Balgowlah Heights: An exclusive Sydney suburb with green spaces and harbour views galore

Rooms with a view would sum up homes in this lofty suburb. On a ridge poised 80 metres above Sydney Harbour, Balgowlah Heights enjoys dress-circle panoramas, with some homes soaking up vistas from Manly to the CBD.

Named after the local Aboriginal word for “north harbour”, the suburb features remnant bushland in national park around Dobroyd Head and Grotto Point, while the huge grassy sweep of Tania Park (after Tania Verstak, a local who won the 1962 Miss International Beauty Contest) occupies the eastern fringe.

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Property prices are similarly reaching heady heights. While there were not enough sales in this exclusive suburb to discern a clear trend, Balgowlah down the hill enjoyed 46.1 per cent price growth in house prices in the past five years to the end of March, according to the latest Domain House Price Report. And, odds are, Balgowlah Heights, which shares the NSW 2093 postcode, is no different.

Established in the late 1880s, the suburb originally consisted of public reserves, military defences and untouched bushland. By the 1950s, it had transformed into a residential community, mainly consisting of standalone homes. Such “progress” ended in 1960, however, when Manly Council vetoed development of land below Cutler and Tabalum roads, to preserve Dobroyd Head for recreation. Infrastructure such as the Balgowlah Heights Public School and a shopping strip along Beatrice and New streets supported the influx.

There’s still plenty for busy families. The stunning Spit Bridge to Manly Walk, a favourite with Sydneysiders far and wide, boasts virgin bushland, beach nooks and, rare for Sydney, surviving coastal heath. Tania Park, along the route, offers relaxed off-leash dog walking, cricket and football pitches and a playground with a barbecue area. Here, too, you can watch the Manly Ferry glide past with reassuring regularity or fly a kite, should that take your fancy.

Along that beaten track, Forty Baskets Beach is not just popular for a dip, but also for boating, with storage for 46 dinghies. Locals in the know also frequent the secluded beach at Castle Rock or shed their inhibitions at the clothing-optional Washaway Beach.

In the centre of the built-up area is the family-run The Heights Cafe, with its lush garden terrace rubbing shoulders with the local flora and fauna. “You’re part of this place – as much as we’re part of yours” is its communal catch-cry. Another gathering place is the Balgowlah Heights Deli, run by the Macri family, which specialises in Italian food – think arancini, eggplant lasagne, Sicilian pork and fennel sausages and home-cooked pizzas.

A cultural shift is the Japanese-flavoured Maki 2093, offering everything from takeaway by day to serious dining by night. From sashimi to nigiri, ramen to tempura, it has the “Land of the Rising Sun” covered, in simple, Zen-inspired decor. In fact, Japanophiles are spoilt for choice – on the flat, in Balgowlah, they also have the option of either Kuzira or Tamagawa. For different tastes, Forty Baskets offers filling gastropub meals, while Monkey King Thai serves up a hearty massaman.

And then the energetic can work off the meal with an amble up the hill to their elevated enclave.

For sale in Balgowlah Heights

Expressions of Interest

7 Tutus Street, Balgowlah Heights NSW 2093

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View property

With breathtaking views from Manly towards North Head and out to the Pacific, this multilevel, light-soaked sanctuary lets you enjoy both sunrises and sunsets from its various rooms. Around five years old, the architect-designed home boasts four bedrooms – the games room would convert to a fifth, if needed – and is a leisurely stroll from Forty Baskets Beach and North Harbour Reserve. Expansive open-plan living spaces connect seamlessly to all-weather outdoor entertaining areas.

Agent lens

With Gavin Daly, Sydney Sotheby’s

Who’s looking in Balgowlah Heights, and what are they looking for?

“We are seeing lots of interest from both young and more mature families keen to upsize. These potential buyers live locally as well as in the lower North Shore and the Eastern Suburbs. While they are after more space, they still want to be near beaches and schools, which this area readily provides, as well as better value. Often, both parents work from home, so they want two studies, and, with their children often staying longer under their roof, a separate level or so-called ‘granny’ flat to accommodate them. And not forgetting a large garage, for both cars and boats.”