UNDER CONTRACT BY JUNE FRANK

This magnificent example of outstanding Victorian architecture, abundant with unique and opulent features, is available for the first time in 30 years.

The absolute pride and vision of the first owners to have commissioned such an outstanding home is remarkable. Built in 1895, only the finest cedar timber and first grade hoop pine was sourced.

The original sweeping staircase leads to an outstanding central gable frontispiece with intricate fretwork with double post front and side. Perfectly balanced with the two rotund bays, the ceilings are fully lined with tongue and groove timber and provide massive outdoor living in huge verandah rooms in absolute privacy. Wrapped in the restored wrought iron lace work, any one of three sides could be the front of the house.

To balance the 13ft high ceilings, 14inch cedar skirting boards are throughout and layered architraves define the ceilings. Throughout the living areas, all walls are double sided so the belt rail is not visible, as the walls are so high, it was necessary to have a double belt rail - Wow! I have only seen this repeated in Warrum.

The central hallway is 16metres long and 3metres wide in the first section. The narrower part of the hall is still wider than most other hallways and is defined with second cedar doorway with etched and coloured glass.

Stunning and perfect, etched ruby glass highlights the cedar front entry. At the halfway mark of the first hall is a cedar arch with bevelled pillars.

Four Italian marble back to back fireplaces (two are now converted to gas) would have been shipped from Italy. The hand carved marble provides the border for hand painted art nouveaux tiles, ornate, cast iron fireplace and exquisite tiles as the base.

Cedar sash windows provide access to verandahs on all sides.

The current owners rescued Elamang from a life as four flats; lovingly unveiling the enclosed verandahs and restoring the lacework, the true beauty was revealed. In a huge undertaking, the roof was replaced and years of work with carpenters, painters and plumbers brought this beauty back to life. A new hoop pine kitchen was installed and a whole room dedicated to a gorgeous bathroom with claw foot bath and divine fireplace.

The original kitchen space remains with pantry and maids quarters, ideal for separate accommodation.

An in-ground pool in view of the verandahs has been added.

Set on 2,504sq metre, the property enjoys absolute privacy.

The large houses and mansions of Ipswich historically only change owners every 20 to 30 years. As several houses have been sold in the last 5-10 years, this will be one of the last rare opportunities to be able to secure an unrepeatable property.

Please call for a welcome inspection by appointment only.

This house is believed to have been built around 1895 for Richard Watson. About this time, he had married a widower and mother of five children, Mrs Fox. Watson's father had arrived in the colony in 1841 and established a stock property. Later, Richard and two brothers established a butcher's business in Ipswich. Richard Watson also served on the council, was mayor from 1911 to 1912, and was a member of the Hospital Board, the Technical College Committee and charity organisations.

The Elamang property, including stables and tennis courts, originally extended north to the railway, south to Brisbane Road, and was bounded by Watson and Fox Streets. Mr H Cribb's son, Rex, and his wife bought the property in 1924. Mr Cribb worked as an executive in the Cribb and Foote business. Although the Cribb family maintained the stables, the property's size has decreased from the original 22 acres to three. When cars became popular, a double garage is believed to have been added. The house remained in the Cribb family after the death of Rex Cribb until 1950, when it was sold to the Queensland Times Pty Ltd, who used it as four flats for their employees. In 1965, the property was bought by Mr C. W. Gorbul who later sold the property to the Pisasale family. The house was bought by the current owner in 1984.

The house, on 96 perches, is not unusually located between other houses which front Watson and Fox Streets. From Watson Street, only a side view of the house is visible. The house faces south towards Brisbane Road. It's front facade has a prominent, central, gable frontispiece, with a timber finial and pendant and a valance of decorative timber work. The main roof is a long, ridged, corrugated iron hip, with two parallel wings extending from it. Either side of the entry is an enclosed verandah, with straight, stepped-down roofing. At the east and west corners of the front verandah are rotund bays, with polygonal roofing. The rear, north east corner of the house also has a rotund bay. An L-shaped, enclosed verandah extends across the home's rear and alongside a short-ridged, pyramid roofed section. An early photograph shows it has a chimney, which is no longer there.

Features