Raine & Horne

Bellevue Hill

With the sparkling waters of Sydney Harbour to the north and commanding views over Bondi and the Pacific Ocean to the east, Bellevue Hill certainly lives up to its name. Governor Macquarie thought the original name, ‘Vinegar Hill’, was unworthy and in 1820 he renamed it ‘Belle Vue’.

Sydney’s wealthy settlers also found the hill north of Cooper Park to their liking and built some of the city’s finest estates on its sides, including ‘Rona’, an exquisite 45-room sandstone Gothic mansion overlooking the harbour. John Fairfax’s grandson, Charles, had ‘Caerleon’, an exceptional example of the Federation Queen Anne style, built in 1885 on Ginahgulla Road. Aspinall House, formerly ‘St Killians’ in Victoria Road on the north-eastern side of the hill, is the oldest of six boarding houses within the grounds of The Scots College, one of Sydney’s more exclusive private schools. ‘Cranbrook’, built in 1859, gives its name to the equally exclusive Cranbrook School for boys on New South Head Road overlooking Point Piper.

Situated just a few kilometres from the CBD, Bellevue Hill offers residents a premier residential address within easy reach of everything Sydney has to offer. Bondi Beach is only moments away, as is Bondi Junction’s shopping district and the eastern suburbs railway line.

Those keen to make the most of the harbour can choose from several nearby sailing clubs, marinas and intimate beaches, or soak up the views from the fairway of the Royal Sydney Golf Course on Bellevue Hill’s eastern side.

Although mostly sprawling family estates, parts of Bellevue Hill are popular with empty nesters and affluent types fond of the elegant apartment buildings with incredible harbour views.

Bondi

If there’s only one word on a tourist’s lips when they arrive in Australia, Bondi is usually it. Supposedly derived from the Aboriginal word for the sound of water hitting rocks, Bondi is now more than just the waves that break upon its famous beach.

Ever since the ocean baths were opened in 1886 and the first tram arrived a few years later, Bondi  has grown from a simple cattle run into a truly iconic piece of Australian landscape. Artists, actors, surfers and tourists… Bondi’s population is as eclectic as its architecture.

There’s a mix of semi-detached houses, rows of traditional-facade Victorian terraces, modern apartments and Californian bungalows. It’s a desirable area for young families with quiet, leafy streets and off street parking and for young, professionals with well located contemporary housing.

Bondi Road that is really worth exploring for its eclectic mix of traditional suburban shops including Kemeny’s - one of Sydney’s best-stocked wine outlets, bakeries, grocers, delis and kosher food outlets.

When it comes to surfing and swimming, choose your local beach. Bondi, Bronte and Tamarama are all close by. Of course, there’s also the walk or run from Bondi on the headland footpath to Tamarama, Bronte and Clovelly.

There’s also the Bondi Iceberg’s Club and swimming pool and the Bronte baths for serious lap swimmers. In Bondi Junction, you’ll find around 10 gyms and fitness centres including the celebrity-haunt, Body Control Pilate Studio. There’s also a squash club.

Sydney’s most famous beach - Bondi Beach is the central landmark of Bondi. The alluring golden sweep of sand is one of the city’s great icons. The Bondi Pavilion, built in the 1920s, is Sydney’s grandest bathing pavilion. Nearby, there’s Bronte House, one of the oldest houses still standing in the eastern suburbs.

And, a 10-minute drive away there’s the dramatic Waverley Cemetery, established in 1877. This is where poets Henry Lawson and Henry Kendall are buried.

St Mary’s Church of England, designed by Edmund Blacket and built in 1863, is also in the area.

Stroll the length of Bondi Road and you’ll be able to eat your way around the world from Thai, Italian and Greek to Jewish and European. Or you could grab a hamburger from Burgerman, a pizza from Mozzarella, fish and chips from The One That Got Away or a Portuguese chicken from Oporto and head

Residents are blessed with an enviable beach address only 7 km from the CBD and a bus/rail interchange just over the hill in Bondi Junction which also is home to Westfield shopping centre and the Oxford Street Mall. Several public schools and some of Sydney’s best private schools are close by, making Bondi as popular with families as it is with those attracted to the vibrant beach lifestyle.

BONDI BEACH

The significance of Bondi Beach as Aboriginal site is evidenced by the quarries used for tool and weapon making, and the carvings on many of the rocks near the waters edge. The name “Bondi” is believed to have evolved from the Aboriginal word for the sound of water breaking on rocks, “Bundi”.

