A luxurious apartment development consisting of 11 two- and three-bedroom residences is soon to rise in the leafy suburb of Northbridge. Haven Northbridge on Eastern Valley Way is now selling.
Haven Northbridge is situated within the highly coveted Sailors Bay area. Nestled at 58-60 Eastern Valley Way, the new development in Northbridge is the first multi-residential project by boutique property developer Blanc Black. The development takes advantage of its available amenities including the walking trails, golf course, parklands, marina, shopping hub and express city bus services.
3M Architects collaborated with interior designer Richards Stanisich and landscaper Dangar Barin Smith for the simple yet premium look of Haven Northbridge. The 11-apartment development offers a mix of two and three bedroom apartments with large sliding doors that connect the living space with either a landscaped courtyard or deep balconies enhanced with brick planter boxes.
Large sliding doors open to either a landscaped courtyard or deep balconies Photo Credit: Haven Northbridge / havennorthbridge.com.au
Other features include a master bedroom with a five-star ensuite, a luxe bathtub, a laundry room with storage and a centre island bench in the kitchen integrated with Miele appliances.
Centre island bench in the kitchen layout integrated with Miele appliances Photo Credit: Haven Northbridge / havennorthbridge.com.au
Taking inspiration from the leafy surrounds of the Eastern Valley, Senior Landscape Designer Simon Howard of Dangar Barin Smith said that the development’s landscape design highlights the “natural amenity available to the property, with its views and interaction with Sailors Bay Creek.”
Moreover, Haven Northbridge’s architectural design balances texture and strength with its muted colours and a simple palette of earthy materials including concrete, granite and natural stones. The crisp brick planters, on the other hand, complement both the landscape and architectural elements of the development.
A new proposal calls for the destruction of a single-storey home in Strathallen Ave, Northbridge to make way for a $1.2 million three-storey boarding development with a grand total of ten rooms, which comes complete with a private open space and communal living areas that fall in line with the character and identity of the surrounding area.
The proposal, developed by the Australian construction company Attena Group, remarked that there would likely be significant demand for the project as there is only one other boarding home in Northbridge.
Photo credit: Willoughby City Council
This new boarding house aims to cater specifically to young people as they would likely be unable to afford living in studio apartments in commercial hubs due to the high prices of rent and the lack of facilities such as furnishing, fast internet, and other utilities that improve overall quality of living.
Despite apparent demand for the proposal, there has been feedback from members of the community opposing the development’s construction, with some complaining that the new boarding house would be too large and dwarf all other establishments within the area. Others remarked that people such as visitors and residents will begin parking illegally as the new proposal is one for a residential building.
Some of the notable comments from the residents, via the development application submissions, include:
Whilst I have no objections to it been 3 level and getting developed, a boarding house in this location is dangerous and an accident waiting to happen.
SJ
The site of the proposed boarding house accommodating 10 rooms is totally unsuitable for this purpose. Strathallen Ave is a busy road with site situated on a blind spot past a sharp bend where accidents frequently happen. Entry and exit to the premises will be hazardous to those tenants and should be considered a severe safety risk.
James B.
The proposed building is also out of keeping with the surrounding area. It would dwarf the surrounding homes by being at least one storey higher than every other building in the vicinity, and presumably significantly larger in floor space.
Greg B.
The site of the proposed Attena Group boarding house development can be found at 20 Strathallen Ave, Northbridge. Those interested in learning more about the development can read about it via the Willoughby City Council’s ePlanning portal (DA-201/130).
The second route to the Northbridge Walking Track features this precint’s rich history. The trek covers 3.5 kilometres from Clive Park to the Northbridge Junction near Harden Avenue.
While Route 1 mostly follows a nature trail, Route 2 features some of the most notable landmarks in Lower North Shore.
It begins at the row of waterfront houses in Minimbah, Coolawin and Dorset Roads near Clive Park. Among these houses with the highest value in Northbridge is the home of a former prime minister at 3 Minimbah Road.
