Demolition Services in the St George Area
The St George area is one of Sydney’s most active mid-ring demolition markets. Hurstville, Kogarah, Rockdale, Bexley, and Arncliffe contain a dense concentration of 1950s to 1970s housing stock – nearly all of which contains asbestos – sitting on well-located blocks that have risen sharply in value. The result is a strong and sustained knockdown-rebuild and dual-occupancy pipeline across the Georges River and Bayside council areas.
Get It Away operates from our Rose Bay office at 643 Old South Head Road – 30 minutes from Hurstville via the M8 tunnel. We hold a SafeWork NSW Restricted Demolition Licence (DE2 – AD214489) and regularly deliver residential demolition, asbestos management, and excavation across the St George corridor. We also operate from our Smithfield office for projects across Greater Sydney.
The St George Housing Stock – Why Asbestos Is the Starting Point
Virtually every home in the St George area built before 1987 contains asbestos somewhere. The post-war fibro and brick veneer construction that defines suburbs like Kogarah, Bexley, Arncliffe, and Carlton was the dominant building method of the era – and it used asbestos-containing materials routinely in external cladding, eave linings, internal wall sheeting, roofing, and floor tiles.
Rising land values across Georges River LGA have made knockdown-rebuild the most financially sensible option for owners of these aging homes. Dual-occupancy development is particularly active under the Georges River LEP in R2 zones. Before any of this can proceed, the asbestos must be identified, managed, and removed by licensed contractors – and that is where every St George demolition project begins.
1940s to 1955
Fibro asbestos cement sheet – very high ACM content throughout. Common in Rockdale, Arncliffe, and older parts of Kogarah.
1955 to 1975
Mixed fibro and brick veneer – asbestos in eave linings, internal linings, and floor tiles. Dominant era across Hurstville, Bexley, and Carlton.
1975 to 1987
Primarily brick but asbestos still common in flat sheet linings, wet area tiles, and eave boards. Full inspection required before demolition regardless of apparent construction type.
Services in the St George Area
Residential demolition and KDR
Full house demolition for knockdown-rebuild and dual-occupancy development. Asbestos inspection and licensed removal, utility disconnection coordination with Ausgrid, Jemena Gas, and Sydney Water, full structural demolition including footings, and level site handover.
Active across: Hurstville, Kogarah, Bexley, Carlton, Arncliffe, Rockdale
Asbestos removal and management
Licensed inspection, removal, EPA-compliant disposal, and hygienist clearance certificate. St George’s pre-1987 housing stock makes asbestos management a required first step on almost every residential demolition project in the area. We manage the full scope from inspection to clearance.
Applicable to virtually all pre-1987 homes across the St George area
Commercial demolition – Hurstville CBD
Hurstville has been undergoing significant commercial redevelopment, with older low-rise commercial buildings being cleared for mixed-use development. Interior strip-out for tenancy transitions and full structural demolition for redevelopment both active across the Hurstville and Kogarah commercial precincts.
Active in: Hurstville CBD, Kogarah commercial precinct
Granny flat and secondary dwelling removal
St George has a high concentration of informal secondary dwellings built before current approval frameworks. Many contain asbestos. We demolish secondary dwellings as standalone projects or as part of a full site clearance, with asbestos inspection and removal included where required.
Common across: Bexley, Carlton, Kogarah, Hurstville
Excavation and site preparation
Building platform preparation, footing excavation, service trenching, and retaining wall preparation. St George’s clay soils require specific compaction methods for long-term slab stability. All excavation completed to engineering specification with compaction records provided.
Clay soils dominant across: Hurstville, Bexley, Kogarah, Carlton
Pool removal
Full removal or partial demolition and backfill for in-ground pools across the St George area. Council deregistration via the NSW Swimming Pool Register managed as part of the scope. Full removal with engineering compaction certification recommended ahead of property sale.
Common in: Bexley, Carlton, Hurstville, Oatley
Georges River Council – Permits and Compliance
Most of the St George area falls under Georges River Council, formed in 2016 from the merger of Hurstville City Council and Kogarah City Council. Note that Rockdale and Arncliffe fall under Bayside Council, which has separate requirements – we identify the correct council during your free site assessment.
Standard residential – CDC pathway
Standard residential demolitions on non-heritage sites proceed via a Complying Development Certificate through a private certifier. Required: demolition specification, asbestos assessment report, utility disconnection evidence, and adjoining owner notification. CDC determination typically 10 to 20 days.
Heritage and conservation areas – DA pathway
Heritage-listed properties and properties within Heritage Conservation Areas under the Georges River LEP require a full Development Application. Georges River has a number of conservation areas across its older residential precincts. We identify heritage status during the free site assessment and advise on the DA pathway where applicable.
Three things Georges River Council always requires
Asbestos assessment report confirming the presence or absence of ACMs. SafeWork NSW notification at least 5 business days before demolition involving asbestos above 10m2. Utility disconnection certificates from Ausgrid, Jemena Gas, and Sydney Water before works commence. We manage all three on your behalf.
Project Insight
Dual-Occupancy Site Preparation – Bexley
A 1961 fibro and brick veneer home on a 556m2 R2 block in Bexley was referred to us ahead of a dual-occupancy knockdown-rebuild. Pre-demolition inspection confirmed extensive asbestos throughout – external fibro cladding, internal wall linings, eave panels, sub-floor sheeting, and vinyl floor tiles all contained asbestos-containing materials.
We prepared the CDC documentation, coordinated all three utility disconnections, and lodged the SafeWork NSW notification. Given the extent of ACMs, licensed asbestos removal was completed over two days. A hygienist clearance certificate was issued before structural demolition commenced on day 3.
Full structural demolition including footings was completed on day 4. The site was levelled and handed over with a full compliance documentation package to the dual-occupancy builder on day 5.
Scope: Full asbestos removal + full demolition + site clearance | Timeline: 5 working days | Location: Bexley, Georges River Council
Areas we cover
Our Location
Rose Bay Office – 30 Minutes via M8 Tunnel
Get It Away operates from 643 Old South Head Road, Rose Bay NSW 2029. The M8 tunnel and King Georges Road provide a direct, fast route from Rose Bay to Hurstville and Kogarah – 30 minutes without cross-city traffic. Our teams are familiar with Georges River Council requirements and the St George area’s specific site conditions.
Get It Away Demolition and Excavations
📍 643 Old South Head Road, Rose Bay NSW 2029
Rose Bay office – 643 Old South Head Road, Rose Bay NSW 2029
Other areas served from our Rose Bay office
Start Your St George Project Today
From asbestos removal and full demolitions in Bexley to commercial strip-outs in Hurstville CBD and dual-occupancy site preparation across Kogarah and Carlton, Get It Away delivers St George projects from our Rose Bay office with the licences, local knowledge, and fixed pricing that property owners rely on.
Get It Away Demolition and Excavations | ABN: 69 145 254 119 | SafeWork NSW Demolition Licence: DE2 – AD214489
643 Old South Head Road, Rose Bay NSW 2029 | info@getitaway.com.au