St Huberts Island is one of the Central Coast’s most tightly held waterfront enclaves, a canal estate of about 564 properties where most homes back directly onto the water. Developed in the mid-1970s by Hooker-Rex, the island is home to around 1,080 residents with a median age of 58, reflecting a settled, established community. Quiet, self-contained, and reached by a single causeway at Daleys Point.
Within this island, two streets represent very different ways of experiencing waterfront living. Cuttlefish Parade, with around 35 homes and regular market activity, offers an established community with plenty of buyer visibility. Solstice Place, a pocket of just three homes on significantly larger blocks, represents the island at its most private. This comparison walks through what each street offers, so you can work out which proposition fits.
The Two Streets at a Glance
Cuttlefish Parade is home to about 35 properties, all houses with roughly 90% owner-occupiers. Its street median of $2,895,000 sits well above the suburb benchmark. Three homes are currently on the market, and an active transaction history gives buyers solid data points.
Solstice Place could hardly be more different. Approximately three properties occupy the entire street on blocks ranging from 855 m² to 2,023 m², and there is no street median: too few transactions. The anchor sale is 4 Solstice Place at $2,700,000 in February 2024, a three-bedroom home on 1,121 m². 6 Solstice Place carries a broad estimate range (low confidence given the sparse data), but its 2,023 m² holding underscores the land-value story that defines the street.
Streetscape and Character
Cuttlefish Parade has genuine architectural variety. You will find original 1980s builds, including 34 Cuttlefish, described as “rock solid, 80’s built”, alongside homes that have been stylishly renovated, such as the four-bedroom at number 26. Block sizes typically range from 650 to 854 m². Several cul-de-sac sections are described as dress-circle locations, and north-facing aspects and north-easterly outlooks are prized for all-day sun across the water.
Solstice Place reads as a private estate. Three homes sit on blocks that start at 855 m² and stretch past 2,000 m², creating a level of separation where residences are barely visible to each other. The classic brick residence style at 4 Solstice, with its open water views and neighbouring reserve, suggests a more consistent architectural character than the varied mix on Cuttlefish Parade. The character here is defined by what you do not see: neighbours, passing traffic, homes competing for attention.
Waterfront Lifestyle and Boating
Cuttlefish Parade wears its waterfront credentials openly. Multiple properties feature private jetties, pontoons, and boat slipways: 15, 24, 26, and 12 Cuttlefish Parade all have some combination. Sandy beach access appears at several addresses, and 32 Cuttlefish Parade offers 36.8 metres of direct waterfront. “Waterfront Entertainer” language signals a social hosting culture, and holiday rentals at 12 Cuttlefish from $279 per night reflect market desirability.
Solstice Place offers a quieter version of waterfront living. 4 Solstice Place holds a coveted waterfront position with open water views and a reserve buffer, a broader, more open outlook than the canal-enclosed frontages typical elsewhere. The scarcity of listing detail is itself informative: residents are not constantly re-marketing their lifestyle.
Both streets share the island’s broader waterfront culture. Beyond boating, the canals invite kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, and fishing, while quiet streets are ideal for walking and cycling. Canal depth constrains boats to about 10 metres maximum.
Property Market and Value Growth
Cuttlefish Parade’s street median of $2,895,000 sits well above the suburb-wide median of roughly $1.95 million. Recent sales range from a 12-month transaction at $2.55 million up to 29 Cuttlefish Parade at $4,250,000 in April 2022. The renovation-and-release pattern is clear: 1980s originals are being updated and re-presented, driving value uplift with each cycle.
Solstice Place has no street median, and that is the point. The one verified recent sale, 4 Solstice Place at $2.7 million, reflects a strong land-value premium. 3 Solstice Place last traded in 2006 for $950,000, an 18-plus-year hold. With the suburb recording five-year growth of 19.72%, long holds on large blocks have served Solstice Place residents well.
Schools, Transport, and Everyday Practicalities
On the practical front, these two streets are near-identical. There are no schools on St Huberts Island itself, but both streets fall within the catchment for Empire Bay Public School, a 16 to 17 minute walk, and Brisbane Water Secondary College Umina Campus, about a 10 minute drive. Additional nearby government options include Woy Woy Public School, Ettalong Public School, and Pretty Beach Public School, all within 5 km. Nearby private options include Coast Christian School (about a 12 minute drive), St John the Baptist Catholic Primary (about an 11 minute drive), and Green Point Christian College (about a 13 minute drive).
Neither street has a public transport stop within 1,500 metres. Bus routes 59 and 64 service the island, Woy Woy train station is about 10 minutes by car, and the Ettalong Wharf ferry to Palm Beach takes roughly 35 minutes.
