@purplekristi - yes the kitchen has a gable window which makes all the difference to the light! @oklouise - sorry that's the latest floorplan I have, although most of the changes we complete before we bought the house. we did fill in the cavity slider (highlighted green) off what is marked as dining area on the plan. I've made some measurements on the attached plan. the filled in green area has been made a front hall with entrance door at the end. and the carport made a filled in garage. I do know the highlighted orange wall is definitely loadbearing, but would have to check on any others. thank u all for your input!

So MsWins, To assist with your decisions picture yourself in the mornings, lunch time and tea time, Run through mentally all the various times you are in the kitchen, the things you commonly make, the dinners, appliances you use, spreads you put on and the stock of food you like to keep. Most importantly can you make a chocolate cake while The Man is cooking dinner and Little Johnny is getting drink and snack for mates, The Man is pouring your wine and Missy is getting the cheese plate ready? I can see appliances lined up in pantry with food goods and implements you use above and below, spices in drawers just inside accessible to cook top and app, glasses and crockery in island ready for serving, lunch boxes lined up along island and the children washing the few things that do not go in DW but that you still use even tho they may get ruined in DW! Hope that helps a bit! Regards. Margot

an island in the kitchen would challenge the available walk through to the family room and the precise space available in the alcove depends on wall thickness so my suggestion has a new location for fridge, wall oven and tall storage, similar location for stove, sink and dishwasher and the alcove used as pantry space with a free standing table rather than an island to test how it feels before committing to a fixed island and a new kitchen and widening the dining room door should not need a DA but always best to ask the building inspector at your local Council

Not sure what you mean 225, do you mean 2250cm, I have that space including fridge as 2500, if you allow 1m for fridge that gives you approx 1500 to fit your ovens next to the fridge. So if that Half wall is Fridge height that will still fit. I prefer my first option having the cooking station backing onto the dining room wall, opening an oven across the walkway between the it and the Island isn't a good idea. My reason not to use the window wall allows better space for an Island.