About Russell Lea
Russell Lea lies on the western shore of Iron Cove, about 8 km from the Sydney CBD. It was part of surgeon John Harris’s Five Dock Farm (1806) and was subdivided by Samuel Lyons from 1836.
The suburb is named after Russell Barton, MP for Bourke (1880–86), whose Italianate mansion “Russell Lea” stood on a 24-hectare estate until it was subdivided in 1913.
Today it is a family suburb of Federation and inter-war homes, with grand waterfront houses on Burnell St and Henley Marine Dr and the Bay Run along its foreshore. Lyons Rd and Hampden Rd are the main roads.
Waterfront streets include Burnell St, Henley Marine Dr, Byrne Ave, Barnstaple Rd.
Russell Lea property market
Medians blend all stock; waterfront and renovated homes trade well above.
Median sale price by year
Based on recorded sales in our Elite Partners sales database (2024 onwards), excluding price-withheld and commercial sales. Updated daily.
Recent sales
| Address | Type | Beds | Price | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Tait Street | house | 4 | $3,000,000 | 25 Sept 2026 |
| 15 Potter Street | house | 4 | $3,190,000 | 12 Sept 2026 |
| 6 Tait Street | house | 3 | $2,980,000 | 12 Sept 2026 |
| 246A Lyons Road | house | 4 | $2,325,000 | 3 Sept 2026 |
| 8 Rowley Road | house | 3 | $2,550,000 | 14 Aug 2026 |
| 206/216 Lyons Road | unit | 1 | $595,000 | 31 July 2026 |
| 35 Bouvardia Street | house | 3 | $2,250,000 | 29 July 2026 |
| 21 Tait Street | house | 3 | $2,380,000 | 10 July 2026 |
| 205/216 Lyons Road | unit | — | $520,000 | 30 June 2026 |
| 308 Lyons Road | house | 3 | $1,910,000 | 26 June 2026 |
Living in Russell Lea
Schools
- Russell Lea Public School, Lithgow St — Primary catchment covers most of Russell Lea (some streets fall in Abbotsford PS or Five Dock PS)
- Concord High School, Concord — Local high-school catchment
Always confirm the catchment for a specific address with the NSW Department of Education.
Childcare & kindergarten
- Little Pines Early Childhood Education and Care, 14 Pine Ave — Long day care · Meeting NQS
- Russell Lea Kids OSHC, Russell Lea Infants School, Lithgow St — Before/after school & vacation care · Meeting NQS
Parks & reserves
- The Bay Run (Iron Cove foreshore, Henley Marine Dr)
- Campbell Park
- Russell Park
- Lysaght Park
- Sibbick Street Reserve (cnr Sibbick & Russell Sts)
Getting around
- Buses along Lyons Rd, Hampden Rd and Brent St
- Abbotsford Ferry Wharf a short drive away
Shops, cafés & clubs
- Lyons Road cafés and Italian institutions: Pasticceria Caruso, L’angolo, Prima Cucina, Vito’s The Rustic Table
- The Birkenhead Hotel
- Abbotsford Juniors Football Club (Campbell Park)
- The Medical Practice Russell Lea (230 Lyons Rd) · All Natural Vet Care
- Carino Care aged care (72–74 Russell St)
Heritage
- MWS&DB Pump House No 65, Byrne Ave
- “Glenwood”, 21 Lamrock Ave
- Lyons Road street trees (palms, camphor laurels, figs)
- Mons Street & Boronia Avenue and Hampden Road conservation areas
- 7 LEP heritage items in total
Who lives in Russell Lea
Dwellings
- Separate houses: 68.3%
- Semi / terrace / townhouse: 7.8%
- Flats / apartments: 23.4%
Ownership
- Owned outright: 37.5%
- Mortgage: 35.1%
- Rented: 25.6%
Couples with children 51.4% · 31.8% of homes have 4+ bedrooms · Median weekly rent $520 · Median monthly mortgage $3,290. Source: ABS 2021 Census QuickStats.
Elite Partners in Russell Lea
Selling Russell Lea since 1999. Thinking of selling? Get a free, no-obligation appraisal.