between the Rebels and the Cheetahs.

Rebels fullback Jason Woodward celebrates his first half try with Lachie Mitchell. Picture: Michael Klein. Source: News Corp Australia

THE Melbourne Rebels delivered on a pre-season of promise as they opened their Super Rugby season with a stunning 35-14 win over the Cheetahs.

The Rebels had never previously won a pre-season match but claimed three straight and then continued in the same impressive fashion at AAMI Park.

There were questions about how the backline would fire without the spark of the talented but troubled Wallabies duo Kurtley Beale and James O’Connor.

MATCH CENTRE: Scores, stats, video highlights from Rebels v Cheetahs

That was answered within the first five minutes as the Rebels turned up the pressure on the Cheetahs before sending the ball wide with winger Lachlan Mitchell collecting the spoils.

With eight new faces in the squad and a new coach in Tony McGahan, the Rebels looked fit and hungry.

They piled numbers into the breakdown and rattled the visitors with some fierce defence — long a Melbourne weakness.

New halves combination Bryce Hegarty and Luke Burgess looked sharp, with both scoring tries and the former Wallabies halfback named man of the match.

Skipper Scott Higginbotham, in his first competition game since shoulder and hip surgery, was another standout while flanker Sean McMahon, in his Super Rugby debut, also impressed.

The Rebels also showed some smart recruitment with Kiwi veteran centre Tamati Ellison and prop Toby Smith adding plenty to the side.

The Cheetahs, who had never lost to the Rebels, were uncharacteristically sloppy and failed to build any pressure through the match.

The home side led 17-0 at half-time, and left 10 points on the field through missed conversions and penalties with first Jason Woodward and then Hegarty off target.

It was the first time they’d ever kept an opponent scoreless in the opening 40 minutes.

The second try showed No. 8 Higginbotham’s array of skills when he took a quick tap and kicked the ball across field for a flying Woodward to touch down.

The Cheetahs were first on the scoreboard in the second half through replacement forward Jean Cook.

After Hegarty’s 59th minute try, the Bloemfontein-based side closed the gap to 24-14 with Ryno Barnes getting across the line and there were shades of 2012 when they were beaten by the Cheetahs in the 83rd minute.

But a drop-goal by replacement back Angus Roberts, and then a penalty in the final minute made sure of a well-deserved victory before Higginbotham capped the night with a try in the corner.

MELBOURNE REBELS 35 (Luke Burgess, Bryce Hegarty, Scott Higginbotham, Lachlan Mitchell, Jason Woodward tries Hegarty 2 cons Angus Roberts pen drop goal) bt CHEETAHS 14 (Ryno Barnes, Jean Cook tries Johan Goosen 2 cons) at AAMI Park. Referee: Angus Gardner. Crowd: 10,792.

Relive all the action in our match blog below.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE BLOG ON A MOBILE DEVICE

Sneak Peek: Melbourne's 25 best pubs - Herald Sun

Where is Melbourne’s best pub? Find out tomorrow. Source: News Limited

SNEAK PEEK: FROM a pot and parma in the front bar to a gourmet meal in the dining room, Melbourne’s best pubs have long punched above their weight.

But a new wave of watering holes has redefined the boozer and our pub scene is now a punter’s paradise.

Fancy a banh mi in the beer garden? Sure. Want dozens of rotating craft beers on tap? Done. How about a big name chef in the kitchen? Oh, we’re all over that.

So pull up a pew, grab a bevy and tuck into our guide to Melbourne’s 25 best pubs - the teaser edition.

>CHECK BACK TOMORROW FOR THE FULL LIST OF 25 BEST PUBS IN MELBOURNE<

FANCY A BUN: MELBOURNE’S TOP 10 BEST BURGERS

READER RESPONSE: THE BEST BURGERS THAT DIDN’T MAKE THE CUT

INDUSTRY FAV: Andrew McConnell and business partners at the Builders Arms Hotel in Fitzroy. Source: News Corp Australia

BUILDERS ARMS HOTEL - Industry-voted Best Pub

211 Gertrude St, Fitzroy. Ph: 9417 7700

Twitter @BuildersArmsHtl

SINCE 1853 it’s been everything from an Aboriginal meeting place to gay disco, but first and foremost the Builders Arms has always been a public house. And that’s something its current custodians (pictured from left) ‒ Andrew McConnell, Anthony Hammond and Josh Murphy — have been at pains to ensure remains true to this day. After stripping back the layers its many prior owners added over the years, they reopened the Builders Arms in 2012 to welcome everyone, day through night. Whether it’s a burger and a pot of Carlton in the front bar, the famous fish pie (top right) and a glass of something crisp and clever in the bistro, or the daily rotisserie in the garden, there’s something to suit all moods and occasions. It’s this offering of great, well-priced food teamed with effortlesslyinteresting things to drink — either by the bottle or from the tap — all served in a stylish yet welcoming space, that has won this incarnation of the Builders countless fans. Though it was never created to impress the industry, impress it clearly has. We asked 50 of Melbourne’s leading chefs, bartenders, managers, restaurateurs and other industry people to nominate their top five pubs and The Builders was Melbourne’s Best Pub as voted by its peers. DS

Pot of Carlton draught: $5

Price of pork schnitzel: $19

Most popular meal: Fish pie

Most popular drink: Carlton draught

Note: Weekend asked 50 of Melbourne’s leading hospitality professionals - chefs, bartenders, managers, restaurantuers and other industry people - to nominate their top five pubs. The Builders Arms was hands-down favourite. So we’ve dubbed it the ‘Industry Favourite’.

