Canberra grows up around Griffith house in Stuart Street

It’s just a short stroll from Manuka Village, but when 15 Stuart Street was built in 1939 it was on Canberra’s periphery.

The three-bedroom house has hit the market for the first time in almost 80 years and while the city has grown around it, little about the home has changed.

Builder Leslie Dwyer and his wife Eileen built the house after moving from Ainslie. The move also signalled a career change for Leslie when he opened Manuka Lawn’s first shop, a photographic business.

Daughter Roma grew up in the home then moved back in the early ’60s with two sons. She lived there for 53 years before moving into a nursing home in March.

Her son, Ian Heffernan, says there have been a lot of knockdown rebuilds in the area and he expects the 1095-square-metre block will be redeveloped by the new owners.

“To be frank, it would be a difficult place to renovate,” Ian says.

“I think time has moved on and I think it will be bought by someone who wants to build a very nice residence on a large block in a lovely part of Canberra.”

Griffith

15 STUART STREET

PRICE GUIDE: Mid $1.3 millions EER: 1.5

AGENT: Mario Sanfrancesco and David Stokes, Peter Blackshaw Manuka, 0412 488 027 or 0410 598 463

AUCTION: Saturday, July 1 at 1pm, on-site

INSPECT: 9.45am-10.30am