Scots College, a prestigious private boys’ school in Bellevue Hill, has submitted a development application to Woollahra Council to upgrade its swimming facilities.
The school proposes to replace its current pool with a new, expanded 14-lane heated pool at an estimated cost of over $7 million. The upgrade will include a new 14-lane heated pool to accommodate water polo training and matches. It will also offer improved amenities for spectators, including a new store building.
School officials say the $7 million upgrade aims to modernise existing facilities and ensure they meet modern standards.
This development comes as many independent and private schools across Sydney are investing in upgrades to their sporting facilities.
MLC Burwood is planning a new sports centre and performing arts hub, while Barker College in Hornsby has received approval for a new aquatic centre and tennis courts. Santa Sabina College in Strathfield and Ravenswood School for Girls on the North Shore also have similar projects.
Independent Schools Australia noted that funding for such projects typically comes from parent donations and investments, which account for approximately 86 per cent of funding for private school projects across the country.
Food blogger Stephanie Conley-Buhre has sold her extensively renovated Bellevue Hill mansion for approximately $80 million, marking a staggering $50 million increase from its purchase price just three years ago.
The sale occurred in June 2024, with Ray White Double Bay’s Ashley Bierman confirming the off-market deal for the Spanish Mission-style residence, Alcooringa, on Victoria Road. According to a caveat placed on the property’s title, overseas-based expat Hannah Chapman has been revealed as the buyer.
Property Details
The 2000-square-metre home sits on a 1560-square-metre block and has undergone a lavish renovation since its purchase in 2021. The property now boasts an internal swimming pool, three kitchens, a gymnasium, a day spa (converted from a former chapel), and a rumpus room (formerly a ballroom).
Whilst exact renovation costs remain undisclosed, sources suggest more than $20 million was spent on the improvements. Bierman described the scale and finish as “extraordinary,” noting that every part of the house had been touched.
Photo Credit: realestate.com.au
Previous Ownership and Sale History
Conley-Buhre and her venture capitalist husband, Oskar Buhre, bought the property in 2021 for $28.5 million from Dr Louis Klein and his wife Claire. The Kleins had purchased the home in 1993 for $2.9 million and struggled to sell it for six years before the 2021 sale.
Alcooringa was built around 1929 for graziers Mary and Hugh Taylor. It later served as the Tunisian consul until 1965 before passing through various owners. The recent renovation, inspired by a trip to Spain, has modernised the property while preserving its heritage features.
The renovated home recently appeared in Home Beautiful magazine, showcasing its transformation. The property is known for having some of the best views in Bellevue Hill, which the renovation has maximised.
Bierman commented on the transformation: “It was a diamond in the rough to start with and both Steph and Oskar put all their efforts into transforming what was a beautiful heritage home and getting the most out of it.”
Photo Credit: realestate.com.au
Market Context
This sale sets a new record for Bellevue Hill, surpassing the previous high of $76 million set by the Federation mansion Leura a year ago. It also highlights the area’s rapid appreciation of trophy homes, with several other notable sales in recent years.
The buyer, Hannah Chapman, was reportedly introduced to the property by buyer’s agent Simon Cohen. Meanwhile, the couple is searching for their next project with a budget of $40-60 million, also with Cohen’s assistance.
This is not the first successful property flip for the couple. Their previous home, also on Victoria Road, was bought for $17.1 million in 2018 and sold three years later for $30 million after renovations and landscaping.
Ms Conley-Buhre, a fashion designer turned lifestyle blogger, is the daughter of the late aviation pioneer and philanthropist John Conley. Her success in flipping trophy homes has garnered attention in the high-end property market.
Mia Freedman, founder of the Mamamia women’s network, and her husband Jason Lavigne are set to demolish their $12 million Point Piper home. The couple has recently submitted plans for a new dwelling on the site, designed by Roth Architecture Workshop.
The existing property, a non-waterfront house built in 1910, was purchased by Freedman and Lavigne in 2020 for $12.75 million. Located on Wunulla Road near the Royal Motor Yacht Club, the 743-square-meter property currently features five bedrooms and four bathrooms.
According to the lodged plans, the estimated building cost for the new residence is $3.9 million. This development marks a new chapter for the entrepreneurial couple in the prestigious Sydney suburb.