Bondi's famous strip of sand is bounded by the ocean on one side and the boutiques of Campbell Parade on the other. Laid back beach fashions, typical Australian surf wear, and for plenty of souvenirs for the visitor are all at hand.

But then there’s the beach. The surf is terrific all year round, and the Bondi Icebergs can be seen in the pool even in the depths of winter. For the jogger, there is the magnificent track that runs from Bondi Beach around the headlands to Bronte, complete with its numerous exercise stations for that little extra bit of tone.

Australia’s oldest swimming club, the Bondi Icebergs can be found at the southern end of the beach. In the centre of the beach is the Pavilion, home to changing sheds, food, a bar, and a great auditorium.

Bondi Beach is all about casual dining. From a simple kebab or burger and a view of the ocean through the casual chic grazing of Sobo or Ravesi’s, the beach has it all. There are plenty of cafes for languid coffee or a glass of wine from breakfast through to till late at night.

Bondi Beach Primary is the State school, with Waverley College, Moriah College, Sydney Grammar, Scots, Cranbrook, Ascham and Kamala private schools, or Vaucluse and Dover Heights High only a short drive away.

If you must leave, then it’s only 7km from the CBD. The 380 bus will take you to the city’s Circular Quay, or the 365 bus to Edgecliff Station. Bondi Junction and its railhead is an entertaining 20 minute walk through the shops of Bondi Road.

Bondi Junction

Even closer to the city centre than Bondi Beach, Bondi Junction revolves around a bus and rail interchange and the Westfeild and Oxford Mall shopping precinct. But there’s more to Bondi Junction than its thriving commercial heart. Bordering Centennial Park to the west and Bondi Beach to the east, as well as upmarket neighbourhoods Woollahra and Queens Park, Bondi Junction has long been a desired address.

A diverse array of architecture, from the slickest apartments to the grandest period homes, adds to the appeal of this versatile suburb, not to mention having everything at your doorstep. Residents can enjoy the best that Sydney has to offer, never far from famous beaches, fantastic restaurants, an amazing variety of shopping choice and the Centennial Parklands’ 385 hectares of open space, themselves attracting more people per capita than New York’s Central Park. Oxford Street Mall  which under went a multi-million dollar upgrade and now offers a fabulous casual dining atmosphere as well the popular Farmers Market and Organic Market on the weekends. Major retailers including Westfield, Myer and David Jones also keep shoppers happy.

Transport is not an issue. A couple of stops on the underground and you’re in the CBD and the extensive bus network links up with Bondi, Bronte, Tamarama and Coogee Beaches as well as the many attractions of Sydney Harbour. Schools, both public and private, are close by, as are Randwick Racecourse, the Royal Sydney Golf Club, the University of NSW, Fox Studios, the football stadium and the SCG.

Bronte

Bronte Beach looks out over Nelson Bay and into the Tasman Sea, a magnificent view it shares with the lucky ten thousand or so fortunate enough to call Bronte home.

Lord Nelson himself received the title Duke of Bronte as a token of appreciation from the King of Naples for helping him vanquish the French fleet in 1798, a few years after Captain Cook sailed past Australia’s east coast. Whereas Sydney’s Bronte is a gorgeous seaside suburb just south of Bondi Beach, Nelson’s Bronte is a town on the slopes of Mt Etna in eastern Sicily. But the connection with kings and famous admirals adds to the Sydney suburb’s romantic history. Historic Bronte House is among the oldest buildings in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, its exquisite formal gardens merging easily with the natural landscape of Bronte Gully to make it the embodiment of the romantic villa by the sea.

Beautiful Bronte Park retains much of its original character, including the pathways, picnic huts, children's train, Norfolk Island Pines and Canary Island Palms, while Bronte Baths still provide a safe spot to swim, just as they have done since 1887.

Just along the coast south of the beach, Waverley Cemetery is one of Sydney’s largest and best known, being the final resting place of several Australian luminaries including Henry Lawson and Dorothea Mackellar. N

orth of the beach is the popular scenic coastal walk to Bondi. Like its neighbours Bondi, Tamarama and Clovelly, Bronte enjoys a picturesque seaside location close to the city. Centennial Parklands and the Bondi Junction shopping precinct are only minutes away, while the CBD is just 7 kms by car, bus or train.

Coogee

Like Tamarama a little further north, Coogee was once renowned for its ability to entertain Sydneysiders.

