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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
Lucy Arundell

Relocated workers cottage from the flooded Acton Peninsula up for auction

A cottage that was once the home of one of the builders of Old Parliament House is up for auction.

The century-old house was originally a workers' cottage in the Acton peninsula before being relocated to Hall in 1960s.

The homes were moved to Palmer Street in Hall when the peninsula was flooded to make way for Lake Burley-Griffin.

The house, which now sits on more than 2000 square metres of land, will go under the hammer at 10am on Saturday, July 13.

The 1920s cottage on Palmer Street, Hall. Picture supplied

The home's real estate agent Peter White from Luton Properties said the home's history is a key part of its charm.

"It's one of 12 work cottages that were built on the Burley-Griffin Peninsula, which is now underwater," Mr White said.

"It housed the people who were working on the old Parliament house a long time ago, so it's a cool house."

Auctions remain strong

It comes as auction volumes remain strong across the capital, with Canberra seeing a week on week increase in stock, from 43 homes last weekend to 51 on July 13.

It was the only capital city apart from Brisbane to see an increase, with school holidays dampening sales in most jurisdictions.

Canberra's clearance rate was 62.8 per cent in the previous round of auctions on July 6, an increase from 45 per cent in July 2023.

Mr White said most potential buyers for the cottage in Hall have been looking for a tree change.

"Obviously, Hall is quite a aspirational area to be in, it's like a village living within the city," he said.

"There's nothing else like out there, and it's very tightly held. You can count on one hand how many sales of established homes there has been in the past couple of years."

The four-bedroom, three-bathroom home was renovated in 2021, with the owners hoping for a sale above $2.5 million.

One-hundred-year-old stained glass windows, an original fireplace, and a preserved original shed come with the property, as well as a self-contained one bedroom unit.

First listing in 30 years

To the south, a 1970s house that has been owned by the same family for more than 30 years is also going under the auction hammer.

The 1970s home in Higgins. Picture supplied

The home on Castieau Street last sold in November 1993 for $123,000, with the median price for a house in Higgins in 2024 about $800,000, according to CoreLogic data.

The three-bedroom, two-bathroom home in Higgins has several quaint features from the earlier era, including a sunroom and an original kitchen.

More homes under the hammer

Thirty-nine homes are up for auction on the weekend of July 13, according to Allhomes.

For first home buyers, a three-bedroom townhouse in a "satellite" community in Holt has a price guide of $700,000, with the auction kicking off at 10am on July 13. The home incudes a private courtyard bordered by gardens and north-facing windows.

The median price in Holt is $567,000, according to CoreLogic data.

Homes for auction in Canberra. Top left, 34 Enderby Street Mawson. Bottom left, 2/50 Hillcrest Street Crace. Right, 35/131 Britten-Jones Drive Holt. Pictures supplied

Around the $500,000 mark were three two-bedroom apartments in Belconnen and Weston Creek. One apartment in Crace was described as "attractive to first homeowners, downsizers, professionals and savvy investors alike", with a price guide of $499,000.

A second unit on Benjamin Way had "breathtaking views of Lake Ginninderra," according to the listing, and was "freshly painted" and "ready to move in".

One of the most expensive homes headed for auction is a five-bedroom home on Enderby Street in Mawson, for which real estate agents declined to provide a price guide.

The home was last listed for sale in January 2024 for $2.25 million according to CoreLogic.

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