The move to Point Piper came after a legal dispute concerning their previous residence, the Fintry estate in Bellevue Hill. Freedman and Lavigne had occupied the 1930s hillside house under a put-and-call purchasing option. However, attempts to purchase the property in 2019 were thwarted when the landlord withdrew the contract following a disagreement over a $251,000 roof repair bill.
The fallout from the Bellevue Hill dispute continues, with ongoing legal proceedings in the Supreme Court. The couple is currently pursuing action against their former solicitor, with the next court mention scheduled for mid-July.
This property development in Point Piper represents a fresh start for Freedman and Lavigne, as they look to create a bespoke home in one of Sydney’s most coveted neighbourhoods.
A sea of vibrant colours flooded the Calyx at Sydney’s Botanic Gardens as hundreds gathered to celebrate the life of Jade Young, the talented architect from Bellevue Hill, who was killed in the Bondi Junction massacre.
The 47-year-old mother of two was among the six innocent victims senselessly struck down during the horrific stabbing rampage at Westfield Bondi Beach on the 13th of April 2024.
A Mother’s Heartfelt Plea
Mourners adorned in bright dresses and coloured shirts fulfilled Jade’s wishes, paying a colourful tribute to the warmth and joy she brought to those around her. Remembered as a “dearly loved and irreplaceable wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt and beloved friend to many,” Jade’s kindness and gentle spirit were lauded by all who knew her.
In a powerful eulogy, Jade’s mother, Elizabeth Young, issued a passionate call for lasting change. The heartbroken grandmother, who now co-parents Jade’s two young daughters, expressed anger over fleeting news cycles and shallow political rhetoric after such tragedies.
“I am heart fractured and angry; I am exhausted and scared of the future,” she also wrote. “I want more than five minutes of disingenuous, anodyne words from politicians, I want more than the three days of news coverage, before something else made the headlines.”
Elizabeth vowed to advocate fiercely to address gaps in mental healthcare and ensure her granddaughters grow up in a safer, more secure world.
“On a personal level, I want Jade’s girls to grow up believing there is security, goodness and love in the world.
“But also, on another level, I want politicians, both federal and state, to address the gaps in mental healthcare to make it a safer world, for our girls and all Australians.”
Community Embraces Family
Jade’s 12-year tenure at the award-winning firm Georgina Wilson Associates left an indelible mark on Sydney’s architectural landscape. Her colleagues remembered her as “a beautiful, kind and warm soul” who was considered family. Among the projects bearing her influence are private residences across Sydney’s elite eastern suburbs.
In the depths of unimaginable grief, the Young family has been buoyed by a deeply committed network of loved ones. The Bronte Surf Club, where Jade was an active member, has “held them close” by offering immense support. A GoFundMe campaign has raised over $320,000 to assist Jade’s husband, Noel McLaughlan, as he navigates life as a single father.
“Thank you again for all the support for the McLaughlan/Young families. I urge you to please keep sharing this gofundme. Your love and support is incredibly appreciated!” Nicole Roma, the organiser of the fundraising page, wrote on the 8th of May 2024.
The prestigious Bellevue Hill continues to see high-value property sales, with capital growth driven by substantial transactions like Taphouse Group managing director David Mattick and wife Georgina’s $27 million home purchase in this affluent suburb.
The Matticks won’t need to move far, having lived nearby for years. Their new property at Holland Park was previously owned by venture capitalist Michael Seder, who with his wife Kim had purchased it just two years prior for $15 million. This demonstrates the exponential property value increase occurring in Bellevue Hill.
The Matticks join other notable buyers in the suburb, including former Dow Chemical head Andrew Liveris, ACFS Port Logistics chief Anthony Tzaneros, and flower wholesaler Leo Lynch. Demand for Sydney’s high-end real estate continues to surge, as reflected in Bellevue Hill’s market.
The house at Holland Park, Bellevue Hill (Photo credit: realestate.com.au)
David Mattick heads The Taphouse Group, founded by his father Peter Mattick of marketing giant Salmat fame. The group recently sold the Port Macquarie Hotel for $57 million and has listed the Kingscliff Beach Hotel for around $100 million. This illustrates the family’s extensive hospitality portfolio.
Photo credit: realestate.com.au
With a median house price of $8.51 million and median unit price of $1.58 million, the prestigious Bellevue Hill is Sydney’s fourth most expensive suburb. It leads a prestige area encompassing nearby Tamarama, Vaucluse and Darling Point. The exceptional capital growth and intense demand here looks set to continue.
