Mosman

Mosman is one of Australia's most prestigious and sought after coastal suburbs. Located on the foreshores of Sydney Harbour, many homes are purpose built to take advantage of the panoramic water vista to the east and views of the Harbour Bridge, Opera House and city skyline to the west.
Only,  approximately 10km from the Sydney Central Business District (CBD), commuters can choose to travel to work by car, or bus over the world famous Sydney Harbour Bridge; or catch a ferry across the Harbour, passing the Opera House to Circular Quay. It must be said that more and more residents are choosing not to leave the area at all and are working from home.

The Mosman Local Government Area, comprising the suburbs of Mosman, Beauty Point, The Spit, Balmoral, Clifton Gardens, Georges Heights and Cremorne Point, is home to some of Sydney's most magnificent (and expensive) residences. Its proximity to the CBD, dynamic coastal lifestyle and pricey real estate make it highly sought by the rich and famous. Popular with expatriate Australians and international buyers, housing prices in the region have performed well above the rest of the Sydney metropolitan area for a many years now. Although it is costly to purchase property in the area, statistics gathered by the Real Estate Insitute of NSW have shown that median house prices in the area have repeatedly shown the highest increase in value of all Local Government areas in Sydney.

Mosman's residential architecture is truly diverse. Styles range from magnificent turn of the 20th century heritage listed estates to the latest, cutting edge housing designs. Views very much dominate the scale and character of most homes in the area, as even the slightest glimpse of Middle Harbour or the city skyline can add hundreds of thousands of dollars to the value of a property.

Mosman, as a peninsula between Sydney Harbour and Middle Harbour  features a number of beautiful harbour beaches, including Balmoral, Chinamans, Obelisk Beach and Cobblers Beaches. Other attractions are renowned Taronga Zoo, Bradleys Head and sections of Sydney Harbour National Park.

Whilst the many water pursuits the area has on offer are a huge drawcard for many residents, Mosman also offers one of Sydney’s most sophisticated shopping strips. The shopping parade is located along Military Road, which features an eclectic mix of designer boutiques, antiques and homeware stores, stylish cafés and restaurants. The shopping village extends from the intersection with Bradley's Head Road (where our office is located) and Middle Head Road, continues north past the intersection with Spit Road at Spit Junction. Mosman Council has identified the early twentieth century shopping strip along Military Road as a conservation area. There are nine churches in the area, just to name a few; the St Clement's Anglican Church, Blessed Sacrament Roman Catholic Church and Mosman Baptist Church.

The entertainment spots include the Mosman Hotel located on Military Road and the Buena Vista Hotel located on Middle Head Road. The local community has many sport and recreational opportunities by joining either Football, Cricket, Rugby or Rowing Clubs. For nature lovers, Mosman offers spectacular bushwalks through Bradley and Middle Heads, part of the Sydney Harbour National Park.

Click here for information on Municipality of Mosman, its history, sporting grounds, schools and other helpful local area information.

 

HISTORY

Mosman was originally inhabited by the Borogegal tribe. Bungaree (c1775–1830) was a well known Aboriginal who joined British explorers on voyages, including circumnavigating Australia with Matthew Flinders when he was 26. He later became leader of his tribe, was given land at Georges Head, and enjoyed the patronage of Governor Lachlan Macquarie. He greeted newcomers whose ships entered Port Jackson, and became acquainted with Russian and French explorers. His image was painted many times and shown in London, Paris, and Moscow.

Mosman is named after Archibald Mosman (1799–1863) and his twin brother George, who moved onto a 4-acre (16,000 m2) land grant in the area in 1831. They were involved in shipping, and founded a whaling station on a bay in the harbour, which became known as Mosman’s Bay. George subsequently became involved in grazing, but Archibald continued with whaling activities. The only remaining building of the original whaling station is The Barn in Avenue Road. The Barn was a store and sail drying house. It is now the home of the 1st Mosman 1908 Scout Group.

A foot track ran from North Sydney to Middle Head in the 1840s. Avenue Road which ran from Mosman Bay to Mosman Junction was constructed in 1860 with Military Road, Middle Head Road, and Bradleys Head Road all constructed ten years later. From the 1870s, land development spread settlement east from Milson's Point, including to the Mosman area, which was boosted with a regular ferry service around the same time. Richard Hayes Harnett Senior purchased Archibald Mosman’s original 108 acres (0.44 km2) in 1859 and in 1878 established a sandstone quarry at Mosman Bay.

 In 1871, he built a wharf and subsidised a ferry service between Mosman Bay, Neutral Bay, and Circular Quay. He promoted a land development known as the Mosman Bay Estate; when the land was sold, the ferry service was cancelled, much to the annoyance of the new landowners. His son, Richard Harnett Junior, was the first Mayor elected when Mosman became a municipality in 1893 with 1,600 residents, breaking away from the North Sydney municipality. Both men were major influences in Mosman and were responsible for building many roads, a horse drawn bus service and ferry services linking Mosman to the city.

