Leichhardt forges another residential record for former fire station

Leichhardt has a new suburb record with the current record-holder home selling on the long weekend for $3.05 million.

Set on 658 square metres, the four-bedroom, four-bathroom home sold through Ray White Inner West’s David Eastway. With that much land it is about three times bigger than the typical Leichhardt block.

It was sold by the banker Ashley Salter and his wife, Paspaley Pearls creative director, Christine Salter.

The former Victorian fire station had been renovated by French antique furniture importers Bob and Helen Hargreaves, of Le Forge, who sold in 2007 for a record $2.45 million through McGrath. The highest sale in the interim is thought to be $2.25 million on Henry Street in 2011 through McGrath, who had unfulfilled $2.65 million hopes for the colonial home.

The Queens Birthday weekend auction offering came with a swimming pool, Annie Wilkes-designed gardens, separate guest house and French manor-inspired interiors. The manor home was originally the suburb’s 1895 fire station. The property, with frontage on Carlisle and Marlborough streets was bought by the Hargreaves from the army in 1993 for $326,000 – it was an army drill hall during World War I.

Across Sydney over the weekend agents secured 73.7 percent success rate from the initial 300 results. However, there are another 93 results yet to be tabulated by Australian Property Monitors. Melbourne agents secured a 69.9 percent result with the top sale at $1.74 million at Brighton.

• Words: Jonathan Chancellor. For more information visit www.propertyobserver.com.au