Congratulations Christiane

FOKE congratulations to FOKE Committee member Christiane Berlioz for her Ku-ring-gai Council Bushcare Outstanding Contribution Award for being a tireless environmental volunteer who has made a difference in Ku-ring-gai for over 17 years., 19 December, 2025

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FOKE E-News July 2026

Synthetic turf at West Pymble; Petition;
SSD Lourdes Retirement Village Killara deadline MON 3 August 5pm; SSD Seniors Montefiore Seniors Housing at 19-25 College Crescent, St Ives deadline by WED 5 August 5pm

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SSD at 5-9 Cowan Rd, St Ives APPROVED

It is with great disappointment that FOKE has to inform residents that this blatant overdevelopment – the residential flat building with in-fill affordable housing at 5-9 Cowan Road, St Ives (SSD-88948458) – was APPROVED by the NSW Government.



The NSW Department of Planning has written and informed FOKE that the Executive Director has APPROVED the application for the Residential flat building with in-fill affordable housing at 5-9 Cowan Road, St Ives (SSD-88948458 ).

Further information can be accessed from the Major Projects Website.

If you have any enquiries, please contact Joe Somerville on 02 8275 1423 / at joe.somerville@dpie.nsw.gov.au 



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Sign up for FOKE E-News HERE
Email: info@foke.org.au
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/friendsofkuringgai/
Website: www.foke.org.au
PO Box 584, Gordon NSW 2072

FOKE AWARDS:

  • 2016 NATIONAL TRUST HERITGE AWARDS HIGHLY COMMENDED
  • 2009 NATIONAL TRUST HERITAGE AWARDS HIGHLY COMMENDED
  • 2008 NSW GOVERNMENT HERITAGE VOLUNTEERS AWARD
  • WINNER NSW HERITAGE OFFICE AWARD
  • “HERITAGE WATCH OVER OUR PLACE OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE – KU-RING-GAI”



FOKE eNews

Calling on FOKE Members & Supporters to write submissions for amended SSDs: 21, 23 & 25 McIntosh Street & 55 Werona Avenue, GORDON (SSD-83478456) AND 5-9 Cowan Road, ST IVES (SSD-88948458)

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SMH Revelations

Read a SMH article that raises questions about ethics, probity and undue influence amongst MPs, Councillors and Council staff?

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SSD spot rezonings fail ALL

Recently FOKE met with Ku-ring-gai residents facing Transport Oriented Development (TOD) State Significant Development (SSD) rezonings for 8-10 storeys in their neighbourhood.  

The consensus was that the NSW Housing Policy fails good planning and entrenches unaffordable housing.  

FOKE thanks the residents who joined this important meeting to work together to pressure the NSW Government to stop this disastrous planning policy.



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Sign up for FOKE E-News HERE
Email: info@foke.org.au
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/friendsofkuringgai/
Website: www.foke.org.au
PO Box 584, Gordon NSW 2072

FOKE AWARDS:

  • 2016 NATIONAL TRUST HERITGE AWARDS HIGHLY COMMENDED
  • 2009 NATIONAL TRUST HERITAGE AWARDS HIGHLY COMMENDED
  • 2008 NSW GOVERNMENT HERITAGE VOLUNTEERS AWARD
  • WINNER NSW HERITAGE OFFICE AWARD
  • “HERITAGE WATCH OVER OUR PLACE OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE – KU-RING-GAI”

The Sydney Plan

Read FOKE’s Submission regarding the NSW Government’s ‘A New Approach to Strategic Planning and The Sydney Plan, February 2026

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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

FOKE sends its very best wishes to you and your family for a safe, restful Christmas and New Year.



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Sign up for FOKE E-News HERE
Email: info@foke.org.au
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/friendsofkuringgai/
Website: www.foke.org.au
PO Box 584, Gordon NSW 2072

FOKE AWARDS:

  • 2016 NATIONAL TRUST HERITGE AWARDS HIGHLY COMMENDED
  • 2009 NATIONAL TRUST HERITAGE AWARDS HIGHLY COMMENDED
  • 2008 NSW GOVERNMENT HERITAGE VOLUNTEERS AWARD
  • WINNER NSW HERITAGE OFFICE AWARD
  • “HERITAGE WATCH OVER OUR PLACE OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE – KU-RING-GAI”

19 December 2025

Who will BENEFIT from massive housing developments?



