Lower North Shore - alexbrooks.com.au · Lower North Shore 63 Lower North Shore Artarmon The eastern section of this suburb is the most highly prized, with grand bungalows and wide

Lower North Shore

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L o w e r N o r t h S h o r e

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Artarmon

The eastern section of this suburb is the most

highly prized, with grand bungalows and

wide leafy streets. It’s quite lovely and rather

Chatswood-esque, and has been listed by the

National Trust. The other side of the suburb is

a different story – a mass of unit blocks and

townhouses close to the station and shops.

Any Mirvac-built apartment complex or three-

bedroom townhouse is sought after by owner-

occupiers, who like the convenient North Shore

position without the monstrous price tag of

surrounding areas.

What it costs to buy Median house price: $900 000

Median apartment price: $471 500

Average annual growth, houses: 2.7%

Average annual growth, apartments: 5%

What it costs to rentAverage house rent: $630 per week

Average apartment rent: $390 per week

Distance to city 6.8 kilometres

Borders Chatswood, Chatswood West, Lane

Cove

Transport Bus, train

Parks Artarmon Park, Artarmon Reserve,

Cleland Park, Parkes Road Reserve,

Thompson Park

Schools Artarmon Infants, Artarmon Public

And . . . This area is ‘TV central’, with the

transmission tower for the Seven, Nine and

Ten networks, as well as the SBS studios,

based here.

Cammeray

This small spot has everything a good North

Shore suburb needs – plenty of parkland,

waterfronts and a strip of shops and restaurants.

If you venture off the main roads into the

bushy backstreets, it’s hard to believe you

are less than six kilometres from the central

business district. The freestanding bungalows

are the most sought after, but the block sizes

are relatively small for this area at around

450 square metres. Older-style apartments

with room to move abound between Miller

Street and busy Falcon Street, and most are

on tree-lined streets. Plenty of new apartment

complexes crept into the area in the 1970s and

1980s, and they are popular with renters who

want a quick drive into the city.




Average annual growth, apartments: 4.3%




Borders Cremorne, Neutral Bay, North Sydney

Transport Bus

Parks Anzac Park, Fred Hutley Reserve, Green

Park, Mortlock Reserve, Tunks Park

Schools Cammeray Public

And . . . Cammeray was named after its

Aboriginal inhabitants, the Cammeraygal.

Lower North ShoreWith the highest median house price in Sydney – $1 147 000 – the lower

North Shore is undeniably a haven for the city’s wealthy. Most of them, of

course, live in the huge harbourside hub of Mosman, with its dazzling display

of grand homes, many with sensational views. One such example is in Shell-

bank Parade, right on Mosman’s border with Cremorne (pictured). The new

four-bedroom, four-bathroom waterfront home with Middle Harbour views

sold for $9.55 million in April 2007 through LJ Hooker Mosman. There are

also many beautiful homes in the Middle Harbour suburbs of Northbridge,

Castlecrag and Castle Cove. The region takes in Sydney’s second main busi-

ness district – North Sydney – and stretches along the Parramatta River to

other highly desirable spots such as Hunters Hill.

House prices across the region have grown an average 7.3 per cent per year

over 10 years. The median apartment price for the region is a much more

affordable $482 500, with average annual growth 5.1 per cent. The average

weekly rent is $790 for houses and $450 for apartments. Australian Prop-

erty Monitors general manager Michael McNamara points out that if you own

property on the lower North Shore – particularly in Mosman and along the

harbourfront – you are most likely to be a wealthy baby boomer. ‘Local prop-

erty markets have been booming in recent times with auction clearance rates

regularly over 75 per cent, putting these markets even further out of reach

for most Sydneysiders,’ he says. ‘Expect strong markets to persist.’

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Chatswood

In the 1890s this was a quiet little township

known for its handsome villas, cultivated

gardens and wide streets. It has now morphed

into a North Shore power suburb, becoming

a major shopping, office and transport hub.

Apartment blocks have sprouted, with a mix

of modern high-rises and older-style low-rises

dotting the streets. Many of the grand old late-

Victorian and Federation homes have been

knocked down to make way for flats, but any

intact period home on a large block of land

fetches a high price, especially on the leafy

northern streets close to Ashley Street.








Borders Artarmon, Chatswood West, Lane

Cove North


Parks Bales Park, Beauchamp Park, Campbell

Park, Chatswood Park, Currey Park,

Ferndale Park, Fullers Road Reserve,

Hotham Street Reserve, Mashman Park,

Muston Park, Sutherland Reserve, Warrane

Reserve, Western Park, Whitton Park

Schools Chatswood High, Chatswood Public,

Mercy Catholic College, Our Lady of Dolours

Catholic Primary, St Pius X College

And . . . There’s a strong Chinese community

here, which means it’s not hard to buy

a great meal for under $15 in the many

restaurants.

Chatswood West

On the western side of the Pacific Highway,

this suburb is a hidden gem, with renovated

houses backing on to bushland selling for

under $900 000 – a relative bargain this close

to the city and Chatswood. It doesn’t have a lot

of shops or facilities, and there can be traffic

snarls waiting to cross the Pacific Highway

to get into the city, but Chatswood West has

a lot going for it. It’s a family-friendly area,

attracting professional couples and their kids

moving in from the inner west or eastern

suburbs seeking space and birdsong.



