Latest news with #Newtown

News.com.au
13 hours ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Rare Newtown brick home beats hopes by $110K
A rare triple-pointed brick character house in blue chip Newtown that attracted crowds of buyers from Melbourne and beyond has sold for more than $100,000 above its price expectations. The three-bedroom period home at 365 Shannon Ave was snapped up for $1.23m at Saturday's auction after three bidders contested the 697sq m property. McGrath, Newtown agent Georgie Shaw said two bidders competed for the home down to the wire, with an expat family planning to return to Geelong securing the keys to the Edwardian era house. Mid-century home designed by AFL great up for sale Geelong's top homes of FY25 worth over $120m The property had been listed with a $1m to $1.1m price range. The character-filled house blends Edwardian charm and comfort in a renovation completed since the property last sold for $797,000 in 2018. That project remodelled the rear living area, where the open-plan kitchen and dining zone offers a butler's pantry and flows onto an expansive deck. The main lounge has an open fireplace and ornate period detailed ceiling, with the high ceilings, a wide entrance hall and leadlight details among the character features on show. 'A lot of the interest was from Melbourne buyers – inner Melbourne suburbs such as Elsternwick, Albert Park and Middle Park that are dying for that type of beautiful brick period home,' Ms Shaw said. 'And we just don't have many of them in Geelong, so obviously supply is low and demand was huge there. 'The facade was just so pretty and inside was just charming. It has pressed metal ceilings, original features, it had been really beautifully restored and renovated but still in keeping with the feel of the home.' Ms Shaw said the property attracted about 50 groups during the campaign, with 16 to 18 groups at each inspection. Even the main road position was not an issue for potential buyers, she said. 'Melbourne people are definitely not as deterred because they're used to it,' Ms Shaw said. 'I've got buyers that, for example, were living on Orrong Rd in Caulfield South, another group of buyers that came through were renting at High St, Armadale. 'Given inner-city Melbourne is so busy and the traffic flows 24/7, it's worse than Shannon Ave. 'And of an evening the traffic dies as there's no restaurants along there, no cafes so it's really only busy in certain times.' Ms Shaw said the double-brick construction, along with double glazing offered a surprising calm interior for buyers. 'That surprised a lot of people when once they stepped inside the house and closed the front door. 'They realised how solid it was and that all of the living areas were at the rear, with the double-front of the house being double-glazed, they saw even more value.'

Associated Press
2 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Quid Miner App Now Available, Providing AI-Powered Crypto Mining of BTC, DOGE & More
Newtown, CA July 20, 2025 --( )-- As crypto markets face increasing volatility, investors are turning to structured strategies for passive income. This is where Quid Miner comes in: Quid Miner, a UK-registered platform, offers a mobile app designed to help users explore cloud mining with simplified tools and enhanced security. Quid Miner states that they offer a way to generate daily crypto returns – without market timing or their own hardware. 'Waiting for the next bull market isn't a strategy,' says a Quid Miner spokesperson. 'But earning while you wait? That's smart.' What is cloud mining, and Why Now? Cloud mining lets users rent computing power from data centers to mine cryptocurrencies, removing the need to purchase expensive equipment or manage technical setups. Quid Miner says its platform fills this gap, delivering stable, automated crypto earnings directly to one's phone. Highlights of the Quid Miner App: 1. AI Optimization Engine:Dynamically allocates computing power to the most profitable coins and mining pools. 2. Full Multi-Asset Support:BTC, ETH, XRP, DOGE, LTC, SOL, BCH and USDT. Thanks to the platform's multi-chain compatibility, users can choose the digital assets they hold for mining. 3. Institutional-Grade Security: McAfee® and Cloudflare® dual protection technology is used to prevent all unauthorized access. Ensure the safety of funds and data. 4. Flexible contract plans: Choose from low-entry $15 options to premium $100K contracts — daily returns are settled automatically. 5. Mobile First:Manage mining operations directly from iOS or Android — anytime, anywhere. Simple steps to start cloud mining with Quid Miner 1. Choose Qudi Miner as provider: Quid Miner offers a $15 free mining plan, and users can earn $0.60 in passive income every day for free. 2. Create an account: Sign up with an email address, log in to the dashboard and start mining immediately. 