Lendlease to acquire and reinvigorate Ngunnawal’s Gold Creek Homestead

Sydney-based real estate and investment group Lendlease has been selected as the preferred tenderer to acquire the Gold Creek Homestead in Ngunnawal.

Lendlease will transform the homestead into an “intergenerational precinct”, while maintaining its history and charm.

In June last year, the site was on the market via request for tenders by the Suburban Land Agency, which bought the site in 1998.

As part of the process, community members were given the opportunity to articulate what was important to them as part of the tender concept assessment.

Under the tender, bidders were required to retain or repurpose heritage elements of the site including a slab hut, a stone cottage and a stone kitchen.

“The preferred tender proposal responds to those important features in a unique way,” Suburban Land Agency CEO John Dietz said.

“After a wide-ranging and valuable engagement process with input from many stakeholders and a community panel at the end of 2019, it’s extremely pleasing to know the Gold Creek Homestead’s future will result in its conservation and restoration for the broader community to enjoy.”

The homestead dates back to 1860 and was a function venue in the 1960s before it was used for grazing sheep and cattle until 1983.

The site was considered for heritage listing several times, but the ACT Heritage Council found no formal heritage value for the property. 

Lendlease owns and operates a retirement village next to the homestead and said the acquisition would allow it to “deliver on its vision to create a sustainable and inclusive intergenerational precinct that builds on existing connections with the Ngunnawal community”.

“We see this decision by the ACT government as a vote of confidence in our capability to create a thriving intergenerational and sustainable precinct at Ngunnawal,” said Lendlease managing director for retirement living Nathan Cockerill.

“Once these negotiations are completed, we’ll then be able to start the process of designing the precinct masterplan, which will involve progressive community and stakeholder consultation.

“Our vision for this precinct is for it to be a place that encourages interaction between people of all ages and those living within and around the homestead.”