Average annual growth, houses: 5%





Borders Artarmon, Chatswood, North Ryde

Transport Bus

Parks Fullers Park, Kobada Park, Lowanna

Park, OH Reid Memorial Park

Schools None

And . . . The spectacular walking paths

through the bushland are another bonus.

Castle Cove

High on a hill overlooking Middle Harbour and

surrounded by reserves is this isolated nook

of a suburb. Like Middle Cove and Castlecrag,

it has a uniquely quiet and tranquil waterside

position and its steep streets mean that housing

development has been kept to a minimum. First

subdivided in the early 1960s, the far western

section didn’t open up until the 1970s. A few

large estates dot the area, mainly on Neerim

Street, where the record price is just over

$9 million, for a house with 2400 square

metres of internal space. The suburb has its

own shops, nine-hole golf course and school.

What it costs to buy Median house price: $1 200 000

Median apartment price: SNR


Average annual growth, apartments: SNR




Borders Chatswood, Roseville, Roseville Chase

Transport Bus

Parks Castle Cove Park, Explosives Reserve,

HC Press Park, HD Robb Reserve, North

Arm Reserve

Schools Castle Cove Public School

And . . . There really is a castle – Innisfallen, a

private residence.

Castlecrag

This suburb is heaven for architects, aesthetes

and the artistic. The rocky, bushy crag of

harbourfront was considered way out in the

sticks back when Walter Burley Griffin and

his wife Marion Mahony Griffin first built

their humble – but much lauded – homes

in the 1920s, creating a unique Australian

architecture. These days, there are some true

architectural masterpieces nestled in the tree-

softened hills, including striking modernist

homes by Hugh Buhrich and restrained palatial

homes by Alex Popov. None of the houses

come cheap, though. The area attracts double-

income professionals and business people

making their way up the corporate ladder.








Borders Northbridge; Willoughby; Willoughby

East

Transport Bus

Parks Casement Reserve, Castle Haven

Reserve, Corteille Reserve, Edinburgh

Road Reserve, Embrasure Reserve, Linden

Reserve, Sailors Bay Park, Tower Reserve,

Turrett Reserve

Schools Castlecrag Infants Campus, Glenaeon

Rudolf Steiner Limited

And . . . The suburb was named after a rocky

crag overlooking Middle Harbour, locally

known as Edinburgh Castle.

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Crows Nest

Like the crow’s nest of a ship, which enabled

sailors to see all around them, this area is a high

geographic point from which colonial founders

could survey the harbour and the North Shore.

These days, Crows Nest is known more for

its view of the freeway than the water, but it

has a pleasant mix of Victorian and Federation

houses, with a growing number of apartment

buildings. The real attraction of the suburb is

its thriving commercial strip, which has some of

the North Shore’s best cheap restaurants. Old

workers’ terraces have been renovated to eke

out every inch of space and maximise returns.

The nearest train station is St Leonards.








Borders Cammeray, North Sydney,

Wollstonecraft


Parks St Thomas Rest Park

Schools North Sydney Girls High School

And . . . For a bargain, look for unrenovated

houses and particularly those that back on

to busy roads.

East Ryde

Sitting prettily in the bushy slopes overlooking

the Lane Cove River is East Ryde, a patch of

suburbia that people who are priced out of the

skyrocketing Lane Cove market like to buy

into. Houses on the high side of the street

with relatively level blocks of land are the

most sought after. While it’s more affordable

than its North Shore neighbours, properties on

streets such as Birch and Jeanette are fetching

upwards of $1 million. An unrenovated 1960s

or 1970s house can still be picked up for around

$700 000. It’s close to the North Ryde business

park, Macquarie University and Macquarie

Centre shops.








Borders Lane Cove West, North Ryde, Ryde

Transport Bus

Parks Portius Park, Pryor Park, Brereton Park,

Lane Cove National Park, Kitty’s Creek

Reserve

Schools None

And . . . During the late 1950s, East Ryde was

used as the council rubbish dump.

Cremorne

This is a suburb divided, with a middle harbour

side, a main harbour side and the busy junction

in the centre. The middle harbour area to the

north of Military Road has the best homes, with

freestanding Federation houses surrounded by

high walls and renovated to maximise views

and the mortgage outlay. The streets leading

from Cremorne Point to the junction – Murdoch,

Boyle, Spofforth and Bannerman – were

named in honour of Australian cricketers and

are now dotted with older-style apartment

developments. Apartments are the most

affordable entry point to this suburb, and

the grander, pre-1950s blocks are the most

desired.








Borders Cammeray, Mosman, Neutral Bay

Transport Bus, ferry

Parks Brightmore Reserve, Grasmere Reserve,

Primrose Park, Prior Avenue Reserve,

Weaver Park

Schools SCEGGS Redlands

And . . . Cremorne is home to a beautiful Art

Deco cinema, the Hayden Orpheum Picture

Palace.

Cremorne Point

Is this suburb the jewel of the lower North

Shore? The glistening harbour has fantastic

waterside walks which take you past grand

old houses and apartment blocks that seemed

to have snared the best possie in town. It is

a little like Point Piper, with its point jutting

out far enough into the harbour to take in

wonderful vantage points and vistas. It’s no

wonder the waterfronts here fetch such grand

prices – when and if the tightly held mansions

come on the market. All of the streets are

lovely, but the areas closest to the tip of the

point – which snare the most panoramic

views – are especially prized.








Borders Cremorne, Mosman, Neutral Bay


Parks Cremorne Reserve, Sirius Park

Playground

Schools None

And . . . Unlike most of Sydney, this area

was subdivided under the proviso that the

harbourfront remained public property.

