Bellevue Hill
With the sparkling waters of Sydney Harbour to the north and commanding views over Bondi and the Pacific Ocean to the east, Bellevue Hill certainly lives up to its name. Governor Macquarie thought the original name, ‘Vinegar Hill’, was unworthy and in 1820 he renamed it ‘Belle Vue’.
Sydney’s wealthy settlers also found the hill north of Cooper Park to their liking and built some of the city’s finest estates on its sides, including ‘Rona’, an exquisite 45-room sandstone Gothic mansion overlooking the harbour. John Fairfax’s grandson, Charles, had ‘Caerleon’, an exceptional example of the Federation Queen Anne style, built in 1885 on Ginahgulla Road. Aspinall House, formerly ‘St Killians’ in Victoria Road on the north-eastern side of the hill, is the oldest of six boarding houses within the grounds of The Scots College, one of Sydney’s more exclusive private schools. ‘Cranbrook’, built in 1859, gives its name to the equally exclusive Cranbrook School for boys on New South Head Road overlooking Point Piper.
Situated just a few kilometres from the CBD, Bellevue Hill offers residents a premier residential address within easy reach of everything Sydney has to offer. Bondi Beach is only moments away, as is Bondi Junction’s shopping district and the eastern suburbs railway line.
Those keen to make the most of the harbour can choose from several nearby sailing clubs, marinas and intimate beaches, or soak up the views from the fairway of the Royal Sydney Golf Course on Bellevue Hill’s eastern side.
Although mostly sprawling family estates, parts of Bellevue Hill are popular with empty nesters and affluent types fond of the elegant apartment buildings with incredible harbour views.
