A mansion and grounds which were once home to thylacines and exotic birds in a pioneering private zoo are set to go under the hammer.
Beaumaris, which was built on grounds originally owned by Lieutenant-Governor William Sorell, is expected to fetch more than $4 million at auction on November 30.
The Hobart property is famous for being the original site of the Beaumaris Zoo, which housed thylacines — also known as Tasmanian tigers — Tasmanian devils and exotic birdlife.
Knight Frank real-estate agent Jim Playsted describes the towering manor in Battery Point as a "national treasure".
"What exists now is back to the main mansion, the servants quarters behind it, the coach house with a very attractive fernery building, rather like a conservatory," he said.
"Beside that, there's a very geometrically precise vegetable garden, which I'm told is where the drill hall once stood when it was in the hands of the military."
Built around 1878 on about 8,000 square metres, the home originally belonged to Henry and Mary Roberts, who established the original Beaumaris Zoo within the grounds, opened to the public from 1895.
Not formally trained in sciences, Mary used her enthusiasm and natural curiosity to develop and care for an impressive menagerie of animals.
Hobart City Council cultural heritage officer Brendan Lennard said Beaumaris held a special place in the state's history.
"Mary Roberts became quite famous, even internationally. She presented a paper to the zoological society in London and even sent Tasmanian mammals overseas," he said.
"She was the first person to breed Tasmanian devils in captivity in 1913, and her husband was quite famous in the sense he established a very successful Tasmanian business that exists now as a real-estate company."
Upon Mary's passing in 1921, the property was inherited by her daughter, Ida, who offloaded the operation of the zoo to the Hobart City Council.
Beaumaris estate was then acquired by the Commonwealth and was utilised by the Army Reserve and Royal Australian Air Force during the Second World War.
In 1998 it was purchased by a private consortium.
Mr Playsted said the history, immaculate upkeep and location of the property placed it in an exclusive class.
"If they've had Commonwealth ownership, it places them in good stead, because they've been properly plumbed and wired and properly roofed and all the things that matter," he said.
"The restoration of the property by the current owners has been quite inspired."
While Beaumaris is expected to sell for millions, it is not expected to fetch as much as the 100-year-old Sentosa at Blinking Billy Point in nearby Sandy Bay, which sold for $6.5 million in 2017.
"Anything between four and six million is definitely in the upper end of what we expect in Tasmania," Mr Playsted said.
"Of course, that pales in significance to what we expect in somewhere like Sydney.
"But, it will bring an enormous amount of interest from overseas and interstate buyers, because of the value they can buy within that precinct."