BEST EATS: TOP 100 VICTORIAN FOOD EXPERIENCES

MATT PRESTON: MELBOURNE’S TOP 10 MOST INFLUENTIAL RESTAURANTS

GET IN EARLY: BEST MELBOURNE BREAKFASTS

GREAT NORTHERN - Great Beer

644 Rathdowne St, North Carlton. Ph: 9380 9569

Twitter: @GNH_Carlton

FANTASTIC beers, a cracking garden to enjoy them in, honest food that’s hearty and well-priced — no wonder the Great Northern has been wowing the crowds for more than 140 years. Add a dog-friendly policy and you have a warmly comfortable space that’s as welcoming to blow-ins as it is to regulars. With 20 craft beers and cider taps there’s a brew or two that’s bound to appeal, whether something local (2 Brothers “Taxi” pilsner) or from afar (Brooklyn Blast IPA from the US). With sport on the screen in the front bar, an old-school dining room that’s charming and timeless and a pool table (of course) along with that fabulous beer garden, the Great Northern does a good job of encompassing all that makes a pub truly great. DS

Pot of Carlton draught: $4.70

Price of parma: $20

Most popular meal: 2 Brothers pilsner-battered fish and chips

Most popular drink: Stone and Wood pacific ale

CHECK BACK TOMORROW FOR THE FULL LIST OF MELBOURNE’S 25 BEST PUBS

The Great Northern in Carlton. Source: News Corp Australia

WAYSIDE INN - Great steak

446 City Rd, Southbank. Ph: 9682 9119

Twitter: @Wayside_Inn

SOME pubs are bars first, dining rooms second. The Wayside Inn is the other way round. By all means, enjoy a counter lunch at its convivial front bar. The oysters are shucked to order and the burger is a beauty. But the Wayside — companion to Footscray’s equally impressive Station Hotel — has so much more to offer: sensational seafood, seriously good steaks grilled over red gum, and a French-made rotisserie that burnishes everything it touches, from organic lamb to suckling pig. Gloriously plump free-range chicken is always on rotation here and ingeniously partnered with smoky bacon, brown mushrooms and buttery mash ($38). “Good honest food” is how executive chef Sean Donovan describes the Wayside’s value-for-money fare. High-calibre cooking is how we’d put it. SP

Price of a pot: $5.50, Mountain Goat steam ale

Price of a parma: n/a

Most popular meal: Chicken, mash, mushrooms, bacon

Most popular drink: Two Hands McLaren Vale shiraz

The Rose in Fitzroy. Source: News Corp Australia

THE ROSE - Local hero

406 Napier St, Fitzroy. Ph: 9417 5626

http://ift.tt/1bQmFrz

“DO not mess with The Rose” was the loud-and-clear message from Fitzroy when the beloved footy pub went up for sale in 2012. Developers circled but the day was won by a well-meaning local, Michael Quinn, who faithfully promised to maintain The Rose in all its dingy glory. He’s stayed true to his word, tweaking the wine and food offering, and adding a few more craft beers to make it “a little nicer’’. Like other favourite Fitzroy stalwarts The Napier and The Standard, tucked away in the backstreets, The Rose has resisted gentrification. Quinn says he is acutely conscious of displacing the residents of old Fitzroy, and so downstairs, the pub remains intact. But upstairs, there is change afoot. The second storey opened before Christmas, including a swish bar overlooking leafy Rose Street and a rooftop beer terrace. And behind the scenes,

a new kitchen is nearly finished for chef Sam Pinzone (ex-Rockpool). But even the up-market upstairs section stays true to the pub’s footy roots, with a 75-inch screen in pride of place. “We are The Rose,’’ Quinn says. “And now we’re The Rose upstairs.’’ AB

Pot of Carlton draught: $4.30

Price of a parma: $17, veal or chicken

Most popular meal: Roast of the day

Most popular drink: Carlton or Coopers

BRIDGE HOTEL - Local hero

642 Bridge Rd, Richmond. Ph: 9429 5734

Twitter: @Bridge_Hotel

THE Sand Hill Road boys — brothers Andy and Matt Mullins, Doug Maskiell and Tom Birch — have a formula with their venues: they run pubs where locals come first, comfort is king, cold beer flows and there’s footy on the screens. That’s not to say their venues are formulaic, far from it — the Prahran and the Richmond Club are sisters in name only — but they know what works. The Bridge, with its many different spaces that even include a laneway down the middle, is as good looking as it is laid-back. Proudly a Carlton draught pub (with support from the Mountain Goat boys down the road), the kitchen serves big serves of honest staples good for sopping up the booze (the $13 parma or steak every Tuesday and Wednesday rightly packs them in, as does the $19 Sunday roast). And at 5pm on Fridays at each of their pubs, a keg of Carlton draught is tapped and you decide how much you pay for each pot until the keg runs dry. Proceeds from these Karma Kegs go to charity, so you can drink and feel good about it, too, and there’s lots to love about that. DS

Price of a pot: $4.50, Carlton draught

Price of a parma: $21

Most popular meal: Summer salad

Most popular drink: Carlton draught

The Bridge Hotel in Richmond. Source: Supplied

THE PARK HOTEL - Great beer

12 Watton St, Werribee. Ph: 9741 1441

Twitter: @theparkbeer

WERRIBEE’S Park Hotel has transformed a dingy eyesore on the main street into a polished gem that is quickly becoming the western suburb’s new favourite drinking hole. But be warned — it might take you quite some time to decide just what to drink. With more than 240 craft beers and ciders on the menu as well as 14 beers and two ciders on tap, which change regularly, drinkers are spoiled for choice. You won’t find the big brands here — it’s the smaller artisan producers that feature on the drinks list — and the knowledgeable staff will help you choose your tipple. The Park Hotel is also gaining a reputation for great food with a menu of creatively refined pub standards with a modern twist and the delicious pizzas are topped with flavour combinations you’re unlikely to find anywhere else. Pork belly and ginger scallop with hoisin, shallot and chilli jam pizza, anyone? Within a year of opening, the eatery and beer hall won the best beer list in Australia award from Beer & Brewers Magazine and was a finalist in last year’s AHA National Awards for excellence. MP

