Kirribilli Suburb Review

Ever beautiful, ever out of reach.

Summary: An incredibly pretty, charming and surprisingly accessible suburb surrounded by waterfront with a likewise incredibly high barrier to entry, Kirribilli is as beautiful as it is out of reach for the majority of Australian property owners. There’s a reason it was chosen as the site of the governor-general’s house, as its outlooks are some of the greatest Sydney has to offer, and its proximity and connectivity to the CBD are all better than many of its neighbouring or fellow-elite peers.

Key stats

Of all of Sydney’s many “if money were no object…” suburbs, Kirribilli may just rank as the most well-rounded of all. A number of the city’s other most exclusive suburbs are all some form of “gated communities” that feel more disconnected from daily city life, yet Kirribilli suffers little to none of this.

It’s one of the city’s oldest suburbs – and to be fair, if I’d rocked up to the site of the city a couple of hundred years ago, I’d have probably chosen a spot overlooking where the Sydney Opera House would wind up some day, too.

Many of the properties here have been here for a long time, with some truly impressive waterfront mansions the most obvious; yet Kirribilli also has fairly good variety in other property types as well, with a sprinkling of terraces and apartment blocks dotted throughout.

Physically, the outcrop of land the suburb sits on is quite hilly and can put a bit of a burn into the calves to navigate, and its streets are quite narrow and not the most U-turn friendly either – but this is seldom a problem, as the suburb boasts some great public transport connections.

Milsons Point Station provides an excellent springboard into the city or in the opposite direction further north, while its ferry wharves provide another avenue for access.

Driving here isn’t as terrible as some other nearby suburbs either, although general traffic is nothing special and becomes a major headache for locals during the annual Jacaranda season when people from all over flood its streets to look at its famously colourful flowers.

Greenery abounds throughout the suburb, as its streets are highly leafy, and it’s extremely pet friendly as a whole. I’d challenge any Sydneysider to find a more impressive dog-friendly parkland than the grassed area at (the actual) Milsons Point, which lies next to the pillars of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and provides a direct view out onto the harbour, the Opera House, and the city skyline.

Cafes & community

Amenity-wise, Kirribilli has everything one could need for daily life, while its smattering of local restaurants, bakeries, delis and the like rank toward the pricier end but are all quite friendly and of universally high quality.

It’s cafe-central here, and sitting outside during a sunny day is very pleasant, but on the other hand there’s not much in the way of pubs or the like.

Walking the streets here is a lovely vibe, whether it’s the more commercial area near the bridge or down the back streets to admire the homes and the views.

While it’s lacking much in the way of fashion or household goods, the ability to jump on the train opens up the greater retail world in short order. Its intermittent Kirribilli Markets are also a lively and alternative way to browse some additional goods when they pop up twice a month.

Schools are available nearby for families, but they’re as exclusive and in-demand as one might expect, and cost a pretty penny for the privilege of attendance. It’s a peaceful suburb as a whole, but as a result is also quite dead at night; there’s basically zero going on in Kirribilli in terms of nightlife, and its demographic’s slant towards the older end of the scale most likely prefer it this way.

Pray for the lottery

Of course, all the on-paper points of Kirribilli that point towards it being a dream place to live in theory are moot if one can’t afford it, and that’s unfortunately going to be the case for the majority of buyers.

Kirribilli’s Admiralty House is the residence of the Governor General

There’s an incredibly slow turnover rate in property here, with little real reason for house owners to ever let one go – you’d have to have incredibly deep pockets with a starting price of several million $ and get extremely lucky at an auction to luck into owning a house here.

“Walking the streets here is a lovely vibe, whether it’s the more commercial area near the bridge or down the back streets to admire the homes and the views.”

For those wanting to enjoy the suburb temporarily and sacrifice living space however, Kirribilli has a surprisingly affordable array of smaller apartments that hover around the $550-$600 a week mark that are regularly available.

While many of these don’t come with an included parking space, its accessibility via public transport can eliminate this as a concern for those who can subsist without a car.

The Verdict

Combine all of the above, and professionals working in the city without kids who want to experience the best balance of Sydney and who are content with temporary apartment life should definitely give living in Kirribilli for a year or so a go, as it’s something you’ll likely always remember.

All but the most well-heeled families will likely find themselves locked out of the market however – but should still visit one weekend just for a nice day out.

Visually striking, highly safe, and extremely well-connected, Kirribilli is that gorgeous Instagram model we’d all love to date but will likely never even get a chance to meet in real life – but swiping through their feed still remains somehow damn enjoyable nevertheless.