The Building

Built in 1958, Glenhurst Gardens replaced a large Victorian Italianate house and, at the time, was reported to be the biggest home unit block under construction in Australia. It has 11 storeys of apartments, all of which face in the same direction, over historic gardens and out towards the harbour – a radically different design in its day.

Its design was so advanced that it fostered a whole new approach to high-rise living. It’s unsurprising that such good design fosters a sense of community and intensely loyal residents who value their surroundings.

In fact, it’s not uncommon for generations of the one family to live here, or for adults to return to the building they once lived in as children. 

The Gardens

While Glenhurst Gardens was built almost 60 years ago, the gardens are much older, having been part of the original house, Glenhurst, and maintained by gardener Ted Woodley for the whole time William Stuart lived there.

Knowing what a great asset they were, the developers carefully protected the gardens during construction, even employing a gardener to look after them, and all these years later, we can be thankful for that.

The Pool

The pool, surrounded by gardens, is located in a north-facing terrace protected from southerly winds. It has views over the city, and yet from the terrace area, neighbouring buildings seem to disappear altogether behind the trees.

Constructed in 1941, the 13-metre in-ground pool is part of the original house and gardens, and the developers decided to preserve it to become part of the new scheme. That was no doubt done for commercial reasons, but it does demonstrate a remarkable sense of foresight to have retained this little oasis within the city.

Unsurprisingly, it’s a popular place for residents to relax or exercise, or just catch up.