Further down Minimbah road is house the Waks House at number 21, the second house designed by well-known architect Harry Seidler in 1959 for Mr and Mrs Leo Waks. It is recognized by the Australian Institute of Architects NSW as a significant building in Sydney.
Photo Credit: NSW State Library
Next stop on this walking trail is the Northbridge Baths, which was opened in 1924 and extended in 1937. It’s the established homebase of the Northbridge Amateur Swimming Club and has been managed by the National Trust since 1994.
Photo Credit: Jason Baker/Flickr
Just off the beach on 5 Coorabin Road is the other Waks House built in 1949 by Mr Seidler. This was the first property the architect completed and has been restored by his company in 2000.
A few doors down on 9 Coorabin is the Snelling House, designed by revered architect Douglas Snelling for his own family. Mr Snelling was a Pan Pacific modernist who has built over 70 Sydney structures in his career.
The house on 64 Kameruka Road is classified as an inter-War period property and along this winding street are 26 other houses designed by famous landscape architect and planner Walter Burley Griffin in the 1920s. It would become part of the Castlecrag Estate that Griffin designed for many areas in the Lower North Shore.
To the north of Kameruka Road leading to Castlecrag is Warners Park, where cows used to graze and where the Waratah Dairy had its farm in 1914. This establishment delivered fresh milk to residents during those days using horse-drawn carriages. The dairy farm and milking sheds have since closed in 1951 and the park has been restored as a reserve.
Photo Credit: Kenny Smith/Google Maps
Across Warners Park was the milk depot for Waratah Dairy at the Eastern Valley Way. Used today as the base of the Sailors Bay Sea Scouts, its old building is now part of the National Trust as a relic that used to supply milk for Sydney.
Photo Credit: Google Maps
Up the Eastern Valley Way is the former market gardens, where fresh vegetables, plants and flowers were sold from the 1880s until 1981. It’s now an 80-house modern property aptly named Market Gardens Park.
Down by the corner of Eastern Valley Way and Sailors Bay Road was the site of the former Northbridge Theatre, which was demolished in 1955. Today, it’s a car war/cafe. On its footpath, look down and find the sign that says “Eric St” as this area was part of Eric Street Subdivision in the early 1900s.
Across this car wash is the Northbridge Plaza, the largest shopping site in the neighbourhood. Built in 1961, this centre has been restored and redeveloped over the years.
Photo Credit: Google Maps
To the west of Northbridge Plaza is the Masonic Hall, which opened in 1925 as a social site where dances, celebrations, school events and fundraisers were held. It has been rented out to the Presbyterians but Masonic meetings are still held on the upstairs floors today.
Finally, the last stop to this route is Harden Avenue, a residential site developed in 1904. It remains a residential area amidst the commercial developments in Northbridge.
Renting units in 14 different suburbs across NSW is now made easier, thanks to rental price adjustments throughout recent years. Several suburbs, including Northbridge, have reported lower unit rents compared to five years ago.
Due to the downturn, present tenants would be surprised to learn that their current property rental is now lesser than what they could have paid five years ago.
The price drop is mainly seen and felt in North Ryde. Data shows that this suburb has a negative 18.5% change from five years ago. This means unit tenants at North Ryde are saving up to $120 a week. Other suburbs with big declines are Kingsgrove and Peakhurst, having a negative 13.5% change and negative 12.4% change, respectively.
In Northbridge, the median weekly rent for a unit is at $615. Over the last five years, a negative 0.8% change was recorded.