 

Beauty Point

Beauty Point is famous for its natural harbour settings and beautiful walking treks with a view of Middle Harbour. Beauty Point takes its name from the piece of land protruding into the Middle Harbour, off Sydney Harbour. It was originally known as Billy Goat Point, but was renamed when it was subdivided to be sold.

Georges Heights

Georges Heights served as Army bases for well over 100 years. Initially, part of the harbour defences, they later became barracks, a World War I hospital, a training centre and a transport depot. The Harbour Trust offices are in former hospital wards and the buildings at Lower Georges Heights are used by an array of artists.

Georges Heights was named after King George III, who reigned from 1760 to 1820, which was during the time that the First Fleet left Portsmouth, England in 1788 and arrived in what is now Sydney Harbor.

The Georges Head Battery located in Georges Heights was constructed in 1871. A naval depot stands on the eastern side of Chowder Bay. The Georges Head battery is one of three forts in the area that were built for the purpose of defending the outer harbour.

Atop Georges Head is a spectacular lookout over the harbour. The nearby sandstone barracks is now a function centre and restaurant, The Tearoom at Gunners Barracks.

 

Balmoral

Balmoral and its picturesque beaches is one of the hidden gems of Sydney.  Balmoral features four separate beaches with beautiful white sand facing east offering gorgeous views of Manly and Clontarf, the beaches are perfect for swimming due to its calming waves. The entire beach is listed on the Register of the National Estate as the 'Balmoral Beach Conservation Area'.

The conservation area includes the beach, promenade, the esplanade, the Rotunda and the Bathers' Pavilion, which date back to the 1930s. Balmoral is an idyllic place to enjoy a picnic breakfast, lunch or dinner. The Esplanade at Balmoral Beach is a family orientated area offering parks and children’s play areas. The Rotunda and Rocky Point Island are also popular for wedding ceremonies and photographs.

Organisations and facilities include Balmoral Oval, a substantial netted swimming area the Balmoral Baths, Balmoral Sailing Club, a sea scout troop, and two swimming clubs.

The suburb is best accessed by car and/or bus public transport takes you to within close distance of the conservation area. The area is exclusive yet has a typical Aussie laid-back vibe with a selection of cafes, fish and chips, and two top restaurants; the Bathers' Pavilion and the Watermark.

Exclusive Balmoral Real Estate has always been in high demand, as it benefits from its views and beach proximity. Balmoral property does appeal to many, because of its various property market mix, offering living styles from modest cottages, duplexes, terraces, townhouses, modern apartments to free-standing houses and luxury mansions. On the slopes leading down to Balmoral, are some of Sydney’s most exclusive Federation homes, many built in the early 1900’s as the local population grew and the area became more popular. Balmoral’s property prices have remained consistent in recent times, making it an ideal time to buy or invest in the area.

 

HISTORY

Balmoral is named after Balmoral Castle, the large estate house in Aberdeenshire, Scotland known as Royal Deeside and a favourite summer royal residence. Balmoral flourished in the late 1800’s when Sydney’s trams and buses finally reached the area and transformed it into the place for picnics and bathing. Before the public became aware of Balmorals beauty, Aboriginal and Chinese bush camps inhabited the area.

 

The Spit

 The Spit protrudes off Beauty Point and is home to the Spit Bridge, a bascule bridge opened in 1958 over Middle Harbour. The bridge opens at set times to allow yachts with high masts to pass. The Spit is the site of the Middle Harbour Yacht Club and Marinas.

From as early as 1834, a ferry operated by Barney Kearns carried passengers across the waters of Middle Harbour. From the 1850s, a punt operated by Peter Ellery, carried passengers across for sixpence and horse-drawn vehicles were charged 1s 6d. If the horses swam across, there was a reduction of sixpence. In 1889, it was replaced by a government steam punt. A wooden bridge was opened in 1924 after the electric tram lines were extended to the Spit. This was replaced by the bascule bridge in 1958, which was needed to cope with heavy traffic from the Sydney CBD to the Northern Beaches. Nearby, is Chinaman’s Beach which was named after the Chinese residents who had market gardens and salt pans there.

 

Clifton Gardens

Clifton Gardens features an affluent residential area and is one of the harbour’s many pleasure grounds. It is famous for its natural harbour settings and beautiful walking treks with a view of parks and boating facilities

Early settler Captain E. H. Cliffe purchased a 15-acre estate on the water’s edge, he named it "Cliffeton" and it is believed that the area's name was derived from that. A hotel called the Clifton Arms was built in 1871 by D. Butters. It was bought by David Thompson who built the Marine Hotel that operated from 1891 to 1967. Thompson also built a wharf and dancing pavilion here and the area became popular as a picnic spot.

In 1909, Sydney Ferries Ltd purchased the Thompson estate comprising land, the three-storey hotel, wharf dancing pavilion and skating rink. The company built a large circular swimming enclosure that could hold 3,000 spectators, a boatshed and a tramway from the wharf to the hotel. Before First World War, ferries full of picnickers came during weekends. The popularity of the hotel and grounds declined during the Depression, and in 1969 the hotel was demolished.