3. Contract selection: A variety of mining plans are available to meet different budgets and investment preferences. Quid Miner BTC popular contracts: BTC Basic Computing Power [Experience Contract]: Investment amount: 100 USD, Contract period: 2 days, Daily income: 4.0 USD, Expiration income: 100 USD + 8 USD DOGE<C [Goldshell LT6]: Investment amount: $500, Contract period: 6 days, Daily income: $6, Expiration income: $500 + $ 36 BTC (WhatsMiner M60S): Investment amount: 3000 USD, Contract period: 15 days, Daily income: 39.6 USD, Expiration income: 2900 USD + 594 USD BTC (Avalon A156): Investment amount: 5500 USD, Contract duration: 2 2 days, Daily income: 77 USD, Expiration income: 5500 USD + 1 694 USD DOGE<C [Antminer L7]: Investment amount: 8,000 USD , Contract period: 27 days, Daily income: 122.4 USD, Expiration income: 8,300 USD + 3,304.8 USD (For more contracts, please log in to ) Quid Miner states they are ideal for: ● Crypto newcomers exploring risk-free income options ● Busy professionals who prefer automated tools ● Retirees interested in low-risk, steady earnings About Quid Miner Quid Miner was legally registered in the UK in 2010 and is headquartered in the UK. Since launching cloud mining services in 2018, the company has continued to expand its global layout and technical capabilities. At present, the company has multiple stable strategic mining centers in the United States, Canada, the United Arab Emirates and Kazakhstan, providing strong and stable computing power support for users from more than 180 countries and regions. Provide 24-hour multilingual customer service to ensure that global users receive fast response and personalized support and enjoy an efficient mining experience. Download the App or Sign Up Now to claim the free $15 reward. Email: [email protected] Official Website: App Download: iOS and Android dual-end support Contact Information: Quid Miner Jordan Ethan +4407879166757 Contact via Email Read the full story here: Quid Miner App Now Available, Providing AI-Powered Crypto Mining of BTC, DOGE & More Press Release Distributed by

RNZ News
6 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
Firefighters investigating cause of 'pretty bad' blaze on Mansfield St, Newtown
Smoke from the blaze drifts across the suburb. Photo: Supplied / Shay Vaseneva Firefighters are investigating the cause of a massive house fire in the Wellington suburb of Newtown overnight. The fire on Mansfield Street broke at about 11.40pm on Thursday and wasn't contained until about 2.30am on Friday. It was initially unclear whether anyone was inside the two-storied property. Once firefighters were able to enter the building, Fire and Emergency (FENZ) assistant commander Steve Hudson said a primary search did not reveal anyone inside. Three neighbouring properties were evacuated and Mansfield Street remained closed. Six fire trucks, an aerial appliance, a command unit and a breathing apparatus tender for decontamination attended the blaze. Some crews were being released at about 3am, as operations began to scale back. Hudson said an investigation would be carried out to establish the origin and cause of the fire. On social media, some users reported smelling smoke inside Wellington Hospital and as far away as Te Aro. FENZ advised anyone affected by the smoke to keep their doors and windows closed, and stay inside. Firefighters are battling a massive blaze at a Newtown house. Photo: Supplied / Shay Vaseneva Earlier, at 1am, shift manager Chris Dalton said the fire was "pretty bad" and still had not been contained. Firefighters were working to stop the flames from spreading when RNZ spoke to him. "That's what we're working on now," he said, noting many of the houses in the area were older structures. "It's an area where lots of houses are all built next to each other." It was not immediately clear at that time whether anyone was inside the building, Dalton said. Newtown resident Shay Vaseneva said she could see firefighters putting up caution tape around Mansfield Street at about 12.30am. "The house is in flames, there's no doubt, with quite a few fire trucks and police cars. It looked like they were making sure the fire doesn't spread to the neighbours, obviously it must be unsafe inside," they said. The smoke and smell were "pretty bad down the street from the house". Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

RNZ News
6 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
Newtown fire: Unclear whether anyone hurt or trapped in 'pretty bad' Mansfield St blaze
Smoke from the blaze drifts across the suburb. Photo: Supplied / Shay Vaseneva Firefighters battling a massive blaze in the Wellington suburb of Newtown are unsure if anyone is inside the building. Fire and Emergency (FENZ) shift manager Chris Dalton said emergency services received multiple calls about a house fire on Mansfield Street at 11.40pm on Thursday. The "pretty bad" fire had still not been contained at 1am, and was at "third alarm" level. Dalton said firefighters were currently working to stop the flames from spreading. "That's what we're working on now," he said, noting many of the houses in the area were older structures. "It's an area where lots of houses are all built next to each other." It was not immediately clear whether anyone was inside the building, Dalton said. Firefighters are battling a massive blaze at a Newtown house. Photo: Supplied / Shay Vaseneva Six fire appliances, a BA (breathing apparatus) tender and a ladder truck were at the scene. The house in question is a "few doors down" from the Newtown fire station. Newtown resident Shay Vaseneva said firefighters were putting up caution tape around the area on Mansfield Street at about 12.30am. "The house is in flames, there's no doubt, with quite a few fire trucks and police cars. It looked like they were making sure the fire doesn't spread to the neighbours, obviously it must be unsafe inside," they said. The smoke and smell were "pretty bad down the street from the house", they said. FENZ said Mansfield Street was closed and asked people to stay away from the area. "If you are affected by the smoke, keep your doors and windows closed and stay inside" Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.