Price of a pot: $4, Stone and Wood lager

Price of a parma: $22

Most popular meal: Steak sliders

Most popular drink: Stone and Wood

CHECK BACK TOMORROW FOR THE FULL LIST OF MELBOURNE’S 25 BEST PUBS

YARRA HOTEL – Live music

295 Johnston St, Abbotsford. Ph: 9417 0005

Twitter: @YarraHotel

THOUGH it’s just a drop punt from Victoria Park and has had a few ex-player owners over its 160-odd years, the Yarra doesn’t wear its colours on its sleeve — unless of course that (tattooed) sleeve is attached to a muso and a guitar. Its current owners took over the pub last year and include musician Mick Thomas (ex-Weddings, Parties, Anything) and publicans Guy Lawson (Napier in Fitzroy), brothers Gav and Glen Perriam (Fitzroy’s Union Club) and Greg “Clanger” Kleynjans (Adelaide’s Grace Emily). They’ve created an old-school boozer where the emphasis might be on (good) beer and (better) bands, but with a bewt beer garden and a cosy red-wallpapered dining room, there’s space here for all. The menu covers the classics, the bar is built for perching at, and the live music means good times are great times and a quiet night at the pub often becomes anything but. DS

Price of a pot: $4.40, Carlton draught

Price of a parma: $22

Most popular meal: Yarra burger

Most popular drink:

Collingwood draught

The Grace Darling in Collingwood. Source: News Corp Australia

GRACE DARLING - Great food

114 Smith St, Collingwood. Ph: 9416 0055

Twitter: @TheGraceDarling

A CHICKEN parma revolution has quietly taken place at the Grace Darling, where new chef Raymond Larkins (pictured) has turned the classic dish inside out. He’s serving up a roast baby chook stuffed with all the goodies you would usually find on the outside. Controversial? Oh yes. Popular? It’s a hit. Larkins says the Grace was headed for gastropub territory, but he has deliberately pared the menu back, mixing a few new, innovative dishes with the classics. “There are so many good restaurants around Smith St. Why would you compete?’’ he asks. Owner Maurice Manno agrees. “We’re just a rocking public house with good food,’’ he says. The local bohemian community rolls in for one of Melbourne’s most generous happy hours (4-7pm on weekdays) soaking up half-price Coopers pale and the ambience of the heritage-listed venue where the Collingwood Football Club was formed (don’t hold it against the pub). AB

Pot of Coopers pale: $5

Price of a parma: $24

Most popular meal: Inside out chicken parma

Popular drink: Coopers pale (especially during happy hour)

RAILWAY CLUB HOTEL - Great steak

107 Raglan St, Port Melbourne. Ph: 9645 1661

Twitter: @RailwayClubHotel

ON track for dinner at the Railway Club Hotel, some people are dreaming of chilli mussels, tiger prawns and King George whiting ... but not many. Most visitors to this welcoming pub in a sleepy corner of “North Port” want steak. Great steak. And Railway chief Jon Woolley (who also manages O’Connell’s in South Melbourne) rewards his carnivorous customers with beautifully chargrilled beef from Tasmania’s Cape Grim. Rump and rib eye, porterhouse and eye fillet ... every cut is displayed in the Railway’s comfortable hacienda-style grill room and you’re encouraged to pick out your preferred slab of purple protein. Our 800 grams of medium-rare rib eye ($68), in a red wine jus, is “sliced to share” and comes with monster-sized onion rings, roasted field mushrooms and hand-cut chips. A big glass of shiraz — there’s plenty to choose from — seals the deal. Climb aboard. SP

Price of a pot: $4.90, Carlton draught

Price of a parma: Veal parmigiana

Most popular meal: 250g eye fillet with hand-cut chips

Most popular drink: Stone & Wood Pacific Ale

CHECK BACK TOMORROW FOR THE FULL LIST OF MELBOURNE’S 25 BEST PUBS

The Maori Chief in South Melbourne. Source: HeraldSun

MAORI CHIEF HOTEL - Rooftop bar

117 Moray St, South Melbourne. Ph: 9696 5363

http://ift.tt/1bQmGMa

LOCAL lore has it that South Melbourne’s Moray St was supposed to be Maori St, but an unfortunate spelling error put an end to that. Fortunately, the Maori Chief pub pays tribute to the Kiwi contingent past and present. “When the All Blacks play you can’t move in here,’’ says barman Andy Dunn, who was a customer for 12 years before taking up residence behind the bar. “I had to pay back my tab,’’ he jokes, but Dunn, like many locals, has genuine affection for this historic pub that is blessedly free of pokies and betting. In a suburb where many pubs don’t deign to serve Carlton, the Chief sells plenty of it, in addition to three kinds of Mountain Goat on tap. They don’t make ’em like this any more, so it’s great to see such a historic building in near-original nick. The only concession to modernity is a rooftop beer garden, with a bird’s-eye view of the city, courtesy of Melbourne’s mania for outdoor drinking. AB

Pot of Carlton draught: $4.20

Price of a parma: $21

Most popular meal: Chief burger chilli parma

Most popular drink: Pot of Carlton

Three killed in crash between car and truck near Koo Wee Rup, south-east of ... - ABC Local

Updated February 28, 2014 13:08:53

Police are still trying to confirm how many people died in a fiery road accident near Koo Wee Rup, south-east of Melbourne.