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Henley

A small riverside suburb with fewer than 150

homes, Henley is a well-kept secret offering a

handful of waterfront homes with big prices and

distinctive views of the Gladesville Bridge and

city skyline. The east- and north-east-facing

streets fetch the bigger prices, but property

is tightly held here and rarely comes on the

market. There are some pretty Federation

bungalows dotted through the leafy streets,

but a few builders went mad in the 1980s

and 1990s and created a couple of over-built

monstrosities to take advantage of the views.

With excellent access to waterfront parklands

and walking tracks, it’s easy to see why so few

owners let go of their properties.



Average annual growth, houses: SNR





Borders Huntleys Cove, Huntleys Point


Parks Gladesville Reserve

Schools None

And . . . Henley originally went by the

unfortunate name of Blandville, after

Dr William Bland, a pardoned convict who

owned land here.

Hunters Hill

The thunderous traffic artery of Burns Bay Road

divides this suburb into two distinct areas – the

‘Joeys’ side, close to the famous St Joseph’s

College, and the more distinctive river side. One

of Sydney’s oldest suburbs, Hunters Hill owes its

beauty to nature – it’s on a peninsula between

the Lane Cove and Parramatta rivers – and the

French Joubert brothers, who helped found

the suburb. The Jouberts engaged Italian

stonemasons to build the beautiful sandstone

villas that dot Hunters Hill, blessing the area

with an exquisite elegance. The western side of

the suburb turns over more property than the

eastern water side, due mainly to the families of

Joeys students who move in and out of the area

as schooling needs dictate.








Borders Gladesville, Huntleys Cove, Woolwich


Parks Buffalo Creek Reserve, Ferdinand Street

Reserve, Fern Road Reserve, Francis Street

Reserve, Harding Memorial Playground,

Lyndhurst Reserve, Mornington Reserve,

Pulpit Point Reserve, Vinet Street Reserve

Schools St Joseph’s College, Hunters Hill

Primary, Hunters Hill High

And . . . The local Aboriginal name for the area

was Mookaboola, meaning ‘meeting of the

waters’.

Gladesville

This is good ol’ Aussie whitebread suburbia.

Census statistics show 71 per cent of the

population is Australian-born, compared with

the Sydney-wide average of 61 per cent, with

the English, Italians and New Zealanders as

the next most populous overseas-born groups.

This is a suburb divided by Victoria Road, and

the section close to the Parramatta River is

dotted with lovely old houses and leafy streets.

There are plenty of older-style bungalows and

semis still waiting for renovators to wave their

magic wand over them. And if you can’t afford

a house, there’s always an apartment, with

one-bedroom 1960s bunkers selling for less

than $300 000 in some streets.








Borders Hunters Hill, Huntleys Cove, Ryde


Parks Bremner Park, Glades Bay Park,

Mallee Reserve, Monash Park, Peel Park,

Westminster Park

Schools Gladesville Public, Our Lady Queen of

Peace Primary

And . . . Gladesville is serviced by a good

selection of shops and restaurants.

Greenwich

Close enough to the city for an easy commute,

far enough away to feel like a holiday destina-

tion – riverside Greenwich is almost perfect. It

has only one blight – the oil refinery terminal

on the eastern shores, which most of the locals

ignore anyway. It has all the right ingredients

for a fantastic suburb, including leafy streets,

waterside position and charming village shops.

The streets down on the point are the most

popular, particularly those on the the waterfront.

Gracious old Italianate terraces often stand

next to modern mansions, most with city and

water views. Apartments in the suburb seem

particularly good value, given the serenity of

the locale.








Borders Artarmon, Lane Cove, Wollstonecraft


Parks Bayview Park, Foreshore Reserve,

Greendale Park, Greenwich Park, Greenwich

Point Reserve, Henningham Playground,

Holloway Park, Leemon Reserve, Manns

Point Park, Shell Park

Schools Greenwich Infants, Greenwich Public

School

And . . . The council-run Greenwich Baths are

one of Sydney’s best-kept secrets, offering

a private beach which has its own sun-

lounges, kids’ toys and café.

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Kirribilli

Directly opposite Bennelong Point is Kirribilli,

a harbourside suburb dotted with apartment

buildings. Many of these snatch some of the

best views of Sydney’s icons – the bridge and

the white sails of the Opera House – hence the

high property prices. A few old estates are left

in this prized suburb. Although the biggest and

best apartments on the harbourfront are priced

at around $2 million, you can still pick up a

studio or one-bedder with a view of the bridge

for under $500 000. The shops and cafés are

all good, and it’s a quick walk to Milsons Point

train station or taxi ranks for those who don’t

have a car. The ferry that pulls in at the wharf

on Holbrook Avenue is still the best way to get

to the city.








Borders Milsons Point, Neutral Bay, North

Sydney

Transport Bus, train, ferry

Parks Captain Henry Waterhouse Reserve,

Milson Park

Schools Loreto Kirribilli, St Aloysius’ College

And . . . The grand old estates include the

Prime Minister’s residence, Kirribilli House,

built in 1854, and Admiralty House, where

the Governor-General lives.

