‘Oliveto’ c. 1888, 4 Rose Street, Birchgrove NSW 2041

One of Birchgrove’s finest, ‘Oliveto’ is a grand Victorian Italianate mansion originally designed in 1888 by Edward Buchanan, the architect of Balmain Town Hall and a key civic figure in the peninsula’s history. One of just four landmark residences fronting Birchgrove Park, the three-storey home commands a rare park-side setting that speaks to both its heritage importance and enduring presence.

Reimagined in 2025 through a meticulous collaboration between Benn + Penna and Cassandra Walker Design, the home has been transformed with exceptional sensitivity and architectural clarity. Original grandeur is honoured while a dramatic new double-height atrium introduces light, volume and contemporary expression while a landscaped garden and resort-style pool make for easy entertaining.

A refined monochrome palette, layered materiality and bespoke craftsmanship create interiors of depth and sophistication, balancing moments of theatre with spaces for retreat. Recognised with a Inner West Built Environment Award, Oliveto stands as a rare fusion of history, design excellence and modern family living in one of Sydney’s most tightly-held harbour enclaves.

• 11m frontage to Birchgrove Park with a sunny NE aspect
• Grand proportions, herringbone Oak floors, soaring ceilings
• 4 large bedrooms with custom built-ins and a home office
• Parents’ wing with an ensuite, dressing room and balcony
• Magnificent formal rooms, family lounge, custom joinery
• Marble fireplaces, Simple Studios curtains, Broadleaf joinery
• Carrara marble island kitchen, Wolf and Sub Zero appliances
• Stunning dining/entertainer’s atrium, steel-framed arches
• Landscaped garden with a bbq terrace and heated pool
• Lower level guest suite with separate entry, kitchenette
• Home gym/wellness, cellar with custom joinery and marble
• Luxurious marble-finished bathrooms, Brodware tapware
• Powder room with microcement walls, high-end lighting
• Garage with internal access, double pkg, zoned air
• 2026 Finalist in Grand Design Awards
• Highly commended in the Inner West Built Environment Awards
• Opposite Birchgrove Playground and Gladstones Store
• 500m to Birchgrove Public School, 850m to the ferry wharf

Contact Rita Loprestri of Cobden Hayson via the contact form below to arrange an inspection.