In 1928, the popular Coogee Beach Amusement Pier reached 180 metres into the sea, until the strong surf took its toll and the pier was demolished in 1934.

Still famous for its crowd-pulling power, Coogee’s foreshore has recently undergone a major facelift, with more cafés, restaurants and picnic areas than you can poke a barbequed prawn at.

The more affluent members of Sydney society have long valued Coogee for its therapeutic abilities, with generations of them flocking to Coogee’s scenic coastline for well over a century. Coogee’s reputation extends globally, with international guests keen to enjoy the beautiful beach suburb’s holiday appeal and five-star accommodation.

Coogee is just 8 kms from the CBD, and only moments from Bondi Junction’s recently revamped shopping precinct and bus/rail interchange. Centennial Parklands’ 385 hectares of open space are also close by, perfect for picnics or enjoying a bit of exercise with friends.

The area’s best-known watering hole and music venue, the Coogee Bay Hotel, has also been refurbished, as have the spectacular Wylie’s Baths at the end of Neptune Street, an ideal spot for a swim as you gaze out across the ocean towards Wedding Cake Island.

Coogee’s hilly streets are dotted with California-style apartment blocks as well as many examples of Victorian and Federation architecture, all overlooking a pretty beach enclosed on both sides by green-topped cliffs and scenic headland nature reserves.

Arden Street’s cafés and Coogee Bay Road’s shops and eateries offer a more intimate and laid-back atmosphere than busy Bondi to the north.

Dover Heights

With property values right up there alongside Eastern Suburbs heavyweights Vaucluse, Bellevue Hill and Watsons Bay, Dover Heights is renowned for sweeping ocean views to the east and a captivating panorama of Sydney’s beautiful skyline to the west.

Many residents enjoy just that, as they have done since the early days of settlement. Even the military know just how good the view is. Back in 1942, the main guns at Dover Heights were amongst those called upon to take aim when three Japanese midget submarines entered Sydney Harbour.

Residents of this exclusive postcode also enjoy the advantage of being close to the CBD, with a wide range of transport options available. The Vaucluse to Dover Heights Coastal Cliff Walk is popular for its fantastic scenery and residents can choose from tranquil harbour beaches like Rose Bay or the sun, surf and sand at Bondi.

Dover Heights may not be as famous as its southern neighbour, but this affluent seaside suburb was instrumental in the story of Australia’s music scene. Rock icon Johnny O’Keefe grew up in one of Dover Heights’ magnificent homes and went on to become Sydney’s very own ‘Wild One’.

The fabulous shopping precincts of Double Bay and Bondi Junction are just minutes away, not to mention world-class golf courses, excellent public schools and some of Sydney’s most exclusive private schools.

The streets are typically wide, tree-lined avenues flanked by equally impressive homes boasting huge gardens and rolling lawns. Perfect for sitting back on a deckchair watching the big yachts glide past on Boxing Day or drinking champagne as the New Year’s Eve fireworks light up the night sky.

ROSE BAY

The exclusive suburb of Rose Bay is a distinguished and up market harbourside address, just 6km east of the CBD. The famous Catalina restaurant sits on its picturesque shores, the destination for many power lunches for Sydney’s elite. From the prized balcony seats you can watch the seaplanes taking off, escorting flyers on sightseeing trips or jaunts up to famous restaurants such as Jonah's at Whale Beach or the Cottage Point Inn.

Rose Bay features an abundance of recreational attractions, including the exclusive Royal Sydney Golf Club and the neighbouring Woollahra Golf Course. Take leisurely walks along the waterfront, take in a game of tennis by the harbour or indulge in any manner of water activities.

Its architecture is varied, from classic freestanding Federation homes and Californian bungalows on large parcels of land to Art Deco apartments and sleek contemporary boutique developments.

Rose Bay shopping village at the junction of New South Head Road and Dover Road offers a top selection of cafes, gourmet stores, supermarkets, specialty shops and a pub. Along Old South Head Road you’ll also find another charming hub replete with a host of eateries and amenities.

Many of Sydney’s top schools are located in and around Rose Bay, including the prestigious private girls’ schools Kincoppal Rose Bay, Kambala and Ascham, the private boys’ schools Scots College and Cranbrook, the co-ed private school Reddam House and the local government high school Rose Bay Secondary College.

The area is well serviced by buses which take you to the CBD or the main transport interchange of Edgecliff Station.