A car burst into flames after colliding with a truck on Caldermeade Road in Catani just before 9am (AEDT).

Police say up to four people may have been killed but they will not be able to say for sure until a disaster victim identification team has examined the wreckage.

A child survived the crash and has been flown to the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne for observation.

The driver of the truck has been taken to Dandenong Hospital with hand injuries.

Topics: road, catani-3981

First posted February 28, 2014 10:27:43

Kevin Muscat pondering on Victory's defensive partnership for Melbourne derby - Herald Sun

It's Heart v Victory in the Melbourne Derby, Tara Rushton and Mark Rudan look ahead to one of the marquee matches in the A-League calendar.

Kevin Muscat gives instructions during a Melbourne Victory training session. Source: Getty Images

MELBOURNE Victory coach Kevin Muscat is still deliberating on the replacement for suspended Chilean Pablo Contreras in central defence for Saturday night’s Melbourne derby at AAMI Park.

With Adrian Leijer (fractured eye socket) still missing Jason Geria, Adama Traore and Leigh Broxham are the options to partner Nick Ansell in defence against in-form Melbourne Heart.

Victory players had the lightest of sessions at Gosch’s Paddock on Friday morning, with strength and conditioning coach Peter Cklamovski overseeing the 40-minute run through after the players only returned from Guangzhou late on Thursday night.

There were no fresh injury concerns for Muscat from the 4-2 loss to the reigning Asian Champions League winners Guangzhou Evergrande.

Fox Sports football commentator Simon Hill reflects on the heavy losses inflicted on A-League Sides Melbourne Victory and Western Sydney Wanderers in Wednesday night's Asian Champions League fixtures.

Should Broxham move into defence then Rashid Mahazi would most likely slot into midfield while Dylan Murnane has been solid at left-back when Traore’s shifted and Scott Galloway has been the regular right-back at A-League level though Geria played there on Wednesday.

Midfielder Tom Rogic got through the session and is almost certain to start along with Brazilian Gui Finkler.

“I’ve tried to be as honest as possible about selections throughout the campaign but at this point in time we’ve got to reassess the squad tomorrow (Saturday) morning and get another check from the medical team,” Muscat said.

“Pablo’s suspended apart from that there’s the normal knocks but I think it’s a good game to play after the travel because no-one’s telling me they’re unavailable, everyone wants to play.

“It’s a big game for us, they all are but tomorrow night’s derby is something special.

“Gui stayed here so he’ll come back into the team. With Tom we’ll wait and see how he reacts tomorrow but from all indications this morning he wants to make himself available.”

Muscat said while learning plenty of lessons from the 4-2 loss, the players have taken plenty of positives from dominating the first half against the Marcello Lippi-coached side.

“It was a positive experience for us. We’re upbeat, it’s the perfect game to come back to as well,” he said.

“This morning was just about recovery, get out here open the legs a bit and freshen up.”

Deaths feared in fiery crash in Catani southeast of Melbourne - Herald Sun

The horrific smash happened in Catani, southeast of Melbourne, at 8.55am. Picture: Seven News / @gusbru07 Source: HeraldSun

A CATTLE truck and a car have collided in a horrific smash southeast of Melbourne.

Police are yet to confirm media reports that four people from one family have been killed in the crash at Catani this morning.

It is believed a number of people are dead and others injured after the vehicles collided on Caldermeade Road at 8.55am.

Police are yet to confirm reports of fatalities. Picture: Nine News / @9newsmelb Source: Supplied

The smash happened on Caldermeade Road. Picture: Seven News / @lynnescrivens Source: Channel 7

The Major Collision Investigation Unit is heading to the scene.

Ambulance Victoria have confirmed that two people were treated for minor injuries.

A primary school aged child was treated at the scene but was not harmed and a man in his 20s sustained minor injuries to his hand.

More to come ...

The smash happened at Catani, about 80km southeast of Melbourne. Source: Supplied

Mystery surrounds socialite's murder - The Age

Jeanette Moss.

Mystery continues to surround the suspected murder of a popular Melbourne socialite with police still searching for clues that they hope will lead them to the killer.

Mother-of-two and grandmother-of-four, Jeanette Moss, 69, was found dead in her Middle Park apartment, overlooking Port Phillip Bay, on January 15.

Homicide detectives believe she was murdered, but will not comment on the circumstances of her death other than to say that she had sustained injuries.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said on Thursday the case remained open and police were still searching for leads.

Police believe Ms Moss may have known her attacker and let them into her apartment as the front door of her Beaconsfield Parade flat was locked, nothing was missing and there were no signs of a struggle when her body was discovered by a neighbour.

She had lived alone since about 1999 when she became a widow.

Ms Moss, who had been preparing for her 70th birthday party, was last seen running errands on the morning before her death and is believed to have died some time between then and the next morning.

Ms Moss was a well-known and liked socialite with more than 350 people attending her funeral at All Saints Anglican Church in St Kilda before a wake at her local yacht club, where she had been a member for the past 15 years.

Ms Moss with her late husband Hal owned the Hilton and Kayser lingerie brands for more than 30 years and Ms Moss was elected to the former South Melbourne council in 1983 and served until 1986.

In a bid to unearth clues to the suspected murder, police set up an information caravan outside Ms Moss' home in the weeks following her death.

The police spokeswoman would not comment whether police were able to glean useful leads from the public appeal and said the investigation was ongoing.

Anyone with information about Mrs Moss' death is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit crimestoppers.com.au.

