A heritage win for the community
‘Hilllside’, a rare and well-preserved Federation-era home in Sydney’s south, as been saved through community advocacy and the heritage process in action.
Constructed in 1908-1909, ‘Hilllside’ is a detached single-storey Federation dwelling with stylistic influences from the Federation Queen Anne style.
Following the sale of the property in 2025, demolition was proposed for the site. Community concern prompted Bayside Council to undertake a preliminary heritage assessment, which found that the property met the heritage significance criteria for further investigation as a potential heritage item. Council subsequently issued an Interim Heritage Order over the property.
GML was engaged by Bayside Council to undertake a formal heritage assessment to determine whether the property met the threshold for listing as a heritage item under the Bayside Local Environmental Plan 2021 (BLEP 2021).
Our assessment of 116 Villiers Street drew on historical research, physical analysis and comparative assessment. It included a detailed evaluation against NSW Heritage Office criteria to determine the significance of the place within the local government area.
The property was found to be of local cultural significance and to warrant listing as a heritage item under Schedule 5 (Heritage Items) of BLEP 2021.
Bayside Council has since committed to purchasing the property and helping secure its long-term protection. Strong advocacy from the local community, including the St George Historical Society and local residents, helped shape this outcome.
