Historic homestead in Canberra evokes nostalgia – realestate.com.au

Tea Gardens is one of Canberra’s oldest houses, in one of its newest suburbs.

Not many properties can claim to have been a 19th century homestead and riding school, and contain jarrah wood reclaimed from Parliament House.

Tea Gardens was built in the 1860s from local red brick and originally stood on a 320-acre estate.

This historic house, one of Canberra’s oldest, now occupies a 2,037 m² block at 10 Yirawala Street, Ngunnawal in Gungahlin, one of the city’s newest neighbourhoods.

There have been many chapters over about 165 years.

European settler Anthony Rolfe, who arrived in 1849 and helped shape the region’s early agriculture, established Tea Gardens as a farm that remained in the Rolfe family for nearly a century.

It features Western Australian Jarrah timber floorboards salvaged from Parliament House. Image: realestate.com.au

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In the 1950s, new owners extended the house and used some of the original stone to create a feature wall. In the 1970s and 1980s it became a riding school before the suburbs closed their doors. During renovations in the 1990s, the Parliament House floorboards were laid.

After falling into disrepair, the house was sold as a deceased estate in 2020 to Tim Hubbard and Jessika Ahlgren and their blended family of four children.

The fully landscaped gardens contain more than 70 new trees. Image: realestate.com.au

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The couple loved Tea Garden’s history, charm and surprisingly modest price and purchased it for $950,000.

“We needed something big enough for our family of six. We realized we needed to renovate somewhere, so we rolled up our sleeves and got to work,” Mr. Hubbard said.

The characteristic wall was rebuilt with original red brickwork. Image: realestate.com.au

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Tea Gardens proved to be a perfect match, with its generous layout and double brick construction offering both space and tranquility for the large family.

And over the past five years, they’ve transformed Tea Gardens again.

“It probably looks better than it has in a long time,” Mr. Hubbard said. “We’ve been working on the garden for years and now it’s finally starting to bloom. And it will only get better as the trees mature.”

The welcoming conservatory. Image: realestate.com.au

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The wide house combines modern style with historic charm and opens onto a bright white conservatory lined with black mosaic tiles. It flows into a cedar-lined living and dining room, a granite kitchen with Velux skylights and a cozy lounge with fireplace that connects to a sitting room, complete with a brass and crystal-lined bar.

The house has been lovingly restored since it was last sold in 2020. Photo: realestate.com.au

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There are five elegant bedrooms with restored sash windows, the master with dressing rooms and an ensuite. There is also an office with separate entrance and a media room, once a meat room, which adds to the character.

Mr. Hubbard loves so many aspects of the home.

“The master bedroom has a beautiful bay window that lets the sun stream in. My partner loves the copper bath and the lounge area and bar area in the old part of the house are lovely places to sit.”

The striking copper bath and sink. Image: realestate.com.au

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Outside, several terraces overlook manicured gardens, the golf course and mountain views. A staircase leads to extensive lawns with more than 70 new trees, a fruit orchard, vegetable and flower gardens, a Japanese garden and a water feature.

There is also an outdoor hydrotherapy spa, a sandstone fire pit, an oversized outdoor chess board and a handmade wooden swing with ‘Tea Gardens’ engraved.

The couple is selling to find a multi-generational home that will also accommodate Mrs. Ahlgren’s mother.

It has a bar with copper finishes and twin Vintec wine fridges. Image: realestate.com.au

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Agent Eva Bono of HIVE Property says the listing has created a lot of nostalgia among locals.

“A few people came by and remembered it as the old riding school,” she said.

“From the street it’s deceptive: when you walk in it feels like a country retreat. You forget you’re in Canberra. Walking through the gardens I felt like Alice in Wonderland. The house is private, peaceful and has beautiful views.”

Plenty of outdoor activities. Image: realestate.com.au

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With a price estimate of more than $2 million, Ms. Bono says she is receiving a lot of interest from buyers.

Others simply visit for the memories. Mr. Hubbard said there were people at his door associated with the property.

“They would say: ‘We used to live here, can we take a look?’

The expansive property overlooks the 4th hole of the Gungahlin Lakes Golf Course. Image: realestate.com.au

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“One was the cousin of a previous owner, and the other was a granddaughter descended from Anthony Rolfe, the original settler, who brought with her the full family history.

“That was pretty cool.”