Heritage charm: 7 iconic properties for sale in Australia right now
It’s a case of old bones, and new beginnings for this handpicked selection of historical properties on the market right now.
From long-ago post offices to banks, churches and manors, take care of your future with these golden-era finds with either thriving businesses or untapped potential.
Scroll through our top seven picks below, and then take a wider look among 500 commercial properties mentioning “heritage” for sale in Australia, and find one that’s right for you.
Bridge Street, Sydney – NSW
This heritage-listed commercial property, known as the Burns Philp Building, looks like something right out of a movie.
Designed by architects A. L. and G. McCredie, it was constructed between 1899 and 1900 by builders Mitchell and King.
With a sandstone exterior, arched openings and four-metre high ceilings, it’s a fine example of Federation Romanesque architecture – plus, it’s located right in the heart of Sydney’s CBD.
Paterson Street, Launceston – Tasmania
Why buy one property when you can have many? Located in the Launceston CBD, the historic Pilgrim Church complex comprises three distinguished buildings: the original church (c1868), the adjacent hall (c1835) and Wesley Chambers (c1839).
The property has a land area of about 2673 square metres across seven titles with a street frontage of 68 metres.
There is on-site parking, outdoor spaces and a holding income through professional tenancies in Wesley Chambers and Pilgrim United Early Learning.
“Whether envisioned as a boutique hotel, luxury apartments, creative office hub, hospitality or mixed-use precinct, this property offers development-ready, heritage-rich potential in Central Launceston,” says listing agency Humphreys Real Estate.
Glenora Road, Plenty – Tasmania
Roll up your sleeves and get to work at the historic homestead Redlands Estate with its beautiful English-style garden in Tasmania’s Derwent Valley, just 45 minutes from Hobart. The idyllic property boasts the main homestead, plus cottages and further outbuildings nestled on the banks of the Plenty River, and is overflowing with tourism and agricultural potential on a single title of 103.7 hectares.
Take in the history, stay for the natural beauty and make your mark by creating a serene and wonderful new life for yourself and your family – there’s plenty of space for everyone to stay and lend a hand. Nearby, there are the Salmon Ponds and the Museum of Trout Fishing to explore – established in 1861, this is the oldest trout hatchery in the Southern Hemisphere – while the wider Derwent Valley is known for its lakes, rivers and productive soil.
Gray Street, Hamilton – Victoria
For the first time since 1873, the former home of The Hamilton Spectator newspaper is being offered to market via an expressions-of-interest campaign.
Listing agents Southern Grampians Livestock & Real Estate say the landmark property is located in “Hamilton’s prestigious Paris end” and is surrounded by tree-lined streets, fine dining and the Hamilton and Napier clubs, “and lies just steps from the Post Office and Church Hill precinct”.
Established over 150 years ago, the property has a land area of 2619 square metres across four titles. There is on-site parking for up to 45 vehicles.
“Its versatility opens the door to a wide range of future uses, whether as a commercial headquarters, retail outlet, professional offices, an education and training facility, cultural or community hub, or boutique tourist accommodation, or a complete repositioning development opportunity (STCA),” the agency says.
Margaret Street, Toowoomba – Queensland
The former General Post Office in Toowoomba has been a cornerstone of Margaret Street since the 19th century and one of the regional Queensland city’s most recognisable heritage-listed landmarks. It’s now been listed for sale for the first time in more than 20 years.
The property ceased postal operations in 1999 and currently hosts a cafe and 11 professional-service tenancies, including long-term anchor tenant Murdoch Lawyers, which has called the building home since 2002.
The two-level icon has more than 1650 square metres of lettable space on a 2858-square-metre site, and is of state significance, listed on the Queensland Heritage Register.
Main Street, Lithgow – NSW
It’s not every day you get to snap up one of Lithgow’s most recognisable landmarks, but the former National Australia Bank building is now being offered to the market with vacant possession.
Located on Lithgow’s bustling Main Street, the three-story building boasts 24 meters of street frontage, dual pedestrian entry and a fenced rear yard perfect for off-street parking.
Listing agency Cabmon Property says the property “offers a rare opportunity for investors, creatives, entrepreneurs, and developers alike”.
“Whether you’re seeking professional rooms, boutique offices, a destination hospitality venue, or high-visibility retail premises, this grand old dame is ready to be reimagined for the next chapter of its life,” it says.
Goodwins Road, Mangalore – Tasmania
This historic eight-bedroom sandstone manor sits on an 8.5-hectare block zoned for rural living and located just 30 minutes from Hobart.
As well as the main mansion, the property also includes the original sandstone stables with cobblestone floors and a loft, an intact blacksmith’s workshop with forge and bellows, and a relocated heritage timber stable with flagstone flooring.
