Sydney’s architectural history is a fascinating one, as it reflects the rises and falls of the fortunes of industrialists and politicians alike as the Harbour City we know today grew into the international hub we know today. One home that offers a look in the rearview mirror of the ebbing and flowing tides of financial and social capital is located at 18 Ward Avenue, Potts Point, which is the last of its kind after having survived for close to a century and a half and arrives on the market for the first time in six decades.
Nearly 200 years ago, at the instruction of General Sir Ralph Darling (Governor of New South Wales at the time), a total of 17 villas were constructed along the length of the Woolloomooloo Hill spine that each enjoyed several acres of land and large gardens. Each villa boasted views that spanned from Sydney Harbour to the Blue Mountains and were developed to show off Sydney’s growing prosperity at the time, with one such villa called “Goderich Lodge” built for the High Sheriff of NSW, Thomas Macquoid.
Designed by the English architect John Verge (who also designed Elizabeth Bay House), the now-demolished “Goderich Lodge” added the residence at 18 Ward Avenue, Potts Point, around 1880 and today is the last reminder of the 17 villas that were built in the 1830s. Called “Oakleigh”, the four-bedroom, three-bathroom home is an important survivor of the Victorian Italianate style that was so popular during the time and has been a single-family home since it was last sold in 1963 for £3000 ($5,143).
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Located just a short walk from the harbourside greenery of Rushcutters Bay Park, the 380m² residence spans three levels and features a number of verandahs around it that connect to an extension that was added in the 1920s. The extension is made up of 12 rooms with modestly sized kitchens and was originally used as a boarding house.
The home at 18 Ward Avenue, Potts Point, received a permanent conservation order from Bob Carr in 1985 and also features tranquil gardens in which a pair of mature Magnolia Grandiflora trees and a firewheel tree are planted. First arriving on the market in late 2022 with hopes of achieving close to $10 million, the owners have slightly adjusted their expectations and are now seeing $8.2 million according to data from Domain.
Offered under a joint listing between Ray White Elizabeth Bay and Sydney Sotheby’s International Realty, 18 Ward Avenue, Potts Point, is an important home both in terms of its architectural style and the slice of Sydney history that it represents. Agents are currently seeking expressions of interest for the home.