Daily Mail
14-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Inside the crash of Mr Potato empire - as staff reveal the chaos that saw workers rely on UBER EATS for vital ingredients
A teenage worker left jobless by the failed Mr Potato fast food chain has described the chaotic months leading up to her store's closure and the business's total collapse. Maggie - not her real name - worked for Mr Potato at Newtown in Sydney 's inner-west from last year until the store finally closed its doors in late June. She watched on as basic ingredients for popular menu items had to be bought from Woolworths via Uber Eats because the usual suppliers had not been paid. Mr Potato had also stopped paying for its garbage to be collected and rubbish piled up outside the shop, while employees such as Maggie are still owed wages. When Maggie took a job at the Newtown store 'it was pretty normal for most of the time' but she soon realised there were 'issues paying people'. One manager left, and the operation began falling apart when its founders, Miss Universe entrant Jess Davis and her basketballer husband Tyson Hoffman, took over running the store. 'It just became clear that they didn't really know what they were doing,' Maggie said. Before the closed sign went up at the King Street premises - Mr Potato's only outlet in Sydney - Davis and Hoffman went on a marathon food truck tour around Australia. Franchisees were left facing bankruptcy when Mr Potato went into liquidation on July 4 after the Australian Tax Office brought wind-up action over a $150,000 debt. Phil Robinson of Deloitte was appointed as the Adelaide-based company's liquidator during a deliberation which took less than two minutes to be heard. Davis and Hoffman - also known as Tyson Finau - established Mr Potato in 2018 to capitalise on what they saw as a gap in the market for healthy fast food with a 'modern spin' on baked potatoes. Hoffman, who had played for the 36ers NBL team, suggested the idea of selling spuds loaded with savoury toppings to his then-fiancée as 'a joke' a few weeks after they began dating. Mr Potato grew from the first Adelaide store to other locations in South Australia before expanding into Queensland, with plans in 2022 to open 20 more restaurants across the nation. The Newtown store opened in April 2023 but there were clear signs the Mr Potato business was in big trouble later that year. By October 2023, Gold Coast franchises at Palm Beach, Upper Coomera and Mermaid Waters had gone bust and were taken over by head office in Adelaide. The number of franchises had fallen from 13 to just four by June this year, as Davis and Hoffman spent much of their time on their national tour promoting the brand. Davis sparked controversy earlier this year when she posted on Instagram her intention to seek investors for a $4million tropical resort. She and Hoffman acquired a 100-hectare slice of beachfront land on the Tongan island of Nomuka where they planned to build an 'eco resort', dubbed Oseni. According to the couple's Instagram, their plans for the resort included '30 private, luxurious and eco-friendly villas' on the remote beach. The couple also intended to build a seaplane wharf to help ferry guests from mainland Tonga to the island getaway. At the Newtown store, Maggie said the first time she was paid late was in November last year but only by a day so she wasn't particularly worried. When a shift leader resigned, she was left to open the restaurant on her own despite having never been trained to do so. Davis and Hoffman were acting as the store managers from December until late January and commenced their Mr Potato road trip in March. 'It became clear that they must have been struggling with the financial side of things,' Maggie said. 'We would start getting different suppliers than usual and we would start getting more and more emergency deliveries on most stocks. 'And then they decided that the best option to deal with all of this was to start a food truck.' In February, Davis and Hoffman threw a lavish Christmas party for their staff, hiring a yacht for a fully-catered cruise on Sydney Harbour, followed by Uber rides to karaoke. 