St Huberts Island is one of the Central Coast’s most tightly held waterfront enclaves, a canal estate of roughly 564 properties connected to the mainland by a single bridge at Daleys Point. Discovery Street and Long Arm Parade offer two distinct versions of island living: Discovery Street tucked within the interior canal network on the eastern side, Long Arm Parade tracing the outer edge with uninterrupted Brisbane Waters frontage.
Two Different Kinds of Waterfront
Discovery Street sits within the island’s sheltered interior canal network: calm, protected waterways ideal for kayaking, paddleboarding, and dropping a line from your backyard. One listing captures it: “only metres from the waterfront” with “easy access to launch your kayak”. Homes like 16 Discovery Street lean into the entertainer profile with pools and alfresco living that make the canal the centrepiece.
Long Arm Parade occupies the outer edge with direct Brisbane Waters frontage, where “wide, calming water views” and “an exceptional sense of privacy and space” are the norm. 11 Long Arm Parade includes a shared private jetty, lock-up boat house, slipway, and floating pontoon, while 4 Long Arm Parade has a slipway and sandy beach at the back door. In short: Discovery Street delivers intimate, sheltered canal living suited to kayaks and paddleboards; Long Arm Parade opens onto deeper water and broader vistas for those with larger boats.
Property Market and Price Tiers
The two streets sit at materially different price points, driven by the waterfront positioning premium.
Discovery Street properties trade in the $1.3 million to $1.8 million range. 11 Discovery Street sold for $1.36 million in 2022 on 685 m², while 16 Discovery Street reached $1.78 million in April 2026 on 696 m². Price-per-square-metre sits at roughly $1,700 to $2,600/m².
Long Arm Parade commands a clear premium. 11 Long Arm Parade sold for $2.01 million in 2020 on 664 m², and 21 Long Arm Parade traded at $6 million in October 2024, up from $2.38 million four-and-a-half years earlier. Current estimates place 26 Long Arm Parade at roughly $2.77 million and 18 Long Arm Parade at approximately $2.85 million. On a square-metre basis, Long Arm Parade ranges from about $3,000 to over $6,700/m², roughly 75% to 160% higher than Discovery Street.
For context, the suburb-wide median sits at $1.925 million, with 6.8% compound annual growth over four years. 16 Discovery Street paints the long-term picture: $237,000 in 1998 to $1.78 million in 2026, a 651% gain over 28 years. And 21 Long Arm Parade delivered 152% in under five. Both streets have rewarded homeowners well; they simply sit in different market tiers.
Streetscape, Character, and the Feel of Home
Drive along these two streets and the difference is immediate.
Discovery Street has 19 homes, 85% owner-occupied. Houses are predominantly single-level brick on 685 to 827 m² lots, with a relaxed, garden-oriented feel. Listings describe “resort-style family or retirement living” on a “quiet street on exclusive St Huberts Island”: established, private, unhurried.
Long Arm Parade presents a grander picture: 26 homes, 95% owner-occupied, the highest rate on the island. Executive-style homes sit on lots from 639 m² up to 1,057 m². 21 Long Arm Parade, an “architectural masterpiece” with 24 metres of waterfront frontage and a heated pool, exemplifies the calibre. 11 Long Arm Parade features a rooftop terrace with panoramic Brisbane Waters views, one of several premium outdoor living features that appear along the street.
Both streets benefit from the island-wide underground power upgrade, a $5 million project that removed overhead lines and kept the streetscape clean. The island’s link to the 1788 First Fleet landing, commemorated by an obelisk in the Long Arm Parade reserve, adds quiet significance to the area both streets share.
Everyday Life: Schools, Transport, and Amenities
For most practical purposes, daily life is remarkably similar. Neither street has a public transport stop within 1,500 metres, though bus routes 59, 64, and 5364 serve the island vicinity. Both are about a 10-minute drive from Woy Woy station, and the 35-minute ferry from Ettalong Wharf to Palm Beach is equally convenient. The island has no shops, so a five-to-ten-minute drive to Ettalong Beach, Umina, or Woy Woy handles all shopping, dining, and services; Erina Fair, the nearest major regional shopping centre, is further south for larger retail runs.
The one differentiator is primary school access. Long Arm Parade is a 13-minute walk to Empire Bay Public School; Discovery Street requires a 6-minute drive to the same school. Both fall within the secondary catchment for Brisbane Water Secondary College Umina Campus, 11 to 12 minutes away. With the suburb’s median age at 58 and households predominantly childless couples, relatively few residents have school-age children, so primary school walkability may matter more for resale than for day-to-day life.
For weekend living, residents of both streets enjoy Ettalong Beach markets, cinema, and the Diggers Club with waterfront dining, plus Umina’s surf beach and nearby Brisbane Water National Park bushwalking, all within a short drive.