One of the main reasons touted for the State Significant Developments (SSDs) targeting our suburbs is the lack of
affordable housing for essential workers and low wage earners.

However, the majority of developments are not only marketed as luxury units, but many are being sold to overseas buyers, with a historically high proportion being left vacant.

Our Federal Government cites the need for overseas investment to improve housing supply, but the real result is that it has pushed up house and apartment prices as a result of increased demand. Resulting in both house price inflation and rent inflation with no benefit to Australians.

The Federal Government has banned foreign investors, including temporary residents, from buying  existing residential property for 2 years until 2027. Of course this is irrelevant as the majority of our suburbs are being inundated with new highrise apartments.

The restrictions to prohibit purchases of existing properties is completely irrelevant as established residences are being purchased and demolished for new residences in order to meet this requirement.

Often foreign residential  investment is deemed as insignificant, at 2% of Australian housing stock, however this obscures the fact that purchases by foreign investors are predominantly in Sydney and Melbourne, and usually concentrated in certain Local Government Areas, such as Ku-ring-gai. Accurate figures are difficult to obtain, however Sydney CBD, coastal areas such as Manly, eastern suburbs and the north shore are heavily targeted. In these areas the proportion of homes being purchased by foreign investors can be up to 15% or more.

Foreign investors have definitely added to already high housing demand.

This is not just an Australian problem.

In January 2025, the Canadian government voted to extend their ban on foreign investment of residential property for another two years. Canada had exhibited similar problems with housing affordability and low vacancy rates post-Covid as Australia. One of their solutions was to ban foreign residential investment in January, 2023 for two years. This has now been extended. Why? Because this action was seen as significantly assisting in reducing demand and hence reducing house prices.

The Canadian Government Finance Minister stated “By extending the foreign buyer ban, we will ensure houses are used as homes for Canadian families to live in and do not become a speculative financial asset class.”

The NAB Residential Property Survey Q2 2025, asurvey of around 250 property professionals, highlighted a continuing strong market for Australian residential property by foreign residents.

In new home markets, foreign buyer activity share in NSW has remained unchanged (10.8% vs 11% previous quarter) and continues above the survey average (8.7%).

For the established home market, there was a moderate increase in share in the June quarter (3.3% vs 3.1% previously).

Allowing our increasing scarce housing stock to be bought by foreign investors as an investment, will only ensure additional demand driven housing price inflation. This is to the detriment of all those seeking to rent or as owner-occupiers.

Time to contact your Federal Member of Parliament and demand a stop tp Foreign Residential Property investment in the middle of a housing crisis.



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Sign up for FOKE E-News HERE
Email: info@foke.org.au
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/friendsofkuringgai/
Website: www.foke.org.au
PO Box 584, Gordon NSW 2072

FOKE AWARDS:

  • 2016 NATIONAL TRUST HERITGE AWARDS HIGHLY COMMENDED
  • 2009 NATIONAL TRUST HERITAGE AWARDS HIGHLY COMMENDED
  • 2008 NSW GOVERNMENT HERITAGE VOLUNTEERS AWARD
  • WINNER NSW HERITAGE OFFICE AWARD
  • “HERITAGE WATCH OVER OUR PLACE OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE – KU-RING-GAI”



19 December 2025

DON’T SELL HILLVIEW

The Minns Government has announced it will sell Hillview Community Health Centre, 1334 Pacific Highway, Turramurra by selling this 10,000m2 heritage conservation site to private property developers. This land was purchased by the NSW Government in the 1970s for strategic health, road and transport reasons. We need this open space/heritage site/ community facility more than ever!

Write to Chris Minns at: https://www.nsw.gov.au/nsw-government/premier-of-nsw/contact-premier







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Sign up for FOKE E-News HERE
Email: info@foke.org.au
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/friendsofkuringgai/
Website: www.foke.org.au
PO Box 584, Gordon NSW 2072

FOKE AWARDS:

  • 2016 NATIONAL TRUST HERITGE AWARDS HIGHLY COMMENDED
  • 2009 NATIONAL TRUST HERITAGE AWARDS HIGHLY COMMENDED
  • 2008 NSW GOVERNMENT HERITAGE VOLUNTEERS AWARD
  • WINNER NSW HERITAGE OFFICE AWARD
  • “HERITAGE WATCH OVER OUR PLACE OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE – KU-RING-GAI”

19 December 2025

Thank you Bendigo Bank

Left to right: Sharon Franke, Bendigo Bank Community Development Manager, Janine Kitson, FOKE Vice-President and Christiane Berlioz receiving the $1000 from the Staff and Grants Nights.