Melbourne IT to purchase Netregistry in AU$50.4m deal - ZDNet

Summary: The two dominant Australian domain name companies look to merge to maintain competitiveness against cheaper, foreign-based competition.

Melbourne IT announced today that it has entered into an agreement with competitor Netregistry to purchase the company in a deal worth AU$50.4 million.

The payment for the purchase will be made in two parts, with 4.99 percent to 9.99 percent of outstanding Melbourne IT shares offered to Netregistry shareholders, and the remainder paid in cash. This will see Melbourne IT part with 4.3 million to 9.3 million shares and between AU$38 million to AU$45 million in cash, subject to regulatory approval.

"The proposed transaction will bring together two of Australia's leading web services businesses, generating significant benefits for customers, employees, and shareholders of both companies," said acting CEO of Melbourne IT Peter Findlay.

As part of the transaction, Larry Bloch, founder and CEO of Netregistry, will join Melbourne IT's board.

"This transaction validates the tremendous success the Netregistry team have had since 1997 in building a leading web services business. The merged entity will benefit from the leading products, management team, and efficiencies of both companies," Bloch said.

Melbourne IT said that it will remain cashflow positive despite the deal, with the acquisition to be funded via a mix of cash on hand, scrip consideration, a new AU$20 million line of credit, and AU$15 million leaving escrow after the sale of Melbourne IT's digital brand services unit to CSC for AU$152.5 million in March 2013.

Netregistry currently has annual revenue in excess of AU$30 million, and is expected to contribute at least AU$6 million of EBITDA to Melbourne IT's bottom line.

The merged group is expected to save AU$5 million through consolidation of platforms, products, Sydney offices, and infrastructure. It is expected that key Netregistry management personnel and staff members will be retained.

The transaction is expected to close before the mid point of this year.

The announcement of the deal arrived as part of Melbourne IT's full-year results, which saw the company revenue decrease by 5 percent to AU$103.4 million, with EBITDA falling by 43 percent to AU$5.8 million.

Melbourne IT said the results reflect a year of transition that saw the selling of its digital brand services unit, as well as the sale of its For The Record business for AU$6.3 million.

Given that AU$65.9 million has been returned to shareholders since August, the company said it would not be issuing a dividend.

Despite the Netregistry purchase, Melbourne IT said that it will continue to look for other acquisitions throughout the year.

With Netregistry in the bag, and a number of generic level top-level domains to appear throughout the next 12 months, including .web, .shop, .site, .med, and .melbourne, the company said it expects to refocus on SMB solutions.

Melbourne IT is forecasting a 2014 EBITDA in the range of AU$10 to AU$12 million, barring any further acquisitions taking place.

Shares in Melbourne IT were up 7.5 percent to AU$1.36 at the time of writing.

Incoming CEO and managing director Martin Mercer is expected to commence his new role in April. Mercer was previously the managing director of Optus' fixed division, and was appointed by the Melbourne IT board after previous CEO Theo Hnarakis was asked to step down.

Melbourne Water fined $400000 over worker's sewerage channel death - The Age

Melbourne Water has been fined $400,000 over the workplace death of a technician who drowned in a sewerage channel in what a judge labelled a "clear and substantial failure" of ensuring a workplace was safe.

It is suspected Tim Bakerov fell into a channel at the Eastern Treatment Plant in Bangholme either because a metal covering grate was missing or it gave way after being dislodged the previous night by a surge of aerated sludge inside the channel.

Mr Bakerov had collected a sample from the channel for analysis before he fell on the morning of December 1, 2011.

After the channel was drained, the 53-year-old's body was found about 150 metres from where he had left his equipment. The grate that had fallen was also discovered, along with two other grates that had fallen previously.

The death of Mr Bakerov, a father of three girls, came after grates were discovered either dislodged or missing from channels at the plant.

Judge Chris O'Neill told the County Court there had been a "sufficient number of occasions" dating back to 2008 where grates had either been dislodged or gone missing, and that it was disappointing and tragic they were had not been permanently fixed much earlier.

"As events subsequently showed, it was a simple and inexpensive task to secure them to the concrete," he said on Thursday.

Judge O'Neill said Melbourne Water's failure to secure the grates permanently was a "clear and substantial failure, in particular in a workplace where there were considerable hazards, and occupational health and safety matters were said to be important".

Melbourne Water last week pleaded guilty to one charge of failing to provide or maintain a safe working environment.

Judge O'Neill said Melbourne Water's failure was in the medium range of offending under workplace health and safety laws. The corporation faced a maximum fine of $1.1 million.

Judge O'Neill said Melbourne Water took immediate steps to secure the grates after Mr Bakerov's death and published details of the incident and its response to alert other water authorities.

The judge acknowledged the penalty would not bring much solace to Mr Bakerov's wife and daughters given the tragic circumstances of his death and the grief they would experience for the rest of their lives.

Melbourne Water chairman Paul Clark said the organisation had been shocked and saddened by Mr Bakerov's death and had done everything possible to prevent other tragedies.

"We recognise the devastating impact of this tragic incident and sincerely express our condolences to Tim's family and friends," Mr Clark said in a statement.

NSW puts one over Melbourne with premiere of Matilda - Sydney Morning Herald

EXCLUSIVE

Coup for the arts in NSW: The Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Matilda The Musical. Photo: Joan Marcus

In an act the tenacious heroine of Matilda might applaud, the NSW government has secured the Australian premiere of the acclaimed musical, beating major events rival Victoria.

Premier Barry O'Farrell announced on Thursday that the Royal Shakespeare Company's adaptation of Roald Dahl's novel Matilda will open at the Sydney Lyric Theatre from August 2015, puncturing reports that surfaced late last year that the hit show was heading to Melbourne.