Lane Cove

This suburb has become quite the place to

be, bursting with family-sized houses in wide

streets close to good local schools. Now that the

Lane Cove tunnel is open, the commute times

are quicker and the suburb has good city and

airport access. Semis and bungalows on the

busy roads – Centennial Avenue, River Road

and Bridge Street – are the cheapest places to

buy, but houses in nice streets, particularly if

they back on to bush reserve, tend to start in the

low $1 million price range. Most of the brown-

brick post-war housing retains a certain charm,

especially some of the semis. Apartments

tend to be on the busy roads, but those with

river views and at the back of the block make

affordable and appealing first homes.








Borders Artarmon, Greenwich, Riverview

Transport Bus

Parks Charlish Park, Lane Cove Bushland Park,

Linley Point Reserve, Ludowici Reserve,

Nichols Reserve, Pottery Green, Tennyson

Park

Schools Currambena Primary, Lane Cove

Public, St Michael’s School

And . . . Lane Cove Bushland Park is home to

a rare and endangered species of fungus,

Hygrocybe lanecovensis, which is found

nowhere else.

Huntleys Cove

On the northern side of a peninsula between

Tarban Creek and the Parramatta River is this

estate of townhouses and apartments, built

about seven years ago. Four-wheel drives and

zippy little hatchbacks are parked in red-brick

driveways and the trees are still trying to grow

big enough to soften the streetscape. The area

appeals to busy families who like the low-

maintenance lifestyle with access to resort-

style facilities. It’s close to a variety of good

public and private schools and in a convenient

location for professional couples who might

have one partner working in Parramatta or

North Ryde and the other in the city or North

Sydney. There are walking tracks down to

Riverglade Reserve and access to the Rivercat

at Huntleys Point.








Borders Gladesville, Henley, Hunters Hill


Parks Riverglade Reserve

Schools None

And . . . Huntleys Cove used to be known as

Tarban, after nearby Tarban Creek.

Huntleys Point

Is this the smallest suburb in Sydney? With

only one street and 51 houses, it is certainly

unique. Huntleys Point overlooks the dramatic

concrete arcs of the Gladesville Bridge and

fronts one of the Parramatta River’s quiet bays

dotted with yachts and small cruisers. The

houses were built in the 1950s and 1960s, with

a few unfortunately bad renovations enduring

from the 1980s on. This is such a small suburb

that it’s hard to rent or buy in – the locals

are keen to hang on to their precious piece

of paradise, and who could blame them? With

Riverside Girls High School and the Rivercat

ferry wharf on their street, it’s not short on

public amenities either.

What it costs to buyMedian house price: $2 343 000





Average apartment rent: SNR


Borders Henley, Huntleys Cove


Parks Betts Park, Huntleys Point Reserve

Schools Riverside Girls High School

And . . . Huntleys Point was named after Alfred

Huntley, a prominent citizen of the early

colony.

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Lavender Bay

The blue harbour sparkles right in front of this

smile-shaped suburb between Milsons Point and

McMahons Point. With only seven streets, 150

houses and 350 or so apartments, Lavender Bay

would hardly be worth talking about if it wasn’t

in such a wonderful harbourfront position.

This is where famed Australian artist Brett

Whiteley lived and painted his dazzling harbour

canvases. It’s also where his widow Wendy has

created delightful gardens on disused railway

land that are open to anyone who cares to pay

a visit. The Edwardian houses and semis are

naturally sought after and rarely come on to

the market. Apartments – especially the older

style Art Decos – trade more frequently and

investors love them for the premium rents

they can command.








Borders McMahons Point, Milsons Point, North

Sydney


Parks Clark Park, Watt Park

Schools None

And . . . Brett Whiteley wasn’t the only artist

attracted to this spectacular place –

Norman Lindsay lived here for a while.

Linley Point

On the Lane Cove River, Linley Point is such

a quiet little outpost of waterfront suburbia

that it barely registers any price statistics.

First developed in the 1950s and 1960s, it

has some large family homes that haven’t

yet been renovated or Tuscanised in the same

way as other Sydney waterfront suburbs. It

is affordable compared with nearby Hunters

Hill or Longueville, but there are few local

facilities – no shops – and it’s awkward to

drive in and out of.








Borders Lane Cove, Riverview, Lane Cove

West

Transport Bus

Parks Cunninghams Reach Park

Schools None

And . . . There are nice city views from Brooks

Street and the eastern end of Haughton,

but the western section of the suburb close

to thronging Burns Bay Road can pick up

traffic noise.

Lane Cove West

It’s solid, it’s leafy, it’s middle-class. This is a

family suburb, the kind of place where children

keep their dental appointments and tuck into

nourishing home-cooked meals. Of course

it does have the dreaded word ‘west’ in its

name, but don’t let that fool you into thinking

this isn’t one of the prettiest parts of Lane

Cove, especially the streets that back on to the

national park adjoining the Lane Cove River.

Oh yes, there are a few apartments on the

main road but most have river views and are

perfectly lovely. Three-bedroom houses can be

bought for as little as $700 000 on busy Burns

Bay Road. But in the better streets, especially

parkside areas such as Lloyd Rees Drive or

parts of Penrose, they’re often well over the

million-dollar mark.








Borders Lane Cove, Lane Cove North

Transport Bus

Parks Blackman Park, Hands Quarry Reserve,

Lovetts Reserve, Turrumburra Park

Schools Lane Cove West Public

And . . . Festival Mushroom Records was based

here from the mid-1950s to the late 1990s.

