The Greying of Indooroopilly’s ‘Greylands’; Now Listed at a Loss for $4.75m+

‘Greylands’, one of Indooroopilly’s earliest estates, came to market today with price expectations in excess of $4.75m through Johnston Dixon agent Josephine Johnston Rowell. It’s a rare property with a colourful history, although its current pricing indicates the tight prestige market in Indooroopilly, the Brisbane suburb once considered among the city’s most desirable. It was only last April that Greylands sold for $6.5m (after shopping around the market with $9m-$10m hopes). During the 1990s, the property traded hands twice, both times in the low-$2mils and both times setting new suburb price records. 

Greyalnds as it appeared in the mid-1930s

Greylands itself predates the suburbanization of Indooroopilly. Constructed under the design of architect-builder John Hall for lawyer Graham Hart in 1876, the home was situated on a 28 acre riverfront parcel with sweeping views that are now blocked by infill development. 10 years after the construction of the Queenslander homestead, the opening of Indooroopily Train Station led to the subdivision of land in the then-semi-rural setting. In the below parcel map from the 1880s, Greylands can be seen in the lower right hand corner with it’s 28 acre allotment still intact. 

By 1918, Greylands was subdivided into its own estate of homes, leaving the 1 acre block that the home now rests in. And the name? Well, according to a 1932 article in The Queenslander, the name Greylands “would hardly describe lands by the river anywhere, it was not on account of the colouring of his 28½ acres that Mr Hart gave to the home that he had erected thereon the name “Greylands.” The name. I believe, was that of a favourite book, or one being read at the time.” That same article goes into great detail on the design and layout of the home that current floor plans reveal is largely in tact, save for extensive kitchen renovations. The 6-bedroom home comes with tennis court, pool, a large wraparound gravel driveway and period features aplenty. 

But the price! Nearly $2m less than just one year ago? What gives? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. 

More photos and listing information below the break.

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Manly’s ‘Casa Mia’ Update

Back in March, The Radical Terrace posted the colourful story of the c1930 Lewis Kaberry-designed ‘Casa Mia’ on Manly’s harbourfront. The mansion (pictured above) is now home to four apartments and was last seen shopping around with $4.2m hopes and the assumption that extensive renovations could take place. Well, it appears that Casa Mia’s plastic surgeon owner Dr Mark McGovern and listing agent Vince Donovan believe the tear-down approach will incite the interest they’ve been waiting to receive. The new campaign now flaunts the approved plans by ”renowned architect” Terry Byrnes of Byrnes & Associates to tear down the Spanish Mission abode in favour a pretty terrifyingly ugly re-build. But, then again, considering Terry Byrnes seems to be more of a designer of DAs than actual architect, the controversial (but approved!) design shouldn’t surprise. I guess one thing unchanged is the price: they still want $4.2m (which still leaves the doctor with a multi-million dollar loss).

Floor plans are available on the listing website: 3 Oyama, Manly

(Historic?) Manly Mansion Up for Sale

A prominent 1930-built Manly mansion - ‘Casa Mia’ - has listed with $4.2m hopes. The current owner, Queensland-based plastic surgeon Dr Mark McGovern, purchased the waterfront abode in June 2007 for $5.65m, a large amount for what became an apartment block after subdivision in the 1970s. McGovern proceeded to submit controversial plans to the Manly Council to demolish Casa Mia and develop a block of three flats with a construction value of $4.5m (putting McGovern in at over $10m, a hard sum to gain back based on apartment comps in the area). Local residents, of course, flipped out, claiming the home had significant architectural significance. McGovern retorted: 

I would like to reiterate that Council decided NOT to proceed with heritage listing on the basis of its own independent advice that the house had NO heritage merit. Whilst built circa 1929, extensive renovations and extensions occurred during the 1950’s and again in the 70’s, resulting in little of the original fabric remaining, particularly since subdivision of the single house into first five and later four flats. Come on, guys! This is a rather ugly pink block of flats which you are eulogizing! If you looked harder at the subject matter, it would be appreciated! In particular, the “architectural and aesthetic mediocrity which will replace it” has very considerable merit!!!

So many [sic]s, it’s not even worth tracking them. McGovern’s sentiments are surprising given he’s a plastic surgeon: doesn’t he notice that the exterior is virtually identical to its origins? And isn’t the edifice the most significant feature for NIMBYs and Councils alike?  

A bit about Casa Mia’s history. It was designed and built in 1930 by Lewis Kaberry, a prominent architect of theaters and private homes in the “Hollywood” or “Spanish Mission” style fast gaining prominence in Sydney in the inter-war years. Kaberry designed at least one other home in the ‘Oyama estate’, the 1925 ‘Casa del Mar’. Most homes in this ritzy enclave of Manly housed the relocating country fortunes of several farming families, including Casa Mia’s original owners, the Edwards family.  Also to note according to a 2005 Heritage Assessment, “Casa Mia benefited from this infilling prior to the Great War that helped create the almost rectangular block approximately 47’ x 188’, or 822 square metres.  At the time of the Oyama subdivision, Manly Council  reserved an easement marked “Drainage Reserve and Access to Water”, ten feet wide,  between Oyama Avenue and the high water mark. This easement and water access-way is still accessible via new concrete steps from Oyama Avenue, to the east of Casa Mia.  However, portion of the easement has been encroached upon by the lawns of Casa Mia and a sea-wall constructed that blocks water access and obscures original stone steps down to the water.”

That same 2005 heritage assessment led to Manly Council placing the building on the Heritage List, a ruling that was (suspiciously?) overturned in 2007, just prior to the home’s $5.65m sale to Dr Mark McGovern. Someone was doing some seriously lobbying in Manly a few years back!

3 Oyama Avenue is listed with Vince Donovan of Donovan Prestige. And, The Radical’s take is that the home will indeed be more valuable as three “penthouse-style” apartments, but most of that value is under the assumption that the mansion’s unique architectural pedigree remains in place.