Major Rose Bay Harbourside Property Hit the Market

A sprawling amalgamated property spanning more than 3,000 square metres in Rose Bay has been listed for $100 million, joining a wave of large-scale development sites being marketed in the harbourside suburb.



The site combines multiple properties at 1A, 1-3, 5 Conway Avenue and 34 and 34A Carlisle Street, with agents Steven Zoellner and Fred Small from Laing & Simmons Double Bay marketing the opportunity as Rose Bay’s “Ultimate LMR Super Site.”

According to Mr Zoellner, the property’s location and potential Harbour Bridge views from upper levels are expected to attract significant interest from major development companies.

The collection includes a white three-bedroom semi with a sandstone fence at 34A Carlisle Street, sitting on the smallest parcel of 328 square metres, as well as seven apartments at 1-3 Conway Avenue that were built within the past two decades. The site also incorporates a block of four units at 1A Conway and a standalone house at 5 Conway Avenue.

All property owners agreed to sell collectively, recognising the land’s greater value to developers than as individual holdings.

The listing comes as Rose Bay emerges as a focal point for Sydney’s housing reforms. The NSW Government’s Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy, which came into effect on 28 February 2025, introduced new planning controls to encourage more diverse housing types within 800 metres of town centres and train stations across Greater Sydney and other regions.

Under these reforms, Mr Zoellner said the Conway-Carlisle site could support an apartment building of up to eight storeys, potentially containing 60 to 70 apartments, with a portion designated as affordable housing. Another possibility includes an over-55 development, similar to projects already underway elsewhere in Rose Bay.

The property is situated near Rose Bay Village and the harbour foreshore. Across the road, Mathieson Property is planning an eight-storey building containing 70 apartments.

Rose Bay has seen several major amalgamated sites change hands since the planning reforms took effect. A 5,979-square-metre site combining 12 properties at 41-55 Dover Road and 32-38 Wilberforce Avenue sold for $173 million to aged care provider Waterbrook Retirement Living, whilst a separate amalgamation of six houses and two unit blocks at 20-30 Wilberforce Avenue and 33-37 Dover Road sold for approximately $150 million to a private buyer.

The reforms have sparked debate in the local community. Woollahra Municipal Council has requested a temporary suspension of state government reforms in the town centres of Rose Bay, Double Bay and Edgecliff, citing concerns about local infrastructure and character.



Despite the controversy, the development pipeline continues to grow. More than $200 million worth of development applications have been submitted in Rose Bay in recent months, signalling strong developer confidence in the suburb’s transformation under the new planning framework.

Published 10-March-2026

Conway Home Caught in Hospitality Magnate’s Financial Troubles

A Rose Bay family home has become the latest casualty in the ongoing financial troubles facing hospitality entrepreneur Jon Adgemis, with the Conway Avenue property now under mortgagee possession and being prepared for sale.



The six-bedroom house at 2A Conway Avenue, situated on a 567-square-metre block, was co-owned by Mr Adgemis and his mother. The property had been home to Mr Adgemis’s sister and her son until recently, when it was emptied and secured by the mortgagee.

Signs now posted on the property doors warn that “the mortgagee is in possession of this property” and advise that all doors and windows have been secured, with prosecution threatened for any trespassers. Padlocks have been installed on the gates, and the interior has been stripped of furniture and fittings, including televisions that were removed from the walls.

Photo Credit: McGrath Double Bay

The repossession forms part of efforts by La Trobe Financial to recover $6.2 million that Mr Adgemis borrowed to finance his business operations. The financial institution had applied to the Supreme Court to repossess the Rose Bay house, which was purchased for $4.45 million in 2018.

Reports indicate that repossession notices have appeared on the property as part of efforts to recover millions in business debts, though it is understood that Mr Adgemis’s mother’s share of the house will not be affected by the action taken against her son.

Photo Credit: McGrath Double Bay

The situation has proved particularly complex due to allegations that emerged earlier this year regarding the mortgage arrangement. Court proceedings revealed that Mr Adgemis’s mother claimed she had no knowledge of legal documents related to the mortgage and maintained she never received any such paperwork.

Real estate agents Fred Small and Steven Zoellner from Laing and Simmons Double Bay have been appointed to handle the sale. Industry estimates suggest the property could now be worth between $7 million and $8 million, representing significant appreciation since its 2018 purchase.

Photo Credit: McGrath Double Bay

The property’s title reveals multiple caveats from various creditors, including the chief commissioner of state revenue, highlighting the extent of the financial entanglements surrounding Mr Adgemis’s business empire.

Mr Adgemis’s Public Hospitality Group has accumulated debts reported to be around $500 million, leading to a series of refinancing attempts and property disposals. In February 2025, Mr Adgemis paid $400,000 to creditors as part of a settlement deal, though this appears insufficient to resolve all outstanding issues.

Photo Credit: McGrath Double Bay

The hospitality entrepreneur’s business empire previously included prominent Sydney venues such as Oxford House, The Lady Hampshire, Camelia Grove, and Noahs Backpackers. However, the business began to struggle after taking on hundreds of millions in debt at high interest rates just before financing costs rose significantly.

Mr Adgemis, a former KPMG dealmaker, has relocated from the family’s Rose Bay home and now resides in a Bondi apartment. The Conway Avenue property situation represents a personal impact of the broader financial difficulties that have affected his hospitality ventures across Sydney.

The repossession highlights how commercial financial troubles can extend to impact family properties and local communities, with Rose Bay residents witnessing the dramatic change in circumstances at what was once a thriving family home.



The property is expected to be placed on the market in coming weeks, with the proceeds to be applied towards outstanding debts. Local residents and property watchers will be observing the sale closely, given the premium location and the substantial value increase since the original purchase.

Published 18-July-2025