Suburb Guide

Rose Bay

Split almost perfectly in half by the main artery, Old South Head Road, Rose Bay is a salubrious suburb just 7kms from the CBD. It's a seamless fusion of the large-scale properties and quiet residential atmosphere of Vaucluse to its east and the cosmopolitan lifestyle and convenience of Double Bay to its west.

Rose Bay is definitely a lifestyle address and has become the suburb of choice for those who enjoy food, golf, sailing or just a leisurely stroll along its picturesque waterfront promenade.

It's home to one of the country's most exclusive golf clubs, Royal Sydney, and its public neighbour the Woollahra Golf Club. More low-key than its high-fashion neighbour Double Bay, Rose Bay offers more of a laid back café culture, with a few local supermarkets, eclectic dining and some interesting specialty stores such as Parisi's.

Its two main shopping villages on Old South Head Road and New South Head Road are linked by a couple of main streets. The prized harbour side of the suburb plays host to one of Sydney's most renowned waterfront restaurants, Catalina.

Top schools abound in the vicinity, with Kincoppal-Rose Bay girls' school known as one of its most significant buildings – an ornate and dramatic mid-1800s landmark standing proudly above the entire suburb, surveying the harbour below. Architecturally, Rose Bay is an interesting combination of eras.

Many of the area's older substantial Federation homes and semis remain, generally renovated to perfection. Art Deco apartments are prevalent, while a number of exclusive apartments and villas have been developed along the waterfront to cater to those keen to have a front row seat among the action.