UNSW Kensington Archives - Kensington News

End of an Era: Long-Standing Kensington Boarding House Hits Market

It has been likened to the weathered home from the film Up, standing firm while taller neighbours rose around it. But after nearly 50 years, one of Kensington’s last old-style boarding houses looks set to give way to redevelopment.

Read: $171-M Education Building Proposed for UNSW in Kensington

The property at 173–175 Anzac Parade has been held by the Prodromou family since 1975, when patriarch Erotocritos Yianni Prodromou purchased the 607-square-metre site for just $52,000. Now, the two adjoining terraces that operate as an 18-room boarding house are on the market with a price guide of $13.5 million.

Agent William Tsagaris from Bradfield BadgerFox launched the expressions of interest campaign last week and said the response had been immediate. He noted that interested buyers were considering a range of options, including purpose-built student accommodation or even a boutique hotel, given the limited supply in the precinct.

The sale comes as no surprise in a suburb that has seen a wave of redevelopment, especially with its proximity to the University of NSW. In recent years, neighbouring sites have sold for $13.8 million and $15.25 million before being replaced with seven- and nine-storey residential towers. The new buildings are filled with compact student studios, some renting for as much as $715 per week, making them highly profitable investments.

Despite its age, the boarding house has remained a solid earner for the Prodromou family through both short-term and long-term leases. But with so few remaining undeveloped parcels in Kensington, the property’s future as student housing or high-rise apartments seems inevitable.

Read: New Apartment Development in Kensington Draws Interest from Professionals and Investors

For many, its sale represents the end of an era — one of the last reminders of the suburb’s earlier streetscape, soon to be overtaken by the changing skyline.

Published 29-August-2025

UNSW Kensington Launches Drone-Focused Aviation Degree to Meet Industry Demand

Photo Credit: UNSW

With drone flights projected to increase from 1.5 million in 2023 to 60.4 million by 2043, demand for skilled operators is rising. In response, UNSW Kensington has introduced a Bachelor of Aviation (Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems) to prepare students for careers in agriculture, emergency response, and security.

The growth spans multiple industries. Australian farmers are expected to conduct 500,000 drone flights each year to monitor crops. Drones will also be used for 1.5 million food deliveries annually. In emergency services, they are forecasted to complete over 300,000 flights per year to assist frontline police. An additional 80,000 flights annually will support surf lifesaving operations.

UNSW Kensington drone program — *Photo Credit: Pexels*

Combining Practical Training with Industry Knowledge

The Bachelor of Aviation (RPAS) distinguishes itself from traditional aviation programs by integrating hands-on experience with theoretical learning. Students complete:

40 hours of drone flight training and 40 hours of crewed aircraft flight training
Certification in both Remote Pilot Licence (RePL) and Recreational Pilot Licence (RPL)
Coursework in management, programming, aviation law, and information systems

The program is designed to provide students with transferable skills, preparing them for career opportunities in a sector that is rapidly evolving due to technological advancements.

Hands-on Training with Industry Experts

In addition to classroom instruction, students gain real-world experience through partnerships with aviation and emergency response organisations. One key collaboration is with Surf Life Saving NSW, where students train to:

Fly drones for search-and-rescue missions
Spot sharks and monitor beach safety
Assist in floods and bushfire response efforts

This practical training ensures that graduates are job-ready and have the skills to work in a wide range of industries.

Drone use expanding — *Photo Credit: Pexels*

A Fast-Growing Career Path

With drones playing a bigger role in many fields, graduates of this program will have opportunities in:

Emergency and Disaster Response
Environmental Monitoring & Agriculture
Defence & Security
Surveying & Infrastructure Inspection
Drone Logistics & Delivery Services

The Future of Aviation Starts Here

As drones become an integral part of various industries, UNSW Kensington’s new program aims to equip graduates with the technical skills and operational knowledge required in this growing sector.

Published 31-Jan-2025

Expert in UNSW Kensington Sees Promising Future for Flying Cars

An aerospace design expert from UNSW Kensington School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering believes that flying cars, once a concept only seen in sci-fi movies, could soon be a reality that will help motorists travel without road congestion.

Dr Sonya Brown, a senior lecturer in Aerospace Design at UNSW Kensington, said that variants of hovering motor vehicles have been in emerging around the world as companies invest in research and development projects to fine-tune the technology and design so that flying cars would become “more versatile than traditional aircraft and helicopters.”

Engineers are working on prototype mash-ups of a drone and small aircraft. These vehicles should be able to fly above ground but below commercial airplanes and cover a distance of 250 kilometres in one ride.

“The underlying technology that’s so important with flying cars is the ability to both take off and land vertically and fly horizontally as well. This makes the mechanics much more complex than a helicopter which primarily has vertical propulsion,” Dr Brown said.

“And that’s why we’re calling them flying cars because they resemble the type of travel we would do with cars.”

Most prototypes are also designed with electrically powered rotors that operate with rechargeable batteries, which means flying cars will be sustainable green vehicles that won’t emit toxins to the environment. However, Dr Brown said engineers should also work on bringing the noise down to an acceptable level as there will be heaps of these vehicles above the sky.

“It’s important that we consider the impact the noise will have for people in their homes below.”

Dr Brown also sees a few bumps ahead before flying cars take off as regulations with traffic control use and flight paths have to be established to prevent accidents and collisions.

“If we take a closer look at some of the flying cars in development, they are flown by highly trained and qualified pilots. But if we want to make them more accessible, then we need to bring the licencing requirements down,” the expert said.

“It will be up to regulators and managing Government bodies around the world to work out what licensing category it fits into it – because currently there isn’t one.”