A historic village with one of Canberra’s best-known heritage buildings is up for grabs, spanning almost 12,000 sq m and offering a blank canvas for inspired developers.
The The village of Ginninderra Nicholls, at 11 O’Hanlon Place, is located in the heart of Canberra’s vibrant tourist hub and includes the Grade II listed school building and Ginninderra residence.
The “highly underutilized” 11,980 m² site contains six one-storey buildings, all of which were offered vacant.
The plot is located in the tourist hub of Canberra’s Gold Creek Village, and just a few hundred meters from the impressive 23 complete dinosaur skeletons at the National Dinosaur Museum.
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The location at 11 O’Hanlon Place, Nicholls, is in the heart of Canberra’s vibrant tourism hub Gold Creek Village. Image: realcommercial.com.au
It is located opposite the beautifully landscaped Cockington Green Gardens, full of handcrafted miniature buildings from around the world, and a stone’s throw from the popular The George Harcourt Inn.
LJ Hooker Commercial Canberra is leading the expressions of interest campaign for the property on behalf of the trustees and managers recently appointed to assess market interest.
Agent Greg Lyons said the sheer scale and heritage component of the site made it a unique prospect for developers looking to make their mark.
“It’s a bit of a blank canvas and the question of how to integrate heritage into a new development,” he said.
The 11,980 m² plot consists of six one-storey buildings, all of which are offered vacant. Image: realcommercial.com.au
The former school building was opened in 1884 and functioned as a public school until 1910.
The site currently has a recreational and residential destination and can be used as indoor recreation, childcare, restaurant, shop, craft workshop and tourist facility.
But there were a wide range of other ways the site could be used, subject to approval. These include a club, bar, caravan park, outdoor recreation facility, commercial accommodation, as well as community activities such as a place of meeting and public institutions.
“The buyer can benefit from the heritage building, but also add a new development that suits the modern population,” Lyons said.
The site is close to the National Dinosaur Museum and Cockington Green Gardens. Image: realcommercial.com.au
“There are a whole range of uses, some of which are currently permitted, and some of which require planning variations.”
The property is landscaped with manicured lawns, gardens and mature trees, with the lettable area of the existing buildings being just under 800 square metres.
Market sources suggested the asset could fetch more than $6 million. A smaller neighboring site with stricter permit requirements netted about $4 million a few years ago.
So far there has been “good and regular research” from a range of people interested in the site’s various capabilities.
It is intended for recreation and accommodation, but can be used as an indoor recreational facility and for other uses. Image: realcommercial.com.au
“It’s a beautiful piece of land – it’s been dormant for a while so it needs to be moved and someone needs to take up the challenge,” Mr Lyons added.
“There were a few restaurants on site years ago that were quite popular.”
The site is close to the city centers of Gungahlin and Belconnen, while the Canberra CBD is approximately 12 km away.
Nearby tourist attractions included the Australian Reptile Center and Federation Square.
The expressions of interest campaign closes on December 10. Photo: realcommercial.com.au
Contrary to what the name suggests, Gold Creek Village does not contain gold or a creek; it is actually named after a racehorse.
The tourist area has grown since the 1970s, but in recent times the Nicholls area has evolved into a number of luxury residential areas, Mr Lyons said.
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