Full list of median weekly rents for units as provided by the Domain:
Suburb
Price
YOY Change
5 Year Change
North Ryde
$530
-13.8%
-18.5%
Kingsgrove
$450
-15.1%
-13.5%
Peakhurst
$510
-5.6%
-12.4%
Millers Point
$935
1.6%
-6.5%
Gordon
$600
3.4%
-4.8%
Leumeah
$326
1.9%
-4.1%
Mortlake
$580
-3.3%
-3.7%
Silverwater
$430
-0.6%
-3.4%
Wahroonga
$550
-0.9%
-3.1%
Little Bay
$630
-9.4%
-3.1%
Killara
$610
-1.6%
-2.4%
North Willoughby
$550
-5.7%
-1.8%
Northbridge
$615
-5.4%
-0.8%
Breakfast Point
$675
-3.5%
-0.7%
South Wentworthville
$500
13.6%
0.0%
Concord West
$430
1.2%
0.0%
Carlingford
$500
-3.8%
0.0%
Key Factor Behind Price Decrease
Photo credit: CCO Public Domain/ ErikaWittlieb/ Pixabay
A key factor in the decrease in rental prices in many suburbs is the higher number of competition. With more and more units being built and open for lease, landlords who do not receive any inquiries after two weeks are forced to bring down the initial rate.
However, other landlords prefer to maintain the same rent for the property but with newly upgraded facilities on the unit.
According to Cristina DeSousa, the property portfolio manager from Ray White Bexley North Kingsgrove and Beverly Hills, properties in all the mentioned suburbs above have at least three to five weeks of being vacant before being rented out by a new tenant. This makes it tougher for landlords, hence, rental price adjustments become a must.
The trek from the Suspension Bridge to Clive Park in Northbridge is three kilometres and along the way are some interesting spots you should check out if you’re walking, cycling or driving by this area.
1. Begin at the Suspension Bridge
Originally built in 1892, this bridge that ushered the development of the northern suburbs was made of Gothic-designed sandstone towers and steel cables. It instantly became a landmark and a tourist attraction.
Twenty years later, the tramway coming from Milsons Point was extended to the Suspension Bridge. By 1936, however, the old bridge had to be closed due to corrosion. Three years later, a new bridge with a taller arch was installed but the Gothic towers were retained.
The Suspension Bridge, also known as the Long Gully Bridge or the Cammaray Bridge, has been listed with the NSW Office of Environment & Heritage.
From the Suspension Bridge, stop by Strathallen and Cliff Avenues to view the Memorial Clock. This sandstone tower, completed in 1948, was erected as a memorial for the brave people who fought during World War II.
Photo Credit: Google Maps
3. Have a Drink at the Northbridge Hotel
Head further down to Strathallen Avenue to find Northbridge’s first and only hotel at the corner of Baringa Road. Built in 1931, the aptly named Northbridge Hotel remains a bustling place where locals hang out to this day to drink, eat and unwind. It’s not just for hospitality, leisure or recreation site; it is “a Northbridge institution,” as it says on its Facebook page.
4. Visit the historical structures from Northbridge Junction to Sailors Bay Road
This is where your walk or cycle may get real busy. Sailors Bay Road is a long stretch but you can make your trip worthwhile by taking a few minutes to appreciate these historical structures in this area.
Hayhow’s Corner: The corner of Strathallen Avenue and Sailors Bay Road was known as Hayhow’s Corner because a grocery store owned by a Mr Hayhow stood there and supplied the community during the 1940s and 1950s. Across, at the junction of Sailors Bay Road and Bellambi Street was a police box where officers from North Sydney would be stationed every day to ensure peace and order. Today, this corner is filled with various establishments and offices.
6 Bellambi Street: From the junction, walk or cycle further down Bellambi Street to see house number 6. This is one of the first display homes for Northbridge and it was built in 1913.
Photo Credit: Google Maps
186 Sailors Bay Road: Turn back to the direction of the Northbridge Junction and take the left to Sailors Bay Road. A few meters down is the Clavering, a heritage house built in 1923. Among the residents of this house were:
William Henry Watson
Miss E. Riarch, who ran a private school
Dr. R.J. Woolcock, who had an ear, nose and throat clinic
NSW Premiere John Brophy Renshaw
Today, the Clavering is a church house for the Uniting Church of Australia.
223 Sailors Bay Road: This is a private residence and one of the very first inter-war houses in Northbridge. Inter-war houses or single storey detached houses were common during the 1920s to late 1930s to signal the shift towards modernism despite an economically challenging period.