Conclusion
Discovery Street and Long Arm Parade offer two genuinely different versions of St Huberts Island living. Discovery Street is the more accessible entry point: canal-front homes from $1.3 million to $1.8 million, with sheltered water and a relaxed garden streetscape. Long Arm Parade is the premium outer-waterfront experience: grander homes, panoramic Brisbane Waters views, deep-water boating, and prices from $2 million to beyond $6 million. Both share the same amenities, transport links, and school catchments. The choice comes down to budget, the kind of water experience you want, and the streetscape that feels like home. Either way, you are buying into one of the Central Coast’s most sought-after waterfront communities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Discovery Street St Huberts Island known for?
Discovery Street is known for its sheltered interior canal position, offering intimate waterfront living. With 19 homes and 85% owner-occupancy, the streetscape is quiet and garden-oriented: single-level brick homes where kayaking and paddleboarding from the back door are everyday activities. It is also close to the First Fleet landing site commemorated by an obelisk in the Long Arm Parade reserve.
What is the property price range on Discovery Street St Huberts Island?
Properties trade in the $1.3 million to $1.8 million range. Recent sales include 11 Discovery Street at $1.36 million (2022) and 16 Discovery Street at $1.78 million (2026). 5 Discovery Street is estimated around $1.43 million. Price-per-square-metre runs roughly $1,700 to $2,600/m².
How big are the blocks on Discovery Street St Huberts Island?
Lot sizes range from 685 m² to 827 m²: 11 Discovery at 685 m², 16 Discovery at 696 m², 3 Discovery at 825 m², and 5 Discovery at 827 m².
What is Discovery Street’s long-term capital growth like?
16 Discovery Street went from $237,000 in 1998 to $1.78 million in 2026, a 651% gain over 28 years. At the suburb level, St Huberts Island has delivered 6.8% compound annual growth over four years, with the median now around $1.925 million.
What school catchment is Discovery Street St Huberts Island in?
Discovery Street falls within the primary catchment for Empire Bay Public School, a 6-minute drive, and the secondary catchment for Brisbane Water Secondary College Umina Campus, about 11 minutes away. Nearby private options include Green Point Christian College and St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School, both roughly 11 minutes by car.
What is it like living on Discovery Street St Huberts Island?
It is an exclusively residential island experience: no shops, just homes and waterways. The canal-front lifestyle centres on sheltered water for kayaking, paddleboarding, and small-boat fishing. Homes are predominantly single-level brick, described as “resort-style family or retirement living”, with Ettalong Beach cafes and markets, Umina surf beach, and Woy Woy station all a 5-to-10-minute drive away.
What is Long Arm Parade St Huberts Island known for?
Long Arm Parade is the island’s premier outer-waterfront street: direct Brisbane Waters frontage, expansive open-water panoramas, and deeper water for larger vessels. It has 26 homes with 95% owner-occupancy and is known for executive-style homes with private jetties, slipways, and boat houses.
What is the property price range on Long Arm Parade St Huberts Island?
Properties span approximately $2 million to over $6 million. Recorded sales include 11 Long Arm Parade at $2.01 million (2020) and 21 Long Arm Parade at $6 million (2024). Current estimates place 26 Long Arm Parade at roughly $2.77 million and 18 Long Arm Parade at approximately $2.85 million. Price-per-square-metre ranges from about $3,000/m² to over $6,700/m².
How big are the blocks on Long Arm Parade St Huberts Island?
Lot sizes range from 639 m² to 1,057 m², the widest on the island. Examples: 13 Long Arm Parade at 639 m², 11 Long Arm Parade at 664 m², 21 Long Arm Parade at 892 m², and 19 Long Arm Parade at 1,057 m².
What is Long Arm Parade’s capital growth track record?
21 Long Arm Parade sold for $2.38 million in February 2020 and resold at $6 million in October 2024, a 152% gain in roughly four-and-a-half years. The suburb-wide four-year growth rate is 6.8% per year, with Long Arm Parade’s homes consistently trading well above the $1.925 million median.
Can you walk to a school from Long Arm Parade St Huberts Island?
Yes, it is the only street in this comparison with walkable school access. Empire Bay Public School is a 13-minute walk. The secondary catchment is Brisbane Water Secondary College Umina Campus, a 12-minute drive. Private options include Coast Christian School in Bensville (11 minutes) and Green Point Christian College (12 minutes).
What is it like living on Long Arm Parade St Huberts Island?
Grand waterfront living with broad Brisbane Waters views from a “prized outside waterfront position”. Homes feature premium outdoor living including private jetties, slipways, boat houses, and sandy beach access from the backyard. It is one of the island’s most sought-after streets, with underground power (from the $5 million island-wide upgrade), deeper water for larger boats, and a strong sense of privacy. Shopping, dining, and weekend amenities at Ettalong Beach, Umina, and Woy Woy are all a short drive away.