Friday, August 29, 2014

Glenella, Blackheath

Glenella, 56-60 Govetts Leap Road BLACKHEATH NSW


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Huge Blue Mountains property Glenella, complete with world’s biggest Chesterfield sofa, up for sale

Largely from article by 
The Glenella guesthouse is expected to fetch big money when it goes up for sale.
The Glenella guesthouse is expected to fetch big money when it goes up for sale.
The iconic homestead has been operating successfully for over 100 years as a guest house and restaurant.
  • Historic Blue Mountains guest-house up for sale
  • Features 13 bedrooms and the world’s longest Chesterfield sofa
  • New owners could use it as a residential property

"Glenella" is a large, predominantly single storey building that demonstrates some of the characteristics of the Federation Queen Anne style.
  • The building has a hipped roof, apart from the wing that projects from the western end of its front, which has a gabled roof.
  • The roof is covered with corrugated iron and walls are lined with rusticated timber weatherboards.
  • A verandah with a bullnosed corrugated iron roof painted in contrasting bands of colour runs across the full length of the southern side of the building.
  • The verandah roof is supported off turned timber posts, and has a turned timber valance running beneath the beanm supporting the roof. Window joinery is of timber. (Heritage NSW)
external image glenella_banner-01.jpg
"Glenella" has strong associations with the locally prominent Phillips family, who built it and then managed the building as a guest house for many years.
  • It has been an important focus of tourist activity in Blackheath for much of the twentieth century and its name has continued to be a drawcard into recent times.
  • The building is also a significant part of the group of buildings at 40 to 68 Govetts Leap Road, and has in particular important visual links to "Oakdene" (No. 52 Govetts Leap Road).
  • Architecturally it is a representative and relatively intact Federation era dwelling.
The outside of part of the 1841 sq m property.
The outside of part of the 1841 sq m property.
56-60 Govetts Leap Rd doesn’t look so imposing from the street.
56-60 Govetts Leap Rd doesn’t look so imposing from the street.


Federation Queen Anne style features enrich the grand residence, with handmade leadlight windows, dome patterned ceilings, turned timber posts, a hipped roof made of corrugated iron and a wraparound veranda.

  • “There is a (Thai) restaurant in there at the moment but in the late ‘80s and ‘90s it was formerly one of Australia’s best restaurants,” selling agent Peter Torok, of Ray White Blackheath, said.
The dining room featuring the longest Chesterfield sofa in the world.
The dining room featuring the longest Chesterfield sofa in the world.
“Michael Manners had it at the time and it was one of the first fine dining venues in NSW. All of that aside, the building is very historical … it is right in the middle of town and it is a really nice place,” he said.
  • Mr Torok said the amount of interest in Glenella had been surprising. There have been over 50 inspections and 18 contracts issued during the auction campaign.
The gardens at the guesthouse have some interesting features.
The gardens at the guesthouse have some interesting features.
“It is unique and iconic. The name is synonymous with Blackheath and the local community here. It is such a versatile property which has uncapped potential for someone who either wants a business, residence or something out of the usual.

“The main buyers looking it at it would possibly bring it back to its former glory. It has a wine bar licence as well as a guesthouse, restaurant and wine bar facilities. There’s a lot of potential there.

  • “I have got a couple of buyers who might have it as a house, turning it back into a really old, historical residence but the bulk of interest is from those who want to keep it as a guesthouse.”
The guesthouse has a number of open fires.
The guesthouse has a number of open fires.
The property is well-appointed.
The property is well-appointed.
Blackheath in the Blue Mountains is 89 kilometres out of Sydney CBD and the suburb has a median house price of $380,000 which rose 5.6 per cent in the last 12 months and 22.6 per cent in five years, RP Data figures show.
  • Mr Torok said the property last sold for about $695,000 ten years ago.
The deck outside a dining area is another notable feature of this Blue Mountains property
The deck outside a dining area is another notable feature of this Blue Mountains property

“That is not a reflection of what it would sell for today. The market is going well, it is a strong seller’s market with a lot of interest from people in Sydney and the eastern suburbs,” he said.

“I think just the village community here, and the quality of people moving to Blackheath, are really cementing its future as one of the better area in the upper mountains to live.”

Glenella will go under the hammer this Sunday (August 31, 2014) at 12pm.

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