Point Piper's Altona gets garden makeover

One of Sydney’s most impressive trophy homes is set for a small addition.

 

The low-key owners of Altona in Point Piper are seeking approval for a gardener’s shed. 

 

Their proposal isn’t likely to add too much value to the home, which last sold for $61.8 million, but I think it’s rather quaint.

 

And probably warranted, since the Victorian Italianate manor sits on vast 2479sqm harbourfront grounds, with boathouse and pool.

 

There was silly speculation several years ago that the prior Chinese  owners wanted to bulldoze the home and subdivide, which would have  been dreadful.

 

Remember what followed the demolition of nearby Paradis sur Mer. A tennis court had long been envisaged since the Handbury family’s expansionary Altona ownership but never eventuated.

 

Altona has been owned by the Huang family for two years.

 

All up, after recent plans by Dods and Zuccon, their three level home with turret has 1400sqm floor space.

 

The Huang family secured an initial $630,000 development application last year, which included the garden plans by Myles Baldwin.

 

They have since come back to add the gardener’s storeroom.

 

I’m told 66 per cent of the Wunulla Rd site area will have deep soil landscaping with plans for the planting of 14 Australian laurel, two crepe myrtle, 130 rusty sage, 34 thorny olive, and 48 pig’s ear bushes.

 

The only thing missing is the glasshouse.

 

This article was first published in the Sunday Telegraph.