A Happy Home With History Restored

Sun Herald

Sunday March 25, 2007

By ELLEN LUTTON

Address: 37 Norton Street.

House: 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms.

For sale: $1.55 million.

Built: 1908.

Size: Approx 415 square metres.

Agent: Elders Ballina.

BRUNDAH is a sprawling, rambling and glorious old home in Ballina's town centre.

It is the kind of place that whispers century-old secrets from its traditional VJ walls. The open mantle fireplace testifies to years of cosy winter evenings.

The home's name, Brundah, means "our happy home". It was built in 1908 by a prominent stock and station agent called Roy Lang. Roy and his wife Charlotte lived all their married life at Brundah with their four daughters. After her husband died in 1946, Charlotte continued to live at Brundah until her death in 1980 at the age of 102 years.

Its current owners, Mal and Ros Lewis, purchased it as a B&B six years ago.

"This house has harboured years of happy memories and we have been lucky enough to make our own here," Ms Lewis said. "What I will miss most about this place is the house itself. We will never find anything like it again in our lives, we know that."

The Lewises have placed the heritage-listed National Trust home for sale before they move to Italy. Ms Lewis said that although it is currently being run as an upmarket B&B, it could be someone's "dream family home".

"As far as a family home goes, you could not get anything better," she said. "The space with the living areas, bedrooms, bathrooms and not to mention the beautiful grounds, would be perfect for raising a family in."

The historical residence is on 2000 square metres of lush landscaped surrounds. Every feature of its charm has been retained and meticulously renovated by the Lewises, including polished rosewood floorboards, timber staircase, original ornate high ceilings, moulded skirting and architraves and French doors opening on to broad return verandas.

It is incredibly spacious. All four bedrooms have their own elegant en suite bathrooms and the home also features an attic and a separate study. The lounge room, dining room and well-stocked library all open out to the long shady verandas.

"This place really is a once in a lifetime home," Ms Lewis said. "We want to see it go to someone who will love it as much as we have."

© 2007 Sun Herald

Back to News Index | Back to Home