Tamarama

Nestled between Bondi and Bronte, Tamarama is a handy pitstop along the scenic coastal walk, offering an intimate little beach, delightful park and café popular with a diverse range of residents and tourists alike.

The surf lifesaving club overlooks the whole beach into Tamarama Bay, as it has done for the best part of one hundred years. Sometimes dubbed ‘Glamarama’ by the locals, Tamarama’s history is indeed colourful. During its heyday it was one of Sydney’s favourite pleasure resorts, featuring an open-air roller-skating rink, amusement booths and an aquarium. Vaudeville acts and concerts were also an important part of the entertainment. The site was revived as Wonderland City in 1906 with additional attractions, including an airship suspended upon a wire above the beach. The children's favourite was an elephant appropriately named Alice. Wonderland City and the Tamarama Surf Lifesavers Club even held gymkhanas on the beach, a prelude to modern surf carnivals.

These days, life is less hectic and most come here simply to relax or indulge in a bit of people watching. Tamarama is blessed with a quiet, seaside location just a stone’s throw from some of Sydney’s favourite attractions, including Bondi and Bronte beaches, the Centennial Parklands and the Bondi Junction shopping precinct.

The CBD is just a short trip by car or bus and families can choose from many of Sydney’s best private and public schools. An eclectic mix of contemporary and period architecture watches over the valley and beach below, with many of Tamarama’s residents enjoying spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean.

Vaucluse

Is one of Sydney’s most desirable pockets of real estate, known for palatial 19th century estates with sprawling harbourside gardens and multi-million dollar apartments overlooking the ocean.

Rich in heritage as well as money, this exclusive bastion of the well heeled is home to some precious examples of early Australian architecture. Macquarie Lighthouse has been keeping a constant vigil since 1818, with a navigational aid at Lighthouse Reserve on Old South Head Road since 1791.

The famous convict architect, Francis Greenway, was emancipated by Governor Macquarie for doing such a sterling job on the original lighthouse, which was Australia’s first. Built in 1803 by Sir Henry Hayes, Vaucluse House is a much-revered example of colonial grandeur and survives as one of Sydney's only 19th century harbourside estates with house, kitchen wing, stables and outbuildings all still intact. After being transported for life for abducting an heiress, Hayes was granted 475 acres upon which he built the gothic-style mansion, named after the village Vaucluse in France, where he had taken refuge while on the run from the authorities.

William Charles Wentworth, the famous explorer who drafted our constitution and the colony’s first native-born politician, rebuilt the home after purchasing the property for himself and his family in 1827.

Vaucluse residents are only about 9 kms from the CBD, with many of Sydney’s more exclusive private schools close at hand, as is Royal Sydney Golf Course and the fabulous boutiques of Double Bay. Major retailers can be found a few minutes away in Bondi Junction’s shopping precinct, as can the eastern suburbs bus and rail interchange for quick trips into the heart of the CBD.

Waverley

In 1827 the pioneering Barnett Levey began building a residence on his 60-acre farm in Old South Head Road at Bondi Junction. He named it ‘Waverley House’ in honour of Sir Walter Scott, author of the Waverley Novels.

It is from this property, demolished in 1904, that the district of Waverley took its name. In the late 1850s, Charing Cross, considered the heart of the Waverley Municipality, was a busy village when the Tea Gardens (now Bondi Junction) were just a collection of shops.

When the tramline to Bondi opened in 1884, creating a “junction” with the line already operating to Charing Cross, the name ‘Bondi Junction’ was born. Today, Waverley sits snugly between the beachside suburbs of Bondi and Bronte and the terrace-lined streets of Queens Park and Bondi Junction. Waverley residents enjoy the convenience of having close by just about everything Sydney has to offer.

Double Bay’s fabulous boutiques and Bondi Junction’s shopping district are just minutes away, not to mention world-class golf courses, excellent public schools and some of Sydney’s most exclusive private schools for both boys and girls. Randwick Racecourse, the SCG and the Centennial Parklands’ 385 hectares of open space are also within easy reach, as is famous Bondi Beach.

And although the last tram left for Bondi in 1961, the ‘Junction’s’ bus and rail interchange means residents can get to the CBD in no time at all. Waverley’s architecture reflects its colourful history and includes an eclectic mix of lovingly restored Federation-era homes, elegant art deco apartments and modern lifestyle-friendly homes designed to make the most of the sensational ocean and city views.