''Matilda the Musical is one of the most highly sought after musicals currently in production,'' Mr O'Farrell said. ''It has wowed audiences in New York and London and I am delighted we have been able to secure this award-winning production for Sydney.

Matilda is "a four-foot-two-feminist-icon": Tim Minchin. Photo: Getty Images

''This will help generate tens of millions of dollars in economic activity by attracting interstate and international visitors to Sydney to see the show,'' he said.

The NSW Minister for Tourism, Major Events and the Arts, George Souris, said Matilda was estimated to generate more than $35 million for NSW. Fairfax Media understands it will tour to other Australian capitals.

Mr Souris expected more than 110,000 visitors to come to Sydney to see the production, a family-friendly, underdog story of a five-year-old genius with villainous parents. Tim Minchin, the Australian comedian, actor and musician who wrote the score, has previously described Matilda as ''a four-foot-two feminist icon''.

The production premiered at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-Upon-Avon in 2010, before moving to London's West End in 2011 where it is still playing. It has been playing on Broadway since April last year.

The London production won a record seven Olivier Awards in 2012. In New York it earned 12 Tony Award nominations last year and won four.

The announcement follows Sydney securing the premiere of Strictly Ballroom the Musical, which opens next month, ahead of Melbourne.

John Frost, the producer of Legally Blonde and Wicked, said last year that ''NSW has really upped the ante financially and the incentives are very encouraging for shows to open in Sydney''.

The Australian production will be co-produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company, Louise Withers, Michael Coppel and Michael Watt.

With Elissa Blake

Melbourne Victory throws away two-goal lead in 4-2 ACL loss to Guangzhou ... - Fox Sports

NEW signing Alessandro Diamanti starred with two magical strikes as AFC Champions League title-holders Guangzhou Evergrande fought back from two goals down to beat Melbourne Victory 4-2.

In a dream debut, the 30-year-old Italian international inspired a rousing second-half comeback as the Marcello Lippi-led Chinese champions opened their trophy defence in style.

The departure of influential midfielder Dario Conca had raised questions about Guangzhou but his replacement, Diamanti, quickly settled those doubts with a memorable performance at a packed Tianhe stadium.

First-half goals from Pablo Contreras and Leigh Broxham threatened a huge upset in Group G but after the break, Guangzhou scored four sparkling goals in 26 minutes through Huang Bowen, Elkeson and Diamanti.

Alessandro Diamanti of Guangzhou Evergrande celebrates his goal. Source: Getty Images

Both sides had early chances with Victory’s Mark Milligan and Guangzhou Evergrande forcing top-drawer saves at opposite ends of the pitch around the quarter-hour mark.

Victory got their opener on 36 minutes, when a Jesse Makarounas free-kick from the left was poorly dealt with, Kosta Barbarouses fired in a shot and Contreras tapped in the rebound.

The goal stunned Guangzhou and their massed ranks of red-clad fans, but there was worse to come just five minutes later - and again from the delivery of Makarounas, also from the left but this time from a corner.

Again the high ball was not cleared and Broxham was perfectly placed to lash home a superbly controlled volley from the edge of the box and give the visitors a shock 2-0 lead at half-time.

However, Lippi’s men returned from the break fired up and a dipping Diamanti free-kick drew a diving header off the line from Contreras.

Diamanti had a hand in Guangzhou’s first goal when he fed Luo Jiacheng for a cross which was emphatically volleyed into the net by Huang, a goal which was every bit the equal of Broxham’s strike earlier.

And the Italian made it 2-2 when, after timid defensive work from Victory’s Adama Traore, he turned and hammered a fierce shot on his favoured left foot past static goalkeeper Nathan Coe.

Brazilian striker Elkeson put the champions 3-2 ahead when he brilliantly controlled a long, high ball from the halfway line on hisu’s first goal when he fed Luo Jiacheng for a cross which was emphatically volleyed into the net by Huang, a goal which was every bit the equal of Broxham’s strike earlier.

And the Italian made it 2-2 when, after timid defensive work from Victory’s Adama Traore, he turned and hammered a fierce shot on his favoured left foot past static goalkeeper Nathan Coe.

Brazilian striker Elkeson put the champions 3-2 ahead when he brilliantly controlled a long, high ball from the halfway line on his chest and squirmed a low shot through the legs of Nicholas Ansell.

Victory looked a beaten team but Diamanti made sure of the win when he effortlessly shimmied past Contreras and prodded a pinpoint strike inside the far post with the toe of his left boot.

RE-LIVE THE ACTION IN OUR BLOG BELOW. CLICK HERE FOR A MORE ADVANCED VIEWING EXPERIENCE ON MOBILE DEVICES

ACL RESULTS

Group G

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (KOR) 3 (Lee Seun-Gi 60, 68, Leonardo 70) Yokohama F. Marinos (JPN) 0

Guangzhou Evergrande (CHN) 4 (Huang Bowen 59, Alessandro Diamanti 65, 85, Elkeson 71) Melbourne Victory (AUS) 2 (Pablo Contreras 36, Leigh Broxham 41)

Group H

Western Sydney Wanderers (AUS) 1 (Brendon Santalab 1) Ulsan Hyundai (KOR) 3 (Kim Shin-Wook 35, Ko Chang-Hyun 43, Kang Min-Soo 66)

Kawasaki Frontale (JPN) 1 (Renato 31) Guizhou Renhe (CHN) 0

Real Housewives of Melbourne: Froth without bubbles - Sydney Morning Herald

Glam: Janet Roach from The Real Housewives of Melbourne. Photo: Lluis Enrique Ascui

The oft-made claim about The Real Housewives of Melbourne, the first Australian edition of the burgeoning American reality television franchise, is that it isn't scripted. Firstly, that's disingenuous. Not having written lines doesn't preclude the manufacturing of scenarios, collusion in tone and multiple takes. Based on the first two episodes, screening on Foxtel's Arena on Sunday evenings, there are kit homes that are less pre-fabricated than this.