Photo Credit: Googe Maps
231 Sailors Bay Road: Cross Blight Street and walk a few doors down to see this Tudor-inspired house. This was formerly a chapel but was turned into a residential property in 1939 by Dr. Holt, a surgeon.
Photo Credit: Google Maps
224 Sailor’s Bay Road | St. Philip Neri School: Across the street is the St. Philip Neri School, which had 11 students when it first opened in 1926. Formerly known as the St. Ciarian’s Primary School, this property has been recognized by the National Trust of the Willoughby Council for its architectural and artisanship.
Detour to Tunks Street: From Sailors Bay Road make a turn to Tunks Street and find the Anglican St Marks Church of England at the corner of Malacoota Road, built in 1927.
258 Sailors Bay Road: Since 2010, this has been the site of the Northbridge Library but this structure used to be a Presbyterian Church.
Photo Credit: Google Maps
266 to 276 Sailors Bay Road: The first row of flats on Northbridge was built from 1928 to 1929 and it’s cited for its uniform but distinctive appearance.
Photo Credit: Google Maps
288 to 296 Sailors Bay Road: This row housed the first commercial establishments in Northridge. Dubbed The Terminus back in the 1920s, this place had the butcher, the pharmacist/chemist, the hairdresser, the haberdashery, the news publication, and a sandwich shop where the locals bought their school lunches.
Photo Credit: Google Maps
Northbridge Public School: Next door to the commercial site is the Northbridge Public School, which opened in 1923. It had 159 students on its first year of operation and the structure is still intact today.
The Northbridge Park actually stretches to 46 hectares. Proclaimed as a dedicated recreational and leisure area in 1910 by the Council, this park covers the golf course and its clubhouse, multi-purpose courts, oval and pavilion, bike track, and bushland.
Upon reaching the end of Sailors Bay Road from the park, you’ll get to Neeworra Road. If you go straight towards the rotunda, you’ll see The Knoll, which is a small reserve. However, if you take a left from Sailors Bay Road, you’ll reach Clive Park.
Clive Park has been around since the 1840s. This place used to have tea gardens and a picnic pavilion. It also has a tidal pool (rocky, ocean-water pool) and it is the home of the Northbridge Sailing Club.
The Wreck Bay Walking Track in Northbridge is one of the easiest walks to take with children. If you want to immerse your kids in nature and away from technology for a few times in the week, then this is the trail to experience as often as possible.
The tracks stretch for two kilometres to end at either Dorset Road on the west or the Tunks Park in the east.
If you’re starting the Wreck Bay walk from the west, you can take Dorset Road via the tracks that begin at the south of the Northbridge Golf Course. This trail will lead you to the site of two shipwrecks at the Salt Pan Creek.
There are still substantial structures from what remains of the ships Itata and Cobaki to this day.
The Itata, an 1886 950-ton steel barge from Liverpool, England, was docked at a Sydney wharf and waiting for its cargo load when it caught fire in January 1906. Reports revealed that the ship had 300 tons of coal and saltpetre, which might have triggered the fire and explosion. The coals burned for a week after the fire.
The resulting accident twisted and destroyed the ship’s hulk, rendering the Itata useless. The shipwreck was abandoned and moved to the Salt Pan Creek.
A few decades later, the 257-ton Cobaki steamship built in 1918 was scuffled off to Wreck Bay as well after it was no longer of use to navigation companies. It was torched in 1946 and then left for vandals. It drifted adjacent to the Itata.
After the shipwrecks and past the Long Bay trail, you’ll also see the remains of what used to be a private vineyard that produced the finest wines in this region, as per the book Northbridge: Building a New Suburb by Pam Clifford.
The trail will end at the Northbridge Golf Course, but if you’re starting the path from here, look for the opening from Upper Cliff Avenue. There should be a track towards Tunks Park Memorial Trees. At the bottom of this path, you’ll see another track that passes at the back of the fifth green of the Northbridge Golf Course.
Be aware, however, that you’re not allowed to cross the golf course at any time during your walk on the Wreck Bay trails.
