Ubberholme - A Rare and Restored Camberwell Estate - Lists for $5m+

‘Ubberholme’, a historically significant home in the Prospect Hill Estate of Camberwell has listed with $5m+ hopes through Woodards agents Jason Hearn and Lou Lihari. The abode has been extensively renovated since last trading hands in December 2004 for $2.31m. The owners picked up the neighbouring home at 51 Prospect Hill for $845k and subsequently demolished it, providing ‘Ubberholme’ with a large half-acre lot nearly as large as its original parcel that was first subdivided in the inter-war period. Today, the adjacent 780sqm parcel is offered as a separate parcel for $2m+, bringing the total price for the estate to $7m+ if purchased together.

The home was built in 1886, several decades before the bulk of Camberwell was developed, and represents one of several larger Victorian villas in an area predominated by later Victorian and Edwardian homes of lesser scale. Overall, the significance of the home is solidified in the fact that it’s evocative of pre-Federation Camberwell with a sizeable garden and lot size. The W S Law-designed home has maintained to this day an ox-bow shaped driveway that leads to its unique side entry. The side entry once faced onto Stanhope Grove, but the subdivision of the parcel into 53A Prospect hill Road now blocks that corner frontage. 

Overall, the renovation restores the home to a fairly accurate 19th century upper class villa characteristic of early development of Camberwell at a time when the railroad first opened up the rural area for settlement by city professionals. Unfortunately, the costly renovation of the home (and impressive restoration of slightly creepy ceiling frescos) in the past few years failed to address the ageing bathrooms, bedrooms, and recent kitchen additions. Furthermore, the lack of a garage (although driveway parking for six cars does exist) and pool may deter potential buyers who come to expect such features in $5m+ Melbourne homes. Nonetheless, the owners definitely nailed the period features; and the lighting fixtures may easily been the most radical this blog has seen.

Click below for more images, floor plan, and listing information.

The listing: Ubberholme, 51-53 Prospect Hill Road, Camberwell