A HISTORIC post office built in 1881 at the foothills of the Watagan Mountains in Cooranbong has hit the market.
The building - which is now a home - at 41 Martinsville Road was listed this week with Ellejayne Realty agent Ben Wrigley who is marketing the property for sale two years after he sold it to former antiques dealer and passionate history-buff, Lorna Charlton.
She purchased the property in June 2021 for $1.35 million, according to CoreLogic.
Prior to that, the post office was sold in 2015 for $402,500 to a buyer who extensively renovated the derelict building and transformed it into a four-bedroom, two-bathroom home.
"It is a very well-known property in Cooranbong," Mr Wrigley said.
"It really stands out because it is made of sandstone and there really are no other homes to compare it to.
"When the previous owners bought it, it was basically derelict.
"It was in very bad shape but they put a lot of effort into modernising the home while still retaining that tip of the hat to its origins and history."
The property is open for two inspections on Saturday at 1pm and Sunday at noon.
"We don't have a price yet but I believe it would be the mid to late $1 million mark," Mr Wrigley said.
"We will wait to get more information from buyers over the weekend."
The agent said he expected it to draw a lot of interest from both onlookers and potential buyers.
"The last time I sold the property the first inspection had 50 groups through so I wouldn't be surprised if we have that level of interest again," he said.
Positioned on a 2668 square metre block, the heritage-listed building holds much historical significance in Cooranbong.
According to the agent, WM Humphries built the post office in 1881 in order to cater to the town's growing population which mostly consisted of timber workers.
In 1865, the village's population was 150, and grew to 700 by 1884, according to historical documents.
Until the post office was formally opened and the village was officially named, Cooranbong was known to locals as Kuringbong and other variations of the name.
The agent said it is believed that residents did not know the correct name of the town until the post office opened.
Cooranbong Post Office was officially closed in September 1995.
The renovated building has four oversized bedrooms, all with fireplaces, ducted air conditioning, 10-foot high ceilings and decorative cornices.
Two new bathrooms include comforts such as underfloor heating while the kitchen has a walk-in pantry with barn doors and modern appliances
The courtyard overlooks the historic telegraph structure in the backyard that, according to Mr Wrigley, predates the post office building.
"It was where the telegrams would be collected and dispersed from," he explains.
There is also a double garage with an attached carport.
The agent said the property would be ideal as a short-term rental such as an Airbnb or bed and breakfast accommodation.
"There is a very big market around this area for Airbnb because it is at the foothills of the Watagan Mountains, so it wouldn't be surprising if the buyers run it as an Airbnb or bed and breakfast accommodation," he said.
Mrs Charlton, who turns 90 in July, purchased the historic home in June 2021 however, she has reluctantly listed the property for sale due to ongoing health issues.
Her eldest daughter, Darele Job, said that her mother moved to Cooranbong after selling another historic home in Wentworth Falls where she lived for more than two decades.
"My mother has always been into history and since I was a teenager, she has owned historical homes," Ms Job said.
"It is a real passion of hers."
Prior to the old Cooranbong post office and the historic home at Wentworth Falls, Mrs Charlton also owned the circa 1840 Belmont Cottage at North Richmond in the Hawkesbury region.
Ms Job said the family had listed the property as her mother can no longer take on the upkeep.
"She did get to enjoy it for a couple of years and she was so proud of owning this house," she said.
"The beauty is that not much has changed since it was built. If you view the house from the front, it is still exactly how it was in the old photos."
Ms Job said her mother had become well-known in the Cooranbong community in the two years since she purchased the house.
"She has only been here a short while but anyone that knew Mum really enjoyed spending time with her," she said.
"Mum was always chatting to people. People would come in and have a cup of tea with her and she would often give impromptu piano recitals on her grand piano.
"I've even known my mum to give someone a lovely cup and saucer to keep afterward just because she enjoyed the chat."
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