The combination of harbour views, privacy, prestige schools, and proximity to the city centre entrenches Bellevue Hill as one of Australia’s most desirable neighbourhoods. As demand shows no signs of cooling off, expect more record sales and further capital growth in this harborside haven for the rich and influential.
The eastern suburbs of Sydney could soon see a new three-level apartment building on Fairfax Road in Bellevue Hill, with plans submitted by the Nivana Group.
The proposed $5.5-million development at 3 Fairfax Road, is just 200 metres from the Double Bay town centre and four kilometres from the CBD. Future residents will also benefit from its proximity to a range of amenities including schools and hospitals, as well are dining and recreational destinations.
Photo credit: Woollahra Municipal Council / woollahra.nsw.gov.au
Designed by MHN Design Union, the plans feature four three-bedroom apartments and one four-bedroom penthouse, with a focus on flexibility and adaptability to suit a wide range of apartment buyers.
MHND incorporated an articulated facade and ample setbacks in the building’s design to minimise its bulk and scale. And by featuring regular openings, columns, solid panel walls, and clear glass and light bronze metal trims and detail, the design achieves a playful interaction of light and shadow.
Photo credit: Woollahra Municipal Council / woollahra.nsw.gov.au
Meanwhile, low retaining walls and landscaping soften the barrier along the street footpath, with curved concrete walls mark the entrance to the building.
The first two levels each contain two apartments and will have three bedrooms plus access to a private garden area and to two swimming pools. Each apartment will include balconies or terraces and floor-to-ceiling windows in the living spaces to maximise solar access and cross-flow ventilation.
Photo credit: Woollahra Municipal Council / woollahra.nsw.gov.au
The four-bedroom penthouse apartment, meanwhile, will feature four en-suited bathrooms and various private outdoor covered terraces, one of which will be located next to the living area with a view of the cliff and rear garden. Another will be at the front whilst the other will be from the master bedroom.
Internal storage areas, including laundry/linen cupboards and secured storage, are provided within each apartment. The one-level basement designed to accommodate parking will also be provided with additional secured storage.
A fresh and contemporary living option in the heart of Bellevue Hill, the proposed development focuses on flexibility and adaptability to suit the demographic mix of families, retirees, and downsizers living within the surrounding area.
Works are underway for Palomar, which will be a luxury residential community that offers three-bedroom units with state of the art finishes, open plan kitchen, and spaces for indoor and outdoor entertaining.
For this project, RnB Property Group drew inspiration from the Spanish mission style building which originally stood on the site. Although the developers created a brand new building, they kept the same name and the overall look of Palomar, which was designed in 1928.
Designed by renowned firm MHN Design Union, –the award-winning group behind some of extraordinary buildings like The Crescent in Darling Point, the Kaunas M. K Concert Centre, and Bondi Beach Penthouse–the residential building will have expansive gardens and terraces and interior designed units.
Future residents will have access to a state-of-the-art security locker and mailbox system, with refrigeration facility, designed specifically for online orders and postal system packages.
The new residential project, which was already sold out, also features high ceilings, herringbone timber floors, fully integrated appliances, double security parking, and landmark architectural design.
“A striking facade comprising white, brick finish and arched bronze windows overlooks one of the world’s celebrated North harbour aspects,” the developers said.
“Palomar captures the architectural romance of ancient port cities such as Tangiers and Casablanca, infusing every day with a rare other-worldliness that assures its residents of a life less ordinary.”
The luxury residential, located at 49 Drumalbyn Road, Bellevue Hill is conveniently located near cafes, shops, public transport as well as Rose Bay waterfront and places of worship.
Agents for the property revealed the project caught the interest of expats and local downsizers who would like to stay in the eastern suburbs, whilst enjoying apartment-living.
The accident happened in the middle of the day on the 7th of December 2022 at a property on Old South Head Road. Witnesses said they could hear three tradies arguing with each other on the rooftop and some of the neighbours were able to capture videos right before the man fell to the ground.
Paramedics were immediately called to the scene and brought the tradie, who was 44 years old, to St Vincent’s Hospital. He was seen on a stretcher with a brace around his neck.
Waverley Police, on the other hand, took the two other men, who were the ages of 41 and 45, to the station but no charges have been made as of press time.
John, who works as a site supervisor in another construction next door, said that blood was coming out of the tradie who fell and he appeared to be disoriented. Initially, he thought his workers were fighting but he could not make out what they were screaming about until someone told him that the fight was at another site.
