1a Ashley Ave, Glen Osmond.
Once the coach house of Glen Osmond’s iconic Benacre Estate, this stunning home is rich in history and ready for a new owner to write the next chapter of its story.
The late Dr Charlie Akkermans and his wife Maureen bought the home at 1a Ashley Ave in 1987, and now, nearly four decades later, their daughter Johanna Akkermans – who, with her siblings, is selling the property – says it is time for someone else to fall in love with it as her parents did.
“They were looking for something special, and we’d all left home and got married, and then this one came up and it was just the one,” Ms Akkermans says.
“It’s just perfect, and hidden, and private, and they really loved the history of it.
“I remember Mum was gardening one day and dug up an old horse shoe, and they cleaned it up and hung it up above their doorway, and it’s amazing to think it used to be a stable and later became an exquisite home.”
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1a Ashley Ave, Glen Osmond.
1a Ashley Ave, Glen Osmond.
1a Ashley Ave, Glen Osmond.
1a Ashley Ave, Glen Osmond.
1a Ashley Ave, Glen Osmond.
Set behind ornate handcrafted wrought iron entry gates, the Palladian-style home was built in the mid 1800s, crafted from Glen Osmond bluestone with sandstone detailing, and features a central two-storey section flanked by gabled wings.
It has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, numerous grand formal entertainment spaces and is surrounded by established grounds, including an idyllic sunken garden.
“The gardens have changed a bit because Mum used to do a lot of gardening, but the house itself, with the exception of a bit of painting here and there, remains largely unchanged and is just as perfect as it was when they bought it,” Ms Akkermans says.
“When you drive up, you’re blown away by it and it still wows after all these years.
“Mum and Dad held a lot of dinner parties and because the backyard is so wonderful there was a lot of outdoor entertaining.
“They’ve hosted 30ths and 80ths there, and Christmases were the big thing. We’d have Christmas there each year, and there’s a door there that opens to the adjoining park, so entertaining would spill out there and sometimes we’d set up trestle tables out there and we’d play badminton and the kids would climb the trees – it was like an extension of the back yard.”
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1a Ashley Ave, Glen Osmond.
1a Ashley Ave, Glen Osmond.
1a Ashley Ave, Glen Osmond.
1a Ashley Ave, Glen Osmond.
With the property now surplus to needs, Ms Akkermans says it is time to let someone else love it like her parents did.
“The quality is phenomenal – it really was built to stand the test of time, and someone can either enjoy its timeless period charm, or modernise it and make it their own,” she says. “Whatever they choose, they’ll be very happy here because it’s just such a special home.”
The property is on the market with Booth Real Estate and has a $3.5m asking price.
Expressions of interest close Wednesday, July 3 at 2pm.