Secondly, maybe it should be scripted. Then you wouldn't have amateur actors - which is what the six privileged central cast members and their support teams essentially are - improvising all the time. Left to their own devices, with several cameras shooting, they're hardly arresting. Embarrassing? Yes. Self-delusional? Yes. Compulsively watchable? No.

Since The Real Housewives of Orange County debuted in March, 2006, the show has spread with viral-like speed. What it offers, without too much obfuscation, are the narcissistic antics of the rich and desperate to be famous. A group of wealthy women, or at least the spoilt wives of wealthy men, endlessly circle each other in social settings where they argue over slights, take sides, regroup and argue some more, before repeating the cycle.

If a definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, then this reality show is certifiable. But the Americans, frankly, deliver on that repetition. Whether it's the Hollywood loopiness of Beverly Hills or the Sopranos vibe of New Jersey, each edition is full of crazy outbursts and hysterical interaction. On the Atlanta show recently, an adult pyjama party for the housewives and their partners ended in a running brawl.

Atlanta, I might add, is the most successful American edition. The franchise's audience want ostentatious lifestyle and terrible behaviour; they want to gawk and groan.

But at this stage The Real Housewives of Melbourne is playing it safe. The city's society is supposedly discrete, the participants career-orientated.

The show is an unwieldy mix of the respectable and the supposedly risque. There are brand names, stereotypical society hairdressers (twice-divorced property developer Janet Roach doesn't even wash her own hair), along with enough plugs for various French champagnes to make even Francois Hollande smile.

Unfortunately, the first serious showdown in this coming Sunday's episode, between gaudy barrister Gina Liano and professional psychic Jackie Gillies, is a complete bust.

It's lacking in that crucial reality television element of batshit craziness. In a throwdown over whether Gina's boyfriend, who is living in America, is faithful to her, a bunch of talking points keep getting repeated before Gina tells Jackie that her practices are demonic.

"Don't say I'm talking through demonic!" demands Jackie, a line that encapsulates the program's knack for bizarre invention, but then it's all over with a walkout.

The set-pieces have to be over the top, as without them the format becomes drearily repetitive: the women and their entourages just keep getting thrown together over lunch or parties that are held for the camera's needs.

Without the trademark punctuation you're left with unpleasant assumptions; such as the way Lydia Schiavello is shown to be happily insatiable in her spending habits and determined to bluntly reference her sex life with her husband, leaving you to wonder if the two facets are connected.

Like previous local versions of American successes, such as Survivor, The Real Housewives of Melbourne is losing something in the translation. The show is being sold as if its veneer - that these are charming, enlightened credits to our society - is real.

There's the occasional hint of satire, such as Andrea's children mocking her lists for their many nannies, but mostly it's too sedate.

No-one wants to care for these characters - the goal is to be outraged to the point of entertainment by their fabulous flare-ups.

Maybe the show will pick up - amazingly, Gina is going to Jackie's housewarming party in the third episode (presumably without an exorcist in tow) - but right now it needs some gold-plated outrageousness. There's no point making discretely half-hearted trash.

Metro rail tunnel plan will include Melbourne airport link - The Age

Airport rail link

The long-demanded rail link to Melbourne airport will be included in an expanded Metro rail tunnel plan that Premier Denis Napthine has promised will begin this decade.

Speaking at a Property Council lunch in Melbourne on Wednesday, Dr Napthine said: ''Let me absolutely assure you, our government is committed to a rail capacity project, to enhance rail capacity through the centre of Melbourne, to boost rail capacity on the Dandenong line and the Gippsland line. We need it, it is essential.

''We are committed by the end of this decade to be building a rail capacity project and include in that a link to the airport.

''We will deliver that because it is absolutely essential, so don't let anybody have a misunderstanding about our commitment to that as a key project.''

It is believed the much-discussed airport link plan will be ramped up as part of the ''realigned'' Metro rail project, following internal research showing the idea remains highly popular.

Transport Minister Terry Mulder has confirmed the preferred route will run from the airport boundary via new tracks through a reserved land and freight corridor, before using the existing rail tracks from Sunbury to connect with the Metro tunnel.

Mr Mulder has said it would allow people to use the planned Dandenong-Sunshine rail corridor to travel to the airport.

His spokeswoman confirmed that the airport route, known as the Albion East option, remains the preferred alignment for the rail link, although the final alignment of the Metro project could result in its connection into the city changing. But problems could arise because the existing freight line relies on diesel trains, without electrification.

It is believed Melbourne Airport chief executive Chris Woodruff expressed concern about the possibility of diesel trains being used at the airport at a meeting with Department of Premier and Cabinet secretary Andrew Tongue.

Asked about the possibility of diesel trains servicing the route, Melbourne Airport spokeswoman Anna Gillett said the priority was for a rail link that ''best serves the needs of Victorians and visitors'', saying it was needed ''sooner rather than later''.

''By 2033 we expect more than 60 million passengers a year and we need all forms of ground transport - taxis, private vehicles, buses, Skybus, and a train - to work well for people to get to and from their flights."

The Premier also told the Property Council lunch that extending the planned east-west tollway to the Port of Melbourne and across to the Western Ring Road was ''on the agenda''.

The Victorian division of the Property Council also released its policy agenda at the lunch.

