Harbourfront

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It was our fourth Surveyor-General Sir Thomas Mitchell who led the harbourfront residence push when he built the 1840s residence, Carthona on the shores of Darling Point, which is still seen and admired.
But concerns over sanitation saw many of the pioneer plutocracy taking themselves instead to harbourside ridges. 
During World War II, the fear of invasion via the harbour led to a loss of interest in waterfronts.
They haven't always been the must haves.
But come the late 1980s, the playwright David Williamson had detected the firming in sentiment when he wrote his 1987 play, Emerald City.
"No-one in Sydney ever wastes time debating the meaning of life - it's getting yourself a water frontage," one character advised.
Ofcourse not all waterfronts are alike. Not all the wisest of trophy home acquisitions.
The recent $80 million sale of four adjoining homes on Coolong Road, Vaucluse as a harbourside compound for Russian entreprenuer was significant for several reasons, not the least that it marked a return to the more traditional approach to the selection of prestigious property.
Aspect once again reigned supreme, not the picture postcard view that's highlighted every New Year's Eve.
Traditionally a northeast facing sheltered bay with boating facilities on Sydney Harbour was the most sought after buying waterfront option, but because of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and then the Opera House there's been an escalating value add to the west facing eastern suburbs homes.
This has become even more pronounced given the surging interest from off-shore buyers who often comment to estate agents “when I am in Sydney I want to know I am in Sydney by seeing the icons from my lounge room”.
Waterfronts to the west of the Harbour Bridge have seen their own transformation, especially as its industrial sites have been remediated.
The gentrification of the waterfront ever westward has meant the million-dollar price tags are the norm, and not just on the main harbour. All the way up the Lane Cove and Parramatta rivers. And Sydney's other waterways too.
When choosing the right waterfront, professional help is helpful from the buyers' agent through to the architect.
Bear in mind that councils have special foreshore protection zones that impose restrictions. 
Starting with the aspect, a north east facing home is most desirable.
The next point to consider is the depth of the waterfront. Can it accommodate a jetty or a pile berthing for your boat? 
Buyers need to consider how swells might impact with the quieter waters of bays definitely preferred.
The opposite of swells, low tide must also be borne in mind because it can become sandy and muddy. Or worse smelly with seaweed and scattered with debris.
Sandy beaches tend to attract the public who are generally allowed access to all areas below the mean high water mark.
If the waterfront is close to ferry wharfs, it will be noisy. Then there's the tour boats with their megaphone commentary which landowners can hear about themselves! Add to that the party boats with their blaring music and light show.
Accessibility to the waterfront from the house is another important consideration. Steps and inclinators are a turn off for may buyers. Steep waterfront blocks are a challenge, engineering wise and also ease of parking. 
Lastly some might wish to bear in mind the impact of climate change and rising seas as it could potentially effect especially on reclaimed land.
Selecting a property with just a great view in mind is possibly not the wisest outlay.
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Aspect makes a comeback with Sydney waterfront property

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The redundant Double Bay harbourfront apartment of the boss of the Packer casino empire, Rob Rankin is back for sale through Christie's agent Ken Jacobs with hopes of $4.95 million.
The three-bedroom 275 sqm apartment is on the ground floor of <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-nsw-double+bay-122784906" target="_blank">Gladswood House</a>, the Gothic sandstone residence in Gladswood Gardens near Redleaf Pool.
Some nearby price guidance came recently when the Perth-based Bond family shuffled one of their longtime apartments from Eileen to son, John at $2.8 million. 
Rankin and his wife, Paula retain Woodlands, a colonial mansion in Woollahra, bought from adman John Singleton for $6,825,000 in 2003. 
This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.
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Packer casino boss Rob Rankin lists Double Bay harbourfront

