Property Details
Set at the far end of Blackheath's Hat Hill Road is 'St Elmo', a lovely stately home surrounded by established mature gardens.
For those in the know, the Grose Valley end of Hat Hill was where wealthy families from Sydney established country homes - many had spectacular views to the Grose Valley and others, like 'St Elmo', were blessed with a magnificent seam of black soil.
This fertile soil attracted keen gardeners who planted the stately oak trees that are a standout in this garden with their beautiful long horizontal limbs stretching out providing delicious shade and an irreplaceable feeling of permanence.
No one has the time to wait for trees this magnificent, they can only be bought!
With a rich history of notable residents including Doctor Godson, Inspector General of the Department of the Insane at Parramatta and his wife Maud (daughter of the great Victorian architect of Sydney James Barnet who's major works include The Australian Museum, Customs House and Mortuary Station) constructed the original house in 1889; Thomas "Roddy" Rodriguez, a patriarch of Blackheath, former proprietor of the 'old" Ivanhoe Hotel, and astute businessman who subdivided the original 15 acres of St Elmo in 1925; to Joseph Carroll (Managing Director of Email whitegoods company) and Lionel Hooke (radio operator on Shackleton's 1914 Antarctic expedition and Managing Director of AWA Ltd) who purchased the property in 1942 seeking refuge for their families from the Japanese.
The fact is, now is your chance to own a one off - they do not get much better than this, and the current custodians, who have loved every moment, feel it is time to move on.
The home as it stands now is a lovely sprawling country residence with wide verandas, four bedrooms, two bathrooms, two living spaces, a study, conservatory and a breakfast room, not to mention two cellars that were originally constructed as air raid shelters during WW2.
There are also two outdoor 'dunnies' - one still functioning and another now used for storage, but both oh so charming, that were originally built to be used during open garden days in the 1930's.
So for those who are looking for a property with provenance and that irreplaceable feeling that only comes with the passing of time, 'St Elmo' may well be that very special one you have been searching for.
• Reverse Cycle Air-conditioning
• Gas Heating
• Separate Garaging with workshop
• Three street frontages to Hat Hill Road, Simpson Avenue and St Elmo Avenue.
• NBN connection
• Sited on 8 titles of land
• Heritage Listed Gardens
Land area
4357 sqm (approx)
