In short:
Land owned by the Department of Defence will be auctioned off in Sydney's inner west on March 27.
Only single-storey homes that conform to federation-style design can be built on the land.
Defence will be selling 17 lots, expecting each parcel to fetch from $1.6 to $2.65 million.
ABC Story By Tony Ibrahim Fri 14 Mar 2025
"Slum-less, lane-less and pub-less"
The vision of the real estate entrepreneur and town planning advocate Richard Stanton involved the provision of infrastructure, including
sandstone kerbs and gutters,
brush-box street trees,
buffalo grass nature strips,
sewerage, gas and electricity services.
Stanton's vision also included controls that laid the foundations for local government statutes governing suburban subdivisions –
side setbacks to enable access to natural light and ensure privacy,
minimum lot sizes and front building lines,
separation of land uses and specification of materials.
He also initiated vertically integrated business arrangements, providing
term finance,
building materials (Every house is different)
fixtures and fittings and
landscape gardeners.
See the grey triangle of land on Dobroyd Parade? Most of it remains undeveloped, due to flooding issues. An auction of the old Army Reserve Depot in Sydney's inner west this month could conclude a development saga that's dragged on for more than 20 years.
The 19,000 square-metre land, situated 7 kilometres west of Sydney in Haberfield, first sold in 2003 when 21 lots went under the hammer for $18.2 million.
But red tape stopped the sale from going through, as the then Ashfield Council held up the sub-division over flooding concerns.
In recent years, the Department of Defence has spent millions to clear the necessary hurdles, including on drainage upgrades.
On March 27, it will put the land up for auction, hoping to bring in two-to-three times more than it did 22 years earlier.
Michael Tringali, one of the real estate agents handling the sale for McGrath, said there was "nothing on offer like this so close to the CBD".
"I think it's going to offer a terrific opportunity for families," he said.
Only single-storey homes that conform to federation-style design can be built on the land, as it's situated in a heritage conservation area, offering a stark contrast to the apartment towers planned for several other city centres.
Defence will honour four original sales from 2003
The Department of Defence will be selling 17 lots at this month's auction, ranging from 500 to 1,044 square metres, expecting each parcel to fetch from $1.6 to $2.65 million.
"Defence has performed civil works including upgrades of the storm water drainage system, general maintenance upgrades to existing internal roads and fixtures, and additional environmental and heritage investigative works," a spokesperson said.
It won't be listing the final four of the original 21 lots from 2003 on the market again.
The people who bid on them at the first auction never asked for their deposits back, allowing them to close the sales at prices ranging from $742,000 to $945,000.
However, one of these four original buyers is choosing to flip their lot, engaging McGrath to broker a sale.
A single-storey suburb
The NSW government is fast-tracking the rezoning of eight Sydney suburbs to build nearly 60,000 homes over the next 15 years.
Haberfield is not one of these suburbs.
The National Trust of Australia recognised it in 1981 "for its historic significance as a prototype of the familiar Australian suburb".
It's considered the first "garden suburb", where free-standing homes on generous blocks were fronted by nature strips and tree-lined streets.
Inner West Council Mayor Darcy Byrne said the suburb's heritage and large lots made it the least affordable in the area.
"It's probably got the highest heritage value of any suburb in our community, and for that reason, we're seeking to protect that into the future," he said.
Today, the council has strict rules governing developments in the Haberfield Conservation Area.
The homes built on the empty lots at 140A Hawthorne Parade must be single-storey, at least half of the land has to be landscaped, and constructed from bricks "that harmonise with traditional colour schemes".
Federation-style charm
Michael Konopa was on a routine run when he decided to inspect the vacant Defence lots on March 5.
"I think [federation architecture] is not everyone's cup of tea, but my personal preference is towards this type of building and this type of architecture, so I actually wouldn't mind," he said.
Seven of the 21 homes built will need to be constructed on piers to mitigate the impacts of flash flooding, according to the council's planning provisions.
The Department of Defence has upgraded the drainage on nearby Deakin Avenue, a roadway that channels water from flash floods into the properties downhill, including the Defence land.
"Once you can get insurance at a decent price, then it's probably worth looking into it," Mr Konopa said.
"But if they say, 'Look, it's too dangerous, we're not going to insure the house on this land', then it's a deal breaker."
He said Haberfield was desirable for its greenery, proximity to the Bay Run and transport linkages.
"Other than that, it looks fantastic."
I suggest you try to find some of these influential character guides (second-hand, eg.Biblio.com.au, eBay.com.au or Abebooks.com) or visit the Haberfield Centre Library.
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