Slim pickings at auction this weekend as listings drop – again
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After a strong showing last week, auction rates around the capitals have dipped once again, reports CoreLogic.
After a nine-week high last weekend, activity is down -5.1 percent with a combined total of 1,904 homes scheduled for auction around the capitals. Canberra was the exception to the rule, becoming the only capital to experience a week-on-week growth in auction numbers.
In Melbourne, there are 778 auctions on the books, a drop of -6.5 percent from last week’s total of 832, while Sydney’s 773 homes listed is only slightly down on last week’s numbers of 779 homes. It’s a 80.9 percent improvement in Melbourne and 27.3 percent increase in Sydney on this time last year, when both capitals were feeling the effects of extended lockdowns.
The smaller capitals are experiencing greater slumps, with Brisbane seeing a -20.3 percent drop on last week to 126 homes and Adelaide down -14 percent to 123. In Perth, there are eight auctions scheduled, while in Tasmania, just one home is set to go under the hammer.
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Soneva’s groundbreaking Coral Restoration Program in the Maldives has been endorsed by the United Nations and listed on UNESCO’s Ocean Decade platform, recognising it as a global model for reef regeneration and sustainable marine science.
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In a landmark moment for marine conservation, the Soneva Foundation’s Coral Restoration Program has received official endorsement from the United Nations and been listed on the UNESCO Ocean Decade website — an international recognition of its pioneering work in large-scale reef restoration.
Based in the Maldives and operating from Soneva Fushi’s AquaTerra science centre, the program is now the region’s largest coral restoration facility. Combining advanced marine biology with local collaboration, it has redefined how the tourism sector can contribute meaningfully to ocean health.
What sets the program apart is its blend of innovation and scale. The facility includes a Coral Spawning and Rearing Lab—Maldives’ first of its kind—replicating natural reef conditions to stimulate coral reproduction. Thirty micro-fragmentation tanks further accelerate coral growth, enabling up to 150,000 coral fragments to be produced and replanted on damaged reefs each year.
Since launching in 2022, Soneva’s coral team has relocated more than 31,000 coral colonies and fragments from threatened areas, establishing a thriving coral hub in the Indian Ocean.
he initiative is managed by Soneva Conservation, a Maldivian NGO set up by the Soneva Foundation, and forms part of the group’s broader sustainability strategy.
“This milestone is a testament to the scientific rigour and community-driven ethos at the heart of our work,” Dr Johanna Leonhardt, Soneva’s Coral Project Manager, said. “It validates the potential of hospitality to lead ocean regeneration at scale.”
Beyond science, the program engages governments, NGOs, research institutions and the wider tourism industry—demonstrating how cross-sector partnerships can drive real environmental impact.
The UN recognition now positions the project as a beacon for similar initiatives globally, reinforcing the Maldives’ role as both a luxury destination and a marine conservation leader.
The Soneva Foundation’s wider environmental efforts include carbon mitigation projects, reforestation, and waste-to-wealth innovation. As part of the Pallion group, Soneva continues to redefine what it means to be a responsible luxury brand.
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