Longueville: Sydney’s quiet peninsula where prestige property meets community charm

It may lack the profile of its North Shore neighbours or the eastern suburbs, but Longueville is the quiet achiever in Sydney prestige real estate. Surprisingly to some, median prices in this low-key enclave often nudge the city’s top 10.

The quiet is what its residents most prize about this leafy peninsula with bays and inlets on the Lane Cove River. Its luckiest homes boast dress-circle Harbour Bridge views, while some even sport their own moorings. Yet the suburb is a mere eight kilometres from the CBD, connected to Circular Quay by weekday commuter ferries, a relaxing half-hour trip.

There’s room to breathe here, with 98.8 per cent of the stock comprising free-standing homes, according to the latest ABS census, and nearly 80 per cent having four or more bedrooms. Its appeal for families is obvious.

Longueville offers a generous scope for outdoor recreation and playtime.

In Woodford Bay, swimmers have gathered at Lucretia Baths, with its quirky timber shark fence, for more than a century. Others venture further out in their kayaks or their yachts conveniently moored in the bay.

Many locals pass the time walking their dogs on Dunois Reserve or leash-free Kingsford Smith Oval, where they pause with their pets while soaking up the laid-back vibe. For ample ambles, harbourside bushwalks abound.

Also for the active, the Longueville Tennis Club boasts five courts, while the Lane Cove Sport and Recreation Centre, with eight multi-sport courts, is due to open later this year.

For entertainment and shopping, Lane Cove is a leisurely two-kilometre stroll or Range Rover drive away. Held on the third Sunday of each month, the Lane Cove Makers Market celebrates the homemade and the handmade.

For sit-down eats, the freshly opened Jules on Longueville Road has an emphasis on relaxed communal dining and deftly fuses modern Australian and Asian cuisines.

Across the road, Shorties Bar & Dining focuses on Australian eats and tipples liberally seasoned with live music and has an established following.

Interior designer Anna Maria Stillone moved to Longueville with husband Chris Burton in 2012, and they have raised two sons here: Hugo, 16, and Jonathan, 9.

Stillone’s late father, Antonino (Tony), was the co-founder of developer Toga Group and built his own house on the same street back in 1993. It’s currently on the market and tipped to top $20 million.

Longueville has lasting allure, Stillone says. “It’s on a peninsula, so there’s no through traffic, and it has a sense of community,” she says. “People say ‘good morning’ to each other on the street.”

The Lane Cove shops, where the family may linger over a leisurely weekend breakfast, are a walk away. Stillone has considered moving closer to her older son’s school, but Longueville exerts its pull.

“There’s nothing else like it,” she says. “We would lose that sense of community. It’s not high profile, but that’s its appeal. It’s quiet, hidden and almost unknown.”

Agent lens

with Simon Harrison from Belle Property Lane Cove

What luxury inclusions are people asking for in Longueville?

The number one is the iconic bridge views and that skyline, ideally with nothing between you and the water. And then there are the multiple living zones – ideally at least three with breakout spaces including a home theatre for the kids – generous outdoor entertaining spaces, and of course a pool, perhaps a gym with a wine cellar, five bedrooms, with an en suite for each, and, if it’s multilevel, a lift. The more car parks, the better, at least four. Buyers in this price range often have a lot of toys!

For sale in Longueville

EOI, Contact Agent

58 Arabella Street, Longueville NSW 2066

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View property

Spectacular views of the bridge and CBD from nearly every room are the breathtaking drawcards of this three-level, 1500-square-metre home. It features four indoor-outdoor living areas – including a sweeping entertainer’s terrace – two kitchens, a gym, a wine cellar and last, but certainly not least, Sydney’s ultimate prize: its own waterfront, reached through a lush, landscaped garden.