Everyday errands mean leaving the island: there are no shops or cafés on St Huberts Island itself. Ettalong Beach, with its markets and cafés, is a five-minute drive. Umina surf beach and Woy Woy’s Deepwater Plaza are similarly close.
Who Each Street Suits
Cuttlefish Parade suits buyers who want an active waterfront community: neighbours to know, renovated homes to admire, and regular market activity that builds confidence. The renovation culture signals a street where presentation is valued, and multiple jetties and slipways speak to a social boating lifestyle.
Solstice Place suits buyers who prize space, privacy, and scarcity. Three homes on blocks up to 2,023 m², open water views, a reserve buffer, and neighbours you may rarely see. Ultra-low turnover signals a street where people arrive and stay. The absence of a street median is not a gap: it is a feature of buying into something that almost never trades.
Both streets deliver genuine St Huberts Island waterfront living. Given the island’s median age of 58 and settled character, both appeal strongly to buyers seeking a long-term waterfront home in an established, low-turnover community. The choice is between community and market visibility on one hand, and estate-like seclusion on the other.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cuttlefish Parade’s median house price in St Huberts Island?
Cuttlefish Parade has a street median of $2,895,000, well above the suburb-wide median of around $1.95 million. Recent sales range from $2.55 million up to the $4.25 million achieved at number 29 in April 2022.
How many homes are on Cuttlefish Parade St Huberts Island?
About 35 properties, all houses with around 90% owner-occupancy and three currently on the market. It is a substantial street by island standards, offering more buyer choice than many St Huberts Island addresses.
What kind of waterfront access does Cuttlefish Parade offer?
Multiple properties feature private jetties, pontoons, and slipways, with sandy beach access at several addresses. Canal depth across the island caps boats at about 10 metres.
What is Cuttlefish Parade’s recent sales history?
29 Cuttlefish Parade sold for $4,250,000 in April 2022. The most recent 12-month sale came in at $2.55 million, and 26 Cuttlefish now carries an estimate of approximately $3.19 million.
What are Cuttlefish Parade’s key lifestyle advantages?
An established waterfront community of about 35 homes creates genuine neighbour interaction. Multiple listings use “Waterfront Entertainer,” pointing to a social hosting culture, and the holiday rental at 12 Cuttlefish, from $279 per night, reflects the street’s desirability.
What is the architectural character of Cuttlefish Parade?
A mix of original 1980s builds and contemporary renovations on blocks typically 650 to 854 m². North-facing aspects are prized, and several cul-de-sac sections are described as dress-circle locations.
How many properties are on Solstice Place St Huberts Island?
Approximately three, making it one of the smallest streets on the island. Homes are separated by substantial blocks of 855 to 2,023 m². Sparse market data is itself part of the appeal.
What was the last sale price on Solstice Place St Huberts Island?
4 Solstice Place sold for $2,700,000 in February 2024, a three-bedroom home on 1,121 m². 3 Solstice Place last sold for $950,000 in 2006, an 18-plus-year hold.
What lot sizes are available on Solstice Place?
Block sizes range from 855 m² at 3 Solstice, through 1,121 m² at 4 Solstice, to 2,023 m² at 6 Solstice. The largest is nearly triple a typical Cuttlefish holding.
What makes Solstice Place different from other St Huberts Island streets?
Ultra-exclusivity: only about three properties versus roughly 35 on nearby Cuttlefish Parade. 4 Solstice Place offers open water views and a reserve buffer. Near-zero turnover and no street median: the value proposition is scarcity.
What is the waterfront lifestyle like on Solstice Place?
Open water views and a neighbouring reserve define the outlook at 4 Solstice Place. The classic brick residence style suggests well-established, private waterfront living. The absence of holiday rental activity reinforces a quieter experience compared to busier island streets.
What is Solstice Place’s long term value profile?
Land-bank-driven appreciation rather than renovation turnover. The $2.7 million sale at 4 Solstice reflects a strong land-value premium, and 3 Solstice’s 18-year hold from $950,000 mirrors the island’s five-year growth of 19.72%. Value is defined by scarcity and large blocks.
Cuttlefish Parade and Solstice Place are both premium St Huberts Island waterfront addresses, but they offer fundamentally different ways of living on the island. Cuttlefish Parade delivers community, market visibility, and a renovation culture that rewards presentation. Solstice Place offers estate-like privacy on blocks approaching half an acre, with turnover measured in decades. The right choice depends on whether you value an active community or secluded exclusivity, and both streets deliver the waterfront lifestyle that makes St Huberts Island distinctive.