Lane Cove North

This suburb is more affordable than Lane

Cove proper, due largely to the abundance of

apartments. Its Lane Cove real estate prices

are driven by proximity to the plaza and access

to the expressway, Lane Cove North loses out

by being on the wrong side of busy Epping

Road. However, it has some nice houses,

especially on the eastern side of Centennial

Avenue, where there are character homes built

before the 1950s. There are plenty of parks

and reserves and the suburb has benefited

from better commute times since the Lane

Cove Tunnel was completed.








Borders Artarmon, Chatswood, Lane Cove

Transport Bus

Parks Batten Reserve, Chatswood Athletic

Field, Coolaroo Park, Helen Street Reserve,

Mowbray Park, Stringybark Creek Reserve

Schools Mowbray Public

And . . . Lane Cove North was originally

founded to provide homes for World War II

veterans.

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Middle Cove

With streets as steep as the house prices,

this isn’t a suburb for those who like room to

manoeuvre on the roads. The reward for such

tricky access is a glittering water view, especially

from the north-facing high side of the street.

The view is somehow more special than other

Sydney Harbour views – it’s a natural bush

and water outlook over Castle and Crag coves

in pristine Middle Harbour. All of the houses in

Middle Cove are freestanding suburban gems

built from the 1950s on. The most affordable

family homes are on Eastern Valley Way. This

suburb is also home to Sydney’s Rudolf Steiner

School, Glenaeon, which used to be the local

infants school.








Borders Castle Cove, Castlecrag, North

Willoughby

Transport Bus

Parks Harold Reid Reserve, Willis Park

Schools Glenaeon Rudolf Steiner Middle Cove

Campus

And . . . Beautiful Harold Reid Reserve is a

strong drawcard for tourists and locals

alike.

Milsons Point

More office towers than apartment towers

dominate this patch of harbourfront on the

opposite side of the Harbour Bridge to Kirribilli.

Milsons Point was once a mix of old tenements

and terrace houses that were demolished and

rebuilt in the 1970s office-building boom. In

the 1990s, some of the office buildings were

converted into luxury apartments for empty-

nesters with deep pockets and a lust for

harbour views. Many of Milsons Point’s new

residents have little tolerance for the noise

from Luna Park, and the locals have engaged

in lengthy legal battles with the amusement

park. Shhh – best not talk about NIMBY (Not

In My Back Yard) Syndrome.





What it costs to rentAverage house rent: SNR



Borders Kirribilli, Lavender Bay, North Sydney


Parks Bradfield Park

Schools None

And . . . The suburb also contains the North

Sydney Olympic Pool, where you can do

your laps against the majestic backdrop of

the Harbour Bridge.

Longueville

Now this is what the lower North Shore is all

about – large blocks of land, stunning views

and a harbourfront position. This has always

been one of Sydney’s blue-ribbon suburbs and

it has prices to match. It’s been tightly held by

families who like to stay put for decades, but

local real estate agents report that generational

change means properties have been trading

more frequently in the past year or two.

Buying the best houses in this suburb will set

you back more than $5 million, but that would

snare a nice waterfront with views. The more

affordable homes – if you can call $2 million

affordable – are closer to River Road.








Borders Lane Cove, Northwood, Riverview


Parks Aquatic Park, Central Park, Griffith

Park, Hodgson Park, Kingsford Smith Oval,

Longueville Park, Shaw Playground

Schools None

And . . . Longueville was once the site

of a soap factory, one of the earliest

manufacturing industries in Australia.

McMahons Point

McMahons Point is a grand spot, with its tangle

of Victorian streets and surprising panoramas

of the harbour that sneak into view as you

round the corners. Its steep geography gives

it the higgledy-piggledy feel of a North Shore

Balmain. The suburb still has some grand old

houses, especially close to the water. Harry

Seidler’s much-maligned Blues Point Tower

apartment building on the harbour foreshore

has only small French balconies but still

attracts a steady trickle of buyers and renters

desperate for the stunning views. You can

sometimes pick up a studio here for as little

as $350 000. Most of the old terraces, cottages

and bungalows in the streets closer to North

Sydney have been renovated, rebuilt and

rejuvenated into primo property beyond the

reach of the average Sydneysider.








Borders Lavender Bay, North Sydney,

Waverton


Parks Blues Point Reserve, Henry Lawson

Reserve, Sawmillers Reserve

Schools None

And . . . The suburb was named after Maurice

McMahon, a brush and comb manufacturer

who built his home on the headland.

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Neutral Bay

The sloping streets of Neutral Bay attract all

types – a young rental crowd, professional

families and older downsizers who like to be

close to the action. With housing ranging from

small apartments to grand waterfront estates,

it’s an eclectic suburb with good shops and

public transport. The southern part snakes

along the foreshore of Neutral Bay and has

a tranquil leafiness quite unlike the northern

areas. The elevated apartment developments

have snared some of the best harbour views

in Sydney, and are good value. Look for

apartments and townhouses with a high

owner-occupier ratio to buy or rent. The best

street is Shellcove Road, which is where the

area’s best waterfront homes fetch upwards

of $5 million. Look hard in other streets and

you may find a studio with a harbour view for

around $300 000.








Borders Cammeray, Cremorne, North Sydney


Parks Anderson Park, Forsyth Park, Ilbery

Park, Kurraba Point Reserve, Warringa Park,

Willow Tree Park

Schools Neutral Bay Public

And . . . The bay used to be where all foreign

ships were sent to dock, and was thus

called ‘Neutral’.

