5 architectural gems of Neutral Bay and Cremorne
Neutral Bay has one of Australia’s richest histories. Governor Phillip named it in 1789 when he decreed that it was where all “neutral” ships visiting Port Jackson should anchor. As you can imagine, its heritage architecture is varied yet beautiful and infuses the Sydney Harbour suburb with so much character. Here are just five of its architectural gems.
Henbury Villa
Dating back to the 1830s, Henbury Villa on Nook Lane holds the prestigious title of possibly being North Sydney’s oldest house and one of Sydney’s oldest buildings. The Georgian-style cottage is characterised by its pristine local sandstone exterior.
Henbury Villa originally had four lower rooms and two upper rooms. Two of its most unique characteristics include nothing being quite level, like sloping floors and tall leaning doorways. The mortar between the bricks also includes sea shells, which experts believe are from Neutral Bay itself.
Neutral Bay Land Company Estate
While renowned architect Walter Liberty Vernon, was designing his own home (Penhurst, which was demolished in 1968), he was also designing a suburb of houses on the undeveloped slopes below called Neutral Bay Land Company Estate.
Number 29 is just one of several houses on Wydcombe Road still standing today. It was marketed as one of Neutral Bay’s original landmark properties when it sold for $4 million back in 2015. According to the listing, the five-bedroom home still includes high ceilings, polished floors and original fireplaces. However, a swimming pool has been added since the 1880s!
Bengallala
Bengallala, at 14 Ben Boyd Road, is said to be one of architect Donald Esplin’s finest examples of contemporary English Arts and Crafts design. It was built in 1911 for Wilfred Spurson, a politician and patent attorney. Funnily enough, he was a founding member of the Town Planning Association of New South Wales with Walter Liberty Vernon in 1913.
As with many Arts and Crafts designs, the fence and the name inscribed on the front gate perfectly match the home’s aesthetic. Inside the sprawling property, there are two living areas, a dining room, a den, a drawing room, a conservatory and four bedrooms.
The Orpheum
Established in 1935 and now known as The Hayden Orpheum, The Orpheum on Military Road is an art deco masterpiece that once boasted the title: “Sydney’s only suburban city movie theatre.” Back in the day, it included dressing rooms, an orchestra pit and over 1500 seats across two levels. It was both a movie and a performance theatre.
The Orpheum looks a little different today but it’s still one of Sydney’s grandest cinemas where you can watch the latest blockbuster. If you want to learn more about art deco design, we encourage you to check out Sydney Art Deco by Peter Sheridan.
Churcher House
Churcher House at 11 Bogota Avenue in Cremorne Point was named after its first residents, John and Joan Churcher. It’s a perfect example of mid-century modernism, which wasn’t common in Neutral Bay at the time. Architect Don Orr worked with his friends to create a “modern” house that included open-plan living, a new concept in the 1950s. The interior flowed out to an expansive deck thanks to large sliding glass doors.
Orr’s biggest roadblock was embracing the sloping block and creating a split-level property with reinforced concrete and steel. The four-bedroom two-bathroom house sold in 2015 for $2.75 million.
Thinking of selling in Neutral Bay? Talk to us
As Neutral Bay’s top real estate agents, we know it like the back of our hands. So please get in touch when you’re interested in buying or selling in this beautiful area.
