“Gingerbread Cottage” was built in the mid-eighties and way back in 1985, the original owner paid $45,000 for the ¼ acre block, a price that seemed incredible compared to all other land sales in the area. That buyer realised that the land occupied a position that was perfect and that no matter what other homes might be built on the vacant land around it, a home built on this site would forever retain superb views to the north, east and south-east. Today those views still encompass the eastern suburbs of Brisbane, including Brisbane airport and all of the islands and waterways of Morton Bay, before swinging out east to encompass around 100 kilometres of ocean, the entire Gold Coast and a great swathe of the Hinterland. If the night light scene is truly spectacular, the early morning views are even better with every sunrise seeming to create its own particular art at the dawning of the day.

The home was designed to incorporate both a colonial ambience and that charm of an Alpine cottage. At approximately 40 squares in size, it is hardly a cottage but rather, a large family home with all the space you would expect for a growing family. Both living rooms are huge! The informal living runs right through from the back wall to the front wall with 2 large sets of solid timber and glass French doors at either end. Just open those doors wide and open the eastern side verandah sliding windows, and you have a natural breezeway that picks up every cooling summer breeze that wafts up from the sea. The all timber, French Provincial kitchen with modern appliances and space for a fridge and freezer pair, which is positioned on the northern end of the house opens directly into this room and also directly out to the northern end verandah for easy informal entertaining. The formal living room includes the slow combustion wood fire in its brick fireplace and another bank of timber and glass French doors opening onto the eastern verandah. A hardly ever used main entry door with leadlight features and foyer divides the 2 living rooms.

The ground level also includes the 4th bedroom with its own external entrance and the sweet 3rd bathroom with its solid amber marble wash basin plus laundry and study nicely secreted in between the rear of the garage and the wall of the house. The huge and very private outdoor living area that runs from the side fence back to the garage has been fully paved and extensively roofed over. It includes a built-in brick BBQ as well as a built-in serving table for salads etc. If the eastern and western doors of the informal living are opened, then the breezes flow straight through to this area. When they are closed, it becomes a warm and delightful spot, well exposed to the northern sun in winter time.

Carpeted stairs lead up from the living area to the upper level. The large main bedroom and big ensuite bathroom occupy the whole of the northern end of the bedroom wing and the bedroom has both north and east facing windows. There are 2 more bedrooms on the eastern wall of the upper level with a gallery style hall leading to the main bathroom on the southern wall. The main bathroom has just been replaced and the ensuite bathroom was retiled and updated not long ago.

“Gingerbread Cottage” underwent a major renovation in 2009. This included a full new roof and new windows on the upper level as well as a new main bathroom, new carpets and all fresh interior paint. New drapes were installed too and the timber floors were all repolished upon the completion of the work. It has only been lived in for a few months since then by its current single lady occupant.

While internal stairs go up from the ground to the sleeping level, another set of internal steps leads down the basement “dug out”. This is a huge, secure area that has not been touched or updated. It was originally created about 1990 and became “the playroom” for the couple that then owned the home. It was turned into a fabulous bar room with a billiards table and had the ambience of a German beer hall, although the ceiling height did not allow it to be designated as a habitable area under the building regulations. It has had no love or attention since those owners moved on, and is now a bit tattered and very musty because nobody ever opens it up to air out. It could be brought back to its original charm with some genuine attention or continue to be used as a massive, secure under house storage area.

The landscaped and fenced gardens have been very well landscaped and include neatly clipped box hedges, a lovely water feature with fountain near the eastern entry door onto the verandah and lawns plus many flowering shrubs and trees. It has been reasonably well looked after and the main thing it will need after this long wet summer which has been a superb growing season, is a thorough pruning.

Yes! “Gingerbread Cottage” is a Mountain icon with glorious views as well as a fascinating and exciting history that will be passed on to the new owner.