North Ryde

This suburb offers a hodge-podge of housing

styles ranging from fibro to majestic Masterton

mansions. There are a few townhouse and

apartment developments, but it is dominated

by freestanding family homes with good access

to local primary schools and playgrounds. The

real prize is the nearby commercial district,

Macquarie Park, which is attracting big

businesses to the area. Some expect the influx

of office workers will put upward pressure on

home prices. However, many will simply use

the new stations offered by the Epping to

Chatswood rail link.








Borders Chatswood West, Marsfield, Ryde

Transport Bus

Parks Banool Reserve, Blenheim Park,

Boobajool Reserve, Booral Reserve,

Bundara Reserve, Flinders Park, Greenwood

Park, Gwandalan Reserve, Lane Cove

National Park, Magdala Park, Martin

Reserve, North Ryde Common, North Ryde

Park, Nundah Reserve, Tindarra Reserve,

Wallumatta Nature Reserve, Yinnell Reserve

Schools Holy Spirit School, North Ryde Public,

Ryde East Public, Truscott Street Public

And . . . The NSW Schoolhouse Museum here

offers a fascinating insight into Australian

public education.

Mosman

This is the bluest of blue-chip suburbs on

Sydney’s leafy North Shore, a place where

yummy mummies battle to snatch a parking spot

close to the Military Road shops and workaholic

dads slave away at the merchant bank. It’s one

of Sydney’s most gloriously positioned suburbs,

with an abundance of beaches and bushland.

Hopetoun, Burran and Kirkoswald Avenues are

recognised as being among Sydney’s best streets.

The grand Edwardian houses with harbour views

are naturally the most sought after, although

there are plenty of moneyed types seeking

property without any heritage value that can be

knocked down and rebuilt to modern tastes.








Borders Cremorne, Cremorne Point


Parks Ashton Park, Sydney Harbour National

Park, Balmoral Park, Bay Street Park,

Bradley Bushland Reserve , Clifton Gardens

Reserve, Curraghbeena Park, Harnett Park,

Hunter Park, Lawry Plunkett Reserve,

Memory Park, Rawson Park, Reid Park,

Rosherville Reserve, Sirius Cove Reserve,

Spit West Reserve, Wyargine Reserve

Schools Mosman High, Beauty Point Public,

Blessed Sacrament Primary, Middle

Harbour Public, Mosman Church of England

Preparatory School, Mosman Public,

Queenwood School for Girls, Sacred Heart

School

And . . . This is where you’ll find Taronga Zoo.

Naremburn

The streets here are lined with a mix of

Federation and post-war houses and semis,

most of which have been renovated to fetch $1

million-plus price tags. The eastern side of the

freeway is the most sought after, and has some

heritage precincts with lovely turn-of-the-

century houses. Busy professional families like

the area, with easy commute times to the city,

and access to St Leonards train station and the

village cafés of Crows Nest. There are a few

1980s and 1990s apartment developments,

which provide the most affordable housing

options. Agents say the lack of properties for

sale has forced up prices, as double-income

families outbid each other to get into the

area.








Borders Artarmon, Cammeray, Crows Nest


Parks Flat Rock Gully Reserve, Naremburn

Park, Talus Park

Schools St Leonards Catholic School

And . . . This freeway-side precinct was once

the poor man’s lower North Shore locale,

living under the dust of a local incinerator

which finally closed in 1967.

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Northbridge

When former prime minister Bob Hawke and

wife Blanche d’Alpuget put a development

application before Willoughby Council in 2004

for a putting green on the rooftop of their five-

storey home in Minimbah Road, the neighbours

reportedly tried to block it (unsuccessfully),

concerned that it might interrupt their Middle

Harbour views. It’s this outlook that is most

prized in the exclusive pocket. Naturally, the

streets closest to the water are the most

desired, but some of those overlooking Tunks

Park offer lovely views too. The architect-

designed houses that hug the steep streets

on the waterfront are quite lovely, as are the

baths at the end of the point.








Borders Cammeray, Castlecrag, Willoughby

Transport Bus

Parks Clive Park, Elizabeth Park, John Roche

Park, Munro Park, SCEGGS Memorial

Playing Fields, Warners Park

Schools Northbridge Public, St Philip Neri

Catholic Primary

And . . . The sandstone suspension bridge,

built in 1892, which gives the suburb its

name is truly spectacular.

Northwood

Northwood has a surreal charm and feels more

like an upper North Shore village than a flashy

waterfront suburb. The leafy streets are dotted

with established older-style homes built in the

1920s and 1930s by the well-to-do. Artists

such as Lloyd Rees loved the area for its bushy

charms and water views and he has a park

named after him on the point. These days,

Northwood attracts the seriously moneyed,

who like proximity to the North Shore central

business district, large block sizes and privacy.

An eight-bedroom home in Point Road sold

for $6.55 million in April 2006. And a house

in Cliff Road sold for close to $5.7 million in

July 2007.








Borders Greenwich, Lane Cove, Longueville


Parks Gore Creek Reserve, Lloyd Rees Park,

Woodford Bay Bicentennial Reserve

Schools None

And . . . All of the the houses in Northwood are

freestanding properties.

North Sydney

Most of this suburb is a bustling business

district darkened by high-rise office towers, but

there are pockets of historic houses and older-

style apartments tucked away in quiet streets.

The streets near St Leonards Park have some

of the nicest houses, all Victorian primness

painted to perfection. The sloping streets on

the western side of the Pacific Highway are

another residential pocket, albeit with some

commercial premises in the mix. With a range

of 1970s high-rise apartments, there is a

range of housing to appeal to all age groups.

