Country style in middle of a city

BY SANDRA SIAGIAN

WHEN the present owners sit back and relax on their verandah they swear it feels like being in the countryside.

And with their property’s classic interiors, distance from the street, and large 2250-square-metre block, it’s not hard to imagine why. But this heritage-rich home is in fact in Burraneer.

Named Cobar Cottage, the freestanding house was built in the central NSW town of Cobar in 1898. The following year it was dismantled and brought by horse to Bankstown to be stored. The building was moved to Burraneer in 1902. Ownership changed a few times with some small additions made to the building.

The five-bedroom and three-bathroom cottage is now on the market as the owners, who bought it in 1998, want to downsize.

“It’s a piece of history and we like the old style,” the present owners said. “We’re going to miss [its] space and character.” They extended the driveway to give the property dual-street access, updated the spa and pool, and restored the gardens, which they say are low-maintenance.

Standout features include pressed-metal ceilings, and the original chandeliers and fireplaces.

Selling agent Sean Egan from Sean Egan Property at Burraneer said there had been more than 120 inspections and he expected it to sell for about $2.5 million.

Fairfax-owned Australian Property Monitors shows the highest house sale from Burraneer in the past year was $4.3 million. Expressions of interest closed last Monday.

UPDATE: The property sold for $2.7 million.

St George and Sutherland Shire Leader.