Catherine Coneliano, a businesswoman with a $3million home in Illawong and a $14million mansion in Whale Beach, took her neighbors Emmanuel and Olivera Garcia to court over a blocked driveway. The access route, which is shared by utility services, had been obstructed by the Garcias, who built an unauthorised retaining wall and metal fence that exceeded height restrictions and narrowed the route. According to court documents, the Garcias repeatedly ignored Coneliano's pleas to resolve the issue through three letters from her solicitors. Justice Richard Beasley ruled in favor of Coneliano, finding that the Garcias had not meaningfully engaged with her concerns until after court proceedings began.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-07,
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Story summary
Catherine Coneliano, the managing director of Redox, one of Australia's largest chemical distribution companies, went to court over a dispute with her neighbors, Emmanuel and Olivera Garcia, in southern Sydney. The issue centered around an access route called a right of carriageway that allowed Coneliano to travel from her $3 million home on Fowler Road in Illawong to her second property, a $14 million mansion in Whale Beach. The Garcias had built a wall and fence across the access route, blocking Coneliano's path, despite repeated pleas for them to remove it. Coneliano claimed that this was not only obstructing her access but also affecting utility services that use the right of carriageway. She took the case to the NSW Land and Environment Court, where she ultimately won.
Written for “Dispute over Driveway Access” on 2026-09-07,
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A wealthy businesswoman has emerged victorious after a bitter feud with her neighbours over a driveway that gave her the only access to her home in southern Sydney.
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Catherine Coneliano and her husband Renato, the managing director of ASX-listed chemicals supplier Redox - one of Australia's largest chemical distribution companies - split their time between two luxury properties.
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While they spend their weekends at a lavish $14million Whale Beach mansion, their main residence is a $3million home on Fowler Road in Illawong, which has no direct access via a public road.
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which → spend → road
As a result, they have to travel over part of a neighbouring property, belonging to Emmanuel and Olivera Garcia, using an access route called a right of carriageway.
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The same legal right also allows utility services, such as water, electricity, sewerage and telecommunications, to also cross the neighbour's land.
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Ms Coneliano brought a case against the Garcias in the NSW Land and Environment Court after she claimed they had built a wall and fence across the access route and repeatedly obstructed the only way to her home.
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According to court documents, she alleged the Garcias built an unauthorised retaining wall that exceeded height restrictions, lacked engineering approvals and was constructed over electrical and water services.
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In her claim, she said a metal fence erected on top of the wall further narrowed the route used by vehicles entering and leaving the property.
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Catherine Coneliano (pictured right) is married to Renato Coneliano (left), the longtime managing director of Redox, one of Australia's largest chemical distribution companies
Ms
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Coneliano took the Garcias to court for blocking the access to her Fowler Road property in Illawong (pictured bottom)
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Coneliano alleged the Garcias repeatedly blocked the access route with parked vehicles, left rubbish and other items on the easement, and questioned visitors about why they were attending her property.
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Her lawyers told the court that when they visited the site in May 2025, the Garcias demanded they leave the right of way.
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In a separate incident, a surveyor attending the property to prepare a report allegedly required police assistance after a dispute erupted at the site.
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Justice Richard Beasley found in favour of Ms Coneliano.
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He rejected the Garcias' claims they had not been given an opportunity to resolve the dispute, finding there was no evidence they had meaningfully engaged with concerns raised in three letters from Ms Coneliano's solicitors.
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The judge found those concerns were 'largely ignored' and concluded the alleged encroachments were not addressed until after court proceedings had begun.
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The contents of all three letters were effectively ignored by the (Garcias), who did nothing to remedy the encroachments... until such time as after (Ms Coneliano) commenced court proceedings,' he wrote.
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Justice Beasley found Ms Coneliano had been left with little choice but to sue.
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'(Ms Coneliano) was, in my view, forced to commence proceedings to achieve what she had sought to do...
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She was left with no reasonable alternative but to commence litigation.'
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The Conelianos own this lavish $14million Whale Beach mansion (pictured) in Sydney
The judge later declared Ms Coneliano the 'clear winner', describing the outcome as an 'effective surrender' by the Garcias.
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In his decision published on August 26, he ruled it would be 'unjust and unfair' not to order them to pay her legal costs.
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Ms Coneliano sought almost $148,000 in legal costs, though Justice Beasley ruled the final amount should be determined through the usual assessment process.
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Under consent orders reached before a final hearing, the Garcias must remove part of a retaining wall and metal fence found to be encroaching on the easement, and ensure the right of way remains unobstructed.
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right → reach → way
