Inside Cranbrook’s quiet $4m plan to make more space for girls

It may not come close to the $125 million sandstone structure that Cranbrook unveiled in 2022. Or the $60 million splashed out by the school’s neighbour Scots College on a faux baronial castle last year.

But after Cranbrook opened its doors to girls for the first time in more than 100 years in February, it was only going to be a matter of time before the wealthy Sydney private school got moving with plans to make more space for the additional intake.

In a development application lodged with Woollahra Council late last month, Cranbrook details plans to convert the senior school’s former pool area into a series of new “learning spaces”, at an estimated cost of $4,013,731. If Cranbrook gets a green light from council, construction could kick off in the third quarter of this year. It could run for about 20 weeks.

A cost estimate reveals the school has already started work decommissioning the old pool. In its place will be a string of what appears to be six classrooms, along with a 113-square-metre workshop, and a 173-square-metre drama space.

Architectural plans show the structure will be clad in “timber look” aluminium, fibre cement sheeting and rendered masonry.

When reached by CBD over the weekend, a Cranbrook spokeswoman said most of the planned work was likely to go ahead over the Christmas holiday period, assuming the application is approved.

“The DA relates to the school’s ongoing commitment to providing optimal learning environments for our students and to make the best use of our facilities, amid increasing interest in enrolments as we become fully coeducational by 2029,” the spokeswoman told CBD.

“We plan to maximise the use of the former pool area by retrofitting it for additional learning spaces, a drama studio and workshop space – if approved, most of the work would be undertaken over the coming Christmas holiday period.”

Kerry gets his man

If we were to measure the battle for control over Southern Cross Media, or Seven Media – or whatever it is they’re calling themselves these days – by counting only executive departures and arrivals, Kerry Stokes is poised for top dog status.

The latest ghost of Seven’s past comes in the form of a shock return to the newly merged company for the ousted television boss, Angus Ross, whom CBD hears is set to return to work at the company this week.

Ross’ resurrection represents only the latest in a string of decisions made by the Southern Cross leadership team that Stokes has successfully unwound, after a number of Seven-aligned staff were ousted following the merger finalised in January.

Earlier this month, the Perth billionaire oversaw a reshuffle of the company’s board, which included the resignation of chairman Hollywood Heith Mackay-Cruise, replaced by former Seven director Teresa Dyson. That came not long after the company announced former Seven executive Rohan Lund would take over as CEO and managing director of the merged group.

At this rate, we can only wonder who Stokes – who has a 20 per cent stake in the combined company – has his eyes on next. Then there’s the intrigue surrounding what Stokes’ former right-hand man and long-time commercial director, Bruce McWilliam, has planned, after wasting no time building a near 10 per cent stake in the company. Both men, we hear, advocated for Ross’ return.

But our best guess is that it only starts with restoring the Southern Cross TV division as the company’s dominant force. And we can’t say we’re surprised. When we brought word last month that Southern Cross was mulling a sale of Stokes’ beloved West Australian newspaper, we got a sense that even a discussion of the prospect would amount to waving a red rag to a bull.

Then there were the eyebrows raised by the thought of Southern Cross’ one-time caretaker CEO turned audio exec John Kelly heading off to screenings in Los Angeles last week, where we hear he thought he was up for some one-on-one time with Paramount at Nobu, only to discover he wasn’t.

Naturally, we’re on tenterhooks. But pour one out for the poor Southern Cross shareholders who thought they had invested in an audio company, only to find themselves in on what is shaping up as a TV company with some audio bits bolted on.

Maybe Hollywood Heith feels a bit differently about it all now.

Giles to get hitched

One of the nation’s most in-demand defamation solicitors, Rebekah Giles, appears set to get a bit of time off. Or at least, so we would hope.

The high-profile lawyer is scheduled to marry her long-time partner, Melbourne property developer Tim Price, with whom she has three children. We hear invites have gone out to a throng of CBD favourites for a wedding in Sydney next month.

A big CBD congratulations to the happy couple. Last week, Giles got together with friends for a hen’s lunch at none other than Lady Chu in Potts Point. Among those we hear dropped in were high-profile defamation barrister Sue Chrysanthou, Jasmine Stefanovic, wife of the right-wing podcaster turned radio personality, Karl Stefanovic, and Seven’s morning TV boss Sarah Stinson, among others.