Property Advert of the Week: 2 Ian Street, Rose Bay (2006)

Below is a 2006 newspaper advertisement promoting apartments for sale at 2 Ian Street, Rose Bay. The complex comprises only six units.

Source: Joycrest. 2006. "2 ian street" (Advertisement). The Sydney Morning Herald, July 1: 23A (Domain Apartments Liftout).

1979: Syd Enfield Drive opens

Full Citation Below.

On January 9, 1979 the Bondi Junction Bypass (renamed as Syd Enfield Drive in 1988) was opened to traffic just two years after approval was given.

Source: Anon. 1979. "By-pass today, mall tomorrow". The Sydney Morning Herald, January 10: 1. 

The 1.3-kilometre road bypasses the Bondi Junction CBD, starting at Oxford Street and Ocean Street in Woollahra and ending at the intersection of Oxford Street, Old South Head Road and Bondi Road, Bondi Junction. 

 

Source: Anon. 1979. "Taking traffic out of Bondi Junction". The Sydney Morning Herald, January 10: 8. 

With traffic diverted from Oxford Street, it allowed for the closure of Oxford Street between Newland Street and Grosvenor Street to vehicular traffic. It was converted into the pedestrian mall that is seen today. 

All photos were taken by the Author (2025).

In 2025, Oxford Street between Grosvenor Street and Adelaide Street is restricted to buses only. 

Above: Oxford Street between Grosvenor Street and Adelaide Street is a bus-only thoroughfare. Photo taken by the Author (2025).

Property Advert of the Week: 10-12 Manning Road, Double Bay (1967)

Below is a newspaper advertisement from February 1967 for 10-12 Manning Street in Double Bay.

 

Source: Anon. 1967. "Double Bay Luxury Penthouse-Type Units" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, February 25:20. 

Real Estate Super Sales: Craig-y-Mor (1988)

As my collection of media clippings has grown, I have also managed to obtain a few articles relating to house sales at the top of the Sydney housing market or sales that may be of interest.

In 2021, Australia's most expensive dwelling is:

• Located in Sydney
• Located at Barangaroo
• Under Construction
• An apartment

The apartment is a penthouse in the One Sydney Harbour complex at the top of its tallest tower nearly 250 metres above street level with views that are unlikely to never be built out including the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House. 

To own the penthouse, the buyer paid $140 million. 

Source: Anon. 1988. "$12.3m for harbourside home". The Daily Telegraph, March 8: 3. 

In 1988, Sydney's property market as in 2021 was booming. That year Point Piper Mansion, Craig-y-Mor was sold for an then Australian record at the time - $12.3 million, which is less than one-tenth of the price paid to purchase the most expensive home in Australia today. 

The buyer was the Gary Rothwell of the Winten Property Group.

The estate covered 2600sq/m of land, which was subdivided. The mansion was sold for $7.14 million to Chris Corrigan and his wife Valerie in 1991.

A decade later (2001), stockbroker Rene Rivkin and his wife purchased it from Corrigan for $10.7 million. Three years later, Rivkin sold it to businessman Ben Tilley for $16.15 million.

Just four years later, the mansion set another record for the sale of a home in Australia, sold for $32.4 million to former Chinese vice-president Zeng​ Qinghong​, and wife Jiang Mei. Ownership was transfered to their son Zeng Wei in 2015.

Craig-y-Mor was demolished in 2014 and was replaced by a new four storey residence. 

Property Advert of the Week: 237 Underwood Street, Paddington (1967)

Below is a 1967 newspaper advertisement promoting apartments for sale at 237 Underwood Street, Paddington. 

Source: Haining & Morris Pty. Ltd. 1967. "Home Units Selling Fast!! Paddington - Woollahra" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, September 9; 20.

NEVER BUILT SYDNEY: Hotel at The Gap (1964)

Welcome to Part III in our current "Never Built" series.  This week, we head to Watsons Bay where Goldberger and Kauffman Finance and Building Enterprises proposed an eighteen level or 59 metre tall hotel tower at The Gap. The hotel would contain 190 rooms and the top floor would be designated for a restaurant which promised sweeping views of the ocean and city.

If built, this tower would have been located at the main shopping strip of the suburb at the corner of Military and Gap roads. 

Source: Anon. 1964. "18-storey Hotel For The Gap". The Sydney Morning Herald, October 16:12.

The concept appears great as the hotel would have offered some of the most panoramic ocean views that any Sydney hotel could offer given its proximity to the coast line but also the elevation of the site which could be as high as forty metres. It would be on the recommended list of hotels to stay in Sydney, even today.

Even if converted into apartments in later years, the views afforded would have been the same and we would be talking about it being one of the best addressees in Sydney.

But the concern with the scheme was the height with nothing over two storeys and this would have dramatically altered the character of Watsons Bay altogether but having nothing tall in the area was part of the business case for the hotel. Highrise is not part of  the urban landscape in Watsons Bay.

Such a proposal would not get off the ground at all. Add heritage matters to the list of reasons why a hotel could not be built. 

Property Advert of the Week: Twenty Seven Sutherland Crescent, Darling Point (1963)

Below is a newspaper advertisement from 1963 to promote Twenty Seven Sutherland Crescent at Darling Point. The developer was Mainline Corporation (collapsed in 1974).

Source: Mainline Corporation. 1963. "Twenty Seven Sutherland Crescent, Darling Point" (Advertisement). The Sun Herald, March 3: 11. 

 

Property Advert of the Week: Diseno, Edgecliff (1999)

Below is an advertisement for the Diseno complex at Edgecliff dating from 1999.

Source: Charles & Sturt. 1999. "Design for Living..." (Advertisement). The Sydney Morning Herald, September 25: 23RE (Real Estate Liftout).