'We were all kind of like, "What? How are you doing this? How are you paying for this?"' said Maggie. Daily Mail Australia has seen staff WhatsApp group messages from about March in which staff noted ingredients were being ordered from Woolworths every day and the 'run out list is getting longer'. One list of products not in stock featured two types of cheese, bacon, chipotle, mayonnaise, beans, jalapeno, beetroot, roasted peppers, vegan butter, lentils, hummus and tomato sauce. Maggie's pay was by then coming a couple of days late but other employees - international students - were waiting longer. 'They were still on tour,' Maggie said of Davis and Hoffman. 'And it quickly went downhill because they weren't contactable as much. 'Eventually we kept getting banned from our suppliers for not paying them. So we had to get the majority of our stock from Coles and Woolworths on Uber Eats. 'We kept getting into trouble with the council because we had the bins out the back, but they weren't paying for the bins to be picked up.' Easter brought more pay delays, including for lucrative public holidays. Maggie complained to Hoffman in a WhatsApp group chat in which she wrote: 'It's just disrespectful. A fortnight late? Come on.' Hoffman responded with an 'insane' message Maggie found 'a little bit threatening'. 'Obviously it's a tough time financially for us,' he wrote. 'Options are either we close the store and no one even has a job, any income or we find the solutions to keep things going. 'Anyone that thinks we have an immediate solution, is unfortunately incorrect. I do have solutions to make this never happen again. But they take time. This social media user and baked potato fan was unimpressed by the offerings at Mr Potato 'We have large funds landing any day now so we can ensure this doesn't happen again. 'We will remember who's on our team and who's not.' That pay problem was resolved but wages were late again in May and Maggie had had enough. Word began spreading the ATO was circling Mr Potato but Davis and Hoffman said nothing to staff. On June 26, Hoffman said in another group WhatsApp message the store would be closing 'for a few days', from that Friday to Sunday. 'We're currently waiting on some funds that are due to land on Monday,' Hoffman wrote. 'Once received, we'll be able to fully restock the store and resume normal trade from Tuesday. Apologies for the recent sporadic ordering and stock levels. 'In the meantime, please enjoy a well-deserved short break. Pays will be processed and in your accounts tomorrow.' On July 1, after repeated requests from staff for their pay, Hoffman responded on WhatsApp. 'At this stage, we won't be reopening the store,' he wrote. 'We know how hard this is to hear, and it's incredibly difficult for us to say. 'Jess and I have poured absolutely everything we have into Mr Potato - our time, our energy, our hearts. 'We've fought so hard to keep things going, and while we don't plan to give up, the reality is we're in a very tough spot right now. ' Hoffman revealed 'all of our other sites have either stopped trading or are still open but no longer paying us'. 'We're still exploring options, but we feel it's only fair to be transparent and not leave you all waiting in limbo,' he wrote. 'As painful as it is to say, we encourage you to look for other employment. 'In regards to wages and super, we're doing absolutely everything in our power to make sure everyone is paid. We don't have a clear timeline, but we promise to update you the moment we have more information. 'We're truly sorry. Thank you for everything you've given to Mr Potato - it's meant the world to us.' Maggie has heard nothing more from Hoffman since then and remains owed about $1,100 in wages. She said some of her ten or so workmates - as young as 15 - are owed much more. In a statement to Daily Mail Australia, Hoffman previously insisted: 'Each store is responsible for its own financial obligations to suppliers.' 'At Mr Potato, we remain committed to transparency, franchisee success, and the strength of our brand. 'Business performance varies due to multiple factors, and we encourage all franchisees to conduct thorough due diligence before making financial commitments. 'We care deeply about our franchisees and want them to succeed. We provide support not only in business but also in navigating the various challenges that life presents. 'Like any business, the success of a franchise ultimately depends on the business management, effort, and execution of the individual franchisee.'