Melbourne shines amid sluggish apartment prices MELBOURNE apartment prices rose 2.6 per cent in the March quarter according to the latest Australian Property Monitors housing survey, with agents putting the increase down to renewed interest in units at the premium end of the market. Marshall White joint managing director John Bongiorno says there was a noticeable increase in interest in apartments in the Stonnington (covering blue-ribbon locales including Malvern, Armadale South Yarra, Toorak), Port Phillip (Albert Park, Middle Park, Elwood and St Kilda) and Bayside (Brighton, Beaumaris and Hampton) areas.