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Sydney's Pancakes on The Rocks are set to move to a new location at the top of The Rocks Centre on Argyle St as part of a $15 million NSW government initiative to renew and revitalise heritage retail tenancies.
Refurbishment works at The Rocks Centre include floors, ceilings, lighting and shopfronts with Pancakes on The Rocks eventually located on the upper level.
Dominic Perrottet, minister for finance, services and property said the government wants The Rocks to be a heritage precinct with great food experiences, contemporary shopping, and an atmosphere that keeps you coming back.
“Looking around the world, there are some fantastic, creative ways that heritage buildings are used as contemporary retail spaces, and this refurbishment program will help our retailers take The Rocks to that world-class level,” he said.
Other heritage shopfronts nearby will be refurbished including George Street retail spaces, as well as the Metcalfe Bond Stores. 
New tenants to The Rocks include Deciem, 7 RocksDeli, Cosmopolitan Jewelers, ATTY Design and Endeavour  Beer all set to move in, adding to a slew of recent arrivals over the last year, including Aesop, Uashmama, Ribs and Burgers, El Camino, Cosette and Gelatissimo.
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Pancakes on the move in Rocks retail refresh

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The redundant Double Bay harbourfront apartment of the boss of the Packer casino empire, Rob Rankin has sold amid all his distractions.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-apartment-nsw-double+bay-122784906" target="_blank">It had been listed through Christie's agent Ken Jacobs</a> with hopes of $4.95 million.
Initially listed in 2008 and then four months ago, the three-bedroom 275 sqm apartment is on the ground floor of Gladswood House, a sandstone residence near Redleaf Pool.
The 1850s-era Gothic mansion was converted into seven luxury apartments in the late 1990s.
Rankin and his wife, Paula retain Woodlands, a colonial mansion in Woollahra, bought from adman John Singleton for $6,825,000 in 2003. 
In 2006, the Rankins paid $7 million for a Palm Beach house that had been the home of the late Frank Markovic. They added a neighbouring Palm Beach property for about $5.7 million in 2010.
This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.
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Rob Rankin sells Double Bay Gladswood Gardens apartment

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Queensland coal miner Brian Flannery, who debuted on the Rich List in 2008 thanks to a half-stake in the mining company Felix Resources, sold his Sydney bolthole for $3.65 million at auction yesterday.
Flannery, now the managing director of coal company White Energy, paid $1,325,000 in 1999 for the 122 sqm apartment that is in original condition.
The sixth floor, two bedroom apartment has views across to the Royal Botanic Gardens and down Macquarie Street to the Opera House.
It sold through Morton agent Ettiene West.
Flannery and wife, Peggy love in an $8.55 million apartment on the Brisbane River.
Felix Resources was sold for $530 million to Yanzhou Coal in 2009 helped make the Brisbane businessman's fortune.
This article first appeared in the Sunday Telegraph.
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Queensland coal miner Brian Flannery sells Sydney bolthole

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Bidding opened at $8.5 million when a timewarp Watsons Bay beachfront was put under the BradfieldCleary hammer at auction tonight.
The <a href="https://bradfieldcleary.com.au/6528264/17-victoria-street-watsons-bay" target="_blank">deep 524 sqm street-to-beachfront block</a> had not sold for nine decades.
The north facing holding with direct access onto Camp Cove beach was knocked down after very strong bidding at $14.2 million.
There were the five bidders for the Pitt-Webb family deceased estate holding at 17 Victoria Street, which had a recent Valuer General valuation of about $8.5 million.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/Resized/Watsons2.jpg" alt="">
One of the registered parties was a family member, auctioneer Damien Cooley revealed under auction regulations.
It currently features a single level semi-detached weatherboard cottage with garage and boatshed and steps to the beach.
It was listed by Brenton Gadsby at BradfieldCleary in conjunction with Donna Burke at Bickmore-Hutt Realty.
Most of the interested parties were playing their cards close to their chest, although the top bidder was a veteran auction room player.
But the intentions or possibly just who the prominent Sydney property developer Philip Wolanski was representing remain unconfirmed. 
Over the decades Victoria Street has been a magnate for influential owners including the neighbouring retail magnate Steven Lowy.
Other owners through the years have included adman John Singleton, the Smart family, solicitor Bill Blackshaw, accountant Ian Ferrier, the Cawood family, developer Vaughan Blank, the former Sydney head of the Swiss commodities trader Glencore, the Arve family and the entrepreneur Sam Linz. 
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Harbourfront

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