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Ku-ring-gai GeoRegion Update

2025 has been a very productive year for the Ku-ring-gai GeoRegion project that highlights Ku-ring-gai’s region for its world class geology, significant flora and fauna and cultural heritage.

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FOKE says “Abandon biodiversity offsets!”

Read FOKE’s submission

FOKE Submission on NSW Biodiversity Credits 26.11.25Download



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Sign up for FOKE E-News HERE
Email: info@foke.org.au
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/friendsofkuringgai/
Website: www.foke.org.au
PO Box 584, Gordon NSW 2072

FOKE AWARDS:

  • 2016 NATIONAL TRUST HERITGE AWARDS HIGHLY COMMENDED
  • 2009 NATIONAL TRUST HERITAGE AWARDS HIGHLY COMMENDED
  • 2008 NSW GOVERNMENT HERITAGE VOLUNTEERS AWARD
  • WINNER NSW HERITAGE OFFICE AWARD
  • “HERITAGE WATCH OVER OUR PLACE OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE – KU-RING-GAI”

26 November 2025

Unanimous & ‘Behind closed doors’

FOKE expresses disappointment in Council abandoning its legal action against the NSW Government and approving its TOD Alternative Plan (with NSW Government Amendments).

Despite the enormous importance of having this decision debated in open forum, the Councillors made the decision ‘behind closed doors’.

Ku-ring-gai Council Resolution as of 18.11.25 (transcribed from video HERE)

CONFIDENTIAL ITEM

GENERAL BUSINESS ITEM 16        

Moved by Cr Kay

Seconded by Cr Wheatley

UNANIMOUS

  1. That Council notes that Council’s adopted alternative Transport Oriented Development scheme was largely implemented by the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure on the 14 November 2025 by State Environment Planning Policy Amendment Ku-ring-gai Station Precincts 2025 ensuring:

    i. the protection of heritage
    ii. preservation of biodiversity and tree canopy
    iii. protection of the desired future character of Ku-ring-gai
    iv. revitalization of its Town Centres

  2. While Council considers it has strong prospects of having the TOD SEPP declared invalid in its proceedings against the State of NSW, it appreciates that even if it were successful the proceeding themselves would not have led to the outcomes that Council has now been able to achieve.

  3.  While Council acknowledges that the transitional provisions associated with State Significant Developments will not resolve satisfaction, this alone would not justify the continuation of the proceedings in all the circumstances.

  4. That Council accept the offer the State of NSW that the current proceedings in the Land and Environment Court be discontinued on the basis that each party bear its own cost.  The discontinuous be filed at Court with the consent of the State within one business day of the amended maps being published on the spatial viewer in the same form that those maps were provided to Council last week.

Mayor’s Media Release: Council votes to discontinue legal action against the State of NSW

Published on 19 November 2025

aerial housing tods

Ku-ring-gai Council has resolved to discontinue the legal challenge to the NSW Government’s Transport Oriented Development (TOD).

At its 18 November meeting, Council unanimously resolved to accept the Government’s offer to discontinue proceedings in the Land and Environment Court.

This follows the decision by the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure earlier this month to implement Council’s alternative TOD scheme.

Ku-ring-gai Mayor Christine Kay said the decision brought certainty to property owners in Gordon, Killara, Lindfield and Roseville.

“Our alternative plan will replace the Government’s former TOD policy and protect important built heritage and tree canopy, while meeting the Government’s targets for new housing in Ku-ring-gai,” Mayor Kay said.

“While there were strong prospects of the TOD SEPP being declared invalid in the Land and Environment Court, this outcome is even better than what could have been achieved if Council was successful in the court proceedings.

“Council’s alternative plan was developed after extensive community consultation and has several advantages over the NSW Government’s TOD. It will help deliver much-needed new housing in a way that responds to community concerns and Ku-ring-gai’s unique area.”