The wish list included a call to privatise government assets including Victoria's share of the Snowy Mountain Hydro Scheme, water authorities and the Port of Melbourne to help fund new infrastructure. The developer lobby group described the asset sales or long-term leases as an ''asset recycling agenda'', and said it could extend to ''vacated school and other education sites … public buildings in prime locations and tracts of vacant land in and around Melbourne and its rail network''.

Melbourne Rebels ready to confront physical Cheetahs pack and star back Willie ... - Herald Sun

Melbourne Rebels say they need to stop Springbok flyer, Willie le Roux, in their Super Rugby opener against the Cheetahs on Friday night.

Melbourne Rebels training.Captain Scott Higginbotham (on left with moustache) Photo: Ellen Smith Source: News Corp Australia

CONFRONTED with quelling one of the most dynamic packs in Super Rugby, Melbourne coach Tony McGahan is backing his Rebels forwards to match the Cheetahs at AAMI Park on Friday night.

Concerned Melbourne will lack “match intensity” after last week’s bye, McGahan said the battle of the forwards would be pivotal.

The Rebels will concede 36kg in weight - much of it in the front row where Cheetahs prop Coenie Oosthuizen tips the scales at 129kg - but McGahan is confident his pack can cope.

“We really have a lot of time for the forward pack at this stage,” McGahan said.

“We’ve certainly been well in the contest in the three (trial) games against NSW, a good pack, the Highlanders had a good pack and the Reds have got a seasoned international pack.

“We felt that we got some good traction in those three games and South African sides are big on contact and big on set piece so that will be a clear decider.”

Set to unveil up to nine new faces, McGahan said a positive start was vital.

“We certainly need to make sure we get an early imprint,” he said.

“That’s really important in any game, but especially when you’re at home - first game for us.

“The Cheetahs are on their third game of the season so match intensity, we’ll be a little bit behind in that regard.

The Short Ball reviews an entertaining round two in the Super Rugby.

“But we’re really looking forward to making sure we start well with a good crowd here.”

Former Waikato Chiefs prop Toby Smith is among a string of recruits the Rebels will rely on to lay the foundation for breakthrough victory against the Cheetahs.

Backrowers Sean McMahon and Colby Fainga’a, hooker Steve Fualau, prop Max Lahiff and backs Luke Burgess, Tamati Ellison, Ben Meehan and Tom Kingston are among the newcomers expected to impact.

The Cheetahs reached the semi-finals last season, bowing out against the Brumbies.

The Bloemfontein club last week atoned for first-round failure against the Lions by upstaging the Bulls.

“The Cheetahs are a side that experienced finals last year, they’re a side on a rapid improve of the last few years,” McGahan said.

“They’ve got a huge counter-attack threat. They like to play with a lot of width, they like to play with a lot of unstructured plays.

“They’ve got some key players there - (Willie) Le Roux is the main danger at 15 - so we need to be really careful in regard to that.

“We need to be pretty controlled.”

The Rebels are yet to beat the Cheetahs in three attempts.

Melbourne chief executive Rob Clarke said the Rebels would unveil a “new match-day” experience, buoyed by strong ticket sales.

Likely Rebels side: Toby Smith, Pat Leafa, Laurie Weeks, Hugh Pyle, Luke Jones, Sean McMahon, Scott Fuglistaller, Scott Higginbotham, Luke Burgess, Bryce Hegarty, Tom English, Tamati Ellison, Mitch Inman, Lachlan Mitchell, Jason Woodward. Replacements - Max Lahiff, Steve Fualau, Paul Alo-Emile, Cadeyrn Neville, Colby Fainga’a, Ben Meehan, Tom Kingston, Angus Roberts.

Five tower projects announced for Melbourne city on 'Super Tuesday' - The Age

Planning Minister Matthew Guy has denied the state government has hit the economic ''panic button'' by approving five major tower projects in the city.

Mr Guy approved on Tuesday five towers expected to cost $557 million to build and to create more than 2000 apartments and up to 4000 jobs.

''It is a matter of packaging them up, obviously, bringing forward five in one day, which I think is important, because it sends a signal,'' he said. ''It sends a signal to investors and to the construction industry that the city is going to go forward and that we have a pipeline for our construction industry.''

Planning Minister Matthew Guy. Photo: Luis Enrique Ascui

But the announcement, dubbed ''Super Tuesday'' by the government, prompted RMIT planning expert Michael Buxton to label the planning minister ''Melbourne's greatest-ever vandal''.

Professor Buxton said the towers that were being approved were not the ones that middle-income Melburnians wanted to buy into. He said young and middle-aged people were more interested in medium-density properties, not small but expensive apartments in the central business district.

''They're pulling down Melbourne to satisfy a few rich developers and overseas developers. Matthew Guy is not going to stop until Melbourne is destroyed. It's very serious for Melbourne. Once it's gone, it's gone forever.''

Mr Guy rebutted criticism that small blocks with towering high-rise buildings could turn Melbourne into a Hong Kong-style city, saying the state needed to show it was a place of jobs and growth.

He said Melbourne was like London and New York in that it had more and more people wanting to live in the city, even though they had families.

Speaking at the Phoenix Apartments construction site at 82 Flinders Street, Mr Guy said more small blocks would need to have high-rise development.

''People often say to me, why do I keep approving tall buildings? My answer is because we have to optimise the space we have got in our central city area … it is not infinite.''

The Phoenix, built by developer Equiset, uses an H-shape construction technique without columns. It will use the same process at 464 Collins Street, one of the developments approved on Tuesday. The Collins Street site is another narrow site but its three-storey facade, known as Makers Mark, will be kept.