Stefanovic rebuild advances in Sydney's Castlecrag with dramatic new aerials

Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Stefanovic are pressing ahead with their Castlecrag project, a $4.5 million luxury mansion on Sydney's north shore. The Today show co-host, 51, and his shoe designer wife, 41, purchased the site for about $3.2 million in 2021 and have faced a lengthy planning saga to bring their dream home to fruition. New aerial photographs released this week show the sandstone plot fully excavated, with the initial slabs poured and basement-level walls beginning to emerge, signaling continued momentum in the complicated approval process that has stretched over several years.

Dramatic aerial images captured at the Castlecrag site reveal a central circular form taking shape, tall retaining walls, and neatly stacked steel ready for the next stage of construction. A large spiral staircase appears to be under construction at the rear of the basement level. The upper level is starting to come together as well, with concrete walls visible and an arched recess along the back of the house. The on-site footage also shows multiple construction workers actively moving through the complex build, reflecting a long, contested journey finally moving forward.

The couple had revised their plans for the home, which originally called for knocking down the 1960s-era house to create a four-level, five-bedroom residence. The modified design — approved by the Land and Environment Court in April — reduces the project to two levels and four bedrooms. The court’s approval came after Willoughby Council had previously granted development consent and after a year-long dispute over the DA, with a February modification submission following demolition work that had begun in December. News Corp reported that the Stefanovics met with Willoughby Council in a conciliation conference in April as part of the process.

Under the modified plan, the project now features a two-level layout with a pool, a spa, an al fresco dining area and a double garage, down from a previously planned three-car space. The design retains some contemporary architectural touches, including high ceilings and expansive French windows, while prioritizing a spacious, modern aesthetic. The couple’s concession to two levels comes after neighbor concerns about glare from roof solar panels and potential loss of views were weighed in the court’s assessment that the modification remained substantially the same as the originally approved consent.

The Stefanovics split their time between Sydney and Queensland and share daughter Harper, four. Karl has three older children — Jackson, 24; Willow, 19; and River, 17 — from his previous marriage to Cassandra Thorburn. The latest construction images underscore the project’s progress after a long, public planning process, and they offer a glimpse into what is poised to become one of Sydney’s most talked-about residential rebuilds in recent years.

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