It’s a bustling place, which attracts more than

60 000 workers and 15 000 students each day,

according to North Sydney Council.








Borders Cammeray, Neutral Bay,

Wollstonecraft


Parks Civic Centre Park, Doris Fitton Park,

Kesterton Park, St Leonards Park

Schools Wenona School, Marist College North

Shore, Monte Sant’Angelo Mercy College,

North Sydney Boys High, North Sydney

Demonstration Primary, St Mary’s Shore-

Sydney Church of England Grammar

And . . . Don’t expect too much excitement on

weekends.

North Willoughby

Proving that Sydneysiders will pay more for

any suburb with the word ‘north’ in its name,

North Willoughby commands a premium price

over its plain-Jane cousin, Willoughby. This was

one of Sydney’s boom suburbs of the 1920s,

with brown-brick bungalows pegged out in

neat rows. There are plenty of semis, too,

usually on good-sized blocks of land with room

to extend. Streets close to Willoughby Park are

popular. Three-bedroom homes can be bought

for about $750 000 – but they’re often on a

busy road. The suburb has recently undergone

a price boom, as professional families clamber

to snare their piece of freestanding suburbia

close to the city, North Sydney and Chatswood

business districts.








Borders Chatswood, Willoughby, Willoughby

East

Transport Bus

Parks Carlson Park, St Aloysius Oval

Schools St Thomas Catholic Primary

And . . .

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8 1


Ryde

Ryde has everything from basic fibros and brick

bungalows to modern double-storey brick-

rendered houses. There’s even a smattering

of colonial houses. The shopping centre at Top

Ryde, as the elevated part of the suburb is

known, is being refurbished, with completion

in stages between 2009 and 2010. You can

pick up a two-bedroom apartment in parts of

Ryde for about $300 000 and three-bedroom

houses for about $600 000. It’s also on a good

bus route to the city down Victoria Road.








Borders Eastwood, Marsfield, West Ryde

Transport Bus

Parks Adventure Park, Brigade Park, Burrows

Park, Byron Park, Cudal Reserve, Field of

Mars Reserve, Gannan Park, Henri Dunant

Reserve, Minga Reserve, Nerang Park,

Olympic Park, Parry Park. Pidding Park,

Ryde Park, Ryde Riverside Park, Santa Rosa

Park, Tyagarah Park, Tyrell Park, Wandoo

Reserve, Watts Park, Yamble Reserve

Schools German International School Sydney,

Holy Cross College, Ryde Secondary

College, Meadowbank Public, Ryde Christian

Community School, Ryde Public, St Charles’

Primary

And . . . It used to be called Kissing Point, in

honour of a shallow stretch of Parramatta

River where the keels of boats ‘kissed’ the

bottom.

St Leonards

The high-rise apartment boom that hit Sydney

in the late 1990s transformed this commercial

zone into a lively locale with new apartment

buildings, thanks largely to state government

planning initiatives to encourage development

close to railway links. The revamped train

station has a bustling strip of shops and eateries

to cater for commuters. There are still some

pockets of freestanding houses and semis in

the areas close to Crows Nest, and these are

highly sought after for their convenient access

to the freeway into the city. Apartments in

new buildings such The Forum attract a steady

throng of renters and owner-occupiers, who

work in the area or in nearby North Sydney.

Look out for studios in the high-rises for about

$250 000, which can attract rents of about

$340 per week.








Borders Artarmon, Greenwich, Wollstonecraft


Parks Gore Hill Park, Newlands Park,

Propstring Reserve

Schools None

And . . . Many large companies have their

offices here.

Putney

This waterside suburb has brightened

considerably since the Parramatta River was

cleaned up and old industrial sites converted

into swish resort-style apartment complexes.

With Rivercat services and a 20-minute drive

into the city, it’s conveniently located. The

older-style Federation homes are the most

desired, especially those on waterfront streets

such as MacGowan Street or Pellisier Road.

There are a mix of housing styles in the area,

with plenty of the older fibro houses knocked

down and rebuilt to create family-friendly

homes. It’s also home to a great children’s

playground in Putney Park.








Borders Gladesville, Ryde, Tennyson Point


Parks Bennelong Park, Cleves Park, Donnelly

Park, Frank Downing Sportsground, Kissing

Point Park, Morrisons Bay Park, Putney

Park, Settlers Park

Schools Putney Public

And . . . A proposal to build hundreds

of apartments on the Morrison Road

Rehabilitation Centre site has had locals up

in arms about losing the tranquillity of their

leafy locale, but there’s no confirmation yet.

Riverview

The whirr and bustle of building and renovating

could drown out the birdsong in this suburb,

which has attracted a rash of keen-to-

renovate home-owners who want to be close

to St Ignatius College. Most of the older-style

bungalows have been made schmick enough

for houseproud families, who love the area for

its North Shore pedigree. Unlike neighbouring

Longueville, there is no deep water frontage –

only waterfront reserve positions where you

can snare a view through the trees. It’s a

sloping suburb with snakey streets and cul-de-

sacs that are alive with community spirit and

family-friendliness.








Borders Lane Cove, Linley Point, Longueville

Transport Bus

Parks Apex Park, Burns Bay Reserve,

Tambourine Bay Reserve

Schools St Ignatius College

And . . . It’s just a short walk across River

Road to Lane Cove village.