Council resolved to accept the offer of the State of NSW that the current proceedings in the Land and Environment Court be discontinued on the basis that each party bear its own costs.

The discontinuation will be filed at Court, with the consent of the State, within 1 business day of the amended maps being published online.

Council noted that the alternative TOD scheme ensures the protection of heritage, preservation of biodiversity and tree canopy, protection of the desired future character of Ku-ring-gai and revitalisation of town centres.

Council acknowledged that the transitional provisions associated with state significant development were not resolved to its satisfaction but determined that this alone would not justify the continuation of legal proceedings.



Stay in Touch

Sign up for FOKE E-News HERE
Email: info@foke.org.au
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/friendsofkuringgai/
Website: www.foke.org.au
PO Box 584, Gordon NSW 2072

FOKE AWARDS:

  • 2016 NATIONAL TRUST HERITGE AWARDS HIGHLY COMMENDED
  • 2009 NATIONAL TRUST HERITAGE AWARDS HIGHLY COMMENDED
  • 2008 NSW GOVERNMENT HERITAGE VOLUNTEERS AWARD
  • WINNER NSW HERITAGE OFFICE AWARD
  • “HERITAGE WATCH OVER OUR PLACE OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE – KU-RING-GAI”



Where is our local democracy?

When the NSW Government . . .
  • still wants to keep the State Significant Developments?

  • includes the rezoning of additional heritage properties at 12 Stanhope Road, Killara; 9 Middle Harbour Road and 1 Valley road Lindfield; 29 Roseville Ave

  • off loads affordable housing to Council but lets developers ‘get out of affordable housing’ after 15 years
  • Major additions/ uplifts for No. 1-7 Carlotta Avenue, Gordon, and no.1A Carlotta Avenue, Gordon. This will now be zoned for 29m, and 1.8:1 FSR

  • Major additions/ uplifts for Nos. 9, 15 and 17 Dumaresq Street, Gordon. Height of building (HOB) from 51.5m to 64.5m

  • Major additions/ uplifts for Nos. 784, 786-788, 788A, 790, and No.802-808 Pacific Highway, Gordon (the Gordon Centre) Height of Building (HOB) increase from 93 to 109 m, FSR inc from 6.5:1 to 7.5:1. Minimum site area reduced from 9000m to 7700

  • Major additions/ uplifts for No. 22 Bent St and nos. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 & 18 Newark Crescent, Lindfield FSR increase from 0.85:1 to 1.3:1 to match neighbouring propoerties one side of this crescent. With increased HOB from 12m to 18.5m

  • Major additions/ uplifts for No. 5 Oliver Rd and 4 Roseville Ave, Roseville. As I understand the subclauses on this. This area behind Hill st Roseville is affected by some clauses that I think mean they can be included in any SSD. Very confusing language

  • 924 Pac Hwy Gordon. Height up from 51.5 to 61m

  • No. 810 Pacific Highway, Gordon, HOB increase from 70.5 to 73.5

  • No. 2 Spencer Road, Killara FSR increase from 0.85:1 to 2.1:1

  • No. 345 Pacific Highway, Lindfield HOB increase from 51.5 to 54m

  • Nos. 239, 251, 257, 259, 265-271, 283, 295-303, 305-309, 313, 317, 321, 323, 329 Pacific Highway and Nos. 1-5 Tryon Place, Lindfield  HOB increase from 51.5 to 54m (This is the current Lindfield Library site all the way to the station)

  • Some additions, some removals for active street frontage maps





Stay in Touch

Sign up for FOKE E-News HERE
Email: info@foke.org.au
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/friendsofkuringgai/
Website: www.foke.org.au
PO Box 584, Gordon NSW 2072

FOKE AWARDS:

  • 2016 NATIONAL TRUST HERITGE AWARDS HIGHLY COMMENDED
  • 2009 NATIONAL TRUST HERITAGE AWARDS HIGHLY COMMENDED
  • 2008 NSW GOVERNMENT HERITAGE VOLUNTEERS AWARD
  • WINNER NSW HERITAGE OFFICE AWARD
  • “HERITAGE WATCH OVER OUR PLACE OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE – KU-RING-GAI”