The worksite was closed the following day, leaving the roof unfinished with a gaping hole. According to John, WorkCover ordered the shutdown pending an investigation with SafeWork NSW and the police.
The men have been renovating a house that belonged to a family for more than 30 years. The tenants of the house said that they were unaware of the fight and thus could not comment on what happened.
Parents and carer of students from The Scots College in Bellevue Hill are being urged to be extra vigilant following reports of a child being approached by a stranger outside school grounds.
A Prep School student from The Scots College was allegedly approached by a tattooed man at the bus stop on Victoria Road at around 4:00 p.m. The man, who was said to be driving a black sedan, offered the child a ride who eventually refused the gesture.
Photo credit: Tom Burke/Google Maps
Mt Graham Pattison, deputy principal at the boys’ school, and preparatory school head Mr John Crerar, immediately informed parents of the incident, by sending an email to them.
The school reminded parents to teach their children not to accept lifts or alternative travel arrangements from strangers or people they don’t know.
One parent who wishes not to be named appreciated that the school immediately informed them about the incident, adding that they will discuss it with their child for them to remain vigilant.
Besides alerting the authorities about the incident, The Scots College assured parents that they are taking extra precautions around the school grounds.
Teaching Kids to be Smart Around Strangers
Photo credit: Brett Sayles/Pexels
Community Early Learning Australia, the peak body for Australia’ early childhood education sector, believes in empowering children in all situations with all types of people, be it a stranger or someone they know.
Parents should be reminded about the importance of teaching children “body awareness and autonomy” and learning “how to say no.”
Body awareness includes understanding emotions and recognising body clues. When a child can name and understand his feelings, it can give him the emotional vocabulary needed to talk appropriately about them.
Photo credit: Kindel Media/Pexels
This leads to recognising physical clues when they are frightened or uncomfortable around certain people. Body clues that they are scared or nervous may include sweaty palms, heart pounding, and an unusual feeling in the tummy.
It’s also okay to say no, CELA noted. The non-profit organisation highlighted the importance of teaching children about saying no firmly with voice control and body language if another child or adult is not listening.
There are adults who tell children that it’s rude and disrespectful to say no, which becomes the reason why children find it difficult and scary to do so. However, when it comes to their bodies, children should be taught that there’s nothing wrong in saying no to hugs, kisses, touching or any invasion of personal space.
Did you know that Cranbrook School will start accepting girls in 2026? The Bellevue Hills school aims to become fully co-educational within a decade, after more than a hundred years of being an all-boys school.
After months of consultation about the proposed introduction of co-education in Years 11 and 12, the school shared in a recent communication with the school community and stakeholders that under the new plan, Cranbrook School will begin accepting female students in Years 7 and 11 from 2026.
There are no plans, however, for co-education in Junior School.
The move would mean female students will be admitted into Years 7 and 11 beginning in 2026 resulting in the Senior School becoming fully co-educational by 2029. The feedback, the notice said, was “highly instructive and caused the school to revisit a number of assumptions” as well as consider the issues surrounding the proposal..
The original proposal was for Years 11 and 12 to transition into co-education from 2023. Whilst a broad part of the community supported co-education, many parents raised concerns about the cohort size, the ratio of boys to girls, the potential impact of the transition, and choosing Year 11 as the entry point.
Photo Credit: Cranbrook School / Facebook
Hence, the final model has considered Year 7 as the entry point for female students which the school said will allow the students to “grow together during their secondary education in preparation for senior years.
The communication furthered that the revised time frame would enable the school to “better shape the overall size of the cohort” and address the boy to girls ratio concerns. Likewise, it “overcomes” the parents’ concerns about having only female students in Years 11 and 12 whilst the middle years continue to be single-sex.
“In order to address both the desire to embrace a co-educational environment, but mitigate or remove the major concerns expressed by parents and alumni, the School Council has determined that Cranbrook should proceed to become a co-educational school within a time frame that minimises disruption to the boys currently enrolled in the senior years and allows for adequate planning to successfully manage the change,” said the notice signed by President of School Council Jon North and Headmaster Nicholas Sampson.
Whilst in the preparation phase, the School will continue with the implementation of the previously announced co-educational activities including the expanded co-curricular program, the Academy enrichment program and the development of an outdoor experiential program at Wolgan Valley for Years 9 and 10.