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Willoughby

On a plateau, this is one of the few suburban

patches of the North Shore that offers large,

level blocks of land. Back in the 1980s, this

was a relatively affordable part of Sydney, full

of unrenovated bungalows and semis. Today,

it’s slick North Shore central, with many of the

houses renovated and professional couples

buying up big to make sure their kids are

close to good schools. There are plenty of local

reserves and playgrounds, or the Willoughby

Leisure Centre for working out or swimming.

High-rise 1970s apartments close to Channel

Nine headquarters are an affordable entry

point to the area.








Borders Castlecrag, Northbridge, Willoughby

East

Transport Bus

Parks Butt Park, Hallstrom Park Bicentennial

Reserve, Willoughby Park

Schools Willoughby Primary, Willoughby Girls

High

And . . . Willoughby boasts a large Armenian

community.

Willoughby East

First, Second, Third and Fourth avenues are the

nicest streets in this leafy patch of the North

Shore, close to the homewares and renovation

shops on High Street. This small suburb has

wide streets and charming, older-style houses.

The easy access to bustling Chatswood and

good local schools mean this area appeals to

professional families who want a solid middle-

class upbringing – and backyard – for their

kids. Express buses can whisk city workers

across the Harbour Bridge and into the centre

of Sydney in 15 minutes, and the drive isn’t

that difficult either.

What it costs to buy Median house price: SNR




What it costs to rentAverage house rent: SNR

Average apartment rent: SNR

Distance to city 9 kilometres

Borders Willoughby, Middle Cove, Castlecrag

TransportBusParks Willoughby Park

Schools None

And . . . This is one of those suburbs where

families stay put for a long time, so houses

don’t trade all that frequently.

Tennyson Point

Formerly known simply as Tennyson, this

riverfront suburb of fewer than 400 houses

received the ‘point’ on the end of its name in

2001. The name change clearly announces

that this area is worthy of its $1 million-plus

median, which has rocketed ahead thanks to

changing perceptions of the suburbs west of

Victoria Road. This is a lovely waterside enclave,

with sloping streets that capture water views.

Most of the houses were built from the 1950s

on, and leave a little to be desired in terms of

architectural merit. However, it’s the renovated

or rebuilt bungalows that are achieving the

biggest prices, exploiting the block size and

waterside position. There have been sales of

$2–3 million in Champion Road.








Borders Gladesville, Putney


Parks Bill Mitchell Park, Tennyson Park

Schools None

And . . . The suburb was named after English

poet Alfred Tennyson.

Waverton

It’s only a small suburb, but this waterfront

gem has some charming old workers’ housing,

which used to shelter the area’s boat-builders

and dockside workers. These days, most of the

properties in Waverton are apartments, built in

the 1970s to take advantage of its position on

the train line and closeness to North Sydney’s

business district. Apartments with water views

are the most popular, especially anything large

enough to appeal to empty-nesters, who are

attracted to the lower North Shore locale when

they are ready to move out of the upper North

Shore. A few older-style Art Deco flats offer

an alternative, especially since the blocks are

small and have shared gardens.








Borders McMahons Point, North Sydney,

Wollstonecraft


Parks Balls Head Reserve, Merrett Playground,

Oyster Cove Reserve, Waverton Peninsula

Reserve, Waverton Park

Schools None

And . . . Balls Head Reserve is a lovely picnic

spot with Aboriginal rock carvings and a

good view of fireworks when they’re on.

8 4


Wollstonecraft

This suburb features grand old bungalows

in wide, leafy streets, ornate old apartment

buildings close to the train station and a

large, resort-style apartment complex called

Wondakiah on the waterfront. Prices there

start at about $800 000, but it’s $1.75 million

for one with a marina berth. What’s not to love

about Wollstonecraft? This is one of those stolid

North Shore spots with plenty of leafiness and

loveliness – it’s practically a pleasantville. It

was once a traditional family suburb – John

and Janette Howard raised their three children

in Milner Crescent – but empty-nesters and

DINKS own most of the property here these

days. The larger houses don’t trade frequently,

although generational change in the future

could see more properties change hands as

older people downsize.








Borders Crows Nest, Greenwich, North Sydney


Parks Badangi Reserve, Berry Island Reserve,

Brennan Park, Gore Cove Reserve,

Smoothey Park

Schools None

And . . . The suburb was named after Edward

Wollstonecraft, the first white settler to

receive a land grant in the area.

Woolwich

One of Sydney’s most surprisingly wonderful

suburbs, this peninsula jutting into the swirling

waters of the Lane Cove River and Parramatta

River is a well-kept secret. It regularly achieves

property prices higher than its better known

North Shore cousins such as Mosman or even

Cremorne Point. Woolwich has only 250 houses

and a smattering of apartments. The older-style

houses are nothing short of delightful – and

while some of the newer mansions that have

been built on the waterfront are a bit over the

top, the tree-softened streets and waterside

tranquillity of the suburb makes them seem

less harsh.








Borders Hunters Hill


Parks Clarkes Point Reserve, Gale Street

Reserve, Kellys Bush Reserve, Weil

Park, Valentia Street Reserve, Woolwich

Foreshore Reserve

Schools Marist Sisters College

And . . . Woolwich was the site of the world’s

first green ban, on Kellys Bush Reserve,

which remains today along with several

other lovely parks.

Lower North Shore - alexbrooks.com.au · Lower North Shore 63 Lower North Shore Artarmon The eastern section of this suburb is the most highly prized, with grand bungalows and wide

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